The Dead in River City (11 page)

19

Alan and Kendra reached the medical bay in mere
minutes. As they rushed in, Alan began barking orders to the doctors. “Tie off
her arm just above the bite wound! We need to stop the infection from
spreading!”

The doctors did just that. “You want us to amputate
the arm?” One of the doctors asked.

“No.” Alan answered. “We are going to remove the
blood around the wound. We can remove the infected blood, and stop it from ever
reaching the brain.”

“Sounds about as plausible as anything else we could
do. There is a problem however.”

“What is it?” Alan asked.

“We have no supply of blood to replace her blood
with. We’d have to have someone give blood for it.” The doctor said.

Alan turned to Kendra. “What’s your blood type?”

“O Positive.”

Alan sighed in relief. “I have O Positive too. I can
give you my blood.”

“It’s do-able.” One of the doctors affirmed. “You’d
need replacement blood as well, though.”

“I’ll take hers.” Alan said with a grave tone. “Give
me the infected blood.”

“Alan, no! I can’t let you do that!” Kendra opposed
him. “I can’t let you trade your life for mine.”

“Kendra, I’d die for you. You’ve had a tough life,
and you deserve to live, to have a chance to make it better. I want you to
survive, and give life one big revenge kick in the ass.”

“Alan, you made this hellish reality bearable. I
won’t live without you.” Kendra confessed. “If you do this, I’ll go through
Hell to make sure you survive.”

“Then we’ll have about a day from the time the blood
exchange is done to find a way to stop the X7 from reaching my brain.” Alan
confirmed. “Do the procedure. Exchange our blood.” Alan readied himself for the
procedure. “Luke, go keep an eye on Malcolm. We’ll need to have a word with him
after we’re finished here.” Luke did as he said, returning to the top floor to
keep watch over Malcolm.

The procedure was rough for the doctors, but in the
end, they managed to pull it off. With their limited supplies, it was a crude
procedure, but Alan’s blood now flowed through Kendra, and Kendra’s X7-tainted
blood flowed through Alan’s veins.

Alan immediately felt the fatigue that the X7 caused
in its early stages. He tried to brush it off by remembering that he did what
really mattered. He saved Kendra. Alan stood and started working his way
towards the door, anxious to get back upstairs and deal with Malcolm. Kendra
followed him, putting her good arm around him.

“We’ll find a way to keep you alive. I promise.”
Kendra said as she kissed Alan on the cheek.

“Let’s hope Malcolm knows something he hasn’t given
up yet.” Alan replied.

When they reached the top floor, they saw Luke still
keeping watch over Malcolm. He was still passed out, tied to the chair, and his
wounds were bandaged off.

“I made sure he didn’t bleed out. Figured you’d need
him alive.” Luke explained.

“Thanks Luke.” Alan said, stepping towards Malcolm,
ready to begin another round of interrogation.

“Alan, wait.” Kendra beckoned. “Let me do it this
time. Maybe I can make some progress. Plus, you’re fatigue is setting in.”

“You’re right, Kendra.” Alan reluctantly agreed.
“See what you can do.”

Kendra walked towards the chair where Malcolm was
tied. She wasn’t sure how she would handle the interrogation, but she started
by searching his pockets to see what she could find. Alan hadn’t bothered to
check earlier. She guessed it couldn’t hurt. She searched his pockets but
didn’t find very much. There was no wallet, no ID, and really nothing but lint.
Lastly, she checked the inside pocket of Malcolm’s jacket. She instantly found
something she couldn’t identify by feel. She carefully removed it and saw that
it was a syringe. It was filled with an odd liquid the color of lemons. Kendra
had no earthly idea what was in the syringe, but she knew it must be important
to him if he carried it around. She went to lay it on the table, keeping it in
her mind to use it as a kind of leverage in the interrogation.

“What was that?” Alan asked her from across the
room.

“I don’t know.” Kendra affirmed. “Whatever it is,
we’ll soon find out.”

Kendra stepped towards Malcolm and smacked him on
the cheek. He didn’t wake up like she’d hoped. “He won’t wake up.” She said,
disappointed.

