Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original plot or characters, everything else is mine.
I also am not that familiar with the US military, so forgive me any mistakes I made.
"What's up Cole? I got only a minute, I'm heading out for groceries." There was a short pause on the other end of the line.
"Hate to break it to you Rachel… You're getting called in. Car is already on the way to pick you up." I let out an involuntary groan and dropped down at the kitchen table.
"You do realise I just came back from Afghanistan two days ago, do you? Did you even try to keep my name out of the pool?"
"Yes, I am aware of that. Thing is, there was no pool of names this time. You're getting called in with everybody else available. I can't give you the specifics yet, I got a bunch of more people to call back from vacation and retirement… Car will be there in ten." I let my head fall to the table when Cole killed the connection. This was just great… I just came back from my first tour to Afghanistan as a combat paramedic and was looking forward to one month of civil life. I picked up my phone and walked back up the stairs to retrieve my backpack to throw back in my clothes I had just put into the drawer. Walking up the stairs I dialed my mom's phone, hoping they weren't in the car yet.
"Hey mom, it's Rachel. I hope you get this before you leave for Savannah… I just got called back in, I can't tell you anything else right now. So if you get this in time, turn back home, we will meet when I am back. If you are already on the road before you get this, the key to the house is in the usual spot. I love you, bye." This was strange, my mom always answered her phone… I mused over it while packing my stuff.
I quickly stripped off my clothes and got into my army pants and a dark tank top and pulled on my combat boots. Since I didn't know what was going on, I thought it was better to be prepared for being dropped off somewhere near the action without any time to change. I went back downstairs, quickly checking the time and went straight to the basement, pressing my phone to my ear again.
"Come on… Answer your damn phone…" I grit my teeth together and opened the safe I had my weapons stashed in. Even if I was a paramedic, I went through basic combat training and had my own guns and assault rifle. Something that might seem strange to most outsiders I met when I was home but I was still a trained soldier.
"Fuck you Adam! I can't neither reach mom or you! I am called in, so would you please have the courtesy to get off your sorry ass and get my dog for the time I am gone!" I pocketed my phone, still grumbling. What was it with my family today of all days?
I came back up the stairs when the doorbell rang. Grabbing my backpack, keys and sunglasses from the table I went to the front door. There was a grim looking man in his late forties on my front porch. He gave me a once over while I closed up my door and put the key in the flower pot for my mom and brother to find.
"Sorry we had to cut your vacation short Thompson." I shrugged my shoulders.
"I knew what I signed up for, Frank." Getting into the truck I wasn't surprised to be met with two more familiar faces. We all lived in Savannah and the surrounding area so it came at no surprise they would throw us together in one truck.
"Cole tell any of you what all the fuss is about?"
"Nope. Just said we were all called back in. Even those who already retired, so there must be some crazy shit going on."
"But why does nobody know 'bout it a'ready?" I listened to the men rambling about.
"I'd say it is something really bad. Maybe they didn't inform the public to avoid panic…" I let out a frustrated sigh after pocketing my phone again. No message from any of my family.
"Hey, Thompson. What got your panties in a knot?" I glared at Ray.
"My panties are your concern when hell freezes over! Apart from that I can't get a hold of my family. Which isn't normal at all…" Ray had raised his hands in surrender.
"Sorry for asking. Man, you're grumpy today…"
"And you wouldn't be in a situation like that?", Frank cut in and while the conversation continued I looked out the window while we were heading for Fort Stewart.
"If everyone would calm down now!" Cole's, or rather Sergeant Cole Newman's, voice called everyone to silence. He stood before our small group from Savannah and around seventy more people, more filling into the yard every five minutes.
"I am aware that we aren't at full number yet but I will explain this now so we can get the first teams out as soon as possible. I apologise on behalf of the government to all we had to call back from vacation or retirement but there was no other option at this point. After this meeting you will be paired up in groups of six and prepare for the flight. As to why it is a bit more complicated since even we haven't all the information at this point. I won't sugar coat it, the situation is complicated at best. There has been an outbreak of an unknown epidemic that has caused a lot of riots and violent outbreaks in all major cities on the east coast. Since we are one of the closest major military bases on this side of the country we will be assisting the local forces in the bigger cities in a 300 mile radius. Before there are any questions, I know we normally don't intervene in such numbers but the situation is threatening to get out of control. This morning we already lost contact to our people in Jacksonville and have no idea what is going on there." I felt my stomach drop a little. Jacksonville wasn't that far from Gainesville where my parents lived. Around me discussions broke loose about this epidemic. It was nothing new that the military would get called in every once in a while when local law enforcement was close to losing control over a situation, especially when it came to medical or security problems.
I looked up again when my name was called out together with Marshall, a guy I served with in Afghanistan, Frank and three men I didn't know. Before we left for preparations my name was called again.
"Thompson! I need you in Atlanta not only for your medical skills but also with your weapons at the ready." I nodded at Cole's words. So the situation was that bad...
I pressed against the wall of the building we had just rounded. I still couldn't believe the horror show we had walked into. The riots had turned out to be a full blown apocalypse. Not as figuratively as one would think, this one was real.
When the helicopter dropped us off in Atlanta we had gotten a short briefing before we were sent out into the streets. At first there hadn't been anything unusual, or at least nothing I hadn't seen before. People running around scared and confused, officials trying to get some order into the situations, the occasional gunshots ripping through the noise.
The further we approached into the city, the stronger my feeling got that there was something really off. That's when we first encountered… them. Walking as if they were drunk or physically impaired. They came towards us but we couldn't see them well enough because of the dim light and the fading smoke of several smoke grenades. It took us some time to realise the sounds coming from them weren't any words but growls and moans like from some rabid dog.
One soldier from another group stepped forward, telling them to stop and stand down. I let out a shocked gasp when one jumped the young man and literally tore his throat out. I was even more shocked when shots were fired with no effect at all. Only when one bullet pierced through the skull did the attacker stop and drop, still holding on to the dying soldier. We tried fighting them off but more were coming out of every street and we were forced to slowly retreat. Only when we had managed to bring some distance between us did we realise what we were facing.
"Epidemic my ass! This is fucking zombieland!", Frank cursed next to me and it slowly sank in. He was right. This wasn't normal. This was some horror show we had been plunged into without a warning.