Omega Virus (Book 1): Beta Hour (17 page)

“To
becoming a god!”

LEVEL 20 – SECOND STAGE

“Wesley, what
have you done?” I asked as we both took several steps back.

 
Governor Wayne’s arm snapped out to the
side, each finger stretching and popping. His head rolled back and forth, and
his jaws snapped.

Wesley
grinned and held out his arms. “As gamers, we must always face the enemy at
full power!”

“You’re
insane!” I shouted and looked to my friends.

Wedge
and Dave were carrying Fox toward the lift while Jeff, Kessa, and Jessie stood
a few feet away shaking their heads. I popped the clip on my gun; only five
bullets left.
 
As if on cue Wayne
shrieked, forcing us to cover our ears. Wesley held out a finger, beckoning the
mutating bastard. Wayne’s head lolled from side to side as his arms doubled in
size. He dug each finger in and pulled himself across the dirt arena. Wesley
stepped back never letting him catch up.

The
base rumbled as an explosion came from above.

Jessie
gasped. “What the heck was that?”

Jeff
turned to the girls. “Get out of here.”

They
didn't need to be told twice; they ran after Dave and Wedge.

“You’ve
had your fun! Kill it!” I snapped.

Wesley
Shrugged and hopped back out of Wayne's reach. “With what?”

“You
don’t have a plan?” Jeff stared incredulously.

The
Zombie Killer shrugged, and Jeff snapped. He stomped over, grabbed Wesley’s shoulder
and spun him around. Jeff brought back his fist and delivered a powerful punch.

“Oh,
thanks!” Wesley's voice dripped sarcasm. “Now I can think of a plan!”

“Wes—ley!”
Corpse Wayne bellowed.

“Oh
yes!” Wesley said, leaning towards Wayne. “You remember, even with that huge
hole in your head?”

Wayne
leaped forward and grabbed Wesley, lifting him by his neck. I lifted my gun,
but Wesley waved his hand.

The
governor finally stiffened and rose to his feet, taking Wesley up as his leg
muscles bulged. But the fedora-sporting idiot continued to smile.

The
base rumbled again, and chunks of rubble fell from the ceiling, raining down
around us. The place seemed to be coming apart. We’re we under attack?

Across
the arena, the lift clanked and raised the girls, Dave, and Fox to safety.

Biggs
voice rang out from above, “Guys, run!”

“Just
go!” I shouted back.

“Well,
good luck then!” He yelled, and a gunshot went off.

Wayne
took the bullet to the head, and stumbled, releasing Wesley.

As
soon as he touched down, he pulled out twin pistols and stomped forward,
blasting the towering monster. Blood sprayed as the bullet wounds opened up
across its body, but Wayne merely laughed.

“Guns
aren’t going to hurt it!” I shouted.

“Fine!”
Wesley holstered his guns, and whipped out two daggers and sliced into Wayne’s
legs. The monster looked down
unamused
. It swung an
elongated arm, sending all three of us from our feet. The world spun, and I
slammed down on my shoulder, bouncing and rolling. When I came to a stop, I
fought dizziness and made it back to my feet.
   

Wesley
and Jeff were already on their feet. Jeff backed out of the Lv02's reach, but
Wesley held his arms out wide, shouting,
“
Come on!”

Wayne
took long strides as he rushed the Zombie Killer. I raised my gun but hesitated.
I’d just be wasting my ammo. I put the gun back into my belt. We needed another
plan to fight it.

“Over
here, jackass!” I yelled.

Wayne
stopped and glared with bright green eyes. Wesley leaped up, grabbed Wayne’s
ripped shirt. He pulled himself around and up onto the monster’s shoulders. He
took his blades like scissors around its neck, and quickly snapped his wrists.
Wayne’s head came off and bounced away. The Lv02 Corpse barreled into a wall
and fell over.

The
base rumbled again. “We need to leave!”

Jeff
shook his head. “Something like this can't be left alive!”

“I
know,” I muttered.

Wayne
stumbled around decapitated, but as if he could see, turned and ran at Jeff.

“Crap!”
Jeff cursed and ran for the lift.

“What
are you doing?” Wesley cried. “Don’t lead it out!”

“Do
you have a death wish?” I snapped at him.

He
shook his head. “Quite the opposite. I want to live forever.”

“You
could have fooled me!” I turned and ran after Jeff and the stampeding Corpse.

Wesley’s
boots crunched the dirt, and soon he passed me. Ahead Jeff reached the lift,
which thankfully, the others had returned to the bottom. But Wayne had almost
caught up.

Wasting
bullets or not, I needed to help. I stopped and aimed at Wayne’s legs, pulling
the trigger five times, using every bullet. At least two shots hit the monster.
It stumbled and crashed. I rushed past the fallen form and jumped over a
swinging arm. Wesley stood just before the lift facing the fallen beast. I ran
past him and jumped on as Jeff hit the up button. The Zombie Killer didn't get
on.

“Come
on!” I shouted.

“Go,”
Wesley replied.

“You
promised me answers.” I hissed and grabbed his collar.

He
struggled, as we lifted into the air. “Hey! Let go!”

Jeff
came to my aid and helped me drag Wesley onto the rising platform.

“You
can’t give answers if you’re dead,” I said.

“I
wasn’t going to die!” Wesley grumbled.

“Yeah,
pretty sure you were.” Jeff smacked his shoulder.

Wesley
crawled on his knees to the edge of the platform and peered down. But then the
huge creature stood and easily reached us even without its head. The lift
clanked and settled in.

“Time
to run!” I said.

Wesley
argued. “Once it gets out, we can’t get rid of it! Jeff agrees!”

