Chapter 4: Survival Sprint

"Are you ready" Paul asked as he readies himself to go outside and proceed with their plan to go to the right wing.

Everyone nods, and that was the signal for them to go. Before they headed out, Paul remembered what John told him.

"These things don't die in any amount of pain given. They don't feel pain at all. What kills them is destroying through the brain, this removes their will to function." as he told him in detail in handling the undead.

Paul and Marcus equipped with an assault rifle, John with a handgun, Joseph and Mary with wooden sticks, Allison with a hammer, and Spectre with an Axe that he took out from one of the emergency supplies, they all ventured outside.

"Shhh...watch those two on the left." Paul instructed the group to pay attention on the undead on the other path as they went ahead towards right.

He saw one roaming undead and snuck up on it. He immediately stabbed it on the head to ensure it is taken out.

They continued roaming the hallway, checking one room at a time for survivors as well. To no luck, they haven't seen a living person.

A few more steps, they'll be in front of the library. As they were heading in front of him, some lockers in the hallway suddenly made a sound.

"Who's there?!" Paul cautiously approached the locker that made a sound accompanied by Marcus.

As he was about to open it, someone yelled "Please I'm alive! Don't shoot!"

The noise attracted the nearby undead. Paul and the group were startled and as they checked the surrounding, the undead were now trying to approach them.

"Shit, come here! The others, go inside now" Paul immediately opened the locker, took the survivor and they headed inside the Library.

Fortunately, not active movements inside the Library as only few employees tend to go there as well. They barricaded the Library's entrance and Paul confronted the survivor.

"What the hell are you thinking screaming like that in the hallway filled with the dead?!" he angrily asked.

As he was scolding the survivor, he noticed his uniform. He is one of the security team at Foxtrot Team. "You're a soldier?!" disgustingly asked by Paul.

The solider apologised and introduced bimself as Jake. The last survivor of Foxtrot Team.

"They were many, I was scared to be bitten and eaten so I hid. I am so sorry, I'm just afraid to die. We were sent to clear them but we were wiped out." Jake said as he tears starts to fall off.

"Grip yourself---" Paul tried to calm him down but was interrupted by Allison.

"We're not alone here" she said with uneasiness as she heard some sounds coming at the other end of the library.

The team then headed to one of the corners of the library and started to plan on how they will proceed. Spectre led the planning as he is knowledgeable on the area's map.

"I know everyone heard sounds at the other end of this place. I have good news and bad news. Bad news is, we would have yo go to the other side. There's a door that shall connect is easily to the cafeteria. The good news, we can use the to of the shelves to skip through any enemies if there are multiple of them." Spectre said in detail as they will be needing to move out soon for them to reach the right wing.

The Team agreed to his plan, so everyone raised each other on the top shelves and started moving slowly to the exit. Spectre went up first since he knows the way, and Paul went up last to be able to protect everyone.

As they head near midway of the Library,  they are stunned to see a number of the undead gathered together at the other end which blocks the door they are aiming for. Spectre slowly looked at the moment like he was signalling Paul

"This is going to be a problem" Paul said to himself. None of them could speak since they might attract the flock of undead.

From that point, they knew that one of them have to go to the other end to distract the undead. Paul was about to volunteer and raise his hand but Joseph who is in front of him suddenly jumped down.

"Hey! Ugly bastards! Come at me!" He screamed as he started running on the door where they came.

That gave them a signal to wait until the horde's few in numbers. Yet, as John was looking at the undead that are trying to chase him, he noticed unusual movements on one of the undead.

"Allison, look on that one with red shirt" he curiously said to her as they both observed.

Joseph keeps on running and shouting until the undead with the red shirt was attracted. Its movement started from walking to brisk walking, until it started running.

"Fuck me..." Spectre said as the group saw what the undead did. Paul readies his gun as they might face more of the running undead. Marcus and Jake were both terrified of what they saw.

"They're evolving this fast?" Allison asked the others with fear, not knowing the other capabilities these undead could have.

On Joseph's point of view, I was running and running through the corridors. The Library seems to be endless but what's important is that they escape. I was able to find a chance to go up the shelves but something caught my attention from my peripheral vision.

I saw this one person in red shirt, is he human? He was running towards me and I didn't believe that he could be an undead. Yet, something struck me and I somehow panicked. I started climbing but I was losing a foothold.

