Chapter 8- Summer of a beach

“We are more often frightened than hurt; And we suffer more in imagination than in reality.” -Seneca

Jetsen's men carried heavy body bags through the shadows, stopping at every corner of the main union city, avoiding all night patrols with the advanced intel they received from their spies undercover in the union government. Nearly getting caught by a drunk stumbling home who burst into song as one of the infiltrators stumbled and fell, dropping his end of the body bag, which was weighed down by a massive corpse. They signaled to each other and laughed at the idea of the innocent lives lost because this drunk could have ended their campaign of terror. The drunk started yelling about his brother, Herold, and prostitutes, then sang “Everybody knows your name!” with a hiccup and a stumble, and he was off and out of sight.

The got to their destination by the lab and dropped the two bodies on the ground and whispered to each other, “This one's huge, hopefully he's programmed right. I know the big guys are more unpredictable with mind control programming and especially the sedation.”

The leader whispered back, “Do your job, get in and get out.”

He prepped the syringe and looked at the other man with a syringe, and they plunged the needles into the corpses in unison, then ran for their lives without regard for being caught. The corpses exploded to life then began rampaging and throwing horses and buggies, and breaking everything close to them in a mad, blind rage. They ate people whole and smashed the entire building in a single punch.

After minutes, the massive corpses grew triple their size, their eyes white and red, rolled back so their decayed pupils finally saw, they turned to the lab and blew a hole into the front of the hyper reinforced government building.

The city's first responders finally arrived and called in to bring heavy guns and to disregard collateral damage, the two demon zombies caused more destruction within minutes then they could have ever imagined was possible.

“The lab is gone! Drop send the bomb!”

HQ replied “Negative, draw them out, use the magma heat rounds, confirm when target is in the open.”

Twenty soldiers and three robots switched to their magma rounds and unloaded on the building, the bots used their heat tracking systems to direct the soldiers aim.

The volley of bullets hit their target through the smoke and the steel and concrete melting everything in its path. The Steel beams caught on fire and melted, collapsing the building on the targets. Smoke and rock flew up; the soldiers held their positions and waited.

The president was only a few blocks away and saw the building collapse as he was being briefed.

“Sir, it appears as if the laboratory was the target, the rampage was at random then focused to the building.”

The president replied quickly, “If the lab is the target, then we know there after our friends and do not want us to research a cure.”

“Sir, I need to get you to safety.”

“No,” Replied the president. “If they're not safe, no one is safe, they are the priority, we will retrieve them, and they will be as safe as I am. If I go we will have an election before my four years is up.”

“Sir, that is not advisable. we need you.”

“I won't repeat myself,” The president replied.

“The hotel is halfway between the monsters and us, Sir.” His lead security said then realized the president was already running and his security detail started after him in a v shape with the president at the head.

HQ rang over their coms, “Call out when confirmed down.”

The soldiers watched the dust settle and the rubble shift and smolder. A slab of the rooftop lifted and flew killing five men and a robot and the first zombie stood, filled with holes but intact.

“Target not down!” The soldier yelled over the com. “Target is not down.”

The other lumbering zombie stood with his arm missing and half crushed but still limping around, falling onto soldiers crushing them after trying to pick them up with its good arm. Fire exploded with each incendiary magma round that hit, but the targets kept going as if nothing was happening.

“Drop the bomb now” The lead soldier yelled.

Coms screeched and the voice said, “Fall back a safe distance, dropping the block radius.”

“Fall back! Fall back. Block radius.” He yelled to whoever of his men were still alive.

The bomber opened its doors and a flash then the explosive was off.

Duncan flew out at maximum speed that his Exo-suit could go without regard for his own life. The men the zombie fell on were still close. One was crushed and unresponsive and the other legs were crushed, bones stuck out, he shouted in pain, but he tried to crawl and grab his friend to pull him to safety, but his body could barely move itself.

Duncan flew in as the bomb was at about the height of a roof, he grabbed the two men without stopping his forward motion, the explosion threw them, and they flew down the open street between the building. Both men flew into pieces with the impact onto the ground and arm and leg flew this way and that way. Duncan skidded to a stop against an electrical pole. He watched their body's come apart and he wrenched but didn't throw up, he was more determined to stop the threat.

Duncan confirmed the men were dead then tried to use his boost, but it was broken during the crash. Alarms blared when he tried to use the function. Sal ran fast with his strange new abilities after taking the antidote for the third time. He wasn't as fast as when he was a zombie, but he made it to Duncan and checked on his friend.

“Help them, I'm fine, go!”

Sal met up with the squad leader of the first responders and asked what to do to help.

“One is confirmed down; the bigger one is fully intact but dazed and more enraged.”

“What do we do? HQ!”

“The president has Peter, Paul and Jenna and they're in a bunker. It appears the zombies next target is the president's bunker. Civilians are evacuated but do not let the zombie get closer. Bravo and Delta squads are set to flank with explosives and more incendiary rounds.”