“Nah,
man. I changed my mind.” Jeff shrugged. He turned and ran to the door switch,
and the doors slid open. I slipped through, and I spied Wayne climb over the
ledge with ease, still following. I shut the doors leaving a thick steel
barrier. Turning, I ran like hell. Seconds later, the Lv02 pounded on the
doors.

“Will
they hold?” I cried as we ran.

“They
never do!” Jeff said.

Even
Wesley nodded in agreement.

We
reached the end of the hall as the doors gave way and flew free. Sprinting up
the stairs, we ended up out in the halls trying to find the exit. I started to
turn right, but Wesley grabbed my arm and pulled me the opposite direction.

“Not
out the front.” He said. “The back has a tank yard; we may have a chance
if—”

The
entire base rattled.

“Was
that a tank?” I asked.

“Crap!”
Wesley snapped and took off. “It better not have been! They can't waste the
special ammo!”

“What
special ammo?” Jeff wheezed.

The
thrashing monster exploded down the hall behind us, crashing into the corner
and tearing down chunks of the ceiling along with it. The light from the tank
yard shined in as bright as day.

We
burst out into the gravel clearing, surrounded by woods. The sky above us had
turned to night, but huge spotlights shined down from all directions. We
skidded to a stop as we faced two tanks.
One on each side.

The
wall behind us exploded open.

“Get
down!” Wesley said, and led the dive across a low sandbag barrier. I turned to
see the Lv02 stopping temporarily.

“If
anyone's in there, fire!” Wesley shouted.

I
ducked and covered my head as the tanks both went off in unison. The explosion
came, and cold mist burst through the air. Chunks of frozen Corpse flesh rained
from the sky.

I
stared on in awe. Only Wayne's planted feet still existed. The rest scattered
far and wide. The tank hatches popped open, and two helmeted soldiers popped
out
;
Lu and Lo.

“T-thanks,”
I said, but the twins, still hidden behind masks, said nothing.

“We
need to move!” Wedge called out from behind the tanks.

I
turned to see a military truck, dark green against the black night. The
headlights were off, but the engine hummed. My eyes adjusted to see Wedge
holding open the back flap of the truck. “Fox is in bad shape. We need to find
a place for medical treatment.”

I
started to climb in but stopped. Wesley hadn't followed.

“Aren’t
you coming?” I asked him.

“I
have other places to be, still.” he shrugged.

“What
now? What more revenge do you need?”

“It’s
about more than that—” Wesley shook his head.

I
grew angry. “A game? High scores?”

“No,
Zach.”

“Then?”
I shouted. “You promised me answers!”

“Come
here and I’ll tell you.” He said.

“Get
in or we’re leaving you.” Wedge put out the ultimatum.

“Just
hold on!” I pleaded.

“Fox’s
life is on the line—”

“Then
go!” I snapped and headed back to Wesley.

The
engine of the truck revved, and I didn’t look back.

“Well?”
I asked.

“I
have to save the world.” He said.

“Save
the world? This isn’t a game, Wesley!”

“To
them it is.” He responded. “To G.O.D Mode.”

“You
know about them. So give me my answers.”

“The
only way you’ll find out is if you help.” He offered.

“You
want me to help you?” I asked.

He
nodded. I turned back to the truck and walked up. “You didn’t leave.”

“No,”
Wedge said. “But now we are, so get on. We have to go.”

“I’m
not coming.” I looked Wedge in the eyes.

“What?”
Kessa leaned forward. “Then I can’t either.”

“Okay.”
Wedge showed no emotion. “Suit yourself.”

One
by one, the Gamer's Guild exited the truck, to join my side.

“You’ll
be safer with the Link Brigade,” I said.

“Hell
no,” Dave grunted. “We’re a team.”

“We
have each other’s back,” Jeff added.

“The
Gamer’s Guild!” Jessie smiled.

As
corny as it felt, they were right. They considered me a part of the Gamer’s
Guild. I had real friends; more than I ever wanted, even if the Zombie
Apocalypse had gone down around us.

Wedge
shrugged. “Good luck. Lu and Lo blew up a lot of the base’s interior. It’s not
safe in there, now. So that you know.”

I
saluted Wedge, but she rolled her eyes and let the flap fall back. With that,
the truck rumbled away.

“So
now what?” Jeff asked.

“We
need to find shelter so we can talk,” Wesley said.

“Then
let’s get a move on.” I nodded.

“Follow
me,” Wesley said.

We
walked out into the night, double file and onto the road. Kessa and I walked
hand in hand. She smiled, and I tried to but couldn’t.

“I
thought it was just from being cold,” Dave said. “But Jessie, you look really
pale, are you okay?”

“Y-yes.”
She stumbled over her words. “I just have a cold or something.”

She
didn't have much more time. Wesley slowed, and Kessa bumped into him.

“Excuse
me!” Kessa grumped.

“Sorry.”
He said. “I need a word with Zach. You guys keep going. We’ll catch up.”

I
stopped, and we exchanged glances.

“Never
mind.” Wesley shrugged.

“What
do you mean, never mind?” I asked.

“I
don’t need your help saving the world.”

“Wait
a second!” My voice rose.

He
hushed me. “It’s not like that!”

“Then
what?” I asked.

“Do
you have the guts to kill her?”

My
gut froze over.

“Do
you?” he asked again; obviously, he meant Jessie.

“That
isn’t going to happen!” I lied.

“Do
you think they won’t all notice? She’s bitten. Only the frozen hibernation is
keeping it slowed in her veins.”

“I’ll
find a cure or—” I tried.

“A
cure?” he asked, incredulous. “There is no cure. Don’t fool yourself.”

“But—”

“You
have two options,” Wesley said.

“You’re
not the boss of me!”

“You
two are putting us all in danger,” Wesley said. “If she turns in the middle of
the night, she’s going to kill us all. Well not me, but you all!”