As I watched, Brad carefully opened the door to the lab. I followed at his heels, hoping to find some answers of my own only to recoil from the stench of blood and rot. "What the heck is that smell?" I coughed, keeping a hand over my mouth as Brad ventured further into the room.
I tried to follow only to scream as something grabbed my ankle, my cry alerting Brad who whirled around to find me dragging a zombie dressed like a Spec Ops. "Hold still." He said, lifting his leg before he gave the zombie a swift kick in the face. It loosened its grip, allowing me to move away as Brad slammed his foot onto its face crushing the zombie's skull. It stopped moving as I coughed, both from the smell and the mess on my legs from its blood. "You okay?"
"I'm fine, thanks. What happened here?" I asked Brad whose eyes travelled the room before they focused on someone lying on a chair, their face oblierated. "Brad?"
"The government is responsible for this outbreak, all so General Hemlock could control the city. There's no cure here." Brad muttered, moving towards a mirror. A little unsure I watched as he turned his head, looking at the reflection of his chip glowing just under the skin of his neck. "This chip's only good for leading them straight to me so they can hunt me down like a dog." He whispered and that's when I saw him reach for a scalpul.
"You're not planning on doing...hey, stop!" I shouted, grabbing his wrist before Brad could lift the blade towards the back of his neck. "That's just crazy."
"Bridget, it's the only way otherwise they'll track us both. It has to come out...now." Brad answered and I sighed, releasing his arm. "Why don't you keep watch?" He suggested and I quickly nodded hurrying towards the front entrance.
It was a good distraction but I couldn't block out his pain-filled screams, flinching every time I heard him cry out. When his screams finally stopped I let out a breath, turning when he called to me. "Are...are you okay?" I asked, swallowing when I saw blood staining his neck.
"Not really but I'll live." Brad answered, a piece of torn cloth covering his neck now. "I hate to tell you this but we need to keep moving."
"Let me guess; we're going on another roadtrip?" I asked, getting a nod. "Will this involve finding the proof you need?" Again, a nod and I sighed rubbing my forehead. "Alright let's go, Brad. You know you owe me big time for all this craziness."
"I did save your life." Brad pointed out and I sniffed, the lab way too fragrant for my poor nose. "Look this is the last time then we're getting out of this city."
"Okay, let's go. Before I change my mind...not that's there's any reason for any sane person to stay in Los Perdidos." I replied, heading outside before Brad was ready.
I can't believe he cut that chip out. God that's just...nasty but I guess it had to be done. Still I hope he's not in too much pain. Maybe when we get back to Cora I'll get some painkillers for him.
"Wait up, Bridget. We need to stay together especially now." Brad called out and I slowed, waiting a little impatiently for him to catch up. A zombie moved into my viewpoint and I aimed, taking its head off with the gun in my hand. "Okay, what's wrong?"
"How do you know something's wrong?" I answered, watching carefully as we searched for a new vehicle. "Look I'm not feeling the best right now and watching you cut a Zombrex chip out of your neck didn't help me." I explained, my eyes lighting up when I saw a parked car sitting a few feet away.
"You know why I did that and...wait, you're not feeling well? Why didn't you tell me?" Brad asked, heading towards the driver side of the car. I made it there first, taking my usual seat on the passenger side before Brad climbed inside.
"It wasn't important enough. Anyway it's only a dull ache behind my eyes." I replied, laying the gun across my lap. It wasn't until Brad leaned over that I tensed, feeling his palm briefly touch my forehead. "Okay now what are you doing?" I sighed, eyes looking into his.
"Checking if you have a fever. Nope, nothing so it's probably from that crash. First chance we get you're letting Cora check your injuries...no buts." Brad added when I narrowed my eyes, arms crossed against my chest.
"Whatever. Let's go get that proof or do you want that zombie horde to get us?" I asked, moving my head towards the latest group of zombies that mistook us for a buffet. His eyes widening, Brad quickly started the car and we took off just as their fingernails scratched the paintjob.
We drove in silence, except for the zombies constantly trying to eat us, giving me time to take a quick nap. Which helped my headache, at least a little but I was really looking forward to taking some painkillers when we arrived back at the hospital.
"Bridget, we're here." Brad told me and I stirred awake with a groan, eyelids fluttering to find him looking over at me. "At the Ingleton Taxi Company." He added for my benefit as I rubbed at my eyes.
"So this is where the proof is? But what kind of proof are we looking...for?" I stopped talking the moment I saw a trail of blood and once Brad saw me start to follow the blood trail he moved to my side, grabbing my arm. "What's wrong?"
