UNSCDF Chapter 42- Haunting of the Past

Seattle, Washington, USA

UNSC Seattle Outpost

March 30, 2001

1500 Local Time

            Zyrok sat by his desk looking at a five-paged report he had typed of what happened at Colorado. The mission was a success and a big step for understanding the new zombies. Even though there were no casualties, Zyrok felt that it was a failure because of all the near misses. There were some parts where he would have lost his marines or gotten himself killed. He got up his seat and walked crisply out the office with the folder under his arms.

            “Captain!” a young man with stubble greeted him.

            “What can I do for you?” Zyrok inquired.

            “Lance Corporal Brandon Foo reporting for duty.” the man saluted.

            “Nice to see you join the team. Have we met before?” Zyrok saluted back.

            “I was the Pelican pilot that extracted you.” Foo answered.

            “Oh, my deepest thanks.” Zyrok stuck out his hand.

            “Sir, it’s nothing.” Foo shook Zyrok’s hand.

            “The rest of the team is probably in the Mess Hall. You can introduce yourself over there.” Zyrok pointed at the elevators.

            “Oh, thanks.” Foo nodded.

            “Down one level.” Zyrok motioned downwards.

            “Ok.” Foo smiled and walked off.

            Zyrok walked slowly down an empty hallway with his mind focused on the mission. He walked and turned around the corner and bumped into Forester.

            “Oh, sorry.” Zyrok snapped to reality as he looked at the person he had bumped into.

            “Oh, it’s you…” Forester gave Zyrok an evil, but playful glare.

            “Yeah it’s me.” Zyrok pointed at his name stenciled on his shirt.

            “Haha. Where you headed?” Forester laughed.

            “Major Tory’s office. Just finished my report.” Zyrok held his folder and shook it.

            “Have fun. I’ve got to report twice. One for Tory and the other one for High Command.” Forester sighed.

            “It’s fine. I know you can do it.” Zyrok smiled.

“Thanks. Oh, by the way, do you want to go for dinner later tonight?” Forester asked.

“Yeah, sure. Where and when?” Zyrok looked amused.

“I’ll take you to the High Command building. We have more delicate foods served there.” Forester smiled.

            “Oooh!” Zyrok widened his eyes.

            “How about 1900 at my office to meet first?” Forester looked at her watch.

            “1900 sounds good.” Zyrok agreed.

            “Well then, I’ll see you soon.” Forester walked around the corner.

            Zyrok stood motionless for a few minutes in thought. Forester had asked him for dinner and he was really shocked that he had agreed. His logical mind was kicking in place and warning him that he shouldn’t pursue a relationship.

            “Are you ready for this?” Zyrok’s mind asked him.

            “I don’t know…” Zyrok replied in thought.

            “Remember what happened with Sarah?” Zyrok’s mind interrogated.

            “Sarah…” Zyrok’s heart stun.

           Zyrok felt a sea of sadness swept over him. Sarah was gone. Zyrok could feel his eyes water as he stood motionless. He had kept his past locked away for three years and now the chest was open and pouring out his dreaded past. Zyrok quickly shook away his thought about Forester and Sarah and rubbed his wet eyes. It has been a long time since he had experienced that kind of emotion. Zyrok looked down at his folder to remind himself of his duties he had to do for Tory. He hurried himself outside Tory’s office and knocked gently.

            “Come on in.” Tory called out.

            Zyrok opened the door and stood in front of Tory with a crisp military salute.

            “At ease, Captain. Take a seat and close the door while you’re at it.” Tory pointed.

            Zyrok nodded and turned to shut the door. He closed the door gently and grabbed a seat in front of Tory’s desk.

            “Here you go, sir.” Zyrok handed the folder to Tory.

            Tory took the folder and opened it. He quietly read the first page of the report as Zyrok watched seriously. Tory flipped the page and continued to read. Zyrok was becoming nervous by the minute as the silence dawned on him.

            “This is good stuff.” Tory finally broke the silence as he read halfway through the third page.

            Zyrok breathed relief and felt himself ease up. He didn’t know how Tory was going to interpret his report.

            “You know, I know how you feel about your marines. Hence, you make a great Captain.” Tory finished the report and closed the folder.

            “Thanks. I still think those near misses could have been avoided.” Zyrok spoke his thoughts.

            “Well, we’ll be prepared next time in case we encounter the same thing. I’m glad everyone made it back in one piece. Zyrok, you got to know…near misses and casualties are bound to happen. This is a war.” Tory explained.

            “I know sir. If there’s a way to reduce risk, I’m up for it.” Zyrok replied.

            “War is risky.” Tory smiled.

