Chapter 58: We're Needed

"Runner Five, Paula and I have a very important mission for you today," The doctor says with a cough. I frown at how drowsy she sounds, but I keep up my pace.

"Yeah... are you sure it's a good idea for you to be out of cryo-sleep right now, Max? You've only been back about a week-well, over a week-but still."

"I'm fine. I'll only be out for this mission anyway."

"We're sorry for not briefing you in advance about this mission," Paula cuts in, "But you know how Janine is about security, especially with everything that's happened. But of course, we wouldn't have woken Maxi up if it wasn't important."

I raise a brow. "And what is it that's so important, exactly?"

"We've identified it, with the help of the Ministry, as a possible site for one of Van Ark's labs."

"I thought we'd, you know, dealt with Van Ark," Sam says as I gulp, my blood suddenly starting to burn, my veins turning to fire. I feel the pinch of the injection of a needle into my arm-my neck.

I have nightmares about it, sometimes. I dream I'm back there in that lab, being experimented on. Sometimes I wake up crying, even bleeding as I've scratched at my wrists in my sleep, trying to get out of the handcuffs that keep me on the treadmill...

I don't think I'll ever be able to escape the memories of what he did to me.

"Well, we had hoped," Maxine replies, pulling me out of my mind. I'm thankful. I don't want to think about that.

"He was always a bit of a control freak boss," Paula says, sighing. "But at the time... it felt like we were doing such important work. We really thought we'd be able to heal critical illness and catastrophic injuries. We were able to regenerate limbs... It felt like such a good thing."

There's a moment of silence, and sadness.

"I know, honey."

"He was obsessively secretive," She continues. "He left his research notes in zombie guarded dumps all over the place, and in parts so that I wouldn't have access to all of them. He never trusted me."

"Yeah, whereas I never doubted you."

I give a half smile at her words.

"The Ministry has had contact with people at Hamland Airfield who confirm that the infirmary there was part of Van Ark's network. The Ministry is very keen to establish contact with them. They're sending out one of their own operatives to work with you in the field, Five."

I purse my lips. That doesn't make feel any better, although I won't tell Sam or Maxine or Paula that. They have enough to worry about, but truth be told, I don't exactly trust the Ministry. I'm not sure why, but I just have a bad feeling about them. They're just... sketchy.

And I don't like sketchy.

"That lab might hold the secret to the vaccine against the zombie contagion, or possibly even have some insight into whatever it was that Van Ark injected you with, Five," Maxine says, and my shoulders tense. Do I want to know what he put inside my body that day? I mean, it made me have super strength when my adrenaline is running high, and I don't get sick. What more do I want to know?

I don't get to think on it too much since Sam starts to speak and brings me back to the present.

"Or even, since we never found out where he made that stuff he injected Albert with-well, maybe a cure for Maxine and F-" He stops suddenly, and I hold my breath.

"And?" Paula prompts.

"Uh, Flynn. Flynn Reese. You know, Runner Twenty-one. A lot of people are uh, missing him."

I breathe out a sigh of relief. Nice save.

No one can know about me, not yet, not if I have a chance to stop it.

"Either way, we can't dare to hope that yet. Right now, our goal is just to establish contact, friendly contact. And Runner Five, be careful. They asked you by name."

"By-by name?" I asked.

"They said your I.D. number. You know, the one you and Sarah found in your chopper that was shot down-5572148. They said no actual name," Sam explains. "But still, for them to know that... you have no idea what you could be walking into."

"Sam, you're helping too much," She chides. "Five, the Ministry contact will be here to help you, so don't worry too much."

"I wouldn't say that. There's uh, six... seven undead coming from the north, and there's something weird."

This day just keeps getting better and better, I think sarcastically. "What is it?"

"They're not moving like fast zoms, but they're fast for shamblers. Sort of, purposeful. What do you think, Paula?"

"Run."

Thanks for the input.

