The Snipers of the Apocalypse

Doctor of the Dead Part 1

"Where even are we right now?" I asked 10K as I rubbed Cassandra's back, helping her through the waves of vomit that she'd been trying to get out of her system for the last 15 minutes.

"I don't know, somewhere West of the Rocky Mountains I think."

"Not sure how much longer we can hold it together." That was Warren, who was currently on the satellite phone with Citizen Z. "We have a man down- Cassandra, she's not looking good. And then there's the package."

I took this time to leave Cassandra's health in Tommy's hands temporarily so I could figure out what was going on. I stood up, brushed the dirt off my knees and made my way to our leader.

I couldn't hear what he was saying just yet, but judging by Warren's next response, CZ was more concerned about one of the two people Warren had just listed.

"Uh, don't know exactly, but Murphy's acting weird- more than usual. Where's this new destination?"

"Fort Collins, Colorado." What?

"What happened to California?" I questioned the, most likely, only surviving member of the NSA.

"Hey Alrrami, good to hear your voice."

"You too, CZ. Now, California?"

"Right, uh, the labs gone dark again; maybe for good. You've been redeployed."

"By whose orders?" That was Warren, her National Guard background shining in just that one sentence alone.

"Well, I started picking up a teletype signal on the old civil defense frequency. At first, I thought it was a hacker- but turns out it's Doctor Merch- yeah, that Doctor Merch. The one who injected Murphy."

"What?" That was me, in shock. Murphy will have mixed feelings when he hears that the woman that is the sole reason he's in the situation he's in is still alive, and that she's now our next destination- much sooner than any of us had previously anticipated.

"I know, crazy right? So, deliver Murphy to Fort Collins. Doctor Merch will be there with her team to meet you."

"No more California?" I had to confirm.

"Colorado is the new California."

"Copy." Warren brought the phone down to her side, just in time to hear another round of bile exit Cassandra's stomach. Tommy was holding her hair back and trying to soothe her as best he could.

"If anybody ever needed antibiotics in the apocalypse, it's her right now." That was Doc.

"And if we can't find any?" Warren.

"She won't last another few days." I spoke the grim truth as I made my way to my previous position at Cassandra's side, leaving Doc and Warren to hang in the dark cloud I had left.

"Feel better now?" Tommy questioned as I knelt down beside them.

"Yeah, a little bit." Cass breathed out as she took the rag I had offered her, that way she didn't have to wipe her mouth with her sleeve.

Tommy and I draped each of her arms over our steady shoulders and tried to lift her up, but it didn't go to plan.

"Oh, no-no-no-no-no-no-no." Cassandra gasped out in pain as we sat her back down. As of right now, my outlook on her chance of survival was dark, and all I wanted to do was put her out of her misery.

But, she's still our friend- and we'd all be damned if we put her down without giving it our best shot.

"Just try to relax." Tommy and I spoke at the same time, rubbing her shoulders. Doc and Warren made their way closer to us so we could hear the conversation.