The Fight to Survive: The Harran Chronicles. (Closed to DrekSilverBorn)

[IntriguedLover]

*This thread is closed to myself and DrekSilverBorn. It is a story based in the Dying Light Universe.*
*Dying Light is an Action Roleplaying/Survival Horror video game. Information about it here - Dying Light Wiki*

* Character Profile: Alexandrah Leigh Beckett (Alex to Friends, Beck to Co-Workers) * Height: 5'10" * Slim yet muscular figure *
Fuchsia-colored short-bob cut hair * Police Captain from Southern Chicago sent to help in the effort to curb the infection in Harran City and Countryside. *
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/b9/34/81/b9348173974ccbbf8364a3076cb54024.jpg​

75 days... That's how long I've been in this hell hole. The airdrops have stopped. Antizin is scarce. And yet we survive. Here in the countryside anyway. The city is a loss, completely gone. Except for the few that decided to stay behind in Old Town and at Brecken's Tower. I heard of a man called Crane while I worked as a runner there. But alas, I never got to see him. The rumor was that he was a man but not really a man. More of a machine. More along the lines of immortal. But that's a joke.. No one is immortal. Or else my squad wouldn't have fallen and failed so soon after arriving in this god-forsaken hell hole.

We were sent in to survey the damage, help curb the infection by providing safe havens with enough water, food and ammo to keep down the riots. But the barricades failed. The bridge that was the last safe haven in Harran on the far eastern side of the city -- was lost. All my men and even several of the doctors fell to the illness. The infected busted in and started biting everyone. Biters, they call them. And bombers. And volatiles. Oh god, the volatiles. You think it's not safe to be out in the daytime, try after dark. When the final call out from the Tower is announced; when everyone is tucked safely in their emergency cots. The bastards. I've seen so many turn into them and all I can do is run away. Run away and hide. Hide from the infection. But all it seems to do is catch up with me. To chase me and everyone in this place.

Since I left the city behind and came to the countryside in hopes of finding an escape, there hasn't been much hope. A few villages here and there fighting to survive, but even they get overrun by the infected in the end. No one knows what causes this virus, but I'll be damned if I am going to hide while there might be a chance to fight the infection. There is a doctor here -- well, a witch doctor the locals call him. He's been working on some of the infected bodies, doing autopsies, concocting potions with the blood drained from several of them and even meditating. He doesn't seem to be getting far with a cure, but he's managed to make a mock Antizin that helps suppress the infection for a little while. It eases the thought in some of the people that have been unlucky and have been bitten. Another day, another chance to live. Another chance to survive.

Dawn... The sun rises on another day. The smoke from the flames in the city have been seen drifting across the grassy hillsides as the embers catch the tents on fire in the village. They put them out quickly, but the fear remains. How long will the barricades and the UV lights hold up here? The children that are around manage to run and play but are made to keep quiet as to not draw the volatiles to our location.

"Miss Alex! Miss Alex!" one of the little boys hollers as he runs in my direction. I look down from my perch on one of the tallest structures in the village. I am always asked to stand watch. It's tiring, but they trust me.

"Hey Gomar, what's wrong?" I ask stepping down from the roof as the next watchman comes on the clock.

"My sister, Carrisa. She went out last night to find herbs for Doctor Junda but she hasn't come back. I'm afraid something has happened to her!" the young boy explains as tears fall from his eyes.

I pat his head and pull out my machete. "I'll find her. Now run to your mother. Stay inside the village, whatever you do -- don't run off. Ya hear me?"

He nods his understanding and runs off to one of the tents as I walk to Doctor Junda's shed. That bastard. Sending children to fetch his ingredients again when I'm the more logical choice. I don't even knock as I enter. "Doctor Junda! I'm off to find the young girl that you sent on the scavenger hunt. She hasn't returned and if something has happened to her, I'm holding you responsible."

"But you see, Alexandrah! I'm almost done with the breakthrough! It could be the end of the virus entirely!" Doctor Jundah exclaimed holding up a vial.

"I don't care if you've found your ass without a finger jammed up inside. The people of this village are my responsibility and you've put one of them in danger. I will make you pay if I don't find her," I said waving my hand and turning toward the door.

