Dead Reign

Thanks for the hits and thanks for the review. I'll try and keep writing on this. I got few stories I'm writing, so updating will be werid. But I hope you like the first chapter. Thanks ^.^


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A soft breeze blew across the moors of Ebony a hundred years after the Calming; a small region in the north of the main continent. Most people call the small area of woods and marshes, Back Country. In this remote place of the world stand the small domes of “Apple-town” In truth the structures are not as grand or safe as the bigger cities further south, but the small population liked Back Country fine.
The sun had set about an hour ago, covering the landscape in near pitch darkness. Only the moon and the external lights of the dome lit up the dismal environment. Looking out, one would think there was no life, except for the inhabitants of the dome, but how wrong that observation is. Lurking with the shadows outside the dome, six figures slink around the perimeter; appearing to be moving shadows themselves. However, taking a closer look, you would see they were not shadows, but people.
Key sloshed through the thick mud that covered the ground. It had been raining a lot lately, in fact tonight was the first time she could see the moon and stars in over a week. She had really missed the clear night sky. She really wished she could take off her heavy helmet and feel the breeze. Then again beggars cannot be choosers; patrolling was the only time she could be outside of the hamster ball or as she liked to called the dome. Key hated being locked up in that dome, she much rather the outside with its dangers then stuck inside; like a caged animal. However, indoor life was the price she had to pay by living in Apple-town.
Key once lived happily with her parents on a farm near the Valley of the Wind. There the village didn’t have a dome for protection. Their Hunter Squadron was the best on the main continent. Although, with living without a dome on a planet full of zombies, you eventually have to pay a price and Key paid with the lives of her parents. Both eaten alive by a pack of zombies when she was young; with both her parents gone she had to move here in Apple-town with her grandmother. If anything good happen out of her tragedy was that Key got the motivation to never be weak again. That is why she currently finds herself as co-captain and on the A Squadron of Apple-town.
Key was brought out of her musings by a voice from her ear piece.
“Key, your being left behind” came a soft, female voice over the piece.
“Copy, sorry Midna” Key replied.
Key huffed, shifted her AK forty-seven and repositioned herself closer to her squad.

“Movement dead ahead” came the deep voice of her Capitan, Roger McCloud. “Blueberry any visual?” he asked to his ear piece.
“Don’t call me that, and you have what looks to be five dead north” Midna replied.
“C…can’t you give us more” said the shaky voice of a young rookie.
“No”
“Hey you aren’t out putting you life on the line!” shouted the rookie.
Ha, now Key remembered why she hated taking rookie’s out on the field. They talked big in training, but as soon as they stepped foot outside the dome and face their first zombie they turn into pussies.
“Enough!” Barked Roger “If you can’t handle the pressure, Sam then return to the dome alone”
The rookie took in a shaky breath, but remained quiet.
Key huffed in annoyance, “Due north from our position, right Midna?”
“Yes, that’s what the monitor reads. So far no other detectable movement”
“Copy that”
“Okay team lets press forward with caution. Rookies stay close and whatever you do don’t fire without permission unless your life is in immediate peril” Order Roger as he took the lead.
Life as a member on a squadron is hard. A person takes his or her life in their hands each time they go out. A squadron’s primary function is to maintain security in or around the dome. That means clearing the area of unwanted zombies. A very dangerous job, where anything can go wrong, and Key loved it to death. Her dream was to be the best hunter in the business.

Key brought up the rear, as the group moved forward. It didn’t take long for their prey to be spotted. In the green screen of the night vision mode, the clumsy, wobbling bodies of the zombies appeared. Most likely the creatures were unaware of the groups presence, since their uniforms made them blend into the darkness and were odorless (zombies depend on their sense of smell, which is equivalent to that of a dogs’).
The squad was ready to make their attack. Key raised her gun and took aim, waiting for Roger’s go ahead…
Suddenly!