The dead suddenly grabbed my foot. It seems strong and it was able to pull me down. I tried to fight it and push it off. Everytime I tried to go up, it pulls me down. The horde were coming near...

Oh God, I didn't expect this to happen...I hope my wife and daughter survive this.

As the team were able to go through the door, Mary tried to wait for Joseph but only his screams were heard.

"We have to go, we don't know what we're dealing with!" Marcus insisted to bring Mary with them.

They hurriedly go to the cafeteria from the kitchen area. As they entered, they barricaded the doors behind them and rested for a bit.

"How many could there be on those running bastards?" Paul asked as he approached John.

John's unable to answer as they themselves are unable to identify how the virus works.

"We have no idea..." Spectre with hopelessness he said.

Allison tried to cheer everyone up as few more push they'll be at the central wing. From there, they should be able to easily go to the left wing.

The group tried to clear the kitchen and check for equipment. They scouted the cafeteria and there are number of undead in the area. The security team knew that they'd have to use their weapons from here on.

"Listen, the moment we fire, we keep going. No one is stopping for anything. Those things...there might be more of them and we don't know what else is there" Paul advised the group for them to survive and be able to reach the destination.

The team headed out and started taking out the undead. In a formation, one at a time, they are taking down the undead. Several running undead occured and Paul initiated close combat to immobilize them. Marcus supported Paul with cover fire as he fights the special undead.

"Split to two now!" John ordered for them to cover ground and be able to push back the undead. John, Mary, Allison and Jake formed a buddy system while Marcus, covers Spectre and Paul.

The fighting continues as they slowly move through to secure their survival. Yet, Jake's weapon suddenly jammed.

" Of all this time?! Shit!" he said as he started to panicked.

John's team formation started to fall as Jake was holding them back. He tried to fix his gun while pushing the undead from the back.

Yet, with no luck, he's unable to do so. He decided to use his rifle as weapon itself.

Runners started coming from the backline. With fear, Jake tried to hide behind Mary and used her as a shield. Mary tries her best to push the undead back.

"Be a man Jake! You're pulling me and I can't move--" she was about to argue with him but the running undead immediately got close and grabbed her. She was bitten and taken. Jake screamed and then ran towards John and Marcus.

"What the hell happened?!" Paul asked them as he keeps himself busy taking the undead out in front of them.

Without proper weapon, Jake was holding John's team down.

"Help! They got Mary and I don't have a weapon!" Jake said as he is pleading for them to help him.

Yet, everyone's busy on trying to survive. Allison was supporting John so she couldn't assist Jake. From there, Jake had no other option. He saw some trays in the table and used them to push the undead and tries to fight them.

"Die!" he repeatedly screamed. They were at the cafeteria's door but it was locked from the outside.

Everyone was shocked as they had not anticipated this.

"Gather together!" Paul ordered them. He also asked where is Mary but Jake is unable to answer him.

"No... we lost her and now we're trapped." Marcus said with sadness.

John stood up and said "No one else is dying without honor. We make this stand." he confidently said which raised the group's morale.

"I had fun with you" John smiled and whispered to Allison as they prepared themselves.

***

ON THE RIGHT Wing, Violet tried asking Fury for help to secure the remaining Scientists in her team. Yet, Fury isn't finding a proper reason to justify her request.

"They know more of the project than I do! If you are looking for someone to fix this, you save them!" She told Fury with anger as she insisted that her team's more important than her.

Fury then agreed to do a rescue operation. Yet, only limited soldiers are to be sent out. Violet said she should come but was prohibited.

"If you want your team, you follow me. Stay here and wait." Fury took the upper hand and ordered Violet to stay protected.

Fury called the Alpha and Bravo Team in line. He instructed them to find the following personnel and to escort them to safety: Allison, John and Spectre.

"I repeat, prioritise the mentioned personnel. They should have the badge or code for their team. Other than that, do not waste bullets and your lives to random people" Fury coldly instructed the two teams.

He readies them as the other team, Delta, Charlie and Echo were securing the left wing entrances.

The doors were opened and the horde entered. With proper formation, they are able to take out the undead outside.

Alpha Team and Bravo Team then ventured along with Commander Fury. The other teams gave their good luck as the rescue operation starts.

"Alpha Team, we'll head to the central wing's armory and then the cafeteria to check for supplies." Fury said as they clear the lobby.

"Bravo Team, you're tasked to stay here and secure the hallways. Make sure those things don't go past our lines. Barricade if possible." Fury gave the ordee to the Bravo Team with haste and they immediately dispersed to follow command.