"Oh but find those herbs! They're required to test this!!" the crazy doctor yells after me, to which I shake my head. He cares about the cure and that is very important but he's putting everyone in danger because of it. I walk outside the village and hop in my dune buggy, turning the engine and riding off over the hill to find Carrisa..

30 minutes into the drive... "What the hell is that?" I pull up beside a pile of zombies. The infected seemingly charred from fire. I looked at the bodies and searched them, but there wasn't anything of use on them. I turned to get back in my dune buggy but heard a noise nearby. I turned back around and ran in the direction. I jumped up to a roof, squatting down a bit so I wouldn't be seen. I had been taught by Brecken to survive with parkour techniques. It helped at times but it wasn't for everyone. Thank goodness I knew my way around some areas and could get out of trouble when I needed to. Then I saw the man -- tall, rugged looking and whacking off the heads of infected, breaking their necks like a mad man. He seemed skilled. Once they were destroyed, I dropped down near him.

"I haven't seen anything like that before. You work like a mercenary... Wait -- are you American?" I asked getting a closer look of his face, but keeping distant so he wouldn't slice my head off too..

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

Character Profile Zane Mercer age 28 6'7 Brown hair, Icy blue eyes, strong build rugged look, LTC of Ministry of Defense


Its been days since I heard from my commander in the Ministry of Defense. I came into Harran with a half a dozen skilled solider's men I fought alongside with on many occasion our order's were to take people out who were not infected to the evacuation zone's in Old Town we came upon a hotel when one of my men heard a crying baby we proceeded toward the room where the crying was coming from checking each room that's when we were ambushed from the ceiling from volatile "Cover Fire!" I said aloud but we were being overwhelmed. I shouted "Retreat" me and two of my men made it toward the stair's we mangaed to get to the bottom floor of the hotel in front of the exit stood a Bomber before we had a chance to stop from getting near it exploded sending both my men into the wall. I started to run back toward them to help them but then I heard Volatile closing in and saw the horrid looks on my men as they were pounced upon by six Volatile's I took my Colt M1911 from my side and started to fire shot after shot into them managed to kill one before the other's started running after me I manged to get outside into the sunlight making them stop at the exit of the hotel. I looked around and saw Viral's running towards me I just ran and tried to keep up from getting taken down when I heard some people near a chain fence say over here I headed that way and jumped over the fence and ducked my head when the people began shooting the Viral's killing them.



seventy day's later

Its been close to seventy day's since that day I lost my comrades I can still see each of there face's I manged to get out of Old Town with a group of survivors looking for supplies we made it to the countryside it was a totally a different place then Old Town I parted ways with the group I was with started making the trek to the nearest village when I came upon a dozen of Infected eating what looked to be a cow and two horse's while they were chowing down I got up to the high point above them and dropped a firecracker making them stop what they were doing and start to gather at the noise I opened my pack I had slotted over my shoulder and pulled out a small whiskey bottle i took a drink and said "Perfect thing to waste" I pulled out a handkerchief and stuck it inside the bottle and lite a match and said in a hushed voice bombs away dropping it onto the infected they started to flail around walking around burning I pulled my hatchet from my side and jumped down and started wailing on each one hearing each neck breaking I was so lost in thought that I kept hacking away at each one. I stopped swinging when I heard I haven't seen anything like that before. You work like a mercenary... Wait -- are you American?" I held my hatchet up waiting to see what this person would do i still had the blood from the infected on my face and asked " Who's asking" I said pointing my hatchet at the person.

 

[IntriguedLover]

I stepped back seeing the guy covered in blood. He seemed American and by his response, I could only guess that he was. The sarcasm was hard to miss. But his accent was strong. England? I could only guess. I hadn't had any interactions with anyone during the time I worked in Chicago. I had gone to D.C. a few times but that was to be briefed on what we would do in Harran. No time to really meet anyone outside of Chicago. I slid my machete into the sheath that I kept attached to my left hip. I was right handed -- ambidextrous actually. I could swing two if I wanted to but hey, I wanted to keep my fingers...

