Elijah Howe's Story

Right at sea level, Elijah Howe was trudging through the streets trying to find a way down. He had found a new lead on a series of muggings going round the Ark, and wanted to run the information he had against some records, see if he couldn't come up with a more solid lead. He started running the data through his mind again.

The muggings had happened in the open, using concealed weapons, initially described as being contained in an illegal forearm augment. The police had begun looking for any person who might have an illegal augment, but of course nobody was going to come forward and admit that. However, Howe had just spoken to an immigration officer, who explained that any illegal augment like that would have been caught, and that no components for weaponized augments had entered. Howe was inclined to trust that they were doing their job perfectly well, and thus was forced to conclude that a weaponized augment was unlikely. In the mean-time, an alert had been sent out to those in the mugger's apparent target preference. Women, middle-age, with large bags.

Howe's next destination was an informant on Minus One, an anonymous fellow who claimed to have information on the appearance of the mugger. Howe finally found the elevator to the undersea levels, and entered alone.

As the elevator began its descent, his comm-tablet suddenly began to vibrate. He pulled it out of its pocket inside his jacket and checked the message that had appeared.

As Howe read, his eyes widened, and quickly he pulled out the earpiece from another pocket and stuck it in his ear, then accessed Leader and joined the group Technician Tanner had specified.

"Technician Tanner, this is Detective Lije Howe," he spoke quickly. "I'm in a lift bound for the lower levels. I'm going to get to the store room you specified as quickly as I can, and see if I can find other survivors along the way. Can you describe the nature of the contamina-"

The rest of the word cut off in the loud beep of the elevator as it announced that it had arrived at Minus One. A sudden impact against the door. Howe paled. "Just a second. I stopped at Minus One. Something just hit the door." He drew his dagger slowly, hesitantly, and jabbed at the button labeled "-2", hoping the elevator might just keep going. The door opened, dashing his hopes, and inside stumbled a technician, older than Howe by at least a score of years. Howe stepped aside to let the man crash into the wall of the elevator, eyeing him warily.

The elder man turned towards Howe, then attacked. Without hesitating, Howe slashed with the knife, hoping it might scare off the apparently psychopathic attacker. No such luck. He then stabbed into the man's chest, trying to keep the chomping jaws away from him. Even that stab did nothing. He shoved the attacker into the wall of the elevator as the doors closed, realizing that this man was beyond psychotic. Something was different. This would require lethal force, of a different variety.

He watched as the man's head hit the wall, and noted that his movements seemed a bit slower after that impact. Damage the brain? He wondered, then delivered a sharp blow with the pommel of the knife to the man's head. He slowed even further. Howe grimaced, realizing the only plan of action. He held the man's head steady with one hand, then flipped the knife to hold it forehand and stabbed it into the eye.

Disgusted with himself, Howe pulled the knife out and watched the man go limp, then shook his head. A second later, he remembered he was still on Leader, and started talking again as he picked up the tablet he had dropped, forgetting any professional attempts to flatten his accent. "Tanner? You still there? The bloody hell is going on here? A man just came into the lift and attacked me. I managed to fend him off without too much trouble, but he seemed immune to anything but a stab through the eye."

As he spoke, the elevator finally hit Minus Two, and Howe put away his tablet, realizing he could still talk with it in his jacket. "At Minus Two now, on the border of North and East. Making my way to the store room described. Can you describe the nature of this contamination leak? Alternatively, can you give me any indication of where I ought to go?" He had taken only two steps out of the elevator. All was quiet.

On Floor Minus six STG Operative Booker Shanks raised his Evo submachine gun and fired a quick burst into the wave of crazed people staggering down the hall way towards him. The weapon clicked and he yelled at the top of his voice.

“LOADING!”

On the other side of the corridor STG operative Kyle Phelps commenced firing while Booker ran down the corridor dropped to a knee and reloaded the sub machine gun. Once he was ready to fire he shouted again.

“MOVE!”

It was then Phelps turn to run backwards and reload. Using the basic principles of fire and movement the two men were keeping the horde at bay and Sam Tanner was very impressed.

“These guys are kicking fucking ass.” Sam whispered quietly in awe of the two men’s skills which to someone who had no knowledge of small unit tactics seemed amazingly graceful.

Of course it couldn’t last. While Booker was reloading he failed to check a doorway.

“Fuck! Behind you!” Sam yelled as the infected lurched toward the crouching Booker but neither of the STG men had signed into Leader meaning Sam couldn’t contact either.

