Through Rough Times - A Zombie Apocalypse Adventure (alternate-timelines.com Edition)

You are right Stevep, considerring how Covid developped and spread around the world, @gillan (our Map designer) and myself didn't get too wrong on how a disease spread all across the world.

Chapter 59: The New Normal

I'm a little worried... Brave New World seems a bit more real everyday. . .”​
― Solange Nicole



Date: October 22, 2018 (Z-Day +5)
Location: San Diego, California

On the first day of the outbreak, everyone fled in all directions to avoid the clutches of the ravenous Infected. This mass collective panic known as "mass hysteria" caused secondary chaos that did more damage as the Infected did. Riots, looting, car accidents, fighting over supplies, and accidental shootings were a common place. Fingers would be pointed out on who or what caused all these but would it really matter when the real enemy is one that wants to eat one's face?

Panic is something that is always in every person's mind when a disaster strikes. The flight or fight response makes people seek for safety from harm. Yet when everyone has the same idea, there will be unintended consequences as a result. There will be those left behind as simply there is no room for everybody else. There are those who fight to protect their loved ones which is understandable. Self-defense becomes a norm.

By the second and third days of the outbreak, there those individuals who want to cause trouble and impose their will on the weak in times of disaster. These power-hungry individuals living in their self-proclaimed "kingdom" or "colony"; taking advantage now that law and order has collapsed. Essentially, they are the law. There are those who just want to loot every survivor they come across instead of helping each other. Some of these included gangs like the Crips and the Bloods who controlled much territory in Los Angeles following Operation Cobalt. These criminals that somehow managed to survive the firebombing would control entire neighborhoods where they demand tribute from the survivors. They waged war with other rival gangs. It would have been better if they united to fight the Infected instead, but alas, their hunger for power and control is too much to handle. In the American South, some groups of white and black supremacists tried to carve an ethnostate, often fighting each other and killing survivors that came across that did not match the color of their skin. In areas like San Diego (or anywhere still holding out) where law and order was slowly collapsing, groups of looters would raze homes and settlements. These young people, without allegiance to any cause except anarchy, caused more damage than the Infected themselves. The SDPD and the National Guard were too spread out thin to stop these anarchists since all personnel and equipment was focused on the evacuation. While these looters were mostly outgunned and poorly trained, there were still some who knew how to shoot a rifle much less lead a group. Hence they should not be underestimated.

If one thing this outbreak showed, humans are the real monsters.

Thanks a lot  

Troubled Waters - New Orleans (LA) - Part 4: Invasion

Date: October 18, 2018 (Z-Day+1; 2:45 AM)
Location: Loyola Avenue (Defense Perimeter code-named Charlie)
New Orleans, Louisiana

"Camp Beauregard have been put into quarantine after some 256th Infantry Regiment elements have fallen ill to to the contagion. No reports of enemy activities in close proximity of the base, hold your position..."

Lt Meyers from the 61st Troop Command nodded without true certitude. After all, the 256th Infantry Regiment units have been torn apart during deployment in Lafayette, it seems obvious that those "junkies" are far more dangerous that a bunch of armed PCP addict and if one of the strongest (if not the most strong) military force in the world can't even restore order in his cities, the apocalypse is coming for sure.

"Lieutenant?" asked one of the fellow militiaman (a 60yrs old bold man equipped with an M14) that hold the roadblock.

"Yes?" "We have heard that USAF will bomb major cities. It can't be true, right?"

"What do you expect, we are losing ground so fast that even those lazy ass of Air Force can't hold their bases. I think they try to make their best to cut bridges and roads in order to stop this shit"

"But...but this means that New Orleans will be a target?" The man asked with a tone of fear in his voice.

"Calm down sir, we have hundred of refuges in Mercedes Benz Stadium waiting for evac. They won't surely bomb as we haven't move back to northern defense perimeter.."

The old man was not convinced.

