Chapter 5: Battle on the Stairs

During the night, David called Thierry and informed him that he had already met Gerry and his family. He shared the location of the apartment complex so that the helicopter could rescue them in the morning.

As the sky began to brighten, ending what seemed to have been a short night filled with constant zombie groans and occasional screams from the streets or alleyways, David's cell phone began to vibrate.

Answering the phone, Thierry's voice came through: "David, the helicopter will reach the complex in twenty minutes. Do you have any way to signal the location?"

"We have some signal flares; we'll use them to mark the rooftop," David replied. Karin had picked up the flares from the supermarket.

"Understood. You need to be on the rooftop when the helicopter arrives," Thierry advised. "Wishing you all the best."

"We'll catch up soon, Thierry," David responded before ending the call and looking at Gerry, who had already awakened when David started speaking on the phone.

"The helicopter arrives in twenty minutes. We need to get to the rooftop now," he said.

"Got it," Gerry replied and began preparing the girls with Karin. Meanwhile, David readied his weapon and equipment.

He pulled the grenade from his bag and attached it to his vest, then slung the bag over his back.

Gerry and Karin quickly got the girls ready, and David began to outline the plan: "Karin, you hold the flares and use them to light the way. We need one to signal the helicopter." Karin nodded, understanding her task.

David and Gerry dragged the refrigerator slowly out of the door to avoid making noise. David then stood by the door with the rifle ready and looked at the group: "Ready?"

Gerry and his family solemnly nodded. The girls were scared but would be safe during the journey.

David opened the door cautiously and checked to make sure it was safe. After ensuring it was clear, he guided the group through the hallways. As they walked towards the stairs, they could hear the growls of zombies not far away.

When they reached the stairwell door, he tried to push it, but it didn't open fully. It was obvious that it was jammed.

"Damn it!" David cursed softly. Turning to Gerry, he said, "The door is stuck, but it's the only way. I'll open it, but it'll make a lot of noise. Get ready to run to the rooftop." He warned.

Gerry nodded worriedly and distanced his family from David, giving him space.

David then lifted his leg and kicked the door. "Bam!" The door swung open with a loud bang, followed by roars echoing throughout the building.

"Let's move quickly!" David shouted, initiating a frantic run up the stairs.

As he ascended the first flight of stairs, zombies appeared from one of the doors, but he skillfully eliminated them with a few shots from the rifle.

Some zombies came from behind, and Gerry took care of them with the pistol. The group continued the race up the steps; there were only two flights left, and they would reach the rooftop.

From around a bend, a zombie lunged at David. However, he quickly turned the rifle, hitting the side of the zombie's head with such force that the sound of the skull breaking could be heard.

"Ahhhh!" At that moment, he heard Gerry's daughter scream and turned back. A zombie had cornered her father, prompting David to quickly shoot the zombie.

More and more zombies continued to climb the stairs. "Go! I'll hold them off!" David shouted.

Karin and the girls quickly ran towards the rooftop door just above, while Gerry helped David deal with the zombies.

Opening the rooftop door, Karin grabbed the flare and, with trembling hands, lit it, marking the location for extraction.

"Go up and get ready to close the door," David shouted to Gerry.

Gerry stopped shooting and rushed upstairs, momentarily relieving the pressure on David. However, he was still in control of the situation; his superhuman reflexes allowed him to shoot accurately and quickly at the zombies.

As he reached the door, Gerry yelled, "Now, go up!"

David quickly turned and ran towards the rooftop, with a horde of zombies close behind. But his thoughts raced as he ran, unlike in the movies where Gerry held the door while zombies tried to get out. He didn't think they could hold the door while dozens of zombies pushed.

Then, he quickly grabbed the grenade from his vest and pulled the pin. Dropping the grenade down the stairs, David reached the door and closed it: "Get down!" he shouted while holding the door, protecting his head.

Gerry and his family then crouched as David had warned.

"Boom!" The grenade exploded, causing the rooftop to shake, startling the girls. The door creaked with the explosion and almost opened if David hadn't held it shut.

At that moment, they heard the sound of helicopter blades, causing them to turn their heads and notice that the helicopter was already nearby.

Looking through the door's glass, David saw a lone zombie trying to reach the door. But the explosion had blown off its legs. "Screw you," David cursed.

The helicopter then hovered at the building's level, and two soldiers descended from it: "Let's go!" they called out urgently.

The group quickly boarded the helicopter, and they began to distance themselves from the apartment complex. Taking a deep breath, David joked, "Thanks for the ride, gentlemen," earning a nod from the soldiers.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked the family.

"We're okay," Karin replied, calming her daughters.

"You had a grenade? I thought the door was going to fly off with you," Gerry laughed, almost scared when he saw David throw the grenade so close to the door.

"Just a minor detail," David chuckled.

Shaking his head at David's joke, Gerry closed his eyes to rest as the helicopter flew over the burning city.

As the helicopter moved, David looked out the window, observing the ruined city below them. Smoke rose from various points, highlighting the chaos that had engulfed the metropolis.

...

The helicopter slowly moved away from the devastated city. David looked through the window, observing the landscape shifting from ruined buildings to the vast ocean stretching ahead.

The sound of the engines echoed as the helicopter flew over the calm and serene waters of the sea. After a while, a small fleet of ships began to appear, with an aircraft carrier standing out among them.

As the helicopter approached, David could see the activities on the carrier's deck. Dozens of people moved on the deck, rescued refugees, and soldiers performing tasks.

