Season One Episode Four Part Two
Doc's Pov
Walking through a dark corridor Doc came to a elevator the door already open and stepping in Doc could hear classic elevator music playing.
"Son of a bitch" Doc grumbled to himself as the elevator started moving. "I was saving that oxy for a party when we got to Cali" Hearing the elevator ding signalling he had reached the right floor Doc turned to the door just as it opened. And standing outside was a man in a uniform which Doc assumed was General McCandles and he was pointing a gun at Doc
"You the medic?" The man asked
"I am indeed" Doc said raising his hand up as a sign of peace "You the General?"
"General Arthur C. McCandles. Commander, Central Command, infection Response Forces" The general said stepping back and gesturing for Doc to follow.
"Where's your wounded man?" Doc said stepping out of the lift
"Right here" The General said after a few seconds of hesitation. He then lowered his gun and pulled his left pant leg up to reveal a wound on his lower leg and it was still bleeding.
"It's not a bite" Doc said leaning down to get a closer look. "This looks bad. Real bad"
"It's just a scratch" the General argued
"No, that's... that's more like gangrene"
"Can you save the leg?"
"I'm afraid not, General' Doc said shaking his head. "It's already starting to spread. Soon the Z virus will take over. All I can do at this point is show you mercy when the time comes"
"You call that a diagnosis?" The General said angrily raising his weapon again
"I call it the truth, You're gonna die. And soon"
"That's what the last guy said" The general said and before Doc could stop him he clocked him in the face with his gun making Doc cry out and fall to the floor. The general than picked Doc up and dragged him to an air duct and pushed him in. Doc screamed as he fell down the shaft but cut off when he landed with a thud, landing on some cables .
"Oh! Oh!" Doc cried out in pain breathing heavily. Looking down Doc saw a long drop below him and he was grateful that the cables were below him, Looking for a way out Doc gasped when he saw a zombie trapped in the cables next to him snarling and trying to get to him. So Doc did the only thing he could, he screamed and hoped the others could hear him.
Ellie's Pov
Ellie was standing next to the ambulance aiming at the zombies in the distance just as 10k was aiming at them from the top of the ambulance where he was laying down and looking out of his sniper. Aiming at the one closes to her Ellie fired her weapon the bullet going straight through his skull and at the same time Ellie saw the zombie next to it go down too.
"One thousand Ninety" She heard 10k say and smiling to herself she put her gun back into her holster and banged on the side of the ambulance and said "The last ones all yours ten" before turning to walk back to Warren and Garnett and as she was leaving she heard another gun shot and 10k saying "One thousand Ninety one" As Ellie got closer to the others she saw Addy pulling her pike out of a z's head that she just Merced.
"Okay, what's going on with Doc?" Addy asked the others looking towards them
"Guys" Mack said coming around from the ambulance. "If we don't get out of here soon this could get ugly"
"Oh, you mean uglier" Murphy said as Mack walked past him
"Do you hear that?" Cassandra asked them all
"Hear what?" Warren asked not hearing anything, coming up on Warren's side Ellie strained her ears to listen and she could hear something but it was faint
"I don't hear anything" Murphy said
"Shh" Cassandra said standing up
"Quiet Murphy" Ellie said at the same time and then suddenly a screamed sounded out.
"Sounds like Doc" Mack said
"Sounds like he's in trouble" Ellie said as the screams continued
"That's Doc alright, But where the hell is he?" Warren said looking around
"Somewhere up there" Cassandra said looking up at the building
"We're going up after him" Garnett said walking towards the door the others following.
"No, you don't" The guard said blocking their path
"Let us up now" Garnett said getting into the man face
"Nobody goes upstairs without the General's orders".
"Are you serious right now?!" Ellie shouted stomping towards the guard, "That's Doc screaming which means he's in trouble and I'm not gonna let some junkie stop us from helping him, so move out of the way before this gets ugly" Ellie threatened the man. But he didn't budge
"We go up now" Garnett said losing his patients and pulling out his gun he pushed the barrel straight into his face. "Or I scramble your egg- brain inside the shell" He threatened staring intently at the guard
"You'll be sorry" The guard said after a few seconds of intense staring on both ends
"So will you cuz you're coming with us" Garnett said pulling the man in front of him and aiming the gun at the back of his head. "10k! Cover our flank, Don't let man or zombie follow us up"
"Yes, sir" 10k said not looking away from his rifle.
