Through Rough Times - A Zombie Apocalypse Adventure (alternate-timelines.com Edition)

[ukron]

Nov 25, 2021 17:02:41 GMT lordroel said:

Nov 25, 2021 16:45:20 GMT ukron said:

Chapter 18: First Met


Two agents of the Secret Service rushed to the main gate of the PEOC, something was wrong...

Either the president has a hart attack ore somebody has turned.

I don't want to spoil you but Gillan have wrote a whole chapter about Washington D.C events, so stay tuned  

[ukron]

Chapter 19: Unlikely Friendship
Date: October 17, 2018 (12:30 PM, 6 hours before)
Location: Long Beach, California

"Angela, stick close." Spencer said to the blonde 19-year old beside him. Angela was confused on what was going on, along with the people in the bus. To their sides, people started going out of the cars to see what was causing the explosion. Some took out their smartphones and recorded the whole thing.

Specner began walking towards the front towards the driver's seat along the others, who saw fire and smoke roughly 50 meters ahead. There were military helicopters hovering above while it looked like a crowed of people running away from shambling figures emerging from a bus that collided head on with a fuel tanker. The gunner of the UH-60 Blackhawk opened fire on the shambling figures, tearing them apart. And then the panic broke as people abandoned their cars on foot. California Highway Patrol officers rushed to the scene with megaphones, telling everyone to avoid the highway.

"Avoid what?!" Spencer asked. An officer armed with a shotgun entered the bus and demanded that everyone needed to get out now. The automatic gunfire from the police, soldiers, and helicopters began to chatter like a woodpecker. "Sir, what is going on?" Asked Angela. "Is it a terrorist attack?" The girl asked curiously.

"Ma'am, you have to get out of here now!" The officer yelled. "The rioters are coming and we can't hold them off!"

"What rioters?" Spencer asked.

"Just get out and keep your distance from them!" The officer commanded as he personally dragged the two out of the bus along the others who were still struck by the scene above them. By instinct, Spencer and Angela ran along with the crowd. However, Spencer knew it was too dangerous so they needed to look for a place to hunker down. It didn't matter if the two just met since Spencer held Angela by her right arm as they ran to look for a shelter. A convenience store was being looted. The moment he saw it, he immediately told Angela to follow him. He then took some food and supplies. Carrying them out, he realized his best idea was to carjack a vehicle and get head down to San Diego as soon possible. There was a sedan conveniently left open in the parking lot, the owners appearing to be nowhere in sight. "Wait, are we gonna steal a vehicle now?" Angela asked.

"No choice, we have to get out of here now!" Spencer said. The pair then loaded their loot in the trunk as they hopped on board. The keys were in the sedan, luckily. Angela got on board the passenger seat as Joshua gunned the engine and took off, avoiding the panicking people on the road. Joshua turned on the radio.

"...California National Guard has been deployed to Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area after the sudden rise of "rioters" on the scene. Governor Jerry Brown has declared martial law. Meanwhile, elements of the military from the Beale AFB, Travis AFB, Vandenburg AFB, Edwards AFB, Camp Pendelton, the Fort Irwin National Training Center, Coronado BUDS facility, and the Naval Base in San Diego have all been mobilized on what appears to be nationwide catastrophe...The city of San Diego has been designated as a safe zone as no reports of violence have been made..."

"Oh God!" Spencer shouted as he swerved the wheel, nearly hitting a police car that was rushing to respond to a crime scene.

"Everything alright Spencer?" Angela asked.

"My friend, he is a Marine stationed in Pendleton. He was supposed to be on leave when this whole thing went down. He is probably gonna be deployed soon."

"What's your friend's name?" The blonde girl asked.

"Trevor Allen. Lance Corporal." Josh replied. "He was my classmate in high school back there in Illinois. Joined to Marine Corps last year. I hope he is okay. I have plotted a course to San Diego since the radio said the place is free from whatever this is. Plus your family is there. I...I just hope he is safe. I need to tell my parents I'm safe too."

Angela could see the worry in Spencer's eyes. The girl too was worried since her family was down in San Diego. Spencer tried to avoid the crowd on the streets and the wreckages of some cars in the road. "See if you could find anything on this car." Josh said. Angela checked the back and saw nothing useful. She then opened the glovebox which surprised her. A snubbed nose .357 revolver was sitting there, along with 36 extra rounds of ammunition.

"Whoah." Spencer said. "You know how to use that?"

"Barely. My father thought me but I haven't headed back to the range recently." She replied.

"Keep that just in case." Spencer said.

Ahead of them, there was a car pile up causing Spencer to hit the breaks. He then took a detour then continued the drive down to San Diego. Then for the first time, he saw a glimpse of what those things in the highway were as he saw police officers engaging 15 of them on the street with pistols and shotguns. "I don't believe it." Spencer said. "What?" Angela replied. "It's just lie those movies." He said.

The two youngsters finally got to see them in the flesh. Terrified, Spencer turned the car around and tried to avoid areas with congregations. The drive to San Diego would be difficult indeed for the two new friends.

