"Hmm. Yeah, I guess that's right," Sam murmurs. "Veronica just wants you to check the perimeter fence, check for problems before she does her big test in a few days. Seems like it might be dangerous..."
"Her test?" I guess, shrugging. "Probably."
"If it is, then maybe you shouldn't-"
"Sam," I scowl.
"What? I'm just saying. After what happened two nights ago-"
"It was just a bad dream."
"Nadia said you were screaming and you nearly fell off a platform. Then, after she finally got you to calm down, your nose started bleeding." He lets out a deep breath. "That does not sound like just a bad dream."
"Please, Sam, I... It's complicated, alright?"
"Was it one of your dream... future vision things? You can tell me. You know I don't think you're crazy."
I sigh, my eyes darting from one bush to another. "Yes, I know, but... that dream-that vision definitely isn't something you need to hear about."
"Why? Is something bad going to happen?"
"When does something bad not happen?"
He growls in annoyance. "Five."
"What?" I sigh, bringing my hand up to rub my temples. "Can we please just drop it?"
There's a moment of silence, and I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, worrying he won't give up. Sam can be just as stubborn as me when he wants to be.
"Fine," He grumbles, and I sigh in relief.
"Thank you. And I'll be okay with the test Veronica's hoping to perform. She said if we help her with this, she'll help us get into the Comansys Base, remember?"
"Yeah... can't believe we found her. She's not... exactly like her dad, is she? Although I guess they... I dunno. They both have that single mindedness. Do you remember how he was when he first arrived in Abel? All that 'I can replan this water supply so that it's more efficient'." He laughs. "And-and the-the rouses he used to have with Janine, neither of them willing to back down an inch."
I blink. "Um... Sam, I wasn't there at Abel when Chris first arrived."
I hear him smack himself in forehead. "Right. That wasn't you. Oh, God. Sometimes I think this apocalypse has destroyed my brain, like all Runner Fives are one Runner Five, and you should remember things that happened to the first one."
"Do I remind you of the other Runner Fives?" I ask.
"In a way. You're brave, fast, funny... But you are a lot different too; You're the youngest of them, and uh..." He trails off.
"And what?"
He coughs awkwardly. "The most secretive. I wish you could've met them, really. You come from a noble heritage, Five. Of course, the first one was the Major's deputy, Sargent Ellis. Amazing shot, she was. Really good soldier. Shame about what happened...
"Now that I think about it, that was about the same time Chris McShell turned up at Abel. Hey, while you're running, I can tell you the story, if you like. Feels like someone should. It's a part of your history."
I shrug. "Sure. Why not? It's not like I've got anything better to listen t-woah!"
Suddenly I'm falling. The ground has disappeared from beneath my feet. Before I can even scream, I've hit the ground-the cold, hard ground. Or maybe I should say... floor?
I groan, pushing myself up, stopping when I see a lock of my own hair. It's not the dark brown I was born with, but instead it's dirty blonde. It's not long, almost reaching my waist either. It's short, just above my shoulders.
What the-
I push myself up, instantly looking around. I'm in a warehouse of some sort-no, not a warehouse. I recognize this. This the armory in Abel. Not the actual armory part, but the underground labs that are hidden and can only be entered by it.
"Good God."
I freeze at that voice, and slowly turn my head. There she stands, tall and proud and alive. How is she-
Oh.
Oh.
I'm in the past.
I'm the first Runner Five.
I'm Sargent Ellis.
Janine nods in agreement. "Yes, I know."
Major De Santa turns to me. "Close the door behind you, Sargent Ellis. This is to stay between the three of us for now."
"Yes, ma'am," I reply, letting out a tiny squeak at hearing my new accent. Apparently Ellis is from Ireland.
"That's two more than my orders allow, you know," Janine says with a scowl.
"I know," She replies as I shut the door. "Your orders never covered the apocalypse, I suppose."
"Nothing short of an apocalypse. I'm a last resort. I suppose that's why your officials allowed you to come here. In the event of a meltdown, we've got everything here-seed banks, DNA samples of most species on earth, laboratories, weapons. We can put it all back together."
"Or tear it apart."
She nods. "You see why we can't tell anyone."
"None of this will be of any use for rebuilding until the situation's more stable, until the war's won."
