The Star Hunter

Chapter 11: Red Fields of Georgia

"What is that?" the blonde-haired escort asked the scientist.

"This," he smiled at the syringe filled with a dark purple, syrupy liquid, "is our cure for the virus. No more zombies! We have done it!"

The female escort rolled her eyes and sighed, "My best friend will be very upset when he hears that. He's been looking forward to killing some zombies for awhile."

The scientist asked, "What is an army dog like you doing here among our brains of science?"

"A little full out yourself, eh?" she grumbled, slightly annoyed with his arrogant tone, "I'm here to escort Nick Rowker to the Sarge's office. No questions asked."

Lightly tapping the syringe with his finger nail, the scientist sighed, "Fine. I just need to inject him then he's all yours."

The scientist walked out of the lab into a room overlooking a circular area where Nick, Pleo and Christophe were being kept. The escort followed him and gasped at the room. "This is inhumane."

"This is humane, my dear," he replied sourly, "Inhumane would be cages, chains, or even death."

She growled in defeat, seeing his point, "Very well. Just inject them and get them out of there."

Loading the syringe into a pressure gun, the scientist took aim at Nick, whose head was directly in front of him. Opening a secret slot in the glass window, he pulled the trigger, the antidote-filled syringe zooming across the air and into Nick's neck. He yelped and fell to his side like a rock. He was out like a light from the suddenness of the shot.

Pleo gasped, "Nick!" as she hopped to his side.

Christophe looked up at the window, seeing the two figures looking at them, and sighed, "Pleo, relax. If it meant to kill, then they would've killed us already."

She looked up at the British Common and asked, "But why Nick?"

"Because he's a soldier, that's why. They want him back into the fight." He walked over and kneeled down next to Pleo, examining the injection site on Nick's neck. Quickly pulling out the needle out of his flesh, Christophe flicked Nick's nose to wake him up, "Nick? Can you hear me, mate?"

He groaned as he gained consciousness, "Why did that fucker shoot me?"

The scientist and escort gasped; they understood him.

"Incredible!" she gasped, covering her mouth with her gloved hand as she spoke.

The scientist's expression turned smug. "It was all my doing. I found the cure."

While they could understand Nick, the other two spoke in a series of growls and hisses. He rubbed his neck and replied sourly, "So let me get this straight; they shot me with a prototype?"

Christophe nodded, "Yes. We're guinea pigs for testing."

"That's no way to live," Pleo grumbled, crossing her arms across her chest. "This is imprisonment. I should know; I'm a fuckin' cop."

Nick's eyes widened, "You're a cop?"

"Yeah, Nick," she replied, turning to him, "Why? What's your profession?"

He gulped, "Con artist."

She chuckled, "Heh. No wonder you were shocked. Just be lucky I'm off duty."

Nick chuckled at her humor, "I know right." Clearing his throat, he asked Christophe, "Do I look any different? Sound any different?"

The Common shook his head, "Not really. Like I stated, it's a prototype."

"Right."

The blonde escort cautiously approached the group with a Magnum in her hands, just in case. The three stopped talking and looked up at the girl. She froze a bit, slightly nervous about setting them off to attack or something. Taking a deep breath, she pointed at Nick, "Come with me, Nick. The Sarge needs ya."

"Hey, kid," Nick started.

She snapped, "I'm no kid! I'm 20 years old!"

Nick smiled a bit as he stood up, "You can understand me?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "Loud and clear. That injection must've helped."

Christophe and Pleo stood up as well. Christophe told Nick, "Don't get your hopes up, mate." To the girl, he just growled a sentence.

"I know, Christophe, but at least it's one step forward." Nick then chuckled to himself. Most of his life, he was a pessimist. Now, in his bleakest time, he's become quite optimistic. Turning back to his escort, he asked, "What's your name?"

"Victoria," she replied.

Pleo commented, "Nice name."

Nick translated, "She said 'nice name'."

"Oh. Thanks, pally," she beamed. "Come on, then. We can't keep the Sarge waiting."

Nick nodded, "Yeah, but what's going to happen to Pleo and Christophe?"

