Chapter 1: The Leap
Chapter Text
It was small in the beginning. What was initially thought to be a rabies outbreak quickly evolved into an epidemic. The government was swiftly involved quicker than ever recorded in history. People's hope was diminished just as quickly as it rose. Quarantine zones were created in hopes of human life not falling into nothing, but even they have been overthrown. After the bodies began to rot, a fight for a cure was abandoned, and hopes of a vaccine were focused on. Everyone knew they couldn’t revive the dead, but a vaccine to prevent turning was the next best thing. Sure, being eaten alive was a possibility, but it was better to survive a bite than to be overcome with mind-numbing hunger.
The infection acted quickly, being transferred by bodily fluids. The first symptoms were cold sweats and paleness within 20 minutes of the disease invading the body. By the 40-minute mark, delirium began. Memory began to deteriorate, coughing fits, words became scrambled, and aggression rose along with shaking. In the first hour, words become grumbled noises of attempted conversation. Muscles begin to jerk and spasm, aggression grows, and hunger begins to not be fulfilled by any of the scraps found. At an hour and 20 minutes, the body finally shuts down. Its host is to fall unresponsive, lying down as if to take a nap. 10 minutes later, the infection has completed, leaving its host a mindless beast. Fast, angry, and an insatiable hunger.
Doctors became scarce for obvious reasons. The few that do survive have the privilege of living in the quarantine zones, hoping to create a vaccine. There are different types of quarantine zones. Charlie zones were strictly for civilians. Low priority, but sustained in hopes for repopulation and a ‘normal’ life. These people focused on crops, livestock, and assembly lines to make day-to-day life similar. Beta zones were next, for military and important figures. They are where new militants were trained and royalty could live about their lives. Finally, there are Alpha zones. These contained militants, doctors, and a few chosen civilians to study under the doctors so none would die out. Many members of these people's families also got to live here if one of their own worked here. It was a very desirable and highly regarded place, not only for security, but the living conditions were by far better than Charlie or Beta zones.
Rayne was currently being transferred to an Alpha zone after her skills were recognized in a Beta zone. Sure, moving up the ranks was good, but she was confused about how much a psychiatrist would be of much use in a vaccine production zone. She assumes it's for morale for the soldiers there or their families. She is alone on this helicopter ride, not counting the few militants escorting her to her new home. Only a duffel bag was packed with a few meaningful items. Her mother's engagement ring, her father's lucky gold ball, a photo of them when happiness was still in their lives, and many books. Study material, notes, and sudoku puzzles. A few changes of clothes were also grabbed, as well as a couple of snacks for the ride. Watching the broken buildings go by led her mind to wander. Like many in this time, she thought about her life if this all had never happened. She would have graduated by now and had a job. She could have gotten her first house, first card, a degree, maybe even a pet or boyfriend. All dreams of the past as a skyscraper slowly crumble from a fire in the distance.
When she arrived, she was greeted by a general and a bright red-haired woman. She left the heli and approached them, trying to escape the loud motor and wind blowing around.
“Rayne Boyd?” the general questioned. She nodded, confirming. “I am Colonel Parker, and this woman is Riley Murphy. You will be taking orders from her,” He greets, introducing the very deadpanned woman. Riley extends a hand that Rayne takes, shaking firmly with a curt nod. “Please follow me,” Parker says, walking to a bunker not too far behind him. As they walk, Rayne looks around at the top of her new home. There were multiple lines of fencing around the bunker, many yards away. Everywhere you look, you can see militants running around. Many load up in trucks and head for the gate to head out for something that was commanded. Military trucks were everywhere, as well as a few helicopters on helipads. Poles with speakers surrounded the area; no noise left them as they entered the bunker.
