“Pandora's Box could not be unopened, no one could return to Eden.” ― Selena Kitt

  Malcolm woke in his storage room with Lieutenant Clairet lighting a cigarette as she finished dressing. The daze of the dreamland was fading, and Malcolm sat up with a splitting headache. He slowly threw the sheets off as Clairet looked at him with indifferent eyes above the cigarette light. Malcolm rubbed his eyes, trying to remember any conversation from last night. He sat in his boxer shorts and looked at the calendar, it was May 26; one month since the original outbreak of Naegleria.

  Before Malcolm’s mind could wander, Clairet spoke up. “You realize they’ll kill you if this goes wrong?”

  Malcolm froze. What have you been doing Liam?

  Liam didn’t answer, but Malcolm inhaled and relaxed.

  He knows what you know...vice versa.

  Clairet was standing next to a gas lantern when she spoke again. “They won’t bother with a trial, Malcolm; it’s a mutiny!”

  “I know...” Malcolm answered reflexively.

  “Then why are we doing this?” Clairet demanded, puffing smoke as she passed the cigarettes.

  “...Because who else is doing anything?” Malcolm asked.

  “You think McElroy is going to stand by while you usurp the whole fucking Quarantine Zone.?”

  Malcolm cocked a grin. “They won’t risk a conflict inside the wall. The troops prefer me to Raynes anyway.”

  “You're assuming every checkpoint falls in line.”

  Malcolm cocked his head, “You think they’ll stay loyal to Mercer Island?”

  Clairet rolled her eyes.

  “...Command wants to stay silent when we ask about our homes, and now they might allow thousands of potentially infected into the Quarantine Zone.”

  Clairet raised a hand. “You don’t know-”

  “Stop it, Sarah.” Malcolm interrupted. “We can’t let them in without compromising whom we know are healthy.”

  Clairet crossed her arms and tapped a foot. “So we just...”

  Malcolm finally lit his cigarette. “Raynes is too much a bitch to make any calls himself; once the other gates see us disperse the refugees, they’ll do the same. And once Mercer Island sees me making the proper calls...the General might even want a new Colonel.”

  Clairet shook her head. “You’re still Twenty-Eight!”

  “And we’ve got a shortage on recruiting.” Malcolm responded.

  Clairet hesitated. “So what do you want me to do with November Company?”

  Malcolm leaned in. “Nothing.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes.” Malcolm stood up and dawned his camo trousers. “You’re all behind the gates for now, anyway. So, remain as-is.”

  “And you just...make Raynes stand down?”

  “If he doesn't make the big-boy choice and repel those fucking crowds.”

  Clairet almost smirked. “And what about afterwards?”

  Malcolm was putting on the top of his uniform. “We save the Zone, ourselves, and our chances of seeing home again.”

  Clairet nodded. “Got it chief.”

  Malcolm waited some moments after Clairet exited the shutter before holstering his pistol, knife, and walkie talkie. Malcolm grabbed his Crystal from the corner and walked outside into the midday sun. The storage-yard barracks continued to seem more deserted since the outbreak first seeped into the city’s water. Malcolm closed the shutter behind him and stared up as he munched on a protein bar. There was at least a score of choppers flying towards the wall and echoes from megaphones could be heard.

  Malcolm ate a second protein bar as he strolled down the storage units and into the main road’s intersection. The wall’s South Gate stood tall with the offices above the ramparts and the watchtowers were spaced out with each holding a machine gun nest or light-artillery piece alongside search lights.

  Malcolm refilled his canteen from a freshly boiled pot of water as he finished the final bite to his snack. There was an air of melancholy about the soldiers who stood guard by the checkpoint intersection. Malcolm’s eyes glossed at two Machine Gunners who sat by their fortification; one was reading a book while the other was resting his chin over the sandbags with a look of boredom.

  The bored grunt finally muttered, “...I heard the Japanese fortified the metro tunnels instead of walls; to keep the Dead out I mean.”