Instead Sam had to watch Booker get jumped by the infected.

Sam couldn’t see what happened because of the angle of the camera but Booker’s sub machine gun clattered across the floor. Tanner watched in horror as the STG operative struggled with the infected for a few seconds before explosions of red came out of the infected scientist’s back. Booker then rolled the man off him and resumed firing with his pistol. The submachine gun may as well have been on the far side of the moon because to retrieve it Booker would have to run towards the horde and Phelps was already preparing to run backwards.

Sam watched the two men for a few more minutes but it was clear Booker was screwed. Blood was pouring out of him and he was getting visibly slower.

Eventually they made it to a Systems control room for the power systems. Booker leaned against a console and held a hand to his side. He was bleeding profusely and when he pulled off his helmet Tanner could see he was deathly pale. Phelps was pacing the room checking corners.

Suddenly Phelps spun and pointed his weapon at Booker. Booker with practiced movement pointed his G20 right back at Phelps.
Sam couldn’t hear what was being said but it was pretty obvious. Everyone knew the rules in a zombie movie you get bit and you turn obviously the two men were discussing the theory with loaded weapons.

The standoff lasted around twenty seconds before the shooting started.

It was all over in a couple of seconds Phelps was splayed out on the broad of his back while the Submachine gun had made hamburger out of Booker. The medical signs of both men told Sam they were dead.

That was sad and depressed Sam but he was more concerned with the panel Phelps’ bullets had destroyed. It was a power conduit which meant...

Emergency lighting activated on floors Minus ten to plus five.

Sam read the words dancing around on the screen in front of him. Of course he was unaffected being on floor Minus 15. The floors above him though would be plunged into a sort of twilight until someone could get in there and fix or reroute the power. It also meant his email was going to send the survivors in a darkened place full of murderous zombies.

“Fuck.” Sam whispered.

He didn’t have much time to react though as a ping told him some one new had logged into Leader.

"Technician Tanner, this is Detective Elijah Howe, I'm in a lift bound for the lower levels. I'm going to get to the store room you specified as quickly as I can, and see if I can find other survivors along the way. Can you describe the nature of the contamina-"

Sam quickly found Howe on the security screens and felt his heart drop, compared to the two STG guys he’d just been watching Howe looked old and lacked the tactical gear the other two had.

"Just a second. I stopped at Minus One. Something just hit the door." Howe continued.

Sam kept quiet as he watched the scene play out. An older technician, clearly infected, staggered into the elevator and the two men began to struggle all Sam could hear was the scuffle of feet and grunts of men locked in mortal combat. Suddenly Howe jabbed something into the man’s face who went stiff then collapsed.

It took Sam a few seconds to work what he’d just seen.

“Aw Jesus that’s nasty.” Sam groaned as Howe pulled the blade out of old man’s eye.

Sam had learned an important life lesson about books and their covers.

"Tanner? You still there? The bloody hell is going on here? A man just came into the lift and attacked me. I managed to fend him off without too much trouble, but he seemed immune to anything but a stab through the eye." Howe’s English accented voice asked across Leader.

“Yeah I saw that. I’m stuck in an Ops room on minus 15 with a metric ton of those assholes outside the door. You’re about to lose lights on Floors minus ten to plus five. A couple of idiots had a standoff that ended badly for everyone. Emergency lighting is being activated floor by floor.”

While Sam was talking he pulled up Howe’s file which told him the Detective was 44 years old, English and had been headhunted for Ark security. None of that mattered though as Sam went straight to medical history. He saw Howe had a leg injury in the past but it didn’t seem to be slowing him down. He looked at his own legs and figured he was in position to judge.

"At Minus Two now, on the border of North and East. Making my way to the store room described. Can you describe the nature of this contamination leak? Alternatively, can you give me any indication of where I ought to go?"

“Ok Howe there’s other survivors but they’re going down faster than hookers on two for one day. The store room is still pretty clear and from what I can see it’s clear enough between you and the store room although you’re going to lose lights. Couple of bodies but they don’t seem to be moving course that means whatever killed them could still be roaming around there. I’ve no idea what’s going on with the leak. GM has lost it and is keeping me from accessing files hell I’m working at maybe fifty percent capacity here. The GM released something called the Chimera Project via the air vents. Aside from that I don’t know anything, just don’t trust GM and watch out for the infected. If I can get a scientist to speak we might get somewhere.” Sam explained.

Another ping sounded from Leader telling Sam someone new had checked in.

