Chapter 23
Arynn and Page had lost the two soldiers somewhere between the 38th floor and 39th floor. The figure that they chased had vanished beyond their sight and left the women in an empty hall. Arynn took a step up into the dark hall of the 40th floor. A cold draft sent goose bumps up her arms as she cautiously continued to the end of the corridor. Her senses were sharp and her hearing was as clear as it could ever be. She was ready for what lay ahead. She wondered if the soldiers had found Adam and made it out of the building. It was just hopeful thinking but in the back of her mind, she knew that they were somewhere still in the building. The sound of heavy breathing caught her attention but she ignored her senses. It was not an issue at the moment; there were far more important things to attend to. Page took the lead this time as they saw puddles of blood leading down the left end of the hall. They decided to take a chance and follow the blood prints.
The aweful stench of old human flesh filled Arynn's nostrils. The odor was overwhelming and her eyes began to tear as she wiped them with the back of her hand. The closer the women got the more they wanted to turn away but they kept on.
Tripper and Hernandez came to a halt as they neared a dead end in the hallway. The two men opened a door to a room labeled "Radio". The Lead Commando and Lieutenant glanced at each other and immediately knew what to do. Hernandez limped inside and Tripper followed him in. The room was dark and stuffy. A musky aroma greeted the men as Hernandez limped towards a sound room with a desk and opened microphone inside. Tripper looked around making sure the coast was clear.
"If this works, we can have help here within a few hours..." Hernandez whispered as he looked around the room for zombies. He took a seat at the desk and tested the microphone.
Tripper investigated the room and saw all of the switches and knobs of a synthesizer and mixing machine. He turned on a switch and the controls lit up. Hernandez's voice came through the speakers of the mixing room.
"I'll see if I can get this to air," Tripper said as he looked for a switch to record and load the audio. As he combed the recording equipment, his hand landed on a stiff object resting at the corner of the machine. The Lead Commando immediately backed away as a pale-faced man clumsily climbed up from the machine. Tripper stood ready for the man but the soldier suddenly tensed up when he heard something stir from behind him. His eyes lit up with fear.
From inside the sound room, Hernandez sat at a table next to a microphone. He heard commotion coming from the mixing room and he immediately hurried to the doorway. He could see Tripper struggling to fight an infected man while another individual attempted to gnaw at the soldier's leg. Without hesitation, Hernandez grabbed the first zombie and hit it over the head with a chair. The blow rendered the zombie helpless with just enough time for Tripper to twist the other zombie's neck. The two men watched as the first zombie struggled to get up but fell back on it's side howling in pain.
"I'll take care of the this," Tripper replied, "Find the live twitch." He said. Hernandez quickly went to the recording machine and looked for the button that would ultimately bring reinforcements to the group's aid.
A red light overhead came on and Hernandez smiled at his comrade. He hurried back into the sound room and got on the microphone.
"Testing. Testing." The Lieutenant started. Tripper shook his head as he watched his friend smile. "Wow, never thought I'd be on a radio show..." Hernandez chuckled. Tripper raised his brows at the man and Hernandez quickly cleared his throat. "Right." The man continued. "This is Lieutenant Eddie Hernandez of the US Air Force Counter-Terrorism Tactical Force; Sub-Division 1. There are four of us still in the city. We request immediate medical attention and firepower. We are carrying sensitive cargo and request immediate dispatch." Hernandez took a sigh and looked down. "We have suffered numerous causalities. This is Lieutenant Eddie Hernandez, Counter-Terrorism Tactical Force. Please, if anyone is out there...we need your help." Hernandez looked up and gave a reassured smile to Tripper.
"I'm sure someone out there heard that." Tripper said as he came into the sound room.
"We should replay it just in case." Hernandez suggested. "Did you record it?"
"I don't know. Maybe, I'll take a look." Tripper replied as he helped his friend out of the room. The two men replayed the message and set it to loop. "Now let's go find the girls." Tripper said as they left the radio room.