Still, I obey her order and pick up my pace. I've come weaponless today. I wasn't briefed as to why, but since I now know I'm supposed to make 'friendly contact', I can only guess it's because Paula and Maxine think it smart for me not to have any weapons so I won't look like a threat or enemy. The last thing I need to have another group of people coming for my head.

I can hear faint moans and growls from behind me. They're a lot closer than I thought they'd be. I pump my legs faster, faster, faster. Cold sweat runs down my face, my lungs stinging from the unforgiving cold in the air.

"The zoms are closing in on you, Five," Sam says, voice tinged in nervousness. "They're coming over the rise to your left. They're-what the... I've never seen anything like that before."

"I thought you said they were just quick shamblers," I pant.

"W-Well, they are. I-I mean, I think they are. Most of them are."

"What do you mean, 'most of them'?"

"The one in the back," Paula says before Sam can. "The sprinter... she's definitely dead, isn't she?"

"Judging by the maggots..." Maxine replies.

"Oh God," He chokes. "She's got a hockey stick that she's using as some kind of shepherd's crook, and she's-"

"Herding the other zombies."

Shit...

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Paula, did Van Ark-"

"No," She says quickly. "At least, not that I ever knew about. What is this?"

"Border collie DNA?" Maxine jokes, and Paula laughs.

"You've still got it, babe."

"Ha ha. Yeah, really funny," I say sarcastically. "Any idea of a joke that will get me out of here?"

Sam clears his throat. "Right. Right. Uh, Runner Five, from what I can see, all of them are quick shamblers besides that one in the back. She's got them moving at a faster clip than usual, but you should be able to outdistance them with a burst of speed right... now."

I push my legs to run as fast as they can go, panting and sweating and the cold air burning my skin and stinging my lungs. My short ponytail bounces against my back, my eyes watering as I just keep pushing. I listen to the crunch of the snow underneath my feet, counting the seconds.

Ten seconds.

Fifteen seconds.

Twenty seconds.

I can hear Sam murmuring under his breath as watches me and the zoms through the monitor.

Twenty-five seconds.

Thirty-five seconds.

Forty-five seconds.

The moans and growls and groans can still be heard faintly behind me.

Fifty-five seconds.

Seventy seconds.

Eighty-five seconds.

I don't slow down until I fear I may collapse. My lungs feel like they're on fire and my eyes are watering so badly I can't even see clearly. I don't stop, though, even though I want to. I just slow down.

"Uh, that was amazing, Five, but I uh, have some bad news," Sam says, and I pant heavily.

"What-what is it?"

"That shepherdess zom has abandoned her flock and is sprinting after you. She's already starting to gain on you. You have to run faster."

I pick up the pace regardless of my huff in annoyance and pain. "Can't I... can't I just find a stick or something and-and kill her? You know how good I am at finding things on runs-"

"So, it seems to be the gingerbread man."

My blood freezes. That wasn't Sam's voice, or anyone from the coms shack. That came from out here.

No way.

"Was that the zom?" Sam shrieks.

"That was the zom," Maxine confirms, and I swear my heart jumps up to my throat.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I push myself to run faster, terror trumping my quickly coming exhaustion. I look back, and I can see her. God, she's got to be six feet tall at the very least, and she's gaining on me, even as I keep sprinting as fast as my legs can carry me.

This is bad. This is really, really bad. Panic starts to flood in, and I try to think of any possible way to get out of this alive. I don't have my axe, so I start looking around as I run, hoping, praying I'll find something that I can use to kill this zom.

But the ground is covered in snow. Anything of use is buried under it, and I don't have time to look.

"Is it one of the-one of the people from Comansys?" Maxine stutters.

"It can't be," Paula answers. "Look. Half its skull is missing. That isn't what happens to them... right?"

"Right. Y-you're right. They don't inject the skull; They don't inject the face. They don't-it's not it."

"Great, I guess," Sam says. "But we need to know what it is. I mean, it's a zom, obviously, but the undead don't usually mouth off."

"I think I..." The redhead pauses. "I think I know that woman."

