The Azrael: Surviving the Outbreak by Jesse Gagnon Page B

edge of the building. 
    “Movement, flashlight.  Stay quiet, not sure if it’s a friendly.”  Simon said unsure if the person was Giselle or another scavenger.  The type of scavenger that lives in this world is not usually the friendly type.  They approached cautiously and met the door that the flashlight disappeared into.  Simon opened the door slowly and the other two entered behind him pointing their guns in all corners of the room.
    Simon’s gun was kicked from his hand and another boot met the side of his skull dropping him to the ground.  A flashlight beamed towards John and Jason temporarily blinding them and their shots missed their mark. 
    “Damn it, I can’t see shit!”  Jason barked as he lowered his body and tried to see through the haze in his eyes.
    “Wait, wait, it’s me.”  Giselle said hiding behind a chair a few feet from the door with her pistol pointed at the two.  Simon got up and was glad to see Giselle, he was seconds from tackling the woman.  The moment he was hit by her boot he caught a glimpse of a woman, so he stayed down hoping not to get shot by his companions.  She realized it was them when her brother spoke.
    “There are others out here, not Azrael, worse.”  Giselle said.  Her brother walked up to her and gave her a great hug and kissed her on the cheek.  John smiled and rubbed the haze out of his eyes.
    “I knew you were alive, Giselle.  I couldn’t give up on you.”  Jason said releasing his hug on his sister.
    “I’m happy you found me too Jason.  I was about to report that I found the gate, when a group got the jump on me.  They were professional, and not from America.  There were five of them, one had a nasty scar on his face and the others all had a logo of five daggers in a star pattern on their black uniforms.  They destroyed my radio and knocked me out.  I awoke in this building a few minutes ago.  They were gone when I awoke and I was tied to a chair.  It doesn’t look like they touched me or anything.”  Giselle said feeling around her body for any cuts or bites.
    “The trucks, they found the trucks.  Shit!”  Simon said when he looked out of the window of the building.  Three trucks were driving on the road heading west towards the outer gate leaving the Chicago area.  The west gate was a few miles to the west, but wide open.  “Damn it.  Let’s head back to the drop zone.  I’ll phone in.”  Simon said after realizing he’d been tricked.  At least Giselle was alive, but the supplies were lost.  However, there were still three trucks left.  Maybe they could retrieve them on another mission.
    They made it to the drop zone before nightfall and were retrieved quickly.  Simon explained the situation to his superiors but the intel wasn’t complete.  The only thing they knew now was that there were Azrael infesting the Sunlight District and a group of foreign professional thieves were out there as well.  After a few more missions, Simon blew out his knee carrying two wounded men and a woman to safety.  He no longer went out with the Highwaymen but he continued to work with them on the scientific end with Dr. Schwinn.  The Greyhound Station later became known as The Highwaymen Station, the central hub for those brave enough to venture out beyond Chicago to learn about the Azrael and to retrieve resources.

Chapter 5
    Sidetracked
     
    “Damn it John, what did you eat?”  Savanna said covering her mouth and nose.  John smiled and his face turned red as he began to laugh.
    “It’s these fucking food packs they give us, does all kinda shit to my stomach.  I’m surprised it didn’t smell worse.”  John said reading the label on the M.R.E. they gave them to eat on the road.  “But that smell isn’t me.  What the hell is it?”  John moved around in his chair sniffing the air.
    “I think it’s coming from outside.  It’s horrible and so…concentrated.  It smells like them but concentrated.”  Savanna said