Designated (Book 1): Designated Infected (35 page)

Throwing her to the floor Kevin stamped down, pinning
her hair beneath his boot as she snarled and thrashed against the
hard concrete floor. His dispassionate gaze locked onto hers as he
levelled his rifle and fired one clean round into the centre of her
forehead. 'Kev, this lad is fucked, what's the call?' Lifting two
gloved fingers to his ear Woodwrow opened the channel. 'Baker we got
a confirmed contact one twenty-three year old female confirmed
Infected, she was screwing the brains out of some lad here, then
decided she was hungry and used him as a portable buffet, we
terminated the female and wanted to know the call on the boy here.'

Kevin pulled his fingers away from his ear as he waited
a slow lingering second for Baker's reply.

'Did he get Infected?'

Kevin snorted slightly. 'Well he was wearing a rubber if
that's what you mean, but if you're asking if he got bit, that's an
affirmative; she took a large chunk clean out of his collar bone and
throat.'

Pulling his fingers away once more he heard a deep
agitated sigh then the one word he wished he hadn't.

'Terminate.'

Double clicking on his coms piece, Kevin acknowledged
the order as he stepped forwards and raised his rifle, then with a
slow five pound squeeze on the trigger put a round through the man's
head.

Sheperd stood there his face an expressionless mask as
he watched the whole episode unfold, he had heard the entire
conversation for himself and had expected the inevitable outcome.
Despite that, it still left a sour taste in his mouth as he watched
the incomprehensible expression unfold on the face of the man whose
life had been condemned through a simple snide twist of fate.

'I hate having to do that.'

Sheperd walked past tapping his hand lightly on
Woodwrow's shoulder as he passed, 'You and me both bud, still it has
to be done.'

Woodwrow nodded, 'Yeah, yeah, doesn't mean I have to
like it, does it?'

Sheperd remained silent as he lifted his rifle to his
shoulder and moved forwards with Woodwrow close behind him.

****

'Anything?'

Silence reigned supreme for what seemed like eternity
before any reply was forthcoming.

'Ugh I, I don't see anything, I think all the people
have gone.'

A soft rustle of clothing and a grunt issued up from
behind them as someone moved.

'Get your fucking arse out my face.'

'Shut up.'

'Fuck off, you shut up, tell me to fucking shut up.'

A wet slap echoed through the cramped confines of the
storage cupboard.

'Both of you shut up. I can't hear a thing with you two
bitching at each other.'

The room was flooded with a bright spear of white light
as the door in front of them was wrenched open; squeals and screams
of terror issued from the seven very cramped and sweaty occupants.

'Hey Rob got a room full...'

His words were cut short as a heavy boot covered foot
slammed into his face; Williams pitched backwards and crashed hard
into the uncaring floor below him with an echoing thump.

Wheezing and coughing slightly he lashed out with his
right hand as a scurrying form went tearing past his vision; a
girlish squeal met his ears as he watched a pair of fish net
stockinged legs disappear past his head. A sharp burst of breath
brushed over the side of Williams face, the echoing thump of flesh on
wood rumbling across the landing as the girl hit the floor with a
bone shaking impact.

Snatching his pistol from its holster he levelled it at
the door in front of him before anyone else could wriggle their way
free.

'Don't you bloody well move!'

Brooks nudged the sheer lace covered shoulder with his
boot, watching as he pushed over the groaning form of a girl, his
rifle levelled at her face as she blearily looked up at him.

The thick dark purple lipstick left a dark stain on the
floor where she had fallen face first, blood running in smeared
strings was slowly trickling along her alabaster cheek as it wormed
its way out of one nostril. She visibly flinched as Brooks bent down
and hauled her to her feet.

'Come on missy, up you get.' Her short tartan skirt slid
along her thighs as she tried to hide her modesty, Brooks smirked as
he watched the futile effort. 'Bit late to be doing that ain't it
love? That thing's short enough to warrant being a belt.' She shot a
spite filled glare at him as she licked the blood from her lip,
smearing a large line of purple across her pink tongue. She stumbled
as Brooks dragged her towards a small table. The girls New-rock boots
thumping as she attempted to keep her feet beneath her. With his
pistol still levelled on the doorway in front of him Williams
clambered to his feet.

'Brooks, she okay?'

Brooks gave the woman a cursory glance over as he set
her down on a vacant chair.

'Yeah, seems okay, did you really have to send her face
first into the floor.'

'You try staying polite with a size eight boot in your
face.'

'How d'you know it was a size eight.'

'It was the last fucking thing I saw before I ended up
on my damned arse.'

Brooks chuckled as he pulled a pair of plasti-cuffs from
his belt, with a sharp rasp he pulled them closed behind the woman's
back and walked swiftly over to his team mate.

'Okay you lot enough hiding, come on out, take it slow
and easy, and keep your hands at head height with your palms facing
us.'

Slowly, with fear induced caution borne only by those
faced with the prospect of actively walking into the unknown, they
exited the janitorial closet. Williams kept a mental count of those
walking towards him. Squinting, pale, sweat stained, and scared
witless they moved towards him like children. Groping for a sign of
reassurance they stumbled alone and scared in the darkness.

'Okay, that's far enough. All of you down on your knees
and keep your hands where they are.'

Williams watched with a slightly fascinated gaze as the
eight other civilians moved as one placing themselves on their knees
in an almost perfect line.

'Brooks, cuff em.'

'Williams you're overreacting a little, just send them
down the stairs and let the plod sort them out.'

'No, they attacked us, if they want to play hard-ball
let's play fucking hard-ball.'