Once the guard opened the door Garnett pushed him through with the rest following behind. Ellie stayed close to Murphy as she knew he had a habit of wondering off in stressful situations. The walked down a long corridor until they came to a lift and they all piled in but Murphy hesitated outside the door so Ellie gave him a gentle shove making him stumble in and Ellie followed behind.
"What floor is the General on?" Garnett asked The guard as the elevator doors closed
"Top floor. He's the General, man. What floor do you think he's on?"
"Now what?" Warren asked
"Be ready for anything" Garnett answered
"Did I mention that the one thing I have a phobia of aside from zombies is Elevators" Murphy said panicky
"Murphy calm down" Ellie said as he started breathing heavily "We'll be out soon"
"Shouldn't have messed with the General" The guard said
"Is it getting hot in here?" Murphy asked still panicking "Hey, come on. Open the damn door. I got to get out of here" He said banging on the door
"Relax Murphy" Warren said
"No, no, I got to get out" Murphy said ignoring Warren. "There's not enough oxygen"
"Murphy calm down" Ellie said just as Warren turned and grabbed Murphy and she slapped him across the face "Chill out!" Warren said to him but he continued to panic and tried to get away from her but Warren just grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pushed him into the wall of the elevator giving him a stern look. But they all went quiet when the elevator lights went out and the lift suddenly stopped.
"Mack" Addy shouted starting to panic also.
"I'm here babe" He reassured her
"Hey why aren't we moving?" Garnett asked the guard
"It'll start in a second" The guard promised and as he said it the lights come back on and the elevator started again but it only lasted for a few seconds and the lifts light went out again and it stopped with a jerk making them all stumble.
"Why aren't we moving?" Garnett and Mack said at the same time
"What's going on?"
"All right, everybody needs to relax" the guard said
"Don't mess with us" Mack said pointing his weapon at the guard
"I'm not messing with you, man"
"Anything happens, you'll be the first to go" Garnett promised the man as the elevator dinged and the doors opened. But as the doors were opening they all heard snarling and standing outside the door were about half a dozen zombies and they were coming towards them. Garnett pushed the guard out towards the zombies and they all swarmed around him and as they pushed the button to close the doors Murphy pushed past them.
"We got to get out of here!" He shouted as he ran towards the door
"Murphy! No!" They all shouted trying to grab him
"Don't fire" Garnett said as Murphy got closer to the zombies as he ran
"I got him" Ellie said lifting up her gun and running after him just as the elevator doors closed
Running past the zombies Ellie went through a door and down a corridor. "Murphy" she whispered as she slowed down to walk, trying to avoid being seen by the z's. As she got closer to the end of the corridor she could see Murphy pressed against the wall hiding from the z's, and sneaking up behind she grabbed the back of his coat and pulled him away from the wall and into another corridor and pushed him against the wall making him yell in shock.
"One day you are going to get one of us killed" She said irritably ignoring the way he jumped and then flinched from the impact of the wall.
"And one day you are going to give someone a heart attack from sneaking up on them" He grumbled once he realised who it was. "Sorry" he added once he saw the look he was getting off Ellie although it didn't sound very sincere..
"Help! Somebody!" Doc calls for help interrupted them and he sounded close.
"Doc?" Murphy said looking away from Ellie "Doc is that you?"He said a bit louder
"Murphy?" Doc said finally being able to hear him. "Murphy is that you?"
Looking around Ellie could see where the voice was coming from and stepping away from Murphy she pulled him in front of her and gestured for him to move. "Stay close" she warned him and with her hand on the trigger of her gun, she walked towards the air shaft "Hang in there Doc" She said to him as she got next to it.
"Ellie?!" He shouted back sounding relieved
"Murphy help me" Ellie said to him while leaning over to look into the ventilation shaft and when she didn't get a response or hear him come closer she turned to look at him and she was surprised to see he looked conflicted. "Murphy come help me" she repeated more firmer this time and she was relieved when he started to shuffle forward but it was short lived as he froze again.
