Chapter 122 120 - Ghosts on the sea

The three men made their way through the carrier's corridors, heading toward the island and the Flag Bridge. They had been summoned by the Rear Admiral, though none of them had been told what the meeting was about.

Merrick glanced around as they passed a group of sailors. The atmosphere aboard the ship had changed considerably over the past few weeks. People still went about their duties, but there was little conversation, and even fewer smiles. Most seemed lost in their own thoughts, simply going through the motions.

He couldn't blame them. After everything that had happened, it was difficult to imagine anyone feeling particularly optimistic.

"Wonder what the admiral wants from us this time," Merrick remarked, looking ahead. "Whatever it is, I wouldn't mind getting off this ship for a while. Even if it means dealing with all the infected roaming around Norfolk."

Rorke gave a quiet nod. "Can't say I disagree. Morale's so low around here it's starting to get depressing."

Elias remained quiet for a moment, his eyes briefly following a pair of sailors as they disappeared around a corner.

"Four months ago, we were in Afghanistan, fighting a war. Now we're back home, and there's barely a country left to come back to."

Elias glanced at the sailors passing them. "Most of these people don't know if their families are alive, if they're dead, or if they're out there wandering the streets among the living dead. They're wondering what happened to the people they left behind, and what the hell they're supposed to do now."

He fell silent for a moment.

"Can't say I blame them."

For a few moments, the only sounds were the steady hum of the ship and their footsteps against the deck.

After a moment of silence, Rorke glanced at Elias.

"You're planning on going after your boys as soon as we get the chance, aren't you?"

Elias met his gaze and gave a firm nod.

"Yeah. I'm going to find them."

Merrick looked over at him. "You managed to get in touch?"

"Yeah. The SATCOM's still operational. We managed to get a message through."

Elias paused briefly. "They're still in California. From what they've told me, they're with a group that's found somewhere safe to stay. For now, at least."

"Good," Merrick said, giving a small nod. "At least you know where they are."

"Yeah. I'm just glad I left them that manpack HF radio before I deployed. Told them to use it if they ever needed to reach me in an emergency." Elias let out a quiet breath. "Considering everything that's happened, knowing they're safe is a hell of a relief."

Rorke gave him a brief nod. He didn't need to say anything; he understood what finding out that your family was still alive meant, especially after everything they'd been through.

Merrick seemed equally relieved for him. Most of the people aboard didn't have that reassurance, and he knew how much that uncertainty was weighing on them.

Their conversation came to an end as they reached the entrance to the Flag Bridge. A sailor standing nearby acknowledged them and stepped aside, allowing the three men to enter.

The three men entered the Flag Bridge, where several naval officers were gathered around the central plotting table. At the far end stood the Rear Admiral, who turned toward them as they approached.

Elias stopped a few paces away.

"Admiral. You wanted to see us?"

"Captain Walker." The Rear Admiral acknowledged him before looking at the other two. "Gentlemen. Thank you for coming. We have a situation."

He gestured toward a display showing the fleet's current position and the vessels operating alongside the carrier.

"One of our escorts, the USS Mason, has been compromised."

Merrick glanced at the display. "What happened?"

"An outbreak. It's taken place aboard the Mason. We don't know exactly how it started. None of her crew were involved in the operations ashore, and as far as we know, they hadn't taken anyone aboard recently."

"How bad is it?" Elias asked.

"Bad enough that they've lost control of most of the ship. The captain and a handful of his crew managed to secure themselves on the bridge. We've been in contact with them since the outbreak began. They've barricaded the entrances and are holding their position, but they can't remain there indefinitely."

Merrick folded his arms. "And you want us to clear it out?"

"Yes. I need your team to secure the ship, eliminate the infected, and get the survivors out. If possible, I'd also like you to determine what started the outbreak. We can't afford to have something like this happen aboard another vessel."

Rorke looked at the display for a moment before turning back to the admiral.

"So, let me get this straight. We've got a destroyer full of infected, a captain and his crew trapped on the bridge, and you want us to go in and clean house."

"That's correct."

Rorke gave a short nod. "Well, I've had worse assignments. At least this time we know where the trouble is. We'll get your people out."

