Chapter 6

When the guys exited the facility with Cyrus, I held T

back and told him he couldn't antagonize people in my name, because it

undermined my authority. He told me I was being too sensitive and that I needed

to lighten up. T was being a bit of an asshole.

"Wow! You sure have to deal with a lot as the leader

here," said Diane Maneiro after witnessing what happened with Cyrus. "Is it

always like this for you?"

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown," I replied

with a sigh and a smile.

"So, you do see

yourself as a king," she teased as she bit her lower lip.

Was she flirting with me? There hasn't been anyone

since Em and even that was a lie. Besides, with my level of confidence in my

ability to deal with the opposite sex, I'm lost.

"No, I don't see myself as a king. But I do have to

sometimes make unpopular decisions to ensure our safety," I said as I smiled.

"You know, you have a sexy smile. You should do it

more often," she said as she turned and slowly walked away glancing back at me.

She was

flirting with me. Me! But I know I'll

just mess it up. After all, what woman would want me?

"Man, are you gay or just stupid? I've been trying to

crack that nut since she got here, and you just let her walk away?" said T as

he shook his head. "C'mon, man!"

"Not that it's any of your business T, but my romantic

endeavors are none of your concern," I said jokingly trying to sound confident.

"But today should have been a clear indication of how things are deteriorating

down here. I'm going to need you, man. More than ever."

"Man, have you forgot who you talkin' to? I'm T, baby!

I got this, and I got you," he said. "I'll need the Raiders to go on a run. I

think I got an idea to help the situation."

"Whatever you need, T," I said.

I got the samples and notes back to the ARC lab. The

results for the tests were promising. I developed an antigen to supercharge the

protein infused enzymes. We could only test it on someone who was bitten or

dying. And unfortunately, there were no volunteers anxious to test the theory.

Testing on DCs proved that the solution stopped their

mitosis after death. However, it did nothing to eradicate the pathogens in our

blood as it pertains to the virus. My supposition is that the serum would slow

down people from turning upon being bitten but would do nothing for those

already dead.

I'm missing something, but I just can't put my finger

on it. I'm wearing too many hats, but we have to keep this place tight or

people will die. I'll worry about tomorrow's problems tomorrow. It's been a

long day and I need to sleep.

T and the Raiders left early the next morning. I had

some serious thinking to do. Was I being dictatorial? If this is truly going to

be a re-creation of society, we need to set up some type of governing

structure. Something better than, "because I said so!" I used to hate it when

Charles would say that shit to me. Charles...man, what am I doing? This is all

my fault. Am I qualified to lead these people? I'm not so sure anymore.

I went back to lab attempting to isolate the strain

that facilitated the abhorrent mutation. I can see that life has ceased to function in the cells, but they continue to

split. How in the hell does a dead cell split? I feel like I'm running in

place, exerting a lot of energy, but getting nowhere fast.

I did notice that the strains behaved differently

based on one's blood type. It seems that the strain is more susceptible to A,

then B, then AB and O. Meaning that the blood type determined how fast a person

would turn. It seems that the strain attaches itself to antigens in the blood

and takes over the cell. I wonder if Rh Null would be a better facilitator to a

cure. Unfortunately, there are not any carriers in this part of the world.

When T gets back, we will sit down and discuss some

delegation of responsibilities. I'm spreading myself too thin. Doctor, leader,

researcher, scout; it's too much. It can't just be on T and I.

T and the Raiders got back in the wee hours of the

morning. They had two vans and a truckload of stuff. I decided to get some rest

while they unloaded. I woke up the next morning and I barely recognized the

place. Lights were strung along the ceiling. Balloon caricatures lined the

walls. A makeshift dance floor was made in the main hall. And a DJ booth was

set up in the corner, complete with huge bass spouting speakers.

"Aye, bro. Even though it's the end of the world, we

can still have a little fun," said T. "Too bad we can't barbecue. I got more

liquor than I know what to do with, and I even raided a record store. Tomorrow

may not be promised, but tonight we party like it's 1999!"

Tears began to well in my eyes. I know I was risking

everything, but I had to tell someone that this shit-show was my fault.

"T, I have to tell you something," I began.

"Wow! It sounds serious bro. You know you can tell me

anything," he said.

