AntiBio: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller (17 page)

“Let’s strip the bodies and cut off some arms,” Jersey says. “I can do the work on the way. The transport stays offline until I’m done. It’s damaged anyway so that will be a good cover story when we hit Control.”

“Stripping bodies and cutting off arms?” Milo asks. “Is this how GenWrecks roll in the Sicklands?”

“You do what you have to,” Red says and sighs as Jude walks into the transport.

“Where do I si-” Jude starts to ask, but Red points at him and shakes his head.

“No,” Red says. “You return to base and wait for orders. You’ll have to take the dogs as well as Sergeants Menendez and Kailua.”

“Whoa, what?” Milo asks. “You’re leaving us here?”

“You’re too wounded,” Ton says. “We get in the shit and you can’t fight. Even if we can trick Control with the PSCs, once they start doing a full med work up on you, they’ll match your DNA and everything will be blown to shit.”

“And the dogs?” Paulo asks, looking at Munch. “I’m gonna feel naked without my bug hound.”

“Clean Guard don’t have bug hounds,” Red says. “They can’t come with. Leave them out here and it’ll look like the squad was put down and the dogs ran off.” He looks at Jude and shakes his head. “Which means you can’t go back to base. You’ll need to squat in one of the bolt holes until we send word it’s all clear. Stay by the com.”

“
You have coms?” Milo asks.

“There are communication relays planted throughout the Sicklands. Not part of the satellite grid,” Worm says. “There is a communications hub in Coffin base that connects to different safe coms throughout the Sicklands. Jude will need to get to one of those and
get you all secured.”

“Coffin base?” Ton asks. “How many bases and GenWreck squads are there?”

“Not enough,” Red replies. “We’re spread thin and don’t have the resources to do anything yet.”

“Can I ask why you are doing anything at all?” Paulo asks. “Why
go after Control? They are the ones keeping the Strains from wiping everyone out.”

“Control used to be called the Centers for Disease Control generations ago before the Strains brought the world to its knees,” Red says. “At
first, they were the ones trying to protect us. Then it changed. Control doesn’t care about humanity the way we do. Control sees humanity like subjects to be studied and experimented on. Control lost its path a long time ago.”

“Why would people do that?” Milo asks. “We barely survived the plagues, why mess with the balance even more?”

“Heh,
people
,” Jersey snorts. “
Right
.”

“Ms. Cale has a theory that it is not people doing this, but an AiSP,” Worm says. “Which I wholly disagree with. Control does have many imposing AiSPs, but they are not strong enough to orchestrate a plan such as this.”

“You have,” Jersey says. “If you can help build the resistance then who is to say another AiSP isn’t building the opposite.”

“I would be aware of an intelligence that strong,” Worm states.
“And I have only helped with the resistance, not built it. An artificial intelligence on the scale you suggest would be far more powerful than my meager abilities.”

“I’m just saying-” Jersey starts. “Screw it, not debating this again with you, Worm. Let’s get the uniforms and PSCs. We need to get moving now.”

“Not to put a damper on your plans,” Milo says. “But I’m not hiking out of here.”

“The Slides,” Jude says. “You two go on the Slides, the dogs pull the Slides.”

“Smart kid,” Milo smiles.

“Yep,” Red nods as he stands and looks down at Zeus. “Sorry, boy. You have to go with Jude. Keep him and the operators alive, got it?”

Zeus looks up at Red with his large black eyes and sniffs then woofs quietly.

“Good pup,” Red smiles and pats the dog on the head then looks at all the other bug hounds, their eyes watching him suspiciously. “I think they all know what’s up. Say goodbye to your bug hounds, operators, it could be a while before we see them again.”

Everyone moves from the transport and gets to work. Sergeants Menendez and Kailua are secured on Slides, after Jersey incapacitates the sat link on the vehicles so they can’t be tracked.

“The dogs
’ PSCs will give away their location,” Jersey says.

“That’s fine,” Red replies. “Control will think they just found a refuge in the Sicklands.
We’ll close down that bolt hole after this; consider it compromised.”

The Clean Guard troopers are stripped of their armor and relieved of their arms containing their PSCs. Everything is loaded on board the transport and the operators strap in while Jersey
stays outside.

“This is going to suck,” Jersey says as she places a static blade to Milo’s wrist.

