The Board of Directors

SPrologue



Prologue

Sometimes I wonder if what we are doing is right. The BOD says it is for research purposes, does not even sound right to me. Everyone is scared to speak up; they have been "canceling" anyone who shows hard evidence we should not be doing this. It is not a proven fact that they have been getting rid of loose ends, but, conveniently, anyone who calls them out on the matter is either labeled unfit to serve or go missing.

"Brady, what are you doing?" An intense voice said, touching my shoulder. I turned to see my best friend Cody; he was a part of Circle and the only reason I got into this job.

"Just lost in the clouds; why do you need help?"

"Yeah, I need you focused since the Overseer Is assembling the first batch of testers," he said, distressed

"You seem off, Cody; it is no secret. Everyone feels the same."

"But everyone isn't knee-deep into this crap; if things go left in there, I have to be one of the people to fix it."

Before I could reply to him, the overseer came into the intercom. 'I need every operator in the testing compartment; we are making this happen.'

Cody and I started going to the testing site. He was very uneasy; I could tell. Usually, Cody is more at ease and never this tense. He is a robust guy; nothing scares him, but today is chilling him to the bone. It is making me feel apprehensive, and I cannot ask him because it is classified. I do not want to get the guy into any trouble, so I will not be nosey. We arrived at the testing just in time; the testing subjects were getting restrained into their chairs.

"Here, settle this into your front pocket, and do not look at it no matter your intention!" Cody said, stuffing his phone into my lab coat. Afterward, he walked off to see the overseer and upper echelon. I was looking at him walk into the room protected by private glass. Once the door closed, the scientist began the procedure. The BOD subordinates offered to get tested; the same idiot's dense enough to submit to being a test subject for a syringe that the BOD has not experimented on animals yet.

"Ok, here I will be demonstrating how the agent will work in protecting us from this virus." The head scientists exclaimed; he walked up to one of the patients with him; the other scientists also approached a patient. There were a total of ten men, excluding the two security guards. Five scientists and five test subjects, the scientists were preparing to administer their needles in unison. "Ok, everyone, today we make history!" The head scientist motioned to the other scientists, and they all began to five the shot. The patients looked normal, as if nothing ever happened.

"In about twenty more hours, the body will be finished with the agent where it will safely dispose of the agent through urination." One of the scientists explained. He seemed uncertain, and it was throwing me off. "While the agent works inside of the body, you will feel nothing, and it will deprive you of any illnesses, including the Sriracha Virus."

"Any questions?" The head scientist asked; everyone stayed silent. "Alright, so now that we finished that, we will..." The scientists all started looking at the overseer's room; afterward, we heard a disturbance. Everyone began to stand up, the room filled with tension. One of the patients passed out or was asleep; the others followed not long after. The security guard opened the door to go into the overseer's room. Once the door closed behind them, the patients began to move in unruly behavior. One of them fell over, and it seemed that he was foaming out of his mouth; the scientists started to head for the door, but before they could open it, one of the patients caught a scientist and began hitting him. He seemed like a wild animal, unconscious in a way. The virus did this, and everyone knew it. The room started to panic, and everyone was either looking for a place to hide or leaving the room. Once one of the workers hit the alarm, things went from bad to worse. I was trying to wait for Cody; I went to the overseer's office to find him, but someone locked it.

Before I could try to get it open, I heard glass breaking, followed by gunfire. I turned around to see the patients and the scientist were attacking the security. I did not want to, but I might have to leave Cody. He is a big guy. He will be alright.

"Hey, You! Get your ass out of here! Come on, hurry!" The security captain said. She was waiting at the door, holding it open for workers. I ran her way to get out, and then she was attacked by one of the patients. I ran over to help her; she was struggling trying to block the blows from her face. I pushed the aggressor off her and helped her up to run out of the room.

'This is not a drill; all Akiode personnel are to head towards the main elevator and evacuate the bunker.'

The doors were starting to lock, and the scene was becoming more problematic. Bodies on the floor, and not only that, whatever made them act like this was contagious. It went from just a few people to nearly the whole facility within minutes.

"Brady, this way, come hurry up!" Cody yelled from one of the rooms. He was holding the door open for us.

The captain was looking the other way; she was not paying attention either. I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward Cody. She turned around on alert; thankfully, she noticed I was not a threat. Otherwise, I'm sure she would have put me down. We ran towards Cody, and he was wearing a gas mask. I did not notice it before; he must have put it on when I grabbed her. The captain and I made it to the room after dodging one of those monsters.

