The Life After ATLAS

Blood of our Sons

May 03, 2050

Nigel. 20 years old, enlisted into ATLAS CORPORATION, the largest arsenal in the world. He wishes to be one of the very best Guards in the facility. His father moved here for a job opportunity, since there weren't many jobs in Canada. His mother, however, didn't want to leave her husband's side, and she managed to become a great artist, selling over 100 paintings in a week. Nigel mainly patrols the Weaponry Station, where his father works, making on many little devices that can pack a big punch. Recently, he heard what thought to be a new laser turret to be a new weapon.
"So, dad." Nigel walks into the facility. "How's it looking?"
"Ah, my boy," Ben, Nigel's father, embraces him. "Its working pretty good, still working on the kick. Other than that, everything's working normal. What should I call it?"
Remembering a little wiring lesson his grandfather taught him when they visited "home", Nigel said, "Ohm. Just because of the resistance it has. That sounds good, right?"
Ben smiles. "Ohm it is, then. Now, get outta here. I'll see you at supper." Smiling, Nigel takes leave. A group of girls getting a tour of the building comes by.
"Hey, Nige," Dan, the guide and friend to Nigel, stops him. "Mind showing them along? Don't know much about this area."
Shaking his head, Nigel shoulders his AE4. "Of course, I will, Dan," Nigel slaps his friend on the shoulder. "Get suited up. Battle Sim for group A-454-D starts soon." Dan casually and jokingly salutes Nigel. Nigel is a Staff Sergeant, while Dan is a Sergeant.
As Nigel walks the Station, he explains all the rooms and their functions.
"Here is the Weapons Testing Room, where my father makes weaponry, big or small. No matter the size, if needed to be, can create a nuclear blast to wipe out half the State."
Impressed, the girls giggle, laugh and talk. Just as Nigel is about to continue walking, and explosion occurs at Explosives Testing.
"Get behind me!" Nigel yells as he draws his AE4. The alarm sounds and Guards flood in.
"Nigel!" Ben calls. Nigel looks over, and gawks. His father, his very own father, is suited up in an Operator's gear, except for the helmet and gloves. His gloves are purple and his helmet is his signature "Headhunter".
"So, what's the breach?" Ben jokes. To Nigel's surprise, he sees the Ohm already outfitted with a few attachments. A Guard comes up to Nigel's father.
"Sir, Category 4 gas containment," the Guard says.
"Sir?" Nigel questions. He sees the patch on his father's shoulder. Captain. And Nigel never knew.
The alarms shut off, but the lights still flashed. Something within the smoke made a horrid noise, sounding in pain. The girls stared in awe and fright. Then, the noises stopped. Ben raised the Ohm, and shot a blast of something into the cloud. The luminance showing figures that look human.
"Hold it," Nigel's father ordered. Suddenly, something jumped out and tackled Ben. In a rage, Nigel at the creature.
"Defensive position!" Nigel yelled as the Guards formed around the fallen man. Things that look human kept making darts for the men, but they were fended off. The fight ended in a brisk twenty minutes. Panting heavily, Nigel drops his AE4 and runs to his father.
"Dad, dad please listen," Nigel begs. He rips off his father's helmet and looks at his father's face, which blood is coming from the mouth and nose.
"My son," Ben says as he looks at the deep gash in his own chest. Nigel starts to tear.
"Dad, no. It's going to be fine." Nigel puts pressure on the wound, hoping to stop the gushing of blood. "Dad, look at me." As Nigel frantically looks at his dying father, Ben reaches up and grabs the loadout of his son.
"Tell your mother I love her, Soldier," and with that, Nigel's father heaves what air remains in his lungs. The reassuring grip lets go and drops to the floor, the metal of the exo clanging.

