Night Traveling

Darkwolf walks throughout the forest smelling of dried blood, atleast a few days old. The moon illuminated the tree tops as the shadows of the leaves created almost total darkness in the thick brush of the forest. The path he has been walking for the past few hours has drastically narrowed, Not knowing what awaits him later into the night he keeps heading deeper into the woods. He hasn't let his guard down since the last assignment he has completed which was a very dull one at that. He has been looking for a new client to make some money to afford a new material and labor costs to make new gauntlets. As he is thinking about how perfect they would suit him, he comes across a small stream where he decides to take a break and sit down to refill his water canister.

Salem was out for a nightly jog. He had been stationed in the .sSTAT nature observatory for a week studying deer and other woodland creatures. Collecting DNA, blood samples, tissue... All of this was for the new research into animal zombification.

He stopped to catch his breath. His tank top was sticking to his chest; he was covered in sweat. While he caught his breath he walked over to a nearby stream where he sat down to splash some water over his face. He listened intently to the peaceful nighttime sounds; crickets chirping, the stream flowing through rocks, owls hooting, twigs snapping... Zombies moaning... Wait..? Zombies..!? Salem stood up and listened even more intently. They originated downstream.

Kado was walking with one of the new recruited guards, he had just got back from Iraq, he served over four years and needed an easy job, he was recommended to the observatory, he didn't know it, but it wasn't an easy job. Kado was personally showing him the ropes because he enjoyed meeting people who served the country and learning their story. They were walking the border of the observatory and chit chatting, every now and then Kado would tell him what he was suppose to do, but he knew that a veteran knew exactly what to do so he wasn't worried.

As he was getting ready to continue down the dreary path he suddenly heard groaning and brush being dragged about a mile down stream from his location, which to him could only mean one thing, He wasn't alone... He decided to investigate what was going on so late in the forest. He quickly jumped up into a tree and stood upon a branch that was overseeing the path he had been walking on. He tightens his gloves as he begins to suspect someone or something is stalking him... The overwhelming feeling of blood thirst being generated from the dark forest in front of him was in no way comforting. He suddenly knew he was going to be engaged in a fight tonight, The only concern was he wasn't working for a client so he was a bit discouraged about the fact he would have to fight for no reward

Salem looked around for a weapon. He was immune to zombies so becoming infected wasn't an issue, however he didn't want to get bitten due to the pain. There was a large, sharp stick next to the lake. Salem picked it up. It wasn't the best weapon but it would do.

He walked along the stream being lead by the sounds of zombies moaning. They weren't far off now. Seeing movement, the young man stopped and hid behind a tree. He peeked around the corner.

The two kept walking on the border when Kado heard something around them and was pretty sure his rookie did too. Kado stopped them and looked around, he was pretty sure it was just an animal but it had to make sure. "Stay here." Kado told the rookie, if it wasn't an animal he couldn't let the rook know, he hasn't even signed the paperwork yet. Kado walked a little less than a mile away from him when he seen something stumbling towards him. It was exactly what he had thought and expected but not this early, zombies. He was about to run back when he heard a scream come from his direction and knew that he probably wouldn't make it back to him.

He jumped from tree to tree down the path towards the sounds. Suddenly he was watching this huge creature stumbling around near the stream... He looks closely as he makes eye contact with it and notices he is clearly not human. "It smells of rotting flesh" He says to himself. He quickly jumps back out of the tree as he flips before landing on his hands and feet sliding back against the dirt. Without consciously thinking he quickly runs in a diagonal line off of the path and into the tree's. "What the hell is with this thing" he wonders. He takes cover behind a tree not knowing what to do. As he quickly releases his claw gauntlets he yell's out, "Hey what are you doing!" To see what the creature would do. The zombie groans loudly as he turns toward Darkwolf. "Oh yea.. Just what I need.." He jumps out from the tree he was hiding behind and swiftly slashes the creature's head off. He looks down at his claws and shakes the fresh blood from them as he smells something irregular...