Present Time

Date: October 17, 2018 (6:09 PM)
Location: Santa Monica Boulevard

(Gillan's POV)

I lost count of how long the traffic must have been. I fell asleep for like an hour or so before Mike woke me up since everyone had to abandoned their vehicles and head to the nearest rally point 50 m away for a chopper evacuation. Gabrielle did not like the notion of walking but we had no choice since the roads were jammed. Our chance of salvation lie ahead. At this point, FEMA and the Marines did not mind the survivors being armed since self-defense was already considered necessary.

The line of people was unforgivably long. We had to walk in file and be sniffed by dogs. I personally saw some people taken out by the Marines who tried to hide their bites. Thankfully, the K9s could detect it. The people were then escorted to some medical tents for "treatment". I knew they were going to be put out of their misery once they turned into the Infected.

It was a long walk but eventually Mike and I were able to reach the lift off point. We were screen for bites using K9s and blood tests which turned out negative. "They're clean, let them pass." Said one Marine officer.

"Excuse me sir, but won't we need to turn over our weapons?" Asked Mike.

"Here? No, it's too dangerous to be unarmed. Something might happen. However, the Safe Zone may ask you to hand it over." The officer replied.

I nodded as the next CH-47 Chinook landed as Mike, Gabrielle, and I loaded it along with the refugees that were cleared. Another batch of CH-47s arrive, ready to airlift the refugees but there were still many waiting in line. I was just thankful that I was able ride on board this chopper. What an awesome way to ride a helicopter. I muttered to myself. It's ironic how I've always wished to ride a helicopter and here I got here, in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. As it lifted off, I peered across the window and saw bumper-to-bumper traffic on both sides of the highway.

I decided to get some sleep along with the two. Just as I closed my eyes, I felt Gabrielle lean on my shoulder as she decided to get a nap. "Heading to Los Angeles International Airport." The pilot announced in the intercomm.


Later...

Location: Los Angeles International Airport

We were then herded to a medical inspection tent. Our belongings and weapons were temporarily handed over as they did medical examinations on us. Once we were clean, we were then housed in some tents. The Marines and FEMA surprisingly let us keep our weapons just in case. I was sharing the tent with this Caucasian young man that did not look American and a man in his 40s. He looked Texan to me.

The Caucasian man then introduced himself, offering his hand for shake while his assault rifle was slung on his back. "My name is Jules." The young man said with a heavy sounding European accent.

"My name's Gillan." I said offering my handshake.

"Hi, I'm Gabrielle but you can call me Gabby for short." Gabrielle said.

"I'm Mike. All three of us came from the Philippines." My best friend said. "We were caught in this clusterfuck."

"Hey fellas, my name is Jim. Nice to meet you." The adult man said. "I'm from Texas by the way and I was caught in this phenomena too."

"What about you Jules? Where you from?" I asked, noting that his accent was not of someone coming from America.

"I'm from France. I'm a reservist at the French Army. I was on leave with my best friend Dylan as we were visiting our French buddies here in California. But then, this whole thing occurred."

The moment he mentioned about his friend Dylan, we were curious of what happened though since this certain Dylan was not with us. A few moments later, our worse fears were confirmed. "We were on our way to the French Consulate when one of those things attacked us. I killed it then the police ordered everyone to evacuate to Cedars Sinai. But the place was overrun when we got there. Dylan were able to loot an abandoned convenience store and obtain two Bushmaster M4A3s from a police cruiser sitting in plain sight. There were no cops but there was lots of blood and carnage. When we got to Cedar Sinai, the whole place was a warzone. The National Guard was shooting all those things we were surrounded. Dylan and I engaged the horde to get to the other side but a crawler dragged Dylan and bit him in the leg before more things piled up on him and tore him apart..."

At this point, all three of us were shocked and saddened at the news. Jim could only shake his head in sympathy. "In anger, I tried to kill many of those bastards but I was foolish. I was almost overrun by the horde or torn apart by an Apache's autocannon when he saved me." Jules said, pointing to Jim who then continued the story. "I was able to pull him to safety to a military convoy that took us here. I'm glad he is alive and not torn apart by those Muertos." The Texan said.

Gabrielle then placed her hand on Jules' shoulder, comforting the 19-year old French Army reservist. A few tears were falling from her eyes. Jules looked up to her like an older sister. Then, Gabrielle embraced him tightly. "That's horrible, I'm so sorry for you. You know, my boyfriend turned to one of those things this morning after he was bitten. I couldn't put him down so Gillan had to do it before he could bite me." The girl told. "I know how you feel, Jules." She said, patting the Frenchman on the back while embracing him.

"Many are affected by this outbreak directly and indirectly, son." Jim said. "You guys are just kids or young adults. You got a life a head of you. Me, I am old. We got to be strong now. This is the world right now. The world we knew where we were scared of school or concerned of getting laid or losing your job but all that ended already. The only thing in our mind right now is to survive. Like or not, but that's how it is. We got to fight to survive." The man said. He was right, this is a brave new world. All the worries of the average young millennial now ended. In order to survive we needed to work together.