"Oh, um... Just me. I'm asking. Haven't seen you around the Countryside before.." I extended a hand to shake. "The name's Police Chief Alexandrah Beckett, 251st Support and SWAT Squadron of South Chicago. But you can call me Beck for now.. I've been living in a village not far from here. My team and I worked on the bridge at the easternmost section of Harran, the Slums quarter. But it was overrun and I'm ---- I'm the only one left.."

I realized I needed to get back finding Carrisa. "I really must be going, but if you want, you can hitch a ride with me on Cataclysm if you want. I've got to find someone." I turned around heading back towards the dune buggy. "Offer is open if you want. The village could use some help from someone like you..."

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

I began to lower my hatchet but keeping it at my side in case this person tried anything. I began to rip my shirt off my body and threw it into the small fire still scorching the bodies I began to walk over to where I left my pack pulling out a rag and wiping the blood off my face. I finally looked up and saw who was near me a woman "Haven't seen a american in a long time" I said shaking her hand "Lieutenant colonel Zane Mercer Ministry of Defense was running evac's in Old town my team was wiped out by Volatile's" just got here a few days ago with a group of survivors we parted way's I finally bent down and grabbed a vest from my pack I began to put it on "I really must be going, but if you want, you can hitch a ride with me on Cataclysm if you want. I've got to find someone." I chuckled you got a ride out here every car I've come across has been destroyed or made into a trap for the infected sure i'll help I grabbed the item's that were on the bodies of the infected and began to follow behind Beck to her vehicle. "Have you gotten anyone on your radio from the outside world?"

 

[IntriguedLover]

I led him back through the small path by the house, watching every move he made. "Ministry of Defense, huh? Those pricks? They were the ones that allowed the Antizin to be destroyed in the first place. They were the assholes behind the GRE -- who basically wanted to let Rais run loose.. But hell, I can't blame you.. You have probably been kept out of the 'elite circle' that is the Ministry. You probably don't even know what happened in Harran..."

The sun was already rising in the sky, casting shadows on the ground. The moans could be heard around us from the walking dead. The infected were non-stop. I had predicted a long time ago that they would find ways out of the city. And they've been coming ever since. When he said that about the car, I laughed -- something I hadn't done in a long time. "Oh no, not a normal car. You're just gonna work the M60 on the roof is all.. It's a dune buggy. "Cataclysm" is her name. Isn't she a beaut?" I asked showing him the vehicle.

Then he asked about communications from outside Harran. I lowered my head slowly shaking it in disagreement. "No. There hasn't been a word from anyone. Our devices were lost and destroyed back on the bridge. And what we did have was terminated back in Old Town by Rais' group.."

I slid into the driver seat and pointed up to the roof. "Man that.. We've got to hit 4 clicks from here pretty fast. Ready for a 'bloody' ride?" I said winking before shifting into drive and blasting our way through a crowd of infected with the spikes spinning on the front bumper of the dune buggy.

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

I listened to Beck telling me about how she feel's about the Ministry of Defense "I can't blame you for hating the GRE even I hate them at times." I followed close behind as we made it pass a small house I checked the window when we were passing to make sure no stuff was in there that i could use. "I know enough" I chuckled when I saw what she was talking about I began to walk around Cataclysm and looked at the blades in front of the vehicle looks like someone has been having a killing day noticing the blood trickle down the spikes she is in good shape going to love to see her in action I looked at M60 on the roof I began to climb the buggy getting behind the gun and clocked it making the ammo get into the barrel so no word from the outside fuck I said hitting the roof sorry so that means Harran is on its own I pulled a walkie talkie from my pack and dropped it into Becks seat tune to channel seven so you can tell me what to shoot.

 

[IntriguedLover]

"Oh fuck yeah.. This baby has a lot of kills under the hood, man.." I then glared up at him as he hit the roof. But he only dropped a walkie-talkie into my hand. I changed the channel like he said. The feedback was a bit unbearable. "Agh -- did you bang this on some heads too? Geez.." I kept my hand on the wheel and the communicator on the dash so I could push buttons if I needed to talk to him. I pushed on the gas hard and we drove off. I flipped a gear and tossed us around a tight curve with ease. Dirt and gravel flying behind us as I looked towards a bunch of zombies.