Elias nodded in agreement. "We'll get it done, Admiral."

His eyes briefly returned to the display.

"Though this is going to be another hit to morale. People are already wondering if there's anything left for them back home. Now they'll have to worry about what's happening aboard the ships they're supposed to be safe on."

The Rear Admiral let out a tired sigh.

"I'm aware, Captain. Believe me, I am." He rubbed a hand over his face before continuing. "That's part of the reason I've decided we can't stay here any longer. We've spent enough time off Norfolk, and every day we remain here is another day we're sitting idle while people are dying on the mainland."

He looked toward the map again, this time at the coast further north.

"I've ordered the fleet to prepare to leave. Our next destination is Washington, D.C. If there are still organized survivors anywhere along the East Coast, there's a good chance they'll be there. At the very least, it's worth finding out."

Merrick exchanged a brief glance with Elias and Rorke.

"Understood," Elias replied. "We'll take care of the Mason first."

"Good." The admiral looked at the three men. "I'll have the ship's latest status and available intelligence sent to you. I want those survivors brought back alive."

"Copy that," Merrick said.

Rorke gave one last look at the display. "Let's hope the captain has enough coffee left to keep his people awake until we get there."

Elias gave him a brief glance, then turned toward the exit.

"Come on. Let's get ready."

•••

The RHIB cut through the water, its engines carrying the small team toward the USS Mason. The destroyer sat a short distance from the carrier, maintaining its position alongside the rest of the fleet.

From a distance, the ship appeared almost normal. There were no visible signs of damage, no smoke rising from its superstructure, and no movement on the exposed decks. Yet everyone aboard the RHIB knew what had happened there.

Elias stood near the bow, one hand gripping the railing while the other rested against his rifle. Rorke and Merrick stood nearby, their weapons already prepared. The rest of the small team remained quiet, keeping their attention on the approaching vessel.

As they drew alongside, the coxswain slowed the RHIB and carefully brought it against the destroyer's hull. A boarding ladder had been secured along the side, giving them a way up to the deck.

One by one, the men climbed aboard.

Elias was among the first to reach the deck. The moment his boots touched the steel surface, he brought his rifle up and began checking his surroundings. Merrick followed, covering the opposite direction, while Rorke moved a few steps away to check the nearby structures and equipment.

The rest of the team spread out behind them, weapons raised and eyes moving across the deck.

Nothing.

There were no infected in sight. No one wandering between the equipment or staggering near the railings. The deck was deserted, with only the distant hum of the ship's machinery breaking the silence.

Elias slowly scanned the area once more before lowering his rifle slightly.

"Clear so far," he said quietly.

Merrick glanced toward the nearby superstructure. "Doesn't mean much. They could all be below deck."

"Yeah," Rorke replied, checking the entrance ahead. "Let's hope the captain's still got his people holding out."

Elias nodded and took another moment to survey the surrounding deck before turning toward the others.

"All right. We'll split into two teams."

He looked at Merrick and Keegan.

"Me, Merrick and Russ will take the upper decks. We'll make our way to the bridge, secure the captain and whoever's still with him, then work our way through the remaining compartments."

He turned toward Rorke.

"You'll take Ajax and Riley. Check the lower decks, starting with the engineering spaces and working your way through the compartments.

Watch your corners and don't leave anything unchecked."

Rorke gave a brief nod. "Understood."

Elias looked around at the assembled Ghosts.

"We've done this several times already. You know what to expect, and you know how to handle yourselves. Keep your spacing, watch each other's backs, and don't take unnecessary risks. We get the survivors out, then we figure out what happened aboard this ship."

"Sounds simple enough," Rorke remarked, adjusting his grip on his rifle. "Let's try not to make a mess of it."

Merrick gave him a sideways glance. "Bit late for that, considering what's waiting for us."

"Then let's get started," Elias said.

The two groups separated, with Elias, Merrick and Keegan heading toward the nearest access passage leading to the upper decks, while Rorke, Ajax and Riley moved toward the stairs leading below.

It didn't take long for Elias, Merrick and Keegan to notice the first signs of what had happened aboard the destroyer.

