Chapter 115

We were soon moving again. The fight had left us all down due to the casualties. The zone’s effect exaggerated this. Everyone has to handle this in their own way and we had all received training to help in this. But none helped when you’re experiencing it.

As we left the junction, Patel was focused on a little park area to our left because that is where many of the mutating zombies had come from. We could just make out the high-rises beyond it. Thankfully nothing else seems to be stirring after the fight. The red light from the flare was thrown everything into stark relief. And it was easy to confuse movement in the fog with possible activity.

Glancing over my shoulder, I felt sorry for the sealing team. I expect they were tired from pushing that flatbed trolley for God knows how many hours now. We had been stopping and letting them rest, but they were adamant that they wanted to finish the mission and pushed on. I could respect their determination in this because, like them, I did not want to spend any longer than necessary in this zone.

Patterson and I had been speaking about the final leg of the mission in the night. We had both agreed to stop whenever the sealing team needed it. Davids had voiced little opposition knowing that an exhausted team member was a threat to us all.

The constant tension and bouts of violence combined with the zones effect had been wearing on us continuously. Extended missions like this are some of the worst and we all felt the impact. Combining that with the injuries we have sustained, both minor and significant, meant that none of us was really in a good mood.

My body was protesting the abuse I had been through. My arms and legs were stiff from the fighting and walking. I knew that I would be bruised to hell, at the very least, by the end of this mission. Though I cannot tell the others that my “improved” ability to heal would take care of most of the injuries within a day or two.

There were multi-storey buildings now on either side of us and junctions leading off the road were becoming more frequent. This road was a one-way system and we used the tram tracks to move along it. So far, all the vehicles we have encountered were pointing in the opposite direction except when they collided with another.

Long ago, I had learned to trust my instincts and now tell me that something was wrong. I was looking around more, trying to identify what was making me concerned. Ironically it was Patel that voiced the issue.

“Is it me, or is the air getting heavier?”

“I think you’re right.” The air around us was almost charged like a thunderstorm was about to break.

“You ever experienced something like this?”

“No. You?”

“Never.” He told me.

“Okay, let’s hold up here for a second.” I gave the signal for the group to stop. “Keep an eye out when I talk to Patterson.” He doesn’t answer but is not in the affirmative, with his eyes fixed on the fog around us.

I turned and walked back to the group and Patterson walked towards me.

“Do you feel the change in the air?” I asked him.

“Yes, I noticed it about five minutes ago.”

“Okay. We haven’t seen anything yet, but let’s stay vigilant. I know that’s a bit redundant as we’re in a zone, but…..”

“Understood.”

We separated and I returned to stand next to Patel. With a nod to him, we began moving again.

As we progressed, the air became thicker. The density of the fog also increased, cutting back our sight by at least a metre. With a look between us, we both understood that we had seen the changes in our environment but continued at a steady pace.

Slowly the day wore on and we were making reasonable progress. We had not been attacked again and there was no sign of any significant hostile stalking us as far as we can tell.

Again, my instincts were talking to me. Something here was wrong. I cannot tell what it was; I knew it right to my core.

“Something is wrong here.” I said out loud to see if Patel had noticed it as well.

“I know. I keep getting the feeling we’re being watched, but we’re not being watched. I can’t explain it weird.”

“I’m not getting that. I just feel like there’s something wrong, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Do we stop?”

“No. There’s nothing we can do anyway but move on and finish this thing.”

“Understood.”

We continued down the road and eventually reached a tram station next to an open area on the right. It was paved, but I could also make out trees there. There was a tram in the station with its doors open and I indicated a halt to the group.

I instructed Patel to join me in checking it out through hand gestures. And he nodded that he understood. Patterson got the support team organised behind us in case trouble broke out.

Like everything, the tram was covered in a layer of moisture. As we got close, we saw the damage to the interior and exterior. Claw marks had ripped the gouges into the furniture and the frame of the tram. The moisture had dissolved any evidence of blood, but there were scattered remains of clothing and bags, all shredded.

“It looks like something nasty went down here.” Patel commented after we cleared the tram.

“We must have reached the edge of the original zone. It means we are near it. Many people didn’t get out of this part of the city.”

“I remember seeing the reports.” I could see he shuddered when he said that, even with his armour on.

Paris was one of the numerous unlucky cities that had zones open up in them. The death toll from that day was high. And it wasn’t long before the rest of the city was evacuated. True, there were still some people out in the suburbs that still clung on, but the majority fled.

