Serve and Protect

Chapter 3 Serve and Protect

I walk into the police station and the noise of people in panic is surprising, police officers running from one side to another, women crying, and people trying to use their phones in vain. They even released the prisoners from the cells. The noises from the radio also give a sinister touch to the whole situation.

"Unit 47 we found ourselves surrounded inside my patrol, there are dozens of those things and they bit my partner, we need help please." The noises of a broken window are heard along with some gunshots and screams.

"Unit 78 we saw some soldiers shooting civilians outside the hospital and then leaving. There are many of those things hanging around the streets, we are taking shelter in a church with more people."

"Hello? Does anyone hear me? Things are bad in the refugee camp in the center of the city, there are too many people and the military can't keep up, more of these things keep coming and many of the people here are injured or bitten. If anyone listens to me, don't come to the refugee camp. Is not safe." More sounds of gunfire are heard over the radio.

I turn away from the radio as I continue walking, some people stare at me, specifically because of my bloody shirt, however, they don't seem to care too much since they're still doing what they're supposed to do.

This police station is the largest in the city, it has about 10 floors, between the basement and the upper floors of administrative work. The shots outside don't stop and I doubt they will stop.

A woman in a police uniform walks up to me, looking me up and down. "Hello child, where are your parents?" She asks me as she crouches in front of me.

"I'm lonely, I don't know where my mom is and my dad is in Japan, I guess." I say in a low voice, making myself sound cute. Let's play with it a bit. I can see the conflicted face she gets from her before showing a smile and taking out a chocolate from her pocket.

"You know, I need help finishing this last chocolate, would you help me?" She says handing me the chocolate, which I take quickly and start eating it. What doesn't kill me will make me stronger and I'm a bit of a chocolate addict.

"Thanks for the chocolate, I'm Justin Smith in about 2 weeks I'll be 12 years old and I'm addicted to chocolate." I say with a smile as my mouth is full of chocolate. "What's your name miss?" I asked tilting my head slightly.

"My name is Emily, you will be safe here little Justin. Do you see all those officers running around?" I nod my head. "Those officers will protect us from the bad things outside and if that's not enough, I'll protect both of us, okay?" It seems that Emily's maternal instincts were activated, it could well be useful to me let's continue the game.

"I'll protect you too Emily." I say puffing out my chest with pride as my lips start to tremble and I hug Emily burying my face in her breasts with occasional hiccups as she just hugs me and tells me everything will be alright. Hidden from everyone I keep a smile on my face.

"Come on I'll take you to my office, it's not very comfortable but it's better than using the cell beds." She leads me up the elevator to the 7th floor where Emily's office is, we walk a bit when she opens a door and we enter her office, shortly after she throws me a pillow and points to a small couch. "You can rest if you want, you must be tired."

I look at the decoration of the office and on the desk, there is an image that catches my attention, in a portrait Emily appears together with a familiar man. "Emily, who is the person with you in that photo?" At my question, Emily smiles." He is my boyfriend, he is also a police officer, his unit was sent to dispel some disturbances near the Walmart but so far no one from his unit has returned, I guess they are taking shelter. " Emily says a little worried. "When he comes back I'll introduce him to you. His name is Rudy."

I scratch my head a little "Yes, that would be great, I hope he's as kind as you." I say with my usual smile with a little sweat running down my neck.

I'm covered in the blood of her dead boyfriend in front of her. The boyfriend I killed. That is…. This is funny.

"If I had a shirt in your size I would give it to you, but I don't think it's possible to find children's clothes in a police station these days." Emily says with a small smile. "Surely you went through a terrible experience, rest a bit." At this, I just nod my head yawn a little, and lie down on the sofa with the pillow. While Emily just looks out her window with a worried look.

"Rudy stay safe." Emily whispers. If only she knew. A smile graces my pretty face as I close my eyes and fall asleep like a baby.

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The loud sound of an explosion jolts me awake, I'm about to reach into my backpack and grab one of the guns when Emily appears and reassures me before opening my backpack.

"Don't worry, the explosion wasn't here, the refugee camp is having a really bad time right now." Emily argues. Right, the refugee center is in the center of the city, they won't last long. Outside the police station, shots are no longer heard and the noise of the helicopters flying over the city is less than it was hours ago.

"How bad are things?" I ask Emily while scratching my head a bit. At my question, she just averts her eyes from me. "People are scared Justin, many of the officers left to go look for their families, and no one blames them. The barricades are holding up at the moment, although there are more and more of these things." Emily mentions with her hands on her head. "Most of the distress messages that were flooding the radios have stopped, that's not good."

In short, the situation does not look good, there are hundreds of people inside the police station with only a few dozen armed people and I doubt that the barricades in the streets will hold. As if that were not enough, at that moment the power is cut and everything goes dark.

"Don't worry, the emergency generators in the basement will kick in any second." Emily says crossing her arms and looking out the window. I approach her and the view I get is quite interesting. A completely dark city as fires lights up the streets along with the bursts of machine guns that can be heard in the distance.

Outside the police station, there are still several officers watching the barricades with their flashlights. Luckily they are not shooting, that would attract more walkers.

The light bulbs in the office flicker a bit before they come back on. I think this may be bad.