Over the next hour, I recounted the story of my work,

Charles' accident and him biting Em. I told him about Adam and the orderlies. I

told him about the rats. I then told him about the crematorium. I told him

about the green cloud. T sat there for the longest time in silence.

"Look, bro, I know you look at me and think I'm a brain-dead

Leatherneck," he said without looking up. "I already knew what was up. I heard

the orderlies one day when I was there to visit with Ma while Charles was in

the hospital. I got home a lot earlier than I let on. I had to leave the Corps.

Even though I was very good at killing, I didn't like it one bit. I resigned my

commission."

He paused for a bit and then he looked up at me.

"After the shit hit the fan, I put two and two

together, and I figured your work had something to do with it, especially after

that visit to this place that night," he confessed. "But you're my bro. I don't

think we could be any closer if we were actually blood-related brothers. Let's

just let what we discussed here today die with Deadest Night and the Pips."

We hugged it out as we were interrupted by Diane.

"If I knew you were handing out hugs, I would have got

in line a while ago," she said flirtatiously.

"Awe baby, there's no line where you're concerned,"

chided T, as he held his arms up for a hug.

"Ugh! As if! You know damn well I wasn't talking to

you," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"Well please excuse my faux pas, my dear lady," said T

with a deep bow at the waist. "A pox on me for being so calloused!"

"You're excused!" said Diane in disgust.

"You better knock the lining out of her shit!"

whispered T through clenched teeth and a smile as he exited past me.

"Why are you so down on T?" I asked. "You know he's

really a good guy. He's like a brother to me."

"It's just I know his type and it isn't mine. He says

whatever he has to, to get what he wants," she said. "Me, I prefer the nerdy,

brainy type. I like a man who can think and form a coherent sentence."

"Don't we all say what we need to get what we want?" I

retorted.

"I don't know. What do you want?" she said as she bit

her bottom lip.

Every time she does that, it excites me a little more.

I timidly stepped closer to her and her breathing increased. Her chest was

heaving. Diane was wearing some jean shorts with a shirt tied off exposing her

midriff, and a baseball cap with the ponytail out the back. She kind of

reminded me of that adventurer chick, Laurel Kraft something or another. I

reached over and brushed the hair from her eye. The longer we engaged in the

back and forth, the more my confidence grew.

"What do I want?" I said giving in to my baser nature.

"Because I can think of a few things I want right now, Professor."

"Please call me Diane," she said. "No need to stand on

formality."

"But 'professor' is so much more appropriate for all

the dirty things I'd like you to teach me," I said as I grabbed her waist with

my left hand and slowly pulled her closer. I was now waaaay out of my depth and

just winging it.

"Do you think you can handle the lesson plan I'd

prepare?" she said as her heaving chest was now rubbing against my pecs. T's

workouts had really whipped me into shape.

"I'm nothing if not a dedicated student. I'm willing

to do things over and over and over again until you are…satisfied," I said as our breathing began to synchronize.

The things I was saying sounded much more suave in my

head. She ran her fingers up my back. She was quite tiny. It was her 38DD

breasts that made her look much bigger than she was.

The entire time, I was playing a role. Pretending to

be something that I wasn't, but wished I was. I reached down with my right hand

and lifted her off her feet. Diane was only 5'3" and I was 6'1". Due to us

being on strict rations, and Master Leon's and T's training regiments, we were

all fairly fit. Diane was Puerto Rican and her skin looked amazing against

mine. We were both awkwardly moving in and out for the kiss even though our

lips were only inches apart. She had a round ample booty that those shorts advertised,

and it was just begging me to squeeze it, so I obliged.

As she gasped from my grope, her full lips parted, and

I kissed her firmly and passionately. My tongue darted in and out of her mouth

as she sucked it. She wrapped her legs around my waist and interlocked her feet

behind me, while she was grinding against me. She aggressively began rubbing

and gripping my head as the kiss became deeper and more penetrating. She

released a little shudder. Did she just?...

She released her leg lock and slid down my body.

"I gotta go," she said as she hurried away.

Damn! That is one fine

ass woman, but I think things got a bit overwhelming for the professor. It's

good to know I can illicit that type

of physical response in a woman. This will

not be the end of Diane and me.

