Suicide Run (The Infected Book 5) (12 page)

Chapter Twenty Two

It sounded right but in my heart it felt different. I suppose that since Jay was killed I blamed myself for much that had happened.

Chris leaned forward “Look, mate, the Doc is right. Even if you never let the cat out of the lab Bentons were wanting to destroy everything. I wouldn’t be alive today if I hadn’t met you and the same goes for more than half the people here. We just want to make sure you’re ok and that.”

Standing up, I paced the office “Look, if I stay here, more people will die.” I said, throwing my arms in the air.

“Ah! So now we are getting somewhere.” Doc said, sitting back in his chair.

I glared at him.

“You have what’s called survivor's guilt. You feel that if you had died instead of them, then everything would be ok. Sorry to burst your bubble, Marc, but those people may have died anyway and blaming yourself will do you no good. The community we have here has grown because of what you and Chris have done. From what I have gathered, you have never forced anyone to be here. They are here of their own free will and accept the risks that it entails. Yes, we have put you and other people in charge because you all seem to know what to do, but I don’t believe that you are to blame for any deaths or accidents that may happen to them and I think that they may feel the same.”

I stormed over to the door and put my hand on the handle about to storm out into the school area. I heard the children on the other side of the door and I stood there listening to them laugh and shout. My mind slowly processed everything that Doc had said. It was true we had never forced anyone to follow us and we had never forced them to do anything that they didn’t want to do. Chris, Jay and I had come here hoping to save people and in the most part we had. Yes, we have had our run in’s with nutters and other problems but we had managed to get through them. The core problem I had was that I blamed myself for everything and I began to realize that I had a choice like everyone else. Either continue to blame myself and slowly destroy who I was, or I could man up and accept that not everything was my fault and help the others survive this. With that thought running through my head, my shoulders slowly sagged and I turned back to see Doc and Chris looking at me.

“Ok, so what do I do to sort myself out?” I asked.

Doc smiled. “Well, you have already taken the first step. Or at least I believe you have.”

I let out a half laugh “I might have been a bit of a dick.” I said, looking at Chris.

“No more than usual.” He said, laughing.

I shrugged my shoulders and went back to sit down in the chair. I felt like a right idiot because of everything that I had put my friends through. The worst of it was the fact that I had never listened to their advice. I had just headed off without even thinking. Chris smiled as I sat down. Doc leaned forward onto the desk again looking at me.

“Chris said that you encountered some new infected.” He said.

“It was when we were at the lifeboat station. They were faster and more intelligent than the older infected.” I said.

He cocked his head to one side “More intelligent?”

Chris leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees and answered the doctor's question “Yeah, they seemed to set up an ambush. We also had a visit from a few of the larger ones both at the lifeboat station and as we were leaving Hull.

“When you mean they set an ambush, what do you mean?”

“One minute they were milling round the lifeboat station, the next they had disappeared into the sand dunes. But they never attacked until we were near the vehicles. Talking of which, how is Mike?” I asked.

“He seems to be ok, a few cuts and scratches but nothing too serious.” Doc said.

I felt a little better knowing that Mike was ok. We sat there for a few minutes in silence before anyone said anything.

“So these fast intelligent infected, do you think that Benton has been messing around with the virus again?” Doc said, sitting back and tapping his fingertips together.

Chris looked at me before saying “It has to be them unless the virus is changing on its own, and if that is happening, then I am shit scared.”

I sat there trying to consider what might have caused the infected to evolve but everything we knew was in relation to what we knew about Benton.

“I can’t understand why Benton would want to create such monsters.” Doc said, looking slightly worried.

I looked at him “Doc, they want to clear the world for just them and their chosen few.”

“Yes, but how are they going to control or eradicate the infected.” Doc said.

Shrugging, I said “If they created the virus, then surely they will have a way to kill them. And if they have created the others, then it stands to reason they have a way to control them. We saw that they have a way to control the large ones when we were on the ship rescuing Jane.”

There was a slight pause.

“Jane!” I said standing up “She was working on the virus for them back on the ship. Maybe she has some idea as to what they might have done.”