  “Oh, good for them.” The book-reader answered. “Fight the Berserkers in close quarters.”

  Malcolm took a swig of fresh water as he started for the Wall’s makeshift lift. Another soldier interrupted. “I heard Russia dropped a nuke.”

  “You heard a week late...”

  As Malcolm passed the intersection, a Black Hawk was landing, having flown from outside the walls. Several squads rushed over to the chopper as the Rangers inside frantically unloaded. There were four and the one closest to Malcolm was being pulled away from a fifth friend that remained strapped inside.

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  “Let GO!”

  Malcolm noticed the fifth soldier had gauze pads strapped to his neck, and he was voluntarily biting on a gag. The rest of the grunts shut the doors, and the Black Hawk took off, banking to the direction of Mercer Island. The bitten Ranger’s friend was let go of, and his head shook as he faced the ground.

  “...We’re all gonna die...”

  In an instant, Malcolm remembered losing Javier, and he felt the sharp pain of the Ranger he didn’t know.

  ...Is this how everyone is feeling, Apocalypse considered? Does losing people you love always suck this much?

  Malcolm was standing on the lift and was gazing at the new squadron of helicopters flying over the walls. As the lift ascended, Malcolm compared the sorrow to the sensation before a fall. The comparison created a gaping pit that finally started to gnaw at him. Malcolm looked at the Quarantine Zone beneath him and took a deep breath, calming his heartrate.

  All we can do is something better Liam; we can be the leader the soldiers need.

  Atop the wall, Malcom turned around and saw the sea of agitated refugees that crowded the buildings and streets. The Black Hawks formations seemed to be surveying the breadth of the crowds as they sat by campfires beside abandoned cars. A megaphone was blaring from one of the pilots. “THE SEATTLE ZONE IS AT CAPACITY. ALL CIVILIANS MUST LEAVE NOW OR BE DISPERSED BY FORCE.”

  Malcolm turned, looking at the sentry who guarded the door to the Gate’s control tower. The man nodded, stepped aside, and opened the door. When he entered, Major Raynes was standing by his operators with sweat rolling down his temple as he listened to frantic panics over a radio speaker. “Sectors Eleven, Nine and Fifteen; I need a sitrep from you now!”

  “RAYNES!” a voice responded. “This is Sergeant Goritz! We have confirmation on more refugees heading to you by river; we got hundreds coming!”

  “Southgate; this is Sector Fifteen! We have a riot in progress at the Rest Stop, we’re pulling out!”

  Malcolm watched Raynes turned white. “Are there Zachs!?”

  “None yet, but the civies are attacking anyone who's sick!”

  “Roger. Get out of there!” Raynes was stammering. “Sector Eleven!?”

  The sound of automatic fire rang from the radio. “Sir! This is the Doctor! The refugees kicked into a frenzy and now the area is breached!”

  “Can you get out?!” Florence asked.

  “Infected are swarming people; We CAN’T hold them!”

  “How many are there!?”

  “Major, it’s spreading too quickly! I’m seeing- AGH!!!”

  Raynes nearly dropped the speaker as more automatic fire sounded before the feed became static. “Get me in touch with Mercer Island. Now!”

  When Raynes finally noticed Malcolm, he stared back with a cold demeanor. “They’re coming.”

  “Nelson...” Raynes froze and collected himself. “Go get your regiment prepared to-”

  “Are you going to get these people out of here?” Malcolm pointed outside the widows.

  “...I’m waiting on authorization to enforce crowd control.”

  Malcolm’s nose flared. “The Dead are coming. Those people are a buffet outside our walls!”

  “Those are people down there.” Raynes sounded disgusted.

  Before Malcolm could respond, Liam approached Raynes. “Then let them in!”

  “...We don’t have the room, Nelson!”

  Liam reeled. “We have entire buildings unoccupied, and you want to pretend we don’t have room?! Let these people in; once we pin the infected into groups, the rest can be put to work!”

  Raynes shook his head. “I’m not allowed to make that call!”

