SNAFU: Wolves at the Door

Mara slapped Sturgess, snapping the older woman’s head sideways. “You son-of-a-bitch! You knew. All this time you knew what could happen to us and you said nothing!”

Sturgess responded with a smirk then moved to within an inch of her assistant. “Don’t be so naïve, Mara. You knew the risks when you agreed to work for TriGen. We all did. What happened to all that talk of changing the world? The first sign of trouble and you’re ready to throw in the towel. You’re pathetic and weak.”

Rolf pulled Mara back as she lunged. “Easy now. We need the good doctor in one piece.”

Mara yanked free and pushed past to the stairwell. Rolf motioned for Sully to follow.

“I want details,” Rolf said to Sturgess. “What makes people change?”

Sturgess hesitated a moment. “As far as I can tell it’s the scratches and bites. Unfortunately, we haven’t had much time to discover why. I’m afraid that’s all the information I can provide.”

“Things just keep getting better.” Rolf looked into the doctor’s eyes but wasn’t sure if she was lying or not. The old gal had a pretty good poker face. He supposed she had to in order to keep so many secrets from her staff.

Kang stood there scratching his head, taking in the scene. All eyes went to him.

“What? Why’s everybody looking at me like that?” He took a step back and raised his hands. “Take a look. My shirt isn’t ripped. No scratches.”

“Check him,” Rolf said to Bernice.

She jumped up and inspected Kang. “He’s clean.”

“Good. We need you.” Rolf handed Kang his weapon. “You and Sully have point. We move easy and slow down to five.”

Kang nodded and hurried to the stairwell.

“Let’s go, ladies. Time to leave.” Rolf herded Dot and the two scientists to the stairwell. When he saw that Kang and Sully were in position, he waved them down.

They made it down to four without incident. As they neared the door to five, a chorus of howls sounded from above and below. Sully gave the sign to stop and Rolf made his way to the front. “We’ve got company,” Sully said.

“We’ve got to clear that door,” Kang whispered.

Rolf nodded. He put an ear up to the metal and listened. Another howl cut through the gloom. There was no telling how many of those things were on the other side. Kang stood off to the left, weapon ready. Sully stood a step behind Rolf who was in position to turn the knob. When he did, Sully would be the first through with his shotgun immobilizing any immediate threat, Kang right on his heels.

Rolf held up three fingers. He brought one down.

Sweat trickled down Kang’s freshly buzzed head. Each infected person he had observed thus far started off sweating. Could Kang have ingested some blood earlier? Would it be enough to cause an infection? In the end he decided to trust his squad mate and Bernice’s evaluation. Still, he’d have to keep an eye on the guy.

Another finger fell. Rolf’s muscles tensed.

As the final finger fell, the door to the fourth floor crashed open above them. All eyes turned toward the sound.

Five hybrids poured into the stairwell.

“Go!” Dot yelled. She opened fire, spraying all five creatures as they closed the distance.

Rolf opened the door to the fifth floor and prayed it would be clear enough to make a stand. What he saw looked like a slaughterhouse. Blood and gore painted the walls and floor. Two hybrids ripped at a corpse fifteen feet away. The sound of them smacking and chewing was audible over the firefight in the hallway behind them. Three others fought over what looked like an arm a short distance away. More creatures stirred in the darkness beyond.

Sully and Kang advanced down the hallway. Bernice and Dr Sturgess were close behind. Mara looked from the doorway back to Dot unsure.

Rolf turned back.

One of the hybrids was down and moaning. Another limped. The biggest – a black haired beast towering over seven feet tall – advanced on Dot. A growl rumbled through its chest, fangs gleaming white through the gloom. She raised her gun.  “Suck on this, Fido,” she said before pulling the trigger.

A click was the only thing that escaped the gun; her clip empty.

“Shit.”

The beast took to the air, its claws poised to strike.

Rolf squeezed off four sets of three-round bursts, hitting the hybrid in the eye, neck, chest, and abdomen in quick succession. It whimpered as the bullets tore into it. Dot dove aside as it landed with a thud. She fumbled for a fresh clip. Rolf slammed a boot on the hybrid’s neck holding it in place. Another three round burst ended its life.

Gunfire sounded from beyond the door. As Rolf looked over, a howl echoed through the stairwell from above. Dot shoved him aside just as a grey and black-haired hybrid swung at him. Rolf hit the wall and spun toward the door. The remaining two hybrids had Dot pinned down. She struggled beneath their weight. A brown-haired hybrid reared back and tore out her throat.

“NO!”

“C’mon,” Mara said, pulling Rolf by the sleeve. She led him through the door and straight into a pile of Bernice’s entrails. There was a blood stain on the wall above what was left of her.