Unit 15

Chapter Two: Here to Help

"We have a supply retrieval mission in the morning. Please inform all available men and women that we depart at sunrise. General, see if any of your men are willing to accompany. Manuela also informed me that we have three new beds open in recovery, which means that we can collect three more diseased for triage and treatment. Inform them of that as well so if they see an ideal candidate, they can sedate and recover them. No one has time for babysitting so please make sure all needed information is given before departure," Stephanie Malone said as she rested against her high backed leather chair and threw her hair into a messy pony tail.

The conference room was basic, clean as Stephanie commanded. The world around them might have been in utter chaos, but there was no reason Home Unit 15 should ever be.

There were seven troops in the unit, each one designated a specialty that helped Unit 15 run smoothly and more efficiently then most of the other sixty Units in the world. Each troop had a leader, and each unit had a president. Every night the eight of them gathered in this conference room, President Stephanie Malone at its head.

To Stephanie's right sat General Alexander Pierce, head of Troop 1, defense. He was an older man in his sixties, an army general before the world was infected with Ophioyaws, or in more understandable terms, zombies. Alexander was a strong man, with a wife and children who had survived the outbreak and resided inside the Unit.

Next to him was Dr. Manuela Vasquez, head of Troop 2, medicine and recovery. Manuela graduated at the top of her class from Harvard Medical School, seven years before the outbreak. She had received her first grant for Ophioyaws research when the once carefully contained disease began to spread like wildfire. Stephanie felt privileged to have Manuela on her team, especially since she was the one that had discovered a cure that could potentially put this world back in order.

To Manuela's right sat Private Gordon Lovitz, Troop 3 leader, secondary in defense and Unit police. He was young, mid 20's with a strong head on his shoulders.

Next was Vincent Furillo, Troop 4. His group ran the retrieval missions and collected supplies that couldn't be provided, for the Unit and all the residents inside. Vincent had an urge for excitement and the ability to think quick in high pressure situations. He was also flexible with the gift to get into tight spaces when it was called for, and strong enough to lift pretty much anything with leverage. He was younger, around Stephanie's age and had been best friends with her husband, Ian, before he had become infected and disappeared.

Troop 5 leader, mousy Valerie Smith, ran the home division. She was the sweetest 30 something woman Stephanie had ever met. She took direction of the care of the units children, and well as of preparation of daily meals and the cleanliness of their home. Stephanie knew this might be one of the safest troops, but it was in no way an easy feat. She admired Valerie for her ability to do it well, and all the while with a sweet smile on her face.

Troop 6 was agriculture, led by cocky Kevin McAllister. Kevin always had his nose up in the air, but he was smart and had the greenest thumb Stephanie had ever seen. The animals also seemed to love him, which is how he ended up heading his division. He led the care of the livestock and the fields in the 12 ft tall gates behind the sky scrapper they occupied in what was once known as Washington DC.

Finally, troop 7. Led by efficient and genius Tabitha Womack. Troop 7 was one of the most vital troops in the unit, and assured that the unit would have running water and electrical services throughout this apocalyptic type era in time.

Where once technology and running water was vast in the world, they had become obsolete due to the fact that there weren't enough people to keep things running. Luckily, a few smart people, like Tabitha Womack, made it once again possible with generators, solar panels and brains.