Squad leader pointed and told Sal, “Get any survivors out.”

Sal found some robots and a single man who was scorched, Duncan grabbed the bots, and they retreated a little way.

Delta and Bravo squad hit the zombie with so many bullets; the skin started to fall off, but it didn't go down. The squads concentrated fire to the legs and eventually cut one off, and it fell and impelled its head on a broken off power pole. They secured the zombie's moving body to the ground with chain's until it stopped twitching. Everyone in the capitol was up and helping through the night, the cleanup crews and citizens and president were all working side by side to help.

Some of the old-world people who were cured found statues from their time and brought them out and the president saw and yelled at them. “No! Get those out of here now!”

“We are sorry, please do not kill us!” They pleaded because the president was so angry, he looked as if he would strangle them himself.

The president composed himself and said “put those in a sack right now. Put them away and hand them over to me. Since the fall of our society, statues and figures from your time are punishable by banishment. I can lose my job as president for this even being here. I should have taken better care at pointing out the rules.”

The old-world people collected what little statues they took from their homes or found on their journey and handed them over, the president made a spot where the bomb destroyed the street and made a fire with chemical's that burned hot enough to melt metal then threw all of the idols into the melting pool of asphalt.

Then he addressed the people again. “In our past, we didn't have borders or boundaries, and we were all susceptible to whatever whims of the people... With in these borders and boundaries, we worship God and there is only one God.”

Duncan didn't understand and asked, “If I can ask you a question, I do not meat to push back, I comply to all of your rules and regulations.”

“Yes, Go ahead Duncan, thank you.”

“Those are only metal and wood and shaped by men, why would that matter? I do not believe in a God or gods.” Duncan said.

“You can believe what you want my friend,” Replied the president, “But it's the reason the old world failed... Graven images and peoples and technology... Our historians compiled their knowledge and found that the worship of gods changed the face of government. Government serves only one God here. For now, and forever. Not humans, not things... we protect the peoples for their future and the future of our children.”

“I can see how that would work,” Replied Duncan. “Things did get muddled up in my time. Most people relied on technology to the point where people couldn't even remember basic phone numbers without our communication devices.”

The president shook his head in agreement then said, “Thank you for your question. Does anyone else have anything else to ask or to add?”

No one raised their voices or hands. “The first crew get some rest, second crew finish up here, we called in for help from other quadrants. Thank you all so much for your help, hard work and dedication.” With those last words the president took Sal and Duncan to meet up with Peter.

Jenna and Paul and their baby Jake stayed behind and helped clean up and Jenna used first aid on as many injured as much as she could. They stayed far away from the fight and were evacuated with the citizens to protect their baby.

The president took his little group to the closest place he could which was a presidential suit of a restaurant where he conducted his meetings sometimes and they ate and went over what to do next.

“Jetsen is most likely responsible for this...” The president said exasperated from the night's events.

“Yes, we encountered one such zombie on the way here, as we informed you on our arrival... We cured him and he said Jetsen's name just before he died.” Replied Peter.

The president nodded in agreement then said, “He has an army triple our size if our scouting reports are correct. It is filled with all the people we fought so hard against, and cannables and every type of no-good persons who want un-requited and absolute power over others. Jetsen promises much to them...”

Sal spoke up and said. “All the more reason to get this antidote out.”

“All the efforts of Paul and Duncan are blown to bits. We must hurry and rebuild the equipment before it's too late. We have to figure this out before they strike again.” Said the president.

Duncan spoke up. “I can have the equipment rebuilt within a few days. We have the knowledge since we built it once a few months ago when we first arrived.”

“OK, said the president, “We will get to it fast.”

They all ate and smiled when they looked into each other's faces and forgot for a moment and frowned to themselves when they remembered. They became full and sleepy and ready to nap for an hour or so then get back to work...

Duncan ejected from his suit and crawled up to the president and shoot his hand, man to man and they all said their goodbyes then left.

Within the next few weeks everything went back to normal for the most part. The hole where the building was is filled in, but everyone went back to their daily lives. The equipment was finished. Jenna heard that there was a beach within the union boundaries, and it was sunny season, and she wanted to get out of the city for a little, so her family decided to head to the beach. Duncan didn't like the sun and Paul said he had too much work to do but Sal agreed to go with them.

The beach stretched forever in two directions; the ocean went on for infinity in front of Sal. He could have fallen to his knees just thinking about how big the ocean really was. He started to tremble, but Jenna called out and said she needed help, Paul was helping her set up a couple of umbrellas and Jenna sat out some towels, but Jake ran towards the water faster than his parents could run, so Sal ran after him and grabbed him just before he could jump in the water. He giggled and laughed, unaware of any possible dangers or zombies that could be under the water.

Sal swung him around and said, “Hey, stay on the beach, you crazy munchkin.”

Jake's high-pitched laughter filled the air.

Jake was running everywhere since he learned to walk. As soon as his feet touch the ground, he's off. Paul has caught him too many times to count before he's ran into the street without a care in the world.