Once they entered the heavily sealed concrete cage, Rayne was greeted by a long hallway with doors extending down. They go down the hallway with people coming in and out of rooms. Footsteps and chats were a constant noise. At the end of the hallway, a large four-way appeared, showing even more hallways. A wall of elevators was lined along one hallway, with other hallways showing more rooms. They go down a less busy hallway where only militants seem to be occupying. They enter an empty room with a couch, table, and chairs, water bottles, and bags of snacks. Once everyone enters, the Colonel shuts the door behind them and locks it, pulling down the curtain so no one can peek in.
“I will cut to the chase, Miss Boyd, this job you will be doing, you will not be able to leave behind for another,” He states, sitting at a table of chairs. Riley sits on the couch, not too happy about this situation, clearly. Rayne stands there awkwardly for a moment before sitting across from the Colonel with Riley to her right. “….may I ask why?” She questions, unsure of what she has been assigned to. The Colonel sighs for a moment before speaking up. “You will be working on a vaccine project that fewer than twenty people know about. You may not speak about it with anyone outside of these people, and it is the most demanding job here.” This doesn’t help Rayne's nerves at all. She does a half smile with a chuckle, “We're not killing innocents or causing anyone harm, so I’m unsure of why this would be so serious.”
“To avoid panic,” states Riley bluntly. “What Erik here isn’t telling you is that if anyone outside of this zone knew what was going on, all hell woul-” “Murphy!” The Colonel interrupts her, giving a stern look. Riley rolls her eyes. “She is here. She was picked out of a couple of others. If she doesn’t like it-“ Riley says, following with a shooting gun symbol to her head with an exaggerated look. “And pick another.” Rayne is kind of thrown back at Riley's attitude, which confuses her more about what's going on. The Colonel, visibly upset, tries to mediate the situation.
“This is an extremely classified project. While yes, panic may ensue, it is best to keep this project out of others' hands. Not only for security reasons, but for national reasons. This project may be the cure-all or…the largest weapon we know of. It is best, for everyone, if this stays behind closed doors.” Rayne nods, trying to understand this vague message. “So, before you accept, you must follow more rules than others. This project must not be spoken about outside of the lab. Not in the cafeteria, the hallways, or your room with the door locked. Once you get off that elevator, that project no longer exists until you get back on to go to the lab. All notes taken will stay in the lab at all times. If a single sticky note happens to be in your pocket while you leave, there will be extreme consequences.” Riley does another shooting gesture followed by a quiet ‘pow’. The colonel glares before continuing. “Once you accept this project, you will stay on it until your last breath. You can’t change to another job, you can’t retire, this project will be your life. Which is now why I will ask, Do you accept?”
Rayne stares in confusion before a small scoff leaves. “So, you tell me all these things, threaten not only my life, but the hope of retiring, and I am supposed to just be ok with that?” “I understand this is difficult to process. If you would like, you can have a day or two to think about it.” The Colonel says reassuringly. Rayne sits there in silence for a moment, thinking. “So…am I assisting the others who know?” “Classified,” Riley says quickly. “So, I am just supposed to accept this blindly?” “Pretty much,” Riley assures with a smirk. “Told you this would go well,” Riley says to the Colonel, who is still upset. “Is there anything else I can know that won't end up with me being threatened?” Rayne asks defeatedly. A silence fills the room for a minute before Riley speaks up again. “That this project is nothing you’ve ever dreamed of before, and you will VERY much regret not taking it,” She says genuinely. Rayne is quiet, thinking on these words. Her father's voice was ringing in her head. ‘Would you rather take a shot in the dark and hope, or shoot in the light and see how badly you missed?’ These words sit with her for a minute before she closes her eyes and relaxes a bit. “I’ll do it.” “Huh?” The colonel says in disbelief. “I'll take on this project.” Riley looks at the colonel and smiles, nodding as if to say ‘Not so bad, huh’ before getting up. “Let's go then.”