I was indeed thankful to be alive. Even though this refugee camp is terrible, it is better than being left in the hot zones where thousands infected could be prowling the streets by now.

I then asked Jules, who was still being comforted by Gabrielle. "What about your parents Jules? Are they alright." I asked. "I heard the French have called all the armed forces to head back to the mainland since the regular Army is in need of reinforcements."

"My family is alright hopefully. I haven't been able to contact them but they live far from the capital. Paris is a warzone I last heard."

"Gabrielle's family is already en route to Hawaii. Her boyfriend's dying wish is to bring her to them safely. That is something Mike and I must do." I said.

"What about your families, mijo?" asked the Texan.

"They are back in Cebu, Philippines. They are safe as the infection has not reached there for now. Which I am thankful for." I said.

"We plan to take the next flight to the Philippines after landing in Hawaii." Miguel added.

"I see. However, in case this refugee camp falls. I ask you guys that we work together to find a way to go to Hawaii. We are better off if we are many rather than on our own." The Texan said bluntly.

"True." I replied.

All of us gathered around the Frenchman to comfort him. In this times of crisis, I am happy to have made an unlikely group of friends since they are all we could rely on in this hour of need. It would be very useful for the next hours or days to come.

[ukron]

Chapter 19: Unlikely Friendship photos and music reference.



(Civilians aboard a USMC CH-47 Chinook)



(LA international airport during the intital oubtreak)



(California Army National Guard soldiers patrolling the streets on Z-Day, October 17, 2018, 9:40 AM)



(Portions of Downtown Los Angeles on fire 18 hours after Z-Day October 17, 2018, 7:30 PM)



(Riots in Downtown Los Angeles after receiving news of police shooting "unarmed rioters." Some Infected were able to blend in with the crowd as the virus spread almost undetected. October 17, 2018)




(Riot officers stationed to quell civilian riots while their armed and overstretched counterparts struggle to terminate the ever increasing amount of Infected. October 17, 2018.​)

(Here's an appropriate soundtrack as the helicopter lifts off to set the mood):

(

[gillan1220]

Thanks ukron!

[lordroel]

Nov 27, 2021 17:10:01 GMT ukron said:

Chapter 19: Unlikely Friendship


The line of people was unforgivably long. We had to walk in file and be sniffed by dogs. I personally saw some people taken out by the Marines who tried to hide their bites. Thankfully, the K9s could detect it. The people were then escorted to some medical tents for "treatment". I knew they were going to be put out of their misery once they turned into the Infected.

Seems dogs in many zombie TL, movies, books and other media can detect if a person has been infected ore not.

Also how long does it take to be turned as it seems it is slow depending on the person health i presume.

[gillan1220]

Nov 28, 2021 10:24:14 GMT lordroel said:

Nov 27, 2021 17:10:01 GMT ukron said:

Chapter 19: Unlikely Friendship


The line of people was unforgivably long. We had to walk in file and be sniffed by dogs. I personally saw some people taken out by the Marines who tried to hide their bites. Thankfully, the K9s could detect it. The people were then escorted to some medical tents for "treatment". I knew they were going to be put out of their misery once they turned into the Infected.

Seems dogs in many zombie TL, movies, books and other media can detect if a person has been infected ore not.

Also how long does it take to be turned as it seems it is slow depending on the person health i presume.

The dog part was taken from World War Z. And it occurs in RL that dogs can somehow detect COVID.

Hmm depends on the bite. In the first victim was saw took 2 hours after being bitten on the arm. Those bitten in the neck is faster as the virus would travel the bloodstream closer to the brain. Multiple bites also make it faster just like what happened to Rain Ocampo (portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez) in Resident Evil.

[lordroel]

Nov 28, 2021 12:18:13 GMT gillan1220 said:

the dog part was taken from World War Z. And it occurs in RL that dogs can somehow detect COVID.

That is why it was so familiar.

[ukron]

Chapter 20: Connecting The Dots

Date: October 17, 2018 (10:30 PM)
Location: Los Angeles International Airport (Call Sign: Safe Zone Charlie)

"FEMA and the California NG have been deployed to major cities around the state. Affected states have done the same thing. President Trump states the affected areas have full federal support."

"For reasons yet to be known, President Trump's address to the nation has been cancelled. The White House has yet to comment though we may assume the Secret Service have talked him out of how dangerous it is to stay in D.C."

"The FAA has announced that all flights across the United States will be grounded and diverted to either Canada or Mexico. This is the first time in 17 years since the 9/11 attacks that the entire U.S. airspace will be closed to commercial aircraft until further notice."

"The People's Liberation Army has been fighting intensely in the streets of Shanghai and Beijing. Rumors has it that the Communist Party has evacuated to a nuclear bunker in the Xilinhot region."

"Kim Jong Un makes a rare statement willing to 'cooperate' with South Korea in regards on how to fight the 'Infected' within the Peninsula."

"The Philippines today has mobilized all the armed forces, police, reserves, auxillary groups, and the Coast Guard to terminate all Infected that would reach the country."

