Chapter 31

We made our way down to the security room to check the cameras and the blue print of the building one more time. But we couldn’t turn the computers on. It looked like the whole security system had shut down.

“This doesn’t change anything,” Kenji said. “We’ll start with the other floors of the hotel.”

“What about him?” I asked about the doctor.

“Leave him here for the moment. We’ll tie him to the desk.” Kenji then turned to Doctor West. “No offence.”

“None taken. This room is as safe as any.”

I didn’t know if he meant it was completely safe, or if he meant that it wasn’t safe at all, that no matter how well we checked each floor, no matter how well we secured the building, it would never be safe. Maria was right when she said we had to stay positive. Thinking the worst will drive you insane.

“We should split up into two groups,” Kim said as she checked the ammunition clip of the handgun.

I did a double take. “Excuse me? I thought you were against splitting up?”

“I was. But it’s the only way we’re going to get through this as quickly as possible.”

“I agree,” Kenji said. “Jack and Maria, you go with Kim. Rebecca, you come with me.”

Maria had a worried look on her face. “Are you sure it’s necessary? I really, really don’t like the idea of splitting up.”

I knew what she meant. We had survived so much together in such a short time. We were sort of relying on each other to get through this. I can’t speak for the others but I know for certain that I wouldn’t have survived without them. Facing the prospect of splitting up was enough to make me anxious.

“We have no choice,” Kim assured her. “I don’t like it either but we need to do this as fast as we can.”

“Rebecca and I will go to the top floors and work our way down,” Kenji said. “If there are any snipers or scouts, they’ll be on the roof. I’ll check that out first. Then we’ll work our way down. You guys start at the bottom and work your way up. We’ll meet in the middle.”

“Make sure you check each room thoroughly,” Kim said. “Check the bathroom, the cupboards, under the bed. Everything.”

Maria still wasn’t happy with our plan. “What if something goes wrong?” she asked. “What if we find someone, or something?”

“If something goes wrong, we can use these walkie talkies to call for help,” Kenji said. “They’re probably not very good but they’re better than nothing.”

“Should we have a code word for an emergency?” Jack suggested.

“Like what?” I asked.

“How about, mayday?”

Kenji shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, works for me. But if you do use the radio, try not to stay on for too long. Just in case the military are listening. They probably won’t be listening but you never know. And if the radios don’t work, or if we’re out of range, or you can’t get us for whatever reason, retreat back to this floor. At least we know it’s secure. Don’t be a hero. If you come across any infected people, try to isolate them or lock them in a room.”

I was suddenly reminded of the doctor we left handcuffed to the morgue fridge. I wondered if he was dead.

“If in doubt, bail out,” Maria said.

“What if we come across any soldiers?” I asked.

“If you come across any soldiers surrender immediately,” Kenji said.

“What?” We all asked at once.

“Do not even attempt to engage. You won’t last a second.”

I couldn’t believe what he was saying. It was like he was still brain washed. Even after everything he had seen yesterday, and after everything he had lived through over the last two weeks.

“Surrender?” I said. “Did you suddenly develop a case of amnesia? You saw what they did out there. No way am I surrendering.”

Kenji tried to clarify. “If you surrender and explain your situation, explain to them clearly that you are not infected, everything will be fine. If you don’t surrender they’ll shoot to kill.”

I didn’t believe him. Not about the shooting to kill part, that I did believe. But about the part where if we explain to them our situation and surrender, everything will be fine. I didn’t believe that at all. No one else did, and I could tell by the tone of his voice that Kenji didn’t believe himself either.

We looked at each other then, reading each other’s thoughts, coming to an unspoken agreement. If we see any soldiers, run. Run as fast as you can. Run like you were about to get shot. Because the reality was, you were probably about to get shot.

“OK, everyone ready?” Kim asked.

We all nodded our heads. There was no enthusiastic, ‘hell yeah! Let’s do this!’ But I think we were as ready as we could’ve been.

Kenji and I began our climb to the top floor. It didn’t take long for my legs to start burning. Kenji powered on without complaint.

“How do you stay so fit?” I asked him between deep breaths.

“You have to stay strong,” he said. “If you’re not strong, you’re dead.”

I saw his point. I had to keep reminding myself that he wasn’t the same person I used to know. I’m sure underneath the uniform and all the training he was still the great guy I sort of fell in love with. But he had this whole other life that I knew nothing about.

“What was it like out there?” I asked in an attempt to bridge the gap. “On the front line?”

“Sometimes it was all right,” he said. “Sometimes it was lonely. And other times it was hell.”

“So why did you do it?”

He shook his head. “I’m not really sure. I think my father always wanted me to become this great warrior. He would always go on and on about how our ancestors were these famous Samurai, and about how he served in World War Two. That’s why he sent me to military school. It was the first step. I was mad at him because he didn’t even consult with me. He just went ahead and signed me up. Part of the reason I ran away from school and joined the Marines was to get back at him. Part of the reason was because I wanted to see if I could do it, to see if I had that warrior’s blood in me. I didn’t want to drag you into any of it. I was just so lost and angry. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“You could’ve told me.”

He stopped climbing the steps. He pulled out a letter from his top pocket and handed it to me. “I wrote this the day I left. I don’t know why I never gave it to you. I keep it in my pocket all the time. Everywhere I go. So you’re with me. Right next to my heart. I didn’t know how to tell you, so I wrote it down.”

I took the letter and held it in my hand. It felt warm. I wanted to read it right then and there, to devour every last hand written word. But I didn’t get the chance. The radio crackled to life.

“Mayday! Mayday!”

My heart sunk.

Kenji unclipped the radio and spoke into the receiver. “Kim? Is that you? What’s wrong?”

Our prediction about the radios not working very well was right. They couldn’t hear us.

“Kenji? Rebecca? Are you there?” Kim was frantic. Her voice was full of fear and panic. “Maria’s been bitten. Repeat. Maria has been bitten. It’s not safe here. We have to leave!”