Victoria rubbed her chin and shrugged, "I don't know, but we can always ask that bloody scientist."

He nodded and followed her out of the circular prison. Walking into the lab, a female scientist took an empty syringe and injected Nick in the shoulder. He yelped and hissed, "What's with all of the needles!" He watched the vial fill with his blood before the needle was ejected from his skin.

Victoria shrugged again, "I don't know. Maybe blood tests to see if the cure is working."

"I hate to break a bubble of hope here, but this is a prototype."

She smirked, "That bursts no bubble of mine. It may burst his bubble," she pointed to the scientist who shot him with the antidote from the pressure gun. "Yo, doc!"

The said scientist looked up and his face displayed an expression of disgust towards the Blondie. "Oh, it's just you."

"Yeah, it's me," she replied, walking up to him, "your little cure didn't work."

He scoffed, "What are you talking about? Of course it worked! He's talking, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but if I'm correct, an infected individual has more than one strand of infection. So, you cured his speech. That's it."

The scientist huffed, "You know nothing about science and genetics, young one."

"Young, my ass," Victoria growled under her breath.

"Umm, Dr. Spears?" the female who took some of Nick's blood called him.

Spears sighed, "What is it, Maka?"

Maka pointed to her computer screen and stated, "The army dog is right; he isn't cured. It's been reduced, yes, but the virus is not fully cured."

Spears turned pale, while Victoria smiled with pride and intelligence. As soon as he turned back around, her smile vanished, as if she didn't have it at all. "Don't you have a job to do?"

"Right," she replied. "Come on, Nick. Let's let the brainiacs work. Oh, wait. Before we go, what will happen to his two buds in the meantime?"

"With Nick on the field, they will be tested on and hopefully cured by the time he gets back. Now, go. We've very busy," Spears stated as he rushed around the lab for information about combining antidotes to cure all of the strands.

She nodded as she led Nick out of the lab and into the hallway of the hospital, "Hope that was a satisfying answer."

"I wish. Pleo is right: that's no way to live," he stated sadly.

She shrugged, "Shit happens, but at least it'll be temporary." Then under her breath, she added, "I hope."

Ellis called out over some loud music from his room, "Hey, is anyone going into the shower?"

"Yeah," Sheila replied, but sadly for her, he didn't hear her answer. She walked into the shower room and began to undress. Throwing her sweaty, dirty clothes into a nearby hamper, she turned the hot knob in the tub and wait for a few seconds for the water to warm up. Splashing her fingers against the running water, she climbed in and closed the curtain behind her.

Sadly, she cursed, "Shit. I forgot to get a towel." Quickly climbing out, she ran to the other side of the room, hidden in an alcove was the towel storage. Ellis walked into the shower room and smiled at the running water, "Aww. Someone is bein' too kind." Stripping his body of all articles of clothing, he climbed into the shower, letting the water run down his muddy body, washing all the grime away. Running his fingers through his greasy hair, he sighed happily, "Just what the doctor ordered." He covered his hands in soap suds and ran them up his taut torso, while the warm shower washed the suds away.

Sheila came back with a red towel on her arm. "Now where was I?" she sighed softly to herself. Placing the towel on a nearby pole, she climbed back into the shower and screamed when she saw the naked redneck. "ELLIS!"

As Victoria and Nick walked to the barracks, Ellis bolted out of the shower room, shouting, "Sorry, sorry, sorry!" running down the hall into his room, still naked. Both of the witnesses stopped and stared as their minds tried to process the events just seconds ago.

"Please tell me what I just saw," Nick told her.

Victoria replied, "A streaking redneck?"

"Good girl. I'm not going crazy," he quipped.

"I will never see a naked man again," she whimpered, "That image will burn in my mind for a very long time."

Nick nodded, "Me too."

Coach walked out and asked, "What in the hell just happened?"

Victoria quipped, "A robbing of innocence?"

"Nice try, Vic," he laughed. He saw Nick and smiled, "How are you feelin'?"

"Much better now that I can talk and everyone can understand me again," Nick smiled.

Coach beamed, "I'll say!" Slapping a firm hand on his shoulder, he stated, "Welcome back, Nick!"

"Thanks, Coach."