“I’m still under the influence of a lot of painkillers,” Milo says, but hisses as Jersey slices him open and removes his PSC. “Fuck. That did suck.”

She moves to Hoagie and
thankfully, the operator stays unconscious during the procedure. Making sure the PSCs are destroyed, Jersey nods to Milo then steps into the transport.

“You got this?” R
ed asks, looking at Jude. “I’m putting a lot on you. Two wounded operators and a pack of unfamiliar bug hounds.” He looks at Jude’s shoulder. “You okay?”

“I got this, Pop,” Jude says. “Just come back alive.”

“And you stay alive,” Red says. “Watch the sensors. If you see any activity from Control coming your way, you get the hell out of there.”

“What about Zebra squad’s bug hounds?” Jude asks. “
If Control comes then they can track the dogs. I’ll never get away.”

Red looks over at Ton. Ton nods.

“Leave them if you have to,” Red says. “It sucks, but it’s what has to be done.”

“Got it,” Jude nods. “Good luck.”

“You too, boy,” Red says, clapping his son on the uninjured shoulder. He pulls him into a firm hug then lets him go. “Now get the hell out of here before the Cooties close in. Nick? Ready?”

“Systems are a go,” Nick says. “A little banged up, but a go.”

“Let’s roll,” Red orders. “Time to do the impossible.”

“If it was impossible, I would inform you, Captain,” Worm responds. “While the likelihood of success is slight, there is a chance-”

“Worm? Hush,” Red says.

“I spend most of my day saying that,” Ton laughs. “But it’s usually worded as shut the fuck up.”

“I’ve always been more diplomatic than you, Ton,” Red smiles, getting strapped in. He watches as the transport hatch closes and his son is lost from sight. “Punch it, Nick.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Nick says as he initiates the transport drive and the machine speeds away from the battle site.

Jude, with his bug hound Ajax by his side, watches as the transport hits the route hard and is gone from sight in seconds, lost to the night and whatever fate awaits the squads.

“Come on,” Jude says,
glancing over at Milo who is lain out across a Slide, looking very uncomfortable. “We better hurry before those Cooties out there catch up. You aren’t going to die on me, are you?”

“Not that I know of,” Milo replies. “But Hoagie isn’t looking too good. How far is the
bolthole? All of this movement could send that blood clot right into his brain.”

“It’s a good fifteen clicks that way,” Jude says, pointing towards the ridge. “I thought Worm stabilized him?”

“He did, but we’re in the Sicklands, kid,” Milo says. “Nothing good happens out here.”

“That depends,” Jude says. “The Sicklands can surprise you.”

“I hope so,” Milo says then waves at the ridge. “After you.”

“Dogs, move out,” Jude orders.

The bug hounds orient themselves with the Slides. It takes them a few yards, but they quickly work it out and get coordinated for efficient movement. They have been given a job and intend to see it through.

33

“I have picked up PSC signals from…” the AiSP states.

“Are you planning on finishing that sentence?” Dr. DeBeers asks, settled into the front seat of the Clean Guard transport, her eyes on the route displayed on
the windshield view screen. “I can’t read human minds, let alone AiSP minds.”

“I was picking up movement of several PSCs,” the AiSP explains. “All from GenSOF Zebra squad. But the signals are now registering as deceased. However, several members of the Clean Guard are now back online. The anomaly is to be expected with the
amount of static discharge released during the fighting.”

“But you have confirmation that Zebra squad has been eliminated?” Dr. DeBeers asks.

“I do, doctor,” the AiSP replies. “I also have confirmation that the Clean Guard troopers have commandeered the GenSOF transport and it is proceeding towards Control.”

“Can you calculate their ETA?” Dr. DeBeers asks. “Based on the last transmission and our current location?”

“There is still too much interference,” the AiSP replies. “Signals are not strong enough for an accurate estimation.”

“That’s why it is called
estimation,” Dr. DeBeers snaps. “Just try.”

“They will not catch up to us and will, under my weak estimation, arrive about two hours after us,” the AiSP responds. “I have
maintained control of your transport driver and increased his driving efficiency by thirty-two percent. We will arrive at Control in an hour and fifty-seven minutes.”

“Good,” Dr. DeBeers says, settling into her seat. “Wake me when we are thirty minutes out.”

“Yes, doctor,” the AiSP replies.

