Omega Virus (Book 1): Beta Hour (32 page)

LEVEL 39 – TELLTALE

Feeling
motivation or not, the challenge of walking still stood before me.
 
Now. I staggered along, almost a Corpse.
But at least no longer felt fear. Not only did I feel like a hero, I felt like
a Zombie Killer
;
someone who transcended the normalcy
of a normal
ZPoc
survivor. The old Zachary Mastiff
died back there, alongside Wesley James. For the first time, I believed
Grandson had come within reach. I would get my answers to all of the puzzling
questions, and kill that son-of-a-bitch before he could hurt anyone else.

As
I limped past dozens of rooms, I ignored them all. I didn’t need to search for
guns and ammo; I didn’t need to find any other Corpses to fight. I only needed
to get to Grandson, and then I would hunt down
every last
G.O.D. Mode member and make them
pay, one by one.

“I’m
coming for you!” I shouted.

“Finally!
I was beginning to worry.” Grandson mocked over the speakers. “I hope you’re
not looking for a fight. You aren’t are you? I think you'll lose in that state.”

“The
hell I will,” I muttered.

My
friend's scents were growing
stronger,
Jessie’s in
particular, but the scent of rot came on the strongest.

“What
makes you think you can win?” Grandson asked. “Of the two, I am far superior.”

I
continued on, picking up my pace, freeing my joints and muscles from the
rigidness within.

“We
are but one and the same, you and I.” Grandson continued. “But there is one
vital thing that sets us apart.”

“Do
tell.” I turned a corner and headed in the direction of the rot.

“I
know how this ends.” He laughed.

“Typical
villain monolog,” I muttered. “When I’m done with you, I’ll find Grandfather
and punch him in the face.”

“You
will never make it to the others.”

“I
said in the face!” I snapped.

As
I battled the virus within, I could almost feel my white blood cells losing the
battle.

“We
weren't always, confident, were we?” Grandson said. “Now we've both grown
brave, and taken separate paths.”

I
closed in on the Lv04; its scent seemed closer than my friends. That meant
Wesley’s killer had gone into hunting mode.

“So
you sent it after me,” I said. “Coward.”

“Do
not presume you understand my motives.” He said. “If you can't deal with a
Lv04, you're not worthy.”

I
glanced at the reflective wall as I walked. And for a moment, I thought I
looked upon Wesley, but no, I looked back at me.

More
determination filled me. Stopping equaled death.

It
dawned on me then, I couldn’t feel a migraine anymore, in fact, I couldn’t feel
anything at all
;
not my fingers, toes, my heart or
pulse. I no longer even breathed. A coroner might have declared me dead on my
feet, but as long as I had my mind, I could go on.

“You
see, I thought because we are so alike, I could become a God.” Grandson
continued to ramble.

“Good
for you.” I spat.

I
sensed the Lv04 just ahead in a room where our battle would ensue. It looked
like a graveyard. The ground appeared to be made of packed dirt. Tombstones
dotted the area.
 
I entered the room
and read the first plain looking grave.

“Experiment
0001.” I read aloud. “Failed to adapt.”

The
next read Experiment 0002, failed to adapt, and the graves went on in rows
spanning the length of a football field.

“You’ve
reached the Graveyard.” Grandson spoke.

“This
is sick.” Looking forward I spotted a figure standing in the center of the
room.

The
smell turned my stomach. I knew the creature to be the Lv04.

“I
found your pet,” I said.

“No,
Mastiff, it found you.” Grandson replied.

The
Lv04 looked like a shirtless man, except being so thin its ribs pressed out
from within, actually breaking the skin and protruding into the air. Its skull
had sunken in eye sockets, and its nose had rotted off. The face appeared
almost entirely skeletal except for its cracked blue lips. The creature wore
tight black pants and was barefoot. The most disturbing part of the monstrosity
showed itself when it stretched out its long arms. At the end of each were
foot-long claws.

“Please
don’t put up a fight.” Grandson sounded concerned. “I would rather you save
your ammo.”

“Don’t
worry. I’ll save a bullet for you, asshole.” I lifted my Desert Eagle, pointing
at the Lv04.

The
creature took slow steps forward, never lowering its claws. Step after step it
came, hissing as it moved and picking up speed. I wrapped my finger around the
trigger and fired.

The
kickback nearly threw the gun from my hand, but I maintained my hold. The Lv04
took the shot in the shoulder and stopped walking. A chunk of its upper arm had
been blown off, and now hung by mere threads. It slowly turned its head back to
me, and opened its mouth, but no sound came out. I almost thought it smiled.

