"And then there's Sam." The soldat said to William as they walked up the stairs and onto the roof of the hotel. The roof was barren except for a grunt leaning up against the edge, holding some kind of sniper rifle, looking down at the streets below. "There he is." The ATP agent stated pointing at the grunt.

The grunt had his head turned away from the two and he seemed to be waiting for more enemies to come down the street attracted to the shots fired earlier. The soldat walked over to him and put a hand on the grunts shoulder. "How many today?" He asked. The grunt shrugged.

"I don't know. Eight." the grunt responded. "I haven't really been keeping track today."

Sanderson walked up behind the two.

"Do you know which of these building the Doctor is hiding in?" The grunt pointed up at a large skyscraper a few blocks away from their position. The building must have been used by the agency since it looked in rather better shape than the others.

"I saw movement from some of the windows on the twentieth floor last week." He pointed out. "I assumed it was only a few zeds but it might have been your doctor." The grunt shrugged and placed his rifle on the crate beside him. "I mean, that is the agency's base here." Sanderson scratched his head. His hand was still bleeding but only a few fine droplets were running down the side of his head.

"Soldat?" Sanderson asked. "I appreciate your cooperation but can you and your friend leave me alone for a minute. I need to make a call." The grunt picked up his rifle, turned, and headed for the stairs. The soldat nodded his his head and followed in behind his comrade.

"Take your time." He called back. Sanderson walked over to the edge of the building and stared out over the landscape. The entire city was in a smoldering mess. There were cars and trucks crashed into buildings and flipped over on the road and sidewalk. There were few corpses that were recognizable in the streets below as human bodies. The ground and sides of some buildings had blood of victims smeared all over them. The was another agency truck parked on the sidewalk with blood spilt all over the back doors that were covered in scratch marks. There were a few dead zeds around it, probably shot by that sniper, Sam.

Sanderson reached in his coat pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He pressed the center button then slide his finger across the screen to unlock it. His home screen had a few apps on the home screen but William impulsively pressed the call button. A pad of numbers appeared on the phone. He typed in a few numbers then brought the device up to the side of his head. A few rings followed then a woman answered the other end.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Hey, Molly." Sanderson replied. "Sorry I didn't call you earlier." He heard a clear sigh on the other end.

"You didn't have to do this, Will." The girl said honestly. "They have other agents to do that. Annie has been in front of the TV watching the agent go in, wondering where you are. She's really worried." Sanderson sighed himself and looked up at the blood red sky.

"I can't just stand by and watch as innocent people and agents lose their lives like this. I'm not just doing this for the agency either." His tone grew very serious as he tightened his grip on the phone, his orange blood running down the side. "I'm doing this for our daughter. I want her to grow up safe and not have to look over her shoulder when the agency or her old man's not there." The recruitment officer cleared his throat and tried to sound cheerful now. "That's why I put in for a vacation after this. We'll book a hotel at the beach and spend a who-"

"You're not listening!" The woman shouted. Sanderson flinched at her voice which hurt him deep inside. He knew he wasn't going to be able to squirm out of this one. "Our daughter is wanting her father who never there for her and sometimes I wonder if he even cares about her any more! You think one week and a month is enough for her? She needs a father in her life!"

"You are not going to put the blame on me." Sanderson stated defiantly. "I had to take this job and I have to save these people. Because if I don't, no one will." There was a brief silence before the crushing words came down on the cocky agent so confident that he thought he could get away with anything. Anything… except caring for his child when he needed too.

"If that's how it's gonna be…" Her voice was breaking on the other end. "Then don't bother coming home anymore."

The words ripped through Sanderson deeper than any bullet ever could. The only words he could say were ones that he would ultimately regret.

"Well maybe I won't." Before letting her get another word in, our anti-hero, and anti-father, took the phone down and pressed the end call button. "DAMMIT!" He yelled as he shook the phone. William felt like getting on his knees and crying his heart out, but he didn't. All he did was say his curse and shove his phone back in his pocket.

"Family problem?" Sanderson turned around and saw the white suited agent standing there by the open stair case. He started walking to his fellow agent and walked to the edge beside him. "I had serious family problems before I joined the control branch. It was hard at first, learning to forget about those you once cared for. But I got used to it."

"You have your orders, agent Balard." The recruitment officer said as he kept his back to agent Balard. "You keep them in your sight and stay out of my problems. If you don't, it's gonna be a long day for you."