“And keep an eye on that transport at all times,” Dr. DeBeers says. “If it deviates from the route for any reason I want to know.”

“Yes, doctor,” the AiSP replies. “Would you care for a mild sedative in order to sleep easier?”

“No,” Dr. DeBeers says. “From this moment on I need to stay clea
r. There is no going back now.”

“Management is requesting communication, doctor. Shall I patch them through?”

“No,” Dr. DeBeers says. “Tell them facility lockdown is still a go and they have less than two hours to complete it. Once I have had time to study Sergeant Crouch on my own then I will submit to quarantine, you fucking imbecilic piece of techno-”

She stops and rubs at her temple.

“I’m not sure why I said that,” Dr. DeBeers says. “I’m going to rest. Wake me as ordered.”

“Yes, doctor.”

34

“Anything, Worm?” Red asks.

“No, Captain,” Worm replies. “There is too much static discharge interference to be able to accurately scan for life signs.”

“We’re stopping, right?” Collette asks. “If any of our people are still alive then we have to help them.”

Red and Ton share a look.

“If we stop they’ll know something is up,” Ton says.

“We could make it look like transport malfunction,” Nick says. “They’ll buy that.”

“Maybe,” Red says, looking at everyone. “But it is a risk.”

“I could use the extra time,” Jersey says. “I need to make some more mods to my stasis cylinder before I get back in. I leave it as it is and I’ll be locked inside. We don’t want that.”

“Control? This is Clean Guard trooper 85732,” a voice rings out.

“What the fu-” Paulo starts to say then stops when Coffin squad all glare at him.

Red points up at the ceiling and mouths, “Worm.”

“Control?” Worm asks again. “We are having vehicle issues and need to stop for short repairs. We expect to be up and mobile again within the hour. Do you read, Control?”

There is a loud hiss of white noise then a faint voice.

“Clean Guard 85732…interference…you…unidentified transport…malfunction…for repairs,” the voice says. “Location noted…after one hour…copy?”

“Copy that, Control,” Worm responds. “Will report as soon as repairs are completed. Please note we have commandeered Caldicott City GenSOF Transport Eighteen. Contact Dr. DeBeers for more information.”

“Copy…safe…confirm…” the faint voice responds. “Clean…and Control. Out.”

“Clean Guard trooper 85732 out,” Worm replies. “We have just under one hour to search for survivors and for Ms. Cole to complete her alterations to the stasis cylinder.”

“That’ll work,” Red says. “Good job, Worm.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Worm replies.

Nick brings the transport to a stop and the operators, suited up like Clean Guard, all grab weapons and step out as the hatch opens.

“Jesus,” Ton says, looking about the blast marked terrain. “This may be a waste of time.”

“We have almost an hour,” Red says. “We have to try. Jersey needs the extra time anyway.”

“Well, at the very least we can talk,” Ton says. “I’d rather you tell me what’s going on than Worm. He’ll skip all the important stuff and just state the facts.”

“It’s a long story,” Red says.

“More than an hour long?” Ton asks, snapping his baton into a rifle and placing it to his shoulder.

Red looks at him and the rifle. “We’re here to rescue my folks, not fight them.”

“It’s the Sicklands, Red,” Ton says. “You may be used to them, but I’m not. I’ll feel better with this up.”

“Okay, but no friendly fire,” Red shrugs.

“Take a look at us,” Ton says. “We’re dressed as Clean Guard. If any of your people are still alive we have more to worry from them than they do from us.”

“Good point,” Red nods. “But dial your rifle back to light stun, will ya?”

“I will if you fill me in on what’s going on,” Ton says. “All of it. Start from the beginning.”

“I can’t do that, but I can start where I came in,” Red says. “When I was tossed out on my ass.”

Ton waits, but when Red doesn’t start he looks over at the man and sees he’s holding back tears.

“Jesus, Red, what the hell happened?” Ton asks.

“First, let me destroy everything you know about GenSOF,” Red says. “When we first joined all those years ago we thought we were just ordinary citizens whose genetics matched a certain profile, right?”

“Right,” Ton nods as they move forward with the rest of the operators fanned out around them, all alert for signs of life. Unfortunately, they only come across dismembered corpses, the bodies havin
g been blown apart by direct static blasts.