Salem heard a scream in the distance, and soon after an unusually loud groan. It was coming from his left. He didn't look towards that direction because there was a large hoard in front of him. He took a deep breath before crouching down and sneaking up to the closest zombie. With a quick smooth motion he cracked the stick down onto it's head, killing it instantly. The zombie was rotting so it was easy to tear it's stomach open with his bare hands. Salem scooped out it's guts and smeared them all over himself. This way he would be able to sneak past the other zombies and find the source of the outbreak. He stood up and started to walk slowly towards the center of the hoard leaving his weapon behind.

Kado started towards the stumbling creature and pulls out his dual scorpions



and starts to shoot at the creature with the guns on single fire shooting up it's body leading to it's head. The creature falls over and he looks around realizing there is multiple, at least a small horde of 10 or 20. He starts to back away when he hears more coming from behind so he had to think fast, he looked for a hole and found one but it would lead him off the property of the observatory. It seemed to be the only chance he had of not being overran so he took it, sprinting through the small gap of safety leading into the unknown forest.

He jumps into another tree and began starting to make his way from branch to branch towards the scream he had heard just before decapitating the first zombie he'd encountered. As he moves closer towards the spot the scream originated he began to notice more and more zombies making their way across the forest floor. He then wonders to himself "What the hell is going on in this forest?"
He looks forward noticing he is approaching a large group of zombies. He suddenly stops to examine the situation. Watching the group of zombies pass underneath him, he quietly sits on the branch and continues to watch.

When Salem got into the center of the hoard he noticed Kado running through a more spread out section of the hoard. He wanted to yell for him but decided not to as that would draw attention. He sighed and continued towards Kado, still moving slowly. Suddenly he tripped; there was half of a zombie on the ground and he didn't see it. The zombie grabbed his ankle and bit down harshly; blood squirted from the wound. Salem grunted gritting his teeth. He kicked at the zombie but it was clamped down too tight. The other zombies slowly began to realize what was going on and began to surround Salem.

"Shit- KADO!! KADO, HELP!" He yelled as loud as he could and picked up a rock nearby and began smashing it into the zombie's head repeatedly. It was taking too long; the rock wasn't big enough to cause a brain injury.

Kado heard his name come from behind so he stopped and turned around trying to look through the horde. He seen Salem on the ground with one of them biting his ankle, he started back towards him noticing the gap had closed so he made his own. He shot each zombie right through the brain and after a small sprint and a few zombies later he was in front of Salem. He shot the ankle biter in the head and looked at his bloody smelly friend. "Get up."

Darkwolf watched as the man was getting attacked and soon after saved by a familiar face. Realizing they weren't like the other creatures from how they reacted. He takes a good look at the guy with red hair... "Is that.. It looks like my target from the sStat Corp mission." He then decides to yell out to them.. "Hey are you guys ok?, What the hell is going on." Then jumps out of the tree's from above them landing a little over 5 feet away from the them... He then notices for sure It is his former target. "I can't believe I had to let this one actually get away back then" he thinks to himself.

Salem was about to stand up but was startled by a man jumping down from the trees. He looked up at the man suspiciously. He stood up on shaky legs and dusted himself off. He looked down at his ankle to survey the damage. "Ugh..." He lifted his ankle up to look at it closer. "I think I might need stitches," he said with a sigh. Salem pouted and looked up at Kado, hoping he had medical supplies.

Kado looked at Salem and down at his ankle "Probably. But we need to get to the main building of the Observatory before we can do that, I didn't bring anything with me out here." Kado reloaded his scorpions by dropping the empty magazines from the gun and sliding the guns across his thighs where he had magazines strapped and readied. No longer aiming at anything but keeping a watch on the horde around them, he looked at the stranger through his sunglasses "I'll tell you when we make it inside that building, but until then my lips are sealed." Suddenly something roared in the distance and it seemed big. Kado continued looking at the stranger "And I suggest we move soon."

