Chapter XVI

PART III
CHAPTER XVI
GROUND ZERO

“Ladies,” Captain Logan cradled the black strap to his backpack with his right hand.
“And you would be?” Katy turned around, briefly averting her attention from the simmering fire.
“My name is Captain Nathaniel Logan of the United States Army.” He offered his hand out for a routine shake.
“Hello.” Katy politely returned the favor.
“And, this would be my second-in-command, Lt. John Garrison.” Logan formally introduced him.
“This is my friend Alethea,” Katy replied kindly. “We are in desperate need of medical attention.”
“I could see the fire from where we landed. I have strict orders from the President to enact one of two plans depending on the severity of the situation.” Logan looked around the colony. “Any known survivors?”
“Yes, a small band of them.” Katy pointed to the existing huts that sprawled around the area. “Some are still infected. Others may be on the brink.”
“Well, this is going to be a one-way ticket for all of us, unless we find the antidote.” Logan smiled. “Do we have this Quentin Forsythe around to aid us in our quest?”
“At the moment he’s not here. Another friend of ours, Dr. Judas Sturgis left some time ago to find Forsythe in the jungle,” Katy brought the Captain up to speed.
“An AWOL,” Logan responsively ascertained the situation. “Has Forsythe been infected?”
“Possibly so,” Alethea chimed in. “He had found the antidote, only to lose in an ensuing explosion. From what he had told me, fragments of the vial became embedded into his skin, injecting his bloodstream with remnants of the antidote.”
“Excellent. Then we have a patient to study once this Judas comes back with him.” Logan surveyed the area for possible camp. “Can we use that church over there to set up our base camp?”
“That was the Reverend’s.” Katy looked down with sadness.
“Was? Is the good Reverend dead?” Garrison stared about, trying to locate any survivors.
“Yes, he died in that explosion that totally destroyed our medical tent. We had no choice, the colonists were beyond saving and they had started to attack us,” Katy relayed the information.
“They started to attack you?” Garrison seemed lost.
“This virus seems to compromise their abilities to rationally think and socially act in everyday life. Their muscles slowly break down, as the first stage of the virus takes hold of them.” Katy wrought her hands in a nervous action.
“And the first stage would be?” Logan swivelled his head to the left side trying hard to avoid the blinding sunlight.
“Leprosy seems to the first half of this deadly concoction,” Katy responded. “Once the Leprosy eats away at their muscles, nerves and brain, the Ebola side rises to the surface and liquefies their organs into a bloody mess.”
“So, we have colonists that closely resemble some sort of zombie? It’s almost like this is right out of a George Romero movie.” Garrison’s eyes lit up with fascination.
“Well, their brains are compromised from the Leprosy, and although their intentions are basically harmless, like trying to ask for our help, or even make contact with us, their actions are manipulated by this virus. They endlessly claw and scratch, their limbs dangle by their sides, and their mouths are filled with blood and their tongues are numb and swollen. They walk with a constant slow shuffle, and frequently cough up pockets of blood, hereby innocently infecting the rest of us. I fear this virus is an airborne virus. Alethea has also brought it to my attention that this virus has possibly changed into something more deadly. Based on her first round of patients with Doctor Forsythe and this last batch that attacked us, I can honestly say that we‘re running out of time. Soon enough, this virus will adapt to a point where our antidote will not eliminate its threat.” Katy let a steady stream of tears stroll down her face.
“Well, we our work cut out for us then. Let’s concentrate on finding this antidote and save those we can. This task will be our primary objective.” Logan assured Katy. “But, if this totally gets out of control, then we need to head straight to Plan B.”
“What’s Plan B?” Ally asked.
“Plan B is where we burn everyone and everything inside the colony in order to prevent any further outbreaks.” Garrison cracked a wry grin.
“That doesn’t sound like the humane thing to do.” Alethea bristled with anger.
“Were all of the infected colonists inside that tent?” Logan motioned his head over to the fallen structure.
“I’m praying they were.” Katy raised her head.