“I had this prepared just in case.” Luke
interjected, presenting a metal bucket filled with water. “Maybe this’ll wake
him up.”

Kendra wasted no time in taking the bucket from
Luke. She carried the bucket over to Malcolm, and poured the entire contents of
the bucket over his head. He jolted awake from the shock of the cold water.

“Arrgh.” Malcolm sounded out. “I like a shower as
much as the next guy, but that was a little extreme.”

“Enough, Malcolm!” Kendra shouted. “You’re gonna
answer my questions, and you’re gonna do it right now.”

“Oh, so now the dying girl is going to interrogate
me?” Malcolm quipped.

“Not dying anymore.” She replied flatly. “We took
out the infected blood. I’m as good as new.”

“Clever girl. Your boyfriend isn’t looking too good
though.” Malcolm spoke, slowly piecing events together in his mind. “Ah, he
gives up his life so that you can have yours. How touching.”

Kendra threw a punch at Malcolm’s stomach. “SHUT THE
HELL UP!”

Malcolm screamed in pain. That girl could throw a
punch, that’s for sure. “I don’t know what you want from me. I already told you
that there is no cure for the X7 virus.”

“Think harder, Malcolm. Otherwise I start taking off
limbs.”

“What is it with the two of you? So violent!”
Malcolm retorted.

Kendra ignored him, turning to the table. She picked
up the syringe that she’d found in Malcolm’s pocket, and walked back to him,
holding it in front of his face. “What is this?” She asked.

Malcolm’s eyes widened. He had hoped that they
wouldn’t find that. It was his secret, and he couldn’t afford to lose it.
“That’s nothing.” He bluffed.

“That may well be the least believable lie I’ve ever
heard.” Kendra said. Grabbing a machete from the table, she spoke again. “Tell
me the truth, or say goodbye to your arms.”

Malcolm was at a loss. He’d have to give in, and
find a way to turn the tables later. “It’s a counteracting agent for X7. It
neutralizes the virus in its host. It’s also what gives me control over the
Dead Ones.”

“How interesting.” Kendra said.

“What now? I’ve told you what you wanted to know.”
Malcolm said.

“Not everything.” She replied. Kendra walked over to
Alan, and handed him the syringe. “Take it. It will counteract the virus.”

Alan wasted no time in injecting the concoction into
his bloodstream. Almost instantly, he began to feel the effects. His ailments
vanished, and he could feel a connection to the horde, like having complete
control over each and every one of them.

“Amazing.” He remarked as he observed his renewed
state.

Kendra turned back to Malcolm. “Thank you for your
cooperation. Now, why don’t you tell us a little more about the serum? How did
you get it?”

“I created it of course. I’ve had a lab in this city
for years. I manufacture more as needed.” He explained.

“Ever make a cure for the zombies themselves?” Kendra
inquired.

“No. No need to. The zombie effect was unintended
originally. Once I discovered it, I chose to utilize it to its maximum
potential. I gave no mind to a cure.” Malcolm explained.

Kendra was disheartened at that news. Any hope of
fixing the world, and undoing Malcolm’s work, had faded. She didn’t want to
believe it was true. She turned her back on Malcolm before muttering a single
question. “Where is your lab?”

“You think I’d actually tell you?” He shot back.

Kendra retrieved a pistol from the table, whipped
around, and held it up to Malcolm’s head. “Where. Is. Your. Lab?”

“You don’t have what it takes to shoot me. That gun
probably isn’t even loa-”

Kendra aimed the gun at one of the walls and fired.
The gunshot was loud, and a split-second later, there was a bullet lodged in
the wall.

“Still doubt me?” Kendra asked, ominously.

A scowl came across Malcolm’s face. “An abandoned
church in the south end of the city. That’s all you get.”

Kendra barely acknowledged his response. She walked
over to Luke. “Keep him restrained. We’ll leave tomorrow morning and be back a
few days after.”

“You got it, Kendra.” Luke said in his baritone
voice.

Kendra walked to the door with Alan. “Let’s go back
to the room and prepare. We’ll need to go find his lab tomorrow.”

