UNSCDF Chapter 7- Heroes Come and Go

Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, USA

Omega Squad’s Camp

March 20, 2001

1600 Local Time

            Zyrok walked up to a ripped tent and motioned for Stewart to take point. Stewart crept forward slowly and pushed the tent doors open. A putrid and foul smell came out and Stewart gagged.

            “Looks like we’re too late.” Zyrok looked at a pile of mutilated bodies on the ground.

            “Rest in peace.” Stewart mumbled.

            “Collect their dog tags and let’s see what happened here.” Zyrok spoke to Stewart as he walked to a cracked monitor.

            “Hey boss, we’ve got some zeds coming here.” Taylor shouted from the door.

            “Take them out with your M21.” Zyrok turned on the computer.

            “Copy that boss, it’ll be done in a minute.” Taylor replied with excitement.

            Zyrok focused on the screen and looked at the computer.

            “Authentication ID. Hmm…” Zyrok studied at the screen as Taylor fired his M21 in the background.

         “All done boss, three tags here and two more that we found in the other tent makes five KIA.” Stewart walked beside Zyrok.

            “Thank you Stewart, we’re still missing a lot though.” Zyrok typed his name into the computer.

            The computer beeped and asked for a handprint confirmation. Zyrok took off his glove and placed his right hand on a panel beside the keyboard.

            “Welcome Lieutenant Charlie.” the computer spoke with a female voice.

            “Guys! I need a hand over here.” Taylor yelled as he reloaded his gun.

            “Give him a hand Stewart.” Zyrok stared at the computer and spoke to Stewart.

            “Voice command enabled.” the computer spoke.

            “Great! Retrieve data logs.” Zyrok spoke to the computer.

            “Retrieving data logs. One moment please.” the computer responded.

          “Boss, looks like the special zombies. Burnt and the muscular ones.” Stewart fired his UMP at the incoming crowd.

          “Deal with them. Hold them off as long as you can, I’m extracting info over here.” Zyrok said with annoyance as the computer was pulling up the files.

         “Thirteen data logs retrieved. One emergency data log retrieved.” the computer had a flashing message icon.

            “Play emergency data log.” Zyrok commanded.

            “Playing emergency data log sequence Alpha Two One.” the computer screen faded and turned to show an injured marine in front of the monitor.

            “This is Sergeant Major Riley Thompson of Omega Squad. We’ve encountered massive hostiles and are currently defending this camp. Our communications was knocked down by what appears to be a massive muscular zombie.” the video played.

            “Give them hell Stewart!” Taylor shouted in the background.

            “Trying, but these suckers won’t get down.” Stewart fired his UMP.

          “We have many casualties and are now holding the line.” the video continued to play as Thompson turned his head. “Oh no! They’re in! Fire at will marines!”

            Zyrok watched as Thompson turned away from the computer and fired his M16. A minute later, the zombies swarmed around him and knocked the computer camera to the ground. All Zyrok could see was the zombies’ feet and a blood curling scream of Thompson in the background.

            “Sequence Alpha Two One ended.” the computer closed the video.

            “Initiate data extraction.” Zyrok took out his datapad and placed it on the hand scanner.

            “Commencing data extraction to remote device.” the computer responded.

            “They’re getting closer!” Taylor shouted as he took a step back from the entrance.

            “We need to hold the line until we recover the data.” Zyrok took out his USP.

            Zyrok looked at the horde of zombies and felt scared for his first time. The horde consisted mainly of the burnt and muscular zombies. This was Zyrok’s first time having to fight the special zombies and he had no idea how to effectively take them out.

            “Echo 2-3, this is Echo 1-3. Come in, over.” Zyrok spoke on the RaidCall and fired his USP.

            “Echo 1-3, we read you, what’s up boss?” Casey replied on the RaidCall.

          “Requesting immediate backup at the command tent. We’re pinned down by a horde of specials.” Zyrok reloaded his gun.

            “Roger Zyrok, we’re on our way. ETA five minutes.” Casey replied.

            “Roger that.” Zyrok replied with disappointment, “1-3 out.”

           Zyrok looked at Taylor and Stewart and then looked at the horde. He knew they weren’t going to make it.

            “This is it gentlemen. You all heard Casey from the comms. They will be here in five.” Zyrok fired a few rounds and killed a burnt zombie.

            “It’s been an honor sir.” Taylor saluted as he dropped his empty M21 onto the ground and pulled out his Lock 17.

            “Likewise.” Zyrok saluted back.

            “I’m with you all the way Zyrok.” Stewart saluted.

            “Thank you guys.” Zyrok saluted and fire three rounds into the horde.

      “Data extraction complete. All files transferred to remote device.” the computer spoke in the background.

            “Go get it boss, we’ll give them hell.” Stewart sprayed and took down one muscular zombie.

            “The mission comes first.” Taylor reloaded his gun and fired.

          Zyrok handed his USP and two clips to Taylor and ran towards the computer. He picked up the datapad and glanced at the downloaded files.

            “Alright marines, let’s push our way out of here.” Zyrok picked up an iron pipe on the ground and ran towards his men.

