So, this is the second chapter in the new version of Rio of The Dead. Except weekend updates and stuff. Each chapter should be around 1500 to 2500+ words to make the story have length to it but not be dragged on. Rating will almost defiantly change as the story progress. Also I will be adding a "deleted scenes" section. "Lowknave" I believe I talked to you about this before... anyway enough of me here's the next chapter.
(P.S, I know some of you are wondering why there is no Evelynn, well I am trying to keep this as far away from the real world as possible...)
(P.S.S, chapter wasn't up on Sunday because I've been to busy with work.)
(P.S.S.S Congrats to all the winners of this year's Rio Awards, secretly I was hoping for a later awards ceremony because this story wasn't gonna be finished and I wanted to get in. Oh well there's always next year.)
Chapter 2: Once Upon a Time...
The steady beep of an alarm clock slowly woke Hyrum from his slumber. Last night he worked late. He opened his eyes to his bedroom. He blinked and looked around, He shares this room with his girlfriend, Casidy. His apartment was not small, nor was it large. As the UN paid him enough money to stay alive with some room for splurging. Mostly spent on Casidy's expensive taste and Hyrum's suits. He slowly lifted his head..
"Morning sleepy head." The silky voice came from Casidy, who already dressed and ready, stood in the entrance to the door. "You were up late last night." She finished, Hyrum gazed back, obviously still half asleep..
"Morning early bird. Ever heard of sleep..." he yawned and got up out of his bed. The UN had put him in Rio de Janeiro to hunt down the "drug" lords. So he was dually out Kate and usually was well armed. After all these men have his name and if they found anything out about this true intentions...
"Yeah, I have." She shot back, joking all the while but playing along. "And have you ever heard of a thing called breakfast... someone's gotta go get it." She paused, glanced down at Hyrum's legs and before turning to leave the room, she added "Oh, and please to fall asleep with you pistol still on your thigh." She then left leaving Hyrum to glance down at his legs, knowing that indeed he had slept with his gun. Again.
"Stupid ass job. Wish I'd never passed the shooting class..." he mumbled to himself as he undid his holster and took the gun out. Placing it his desk near his bed he got dressed for the day. After he finished he walked into the living room that converted into the kitchen. The living room had two chairs and a couch with a glass coffee table. A decently sized flat screen TV sat on a modern looking wood stand. To the right of that was a huge glass window with sliding screen doors that made way to a decent size balcony. The kitchen was apartment size with granite countertops and stone backsplash. A bar extended from that with three bar stools underneath it.
"So where do you wanna eat?" Casidy asked as she grabbed her keys to her car. Hyrum gave her a questioning look
"You didn't make it?" He asked as he took a seat on the couch and turned the TV on. The news began to play..
"No, I didn't. I didn't have time, Sorrel stopped by while you were asleep. Tomada too. They were taking about a place to stay..." Hyrum lost all attention to his girlfriend's explanation as he heard what the news was saying..
"Wait, wait! Cas be quite.." Hyrum interrupted as he turned to face the TV screen which had a news anchor on it. The bottom of the screen said "breaking news". Casidy stopped what she was saying as she saw what the news was showing.
"Breaking news out of Buenos Aires, a new virus that was being studied at a research lab in the jungle has just gone..." her voice cut off and she was handed a piece of paper. She looked back up he face even more grave. "Just gone viral and... and anyone infect goes, as the government calls it "insane." Report's say that victims of these "insane" birds are being eaten alive and-" the screen went blank as Hyrum turned it off. He got up, tried to Casidy. Her wing was over her beak.
"Casidy. I need you to get all the food and water in the house in a bag. Now." He said before hurrying to his bedroom. Casidy took her wing away from her mouth, out if the shook.
"Wh, wh- why? We're are we gonna go?" He voice was somewhat smaller, more pitiful. As if she was questioning the very will of her being there. Hyrum meanwhile, who heard her question was unlocking a large crate.
"Anywhere where I work, we need to get our things and friends and leave this city." As he spoke he pulled out a large rifle from the crate. It was a standard military M4. Then he pulled out about 6 magazines. "This is one of the most populated cities on earth. It will be a fuck fest if we stay." He then put one magazine in the gun and cocked it. Quickly he turned to where he left his handgun from the other night. Took the holster too and gave it to Casidy who took it, she knew how to work a gun.
"Shouldn't we warn our friends? It's not like it's here yet.." Hyrum quickly hushed her with a feather to her beak. He stood there holding his gun and he heard footsteps by the door. Casidy heard it to now.
"When I say go. We are gonna head to the car the UN loaned us... if anyone threatens you point the gun at em', if they keep coming. Fire warning shots... then... you know what to do" But when he finished and saw the fear in her eyes, the gun shaking in her hand he realised he made a huge mistake. He dropped his gun, only for a minute though..
"Alright, look. We'll be fine. Trust me..." He still saw the fear and the gun kept shaking.. her beak began to quiver. "Alright. We can go get our friends and get outta here. Besides look who I work for. We'll be out in no time! And Casidy.." he didn't continue until he knew she was looking at him. Tears welled in her eyes but fear no longer showed. Hope now filled them. "I love you, and I won't let anything touch you." He then embraced her with a hug. Seemingly that had calmed her, she stopped shaking but didn't loose the tears.