"Sorry Doc, someone will come help you" Murphy said as he began to back a way
"Murphy don't you dare" Ellie said stepping closer to him
"Just not me" He finished ignoring Ellie, he then quickly turned on the spot and legged it away in the opposite direction.
"Murphy?!" Ellie shouted "You gotta be kidding me, Doc I will be right back I'm not gonna leave you" she promised and once she heard a reply off Doc she ran after Murphy again. "Murphy get you arse back here" She shouted once he was in her line of view again but she was ignored. "Murphy you need to stop ru -"
But she was cut off when Murphy let out a girly scream as a zombie suddenly came at him knocking him into the wall. "Murphy get down" Ellie shouted before aiming her weapon at the z and when Murphy was out of the way she fired, her bullet going straight through the z's skull making him fall to the floor. Once he was down Ellie went to go towards Murphy but when he saw the zombie on the floor he yelled and scrambled to his feet before running away again. "Seriously?!" Ellie dead panned throwing her arms to the side. "If the z's don't get to him I'm gonna kill him" She grumbled before running after him.
Mack's Pov
They've been waiting around the elevator for about ten minutes now hoping the others were safe, they heard several screams mostly Murphy's but also Doc's and they also heard gunshots but it had all gone quiet now.
"What's taking them so long?" Addy asked pacing while failing to hide the fear in her voice
"Warren and Garnett are gonna be fine" Mack reassured her grabbing her arms to halt her pacing "And I pity Murphy when Ellie catches up to him" he finished with a laugh
"Yeah, she's scary when she's angry" Addy agreed also letting our a small chuckle
"Is everyone ok?" Garnett interrupted them as he and Warren ran around the corner towards them. "Anybody seen Murphy or Ellie?". They all shook their heads no, so they all started shouting out their names.
"You don't have to shout. I'm right here" Murphy said sneaking up on them and making them all jump with their weapons raised and pointed at him to which Murphy raised his hands up in alarm.
"You don't sneak up on people in the zombie apocalypse, ok?" Garnett pointed out like it was obvious
"Sorry, Sorry" Murphy said brushing him off
"Where's Ellie?" Warren asked
"Right here" Ellie announced her arrival as she came around the corner and stopped next to Murphy a frustrated look across her face."'You run away from me again and I'm gonna shoot you in the foot and drag your arse out of here you got me?" She said fiercely turning to face him and whack him across the arm hard enough to make him yelp.
"I got you" He said rubbing his arm and walking away from her to the others who all had smiles on their faces as they tried to contain their laughter. "I know where Doc is" Murphy said trying to change the subject.
"Where?" Garnett asked him
"Where Murphy left him and where I had to leave him to make sure this idiot didn't get himself killed". Ellie grumbled giving Murphy a glare. "He's –" She jumped slightly when the elevator suddenly dinged making her turn in that direction with her gun raised, the others also raised their weapons. But they all turned the other way when they heard growling from behind them and thumping, something was coming towards them and it was big. And that something let out an almighty roar.
"Holy shit" Murphy said and Ellie couldn't help but think that could this day get any worst. And it seemed that the universe was mocking them because the thumping got louder and out came a tall muscly zombie from the corner of the room and he was heading straight for them.
"I'm out of ammo" Warren said
"Me too" Garnett also said
"I got this"Mack suddenly said putting his gun on the floor and taking out a handgun from the back of his waistband before walking towards the zombie and shooting him in the head four time, which had little to no effect as the zombie grabbed Mack around the neck and picked him up before swinging him around. Everybody just stood there at first shocked at how the zombie hadn't gone down before Garnett ran up behind him and whacked him in the head with his axe multiple time but he still wasn't going down and seeming to have enough the zombie threw Mack away and grabbed Garnett by the arms enforcing a struggle between the two. Ellie tried to get a shot at him but they both kept moving and she didn't want to risk hitting Garnett, and seeing this Addy ran forward her pike raised.