Alan followed her down the staircase, saying
nothing, still pondering this feeling of connectivity with the horde. It was
unsettling, but exciting in the most peculiar way. He felt like he could
communicate with the horde, but it was a push to do so. He decided it best to
not push his temporary ability. As they reached their room, he put the thoughts
out of his mind and tried to find peace from the day’s events.

Kendra walked into the room and sat on the bed. Alan
followed her in, running a hand through his hair and exhaling heavily.

“You ok?” Kendra asked as she removed her shoes.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He replied. “Just been a stressful
day.”

Without a word, Kendra arose and walked over to
Alan, wrapping her arms around him. “Thank you for saving me.” She said softly.

“I did it because I… because I love you. You have no
need to thank me.” Alan told her.

Kendra kissed him as he finished the sentence. “I
love you too. And I will never stop trying to thank you.”

“I should thank you too.” Alan went on. “You saved
me too.”

“Come here.” Kendra said, leading him by the hand to
the bed.

“What’s going on?” Alan asked, slightly confused.

“We’ve both had a rough day.” Kendra explained.
“Let’s make up for it with a good night.”

“What did you have in mind, exactly?” He asked.

“Just shut up and kiss me, moron.” Kendra said,
pulling him onto the bed with her.

After the stress-filled day they’d both had, Alan
and Kendra shared a night of passion together. It was one of those rare times
in this hellish world that everything seemed right.

20

Alan woke first. As his mind came out of sleep, the
memories of the night before came back into his mind, and he smiled. He had his
arms still wrapped around Kendra from the night before. Alan had never seen her
more peaceful than this. He was careful not to move, as he didn’t want to wake
her prematurely.

As he lay there, he brainstormed about the day ahead
of them. He knew they would be going to find Malcolm’s lab. He wasn’t sure what
he was going to find when they got there. More than anything, he wanted a way
to fix the world. After they finished at the lab, they would have to come back
to Refuge to help the city recover from the attack, and to deal with Malcolm
once and for all.

Alan had no clue what time it was. He rarely did
these days. He knew it was morning, but other than that, he had no idea. This
morning was like so many others he remembered as a child. He thought of the
mornings where he would be at a friend’s house, anxiously waiting for them to
wake up. That’s what this morning was like. Only difference now was that he was
waiting for his love to get up.

It wasn’t long before she finally woke up. Alan
thought she made the cutest noises as she woke up. It made him smile. Kendra
opened her eyes to see his smile that she loved so much. She smiled in return
and kissed him.

“Good morning, love.” She softly spoke

“Good morning, baby.” Alan replied just as quietly.

“I love it when you call me that.” Kendra confessed,
resting her head on him.

“Was I… was I ok last night?” Alan asked sheepishly.

“Wonderful.” She replied “Simply wonderful.”

“As were you.” He replied, wrapping his arms around
her.

“You were my first.” She said, nervously.

“You were mine too.” He confessed. They shared a
tight hug that seemingly lasted an eternity.

They simultaneously got out of the old bed and
started to get dressed. As they got ready to leave for their destination, a
thought struck Alan.

“What are we going to do when we find this lab of
his?” He asked Kendra, hoping she had a better idea of their plan.

“Honestly, I can’t be too sure.” She responded. “I
guess we’ll need to search the place and see if there’s anything else we can
find. Malcolm lies, but his research won’t.”

“So why are we keeping him alive?” Alan asked
bluntly.

“In case we have questions about anything we find.”
She explained. “Vengeance can wait that long. We search first, question him if
we need to, and then we kill him. He’s too dangerous to be left alive.”

Alan nodded and continued getting ready. Kendra did
the same, and within 10 minutes, they were both ready to go. They both knew
they would need some kind of transportation, and they would also need to check
on Malcolm. They had to make sure he’d not gotten free during the night.

“Let’s split up.” Kendra suggested. “You go upstairs
to check on Malcolm. I’ll go find us a ride.”

“You got it. Meet you at the entrance.” Alan
affirmed.

