Radiation/Issue 6

This is Issue 6 of Radiation.

Issue 6

Gene never cared much for his brother. Of course, they were family but that was it. If it hadn’t been because Maistro was his brother, Gene would have kicked him out of the house when he first stepped inside.
Knowing that the only one to protect his wife and daughter was his brother, made Gene very uneasy. He tried to keep calm, but everyone at the main hall could see how nervous Gene was. He would do anything to make his family safe.
“Mr. Miller?” Lisa Crick, the main hall’s receptionist, said softly. “Are you okay?”
Gene faked a smile, not answering. He then walked towards the reception where Kenny was sitting, resting his arm.
“How many guns do we have?” Gene asked, seemingly calm, though Kenny knew Gene well enough to know something was up. And something was indeed up.
Outside the door were around fifty infected people, trying to get inside. Gene knew their chances was small if they took up a fight, but he was willing to risk it for his family.
“Listen, Gene.” Kenny said, leaving the reception to stand face to face with Gene. “I know Maistro, man. He can take care of Jessica and Sarah for you. You just gotta stay alive.”
Gene took a deep breath. He hated to admit but Kenny was right. While Maistro was a jerk, he was capable of protecting his family. That was something Gene hadn’t thought about; Jessica and Sarah was Maistro’s family as well, and Maistro cared just as much about family as Gene. But Gene still disliked Maistro. He didn’t want to leave them to his brother.
“Kenny. How many guns do we have?” Gene repeated, and Kenny looked down, knowing it was a lost battle.
“I think... around ten pistols, two shotguns and five rifles.” He said, head hanging while his eyes were on Gene.
Gene nodded, taking a decision. “Let’s bring them out here. We are going to kill every single one of those things.”
Kenny raised his eyebrows. Gene and Kenny had known each other for almost five years. Kenny knew that once Gene made a decision, it would happen no matter what. He gave in, and headed towards the armory.

The only one that wasn’t participating in the shootout was Lisa Crick. She was given a pistol, a .22 Ruger, just in case. While she was hiding in the reception, Gene, Kenny, Janine and Lawrence were standing with each their weapon, preparing for what was going to happen in a few minutes.
“Have you done this before?” Kenny asked, looking at Janine. He had a Remingon shotgun, while Janine had a Glock 19. Lawrence had a shotgun as well, while Gene had a hunting rifle.
The rifle was one that Leroy Branch was in possesion of a few years back. He had it illegal, so Dale took it from him, only giving him a ticket. They forgot everything about it, but now Leroy Branch’s illegal rifle could get Gene to his family.
“Ready?” Lawrence asked, walking towards the door. He looked around at the others with an uneasy look. Nobody said anything, so Lawrence removed the table barricading the door, and he then unlocked it. As he did this, he was knocked over by the infected people drowsy walking inside. One of them, Mrs. Lima, quickly saw Lawrence and took a big bite of his shoulder. Lawrence screamed in pain, but eventually managed to kill Mrs. Lima with a shot to the head. He then crawled backwards, helping the others killing the infected people.
“Are you allright?” Janine asked, firing the pistol. The infected people kept coming.
“Yea, yea.” Lawrence said, getting on his feets. “I’m fine.”
Gene knew almost everyone he shot. Mr. Duncan, Miles Franklin, Benjamin Toule, Mrs. Pride. He felt a wave of memories every time he shot one of them.
He remembered when Mr. Duncan asked Gene for money to gas, as his daugher was sick and in hospital in Las Vegas. Gene refused; he had better things to spend his money on.
He remembered when Miles Franklin and him met in the hunting and fishing store, and how Miles Franklin needed two dollars to buy the fishing rod he wanted. Gene refused to borrow him the money.
He remembred how the homeless Benjamin Toule begged for money every day, and how Gene never gave him a single dollar.
He remembered how he got Mrs. Pride’s son arrested for not paying back what he was supposed to.
He remembered how greedy a person he had been.

It took almost half an hour to kill all the infected people, but they eventually managed it, with only a few close calls. Lawrence had been bit, but Janine was fixing him up.
Dead people were now laying in the lobby of the main hall. Gene knew nearly all of them. He was standing, just looking at these people he once was such a horrible person to. He didn’t want to be like that anymore. He wanted to change.
“Gene?” Kenny said, giving Gene a friendly pat on the shoulder. “You ready?”
Gene swallowed hard, and then nodded. “Yeah... let’s do this.”
Gene and Kenny then went to get Gene’s family.