"It could be zombies so stay behind me, okay? No arguments." Brad said when I opened my mouth to protest. Closing my mouth I nodded, staying just behind him as he followed the blood. Which lead us into a small room and that's when I heard someone speaking, their voice weak. I headed straight past Brad to find a Spec Ops guy with his face uncovered dragging himself across the floor, a black box clutched in one hand and a handgun in the other.
"Hey!" I called out, flinching when he rolled over aiming the gun at us. "Don't shoot."
"You...got to make it right." He said, Brad kneeling beside him. I stared as he pushed the black box towards us and that's when I saw the bite mark on his arm. "Hemlock killed the president. Take this, it's got proof. I'm...going to turn soon. Make things right." He coughed, his handgun lying just out of reach. Swearing under his breath, Brad picked up the gun handing to the Spec Ops. "I was...only following orders." He whispered and I turned away just at the sound of the gunshot.
"Yeah...me too." Brad whispered, taking the black box from the now lifeless Spec Ops before he rose. "Let's get the survivors out of this town before they drop the bombs." He said to me and I raised my head, taking the black box from him.
"Yeah, there's nothing for anyone here." I agreed, heading back the way we came. "Rest in peace." I whispered to the man lying on the concrete. We raced back to the car, my hands holding the black box tightly letting Brad protect us both. It took longer to reach the car, civillian and Spec Ops undead making our escape that much harder. But we made it through, Brad driving another car we picked up when the first one started to smoke. Mostly because of the constant zombie attacks and the barricades we kept plowing into.
"Cora, we're on our way." Brad said, using a walkie talkie I hadn't even noticed before. "But we need a working vehicle."
"One of the survivors found a ZDC Control Truck. Once you get here we'll pick up the survivors at the hospital, the ones staying at the Los Perdidos Communication Tower and Nelson." Cora said and I grinned, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.
"Nelson's at Annie's Old Fashioned XXX Supply." Brad told her, keeping his eyes firmly on the road ahead and I heard a laugh. "Yeah, I know."
"I'm not surprised." Cora answered and even I giggled, silently hoping we made it back. For the next hour we drove back to the hospital, picking up Cora and the survivors who were sheltering there. It wasn't until we reached the Communication Tower that I saw Rhonda, a heavyset man with short black hair and a guy who gave his name as Jeremy before they climbed aboard the truck.
"Bridget, you're alive?" Rhonda said and I narrowed my eyes, still angry about being abandoned. "Honey, we didn't leave you behind on purpose. The zombies were trying to get in and we needed Zombrex for you."
"Maybe I believe you and maybe I don't. Look I just want out of this city...nothing but pain for me here." I whispered, sitting next to Brad in the front. "Are we nearly to Nelson?"
"Almost there. Then I'll call ZDC Command Centre. I just hope they can airlift all of us out of the city." Brad told me and I managed a weak grin, wondering if anyone would help us.
It took so long to find Nelson, due to all of the barricades and the zombies that I started to get antsy. But we found him on top of a truck, quickly making his way to the ZDC truck. Annoyed at the delay I made a point of punching him in the arm as soon as I could, not hard to do any damage or hurt but enough to make me feel a little better.
Along the way Brad made a call, finding someone who promised that to airlift us out of the city provided me made it to the Dilly Diner. Hearing that, Brad sped up and I kept my hands on the black box knowing just how valuable this was. It was a long drive, Brad taking shortcuts until we reached the road that would lead us to the diner and our ticket out of there.
Right until we ran into dozens of Spec Ops, who seemed to have one goal in mind despite the zombie outbreak; murder anyone who tries to leave the city. "Oh shit." I muttered, gripping the box even tighter as a bunch of flash grenades landed way too close to the truck. "They're trying to kill us!"
"Gee you think?!" Nelson shouted from just behind my seat and I turned my head, ready to throttle him until Brad spoke.
"Guys, later. We need to get this truck to that diner." Brad interrupted, taking his hand off the wheel for a second to point to the Dilly Diner less than a block away. So I decided to just forget the argument, focusing instead on getting as far away from Los Perdidos as possible before the bomb dropped.
"Come on you hunk of junk." I growled as the truck when it started to smoke but somehow we made it. Reaching the diner, we raced inside quickly finding a staircase that led up onto the roof. Staying at the back, Brad fired to keep the zombies away until everyone was onboard.
He leapt into the helicoper just before it took off and I quickly moved to his side, watching as he took his ZDC badge from inside his pocket. I didn't speak as he threw it from the helicoper to the zombies below though I noticed him looking a little down. Not caring if anyone noticed I leant my head against his shoulder and after a pause his hand reached over briefly squeezing my hand.
Eventually I closed my eyes, the noise of the router blades lulling me to sleep.