"Rumors has it that Gibraltar police and the Royal Gibraltar Regiment have shot several Spanish refugees attempting to enter the British Colony..."

(Gillan's POV)

After eating dinner and grooming up, we stayed up for a few minutes getting to know each other. Then Mike, Gabrielle, and Jim decided to get some sleep. I could understand why Gabrielle needed to, she had the roughest day among us and I was concerned she would break. They must have been tired as almost 15 minutes hitting the bed, the three fell deep asleep.

Jules and I remained awake due to loud sounds of helicopter rotors, gunfire, and explosions in the distance. Occasionally, I could hear soldiers, Marines, and FEMA personnel running past our tent. Peeping through the tent, I could see they just disposed 10 Infected bodies, placed in body bags.

As I walked to where my best friend and Gabrielle were sleeping, it made me think how falling asleep would make you temporarily forget everything. I then patted her head, assuring her that we would bring her to family in Hawaii.

"Mate, mind if I ask?" The Frenchman asked.

"Oui (Yes)" I replied with a few French I learned.

"I know we only met for two hours. However, I have noticed, the way you act around her." Jules pointed out. Raising an eyebrow, I asked: "What do you mean?"

"You seemed attached to her. I think you have feelings for her mate." He said.

Sighing, I then said "It appears so I do. Met her two years ago but at the wrong time. Now I met her again during this outbreak. Wrong place and the wrong time. Odd isn't it? It's like I'm starting to fall for her but I don't want to be attached for now."

Jules then asked. "Why is that so?"

"Her boyfriend as she mentioned to you earlier turned into an Infected this afternoon Jules. He turned before I could stab his brain after he passed away. He was about to bite Gabrielle so I...I...had to put him out of misery. I know Gabrielle understands what I did was necessary but some tension remains. I can feel it. I don't know when how long she will be able to accept that he is really gone."

Jules was saddened to hear what happened. I continued. "I had to do it, him as an Infected was a threat to us. He actually begged her to do it instead but she was reluctant. When he turned, I told Mike to hold her tight but she was able to get free. He almost bit her so I took out my Glock and shot him in the head."

Jules could only listen with pure sympathy. He felt the same way when his friend Dylan was killed by a horde of Infected. Gillan was right, it is a good thing not to be attached to anyone at this point. One day they are alive, the next day they are not.

"One way or another you got to tell her what you feel about her." Jules added. "You may have not another time to do it."

The Frenchman's words hit me like a brick. He had a point. These were hard times indeed. I then added: "Oh how I wish, but Jules that would be considered rebound. One, I got dumped by a girl named Kimberly just five days ago. Two, she is not over the fact that her boyfriend is gone. Three, I'm not an opportunist who would use this moment to hit on a girl. We just can't be together for now..."

"I'm curious, how did you guys meet?" He asked.

"A mountaineering group back then when we were in college. Kinda awkward when we first met, I kissed her on the lips since I was told to and blindly followed like a sheep. I was the new guy in the group so everything they said, I blindly followed."

Jules and I let a short laugh. It's good to remember good times and laugh at times. It would lessen the stress and anxiety of the this.

"Mate, you are brave. If you did that in France, I know the girls would kick you in the balls there." He said.

As we laughed a bit, my mind then drifted to the day I joined that mountaineering without knowledge on Basic Mountaineering skills. It turned out to be the best worst mistake I ever committed in my entire life.




"Black beatles in the city be back immediately to confiscate the moneys
Rae Sremm, Guwop, Mike WiLL!
I sent flowers, but you said you didn’t receive ‘em
But you said you didn’t need them

That girl is a real crowd pleaser
Small world, all her friends know me
Young bull livin' like an old geezer
Release the cash, watch it fall slowly
Frat girls still tryna get even
Haters mad for whatever reason
Smoke in the air, binge drinkin'
They lose it when the DJ drops the needle​"

- Rae Sremmurd - Black Beatles ft. Gucci Mane


Two years ago...
Date: November 13, 2016 (8:00 AM - 11:00 AM)
Location: D' Family Park
Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines

(Gillan's POV)

I was the newbie. All eyes were on me, from the veteran mountaineers to my co-applicants. And I knew why, because I never showed up during first semester. To be fair, I was busy with my undergraduate thesis. It felt so awkward but I took this chance to be with whoever these guys were. It was a beautiful November morning. There were tons of dry leaves the fell on the road. It kinda remind of me of fall but we don't have fall here in the Philippines. Across the Pacific, America is already in the middle of fall as thanksgiving is approaching. Of course, America has been in the headlines for the past few days. The world is indifferent, just four days ago in Philippine time, Trump won the elections. Even now, the effects are still felt.

The applicants then gathered. I happened to only know one guy in the group, an old classmate of mine named Marco Tan. I then stuck close to him because he was the only one I know. "Hey man, do you mind if I stick with you? Please, I'll be honest, I don't know anything what you guys are talking about." Marco replied. "Sure, try to catch up."