Dark stains marked the deck near one of the entrances, with several bloody handprints smeared across the exterior wall. There were also streaks leading toward the doorway, as though someone had been wounded and dragged themselves inside.

Elias paused briefly, examining the marks before looking toward the entrance.

"Looks like they had a fight here," Merrick muttered.

"Yeah," Elias replied. "Stay sharp."

Keegan moved slightly to the side, checking the area around the doorway before giving them a signal that it was clear. Elias approached the entrance, carefully checking the interior before stepping inside.

The passageway beyond was dimly lit. A few overhead lights were still working, casting an uneven glow across the narrow corridor. The air carried the unmistakable smell of blood, mixed with the stale, enclosed atmosphere of a ship that had been sealed for too long.

They advanced slowly, checking each doorway and intersection as they went.

The signs of the struggle became more apparent the farther they moved. Bullet holes pockmarked the walls, some clustered around doorways, while spent shell casings were scattered across the deck. A damaged light fixture hung from the ceiling, and a few pieces of equipment had been knocked over or broken.

Elias glanced down at the casings.

"Same as the other ships," he said quietly.

Merrick nodded. They had seen similar scenes during previous boarding operations: sailors trying to contain the outbreak, firing on their infected crewmates, and eventually losing control of the situation.

A low groan came from somewhere ahead.

All three men immediately stopped.

Keegan shifted his rifle toward the sound, while Merrick moved closer to the opposite wall. Elias signalled for them to hold position, then slowly advanced toward the intersection.

A figure emerged from the adjoining passage.

It was a sailor, or at least what remained of one. His uniform was torn and soaked with blood, and several dark wounds were visible across his chest and shoulder. His skin was pale, his movements unsteady, and his mouth hung open as he let out another low groan.

The infected sailor turned toward them.

Elias raised his rifle and fired a controlled shot. The round struck the infected in the head, dropping him to the deck.

They waited a moment, listening for any movement nearby.

Another groan answered from further down the passage.

"Contact," Keegan said quietly.

A second infected appeared, followed by another figure staggering out from a nearby doorway. Both wore Navy uniforms, their clothing ripped and stained with blood. One had several apparent bullet wounds across his torso, while the other's sleeve was almost completely torn away.

Merrick brought his rifle up.

"Looks like some of the crew tried to fight their way through."

"Keep moving," Elias replied.

The three Ghosts engaged the approaching infected, firing carefully to avoid wasting ammunition. One dropped almost immediately, while the other continued forward for another step before a shot to the head put it down.

They continued through the passageway, checking the nearby compartments as they advanced. More infected personnel appeared along the way, some wandering aimlessly through the corridors, others emerging from rooms when they heard the gunfire. Even with the suppressors and the subsonic bullets, it was impossible to fully erase the sound of the weapons firing, especially in an enclosed space.

The uniforms of the infected bore the same signs of violence, torn fabric, bloodstains, and occasional bullet wounds.

Elias, Merrick and Keegan dealt with each one before continuing toward the bridge.

They had encountered scenes like this before, but that didn't make the sight of former sailors any less grim. These people had been part of the same fleet, serving aboard a ship that had once been their home. Now they were just another obstacle between the Ghosts and the survivors waiting on the bridge.

Elias checked the next intersection before signalling the others forward.

"Come on. We're getting close."

The three men continued toward the upper levels, their weapons raised and their attention fixed on the corridors ahead.

Elias was checking the next passageway when the radio on his vest crackled.

"Rorke to Elias. You copy?"

Elias stopped and pressed the button on his radio.

"Go ahead."

"We found someone alive down here. One of the sailors. He was hiding inside a storage locker when we came across him."

"Is he injured?"

"Nothing serious from what I can tell. Scared out of his mind, though. Can't really blame him."

"Have you secured the area?"

"Yeah. We're checking the surrounding compartments now."

"All right. Get him somewhere safe and see if you can find out what happened."

There was a brief pause before Rorke spoke again.

"Already asked him a few questions. Apparently, it all started when one of the crew took his own life."

Elias exchanged a brief glance with Merrick.

"What?"