"And the weapons?" Janine questions.
"Last thing we want is for anyone to get these arsenals. Besides, we might be able to kill the zoms with this, but we'd wipe out all of the humans too."
"So we're agreed?"
She nods. "This isn't here unless and until we hear from Mullins, which I expect won't be for a long while. You got that, Ellis?"
"Yes, Ma'am," I say, knowing that it will be three years until Project Greenshoot is initiated. I'm-the real me-not even in England yet. Won't be for another year.
Static comes through my headset, and I hear a slightly shaky voice come through.
"Hello? Hello? Uh, testing. One. Two. Three."
I have to keep myself from smiling. It's Sam, younger Sam. Seventeen-year-old Sam.
"What the hell?" The Major scowls, and Janine rubs her temples in annoyance.
"Good Lord. I told him not to touch anything. He's a boy from the last sweep of town," She explains. "Picked him up wet and shivering. He'd been hiding in a bin for three nights."
"Um, I-I don't know if this is on, but uh, there's something happening up here," Sam stutters. "A red light's flashing, and-and when I click this button, this happens."
There's more static, and a voice-jumbled, afraid, panicked.
"Inland Park... outing including several children is pinned down by zombies... Anyone, please come. Please."
Major De Santa looks over at me. "Ellis, you're with me." She grabs two pistols and hands them to me. "Here. We'll pick up some others on route."
"But-" Janine starts.
"No one will know where the weapons are from, De Luca. This is the last time. Ellis, with me."
I don't need to be told twice. Within minutes the three of us are out of the labs, out of the armory, and soon to be out of Abel. Janine stays back, but soldiers join us as we prepare to leave. We have to hurry. Inland Park isn't too far from Abel, but from the way that man was sounding over coms, we won't have much time to save them.
Looking around, I notice how bare the township is. It's much different than how it is now. It's different than how it was when I first arrived, and it was pretty pathetic looking then.
But it's probably been only a few months or so since the apocalypse began. Apparently Sam's just arrived here, and I don't see any runners I know. Jody might be here, since I remember her saying she and Sam arrived around the same time.
I don't know when Simon came along, or Evan. If they're here, I don't see them. Summer just could be here.
Sarah might be here...
I try not to think about that too much.
Thankfully we're out of Abel in a minute or so, running through the gates that actually don't look half bad. That, along Janine's farmhouse, are the best looking things in Abel.
We run, all of us. I don't know the names of any of these soldiers; I don't recognize them. Because of that my stomach churns. They're going to die before I come along, most likely.
I try to stay silent, since honestly I have no idea what to say. This may be the past, but my choices as Chrys ended up being the exact things she did in real life. How am I to know it isn't the same thing here? It very likely to be that way. I mean, this can't be me visualizing what Sam's telling me-not all of it. There's no way he could have known Ellis and the Major were meeting in that armory.
"There," The Major says, pointing ahead. "They've taken shelter on top of that bus."
"They won't last there for long, Ma'am," One of the soldiers say. I think her name is Reckley-her last name, anyway. "Those zombies will have the bus over in minutes."
"Help us!" A woman screams, clutching a child close so he won't fall off the bus. "For God's sake, help us!"
"Their screams are attracting more of those creatures. Look." Another soldier-Teague-says.
"We cannot afford to waste a single bullet." The Major grimaces. "No one's going to be making anymore for a long time to come. We'll take up two positions in the trees."
We all nod. "Yes, Ma'am."
Teague squints ahead. "Another party is approaching from the west, Ma'am."
I squint, making out approaching figures. Even from this far away, it's easy to see that they're people. The way they move-the way they run, proves it. Running zombies won't be much of a problem until I arrive.
I am the one who brings all the trouble, after all.
"Possibly an additional rescue party. My plan holds. Shoot the creatures to kill. Don't aim for the body; We've established that a headshot is the only way. There are twelve-no, fourteen."
"Stop!" A voice cries as we start to take our position. I look out curiously. One of the members of the party has split himself off from the group. He's sprinting for us. "Please! Stop! You have to stop! You can't shoot them!"
The soldiers ignore his cries, taking the first few shots. It pushes him to run faster. He reaches us in a minute, and I can't help but grin at the sight of spiked blonde hair and glasses.
