Chapter 7
Saturday, October 29th, 1983.
1900. Fifteen minutes post bite.
KV Perkins Office Building
Moving with grim determination, Hazard hustled up the stairs with Major Ortiz and Jax. He would find this fucking antidote and he would save his mate.
When they arrived on floor thirty-five it was blessedly silent. No movement. No snarls. Still, they were on high alert as they jogged to the other end of the floor to reach the next up staircase. They’d caught a break. There wasn’t a single infected on the floor. Hazard could hardly believe their luck. Unfortunately, their luck didn’t hold.
On floor thirty-six - the last level before they reached the lab - Hazard heard the infected before he made it all the way up the steps. And it sounded like it was a lot of them.
“I’ll check it out,” he whispered to his teammates.
Hazard crept up the stairs and peeked around the corner. What he saw sent chills down his spine.
To his left, just past the steps there was a wall of infected. At least two dozen. They stood there, restlessly shifting back and forth. Their droning, raspy breathing sounded like a swarm of angry wasps. To his right, more infected straggled about, blocking their path to the final staircase.
“Fuck.” Hazard swore under his breath before silently retreating back down the stairs. He relayed the situation to his teammates.
Ortiz thought for a moment before she laid out the plan.
“I’ll take point. Jax, clean up any I don’t get in time and watch the perimeter. We don’t want any hitting our flanks while we’re dealing with them in the front and the rear. Hazard, that horde is going to start chasing us as soon as we hit the floor. Don’t let them catch us.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Hazard unhooked a grenade from his tac vest. “This will slow them down.”
“Go on one. Three-two-one.”
On the major’s count they sprinted up the remaining stairs and hit the floor. Almost instantly the horde turned to face them. They went still as stone, staring at them with crazed, bloodshot eyes. Hazard and the others didn’t wait for them to break out of their pre-chase freeze. They kept running, headed straight for the gauntlet of infected ready to rip them to shreds.
Ortiz started shooting, taking out the infected directly in their path. Jax eliminated the infected that popped out of offices like the world’s ugliest jack-in-the-boxes. They moved fast, but the pack on their six was rapidly catching up to them.
Hazard pulled the pin on the grenade. Turning slightly, he threw the grenade mid-run, lobbing it into the middle of the zombie pack. The grenade hit the ground, bounced into the leg of an infected, and exploded.
The explosion’s boom shook the floor, rattling the walls and windows. Hazard stumbled, but quickly recovered.
He looked back over his shoulder. Smoke filled the space behind him. The explosion had taken out a good chunk of the horde. But others were still coming. They were missing limbs. Had burned faces. But they were coming.
Hazard risked pausing for several seconds so he could turn and shoot a few of their pursuers. When he turned back around, the way in front of them was finally clear.
“Run!” Ortiz shouted.
They sprinted full out, boots heavy and loud on the carpeted floor, the horde hot on their heels. When they reached the stairs, they didn’t break their stride, taking the steps two at a time until they reached floor thirty-seven.
“There’s the lab,” Jax pointed out between rushed breaths. “Keep going.”
Hazard ran, heart pounding, vision narrowed until everything other than the lab door was a blur in his peripheral.
They made it to the lab. A big, gray keypad was mounted on the wall next to the door.
“Jax, get the door open. Hazard and I will keep them off us.”
Hazard took up position with Ortiz, guarding Jax’s back while he input the code to unlock the lab. They took out five infected that got close before the keypad beeped.
Jax yanked the door open. “We’re in!”
All three of them leaped across the threshold into the lab. Hazard slammed the door shut just as an infected lunged for him. It missed, crashing into the closed door.
Ortiz engaged the lock. Her shoulders heaving with her panting breaths, she leaned forward to rest her forehead against the door. Hazard slumped down to the floor. Jax braced his hands on his knees, head sagging until his chin touched his chest.
Hazard blew out a deep exhale. “We made it,” he said.
“Mission isn’t over yet,” Ortiz said as she straightened. “We need to get that cure.”
Hazard pushed back to his feet. The cooling unit Dr. Burke had mentioned was hard to miss. A big triple refrigerator with glass front doors took up most of one wall.
This time Ortiz put in the code to unlock the doors. Everything inside the units was clearly labeled with neat but thin handwriting. Three racks of test tubes labeled SE RX-2 Antidote were on the top shelf of the middle unit. Each tube was filled with a dark blue liquid.
Hazard wanted to shout with joy. That was it. The cure for Ice and everyone else infected with the virus.
Ortiz reached for one of the racks just as their comm units crackled to life.
“Lieutenant Colonel Gibbs to Major Ortiz. How copy?”
“Copy loud and clear, Colonel.”
“What’s your status?”
“Just reached the lab. About to have hands on the antidote.”