“Oh,
Mr. Mastiff.” Grandson said. “Why did you have to piss it off?”

“Cuz,
I’m pissed off.” I pulled the trigger again.

The
Lv04’s arm blew off, and it screeched, looking at the stump.

In
a sudden movement, it darted faster than a rabid cheetah. The gap closed in a
split-second, and it swung its claw. My body felt so stiff; I couldn’t try to
dodge.

The
attack slashed across my chest, and I nearly fainted when I saw my blood spray
the Lv04’s face. It stuck out an elongated tongue and lapped up the blood,
then
it began to cackle. The attack should’ve been
crippling, but I couldn’t feel pain anymore. So I lifted the gun right up to
the bastard’s chest and fired.

The
super Corpse tumbled, falling over a tombstone, and shattered the next with its
skull.

“You’re
toy isn’t any fun.” I closed my eyes. “Please tell me you have a better
surprise waiting for me.”

“He
isn’t done yet.” Grandson assured.

My
eyes popped open, and the Lv04 had moved. I turned as fast as I could only find
thrusting claws coming straight for me. I gasped as all four long daggers
impaled my chest. It retracted its claws and cackled again. I looked down and
touched the wound. Surely, my lungs had been pierced. When I tried to breathe,
air leaked out as a morbid whistling.

“Crap.”
I
gasped,
my voice came out in a strange airy tone.

The
cackling continued as I glanced back up at my foe. It had killed Wesley and now
stood in my way.

“Screw
off.” I lifted my gun right to its face and pulled the trigger.

The
head of the Corpse exploded in a gory mess. The creature stumbled back and
still, despite its decapitation kept standing. I walked forward and fired
another shot. It lurched back but swung about trying to slash me. I fired
again, blowing off its other arm. I made my way up to the defenseless body
lifted my foot and kicked it in the gut. With a thud, it collapsed into the
dirt. I stomped and stomped again. It still kicked its legs about, so I turned
and fired a shot into each knee, blowing off its lower extremities. Finally,
only a torso remained.

“That
wasn’t so hard.” I continued across the room.

“Do
you know how hard it is to make one of those?” Grandson snarled.

I
kept moving toward the next chamber. I tried to count my bullets in my mind.
How many had I just used? I kept counting and came to a conclusion, despite
that part of my mind seeming to be shutting down, that I had four bullets left,
maybe. As I continued, I lost large amounts of blood, and my body progressively
became harder to move.

After
a hundred steps I approached a door covered in red leather. Spikes jutted out
of the barrier in a hundred places. I frowned; it certainly looked like the
door belonging to a boss. Grandson would be the boss at the end of this quest,
the final thing standing in my way. There would be sequels, I knew, but first,
I had to finish this one.

The
door swung open
on its own,
and the next room had no light.
I had reached the moment of truth. Knowing it’s too late to back down, I
stepped through the portal and the door promptly slammed shut, bathing me in
pure darkness. I waited for several seconds and high above a series of lights
hummed to life, turning on with metallic clunks.

The
room looked huge, with a steel catwalk running along the upper portion. The
floor beneath my feet had been made of glass with fluorescent bulbs underneath.
Straight ahead lay a red carpet leading far across the room to a set of stairs
whereas predictable, stood a throne
;
an empty one.

“Where
are you?” I said as loud as I could. “And where are my friends?”

“I
will show myself in due time.” Grandson said; his voice sounded raspy and
broken.

Down
from the ceiling fell three ropes. Each of them had been strewn up by their
hands
;
Jessie, Jeff, and Dave. All of them had a gag
in their mouth. They all locked eyes with me and shook their heads. They were
trying to tell me I'd walked into a trap, but of course, I knew that.

“Are
you happy to see them?” Grandson asked. “You know because if they died, this
would all be pointless, wouldn’t it?”

“You
never would have got me down here, otherwise,” I said. “Now let them go and we
can have our chat.”

“No.”
Grandson said. “I think I’ll let them hang out just a bit longer.”

“You're
a bastard!” I waved my gun in anger.

“Both
of us are bastards.” He said. “Technically, anyway.”

“Why
aren’t you coming out?” I growled. “I don’t have time for this.”

“I’m
willing to give you something that will stop the virus from turning you into a
Corpse.” He chuckled.

“And
what’s the catch?” I asked.

“You
hurt my feelings.” Grandson said. “Why must there be a catch? Can’t you just
accept my offer in good faith?”