They arrived at the stairwell door. Alan ascended
the stairs to the top floor, while Kendra quickly made her way down to the
first floor, hoping her mission to find transportation would bear fruit.

Reaching the top floor of Refuge, Alan saw Luke
Jones still on watch, keeping an eye on Malcolm. Amazingly, Luke didn’t look
tired. Malcolm was still tied up, currently passed out and looked as if he’d
stay that way.

“You been on watch all night, Luke?” Alan asked,
unsure of how Luke could look so rested.

“No, I had a few other guys in Refuge take turns
watching him through the night. We’re keeping a tight lid on things.” Luke
assured him.

“Good. Keep it that way.” Alan replied. “Kendra and
I are going to look for Malcolm’s lab. When we finish there, we’ll come back to
finish dealing with Malcolm.”

“Sounds like a plan, boss man.” Luke chuckled.
“We’ll keep things under control ‘til you come back.”

“Good to hear.” Alan said, turning back to the
stairs, descending the tower to meet Kendra.

Luke’s eyes returned to Malcolm, watching him
vigilantly, just waiting for an excuse to put a bullet in his brain.

Alan quickly descended the long staircase, eager to
meet up with Kendra and head out to find Malcolm’s makeshift lab. The pile of
rubble where the doors to Refuge once existed had been removed, once again
opening the way outside. The rest of the horde had dispersed since they had
captured Malcolm. No one could be sure where they had gone, but Alan had a
suspicion that this was all far from over.

Alan stepped out into the open air. It was foul with
the scent of rotten flesh, and carrion birds circled overhead, waiting to feast
on their buffet of corpses. As Alan noticed the birds, he thought to himself.
He was thankful that the X7 wasn’t a threat once the zombie had died. Otherwise
they’d likely be dealing with zombified vultures. Alan shivered at that
thought, and moved on to find Kendra.

Kendra pulled up to the front of the tower in a
slightly beat up 2-door the color of leaves on the trees of a dark forest. She
exited the car and tossed the keys to Alan. “You drive, it’s too hard to do
with one hand.”

“Where’d you find the ride?” Alan asked, taking the
driver’s seat.

“That girl you talked to about Malcolm.” Kendra
replied, climbing in the passenger side.

“Helena?”

“Yeah, her.” She said. “She said I could use it.
Even threw me a few weapons for the trip.”

“Hmm. Generous.” Alan remarked. “What kind of
weapons?”

“A couple pistols, a shotgun, even a katana to
replace the one I lost. Plus we got our revolvers.”

“Wow. That’s extremely generous of her.” Alan
reacted.

“Yeah. She said she wanted to give us everything
possible to take down Malcolm. She wants his head on a spike.” Kendra explained
Helena’s generosity.

“Then let’s be sure to make that happen once we get
back.” Alan affirmed, eager to take vengeance on Malcolm Graves.

Most of the drive was quiet. Alan and Kendra both
sat in near silence, pondering the possibilities of their excursion. Kendra
only spoke to give directions. As they neared their goal, Alan broke the
silence.

“Do we know anything about this place?” He asked

“Not much. I had actually been there years before,
so I remember its location. I don’t remember much of the building itself
though.” She explained.

“You’d been there before?” Alan inquired.

“When I was young. They had something called
Vacation Bible School. There were lots of kids there. I was the outsider
though. I mainly went because there was food, and because for a few hours a
night, I wasn’t alone.” She elaborated.

Alan squeezed her hand tight. “I’m so sorry, baby.”

“For what?”

“For your childhood.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” Kendra reassured
him. “You’ve made life worth living… even life in a world like this.”

Alan smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She replied.

It wasn’t long before they reached the old church
that Malcolm had mentioned. It was an old brick building sitting on a short
slope. There were doors on all sides, most of which looked worn down from years
of disrepair and termite damage. Alan pulled into the parking lot and around to
the entrance that faced away from the street. Exiting the car, they looked
around, surveying the area. They saw a steeple on the church and, the remains
of a rundown playground up the hill, but no Dead Ones. Seeing no immediate
danger, Alan and Kendra walked through the double doors and into the decrepit
church building.

