MZ-13

Ep. 1

I ran. The familiar jolt every time my foot hit the ground kept me going. Blood dripped from my palms. It stained the ropes I clinged onto so tightly. Death? I wanted nothing to do with that. And running's keeping me away from it. Each time my leg bumped into a sharp rock or a branch rammed onto my side I'd look back in fear that they had caught up to me. Then I'd look back at the path ahead. No distractions.

Run.

The gates. I could see them in the distance. I willed myself to go faster. My pulse pounded so hard I felt like it was shaking my vision. Sweat dripped from my brow and fell into my eyes but I couldn't afford to let go of the supplies and wipe it away no matter how much it stung. Just a bit further. I could make it.

"OPEN UP!" I managed to scream once I neared safety. "RETRIEVER!"

The Defense Team rushed and opened the gates just long enough for me to slip through. They slammed it shut moments before the zombies reached them. Their fighters jumped in to get rid of the monsters properly, I couldn't be bothered to pay attention to them any more after that. Errand people picked up the supplies I had brought. I was carrying half the team's load, seeing as the rest of them were dead. I couldn't manage to bring everything. I frowned and headed towards the apartment building, convincing myself that if I was going to collapse it'd be better to collapse inside.

There were few people in the lobby, and even fewer paid mind to the tired Retriever. If anything they avoided me like the plague, which is honestly a good decision. The Retriever Team goes out periodically to take the supplies from the government at the edge of our zone - ground zero. The apocalypse started in this city. The government quickly quarantined us, but the hastily made barriers were overrun by people trying to escape or zombies spotting guards and workers who were building an actual wall, spreading the infection to the outside. The last news we heard was about four years ago, a year into this hell. The government would send drones carrying supplies periodically, at the edge of the nearly-finished wall, though even if it was incomplete it was impossible to pass to the outside. My legs gave in after taking a few steps past the entrance. Despite my state and the loss of my teammates, relief washed over me. Yes, I was in pain, but I survived.

"G13!" B1 stomped over to me, rifle slung across his back. I glanced in his direction and attempted to ignore him. I knew this man before the apocalypse but we've been using these codes for so long I had forgotten his real name. He stopped in front of me, glowering. "Report?"

"Lost half the supplies, B27, B19 and G41 were killed. The drone probably self-destructed before we even arrived," I glared daggers at him. "You knew what you were doing when you put them on the Retriever Team, didn't you?"

"Less mouths to feed,'" He shrugged it off, completely unbothered. "They couldn't pull their own weight around here anyway."

"We're supposed to be minimizing casualties!" I shifted my position and kicked his legs from under him. I was surprised I was still able to move honestly. "Who said you got to be the leader again?! Bossing us all around?!"

"G13." He growled, he got up in such a way like he thought it would make him seem more threatening. "Don't test me."

"Oh yeah?" I couldn't win in a fight against B1. He was well over a foot taller than me and never skipped gym or shooting practice. Even though I had technique, his brute strength would still beat me. And right now, I wasn't even at my best. But there was one reason he wouldn't dare touch me.

"Now, now, don't argue." B2 approached us with his soundless footsteps, a bloody knife still in his hand, probably from the fight outside. He was wearing a soldier's uniform as always, the right sleeve had little blood splatters on it. His brown hair was tucked neatly under his black cap, gray eyes flicking between me and B1, assessing the situation.