"Stop! Stop firing!" He commands, and Major De Santa frowns.
"Can't leave those people to die here," She says, but still raises a hand to make the soldiers stop firing their weapons.
"No, please," He pants. "I-I'm here from New Canton, straight from the Emergency Regional Government."
Her lips pull up into a sneer. "Ah, well then... You outrank me. Can't stay here though. All of you, with me. Towards that vantage point."
I eye Chris with a raised brow. I know he's trustworthy-the real me knows that-but Ellis doesn't. I can feel her suspicion sleeping through, mixing in with my own emotions. It's hard to tell which feelings are my own. But I guess it was the same way with Chrys when I saw things through her eyes. I said and did things that I myself would've paused to think about, such as trusting Tony. But I wasn't like that because I felt Chrysalis's emotions, along with my own.
He's like I remember him-tall, blonde hair, glasses, slightly nervous. He doesn't seem as shy though. I guess that's because dozens of lives are at stake. Being shy isn't something we have time for in a situation like this.
I'm not sure how to feel about this, though. I only talked to Runner Ten a few times before he died. I never really got to know him. I guess that's why Sam's telling me the story, but this vision-this memory of a dead man, seen through the eyes of an equally dead Sargent Ellis-should be seen by someone who really cared about these people, not me.
But not everyone has the ability to see memories of the past like me. And I guess since I am the new Head of Runners, I should know more about the past and how so many came to be here.
"So, what exactly were you sent here for?" I ask, Ellis's skeptical tone seeping in my voice.
"They sent me because I am," He pauses to laugh, "I'm supposed to be their expert in zombie behavior."
"Well?" The Major asks expectantly.
"Well, there's no such thing as an expert in zombie behavior." He shrugs. "I-It's just another piece of ridiculous grand de quench, I think-trying to make themselves feel better in their helplessness. They think I have some great theory. I've just... noticed a thing or two."
"And?"
"There's another-well, there's another pack over the hill. Zombies are attracted to loud noise in the absence of any other instinct. If you begin to shoot... again, you'll just attract more and more."
Major De Santa hums. "I see. I take orders from the Emergency Regional Government because they're the last body we're in contact with who have even a semi-elective representative. Two local MPs is much, but I believe in the chain of command. So, does the E.R.G. have orders for me, given that I can't shoot the ravening dead and the E.R.G. isn't here?"
"Well, we had a sort of idea about that." Chris pulls out a miniaturized radio receiver from his backpack. It's Ellis who seems to think that's what it's called, because I would merely say it's an earpiece. Either way, it's useful. "It's just an experiment for now. Your electronics expert-uh, Janine?-she seems to have managed a few surveillance cameras working. We thought this would help in field work."
She nods, grabbing them and handing one to me. I slip it in my ear quickly, grinning when a familiar voice chimes in.
"Hello?" Sam says. "Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing here. Some bit of the generator blew up and Janine's gone to fix it, and now I've got a little screen in front of me and I can see some zombies. Like, thirty or forty? They're heading for those people on top of the bus. Listen, if you can hear me, uh, wave or something."
"Only one thing for it, Ellis, Mr..." The Major looks at Chris with a brow raised in question.
"McShell," He answers.
"Mr. McShell, if my soldiers persuade the zombies to chase us, can you help those people escape from the top of the bus?"
"I... I think so," He answers hesitantly, which causes her to frown.
"It's better to know so. Any suggestions on how to attract them?"
Chris hums in thought. "I-well, um, they seem to respond to uh, loud noises, and some scents and certain knee and elbow movements."
"Knee and elbow movements?" I question, and he cringes.
"I'm sorry. My research hasn't been very th-thorough yet."
"Right," The Major sighs. "Come on, Ellis. Attract their attention. We've got a job to do. Zombies! Over here!"
•
"Okay, yeah, Sargent Ellis?" Sam says, and I sigh at hearing his voice. It seems like I've been running in silence forever. "Uh, you look like you're doing okay. You've managed lead them 'round in a wide loop. A good few of them fell off that bridge. Good thinking.
