Prologue~

The outbreak . . . it was something you only saw in the movies no one ever thought it could happen. It just seemed impossible at first. The dead getting up walking around with one need . . . hunger. A lot of people died in the beginning of it because of panic they didn't know what to do. Ripped to shreds in a matter of minutes only to turn into one of them later. Maybe some people had enough sense to run away from the big cities where there were less people to actually turn.

Among that belief were very few. Angel believed it after nearly dieing in a small motel parking lot if it weren't for Sunny she would've died. She had dealt with many tragic situations before but none like this. It was that one summer's evening when she was to fly to Thailand the next morning on a job. The beginning of it happened so fast, the government lost control and people were dieing left and right.

In her profession it was her job to keep people safe from bad things, but this was something she was never trained for.

Chapter One: The Outbreak

To be summer it was pretty damn cold that night. She had heard a lot of police and ambulance sirens passing by heading for Atlanta. She thought nothing of it at the time. She had kicked back on the scratchy nicotine stained white sheets reading into to a book preparing her conscience for what she would have to do for the next week in Thailand. She was half way through the book when she became restless and couldn't stay still any longer. She threw the book onto a table nearby sighing deeply.

"This is fucking boring," she said to herself before standing up and stretching. She would've gone to sleep but her mind was restless and her body nervous for the flight that was only a few hours away. She started pacing the room after turning on a song off her phone. It was the only thing to keep her sane enough to stay in the small room. This was normal behavior for her; it was somewhat like meditation before she went on any job because deep down she knew it could be her last.

A loud knock came from outside her door and she stammered to the door after taking a shot of vodka from a small flask she carried around with her religiously. She swung the door open looking into a terrified face. The man was about a foot taller then Angel, skinny, green sobering eyes, and a clean cut shave. She stared at Sunny for a few moments with a shocked expression. She was going to start asking why he was there instead of wherever he was supposed to be. He pushed her into the hotel room and locked the door behind him. He caught her eyes for a moment and they just stared at each other. He broke away from her glance and turned on a TV nearby watching an emergency broadcast that repeated itself over and over. Angel just watched him for a while until her mind grew anxious with questions, paying no mind to the static ridden program.

"Sunny what's goin' on?" she asked demandingly with a hint of a Scottish accent. "Axel didn't say shat to me about ya' comin' a long." He said nothing in return only starred at the TV further. "Sunny what tha' fuck is wrong!" she yelled with a growl pushing him. He didn't sway from the shove only turned on his heel grabbing both of her shoulders starring at her intensely.

"Bad shit is going down. . ." he began before she shoved his arms away from her. "You wouldn't pick up your phone eelier and Axel sent me to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Her anger slowly faded away.

"A virus has been spread throughout the population and it's. . . don't fuckin' laugh at me. . . it's fuckin' causing dead people to get up and walk around eating other people it's spreading like a wildfire. . . it just came out of no where." The same accent Angel had started to come clearer in his words. She stayed silent for a moment glaring at him with pale blue eyes. She then gave a whoop of laughter.

"You need to stop watching all those horror films . . . At got ya' thinking crazy shat." The man appeared if he was about to scream at her but instead he angrily dug in his pocket pulling out his phone pulling up a video and tossing the phone to her. She pulled it out of the air quickly and let her eyes linger over the small screen.

"Axel sent me that." She paid his words no mind as she watched the short video. People that looked decayed limped around a busy street taking bites out of unsuspecting victims in the corner was a date and time which was only hours eelier. "I'm not babbling crazy shat Angel! At's really happening at's not a joke!" he yelled. Angel tossed the phone back to him and he caught it with ease.

"So what do ya' want me ta do about at? If this shat 'as really happenin' by now ere'd be so many walkin' around I'd have to rob a fuckin' military bunker ta get all the ammo." She chuckled trying to make light of the situation. It just made Sunny angrier that she could try and joke about what was happening.

"I don't fuckin' know Angel. For fucks sake we were never trained for this kind of shat!" Angel let her smile fade away and started pacing.

"Well what does Axel want us ta' do?"

"I don't know that either! Phone wont fuckin' work anymore but the broadcasts are telling everyone ta' head for tha' bigger cities."

