John Applegate walked for exactly 3 hours before he decided to turn back. He was nowhere near the edge of the forest or the town so he stopped and was took a break in a clearing. Somewhere above him on the ridge was the road they had come in on. He considered going up to the car park since there was a phone there but decided not to after all by now the Rangers should have found the fire, one more report would simply confuse things, especially as he could not give exact co-ordinates.
After a break to recover John got up and began to head back. He hoped Ted had not done something stupid, after all this was his first trip out here. Ralph was new at it as well, but his first aid training would be too useful in saving lives, especially if he had been first on the scene. Like him Carl was cool with the woods his mission should have been successful- it was John’s that had been a waste, but then again he didn’t mind being on his own. He was the brains of their gang 6’ 4” and lanky he was bad at playing sport, but great at tactics and information, he often wrote the football tactics for the coach. He smiled to himself as he walked, at least that way he didn’t get picked on by the jocks.
Something caught his eye. Up on the ridge he could make out the hovering form of a helicopter, its lights played out on the ground. That changed things, if someone had called in a chopper things were serious. John considered his choices, head back and hope the others were there or go up the ridge and check if they needed help, or that it was not Ralph they were evac-ing out. He made up his mind and started up the slope. As he climbed the chopper lights vanished as it landed. John picked up his pace.
A sweaty John climbed onto the road way 10 minutes later. The road spiralled up the hill, little more than a rough trail here it turned into a proper road at the car park. As he climbed John could see the expanse of the park before him, in the distance he could make out the lights of the town- he had been fairly close, about another 2-3 hours out he guessed, would not of been far from dawn when he’d got there. The moon was about half full but there was heavy cloud and it looked like it was raining in parts of the forest. John loved it out here, it was rough and despite the odd trappings of civilization quite wild. His father had first taken him camping and he offered up silent thanks as he walked up the hill.
As the road turned the last corner to the car park John got a full view of the chopper. It was not a small one like the Rangers used but a full on military sized machine. He could see people spread out around the thing, they were carrying guns and the way they moved suggested military troops. John ducked behind the first car in the lot and started using the cover of the cars and vans to get closer. John got to within 20 yards, he could make out bits of conversation- something about a leak, the virus, and securing the area; the troops were defiantly edgy. John watched them pull several large concrete blocks across the entrance to the car park using equipment on the chopper- no one would be leaving that way, himself included. Something stopped him going closer for a better look, or to report in- he was normally law abiding person, but if there was a leak of some kind he had to tell the others.
Suddenly there was some shouting and a couple of soft ‘poff’ like shots fired from an unsual shaped gun. The trooper swore- he’d missed whatever he’d been shooting at. The troopers fanned out and began to cover the direction the shooting had been towards. They would go round John’s position but his knowledge of tactics told him he needed a better position. He began to move around the cars and 4x4’s, going further away from the chopper, but into a better position behind a Winnebago. John was surprised to see the door open, but thanked careless owner and went inside.
The interior was dark and smelt of a recent shower. The shades were drawn. John inched himself up onto the folded down bed. He twisted the blinds open and took in the scene outside, the troops were spread out and obviously searching for something. Suddenly the bed moved John tried to step off but ended up falling on what ever was moving, there was a sharp pain in his arm as he was bittern by something. John bit his tongue but fell sideways, whatever it was in the bed fell with him and they ended up wrestling on the floor in a pile of blankets. John pulled himself to the top and ripped the blanket from the head of whatever he was fighting. The black eyes of a Badger started back at him.
John tried to scrabble away, but his tangled position would not let him. The Badger thing reached out a thick hairy arm and grabbed Johns shoulder
“Help me” he whispered. John stopped moving immediately. It could talk!
“What are you?” he whispered back.
“I am a man” he said “or I was!” there was a note of hysteria in the voice.
“What happened?”
“I got here earlier on. I’d stopped on the way up to fill the tanks from the stream. I hooked up the power and then went for a run in the woods. I remember spotting a badger and it biting me when I tried to feed it some nuts. I came back and took and took a shower then dressed the wound. Then it goes all strange, I felt like I was growing fur and then I saw I was, then there was pain and I woke up looking like this” he waved a furry arm and John could see the bulky body under the sheets “I ran out of the van and into the woods, then I saw the chopper and the troops and it got scary. I think they are looking for me. They shot at me, but I am quick and I came and hid I here. Then you came! Help me!” the badgerman’s voice was rising so John grabbed his muzzle
“Shuhhh” he whispered “the troops are close” Even as he said it a flash light beam swept across the van. John pulled the badger man downwards and the sheets up over them. They heard the troops move round the van, one tried the door, but it had locked itself after John and did not open. They moved away again.
John flipped back the sheets and took a deep breath. What was going on?
