Two Alive, стр. 105

Manson paused to gather his words. “I injected Nathan Burrows with a sample of the virus that I retrieved from Chris Anderson’s remains.”

“What?” Alana looked at the doctor strangely.

Julia’s eyes were filled with more anger, “What the fuck did you just say? Are you saying you infected Burrows? That you stuck him with something and that’s why he freaked out like that?”

“There was no telling what would have happened to him. No way of knowing that would be the results. But to be there, to see it happen, out among the other infected people and watch them react to it. It was amazing. Quite simply amazing.”

A right hook came from the scientist’s left and he dropped from his seat. Alana had took a swing on him and cradled her right hand after the hit. “You killed them! You killed everyone!”

“No. Little girl, no.” Manson held his jaw then guarded himself when Julia tried reaching back to hit him.

“You did that Manson! You infected Burrows and he turned into one of those fucking sirens and called those other freaks!” The van swerved and Julia had to turn back around to focus on driving.

“I had no idea that something like that would happen!” Manson yelled back, pushing Alana back when the girl tried to swing on him again.

“But you knew he was infected! Miles knew he was infected! He knew! Goddamn it! Why didn’t we listen?!” Julia started striking the steering wheel.

“It was an accident. I didn’t infect him on purpose. But you have to see the scientific breakthrough that we just witnessed and how it will accelerate my work.”

“Fuck you Dr. Manson!” Alana screamed at him.

“You don’t understand. None of you understand. It won’t be until I’ve cured the virus and saved the world will any of you understand.”

“Fuck you Bob!” Alana screamed at him again.

“Don’t you speak to me like that!” Manson rose his voice.

“Hey!” Julia was about to turn and look back but she saw black smoke in the distance.

“Is that… is that the store?” Alana was leaning forward.

The van sped up and when they turned off the exit to the Super Costco, they saw the entrance to the store had a large hole in the shutters and infected people were running in and out, going crazy. There were fires inside the store and screams could be heard coming from inside.

“Oh my god.” Julia covered her mouth, then searched the front seat for her radio.

“What… what happened?” Alana’s lip was shaking.

“Hello? Is anyone there?!” Julia called through the radio but heard nothing but static back. “Hello!”

“No. No, no, no!” Manson watched the creatures going in and out the store, feeling his stomach drop. “My lab!” He tore open the sliding door and went running through the parking lot.

“Hey!” Alana screamed.

“Manson! Get back here!” Julia called after the doctor, but he was halfway across the lot and the infected were starting to chase after him. He managed to dodge many of the freaks and make his way into the store, but the number of creatures going in after him was foreboding.

“Hello, Julia?” A voice came through the static of the radio.

“Hello?! Hello?!” Julia held the radio tight in her hand.

“Julia… it’s Nadine. Over.”

“What happened here? Nadine what happened?”

“That lady. Karen… she came back. She set off a grenade at the front of the store. She killed a lot of people.” The radio buzzed and Nadine came back on, “She killed Ben.”

Alana slumped in her seat, awash with grief. She was wailing and kicking around.

“Nadine, what happened to Captain Baker… where’s Carver?” Julia was choking on her words and biting back tears.

“Major Carver went chasing after Antonio. He broke out, ran away. Captain Baker…” The radio went quiet again, then she came back, “There were just so many freaks that broke in. The hive must’ve came back or something.” The woman sniffled on the other side of the radio. “Lots of people ran! Some tried to hide in the store. I just watched it all happening from the security room. I should’ve ran a long time ago.”

“Nadine… Nadine, where are you? Can you get out? Can you make it to the parking lot?” Julia looked around, seeing nothing but carnage everywhere. The infected lurkers shambled about mindlessly and the fast moving strikers ran back and forth looking for anything to kill.

“I should’ve left instead of just watching from the screens.” Nadine’s voice came back through the radio with a loud banging in the background. “They trapped me in the office in the back. I can’t get out.” She sniffled and the banging got louder with inhumane moans. “Just go Julia! Get out of here before--” There was a loud crash then the radio went to static.

“Nadine…?” Julia put the radio right to her ear. “Nadine, can you hear me? Over.” Julia started to cry and put a hand over her face.

“It’s those boy’s fault! They did this!” Alana was screaming in the back, crying her eyes out.

Julia turned around and tried to go to her, but was still buckled in. “Alana…”

“They did it! They did all this! If they never showed up… if they never showed up, none of this would’ve happened!” Alana had her face pressed against the window, blubbering with snot coming out of her nose.

Julia popped her seat belt and went to sit next to her, “Alana… it’s ok. It’s ok.”

“It’s not ok. It’ll never be ok. I shouldn’t have left my dad… I shouldn’t…” Alana turned and buried her face into Julia’s stomach and the woman held her and cried softly with her.

A hand slammed against the window and Julia looked up to see an infected man with a swollen face and small wandering eyes. The man was clicking his tongue and bumping against the