"Um, Reckley managed to lose a few in the woods, and now you're comfortably outpacing the zombies." He pauses. "Should we come up with a quicker way to say that? Zed? Zed-heads? Actually, that's not quicker, and if there are Americans, they might not understand Zed. I... but we are British, I mean-"
"Mr. Yao, what are you doing?" Janine snaps, and I flinch. I didn't even hear the coms door open.
"Crap. Crap. Sorry. Sorry. I didn't mean to touch anything."
"We need a two-way capacity in these things, McShell," The Major yells from her position.
"We'll uh, we'll work on it," Chris stammers. I keep heading for him, along with the others he helped get off the bus. "You guys doing okay?"
"We are now," A woman answers. "We're just exhausted, and the children are hungry and frightened. Where are you taking us?"
"New Canton," The Major says as she approaches us. "Old castle over there-center of human operations in this area."
The unnamed lady squints at the castle in this distance. "Looks secure."
"That's the idea," Chris laughs nervously, and my brows furrow together.
"You don't sound very sure of that, Chris," I say, crossing my arms.
"They're... some times I wonder if they're getting overstretched. I meet new..." He trails off, sending me a questionable look. "How'd you know my first name was Chris? I only gave you my last name."
I stiffen. "Uh, I just guessed. Got lucky... You look like a Chris. I just went with it." I clear my throat awkwardly. "What were you saying before? About New Canton?"
He still seems skeptical, but lets it go for now. "I was just saying I meet new faces everyday."
Major De Santa nods. "Under the same thing myself."
"What are you saying?" A man asks in fear. "I-Is it not safe?"
"I'm sure it will be fine. Statistically, you've hit a better chance there than sheltering in the city." He offers a small smile, but the crowd suddenly looks even more fearful.
Their attention soon is taken away from future Runner Ten, though, as the hum of an engine hits our ears.
"Their recourses are impressive," The Major says, looking ahead. "They've sent a jeep for us."
Chris frowns. "That's... unusual."
The jeep comes to a stop, and a man steps out. His eyes are cold, and so is his voice. "McShell? Is a McShell here?"
Chris shifts uneasily before stepping forward. "Um, that's me."
"Hop up. The E.R.G. wants to see you." The man's icy eyes seem like they could piece through your soul, and not in the romantic way. He sounds like he's the messenger who calls you in for the boss right before the boss kills you. He looks like it too. He's what? Six foot five?
"We'll load up the others," Reckley says, pushing her red hair out of her eyes before picking up a small child. She takes a step towards the jeep, but the unnamed man holds up a hand to stop her.
"Sorry, but that's not what the E.R.G. has asked for. We're only taking McShell in. The rest of you are to head on foot to purple quadrant to the kitchens. Someone will see to finding you beds there."
"What about quarantine protocols?" The Major questions. "New arrivals are to be taken to a quarantine area as quickly as possible."
"Quarantine protocol's suspended under emergency, Ma'am. You'll be alright." He casts a glance around. "Anyone here been bitten? Even scratched by one of those zombies?"
There's a mumbles chorus of 'no' and the man gives a half smile of satisfaction.
"See? You'll be fine. Purple quadrants are only a mile or two away. Get in, McShell."
Chris takes a step toward the jeep, but then he turn around and grabs my arm. I flinch, but the Ellis part of me nearly slaps him.
"Run, Major De Santa, Sargent Ellis, as fast as you can. I-I've done something. There might be more zombies coming."
"What are you-" I start, but he's already let go of me and has gotten into the jeep, albeit reluctantly. In seconds they're driving off, leaving us all here, alone.
God, New Canton people can be such jerks.
"The children are too tired to carry on," A man says, holding a sleeping toddler in his arms. "We must find somewhere to rest."
"Major," Janine says over our earpieces, "if you can hear me, for God's sake, turn to the east. A cohort of zombies are coming toward you, maybe thirty or forty."
"Abel Township radio operator, cease and desist giving instructions on this frequency," A new voice commands.
"Who is this?"
"This is Zeke Chan Chu, radio operator for New Canton. As per our agreement, I outrank you. Step down, Abel Township operator."
So this is before Nadia came along then...
"There are zombies coming for our party if survivors, Mr. Chu. We have to find a safe path through."
"Um, there-there's a safe path through that park if they circle to the north," Sam suggests.