           “I’m game, let’s get out of here.” Taylor placed his empty Lock 17 into his holster and fired with Zyrok’s USP.

            A muscular zombie charged at the marines and swung at Zyrok. Zyrok miscalculated the swing and got whacked to his back. The swing of the zombie was so powerful that it flung Zyrok into a nearby tent causing the tent to cave in on him. Zyrok’s helmet cracked and had a gash to his back as his flak jacket ripped apart.

            “Zyrok!” Taylor shouted as he saw Zyrok fly across his face.

            Zyrok’s head throbbed with pain and vision began to blur as he heard his men scream as the zombies swarmed around them. Zyrok felt useless as he was pinned down by the metal poles from the tent holding him down. He saw one of his men get ripped apart as pieces of his body flew everywhere. Suddenly an explosion occurred at the rear of the horde and flung zombies everywhere. Zyrok knew it was too late as he fainted by the blinding flash and saw the zombies beginning to move towards him.

Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, USA

Power Plant Three

March 20, 2001

1700 Local Time

            Forester took point and slowly walked to a lifeless marine on the ground.

            “Cover me.” Forester shouted as she approached the body.

           She flipped over the body to a bloody Stanley. Suddenly the lifeless Stanley opened its mouth and attempted to bite Forester. Forester knocked the infected Stanley and pulled out her sidearm and fired once.

            “He didn’t deserve this.” Forester mumbled as she pulled Stanley’s dog tag from his neck.

           Stanley was a light-hearted fellow and interesting marine. Even though Forester met Stanley on the way to the armory, she felt pain as she lost a good guy.

            “We’ve got Private Hemmings here.” Mitchell shouted as he walked past some debris and pointed at a marine missing its legs.

            “Double tap and take his tag.” Forester spoke with sadness in her voice.

            “No zeds here.” Tyler scoped the perimeter.

            “Let’s keep searching.” Forester motioned on.

            Forester walked to a cracked building beside the plant and noticed a pile of mutilated bodies.

            “We’re too late.” Forester saw a decapitated Stokes in the center of the pile.

            “We’ve got some bodies from Omega as well.” Milo shifted through the pile of corpses.

            “Looks like this was their holdout.” Mitchell looked at the makeshift barricades.

            “We got a survivor!” Milo shouted as he saw a critically wounded Michaels buried in the pile.

            “Get me morphine Tyler.” Forester rushed over to the wounded Michaels.

            “Michaels! Can you here me?” Milo gently shook him.

            “Huh?” Michaels spoke wearily.

            “Here you go LT.” Tyler handed a morphine needle to Forester.

            “This will make you feel better.” Forester injected the needle into Michael’s arm.

            “Kill me please…” Michaels begged.

            “Where are the others?” Forester asked.

            “Dead, all dead.” Michaels coughed blood.

          “Sergeant Stokes mentioned about a massive thing. Where is it and what is it?” Forester held onto Michael’s hand.

            “No idea…never seen it. A bulky muscular zed around two stories high. Please kill me. I don’t want to turn into one of them.” Michaels gripped Forester’s hand tightly.

            “Did you know where it went?” Forester slowly took out her sidearm.

            “Headed North towards the Omega Squad’s camp.” Michaels continued to cough blood.

            “You did great Michaels. You are a hero.” Forester thanked.

            “Thank you Lieutenant Forester.” Michaels smiled and closed his eyes.

            “God be with you Steve Michaels.” Forester pulled the trigger and placed a clean shot to Michaels’ forehead.

            “God damn it!” Mitchell kicked the ground in frustration.

            “I know how you feel Sarge.” Milo sympathized.

            Forester pulled the dog tag off Michaels and placed it into her pocket.

          “Search for any weapons or ammo you can find. We’ve got to warn Echo Squad.” Forester picked up a HK69 beside Michaels.

            “Whatever it is, I’m going to freaking kill that monster.” Mitchell picked up a M16 with half a clip.

            “Me too.” Tyler searched his area and found a magazine for a Lock 17.

            “We all are.” Forester pitched in and took out two fresh clips from a body from Omega Squad.

            “Here, take this LT.” Mitchell offered the looted M16.

            “Thanks.” Forester graciously accepted it.

            “I’ve already got a primary.” Mitchell patted his MSG-9 on his back.

            “Echo Squad, this is Fire Team Tango. Come in, over.” Forester spoke on the RaidCall.

            “Fire…Tango…what’s going…over?” Casey replied on the radio with interference.

            “Echo, you’ve got a massive zombie heading your way. What’s your status?” Forester replied.

            “Copy that, currently heading…Zyrok’s team for backup.” Casey replied.

         “Roger, we’re coming ASAP to assist.” Forester responded quickly as she had a flashback of Stokes’ distress call before all communications went out.

            “Copy…Team Tango…Echo…out.” Casey replied.

       “Alright marines, let’s hustle and hunt down that monster and assist Zyrok’s team.” Forester commanded and began to run.

            “Let’s get there in time!” Mitchell hoped. “Double time marines!”