Darkwolf looks at the man with an injured leg, "Here", he said as he pulled out some bandages from his travel pouch. "Those should help for the time being..." He then looks up at Kado. "What if I don't want to go with you?" He looked across the forest floor using his night vision sight. "There is a horde of about 20 undead coming from the north. I don't think we will have much time to make it anywhere at this rate... We are a few miles from civilization right now. What the hell are you two doing way out here in the woods this late anyway?" He then quickly looks back at Salem, "You only have 12 hours before you change.. and that is if you live until then.. You might not want to take the risk exposing anyone else to the virus.. I can make it quick if you'd like."

Salem took the bandages and wrapped his leg while the other man talked. When he mentioned the virus Salem's eye twitched. He cleared his throat. "H-how exactly do you know about the virus?" He looked up at Darkwolf with a confused expression on his face. "And how do you know how long it takes..?" Salem stood up and grunted at the slight pressure he put on his injured ankle. He chuckled. "I wont turn, trust me..."

Kado kept his look even after the mention of the virus. "I should be asking why you are this close to my Observatory, there's laws here. You get caught within 200 feet of it you can be fined up to $10,000. Now, we can make it to the Observatory before that horde gets near us. You don't come with us, I don't care, stay here, but I am, and so is he" He says looking at Salem and then looks back at the stranger.

"Ok lets get one thing straight... I dont care about your laws. I'll be damned if anyone is going to make me pay anything for traveling in the middle of the night. Second, I'm not obligated to tell you anything. How I know the things I know are simply confidential." He grabs the hood of his cloak and pulls it over his head as he continues to look around the forest floor and thinks to himself. He then brings his hands together, unhooking the gauntlets and locking them in place on his elbow guard. Now the blades are resting across the outside of his forearms as if they were guards to protect against attacks. "Anyway, I've decided I'll go with you two, It isn't worth my trouble to stain my blades with this horrid smell of toxins."

Salem looked at Kado nervously before looking back at Dark Wolf. He nodded. "Okay then, it's settled... Um... I'm Kaz--- Uh, I mean..." Salem fidgeted his hands nervously and glanced at Kado. He still wasn't used to his new life. "I'm Hiroshi Yoshida," the young man said, his voice cracking slightly. He hoped Kado wouldn't be angry with him for almost fucking up.

Salem began walking towards the observatory, limping.

"Names Kado. Let's go." He holstered his scorpions and pulled out his Luger pistol just in case something were to happen. He was following his limping friend.

Darkwolf jumps up to a tree branch without saying anything more and begins to follow the two while wondering why he wasn't questioned because he suspected he would have been before they set out to the apparent observatory. "Oh.. I'm not telling you guys my name at this time, I dont know if I can trust you. Im sure you understand. I just wanted to make that clear." He then slowly jumps from tree to tree following them as they arrive at the main gate of the observatory.

Salem was the first through the door. He stumbled inside and collapsed to the floor, glad to finally be able to rest his ankle. He held it as he watched the others enter the observatory. He had started to break out into a fever, which was normal for him after being bitten. While he was immune to turning, he still suffered flu-like effects. "Kado... Can you please get me some water..? And some anti-nausea pills..."

Kado snapped his fingers and two guards appeared from the front desk. "You heard the man." They saluted and went to get what he ordered then Kado looked down at him "You need to learn to order them around, you're their high up, you tell them what to do, that's why they're here, to follow your orders." He then turned around waiting for the other man to enter the door, thinking "What am I going to do about him knowing what he knows? I couldn't trust him but he seems to know too much already, and he seems like he knows what he's doing with those blades or else he wouldn't have them, I would have to surprise him.."

Darkwolf calmly walks into the front door of the observatory and looks around inspecting everything. "So this is a building owned by the Science, Schematics, Technologies, and Theories corporation?" He looks at the man on the ground wondering what he meant by saying he won't be infected by the virus, when clearly he is having some issues with the bite already. "Are you sure you're going to be ok," he says to the man. He then looks at the other man noticing Kado is in deep thought while watching him. "Well now I know the answer's to my questions I asked earlier in the woods. However could you answer one thing for me... Why are those undead creatures roaming around in the forest at night? And where is the other one who was attacked? I'm sure you guys were alot closer and heard the scream aswell correct?" He then falls back leaning on the wall while crossing his arms. He was finally able to let his guard down inside a secure location.