Part Twenty One

Eden: Paradise Lost

Part Twenty One

Elsewhere

Shane paces back and forth as Collin comes down and looks about as he sees that it's only just him.

Collin: Just you?

Shane: Yeah. 

Collin: Then you better come see this. 

Shane raised an eyebrow as he followed Collin up the stairs towards the roof. 

Through the scope Shane watches as a horse of ten thousands plus zombies converges together a few blocks away as they headed straight towards the bank.

Shane: Shit. 

Collin: Look at the front of the pack…

Shane looks at the front of the horde as a Lone Zombie is leading the pack as it walks at a brisk rate. 

Shane: A smartie. 

Collin: Certainly seems that way. It's fucking leading them here man.

Shane: Then blow it's goddamn head off. 

Collin takes his sniper rifle back and takes aim as he lines up the shot. He then lowers the rifle. 

Collin: Sir...I did that already...twice...it...it didn't go down. 

Shane looks at the oncoming horde as Collin is terrified. 

Elsewhere

Max shakes his head as he reads the files over the screen hat he was scrolling through on the screen.

Max: If this is true…

Terry: If. 

Max: Terry, the evidence clearly shows that it's possible.

Terry:I know, but let's not make this worse of a situation then it already is. 

Max goes quiet as he continues reading as Terry leans against the soda machine as the Runners continued to assault the door.

Elsewhere

Kris drives as the others remained silent as everyone was jammed together to make the space work  as they can see the bank coming into view but as they did a gunshot goes off and hits the front of keep which causes Kris to stop as everyone was immediately on alert as Lyndsey had screamed. Nick points Collin and Shane on the roof as Shane had his rifle leveled at them.

Kris: Are you crazy!

Shane: Get out of here!

Kris: What! Why?

Shane:Go!

Shane shoots the grill again as Miles notices the horde coming into view from the opposing street. 

Miles: Holy fucking shit, boss!

Kris and everyone look to see the oncoming horde of undead as runners begin to sprint towards them, the group shouting for Kris to drive as Shane and Collin open fire laying cover as they drop runners at will.

Nick: we need to go!

Kris: We can't leave them!

Nick: And we can't die in vain! 

Kris: Goddamnit!

Kris puts the Jeep in reverse as he turns the Jeep down a clear street and guns it as they blow past some runners that closer but Shane drops the closest one to them and he lowers the rifle with a sigh. 

Shane looks about as he notices the zombies beginning to surround the bank Z he and Collin can only watch with dread as Shane swallows his fear as the overwhelming sound of the dead is all he can now hear. 

Elsewhere, Prime 2

Lance, Jared and Dustin make their way down the tunnel but Lance stops as he hears the radio go off.

Kris:(over radio) Lance! Lance!

Lance quickly lifts the radio as he can hear Kris's panic. 

Lance: what!? yes I hear you!?

Kris: The banks been overrun, a giant fucking herd just surrounded it...Shane and Collin are trapped. 

Lance: How'd you manage to get out!?

Kris: We left earlier to lick up some of our men that were a few blocks away, came back and the entire building was swarming. We're heading your way towards the Prime's.

Lance: I wouldn't do that unless…

Kris: We don't have a choice! be there in ten!

Lance: Goddamnit, Scroggins! prime 3 is the most secure  but the way in is hot!

Kris: We'll take care of it. 

Lance: Be careful you idiot, we'll be waiting. 

Lance lowers the radio as he takes a deep breath as Jared and Dustin look surprised by the new development. 

Jared: The fuck is going on?

Lance: We're losing…

Lance looks at the two. 

Lance: We've gotta go back, secure the building.

Dustin: Max and Terry?!

Lance: They're fine for now. But we have to make sure this prime is secure. 

Lance brings the radio up. 

Lance: Terry, Max you there?

Terry: Yeah, boss. We heard. 

Lance: Then you know we've got a bit of a dire situation at hand. 

Terry: Yes, sir. 

Lance: I have to secure the building before they get here...I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to hold out a little longer without us. 

Terry: (sighing) We'll do what we can…

Lance: I'll come for you, I promise, comrades!

Terry: Boss, Max has something you need to know…

Max hands the computer to Terry as he takes the radio. 

Max: Boss, there's more to the infection of those who retain brain function...a lot more…

Lance: What are you talking about, Maxwell?

Max: The are reports I found a secret laptop belonging to the president that detail smart zombies having an appetite for a specific thing... human brains.

Jared: Brains?!

Max: Specifically brains it states. They care not for any other form of sustenance, it's also said that their unique brainwave allows them to basically corral and herd large packs of zombies, even communicate with them. 

Lance: We knew there was a form of communication…

Max: Yes, but boss… if the smarties eat brains, the more they eat, the more intelligent they seemingly become…

Elsewhere

The smart zombie leading the horde appears in front of the Bank as Shane and Collin aim at it as it smiles at them. 

Max: One brain can double its brain function, two, doubles upon that and so forth…

Smart Zombie: I smelled so many brains here earlier...now I can sense two. 

Shane fired a round right into the Smart Zombies head, the Smart Zombies head rocking back before it slowly leaned it's head forward and smiled. 

Lance: What else?

Max: Yeah...the more brains they eat, the harder to put down they become too, after eating one they can't be put down by a simple gunshot to the head…

Lance: So how do we put them down?

