The New Haven Incident - Part Forty-Two

Agent Connors? Sebastian’s earpiece crackled in his ear. Sebastian?

He smiled slightly at the clear concern in the voice in his hear.

“Hey, Mel,” he greeted.

Oh, thank God! Melody breathed. I’ve been trying to raise you for two hours. There’s been an explosion in the laboratories.

“Yeah…” Sebastian noted. “About that…”

That was you? No, never mind. I don’t want to know. Warner is threatening to pull the transports out. You have to get to the football field.

“You tell that bastard that if the evacuation is not there, I will make good on my earlier threat,” Sebastian snapped. “I meant what I said.”

I suspect he already knows. Just… hurry Agent Connors. Please.

“I’ll do what I can.”

Good. I’ll be watching.

“That’d be creepy if it was anyone else but you, Mel.”

A soft laugh in his ear drew a small smile from Sebastian. He looked down at Lilith, who remained in his arms. She no longer trembled.

“Can you walk?” he asked her softly.

After a pause, she nodded. Together, they got to their feet. As soon as Lilith was standing, Hannah released her grip on Mendez and ran forward, slamming into Lilith. The winged woman released Sebastian and lifted the girl into her arms, pulling her close.

Sebastian’s earpiece crackled to life once more and a familiar young voice said, Uh, Agent Connors. You there? It was said in a whisper.

“I’m here Geoff” Sebastian answered.

Um… half the university is gone.

“Uh… yeah. That was me. Sorry about that. You got away then?”

Yeah. We… Uh… we had some dudes from something called Sigma claiming you sent them to take us to the evacuation point?

“That’s right. Captain Wu and Team Four. You can trust them, Geoff.”

The voice gained strength. Oh, good.

Sebastian smiled. He had no doubt that the survivors in the university would would have had some trepidation when it was an entire unit instead of the promised single agent that came to their rescue. “Captain Wu will take good care of you. I’m going to go help the other survivors. I will see you at the stadium.”

Oh, okay. Well, see you there then.

Sebastian pulled the small black communications device from his vest and clicked a few buttons.

“Belinda?” He said. “Nurse Belinda?”

There was no reply. He tried once more. “Belinda?” He turned to look at Mendez. “Shit,” he hissed. “Belinda!”

He shook his head, then changed frequencies. “Officer Fernly?”

Oh, thank God, the officer answered, breathless. The explosion… we thought maybe you…

“I’m fine,” Sebastian replied. “I’m alright. Listen, there should’ve been a young man and his little brother who arrived at your location some time ago. Did he arrive?”

Sam and Mikey? They’re here. They’re with us.

“Good.”

“Uh, Sebastian?” Mendez said, sounding distant.

“I’ll be making my way to you shortly. There is another survivor group I need to help first, though. Can you get to the bakery opposite the cinema a block from the field?”

I… I think so. It’s been very quiet since the explosion.

“Sebastian?” Mendez said again.

“Okay good. Do that. Radio in once you’re there and safe. I’ll have further instructions for you.”

“Connors!” Mendez snapped, finally bringing Sebastian’s focus to him.

“What?” Sebastian demanded. The question died in the air as a large, black cloud rose from the ground, obscuring the bases of the buildings in the city. A swarm. A very large swarm. They must have been attracted by the explosion.

“Fuck!” Sebastian took one of Lilith’s hands. “Follow me!”

The group sprinted across what used to be tennis courts and then into the university campus. The sinkhole had claimed most of the hospital, but other than a few toppled rooftop statues, slipped shingles and some blown-out windows, the rest of the university campus was largely untouched. The tunnels built for easy travel between buildings in the winter would be their safest escape at present; not that that was saying much.

“Sigma Teams Three and Four!” Mendez barked into his comms as they ran.

Mendez? Sakata demanded over the unit. How the hell are you able to reach us?

“Borrowed tech. Listen, we’ve no time. There’s a mega swarm headed to the university. If you are in the vicinity, I advise you to get the fuck out of here.”

There was a pause. You get that Wu? Sakata asked, daring to try his own comms. unit again.

Got it.

Okay. Noted Mendez. Be safe.

“Trying,” Oliver muttered to himself. He heard Sebastian grunt a short laugh and grinned. He put his thoughts away and focussed on running.

With the hum of insect wings loud enough now that individual zips and snaps could be heard, Sebastian turned right from the path they ran along and slammed his shoulder into a large door. It gave way on the first strike, and all four of them tumbled into the door. Sebastian slammed the door shut and slid the large bolt across it just as the first of the swarm reached them.

Three enormous hellhounds bounded past the entrance, their laboured breathing making them sound closer to happy piglets. Inside, everyone remained as still as possible. Lilith lay on her back, holding Hannah close to her chest. Mendez lay on his side, his hand slowly reaching for the pistol holstered on his thigh. Sebastian sat against the door, ready for any challenge to the barrier.

None came. The swarm passed in a long, dark wave, beginning and ending with three large hellhounds. The windows darkened with the press of bodies; winged or otherwise. Then, as after a storm, sunlight flooded back into the space.

Sebastian waited several beats more before he relaxed. He turned to his companions.

“Everyone okay?” he asked, keeping his voice low just in case.