I smirked after the turn. I pushed the button. "How ya holding up? Hold on, it's gonna get hot..." I flipped open a button cover and pressed the red button. Two compartments on the front of the buggy opened up and shot out a flammable liquid while the other one lit the liquid on fire. The zombies in front of us lit up and began flailing around. Then I heard crying among the moans and groans. I slid us to a stop -- rolling over some infected as I sideswiped them. I jumped out, machete in hand.

"Carrisa?" I called out just loud enough that the infected wouldn't hear but she could hear. I walked into a house, pushing the door open gently and quietly. "Carrisa?" I called out again..

"Miss Alex.." I heard a faint voice coming from the back of the structure.

"Carrisa!!" I said rushing in. "Oh no, you've been bitten.."

"Miss Alex.. I'm sorry..." she said looking up to me, her right arm dangling lifeless.

"Ohh Carrisa.." I looked to her picking up the communication device. "Hey, I need some help in here. I need to get her back to the village.."

"I don't want to die, Miss....Alex.." the little girl said, her breathing ragged and struggling.

"I won't let that happen, Carrisa.." I said in response, only I was unsure if I could keep that from happening.

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

I began to chuckle when she said "Agh -- did you bang this on some heads too? Geez.." army training tell you to use every item you have to win but i think there might be some brain still on that talkie we took a sharp corner at every turn I kept my hand on the gun shooting at any Viral that got too close I began to press the button on the talkie asking her what she meant by hot when flames started to shoot from the sides of the dune buggy fuck I said in a loud voice this is fun. We then stopped on some infected we ran over and i looked down and saw Beck getting out of the buggy with a machete in hand I grabbed my pack and my hatchet and jumped onto the ground following Beck. I held the hatchet at the ready and pulled my Colt M1911 out and began turn around and make sure we weren't being followed I heard "Miss Alex.." and followed behind Beck and we came into a a house and I kept my eyes on the door while Beck looked for the person she was here for I then heard from my radio "Hey, I need some help in here. I need to get her back to the village.." Fuck I said in a small hushed voice I pulled a chair from the corner of the room and pressed it against the door I came into the room Beck was in and saw a little girl struggling to breath. I pulled a canteen of water from my pack "Here tell her to drink this handing Beck the canteen I knelt down and looked at the little girl can you tell me your name sweetie?" I pulled out a vial and a syringe and began to take fill up the syringe with what was in the vial.

 

[IntriguedLover]

Carrisa was struggling to breathe hard. The infection must have already been setting in. It wouldn't be too long before she turned. Oh god, I couldn't look at anyone in the village if I let that happen. But then again, Doctor Junda would be held responsible. No, I couldn't let her turn. We'd lose our only chance at making a cure, no matter how crazy he is. I looked to Zane and took the canteen from him.

"Car--Carrisa.." she finally spoke in response to him asking her name. I looked back to him and he was filling up a vial.

"Wait! Hold up! What is that? What are you going to give her?!" I questioned, having never seen the type of vial he had before.

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

I began to smile when the little girl said her name "Car--Carrisa.." that's a very beautiful name I said with a kind smile I flicked the top of needle making sure to get the air out " This is a form of antizin given only to solider's of Ministry of Defense it last a lot longer then regular antizin." I looked back at Carrisa and said " This is going to hurt for just a minute" I brought the syringe to her arm and injected the syringe into her arm I then smiled and said " There all better" I then looked back to beck " We will have to stay here for just a bit while it gets into her system" I stood up and began to look around the house we were in to see if there was anything we could use.

 

[IntriguedLover]

"Military grade anitzin?!" I exclaimed. I could only shrug. "Damn, if only we had had a chance to have that -- perhaps my men would have survived.." I looked to Carrisa, as I watched him inject her with the anti-viral survival medication. Carrisa grimaced in pain as the needle broke the skin and the medication was pushed in. She soon closed her eyes, her breathing going back to normal.

I watched as Zane walked around looking for supplies. Just who was he? It didn't make any sense why the Ministry was more important than teams like my own that responded first. It was odd and just didn't sit well with me. But, even though we considered the Ministry a bad organization, Zane had saved Carrisa -- for the time being. .

