It’s been a long time since I looked upon the walking dead as a genuine threat. They’ve been little more than a nuisance when I’ve been by myself or with other revitalizeds. I’ve had to be wary of them when I’ve traveled with living humans, but even then they’ve been easy enough to deal with. They’re not as sharp, fast or smart as those of us with functioning brains. I’d started to take them for granted.
But they’re far more menacing down here. We’re trapped, the smell of hundreds of fresh brains drawing the zombies on. Nowhere to run, no way to repel them, no room to maneuver. Our weapons and expertise are of limited use. The soldiers at the edges can’t fend off their attackers. Many are converted as they fall prey to the undead swarm, and they turn on their friends and allies, adding to the chaos.
Josh and the other commanders bellow orders. The troops do their best to obey, but the body count is mounting and it’s clear that we’re in serious trouble. Some soldiers try to flee and the group begins to fragment.
As the zombies rip into the flesh of the living, the mutants and babies push up behind them, taking advantage of any divisions, moving into the gaps that the zombies have created, isolating small pockets of soldiers and Klanners, finishing them off viciously and efficiently.
Lots of Angels dart to the aid of the humans. Dr. Oystein and Master Zhang try to call them back, to hold us together, but it’s turned noisy as hell and their voices are lost to the crazy din.
Vicky Wedge is standing close by Owl Man, cringing, weeping, wringing her hands. Justin must be barking something at her through the headset that she’s wearing, because she forces her head up and starts moaning descriptions of what she’s witnessing.
The group that I’m part of is protected from the attacks by the soldiers packed around us. Rage looks frustrated. He’s on his toes, peeking over the heads of the humans, looking for someone to fight. “Come on,” he mutters. “Come on!”
Carl gets ready to leap to the aid of the struggling soldiers.
“No,” Ashtat stops him. “Dr. Oystein told us to stay.”
“But we can’t just stand by and do nothing,” he cries.
“We’ll be doing plenty soon,” Shane says, keeping his cool. “Don’t be in such a rush. They’ll come to us. You won’t have long to wait.”
More zombies stream into the cavern. The mutants must have rounded them up from one of the underground Tube stations, or perhaps they’ve been holding them in reserve for a day like this.
The newcomers throw themselves into the bloody, ragged mess, biting flesh, gouging eyes, ripping out tongues, digging through skulls into brains. It’s been a long time since they got to feast like this. They’re making the most of it.
“We must push on,” Master Zhang says.
“And leave my people behind?” Josh barks.
Zhang shrugs. “They’re finished. They have served their purpose, but can continue to be of value for a while longer. If we leave now, they will buy us valuable time. If we stay, we’ll gain nothing and their sacrifice will have been a waste.”
Josh is wild-eyed. He gulps several times, trying to make up his mind.
“Justin says that we have to do what Dr. Oystein tells us,” Vicky Wedge whimpers. “He says the success of the mission is all that matters. Losses are acceptable. He…” She pauses, grimaces, then repeats what the absent billionaire is telling her. “He says to stop acting like a child. You know what you have to do, so do it.”
“Easy for him to say,” Josh grumbles. “He doesn’t have the blood of good men and women on his hands.” Then he sighs and looks to the doc for guidance.
“This way,” Dr. Oystein says simply, and we push on, a small group of us, some of his Angels, Master Zhang, Owl Man, Rage and Sakarias, Josh and Reilly, Vicky Wedge, a unit of soldiers and a handful of Klanners, leaving the bulk of our forces behind to perish gruesomely at the hands of the marauding zombies.