Surviving the Apocalypse

New Arrivals

For the three days Hanna had told them they would remain within the confines of the Camp, they watched as the world as they knew it collapse under the surge of zombies that had suddenly appeared all across the globe. Each day they rescued fewer and fewer people between waves of zombies that would appear at their gates. The guards and automated defenses were working as well as could be expected, the number of crystals they were gaining without even leaving the relative safety of their location surprising even Hanna as they processed them with her new machine as well as the method she had developed in order to purify them. The results were clear within 2 days as the ability users began leveling their abilities quickly with the Evojuice. She only gave them one dose each day, the siege of power extreme in most people who had elemental abilities as they learned to adapt to the enhanced versions of their power.

Hanna still hadn't revealed she had learned to transfer the powers to people yet, knowing that everyone would be scrambling to get them. Especially now that her new machine would identify the power it was so she could label them properly. So she kept her fire ability to herself, even while she trained to use it properly until it became like second nature to her. Of course, it was going to become second nature when on the night of the third day, she found a lightning ability from one of the zombies and drank it as well.

Unlike the fire ability that felt like it was going to burn her alive, lightning felt like she had been stuck in an electric chair and had the switch thrown through her entire body at once. For several minutes she was paralyzed by the surge of electrical power, the arcs of electricity jumping between her fingers as the sensation slowly subsided. When she was finally able to catch her breath, she was a little disappointed when she looked and saw that it was a level one ability that didn't share the same level as her storage ability or her fire ability which were now both level 2. Her resurrection ability was still level 1, but she hoped that she wouldn't make use of that one again for some time.

On the fourth morning since the apocalypse began, Hanna slipped out of the compound with only Storm, the dog she had adopted and was training as her own. She had already decided he would go everywhere with her, especially once she found her reward store that actually had armor for him. She had actually purchased it for all of the dogs, her unspent credits from before converting to points that she could spend to improve the Camp. She hadn't even had a chance to look through it yet, her current task to important as she began climbing a large hill between their Camp and the pickup location for survivors.

As soon as she got into position, she was amazed to see that there were hundreds of people gathered there, waiting for the armored convoys that would evacuate them. Their sheer number had overwhelmed the zombies they had clearly killed with whatever weapons they could find or use, one of the men holding a crowbar that was covered in the grime of zombie brains from the ones he had killed. She knew once the sun rose it would only be a matter of time before they arrived, so she waited patiently knowing that it would end exactly as she had thought.

In her previous life, 10 women had survived the abandonment to reach their Camp, all of them with the same story that the military had taken only the men, boys and only women with abilities that they would be able to exploit wherever it was they went. She didn't need to guess as she heard the roar of dozens of trucks and rapid fire of machine guns as they stormed through the deserted streets for their current destination.

The cheer that swept through them was short lived as it was apparent that dozens of zombies were trailing the convoy, despite the speed with which it was moving through the maze of vehicles and debris strewn across the roadway. Hanna watched as the military men jumped out as they came to a stop, creating a defensive perimeter as she watched 8 men and their dogs jump out and begin methodically killing the zombies with headshots the others weren't executing perfectly yet.

As soon as the last zombie fell, the Colonel of the local base jumped out and ordered the men under his command to begin sorting the survivors. One thing however was clear immediately, there wasn't even enough room for all the men here. She watched as he walked over to the Captain that apparently led the team of K9 handlers, ordering him to abandon them there so there was more space.

She smiled when the Captain told the Colonel that if he needed the space that badly, the 8 handlers were staying behind as they wouldn't abandon the animals that had saved their lives. He was even carrying the 8th animal in a special sling on his back, the dog clearly injured, before all 8 of them turned from the trucks and began crossing the bridge that wasn't far from where they stopped. Her smile widened when they walked right into her arms, that she would open wide for all of them and their animals.

She waited slightly hidden from them as they rounded the corner, none of them sparing a glance back as the slowly advanced along the road. "There aren't any zombies nearby. Well, so long as you killed the ones chasing your convoy anyway." she said making them all turn and level their rifles as she raised her hands. "Easy boys, just a harmless woman here to offer you a glimmer of hope in these hellish times. Can I see your dog?" she asked indicating the injured one.

"What can you do?" Captain Lucas Smith demanded lowering the gun.

"Well I can stabilize him until we can get to my Camp and get the vet to properly treat him." Hanna said easily as he signaled his men to establish a perimeter around them.

"How far to your Camp?" Lucas asked as he gently lowered his companion to the ground where Hanna could get a good look at the injury that had at least 2 ribs showing and several gashes she knew would be lethal within a few days without proper care.

She pulled out her kit and gave the dog an injection that knocked her out, before she began cleaning and disinfecting the wound before she applied medical glue to close the wounds. "You, keep an eye on what is happening over there. I need to know as soon as those morons leave." she told one of the men before Lucas nodded and the man climbed the hill to watch.