"Emily a question." I tug on her shirt a little and she stares at me. "If the building is illuminated in a city where most buildings are dark, won't that work as a beacon to things outside?" The color in Emily's face drains from her face as she realizes what I mean.

"Oh shit." Emily whispers. "Oh shit, shit, shit. You're right, wait for me here I'll go report this to whoever is in charge right now." Emily says quickly leaving her office to which I just sigh.

"Everyone in this police station is going to die." I say with a giggle. "But I will survive." I open my backpack and take dad's gun while keeping it on my waist. Things will get ugly soon.

And it's not long before I hear gunshots outside the station, walk to the window and watch the officers running towards the station as a large horde of walkers burst through one of the barricades. A dark smile graces my face as an amusing idea pops into my mind.

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POV Emily

I use the elevator to quickly get downstairs and talk to whoever is in charge, so I walk up to Jimmy, one of my co-workers and a friend of my boyfriend. Who is at the reception loading a shotgun. "Jimmy." I call, but I don't get an answer from him, so I pull him around a bit. "Jimmy!"

"Kyaaaa." Jimmy yells pointing his shotgun at me, but realizing it's me, he quickly lowers it. "Damn Emily don't scare me like that." At this, I just shake my head.

"Do you know who is in charge right now? The lights could attract more of those things." I ask as he just looks away. "We need the electricity Emily, the barricades have held up well so far. People need to feel safe, otherwise, a riot will happen, look around you." The reception is full of people, people crying, terrified, and traumatized.

"The commissioner died recently, he was bitten on the barricades, and the department head is missing along with most of the top officials. There is no one in charge Emily." Jimmy says as he walks up to me, right in the direction of my ear.

"The army abandoned us, no one will come to rescue us, several officers have already shot themselves in the head and we have hidden those facts." Jimmy whispers to me as my eyes widen in horror.

At that moment we heard quite a few shots coming from outside along with shouts from officers and civilians.

"What the hell happened now?" Jimmy says grabbing his radio. "Why so many shots? What happen?" Jimmy presses the radio while he waits for a response. However, no one answers.

"Answer, answer, somebody answer." Jimmy's hands begin to shake as he stops trying to communicate.

The shots start to get closer when from the roof they start shooting, shortly after the radio begins to transmit.

"SWAT team sniper here, the barricade is down, I repeat, the barricade is down, hundreds of these things are headed for the precinct. Jimmy's face turns pale as he falls to his knees.

"These doors are old, Emily, they won't last long. I don't want to be ripped apart." Jimmy says with his hands on his head and letting go of his gun. Officers and civilians begin to enter the police station causing panic, some of these people have bites.

Shots are heard in the basement where the generators are and the lights go out. Did someone shoot the generator? Why exactly at this moment? This causes some officers to freak out and shoot at people who desperately enter the police station. I watch the whole situation in amazement, while other civilians fight against the officers to take their weapons.

I back up a bit as Jimmy takes his shotgun to his head. "I'm not a coward Emily, I'll be waiting for you on the other side." Jimmy says with a sad smile as he fires his shotgun.

I just start to recoil in shock as I take in the chaos around me, the infected are already entering the police station, no one covered the doors and now they are attacking people. I draw my gun as my hands shake, when someone bumps into me knocking me to the ground, I quickly get to my feet and start running toward the stairs.

The infected keep pouring in as screams and gunshots fill the air. I have to go get Justin and get him to safety. I promised to protect him.

I use my flashlight to climb the stairs as endless screams and moans take place behind me. Some people hide in offices while others just go from one place to another.

I got to the 7th floor and went straight to my office to pick up Justin, however, my office was empty, I start to catch my breath as tears are about to start until I see a note taped to the door.

"I'm bored, I'm going to the ceiling." I read out loud as I start running back up the stairs. When I'm on the stairs I hear screams coming from the lower floors.

"They're already on the 3rd floor, run haaa!" A voice shouts from below as gunshots light up the stairs.

I continue up the stairs quickly and ignore the screams when I reach a door that separates me from the ceiling. This door is closed.

I start to knock quickly on the door, but no one answers. "Open the door please!" I scream as I bang on the door, I try to grab my gun to shoot the lock on the door, however, I can't find my gun where it should be, I've lost it in all this chaos.

I hear the door handle turn as the door opens, on the other side is Justin with a smile on his face. "Wow, you took your time." Justin says as I walk through the door and just hug him.

"You suffocate me, help." Justin scoffs as I break my hug and he proceeds to close the door again.

Near us there is a corpse on the ground with a shot in the head in the SWAT uniform, it was the sniper.

"He shot himself." Justin says quietly, however, the bullet hole doesn't match a sniper rifle, it matches a small gun. I don't have time to think about it at the moment.

A few moments passed and other people start banging on the door desperately, we open the door and let them in.

"Thanks, thanks." Says one of the newcomers, it is a civilian that he had never seen at the police station.

"That was close, they invaded the floors very quickly." Says a police officer catching his breath. I think he's from accounting.

I sit against the door next to Justin as the sounds of gunfire inside the police station fade to moans.

Hours passed and the gunfire in the center of the city begins to diminish until the sniper's radio began to transmit.

"This is a message to all military troops within and around the city of Atlanta, broadcasting on all frequencies." A tired voice speaks over the radio while giving a slight pause. "Atlanta has fallen."

"Start Operation Cobalt."

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