(When a zombie apocalypse strikes Washington can NCIS Special Agent Tim McGee use his intelligence and street savvy taught by his superiors and learned from years as a Federal Law Enforcement Agent to save himself and the love of his life, wheelchair bound Delilah Fielding McGee?)
(Note: This story is not set in my usual "Resident Evil" scenarios but rather is not specific to any zombie movie/mythos although I have borrowed some things from it as well as "World War Z" (the book), "Zombieland", "The Walking Dead" and "Zombie Apocalypse" although I only watched that film the first time to see if Ving Rhames would finally survive a zombie movie.)
(NCIS Headquarters)
"Covering fire," Team leader Jethro Gibbs commanded to the dwindling band of trained agents and support personnel hastily armed from the NCIS central armory. Special Agents Anthony DiNozzo and Ellie Bishop ran to the van assigned to their team as well as one of the other response teams whose sole surviving member had happened to have the keys but was badly limping from a struggle to close off a door that had somehow been left open when the building came under siege.
As the Senior Agent had previously directed only the trained agents fired. There was no storm of automatic gunfire; they had already learned it did little but waste increasingly rare and precious ammunition. Instead the shooters took careful aim and fired single shots aimed for their targets' heads.
"One round, one kill," Gibbs reminded everyone. "And only if they are a threat." He turned and fired past a data-processing clerk who clutched his pistol as though it was a magic talisman rather than a weapon to be used. "That was a threat!" the former Marine yelled as the zombie staggering down the hallway behind them fell. "Watch your areas damn it."
The vans roared to life and headed for the barricaded doorway. Gibbs noted with approval that Bishop ran over several zombies along the way rather than waste time trying to go around them as DiNozzo was for some baffling reason. Regardless the petite blonde agent arrived first, sliding sideways to put the vehicle's side sliding door right up the building's entrance. Gibbs and McGee pulled the barricade aside just as they had to let the two agents out and the silver-haired team leader motioned behind him.
"Next group!"
Accompanied by a single agent who slid into the passenger seat eight NCIS employees scrambled into the van. McGee slammed the door as Gibbs leaned in the passenger window.
"You got the route to the evacuation center?" he shouted to Ellie.
"Yes," was the brief reply.
"They're still loading out there as of ten minutes ago. And your husband is already out there so get!"
The van screeched away, heading for the highway. In spite of everything Gibbs grinned as he waved Tony in. Who would have thought that the slight blonde female transfer from the NSA would have proved to be a speed-demon driver and a damn good one at that?
Tony on the other hand nearly hit the building. Still, he was so close on the front side of the van that nothing could get by even if it meant the agent literally riding shotgun had to climb in to that seat from the passenger compartment. Gibbs could hear pounding on the other side of the van and Tony cracked his window enough to fire several times. The resulting noise half-deafened him for Gibbs had to shout several times to get his attention.
"DiNozzo! Keep your window up. And stop dancing around out there. Run the damn things over. They're not people anymore."
The Senior Field Agent nodded and took off. Gibbs' gut was right. When the van pulled away there were over a dozen infected almost at the door. Tim jumped beside him again and between them they took the attackers down. He blessed the fact that unlike some of the movies he had seen, or rather been subjected to over the years, that these creatures did not need to be head shot. Any wound that would kill a normal human being would kill them as well. But head shots were still the most certain way to put them down with one round.
The two NCIS agents stepped back, pulling the makeshift door cover over the opening. Gibbs took a deep breath and counted survivors. He peeked back out again and shook his head.
"No vans left and I don't think we can count on getting enough cars."
"Wait a minute Boss. How about the Autopsy Van? That would carry everyone."
"Might be hard to get to. I have to admit that the morgue really is the last place I would want to be right now."
"Boss," Tim said as patiently as he could manage under the circumstances. After all, being the senior agent present when everything went to hell in a hand basket his boss was responsible for all the survivors in the building and forgetting a minor detail or two was understandable. "Remember this isn't a 'raise the dead' scenario. They are infected while alive. People are only reanimated if they die from being infected. In fact they aren't really 'zombies' at all but rather virus infected victims."
Gibbs nodded. Along with two of the guys from Cybercrimes they heaved a desk up against their barricade and the group took off. Tim insisted on leading the way, scared though he was, while Gibbs brought up the rear.
"Boss if we lose you we lose everyone."
The quick trip was almost without incident. Tim had to fire twice, the second time with regret but also without hesitation as the moaning figure in their way had once been Allison from Accounting whom he had dated a time or two before meeting Delilah. They passed through the morgue. There was no sign of Ducky. Jimmy Palmer had the week off Tim recalled. He and Breean had called when their private alert went out to tell them they were almost at the agreed upon destination already, having taken their vacation down South. He peeked through the window of the heavy metal door leading to the garage. The big van was there and the overhead was down. He slipped out and grabbed the driver's door.
"Damn!"
"What is it?"
"The door's locked. Where does Ducky keep the keys?"
In reply the door locks suddenly pooped open. Doctor Donald Mallard opened the door that had resisted Tim's efforts. "The keys are right here dear boy."
"Everyone in," barked Gibbs. As the group piled into the van he turned to his remaining agent.
"Tim, are you sure about this?"
"Boss I don't have a choice. She's in our apartment with no way to get out. Yes, her van with the lift and controls so she can drive is in the parking lot but by the time she could get down the ramps, out to it and get inside, well, it would take too much time. She'd never make it." Tim looked at his Team Leader, the man he respected more than anyone else he knew. "Boss I have to try. Even if I fail I have to try at least."
Gibbs placed a firm hand on the shoulder of the man he considered his younger son. "Tim, I'm giving you an order. Don't just try. Do it! Save her and yourself. Do you hear me?"
The younger man couldn't help but smile.
"Affirmative Boss. You know me, I always obey orders." His face became serious again. "Get ready to go. I'll open the door. As soon as it's high enough I'll signal you and then make a run for my car."
Gibbs nodded and climbed into the driver's seat, closing the door behind him. Tim moved to the roll-up doors controls. The engine fired and the back-up lights came on. Tim pushed the green button and the door rumbled up in response. His eyes swept the drive. Nothing yet.
It seemed to take hours for the door to rise enough to clear the top of the van. The instant it did he waved and Gibbs backed out. Once he was clear of the driveway the Team Leader slammed the vehicle into "Drive" and stepped heavily on the accelerator. Needing to focus all his attention on what he was doing he still managed to spare a glance for his computer wizard and all around good agent as he sprinted for his car. He gave a sigh of relief as Tim dove into the car and roared away himself.
"Good Luck son," he whispered.
Tim was doing something he never imagined he would. He was talking on his cell phone and driving. But the conversation didn't last long as the call was answered on its first ring.
"Tim?"
"Sweetheart I'm on the way. Ten minutes maybe fifteen."
"Tim they're all over the place!" There was no need to ask who "they" were. "Save yourself."
"Not going to happen Delilah. Remember what you said when we first moved in together? 'Big or small we'll face it together.' We go together either way."
There was a small pause.
"I love you Tim."
"I love you too."
He clicked off and gave the car more gas.
(To be continued)