"It won't be pretty." he said quietly as she moved to the second of the gashes.

Hanna snorted as she applied the gel that would promote muscle regeneration before she carefully closed the wound over the ribs and sealed it. "The pretty world we lived in ended 4 days ago Captain. Even with what you have seen, this nightmare is just beginning." she replied as she carefully worked the wound close and glued the skin back together the best she could. After she finished that she applied a pain cream to the area as well before she wrapped the wound in gauze and bandages. "She should wake up in about twenty minutes. She still needs to be seen by the vet at Camp, but she should survive. I however have to warn you she won't likely be fit for combat operations again."

Lucas nodded before he carefully put her sling back where she had been, not caring if she would be combat effective again. "So long as she survives, I won't complain. You know what is happening over there?" he asked.

Hanna nodded as she collected her supplies before she stood. "Yes Captain, Colonel dipshit is taking the men and abandoning the women and children to small to be effective. I fully intend to offer them another place that is safe, so long as they are willing to help us help them. They will be given the same offer I am about to give you and your men. Help us keep the Camp thriving, and the Camp will help you in any way we can."

Lucas nodded as two of his men laughed. "Safety is a fine concept ma'am, but these undead are ruthless. We had 15,000 men when we arrived three days ago, we pulled out this morning with less than a thousand." Lucas told her as she nodded.

"I am aware of the costs Captain, it is far more dire than you imagine as before the month is out the death toll in this valley alone with exceed 21 million. My statement however stands, as we have a safe place to return to. Any who are willing to make the Camp thrive, the Camp will support them as well."

"We won't abandon our animals or allow bad to happen to them." Graham said as she looked at his name tag.

"Storm." she said easily before the massive dog came out from behind the rock he had been laying behind. As soon as they saw him she smiled. "I would never dream of abandoning an animal to the hell out here, you and they will be welcome. Even if all they can do is train other dogs, they will all be useful." she said as they looked closer and saw he wore as much armor as she did. Every vital area protected from what the zombies would be able to do to him.

"Holy s**t he is one hell of a specimen. Trained?" Pierce asked her as the protection collapsed back in as the man came down the hill before they heard the trucks fire up and pull away as the screams began.

"Yes, same with the other 15 males we have and 7 females." Hanna replied easily as she put her pack back on and looked at them. "You coming back over there with me, or are you staying here?" she asked them.

Lucas looked nervous as he looked at his men who all gave a quick nod, all of them having decided it was worth at least checking out. "Harker, Smith take point. We make no assumptions, take no risks." he said evenly before Hanna looked at him with an amused look. "What?" he asked.

"Captain, in the future we will work on who gives orders in the field. As you know you men and abilities best for the moment, I will tolerate it." she replied evenly with a look at them and signaled to move out with the orders he had issued.

"You think you have more experience than I do?" he asked her as they began walking in the center of the formation.

Hanna actually laughed as they walked to the bridge, the screams and sobs from the women reaching their ears even from over 200 yards away. "Experience, you most definitely have me beat in battlefield experience. Rank however is another matter, as my Commission activated yesterday making me a Colonel in the Army." she said knowing it had been automatic.

Captain Smith looked at her with an amused smile. "What was your expertise at the academy?"

"Battlefield tactics and command strategy, I would have been assigned to operational planning had the world not ended." she told him as they walked towards the women.

It only took them a few minutes to return to the depot where the pickup location had been, over 120 women and children left there like they were disposable. All of them began begging and pleading as they saw the soldiers return with a woman who looked like she was far better armed than even the soldiers.

"Attention everyone." Hanna said raising her voice to project and be heard. "I know you are all devastated right now, but this area is not secured. If you follow me, I will lead you to my Camp where you will find safety, food and shelter. Anyone who doesn't wish to help the Camp help them, please remain here. Everyone who joins us is expected to pull their own weight and support the Camp however they can." she informed them all before turning and returning the way they had come.

The trek took 20 minutes before they turned the corner that revealed the 30 foot walls that were obscured from the roadway, the defenses impressing even the soldiers who saw it.

"If we had this we could have held them." Lucas said as she led them right to the gate as it swung open and everyone was led inside.

"It does help keep us secure." she said lightly to him before she turned to address everyone as they got to the screening area. "Everyone, before you can enter properly you must be screened by the medical personnel. They will be taking your information and assigning your initial duties to you while you are here at Camp. Once everyone is settled in, if you wish to change assignments it can and will be arranged. Daniel, go get Kiara. We have an injured K9 that needs proper medical attention. Emily, this man is first." Hanna ordered as the gate they entered through slammed shut and locked itself before she opened the inner door and had to go through the same examination as everyone else. It was standard protocol to catch any possibility of the virus entering the Camp.