Alpha Team approached each area with caution. Taking out the undead one at a time while checking for the targets.

After few minutes, they made it into the armory. Commander Fury ordered the men to take all weapons. Once cleared out, as they are about to leave they heard gunshots from the Cafeteria.

"Something is off..." Fury said to himself as he felt like the something weird is happening.

As they arrived in the hallway of the Cafeteria, he saw a number of undead. He ordered his men to go to formation yet what he didn't realize is that these are not normal undead.

"They're...running?!" a solder yelled as the running group of undead head towards them.

"Fire and don't save any bullet!" Fury immediately screamed to his men.

Alpha Team quickly followed his order and they all drained their clips to the runners. It was their first encounter with the special undead that has evolved in a short span of time.

They cleared the area and noticed some people on the other side of the Cafeteria. The cafeteria's doors were chained so they had to destroy them. Once the chains were removed, Alpha Team bashed the door and entered.

"Get down!" the leading soldier said and then they started shooting out every undead in the room.

It took a few minutes for them to clear out the undead in the cafeteria. Fury then decided to lock the cafeteria again to prevent other undead coming through.

He lined the survivors up, and asked them to identify themselves.

"Please identify yourself. We are tasked to look for certain individuals to help us against this plague." mentioned by Fury.

Each of them stated their name and their roles. The scientists, Allison, John and Spectre identified themselves properly. Paul introduced himself as one of the guards patrolling the area and stated he was the one who found the group. Marcus states that he was a rookie and a trainee. As Fury was about to ask Jake, he noticed that he was bitten in his arm.

"Who are you?" Fury asked him.

"I am a member of the Foxtrot team sir! A lone survivor and this group found me." Jake said it as if he owes his life to the group.

Fury then pointed a gun at him and immediately shot him in the head.

"Bang!" a loud sound was heard. The group was stunned as they didn't expect it to happen.

"What?! Why did you do that?!" John angrily asked Fury for his action.

"You're a scientist aren't you? I thought you'd know by now that anyone's bitten turns like them" Fury said it like he felt no remorse from what he has done.

With no time to relax, Fury commanded them to follow the team back to the left wing. He said that they are their priority at the moment.

The group's atmosphere felt sadness as they lost 3 of their member in the process. Yet as they arrived in the left wing, Violet felt relief as she found out that her team was still alive.

Fury then gathered the key persons in one room to plan for the next objective.

"I have contacted base to bomb this place" Fury stated without guilt.

Violet was shocked from his actions. Even though it is meant to stop this from spreading, there are many innocent lives that are still at the area.

"Are you out of your mind?!" She angrily yelled at Fury due to his decision.

Fury knew that this is the most practical way yet it's the most crucial one.

"This is a man-made virus. Killing this here won't stop it!" John argued with Fury.

Fury then ststed that he will be evacuating the key persons immediately out of this place for them to continue their research for a vaccine. He asked them to which place that could possibly be the best for them to restart and rebuild.

"Any ideas to which place you should go? Fury asked in order to know the location and start their mission in escorting them.

It may have been a rushed decision from Fury but the others had no choice but to comply.

In the room, Spectre took the globe and showed it to them.

"A place that is somehow isolated from the many but provides many resources for us to rebuild...the Philippines" he suggested.

The others agreed, and then Fury called out to the two of his men, codename Legend and Vox to secure and ensure the escort is accomplished.

The plan to escape the area, to save the remaining survivors and to create the vaccine now starts.

Fury told them that he'd be left behind to do his best to make other survive. Given his cold personality, he still cares for the others.

Legend and Vox, along with the other 9 Alpha Team members told Violet and the team to get ready. The stairs towards the helipad is currently at the middle area of the left wing. This gives John and the others somehow fear as they just came there where the undead are roaming.

"So, how are we doing this?" Spectre curiously asked to Legend and Vox.

Vox told them that they'll push through the central wing alongside Bravo and Charlie. From there, they're on their own.

After few minutes of preparation, Bravo and Charlie went out first, clearing the lobby. Paul and Marcus called to Legend as they insisted to come to assist. Vox didn't agree with them as they're not fully trained but John and the others forced them to accept their help.

"Arrrghhh!" as some of their screamed when caught. They didn't expect the running undead to be that many already.

"Push through!" Legend yelled and the whole team started moving forward.

The other 3 team members of Alpha Team handled the backside, 2 on each side and 4 in the front.