"I'll suck your brains!" The zom yells, and I squeak, pushing myself to go a little faster.

"Not the best time for a reunion, Paula."

"Watch out for her crook, Five!" Maxine yells, just in time for me to duck to avoid being hit. How the hell did she catch up to me that quickly?

I have no weapons, and I can't outrun her... I look around. This isn't it. This isn't where I saw myself die...

But it just might be the place where I do.

"Faster, Five! She's gaining on you!"

"I'm trying, Sam! I-I can't go any faster!"

"Oh, God. She's too fast. Just keep-keep running." I can hear him starting to hyperventilate. "What are we going to do? There are no other runners in the field. We have to raise New Canton. That shepherdess is gonna kill her!"

I can feel her behind me, gaining on me, faster and faster and faster until-

There's a sudden sound of flesh ripping and bones crunching, and a loud, horrifying wail.

But they aren't mine.

I skid to a stop, turning around to see a man, his suit-yes, suit-covered in the shepherdess's grayish red blood. He looks at my red, sweaty figure with a raised brow.

"I say, I do apologize. We're you intending to kill that zom yourself? Hate to deprive you of the sport."

I can't speak. I'm currently too breathless to do so. Instead I raise my hands and sign out the words 'thank you'.

"Is that a... bowler hat?" Sam asks. "And a suit? And kid gloves?"

"It is cold," Paula says, a shrug in her voice.

"He crushed the zom's skull with his bowler hat!"

"Well, hello there, old bean," The mystery man greets. "Terribly glad to meet you. You must be Abel Township Runner Five, or as certain documents would call you, 5572148. I don't mind saying your reputation precedes you. Name's Steel. I'm the man from the Ministry here to take you to Hamland. Do run this way."

I raise a brow as he briskly takes off. I follow, even as I'm still breathless and red from my latest sprint. I watch this man lead me towards Hamland. Or at least, I hope he's leading me to Hamland. This is an operative of the Ministry. I don't trust him because of that.

But he did just save my life, so I'll give that. But I trust him as far as I can throw him, and seeing that he weighs at least eighty pounds more than I do-well, I don't need to say anymore, do I?

Besides the outfit this man is wearing, he doesn't look too odd. He has two different colored eyes-one blue and one brown, and a faded scar just above his lip, but still I think it's the outfit that makes him stand out. Why a Ministry operative would wear such a thing confuses me, but the Ministry is odd, and it's another reason as to why I don't trust them.

"That young woman was Claire Bonnet in life," Steel says suddenly.

"Wait. Claire Bonnet?" Sam repeats before letting out a low hum. "Claire Bonnet. I know that name."

"She was one of a small group who had taken shelter at Hamland Airbase." He points ahead. "You can see it there just at your two. Claire was a brave woman. Saved a child just a few days ago, but was bitten in the process. The contagion interacted strangely with Van Ark's treatment. For awhile we thought she might be alright." He sighs. "She'll be sadly missed."

"Wait. Wait. Van Ark's... treatments?" Paula lets out a shaky breath. "I-I'm sure I know that woman."

Sam gasps. "Oh, my God. Claire Bonnet. She was in your files, Paula-she... the file we found about all your test subjects."

She doesn't answer at first, as she takes a moment to process it all. "Oh, God... Yes, it's her. I... I even remember injecting her with VS72."

It's been a long time since I heard of that serum. I remember looking for the files on that stuff. I remember the recording, the CD, the tears, that run... I remember it.

"Vs72... that was the serum you made with Van Ark before the apocalypse, right?" Maxine asks.

"Yes. She was one of the patients in our first human trial."

I can see people in the distance. There's something wrong them-their bodies. They're still human, or at least, they're not zombies, but something's wrong with them. They almost look... deformed.

"Who are they?" I ask.

"Those are the people who have taken shelter at Hamland Airbase. There are three of them. Well, two now. They're survivors from Van Ark's original treatments," Steel answers.

"Oh God," Paula says again. "Whatever we treated them with, it's done something terrible to them."