"Well tat doesn't make very much sense . . . I mean tha' more people around tha' more chance of tha fuckers makin' a bigger outbreak. Makes sense. Do they want tha whole fuckin' population to fall in a week? Ya' know what brother . . . da' hell with this Resident Evil bull shat Oi'm' going ta Thailand like I was suppose ta." She then walked over to the small bed pulling out a large black bag. She pulled out a black sniper rifle and strapped it to her back. Sunny went into a silence just glaring at her watching her strap three holsters onto her belt. She filled two of the holsters with pistols and the last with a large hunting knife.

"What tha fuck are ya' doin'?" Sunny grumbled watching her intensely.

"If ya' ever fuckin' listen ya dumb twat ya would' a heard me say I'm going to Thailand . . . Oi'm not stayin' 'ere." She strapped one last weapon onto her back that happened to be a razor sharp machete.

"Well yer in for a fuckin' surprise! Tha airports are closed down . . ."

"Really?" she asked crisply her eyes changing to a dark red.

"Aye!" He said giving her a nod he looked to the floor his face downcast and baring little of hope.

"A've ya' actually seen one up close?" she asked in a softer tone filling her pockets with clips and bullets.

"Aye. Fuckin' bastard bit down into Mike. I thought he be alright but it's like they fuckin' movies ya' get bit ya' turn. I'm hoping it's all a bad dream . . . but each second proves ta be more real." She just stared at the floor for a few minutes stopping in her tracks. A tear crept up in her eye and she hid her face behind her brown hair.

"Did ya' shoot him?"

"Aye."

"At least ya' cared for him enough ta do that." She forged a fake smile upon her face wiping the tear away and looked at him. "So . . . Sunny what do ya' think we should do?"

"Help as many people as we can. Go ta Atlanta and see if there as anythin' we can do ta help." Angel sat on the bed thinking deeply. She grabbed one more little sack from under the bed that had a change of clothes for herself, a bottle of whisky, and a first aid kit. Before she threw the small sack over her shoulder she grabbed the book and threw it in as well. She stood turning to Sunny. Her mouth open but her words went unheard by a loud scream. They starred at each other for a moment before they ran out of the door entering a gruesome sight. The undead were munching on something and a little girl was trying to run from them. Angel instinctively took off in a run after the child before the undead could reach her. Sunny took off after the larger crowd trying to help whatever they were tearing apart.

Angel drew her knife and machete cutting the heads off the three walkers pursuing the child. She sleeved her blades yelling for the girl to stop. The girl turned tripping over her feet falling to the ground sobbing. Angel slowed her pace walking to her slowly. "Are ya' ok darlin'? Way are yer parents?" The girl sobbed until Angel reached her. She wrenched her arms tightly around Angel's neck as she stooped down to check on the young girl. Angel picked the girl up holding her tightly. "Way are yer mama and daddy?" she asked once again turning back to the hotel parking lot.

"They're there!" the girl cried loudly. She pointed where Sunny was slashing and hacking away at the monsters. Angel knew that they were torn to shreds by now. "Sunny! Where 'as yer' car?" she yelled over the moans and strange noises the creatures made.

"At's a fuckin' truck!" He threw his arm up using the gun he held to point the vehicle out. It was a black truck. Angel ran as fast as she could to the truck open the door and putting the little girl inside slamming the door behind her. "Stay 'ere!" she demanded and took after Sunny. She shot the closest once to him. "Sunny we have ta fuckin' go! Now!" Sunny looked at her and nodded his head. He slashed away at a few more near him before running towards the truck with Angel right behind. A hand caught Angel's arm causing her to stumble and she fell hard into the concrete almost knocking her out. With blurred vision she shot the thing that had grabbed her before the thing that was once a man had a chance latched his teeth into her. She stood quickly another one nearly tearing into her skin before Sunny shot it.

"Come da' fuck on Angel!" he screamed angrily holding the gun out of the truck window. She wasted no time them skidding herself across the hood to reach the passenger side. She jumped in with heavy breathing refusing to say a word. "What da' fuck as this?" he asked pointing to the little girl in the back seat after hitting the gas and getting on the road.

"What tha' hell yer' want me ta say Sunny? She jus' los' her Mah and Dad! Ya' wanted me ta leave her?" She screamed loudly causing the girl to cry. "Shut up!" Angel screamed throwing her hand on the back of the seat turning and starring at the girl. "Yer' alive aren't ya'!" The girl grew quiet with tears still streaming down her cheek.

"Well that's so fucking kind of ya' . . .Wha- If she dies in front of ya' at's ya' fuckin' fault. Dumb fuckin' twat!"

