Outbreak

By Taylor Bambico

When a vaccine called Sbedsraks is released to give people immunity from influenza, it also increases the overall well-being of those injected with the new product. However, not all is what it seems for as time goes by, people who received Sbedsraks have begun to decompose from the outside-in, thus turning into rotting piles of flesh that are determined to spread the infection. **EXCERPT: Clodoveo Ortiz had been asked by a buddy of his while at the bar one night if he wanted to earn some extra cash and get to use his military training once again. After having left the army just six months ago, he wanted some action; now he wished he had thought a bit longer before he agreed to the job.
Himself, along with thirty-nine others—five superior officers and thirty-five mercenaries—had been flown in by two Chinook Helicopters and dropped off in the city’s core. Each superior had seven under his command during this “job”; he had a retired US Army Colonel named Nester MicDerman as his and the other six men under MicDerman’s command all had greater training than Clodoveo. He had been in the infantry but spent more time cleaning his issued M4 than anything—three of the others were Navy SEALs.
When the Chinooks began to hover, all forty men slid down ropes onto a rooftop. They had been briefed and given their orders prior to dust-off:
1). Assist local law enforcement in effort to best neutralize the threat
2). Rescue and evacuate civilians to one of six rendezvous points
Armed with the HK416 fitted with an ACOG and VP9 provided to all of them, Clodoveo, the other mercenaries and superiors made their way to street level. Once out in front of the building, his superior acknowledged them to advance towards the blockade a few streets ahead.
“Keep your eyes open and shoot anything that isn’t a civilian or officer,” commanded MicDerman as he led them along. “Ortiz! O’Maley! Cover the port—clear it when necessary!”
“Aye, sir!” they replied in tandem. Clodoveo and O’Maley, one of the former SEALs, did as commanded.
“Clear!” O’Maley reported to the superior as they advanced up the sidewalk into the crosswalk.
Reaching the next alley and taking aim with his scope, Clodoveo could see what he thought was someone with his or her head down, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and stumbling in need of assistance. “Civilian!” he reported.
“Cover me,” O’Maley growled, cautiously advancing towards the individual, 416 kept tight into his chest to control muzzle climb. “Show me your hands!” he shouted. “Hands!”
The person did nothing but keep moping forward, a raspy noise escaping them.
“Hands!” O’Maley shouted before the person lurched at him. He aimed down and fired a round into the person’s upper thigh, grazing them.
The person fell back but caught him or herself and continued forward while O’Maley stepped back. He fired another round but into the person’s other leg, again a flesh wound.
“Fuck this noise,” Clodoveo heard the SEAL mutter before firing six rounds into their chest.
“Shit, man,” exclaimed Clodoveo. “Ears are fucking ringing.”
Turning around, he stated, “Warned ’em. Didn’t listen,” as the others, led by MicDerman, came running due to the report of O’Maley’s 416. “Then they came at me; crazed or something. Collateral damage.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Taylor Bambico
• Release date: Mar 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310522383