"Officer Tanner?" A woman’s voice asked the open air waves. Her accent was hard to place, half American half something else.

“Howe I got newbies here, patching them in.” Sam said as he confirmed Rush into the Leader group.

"This is Doctor Valerie Rush, I'm here in the SL+6 hanging garden in the Ark's main towers with another officer."

“Plus Six eh? Ok we had a problem and emergency lighting has been activated on Floors Plus five to minus ten. I’m stuck on floor minus fifteen but I have limited access to security systems and almost full access to the security camera feeds. I’m also in contact with a security operative called Howe who is on floor minus 2 and travelling to the storeroom. I see a security officer is with you is there anyone else there?”

Sam accessed the feed and saw rush was standing in hanging garden a splash of green in the middle of the white urban jungle. It looked almost peaceful apart from gore splattered across the place.

"We were with others, but it seems we got separated. I'm not exactly sure how we're going to be able to reach the -2 floor, those…people are everywhere. I have access to some of the security cameras, but won't be able to view them while we're moving."

While she was speaking Sam pulled up her file. The woman was some kind of brain who grew up in South Africa which explained the accent, her profile picture was pretty in a demonic evil eye kind of way. She worked in R&D but he couldn’t access doing what he guessed his security clearance wasn’t high enough.

He then looked at the man standing beside her and felt a flash of recognition.

“Is that Operative Fitzpatrick you’re with? Tell him to sign into Leader, the bionic leg man is running the show. He’ll know what it means.” Sam knew Fitzpatrick although they never got the opportunity to become friends they were aware of each other and shared a sense of humour.

“Ok Doctor Rush you have options here.” Sam continued. “The lower you go the more infected you’re likely to encounter however Floor minus two, at least the east side, seems pretty clear and that’s where I’m sending people because it’s a pretty equal distance to travel. At the moment I’ve got a few problems I need dealt with but of course I’m trapped. We have multiple system failures and the GM is going bananas. I’ve also got Douglas Wahidin trapped in his penthouse awaiting rescue which no doubt Boy Scout Fitzpatrick will want to deal with.”

Sam sighed the situations was spiralling out of control and he didn’t have the tools to deal with it.

“Howe you’ve options as well you can either continue to the storeroom and set up our very own Alamo or get to floor Minus six and see what you can do about our power situation. It’s a mess though, the place is crawling with infected and the console got shot up bad. I think you’ll need someone technically minded to do the repairs or rerouting while you can watch their back and get stabby again.”

Howe kept close to the elevator as Doctor Rush got patched in, processing the new information from Tanner. He knew he wouldn't be able to fix the console if it was too badly beat up. Hell, he hardly knew how to operate computers beyond his old PC, the Scotland Yard computers, and his current tablet. So that was out. He tentatively decided to get to the storeroom. Maybe there was a weapon without a palmprint code on there he could use. The Glock would probably serve him well, but only for small groups. Plus he only had so much ammunition...

"I'm no good with tech buggery," he said after a moment. "I think I'll get to our holdout location, or the 'Alamo' as you call it. I'll stay on Leader." He had to laugh at the name, a tribute to undeniable American fortitude. He probably would have called it...Dunkirk? No, that was an evacuation. Holdout? Boring. Alamo worked.

As he started moving, another voice appeared in Leader. “Mr. Tanner, this is Christopher Galloway. I’m here with Claire Hartford. We’re in the office of an apartment complex, quite far from the storeroom, we’re not quite sure how to make it there.” A swallow. "What the bloody hell is going on out there?”"

My sentiments exactly, Howe thought to himself before interjecting on the Leader channel. An alternative objective was here, one that might help him. "Galloway, this is Detective Lije Howe. I can try to help you out. Can you give me a level?"

Sam had just finished explaining the options to Howe when the leader programme pinged again signalling a new arrival.

“Mr. Tanner, this is Christopher Galloway. I’m here with Claire Hartford. We’re in the office of an apartment complex, quite far from the storeroom, we’re not quite sure how to make it there.”

“Galloway. Ok hang tight I’m looking for you now.”

Sam quickly brought up their location on the security cameras. They were in an office on the ground floor of an apartment building. Galloway’s Nakatomi profile popped up and Chris looked at the goateed profile picture and compared it to the stressed looking man on the security feed. Galloway was a doctor, a chief in fact, and another Englishman.

"What the bloody hell is going on out there?” Galloway asked.

“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.”

