"As the day broke, the plane was almost ready, along with the battalion that would accompany and take care of Dr. Fassbach, in addition to all the necessary logistics. Meanwhile, Gerry bid farewell to Karin and his daughters.
Karin held his hand firmly with teary eyes. "Gerry, you don't have to go. We can find another way, something less risky."
Gerry gently touched her face, trying to calm her. "I have to, Karin. Otherwise, they'll take you off the aircraft carrier."
David, overhearing the conversation, approached with a reassuring smile. "I'll take care of him on the way. I'll bring him back safely to the family, Karin. You can trust me."
Karin might continue disliking the idea, but she knows Gerry is right. And she has seen what David is capable of, so she feels safer with him accompanying her husband.
"Please take care of him, David," he earnestly asked. David nodded with a reassuring smile.
"Let's go, Gerry," said David, putting his hand on his shoulder.
Gary nodded. He turned to Karin and the girls, exchanging one last family hug before turning away and leaving.
...
The pair arrived at the takeoff strip, where the entire team was already assembled, as was the plane waiting for them. Outside the aircraft, Dr. Fassbach and Thierry awaited them.
Approaching, David extended his hand and greeted Dr. Fassbach, "Nice to formally meet you, Dr. Fassbach. Ready for the ride?" he joked.
Dr. Fassbach smiled faintly. "If this 'ride' solves our problems, I'm ready, Mr. David."
"I was told you're also a biology graduate. It will be good to have someone with scientific knowledge on the team," he continued.
"Exactly, I may not have specialized, but I'm confident in my knowledge," David assured.
After David finished talking with Dr. Fassbach, six men descended from the plane. Thierry approached and spoke, "All the necessary equipment is already on board, including some portable devices that might be useful on the mission."
"These are the men who will be accompanying you on this mission," Thierry said, introducing them to David and Gerry.
Turning to the soldiers, he introduced the duo, "This is Gerry Lane, he was a UN investigator. And this is Captain David Johnson, he will be the commander of this battalion."
Looking at the soldiers, David nodded. "I'll be counting on your help to find the cause of this outbreak and solve this problem."
"Yes, sir!" they saluted fervently, causing David to raise an eyebrow, surprised by their sudden enthusiasm. "They had access to your mission history; you might not know it, but you're a kind of legendary soldier in the armed forces," Thierry joked.
David nodded with a smile. It's one of the marks of the identity Orion granted him, and with the power of his body, he's now truly a super soldier.
"We're departing, get on the plane," commanded David. With one last wave to Thierry, he and the group entered the plane.
The plane's engines roared, and soon, the aircraft took off from the aircraft carrier toward Camp Humphreys in South Korea.
...
The plane trembled gently as they flew towards the destination. David, who was sitting, opened his eyes, keeping an eye on every vibration of the aircraft when one of the soldiers left the cabin and approached him.
"Captain, we should be arriving at our destination soon," the soldier informed. "We're approaching Camp Humphreys."
David nodded, getting up immediately. "Prepare for landing, men." He instructed the group, who promptly began organizing for the descent.
"Where is the portable research equipment?" he asked.
"It's this one here, sir." One of the soldiers tapped on a kind of briefcase. Approaching David, he lifted the case and secured it on his back.
It might not be very heavy, but it carried the essential equipment for Dr. Fassbach's research. And it would hinder movement in a combat scenario, but that wouldn't be a problem for David.
While the soldiers prepared, David approached Dr. Fassbach. Carefully, he handed a locked pistol to the scientist.
"Dr. Fassbach, please stay at the rear when we disembark from the plane," instructed David, maintaining a firm yet calm tone.
Dr. Fassbach looked at the gun in his hands, revealing a mix of insecurity and determination in his gaze. He nodded silently, understanding the need to follow the instructions to ensure his safety and that of the others.
He then approached Gerry, who was preparing his equipment, and spoke softly, "Let me take care of the zombies when we land. I don't want to return you scratched up to Karin." He chuckled. "But I need you to pay attention to the doctor; he's never been in combat, let alone in a situation like this. If he panics, he'll get hurt."
Gerry nodded, "I'll take care of him."
The tension in the plane increased as they approached the landing site. The team quickly prepared for the imminent landing, adjusting their gear and strategically positioning themselves.
With a warning from the pilot, the aircraft began to reduce altitude, preparing to touch the ground. David checked one last time if everyone was ready and then turned to Dr. Fassbach, giving him an encouraging nod before positioning himself alongside the other soldiers.
As the wheels touched the ground, the plane trembled, causing everyone to hold on. After a few moments, the plane stopped, and the pilot exited the cabin.
Getting ready, David stood in front of the platoon. "Everyone alert, we're going out," he said. "Open the back of the plane."
The large plane door moved slowly, gradually opening to reveal the external environment. The access ramp slid silently until touching the ground. Cautious and attentive, David began to descend the ramp while surveying the surrounding area.
"Stay sharp, everyone," David warned the soldiers around.
