CHAPTER 4
The biggest police car had five seats in all. Just barely enough room for them all and counting extras, which were stashed in the trunk. But because they had stashed the extra stuff in the trunk; whenever they would need something they would have to pull over and get it, causing a slight waste of time and creating some danger.
"I laugh in the face of danger!" Sonic announced when everyone had piled in the car.
"That's because you're drunk. Shut up." Knuckles growled.
Shadow turned the key into the ignition and the car sputtered to life. Backing out sharply over part of the lawn, they made it to the road and roared down the city.
"Which city is it in, Tails?" Shadow asked. "Which way should I head once I reach the highway?"
"Westopolis." Tails said. He was squished in the backseat between Knuckles and Sonic. "I'll direct you when you get there."
Amy was busy reloading guns in the passenger seat and passing them back to everyone in the back. "Just in case we drive by a whole lot of them."
"Good idea."
"You might want to try to sleep. I don't know how long it'll be before we get the chance again." Shadow said. "Eventually we'll stop at some place that hopefully isn't infected."
So they drove on.
A bit later when Amy had fallen asleep, Shadow glanced back at the people in the backseat. Knuckles had fallen asleep while looking out the window, Sonic was sleeping like there was no tomorrow, and Tails still looked terrified and he was clicking the flash-drive out of its holder again and again.
"So what's really on that thing?" Shadow asked.
"What? The flash drive?" Tails asked.
"Yeah. It isn't just a school project, is it?"
"I don't even know." Tails whispered. "My mom gave it to me before sending me away."
Meanwhile, still miles away in the city of Westopolis, something sinister was at hand.
The dark hedgehog known as The Kid raced into a building and down multiple flights of stairs until he reached a steel door that demanded identification. After getting past that, he hurried into a small room. The room's walls were covered by shelves that held many colors of potion or concoction that were smoking or bubbling. In the center of the room was a table with two empty vials and a small squirrel in a cage.
"Dammit, he said he'd be here!" The Kid hissed.
"And he is here." Emerging from a secret door behind some of the shelves came another dark colored hedgehog. He had had splotches of orange along his arms and over one eye. One of his ears was torn. His eyes were a deep piercing blue. He was wearing a long lab coat. "How fast is the T-virus being spread around?"
"Faster than we've ever hoped." The Kid turned to the squirrel. "He's infected too. Did you do this?"
"I believe I've found the cure." The scientist said, holding up a small vial of something green. "But I can't be sure until I test it out on something or someone that already has the T-virus."
With that, he drew a small syringe out of his pocket and loaded it up with the green stuff. He went over to the infected squirrel and injected it into its arm.
"Sinister….sir?" The Kid asked after a few seconds after the squirrel stopped moving.
"Have I done it?" Sinister's eyes were wide. "Have I found the cure?"
Suddenly the squirrel jumped up and slashed at the bars with claws it didn't have before. Its eyes had changed too. Instead of dark voids, they were now bright piercing red. It seemed to be stronger too.
"What….what is this?" The Kid asked.
"Obviously I haven't perfected the thing yet." Sinister said. "Let the squirrel go. If we have two viruses being spread people will be doubly desperate to get at a cure. I call this new virus…the G-virus. Genetic mutation…" Sinister laughed evilly. "We will rule the world."
BACK WITH THE OTHERS…
"All right, Tails, which exit do I take?"
Tails jumped a little, but once he realized where he was he calmed down. "Um…exit 2. Then go left. You'll be there in about half an hour."
Shadow turned down Exit 2 and headed left when the time came. They had been driving all night, but Tails didn't expect to reach Westopolis until noon the next day. In the far distance, the sun began to rise. A thin line of light spread across the land.
"I have a bad headache…" Sonic muttered. "What happened last night?"
"You were drunk. Zombies attacked. Chief of police is dead. We nearly died. 'Nuff said." Knuckles growled.
"Wait, I was drunk?"
"Yes! Stop doing that! It's bad for everyone!"
After that, they drove on in silence for a while.
"There's the city." Tails pointed out the windshield. "See? They've got some pretty tall buildings."
About fifteen minuets they came to a giant sign that blared: Welcome to Westopolis. Shadow didn't drive on.
"What's wrong?" Amy asked.
"Nothing. Just…everyone get ready. We may have to take out a few zombies."
Amy rolled the windows down and everyone (Except Tails and Shadow, because one was in the middle of the car and the other was driving) aimed their guns out the windows.
"I don't see anyone…it's like a ghost town." Knuckles muttered.
"This is a little weird…" Tails whispered.
They continued to drive through the deserted town, but still there was no sign of anyone, infected or uninfected.
"I think I see someone! Up ahead!" Tails shouted suddenly.
"I'll go get whoever it is." Knuckles opened the door to the police car and jumped out.
"Be careful!" Amy shouted.
"I'm going too. Stay here and keep the doors locked." Shadow darted out of the car and after Knuckles.
"Shadow, there's a whole group of them! The zombies!" Knuckles shouted, raising his gun and taking brief aim before firing.
The went back to back, blowing off the zombies' heads as they approached. Finally there was no more movement on the street. The zombies lay on the asphalt, truly dead at last.
"If anyone's here and alive, it isn't here." Knuckles finally decided. "This is terrible."
Shadow kicked a zombie's corpse. "Look at its uniform."
There were four stars surrounding a halo of darkness on the upper pocket of the bloody and torn vest the zombie was wearing.
"I think that's Umbrella's sign." Knuckles said.
"We must be getting close."
The two of them headed back to the car.
"Was there anyone?" Amy asked, although she looked like she already knew the answer.
"No one. Only the dead." Shadow replied as he started the car again.