Sam pulled up Claire Hartford’s file and quickly ascertained it was another one of Douglas’ geniuses.

He checked the security feeds around them but it looked like they weren’t in that much danger. They were a short run away from Douglas’ building though and could probably be used to get to him.

“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. 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.”

Sam shot a glance at the security door separating him from the hoard outside.

“Your call.”

"Galloway, this is Detective Elijah Howe. I can try to help you out. Can you give me a level?"

Sam thought for a second and realised he was being foolish. The Alamo might work later on as a safe haven but for now it made no sense.

“Yes ok Howe. 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.”

As Chris entered the small office Claire followed suit and closed the door quietly, slumping against it as Chris dialed in and connected to their only ally for the moment. Claire listened intently at their conversation but kept her head slumped between her knees with her hands on the back of her head, tying her hair a little tighter to keep it in form. She scoffed at the news of a loss of power, mumbling quietly,

"I thought they were working on improving the power systems.. that was before I was stood down"

Claire's own self-indulgent bashing of the Ark though was cut abruptly though when she circled back to what she'd realised she'd just heard - a leaked project, called Chimera was the cause of this and GM had definitely gone suicidal.

"Wait, did you just say a leaked project is definitely the cause? Oh that would be fucking right."

Claire stood up, moving so her face was next to Chris's as she stared into the screen, becoming more involved with the conversation. Claire glanced over the man on the other end of their tablet, trying to discern if he wasn't just spinning them bullshit. He looked genuine enough and Claire could feel the full effect of the Boost working it's magic through her body; she was at least going to be more level-headed for the next twenty four hours.

Claire's jaw tightened and her teeth clenched as Tanner relayed their current choices, and her eyes dilated in an almost hatred filled death glare. She shook her head at their second option, no fucking way was she saving Douglas Wahidin. Claire took the tablet off of Claire, feeling her blood boil.

"That stupid self righteous-" a noise outside made Claire bring her rant down to an assertive 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?"

Claire put the tablet down, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She knew she was probably overreacting, well, not overreacting necessarily, but in a dire state such as this, she needed to think logically. Logically, speaking, Claire knew someone like Wahidin was her best bet off the Ark at this stage. Especially for someone like her - someone who had nothing to contribute off the Ark; survival of the fittest and most convenient to keep surviving and all that shit.

Still, Claire shook her head and looked to Chris, she could see him giving her a 'don't be stupid' glare. But Chris knew better than anyone that Claire loathed Douglas Wahidin, her Father and almost anyone else whom rallied behind the egotistical flag of Nakatomi.. Then she cringed for a moment, realising the contradiction of her feelings; afterall, Claire Hartford used to be one of Nakatomi's leading scientists. But, Claire was resigned to not helping him.

"Fuck him." Claire hissed as she took the Tablet and looked square into his face. "Get someone else to rescue him. He left me with nothing, it's only poetic justice he gets left with nothing in return."

Claire turned the tablet off abruptly looking to Chris leaving Tanner and Howe out of her own self-indulgent loop. Her whispering voice was cracking, her overreaction sinking in too. But Claire was as stubborn as she was intelligent and she turned on her heel, searching the office they were stuck in for anything that might be useful.

"I don't want to talk about it Chris." she said without being prompted. "I don't care if it's your civil duty either. 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..." Claire stopped herself from reliving the memories of what was taken as too far in Nakatomi.

"Fuck yes." She hissed as she jimmied open a wooden desk drawer and discovered a handgun with a spare clip sitting neatly. "Shit." she finished as Claire remembered the genetic coding most weapons on the Ark used to fire. "Fucking useless."

Claire stood up, stretching, the building was oddly quiet now. So were the streets. She looked to Chris with an uneasy eye and turned back to the venetian blinds in the small office, bending the thin metal slightly to peer out into the foyer of her apartment building. Completely empty. Where the fuck were all the infected?

"Do you hear that?" She prompted to Chris, gauging if maybe she was just exhibiting more post-withdrawal symptoms.

Claire looked back out to the foyer and could see just out into the street. That seemed empty too. Claire took the silence as their opportunity to get to the Alamo now or never. She turned around and picked up a metal chair nearby, kicking it's leg a few times, the frail chair disassembled and Claire picked up a weak metal pole from it's rubble. She knew it would make sense to wait for Tanner's friend Howe... But she was positive she wouldn't help Wahidin unless he ended up in his building by the force of God. Putting her own ego and pride above what was probably right Claire readied herself,

"We should go now why the infected are... quiet"

In truth, Claire knew moving so fast and so quickly wasn't exactly a smart move. The two really should plan their moves more carefully, but the mixture of the entire unforeseen nature of whatever was happening, Claire's sudden anger that Douglas Wahidin expected rescuing and her own fear were more than enough to make her want to get somewhere truly safe and then rethink this entire situation and how to tackle it.