They all came together and made sandcastles. Paul and Jenna helps Jake make his first one, but Sal made tons of them quickly then bragged about setting a Guiness Book of World Records for building sandcastles.

Paul challenged Sal to a competition and lost because Sal has a weird half zombie power now, and Paul made sure to say it over and over and they all laughed.

Sal explored the beach and watched the waves crash against the rocky part of the shoreline. The waves crashed and sprayed a mist of salt water that shot into the air and covered him with each ebb and flow of the waves. Jakes high pitched scream rang out behind him, and he turned to see Jake flying up into the air and come back down,his dad caught him, then threw him right back up again.

Sal walked around for a while and thought about his family and his ex-wife and kids and missed them more than anything in the world. He started to get sad but sat at the ocean and started to sing silly songs. Paul and Jake came up and laughed at his songs.

Paul left Jake with Sal so he could get some alone time with Jenna. They laid beside each other on their beach towel and looked into each other's eyes and talked about how sweet the breeze was and how perfect the sun felt on their skin. Paul whispered “I wish this moment would never end. When every day isn't set in stone, each kiss and every glance is so precious.” As the sun was starting to set, and he kissed her again like it was their first.

Back to work

The lab was set up in a makeshift building deeper into the union and each county was on high alert, so security was tighter than ever. Terrorist groups were found thanks because someone took note of how they used hand signals. They used signals that Jetsen's side used, and they didn't realize the unions were different, so they were watched closely, and their attack was foiled before it began. So, the lab was saved again.

Peter called everyone to the lab after a few days when they returned from the beach and looked puzzled and speechless. “I don't know,”” said Peter in a daze.

“What? What's the matter.” Asked Sal.

“Nothing's the matter, it just doesn't make sense... I...” Peter trailed off still looking at the same reports.

Duncan cut in and said. “The reports show the antidote is just salt water.”

“It doesn't make sense.” Peter said again. “It's just plain salt and water. There must be something deeper.”

“We’ve tested it on zombies with salt and water of our own, but it didn't work.” Said Peter “It just doesn't make sense.”

Duncan nodded and said. “The antidote you found worked differently on the minds of zombies depending on their mental states. Sal and I have a ‘child mind’ so in our zombie state we were able to counter being a zombie in a special way, but Sal was even different then I was.”

“What about the casing of the antidote? And I've got a child mind?” Asked Sal

“It's just a normal pill... oh and Childlike tendencies,” said Peter, snapping out of his haze. “The mental tendencies for how a person acts and reacts to life events plays out how they react as a zombie. We are trying to determine the cure Duncan not the psychological aspect of humans and zombies.”

Duncan and Peter argued as if they've had the same one for a long time.

Paul spoke up. “It seems Jetsen is very interested in that subject...”

Peter and Duncan both looked at each other, concerned and nodded.

“Perhaps we can find out what exactly Jetsen is up to... but we haven't even figured out the cure yet... We will deal with it as it comes... I will keep working on this antidote.” said Peter.

“Jetsen is using some kind of mind control that taps into the zombie mind, I'll research the psychological side and see what I can find.” Said Duncan.

Then they got back to work and forgot about Jenna, Paul and Sal.

“Let's bet back to Phoenix ash and talk to Rick...” Suggested Jenna and Paul agreed.

The president gave them a nice going away ceremony and gave them all the supplies they needed and more. All the survivors of the incident were there and wanted to look into their eyes and thank them and make sure our party knew how much they were appreciated. Orange people under sunshades, Red, yellow, black and white people lined the streets the whole way to the border of the union.

The got close to Phoenix Ash and were ambushed by men with weapons. Paul called them by name, and they relaxed.

“Sorry friends, Jetsen has been raiding travelers. Killing and kidnapping and taking everything, they can at random. It is unsafe here. Let's move.” The leader said.

The closer to their town they got they saw small battlefields with bodies strewn about. Some of them burnt and bare bones were exposed.

“Is the city ok.” Paul asked.

“Yes, but we are on high alert. This battle happened a month ago. Rick was forced to cut down hundreds, we were surrounded on multiple fronts, but Rick saved the city. Id ran him fast enough to make it to everywhere he needed, it was amazing and gruesome.” Replied the man guiding them.

“And what of Hope city?” Paul said.

He replied “Hope is safe. They are high enough. They just changed their protocol to a defensive one.”

They all were silent.

Sal didn't know how to handle the idea of looking into someone's face who wanted to kill him. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He couldn't imagine wanting to end someone's life... It's self-defense but the idea made him anxious but each time he fought, he felt focused and ready... He decided to leave the thought and handle whatever happens as it came. “No need to worry when there's no need to worry.” His dad would always say.

I’ll try my hardest to keep everyone alive if I can. Sal thought to himself and thought about how Rick must feel. He was surrounded on multiple battle fronts and had to make the call to save the town... If only there was another way... Without fighting or killing. Why can't people just be content and just live their own lives and leave others alone? Why can't we all just get along?