03 Deluge of the Dead (8 page)

 *****

There was no working television in the Aquarium of the Pacific, but they did have a stereo system and power from the emergency generators that kept the water circulating in the fish tanks. Scag’s gang usually played heavy metal rock CDs on the sound system, but someone had flipped on the radio that morning and stumbled across a special news bulletin. Now the announcement was blaring through the speakers throughout the aquarium for all to hear.  Scag wished they would have come and asked him first though. It would have been better to keep this news from most of the people until he had time to decide how to deal with it. He was still contemplating his next move as the message repeated for a third time.

This is a Special Weather Bulletin and Emergency Evacuation Alert for residents of Southern California. A significant rain event is expected to reach the coast of California later today which will last overnight and into tomorrow. More than one inch of rain is predicted. The slow moving storm will affect coastal regions and inland valleys from Santa Barbara to San Diego counties. There is no significant danger of flooding outside of areas recently burned by wildfires.

However, authorities predict that the rain will offer relief and a window of opportunity for survivors currently besieged by those infected with the Super Rabies Virus. It is known that the infected suffer from hydrophobia, the fear of water, and it is believed that they will seek shelter from the rain. Therefore, it should be safe for survivors to relocate to places of safety, or to secure vital supplies for established strongholds, during the height of the storm. Be advised that the infected will still be extremely dangerous, but they should not come out to attack people moving in the open, whether in vehicles or on foot, as long as the rain is falling. To repeat, there should be minimal danger of zombie attack to those in the open while it is raining. Authorities confirm that water provides the best defense from zombie attacks. The infected are deterred by water hoses and sprinklers, as well as any significant body of water.  

Authorities warn, however, that the infected will gather wherever they can find shelter from the rain. This includes, but is not limited to, covered parking structures and carports, covered porches and walkways, beneath overpasses, tunnels and especially inside unsecured buildings. They can also be expected to make every effort to break and enter secured structures at the outset of the storm. Plan accordingly. For example, those besieged in houses, apartments, or condos with covered entries or common hallways that are already accessible to the infected should seek another path of egress during the rain. Be advised that this rain event may be your only chance of escape and rescue in the foreseeable future, as weather experts have predicted drought conditions this summer.

Evacuation routes and centers are being prepared throughout Los Angeles County and will be listed momentarily. If you are anywhere near the coastline between Malibu and Dana Point it is recommended that after the rain starts you make your way directly to the beach and walk along the coast to the nearest harbor, marina, breakwater, or fishing pier. Hundreds of boats from the Survival Flotilla are being dispatched to evacuate you from those locations during the rain storm. If the rain stops and zombies return to the beach before you reach safety, you can avoid being attacked by going into the ocean – even to wading depth. If you are a good swimmer or have any flotation device, such as a raft, surfboard, or life vest, you can also swim or paddle out beyond the surf line where boats will be patrolling the coastline to rescue you.

The primary evacuation center for the coastal zone will the Terminal Island Safe Haven and Queen Mary Stronghold in the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles which are currently secured by the newly formed Survival Flotilla, the US Marines, and the US Coast Guard. Access by land will be granted to refugees arriving during the rain via the Vincent Thomas bridge in San Pedro at the 110 Harbor Freeway terminus, the Henry Ford drawbridge, the barricade at the terminus of the 710 Long Beach Freeway, and the Queens Way Bay Bridge from Long Beach. Stragglers who arrive after the rain storm ends should go directly to the ocean for extraction by boat.

For survivors north of Redondo Beach a secondary safe haven has been established at the Chevron Oil Refinery on Sepulveda Boulevard in El Segundo. Efforts will also be made to secure the docks in Marina Del Ray where boats will be available as shelter for refugees. Similar plans are being made for smaller marinas between Santa Barbara and Newport Beach. Refugees who cannot be housed at those marinas will be evacuated to Catalina or Terminal Island.

