On our arrival back at the lab we are greeted by Mauress jamming a needle into the neck of the fresh meat I brought in. Diane puts her coat in her locker, and switches it out for her pristine white lab coat, going over to Mauress, who looks over and gives an exasperated sigh.
“This bugger woke up while I was restraining him and tried to bite off my head, too bad for him, gums are not enough to get through flesh.”
I chuckle at the idea of a toothless zombie gumming Mauress’ head, while Diane walks around the table to get a good look at our hungry guest.
“I do not know what you were talking about Ras, he looks like any regular Romer to me.”
I shrug and remind them that it was just a feeling before taking off with Dylan. We lazily walked through the halls of the building, neither of us having anything to do since we both finished our shifts already.
“Erasmus! Stop right there, Retriever!”
Dyland and I stop dead in our tracks as the gruff voice bellows down the surprisingly acoustic hallway. I groan and turn around to face a man only a few inches taller than me in a distinctly military uniform, marching up to us.
“Captain! To what do I owe this pleasure on my way out?”
I say in a sarcastically happy tone, only to have more military strictness thrown into my face.
“Erasmus, you aren’t going anywhere! I need to see you in my office about today’s assignment.”
Dylan pipes in, giving my arm a tug.
“Hey, Ras, I am just going to head home. Oh, before I forget, bro told me to tell you it was ‘the anniversary,’ whatever that means…well! Seeya”
With that he disappears down the hallway and I am left with Captain Jack Terryl, the head of essentially the entire Guard department. He motions for me to follow him down to his office and reluctantly I follow.
“Erasmus, what did he mean by “the Anniversary?”
“Well, Captain, you remember that lab accident there was in 2023?”
He nods in response while I take a few steps to catch up to him.
“Their parents where here during the accident, and they did not survive, it has been eleven years since it happened.”
He only gives me something like a grunt mixed with a hum to acknowledge the new information. We walk for the next few minutes in usual silence before entering his office.
In his office he sits me down in the chair in front of his desk before walking over to the one across from it.
“Erasmus, today at 12:06 hours you exited your vehicle, 50 meters from the safety zone, and preceded to run the entire distance to the Southern Gate opening, all the while carrying a corpse?!”
I gave a small nod as well as answering that I had.
“Today you acted rashly and put yourself in immense danger, I have never seen a horde that sized before!”
“I know! But, I had to so I could get the corpse here, the Elites weren’t doing anything to help and I was too far for the turrets to get accurate shots. If I had just stayed and waited to be retrieved I would have died!”
Captain Terryl palms his forehead and I catch him shoot a glance at the picture frame on his desk.
“Fine, fine, you did well getting back, but next time bring at least TWO flash grenades, or an adrenaline syringe. I reviewed the Southern Gate camera footage and you looked like you were about to keel over more than once.”
I stood up and grinned, giving a semi-mocking salute.
“Yes sir, Captain Tyrrel, sir!”
He gave me a frustrated grumble and motioned me to leave. I made my swift exit and got out of the base as fast as I could. While walking out I thought aloud to myself.
“I have not messaged Ambrose in a while, maybe I should when I get back home. I wonder how things are over there in Sky Haven.”
Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:10 pm