Claire gave Chris another look, giving him a resigned thumbs up while creaking the door open slowly. "Same as before." she said sternly, "I'll keep the back you the front."

Claire followed silently as she exited the office and crossed the foyer. Their short grace period and contact with Tanner allowed Claire to fully absorb her surroundings now. The foyer was plastered, smeared and painted with splatterings of blood, some human body parts, but also torn clothes, and belongings deemed unwarranted by whoever had run into the building looking for refuge. It was like the aftermath of a horror movie. A silent, eerie murder had occurred, but someone had taken all the bodies and moved them somewhere.

Claire reached the front door of the foyer and held it open as she stepped outside, making sure the building was definitely clear inside and nothing - nobody was following them. Claire breathed slowly as the door slowly closed, she was making sure no noise would echo in the street or the building.

Claire turned around and was pulled up short when she now realised why everything in her street and the blocks surrounding were dead silent. All the infected were in a stationary mode. Some sort of shambling around, some just standing still.

"They look like they're in standby mode" Claire whispered to Chris.

Claire shuffled quietly as possible, her smaller frame seemed to be an advantage to noise reduction. She stuck to the sides of buildings as they moved, careful to not try and draw attention. As they two moved down the street, they probably only made it three buildings down when someone from Claire's apartment building burst through the foyer doors turning and screaming at Claire and Chris when she saw them quietly crouching.

"OH GOD! HELP ME! THE WHOLE BUILDING!! HELP ME!"

Claire looked to the woman, her jaw simply dropping. Was she actually that stupid. Obviously she was a wife of someone else on the Ark, because only an idiot would run screaming into a street and draw attention to herself. Claire looked to Chris shaking her head. In all honesty, Claire wasn't sure if Chris was a savior type being a doctor and all could make him one or the other, but save for a few people, Claire was a survival of the fittest woman.

"PLEASE! OH THANK GOD, YOU TWO AREN'T INFECTED!"

Claire shook her head holding her index finger to her lips miming a shush. The woman was oblivious as she began to run towards the two. FUCK Claire silently hissed as the woman ran towards them. Claire watched as the infected the woman had seemed to have ignored burst to life at her sensory cues.

"They're activating!" Claire shouted, unable to think of a more poignant word for what was happening.

Suddenly the street was filled with guttural growls and the sounds of multiple infected vomiting blood up, a sickening wet splash as they heaved fluids onto the ground and proceed to follow the woman and then notice Claire and Chris. Claire nearly vomited herself, was the vomit some sort of infection attempt? If they pinned someone down, did their blood or body fluids ensure infection if ingested?. Honestly, who gives a fuck for the moment. Claire looked to Chris again then back to the woman, she had nearly twenty right behind her. She was limping.

"Fuck her." Claire said coldly grabbing Chris, "We need to move".

Claire did feel a twinge of some guilt, but her will to live was greater than her will to survive. Claire ran like hell as the other infected became aware of her and Chris now but their sprint through the streets were cut short when their next turn towards a substation transport terminal was completely swarmed with currently inactive infected.

Claire had to use all her quick thought processes to stop herself from yelling. She looked to Chris, a small glance of guilt crossing her face as he could see the disdain in his own eyes as the screams of the woman form before ceased. The Claire looked behind them, the infected down the street were beginning to bore of the woman and come towards Chris and Claire.

Claire looked back to their blocked pathway and stamped her foot in frustration, alerting the mob to her's and Chris's presence.

"Oh fuck."

Claire grabbed Chris again and pulled him into the foyer of another building nearby. Fortunately it possessed only big heavy wooden doors, designed to mimic old-style English mansion doors. Claire pushed the doors closed, but the mob was pressing hard against her small frame,

"CHRIS... I NEED HELP!"

As the doors shut tight as the two managed to bar the infected, and Claire noticed a further security device - an electronic roller door. Claire moved into action fast, hearing the sickening beating of the infected outside. This building's security office was right to the left of the front door. Bursting in, Claire hit the emergency lock down button, causing the roller security door to begin closing. The door only got two thirds of the way however when the power cut out.