"Garnett" she shouted piking the zombie in the chest and pushing him away from him
"Take cover!" Garnett suddenly shouted and looking towards him Ellie could see he had a grenade pin in his hand and looking back towards Addy she saw she had pushed him out of the way and Ellie's heart sank when she saw where Addy had pushed him, right in the air shaft where Doc was just as the grenade went off letting off a huge explosion that shook the building making them all jump to the ground for cover.
"Is everyone ok?" Garnett asked once the explosion had stopped to which they all said yes, everyone coughing and struggling to see through the smoke as they climbed off the floor.
"We might be alright but Doc might not be" Ellie said coughing fear evident in her voice as she rushed to the vent.
"What do you mean?" Warren asked her confusion going across her face
"Murphy where's Doc?" Garnett asked him turning to look at him and seeing a look of pure devastation across his face.
"He was down that air shaft" He mumbled quietly
"WHAT?!" Cassandra asked shock going across her face which quickly turned to sadness, and it was the same as everyone else's. They were all devastated about losing a close friend.
"This is your fault" Ellie suddenly snarled making everyone turn to her and they all flinched at the sight. Her eyes were blazing with anger, her nostrils flared and her knuckles clenched by her side and she was focussed on a very nervous looking Murphy. "If you hadn't of run of like a coward Doc would still be here" she continued walking towards Murphy but she was blocked when Garnett grabbed her around the arms stopping her in her tracks.
"You need to calm down" He said shaking her slightly when she wouldn't look at him and when she did she couldn't help that tears that leaked out of her eyes. "I'm sorry about Doc and we are all going to miss him but he wouldn't want you to lose your cool. Murphy is not worth it, do you hear me? Ellie?!" He said louder making her flinch slightly before nodding her head.
"I know ok' she said angrily but calmer then before "But he needs to start listening to us when we are trying to help him because he is putting us all at risk and he needs to know that. Over wise he is going to get himself or us killed" she said sending another glare Murphy's way.
"I know that and he knows that especially if he wants to stay alive" Garnett said sending a look Murphy's way who grumbled under his breath and rolled his eyes. "You good?" He asked Ellie turning back to look at her.
"Yeah I'm ok"She said quietly 'Thank you Charlie, for stopping me from doing something stupid"
"Your welcome" he said smiling at her before letting her go and lifting his hand up to wipe away a tear on her cheek with his thumb and then stepping back. "Let's go find that helicopter and get out of here" he said looking towards Ellie who was resting her head against Warren's shoulder who had wrapped Ellie in a hug from behind. "Now" He added when no one moved and they all sobered up and followed Garnett out of the room.
As they got closer to the room they believed the General was in they could hear talking and it sounded like he was talking to someone on the radio as they could only hear one side of the conversation. "No disrespect Madame president, but you're not fit to lead a gang of kindergartens in a dirt clod war. Let alone this great nation in a moment of grave national peril like we are now". One they were in the room they could see that the General was sat on a desk and talking into a radio but there was no one on the other end as they could only hear static. But they could also see several Merced zombies in military uniform sat around a table making Ellie think there wasn't a lot going on upstairs.
"I don't think he's gonna be much help" She whispered to Warren as they got closer and when they saw the man put his radio down and look at them they stopped and he just stared at them for a few seconds before he suddenly pulled out a giant bazooka and aimed it at them making them all raise their hands in a gesture of peace
"Hey, hey, hey!" Garnett said alarmed
"Ive been waiting for you" The general said before firing the weapon but aside for the click when he pushed the trigger nothing happened, he tried a few more times but it still didn't work. Making everyone sigh out in relief and put their arms back down. "Ah crap, nothing works any more" The general grumbled putting down the Bazooka and sitting in the chair at the end of the table. "What do you people want anyway?"
"We're on a mission that might just save the human race" Garnett explained before grabbing Murphy around the scruff off his neck and walking him forward. "This man has antibodies in his blood needed to make a zombie vaccine. We've been tasked with getting him to a CDC lab in California. Alive, We need your helicopter".
"Well hell, why didn't you say so sooner?" He asked them laughing and rising from his seat. Making them all look at each other with disbelief going across their faces. "Ill fly you there myself" He said walking out of the room and the rest followed. He led them up to the roof where there were dead z's everywhere and a beat up chopper that didn't look like it could fly. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" The general asked
"You can't be serious?!" Ellie asked him
"What is this some kind of joke" Garnett asked agreeing with Ellie
"Sure, she needs a little maintenance. But with some TLC a little help scrounging a few spare parts and I'll have you to California in no time".