“Well then, I will assume that the four of us are not infected and concentrate on that.” Logan started to formulate a plan of action as he unstrapped the mask. “We’re going to have to focus on anything that we might be able to salvage from the tent such as supplies, sheets, medicine, and like. We’re going to need to prepare ourselves to treat any survivors we may come across, and even take Judas and Quentin into consideration once they return to the colony.”
“Katy and I will search the tent,” Garrison said.
“I will take Alethea here, and we will set up the base camp.” Logan extended his arm for her in a gentlemanly fashion.
“Why thank you?” She replied. “I will help you in any way you need.”
“I would like for you to unpack the food, water, and our limited medical supplies, along with the computer and communication devices.” Logan professionally addressed her.
“I won’t let you down,” Alethea retrieved the materials from the Captain and journeyed back to the church to help set up their new camp, with Logan at her side.
Katy wearily approached the dismantled medical facility, tearfully embracing the dire situation. Garrison handed her a cautionary face mask, which she briskly attached to her hot, sweaty face.
John Garrison headed in first, with a firm grip upon his Glock pistol. “Just in case.” He waved the weapon motioning for Katy to follow. “It looks like your actions pretty much consolidated the virus.” John scoured the area as experienced military personnel would.
“The Reverend was over there.” Katy pointed over to the mangled mess of bodies and singed oxygen tanks in the far left corner of the room.
Garrison nodded his head he made his way over to that position, occasionally stepping over the charred remains of the infected colonists. He took notice of their mangled curled fingers, their recessed eyes, and their smoldering burning flesh. Garrison was never one for that disturbing smell. It had always turned his stomach on a dime, engineering a multitude of convulsions deep within his stomach.
“I can’t believe this,” Katy woefully added as she stepped over the two men she had killed previously. Their bodies seemed to fuse together from the intense heat, seemingly mixing their decaying remnants of skin together. “There seems to be a hell of a lot more bodies than I remember.”
“During times of war, that always seems to be the case. And, believe me, this situation is no different. Instead of a person, we are waging a war against this virus, which has seemingly grown powerful with each victim.” Garrison stepped over another round of burnt corpses.
“How can you tell?”
“It’s the natural course of things,” Garrison informed Katy. “As a doctor, you should know that in time this virus could totally alter its code and become even deadlier than the first incarnation. That is why we must eradicate this enemy once and for all.”
“Does that mean to hell with the healthy colonists? Katy curiously asked.
“Again, as a doctor, you know that we can’t take that chance with a virus such as this one. If we don’t get that antidote soon, then we will no choice but to destroy the colony once and for all, wiping out this virus.” Garrison’s foot had innocuously kicked aside a burnt piece of hand.
Katy clasped her hands over her face and stared down upon the burnt remains of Reverend Kimball Maddock. Her eyes caught the dangling remains of a golden chain inside his tightly clasped hand. After prying open his hand, Katy withdrew his Holy Cross, miraculously unharmed from the intense explosion.
“Please roll his body over,” Katy addressed Garrison. She looked down upon the Reverend’s glazed face, noticing how grotesquely his eye-patch was melted into his skin.
Underneath the Reverend’s body lie his fabled Holy Bible. The Bible was almost untouched from the fiery blaze, only singed a bit on the outside corners. Katy leaned over and picked up the prized possession.
“We’re going to need more than Sunday Mass darling,” Garrison snipped back.
“I have a friend who would want this for sentimental reasons,” Katy replied. “And, it’s always good to have some solid faith in our current predicament.” She tapped the book and held closely to her breast.
Garrison clicked on the frequency and began to inform Logan of their findings. He put his hand up to his mouth and started to speak into the miniature radio that was attached to his wrist. “Garrison to Logan, do you copy?” He walked around trying to erase the static that had infiltrated the signal. “Logan, do you copy?” Garrison again waited in silence, until finally he heard the crackling of Logan’s voice.
