Ch 8

Search and Rescue

"Give it another go!" Miles hollered as he stood by while Jamie sat in the pilot's seat of Eduardo's plane, cranking the starting lever to get it running. A gunshot echoed and smoke billowed from the rear end of the plane, the propellers spun and creaked. A low hum uttered from the engine and the plane vibrated on the ground.

All of a sudden, there was another much louder gunshot sound from the plane's left wing, Miles could see sparks coming from it as the plane began to shake more vigorously. Miles looked at Jamie in the cockpit and waved to him to kill the engine. Slowly the plane's engine hummed to a stop and Miles walked over to the hatch on the side of the plane. The stairs rolled downward and Jamie came walking out of the plane.

"It's that damn propeller again." Miles said.

"Well what did we expect Miles? This baby is over twenty years old and Victor expects us to have it up and running in a couple months?"

"Besides stating the obvious, that's your specialty Jamie." Miles said as he patted Jamie on the shoulder, "I'm gonna go look at the map again." Miles walked away from Jamie who walked over to the problem area to begin working on it.

Mile's desk was sitting in the corner of the hangar, papers strewn across the surface and a small electronic lamp emitted a subtle light that cascaded over Miles' papers. His map was unfolded across the entire table with old and new markings written all over it. Miles grabbed a wooden chair and pulled it under him as he sat at the desk. To the left of the map was a small slip of paper given to him by Victor, with printed numbers on the top and bottom of it. Miles glanced at this small slip of paper before he moved his eyes back over to the map. Just then, he noticed something. In the top left corner of the map, there were other numbers scrawled in handwriting, Miles' own calculations of the latitude and longitude of San Lorenzo.

With one arm, he reached over and grabbed a large metal compass and stood it up on top of the map, gently setting the needle on the map, occasionally glancing at the small slip of paper with Victor's coordinates on it. With the pencil lead tip, Miles began to draw a circle on the map that began to circle around the main island. As the circle closed itself, Miles' eyes started to widen. Once he finished drawing, he dropped the compass and set his eyes back on the numbers on the map and then back at the numbers on the slip of paper. He then backed away from the table to look at the larger circle he just drew. He looked in awe to see the circle partially circle around the main island until it curved into the mainland, cutting a third of the island off from the rest of the island within the circle. Miles started to put the pieces together in his head and realized what this could've meant. Instantly, Miles stood up and walked over to the guard to escort him up to Victor's office.

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(At the house)

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The denim jacket zombie continued to roam around on the deck. Arnold and the group moved down to the basement to keep quiet and buy more time off their scent. Gerald, checking out the main floor and peaking out the backdoor, came crawling down the stairs and scooted over to the group who was huddled in the back. Mai was laid out on the floor, Tai holding her hand and helping her breath.

"Still out there. I think he's got company too." Gerald whispered.

"What now?" Stinky asked.

"Only a matter of time before the slop is completely out, they're gonna smell us." Nadine murmured.

"Everybody just relax. They'll be gone in a bit, the horde's not that big, we'll just-" Arnold started.

"Arnold now is not the time for optimism, we're gonna be dead here in a few minutes." Gerald said bluntly.

"Well if we-" Arnold began, then all of a sudden, flashes started to zip through Arnold's head, he clutched his head in pain. A whole array of colors filled Arnold's mind as Gerald crawled over to his aid, whispering his name and trying to keep him calm and quiet.

Images started to flash in Arnold's head. They were blurry but Arnold could hear rapid fire gunshots, some human shouting. He could see bodies falling to the floor, and a pinging sound like metal clanging. Then an explosion echoed in his brain as the flashes stopped. Arnold came back to his senses and saw Gerald looking at him.

"It's happening again, isn't it?" He asked. Arnold just looked at the carpet and then at Gerald again, "What'd you see?"

"We're not gonna die Gerald."

"What?"

"We're not gonna die. We'll be okay." Arnold said as he began to scoot away from the group and began to head upstairs.

"Arnold are you insane? What the hell are you doing going up there."

"Gerald, I said we'll be alright." Arnold said.

"Arnold, how can you be sure?" Phoebe asked frantically.

"I don't know, just keep your heads down and listen." Arnold said as he looked up the stairs, as everybody else did the same. There was silence, and every now and then the pitter patter of feet. Presumably the denim jacketed zombie was still wondering around on the deck, starting to pick up their scent.

Out of nowhere, the group heard the screeching of tires, slamming doors and then gunshots, rapid fire and echoing. To Arnold, they sounded familiar; but to everybody else it was still terrifying, not knowing what they were or where they were coming from. The gunshots continued to roar for another minute, traveling around the room from different directions. Arnold looked in thought as the sounds echoed his vision. All of a sudden he remembered how it was going to end.

"Everybody stay down!" He cried. The group then ducked and grasped their heads. Arnold couldn't hear the metal clanging he heard in his vision but he and the others most definitely heard the explosion afterward. It was faint but the shock quaked through and shook the entire house. Silence fell on them, and Arnold stood up. He walked toward the stairs and looked up at the closed door, buried in darkness at the top of the stairs. Gerald called out his name.

"What are you doing? Get back here dude!" Gerald said.

"Gerald, they're gone."

"How the hell do you know?"

Arnold looked back at him, "Gerald, maybe it's time to stop asking questions and find out where those gunshots came from."

"Whatever you say man." Gerald said as he reached down and pulled his pistol out of his holster, cocking it once, loading the chamber with a bullet. Arnold looked back at the group.