Survivors who are unable to reach the coastal safe havens on their own have several options. Crews are working to open a traffic lane on the 110 freeway between downtown LA and the Terminal Island safe haven. If successful, it will only be available for use by public buses and convoys escorted by the LAPD. Buses will only operate during the rain, but will make stops at every off-ramp to pick up survivors. 

 In East LA a safe haven is being established on either side on Interstate 10 at Eastern Avenue, encompassing the campus of Cal State Los Angeles and the LA County Fire and Sheriff Headquarters. Metrolink trains will deliver refugees to the Cal State LA station from both directions and Cal-Trans crews will be working to open traffic lanes to that safe haven on the I-10 and 710 freeways. Survivors in the San Fernando Valley are encouraged to seek shelter at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank where the National Guard has established a secure perimeter.

Additional safe havens and locations to gather for evacuation, including local fire stations, will be announced later in the day. A maximum effort has been ordered by the Mayor of Los Angeles for all police, fire and public works personnel to contribute to the evacuation. Any citizen, including construction workers, with access to heavy equipment such as earthmovers that can assist in clearing the roads during the rain are encouraged to do so. 

Be aware that all refugees entering any safe haven will be subject to physical inspection, including strip search, for any signs of infection. Anyone displaying fresh wounds will be held in quarantine. Authorities have announced that any person who knowingly arrives at a safe haven after being bitten by one of the infected will have committed a crime by endangering other survivors. As there is no known cure for the Super Rabies Virus, those proven to be infected will be terminated immediately.

This message will be repeated until updated evacuation information is available. Please stay tuned to this station for additional instructions and begin your preparations for evacuation. This is not a test.

“Not a test my ass,” muttered Scag. The whole damned zombie apocalypse was the ultimate test and this new twist looked like the final exam. The evacuation alert had forced his hand. He would have to take action and assert control of the gang before half of them decided to run over to the Queen Mary as soon as the first rain drops fell. That simply wouldn’t fly. He needed a plan and he needed it now. First things first though.

“Shut that crap off,” yelled Scag. “And gather everyone together in front of the shark tank. Bring everyone, including the bitches, wimps and brats. This is a major powwow.  It’s time to rock and roll assholes!”  Yeah, this was shaping up to be one hell of a day. Scag reflected again on the old pirate’s motto that “Dead Men Tell No Tales” then realized that pirates had a lot of other good ideas too. Who would make better pirates than a gang of Surf Nazis?

Chapter 3

To: SovereignSpirit.net

This is Rejean Sours. There are currently 20 of us held up at Eisenhower Middle School in Lawton, Ok. We are doing well on food for now but are worried about our families.

This virus was brought into our school by a teacher. He was bit in the neck by a homeless gentleman he was feeding at the local soup kitchen. When he came to school he had flu like symptoms. He left on a school field trip with my daughter and 15 others. The bus never made it to their destination or back to the school. I fear my daughter is dead or deadish. I have had no contact with Edison Elementary where my youngest daughter was at school. I don’t have a satellite phone so no news from my husband currently stationed in Korea.

Just knowing people are trying to do something helps. Well I will continue to check in but I have to share this laptop with others who want to find news.

In the City of Torrance the Suburban had emerged on Normandy Avenue, turned back to Carson and continued driving west, away from the hospital at a steady fifteen miles per hour. Carl was thankful for the assistance and scouting provided by Mick Williams and the crew of the helicopter.  They had already informed Carl that West Carson was clear of major traffic jams and accident scenes at least as far as Crenshaw. It was important to avoid places where the Suburban might have been trapped and engulfed by the pursuing mob of undead. The helicopter also helped to direct the zombies, like a cowboy herding cattle.       

They tried to stay away from residential streets, not wanting to lead all the zombies towards places where survivors might still be holed up, but that wasn’t always possible.  Whenever they did have to drive past homes or apartments Carl used the PA on the Suburban to warn any survivors to stay inside and not attract any attention as the horde went by.  He also used the loudspeaker to inform any survivors that could hear him about the evacuation that was planned during the imminent storm, encouraging them get to the freeway while it was raining.

