They had managed to reach the safehouse without incident

I thought for sure there would have been some undead waiting for us

"Follow me exactly."

Atrianna manuvered herself through the mines and led the Russians to the steel-covered front door

"Let me get the key and we can all take a break."

She quickly felt around in her pocket for the key

Where is that thing...I coulda swore I just ha-there we go!

"Come on...There's enough food for about five days, I have pizza, a wide variety of soups, Ice cream in the freezer, fruits and veggies, all those sort of things. Don't let the size of the place fool you, It's really quite comfortable."

Atrianna heard the far off roar of a brute and motioned the Russians inside

"Welcome to the house of Atrianna."

The Russians moved in quickly, gently pushing Attriana aside. Even if the house was supposedly 'safe,' there was no telling of what was inside.

Yuri came back from checking the rooms.

"Comrade Major, no zombie presence here. It's clear."

Vlad nodded, "Good, then the order is: relax, if that is alright with the kind patron here."

The group of Russians chuckled and immeadiatley sat down on any spare chairs and went about whatever they were doing.

Vlad took a deep breath and looked around.

Attriana was right, the place was definately not what it would look like from outside. It was more like a private bunker than a safehouse. The men would indeed enjoy a rest.

He turned to Attriana, "So, ummm, do you have any caffee?"

Vlad shook his head, he'd mastered alot of the American pronunciations, but he still couldn't pronounce coffee correctly, for it was nearly the same in Russian.

"I'm sorry, I meant coffee."

Atrianna smiled.

" Yes I do as a matter of fact, what would you prefer? De-calf or Regular? What would you and your men like for supper? I make a good pizza."

Atrianna turned around and saw Yuri looking down a fight of stairs.

"Down there is where I keep all my guns and such, feel free to take a look and take whatever you need."

Vlad nodded, "I'll take caffeinated, but no pizza. Killing things often kills the apetite."

Yuri was smiling as he walked down the stairway.

"Comrade Major! NATO rounds! They have NATO rounds!"

Vlad smiled,"Yuri has a strange obsession with NATO rounds. He really likes them. You have no idea."

Vlad smiled and thought a little longer on what he wanted in the coffee.

Sam noticed the bloody hole in Aiden leg, reminding him of his own wound, suddenly putting a pain through his side.
" We can go to my Uncles SUV or make a break for it, your choice" Sam told Aiden.

(Stupid thing didn't email me for some reason...)

But Aiden didn't even cringe as he spoke, and he didn't even limp. Because as he watched his wound was healing.

"It has to be the serum. Come on!"

Time Passes

They were in Sam's SUV, taking the pedal to the metal, and going to...who knows where.

Aiden turned to Sam. "If my leg can heal that fast...do you think that maybe there's other things I can do? After all, the undead can heal, but from their tactics and strategies they've picked up, I can't help but wonder whether they communicate....What do you think?"

Sam shivered, the thought that the undead could somehow become an army taking orders from something or other seemed unnatural. then again, so did the undead. Sam didn't think it all too impossible.
" From what I have seen, they're getting intelligent, maybe they are telpathic or what not, but there is a scientist I know who will help, her name is Alexis Ian. she's been studying this since day one. This is her adress..." he said, showing Aiden the map towards her hide out. He had been with her in the beggining. And with Max. A tear escaped his eye.

Aiden took the map and saw the location Sam pointed to.

"We have to go there. I want to know what she's learned."

He caught a glance of Sam's tear. Perhaps this Alexis was a close friend of his?

"And maybe we could get better acquanted on the way...."

Sam told Aiden about his ride through plymouth wisconsin, raiding the Fleet Farm, fighting off a brute, Max, his closest friend for the time being, being killed by the brute, about Alexis finding a cure that doesn't blow them up, but that only works on normal zombies. Aiden seemed to sympathize with him, and it made Sam feel good.He remembered them heading of to a supposed safe city only to find it destroyed... he told Aiden about Spes, the first zombie to become normal.
( If you want the story just ask, I will PM it to you either today or monday, it was a school project so its only at school.)

(I most definitely would like to read an actual story, heheh.)

Aiden hesitated before his next statement. "You developed an antidote....somehow, I'm a little unconvinced. After my experience with these things, I think...."