"Just stay down everyone, we'll be right back." He said.

"Be careful football head." Helga said as Phoebe shushed her.

Arnold headed up the stairs and Gerald followed, staying five feet behind him. As the two reached the top of the stairs, Arnold carefully pushed the door open. As it swung open the two looked around, Arnold could hardly see the window to the deck where he couldn't see the denim jacketed zombie.

Just then, three loud slams came from the front door. Arnold and Gerald walked around the corner and arrived at the front door where they heard the same three loud slams again, this time louder and harder. Gerald scooted back and readied his pistol, still holstered. Arnold walked to the doorknob which he gripped tightly and began to twist.

Arnold then swung the door open and Gerald stood his ground. But as the door swung open entirely, Gerald just gaped his mouth when he saw three people, one wearing a trademark bandana and the one to his left with round red rimmed glasses. Arnold took a glance himself and saw the three suited men holding assault rifles. Smoke billowed from behind them. Among them were Torvald McKinley and Curly Gammelthorpe.

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(FTi Station Kappa, Victor's Office)

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"I'm telling you Victor, this operation is a bad idea. You saw what I saw."

"I gave you coordinates, Miles, you were supposed to copy them to the flight plan. That was your current assignment, not to act as carthologist. It's a map."

"Did you even take the time to look at it? The coordinates are completely different from what your scientists came up with. Does that not sound eerie in the slightest?" Miles argued.

"If it was a hundred degrees, sure, I'd shit my pants. But we're talking ten degrees in both longitude and latitude here. Aside from possible human error, I'm pretty sure it's just the fact that your map is old."

"This is not just an old map you ignorant shit! There's something here we're not able to understand just yet!"

"Miles, you're a consultant in this mission, nothing more. If you think there's an error, you can bring it up when we land. We're flying out in a week, do your job and we'll let you and your family go."

"Victor I'm telling you, we need to call this off. Say we set a flight plan and it works but what about when we land. The fact that my map and your stats are different says that something is up. I'm going back to Lieutenant Johannson and tell him what I know." Miles said as he started to head out.

"You will do no such thing Miles." Victor started, "Remember, you are not in control just because I let you out of your cell to help us with our project. If you have something logical to add to the mission, please, enlighten me. But, your supernatural talk needs to stay in your head. Remember what happens if you make a mistake." Victor said as he h+overed his hand over his walkie talkie.

"You fuck up once…I make the call and your life becomes a living hell. Understood?" said Victor.

Miles just stayed silent, "Now how about you go back to the hangar and do what you're supposed to do." Miles prepared to walk out the door until he stopped in the frame.

"One day Victor," Miles started, "You're gonna get what's coming to you. If you've seen the things I've seen, you'd choose to believe instead of deny."

"Memo taken Miles, thank you." Victor responded as he sat at his desk. Miles walked out into the hallway and headed for the elevator.

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(Back at the house)

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Almost a dozen zombified corpses lay strewn across the front lawn. The groups' Humvee lay in ruins from the grenade that Curly had thrown.

"How did you find us?" Arnold asked. The group all sat in the living room as Torvald, Curly, and Turner sat with them.

"FTi sent us out to search for you." Torvald replied.

"FTi? As in Future Tech Industries?" Arnold asked.

"Yup, FTi offered some positions for enlisted men to test their military equipment. Before you know it, they grew their own security force.

"Are there more of you?" Phoebe asked.

"Too many, I'd say about 300. But the pay is good and they let us use explosives." Curly chuckled.

"Oh like the ones you used that blew up our Humvee?" Helga asked.

"Right, sorry about that." Curly murmured, clutching his rifle.

"We were given orders to find you." Torvald said with a smile, "FTi's invested so much in their military branch, we're able to find anybody, even in this mess. For three months we've been bringing people to the Midwest where we've got the infection slowed down a bit."

"Slowed down? What you mean slowed down?" Gerald asked

"The infection started on the east coast right? But as it spread, our FTi stations in the Midwest were able to set up a quarantine, 'bout a week in since the initial spread." Torvald responded, "Richtofen, our CO knows what he's doing."

"Do they know what started it?" Eugene asked.

"Nope, something having to with some sleeping sickness, but that's all we know." Curly replied.

"What about our families? The Hillwood evacuations." Arnold asked.

"Sorry Arnold, we weren't there. Our squad was making preemptive evacuations in Pennsylvania. Probably why they sent us out here to find you since we knew the area." Torvald said.

"But you're here to rescue us now right?" Arnold asked.

"We're picking you guys up, that's correct." Torvald responded. Suddenly, Turner, the third soldier elbowed Torvald in the shoulder. They looked at each other, the group could see their eyes squinting and moving. Torvald looked back at Arnold.

"Arnold, you and I should have a talk real quick." Torvald said.

"Why's that?" Arnold asked.

"It'd be better if we talked alone before letting anything out in the open."

"Out in the open?" Arnold said, "Torvald, I don't keep secrets from my friends, who evidently are your friends too, remember. Either you tell me now, or I tell them later, sooner or later everyone in this room is going to know what you have to tell me."

Torvald looked him in the eyes, Arnold's intention seeped into his head. Torvald began to speak but choked a little.

"Arnold…" He started, "We're not here to rescue all of you." He said, sternly. Silence filled the room. Mai and Tai who were sitting on the couch held each other's hands tightly. Everybody scooted back a little out of shock but Arnold just stood his ground, surprised. His feet started to sink into the floor, gravity adding more weight to his conscious mind.

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To be continued.