“Not
a chance.” I aimed my gun around the room. Surely he meant to ambush me with a
horde of Lv04s.

“Fine.”
He said. “I will give it to you if you believe me or not.”

In
the center of the room, just to the left of the red carpet, a panel opened on
the floor and another pedestal, much like the one on the ship, rose up. When it
finished its climb, I stared, incredulous. Sitting in the center, I spied an
injector gun and another vial. This vial looked to be made of bluish steel.

“Go
on.” Grandson said. “Take it. If you don’t hurry, it will be too late.”

“What
about my wounds?” I asked, touching my chest. “Won’t I die once my lungs need
to work again?”

“You
need not worry, I promise you will not die.”

Up
above, Jessie, Jeff, and Dave struggled, swinging about and trying to get free.
They screamed from underneath their gags, and I couldn’t help but have a bad
feeling about the option presented before me. But then, I saw a drop of blood
fall from one of my friend's wrists. The ropes were hurting them. I could smell
the blood's wonder. I moved to it, but Grandson stopped me.

“Zach,
fight it!” He yelled. “You know what you need to do if you want to save your
friends.”

“Why
do you care?” I asked, desperately trying to resist the blood.

“Because
they used to be my friends too.”

“They
used to be?” I asked, “You make no sense! Tell me, if I take the vial, will you
let them go?”

“Yes.”
He said. “I promise to release them.”

“Unharmed!”
I added.

“I
promise.” His voice grew raspier by the second.

Something
nagged at the back of my mind, something told me not to trust him. After
everything that had happened, why take his word? But if I didn’t take the vial
I would be done for, and so would my friends.

Bravery,
and perhaps stupidity filled me. I walked to the pedestal and lay the magnum
down atop it. I took up the injector gun and fumbled the vial into the loader.

“Why
do I feel like I’m going to regret this?” I whispered.

With
an airy sigh, I put the gun to my arm and pulled the trigger. All of the pain
from every wound I had instantly hit me at once. I fell to my knees; I couldn’t
breathe. It hurt so badly. Within, I could feel the virus reversing, but what
did it matter? I had fatal wounds, and within seconds, I would die. I sucked in
a breath, trying to hold air, but it flooded out. Grandson laughed maniacally
from somewhere within the room, and I fell into sorrow, knowing those would be
the last sounds I would ever hear.

LEVEL 40 – BOSS BATTLE

Death had come
for me. I couldn’t hold in any air, and felt such horrid pain; my blood burned,
my lungs scorched. The pressure in my head expanded, surely it would explode.
But with a sudden gasp, I felt the air hold in my lungs. My head stopped
pulsing, and my chest no longer hurt. Still, my blood burned. My teeth were
locked together as I growled, trying to bear it.

“What
did... you... do... to me?” I cried in between heartbeats.

Grandson
chuckled. “Does it hurt, Zach? Is it too much for you to deal with?”

Despite
the acid under my skin, I found myself standing.

“Yes!
Fight the Omega Virus, Zach! Take control of it!” Grandson egged me on.

“I
thought this was a cure?” I roared.

Out
of nowhere, I felt more energy manifesting in my core. I could feel the wounds
in my chest closing; both the slashes and puncture wounds became nothing more
than mere scratches.

“Must
I spell it out for you?” Grandson sighed. “I didn't cure you. I've bonded you
with the Virus! The OVNs are working their magic!”

I
breathed heavily. “What does that mean?”

“Right
now, at this very moment, the Omega Virus is bonding with your blood cells,
nay, deeper, your actual genetic code! Your DNA! It is on such a micro-cellular
level that it will never leave your body again!”

“You
son-of-a-bitch!” I shouted. “You lied!”

“I
told you the cures were all gone.” Grandson said. “I needed them... but alas
they didn't work. But be happy, I gave you a way to live. The virus will no
longer kill you, but instead, it will work with your white blood cells. You
will become the
Negastar
.”

“The
what?” I stared at my hands, seeing the virus glowing green in my veins.

“I’ve
given you a gift!” Grandson’s voice rose. “I have given you the Code! You will
become like a God now! If you can defeat me and get the other six vials of the
Omega Virus Nanites you will become so powerful you will be able to set things
right again! You will be able to save the world!”

“Why
are you helping me?” I asked, finally getting control of my body, and slowly
balancing myself within.

“I
tried to merge myself with the Omega Virus.” Grandson said. “But it didn’t go
so well. Even though we are two sides of the same coin, something within me is
different. I wonder what it is? Why I failed, and you are a success? Why did
the OVNs reject me?