The SUV lurched and grinded to a halt. Apparently they had arrived.

Atrianna finished pre-heating the stove and put the two pizzas in

"While we wait for the pizzas to finish, does anyone else want to check out the armory? I have things I bet you and your men could make great use of."

"Da, Attriana, we'll get to that, but my men and I have something to discuss.

Vlad decided that he should plan on their next move.

"Vassili, Boris, Yuri, get over here, and bring the map." He ordered.

The three Russians came over with a large map of Chicago and a few extra goodiees that they had discovered in the fridge. Russian soldiers like these three were notorious for...'foraging' through food supplies.

Yuri cleared a table and put the map down.

Vlad put a finger along the subway line.

"The rest of the battalion has evacuated, the rallying point will be near, probably in the tunnels. They know there way around, but they will need our information. If I know Dmitri correctly, then he will hold up in a place like...here."

Vlad pointed to a corner in the subway route.

"I suggest we begin there, we'll make radio contact as soon as possible."

The three Russians nodded in agreement, Boris soon spoke up.

"Comrade, if Dmitri has evacuated as quickly as we anticipate, should we not leave now?"

Vlad thought on the question,"I think we should wait and refuel and rearm for a bit, we'll move soon. This bunker is now officially HQ of all Russian forces in the vicinity. We'll return with the rest of the battalion and reinforce this area. Welcome to Fortress 1."

Yuri smiled and the other two smiled.

"Indeed Comrade Major, we will find victory." Said Vassili.

Vlad nodded, "That we will...that we will."

Atrianna was a bit concerned

"Remember, There are landmines on the front lawn. your going to have to warn them ahead of time, and if you want to make this your HQ, we're going to have to establish a few alternate places we can get food from. Right now, i only have enough for five days. if you're bringing in more men, we should stock up ahead of time. The only places around here to get food are a gas station located here, and a Supermarket located here."

Atrianna pointed at a gas station located close to the subway and then she pointed at a location on the map close a few blocks away from the street they were currently on.

"We should stock up on some more supplies while it's still light out. If you send a few of your men with me, I believe we could clear out the gas station before dark."

Vlad nodded,"Supplies will not be a problem. My men are reasonably well stocked, we can also establish a patrol for food and maintain supply lines. We'll handle the problem. Also, I have a large group of demolition experts, they will replace the mines accordingly. Thank you for the information, though, Attriana."

Vlad sat down in a nearby chair, thinking on his next decision.

Atrianna heard the ding! of the stove timer go off and smiled

"Suppers ready."

Atrianna hurried into the kitchen and pulled both of the Pizzas out of the oven and smiled to herself

It's nice to have people over

Atrianna loaded up both Pizzas on two large platters and bought them into the room where the Russians were sitting.

"I hope you like pizza, and you and your men better eat this, it's only good for a few more days."

Atrianna pulled up a slice and took a bite

Mmmmm...been awhile since I last had this

Smith saw the bomb drop on the Russian base, the noise was unistakeable to anybody who had been in Afghanistan during Enduring Freedom. He had seen Larson and that quiet guy, Aiden, clear out a handful of minutes earlier as well as that traitor and the knot of Russians.

Smiling a little to himself, he turned away from the camp. "Let's clear out." He said on the GUARD channel, hoping that everybody would hear it. Then, to the Helo. "Can you pick me up?"

"Yessir." Came the crisp reply.

"Then get me outta dodge." His eyes flickered around the abandoned area, the Zombies weren't here yet, but they would be... "Ready a connection to either NSA, FBI, or CIA for me when I get in the helo." His voice softened almost imperceptiably. "If you can."

"Yessir."

( Sorry, tomorrow I will definitely pm to you, )
"Sam! so good to see you, and this is.." said Alexis Ian.
Aiden said " Aiden, I see you and Sam know each other, he told me everything"
Alexis blushed, " I should hope not" that drew a laugh from everyone.
" So whats this I hear about a cure" Aiden inquired once they were inside,
" Well, I combined several chemical and narcotic compounds to produce a virus killing injection. I've tried on the... Supers, but to no effect, just the normal ones, Any news from the outside world?" Alexis' last remark to Sam.
" They're getting smarter. And, It turns out the disease is Russian. We've got a Russian Spec ops on our soil, their trying to do... I dont know, but they definitely trying to help." Sam responded. " I wish spes ( the first cured zombie) was here, he seemed intelligent."