"Alright, you maggots!" Sarge barked at his team of zombie slayers, "Do you know where we'll strike next?"

Francis raised his hand and asked, "The nearest Dunkin' Donuts?"

Sarge barked into his face, "Don't be an ass! Drop and give me 50!"

"Damn," he huffed as he dropped to the ground and began his 50 push-ups.

"Any other smartass remarks?" When no one spoke up, Sarge continued, "We'll be splitting up the team into two squadrons. Rowker, Spyri, Buckers, Lucason, and Calloway, you are Team 1. Carlyle, Anderson, Keelman, Leland, and Hutchinson, you are Team 2."

"Sir!" everyone shouted in unison.

"Good, Team 1 is going to Georgia. Team 2 is going to Pennsylvania."

Team 1's members grew pale all of a sudden. Ro asked, "Anywhere specific, sir?"

"Outside a town called…Rayford."

Their pale faces grew pasty white. They knew what was ahead of them.

Louis asked, "Who are our addiction members, sir?"

As if on cue, Dwayne and Jock walked in. They saluted the Sarge, who saluted back at them. "That would be us, Louis," Dwayne smiled.

"Well, welcome aboard, you two!" Zoey responded.

"Thanks. Let's go suit up and arm up. We have zombies to kill," Jock smirked evilly.

Victoria walked the slayers to the vault, where their weapons were being kept. "Dwayne, if you would, please?" she stepped aside.

He smiled as he walked in front of the vault door and began entering a combination. However, nothing happened. Baffled, he put the same combination in a second time; still, no response. He scratched his head and asked, "Did someone change the code?"

"I doubt it, Dwayne," Jock replied, "If someone did, a beeping noise would sound."

Victoria noticed something about the door. Taking the cold handle into her hand, she tugged and the door swung open. "Someone's in there."

"A zombie?" Ellis asked.

Sheila stated, "Zombies are too stupid to open vault doors."

Victoria sighed, "I have a hunch on who it is." She walked in and shouted, "MILES!"

A blonde-haired, blue-eyed guy in an army uniform jumped, nearly flinging a Magnum into the air. Catching his breath, he confronted the voice and beamed, "Hey, Vic!" Placing the Magnum on the table, he walked over to his blonde conrad and gave her a hug. She hugged him back, followed by a small hit to the head. He yelped, "Ow! Why did you do that?"

"Because I could, brother," she quipped.

He fake-pouted, but quickly got serious when he saw the group outside the door. "I take it you guys are getting ready to shoot some zombies."

"That's their plan," Victoria smiled. "Now, why are you in here?"

"Vic, it's a vault full of guns. 'Nuff said," he smiled.

She shrugged and helped Miles hand out the right weapons to the right people. She picked up the acid patterned AK-47 and smiled to Dwayne, I know for a fact this is yours."

He smiled, taking the AK into his hands, "Yep. Thanks."

Nick took his M16 and slung it onto his back. He heard Ellis tell Alex, "Hey, bro! We had to drive Jimmy Gibbs Jr.'s car to Whisperin' Oaks!"

"That's awesome!" the younger hick shouted excitedly, "Will it still be there?"

"I hope so! I hope the zombies didn't trash it. I love that car," Ellis stated as he gathered up his weapons.

Ro asked Sheila, "Before we met up with you and Chris, how did you two fare?"

"We were the perfect tag team. At first, I was alone in Georgia and got attacked by a witch, because I thought she was hurt. Chris comes out of nowhere and fills her head full of lead with her Magnum. She never left me. I knew she changed dramatically, but despite her cold attitude, she never left me for dead. She was the one who find my first sniper rifle. I was so lucky to have her as my best friend and savior. After a couple of days after the witch attack, we pressed on, destroying every zombie in our paths." Her eyes began to water a little, "I miss her so much…"

Ro hugged her for comfort, "We miss her too, Sheila."

Everyone nodded in agreement, excluding Dwayne, Jock, Victoria, and Miles. All they could do was give a moment of silence in respect for a brave slayer.

Coach cleared his throat and stated, "Come on, people. Let's get a move on."

"That's right," Nick added, "We've got shit to shoot."