“Good work.”
“Don’t praise us yet. We still need to get it back to base.”
“That’s why I’m checking in. The higher ups had an emergency meeting. They received reports that the situation on the ground in Tulsa is deteriorating. With that intel, they’ve made a decision. You’ve got one hour to get the antidote back to base.”
“What happens if we don’t?”
“If you don’t, they’re going to bomb the city.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Afraid not, Major,” Gibbs gravelly said. They are prepared to wipe Tulsa off the map. That means, whether you obtain the cure or not, I want your team off the X and away from Tulsa in the next sixty minutes.”
“Copy that. Ortiz out.”
Hazard looked at his packmates. They appeared just as shocked as he felt. He hadn’t expected the higher ups to make that decision so soon.
“We need to move. Fast ,” Ortiz ordered.
Jax nodded. “Hell, yeah we do.”
They each grabbed one of the test tube racks and placed them in secure carrying cases.
Hazard grabbed a syringe and filled it with the antidote. “You two get to the helo with the cure. I’ll go back for Ice.”
“Negative.” Ortiz sharply rejected his plan. “We get the antidote to the pilot and we go back together for Ice.”
Hazard started to protest. “But Major -.”
“You’ll move faster with back up to clear any infected in your way,” Ortiz said, cutting him off. “And you might need help dealing with Ice.”
“She’s right,” Jax agreed. “We don’t know what state he’s in.”
What his packmates said made sense so Hazard nodded in agreement of their plan.
“Okay. Now, how do we get out of here with that horde right outside the door?”
Hazard looked around. “There’s another exit,” he said pointing to a door on the other side of the room.
After checking that it was clear, they slipped out of the lab, ending up in a hall around the corner from where they’d entered. The infected were still piled up in front of that door. They milled about, rudderless now that they’d lost their prey.
Moving quietly, they left the horde behind. They made it up the three floors to the roof access door with little trouble and perfect timing. The helo was just touching down when they walked out onto the roof. Hazard left the door propped open with his rifle before joining the others to run over to the chopper.
The pilot looked at them, frowning when there were only three instead of the four she’d expected.
“Where’s Ice?” she shouted over the noise of the whirring helicopter blades.
“Still inside.” Ortiz handed her the first case containing the antidote. “Take these. We’re going back for him.”
“I’ll wait ten minutes,” the pilot said after she accepted the cases from Jax and Hazard. “Get your asses back here before then.”
Ortiz gave her a quick salute. “Roger that.”
The major set a timer on her watch before they ran back over to the roof door. Mindful of the time crunch, they quickly and quietly made their way back down the KV Perkins tower.
Once they made it to floor thirty-four, they went directly to the room where they’d left Ice. Hazard rushed up to the door first. He started to reach for his snips to cut the zip ties he’d locked around the door handles. But the restraints were no longer there. He looked down. The zip ties lay on the floor, cut in half.
“What the fuck?” Hazard breathed the question. “Is he even in there?”
Jax shrugged his tense shoulders. “Only one way to find out.”
“Careful, boys,” Ortiz cautioned behind them.
Hazard nodded before he slowly pulled the door open. But before he got it all the way open it exploded back on its hinges. A white blur shot out of the room and slammed into Hazard’s chest.
“ Aaah !” Hazard yelled and stumbled back. He lost his footing and fell to the floor. A large white wolf landed on top of him.
It was Ice. Patches of his thick fur were missing and his glowing red eyes gave him a demonic look. Ice snarled, snapping his teeth in Hazard’s face.
Hazard used a forearm to hold the wolf back, thankful that he wore a protective mask.
“Fuck!” Jax raised his gun, aiming for Ice.
“Don’t shoot!” Hazard yelled to his squadmate even as he fought to keep Ice from biting him.
Jax cursed again but lowered his weapon.
“Ice, it’s me!” Hazard desperately spoke to the snarling wolf, hoping that somehow his voice would pierce the rage clouding Ice’s mind. “I’m your mate.” He wanted to cry when Ice continued to try and bite his face. Normally he could hear Ice’s human voice in his head while the alpha was in wolf form. But now all he heard was incomprehensible growls that communicated nothing but rage.
“Please, Royce,” he unashamedly begged. “ Please .” As a last ditch effort, he released a flood of calming omega pheromones from his scent glands. He was wearing blockers, but they’d worn off enough for his scent to break through.
The rabid wolf went still. Ice put his snout to Hazard’s shoulder and pulled in a deep, wet inhale. Then, with a wounded sounding whine, he backed off.
Ice stood there trembling, red eyes locked with Hazard’s, the occasional growl rumbling in his throat.
“Sweet Mother Wolf,” Jax whispered the curse. “You got through to him.”