"Paula, look at my monitor. Do you see what I'm seeing?" Sam questions, and I squint at the two figures. My eyes widen.

What the hell?

"Those two in front of us. They look... Were they in some sort of accident? They look so... wrong, even from here."

"No, Five, that's not what I'm talking about. Look behind you."

I do so, even as Maxine jumps in the conversation and tells me not to.

"The shepherdess-I mean, Claire-"

"Patient Sixteen," Paula corrects. "She was Patient Sixteen."

She's gotten back up.

She's gotten back up!

How the hell is that zombie still alive? How the hell is she not dead? And how is still so fast?

"Five, run! Run! She's gaining on you both, faster than before! Run! Go!"

"Could the healing factor continue after death?"  Maxine questions.

"The evidence suggests you might be right," Paula replies.

"Suggests? Might be?" I repeat. "Steel crushed her skull and she's still coming!"

"Yes," Steel says, sounding awfully calm. "I see her, and we're needed, Five.  Run."

•

"She's still uncoordinated, Five. If you and Steel can put on a good burst of speed, you might be able to lose her."

"I'm running as fast as I can," I say, gasping for breath at each inhale. My chest feels as if it's going to collapse any minute, and my face is covered in tears from the cold making my eyes water so badly. My fingers have gone numb, and my face stings... I don't know how much longer I can go on like this.

"She's losing time," Paula states. "She keeps dropping her stick and searching for it. Why would she have fixated on that?"

"Who cares? It's given them a bit more time to get away," He says. "Just keep running. Maybe if you can get out of line of sight, she won't be able to track you."

"This way," Steel instructs, heading towards a large metal bridge. I don't exactly trust this man, but seeing I have no other option as to where I could hide, I follow. "Just under here and we'll be right as rain, safe as houses, proper as a pack of cliches."

Him using that many similes is enough to make me even more uneasy about this whole situation, and I didn't think that was possible.

Either way, I follow him down under the bridge, out of sight.

"There. You lost her. Bit of a toff for the post apocalyptic world, don't you think?" Sam asks.

"We'll be at Hamland shortly," He replies, ignoring Sam's word and effectively evading the question. "I hope you won't be too startled by what you'll see there. The Ministry and certain other bodies are involved. Here. Sign this copy of the Official Secrets Act."

He pulls the papers out of his pocket, and Sam makes a slightly sarcastic comment on it. Steel again ignores him, but it's enough to get a smile out of me. But the smile disappears when Steel hands me a pen, his mismatched eyes following every move of my hand as I sign the papers.

"I hope you're okay with the fact that I don't put my... actual name."

He nods.

"You do realize none of us are bound by this," Paula points out, but he doesn't answer her and just puts the signed papers in his pocket again.

"Now, as I was saying, some of what you're about to see is a little jarring-"

"Like those deformed people I saw before Claire decided she wasn't finished?" I interrupt.

He purses his lips. "Based on your reputation, I'm confident in your ability to keep a cool head, aye? You shan't be able to go into the infirmary, but a contact will meet us outside. Beth is her name, married to Trevor. He's at Hamland too."

"Trevor and Beth," Sam repeats. "Weren't they also patients of yours?"

"I never knew their names, only the patient numbers."

I hear my radio operator let out a small noise of discomfort, and I tense. "What is it? Has Claire found us again?"

I go perfectly still for a moment, realizing I'm using her name as if she's still alive, still human...

"Uh, no. Not-not exactly. There's a small army of fast zoms coming on from the east."

I curse under my breath, and Steel places a hand on his hip.

"More zoms, is it? Why, don't worry. We'll soon outpace them." He pulls out a walkie talkie, and presses the button onto it. "Trevor, yes, it's Steel. I'm bringing in Abel Township's emissary. Ready at the rendezvous?"

I think I hear a garbled 'yes' come from Trevor.

"Good. I believe you have some items to show Five," A sly look flashes across his face, "about Amelia Spens and Abel's Runner Three, Simon Lauchlan."