"This is like Katrina, Sir, they say they will help but we won't never see anything." The old man asked. However, this was nothing like Katrina. Sure the floods were bad, but that was nothing compared to an enemy that wants to eat one's face and turn you into one of them. To add insult to the injury, the enemies they were facing were not even supposed to exist. They were products of fiction and should have stayed that way. The gamers who played Resident Evil, Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising, and The Last of Us thought it was their time to shine. Without proper body fitness, condition, firearms training, and even basic survival, they were the first to die. At least the survivalists and the wannabe Rambos held the ground.

"Listen old man, we aren't here for waiting and worring about what Federals are thinking" Lt Meyers begins to doubt himself. "We are Here in order to hold this fucking Street and let's a maximum of refuges to join FEMA camps...."

"Sir, we have a contact at 250 meters" interrupted a soldier

"Foes or Friends ?"

"It's an only man, certainly infected. Shit, if we shoot, noise will attract every bastards around all this avenue."

"Hold fire, he seems human."
***********************************
Karpov sees the military blockade and raises his arms.

He shouts in a heavy Russian accent: "Don't shoot, I haven't been bitten, please."

"Holy shit! This can't be true! This guy is coming from the No-Go Zone and he isn't infected." One of the soldiers said.

"What do you expect Americans, I am a Russian" says with a point of irony Karpov as he reachs the defense perimeter.

"Oh my God, this is a commie." The 60 year old man replied. He had lived throughout the Cold War living in fear of a nuclear war. He distrusted the Russians all throughout his life and swore to defend America should the commies ever step foot. But today was different, the enemy did not care of your allegiances or political beliefs.

"Da and I am here to help you." Karpov said.

Chapter 62: Sorry To Interrupt Your Sleep

Date: October 22, 2018 (Z-Day +5; 12:45 am)
Location: San Diego, California

A loud crash awoken the group followed by shouts and screams. These weren't the Infected, but rather looters and rioters that made their way unto the block unnoticed by the survivors. Rocks were pelted at windows while cars were overturned. There were a mix of racial and profane epithets were shouted. Unlike the riots in Los Angeles which were contained at the early stages, here in San Diego was largely left unabaited as whatever authorities and military left were focused securing the airport and the seaports. The overextended fire department could not respond to all the fires, either due to the lack of personnel (due to desertion or getting killed by the Infected) or fear for their own safety. Such as sight was new to the relatively low-crime city of San Diego. If one block did not fall to the Infected, then they fell into anarchy by the looters and the rioters.

"Guys, you gotta get up now! The building next is on fire." Nathan shouted. The wall next to them was heating up.

The shout woke up the others.

"Oh shit." Mike said, grabbing his pack and weapons. His friends followed suit, rubbing their eyes and grabbing their packs. The attack was so sudden that they did not even have any chance to change into proper street clothes.

"It's bad guys." Francis said, rifle aimed the window below.

"We're gonna have to shoot our way outside?" Spencer asked.

"If those fuckers would posed harm, then shoot them."

"Merde!" Jules shouted.




As the group got out, they saw how quickly chaos ensued. Rioters were throwing molotov cocktails, bricks, and stones. Some were even fighting the Infected with baseball bats and crowbars. At least it did some good, but there were also those who got grabbed and bitten upon. Majority did not even take notice of those being mauled apart.

"Gabrielle, stick close." Gillan said, holding her hand in one and his SIG on the other. His M4 was slung on his backpack. Mike and Jules followed him, aiming their weapons at any potential troublemaker.

"Get out of the way!" He shouted, aiming the pistol on the rioters who backed off knowing their improvised tools was no match for a guy with 9mm in one hand and an automatic rifle on the other.

Meanwhile, the others fired warning shots in the air. Those nearby went down, but majority still continued what they were doing. As they reached the cars everyone got on to get away from the scene. The fire from the adjacent building started to spread to the apartment they were in. It was lucky they got out on time.

Suddenly, some of the rioters that had concealed handguns with them started firing at the group. Gunshots rang throughout the pandemonium. Unfortunately for the armed rioters, they were no match for the training the SWAT men had. They simply dropped. The others started throwing bricks and shooting at the survivors, but they simply sped their vehicles away from the chaos.

