28 Chapter 24: Necessary Fear

It was a quiet and short ride to the Hornbrew City FBI Branch Office. James, fealing deep remorse over not being able to stop his brother, quietly looked out the window at the chaos going on around them as they rode by.

Fires raging wild and untamed throughout buildings and homes leading to the office building. It was something only comparable to some places in the Middle East and some places in Africa where pirates went unchecked. He thought he'd never see any more scenes like the ones he was passing in the 18 wheeler that cautiously drove past and tightly maneuvered through the chaotic street where people were either running for their lives, curiously watching as they had no idea what was going on, or dying and becoming apart of John's army.

It was truly hell in the streets and everyone in the truck was in fear for their lives except James. He sat in the passenger seat with eyes of remorse that were seasoned with anger over events and outcomes he couldn't have prevented even if he'd tried, yet they lingered on his mind deeply. Even so deeply that when they finally arrived at the FBI office's loading dock in the back of the building it took him a second to come to his senses.

James looked around as far as much as he could around his surroundings before asking with an intimidating tone, "Ok, what's your name boy?"

The boy who was a young Hispanic kid with long black hair which had a length that just stretched to the nape of his neck looked cautiously to his right at the old man sitting in the passenger seat next to him. While never looking him in the eyes in fear that the old man next him would see that as a sign he'd be rebellious he says, " Miguel... Miguel sir."

James could see that the boy was very fearful, but quelling his fear wasn't something he could afford at the moment. He needed to be in charge so his plan to take as many supplies and weapons could go as smoothly as possible. While Opening his door James says quietly, " Get out and get the others and meet me by the that door over there. And leave the young woman and her kid in the back, we can't have a kid slowing us down. Do it quickly and quietly as you can we can't make too much noise and we don't have much time. Got that Miguel!"

Miguel still looking fearful of James complies and walks to the back of the truck while James makes his way to the loading dock door. After opening the trailer on the back of the truck he tells them what he was told and at first, they were hesitant, but remembering that he's the only one with a gun at the moment they comply as well. Before leaving Miguel looks back at the young woman and the kid next to her and ponders for a moment. He has no idea what's going on with the city nor does he have an idea of what their about to do under the rule of the old man, but to his knowledge, he knows damn well it's not going to be safe if the old man specifically wanted to leave to them in the trailer. before leaving to meet up with the rest others he makes sure to shut and secure the trailer for their own protection.

After meeting back up with the other five survivors and James by the loading dock door James looks back at Miguel and says, "Took you long enough... Ok look I don't know if any of you realize it yet but we're at the beginning of a zombie apocalypse and we're about to loot my old workplace for weapons, meds, etc. This should be an easy grab and run with the exception that there might still be a few of them in here if they didn't all run out into the streets earlier. Any questions before we ascend into what might be hell?"

Everyone stared at James in silence until one person stepped forward and said, "I know you. your that old ass Assistant Director of the FBI branch for the city."

Looking at the person who had identified him James could easily tell who it was. It was a very prominent and upcoming reporter who had been on the scene at multiple high profile cases dating back a year or two. Her face was always on the news alongside a hot topic she was reporting on.

James looked her up and down taking note that she had her black hair which was dyed blond in some areas. She wore a formal light blue dress she often wore when she was broadcasting. Lastly was the part that made James think about using her as a sacrificial lamb, her goddamn high heels.

James looked back up from her heels and said mockingly, "I know you. Your that Asian reporter who like a fly around shit always shows up at crime scenes. What's your name again?"

"My name is Ally Sho for your knowledge and I want answers. Now!' Like is this a terrorist attack? A dangerous chemical spill that mixed the right chems together to make people lose their shit, and what's with the cell signals going out is that some way to help with a coverup. Also lastly whats with your use of the word zombie does it have something to do with a secret government project or some..." Before she could finish her barrage of questions James cut her off by saying in a semi loud whisper, "Enough! First of all no to all your stupid as questions and second these are fucking zombies because I know what brought them back to life. It's otherworldly and fucking scary and I used to call it brother before it took and made my fucking wife something else."

With the stares of everyone on him, he could feel the tense atmosphere that had built up dissipate a little after finally learning who he was he goes on to put in a passcode to open the door which was followed by silence. Out of the awkward silence that followed after his last comment Ally says, "Brother, as in the brother who was convicted of murder at the age of 10 and sent to an insane asylum until he was let go a couple of decades ago. Wasn't he living off of the support you gave him? What does this all have to do with him and the shit going on in the city? Did he take your money and become a bioterrorist? I heard that he had died from an associate of mine."

After putting in the pin and opening the door James walked in while saying, "Yea he did die, and even after death he's bringing the world to ruin for the cruelty of a few."

After hearing this everyone including Ally froze as his words sunk into the deepest part of their minds as they attempted to comprehend his words which sounded like a cliche phrasing of words with a deeper meaning. After entering they all looked around as the lights were still on and there were no signs of anything having happened in the corridor they now stood in. Feeling curious Ally chose to walk next to James and asked, "Cruelty? If I read it right he killed a little girl and remained silent about it. What happened afterward..."

Before she could even finish her statement James cut her off and said while putting the gun to her throat and said in a quiet yell, "He was innocent! It was the director of the orphanage! He was pimping those kids out like a product and did it till the day he died which was the same day John got out! He framed John as he was the only witness to the beating death of that young girl and it was the easiest way to push the blame onto someone else."

"How do you know. According to an old investigation into you years ago you and weren't in the same orphanage together unless... of course. you used your status and resources to investigate the truth with, let me guess, an undocumented undercover operation that you yourself operated under your superiors noses right?" Ally asks while treading cautiously so she doesn't get a bullet in the throat.