“That part is true,” Red says. “What isn’t true is that GenSOF was created to battle Cooties and keep the Sicklands’ routes safe from Clean Nation city to Clean Nation city. And to Control. That is only a side effect.”

“How is that a side effect?” Ton asks. “We’ve both seen enough battles to know that all that stands between the Clean Nation cities and the dangers of the Sicklands is GenSOF.”

Red stops and looks at Ton, his eyes heavy and sad. “Man, we are the dangers,” Red says. “To everyone. The bacterial loads we carry? They weren’t designed to keep us safe from the hellish Strains while we are out in this shit. They were designed to spread in the Sicklands and take down the Cooties. We aren’t a fighting force, Ton, we’re a plague.”

“Come on…what?” Ton says. “What does that mean?”

“We are experiments, Ton,” Red says. “Living breathing experiments. And once the bacteria in us has reached a certain stage we are set loose, thrown out into the Sicklands for us to do as much damage as possible. We become GenWrecks not because we have outlived our usefulness, but because we have just obtained it. If Cooties come in contact with us, we spread our new bacteria to them. Some live, but most die. Control is using us to clear out the Sicklands.”

“Why?” Ton asks. “I mean, I get why, sure, but why keep it all a secret? If the Cooties are wiped out then we can retake the Sicklands. Civilization can move beyond the Clean Nation cities. Life can start again without fear of the Strains.”

“Keep walking,” Red says, moving off again. “I’ll try to make it easy. Lo
rd knows it wasn’t easy for me.”

He takes a deep breath and begins again.

“We moved up together in GenSOF, Ton,” Red continues. “Saw a lot of the same shit. Then we were transferred into different squads and kinda lost touch. Last you saw of me was when your squad came to decommission me, right?”

“
Yeah,” Ton says. “And we both know why. Her.”

“
Her. Right,” Red says. “That’s part of it, man. But I wasn’t killed, just sent to Control. Luckily, she was there. She kept the researchers from doing their worst, but she couldn’t be there for me always. Months went by, years. Then someone else stepped in. An AiSP.”

“Worm, right? But how?” Ton asks.

“Worm is different,” Red says, he looks over his shoulder back at the transport. “He isn’t as one dimensional as other AiSPs. Somewhere along the line, he became something more. And whatever he became didn’t like what Control was doing. So whenever he could, he reached out to me while I was held captive like a lab rat. He started telling me bits and pieces of the truth. He was the one that helped me escape, and spring some others from Control. Then once out here we found other GenWrecks. Those that hadn’t lost their minds. Or been lobotomized and sent out as bacteria bombs. It’s sick, just sick.” He taps his wrist. “Worm had us take out our PSCs so we couldn’t be tracked like the others, couldn’t be analyzed for the ongoing experiment.”

“Worm did all that?” Ton asks. “But what does that have to do with Blaze and Ms. Cale? Or for this resistance?”

“Let me tell you what I know,” Red says. “And this isn’t everything. Worm is holding back. A lot. I don’t know what he’s holding back, but the resistance is only a small part of the overall picture.”

“I’ve got a breather!” Collette shouts.

The operators converge on the body and Paulo kneels close, checking the man’s vital signs.

“Low pulse, barely breathing,” he says. He lifts the man’s eyelids and shakes his head. “Pupils are blown. He’s alive, but there’s nothing in there.”

“Stand off,” Red says. He shoulders his own rifle and takes aim.

“Whoa!” Ton shouts. “What are you doing?”

“Showing mercy,” Red says and fires. The wounded man’s head is obliterated. “He may have been breathing, but he was dead. We can’t take him with and we can’t leave him for the Cooties.”

“Jesus,” Ton says.

“Not much of him around here,” Marco says. “Nor Buddha or Mohammed. Not even the Static God. Just us GenWrecks.”

“Keep searching,” Red says, pointing to the dozens of other bodies.

“You didn’t stop to actually save anyone, did you?” Ton asks.

“Not really,” Red says. “We’ve been hit by Clean Guard before.” He pats his old rifle. “
We are outgunned. We stay low. It’s why you know nothing about GenWrecks except for what wild stories you are told. We pop our heads up and we get them shot off.”

“Then why help us?” Paulo asks. “Why risk that?”

“We weren’t helping you specifically,” Red says. “We were helping Sergeant Crouch. He was the target.”