They didn't have time to look back. They needed to find somewhere to hold out till sunrise. It took them a few minutes to reach a place where there were no fires and Infected, but eerily quiet and empty.

"That was close." Someone said.

But fate would have had it. An out of control truck suddenly bumped the side of the SWAT van the group was following. The other cars behind the convoy stopped in their tracks. The driver of the truck was already Infected[1]. Hitting the SWAT van caused it to swerve before exploding in fiery fire. The Infected driver went with it. The street was then lit with an eerie red-orange glow.

"Holy shit!" Mike shouted. "We gotta get them out!"

Gillan, Gabrielle, Jules, and the rest followed suit.

"Check for any fuel leaks!" Nathan shouted.

Getting up, they reached the van. Francis crawled out wounded but alright. In the driver and passenger seat however, it was a gruesome sight. The officer known as Johnson sat slumped on the wheel lifeless, blood dripping down his head. He was dead. Ray on the other hand, was stuck.

"Leave me, fuel is leaking!"

"We gotta get them out!" Gillan yelled.

"No, we're not leaving you behind!" Francis replied. "Get me a knife or any tool to pry this open."

The others went and tried to get him out. To their horror, Ray's legs have been crushed by the dashboard of the van. The other officer pleaded to be left behind, as they neither had the means to let him out.

"Go, get out of here. Head to the San Diego Civic Center. FEMA's got an evacuation point there! Take my gun."

Francis reached out for the Benelli shotgun before trying to reach his friend's hand. Unknown to the group, the fuel leak was approaching the fires created from the crashed truck.

"GOOOOO!" Ray shouted last before the trail of fuel hit the fire. The flame returned the favor and was headed to the remains of the SWAT van. Knowing they could not do anything for Ray, the rest of the group ran as fast they can before they would be consumed by another explosion. The flame then consumed the SWAT van before exploding, taking Ray with it.

The group stood speechless. They didn't know what or how to react. Two of their survivors were just killed. A few days ago, the same men helped Gillan, Mike, Gabrielle, Jules, and Jim from their escape from LAX as that safezone was overrun with the Infected. Now it was just Francis left from the LAPD Metropolitan Division that escaped Los Angeles before Operation Cobalt. Another sad truth of the outbreak. Another number in the statistics of the death toll of the Killer Pandemic.

"Come on guys, let's go." Francis said. "We gotta keep moving."

They returned to their cars and drove away from burning wreckages.
******************************
Back in the pick-up truck, Gillan took the wheel. He had no international driver's license but yet he drove in unknown location.

"Rules be damned." He muttered.

How many more people have to die in this outbreak? He thought. The Infected weren't only their problems. There were crazy maniacs, psychos, sociopaths, all the scumbags out there. Even worse were accidents. Death waited at every corner.

Gabrielle sat beside him, holding his hand as he held the gearstick. She was traumatized. She just wanted to get out as with everybody else. Jules and Mike sat behind, weapons ready.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"I'm just following the car in front of us. I heard the Civic Center. Frankly I've never driven in another country. First time I have done this." He replied.

"What if it is not safe? What if it is overrun or burned to the ground?" The girl asked.

"I don't know. We just have to look for another place until we get closer to the naval base." He thought. If we can get there on time.

They drove for what seemed like a lot of hours (in fact it was only minutes) until they reached another blockade manned by police and CNG troops. They were then redirected to towards the Civic Center. It was safe but was blooming with evacuaees. If one Infected got through, then the whole place will be in chaos again. Many would perish in the stampede that would surely follow.

The group got down and waited inside the crowded Civic Center but made sure they were near the exit. Inside the building, civlians were permitted to walk with weaponry. There were even some civilian volunteers armed with AR-15s, shotguns, and hunting rifles that guarded the place, reinforcing the overextended police officers and soldiers. They rested up for a few hours to grab some sleep before waking up early in the morning to get to the naval base.

The longer anyone delayed, the slimmer the chance of survival was.
*****************
Author's Notes:
[1] Resident Evil 2 reference
[2] Photo is from Fear the Walking Dead taken from this article "Survival Rule of the Week: The human rot."