"Thank you, Mr. Yao. I have this under control."
"We are aware of that pack," Zeke says. "Our information suggests the pack's turning south. The survivors should take shelter in the old barn directly ahead."
"But we can bring them safely to Abel," She argues. "We can preform quarantine procedures here."
"No, orders here are for them to wait out the zombie pack in the barn."
The Major sighs in annoyance. "You heard them, Ellis. Everyone up. No stragglers. We're heading for that barn."
I don't like this. I don't like this at all. My chest feels tight, and my stomach is twisting in knots. Something's... something's not right.
I can see why Abel hated New Canton. Their stubbornness is putting our safety on the line. Not going back to Abel is one thing, but staying inside a barn and waiting for the zombies to pass by is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard of.
And people wonder why I'm so rebellious.
"Are you sure it wouldn't be better to defy orders and head back to Abel?" I whisper, and the Major scoffs.
"To do that would be almost like declaring war," She answers. "We'll do as they ask for now. No need to create any unnecessary quarrels."
I nod. "Yes, Ma'am."
I want to argue. I want to disobey simply because this is a stupid idea. Orders be damned. What do orders matter when it comes to someone's life? Multiple people are tired and hungry, and they might be sick or injured. New Canton simply doesn't want these people to join Abel, even though New Canton has more people than they can account for.
I don't like the feel of this, but luckily it doesn't take us more than a few minutes to get to the barn. The zombies haven't caught sight of us yet, which is good. If they had, hiding in the barn would be suicide.
Reckley sprints ahead, and with the help of Teague, they open the barn doors.
"In, all of you," The Major commands, and they don't need to be told twice. These people are exhausted, scared. They'll do just about anything they're told if it means staying alive. The doors are shut soon after everyone is inside.
But they murmur. They whisper in worry, and I feel myself tense.
"Quiet," I hiss. "The zombies will pass right by us, but only if we're quiet. Make sure that door is shut right."
A woman shushes her whimpering baby, and the children huddle around the adults, clutching onto their hands with fear in their eyes.
"The zombies are cresting the ridge now," Janine says, her voice just above a whisper. "They didn't see you going into the barn. They're walking past the door. If you stay quiet, just like that..."
I can hear them-moaning, growling. I can see them stumbling by through the cracks if the barn door.
Someone coughs, and coughs, and-
Oh, no.
"Stop that, whoever you are," Major De Santa scolds. "I don't care if you choke to death. No coughing."
It doesn't stop. The coughing doesn't stop.
Oh, no.
"Oh, God," Reckley gasps. "One of 'em's turnin'."
"We didn't check," Teague says, and I can hear moaning from behind the barn door; They've heard us. "No quarantine. We didn't see if they were bitten."
"Oh, God," Janine murmurs. "You're all going to die."
A woman screams.
And then I'm falling again, the world changing and blurring together until I'm no longer in a barn. I'm back in Veronica's base, face planting into the dirt.
I feel like I'm going to throw up, and my head is pounding. I lick my lips, and I taste blood-both dried blood and wet crimson.
How long has my nose been bleeding?
"Yeah, Janine really was exactly as comforting as she is right now," Sam laughs. "Hey, woah. You okay?"
"I tripped," I choke out, pushing myself up. As I do so, a wave of nausea and dizziness hits me at full force.
"Oh, alright. But uh, just a sec. I hate to leave you at this thrilling moment in the story, but I really need a wee. You're fine. Fence is secure; Nothing's within a mile of you. Back in a sec."
"Okay," I murmur, stumbling over to a tree. I slide down, ignoring the bark rubbing harshly against my skin. I'm so tired-drained. It hurts; I hurt.
I can't push myself to keep running, not right now. I'm just so tired. Sam said there wasn't anything within a mile of me. How fast is a calm zombie? They can't be faster than three miles an hour. That's at twenty minutes that I've got. I can rest for a little bit.
Yes, that's a good idea. Getting rest now will help me when Sam comes back. No need to make him worry anymore than he already has.
So, I close my eyes, feeling the world fade, just for a little while.
A/N: Hello! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it took so long to update. I've had a very busy week.
This chapter is dedicated to natlinaksita
Please be sure to vote and comment. Thank you and have a blessed day!