  Malcolm pulled Liam back, “Then you need to deploy the tear gas! Decide now!”

  “I have to wait on Mercer Island!”

  “What are they waiting for!?” Malcolm and Liam demanded.

  “I don’t know!” Raynes stammered while everyone in the operating tower shared awkward glances.

  “Raynes...” Malcolm spoke in a hollow tone. “If you don't rise to the occasion, then so help me God, I’ll do it myself.”

  Liam’s eyes turned to anger. “This may be the chance to test a vaccine!”

  Raynes shook again. “They’re not saying anything else on the cure research...”

  Malcolm nodded. “Then deploy the tear gas and get these people away from us!”

  Liam looked at Malcolm. “They’ll all die if that happens!”

  Raynes didn’t hear Liam, his eyes started to wander. “I’d be a monster...”

  “Criminals exist in societal norms...which flew out the window already. This isn’t even a war, by any societal standard. We can’t negotiate with the Dead; that means there will be no reprisal for doing what we must do.” Malcolm closed in. “Consider yourself compromised and relieved of command.”

  Raynes stared at Malcolm for a long moment as the Operating Tower held a collective breath. “Patch me through to all pilots.” Raynes’ head sank as he spoke into the radio. “...This is Major Raynes of the South Gate Checkpoint...I’m stepping down as its primary Commanding Officer, command is passed back to Major Nelson until further notice. Raynes out.”

  Another pause dragged silence as Raynes passed the speaker to Malcolm. “God help me...” Raynes muttered.

  Liam spoke up. “Malcolm...Please do the right thing. For once in your shitty life!”

  As Malcolm held the speaker, a buzzing sound was heard from one of the Operators. “Major! I have someone from Mercer-”

  “Patch me through to all Cavalry Brigades.” Malcolm ordered.

  The operators were silent, and Liam’s eyes bulged. He reached out with a hand. “Pull the Choppers back Malcolm.”

  Malcolm turned and approached the window to observe the horizon of civilians below him. Every now and again, he could see blunt objects being thrown against the wall. Malcolm witnessed people by a truck starting to fight over supplies and families huddled together. Flashes of Meryl and Connor passed before Malcolm’s eyes, causing him to look away from the horizon.

  Liam continued to speak. “You have a chance to be a good person, Malcolm. You can be the Man your wife and son should’ve had when you were with them...There are thousands of people down there; you can make up for EVERYONE you ever hurt.”

  Malcolm looked at Liam with forlorn eyes.

  “Maybe you’ll never see Meryl or Connor again. Maybe there’s nothing you can do for the families of our soldiers...but there are families out there who already lost everything. You can save them...”

  Malcolm nodded and looked at the scared Operators behind him. The realization that thousands of people were still under lockdown behind the walls struck him like a flash of light. Malcolm remembered the contorted face of Captain Bannon as he was turning zombie, and the faces of soldiers mangled in the streets. The faces that would be should he open those gates.

  “There’s no making things right anymore...It’s all Brand New.” Malcolm said. “Deploy the tear gas now!”

  The helicopters fired eighteen canisters into the crowd and the pops came like gusting wind. The fog hazed out from the cannisters, and the hundreds of civilians spread out like a dispersed flock. The gas enveloped large swaths of people who collapsed and convulsed in the fumes. Suddenly, the figures were springing into action and bolting out of the opaque smog.

  Liam finally spoke. “...It isn’t Tear gas...”

  “Nerve gas.” Malcolm finished.

  The figures were turning Berserker faster than the gas could spread. The uninfected civilians sprang away as the Berserkers lunged from the fog and tackled any they could grab. The ocean of civilians was turning into bloody torn viscera and mangled flesh as the Berserkers grew in number.

  Liam grabbed the walkie from Malcolm’s hand. “OPEN THOSE GATES NOW!”

  “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!?” Raynes screamed back.

  As Malcolm tried to punch Liam off, he was backhanded, and his face turned against the glass panel. His final, blurry vision was the sight of hundreds of Berserkers springing into action. “How are this many people infected?”