Aiden tried to not be distracted as he inquired about the antidote. Alexis was hot.

"Um...nice to meet you, Alexis. And now we have work to do."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What kind of work?"

With a sigh, and a conspiratorial tone, Aiden replied.

"I think that I might be able to tap into the Hive."

( Ataris-Back off, she's mine!!:D)
Sam was intrigued, this could mean that they could possibly destroy the hive. but wheres the fun in that? Sam thought.
" Alright, but what could we do with that? you could have control over them, and theirs something I noticed with spes, he had an energy come out of himself told heal himself. maybe you could do that, or better... do yow know if you can?"Sam inquired.

"This is all speculation, of course, but assuming I can do this...I only meant tap, not take control of. Because it appears that whatever Vlad got ahold of and put into that zombie serum has left some effects behind. Which tells me it may not just be a virus. If we're going to figure it out, though, we might have to find Vlad again. At the moment, however, let me try something."

Aiden sat down and concentrated. He felt like he was being pulled towards something. He heard whispers, thoughts and voices that echoed. They told him...nothing. It meant nothing to him. Not that it was just another language...it just didn't make any sense...no sense at all...

"Aiden!" Sam shook him. Aiden came to his senses.

"I...don't know what happened."

Vlad and his fellow Russians sat at the table, eyeing the pizza suspiciously and curiosly for a few moments.

Vlad had eaten pizza before...in Italy, but he couldn't say it was the same in the U.S.

He grabbed a slice and took a bite. It had a greasy taste to it, very good though.

He nodded and smiled and continued to chow down.

Seeing this, Yuri smiled and grabbed two pieces, eating both hastily. The other Russian soldiers followed suite with a little bit more zeal.

(That was a very good story, I like reading other writer's work. Thanks.)

Alexis then came in with a tray of cookies. "I think I missed something."

Aiden simply smiled and then a thought hit him. "Alexis...you have weapons, right? I've been told it's quite the arsenal from Sam."

( Thanks, I like to hear when other readers like my work)
" Yes, from the several government contracts I have, There should still be something left, I haven't had any contact with zombies in a while." Alexis said.
Sam jumped in, " I've been mulling this over, In the Guide It says that zombies could have a 6th sense or something, now ofcourse, the guide makes no mention of super zombies or of running zombies, but this Hive-Mind-complex-thing could be that sixth sense, and because there is a cure, wouldn't it mean that its a virus, I doubt that theres a non-magic cure for a voodoo zombie thing or otherwise, but thats beside the point. Alexis, I would like to take several vials of the cure, at least enough to cure about... oh say, a Military squad of Spec Ops plus four or five. just enough for my 'friends' and to get a mass production going. And, could We dip into your arsenal again. My AK is starting to dry up."

Aiden bit into a cookie. "Interesting...unless, of course the 'virus' is even smarter than I thought it was...and let itself be cured."

Sam turned back to Aiden and rolled his eyes.

"No, really, think about it. What would be the best way to remain secret? Disguise yourself as a virus and make it look like you can be cured. That way it would be impossible to..."

A shrieking pain suddenly ripped through Aiden's head, and at the same time a zombie howl was heard. Aiden turned to Alexis. "I think I'd like a weapon now!"