*****
Judas looked down upon the dangling Commander, who was clinging to Judas’s flailing feet for his sheer survival. The ripped, ragged collection of roots that Judas feverishly clutched onto had started to separate from their foundation, dropping the two men inches further to their death.
Commander Dantu drew back his one free hand and retrieved his knife ready to plunge it deep into Judas’s thigh in a last-ditch attempt at revenge.
Judas’s roving eyes caught glimpse of Dantu’s slick maneuver. “You have to be the dumbest fucker in the world,” Judas let off a harsh kick right into Dantu’s face at the exact moment the Commander drew the knife, ready to attack.
Dantu’s grip softened and his entire body swayed back and forth trying to regain his lost balance. Judas had perfectly landed his kick, sending the Commander reeling. One by one the roots snapped dropping both men another inch or two closer to the raging river. Judas managed to grab onto another stronger root and shifted his entire weight to the right-side of the cliff. Dantu on the other hand poorly adjusted and lost his grip upon Judas’s heels.
“We will meet again, Judas Sturgis.“ Dantu’s face grimaced as plummeted to his death, crashing into the raging river below.
Judas watched as Dantu’s body slammed into the water and quickly picked up by the rampaging currents. The river’s belly swirled with broken branches, twigs, brush and jagged rocks.
Slowly, Judas pulled himself up and collapsed atop the cliff’s landing. His entire body swarmed with pain and fever. However, Judas realized he had to fight through this ordeal and save the colony. Judas gathered his scattered thoughts and wobbly managed to stand up, rubbing his sore knees. His left foot still smarted from the kick he had unleashed upon Dantu’s curled mug. Judas could feel one of his toenails had completely snapped off, leaving an exposed pinkish sensitive area behind. Judas wisely diverted his attention to locating the journal amidst the rain soaked field. He caught a passing glance of Dantu’s gun embedded in the mud. Leaning over, Judas gripped the handle and pulled the gun from the mucky residue, and slid into the back of his jeans. He then recognized the soaked journal off in the distance lying against the base of a tree.
Before Judas could retrieve the valuable book, Dantu’s men had returned and noticed their Commander was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is our leader?” One of the men asked in a thick African accent.
“Yeah,” Judas rubbed his scraggly chin. “I have to tell you something about your Commander.” Judas reached in a slow, deliberate manner behind his back and clutched the butt of the gun, silently clicking off the safety.
“Take us to him,” The burly man again addressed Judas, only this time he raised his own weapon and aimed it directly at Judas’s chest. Both men stood roughly twelve feet apart, jockeying for position.
“I suggest you get off my back,” Judas responded in a dry tone.
“You’re in no position to make demands.”
“Oh, but you are mistaken.” Judas diabolically answered the deep-voiced solider. Judas grasped the weapon and swung it around, firmly cradling it inside his left hand and resting the butt of the gun inside his right palm. “The way I see it, you have two choices.”
“And what are they?” The soldier unflinchingly stared down Judas.
“You either lower your weapons and follow me to the colony and help me rescue the survivors.” Judas firmly focused upon the man before him. The nozzle of the gun perfectly aligned with the man’s heart.
“Or?”
“I’ll kill each and every one of you.” Judas expressed a slick smile.
“You bluff.”
“Am I?” Judas peeked around the rag tag collection of soldiers.
“What are you talking about?”
“It looks like your men got the message and are laying down their weapons as I speak.” Judas witnessed the process taking place behind the burly soldier.
“You lie.”
“Try me.” Judas squinted his left eye and cocked his head slightly to the left as if to take shot.
“Where is Commander Dantu?” The solider seethed.
“Will you lower your weapon?” Judas sternly directed. His mind had now been completely corrupted from the malaria, fever and the mysterious aura of the African Jungle. Judas clearly wasn’t sitting on the right side of the fence when the time came to distinguishing the differential between what was logical and illogical.
The solider now found himself caught inside a dangerous dilemma. Should he stay and fight? Or, join Judas and find out what exactly had happened to his Commander? “Yes, I will lower my weapon.” He raised his hand toward the sky and dropped his weapon to the ground. “Now, please bring me to the Commander.”