"Jackass!" Murphy shouted at him charging but was held back by Warren with a firm "Hey!" and her and Garnett pushed him back but he wasn't done. "A friend of mine died trying to get to that pile of junk!"
"You and Doc where friends?" Addy asked him
"We played cards... Once"
"This is war son" The General said not bothered by Murphy's outburst. "We've all lost friends. Hell everybody I knew is dead"
"Why am I not surprised" Murphy bit back
"You know I don't like you" The general said.
"Well get in line"
"You know what I don't get?" Ellie asked taking the attention off Murphy "Our friend came to help you and now he's dead. So what happened?"
"I don't like what your implying missy" The General said glaring at her
"I'm not implying anything" Ellie said ignoring the missy remark. "Just asking a question, after Doc helped you what happened?"
"He left' The general snarled "It's not my fault he ended up in an air duct and got himself killed!"
'I never said where he was" Ellie said dangerously. "You arsehole!'"She said charging forward but was also stopped by Warren who wrapped her arm around her chest and Garnett who grabbed her shoulder to hold her into place. "You actually... you threw someone who was trying to help you down an air duct" she said struggling to get out of their grips. Why!?" She shouted tears coming to her eyes again. She may have shouted at Murphy earlier but she knew it wastn really his fault but knowing that his guy was actually to blame for Doc's death it just made her so angry.
"Ellie" Warren said soothingly, trying to coax Ellie to look at her. "Sweetie" she said trying again which got Ellie to look at her with red tearful eyes. "You are not helping yourself, I know you're gonna miss Doc and we all will too but Doc would not want you to do anything you'll regret, Ok?" she said sadly tears in her eyes too.
"Ok" she sobbed and Garnett released his grip on her and Warren pulled her into a hug.
"General McCandles, sir" Garnett said trying not to upset the deranged man "Thank you, but I think we'll find alternate transportation"
"You think I'm insane don't you" The general shouted looking at them and none of them would look him in the eye. "Well maybe I am, to much death. Too many good men sent to an early grave... to many zombies" and as if on cue they all heard zombies growling coming from the behind them and turning around they saw a couple of zombies coming out of the chopper. "Stand Down! I got this!" The general said taking out two guns. "Come here you godless brain eating scum!" He shouted at the zombie's before firing at them as they charged at the general and as he was backing away the zombies followed until he came to the edge of the roof. "I'll see you in hell" He shouted as the zombies jumped at him and he fell of the roof taking the z's with him.
Once they saw the General plummet to the floor after falling off the roof they made their way back down the building and outside to the truck where 10k was waiting patiently.
"What happened to Doc?" 10k asked as they got to the truck and Ellie just climbed into the bed of the truck ignoring the question while Warren leaned on the truck to talk to him.
"He didn't make it" She said quietly and 10k just looked shocked before nodding softly. He then looked towards Ellie who was sat in the bed of the truck with her knees pressed up against her chest, tears flowing freely out of her eyes as she quietly sobbed to herself. Seeing this 10k got up from where he was sitting and stepped over to her and sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to which she responded by turning slightly towards him and resting her head against his shoulder grateful for the comfort.
"Zombies" Addy suddenly announced to them making them all look behind them and 10k and Ellie ahead of them.
"Oh, woah, woah" Mack exclaimed "Oh god it that...?" He said referring to a zombie that had just come around the corner
"It's Doc" Addy announced sadly making Ellie jerk away from 10k and crawl towards the other side of the bed of the truck and what she saw made her let out a sob as she saw Doc covered in blood and stumbling towards them.
"Someone's gotta..."Garnett said hesitating
"I'll do it" Warren said raising her weapon making the rest of them to turn away sadness etched across their faces, except for Ellie who was staring at Doc frozen in place. "Steven "Doc" Beck I give you mercy".
"Warren WAIT!" Ellie shouted but Warren fired not hearing her in time but the 'Zombie' dodged out of the way.
