"Are we nearly there? I could use a break from zombie killing." I asked, leaning back against the seat. "I don't know about you but I'm sick of death."
"Me too, Bridget. I hope Cora has some good news for us." Brad agreed and I sighed, closing my eyes as he drove us back to the hospital. "Bridget, we're here." He called out, cracking a grin when I mumbled something unintelligable.
"Darn...was enjoying that nap." I muttered, opening my eyes to see his eyes on me. "What?"
"Are you coming or what?" Brad asked, climbing from the car as I rubbed my eyes. As he straightened my eyes travelled the length of his body eventually focusing on his backside. Noticing the tiny smile on my face when he turned back around, Brad grinned. "Something on me?"
"Nothing. Sorry still half-asleep."I answered, shocked at myself. I quickly climbed from the car, heading towards the hospital before the zombies could reach us. We made it with seconds to spare, finding Cora in her usual place just outside the emergency entrance.
"I'm glad you made it. I have some more news. Apparently the chips were all shut off at the same time." Cora explained as I grabbed a bag of chips, lying on the ground.
"Who would do something like that?" Brad asked, giving me a an eyeroll when I ripped open the bag. With a half dozen chips stuffed in my mouth I offered him and Cora the bag but they politely declined. "Getting back to my original question..."He said, giving me a quick smile.
"There's a hacker hiding out in a dance studio in Sunset Hills. His name is Nelson and he's a little strange but he's our best hope at finding out who has been shutting off the chips." Cora said, looking at my forehead as I grabbed a chip from the bag. "What happened to your head?"
"The dashboard happened." I answered, taking a bite of the chip and she raised her eyebrows at me. "We crashed the car and I hit my face on the dashboard. It still hurts but it's not as bad as the zombie bite."I explained, a little wary as she touched the makeshift bandage.
"You did a good job." Cora said and I pointed at Brad, who had his eyes trained on the zombies milling around the outskirts of the hospital.
"I guess we're going to Sunset Hills then."I said, gripping the bag of chips in one hand and my dad's gun in the other. "Where's a car?"
"Bridget, wait for me." Brad called out as I wandered towards the wall, not even looking back. He found me inside a nearby car, the only Police car not smashed or on fire, head resting on the passenger-seat. "Is something wrong?" He asked, climbing aboard and I just shrugged.
"I just realized I'm alone in this world now." I muttered, swallowing the lump in my throat. "My own parents left me behind and now I've lost the only two people who cared about me."
"Look I know you're upset but we need to escape this city. Didn't you say you wanted to save as many survivors as we can?" Brad said and I snorted, setting the bag down on the dashboard. "Bridget?" He said again and I turned my head, eyes narrowed at him.
"Alright, I did say that. Not that it helps me but...I suppose I still owe you for the Zombrex. Fine, let's go find Nelson." I replied and he grinned, hands on the steering wheel.
I don't want to admit it but he's right. We need to save as many people as we can...even though I couldn't save the ones that I cared abou the most.
The trip to the dance studio came to an abrupt end when we ran directly into a group of fireman zombies, who proceded to trash our car. Even Brad's attempts to shake them off, the car swerving back and forth forcing me to grip the dashboard, didn't work so Brad hit the brakes hard. Due to my grip on the dashboard I missed striking my head as Brad climbed from the car, offering his hand as the firemen undead stumbled towards the car.
"We need to run right now." Brad said and I gave him a quick eyeroll, quickly following as he lead the way. We raced past the zombie firemen, leaving them behind before we headed towards Sunset Hills. "There should be a bridge around...here?" Brad muttered, his hand grabbing mine before I could move past him.
"Whoa!" I yelped, stepping back when I saw the gap in the bridge. "Shit they blew up the bridge?! Well that's just great. Now how do we get across?" I asked, kicking at the concrete.
"Wait, there's a way across." Brad said, pointing below us and I looked down for a few seconds finding a steel bar.