( the sound playing in my head when you mentioned a shriek is horifying, im going to have nightmares tonight)
Sam ran to the wall, opening up a peephole. There, Sam thought, A Demon on the horizon, not too har- oh crap! An entire horde popped into view. He was reminded of the day he met Alexis. Sam ran to the library, now considerably smaller since they couldn't drag everything to the new house. The weapons books were where he'd left them, and he pulled them out, nothing happened.
" Uh.. Sam, their in the gun case in the living room, remember?" Alexis chimed in.
" Oh..right..." Sam muttered as he ran towards the living room, grabbing handle to the case and opening with post haste. The case held the ammo and the more legal guns, in case a government decided to make a comeback. Sam loaded up on 5.56 and 7.62 bullets, he grabbed the Uzi hiding in the back shelf, and the Desert Eagle he had left with her for safe keeping. After all, the Russians still had his Grendel and Desert Eagle.
Sam thought about them for two seconds, then he ran to second floor, getting a better view with his AKM, and his uncle taking his place next to him, holding his M24 out to aim as well, then Sam thought, Wheres Aiden, Oh whatever, he'll be up here soon.
Then Sam yelled out " Alexis, where do you keep the baby?"
The response: " In my room, why?"
The answer: " Take it and hide, and just in case we don't make it out... I love you!"
A pause... then " I love you too!" the slamming of doors followed.
Aiden suddenly appeared, sticking his head in with a pissed off/quizzical look on his face. Behind him Alexis ran in with a bundle of cloth. " YOU take it!"
Sam grabbed the bundle and opened it up and pulled out a Milkor MGL ( a big grenade launcher) " If you insist honey"

Aiden watched Sam run off just as a hand burst through the wall.

"Dammit, Sam!"

The thing was through with a just few more poundings. It was a brute, and a particularly big one from what Aiden could tell. Thinking that perhaps he could trick the thing, he backed behind a table and waited for it.

It made a dive at the table. Aiden dodged away and grabbed the nearest heavy object--a telephone.

Like this is going to help.

"What can I do for your Lieutenant Colonel Smith?" The voice said.

"I was wondering if you could give me all the information you have about anybody connected to this 'Zombie' virus." Smith said into the phone; the NSA had refused to talk to him until he got on a secure line... in a government safehouse.

The person on the other side breathed out slightly before continuing. "That's a rather large question, and a rather lengthy answer..." He sighed again. "But, we do have a lead on a Doctor Alexis Ian, she's somehow connected, along with a Lieutenant Sam Larson. Both were involved, somehow, with this... I can give you the Doctor's address."

"Please." Smith replied, hoping that he'd be able to get a proper answer from a professional instead of a harried answer from the still injured Lieutenant.

After recieving it, he looked at the address he'd writen down and looked outside, at a hard-top Ferrari 300.

"It's within driving distance." He said to himself before snagging the keys and jumping in the Ferrari. "Yeah... within driving distance."

Somehow the image of quiet contemplation was broken when he broke several traffic laws on his way to the Doctor's lab.

The telephone snapped with a single swing, and the brute was about to charge. Aiden was able to avoid the telephone reciever it threw back at him (the serum had given him better reflexes), but he knew that this fight wouldn't last long.

It made a run at him. And suddenly its head exploded with blood.

Coming in through the wall of the house was a certain military officer that Aiden had fleed from not too long before.

Aiden ran to Sam before the officer could follow, as several undead were hindering the man.

His expression was that of slight confusion and exasperation from the adrenaline rush as he turned the corner. Alexis handed Sam a grenade launcher.

"Sam, the American military are here!"

" ok, this is either a blessing or a curse. Lets kill the horde and then find out" Sam said. half an hour later the horde died away, and Smith stepped forward.
" Alexis Ian... On behalf of the U.S. Army, and all of the U.S., I am asking for your help" He said.

Vlad checked his watch.

It was time to go.

Luckily, the soldiers had already finished the pizza, and now, they'd be killing zombies on a full stomach. Vlad thought a second longer on the prospect, and remembered that that wasn't an entirely good thing.

He stood from his chair.

"Comrades, we must go now. Dmitri and the rest of the battalion will already made it out of the subway tunnels by now. Let's go meet them at station 17."

Vlad took out his small pistol and checked the magazine.

"Prep your weapons, this one will be quick."

"This time I think we should use a bit more fire power."

Atrianna quickly ran down into the armory and looked lovingly at her minigun

Oh yes...this'll work nicely

Atrianna loaded up two ammo belts and strapped them across her chest in a criss cross fashion and hefted the minigun

This should even the odds a little

Atrianna walked upstairs and smiled.

"I'm ready to go whenever you are."

Sam walked about the outside of the house, that was the third time he was around Alexis and that a large horde attacked. His Milkor held at the ready, he paced about outside while everyone else talked, in a few minutes it would be Aidens turn to be on guard duty...

