Snippet #2398076

Mr. Tanner’s voice broke through the speakers almost immediately after Chris had finished his thoughts.

“Galloway. Ok hang tight I’m looking for you now.” There was a pause, then a response to his previous question. “Wish I could tell you Doc. The GM has gone haywire and released something called the Chimera project all over the Ark. I’m pretty sure that’s what caused the sudden outbreak Zombosis.”

Chris collapsed into the swivel chair behind the desk and held his head upright with his hands under his chin. Zombosis, he mulled, isn’t exactly a medical term. I can’t say I’ve even heard of such a phenomenon aside rabies. He glanced at his medical kit on the table, suddenly aware of his own helplessness; no training could prepare someone for an unnatural crisis.

“Ok you’re at sea level now or floor 0. The Alamo is two floors below you and there’s an armed Security Operative on his way there now. However floors minus 10 to plus five are about to lose main lighting.” Claire began to mutter incoherently about the Ark from her position on the floor. Sam continued, “Shouldn’t affect you too badly above sea level but it’s real dark down below if either of you have any technical knowledge I think Detective Howe could use a hand. The other option is making your way across the Plaza to the Executive apartment building and climbing to Floor plus 15, that’s Douglas Wahidin’s penthouse. He’s stuck in there. There’s a few infected on each floor but no massive hoards.”

Claire violently shook her head upon hearing their choices, and then grabbed the tablet from Chris. Oh here we fucking go. “That stupid self righteous-" Claire dropped from a yell to whisper, "I can't be believe he's still alive. Wait, no I can actually. He deserves to rot in his penthouse if that's where he's stuck. Getting downstairs was hard enough and now you want us to waltz over to his, probably the safest house on the ark, and escort that idiot to a safe place?"

Chris glared at Claire and attempted to voice his thoughts when another voice broke through the communications channel: "Galloway, this is Detective Elijah Howe. I can try to help you out. Can you give me a level?" He picked up the tablet from where Claire had dropped it.

“Yes, we’re on SL in the office of an apartment complex. It doesn’t seem to be too crazy here anymore, but I guess there’s really no telling.”

“Yes, ok Howe;” Tanner returned, “you, Hartford and Galloway are going to meet up in the apartment office space on Floor 0. Howe I’m sending coordinates to you now. Hartford and Galloway sit tight Detective Howe is on the way. Once he’s made contact you should then proceed to the penthouse where Douglas Wahidin is currently located. I’ve sent that coordinate as well.”

Chris looked up towards the security camera and nodded. “Right then, we’ll just w-”

Claire spat abruptly and yanked the tablet away from Chris. "Fuck him. Get someone else to rescue him. He left me with nothing, it's only poetic justice he gets left with nothing in return." She shut off the tablet and began to search the office in frenzy. “I don't want to talk about it Chris. I don't care if it's your civil duty either,” Chris’s nerves twitched, “Douglas Wahidin is a brat in an old man's outfit. I wouldn't be fucking surprised if he did this on purpose... I mean, I was allowed to get away with almost anything... and he..."

She trailed off, and Chris crossed his arms in annoyance. “Right, fuck civil duty. Let’s just make it all about our bloody selves. Who gives a shit about everyone else? Let them rot away wherever they are, I don’t care!” He realized Claire wasn’t paying attention and resigned with a sigh. She stood back up and studied the streets from the window.

“Do you hear that?” Before he could answer, Claire kicked apart a chair and pulled a metal rod from its disassembled pieces. "We should go now why the infected are... quiet."

“Oh you can’t be fucking serious,” Chris hissed; the look on her face told him otherwise. A voice whispered from the back of his mind: Just stay here, Chris. A different stronger, voice thundered over it: Civil duty. He sighed and pulled himself out of the chair, swinging his medical kit over his shoulder.

Claire slowly creaked open the office door. "Same as before. I'll keep the back you the front." Chris lightly pushed his way past her.

The lobby looked like the sight of a massacre: blood, gore, and belongings. A strange, but familiar feeling arose from Chris’s gut, and he turned to keep his gaze low and forward. The world faded around him, a subconscious autopilot taking control. He reached the entrance, and quietly pushed it open and stepped through. The streets outside were quiet, but filled with infected who seemed unaware of the pair. Chris felt his senses rise to alert, dimly aware of Claire muttering about the infected being on “standby.”

"OH GOD! HELP ME! THE WHOLE BUILDING! HELP ME!" Chris rose from his cautionary zone out and felt adrenaline rush into his system. He turned to the source of the screams; a woman had fled the apartment building and was chasing after he and Claire. "PLEASE! OH THANK GOD, YOU TWO AREN'T INFECTED!"

Claire instructed the woman to quiet down, but the infected had already returned to animation. "They're activating!" The infected began to chase after the woman, who was favoring one leg. She must have a sprain. She needs a maximum strength painkiller, Chris moved his hand instinctively to his bag. He stepped towards the woman but felt a force tug him away from behind. "Fuck her, we need to move".

Chris tried to run in the opposite direction of Claire’s grip. “No! No, no, no! I can save her! I can save her!” He managed to writhe free of the tugging in time to watch an infected pounce onto the woman. She began to scream. The tiny voice spoke again: run.

Chris turned and chased after Claire. They turned a corner into a transport terminal filled with comatose infected. The woman’s screams died away, and Chris’s eyes glazed over. Claire stamped her foot and the infected began to move after the two, closing in from both sides. Without warning, Chris felt Claire pull him into another building and slam the heavy wooden doors shut.

Chris looked halfheartedly around the foyer for danger, but was interrupted by Claire shouting for help. He sprang into action and helped her bar the door shut, using his body to press the door into position. When they finished, Claire ran into the security office and tried to close the metal rolling doors. The power blacked out, stopping the doors halfway.

Claire yelled in frustration, just as an infected man burst from the administrative office and shambled towards Chris. He grabbed the pole Claire had dropped, held it firm in his right hand, and charged at the infected. When he was within striking distance, Chris swung the metal hard at the man’s skull; it shattered on contact, dropping the infected to the floor.

Chris chuckled in victory, and turned to see Claire had sat against the entrance wall; he strode over and sat down next to her. "Oh Jesus. We're fucked"

“It could be worse, could be worse.” He repeated in response, suddenly cheery. Claire studied the foyer of the building, while Chris patted his medical kit in reassurance. Suddenly, Claire pulled out the tablet from her jacket and opened leader.

"I guess it's Wahidin's lucky day.” The tablet beeped, “Alright Tanner. You have your wish. Chris and I made it to Wahidin's building?” Chris glanced around the foyer in surprise. What a coincidence. “He's up at the top still? We'll help your buddy get Wahidin back to the Alamo. But I won't promise I'll try to keep him alive. Can this Howe guy come to us from wherever he currently is? Can he get through this building's basement somehow from his location? We've sort of got a contamination problem outside the building and in the street... Regardless, I think we'll wait until he gets here. Wahidin can wait."

Claire stood up and handed the tablet to Chris. “Mr. Tanner,” he began, “Can you get any information about this uh-” he tried to recall their previous conversation- “Chimera project? It’s exhibiting…behaviors that I have never studied. It’s both fascinating and horrifying.”