After all gunblazing and loss of some soldiers, they were able to clear the central wing path through left wing. From there, the team closed  and barricaded the doors.

The remaining soldiers tried to go back to their post. Their future remained unknown.

"Alright, from here on you follow orders and we do this our way" Vox said to the survivors.

As they came near the Library, they saw a weird looking undead.

"Stop!" Legend signaled as he tries to analyse the undead.

From the looks of it, it's skin looks tough like it was solidified. Yet, they don't have other option but to go through the path for them to be able to escort the survivors away.

"Frontline, fire!" Legend ordered the team to initiate battle.

Yet, as they fired bullets on the weird looking undead, it appears that it did not get hurt or did not die from the bullets.

When it got hit, it screamed and then started walking towards them.

"What the fuck is that?!"

"It's not dying!!"

The other members screamed as they keep on firing.

Paul then grabbed his shotgun and told them to hold their fire.

"Cover me! I have a plan" Paul said as he started running towards the strong undead.

As he was running, other undead were trying to get him but the soldiers along with Vox and Legend covered him. When Paul got near, the look of the undead instills fear to anyone who might be in front but he ignores that fear and immediately aimed at the undead's legs.

He fired the shotgun and the legs were obliterated.

"Everything can die" he said to the undead and fired off the shotgun to its head taking it out.

The team were awed, but time isn't something they can waste.

"You need to tell us immediately if you're doing something dangerous like that" Legend scolded Paul as they continued.

"Violet, this evolution of the undead... it's happening fast" John said to her with concern.

Violet couldn't answer John as she also don't know the answer.

The Team continued battling the undead. As they came to the living quarter hallway which is near the helipad stairs, the team started to walk faster.

The gunshots and noise have attracted the undead which feels like an endless wave of them comes.

As they are in the middle of the hallway, one of the Alpha Team saw movement in a slightly opened door. He came close and opened the door to his curiosity.

As the opened, a group of undead poured out of the room which took out the team member. He fired randomly and has hurt two of the other Alpha Team in the backside.

"Run....run!" Legend screamed as the undead from the quarters started coming out.

The group was in Chaos and the team just focused on running through the stairs. When they reached it, a huge number of undead followed them. A mixture of normal undead, running and strong ones.

As they were about to enter the helipad's area, Vox saw a number of undead outside. He realized that they'll be needing time to clear out the undead and to prepare the helicopter.

"Someone needs to stay" John thought it to himself.

As the team was fending off the undead trying to get them in the stairs, a person spoke.

"I'll stay, you go and prepare. They need to leave this place." Paul volunteered to hold them off.

"I'll stay too" Marcus followed with confidence.

Paul did not agree as he is the youngest and he should not die yet. Only 6 Alpha Team members were left, 3 of them volunteered to hold the horde off.

From out of the blue, "I will stay as well" John said.

"No way!" Violet disagreed as well as the others.

"They're running out of ammo, they'll need every manpower. Spectre, you take it from here" John insisted as he knew that they won't make it out alive if the number of people who stayed won't be enough.

"We have to go!!" Vox ordered the team to clear the helipad so they can prepare taking off already.

Paul, John and the other 3 Alpha members stayed holding the horde until they ran out of ammo.

"It's nice serving with you boys" Paul said smiling it off.

The team then cleared the helipad and started preparing the helicopter. It took them awhile, as they were about to take off, the sounds of gunshots suddenly stopped.

A huge number of undead then started pouring out on the helipad.

"Allison, we will find a cure... I promise" Spectre tried to comfort her as she cried.

Marcus was filled with sadness as it may be a short time but he learned a lot from Paul.

After a few minutes away from the building, a sight of a huge explosion occurred.

Violet was shocked as she didn't know they were planning to blow it up.

"The two of you knew isn't it? The others there... they're dead?" Violet asked Legend and Vox as she suspected that they were ordered to escort them and for Commander Fury to contain the virus as much as possible.

"We need to escort you to create a vaccine..." Legend said with silence after.

"We know that won't contain the virus, but it'll give us some time." Vox told Violet with guilt in his voice.

As they flew the helicopter, it starts to run out of fuel. They knew that they have to land as well to an airport for them to be travel towards the Philippines.

The mission to escort the scientists have been accomplished at the expense of several sacrifices and one of their key personnel. Yet, Violet and her team's desire to create a vaccine has been fueled enough for them to destroy the virus.

To be continued...