Besides Marco, I got a glimpse of my co-applicants. There were five other guys and five other girls. I then introduced me. "Hi guys, my name's Gillan. I'm the new guy here so please, please help me." I said.

"Sure thing." This Asian looking girl in a blue long-sleeved shirt and black jeans said. "My name is Tresha by the way, but you can call me Sham."

Raising an eyebrow why we should call her Sham, by the I nodded.

"I'm Alex." Said this tall Papua New Guinean.

"I'm James." said this familiar looking guy.

"Call me Justin." One guy wearing a white long-sleeved polo and black slacks said.

"My name's Simon." This man in blue polo said.

"Jeffrey John or JJ for short." This short semi-bald dude said.

"I'm Aubrey."

"My name is Ann Therese, but call me Anther for sure."

"Anther? Do you know that's a part of a flower right?" I joked. Hey, I was the biologist here. "Yeah haha." She replied.

"My name's Leigh." This other girl in an orange shirt said.

"I'm Happy." This other thin girl said. Raising an eye brow, I asked: "Happy, as in the song 'Happy'?" I joked again. Yes, I have a weird humor. "Yep, coz I'm happy and I know how it makes you feel." She replied.

"Call me Marg, my real name is actually Mary Grace." This girl that looks like Happy said. I wondered if they were twins or cousins due to the resemblance

"My name's Gabrielle." This girl with a glasses clad in a pink polo shirt and short skirt said.

Well, I'm glad they welcomed me with open arms. I know I am a burden to them but they seem to be alright.
*****
Later...

1:00 PM

We were introducing ourselves and our likes and dislikes. James and Gabrielle mentioned that all they want to is to drink their hearts out. Marco mentioned he joined mountaineering because he loves adventures and he is single. When it was my turn, I surprised my fellow co-applicants and veteran mountaineers that I could remember most dates and time. I promised to them I would note this day in my head too.

Unexpectedly, James called me. "Gillan, is this really you? We were neighbors before remember?"

Astonished, I then said: "James...Oh My God...this day is the day I meet you all again."

"What a small world." remarked one member.

"Yeah man, tell me about it. First, I only know Marco. Then my former neighbors are here. Then these accountancy people ended up knowing my classmate in kindergarten and high school. This has got to be the weirdest day of my life." I joked.

Right now, I feel fully accepted to group and it felt really good. "Hey guys, want to do a mannequin challenge soon?" I asked. They agreed.
*****
50 minutes later...
1:50 PM

The next group activity was a game called "Paint Me A Picture." The 12 co-applicants were divided into two groups. I was grouped with Anther, Justin, James, Alex, and Gabrielle. Since we were the one would do the act, the other group would follow. I was tasked to hold Anther in a prom dance position while sitting on Justin's shoulder. However, Alex could not carry Anther so they told Gabrielle to do it instead. Same thing, I held her in a prom dance position. Our eyes met face-to-face, I hope she didn't feel awkward.

Suddenly, one guy mentioned: "Gillan, kiss her!" I was dumbfounded to say. "Are you serious!?" I replied. Oh well, I was the new guy like the sheep I was, I blindly followed. After all, I was doing this for the sake of the act to make it more challenging for the other group although I did feel sorry for her.

Holding her by the cheeks, I then gently pulled her face near to me. Our foreheads making contact. "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry." I mumbled as I pulled her lips closer to mine, both making contact. Her eyes widened with surprise. I kissed her for like 5-10 seconds before pulling out, my palms still holding her face. Her cheeks were blushing pink from either caught in the surprise or out of embarrassment. After the act was over, I then pulled out and apologized to her.

"Gillan, if you're wondering what the time is, it's 1:50 PM." Said Tresha, giving me a look of distrust for what I did.

Yep, it was that time I finally crossed the line with that one. I impulsively did it. How stupid I was. I kissed Gabrielle, a girl I only knew for the past seven hours, impulsively. I then noted the date and the time what Tresha told me. It was it, there was no turning back. "This is 2016 now." I said to myself. Just a few days ago Trump won the U.S. Presidential elections, now I had my first kiss. I really did not what else to think.
******
5:45 PM

We took our group picture with the USC Mountaineers flag. The moon was beautiful that dusk. It was a full moon perfectly blending in the blue sky. However, I still did feel left out from the group since they all had tactical gear and head lamps while I had none. One of the veteran mountaineers offered his car to drive us out of Family Park. Since I was too tired to walk, I raised my hand that I would join. The car was small but we illegally cramped four people at the back. I was sitting beside Gabrielle of all people while Justin was sequestered at the edge. Awkward. I said, obviously noting the fact that I just sat beside the girl I impulsively kissed just this afternoon. After a short three minute ride to the exit (which is a long walk by the way), Gabrielle, Justin, and I disembarked from the vehicle. I came out, grasping for fresh air. While waiting for a jeepney, I then approached Gabrielle to apologize to her. "Hey Gabrielle, I'm really sorry for what I did earlier. It was a dick move and I acted impulsively." Surprisingly, she smiled genuinely. "It's alright Gill, I won't take personally." She said. She found a jeepney then Justin and I waved her goodbye. I then went home afterwards.