“If you can hear me,” his amplified voice bellowed. “Stay inside. Stay out of sight. Wait for the zombies to pass and the rain to start later today. Then make your way to the 110 Freeway where buses should arrive to take you to safety in the Port of Los Angeles. The zombies will be afraid of the rain. This might be your only chance to escape.” He repeated that message, with minor variations, almost continuously as they drove through the streets of Torrance. He was even confident that there were still survivors in some of the buildings they passed, especially the ones that were surrounded by zombies when the Suburban arrived. He was happy to see almost all of those zombies join the horde trailing the SUV too. Perhaps their passage would actually reduce the number of undead besieging the trapped survivors here.

They had travelled at least two miles from the Harbor UCLA Medical Center when Carl decided it was time to lose the trailing throng of zombies and make their way back to the rest of the vehicles waiting on the freeway. If only he could find a good place to leave all these zombies and some way to make them stay there. He wracked his brain for some bright idea, but nothing popped out at him.  At the intersection of Carson and Crenshaw he paused and radioed the helicopter. “How does the road look going north on Crenshaw?” he asked.

“All clear at least as far as the refinery,” Mick replied. 

“What refinery?” Carl asked quickly.

“There’s a big Exxon Mobile refinery right up the road from you,” Mick replied. “Crenshaw Boulevard runs right through the middle of it with fences on both sides of the street for about half a mile.  The west side where the refinery is looks like it caught fire recently… Yeah, it’s still smoldering. The storage tanks on the east side look intact though. The road itself is clear but I can see a big traffic jam farther up before the 405 freeway.”

  “Okay then,” Carl replied. “We’re heading that way and I might have a plan to take out this herd of deadheads too.  Why don’t you scout ahead and find us a way back to the 110 freeway past the refinery.”

“Copy that,” said Mick. “We’ll see what we can do for you.”

Carl turned north on Crenshaw just before the fastest zombies caught up to the SUV, but continued to drive slowly as other zombies converged to join the procession. He wanted all the zombies to follow the Suburban. So far it seemed to be working.

“Hey, Gus?” he said.

“Yeah, boss?” Gus replied from the back seat while staring out the back window at thousands of zombies following them.

“How do you feel about blowing up a refinery?”

*****

The atmosphere in the sickbay of the
Sovereign Spirit
was nothing short of tragic. Scott lay on his stomach on an examination table while Dr. Greenburg cleaned and stitched the zombie bite on his left buttocks.  Scott had insisted that Craig be treated first but nobody, including Craig, had listened to him. Craig, for his part, sat on another table with his head in his hands. He had already asked for someone to blow his brains out, but nobody was ready to oblige him yet.  Scott knew how he felt, but he wasn’t ready to throw in the towel quite yet. There were too many things he needed to do in his few remaining hours of life, too many people counting on him, and so much he still needed to tell his wife and son.

“Hurry it up, Doc,” Scott said. “I need to let a lot of people know what has happened and make some serious decisions about who should take my place. I have to make the best use of every minute left to me.”

Doctor Greenburg nodded as tears filled her eyes and she finished stitching Scott’s wound, “Yes, Scott,” she mumbled. There was little use for false hope in a situation like this and Scott was not the type of man who wanted the news sugarcoated. Nevertheless, he needed to know the prognosis. “It’s a minor flesh wound to an area with minimal blood circulation and no vital organs close to the wound. I think that will slow down the spread of the virus. You shouldn’t feel any major effects until this evening. At that point you’ll need to come back here to be restrained, or chose an alternate resolution.”

 Clint, who was sitting across the room, broke down and started crying out loud upon hearing Scott’s death sentence. “Oh God, Scott,” he wailed. “It’s my fault! I swear I didn’t know I was contagious. I never would have done anything to spread the virus! I wish you had just given me a bullet when I asked for it on the bridge.”