“You’re
not making any sense!” I said. “Give me my friends! Give me answers!”

“We
both know that isn’t an option.” Grandson replied. “Not until I am defeated.”

“You
said we’re two sides of the same coin!” I shouted. “Can’t we join forces? Take
down your family together?”

“No!”
Grandson shouted. “Not now! It’s too late for me to become anything but the
boss battle of your first quest!”

“Then
show yourself!” I shouted. “Show yourself so we can get this over with!”

After
I had spoken, I wished I had never called him out. The movement began in the
shadowy part of the room behind the throne. Out emerged a creature I could not
fathom.

The
huge monster hovered above the ground. Its bottom half looked like a cocoon but
made of gray rotting flesh. Twenty feet up it came to the naked torso of a
human being. But the face; I looked up into the face of terror, my face.
Grandson had injected himself and became a mutant Corpse creature. He'd told me
he couldn't come to me, and I'd found the reason.

“Crap.”
I murmured.

“Behold.”
Grandson held his arms wide as one hand began to transform. “The effect of the
pure Omega Virus on a human being! You can call me a Level 05 Corpse if you so
choose.”

I
took a step back. The gray, once human hand melted away until only a sharp
spear-like bone remained. I lifted my gun.

“Four
bullets,” I said. “Four bullets to kill this asshole.”

“It
won’t be enough.” Grandson laughed and pointed his spike-hand at me.

Electricity
began to spark around the point and then swirled, crackling about as a
whirlwind would.

A
smile crossed his face, and he opened his mouth to say one word. “Fight.”

My
instincts kicked in faster than I even could register. The next thing I knew I
dove to the side as a blast of lightning fired through the air. I rolled and
came to a crouch. Glancing over I saw the heat from the bolt had melted the
glass floor.

He
thrust his arm out and fired again. I ducked, and the blast hit a computer
terminal behind me. It exploded in a burst of sparks and flames, sending me
flying and skidding a dozen feet. I looked back at the terminal, which had
become a smoldering mess of wires.

A
computerized voice spoke. “A request for the Self-Destruct sequence has been
activated. Voice recognition confirmation required.”

Grandson’s
eyes went wide, and he looked down at me slowly shaking his head.

“I
confirm!” I shouted.

“No!”
Grandson screamed, “Cancel that!”

“Self-Destruct
initiated.” The computer said. “The sequence can not be aborted.”

A
wry smile crossed my face.

“You
buffoon!” Grandson yelled. “Do you think you can kill me and make it out of
here in ten minutes?”

“I’m
going to have to!” I whipped my gun up into the air and aimed at the ropes
holding my friends. Normally there I could never have gauged such a shot, but
my vision had become so clear I could count the individual fibers of rope.
Vision zoomed in; I pulled the trigger.

The
blast of the gun hit one
rope,
I shot again, hitting
two. All three of my friends landed on the floor. Grandson and I watched as
they stood up and looked around not sure where to run.

“Get
out!” I shouted. “I’ll take care of this asshole!”

“We
won’t leave you!” Jeff said.

“You
saved me! Like I said it’s my turn to be a hero!” Dave added.

“All
for one, remember?” Jessie finished.

Grandson
laughed. “The power of friendship. How sweet.”

He
pointed his spike at them, and the energy began to charge and spark, lightning
bolts flying wildly around.

“Move!”
I screamed and made a beeline for Grandson.

My
companions split into three different directions and ran to different parts of
the room.

“Hold
still cockroaches!” Grandson snarled.

I
leaped onto the cocoon of Grandson’s body and dug my fingers into the soft rot.
I began a quick climb, digging in and going higher up. But Grandson snapped his
head to look at me.

“Do
not think I will be so easily fooled!” He snarled.

The
cocoon half of his body shook so heavily that I lost my grip and fell. I went
into a backward tumble and flipped onto my feet. The virus allowed me more
fluid movements; like it had given me super powers.

As
the bottom of Grandson continued to shake, I started toward him but stopped. To
my horror, the cocoon split open and a pile of green gunk splattered out. I
nearly vomited at the site.

I
had bigger worries because the gunk began to move and separate. Moments later
four Corpses were standing up and shaking off the slime. Each dashed in a different
direction.

“Everyone
watch out!” I shouted.

One
Lv03 Corpse came at me. I couldn’t waste my last bullet on it—I needed it
for Grandson’s face. I took a step back as the Lv03 leaped through the air,
easily clearing twenty feet and tackled me to the ground. It thrashed as I held
back its hands. It snapped its jaws and scratched, trying to get me.

