Chapter nine:
Artemis slashed through the first wave of undead. She then went to the last remaining stone. After saying a few more words in their language, she was able to remove the stone from the base. This did not close the portal. To do that, they needed to destroy the power source.
"We need to find the generator and destroy it," Artemis declared.
"There should be an entrance hidden under the sand," Alice answered.
Carlos and Alice were busy killing or curing the undead in their path while Claire began searching for the entrance to the generator. Artemis was in the process of moving the stones to safety by piling them in their SUV. Between trips, she would stop to fight the undead. She watched as the storm drew nearer.
With the last stone accounted for, Artemis was able to help Claire. They dug at the sand with their feet until they found the door. When they did, they dropped to their knees and worked together to pry the door open. It revealed a metal ladder that led to the inner workings of the generator.
"Alice, Carlos!" Claire called out.
Alice and Carlos retreated from the undead to grab the explosives from the car. They joined Artemis and Claire at the entrance to the generator and each went down the ladder. The generator gave off massive heat, making it impossible to touch the railings or walls without getting burned. Regardless, Alice and Artemis set charges on the metal walls, ignoring the pain.
"They're coming down here!" Claire called out as the undead started dropping down. She took a gun from Carlos and started shooting.
"We're almost there," Alice said.
They set the final charges, realizing they couldn't use the same way they came in. The undead were pouring in one after the other. They ran in the opposite direction until they found another ladder. At that exit, Claire was the first one out. Alice and Artemis followed. Then, Carlos went after them, still shooting at the undead that were right behind them.
The storm was even closer. Yet, they needed to put some distance between themselves and the generator before detonating. The charges were sure to cause an even bigger explosion when they reacted with the energy in the generator. They fought their way past the undead and to their SUV.
"We should be far enough now," Carlos said.
Artemis saw the storm. It was almost upon them. "We're out of time either way."
"You're right about that," Alice agreed. She prepared to detonate. Then, she smiled and held the detonator towards Artemis. "You should do the honors."
Artemis reached for the detonator with a big grin. "Really?"
"Yeah. It's why you came here," Alice said.
"Whoever is pulling the trigger needs to do it now," Claire warned.
Artemis kept one hand on the detonator with Alice. "Together?"
"On my mark," Alice said as she put her hand over Artemis' fingers. "Mark!"
They pulled the trigger, detonating the charges. The result was a huge explosion that wiped out the remaining undead, and the storm overhead magically vanished. Sand and stones fell down like hail as they covered their faces. Fire burst upwards towards the sky, signaling the end of the Umbrella generator—and the potential Umbrella had to reopen the portal.
"Wow. That was great. It's been too long since I've gotten to blow something up," Artemis commented.
"It worked. The storm disappeared," Alice noted.
Carlos took Alice's hand with a glance at the SUV, and the many stones inside it. "We still have the stones."
"We need to get them somewhere safe. Any ideas?" Artemis asked.
"Well, we were going to Las Vegas…" Carlos trailed off.
Alice smirked. "The casinos all have vaults."
"Smart." Artemis smiled. "Sin City, huh? I love it. I haven't been since I was in my twenties. Let's go."
They went back to the SUV, finding that they'd forgotten a single explosive charge in the front seat. That was going to come in handy. The passenger situation was going to be a challenge. There was only enough room for one in the back. Carlos looked between Claire and Artemis, smirking. "You might have to share that seat."
Artemis sat down with Claire on her lap. Alice and Carlos smiled, saying nothing, as they drove away. Claire's face was inches away from Artemis' chin. With the bumpy road, Claire had to hold onto Artemis' shoulders.
"Thank you for saving me in that facility," Claire said.
Artemis shrugged. "It was my pleasure."
"I remember what you said to me. When I was fighting the T-virus," Claire went on.
"You do? Which part do you remember?" Artemis asked.
"All of it," Claire replied. "I stayed, so I guess that means you have to stay."
"If you're good with that," Artemis returned.
Claire nodded. "I'd like that."
On the next bump, Artemis and Claire's noses touched. They closed the distance with a brisk kiss, smiling when it was over. Carlos saw the kiss in the rear view. He bumped Alice and discreetly gestured to the back seat. Alice smiled and took Carlos by the hand.
"I didn't know you liked women, by the way," Carlos commented.
Alice ignored the blush on her cheeks. "I don't pick sides. I pick people."
"And you picked me?" Carlos asked as he moved in as if he wanted a kiss.
She playfully shoved his shoulder. "Eyes on the road, Carlos. There are still a lot of undead out there. We could be in for some trouble."
"Yes, ma'am," he answered lightly.
XxXxX
In Vegas, they found nothing but sand. They went to the Bellagio where they carried the stones to the vault. It had been emptied out years earlier when the world ended, though the vault itself was still functioning. They sealed the stones inside the vault, but that didn't feel secure enough for Artemis.
"I say we bring down the building. Seal this place forever," Artemis suggested.
Alice nodded. "I like it. We do have that last charge."
"Mind if I?" Artemis asked.
"Be my guest," Alice said.
Artemis set the explosive charge, and they left the Bellagio. Once they were at a safe distance, they detonated. The ground caved in, along with the entire hotel. There was nothing left but a giant pile of rubble. The stones were safely sealed in the vault, which was now safely sealed by layers of debris.
"I'll still want to come around to check on things. Make sure no one tries to dig them up," Artemis said. "I did promise the Admiral I'd guard the portal, and I don't want to break that promise."
"We'll keep them safe," Alice swore. "I think we need to focus on this cure for now. See how many we can save. After that, we can make another batch. If we keep doing that, we might be able to cure this entire country."
"What about the rest of the world? Umbrella?" Claire asked.
Alice sighed. "We'll have to take it a step at a time."
"At least we know the other world is safe from the T-virus, and we won't have monsters on our doorstep," Artemis pointed out.
"That's true. Our immediate mission is over. Our new mission is just beginning," Alice said. She looked over at Artemis. "Are you in?"
"This is my world now too, Alice. I'll do whatever it takes to make a difference here," Artemis confirmed.
Alice smiled. "Good. We're going to need you."