"COME ON!" she shouted angrily.

Claire barely had time to continue her angry ranting however when another door to the opposite side of the security office - an admin office - burst open and an infected man burst out fumbling towards Chris. Honestly, Claire blacked out for a few moments and came to when she realised she and Chris were sitting with their backs to the wall of the entrance door to this apartment building.

"Oh Jesus.. We're fucked" Claire heaved looking around this small foyer around them. It was odd. Something about it was familiar to Claire. This foyer wasn't as big as Claire's apartment building.. But it was more extravagant, it had more detail put into it than her's and her's was nearly the best of the best to offer on the Ark. Then it hit Claire.. She and Chris had accidentally taken refuge in the very building she'd made very clear she wouldn't set foot not more than fifteen minutes ago.

Claire grabbed the tablet from the inside of her jacket pocket looking to Chris, quickly speaking to him as she dialed in to the Movie Appreciation Society

"I guess it's Wahidin's lucky day..."

The tablet bleeped as the connection was made, "Alright Tanner.. You have your wish. Chris and I made it to Wahidin's building. 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."

Claire stood up, her teeth clenching at this unforeseen event.

"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 handed the tablet to Chris, tired and needing another moment to rest. Waiting for their next instructions, Howe to arrive and then the unavoidable - as it seemed - meeting with her once admired ex-boss.

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.”

Sam looked like he’d just been slapped. He was staring at a blinking disconnect message that told him Claire Hartford had disconnected from Leader.

“Great she’s a psycho.”

Sam returned to her file and read further. Some words seemed to jump out him but Disgraced Drug Addict seemed to cover it.

“Howe you’re gonna love this. The Hartford chick is a friggin tab head. Her file says she used to be hot shit in the labs but lost it.
You’re gonna have to watch her man, I mean like a hawk, these tab fiends would sell their mother for another hit. Looks like she’s also got it in for Wahidin, cuff her if you... Shit they’re back on.”

Claire Hartford’s voice reappeared but sounded more relaxed this time.

"Alright Tanner. You have your wish. Chris and I made it to Wahidin's building. 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."

Sam decided to use some positive reinforcement in an effort to keep Claire from going off on another rant. At least until Howe arrived, after that it was his problem.

“That’s super Claire, really, really super. It would be even more super though if you could, you know, not harm Mr Wahidin, he is the boss after all.”

Sam suddenly became fearful he was going to lose Hartford again.

“But I mean what is a boss really? God I don’t know... Like, why can’t everyone all just live together on a nice big farm or something all work together and just, like, live you know. That would be so... super... I’m rambling aren’t I?”
Hartford ignored his attempts at placation and stuck to the task at hand. The yo-yoing focus was a tell tale sign of a tab head.

"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."

“Yep that’s super Claire you just hang in there and before you know it Howe will be with you. You won’t even have to talk to Mr Wahidin. That’ll be Supe... uh great.”

It wasn’t Claire who spoke next but Galloway.

“Mr. Tanner, can you get any information about this uh Chimera project? It’s exhibiting…behaviors that I have never studied. It’s both fascinating and horrifying.”

“No kidding Doc.”

Sam tried a couple of searches but came up empty.

“Naw it’s a black hole. Whatever it was it’s way outside my pay scale...”

A thought suddenly occurred to Sam as he glanced at the security screens. In particular he was looking at level minus ten where the contamination had originated and he was looking at the dead bodies of the first infected.

It took a second for the realisation to hit him.

“Oh Christ... Ok Galloway stay with me here. The contamination started on floor minus ten. So the first zombies were on floor minus ten. Then GM purged floor, sucked all the air out of it, and released the contaminated air on all the other floors thus spreading the infection. Problem is those zombies are still dead on Floor Minus Ten. They all asphyxiated, that means they needed to breathe when they died, what am I saying you’re the doctor. Point is these people aren’t zombies, as in not undead, they’re just sick. I’ve been telling people to kill sick people. Oh Jesus...”

Sam spent a long moment looking at the infected shuffling around the various security screens.

“We gotta help them, maybe we can fix it. Alright you guys are going to need to go down. We’re still reduced to emergency lighting of minus ten to plus five. The Chimera Project lab is on minus six. So it’s pretty dark in there but if you could make it there it’s our best bet for answers, maybe a cure. Galloway at the moment you, Howe and Hartford are the best suited to the job. You need to restore power and get in there.”

Sam opened up a few new programmes that gave him control of the power.