The shadowy interior of the building smelled damp
and slightly moldy. The sanctuary looked as though it hadn’t changed in
decades. The wooden pews that once held many faithful churchgoers were now
rotted and close to collapsing. Alan and Kendra’s eyes adjusted to the dark as they
ventured into the old building. Kendra pulled out a flashlight, and threw a
second one over to Alan, who fumbled for the switch and turned it on.

Shining their lights around the room, the sanctuary
looked much more dim than they had originally perceived. The cross that once
hung on the wall above the baptistery pool had fallen and split into multiple
pieces. The grand piano had fallen into disrepair, with its black lacquer
coating damaged beyond repair, the ivory keys discolored, and the piano wires
all snapped. The building itself was quiet. There was no sign of any creatures
that would’ve made this place their home. It was mere silence, and such a
maddening silence it was.

Alan strode forward across the old green carpet,
shining his light, looking for a way to the basement. To the right side of the
sanctuary was a wooden door in an alcove.

“Looks like that leads to the basement.” Alan’s
voice echoed in the empty room.

Kendra moved towards the door with Alan. She turned
the tarnished knob and pushed the door, but it resisted. Pushing harder, the
door was forced open before quickly falling off its hinges. The heavy oak door
tumbled down the stairs, the rotted wood breaking apart with each impact.

“Open sesame.” Kendra quipped.

Alan chuckled slightly. “Good job. Let’s go see
what’s down there.”

Descending the stairs and stepping over the
shattered door, Alan and Kendra went to the basement of the old abandoned
church, curious as to what they would find waiting for them. What they found
would never have been expected by either of them.

The basement of the church seemed even darker and
damper than the upper level. Their flashlights revealed the numerous cobwebs in
the basement, and the stains on the old concrete floor. Ignoring the long dark
hallway that extended sideways from the base of the stairs, they instead
elected to walk through the door-less entryway into a large room that took up a
majority of the building’s sub-level.

“I think we found it.” Kendra said, scanning the
room with her flashlight.

“There must be some kind of light. He couldn’t have
been working in the dark.” Alan replied.

No sooner had he finished his sentence, Kendra
flipped the large metal switch nearby. “Found it.” She said, smugly.

Alan feigned irritation before letting out a slight
chuckle. He then switched off his flashlight, looking around the room. He saw a
small lab set up in the middle of the room, surrounded by the lights that now
shined under the power of the generator that Kendra turned on. He walked
forward, with Kendra following him closely, examining the tables, and looking
for anything useful.

Most of the tables held beakers of every shape and
size; stained with the liquids that once dwelled within. Papers adorned the
desks with no rhyme of reason. Neither of them knew what to look for, and it
looked as though nothing would be found here.

“Wait, I might have something.” Kendra remarked,
looking over some of the papers on one of the desks.

“What is it?” Alan asked, hoping for good news.

“It looks like a research log. It details the
experiments involving the chemical compound that he had in that syringe.”
Kendra explained, looking over the notes.

“Anything interesting?”

“Well, it looks like he tested different variations
of the chemical before he ‘perfected’ it.” Kendra began. “It says here that he
had test subjects that he experimented on. Many of the initial tests supposedly
mutated the X7 and made it worse.”

“That sounds bad.” Alan stated. “Anything else?”

“The formula for the finished compound, which is
pretty useless to us. We can’t decipher it.” She replied.

“We may not have to.” Alan said. “I think I found a
stockpile.” Alan pulled a stash of tubes containing the chemical out from one
of the lower cabinets on a desk.

“This next part might explain a stockpile like
that.” Kendra began again. “Malcolm’s notes state that the control effect over
the Dead Ones is only temporary. The chemical must be re-administered every 24
hours.”

“That explains why I can’t really feel a connection
to the Dead Ones now. It has grown faint over time.” Alan realized. “This gives
me an idea.”

“What are you doing?” Kendra turned to look at him.

“I’m gonna use his own work against him.” Alan
replied, preparing a few syringes of the control chemical.

Kendra was about to ask what he was planning, when they
both heard a noise that shook them to the core.