"You guys ok?" Cody asked, handing us both a mask.

"Yeah, I am fine. And so is that guy. What the hell happened in there, director Cody?" The Captain asked.

"It was all the overseer's fault. He thought this would help us as humans, and he wanted to make things better."

"What the hell did he do?" I asked Cody.

"He knew it would not work, but he did it anyway. Only the Lord knows why. He was the first to be tested, and when he turned into whatever those things are, he attacked us."

Cody was going to finish, and then someone started banging on the door, screaming for help. Before anyone could open the door, we began to hear the cries of a man in pain and the tear of flesh.

"Not like this!" Said the stranger; there was a single gunshot and the sound of blood hitting a wall. The three of us looked around, knowing what had happened.

"Is that our only choice?" The captain said with tears swelling in her eyes.

"No, no, we can get through this; just stay strong," I replied, trying to comfort her.

"I know a way out, but like inside the facility, whatever we have unleashed is getting around the country," Cody said, turning up a television.

I watched what seemed like hell; the creatures were eating and fighting one another, and it was not only humans. Birds, deer, lions, house cats, all animals seem to be affected by this. Whatever we do, it does not look suitable for the world.

"We can't stay here forever. Grab a weapon, and let's go. Remember, these creatures are not undead. They are no longer human, so to kill them, a shot to the heart is the best way to kill one." Cody exclaimed.

"How do you know this?!" I asked, panicking. He tossed me a mask and put it on.

"This company has a lot of skeletons in its closet. Just keep your head in the right place for now; we are leaving." He said, opening the door.

When he walked out, he was immediately attacked but put both of them down efficiently.

"Are you staying here?" The captain said, putting her mask on.

"Right behind you," I replied. The captain followed Cody, and I watched her back. The creature became extremely disfigured over the hour since this happened. Some of them lost skin tone and were pale as snow, and others are missing limbs, and some even have no head. Cody was not lying when he said a shot to the heart.

We were getting through a lot of them; they did not seem to be aware, and their senses looked to be dull. Odd since most people who worked here were former FBI, Military, and Swat. Meaning everyone here should have at least average awareness. The creatures lose humanity; how the hell could we create something that changes evolution itself. The way we were doing things, the human race was bound to go extinct.

After slaughtering any of the monsters in our way, we finally made it to the elevator lobby. It was going to take us out of the bunker, and I cannot wait. Cody seemed to be grabbing anything of use and putting it into his duffle bag. I followed his lead once I found a bag, and not soon after, the captain too. Once we got everything we felt was necessary, we went into one of the elevators. It was a fifteen-minute ride to the top; there was not much to do while we waited.

"Well, you both were grabbing loot; let's see what we pulled," Cody said, searching his bag. I began to search mine, and I found an assault rifle magazine, food bars, a Pancho, and car keys. "Well, you were in the moment; everything looks like gold when you are trying to stay alive," Cody said to me. I looked down and felt a bit embarrassed, but it hardly made a difference.

"I have a medkit, a nine-millimeter pistol, three magazines, food bars, water, a combat knife, a torch, and radios." The captain said pridefully.

"That's because, unlike us, you knew where to look," I said, dangling my keys. She giggled, and I felt despair.

"Cheer up; umm, what's your name again?" She asked me.

"Why does it matter? We are going to die anyway.…."

"That's no way to think Brady, we might go up, and everything is back to normal. Have some faith." Cody hailed with his hand touching my shoulder. Maybe he is right. Besides, this might be a messed-up dream anyways.

"Yeah, I am sorry about that. My name is Brady; what about you?" I said, motioning my hand for a handshake. She shook my hand with a mighty grip.

"My name is Akiode. Nice to meet you!" She said with a bright smile. I don't know anyone who could be smiling after what just happened.

"Hey, isn't that the name of the company?" I asked.

"It is; father was the overseer. May his soul rest." Akiode answered. She did not seem to be upset that her father died; he was Irish from what I have heard, but she has an African look, nappy hair, dark-toned skin, but green eyes.

"Alright, you guys, we are on the surface. Keep your wits about you." Cody said, loading up his gun.

When the elevator doors opened, I was surprised with how bad it had gotten over just three hours. Planes downed, people dead everywhere, the creatures were fighting one another. It was a complete wasteland, and it was our fault. I do not know how we will survive out here, and it will be an extended reality. But it is the reality I now have to live in; it could be worse, I could be one of them.