Brooks moved and stood in front of Williams, arms out to
the side, 'No Dom she struck out because you fucking blinded them
with the damned lamp, now let them go and get checked; you lot move
and take the queen of the damned with you.'

The stunned and dazed group cautiously rose to their
feet and began to walk away, one of them lifting the woman from the
chair and semi-dragging her away as she dazedly staggered along
beside them.

'What the fuck is your problem?'

Williams shoved Brooks in the chest as he glared at his
squad mate. Brooks spun sweeping his legs out from under him sending
Williams crashing to the floor.

'All that woman did was lash out at what she thought was
something trying to hurt her, and you go right off the rails, what
were you going to do leave them here like a trussed up turkey for the
first Infected to come along and chew its way through them.

'If that was your plan, then you're fucking losing it
bro, our job is to clear the infection and get the civilians out, not
arrest them. We don't have that authority and you damned well know
it; now get your shit squared away and get on with the job we were
sent in to do'

Williams clambered to his feet ignoring the proffered
hand of his squad mate and pushed past Brooks striding off heading
ever deeper into the maze of rooms and cubicles.

'Fucking douche bag throwing a man strop,' muttered
Brooks as he shook his head, he watched his team mate disappear
around a corner. Brooks broke into a slow run and headed off in
pursuit.

The
Van

Baker sat dozing against the side of the van, a half
empty bottle of water sat on the floor. A slowly descending droplet
of sweat slid along the surface of his scalp, skating down past his
ear leaving a glimmering streak behind as it made its slow journey
southwards. It slid off the edge of Baker's jaw, falling with all the
grace of an air-born hippo, vanishing in an instant, when it made
contact with the edge of his uniform.

'Oi baldy.'

A ball of paper bounced off his head and rolled to a
stop besides his feet.

'That's Lieutenant Baldy to you Sergeant.'

'Whatever, wake the fuck up and do your job, Williams
and Brooks just found a bunch of civvies holed up in a closet and
have sent them out, should be getting picked up by the plod in a
couple of minutes.'

Baker stretched slightly and stood, pushing the vans
doors open as he did so. Hopping out; he sucked in a lung full of the
smog laden night air and walked out to the throng of people leaving
the club.

With a sharp whistle and a wave of his hand he called
over several police officers.

'Right boys, appreciate the help here, I need you to
guide them over to the B.C.T. van and get them checked out, as for
the one in zip cuffs, get them off her and send her with the others,
cheers lads.'

Baker turned away knowing full well the look of utter
contempt, and in some cases hatred, was being directed to his
unseeing back. It was all he could do to keep himself from roaring
with laughter at the inequity of the whole incident.

3
9

Dreamers
Night Club

Second
Floor

Sheperd skulked in the shadows of the doorway as he
watched the corridor, Woodwrow's near silent footsteps echoed behind
him as his team commander cleared the room.

'It's empty, nothing in here except used condoms and
plastic cups of stale beer.'

He tapped Sheperd on the shoulder and slipped past him,
the shadow of the corridor seemingly leapt up and swallowed him as he
headed into the darkness. 'This is too quiet Kev, too freaking
quiet.'

Woodwrow fired a glance over his shoulder at Sheperd as
he moved quietly on snapping glances left and right, the blank and
empty cubicles seemingly accusing him as he flowed past them like
water over a stream bed.

A snatching muscular twitch tugged at the corner of
Sheperd's eye as he followed on after Woodwrow. An itching sensation
tugged at the base of Sheperd's mind as he rounded a corner. Stopping
he pulled his rifle tighter into his shoulder and stared into the
empty, lonely, dead, space of the dance floor.

Woodwrow paused six feet in front of him, his breathing
soft, almost dangerously shallow as he slowly scanned the room. His
breath hung in front of him, a stale cloud of white set against the
onyx darkness that sucked the life out of all it touched.

He stepped forwards, teeth chattering slightly from the
sudden drop in temperature, flexing his fingers against the grip of
his weapon his palms slick inside his gloves, the dampness driving
him insane with a desperate need to wipe the sticky film from his
form. Chewing on his lip he slowly tracked the room once more.

Dropping to one knee he called Sheperd forwards. Seeing
the slow, deliberate movement, Sheperd moved; his movements slight,
riddled with an overbearing caution as he stepped into the void
ahead. A feral growl echoed from the dark as a wet thudding sped
towards him, turning Sheperd dropped his eye to the mil-dot tactical
sight on his weapon searching vainly for the source of the noise. His
breath left him. An unyielding, vibrant mass of energy ploughed into
him tearing him from his feet as his world went sideways. Gun fire
lit up the darkness as his back crashed into the floor.

****

The floor shook beneath their feet as Brooks and
Williams sprinted towards the sound of gunfire, panicked screaming
and cries of terror, erupted from outside the building, as the
overtaxed, and slightly breathless, calls for information invaded
their ears.

Stabbing his fingers into the ear piece, Williams
finally replied.

'Don't know what the hell that was; on route to see if
we can hook up with the boss and Sheperd, get all the civvies out of
there then head up to the second floor and see what you can find.
We'll call you if we find anything our end, stay safe.'

A pale, gasped, affirmative greeted Williams reply as he
sprinted forwards, his feet aquaplaning on a pool of stagnant alcohol
as he rounded and corner. His feet, losing their fight, with the laws
of mechanical adhesion flew from under him; as he lost any semblance
of balance, and crashed to the floor, with a bone shaking thump.

As his cursed cry of surprise was cut short. He watched
Brooks fly backwards as a pale skinned figure collided with the
soldier. Williams slid out of sight round the corner.