My heart stops in my chest. Simon?

"Come on, Five. Fast zombies are behind us, and we can't keep Beth waiting."

I don't hesitate. My mind is too busy racing around, thoughts swirling through my head like a deadly tornado. Simon was at Hamland Airfield. Simon was here... God, it's been so long since I've heard from him. Or at least, it seems that way.

But when I think about it, it's only been two months since I last saw him, when he and Amelia ran off to find any regenerative therapies for him. I haven't thought about him much, not with everything that's happened since he left... but I still miss him.

What I would give to see him again...

But Steel says it was items Trevor was going to give me, and not that Simon is at Hamland now. It's for the best. At least, that's what I tell myself. My relationship with Simon is an odd one. I forgive him too easily. I let him in too quickly. I care about him too much. It's best if I'm not around him. Plus it's smart if I stay away from Amelia, since I hate her... a lot.

Loud groans and snarls reach my ears, and I grimace, mentally smacking myself for not bringing a weapon, as well as mentally smacking those on coms for not allowing my to bring one. I understand they wanted me to look friendly, but they should know by now that I am bad luck and I need a weapon to stay alive.

My feet crunch under the snow, and I keep my pace steady. And while I try to keep quiet about it, my curiously gets the best of me.

"These items you said Trevor needed to show me... what are they?" I ask.

"It's nothing too special. Just a few things Amelia and Simon left as payment for taking shelter there for a few days. Well, they did give food and water as well, but you understand why they can't give you that. Also some research notes and pictures-things such as that."

I nod. "And why are you telling me this? Why would Trevor want to show me this, I mean?"

The man shrugs, glancing back at the pack of zoms still coming after us. He barely seems dazed by this. "They spoke of you as if you were very close, although Trevor did say he suspected they might have said that since you have such a well known reputation there."

"Yeah, well, I can tell you right now Amelia was lying if she said she and I were close. I could barely stand to call her an acquaintance."

"And Simon Lauchlan?"

I open my mouth to answer... No words come out.

"They were close before the asshole shot her," Sam growls, and I flinch at the sudden malice in his voice. I would chastise him for still being upset about that, but then I remember the terror in his voice when I was shot.

I remember the fear that seemed to take over his whole body as I fell to the ground. He was terrified of losing me that day. I can't be mad at him for being mad at Simon, not when he did something that nearly sent my operator into a heart attack.

"Hmm, well, either way, they acted as if they knew you well, and even though you and Simon are no longer friends, according to your operator-"

"According? You say that as if you think I'm lying," He says in offense, but Steel ignores him.

"He still seemed loyal enough to keep your name a secret."

"My name?" I repeat, and I remember the files he found on me. He burned them, but not before reading them. I'd forgotten about that.

"Wait, Five, he knows your name? Your actual, like, real name?"

"It's a long story," I reply, only to hear him grumble in response.

"Yeah, I bet."

"You two can discuss that later," Paula cuts in. "The zombies are gaining, and Patient Sixteen has joined them in the chase."

"I love fast food," Claire slurs, and I don't bother to look back. I don't want to. I'm already terrified enough and I don't think looking back at the small army of zombies as well as the semi-sentient one will help any.

So I keep my gaze ahead, squinting slightly at the two figures in front of me. It's the deformed ones I saw before. Human... I think. I mean, they aren't zombies. I don't know what they are... but the way they're built... They don't look like those deformed monsters that you'd see in horror movies-no. They just look... off.

"There's Beth and Trevor now. Right on time, old chaps!" Steel calls, and my mouth drops open as I continue to stare. Steel turns to me. "The thing is, you see, Beth and Trevor had a visit a few weeks ago from Amelia and Simon. They also wanted to look at Van Ark's research-to go through the notes and experiments he's left here.

"Of course, that means the location's been comprised. Beth and Trevor will have to move on. They came to ask for help, and we're the Ministry. We'll be housing them... but they asked a price for their information. They wanted to give this research to you personally."