Slowly but surely folks began filling the great hall.

T picked up a mic and kicked off the festivities.

"Look, folks, I know times are brutal, but that

doesn't mean we have to be too!" he proclaimed. "I put this little shindig together,

so we could blow off some steam. But before we do that, I think it would be

fitting if our brilliant leader said a few words!"

They all clapped as T handed me the microphone. I

looked out into each of their faces and knew what had to be done.

"Welcome everyone," I said searching for what to say

next. "I know T organized this get-together to help some of us relax. Lord

knows I need it!"

They all laughed. I wondered if they'd be laughing if

they knew about the atrocities I had committed.

"Well folks, I'd like to take this opportunity to make

an announcement. I think Cyrus was right. I have no right to lead and make

decisions for any of you. So effective immediately, I am stepping down and I

suggest we hold an election to replace me."

A hush fell over the crowd. Then I heard a soft,

familiar voice from the back of the hall.

"You went out and rescued these people and gave them a

place to live, love and to remember what it means to be human in a safe

environment at jeopardy to your own safety. I can't speak for anyone else, but

I refuse to follow anyone but you," said my Ma.

"When those DCs had me and my neighbors cornered, it

was you, T and Leon…sorry, Master Leon,

who was kicking butt and smashing heads. I didn't even think anything like this

place was even possible," said Fred Finlay, our mechanical engineer. "In

addition to all those other things your Ma said, you gave me purpose. I won't

follow anyone else either."

"My wife, Nancy, and I were slowly starving to death

when you found us. We were barely avoiding the bands of marauders let alone the

DCs. No one knows this, but we were about to end it ourselves when you found

us," said Tim Flanagan our structural engineer, as he put his arm around his

wife. "You saved us! I won't follow anyone else either!"

"Me either," said another voice in the crowd. And the

sentiment began to spread. Then T began a chant of: "We want Marv! We want Marv! We want Marv!" I saw Diane mouthing "I want Marv!" T then pointed at me.

"Okay! Okay! But there will be some changes. I will no

longer unilaterally make decisions for the group. We will elect a council to be

renewed if a member dies or once a quarter. The council will govern together.

It will be me, T and five others. In the event of a tie on a council vote, I

will break the tie," I said. "I think everyone should get to know one another

and next week we hold an election. As your chosen leader, I am choosing T as my

second. If anything should happen to me, I want you all to be confident that he

would, could and should lead in my stead."

"Okay, I accept! Now, as my first directive, that's

enough of this political bullshit! Let's party!" exclaimed T.

I handed the mic to T and hugged my mom and shook

hands. I then walked over to Diane and planted a big long passionate kiss on

her. Everyone catcalled and whistled. Yeah, today was a good day.

I wandered back to the lab and Diane followed me

there. I ran the decontamination protocols and pulled up the serum on the

screens. This was the first time I had allowed someone to see my formula.

"What is that? Even with all my degrees that stuff is

completely out of my league!" said Diane. "I recognize a few of the peptide

sequences, but the rest shouldn't exist in nature. The genomes shouldn't match."

"I guess I tried to bridge the gap between natural and

unnatural," I said. "I hope that what you see on the screen will one day lead

to a cure to the DCs."

"But where did you get these proteins?" she asked. "As

soon as I think I recognize one, it becomes convoluted with another."

"Are you familiar with the concept of biological immortality? I've harvested

the proteins of bacteria, yeast, lobster, hydra, jelly fish and planarian

flatworms for their abilities to regenerate cells. The enzyme booster consisted

of lizard cells, sea cucumber, and spider venom. Calculating weight and height

determines the amount to distribute."

"So, this protein/enzyme combination is what allowed

dead cells to regrow?" she asked. "This is your miracle cure? Even sitting here

in front of me, I still don't completely understand it, but watching you work

is so sexy to me."

I've heard about women like Diane. She's what you call

a nerd bird. The guys in Cambridge

coined the term for women who are endeared to intelligence. Being of an

intelligence level at or below those they admire, they treat them like rock

stars.

As I finished with the samples, I refrigerated the

work and shut down the lab for the day. Diane and I made it back to my room. We

just stood there with me staring into those big brown eyes nervous about making

the first move.