"I know tis' . . . wouldn't be tha first time an innocent dies because of me. She would've died back 'ere . . . jus' shut tha fuck up Sunny . . ." Her voice grew softer and her breathing calmed. "Atlanta then?"

"Aye." Sunny relaxed a bit.

The three said no more until the traffic on the highway grew and they had to stop for the lines of cars entering Atlanta on the four laned road. "What now?" Angel asked lowly.

"We go fuckin' around them." He pulled off to the emergency lane whizzing by the cars until a police officer stopped him by stepping in the way of the truck. Sunny slammed on brakes stopping before he hit the officer. "You have to wait," the man said after Sunny rolled the window down for him. Sunny quickly pulled out some short of badge he carried flashing it briefly.

"Don't argue wit' me. I'm here ta keep order in the city or do I have ta call my boss ta approve," Sunny said aggressively.

"Go ahead," the officer, ordered steeping away from the vehicle with a glare. Sunny sped back off.

When they entered the city it was pure chaos; people were screaming and crying walking down the streets in large crowds heading for the center, soldiers barking orders at the people, and the gunfires here and there. Sunny honked the horn aggressively trying to make the people move. When they didn't he slammed on brakes throwing the truck in park and shutting it off. He started grasping towards the floor grabbing weapons laid around strapping them anywhere he could to himself. "What da fuck are ya' doin'?" Angel questioned starring at him with her eyebrows knitted.

"We fuckin' walkin'!" he screamed hitting his fist against the roof of the vehicle.

"Calm down! Ya' scaring her!" Angel said jumping out slinging the door open to the back seat. She ordered for the girl to come gripping her tightly in her arms.

"Shut tha' fuck up! Twiddle fuckin' twat how tha fuck are ye' goin' ta' help with a fuckin' girl strapped ta' ya'!

"Fuck ya' Sunny," she growled pulling the girl tighter. "Yer gonna' be fine darlin'." She slammed the doors back shut waiting for Sunny to lock the truck up so they could make their way to the center of the city. It wasn't all that far. They ran the rest of the way stopping to take a breath here and there but not for long.

Sunny approached one of the soldiers pulling out his badge and flashing it. "Who's in charge 'ere?" he demanded starring the young man down.

"Follow me," the solider said walking under a small strip of tape and heading for a tent by a helicopter take off. The soldier pulled the opening back revealing an older man sitting at a small fold out table with paperwork all around him. "And who the fuck are you?" the man said not looking up from his paperwork.

"Sunny sir, under Axel we're here ta' help in whatever way we can." Angel had a bad feeling suddenly she needed to take the girl and get out of there right then. She said nothing as the two went on she only looked at the little girl in her arms who was still crying. As the two went on and Angel grew more restless screams pierced the night air outside the tent.

"Shat Sunny we gotta go!" Angel screamed dropping to her knees as gunfire rang out all around the small tent. The two men grew quiet for a few moments looking at Angel. "Fuck ya' Sunny!" She stood quickly drawing her pistol and running out of the tent she had to find a vehicle and get the hell out of there. The dead were all around ripping into civilians and soldiers. She stopped in her tracks for a moment just staring at the chaos. A shove made her move forward, she looked over her shoulder to see Sunny right behind her urging her with a hand gesture to keep moving. They shot threw some of the dead. Sunny ran ahead of her to a military suited up truck he jumped in, surprised to see keys in the ignition. Angel jumped in the passenger side. Sunny sped off knocking down a small tent heading east down the streets. At some point about daybreak they ran out of gas, as the vehicle rolled to a stop.

Angel starred at Sunny as he looked down at the floor letting his head rest on the steering wheel. "What now?" she asked softly still clinging onto the girl in her arms who had fallen asleep an hour before. He sighed heavily frustration and defeat oozing out with it.

"Angel . . . I don't know. How bout we start following tha movies for a wee' while? Grab some supplies . . ." his words fell short as he fell into silence.

"Tha country maybe?" Angel suggested with a small smile.

"Aye . . . that's what we'll do . . ."

"Aye. How bout a convenient store stock up on some smokes?" They started laughing starring at each other surprisingly it didn't wake the girl up.

"Let's go ya' twat." He opened the door and stepped down onto the pavement. Angel followed his lead carrying the girl. They walked a few abandoned streets breaking into stores taking food, water, and of course cartons of cigarettes. The girl woke up as they were in search for another vehicle.

