Hooker stood up and approached Kirk and the others while everyone else fell silent as they looked on in astonishment. Both men studied each other - taking in each others features. Kirk looked slightly younger, but in all other respects the two men were identical.
Kirk was the first to speak "You..look...just..."
"Like me" Hooker finished his sentence, in a voice that sounded the same as Kirks.
McCoy shouted "This is incredible Jim!"
"Are we related...friend ? A younger cousin perhaps ? Maybe a brother my mother never told me about ?..." asked Hooker. He looked Kirk up and down once more, scowling at the unfamiliar starfleet uniform "...although you sure do dress strangely, if you are my brother then I'm definitely the best dressed one..." He said with a smirk in an obvious attempt to lighten the tense moment.
Kirk was just about to answer when the quiet was broken by a shout coming from further back within the store.
"ZOMBIES ! The Zombies are here!"
A thin middle aged man rounded the corner of a nearby aisle and ran towards the shellshocked group, his eyes wide in terror.
"They've broken through the loading bay! Everyone ! We need help...they are coming !", he continued breathlessly.
Panic immediately broke out amongst most of the gathered group, the volume levels immediately loud as people shouted for loved ones and children started to cry. The majority of people started the flee towards the front of the store, however a few people did not move. Those that stayed looked in the opposite direction, to where the thin man had appeared from as they picked up whatever weapons they had nearby with them. A few of them had guns, however others were now carrying shovels or knives and there were those who had resorted to wielding improvised weapons such as sharpened broom handles.
Hooker spoke directly to Kirk "This..", he motioned with a waving hand pointing back and forth between them both, "is going to have to wait."
He then shouted out to the rest of the surrounding group as he took charge.
"Everyone. Please keep calm. Romano and the rest of those of you with weapons - come with me."
TJ Hooker did not say another word as he ran away from the Enterprise team, and on passed his makeshift group. He sprinted down another empty aisle in the store that had been stripped bare of products, weaving from side to side as he ran. At the end of the aisle he did a forward roll, drew his gun, checked both directions and then rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight. He was closely followed by Romano and the rest of the hastily prepared weapon carrying mob.
Kirk said to his three security men "I don't know what's going on, but they clearly could use some help. Thompson, Giles. you two, follow them. Ward.. you're to wait here. These people..." he said as he looked towards where a woman had huddled together with her sobbing children, "...are terrified. Guard them."
He turned to Spock as the two red shirts moved away. He opened his mouth and was just about to speak when the noise from his communicator interrupted him. He answered it.
"Kirk here" He said loudly over the noises of panic coming from all around him.
"Scott here captain, I have an update for you"
'Make it quick Scotty, we have a situation here."
"Aye captain, I can hear that, is there any help you need down there ?" The heavily accented voice chirped through the small communicator speaker.
"Not yet Scotty, but I'll keep you posted in case that changes. But what is it? Can it wait ?" He replied back with urgency.
"Aye Sir. This is important. It can't wait..."
