Kyle West - Apocalypse

I nodded. “He did. He knew a lot, but I don’t know as much about it. How do you know about him?”

“Everyone who has spent any amount of time in Bunker 114 is aware of Dr. Keener’s research. From time to time, notes would be sent back and forth between us.”

“Why were you hoping to speak with him?” I asked.

“To learn more about this xenovirus…I had hoped…” Samuel shook his head. “I’m sorry, Alex. I will not speak of it anymore.”

“It’s fine,” I said.

Makara waited a moment, before picking up where she had left off.

“After the incident with the sick man, we headed toward Raider Bluff. We camped on some hills, and waited by the Twin Routes, as we had in the old days. We might yet come back to trade for enough batts to last the winter.

“But that night was unusual, because Brux slept deeply. It was even more unusual when I saw a boy crawling into our camp. You can imagine my surprise. My eyes half-opened, I watched as he crept up to Brux’s backpack, picked it up, and simply walked off with it. The backpack with all the batts and Brux’s reserve weapon. Instead of stopping him, I let him go. He disappeared into the darkness. I waited. Then, I saw my chance to get out of there. If the boy could share the batts with me, then I could buy my way into one of the towns and never have to raid again. It was a gamble, but my life was not getting any better.

“I left the fire, and the raiding life forever. And here I am now, speaking to my brother.”

Makara then went on to explain everything we had gone through…how Brux had attacked us again, the attack on the caravan, the sandstorm and the monster that had been outside, the meeting with Ohlan, and our agreement to find the lost patrol and recover its supplies in exchange for citizenship in Oasis – all up to meeting Samuel.

Next, I told my story – a little of my life in the Bunker, and what had happened with the infection. I kept it brief. Though it was hard, I talked about losing both my father and Khloe. Samuel seemed especially interested when I talked of my father’s research into the xenovirus. I told him what I knew, however little it was. Samuel nodded, as if he had heard most of it already.

“I have read all of your father’s research,” he said. “He makes some interesting observations on the evolution of the xenovirus. Tell me, did he…”

“You’ve made him talk enough, Samuel,” Makara said. “He needs to recover from the week he’s had.”

I couldn’t argue with that. It was all I could do not to fall asleep on the couch.

“Alright, then” Samuel said. “We’ll sleep. In the morning, I can tell you about what I’ve found out since being here.”

We each went to our rooms, and to our beds. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I slept fully and deeply. When I awoke, I was sore all over – especially my legs, which felt like jelly. I stretched them out, and headed to the kitchen to find some breakfast.

As I was warming up a ration in the microwave, I frowned. A trail of water led from the hallway into a room on the other side of the kitchen. It definitely wasn’t there yesterday.

I left the hum of the microwave behind, and went toward the door. It was open a crack, and dark inside. I paused a moment before tapping it open.

The door opened slightly. Inside, I could see a form.

It was Makara, toweling herself off after clearly taking a shower. She was facing away from me, and was naked and dripping wet. I panicked and backed out just as she started to turn.

I didn’t think she saw, but I felt horribly awkward. I hadn’t realized that was where she was staying. She had been in a different room yesterday.

I went back to the kitchen, embarrassed, where the microwave was now beeping. I took out my food. I looked back at the door. Makara was still in there.

She emerged, wearing new clothes – camo pants and a black tank top. Her hair was still wet. She wore a knowing smirk.

“Showers are down the hall,” she said.

I fumbled my tray, nearly spilling my food on the floor. “Yeah. Okay.”

She looked at me, shaking her head. “You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed.”

“I…I didn’t know you were in there. I’m sorry. I just saw the water…”

She rolled her eyes. “Shower up. Samuel’s already in the break room. I think he wants to get started.”

“Am I the last one up?”

“Yes. We don’t have a lot of time, so try to hurry.”

“You guys could have woken me up.”

“We tried. Twice. Like talking to a rock.”

I felt myself go red. “Fine. Just…”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll meet you there, then,” I said.

I practically swallowed my food and headed for the showers. I let the cold water run over me for about two minutes before the shock of it made me step out. I couldn’t even get suds. Still, it was better than nothing.

While showering, I realized I’d forgotten to find some new clothes. However, after getting out, I found a clean set waiting for me on the bench. Makara had snuck in without me realizing it.

I put on the clothes. They fit remarkably well. I guess she had checked me out, at least a little bit, to know what would fit me.

I went into the break room, where Makara and Samuel were already waiting. As soon as I sat, Samuel began his story.

“I escaped Lost Angel Headquarters using an underground tunnel. It was hard to pull myself from the rubble, but I managed it. Raine was dead, and you were gone, so I had nothing there.

“I tried to find you, Makara. I went to every settlement in southern California, but none of them had seen you. After a year I had to face the truth…you were gone.

“Finally, I settled in Oasis. Ohlan was Raine’s brother, so I thought it might go well for me there. This was far from the case. I was unhappy. Ohlan runs it like a cult. There have been…killings. I felt I could not escape. At least, not until I was presented with the opportunity.

“One day, a patrol from Bunker 114 came by, led by a man named Dr. Luken. A few times a year, Bunker 114 would make contact in order to trade supplies. Ohlan had me stay with him as he brokered a deal between Oasis and 114.

“After the meeting, I introduced myself to Luken, telling him about my escape from Bunker One. When he heard of my firsthand experience with the xenovirus, he told me of Bunker 114’s research into it. I expressed interest in helping with their efforts. Luken offered me a position, and I accepted.

“Ohlan was not happy to see me go, but it was exactly what I needed.

“Over the next year, I learned much about the xenovirus. While the basic structure of it is the same, there are various strains – each strain affecting a different species, from microbes to, now, human beings. New strains were always being discovered in the wild. I would often go out to collect samples – there was a Blight about ten miles north of us.

“I’ve noticed a pattern over the past year, however: the xenovirus was increasingly affecting more complex organisms. I knew from my experience at Bunker One that the xenovirus affected animals. However, I had never seen it here, in California.

“There were several connections we made – the bigger the Blight, the more complex its ecosystem. Bigger Blights are older, meaning the xenovirus has had more time to evolve and affect greater amounts of life forms. The infestation to the north was growing ever larger, until even the animals were becoming infected.

“We saw a great threat in this. Bunker 114, and even Oasis, would be in grave danger at current Blight expansion rates. Our research then switched focus from trying to understand the virus to trying to eradicate, or at least reverse it.