A large blob came from the right, entering the middle of the formation. A sixth zombie had wondered right into them. Key shifted to shoot the newcomer, she would have ended the surprise quickly, that if the rookies didn’t panic, which they did. Against their commander’s wishes, fear quickly took over the three rookies and they began shooting wildly.
Key had to drop to the ground to avoid the rain of rounds currently flying through the air.
“Shit!” she hissed. Key could vaguely hear Roger yelling over the ear piece.
After a few minutes of ferocious gunfire there was silence. The rookies calmed down. The aftermath revealed a corpse blasted full of more holes than Swiss cheese, and the loss of their intended targets, which apparently had enough sense to retreat.
“Targets lost” commented Key off-handedly.
“GOD FUCKING DAMNIT! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?” roared Roger.
“Everything okay?” asked Midna.
“FINE, we’re returning to the dome” muttered Roger.
Fantastic, now Key’s evening was ruined. Back to the hamster ball, Key thought miserably.
The team slowly made their way to the entrance, all of them unaware of the calculating pair of rust colored eyes watching them.

“De-tox Commencing” came a mechanical voice as white mist showered the squad. After a minute of spay, tick metal doors opened to a small room. “De-tox complete, welcome back”
The weary figures entered the chamber and began to strip off their gear. The room eerie silent as its occupants changed silently.
The calm before the storm, thought Key. She could feel the anger coming off Roger in waves. Poor rookies, she thought.
The first thing to go was the helmet. The suffocating item popped off Kee’s head, revealing short, messy, black hair. Olive colored skin looked dull in the dim light of the room. Green eyes blinked slowly to adjust to the greater amount of light. Key then proceeded to take off her body armor to reveal her feminine body hiding underneath. Key was an average female; not too tall, lean but strong, medium sized breasts, and shapely hips; nothing to really catch the eye, but enough to regard her as attractive; too bad that appearance was the bottom of the list for Key. As a squad member, she hardly had time to waste on attracting a mate. Besides that, she didn’t have any interest in the opposite sex anyhow, after-all her future mate would be chosen for her anyway. Selective breeding was common among squads, members mated with each other to produce strong offspring suited for a hunter’s life. Some would call it unfair, but in these times, humans had to do all that they could to survive, especially those of the Back Country.
In the minutes that followed the teams entrance into the dome, Key had finally stripped of her armor and now stood in a simple grey tank top and tight, black short shorts; waiting for further instructions from her Capitan.

Roger was almost finished with his undressing. Key had to admit, (to herself not out aloud) that Roger was attractive. Actually, most of the women of the town lusted after the Adonis. Roger McCloud, 26, was tall at 6’4, well muscled, board shoulders and a chest to match; extenuated his masculinity. Short, spiky, blond hair barely reached the bottom of his neck, and intense green eyes could send shivers of pleasure to any woman or fear into any man. The number seventeen was tattooed in black on his pale, left cheek along with a scar and the words “Black Ops” was tattooed on his right bicep. (Key often wondered about the strange markings, but never thought to ask the man) All and all, Roger McCloud was a formidable man, which earned him the title of Captain of Apple-town. No one, being it zombie or human wanted to be on the receiving end of Rogers’s wrath. Unfortunately, the rookies would soon have to face the raging beast that was their Capitan.
With the last bit of armor removed from his person, Roger faced his squad. The rookies stood in a line, trembling in fear.
“That…” Roger began, “Has got to be the worst field test I’ve ever seen” His voice was low and dangerous. “You directly ignored my warning and put your selves and the others in danger by shooting wildly. What if you had hit a fellow member? Or if there had been more zombies? I have never been more disgusted. Sam, Will, George; you all are…suspended from active duty. You will repeat simulation training again.” Roger barked.
The three were about to protest the harsh punishment from their Capitan, but one glare from Roger shut them up quickly. “You all are dismissed. Thomas set up the training field for later today. “
“Yes, sir”
The men saluted and left. Key remained, with an annoyed look on her face.
“What’s your problem?” asked Roger, swiping his hand through his tangled locks.
“What about me?” asked Key, with irritation clear in her voice. He’s doing it again, she thought annoyed.
“What about you? You are dismissed, get some rest” Roger replied, confused with his co-captain’s behavior.
“Why let Thomas train them? Let me; I’m more qualified”
“Because, I need you on active duty while the rookies are being retrained” replied Roger.
“With Thomas and me, the training would go faster”
“I doubt that, those kids are hardly worthy of being on the squad.”
“Then why are they?”
“Because, we are short handed and we need the man power. I would have dismissed them completely for that fiasco, but we need them”
“Ha, you, I, and Thomas can handle active duty ourselves”
“Wrong, we’ll be on inner perimeter patrol until the rookies are ready to try again”
“What! Bullshit! I can go on my own outside”
“No. Look I’m tried lets discuss this later” stated Roger, wanting to end the argument before another fight came up.
“Hell no, you’re doing it again. You sheltering me!” shouted Key.
“Your crazy” muttered Roger, heading for the door.
“Don’t walk away from me!”
“Look its not that, we short handed is all. I don’t have to defend myself for this.”
Key only response was to glare hatefully at her captain; Roger, in response, took a deep breath and walked back towards his co-captain. Two large hands settled on Key’s lean shoulders. “Key, I know your strong, its just I don’t want to lose anymore people, okay; especially you. You are my co-captain and…well…you mean a lot to me” Roger whispered the last part.
It was no secret that Roger had feeling for Key. Her fiery spirit and spunk had interested him since she first arrived. Hell, by this point Roger was confident enough to say he was in love with the girl. Too bad it was one-sided.
Key slowly pulled away from Roger, staring him in the eye. “Stop sheltering me, Roger. I can take care of myself, I’m not weak” she stated and left the room. Key didn’t feel like dealing with emotions right now. She left a rejected Roger McCloud, to pick up the pieces of his emotions.
“One day, Key, one of these days you’ll see” Roger muttered. He faked a smile before leaving as well. The one thing about Roger, you could beat him down, and he would still get up.