“Get
off!” I punched its face.

I
didn’t know my own strength; the Corpse’s head exploded, spraying me with brain
matter.

“You’re
growing stronger!” Grandson exclaimed. “It’s perfect!”

“I’m
not part of your plan!” I shouted.

I
spun to look for my friends. “I’m coming!”

“No!”
they all shouted in unison from the catwalks above.

Jeff
fist fought a battle with
a
Lv03 while Dave could
barely dodge around to stay clear of the lunging Corpse. Jessie managed to run
in the other direction while the third gave chase.

“We
can take care of ourselves!” Jeff yelled. “You finish off Grandson like you
promised!”

 
Turning, I glared at the boss.

“Now
is the time for our fight!” Grandson said. “The two of us cannot co-exist. It’s
not logical!”

“What
do you mean?” I shouted.

“It’s
like copy and paste!” He cackled. “But both file names are the same, but one
must replace the other!”

“You’re
insane!” I ran toward the wall behind me.

The
time had come to test my new crazy reflexes. When I hit the wall, I ran
straight up. I defied gravity for several seconds and then kicked off, twisting
to face Grandson in midair. Shock splayed across his face as I flew at him, on
level with his torso.

I
grabbed ahold of his spiked arm, and I bent it side as a blast of lightning
flew off and destroyed part of the wall. I clung onto him; my nose was only
inches from his.

“Do
it!” He yelled. “Use that last bullet on me!”

“My
pleasure.” I brought the Desert Eagle up to his forehead, but for some reason,
I hesitated.

We
locked eyes, and his were shaking. “Do it!”

I
still didn’t have my answers!

“Tell
me what I want to know and I’ll kill you!” I promised.

“You
already know everything.” He lowered his voice. “You already know!”

He
turned his spike to the catwalks and lightning began to swirl around the
appendage. If he shot the catwalk, the electricity would conduct and fry my
friends.

“Do
it!” He screamed.

“Fine,
bitch.” I pulled the trigger.

Grandson’s
roar amplified and blasted me back. I hit the floor and bounced into the wall.
I stared up at the Lv05 as it spun around in the air. Grandson grabbed his face
and continued to cry in pain, and then the rotting cocoon exploded in a huge
blast of green gunk. Slime splattered everything as he crashed down into the
center of the sickening goop.

I
glanced up to the catwalk to see the Lv03 corpses had also expired into
dripping ooze.

“Seven
minutes until detonation.” The computerized voice announced.

Jessie,
Jeff, and Dave all climbed back down the ladders. They rushed to my side. Jeff
helped me up and then Jessie threw her arms around me.

“Thank
gosh you’re all right!” she cried.

“I
think I’ll be fine,” I said. “But you guys go on ahead; I have one last thing
to deal with.”

“Are
you insane?” Dave cried. “We need to make it out of here now! The place is
gonna blow!”

“Don’t
worry,” I said. “I’ll be back at the yacht with plenty of time left.”

“Please
be safe.” Jessie looked me in the eyes. I could see the gaze of love; the
twinkle that every person one day hoped to see.

“You
too,” I said.

“Alright
man.” Jeff patted my back. “Awesome job! We’ll see you up top.”

My
friends left, running, so I turned and walked toward the green crater of muck.

“Grandson,”
I said. “I know you’re alive still. I feel the presence of the virus.”

“Zachary…
Mastiff…” Grandson croaked from within a large pile.

I
reached in and pulled out the undead torso. I dropped him to the floor. He
stared up at me, the bullet hole in the center of his skull.

“Thank
you.” Grandson whispered. “Thank you for ending this nightmare.”

“You
still never answered me,” I told him. “I deserve to know what’s going on.”

“Take
the G.O.D. Report Part 2.” He said pointing to the throne. “The disc is sitting
on the seat. The other half will explain what I could not.”

“I’m
sorry.” I kneeled next to him.

“Don’t
be.” He said. “You’ve spared me from my family’s wrath. I was tired of playing
their game.”

I
stared in silence.

“Take
this new ability you have, Zach.” He said. “Find the other six vials of the
Omega-V nanites. Inject each of them, then maybe you’ll be strong enough to
defeat the final boss.”

“That
tough, huh?” I asked.

“You
have no idea.” He coughed, and blood came from his lips. “I’m glad they’re
safe.”

“Who?”

“Jessie,
Jeff, and Dave,” he replied. “They were once my best friends.”

I
stared at him and had no idea how to respond. Maybe he'd lost his mind along
with his humanity.