“Makes sense.” Chris said, smiling.

“What the fuck you smiling about?” I asked him

He stood up “It’s nice to see you back to your old self.” he said.

“Shut up!” I said, smiling “Let’s go and find Jane. I think it’s about time she answered a few questions.”

We both said goodbye to the Doc and headed out of the door. Again, we skirted around the outside of the Operations room so that we wouldn’t disturb the kids. In the hallway we headed for the lifts.

“Any idea where she would be?” I asked.

“From what Tessa said she spends most of her time in the library on the third level.”

“Ok, then we’ll start there.”

Pressing the call button for the lift we stood waiting for the lift to arrive.

“I’m happy that you’re feeling better.” Chris said, looking at the closed doors of the lift.

I grunted and said “Well, I wouldn’t say that I was feeling better. More like I am not as stressed about stuff.”

“Well, whatever it is, I am glad to have my brother back.” He said, as the doors to the lift opened and he stepped inside.

Following him, I pressed the button for the third floor. The doors closed and the lift jerked and I could feel it heading down. We both stood waiting for the doors to open. I stepped out on to the third floor and walked through the doors and into the library. People were sitting in chairs reading books and talking. There was a group gathered around a table looking down at something on the top. They were speaking in hushed voices.

“They’re checking the plans for the new outside buildings.” Chris said, looking toward the table.

Chapter Twenty Three

I nodded and continued to look for Jane. I couldn’t see her from where I was standing so we walked further into the room. Chris tapped me on the shoulder and pointed toward a couch set near the middle of the bookcases. Jane was sitting with a large pile of books on the coffee table in front of her. We headed over and stopped on the other side of the coffee table looking down at her.

Clearing my throat “Hey, Jane!”

Her head shot up “Oh, hi! Marc, Chris. I didn’t see you standing there.”

“It’s ok. We came looking for you. There are some questions we would like to ask. That’s if you have time?” Chris said.

“Sure, no problem. Have a seat.” She said, pointing at the two chairs facing the couch.

Sitting down, I had to grin at the way she had changed.

“Ok what did you want to ask?” Jane said, marking her place in the book with a slip of paper before putting it on the top of the book pile.

“You remember the altered infected we encountered on the ship when we rescued you?” I asked.

She shuddered at the memory before saying “Don’t remind me.”

Chris gave her a small smile of support before saying “We ran into another type of infected when we went to get Marc.”

“Really?” She asked.

He nodded and said “They seemed to be able to move a lot faster than the other infected, but the most disturbing thing was the fact they ambushed us.”

The color in her face seemed to drain “They ambushed you?”

Chris told her everything that happened back at the lifeboat station and how the infected acted. After we finished, we sat in silence and I sat watching her face to see what her reaction would be.

“So what do you want to know?” She asked.

“Could it be possible that the virus mutated by itself or do you think that Bentons have been altering it again.” I asked.

Jane sat further back on the couch and said “To be honest, without having one of the new infected, I couldn’t guess. The virus might have evolved on its own, but given Benton’s history with it….”

Chris sighed and shook his head.

I couldn’t believe that this company was going all out to end the human race just for their own gain.

“Hi, Marc!” a female voice said.

Looking over my shoulder I saw Jane’s partner, Kate, standing just behind my chair. She walked round my chair and sat down beside Jane and taking her hand.

“Hey, Kate, how are you doing?” I asked, smiling at their two faces.

Kate shrugged her shoulders and said, grinning “Not bad. We all missed you when you fucked off.”

“Well, I got dragged back by this ugly fucker.” I said, pointing my thumb at Chris.

“Cheeky git.” He said, laughing.

Kate laughed and asked “So what do you want with Jane?”

“Just wanted her insight into if the virus could change the infected any more than what we have seen already.” I really didn’t want too many people getting upset about the changes we had seen lately in the infected.

Kate looked at Jane and I could tell that there were very little secrets kept between the two of them.

“Well, any virus can change and not always for the better. Viruses can evolve like any other creature on this earth. Why do you ask?” Kate said, sitting back.