Key marched herself down the hall, huffing the whole way. God its enough that he treats me like a useless damsel in distress, but then to turn around and use the “I care about you” crap on me, to change subject. God he can be such an ass, Key thought irritably. The woman was so distracted in her minds rant, she hardly notice when she mowed down her female friend that was coming the opposite of the hall.
“Hey” called the familiar, soft voice from the ear piece.
“Huh? Oh, sorry Midna” stated Key, as she steadied her wobbly friend. Key gazed at her friend of seven plus years, Midna Toros, the head tech of the dome. She oversaw all the functions of the dome, from food growing, air purification, to monitoring the outside of the dome.
Midna was twenty-five, an inch or so shorter than Key, and lighter complexion then Key (but still tanned). People called her blueberry, since her hair was a light electric blue. She wore her waist long hair in low pigtails on her front while the top of her head was messy, frizzy, and stuck out in every direction. Large green eyes decorated her child-like face, along with some freckles. Midna had a smaller frame then her friend, but she did have a bigger bust and hips then her friend. Actually, Midna had a bit of a complex when it came to her double D’s, so she hid her womanly appearance with baggie pants, baggie shirts, and a long white lab coat. Hard to imagine with a body like hers, she didn’t have much self confidence.
“It’s okay, you seem mad, Roger again?” asked the timid girl.
“Yeah” grumbled Key. Midna understood without asking too much. Roger really liked Key, but key saw him as a friend/rival, but mostly a rival. Midna couldn’t understand why Key wouldn’t give Roger the time of day, hell; she would in a heart beat. Any woman would, but sadly Roger had only eyes for Key, and the unfairness of it all that the two would certainly be paired for breeding. All that man would be Key’s and she wouldn’t appreciate it. Midna really envied her best friend.
“You two will never change” smiled Midna.
“Whatever, lets go and get something to eat” muttered Key.
“Okay” chirped Midna following her friend obediently. “So what happened outside? The monitor showed a fuss”
“Rookies got spooked and shot everything in sight” replied Key.
“Oh, it must have been the other zombie. Sorry I didn’t detect it”
“It’s okay; it’s not your fault”
Midna gave a small, sad smile. She still felt bad for not watching for the surprise zombie. However, the entire event was water under the bridge. No one could guess that in a short amount of time, that shit would hit the fan, for those rust colored eyes still watched, their owner making calculations.