*Discontinued* Project Storm

13. Shot Sharpshooter

"So... Are you ok?" Virgil just narrowed his eyes as he laid back down. "Virgil..."

"I'm ok, Roman." Roman frowned as he just sat there watching Virgil, who stared up at the sky with a neutral expression. "Chris is dead."

"And you aren't." Virgil simply blinked in response as Roman glanced over at his gun and sighed. "How? Virgil, you locked yourself in with them."

"You know Chris said the same thing." Virgil refused to look anywhere other than at the sky as he teared up. "I shouldn't be alive, Roman. I shouldn't but... The z's they... They don't..." The truck stopped again and Roman frowned as Patton burst out of the truck.

"We have a problem." Roman jumped up instantly, noticing Virgil looking concerned as he followed closely behind. Janus was leaning against the door clearly in pain. He was clammy and Patton was clearly freaked. "We need to get him to a hospital. It's the only way I can..."

"NO!" Everything froze as Virgil yelled out. You could see how badly he was shaking as he glared Patton down. "T-There has to be another way. I mean... You're a doctor. D-Do something." Patton just frowned as he shook his head.

"I can't without the proper equipment. I've got nothing that can help a gunshot." It was clear Virgil was scared. He just looked around at everyone as he gripped his gun tightly. "If we don't help him. He will die." Roman glanced over to see Logan just sitting in the driver's seat holding the wheel as if it was the only thing that could save him. There really wasn't a choice. Virgil knew that. Even still...

"I-I can't... I just can't Patton." Virgil looked around with this defeated look and he groaned gripping his hair tightly despite causing the gun to dig into his head. "Th-The hospital... I-It's j-just a place. D-Doesn't mean anything. D-Doesn't m-mean a thing. He isn't going to be there right? S-So..."Roman felt his blood grow cold as he and Patton stood there watching the anxious man with concern. "S-So I shouldn't worry. It's just a place... Just a place... that d-doctors work at." He groaned again as he began to pace. "This isn't about me. This isn't the time to lose your head, Virgil. It's just a building. That's all it is. A building. You weren't even in a hospital when it happened. You were in a damn lab. If anything that lab should have triggered an attack not a..."

"When what happened?" Virgil froze as Roman's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, bring tears to his eyes. "Why are you so afraid of doctors?"

"You just... You don't know." Roman's heart dropped at the pained look in Virgil's eyes as the poor anxious man sighed and glanced over at Logan. "You just don't know anything about Project Storm. You don't understand. I can't..."

"So tell us." He started shaking his head furiously only making Roman more concerned. "Virgil..."

"I AM NOT A FREAK!" Roman reeled back and even Patton seemed to jump. "I'm not... I'm a human being. They... They had no right. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!" He absent-mindedly pointed the gun at the two causing them to tense up. You could see the pain in his eyes. "You can't force me to go ANYWHERE. I have rights. I... I'm not a..." He froze and let his hand drop realizing he had been pointing his gun at them. "Humans are nothing but assholes."

"Virgil, I understand you're scared, but Janus..."

"You're going to go regardless of what I say." Virgil whispered cutting Patton off. "I'm nothing but a cash cow for you guys. You'll drag me all the way to Cali no matter what happens." He jumped back in the back making Roman frown, who clearly wanted to follow after but Patton quickly shot him a look freezing him in place as he followed Virgil instead. Roman sighed and jumped into the back seat to keep an eye on Jan. Logan just glanced back at him through the rearview as Roman stared at nothing in thought.

"Go... nearest hospital." He didn't even nod. He just took off. It's understandable. Janus was hurt and could very well die. Logan was never really one who expresses his emotions but they all knew he cared for Jan. What worried Roman most however was Virgil. Roman glanced back through the rear window to see Virgil and Patton talking and his heart just dropped. He was holding his gloved wrist tightly as Patton was talking to him. Something was defiantly wrong. Maybe... Maybe Patton could help him.

Roman cursed internally as Logan stopped the truck again for the final time. It's the final time... because they going to need to abandon it. The hospital wasn't that much further but there was a jam. Virgil was quick to jump out the back. Logan hadn't even turned the truck off yet but there Virgil was jumping up onto one of the cars in the jam and frowning.

"What is it kiddo?" Virgil looked back at others as they all finally got out before sighed with a shake of his head.

"This isn't a normal jam." He jumped down and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he groaned in annoyance. "It was done on purpose. The area's full of walkers."

"Anyway a path could be made?" Roman asked as he stared out at the mess before him. Virgil just narrowed his eyes as he glanced back for a second. They had to get Janus to the hospital. Otherwise, he's just going to bleed out.

"A distraction." Roman's eyes went wide as Virgil jumped up on the car again signaling for the other to follow. As the older did Virgil pointed off to another pile of cars. Roman narrowed his eyes as Virgil smiled. "Z's are attracted to noise. If we can get them focused on that then you guys should be able to slip past."

"Should..." Roman just stared out at the mess of zombies and frowned. "It's not possible." Virgil shot the other this look as Roman shook his head. "It's too far... too many z's. We'd never make it to the pile, let alone the hospital."

"It's possible... if only one person goes." Roman blinked as the words slowly digested. His head jerked over in surprise as he watched Virgil jump back down to the others.

"And who exactly would that be?" Roman yelled out as followed Virgil down. "It's a suicide mission."

"Not exactly. Not for me." Roman just stood there in complete shock as he watched Virgil pull his gun out to check it over. "I'll handle the distraction. You three focus on Jan."

"Oh hell no, Virge." Virgil faltered a bit as Roman shook his head, all while Patton frowned in understanding. "I'm not letting you get yourself killed. Did you forget we have to get you to California ALIVE?!"

"I'll be fine."

"NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!" Virgil rolled his eyes as he put his gun back where he had it making Roman's panic worse "You can't do it."

"I'm the only one that can!" He looked back over at Patton making Roman narrow his eyes in confusion. "Trust me, Roman. I'll be ok. I'll meet you... I'll meet you at the... the hospital." It took a lot for him to say it but Roman couldn't deny the determination in his eyes. The problem was no human would survive that and he wasn't about to let one of his group force themself to do this. Not any of them and not Virgil. Not when they just managed to escape that hell hole of a lab. He's the leader. He's supposed to be keeping them all saf-...

"He's right, Ro." Everything completely dropped in Roman as he just glanced over at Patton in complete disbelief. "He's got this."