“Alternatively I could reroute power so you can access the computers but that means no emergency lighting. There shouldn’t be anything on minus six though... just dead bodies, might be a bit spooky but not... you know bitey. It’s up to you three.”

Chris scratched his chin in thought while Mr. Tanner searched files for information on the Chimera Project. Horrific, his mind echoed, absolutely horrific. A strange blend of emotions had begun to fill his skull: relief, terror, pain, fear. It was all too familiar to that fateful trip to The Congo.

“Oh Christ,” Chris returned to the present, “Ok Galloway stay with me here. The contamination started on floor minus ten. So the first zombies were on floor minus ten. Then GM purged floor, sucked all the air out of it, and released the contaminated air on all the other floors thus spreading the infection. Problem is those zombies are still dead on Floor Minus Ten. They all asphyxiated, that means they needed to breathe when they died, what am I saying you’re the doctor. Point is these people aren’t zombies, as in not undead, they’re just sick. I’ve been telling people to kill sick people. Oh Jesus...”

Tanner trailed off, leaving an empty crackle on the channel. Evidently, the security officer wasn’t prepared for the revelation that the “zombies” were only rabid people. Good for him, Chris thought, at least someone hasn’t been totally desensitized in this day and age. He suddenly become aware of a clench in his side and rubbed at it slowly. My body is quite exhausted, he realized, a bit bruised, too. The pain pills in his medical kit seemed tempting, but his better instincts pushed the thought away.

Chris inhaled through his nose, and then responded in a calm and even voice, “Just as I had suspected. It’s alright, Mr. Tanner, you did the right thing.” The last words barely croaked out of his mouth as a lump of guilt formed in his throat. He glanced up at Claire, who was pacing around the building foyer, and the image of the woman from the streets flashed back into Chris’s mind. She was screaming as the brutes attacked her, but no sound escaped her lips. What have I done?

“We gotta help them,” Tanner broke in again, pulling Chris out from his nightmares, “maybe we can fix it. Alright you guys are going to need to go down. We’re still reduced to emergency lighting of minus ten to plus five. The Chimera Project lab is on minus six. So it’s pretty dark in there but if you could make it there it’s our best bet for answers, maybe a cure. Galloway at the moment you, Howe and Hartford are the best suited to the job. You need to restore power and get in there. Alternatively I could reroute power so you can access the computers but that means no emergency lighting. There shouldn’t be anything on minus six though... just dead bodies, might be a bit spooky but not... you know bitey. It’s up to you three.”

The channel remained silent, but Claire muttered something indistinguishable next to him; apparently she had been paying attention. “Let’s worry about getting Wahidin,” Chris settled, “before we get caught up in our research.” He wet his suddenly dry lips. “Howe, are you still with us? Ms. Hartford and I are currently safe in the lobby, and we are prepared to move up for Wahidin,” a disgusted look crossed Claire’s face at the mention, “I am, at least.”

A new voice, female, cracked through the channel. "This is Valerie Rush, Officer Fitzpatrick and I are six floors above you, Prof. Hartford. I can access the security cameras to get you and your companion to us. From there the four of us could probably make it up to Prof. Wahidin's office rather easily." Chris looked up at Claire, and thought he saw a look of recognition cross her face.

“Ms. Rush,” he responded quickly, “I am Chief Physician Christopher Galloway. If you would be so kind, Ms. Hartford and I would certainly appreciate assistance in reaching Wahidin. Is Officer Fitzpatrick armed? I’m afraid we are not,” the metal pipe focused in his view, “at least not efficiently, and are still awaiting Detective Howe.”

Chris paused and searched through his memory. Fitzpatrick, don’t I know an Officer Fitzpatrick? He drummed his fingers on the floor, trying to recall all his previous patients.

Claire paced the foyer back and forth, biting the inside of her cheek while she thought about what she was doing, what was happening and how it happened. Tanner spoke over the the shared system to Chris and Claire listened while forming her own ideas and hypothesis as to what was causing this nightmare and how it was happening so fast. Although it wasn't above Claire to be able to speculate what was happening - extreme-rabies was her best guess - the reality was she was an aug scientist and inventor, not a biologist or doctor, like Chris.

Tanner relayed what he was seeing on his screens. Apparently they definitely weren't undead per se, they needed air. That was promising to a degree; suffocating them was an option if force or a cure wasn't viable, maybe even a mass suffocation throughout the ark? No, that wouldn't happen; Tanner was already apologetic of the few that had died and Chris was a man of healing at his core. What the hell was infecting people?