I shrugged my shoulders and looked at Chris.

“Just remembering those large infected that were on that ship we saved you from.” Chris said.

Kate and Jane both nodded and then Kate said “They were the result of the virus being altered by Bentons. If they decided to alter it again, who knows what would happen.”

Standing up, I said “We’re just going to have to keep an eye out for anything that seems different then. Thanks, Jane, Kate.”

I started walking toward the door when Chris shouted “Marc, I’ll catch you up in a few minutes.”

I stopped and turned back “I’m heading up top to see how things are going.”

Kate smiled and said “I think you’ll be surprised at how much has been done.”

“I’m sure I will.” I said, leaving the room and pressing the lift button.

The doors opened and I stepped into the entrance of the Bunker. Outside, I could see green grass and a blue sky with white clouds. The air seemed to lift my spirits as I stood looking out through the hatch.

Stepping outside, I saw people raising large beams up. It was the frame to one of the new buildings was being put up. I walked down to the gate and saw guards in the new guard shacks watching me. I suppose no one wanted me doing another runner because the vehicles were behind their own small fenced area. I smiled at that and continued to walk the perimeter of the fence. I saw some people digging at the ground and from the looks of it they were planting as they went. I skirted the dug area and headed toward the rear of the fenced in compound. The trees on the other side had been cut down leaving a good fifteen meters between the fence and the start of the trees. I was looking at the distance so much that I didn’t see the person running toward me.

“Hey, Marc!” Another female voice called out.

I looked about and saw Tessa slowly running along the fence line.

“You’re not supposed to be running in your condition, are you?” I said.

Slowing to a stop in front of me she laughed “Don’t be stupid. I’m pregnant, not crippled.”

“Still.” I said.

She had a glow about her and I couldn’t help but smile.

“The Doc said that I should keep up with my physical regime even though I am pregnant. He said I would be grateful when it came to giving birth. Anyway, I plan to take it easy in the last trimester and let Chris look after me.”

I laughed and said “Don’t be counting on that too much.”

The look she cast me was one that if I was Chris, I would be shitting myself.

Smiling, she said “Oh! I’m sure he is going to be a good boy.”

I shook my head and looked back out at the tree line. For some reason the shadows back under the branches made me shiver.

“You ok, Marc?” Tessa said, turning to look at the trees.

“What?” I said, turning back to face her.

“Have you spotted something in the trees?” She said, reaching for the radio on her hip I hadn’t noticed.

“No, just that distance doesn’t seem enough.”

“Don’t worry, it’s enough. We had some infected try this side of the fence just after we cut the trees down and we had enough time to get them put down.”

I shrugged and then remembered the faster infected.

“Has Chris told you about the infected we ran into at the lifeboat station?”

“We haven’t really spoken that much about it. Why?”

I thought ‘Shit!’ and then told her about the runners that we had ran into. The flush on her face from running slowly drained from her face.

“I can see why you’re worried now. It might be a good idea to push them back a little more.” She said, looking back at the tree line.

I nodded “Get them to push it back another ten meters. The good thing is they still don’t know how to climb.”

She nodded and turned to leave. “It’s great to have you back even if you had been a fucking dick.” She said, giving me a kiss on the cheek. She ran off back along the fence line and out of sight.

I put my hand to my cheek and smiled as I walked along the fence. Heading up the incline that the fence followed, watching the tree line all the time, I nearly tripped up on a few roots and some disturbed soil but the darkness under the trees had my full attention. I decided to cut straight back to the Bunker and have a chat with David.

Stepping back inside the Bunker I instantly missed the sky and fresh air. Walking out of the lift on the first floor I headed to the kitchen and pushed through the doors. It was quiet in there and only a few people were sitting at the tables having hushed conversation. I headed for the counter because if anyone knew where David was, then it would be his wife. I stood at the counter and peered into the busy kitchen.

“Hello?” I called out.

No one even noticed I was there so I called out again, this time louder.

A young girl came to the counter. “Yeah?”