A blast of cold wind invaded the interior of the plane, bringing with it a cold atmosphere that cut the skin. The cold was intense, evidenced by the cutting wind that made everyone instinctively huddle.
In addition to the cold, darkness enveloped the base. All the lamps were off, leaving the area surrounded by dense and dark shadows. The only available illumination came from the plane's lights, casting a faint glow over the ramp and the surrounding terrain.
At that moment, several sounds of quick footsteps erupted in the dense darkness, followed by sudden grunts.
In an instant, the tense silence was shattered by the frightening presence of zombies emerging from the darkness, running towards the soldiers' platoon.
David and the soldiers reacted instantly, opening fire against the rapidly approaching zombies. The gunfire cut through the air, while the projectiles hit the targets, eliminating them before they could reach the group.
As the confrontation unfolded, Dr. Fassbach, who was at the rear descending from the plane, was startled by the sudden appearance of the zombies. He desperately tried to return inside the aircraft, holding his pistol. However, as he climbed, he slipped and was about to fall.
Gerry, who was beside him, reacted swiftly. He reached the doctor before he fell, holding him firmly and preventing his fall. "Stay behind!" Gerry loudly warned while pulling him to a safer spot and continuing to shoot at the zombies.
While the soldiers continued firing, David quickly glanced back, ensuring everyone was protected. "Keep formation and aim for the head or knees!" he ordered, preventing the men from dispersing.
The men had skills commensurate with their resumes; they all had excellent shooting abilities and managed to accurately hit the zombies. But David was mentally cursing.
'Damn, where are they?' he thought as he continued to eliminate the zombies.
As David's battalion continued to fight, an unexpected change occurred in the scene. Suddenly, another group of soldiers appeared behind the zombies, joining the gunfire. They joined David's group, coordinating effectively to control and neutralize the zombies.
One of the soldiers from the new battalion quickly approached David, shouting above the battle noise. "Follow us!" pointing to an entrance near the base. Without wasting time, the group followed the instructions of the newly arrived soldier.
"Let's go!" David ordered his battalion.
As the group advanced, they faced the zombies blocking their path. David and the soldiers acted swiftly, eliminating the zombies as they moved toward the base entrance.
Gerry was in the middle of the group, ensuring that Fassbach didn't end up getting himself killed or putting anyone's life in danger.
As shots were fired in all directions, an exceptionally agile zombie managed to sneak through the barrage of bullets. With surprising speed, it lunged towards David, attempting to grab him. However, David's reaction was immediate.
Gerry, who was protecting Fassbach, saw the scene and felt his heart skip a beat for a second, but there was nothing he could do. Yet, what followed shocked him.
With incredible dexterity, David intercepted the airborne zombie by its neck. Demonstrating extraordinary strength, he lifted the zombie as if it were a mere puppet, displaying absolute control over the situation.
With a quick and powerful motion, he threw the creature away as if it were a sandbag, distancing it from the group and preventing any immediate threat.
The zombie was thrown with such force that it flew several meters before hitting the ground, rolling a few times before finally stopping. David quickly refocused his attention on the base entrance, promptly regrouping with the other soldiers to continue advancing into the site.
The soldiers beside him also witnessed this display of power, momentarily shocking them, but David quickly snapped them out of it.
"Stay focused and enter the base!" he shouted.
Following the newly arrived battalion, David's group entered the base, leaving behind the darkness and chaos outside. The entrance provided a brief moment of relief from the relentless fight against the zombies, allowing them to catch their breath.
David's group entered the base, breathing relieved with the temporary sense of safety.
David approached Gerry and Dr. Fassbach. With a reassuring glance, David addressed Dr. Fassbach.
"Are you okay?" David asked, wearing a concerned expression.
Dr. Fassbach, still shaken by the incident, tried to compose himself and replied, "I apologize for the incident on the airplane ramp. I could have jeopardized the entire mission."
David placed his hand on Dr. Fassbach's shoulder with understanding and calmness. "Don't apologize. We're all dealing with something completely out of the ordinary, and you've never been in a situation remotely like this."
Dr. Fassbach, sensing David's reassurance, sighed in relief. "Thank you, Captain. I won't panic easily anymore."
David smiled gently. Looking at Gerry, he nodded in gratitude for following his request to protect the man, or he would surely have died as in the movie.
As they conversed, the commander of the other platoon approached, amazed at David's display of strength in dealing with the zombie. He made a light-hearted comment, "Wow, are you Captain America or something?"
David and Dr. Fassbach shared a mildly surprised look before David responded with a smile, "I'm just a bit stronger than usual."
The commander nodded in respect, still impressed. "Who are you folks, and what are you doing here in this end of the world?" he asked.
"I'm Captain David Johnson, commander of this battalion," David introduced himself and his group. Then he pointed to the Doctor. "And that one there is Dr. Fassbach. Virologist."
"We were sent to investigate a memo originating from this base mentioning the word 'zombie'," David quickly explained.