As Alex brought the helicopter onto a smooth landing, he killed the engine and propellers. "Ok, guys. Let's make this run quick. The last thing we need is our ride destroyed."

"No, we don't want that," Nick retorted.

Coach sighed, "Keep it together, Nick."

"Sorry, Coach," he sighed as he loaded his M16, ready to fight. Everyone else followed his example and exited the chopper, seeing a couple zombies rushing towards them. Within seconds, lead and blood filled the stale air as the slayers stood and fought through way back onto the deserted highway.

Sheila giggled a bit and spoke, "It feels like only yesterday since we met up. It's so fresh."

Ro quipped, "'Fresh' would be the understated word of the day, Sheila. However, I do see what you mean."

The team hopped over some big traffic cinder blocks, and Ellis beamed, "Jimmy Gibbs Jr.! It's still here~" The obsessed redneck ran up to the hood of the car and embraced it, snuggling his face to it.

Sheila quipped, "That's a real man; chooses a car over a woman."

Ellis heard her comment and quickly looked up and stammered, "Oh come on, Sheila. You don't mean that…did ya?"

She smiled teasingly, "Maybe."

Alex swooned over the car as well, "What a sexy piece of machinery! A work of art! So beautiful!" He followed his brother's example and embraced the driver's side. Coach and Nick both sighed and face-palmed at their behavior.

"If the laws of nature would allow it, I'd bear Jimmy Gibbs Jr.'s children," Ellis stated, almost a little too proudly.

Sheila's eyes darted back and forth awkwardly, "Good to know, Ellis."

"You think you know a guy, huh?" Ro teased a bit.

"I know right," Sheila giggled. Taking a Molotov cocktail from the ground and strapping it to her bandolier, she stated, "Hey, Ellis. Come back to reality so we can blast a few zombies, ok?"

"I'm here, darlin'," he chirped happily, reloading his sniper with a fresh clip of ammo. "I'm ready when ya are."

Coach nodded as he led the team, with Nick next to him, feeling tenser and tenser with every step forward. He sensed the former con artist's tension, so he nudged him with the butt of his SPAS, "Nick, you get any tenser, you'll pop like a balloon."

He exhaled sharply, trying to relax, but he couldn't. The team trended further down the road, the road that took them to the bloody and vacant Motel 6. The first time he was ever upstaged by a woman has never been so bittersweet to him: "Run!" Without thinking twice, they took cover into an abandoned room. The bomb exploded, sending zombies and body parts flying. Blood rained on her, as well as guts and goo.

His first conversation could have gone better, but he was very unsure of Chris at that time: "Word of advice: Never bite a Smoker's tongue! That was disgusting!"

"None of us are that stupid to do that!"

She looked up at him and snarled, "You do know I could have left you for dead, con man!"

Sweat covered his palms as his grip tightened around his M16, not wanting to venture any further. Nick prayed for anything: a horde, a suicidal rain storm, a Tank…no two Tanks! He prayed for anything to stop his team's advance. The last thing he wanted to do was gaze upon the place where he met the one woman he wanted for eternity.

Nothing came to hinder them. A stray zombie or two, but the area seemed deserted of all life forms…and undead forms. Climbing up a small hill, they approached the rundown motel, much to Nick's dismay. Images and memories with Chris flooded his mind.

She retorted, "Is that a good idea?" Nick turned his head towards the woman and retorted to her, "Do you go by 'bitch' or 'show offy bitch'?"

"Nick!" He looked up uninterested and lazily and asked, "What?" "I bet you five bucks that we have to share a water bottle." He scoffed at her and replied, "I'll take that bet."

"You're a con artist?" She rubbed her nails against her shirt with pride, "Yeah." Then he snapped, "Then why were you so quick to judge me about it?" Chris stood up and spat out the door to remove any water that was in Nick's mouth and any taste of the Smoker's tongue that still lingered on her taste buds. She answered his question, "You have the look. I don't. I'm an innocent face, giving me the surprise." He scoffed, "Innocent my ass!"

"Don't play stupid! We know you like her!" Nick was too quick to defend himself, "No I don't!" However, his face began to grow red.