“Is Jennie there?” I asked.

She looked me up and down before saying “Sorry, but she is visiting Rosa down on the fourth level.”

She turned and walked away before I had the chance to ask her anything else. I suppose I had to bite the bullet. I knew that sooner or later I would have to speak to Rosa, but to be honest, it was that last thing I wanted to do today. I headed back to the lifts and headed down to the fourth floor.

Walking down the hallway to Rosa and Tom’s room felt pretty much how I thought and inmates on deaths row in America must feel heading to his cell for the first time. Stopping in front of the door I lifted my hand to knock and then lowered it. I could always go looking for David myself and not bother Jennie or Rosa. I turned to head back to the lifts when I heard the door handle rattle. Oh, well, in for a penny, in for a pound. The door opened and I saw Jennie’s back. I coughed politely and she turned around.

“Hi, Marc.” She said blushing.

I could see someone over her shoulder rush out of sight.

“Hey ,Jennie. I was looking for David and I thought that you would know where he might be so I went to the kitchen to ask you but they said that you were down here visiting Rosa. I hope she’s all right?”

“David was with Mike on the first floor the last time I saw him. They took over a room in Operations for planning and design of the compound. They were setting it up just before you left and I suppose they never got around to letting you know about it.”

“So how is Rosa?”

She turned her head and looked over her shoulder into the room.

“She’s fine. Just a little stressed at the minute.”

“Why is she stressed?”

“She was worried how you were going to react about her father.”

“To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about her father. I’m just not angry with Rosa. She hasn’t ever done anything to hurt anyone here so I don’t hold a grudge. Yeah, she might have been a pain in the arse when we first arrived but she change pretty quickly.”

“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you tell her yourself.” Jennie said stepping to the side.

I stepped around Jennie and entered the room. Rosa was standing over beside the bed with her hands clasped in front of her. I could see her hands clenching and her eyes were red from crying.

I raised a hand and said “Hi, Rosa. It’s nice to see you.”

She literally shook as she said “Hello, Marc.”

I smiled the best smile that I could “Why don’t you sit down, Rosa? If you shake anymore, you will fall apart.”

She edged to the bed and flopped down onto it. Jennie walked around me and sat on the edge of the bed beside her. I walked past them and sat in one of the chairs.

“Look, I know you are worried by what I would say. But to be honest, I don’t blame you for anything.” I said, looking at her.

“Really? Even after you found out who my dad was?” She asked with wide eyes.

Again, I smiled “Rosa, you have never done anything to put the Bunker at risk. You might have been a right pain when you first arrived but a lot has changed since then. Yes, your father and his band of arseholes have a lot to answer for, but none of it has anything to do with you.”

A lone tear ran from the corner of her eye and she started to cry. Jennie put her arms around her and held her as Rosa poured out all the stress and worry that she had been going through.

“But…my father…has caused so much death…and how can you trust me?” She managed to get out in between sobs.

I looked at this once confident woman and realized that she had been living in fear of what would happen if someone found out who her father was. She had never realized that people might have never even thought about blaming her. Yes, it was her father that had come up with this virus, and yes, he was to blame, but I think if Rosa had known about his plans, she might have tried to report it or in some way stop the madness of his plan. I felt sorry for her.

“This is the very reason that I can trust you. That, and he fact that you gave Amy information that at the time might have helped to bring your father's mad scheme to an end.” I said, leaning forward.

She looked up at me with her red rimmed eyes and said “Really?”

I got up and walked over. Crouching down beside her and Jennie, I took her hand gently and looked at her and said “Yes, really!”

Rosa let go of Jennie and leaned forward onto me throwing her arms around my neck and burying her head into my shoulder. I could feel her warm tears soaking into my top. Her small body shook as she let out all of the pent up worries about how I felt about her and her father. This had clarified to me even more that Benton’s group must pay for what they had done.

Jennie sat on the bed and waited before saying “Come on, Rosa, let’s get you cleaned up.” She got up from the bed and slowly helped Rosa and me stand up. Rosa let go and stepped back sniffing back tears.