"All I see is a steel bar and...oh no. I am not walking across that." I replied but a few minutes later I was slowly walking across it, glancing at the ground far below me. "I hate you for this." I muttered, keeping a firm grip on my handgun.
"Yeah I know, Bridget. We're almost there." Brad answered, walking behind me at the same pace. I reached the other end, grabbing the edge of the broken bridge but just as I halled myself up the gun slipped from my hand. "Leave it!" Brad shouted when I tried to catch it, nearly following the gun as it fell onto the road far below. I let the gun fall, taking my time to pull myself up onto the other side of the bridge. Once there I reached for Brad who shook his head, climbing up under his own power.
"That Nelson better help us after all we've been through." I grumbled, rubbing my hands together and Brad sighed. "Yeah quit complaining I know."
"Actually I was going to say you look like you could use a rest. Are you feeling alright?" Brad asked when I stumbled, only just catching myself. But I shook my head, wanting to find the hacker as soon as possible. Keeping a close eye on me, Brad followed behind me. When we finally reached the dance studio I let out a breath, leaning against a wall.
"Just need a minute." I muttered, taking a deep breath before I pushed away from the wall.
"Bridget, can you hear me?" Brad's voice brought me back to my senses, my eyes fluttering open to find him kneeling beside me. Just for a moment I saw his eyes staring into mine, his lips pressed together. "You passed out and I thought that...never mind."
"When did I pass out?" I mumbled, sitting to find a young guy in a blue hoodie standing over us. "Are you Nelson?" I asked and he just grinned at me.
"That's me. What do you two want?" Nelson asked as I climbed a little unsteady to my feet. Brad filled him in and he stared at us for a moment. "Cora sent you? I guess I can help...she is pretty hot." He commented and I rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to scratch at my bandage.
"We need to know who shut off the Zombrex chips and why. Think you're up to the challenge?" Brad asked and I gave me a tiny smile, looking at Nelson who snorted.
"Of course, ZDC dude. Cora knows I'm the best." Nelson replied, giving me a quick smile. "I need some equipment, like a Spectrum Analyzer and some computer parts. That crashed 'copter should have something I can use." He explained, both men staring at me when I let out a groan. "What's with her?" He asked when I covered my eyes with one hand.
"It's been a long day for both of us. I suppose we better find that 'copter." Brad answered, patting me on the shoulder before he and Nelson climbed through the window. Reluctantly I followed, making sure I didn't get left behind.
I knew Brad wouldn't leave me but I wasn't too sure about Nelson. Once again we searched the city, finding the Spectrum Analyzer and some computer parts for Nelson after a lot of walking and running. Using them he said he'd find out who was causing the chips to malfunction, which is why we ended up at Annie's Old Fashioned Triple XXX (nothing to do with Annie, the girl Nick was hanging around by the way). At least that's what I gathered as I stood beside Brad, waiting a little impatiently for Nelson to finish whatever he was doing.
"Okay I get that you need all this equipment to track the jamming signal but why did it have to be in...this shop?" I asked, leaning against a table only to recoil at what was lying on it. "Eww...just eww." I muttered and I swear Brad coughed. "Don't you dare laugh, Agent."
"I wasn't laughing, Bridget. Is there anything we can do?" Brad asked, acting serious but I snorted.
"Nope, just sit tight and watch the master at work." Nelson replied, still typing away. While we waited I decided to take a break, finding a comfortable desk chair I sat with a loud sigh. Even with the noises downstairs, zombies milling around groaning and bumping into the walls, I managed to get a short rest. I stirred awake when I felt someone squeezing my shoulder, my eyes opening to find Brad standing beside me.
"Time to go, Bridget." He told me and I groaned, stretching before I climbed to my feet. "Next stop, Sunset Hills and the source of the jamming signal." Brad explained as I tried to shake the fuzzy feeling from my head.
