After the direct order from DC Jones, I went from home to home to advise people to stay in inside while trying to forget the insanity that had transpired back at the entry hall.

As I shuffled my heavy feet around the corridor, the only thing that came to mind to describe the ludicrous occurrence was the word ‘Zombie’.

I had, of course, read about zombies on my free time and I had seen them on the TV, but to actually see a corpse come back to life in front of me, it somehow didn’t register at all on my head while at the same time, it created a sense of unreal that gave me a deep vertigo-like feeling.

Between morbid thoughts about both the dead corpses, I came back to the busy crime scene and did true police work for the first time by starting to yellow tape the entrance while standing guard for anyone who wanted to peek inside.

As I look insede the apartment's corridor I see the sobbing Alice and the stone-faced Jones inspect the now dead detective while I carefully unwrapp the yellow tape.

It didn’t sit well with me that if it was truly the rise of the dead, then being so close to one of ‘those’ things was the smartest move to make, but because I was nothing but a rookie that would be labeled as insane for even suggesting the word zombie, I kept my opinion to myself.

*Sigh*

What had been a normal morning that started with me patrolling the calm 5th avenue, was rapidly turning into a horror novel that defied the logic of all known science. I still trembled at the image of the fast moving hand hitting the temple of the third detective, and my knees hurt due to the uncontrollable tremble.

But deep down, I know that something has changed.

Something fundamentally established was molding itself to fit a new pattern that would lead the human spices into an uncontrollable spiral of chaos.

“Rook, you don’t look well so maybe you should leave and go home?

I’m sure this is just too much for someone who hasn’t been on the force even for a week to take in.”

Focusing on the present again, I notice that the hardened face of DC Jones looks tired and still in shock. With a negative shake of my head, I struggle to speak any words that could lessen the burden on his shoulder and simply say.

“Sir, I-I will stay here until the paramedics arrive, it wouldn't be fair to both of you to stay here while I go along my merry way, as if this...” I say while pointing towards the red wall. “Never happened in the first place.”

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

With a small semblance of a smile, Jones pats me on my right shoulder while his voice lowers to a low rumble.

“We, and when I say we, I mean Detective Kim and I think that this might go deeper than just some’ mere natural virus.” As he speaks, I notice the darkening of Jones tone until its nothing more than an abrasive, anger filled whisper. “This been’ said before by the counter-terrorism division, but there was some suspicion that ‘Hide’.”

With a frown due to my cramped face, Jones asks me. “You know about Hide, right?”

“Yes sir, I do know about them.” Clutching my hands at the mention of Hide I continue to speak with a more dark undertone. “After 2001 and the terrorist attack that shook the nation, various foreign and domestic terrorist groups were formed to imitate Al-Jada, but after several years Al-Jada became almost extinct and lead to the next generation of vicious terrorists.

They became known as ‘Hide’ and in 2013 they started to recruit people to commit atrocities mostly in the middle east.

By 2017 they had successfully destroyed the building that was called ‘freedom’ erected in the memory of the destruction of the iconic Eagle building done by Al-Jada.”

Grinding my teeth I try to continue the story that hits a sore spot deep down.

“A lot of speculation about the unknown leader was made, until in 2020, where they found that the unknown identity of the mysterious person was actually an American called Steve O'Neil who was the ex-director of the former CIA. It is believed that he funds the group and has been in hiding ever since.”

Nodding with a solemn face, Jones adds to my monologue.

“And the reason why I was here even before someone like you, who was patrolling the streets so close, is that I have reasons to believe that this guy...” With a long and accusing finger, he points towards the undead person. “Is one of the senior members of Hide that came here unnoticed by us to buy what I suspect is a new type of pathological agent.”

Feelings of anger surface to my skin as I contain myself just enough that I don’t profane the hole-filled remains of the dead man.

Taking a deep breath, I steady my heart rate as I scan the hard looking veteran and say.

“So this guy here was a Hide member?

Where is this, hum...pathological agent?”

“I’m not sure how to reply to both of your question’s but what I know, kid, is that this guy here wasn’t entirely truthful while speaking with the TSA and raised some major red flags. He might just be a random person or he might just be a high-level member of Hide, but at this point, I don’t have any concrete evidence.”

Scratching his platinum hair, I watch as Jones changes his weight from one foot to another.

“Anyways, Gerrera went downstairs to call backup and they will probably call the FBI and the CDC, so you should really go home kid.”

A part of me is torn between staying here, so I can gain privilege knowledge on Hide and the other part of me screams that the place I currently am is dangerous due to a possible virus running around in the stale and putrid air.

Dropping my shoulders to look at the pristine white ceiling I sigh as the waves of different emotion run through my body and I isolate my thoughts while hearing Jones leave me to myself.

After a couple of minutes of a mental duel between two very angry parts of myself, I gaze at both detectives who went about their business and I slowly turn around while I am strangely hit with an old and forgotten emotion.

Longing for my dead father.