"Just trying to help." Balard insisted. "I talked with the team. Since you have different orders from me, I suggest we break into two teams. You take two ATP agents up to the top levels while I carry out my mission with the other two agents." Sanderson started walking to stairs and Balard quickly turned and followed right in behind him.

"What about the survivors?" He asked as he reached the first steps and began walking down. "I assume their going to cover us in some way?"

"Yes." The Control agent responded. "They plan to take positions in the lobby and on a nearby roof. The soldat says that there are barricades around the front of the building, so they can take cover there." They had now reached the bottom of the staircase and had walked into the lobby where the rest of the survivors had gathered. The ATP engineers must have gathered outside, awaiting their team leader.

There was Sam the sniper carrying his rifle; the soldat, holding a magnum; the 1337 agent with a sawed off shotgun; and the grunt in a padded vest and headband, holding a AR-15. They weren't much of a fighting force but they would be able to cover the operatives while they carried out their mission. Sanderson scratched his head then removed his trooper sunglasses.

"All right, people, listen up." Everyone turned their attention to Sanderson while Balard walked past him and over to the entrance. A few gun shots could be heard outside from the ATP agents who were probably holding their ground against some zeds. Sanderson himself walked over the door and stood in the doorway as he went on to put his glasses back on after wiping sweat from his face.

"Our primary mission is to rescue you… but we also have a secondary mission that we need to execute. The Triangle Team and I have to head to the agency base in this city to carry out that secondary mission. Everyone of you are going to take up arms and cover us while we carry out our orders. If any of you don't follow through, or if you break line and turn coward on us, you'll be left here with no transportation, no extra ammunition, and no back up. We are gonna MARCH in there and we are going to STAY in there until our objectives are complete. Then you'll be evacuated with us and the other agency members of Circle Team... Any questions?" Sanderson didn't give them a second to respond.

"No? Good. We're leaving immediately."

The glass doors of the agency burst open as Sanderson, Balard, the soldat, and the four ATP engineers rushed into the lobby. The sounds of gunfire following after them as the survivors followed and covered them against the dead that were chasing after them. The room was somewhat dark as the over hanging lights were extremely, extremely dim. There was a reception desk with a large TV screen hanging above it flashing the agency's emergency broadcast system that informed the people that rescue teams were coming to get them and civilians should remain indoors until help arrives. There were two hallways along the sides of the reception desk, that are covered with blood, and along each hallway there are three elevators each. Down the right hallway was the body of a 1337 agent, leaning against one of the elevators with a deagle in his right hand and a bullet hole protruding out the side of his head, which slumped over on his right shoulder. Down the left hallway there were a few boxes thrown on the ground with papers scattered around them. There were small puddles of blood here and there as well as five dead Zeds that were mustered in front of an elevator riddled with bullet holes from some sort of rifle.

"Alright boys," The soldat yelled over the gunfire. "Fall back around that barrier and cover Triangle Team!" As the survivors inched into the building, shooting at the six Zeds that pursued them, wanting all their blood. Sanderson headed off down the right hallway with two of the four ATP engineers while Balard turns around, pulling out a snub nose revolver and firing a few shots at the Zeds while his two engineers run down to the elevator in the left hallway. Sanderson dashed up to the nearest elevator and presses the 'up' button. In a few seconds the elevator dinged and opened it's doors to reveal a Zed standing up from a recently killed professor, his face mauled beyond recognition leaving his lab coat stained with crimson blood.

Sanderson jumped back as the zed rushed him. Before he could pull out his gun to fend of the new threat, his two engineers opened fire at the zed with their mp5's. Almost all the rounds fired landed in the neck, shoulder, or the head of the Zed before it fell to the ground causing the agents to cease their fire. Sanderson turned and gave a thumbs up to his comrades then motioned to the elevator. "Let's go team!" The two engineers rushed in the elevator, one heading immediately to examine the body, with Sanderson following in after them. The doors closed and the other ATP engineer pressed the thirty-seventh floor button. With another the ding, the elevator car shook once and then started it's ascending motion to the top levels.

"Sir?" The engineer examining the corpse said to his boss who looked back at him.

"Is it him?" Sanderson asked. The agent shook his head.

"This guy's named Matt. We're looking for Eric right?"

"That's right." William looked up at the screen above the doors and watched the numbers climb. "When we find him, we meet up below with the rest of the squad."

"Hey, Will?" Asked the agent beside Sanderson, who was still watching the numbers.