            “The safety and the mission is my priority one.” Zyrok countered.

            “Then what comes first? The mission or the marines?” Tory challenged.

            “Well sir, both are equally important. But, if I had to pick one as the first priority, I would go for the marines.” Zyrok addressed his points.

            “Go on…” Tory was amused.

         “Sir, without the marines, the mission can’t be completed efficiently or fully.” Zyrok explained in detail.

            “Point made.” Tory nodded in agreement.

            “Thank you sir.” Zyrok smiled.

            “It’s funny how my other officers tell me that it’s the mission that comes first.” Tory grinned.

            “Well, I don’t see my marines as an UNSC asset. Instead, I see them as one of us, human.” Zyrok reasoned.

            “Perhaps…I guess I would have to find out how my officers think.” Tory took a pen and jotted on a notepad on his desk.

            “Well, everyone is different.” Zyrok replied.

            “True. I definitely know one officer pretty well…” Tory’s voice trailed off.

            “Who?” Zyrok asked with a curious face.

            “You.” Tory pointed.

            “Me?” Zyrok laughed nervously.

            “Yes, you. Every time we talk or I go through your reports, I get a better sense of you than my other officers.” Tory explained.

            “Why is that?” Zyrok was puzzled.

            “I have no clue either. Perhaps it’s because you didn’t start of with a military background…” Tory guessed.

            “Perhaps…” Zyrok rubbed his chin.

            Tory reached into his drawer and pulled out a set of stamps. He placed the stamp on the ink pad and pressed it down. He placed Zyrok’s folder in front of him and brought the stamp on top of the folder. Zyrok watched as Tory stamped the stamp in the center of his folder and saw the words “Top Secret” imprinted on it.

            “Why top secret?” Zyrok asked out of curiosity.

            “Well, High Command needs to see this and we need to keep this Intel about the new zombies and bosses to ourselves.” Tory explained as he watched the ink dry.

            “I’m assuming we don’t want to spread panic?” Zyrok hypothesized.

            “Exactly. The last thing we want out marines to lose is hope and morale.” Tory took the folder and filed it into a locked cabinet.

            “Indeed.” Zyrok nodded in agreement.

            “Go get some rest Zyrok. You and your team deserve it.” Tory smiled as he looked at Zyrok.

            “Thank you sir.” Zyrok stood up and saluted.

            “No problem.” Tory saluted back.

            Zyrok opened the door and closed it as he left. He paused for a second and looked at his watch. It was still early to meet up with Forester. He decided to head back to his quarters to rest wanting to clear his mind and forget his troubles. He took the elevator down and walked past the Mess Hall. Zyrok glanced at Foo fitting well with his squad and smiled as he continued to walk towards the lobby. He pushed the side door open and walked to a concrete building adjacent to where he exited. He swiped his UNSC ID badge and the doors unlocked. Zyrok walked down a hallway and pushed a stairwell door open. After a few flight of stairs, he entered a quiet hallway and walked to his room. Zyrok unlocked the door and unbuttoned his top collar. The room felt stuffy and hot. Perhaps Zyrok was stressed or perhaps the room was just hot. Zyrok walked to the window and opened it. A breeze of cool air blew on his sweaty face and he smiled as he felt himself relax. He took his shirt off and sat on his bed. After thinking for a quick minute, he decided to take a refreshing shower. Zyrok stepped into the washroom and undressed himself. He stepped into the shower and felt the coldness of the ground numb his feet. Zyrok turned the handle towards “Hot” and stood underneath the shower. Warm water drained out of the shower and splashed onto Zyrok’s bare back. Zyrok turned and placed his head under the stream of refreshing water and closed his eyes. He could feel warm water trickle down his face and drip off his open mouth. As the hot steam fogged up the glass door to his shower, a soft steam lifted from Zyrok’s feet to his head as water splashed onto the ground. This sudden surge of heat brought Zyrok’s mind to the past.

            “Sarah…” Zyrok felt himself slowly getting emotional as he let warm water shower over his head.

            Zyrok felt his eyes water and breathed heavily as he blew water out of his mouth. Sarah was gone and his past as well. Zyrok ran his fingers through his wet hair and brushed it back gently. He shook away his thoughts of Sarah as he wiped his eyes. To his surprise, he was immediately haunted by his memories of Mary.

            “Why…” Zyrok cried out loud and knelt to the ground in despair.

            He had bottled up his past for three years and all it took was for Forester to ask him for dinner to trigger it all. Zyrok sobbed quietly as water continued to fall over his slouched body. In the washroom, there were only the sounds of water colliding with the ground and a man sobbing in despair. It was just that and nothing more.