Red: Route of the car going to the exit
Green: Large field
Blue: Artificial Lake
Pin: The site of the team-building activity

Back to present day...

"It would be two months later I would see Gabrielle again, during a hike to Sirao Peak. And from there, I would not see her again until we crossed paths here in Los Angeles in the middle of the an outbreak unprecedented." I told Jules.

"Fate brought you two back here, mate." Jules joked.

I could not agree more. Of all people I could not still believe the fact that I would see her again here of all times and places. Though I have redeemed myself from the kissing incident two years back, I have a greater purpose to bring her back to her family. Even better I got the support of my best friend Mike and two strangers I just met, a French Army reservist named Jules and a Texan named Jim.

Right now, I was tired. I told Jules I was gonna get some shuteye. He did the same. My body then shut itself down after this long day of horror and madness.

[lordroel]

Dec 4, 2021 15:43:02 GMT ukron said:

Chapter 20: Connecting The Dots

"Rumors has it that Gibraltar police and the Royal Gibraltar Regiment have shot several Spanish refugees attempting to enter the British Colony..."

Well if they can mange to seal off the border they might have a change, but if Spain gets involved they are in problem.

[gillan1220]

Dec 4, 2021 15:44:57 GMT lordroel said:

Dec 4, 2021 15:43:02 GMT ukron said:

Chapter 20: Connecting The Dots

"Rumors has it that Gibraltar police and the Royal Gibraltar Regiment have shot several Spanish refugees attempting to enter the British Colony..."

Well if they can mange to seal off the border they might have a change, but if Spain gets involved they are in problem.

Gibraltar would be hard to defend. Spanish refugees can just come by boat. The small military and police there can only do so much.

[stevep]

Dec 5, 2021 2:26:27 GMT gillan1220 said:

Dec 4, 2021 15:44:57 GMT lordroel said:

Well if they can mange to seal off the border they might have a change, but if Spain gets involved they are in problem.

Gibraltar would be hard to defend. Spanish refugees can just come by boat. The small military and police there can only do so much.

  That's the problem even if order in Spain collapsed.  Plus there's the possibility of refugees and infected coming from Morocco as well.  Not sure how well prepared for a siege the colony is as to succeed they would probably be isolated for quite a while.  Britain is likely to be busy with its own problems even if order doesn't totally collapse there.  Could run out of food, bullets or simply manpower as people are worn down by either clashes with the infected or simply psychological stress.  On the other hand its one of the world's natural fortresses, with a lot of defences built and a fairly narrow land border with a decent kill zone.  Suspect the main initial danger would be refugees who might not realise their been infected, or simply hordes of refugees looking for refuge and overwhelming the colony.

  Made me think the Falklands might be OK provided that Argentina doesn't do something stupid before their overrun.

  The other international issue is that I fear sooner or later one of those powers with nukes are going to get desperate to stem the infected, whether inside their own countries or hordes from outside.  Thinking especially of a beleaguered Israel, the unstable situation between India and Pakistan or the insanity that is N Korea.  The latter, if it can keep itself from infection initially is going to have problems with its northern border if China is falling apart as it sounds like.

[gillan1220]

Dec 5, 2021 11:55:17 GMT stevep said:

Dec 5, 2021 2:26:27 GMT gillan1220 said:

Gibraltar would be hard to defend. Spanish refugees can just come by boat. The small military and police there can only do so much.

  That's the problem even if order in Spain collapsed.  Plus there's the possibility of refugees and infected coming from Morocco as well.  Not sure how well prepared for a siege the colony is as to succeed they would probably be isolated for quite a while.  Britain is likely to be busy with its own problems even if order doesn't totally collapse there.  Could run out of food, bullets or simply manpower as people are worn down by either clashes with the infected or simply psychological stress.  On the other hand its one of the world's natural fortresses, with a lot of defences built and a fairly narrow land border with a decent kill zone.  Suspect the main initial danger would be refugees who might not realise their been infected, or simply hordes of refugees looking for refuge and overwhelming the colony.

  Made me think the Falklands might be OK provided that Argentina doesn't do something stupid before their overrun.

  The other international issue is that I fear sooner or later one of those powers with nukes are going to get desperate to stem the infected, whether inside their own countries or hordes from outside.  Thinking especially of a beleaguered Israel, the unstable situation between India and Pakistan or the insanity that is N Korea.  The latter, if it can keep itself from infection initially is going to have problems with its northern border if China is falling apart as it sounds like.

Spain has not collapsed at this point, but the refugee dash will be crazy. Now that's the problem with Gibraltar because it only has a token police force and a small military presence. In a zombie apocalypse, ammo will eventually run dry. So will the food and field. To be frank, Gibraltar's border with Spain can be mined, but the real issue is refugees coming by sea or Infected washing ashore from the beaches.

I'd have to dig back if the Falklands survived. It could survive in theory since it is isolated deep in the South Atlantic. We may even see some Argentinian naval ships and a handful of refugees seek shelter there.