"What the hell, Warren?" Doc asked revealing himself to be alive and not a zombie. "You trying to kill me?"
"You're alive?" She asked both relieved and confused "How did you know?" Warren asked Ellie turning to look at her.
"He was in an air shaft, don't think a zombie would be able to climb out and his moves were a bit more co-ordinated then a zombies" Ellie said and Warren just pulled a face like she thought how could I miss that.
"Damn straight I'm alive" he said walking towards them and Mack, Addy and Cassandra started laughing in relief and the other's had big smiles on their faces including Ellie who was climbing down on the bed of the truck and walking towards Doc.
"We though you were dead" Garnett said still sounding confused
"Well so did I" Doc said "Some numbskull threw a grenade in the air shaft I was stuck in" He grumbled and they all just laughed, until Doc let out a grunt when Ellie finally reached him and wrapped him in a tight hug while laughing and crying at the same time.
"I thought we lost you" She said sniffling
"Hey now, I'm ok" Doc reassured her wrapping her arms around her and smoothing down the back of her hair. "You can't get rid of me that easily"
"I'm so glad you're alive" She said chuckling before pulling away from Doc. "Is this yours?" She asked referring to the blood on him and now on her.
"Nope a Z exploded on me" he said laughing again
"Gross" She said scrunching up her nose in disgust.
"Here" Warren said and when Ellie turned to look at here she was walking to them with a cloth in hand and passed it to Ellie who quickly used it to wipe away any blood and tears off her. "Come on" she said before throwing another cloth at Doc not wanting to get to close.
"Give me a kiss baby" Doc joked holding his arms out and walking towards Warren making her back away as they all laughed harder even 10k had a small smile on his face. Doc, Ellie and Warren made their way back to the truck and while everyone was getting in and Doc jumped in the back with 10k and Cassandra, Ellie walked towards Murphy.
"Murphy?" She said before he climbed into the truck making him turn to look at her an annoyed look on his face.
"What can I do for you Vernez?" He asked sarcastically "Want to threaten me more or just want to have a chat?"
"..Actually I wanted to Apologise"
"Really?" Murphy said a skeptical look on his face.
"Really... What happened to Doc wasn't your fault and i shouldn't of put the blame on you or threatened to hurt you... Doc's like family to me... to all of us... and the thought that I would never get to see him again... I snapped and I took it out on you... which was wrong off me... you didn't ask to be in this situation, none of us did... so I'm sorry and if you hate me now and want me to keep my distance I would completely understand" . Looking up at Murphy she could see he was just staring at her and Ellie thinking she had just made this situation worst she cleared her throat and said awkwardly "We should go.. I'm gonna get in the back now" before she quickly turned around and made her way to the bed of the truck.
"Ellie" She heard Murphy call her name and she turned back to him surprised he had used her first name. "I don't hate you, I get why you did it. And you can't keep your distance, I need you to protect me because as you probably know I'm a magnet for trouble and kind of a coward". He finished with a small smile on his face which Ellie returned before he climbed into the truck and shut the door, ending the conversation. But Ellie just stood there in shock surprised Murphy had said that to her it was very un Murphy like.
"What did you do to Murphy?" Doc asked knocking her out of her train of thought
"I threatened and blamed him when I though you died" Ellie said as she grabbed 10k's waiting hand to pull her into the truck.
"Damn girl" Doc whistled as she sat down next to him a small smirk on his face
"I apologised" She said back defending herself "I though you died" she said nudging in playfully in the side making him flinch away.
"The zombie apocalypse is no match for me" he said in a dead serious voice making them all burst out laughing, Doc soon joining in.
"You know kid" Doc said to 10k once they had all stopped laughing "I've been thinking about what you told me about your dad and how you wished he knew you did the right thing giving him mercy like you promised".
"Yeah?" 10k asked looking up at Doc
"Well I just want you to know your dad knows what you did for him. And he knows you did the right thing. You kept your promise"
"Yeah, he'd be proud of you 10k" Ellie said joining in on the conversation
"Thanks" he said nodding his head and Doc patted him on the back while Ellie sent him a small smile as they drove off.
None of this belongs to me except Ellie and any original story lines the rights go to the wonderful creators and publishers of z nation