Atrianna smiled slyly at the Russians and started to open the door

Woops, forgot to check first

She quietly slid the small peep hole open and took a look outside

Two Brutes fighting it out with each other...One limper fighting it out with another limper, and a demon trying to fight it out with a limper on the roof. Hmmmm...this could work to our advantage

"Hey Vlad, it looks like theres some kind of Undead civil war going on outside. There are brutes fighting brutes, Limpers fighting Limpers and a demon and a limper fighting it out."

Atrianna frowned

"Why are they fighting each other?"

Vlad smiled and looked out the door.

"You see, because they are becoming smarter, much like us, they begin to understand basic human instinct, undead style. Humans naturally kill eachother...all the time, the creation of these things is evident of that. They are probably forming territory and claiming new things, they're fumb as doornails, but this is only the beginning."

Vlad took out a small pipe-like object out of his coat. He pulled a pin on it and tossed it into the center of the street.

"I simply think it best not to analyze this, though. It would be better if we just shoot them here."

The small pipe erupted a red gas, attracting the zombies toward its location.

Vlad then unlocked his grenade -launcher and zeroed the position in his sights.

Aiden and Alexis were walking outside to Sam, while the Smith officer was running after them. It was Aiden's turn for guard duty.

Except, when a brute smashed through the roof of a house across the street and landed on the pavement while another brute beat it to a pulp, everyone simply stopped and stared.

Sam shot them anyway.

Then more of them started to appear. "Run!" Aiden shouted. They all bolted onto the nearest main road and ran, to spot some figures in the distance.

And a large horde of zombies. Fighting each other.

Sam ran towards the group, being his headstrong slef and blasting at the zombies farthest away from the group, reloading his grenade launcher when needed. Eventually, he found himself right next to Vlad and Attrianna, who both were shooting and not noticing him. Sam didn't care, he was busy reapying the undead for waht happened to the world, one death at a time.

Aiden stood there, and watched at the others uselessly took down undead. But several more hordes were arriving, and they started into the attack as well.

It was a massive undead civil war.

Aiden stepped up beside Sam and put a hand on his grenade launcher, pushing it down. Sam stopped and looked at Aiden, confused.

"They don't care about us anymore." There was a slight pause. "When is this all going to end? If they keep getting smarter, will they just eventually become like humans? How are we supposed to combat such an enemy?"

Sam opened his mouth, then he shut it. He didn't know. The normal unmutated zombies would be simple, after all, they'd practically just be humans. But the supers... Sam shuddered at the thought of them. If they could go all Hulk-ish and use cars as boxing gloves, well, he just didn't want to think about it.

Atrianna noticed the solder who shot her standing right next to her

Oh...it is so payback time

Atrianna pointed her chaingun at him and smiled

"Well Well Well...look who we have here, the man who shot me."

Atrianna turned to Vlad

"Hey Vlad, Look who showed up."

We don't need to fight the undead at the rate their wiping each other out.

Aiden but his way in between Atrianna and Sam just in time. She kicked, but he was faster. Before she could try another move he had her down on the ground.

"You're forgetting I had special ops military training, not to mention the serum works better than steroids. Please don't hurt my friend."

Atrianna smiled to herself

This kid is going down

Atrianna kicked the kids feet out from under him and he hit the ground with a thud

"I'm not going to hurt your "Friend" although I can't see why you would call him one. Your "friend" shot me. And you'll forgive me but I want to know why I was shot."

Atrianna leveled the minigun to the solder's stomach

"Now tell me. Why did you shoot me?"

Having rolled close enough to Atrianna, he flipped up and with a hard uppercut to her gun, stood up, ready for any other attack she might throw at him. His training was returning.

He picked up the gun and threw it as hard as he could into the midst of the zombies. She looked as if to attack again, but at that moment Vlad intervened with his own weapon.

Aiden spoke quickly. "Look, we're all on the same side here. For that matter, the American military is on our side too. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Sam, can you just apologize to the woman?"

Atrianna watched as her favorite weapon sailed into the air and landed in the midst of the undead

That little...