I nod, but I never take my eyes off the two in front of me.

"Wait a second," Sam says. "My-my camera's aren't brilliant in that direction, but... does that woman have-does she have-"

"A vestigial tail?" I finish, forcing out a laugh tinged with shock. "Yeah. And Trevor has double irises in both eyes and seven fingers on one hand, all being the same length."

"Well, those are side effects I've never seen before," Paula says.

"Are they some of the serum recipients?" Maxine questions, and gets a gun of affirmation.

"I recognize them both. That's Patient Twenty-two and Patient Thirty. They were also both part of the original clinical trail."

"And now she's got a gecko tail and he's got extra fingers and irises," Sam sasses.

"Well, we did use stem cells obtained from lizard embryos as part of the therapy protocol."

Maxine lets out a choked gasp. "How did you get that past N.I.C.E.?"

"Van Ark did all the paperwork."

I roll my eyes. Of course he did.

Steel and I both come to a stop, and he takes a small package from Trevor and then hands it to me. "There we go. Now, Beth, Trevor, would you mind?"

Trevor pulls out a gun, and Beth grabs the axe that she has strapped to her back. He fires the gun at some of the zombies, then takes off in efforts to lead them away, while Beth goes after Claire.

"Always nice to see old friends," The zombie says, right before Beth swings her axe into Claire's neck. It's not sharp enough to take off the head in one go, so Beth has to force the zom to the ground and keep hacking away until the head comes off. Sam shudders.

"Gross."

"Would it be any less gross if she didn't have a tail?" Paula asks.

"Not really."

Steel tsks and shakes his head sadly. "Poor Claire. Come along, Runner Five. Let's leave these people in peace before the Ministry comes for them. I'll set you on a zombie free path."

•

"The polaroids in that package will show you all you need to know about Amelia and Simon. As survivors of Van Ark's experiments, Beth and Trevor have been trying to find out exactly what he did, and possibly find a cure. You noticed their deformities, yes?"

I look up from the package my eyes have been glued to, and I nod.

"Some of Van Ark's victims are more fortunate that others. They got off relatively likely. The results of his experiments are unpredictable. We're looking for more survivors of his treatments. There's strength in communication. That's why Beth and Travis wanted to reach out to you, Five. We know you were subjected to his treatments too."

"How does he know that?" Paula asks.

"How does he know anything?" Sam asks.  "Telepathy? Spies?"

"Never mind how I know, but you need to see this, Five."

"Be careful," Sam warns, and Paula scoffs.

"He's just taking his gloves off."

And he does, and I see his hand... the skin a different color than the rest of him, and not in the way of someone having a skin condition. The color of his hand has an ashy tint to it, and only his hand...

"It's a regenerated hand, like the one Van Ark had," Maxine says, and Steel puts on his gloves before continuing to run over to a fence post that has a horse tied to it.

"As you can see, Runner Five, you're not alone." He mounts the horse. "I must leave you now, but perhaps we'll meet again."

"But-" There's so much I have to ask him about Beth and Trevor-if their deformities happened quickly or slowly, if it was painful, or if I have to worry about it happening to me...

But I never get the chance, because he's already riding off.

"Don't go after him," Sam says sternly, as if he knew I was contemplating it. "If you stay on that path, you'll get home safely. You couldn't catch up with that horse anyway."

"The Ministry has some uh, strange employees," Maxine laughs. "But still, I can't wait to see those research notes. There must be something useful in them."

"Huh," Sam says suddenly, and I tense.

"What is it?"

"Message just come in via Roufflenet. The Ministry apologizes. Their operative won't be about to come meet with us today. Apparently it was supposed to be Travis, but he got caught up chasing a fugitive murderer at Stockwell."

"Then who the hell was I just with? Who's Steel?"

"I guess we'll never know," He replies with a slightly nervous chuckle. "Come on home now, Five. As quick as you can."

A/N: Here you go, guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please be sure to vote and comment! Thank you and have a blessed day!