The team continued to talk to each other about the zombies and saving the civilians. "Do you think they are still alive?" one of them asked.
"It has only been 30 minutes. Before we left, everyone was watching. It appeared so," another replied. "Keep all eyes open. We are approaching the pickup. Remember the orders?" Everyone responded in unison, "No infected onboard. Orders received."
As the helicopter neared the news building, the team made a pass around the top-level floors, looking through the glass. One gunner, visibly nervous, said, "Infected spotted. Thousands." Sweat beaded down his brow as fear slowly took him over.
"Steady. The glass seems to be holding them in," the pilot reassured the team.
They slowly ascended to the helipad level, keeping a good distance from the building. The helicopter hovered, maintaining its position. The gunner scanned the rooftop for any signs of life but saw none. Anxiety crept into his voice as he reported, "We may be too late."
Just then, the rooftop door burst open, and a handful of terrified survivors emerged. Among them were Tom, Lisa, and the rest of the WBZ news crew. They waved frantically at the rescue team, urging them to land and evacuate them from the building.
The pilot maneuvered the helicopter closer to the rooftop, allowing the rescue team to secure the area and help the survivors onboard. As each person was checked for injuries and signs of infection, the tension in the air was palpable.
The medic continued his checks, trying to finish as quickly as possible. Tension mounted as the door rattled and groaned under the relentless assault of the creature behind it. Tom and the others struggled to hold the door closed, their faces etched with determination and fear.
"Last one, cleared!" the medic shouted. "Tom and the others need help now!" Lisa pleaded, her voice cracking with urgency. "It's not like the other zombies. We can't hold it back much longer!"
The rescue team looked at each other, uncertainty clouding their faces. The gunner, still focused on the door, said, "We need to get everyone onboard and out of here, now!"
The medic and the other soldiers rushed to help Tom and the others who were desperately holding the door. With their added strength, they managed to keep the creature at bay, but they knew it wouldn't last long.
"Everyone, get to the helicopter!" the medic ordered. The survivors scrambled onboard, their hearts pounding in their chests. The rescue team members followed, with Tom and the others being the last to let go of the door and sprint towards the waiting aircraft.
As the helicopter's engines roared to life, the door finally gave way, and a terrifying, intelligent creature emerged onto the rooftop. It was unlike any of the other zombies they had encountered, and it seemed to be studying its surroundings with malicious intent.
The gunner locked eyes with the creature, his finger hovering over the trigger of the M134 machine gun. As the helicopter began to lift off, he made a split-second decision and opened fire. Bullets tore through the night air, striking the creature and sending it sprawling back into the building.
As the helicopter gained altitude and sped away from the news building, the survivors exchanged looks of terror and disbelief. They had narrowly escaped a fate worse than death, but they knew the battle was far from over. The world had changed, and with this new, cunning enemy in their midst, the fight for survival had just become even more dangerous.
Tom and Lisa looked at each other. "Jay..." Lisa said defeatedly. Tom reached over, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, he...he just was unlucky. In these times, we only do our best and hope to be lucky."
Lisa closed her eyes tightly. "He said it was my fault, he blamed me." Tom sighed. "Lisa, he lost his mind. That thing broke him. You can't take that responsibility on. We have to do our best to survive, to share what's going on."