"Mama?" she called out before opening her eyes and looking up at Angel. She began crying. Angel set the girl down and put her hand on her shoulder as Sunny walked ahead of her with a glare knitting his eyebrows. He knew having the girl with them was stupid; she'd be a big risk. "Darlin'?" Angel began getting the girl to look up. She starred into Angel's light orange eyes. " . . . I- Your Mah' she died for a good cause. Maybe at was to save ya' I don't know but hear me out . . . I know they loved ya' terribly and ya' loved them but . . . they can't be 'ere anymore they're looking out for ya' up there," she pointed to the grim sky. "But I'll be lookin' after ya' right 'ere an' I'll keep ya' safe 'til I breathe mah' last breath. Scout's honor." She held her fingers a certain way to the girl. She got the young girl to smile for a moment.

"So you'll be my new mama?" Angel was taken back for a moment but then smiled at the girl.

"Aye I will . . . what's yer name?"

"You talk funny," the girl laughed at the Irish mixed in Angel's country voice. "He he it's Jewel. What's yours?" Angel smiled brightly.

"It's Angel . . . I used ta' spend a lot of time 'an Ireland I jus' kinda picked up on 'at and-"

"Hey Angel come 'ere! Got a car started!" Sunny yelled from up the street sitting in a blue car. "Ya' ready?" Angel asked looking at the girl with a small smile. She nodded her head in agreement. She quickly snatched the girl into her arms and ran towards the car. She jumped in the passengers seat, letting Jewel sit in the middle. "You have a lot of tattoos," she said looking at Angel's arms that were covered in ink.

"Aye. Ya' shouldn't ever get any. People don't like tattoos."

"I like them my Daddy had a lot of tattoos and so did Mama." Angel smiled at the girl the best she could.

"I bet they were cool."

"They were." The girl grinned from ear to ear looking out the windows growing quiet.

A few hours later Sunny stopped in a yard of a rather small house with large wooden fence surrounding it. "Welcome ta our temporary home," Sunny said throwing the car in park grabbing his bag from the back seat and walking cautiously to the house with his gun raised. Angel looked at Jewel for a moment planting a small kiss on her forehead. "Darlin' stay 'ere until I get back," she said stepping out the door and closing all the doors behind her. The house had a large wooden fence around it. As Sunny hopped the fence she followed drawing her pistol as she fell landing solidly onto her feet. Her black combat boots making a thud as the hard dirt and rubber clashed. She quickly pulled out headphones and placed on in her ear hitting play on her phone as she watched Sunny run up to the house. A familiar song started blasting in one ear. 'The Inevitable Return of the Great White Dope' by Blood Hound Gang. She started bobbing her head up and down to the beat singing along loudly. She took off into a run busting down the front door. A few of the dead popped out here and there and she put a bullet through their heads. Sunny starred at her dropping the last of the dead. She turned dancing slinging her gun around wildly listening to the music. "Written on written off scoff callin' me a joke. I don't think that I'm a sell-out but I do "Enjoy Coke! "I struck gold but never took it for granted that's how I planned it so can it. Around the planet fans demand it and you'll never understand it. When I die no lie plan on mass pandemonium. They may display my brain in a pickle jar at the Smithsonian. The Return of the great white dope," she sung smiling at him.

He slapped his hand against his forehead and walked away. "Ya' wanna' go get that girl?" he asked before disappearing.

"Aye!" She smiled brightly running back outside. She quickly turned her phone off to save the battery and tucked the headphones back into her pocket. She reloaded her gun slipping the empty clip into her other pockets putting in a new one. She tried going threw the gate by holding out her hand to push it. Her body banged against it and after pushing with her shoulder she finally saw the lock on it. She decided to leave it and just hopped the fence going to the car and grabbing the little girl grabbing the bag with food and water inside throwing it over her shoulder. The cigarettes were already in her bag too precious to let out of her sight.

When she walked back up to the fence she was faced with a difficulty she couldn't scale it with the girl. "Darlin'" she said letting the girl stand on her feet. "Oi'm goin' ta' lift ya' up and I want ya' to sit on the fence 'till I can get up there ok?" The girl nodded and Angel quickly picked her up the girl and slung her arms on the top of the fence hanging on it tightly wanting to make Angel proud.

Angel scaled the fence quickly throwing one leg over before grabbing the girl. She was about to throw her other leg over and go down but the toe of her boot caught and she started falling. She quickly jerked her body around so she would land on her back and Jewel wouldn't get hurt. As her body collided with the hard ground the wind was knocked out of her and she let her grip on the girl go. Jewel sat on top Angel for a moment. "Angel are you ok?" she asked.