Nick touched her shoulder. "Wake up, Chris!" Since her dream self was in pounce mode, her reflexes caused her to spring and pin her "attacker" down. Nick yelped as Chris pinned him to the ground. Her nails sank into the shoulders of his white jacket. It took her a good two seconds to realize that she's awake…and completely oblivious that she pounced Nick and lying on top of him. "It was just a dream. Oh thank God!" Still unaware of her pounced victim, she buried her face below. Instead of a hardwood floor, it was blue, soft, and muscular. If she didn't realize she was on Nick, the clearing of his throat in embarrassment gave it all away.

His heart hammered hard against his sternum, making his whole chest hurt. The way his mind filled his eyes with memories, it also filled them with tears. Slowly walking into the parking lot of the motel, he saw the spot where he and Ellis fought desperately for their lives. He blinked, letting a few tears run down his bloody cheeks. "How many times must she save my life?" he wondered to himself.

Sheila sighed sadly, not wanting to be there either. She was on Nick's side this time. Her best friend, sister and mother figure gave her life to save everyone on the team. "Nick…I must tell you something…" she sniffled a bit.

The ex-con man looked up, "What, Sheila?"

"She loved you, Nick. Chris loved you," she stated, her voice beginning to shake.

Ellis walked over to the city girl and wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm her as much as possible. Holding her close, he gently rubbed her back, tilting his cap fin up, and softly nuzzling his nose into her hair. Sheila closed her eyes and clung to the redneck, tears freely escaping her eyes.

"I-I loved her, too," Nick choked, pulling out the blue fire-print bandana from one of his cargo pockets. He brought it close to his face, gently inhaling whatever scent it carried that reminded him of Chris. Coach and Ro watched their friend burst out into soft sobbing.

Yelling to the heavens, Nick threw his M16 into the air over his head, "Why? Why did you take her away from me?"

His answer was a horde rushing from every corner of the freeway and motel. The group quickly formed a circle, backs against each other's and readied themselves for the vicious flesh addicts charging their way. Coach unleashed his almighty M60 on the undead crowd, the rapid fire lead ripping through their bodies like tissue paper. Ellis was fortunate enough to find a chainsaw nearby. Pulling the ripcord, the deadly machine revved to life, its blade teeth at the ready to gore out some carnage out of the zombies.

Within minutes, the blood fest was over. Zombie parts were everywhere, while everyone was covered in blood. Despite the gory scene, their eyes were full of fire. The soldiers had something to fight for.

Rochelle wanted to destroy these monsters for her younger sister.

Coach had to protect his wife and infant son.

Ellis and Alex fought for vengeance. Their mother was one of the many victims to these undead flesh-addicts.

Sheila and Nick were fighting for the same reason: revenge Chris' death.

Taking her bandana, Nick wrapped it over his right palm and tied it tightly. "For Chris, I'll destroy every zombie in this goddamn world!" Looking past the Motel 6 was the familiar lights of Whisperin' Oaks. With a deep sigh, Nick turned to his team and ushered them to follow the vengeance-driven con man. They nodded and Nick led the march away from the bloody motel. "Whisperin' Oaks, here we come."

Little did they know, the band of humans (and infected Nick) were being watched. His pale blue eyes widened as they scanned Sheila. "Just like her mother…"

He looked at Nick and gasped softly to himself. "Chris needs to know about this!" Getting a running start, Spectre ran across the rooftop and vanished into his smoke cloud, hoping he will tell Chris of the discovery he has found.

Maka: It's about time!

Spears: Tell me about it. We finally get some screen time.

Maka: Not that. Our creator finally finished this chapter!

Spears: Oh…that too.

Maka: As an apology, she won't force you guys the traditional '5 reviews' rule for this chapter.

Spears: Good. I do have a question: why is my last name 'Spears'?

Maka: The same reason my name is Maka. Anime on the brain, I'm afraid.

Spears: If you can guess from which animes our names come from, you get a…a cookie? Who wrote this?

Maka: Oh! Spectre belongs to Awkward Headshot!

Spears: Also, he and our creator make a cameo appearance.

Maka: Spears, I think people know that.