“What’s going on?” the badger man whispered.
“Something about a virus escaping” John told him.
“Shit that’s bad. How can it do this?” the badger pointed at himself.
“Dunno. What’s your name?”
“David Imberton”
“John” they shook hand to paw
“Sorry about your arm” David said
“Its only a nip, doubt it’ll infect. I’ll put some water on it and clean it out after the troops leave.”
“What do I do?” John realised David was defiantly a follower type.
“You could come with me, I have some friends in the woods, we could try and see if this is an infection of something. My friend Ralph is very good with that sort of thing.” David’s eyes got big
“Thanks” he said.
John took another look out of the window. The troops had pulled back to the chopper and were having a conference.
“Ok. We sneak out now. I don’t think they are going anywhere” They untangled themselves and John snuck across to the tap. Carefully he poured a little water into a cup and bathed his bittern arm.
“Right ready?” John turned around and found David had extracted himself form the sheets. John was struck by just how big and muscular he was; David had a small gut but otherwise his 5’ 10” frame was thick with fur covered muscle. John noticed he was naked too, and well hung- he quickly looked away. David came down the van until he was away from the window, he opened a drawer and pulled out a pair of shorts. From their size John guessed David had not been that small around the waist before. David pulled them on and grunted with surprise at the amount of space in the waist
“If I’d know about this diet I’ve have taken it up years ago” he joked. John grinned at him.
“Ok ready?”
“Yeah” John opened the door and sneaked down the side of the van. There were no troops in sight. He snuck round the end of the van and took a look around. None. He waved David down the steps and the badger quickly joined him, he was exceptionally quiet on his feet.
John whispered to David “Ok, its 15 yards to tree line, no obstacles, or tree roots. It’s a slope away after that. Can you do it?”
“Sure”
“On three” John readied himself “one, two three” John shot forward and he could hear David behind him. As he ran he heard the chopper engine start up and its search light cut across the car park. There were shouts behind him but he ducked his head down and made the tree line. He skidded to a stop and turned back. David was still at the van. John could see the claw marks where he’d run then gone back. He waved at David
“Come on” he mouthed. He could see the running troops and their guns.
David made a break for it and gunfire rained across the car park, shattering car windows. John noted with annoyance that his own car had been hit. David dived backward to the van. John could see him shaking. He waved him forward again. The van was rocking from the concentrated fire the troops were piling on to it. David shut his eyes and ran head down in a dodging pattern. Gun fire peppered the ground round him. The van suddenly exploded with a huge explosion. David was thrown forward and John shut his eyes against the light. The shock wave hit and John was blown over rolling into the trees and then down the slope behind them, tumbling out of control down the hill.
......................
John could hear voices, deep voices, they were discussing something……something about a cut? He tried to think about it.
Was he being carried?
“Nasty bruising, but he’ll be fine”
“He was worse when he found him, at least several broken robs and lots of cuts”
“He’s infected you say?”
“Yeah”
“Could be he’s regenerating, we’d best check with the science types”
John was too tired to care.
John woke groggily on a bed of leaves. He could hear many voices. His body ached so he stayed lying down with his eyes shut. He could filter 5 or 6 different voices. The two lead ones were very deep and commanding, one was lighter but with a strong tone- he seemed to be doing all the talking. John slowly realised he was giving a report- seems they found him at the base of the hill, he was alone. A quick retcon up the hill found it covered in Humans, so the pack (?) had left. Since John’s wallet identified who he was they’d brought him here.
John groaned and sat up. He opened his eyes and saw a Bear looking back at him.
“You ok?” he rumbled. John blinked a few times.
“I think so, I ache lots……”
“You had a nasty fall. Moonrun here saved you" The Bear pointed at a Wolfman.
“Thanks” John said brightly. The Wolfman nodded at him.
“Here drink this” A can of coke was pushed into his hand “the sugar will help” John pulled the tab and took a deep chug. He did feel better. He took a long look around at the assembled animal-people, he’d of thought it a dream if not for the dull pain were he was bittern earlier.
Ralph bounded into his line of sight.
“Dammit you look a mess” he said with a wide grin.
“Hello Ralph” John said, feeling guilty he’d not thought of his friends in ages.
“I see you met the zoo then” Ralph said
“What’s going on?”
“Some sort of virus got out and is changing people and animals. Sex, blood mixing, or drinking from the infected stream does it apparently” John tried to get up and Ralph gave him a hand.
“Any word from camp?”
“Ted is apparently safe, but nothing from Carl. The leaders here think he’s either changed or been captured”
“Damm”
The two giant Bears were talking to the Boer and his sow, they others had gathered round so Ralph led John to listen to what they were staying. It seemed to be a serious debate on genetics and the virus........
Go here for the next part: /interactives/chapter_5276.html