Chapter 2: The Introduction
Chapter Text
Rayne follows the pair down the hall to the elevator hallway. They enter and go to the lowest floor. The ride down is quiet as Riley looks to the colonel, smiling with him, just facing forward quietly. They get off the floor and see a large room with tables, vending machines, TVs showing recorded movies. There are doctors and militants alike, all mingling and chatting with each other. The trio takes a right and follows a hallway with various medical rooms passing along the way. At the end of the hallway, there is an elevator with guards. The colonel nods at the two guards, who salute and press the down button. Once Riley and Rayne enter, Riley puts her info card against a scanner. “You don’t wanna come?” She smiles at the colonel, who looks uninterested. “You know the answer to that already.” The doors close, and they descend to the lowest floor. “He will mess with you a bit, but you will warm up quickly,” Riley says, smiling, facing the doors. “He seems decent enough,” Rayne says, confused. “Not talking about the Colonel,” Riley replies, grinning.
The elevator stops, and the door opens to a small lab. There are various islands of beakers, sinks, and towers of papers. There's a glass room against the wall covered by some metal panels with no real information on why it's there. Three other doctors are down here setting up for the day. A tall black man with a buzzed cut, an average-sized Hispanic woman with long dark hair, and an Indian man with short black hair and a thick set of glasses. As they are setting up, they look and cheer as Riley and Rayne exit the elevator. “I knew you’d get her on board!” The black man said cheekily. The three gather to meet Rayne. “This tall glass of water is Jermaine, he is our vaccinologist,” Riley introduces. Jermaine nods to Rayne and shakes her hand. “Glad to have you on board. “This lovely lady is Arabella, our neurologist.” Arabella waves excitedly. “You can just call me Bella.” “And this is the former newbie, Rishi, our hematologist.” Rishi nods, smiling. “And you know my name; I am the pathologist. Everyone, this is Rayne, the psychiatrist.” “Oh, he’s gonna get a kick out of you,” Jermaine says, chuckling. Rayne looks around, confused, before Riley pipes up. “Speaking of him, everyone, finish up getting ready. I’m sure he’s ready to bother us for the day.” Everyone immediately begins to finish their setups and organization, while Rayne looks confused.
Riley whistles to get her attention and points to the desk closest to the glass room on the right. “This is your station. Keep it clean or not, I don’t fuckin care. You're welcome to use any equipment that’s not on anyone's station, but I am sure you won't need it. Meals get brought down twice a day. We leave for dinner and see each other again for breakfast. Bathrooms to the right and left of the elevator, we don’t care what's in your pants as long as you don’t. You will receive a laptop soon to keep some info on, no, there is no wifi. Sick days are allowed, no vacations, you're welcome to nap if you need it.” Riley spouts off all of this while everyone finishes up setting their stations. Screens of TVs that are near the glass room turn on and begin to connect to their laptops. Rayne sees passwords put in on the shared screens as files open. Medical screens pop up with various scans, medical info, and some stuff she doesn’t recognize.
Riley starts role-call, with everyone responding with various words of agreement. Riley stands in front of the glass door, nodding for Rayne, who has just set her bag down to stand beside her. Rayne stands beside with confusion as Riley grins at her. “Bella, if you could free our boy, please.” “Yes ma’am,” Bella says, walking to a wall near the glass room and using her card to verify with the bar code and inserting her key, twisting it, and heading back to her station. The metal panels against the glass wall begin to rise slowly. “Rayne, I would like you to meet the hope of a zombie-free world. This is Dorian,” Riley says, facing the glass. Rayne looks forward and sees what everyone does nowadays. A walking dead creature, with clean scrubs and a somewhat neat appearance. Not counting the gash in the forearm, the blackened sclera on one eye, scratched and chapped lips, and the obvious overall dead look. “…ah, yes, an undead man. The cure of humanity,” Rayne says, looking at Riley with some sarcasm and an unimpressed view. “Only partially dead, but I can take the cure of humanity,” A male voice says to her right. She freezes and slowly looks to the undead man who's leaning against the glass, looking straight at her. Not in an undead hunger kind of way, the kind of way of being a new kid at school. The undead grins, looking at her with a chuckle, “What? Zombie got ya tongue?”