“As you wish.” Judas returned the favor and lowered his weapon, although he never let it leave the comfortable grip of his left hand. It just dangled by his side as he led the solider across the field, bringing him right up to the cliff’s rocky edge.
“Commander Dantu and I had a small skirmish up here and well, I survived and he didn’t.” Judas looked over the man’s hulking shoulder, down upon the river below.
“Then you must die for killing such a great man,” the solider responded as he turned to face Judas.
“Now, that’s where you’re wrong amigo,” Judas raised the gun. “I’m not the one that’s going to die here.“ Judas’ eyes tightened up, his face pulled taut with anger.
“You can’t kill an unarmed man.” The solider tried to call his way out this predicament.
“I don’t really care about the rules right now.” Judas released the trigger and sent a bullet spiraling into the man’s chest, sending a soft cloud of blood into the air. Judas’ face collected the droplets of blood that had been sent flying from the jarring impact. He watched excitedly through those blood stained eyes as the solider limply staggered backwards clutching the bleeding wound. After a short minute of teetering back and forth, the ailing solider plummeted off the edge of the cliff and into the fearsome river below.
Judas peered over the cliff and watched as the solider splashed into the water, leaving a sea of red trailing behind his dead body.
“So, who’s next?” Judas begged the question to the remaining soldiers.
*****
“John, I copy you. What’s going on?” Logan’s voice sifted through the static.
“Logan, we’ve found the charred remains of the Reverend. But, that’s not all.” Garrison peered around the room trying to stomach the grisly contents that were littered about.
“Explain.”
“Katy has found over a dozen colonists that perished within the fire. They were according to Mrs. Madison, infected and had to be contained.” Garrison needed some fresh air.
“Any survivors?” Logan asked.
“Everyone’s dead, Sir,” Garrison responded back. “The thick smell of death really bugs me out. Can we leave?” Garrison impatiently rocked back and forth as he waited for the Captain’s impending answer.
Silence filtered through the other end of the communication device.
“Captain, do you copy?” Garrison voice became agitated,
Katy firmly clutched the Bible close to her chest, letting a few prayers softly escape from her quivering lips. In all of her medical profession, she had never witnessed such an atrocity as this, nor had she been part of one. Her call, along with Alethea to incinerate the medical quarters, in order to save themselves seemed selfish at the time. Nevertheless, this was shaping up to be a battle between the colonists and the doctors. The number of infected had outnumbered the healthy and Katy had to take measures in order to bring those numbers back down. Captain Logan had brought medical supplies and some limited equipment to assist in aiding the colonists that were infected for only a short time, but Katy started to believe that getting off the colony had already passed her by. She would be here to the bitter end. Katy would now have to keep the good Reverend’s work alive, and quell any skirmishes brought on by the colonists.
“Logan, do you copy?” Garrison again blasted into the device.
“I don’t think he’s answering,” Katy informed the Lieutenant.
“Will you leave me alone? Why don’t you just keep praying into that waste of paper you’re holding onto?”
“Stick it up your,” Katy’s sentence was interrupted by Logan’s voice.
“Garrison, you need to come back to the church ASAP,” Logan directed his second-in-command.
“Why?”
“We’ve discovered several more colonists, both healthy and infected. I’m going to need you to potentially start Plan B.”
“We’re on our way.” Garrison gripped his weapon and let a grin roll across his sun-drenched face.
“We’ve also come across a man named Zartan and his dead son,” Logan responded. “Zartan is personally asking for Doctor Madison.”
“We’re coming,” Katy shouted into Garrison’s earpiece, sharply startling the cocky Lieutenant.
******
“Now, my fellow soldiers.” Judas returned back to the small ragtag group of men. “You have two choices. One, you come work for me and help me save the colony. Or, you wind up like them,” Judas said as he pointed to the river. “Dead.”
A medium-sized solider walked up to Judas and stared up towards the African sky. “We are with you. Just tell us what you need.”