Claire kept listening while her internal monologue raged within and paused her pacing only when Tanner began suggesting an alternate option for the two and this Howe guy instead of Wahidin's rescue. Find answers, go underground and find answers. Yes; no wait, no! But then it would mean no Wahidin. Fuck. Claire chewed her cheek a little harder and flinched Tanner ended his sentence,

"There shouldn't be anything on minus six though... Just dead bodies, might be a bit spooky but not... you know bitey. It's up to you three"

Claire contemplated the decision, yes it would be no Wahidin but then again, what the guarantee there was absolute safety down there? Plus it could get ugly fast if one the infected or more found themselves down at that level. Claire felt her hand shake - a side affect of boost - gripping it tightly she mumbled, suddenly remembering something from her time spent working in one of the labs down on minus six,

"Minus six also has some of my confiscated aug information... If we get down there, I might be able to make..."

Claire didn't dwell on the thought too long, Chris made their decision for them anyway and Claire shot Chris a disgusted look. Minus six was going to have to wait and to be honest, Claire preferred the idea of a claustrophobic pitch black floor to Wahidin's face. Claire cleared her throat,

"Fine." she said curtly.

Claire turned to the elevator of the floor and pressed the button, hoping the power might suddenly return. Nothing. Suddenly the tablet fired up again and another voice this time filled the foyer,

"This is Valerie Rush, Officer Fitzpatrick and I are six floors above you, Prof. Hartford. I can access the security cameras to get you and your companion to us. From there the four of us could probably make it up to Prof. Wahidin's office rather easily."

Valerie Rush. The albino that essentially took Claire's job. Claire felt herself twinge with yet more anger at another person within Nakatome industries that she disliked more than anything. Although, in truth Claire could admit her dislike for Valerie Rush was more or less a reflection on Nakatome's easy replacement of Claire with Valerie, more than the actual woman herself. In fact, when Claire had worked for the company she had, in a sense, mentored the young woman, quite liking her actually, Valerie almost being on a friend basis before Claire's dismissal. Valerie offered help though and although Claire's eyes rolled at her Valerie's helpful attitude she politely replied, remembering her dislike was largely misplaced.

"Thank you Miss Rush. We're on standby. When you've got a clear view of passage for us, we'll follow your directions. We'll rendezvous on your floor. Don't get us killed."

Claire looked to Chris raising her eye brows in almost defiant matter,

"I meant it when I said I wasn't making any promises about keeping Wahidin alive Chris."

The coordinates came through, and Howe found that he was not as close as he had hoped. For one, he would have to take the lift back up. "Bloody everything," he muttered as he stepped back into the lift and hit the button for Level 0. As the lift traveled up, he kept his dagger at the ready, but he reached Level 0 without incident. He left at a brisk walk, checking the coordinates on the tablet and figuring out his direction before gaining his orientation, then put the tablet away and took off towards the apartment at a jog, listening to the conversation but saying nothing.

By the time he was halfway to the apartment, he felt his regret in his legs, and paused outside a building. He checked the area quickly before relaxing slightly, sitting on a wall to let his legs rest. He laid the dagger on part of the wall and leaned back to see what was on the other side. That was the only way he received enough warning of the infected man who had attempted to sneak up on him, and even then he was dangerously close. Swearing in a rapid-fire jumble of expletives, Howe jumped back and scrabbled for his dagger. Once the detective had armed himself, the matter of fending off the infected became easy. Howe simply bit the figurative bullet and went for the eye, grabbing at thick curling hair to stabilize the head for the killing blow and delivering the blow before he could second-guess himself. The infected screamed, then went limp and fell as Howe pulled the dagger out.

He relaxed again, then started at the sound of footsteps. He glanced around, and saw two forms stumbling towards him. They must have heard the scream. Shit. Howe took off again, and started talking this time. "Howe here. I'm about halfway to Galloway and Hartford now, but I've got a couple of these infected on my tail. Turns out they can hear pretty bloody well. Copy everything that's been said; I've just been a bit busy." He let things rest at that, and continued his jog.

When he reached the apartment complex, he gave a small cheer, then spoke again. "Alright, I'm almost to the apartment with two infected following. These ones can't run very fast, even if they can hear well." He reached the door, found it locked. "Fuckin' hell, this is an aux door, the bloody thing's locked." He turned around to check the progress of the two infected. "Someone let me in, there are two infected closing on me...!"