Mendez relaxed, letting his head hit the cold tile floor. “My heart can’t take this, man,” he said, flashing a grin at Sebastian. Sebastian smiled back and turned to Lilith. She nodded at him, before addressing Hannah, who remained atop her, clinging like a baby koala. Not looking up, Hannah nodded.

“Good.” Sebastian moved away from the door and took a look around the building. They were in the rotunda of the Hansel Manly Science Building, if the signs were to be believed. Sebastian’s eyes fell on one door that read Applied Chemistry Lab. His eyes lit up.

“I have an idea,” he said. Careful to keep low, he moved over to the door, pausing briefly to listen. With no sounds indicating life inside the lab - infected or otherwise - he opened the door a crack. He peeked in. Empty. Stepping inside, he swept the room, pistol and knife at the ready. Satisfied that it was unoccupied, he returned to the door.

“Clear,” he said.

Lilith, still holding Hannah to her chest, entered first, followed by Mendez, who monitored the rear in case of ambush. Far enough away from any danger of being detected, they all rose to a more comfortable position.

“Applied chemistry,” Mendez noted. He looked around. “Why?”

Sebastian simply smiled at him. “Stay sharp.” He went digging into cupboards, pulling out electrical tape, hoses, mid-sized canisters of something Mendez didn’t bother to try and pronounce, alcohol, various attachments and nozzles. He placed them on an empty bench.

Mendez and Lilith watched. Lilith’s expression was curious. Mendez tried to hide his confusion and match it. He failed. “What in the name of the good man MacGyver are you doing?”

“It’s likely that the tunnels out of here are filled with infected,” Sebastian said as he worked. “Not Dark Ones, probably. But the rats.”

“Kobolds,” Hannah corrected, her voice muffled as her face was still buried in Lilith’s neck.

Sebastian grunted. “Kobolds,” he agreed. “We don’t have time to try to avoid them and work our way through a labyrinth. So, we’re going to force a path.”

“Cool,” Mendez said. He frowned. “How?”

Sebastian finished his creation. He pointed the nozzle over the rows of workbenches that sat in the centre of the room and pulled a trigger. A jet of flame erupted. Sebastian grinned. He looked over at Mendez.

“Flamethrower.”

For a moment, Mendez could only stare at Sebastian. “Can I have a go?” he asked.

Sebastian’s grin broadened. “Carry some canisters, and I’ll let you have first crack if we run into anything.”

“Sweet!” Mendez ran forward and collected a number of the mid-sized canisters from Sebastian’s workbench, finding room for them in his tactical gear. Sebastian collected the rest, then hefted his make-shift flamethrower onto one shoulder. He grinned over at Lilith.

“Shall we?” he asked.

Lilith rolled her eyes, but permitted herself a small smile. She nodded.

“Good. Let’s get going.”

The small group exited the lab, running low to the ground until they reached the tunnel system that enabled students and faculty to make their way between buildings without having to face the elements. Here at the science building, the tunnels were relatively clear. Only streaks of blood on the walls or floor indicated the past presence of Infected. Turning down the tunnel that would eventually lead to the farthest parking lot on the edge of the university campus provided a different story.

The smell of blood and decaying flesh assaulted Sebastian’s nose. Used to it as he was, given his line of work, he still gagged.

“It stinks,” Hannah whispered.

“Yeah,” Mendez said, peering into the gloom. “It really does.”

“Infected,” Sebastian said. “Still here, probably feeding.” He turned to Oliver. “Switch?” He asked, hefting the flame thrower while nodding at Mendez’ rifle.

“Oh, hell yeah,” Mendez said, relinquishing his weapon right away.

Sebastian helped him shoulder the flame thrower, showed him briefly how to use it, then stepped aside so that Mendez could take point. Taking out his flashlight, Mendez moved carefully down the gently sloping tunnel.

The walls were painted with the viscera of a particularly vicious attack. They passed three bodies. They had been stripped of their flesh and were little more than skeletons wearing the scraps of what used to be their clothing and lab coats.

“Gross.” Mendez screwed up his nose as they walked carefully past.

Sebastian kept to the rear, checking behind them often. The last thing he needed was an ambush. They had not gone very far into the tunnel when the strange wet, grinding sound of something chewing on bones echoed down the darkness to the group. Mendez paused a moment before resuming his cautious walk; more carefully now.

The tunnel curved away to the left several paces down. Mendez followed it slowly. He stopped as the beam from his flashlight hit the scene of a recent carnage. Five people, students if their backpacks were any indication, lay sprawled on the ground in a small pile. Three kobolds crawled over them, sharp teeth tearing into grey skin. Mendez watched as one of the oversized rodents climbed onto one young man’s chest, nibbling at the edge of his slack jaw. With a twitch of its thick, mangy neck, it tore the face clean off, then settled back and nibbled. The skull twisted towards Mendez on a slack neck, grinning at him.

Mendez stared at it a moment in shock before he felt his blood rise. Kids. They were just kids; kids that had survived this long only to be murdered by three oversized rodents. Mendez would not let that stand. He scowled, lifted the nozzle of the flame thrower and pulled the trigger.

“Fuck you.”

The kobolds screeched as the jet of flames reached them, setting their few remaining tufts of fur alight. In their panic, they didn’t attack, instead running back and forth across the hall, over and under one another, all the while screaming like struck dogs.

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