Wary of any sudden movements spooking his mate, Hazard slowly rolled up on to his knees. He took the syringe from his tac vest and uncapped it. “I’ve got the cure,” he said as he held the syringe up so Ice could see it. “Don’t bite me, okay?”
When Ice didn’t react, Hazard carefully scooted closer to him on his knees. He put a hand on Ice’s side, feeling the muscles twitching under his palm. Ice’s lips pulled back from his fangs, but he didn’t otherwise move. So Hazard brought the needle up and injected him.
Ice yipped when the needle pierced his skin. A moment later, he sank down until he lay on his belly, back legs tucked beneath him and front legs extended out in front. The big wolf shuddered once. A second time. Then he sighed, closed his eyes, and slumped over onto his side.
They stood over him, watching and waiting to see what would happen next. But thirty seconds ticked past and Ice was still unmoving.
“Might have to carry him back like this,” Ortiz finally said.
“I’ll do it,” Jax offered.
He’d just taken a step forward when Ice shifted back into human form in a flash of bright white light. The alpha curled up into a ball and groaned.
“Is he cured?” Ortiz asked.
Hazard squatted down next to his mate. “Royce, can you hear me?”
“I... I hear you.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Ortiz said. “Let’s get him dressed and out of here. Just put his pants on. We’ve got no time to worry about the rest of his gear.”
Hazard ran into the office, grabbed Ice’s pants, and ran back out. Ice was moving as though his limbs were stuck in molasses, so Jax helped him get the pants on and fastened.
“Better muzzle him, just to be safe,” Ortiz suggested.
Hazard pulled off the scarf he wore around his neck. He was about to fashion it into a makeshift muzzle when Ice spoke in a dry, cracked voice.
“Mom...”
Why was Ice talking to his mom? She was long deceased. Hazard snapped his gaze to his squad leader. “Is he delirious?” he whispered.
Ice shook his head. “Mom and child. I saved them. In bathroom.” He raised a hand and shakily pointed at a door across the hall.
Jax went over to the bathroom. He knocked on the door and softly called out.
“Anyone inside? US Legion here for rescue.”
The door cracked open, revealing a woman and child just as Ice had said.
“Holy shit,” Ortiz swore in surprise. “He managed to save civilians while fighting back that infection.”
“You are a true bad ass, Captain Anderson,” Hazard said with a tender smile at his mate.
Ice huffed a hoarse laugh but didn’t speak. He held still as Hazard used his scarf to gag him, then added Ortiz’s scarf to cover the entire bottom half of his face. Hazard tied them both in tight knots. He doubted Ice would revert to his rabid state, but Ortiz was right. Better safe than sorry.
The woman came out of the bathroom holding her daughter’s hand.
“You came back for him,” she said, looking at their squad with wide eyes.
“Of course we did.” Jax shrugged like it was no big deal. “He’s our pack mate. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”
The woman nodded. “We’re ready.”
Jax looked down at the little girl. “You want to go on a helicopter ride?”
“Yeah!” she said with an excited bounce.
Jax picked her up, holding her with one arm. He looked at her mom. “We need to move fast. If you don’t think you can keep up one of us can carry you on our back.”
“I ran track,” the woman said with a firm lift of her chin. “And I’m not letting those things get me or my daughter. I’ll keep up.”
They were ready to get back to ex-fil. Although Ice was obviously in pain, he got to his feet under his own power. Hazard kept his rifle in one hand and wrapped his other arm around Ice’s waist to steady him.
Their little group set off. They arrived on the roof and rushed up to the waiting helicopter with one minute left of the ten-minute window the pilot had given them.
“Cutting it close, 448,” the pilot said as they all climbed into the passenger bay.
Jax grinned as he put on his headset. “We live on the edge,” he said into the headset mic.
The pilot welcomed the extra passengers with a friendly wave. Then she threw a wary glance at Ice, eyes catching on the makeshift muzzle covering his mouth. “Is he good?”
Hazard nodded. “He’s good.”
The helicopter rose into the air. The sky was dark around them, the city lights bright below. As they flew back to Fort Grove, Ortiz got on the radio to Gibbs.
“Mission was a success, Colonel. Tell the brass to stand down on dropping the package. We’re returning to base with the cure.”
A rough sigh of relief came over the comm link. “Copy that, Major. See you on the ground.”
Hazard looked at his pack. They exchanged exhausted but satisfied smiles. Once again, the 448 had managed to come out on top. Hazard locked eyes with his mate. The alpha looked awful. But he was alive and on the mend. That was all that mattered.
“Told you I’d get you back, Captain,” Hazard said, knocking his boot against Ice’s bare foot.
Ice couldn’t speak around his makeshift muzzle. But the love that filled his eyes told Hazard everything he needed to know.