"I'm . . . fine," Angel wheezed with a lot of effort trying to breath. "Go sit on tha' porch." Jewel did as she was told and went and sat on the steps of the small porch around the house. When Angel was pretty sure Jewel was out of range she went to cussing. "Twiddly dumb fuck shat," she mumbled grabbing her gut wheezing heavily. "Freckin' tripe why de' fuck ye' fall yer' fuckin' eejit." Her accent came all the way out in her anger. A few moments later her breathing became normal and she stood walking towards the house. "Stay 'ere," she ordered Jewel walking inside. She saw the dead bodies had been cleaned out and she ventured to the back door. She slammed the door open stumbling out and down the steps.

Sunny had piled the bodies up and was now pouring some gas on them he had found in a utility shed in the corner of the yard. "Will ya' do da' honor Angel?" he asked holding a lighter out to her. She took it and lit the pile of bodies and the flames pushed her back into a stumble. Sunny laughed and patted her shoulder. "The girl ok?"

"Aye. . ." she looked at him a devious smile creeping onto the corner of her lips. "Yer' feckin' care don't ya'?"

"Never said 'at." His smile faded and he starred at the fire. "How 'bout a smoke? Be fuckin' nice . . . and a drink."

"Aye!" she flopped down on the ground and took one pack of cigarettes she threw it to him and his lighter. She quickly grabbed another pack for herself and another lighter from inside. She quickly took out one of the cigarettes and lit it pulling the chemicals it held deeply. She handed a bottle to Sunny half full of vodka. " 'Ere all yers'." She quickly threw the pack back over her shoulders and stood. "Ima' check on Jewel get a room in tha house ready for her." He nodded slightly not looking away from the fire as he lit a cigarette.

Angel walked away puffing contently on her cigarette. She walked to the front door opening it. "Come on Jewel la'ts find ya' a bedroom." She jumped up excitedly and ran to Angel's side. Angel drew her knife and held it closely to her side as she walked around looking through the rooms. She found a charming bedroom with a few posters of cars hanging on the walls and a made up bed. "How bout ere'?"

The girl nodded happily then her smile faded. "Will you stay with me? I don't want to be alone." Angel nodded slowly.

"Ya' want something ta' eat darlin'?" She nodded a yes. Angel walked into the room sitting on the bed and laying the knife down beside her. She pulled the sack still hanging off her shoulders in front of her. She opened it pulling out a small bag of chips and a bottle of water, she handed it to Jewel and the girl smiled.

"Thank you." She sat on the bed beside Angel. She watched as Angel took out her flask and took a large swallow of the contents inside. "Angel what's your last name?"

"Hellfire."

"That's a neat name . . . how old are you?"

"Twenty-eight. How old are ya'?

"Nine."

"Ya're almost a big girl," Angel laughed softly smiling at her. Her eyes changed from a pale blue to a pinkish color.

"Do you're eyes always change colors when you get mad or happy?"

"Aye." She had a brief moment admiring the girl for noticing something so small. She looked out the window seeing the sun was starting to set and her eyes started to get heavy. She started tearing the weapons of herself and placing them on a large desk in the corner of the room. "Stay right ere' darlin' I'll be right back." Angel stood and started walking for the backdoor. It was still open, she peered outside and Sunny was taking a drink from the bottle she had given him. "Ya' never were a drinker before what changed yer' mind?" she asked walking up to him.

"Well I'll tell ya'." He leaned on her with his arm around her shoulder. "Ya' always were a drinker since I met ya' Angel . . . yet ya' were always happy . . . So I figure why not go and give it a wee' shot."

"That's just 'at buddy. I've down 'at for years now and have grown an immunity ta' most of tha' side effects. Ya' just starting and 'at will mess wit' ya' mind and corrupt ya' body. If ya' gonna start don't do 'at when we need ta' fight."

"Aye! Ya' have mah' word darlin'." She smiled pushing him away.

"Come ta' bed soon. I'm bout ta' hit that mattress and make sweet love ta' 'at."

"Ya' that tired?" She nodded giving him a tight hug before walking back into the house. She headed towards the bedroom stammering from not having any sleep for the last two days. She locked the door behind her flopping down on the bed beside Jewel. "Angel," she asked after finishing her chips and drinking some of her water. But her reply was a small snore. She giggled before taking Angel's boots off and putting them on the floor and crawling beside Angel and going to sleep.