"Woohoo." I answered, moving to the stairs. "Hopefully this is the last trip we need to make. I really, really want to leave the city as soon as possible."
"Once we know who shut off the chips, and why, we can figure out a way out of here. Does that sound good to you?" Brad asked and I nodded, looking around the room for a weapon. Frankly I was sick and tired of having someone else protecting me...well not really but I didn't want to be weak.
I soon came across a box with a bunch of guns I'd never seen before so I grabbed one, hoping it wouldn't be too difficult to fire. Also that I didn't leave it behind if we borrowed a car again.
"Here we go again." I muttered, once we reached the mansion that Nelson gave us directions to. Standing on the bottom of the stairs I couldn't help feeling a little worried that something bad was about to happen. "Why do I get the feeling this is a trap?"
"Maybe because the Special Ops are here? We need to get to that console." Brad answered, pointing towards the nearby mansion. "Any ideas?"
"Take them out." I answered, rushing towards the Special Ops who turned as I ran full pelt at them. Distracted they aimed at me, only for Brad to open fire. I kept moving, ignoring the pain radiating through my head and ankle as they tried to hit me. At one point I rolled to miss a blow from one of their guns, climbing to my feet as Brad shot him in the chest and head. "We made it." I said, a grin on my face only to see Brad's eyes narrowed at me.
"What were you thinking?" He scolded moving past me to reach the computer terminal. "You could have gotten yourself killed with that stupid stunt."
"Hey what right do you have to tell me what to do?" I shot back, gun aimed at the ground as I glared back. "I was trying to help you." I added, looking down at the floor. Brad finished typing as I hung back, trying not to let him see tears welling. Brad turned just in time to see me sniffing, the gun falling from my fingers.
"Look I was just worried you would get hurt." Brad explained, chewing his lower lip when I raised my head eyes and nose running now. "I found out that there's a military lab operating in the train yard in South Almuda and that General Hemlock signed his name."
"I guess I still need you to escape the city." I sniffed, wiping my eyes and he nodded. "Let's get that proof we need so we can bring the bastards responsible for this outbreak to justice."
"I agree, Bridget. Our next stop's the lab and hopefully the last piece of evidence we need." Brad answered, walking beside me as we headed to South Alumda.
"I'm sick of walking." I complained as we headed further into South Alumda and Brad sighed. "Yeah, yeah but I'm tired okay? Plus my forehead itches." I said, giving the bandage a scratch.
"Just leave it alone. Between the cut, the zombie bite and the bump on your forehead you're lucky you're still standing." Brad pointed out, keeping his attention on the wandering zombies who for the moment hadn't noticed us.
"Wait, I have a bump on my forehead? When were you going to tell me about it?!" I shouted, cringing when a zombie turned his head towards us. Dropping the severed arm he was munching on he straightened, stumbling towards us. Groaning in a very good imitation of the living dead, I aimed my gun at the zombie. Taking aim I fired, destroying its head and it dropped only to be joined by a whole lot more. "Screw this, I'm going to that lab right now." I answered, running towards a taxi. "Come on, Brad, time to go." I called out and he stared as I climbed in the passengers side.
"Will you slow down?" Brad called back, blasting the zombies back to clear a path. He soon joined me, not commenting about me leaving him behind thankfully. "We need to find that lab and get some answers."
"I know getting answers to why this outbreak happened are important to you but so is getting the heck out of this city in one piece. After we find the answers can we leave this place behind?" I asked, my eyes on the road ahead. At my side, Brad didn't answer keeping his attention fixed on not crashing the car this time. "Well I want to leave anyway."
"Bridget, I want to leave as badly as you do. All I need is solid proof General Hemlock is behind this outbreak and then we can all leave, together." Brad answered, glancing at me for a moment. "Don't you want justice for your parents?"
"Of course I do but not if something bad happens to you or the other survivors." I answered, giving him a quick smile. "Now eyes on the road, Agent Brad." I joked and he cracked a smile, his attention returning to the road.