The helicopter made a smooth descent and safely landed on the carrier's deck. The engine noise gradually decreased, and with a sigh of relief, everyone aboard disembarked.

Stepping off the helicopter, David inhaled the smell of the sea, finally relaxing his tense body from the rush in the apartment building. Looking ahead, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure approached.

Thierry was there to receive them, accompanied by members of the rescue team. With a smile, the man opened his arms for a sincere hug, which David responded to with a laugh.

"Thierry, my friend! Good to see you," he laughed, patting the man on the back.

"Good to see that you're all fine," Thierry said before hugging Gerry and Karin.

"It was a war to get here, but David helped us make it," Gerry said, grateful, prompting David to nod in acknowledgment of the thanks.

"Come on, I'll take you inside," Thierry waved his hand.

Thierry accompanied David and the family inside the aircraft carrier, leading them to a compartment with a few bunk beds.

"It'll be tight, but it's the best we can offer at the moment," Thierry explained.

"Thank you, Thierry. It'll do," Karin thanked, settling her daughters.

After settling the family, Thierry called David and Gerry for a more detailed conversation about the situation. They walked through the bustling corridors of the aircraft carrier as Thierry explained the current situation.

"The president... he's gone, as are many important government leaders," Thierry said in a grave tone. "Several cities and countries are facing the same situation we are dealing with here. We are facing a global scenario of chaos."

As they advanced through the ship, they reached the control center. There, an atmosphere of frenzied activity dominated the area. Soldiers moved back and forth, communicating via radios and screens with people in different parts of the world.

A huge screen displayed the alarming infection rate, which was steadily increasing across the map, indicating a worsening situation in various regions of the planet.

Thierry turned to David and Gerry, with a serious expression. "The situation is escalating by the hour," he stated, urgency evident in his voice.

He then turned to a nearby table where a group of individuals was deeply engrossed in a heated discussion. They were discussing possible causes for the global outbreak.

At this moment, looking at the youngest man at the table, Thierry made the introductions: "This is Dr. Fassbach, a virologist from Harvard. He's one of our greatest hopes to uncover the cause of this outbreak and find a viable solution."

As the experts were deeply engaged in the discussion, one of the men sitting at the table, with a serious expression, brought up the subject that sparked heated debate.

"We've all read the memorandum that mentioned the word 'zombie,' it's an undeniable fact," he said, pausing for emphasis. "Perhaps we should seriously consider that possibility in our analysis."

However, his words were met with a wave of disagreement from the rest of the group. Some shook their heads in disbelief, while others seemed skeptical at the mention of the word "zombie."

Thierry intervened to clarify the situation: "The word 'zombie' was mentioned in a memorandum that came from the military field in South Korea before the outbreak spread," he explained, trying to convey the information in a more objective manner. "However, contact with that military field has been lost since then."

"Indeed, it's an intriguing lead, but at this point, we cannot simply dismiss it," Thierry emphasized, aiming to bring a more rational tone to the discussion. "If we can re-establish contact or even reach the location, we could find crucial clues to solve this problem."

Thierry shared the proposed plan: "Our idea is to send Dr. Fassbach along with a squad to try to find the origin of the outbreak."

Gary, concerned about the decision, expressed his apprehension: "He's just a kid."

"Thierry, recognizing concerns about Dr. Fassbach's lack of readiness, continued explaining: 'That's why we need you.'"

This response caused a serious expression on Gerry's face, a frown ready to form in his features. But before he could express his concern, a soldier interrupted, announcing, "Commander, on the deck!"

Everyone quickly stood up as a man entered the command center, walking towards David, Gary, and Thierry. "At ease," he instructed, and the soldiers resumed their activities.

The commander greeted Thierry, "Mr. Vice-Secretary."

"This is Commander Kane," Thierry introduced.

Commander Kane then turned to David and Gerry, directing his words to Gerry: "The vice-secretary said you were the best UN investigator." Then, he turned to David and remarked, "And you have one of the best mission histories I've seen, in addition to being a biology graduate. Hence, you're perfect for this mission."

Addressing both, Kane outlined his plans: "I want to send you and a squad of soldiers to accompany Dr. Fassbach to find the source of this outbreak."

Commander Kane's plans aligned perfectly with David's purpose, given his missions. However, Gerry was visibly against the idea.

Gary firmly expressed, "I'm not going. I can't leave my family alone amid this chaos."

However, Commander Kane glanced significantly at the soldiers present in the command room and made an assertive consideration: "Each of these soldiers has a purpose here. We don't need non-essential personnel right now. Do you want to help your family? Join the mission, and we'll guarantee their safety."

Upon hearing the commander's words, David, noticing Gerry's tension and dilemma, decided to intervene in the conversation: "Commander, can you ensure Gerry's family will be safe here on the aircraft carrier?"

Kane nodded, assuring, "Yes, as long as you assist us, I will ensure their safety."

"Besides, you'll have the best resources available to support you on this mission," he continued.

Gerry still showed some reluctance but, in the end, after a sigh, agreed: "Alright, I'll participate."

With Gerry's affirmative response, Commander Kane turned and declared, "Great. I'll prepare everything." He left, leaving Thierry, Gerry, and David in the command center. A soldier then interrupted the momentary silence. "Your presence is requested, Vice-Secretary."

Thierry gave Gerry a reassuring look, understanding his concern about leaving the family alone. He patted Gerry's shoulder and said, "It'll be alright. Trust me."

"Let's go. You need to talk to Karin and the girls. And I won't help you with that," David said with a smile, trying to ease the tension. Gerry nodded and followed him to take care of the final moments before heading out for the mission.