Max; I don't know, sir…

Dustin: Well, shit!

Jared: This is a fucking nightmare. 

Lance: What do you mean you don't know!? There's gotta be something there that tells us how!?

Max: If there is I haven't found it yet. I'm still combing through all the files...Boss, if even one of these smarties is out there, we might not be able to save EDEN…

Lance: One smart dead head can't swing everything when the other million are just a bunch of dead fucks. 

Max: That...isn't exactly true...the smart ones can coordinate the other deaders, it's possible that being able to coral them could mean that they can control them.

Dustin: Fuck!

Lance: You guys hold tight. 

Max: Yes, sir. 

Lance lowers the radio as Jared and Dustin are clearly shook up.

Jared: This has got to be a fucked up dream. Gonna wake up in my bed covered in apple slices and whiskey, and…

Lance: Keep it together, comrade. We have to secure the prime. I'd rather freak out with more guns around. Double time!

The three break out into a sprint back the way they came. 

Elsewhere

Adam sits near Mandy as Finch hobbles about as he sits next to him. 

Finch: What is taking him so long?

Adam: I don't know, but Jon will come through.

Finch: He better, our asses are in his hands. 

Adam: Was this necessary? what you and him did…

Finch: Of course it was. 

Adam: I just don't see it. 

Finch: Don't expect you too. 

Mandy opens her eyes as she listens.

Elsewhere

Shane hands shake as the smart zombie pulls the bullet from its head. 

Smart Zombie: Rather rude. 

Collin: How the fuck do we kill it!?

Shane: I'm sorting that out…

Smart Zombie: It's not polite to ignore your captor. 

The two look at the Smart Zombie who raises its hands to the side. 

Shane: You got a name, smartie?

Don: I used to be known as Don, I believe…

Shane; Don the Smartie Zombie. Wouldn't have guessed that. 

Don: Don, worms just fine. 

Shane: you're still a dead fuck. Doesn't change what you are. 

Don: I'd be mindful of your current situation before you talk so brashly. 

Shane: I thought you smart fucks were just minimally intelligent, how come you can speak and not be hungry?

Don: I don't know. You eat a couple of brains and all of sudden it's like a fog lifts from your mind.

Shane shoots Don in the heart, Don staggering but just shakes his head. 

Don: Nice try, but you're starting to make me..

Collin shoots him in the head again. Don not moving as he just shakes. 

Don: It's your brains, boys

Shane: Collin, get ready!

Don: Eat!!

Don screeches as suddenly the horde begins aggressively attacking the bank's doors and windows, Shane and Collin open firing as Don smiles as he watches the zombies assault the bank. 

Elsewhere, Prime 3

Lance and the other two came down the elevator and into the lobby as the outside zombies were still beating against the doors but most of them had wandered off onto the street. 

Lance: Dustin covers the left, Jared takes a point to the right, they'll be coming hard and we need to…

The elevator closes as it dings as it is being called up. 

The three all turn in horror as they see it stop at the 12th floor

 Dustin: We were just there…

Lance: Guns up, we got trouble. 

The three aim at the elevator doors as the elevator begins to come back down, the three waiting anxiously as the doors stay closed, the light switching down to each numbered floor every few seconds. The elevator comes to a rest finally on the 1st floor as the doors open and the three aim up, fingers ready on the trigger. But nothing or no one is inside. 

Jared: Uh huh, hell naw..

Dustin: the fuck is going on…?

Lance: I don't…

The sound of a door swinging open can be heard as the three jump to the sudden sound as they look around to see the door to the stairway slowly closing. 

Lance: We're not alone…

Lance turns as he is knocked over by a screaming hooded madman, Jared turns to fire but a pipe hits him across his hands and knocks his shotgun to the floor as two more hooded men grab him, Dustin being hit across the legs as he drops as the fourth had gotten behind him as Lance wrestles with the first. The hooded men try to pin the three down as the first holds Lance in a hold as he brings up a knife in the other hand. 

Hooded Man: Be free our children…

Dustin: Boss!

Jared knocks one off of his arm as he reaches down and slides Lance's dropped Red9 to him. 

As he did one of the hooded men stand Jared in the stomach, Lance reaching for his pistol as he raises it raises up

Lance: Fuck off. 

Lance fires and hits the hooded men through the shroud and out the back of his skull as he falls over stiffly, Lance turning as he fires and shoots the one still holding Jared as Jared pus free and lunches the one who stabbed him before he jumps on top of the hooded Man. Dustin in the confusion sweeps kicks his men off of him and quickly puts his KBar knife out as he stabs the hooded Man in the chest four violent times, Lance coming over as as he pulls Jared off after he punches the hooded man's face into a gory pulpas Lance comes to the one he had shot away from Jared, Dustin checking in Jared's stab wound as Lance rips the cowl back back as the young man was howling in pain from the gunshots. Lance puts the barrel to his forehead

Lance: who the hell are you!

Young man: We...are releasing...the children…

Dustin: Cult members.

Lance: How'd you get in here?!

The man looks away as he breaths raggedly as Lance sneers and fires, blowing the cult members brains out. 

Jared winces as Lance comes over to him

Lance: You alright?

Jared: I'll be fine...the fuck is going on?

Lance: I wish I knew, I wish I knew, comrade. 

The three look about at the dead cult members realizing things just kept getting more and more complicated. 

End of Part Twenty One.