As for nukes, we shall see what happens next. 

[stevep]

Dec 5, 2021 12:40:29 GMT gillan1220 said:

Dec 5, 2021 11:55:17 GMT stevep said:

  That's the problem even if order in Spain collapsed.  Plus there's the possibility of refugees and infected coming from Morocco as well.  Not sure how well prepared for a siege the colony is as to succeed they would probably be isolated for quite a while.  Britain is likely to be busy with its own problems even if order doesn't totally collapse there.  Could run out of food, bullets or simply manpower as people are worn down by either clashes with the infected or simply psychological stress.  On the other hand its one of the world's natural fortresses, with a lot of defences built and a fairly narrow land border with a decent kill zone.  Suspect the main initial danger would be refugees who might not realise their been infected, or simply hordes of refugees looking for refuge and overwhelming the colony.

  Made me think the Falklands might be OK provided that Argentina doesn't do something stupid before their overrun.

  The other international issue is that I fear sooner or later one of those powers with nukes are going to get desperate to stem the infected, whether inside their own countries or hordes from outside.  Thinking especially of a beleaguered Israel, the unstable situation between India and Pakistan or the insanity that is N Korea.  The latter, if it can keep itself from infection initially is going to have problems with its northern border if China is falling apart as it sounds like.

Spain has not collapsed at this point, but the refugee dash will be crazy. Now that's the problem with Gibraltar because it only has a token police force and a small military presence. In a zombie apocalypse, ammo will eventually run dry. So will the food and field. To be frank, Gibraltar's border with Spain can be mined, but the real issue is refugees coming by sea or Infected washing ashore from the beaches.

I'd have to dig back if the Falklands survived. It could survive in theory since it is isolated deep in the South Atlantic. We may even see some Argentinian naval ships and a handful of refugees seek shelter there.

As for nukes, we shall see what happens next. 

  Ugh.  That is an unpleasant foreshadowing if I ever heard one.

[ukron]

Chapter 21: No Time To Lose

Location: "Charlie Safe Zone" (LA International Airport, LAX)
Date: October 18, 2018--Z-Day +1 (8:00 AM)

Jules woke up and rubbed his eyes. It was nearly only 24 hours ago that Dylan died. He had the feeling that it was years ago but an only day have been enough for changing his mind. He thinks he is stronger than the first day he spends in California. But he is still a foreigner in another country, torn apart by zombies, at least his meeting with Gillan, Gabrielle and Mike help him to feel not so alone.

A horrible sound of explosion and crumpled metal tore the air. It was close, too close, in any case...

"What the hell is that?" The Frenchman asked a Marine who rushed towards the noise.

"They had a helicopter, get moving!" The Marine exclaimed.

"Putain!" exclaimed Jules.

He ran to Gillan's tent ad shouted "Dude, wake up!" The latter snored and was very surprised to be shaken by the French. The funny side was quickly overwhelmed by the automatic gunfire and the fence that was slackening.

"What's going on?" asked Gabrielle, who had just woken up. Her sleep wasn't so peaceful, the night before Jules and Gillan noticed she was crying in her sleep. They knew why. "These bastards have managed to pass the security perimeter, we have to move." The Frenchman said.

The three Filipinos were not long in coming, Jim too had grasped the magnitude of the threat. They rushed out of the base camp to discover an apocalyptic scene while the Marines defended tooth and nail the base against what was a horde, a mass of infected. The tarmac of the airport was filled with helicopters and other planes, waiting to be loaded with refugees, they huddled in disorder, hustling the Marines and Agents FEMA responsible for the evacuation. People ran left and right, some even tried to stowaway in the landing gear of planes or hang from the sides of helicopters. Many of them were crushed or fell to their deaths as the aircraft ascended.

Quickly they have to find a Helicopter, there was a single CH-53 Super Stallion waiting to take off, but a bad surprise there waited for them. One of the USMC Helicopter crew waved them to wait. "There is only one place, guys. We're so sorry."

The hard truth of being unable to save everybody else fell like a wall of bricks. All the faces turned towards Gabrielle.

"You must go there, your family awaits you in Hawaii" Jules said.

"No, you saved my life Gillan and Mike, I can not let you down." The girl stubbornly replied.

"You must go there, mija". Jim said. "They need to see you. I'm sure they're scared as Hell knowing of your status."

All these talking wasted so much time that the place in the helicopter was taken by a terrified woman carrying an infant. All watched the helicopter go away joining the dozens of other aircraft leaving the airport ... the evacuation was over. However, thousands were left behind in the chaotic exodus at the mercy of the Infected as the battle for Safe Zone Charlie was beginning.
************************
International Space Station
Z-Day+1

The cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev peeked through the porthole at the blue planet they had left a few months earlier, with a mixture of curiosity and terror. He searched for the city of Лос-Анджелес[1], clouds from fires blocked the view but he hoped to see lights from the city as a sign that humanity still resisted this scourge. The control of Moscow had communicated to them all about the virus, the Pandemic that was violently affecting many countries around the world. The night had been terrible in Moscow, the Control of Moscow had told them about the chaos and the panic that had gripped Europe ....at least he was safe here but if things got worse, the floating station would be their last home.
************************
A/N
[1] Los Angeles in Russian.

