Rebirth in the Apocalypse: Third Time's a Charm



"If you want to fight, fight. If you want to feast on the flesh of your brethren, then feast!" as soon as the words were ripped out of Wang Chao, complete chaos ensued.  No longer interested in the humans in front of them, the zombies started to turn on each other like mindless beasts, ripping each other apart and feasting on the flesh of their fellow zombies.

Wang Chao and the others were stunned when they saw what had happened. Not knowing what was going on, but realizing that it had created enough of a distraction for them to escape, the remaining six men sprinted to the top of the stairs. Closing the steel door behind them, Wang Chao put his hand on the handle, twisting the metal enough to ensure that the door could no longer be opened.

Pulling on the handle with all of his strength, Feng Dong Yang nodded to Wang Chao confirming that the seal was sold. 

Realizing that they were safe for the moment, Wang Chao, Liu Wei, and the surviving members of their two teams sunk down to the floor and rested their backs against the wall. The roars and screams from the horrors in the basement passed through the walls just enough that they could make them out faintly.  "What happened?" asked Liu Wei as he gasped for breath, his eyes closed and his head resting against the wall.

"No idea," said Wang Chao, not lying. He didn't know what happened or how a single sentence could create such pandemonium. "But it's not safe. We will need to get what we can and get out of here. I don't know how long those zombies will be trapped."

Feng Dong Yang groaned as he stood up. "See, just like Country X. No problems," he said grinning at Jin Si Cong, Gup Bi Ming, and Han Xi Yang. 

"Except we seem to have lost a few," said Han Xi Yang soberly.

Feng Dong Yang nodded his head. "We did. And we will meet them on the other side when it is our turn to follow them. But for now, the mission has not ended. We will mourn when we get back home."

The other members of his team follow his actions and all stood up, using the wall for support the entire time. "Are we splitting up again?" asked Liu Wei as he looked at Wang Chao. The latter shook his head. "No, not after that. Let's start on your floor and work our way down. We still have 7 hours until we need to be back. Hopefully, that will be enough time. There is no way that I am coming back here ever again."

"What are we going to do with all the zombies in the basement?" asked Guo Bi Ming as he went to stand beside Wang Chao.

"Leave them." Wang Chao responded before it hit him that that was Li Dai Lu's answer a long time ago and it had enraged his men at the very idea of running away without killing the enemy. He looked at Liu Wei who realized the same thing. "They are not a threat at this very second, we get what we came for and leave."

"And what about the next group of people to come here and discover them?" Guo Bi Ming insisted, looking at the man in front of him, not understanding what was going on in his head.  He was in the military to save people, not to let them walk into danger like that.

"Let them die," said Liu Wei as he started to walk towards the escalators. The other four men's eyes widened when they heard that statement like they couldn't believe that two high-ranking officers of Country K military were willing to just let civilians die.

"But—" started Jin Si Cong as he looked back and forth between the men.

"If we go back down there, do you think we would win?" asked Wang Chao as he dusted off his pants and cracked his neck. Pulling out a pack of cigarettes that he had hidden away in his pants pocket, he lit one.  Taking in a deep breath of the tobacco, he closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of it hitting him. It was the first time in years that he needed to have a smoke, but that last fight was a close one.

There was nothing but silence around him as the other four men couldn't argue. There was no way for them to come out alive the second time around. They were damn lucky the first time and it was a miracle that the zombies turned on themselves and they were able to escape.

"Only fight them if there is no other option, otherwise, fight to escape. We need to be stronger if we want to stand a chance against them," called down Liu Wei as he had already made it to the fifth floor. The rest of the men picked up their pace, ignoring their screaming muscles to gather whatever supplies they could. After all, they might be the only thing that stood between them and certain death.

-----

"Where are they?" I asked, pacing back and forth in the lobby of the apartment building that we had taken over. I stared into the darkness, willing my boys to come home faster. I told them to be home almost an hour ago, and yet, nothing.

"They will be here soon," said Liu Yu Zeng as he leaned back on one of the couches that decorated the area. There were several couches and chairs done in a light gray color with bright green plants decorating side tables. All in all, it was a stunning area and I was sure that I would enjoy it in the future… once the guys got home.I think you should take a look at

"You said that an hour ago!" I grumbled. I knew that he was just as stressed as I was, the corners of his eyes tightening as the smile on his face got wider. But that was my Joker, never willing to outright show how he was feeling but always with a smile on his face.

"And I meant it an hour ago. They will be fine," he said standing up and coming over to me. Wrapping his arms around my front, he gently guided me against him, allowing me to use him as a pillar of support.

"Then why are they so late?" I ask as I rested my head against his chest, feeling his slow, steady heartbeat.

"Because they are idiots that don't keep track of time," he promised me, laying a gentle kiss on the top of my head. "I promise you, Sweetness, they will come back to you. There is no way that they won't."

"And if they meet up with a giant horde of zombies?"

"You said that they would probably not."

"That doesn't mean that I am always right. I should have gone with them," I groaned closing my eyes. It was stuck between needing them to understand what was actually out there and wrapping them up in bubble wrap to keep them safe.

"Look, they're here," said Liu Yu Zeng pointing his finger. I opened my eyes just in time to see the three vehicles I had sent them out in drive past the glass windows and into the entrance for the underground parking.

I breathed a sigh of relief, my knees almost giving out. Liu Yu Zeng tightened his left arm around me, keeping me upright. "If I was the one out there, would you still be this worried?" he asked softly in my ear.

I shook my head and smiled up at him. "No."

At his gasp, I gently chuckled. "Ever since your flame appeared inside of me, I can track you down, feel your emotions and I think strengthen you if needed. I don't need to worry about you. Besides, if you think that any of you are going out after this, you have another thing coming."

Liu Yu Zeng let out a chuckle and gave me a soft kiss to my temple. "I am so happy that you have a piece of me inside of you. At least now you know that I will never leave you." Before I could respond, the door to the underground parking opened revealing Wang Chao and Liu Wei.  With my entire focus on their faces, I didn't notice how disheveled they looked.  Launching myself across the room at Wang Chao, I leaped into his arms, causing him to have to take a couple of steps back.

"Careful, little girl," he growled as he leaned down just enough to brush a kiss on my forehead before handing me off to Liu Wei. As soon as I felt his arms around me, I felt like I could finally breathe. Both men were back in my territory, nothing else mattered. 

After giving me a kiss of his own, Liu Wei gently put me down on the ground. Peaking over his shoulder, I saw Jin Si Cong, Han Xi Yang, Gup Bi Ming, and Feng Dong Yang standing right behind them, a look of complete exhaustion on their faces. I looked around more for the other four, but I couldn't see them.

"Where are the rest?" I asked, looking up into Liu Wei's eyes and seeing the same tired expression in his.

"There was a bit of a hiccup," admitted Liu Wei as he rubbed his hands up and down my arms as if to make sure that I was real.

"And by hiccup, he means that the mission went FUBAR," said Feng Dong Yang as he walked over and collapsed onto one of the gray chairs, and unzipped his jacket.

And that was when I took a good look at the man in front of me.