"That's what he told us. One of the sailors apparently killed himself. They found his body, but before they could do anything with it, he got back up and attacked the others."

Elias frowned.

"You're telling me the outbreak started with a suicide?"

"That's what the survivor believes. Says nobody knew what was happening. They thought the guy was dead, naturally. Then he started moving again and went after the nearest person."

Merrick leaned slightly toward Elias, listening to the radio.

"Did he say if the sailor had been infected before he died?"

Elias pressed the transmit button again.

"Rorke, did the survivor mention whether the sailor had been bitten or showing any signs of infection beforehand?"

"Negative. From what he remembers, the guy seemed fine before it happened. They only realised something was wrong after he came back."

Elias was silent for a moment, considering the information.

"All right. Keep him with you. We'll compare notes once we reach the bridge."

"Roger that. Rorke out."

The radio fell silent.

Merrick looked at Elias. "That's a hell of a way for things to start."

"Yeah," Elias replied, his expression still serious. "Let's find out if there's more to it."

He turned back toward the passageway, raising his rifle again.

"Come on. The captain might be able to tell us more."

A few minutes later, Elias, Merrick and Keegan reached the final passageway leading toward the bridge. They had encountered several more infected along the way, but none had managed to get close enough to pose a serious threat. With most of the upper decks secured, they were finally approaching their objective.

Elias stopped in front of the heavy door leading to the bridge and knocked firmly.

"Captain! Ghost team! We're here to get you out!"

There was an immediate response from inside. After a few seconds, they heard movement as the crew began removing whatever they had placed against the entrance.

The door opened, revealing a Navy officer holding a pistol. Behind him, several sailors were gathered around the bridge's consoles, some carrying rifles while others watched the entrance anxiously.

The captain's eyes settled on the three men standing outside. He had been informed that a spec ops team was coming to rescue them, but seeing their skull-patterned masks up close was still rather unsettling.

"Captain Walker?" he asked.

"That's right," Elias replied. "We've secured most of the upper decks. There are still infected aboard, but we've got a way through."

The captain stepped aside, allowing them to enter.

"Thank God. We weren't sure how long we'd be able to hold this position."

Elias briefly surveyed the bridge. The surviving sailors looked shaken, their uniforms stained with blood and their expressions reflecting the events of the past several hours.

"How many survivors do you have?"

"Eight, including myself," the captain answered. "We've been holding here since the outbreak started."

"Has everyone been checked for infection?"

"Yes. It was the first thing we did after locking ourselves in." Answered the captain, his voice a little shaky.

"All right. We'll get you off this ship."

The captain nodded, visibly relieved.

"Appreciate it, Captain. I was beginning to think we'd be stuck here until we ran out of ammunition."

Merrick glanced around the bridge. "Well, let's make sure that doesn't happen."

Elias turned back toward the captain.

"Before we leave, I need to know exactly what happened here. One of your crew survived and told us how this started, but I'd like to hear your account as well."

The captain nodded.

"I can't give you the full picture. The first report I received was about a sailor on the lower decks who had apparently taken his own life."

"What happened after that?" Merrick asked.

"I was preparing to follow the usual procedures. Have the death confirmed, notify the appropriate personnel, secure the area and arrange for the body to be handled. But before I could get any further, reports started coming in about crew members attacking one another."

He paused, glancing toward the bridge windows.

"At first, we thought it was some kind of disturbance due to low morale. Then the reports became more frequent. People were being bitten, attacked... and some of those we'd already considered dead were getting back up."

Elias exchanged a brief glance with Merrick.

"Did anyone actually see the sailor who took his own life get back up?"

"I don't know. I never received a direct report about that. By the time I realised how serious things had become, the situation was already out of control."

Elias nodded. It was consistent with what Rorke had heard from the survivor below decks, although there were still plenty of unanswered questions.

"All right. We'll look into it."

He turned toward the communications console.

"Captain, I need to report our progress to the admiral."

"Of course. Go ahead."

Elias approached the console and picked up the handset. After establishing contact with the carrier, he spoke.

"Ghost Actual to Overlord. Radio check."

"Overlord. Go ahead, Ghost Actual."