The volatile smell of human remains wreaked as Page opened a door to an executive lounge. Human tissue and ravaged human bones were scattered all over the room. The brain of an individual was exposed in it's crushed cranium as Arynn walked into the room and investigated the horrific scene. She held her stomach at the sight and desperately tried to hold her nose shut. Her mouth breathed in the week old air and rigamortis stale environment. If there was a Hell, it was in this very room and Arynn was being tortured in the worst of ways. She was not sure what led her into this room or why she followed the scent of death but she was drawn to the back room. Page stayed quiet and followed Arynn.
Inside there was a small conference room with comfortable chairs and a buffered wooden table. The carpet was soaked in blood and every step that the women took made them cringe with disgust. A sudden movement made Page heightened senses jump and she immediately looked around for the source of the disruption. An average height adolescent, who could have been no older than 16 years old, ran passed her and into the lounge.
"Hey!" Page shouted as she caught the teen by the sleeve of his t-shirt. He struggled to get free but she was not ready to let go of him.
"Let me go!" He shouted.
"Sure." Arynn said as she watched Page lift him from the ground to her level. The young man's eyes widened and he started to kick at her.
"You're one of them!" He shouted. "Put me down, zombie!"
"One of who?" Page shouted as she struggled to keep the boy up in the air. She succumbed and set him back down to the floor. Arynn folded her arms with a smirk.
"The new zombies..." The teen said as he looked around. "But you're not like them." He commented as he watched her watch him.
"I'm not infected, if that's what you mean." She said to him.
"No, we're not like them." Page added.
"Yes, you are." The teen said as he showed Arynn a bite wound on her forearm. "Shouldn't you be mindless and trying to eat me?" He asked. She smiled and leaned against a table.
"Let's just say, we're something else. And we won't hurt you."
"Besides," Page said, "from the looks of it, there's other things out there to be scared of then two old nannys like us." She gave the teen a deep look and he cracked a smile.
"Okay," He said still confused but he started to walk and Arynn held him back.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" She asked him. The boy pointed to the rest of the city outside a tall window. "Yea, I see." Arynn said.
"Lost my aunt out there," He replied. "I've been hiding here since."
"Where's your parents?" Page asked.
"They're in America." He slowly answered. "I'm supposed to be visiting my aunt."
"What's your name?" Arynn asked.
"Daniel." The teen said looking away. "What's yours?"
"Arynn," The dark-skinned woman replied. "And this is Page." The young woman gave a short wave to the teen. "Listen, Daniel," Arynn started. "I'm looking for a little boy on this floor. Have you seen him?"
"No, sorry." Daniel replied.
"No worries." Page said as she started for the door. "Then there's nothing more for us here."
"Where are you going?" The teen asked.
"I gotta go find him." Arynn replied. "I gotta go find my son." She said sternly.
"You can't go out there." He whispered.
"Why?" She asked as she lowered her eyebrows.
"There's something out there. It ate the last two people that I found." Daniel started to stare off. Arynn could see a traumatic look form on his face. She put her hand on his shoulder and he instantly jumped.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it." Page said. "You're better off with us than here by yourself..." She smiled.
"Lady," The teen blurted, "Are you nuts? There's no way I'm going out there."
"We don't have the luxury to stay here." Page continued. "You can either stay here and be a meal, or you can come with us."
"You guys are crazy." The adolescent muttered. "There's no way I'm going out there."
"Fine. Let's go," Page said as she started for the exit and opened the door.
"Wait," Arynn said coming towards the teen. "I understand you're scared. Hell we're all scared too. But that's no reason to live in fear."
"She's right," Page said as she peered outside the door.
"We need to find our friends and get the hell out of here." Arynn snapped. "If you wanna stay here, then be my guest." She started to turn around.
Arynn had to hand it to the adolescent, he was very brave for his age. She just wondered if his bravery would get him killed. She came back into the room and grabbed him by shirt. She dragged him out of the room and led him down the hall. Page took up the rear, cautious of what might have been watching from the shadows.
"Just follow us and we'll get out of here alive." Arynn whispered as they passed the remains of a security guard. The teen gulped and stayed close to the women.