[ukron]

Chapter 22: It's All Fucked

Date: October 18, 2018, 2:00 AM
Z-Day +1
Location: Downtown Los Angeles

The SWAT Team were now deployed to one of the busiest sections of Los Angeles, where thousands of thousands of residents attempting to flee the city. The evacuation was chaotic. Francis grabbed another set of magazines for his HK416 while his buddies Ray and Johnson did the same thing.

Right now, they had to hold this line while countless refugees tried to evacuate. The LAPD had mostly collapsed by this time, with pockets of resistance holding out in temporary safe zones or easily defensible locations. A metallic barricade was set up to temporarily stall the infected. The SWAT men knew this would not hold out for long, but were determined to make the Infected pay for every inch. Above them, LAPD helicopters provided what support they could, from machine gun door gunners to snipers to large spotlights that only illuminated the danger that was coming to them.

"Hold fire...Hold...Hold..." Commander Miller said as he ordered the men to aim their weapons at the approaching horde. The three SWAT men along with the other members and LAPD regular nervously placed their hands on their triggers.

"FIRE!" Commander Miller shouted.

Almost immediately, carefully controlled bursts of fire dropped the Infected that was approaching the barricade. Many of the Infected had their heads bursted open by assault rifle and submachine gun fire. It would look like the SWAT men would ultimately hold the line with hundreds of Infected dropping dead to the ground. However, more and more Infected were appearing, attracted by the gunfire, explosions, and helicopter rotors. And ammunition became a problem. Francis and the men knew they were making a stand, like Leonidas at Thermopylae and Davy Crockett at the Alamo. They made sure every Infected crossing the killzone would pay for sure. And if that failed, a last gap measure was to detonate numerous C4 that lined the barricade. It would buy the refugees valuable time, maybe hours. Not enough to kill all Infected, but enough to delay them for sure.

Francis and Johnson made sure they would fire single shots while Ray used his Benelli M4 with deadly results. Hundreds of Infected lay dead. 30 Minutes later, it became clear the Infected would overwhelm the meager defenders. Once they started piling up on the barricade, they were then picked off with shotgun and handgun fire. But more and more started piling up as the barricade began to give way. Defiantly, they stood their ground, continuing to discharge their weapons despite the depleting ammunition.

Commander Miller knew it was it, so like the leader he was, he then said: "It's an honor to serve with you guys." The SWAT men were shocked to hear the commander's words. "You know, you all fought bravely to the end. However, there is no way we could kill all these bastards. Now, you guys may now go to your families or to somewhere safe. I'm gonna make sure these bastards pay for what they done."

"What are you planning to do commander?" Asked Johnson.

"I'm gonna blow these C4 myself while all of you get out of this blast zone. I'll make sure I go down with the ship." Commander Miller replied.

Before any of the men could protest, Commander Miller accompanied by two other SWAT men decided to make the sacrifice. The barricades fell and the horde came down like a flow of water. Miller and his two companion bravely charged into the horde, shooting them down with their assault rifles. Then, Miller got hold of the detonator and pressed the button. A bright flash of light tore thought the street, sending countless Infected flying in all directions. Miller and two companions died with the horde.

It happened all so fast. Francis, Ray, and Johnson fell back and rode a black LAPD SUV while the other SWAT personnel fled in all directions with whatever vehicle they could find. It would be unlikely for them to see each other again. In the SUV, Johnson took the wheel while Francis and Ray sat the back. There was an extra M4A1 plus several rounds, magazines, and shotgun shells. As Johnson drove off, they needed to plan. Turning on the radio, they heard that LAX was designated as an evacuation zone and that it needed reinforcements.

"Drive to LAX, Johnson." Ray said. "There's an evacuation ongoing by FEMA and the California National Guard."

"Affirmative." He replied.

"My family is up in Vancouver." Francis replied. "They were in holiday when the shitstorm blew."

"My parents are passed away a long time ago. My brother is in Texas and he called how he and others formed a town militia to eradicate the bastards in the area." Ray replied. "It's too far travel so I'm going wherever the military deems safe."

Johnson rarely spoke. Later he revealed how his home was invaded and he heard gunshots and screams before the line cut dead. He tried to call several times but nobody would pick up. Accepting the worse, he made sure the Infected would pay. Rage boiled into him as he drove, running some of the Infected over.

The three SWAT men barely escaped. They performed their duty and various lives were saved. However, it was only a stop-gap measure. The Infected were not fully eradicated. First, they needed to escape Los Angeles before they could gather their thoughts.
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Author's notes:
The SWAT barricade scene is inspired from Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and Resident Evil: Apocalypse. The scene where the C-4 is detonated is inspired from the "Outbreak" scenario of Resident Evil: Outbreak.
Commander Miller is directly taken up from the flash game Days 2 Die 2.