We arrived at the CDC shortly after waking up at three am in the morning and flying towards it, where we eventually spot the CDC still standing and not destroyed yet. So we landed in a clear spot in front of the building before dismounting from the helicopter. Just in case, I dismounted from it first in full riot gear covering my body, shield out, and sword drawn, ready to strike down any undead freaks. After I was, Higson with a standard-issued military pistol drawn along with a combat knife as a cold storage bag containing extra samples for the doctor to test was strapped to his back. After him, Bradly got off with a fully decked out Stoner 63/63A Commando, a modified LMG used by American Navy Seals in Vietnam. After him, Welles got off with a Stoner 63/63A Rifle, which he treated like his baby and called it Granny.
We all got fucked up in the military with the shit we saw and did; I mean, I committed a total of thirty war crimes by using white phosphorous. I had done them accidentally by shooting a grenade crate in the middle of a Taliban group firefight after one jumped me. Anyways after we had all dismounted, we approached at a slow but quick jogging pace, watching out for anything that would've been attracted by our helicopter. Luckily nothing had come after us, so we approached the front doors, which were shut tight while in sight of a camera. Banging my sword pommel onto the shutter doors, which acted as blast doors to incinerate the whole building's insides in case a pandemic broke out inside and needed everything to be purged, workers included.
After banging on the shutter doors for a short bit, when Higson pointed at the security camera, which had slowly started to turn towards us, shortly after it got a good look at us, the voice of a tired man who's given up on life sounded through the outside intercom.
"What do you want? There's nothing left here we failed to find a cure, so please leave..."
"Sorry, but we need your medical opinion on some samples we have collected to confirm a suspicion of ours, sir."
Higson replied, but the other end's voice went silent for a bit before speaking up again.
"Samples? Wait... you are all military, aren't you? If so, what's your unit?"
"Staff Sergeant Higson of the ranger's, my squad is under Captain Jefferson, but he is KIA along with the rest, besides seven others from our team. The man in riot gear is Second Lieutenant Chimera; he used to be Spec Ops tasked with the real dirty work."
On the other end of the intercom, the man was silent before speaking up once more but sounding a bit hopelessly while hopeful.
"Alright then, I'll let you, boys, in so I can double-check these samples of yours don't disturb the building. The others aren't really sane anymore, although I've locked them all up in a different wing that only has one way in and out. They sometimes stare at the doors expecting something to happen; it's honestly nerve-wracking..."
As he said that last bit, the shutter doors opened up slowly, making some noise in the process, but we all took different defensive positions with Higson as our protection target. Once they were open wide enough to slide the bag under then enter, we slowly filed in one by one, with me being last as I held the line after hearing some weird cry from somewhere. Seeing nothing appear, though, I slid under the doors and got in as they began to shut once more, sealing us inside of the CDC.
After I had entered, our sole living resident of the CDC had appeared a little out of breath as he likely hurried over to us. Greeting the doctor, we followed after him while the others stored their weapons away. I kept my sword and shield ready just in case something decided to appear or some other shit since there was that weird cry before I slid in under the door. Deciding I should ask the doctor as I had a bad feeling about something to come, I bluntly asked him about the dead staff.
"Doc, just in case I must ask this, and it is crucial, so DO NOT lie to me, okay?"
"What is it?"
"Are any of the dead you have locked up acting weirdly besides looking at the door? Like any seemingly missing from that wing?"
".... Four are missing from that wing; they are dr. Bradshaw, dr. Gunther, Security Chief Todson, and Chief Ladderson of the upkeep team. They vanished a day ago suddenly from all cameras inside of the wing. I have no clue where they could be at as that wing had no exits besides the doors and possibly the vents."
Welles turned to look at me after he heard vents; Higson became alert and pointed his gun at any vents we passed by, Bradly getting his gun ready as well. We had all heard the cry earlier except for the doctor, apparently. Thus I made him get in the middle of us after Higson handed him the samples, so if a fight does happen, nothing will damage them. We slowly advanced, cautious of any vents since it's good to be paranoid at times like this, given four walkers had vanished. Soon we reached the labs, where we escorted the doctor in with everyone but me casing the vents in the room as I guarded the doctor.
After the others had checked the vents, they slowly walked back towards us with their guns still aimed at any vent they saw; Higson had cocked the hammer of his gun in his nervousness. We each stayed at the ready while the doctor worked; it had been four hours since he began when we heard something in the vents above. Looking at the others, I pointed for them to escort the doc into a safe chamber inside the lab that had no vents. Once he had stepped in was when one of our four missing friends had violently busted out a vent in the far back right of the lab by a fleshy tendon and boney hand. Welles snapped to the vent and aimed into it, firing four rounds in succession, but we only heard the sounds of a vent being shot.
"Well then... these guys are walking tendon skeletons, and they're fucking smart, just great..."
Bradly snarked as he looked around the room at the vents with his gun at the ready as his finger rested just next to the trigger.
"This must be a rare case, meaning these things got hungry enough to ditch the meat suite's outer shell and hunt for food in confined spaces..."
Welles, who had failed to kill one of the new walker types, commented as he looked up the ceiling just in case they were traveling above us.
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To be continued, cliff hanger intentional