***********************************
"Right! Right!" the teenage boy named David yells as he guns down infected.
"We're surrounded!" the Police Guard named Sam spits at the boy, his English accent noticeable. "They're fucking everywhere!"
"Shut up and shoot, goddamnit!" Dawn silences everyone. I don't let my finger off the trigger. It's actually amusing watching the bolt slide back and forth, and each time a new shell comes out.
"Cover me," I whisper to Dawn as my mag drops out and clatters on the floor. I go for a new one, except there's one problem: I don't have anything else. Well this is just fucking great! I think as I draw my knife, and stab a zombie right in the eye. I kick the zombie down, knocking down one more. A scream echoes the room.
Samantha, the teenage girl, wrestles with one of the undead, who is only being held away by the sturdy AK12. I turn my back to the chaos and run. Right before Samantha's arms give, I punch the zombie's head, and the skull gives away with a satisfying crunch. The six of us continue to gun down the undead mass. Suddenly, the undead stop flowing in.
"So," Oz booms. "You survived the first phase. Good for you." Oz sounds disappointed, yet a bit happy.
Three hexagonal platforms rise up out of the ground, going up about 12 feet.
"Let us go!" Sam yells. "What have we ever done to you?!" Marie, the only SENTINEL of the group, stays quiet.
"Please!" Samantha starts begging, tears flowing.
"EVERYBODY JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Oz yells, silencing everyone.
"Why are we here?" I ask calmly. "I don't mean for an argument here, Oz, just a civil explanation to tell us why we're here."
"I like that guy," Oz points to me, laughing. "Anyways, Major, I'll tell you. My niece and her friend are here because I want her close to me."
I can see David's eyes fill with anger. I hit him, and sign him to relax.
"Mr. Samuel over there didn't do his job, and I truly hate SENTINEL. No offense, Marie, but you killed me."
"If you're dead," David asks, "then how are you alive?"
"That's where the ATLAS lovebirds come in." Oz shakes his head. "I am their first test subject. I am a perfect being now, and I know so much."
"Major," Marie catches my attention. "Isn't your wife expecting?" I don't answer the question.
"She is," Oz says. Now, each of you have something to fight for. This will get electrifying!" Oz says as generators hum to life. "Thirty seconds to get on the platforms!"
"You can't do this!" Sam shoots at Oz, the glass showing where the bullet hit. I grab the gun out of his hand.
"He's basically God! He does what he wants," I yell. A booster makes me turn around. Dawn is helping out the teenagers get up.
"10 seconds!" Oz sounds excited. I run of the platform Dawn is on. I hear the generators hit their peak power.
"3..."
"Marie, Get up!" Sam says.
"2..."
"Let's go!"
"Times up!" And on cue, the floor beneath is alive with electric sparks. Just as Marie gets off the floor, electricity drags her down.
"No!" Sam yells as we all sadly watch one of our opponents dance around funny, blue current consuming her. Not long, like a pizza pocket that is in the microwave for too long, what used to be Marie explodes, little chunks of body parts fly everywhere. Sam begins to step back, but he slips, and is holding on to the platform. Oz chuckles, and a red grid appears in line with the platforms.
"Pull up, Sam!" Dawn yells, but it's too late. The laser grid is activated, and Sam falls, the sound of electrification the first to come, then an explosion as Sam is no more. Dawn curls her head into me, sobbing.
"It's okay," I whisper as a red grid appears at my neck. Fuck! "Hit the deck!" I yell as Dawn and I drop down. I look behind me. Samantha made it. However, David is just a head separated from the body, literally. David's body falls to the electric sea while his head is supported by the grid.
"Don't look," I whisper to Dawn as I kiss her cheek, letting her know she's alright. Suddenly, the generators shut off. The electricity stops, and the grids disappear, David's head falling and breaking. I feel the platforms lower. When they do, Samantha runs over to Dawn and I, her face streaked with tears.
"It's okay, sweetie," Dawn says. "It's all over now."
Doors open, and Oz walks towards us, his eyes normal, his body unscathed, perfect.
"Uncle!" Samantha says. "Why did you do this to me? Don't you love me?" Samantha continues to talk, all while Oz's face is staring dead at her. "Why, uncle? Why put me through all this? Don't you love me!"
Oz raises a RW1 and pulls the trigger, all in one quick, smooth motion as the battery rams into Samantha's head. Her body falls limp to the floor.
"Oh my god," I hear Dawn whisper as she stares at the body.
"Congrats," Oz says, his smile friendly, "you survived. Go back to your home." Oz turns his back and walks back to his booth. "I have others I need to worry about now."
"Wait!" I yell. Oz turns. "What'll happen now?"
Oz smiles wickedly. "The worst," he replies, and walks away. Then, Dawn and I are teleported back to the ruined ATLAS facility.