Radiation/Issue 11

This is Issue 11 of Radiation.

Issue 11
Gene was driving the four new survivors towards the helicopter. It landed nearby, and they could still hear it. His father always told him not to trust strangers, and Gene didn’t. He knew that these four people could take up a gun and force him out of the car at any point. But considering their current situation, Gene assumed they wouldn’t do that. He probably hoped for it, more than he assumed. They seemed friendly, and Gene hoped they were. “Who do you think they are?” The hispanic woman, Alice, asked from the backseat. “Some military, probably.” Jed muttered, sitting in the passenger seat. Gene driving. “I wonder how they can survive the radiation.” The man with a busted face, Rodhal, said. “I wonder how we can.” Jed replied, looking as the five people approached a power plant. A bunch of soldiers, probably four or five, were loading the helicopter with power supplies while the pilot was fixing something on the side of the small, blue helicopter. Gene parked the car at side of the road. The soldiers didn’t notice. The first to leave the car was Alice. She waved her arms for the soldiers to see her. Then they did. “Walker!” One of the soldiers yelled. Gene instantly understood what was happening. They mistook Alice for an infected. Gene opened his door and dropped to the ground. “Get down!” Gene yelled, just as the first shot was fired, hitting Alice right in the chest.

Jed was kneeling behind the car, reloading his pistol. He knew he had to kill these people if they wanted to get away alive. So he got up, and aimed. First at the pilot, but realised it probably would be a good idea to save the only guy, who knew how to fly a helicopter. He then aimed at another soldier, firing. He had been a shooting instructor for ten years soon, so Jed knew pretty much about firearms, and was an expert in using them. He aimed again, and fired. Soon enough, all the soldiers were down, saving the pilot. While Rodhal tried to safe Alice, the other three got to get the pilot. “Hey!” Jed yelled. “We’re not gonna hurt you!” Gene kicked one of the bodies to check if he was dead. He was. They then went to the helicopter, where the pilot was sitting inside, gun raised. “Don’t come any closer!” The pilot said, shaking. His finger was on the trigger, and his face said that he wasn’t afraid of pulling it. “Easy, buddy.” Alex said, aiming his pistol at the pilot. Gene and Jed were doing the same thing. “I don’t want to die.” The pilot said. “We won’t kill you.” Gene said and thought. He figured it would be faster to take the helicopter back to Tonopah. Rather that than driving through the infected Hawthorne. “Just fly us to Tonopah.” Gene said. “After that you can do what you want.” Jed looked wondering at Gene. He then shrugged, and awaited for the pilot’s answer. “Yeah...” The pilot said, slowly lowering his gun. “Yeah, okay.” “Great.” Gene said, getting into the helicopter to take the pilot’s gun. “What’s your name?” “Dylan...” The pilot replied, handing over his gun. “Hi, Dylan.” Gene said, shaking the man’s hand. “I’m Gene.” Gene then turned around, mostly just to check if the pilot was going to attack him. If he was, Gene would kill him. Nothing should get between Gene and his family. But nothing happened, so Gene went to the car to get supplies, and on his way there he saw something strange. Alice was alive, and except for a big wound on her chest, perfectly fine. “What...” Gene said, wondering. “Are you okay?” “It hurts.” Alice sobbed, drowning in tears. “Get her on the helicopter.” Gene said, now running to the car. He wanted to save this woman. He didn’t know why, but he felt like he had to. So he brought her, Jed, Alex, Rodhal and the pilot back to Tonopah.