“Let’s get going. I don’t spend another night.”

We returned, met up with the rest of the group and got moving again. Once we passed the station and crossed a big junction, we continued down the Rue Gabriel Peri. The road narrowed again and became a vehicle-only one-way street. This may navigate with a trolley a bit harder as a few vehicles need to be moved, but we still were making reasonable time.

“We will stop here to rest.” I told him and then Patterson. It was clear that the sealing team appreciated the stop. They were all leaning against the flatbed, sweating even in the zone environment. I’ve been told they received extensive training to move the flatbed to the zone breach, but it still has taken a toll on them. I pulled out my map and began checking opposition in the city.

“Does this road ever end?” Patel asked me.

“We are here.” I pointed to a section of the map.

“Bloody hell! With still got a bit of a hike.”

“Thankfully, not that far now.” And it was true we were near the bridges we would have to cross about halfway down the road we were walking.

We all knew we couldn’t stop you along and would have to get moving soon. Everyone was eating and drinking, knowing they might not get another opportunity. I included myself as I knew hunger and thirst would do my instincts and reaction times. This is also indicated on the map as a milestone location and I fired off the corresponding flare to inform the drones watching in the sky a rough location.

“Time to go.” The groan I got in return told me all I needed to know. Everyone was soon on their feet and we were moving again.

Even though we were moving closer to our destination, time seemed to be dragging. All around us, we were passing derelict buildings and some smashed storefronts. It was odd how certain ones were smashed in and looted while others were untouched.

I didn’t bother commenting on this to anyone and just carried on.

We passed abandoned and wrecked vehicles and numerous road junctions. Occasionally at stop and loosen these vehicles out of the way, but we had become quite accustomed to this by now. The whole group has settled into a steady rhythm as we work together.

The wounded kept up with us and did what they could to help. Hills complained loudly when she got the opportunity, but she was quiet the rest of the time and helped observe the area around us.

I could tell she was pissed off with the situation. Her arm was giving her issues even with the painkillers. I knew the cost of walking would be helping, but there was nothing else we could do. We could give her more potent painkillers because we didn’t carry them. After all, they would make whoever had them far less aware. Sure, the pain didn’t help, but it did keep you focused.

The direction of the one-way system changed after crossing one junction and we were now walking in the direction that all the vehicles were pointing in. We can do several passes along the road now and they, too had to be checked like the trams before.

Thankfully we did not encounter anything that would require extensive psychological counselling after we got out of here. The day wore on our journey continued. As noted earlier, the area around us has a lot thicker fog. This cut down on what time I was getting through, making the whole place much darker. I contemplated using chemical light sticks earlier but decided against it, but now we might have to.

We reached another junction and suddenly, the road changed. It went from a single lane to a double. I sent a hand gesture for everyone to stop. Consulting with my map, I needed to work out where we were. I walked over to 1 of the buildings to confirm the address written above the doorway. Once sure, I turned back to the group.

“Patterson get Davids.” The two men quickly joined me and I showed them my map. “We are here.”

“We are almost at our objective, then.” Davids said.

“Yes, carry on down the road and will reach the bridges across this waterway and there’s the stadium.” I traced the route with my finger along the map.

“Now comes the hard part.” Patterson voiced all of our concerns.

“Yes, it does.” Agreeing with him. “We rest here for a short time. Make sure everyone has had more food and water. Once you are ready to move, I will fire off another location flare to tell them where we are. Then don’t stop until we finish this.”

Both men nodded in agreement and moved away. Patterson quickly spread the message to the group and everyone did their best to relax for a few minutes while eating and drinking. Everyone here knows things are about to get a lot more dangerous.

One thing that had been bugging me about this whole mission was the lack of contact with hostiles. All other expeditions into zones smaller or as large as this one had always resulted in near-continuous engagements, but we had hardly seen anything on this one. I honestly couldn’t tell if this was a good or bad thing, but with my luck and history, I knew it was bad. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop now.

No one wanted the weight around too long, so we got moving again with another flare in the sky. We crossed a series of junctions and got onto the bridge. The waterway was the last point before we reached the stadium. The only concern is that the breach location was not completely confirmed. We had dozens of reports that it was in the stadium, but we did know exactly where.

Crossing the bridge also marked the end of the lull in fighting. The fog in front of us was soon revealing shapes charging towards us.

“Contacts!” Patel and I yelled. And soon, we were fighting once more for our lives.