"Yeah, Parker?" Responded the recruitment officer who now reached into his coat to pull out his Beretta.

"Never mind you got this." The 'Parker' agent reconsidered. A few seconds later the elevator dinged again and the doors opened to a very well lit lab. The three slowly stepped out of the elevator car and into the room with their guns raised. There was a table on the far side of the room where a chair with it's back turned to the team stayed motionless. Along both sides of the room were stationary consoles that were attached to tubes, containing what would be ATP clones. Sanderson slowly made his way to the table to examine a laptop the was laying on it, when one of the agents noticed a blood trail leading off next to one of the tubes on the left side of the room. He slowly made his way over to the trail and quickly saw that the dried up blood led to a dead 1337 Zed that was laying over the lap of the bloodied corpse of a scientist. Both had large, gaping bullet holes out the sides of their temples but there was no gun nearby. The agent looked over at Sanderson and shook his head before standing up and taking a few steps back.

Sanderson was now right in front of the table and reached out to grab the laptop when the chair turned around to reveal a professor holding a P1445 which he quickly aimed directly at Sandersons head. He had on a white lab coat, black researcher goggles, and black gloves which gripped his gun "Oh," He said surprised as he lowered his weapon. "I'm terribly sorry. I thought you were another one of those zombies." The researcher pointed his gun at a forty degree angle and rested his hand and the handle of his gun on the table.

"Are you doctor Eric?" Sanderson asked hoping that this could be the end of his mission. Hoping that he could finally leave, head home, and make up the rest of his day with the family. But his hopes were shattered by the next words that were uttered.

"No, i'm afraid not. I'm his colleague, Stunder. Eric disappeared yesterday, made for the elevator. I assume that he ended up just like all the others. " Sanderson's heart sunk low at the news. "I told him not to leave," The scientist continued. "I told him we had to stay put. But he didn't listen to me. We were supposed to survive this together…" Sanderson looked at the Zed in the corner and then at the dead researcher next to him.

Stunder turned his chair slightly to get the same glimpse of the dead figures. "That was Dr. Coft. He was with us for only six weeks before all this started to happen. Such a waste that I had to put him down. He deserved better this." The researcher turned his attention back to Agent Sanderson. "You look familiar yourself. But I don't remember seeing you around this facility. Just who are you?"

William didn't know what to say. He had so many questions running through his skull. But he knew he had to take things once at a time.

"The names Sanderson." The agent replied. "William Sanderson. Triangle Team." The scientist looked down at his feet. Sanderson could feel the grim tone of the man before he even started talking. He was feeling grim beyond belief and who could blame him with what was happening outside?

"Wait, you're the propaganda man aren't you?" Stunder looked up again at Sanderson. "Now what's a man who sits behind a desk all day doing out here? No, that doesn't matter either. Please, just take the files and go."

"Files?" William didn't understand what he meant. "No, we're the rescue team." Sanderson stepped closer to the desk and leaned into the professor's face. "We're here to get you and the others out."

"Don't lie Mr. Sanderson. We know you're here for the endurance research documents I've spent my whole career on." Sanderson stood upright and looked down at the man who now refused to make eye contact. "Your employer's probably forgot to pick them up while they were desperately trying to find the traitor in the city then flee from the carnage." Stunder turned his chair back away and stood up, facing the white wall of the lab. "Then again," He went on. "the agency has a main mission in their sights." The professor turned around again and walked around the side of the table over to Sanderson. "If you are here to rescue us, then I suggest we not waste any time."

"But..." Sanderson hesitated. "Is there anyway to find the doctor?" Stunder reached up and scratched the side of his head.

"Well… Yes... There's a control room on the top level. We should be able to pinpoint his position in the building with the consuls in there."

"Alright, let me report this to Rodney." William shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled out a small radio. He pressed a switch on the side and held it up to his mouth. "Rodney, we've located a survivor. He says that we can locate Eric by the control room, we're gonna head there now."

"All right," The voice of the soldat from earlier came in. "These zed are really pissing us off here so hurry up or we're gonna lose the floor." Sanderson, without skipping a beat shot back:

"Roger, over and out." The agent slipped his radio back in his pocket and turned around. "Everyone, with me. Move out."

Authors note: Notice all the things wrong with this story? AAHW personnel have actual families and are humanized with real emotional problems instead of just punching bags for the "heroes". Zombies referred to as zeds by everyone except one guy. They never say AAHW once. NOT ONCE! This story is such a mess even with out the grammar errors.