Atrianna grabbed the kid by the scruff of his neck and snarled at him

"Heres an idea...you don't throw weapons to the undead! If they figure out how to use that gun now, we're gonna be in trouble!"

Atrianna turned to Vlad.

"We need that back, I don't want them figuring out how to use it. Either we get it back, or we destroy it. Hand me a grenade."

Atrianna turned back to the other solder

"You need to think about these things! What happens if they figure out how to use the gun?! Think Before you act!"

Aiden did not resist. After all, he thought Atrianna was beautiful like Alexis. It was clear she wasn't going to hurt him, anyway.

"I can do you one better," Aiden said as Vlad searched for grenades.

And with that, Aiden walked straight into the flood of zombies. With a little concentration, the undead holding the minigun dropped it in front of him.

Smiling, yet reluctantly, Aiden walked over and handed her the gun.

"Here, my mistress." He rolled his eyes.

Atrianna's eyes widended and her mouth nearly dropped to the ground

"How did you do that?!"

Atrianna quickly composed herself and turned to Vlad

"If you want to go and get your men in the sewers, now we most likely be the best time. The undead are all fighting each other and the way to the subway looks clear."

Vlad found a grenade, but looked up at the scene in front of him. He almost let out a good-hearted laugh at Aiden's humbleness, lad knew that the man definately had a thing for Attriana.

He took in a breath and put the grenade back in his pack.

He smiled,"My men should be on their way now. Then using the subway would be the best course of action...."He waited for the last bit for emphasis.

"...My Mistress."

Yuri and Boris lost it and guffawed, much to the chagrin of Aiden and Attriana.

The two Russians switched to their native language for a moment.

Boris spoke first,"They do make a good couple, no?"

Yuri slapped Boris on the back and chuckled, "Da, they do!"

The two eventually controlled their laughing and composed themselves.

Vlad chuckled as well, but soon changed his expression to seriousness, he hefted his AK-47.

"Let's move."

"You call me that again and I might "Accidently" shoot you in the foot. Now, shall we get going? Our undead friends over there might take an interest in us if we stay in one place."

Atrianna turned to the other solder

"You. You stay here with the other guy. To be fair, I don't truste either of you. Especally your friend who shot me earlier. Stay off the front yard as well, I have it set with landmines. Just keep watching them and pick off any stragglers."

Atrianna turned to Vlad and smiled sweetly

"Don't think that I won't shoot you if you say that again, Now, lets get going."

Atrianna led the Russians to the entrance to the subway and hefted her minigun

"Who wants to go first?"

"I will." Aiden walked forward and passed into the subway without hesitation. He smiled at Atrianna first, of course. Having tapped into the hive mind, he figured there wasn't much danger from the zombies anymore.

He was quite wrong.

Suddenly, he fell over, going unconcious. The world went black. He strained to keep his eyes open, but something was wrong. He felt pain, and screaming.

Screaming....

<We're back, foolish human.>

Vlad knew exactly what happened when Aiden went down again. A relapse of the hive-mind.

He tapped Boris and Yuri on their shoulders.

"SECURE HIM!! We've got to stop him from making any rash movements."

The two soldiers took out zip-cords and immediatley tied them on Aiden's wrists and hands.

Yuri took out a bit of duct tape and clapped it on Aiden's mouth. There was no harm in being too careful.

Vlad took out his Tokarev pistol and pressed it to the side of Aiden's head, they couldn't risk anything. At the same time, he began searching for the modified vial of of antidote, it would only work for a time though...

Drifting...falling...flying...and then Aiden finally awoke from his strange state. For a small while, at least.

His eyes drifted open, and the world spun.

<Secured.>

<They will all die.>

Suddenly, Aiden had full control of his senses.

"Vlad! They're coming...to kill you...I think they are using me!"

Vlad nodded.

"The hive mind...what little sense the zombie's have left...there are still memories and thoughts there...they're talking to me, Vlad...."

<Kill them!>

<Take control!>

And Aiden stood up suddenly, while Vlad was about to pull the trigger of the pistol. But he stood there while Aiden simply focused.

Everyone turned as the noise suddenly stopped. The zombies began to shriek, and fell to the ground.

And so did Aiden.

Dead.