"Sir, we've reached the bridge. The captain and seven other crew members are alive and accounted for. They're secured with our team. We've cleared most of the upper decks and are preparing to finish securing the ship."

"Good work, Captain. Any further information about what happened aboard the Mason?"

"Somewhat, sir. The first reported incident involved a sailor who had taken his own life. The captain was preparing to follow the usual procedures when reports of crew members attacking one another started coming in. One of the survivors we found below decks claims the sailor's body got back up and attacked the others."

There was a brief pause.

"Understood. Continue with the operation and make sure the remaining compartments are secured. I want the survivors brought back safely."

"Yes, sir."

"There's also something I'd like to discuss with you once you're back aboard the carrier, Captain. Something important. We'll talk when you've finished securing the Mason."

Elias glanced briefly toward Merrick and Keegan.

"Understood, sir. We'll get it done."

"Overlord out."

Elias placed the handset back on its cradle.

Merrick looked over at him. "Something important?"

"That's what he said."

"Guess we'll find out soon enough," Keegan remarked.

Elias nodded and turned toward the others.

"Let's finish clearing this ship. We can worry about the admiral's meeting afterward."

With that, the three Ghosts prepared to continue the operation.

••••••

By the time Elias, Rorke and Merrick finished their meeting with the Rear Admiral, the fleet had already begun preparing for its next departure.

The three men made their way through the carrier's corridors, eventually reaching the area where the remaining Ghosts had gathered. Keegan, Ajax and Riley were among them, along with the other operators who had accompanied them during the evacuation from Afghanistan.

Rorke dropped into an available seat, removing his gloves as Merrick leaned against a nearby bulkhead. Elias remained standing, looking around at the others.

"So?" Ajax asked, breaking the silence. "What was the meeting about?"

Rorke let out a breath and shook his head.

"Well, we've got some pretty damn interesting news."

"That good, huh?" Ajax remarked.

"Not exactly." Rorke glanced around at the others. "The carrier managed to establish contact with the International Space Station. Apparently, they've been trying to reach anyone they can on the ground, and they picked up our transmissions."

"ISS?" Keegan asked. "They're still up there?"

"Yeah. And they've got a pretty good idea of what's happening down here."

Elias took over.

"According to their crew, the virus has spread across the entire planet. There isn't any unaffected individual in the whole world. The dead are coming back, regardless of how they died."

The room fell quiet.

"What do you mean, regardless?" Riley asked.

"I mean exactly that," Elias replied. "It doesn't matter if someone gets bitten or dies from something completely unrelated. Once they're dead, they come back. As one of those things."

For a moment, nobody said anything.

"You're telling me..." Ajax began, but trailed off.

"Yeah," Rorke interrupted. "Even if someone dies of old age, gets shot, has a heart attack, whatever the hell it is. They'll get back up."

Keegan folded his arms.

"Which means every hospital, every battlefield, every place where people died without having their heads destroyed..."

"Have become another outbreak site," Elias finished.

The revelation settled heavily among the operators. They had spent months fighting the infected, believing that the virus was something people caught. The idea that death itself was enough to turn someone into one of them changed everything.

"Jesus Christ," Keegan muttered.

"There's more," Elias continued. "The ISS crew also told the admiral that there are still organised survivors on the mainland. Apparently, Georgia has some functioning military forces, settlements and a few areas that have managed to hold out."

"Georgia?" Ajax asked.

"That's right. The military there is still somewhat active. They've apparently managed to establish some form of organised presence."

Rorke leaned back in his seat.

"So, after all this time, we might finally have somewhere to go."

"The admiral has already made the decision," Elias said. "We're heading toward Georgia. Savannah will be our destination."

Keegan raised an eyebrow. "And we're supposed to just take their word for it?"

"The ISS crew has been in contact with the people there. It's the best lead we've had so far."

Rorke gave a small nod.

"Well, better than sitting off Norfolk waiting for anything else to happen."

Elias looked around at the others.

"We'll know more once we make contact with them. Until then, stay ready. We've got a long way to go."

Nobody argued.

For the first time in weeks, the fleet had a destination and a reason to believe there might still be something worth returning to on the mainland.