James could tell by how she came to the right conclusion so easily that Ally wasn't the average airheaded reporter that a random news channel threw the position of reporter too. She was truly resilient and resourceful when it came to any information found or heard on the job. With her talent in forming conclusions from scraps of information for a small moment, James wondered why she didn't become a detective, FBI agent, or better yet a private investigator.

After a moment James began quietly walking down the corridor as if he didn't jsu. While walking he says, "After I got the evidence he told me he didn't want it. He said what damage that had been done is done, James. I'm 50 years old. Half of a human life expectancy gone over senseless cruelty and disgusting desires. What life I have left I rather live secluded in a box like the one I'm living in now than live one where people wonder if I really did it and just got my little brother to falsify evidence for me behind my back. Because that is what's waiting for me James, nothing but false acceptance and closeted scrutiny from even the tiniest of doubt that I probably did do it. So whats the point in living in a society that's as broken and unforgiving as this one? It's the same when I was framed and the same when I got out."

After listening to him quote his brother in a disheartened voice Ally fell silent while everyone else followed her example. As they reached a corner James signaled everyone to get close to the wall and follow his lead. He peeked around the corner and saw nothing less than what looked like a corridor of hell. Although there weren't any zombies it was very evident that they were there before as the entire floor was bloody with bits of meat spread around. He looked back at the 6 people behind him and said, "Alls clear let's go"

As he began walking he noticed he didn't hear them move at all and looked back at them. Expecting their frightened faces and horrified expression he whispered loudly, "Everyone grow the fuck up. This definitely going to be common from now and if you want to survive the night I recommend you all to get the fuck over here now!"

One after the other they began cautiously following after James and walked through the pool of blood and bits. After some time of walking and not seeing not one zombie, he began to wonder if John had really pulled all of his zombies out of the building in order to slaughter more people outside. This thought became null and void after James and his group went stopped at a corner where the blood seemed to have left a trail to something unknown. Could it be a zombie? A survivor? There was only one way to find out so he peeked around the corner and saw half a zombie scratching at a door.

On a closer look, the zombie seemed to have had its throat ripped out making it incapable of making growls and roars which at least answered why they didn't hear much of anything on until they saw it. Seeing this as a perfect chance for the rest of them to see what he meant when he said zombie he walked around the corner and signaled them to follow. It was indeed a shock to them as James expected. They were all in shock once again at the creature.

"This is what I meant by zombies. Hopefully, this one is slow since it doesn't have legs."

Ally realizing what James had said looked at him and said, "They're supposed to fast? Because the fuckers back the gas station just barely managed to chase us at George Romero level of speed."

"Yea I don't know what's going on with them or why my brother is making them go slow, but the one that attacked a police officer in my house could've probably gave Usain Bolt a run for his money," James said as if reminiscing on his first encounter with a zombie.

Ally's head wanted to burst with questions but the zombie had noticed them and began to slowly crawl its way toward them. Seeing this everyone in the group except James felt relief at seeing it crawl slowly as they believed they could easily walk passed it one at a time. But suddenly like someone had flipped a switch it began to crawl at freighting speeds. So fast that it picked itself off the ground using its arms and hand as legs and ran toward the group.

Everyone began to panic and were about to run back to the exit until James cocked his cane back like he was playing baseball. What they didn't know was that James wasn't it's intended target because of his temporary immunity, but was just simply in the way of its actual targets. Just as the zombie was about to knock him down James quickly switched the way he was going to swing at the last second into an overhead swing downward making full contact to the skull of the zombie.

A deep dent was left in the rotting flesh of the zombie's skull meaning James had successfully managed to cave in the skull of the zombie. After James raised his cane back up he noticed the zombie trying to move still as if it was still trying crawl to its intended victims. James couldn't help but compare what he was seeing to that of a house roach still twitching after being sprayed by Raid. Wanting to make sure it was truly down for the count swung downward two more times before relaxing and moving to the door that it was trying to scratch open.

"Damn G you that was awesome," Miguel said in a low excited whisper after walking back to James as if he wasn't running back with everyone.

"Yea yea just hold my fuckin cane while I put the security code in," James says while trying to holding grunts of pain he wants to let out as he suffers from the drawback of being so physical for his age without stretching.

After a brief moment, the door opens to reveal a huge room with lots of guns and ammunition. James walks in and spots what the zombie had been trying to reach before they killed it. A man, dead from a self-inflicted bullet wound to the head from the mouth. James only thought was 'No shame in such. Not everyone is capable of dealing with this shit.'

Afterward, he looks around and could tell they were in the armory. The armory had two entrances one that was marked so idiots could find it easily and the other from when the building had first been built and you had to either memorize the layout of the building or carry a map it. James had started working at this branch office when they had first renovated the place so he, of course, didn't realize he had found the room so fast.

Without further delay, he pointed at all the guns, ammo and armor, and said, "Grab the carts from the corner and throw whatever you can in there. We're taking it as much as we can."

Not missing a beat they found three carts and began looting as fast as they could. James looked back at his previous action while overseeing that they didn't miss anything. He couldn't help notice that his actions were a bit tyrannical and he probably either burned absolute fear into the whole group or earned some kind of respect from them, but he didn't care. He knew in a situation like these the old and elderly would be ignored and either fear or absolute respect was the only thing going to help him in his dire situation. So he picked the easiest of the two as he damn well none of them had respect for him when they all first met, so what if he uses a little necessary fear to make them follow him it's not like he's going to become a tyrant right?