"I love you too.." he voice filled with sadness, but with a strange new hope. Hyrum hugged her her tightly. What he said was true. Tough times were ahead. Because leaving no matter how, was gonna be hard to come by.
"And before you know it we'll be back in D.C!..." he trailed off. Whatever this virus was it wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Casidy left the embrace shortly after he stopped speaking.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on." She sniffled a bit be off regaining her composure. Hyrum got up to face her, then realised something.
"What about Sorrel and Tomada? Shouldn't we go-" But before he could finish his sentence Casidy answered quickly.
"Of course, don't forget about Arlene. Or Alex and Skyler... oh and especially Br-" she paused. "Knave." After finishing Hyrum raided and eyebrow, as if to question her. But his face betrayed his actions.
"Why is Knave so important?" Hyrum's face gave away all the the info you needed, he was hoping but Casidy thought not. She answered hesitating to find the right words like she was under integration.
"Uhhhh, I just thought that h-he would be m-more important than the others because he is m-your co-worker. That's all." She finished with a cute little smile that made Hyrum burst into laughter. When Casidy saw this her expression changed.
"Ahaahaha.. I was joking. You should've see your face..." he then regained his composure like Casidy did moments ago. "Never mind Cas. Let's get going." He said quickly heading towards the door with Casidy behind him.
The rain slowly started to come down on Hyrum's Jeep. It was given to him by his employer and served him well in this city. But now it held two birds looking for there friends. A map and multiple weapons. Not the average payload
"Hey, Casidy. You know 'when it rains it pours?'" He asked as the traffic was grinding to a halt. Casidy looked over to him from her passenger seat window. The radio was doing that 'this is not a drill thing' so she was trying to block it out. However she replied
"Yeah I have.." she turned to Hyrum, knowing what the phrase meant. "You're not saying that this little scare is gonna turn into something big are you?" She asked hastily, truing quickly back to face her window as Hyrum turned into the more suburban areas.
"No... it's just kinda ironic. Almost a sign..." Hyrum feel silent as he approached a very modern looking house. Despite Casidy suggestions turing the radio on for information. They didn't, they drove in silence the whole way there. Besides the occasional chatter, however even that felt different.
"Foreshadowing? Like in a book? That'll be bad. Just look." She pointed to the outside as the rain began to fall harder. "Its now coming down hard." Simultaneously as she finished Hyrum put the car in park. He pulled out his phone and typed a few words before turing it off and looking in the review mirror. he saw a few police cars speeding down a road heading outta town.
"Yeah, like in a book. Oh and here comes Tomada now.." Hyrum said, diverting the topic almost as soon as he saw the door open. Casidy flashed her attention towards the house.
"Where's Sorrel?" She asked. Hyrum shrugged in return as Tomada hurried quickly to the Jeep with a jacket over his head. Hyrum unlocked the door as Tomada approached and he quickly got in.
"Sorrel will be here in a moment she's been glued to the TV all morning." Tomada said very fast, Hyrum looked in the mirror to gaze at him. Casidy continued to stare at the house. Barely noticing Tomada climb into the back seat.
"Okay, wanna turn turn radio on? We can listen to the news.." Hyrum suggested and Tomada nodded but it was Casidy who replied.
"Not a problem." She then clicked the button to turn the music on... and then came on "Ariana Grande: Tattooed Heart" (Yeah, grill me bout' the theme song later). The music began to play. The soft ballad made Casidy and Tomada laugh whilst Hyrum sank deeper into his seat. None of them saw the helicopters fly above them. Or Sorrel hastily approach.
"Hey! It's a good song!" Hyrum tried his best to change their minds. However they paused and kept laughing. Hyrum glared at them. "And she has a good voice... really good actually!" No one still noticed the mass of police speed down the road behind them.
"Yeah suuuure Hy. I bet you fifty bucks that you think she's more than a pretty voice." Tomada joked and Casidy laughed even harder. Hyrum blushed hard at this, but then he say a figure approaching the car speedily and It knocked in the window. This action caused a jump from Hyrum and a jump from Casidy.
"Jeez! Holy shit... that scared me." Casidy said as she recognised the figure to be Sorrel. Tomada was frozen and starred at her as she opened the door. Hyrum just shook his head and put the car in gear and pulled away.
"Sorrel you slipped in fast." Hyrum mumbled as he pulled out of the street parking. Casidy snickered and silently joked "Same thing for you Hy" but soon all attention was on Sorrel who was usually the one to start conversations.
"Sorrel... what's wrong honey you look scared?" Tomada asked, Sorrel turned to him. Her face grave. Hyrum saw this and turned the music off, all attention was on Sorrel as another helicopter flew over head.
"The city... there has been reports of the virus here. And.. and... they virus has crossed the border in what the news said was a "massive horde".. we need to get to safety." She then put her face in her wing and softly cried. Seeing this Tomada put a wing around his wife. Softly speaking words of encouragement, whilst Hyrum exchanged a look with Casidy. The nodded at a similar thought
"We need to get Knave"
Alright, another chapter is here! Now remember what I said about the theme song. If you care to look it up, while it's playing imagine a city full of zombies and helpless people. It's a strange feeling... almost "movie" like. Lowknave you should get this one again. ;) Anyhow grill me about in your reviews and I'll see you next time! ~ Hyrum