"I want to apologize for running out on you earlier,"

she said coyly. "That's never happened from just a kiss. I must admit, now I'm

a little intimidated. If you can do that from just kissing, what will happen if

we make love?"

"I must say, I'm a little nervous as well. To be

honest, I don't have much experience and it has been a while," I said

attempting to be candid. "And as to your question, we can take this as quickly

or as slowly as you like. I want to get to know you mentally and spiritually as

well as physically."

"See! Shit like that. What man talks like that?" she

asked. "Most men are doing everything they can to get into a girl's pants

whether they remember her name or not."

"I talk like that, and I mean it," I said as I

nervously and slowly pulled her in close and kissed her like before. "A man who

really hasn't had much, if any, success with women."

"I absolutely love your honesty," she said. "But a

brain like yours should fill you full of confidence."

Her knees began to buckle, and I scooped her up in one

motion, but stumbled backwards against the wall. I clumsily laid her across my

bed and kneeled over her breathing erratically. Her eyes were wide, and her

breathing was shallow. I had no illusions. I knew this was one part horniness,

one part boff the leader and one part

convenience.

"You have to relax," I said feigning confidence. "This

is supposed to be enjoyable."

I caressed the inside of her thigh as I kissed her

again, this time with a little more force behind it. She scooted away.

"Wait! Whew! Wait! I um...I need to catch my breath,"

she stammered. "How the hell are you doing this to me? I mean this has never

happened before."

Every porno I had ever watch ran through my mind as I

attempted to take control of the situation. My hand crept up her thigh and my

little finger ran along the lining of her shorts. She arched her back and let

out another gasp. I untied the knot in her shirt and began to lightly kiss her

belly. Lightly kissing up and down, using my tongue to push the top of her

shorts downward. She grabbed my head and held it in place.

"You know if we do this, there's no turning back?" she

said. "I mean we'll be together!"

"Do you want to turn back?" I asked, but before she

could answer, I used my teeth to undo her shorts. I pulled them off with my

teeth. Those shorts were containing a thong that was holding one of the most

magnificent asses I had ever seen.

She steadied herself by grabbing my bicep and leaning

on her elbows. I licked her thong and she whimpered and gasped again.

"Do you know how long it's been?" she asked.

"Too long, for both of us," I answered.

I nuzzled her crotch with my nose and she held my head

in place as if I had moved from that spot, the Earth would have stopped

spinning. I licked the inside of her left thigh and again she gasped. But this

time it was quickly followed by a moan. I raised up to my knees to remove my

shirt. Even with the workout regimen, my body still lacked definition and

musculature. I looked down at her and again she bit her bottom lip.

"You know that drives me crazy, don't you?" I asked.

"What?" she countered coyly. "I didn't do nothing."

"The way you bite your bottom lip. It's almost as if

you are teasing me and it makes me want to bite it as well," I said.

"I had no idea. It's just something I do when I get

nerv—" she began but was interrupted by another kiss. This time I lightly bit

her bottom lip. It was full and luscious. She moaned again.

I undid the buttons on her shirt but left it covering

her breasts. Again, I kissed her down her belly, stopping and licking around

the top of her thong. Again, she arched her back as I continuously kissed her

belly. I pulled her up and we continued to wrestle in an embrace of passion.

I grabbed her by the buttocks as she wrapped her legs

around my waist. I began to lightly suck on her neck and collarbone. Again, she

had another spasm. Now her hands were roaming all over my body. She opened her

mouth to scream, but nothing came out as I pinned her against the wall. Her

entire body tensed, and she just slumped to the floor. I picked her up and we

renewed our game of aggressive wrestling. Her chest was heaving up and down as

she fought to catch her breath.

She now began to push my face away as I continued to

shower her body with kisses. She sat up and grabbed me by the neck and began to

grind me with her heels locked behind my back. We knocked over all manner of

things in my room, completely wrecking the place until she again opened her

mouth and let out a long guttural exclamation.

"Oh fuuuuuuuuuuuuucccccckkkkkk!" she exclaimed. She

was huffing and breathing hard.

"I'm going to need a minute," she said as she

collapsed on the bed still twitching. She looked up at me with a devilish look

in her eyes. "Okay, now it's my turn," she said as she bit her bottom lip.