“And this has to do with Worm too, right?” Ton asks.

“Yeah,” Red replies. He points at the bodies again and Coffin squad move out, but Paulo stays close.

“What did I miss?” Paulo asks.

“Later,” Ton says. “Go on, Red.”

“The basic point of an AiSP is to keep GenSOF operators alive and functioning,” Red says. “That’s within the Clean Nation cities and without. T
heir priority is to maintain health and well being of the operators while also keeping a production of the bacterial cultures growing inside each operator. To keep a proper balance so those cultures can fully mature. In order to do that, the AiSP has to put the operators’ safety first. Save the host, save the cultures.”

“And once those cultures become mature then we are expendable as people, but perfect as
subjects to experiment on,” Ton says. “Then become biological weapons.”

“Yep, you got it,” Red says. “Welcome to GenWreck city.”

“There’s a GenWreck city?” Paulo asks.

“It’s a joke,
” Red smiles. “Roll with it.” He rubs his brow for a second and continues. “Sergeant Crouch was tagged young, just like we all were, because of his genetic predisposition to handle the new bacterial loads. What Control didn’t know, at least not until much later, was that Sergeant Crouch’s system was slightly different. The bacteria we are born with didn’t want to give up its real estate to the new cultures. It refused to yield.”

“But ours did yield?” Paulo asks.

“Yeah, yours, mine, Ton’s, all the GenSOF operators,” Red says. “Our natural cultures were slowly pushed out and dominated by the new GenSOF cultures designed by Control. Not in Sergeant Crouch’s case, though. His natural cultures not only refused to yield, they dominated the new cultures and started adapting those bacteria to their own purposes.”

Red laughs and shakes his head.

“It’s hard to believe, I know, but by some random stroke of luck, Sergeant Crouch houses the bacteria needed to save us all,” Red says.

“What does this have to do with Worm? And the resistance?” Ton asks. “And why didn’t Control know about Blaze?”

“They did, don’t you see?” Red replies. “It took some time before the change was noticed, but Control did find out. Through Worm. The AiSP reported every single detail, just as always. Worm reported every detail about Sergeant Crouch’s physical, emotional, and psychological state. Except for one detail.”

“
Ms. Cale,” Ton says.

“Exactly,” Red says. “That operator couldn’t be contained. Worm tried at first, restricting his movement as much as possible, but Sergeant Crouch’s health suffered. It didn’t take long for Worm to realize that in order to do as he was programmed, he had to actually allow Sergeant Crouch his freedom.
He had to let him go see Jersey.”

“Always for a girl,” Paulo laughs.

“Always for love, operator,” Red says, turning on the man. “Boy, girl, man, woman, doesn’t matter. Look at this place; look at what the world is. What the hell else is there to live for?”

“Duty to the Clean Nation cities,” Paulo shrugs. “Do you really need more?”

“Yes,” Red says. “And Sergeant Crouch knew that. When he and Jersey began seeing each other again, Worm realized the health benefits and actually conspired with the couple to keep it hidden. He manipulated movement logs and faked PSC glitches to throw Control off. He also invented the idea that Crouch was implanted with the probiotic, not born with it. That diverted Control’s attention, giving us more time. If they knew he was born with it, they would have grabbed him sooner. But the ruse only lasted so long.”

“How could he fight his basic programming like that?” Paulo asks. “I’m not a wiz like Jersey, but I know enough about systems that an AiSP can’t just decide to be free
on its own. Each AiSP is only a branch of the main root in Control.”

“That is something Jersey will have to explain,” Red says. “If you can get her to. She
says someone isolated Worm at some point and talked some sense into him.”

“That’s not possible,” Paulo says.

Red shrugs. “Above my pay grade, operator. What I do know is during his attempts to keep Sergeant Crouch off the radar, Worm discovered the full truth of the GenWrecks. This led him to find out what Control’s true purpose for GenSOF is.”

“I’m lost,” Paulo says.

“Later,” Ton responds.

“The AiSP
that Worm became realized that Control’s plan was not conducive to the health and well being of GenSOF operators, or to anyone for that matter,” Red continues. “Because of his exposure to Sergeant Crouch’s reaction to being contained in the GenSOF tower, Worm extrapolated that confining the genpop to cities only would eventually lead to the decline of the health of all humanity.”