After a little while, I picked Carrisa up and took her to the dune buggy. I buckled her in over my lap as I slid in. "You're going to need to shoot any infected. I won't be able to handle the controls except to drive back to the village," I said to Zane getting ready to shift into gear.

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

I took some string and some bottle of alcohol and placed them into my pack I turned at looked at Beck caring for Carrisa " She might have a fever for a few days but it should break." After a while Beck got up and picked up Carrisa and started to head for the door I followed behind keeping my gun at the ready for any infected we made it back to the buggy and she buckled Carrisa in right next to her "You're going to need to shoot any infected. I won't be able to handle the controls except to drive back to the village," I got you covered I said with a smile I climbed onto the roof of the buggy and buckled I pressed the button on the radio and said " Ready " Beck started up the buggy and we were off going off into the tall grass I began to shoot at any infected nearby.

 

[IntriguedLover]

The drive back to the village was a quick one. There were too many infected nearby and nightfall was nearing. It wouldn't be safe for any of us, no matter how much we would have tried to fight the infected. I pulled through the gate of the village and parked, pulling Carrisa out of the dune buggy.

"Carrisa!! Oh my baby!" A'dirah cried out as she rushed out of her house to our side. I handed her to her. Gomar was by her side as he began to bow and hug my feet.
"Thank you, Miss Alex! Thank you!"

"She'll need some Antizin but this man... He helped save her. She will be fine. Just let her rest.." I said turning my attention to Doctor Jundah's shack. "I'll be back.." I said to Zane. I picked up the pace of my slight jog as the anger was brimming from me. I busted in through the door and looked around. It was darker than usual.. He was nowhere to be found. Most of his folders had been taken away as well. He hadn't abandoned the village had he?

I rushed back outside and looked around. "Where is Jundah?" I questioned one of the guards.

"He left.. Said he had to search for something.. Something for research I think.."

"This close to dark?! Fucking madman! Mercer!" I said shouting for Zane. "The doctor. He left. He's fucking mental but he's also the only chance we have for a cure. I've got to go after him.." I said heading over to my dune buggy to tighten the suspension on it.

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

We made it back to village I looked around and saw a few men manning the gate holding weapons. We drove into the village through the gate passing women and children and a few old men I watched Beck unbuckle both her and Carrisa and picked her up and took her over to what seemed like the girl's mother I jumped down from the roof of the buggy stretching my legs I got a few glances from the guards with there hands on there weapons Beck came over to me and said "I'll be back.." I shook my head a bit saying ok with my body language. I walked over toward the small shed where a vendor was selling weapons I began to browse and picked up a pair of hammers and a small cleaver I handed the money to the vendor and bought them I was trying to decided on what I can add to weapons i bought to make them more powerful when I heard "The doctor. He left. He's fucking mental but he's also the only chance we have for a cure. I've got to go after him.." I ran over to the buggy and began to talk to Beck its stupid going out at night I said trying to talk some sense into her.

 

[IntriguedLover]

"But you don't get it. He's our only chance to save everyone," I said gathering some supplies and shoving them into a bag. Flares, UV Light and some heavy duty weapons -- two machetes, grenades and more. "Unless you have something special that can create a cure, you'd best stay here.. I'll be back and if I'm not..." I paused looking at the ground. "...take them to Jasir's Farm down south. Carrisa and Gomar's mother knows the way. It is her cousin after all."

I turned to get in the buggy. The guards coming to the side of my vehicle, blocking its path. "Come on! You guys know that he's our only chance.. I have to do this.. I trust this man. He'll help you guys get to Jasir's if need be.."

"Alex. It's not that. Jasir won't accept refugees," one guard mentioned.

I grunted. "You're not refugees though. You're people of Harran and the Countryside just like he is.. He'll welcome more hands if they become available, I'm sure.." I knew this was a death sentence but I had to try. And then I noticed a hand on the side of the dune buggy. I looked up only to see Mercer's face.

"Don't try to stop me.." I said, fear obviously showing on my face.

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

I kept my hand on the dune buggy not moving a inch "These people need you here not out at night risking your life for someone who sent a child to gather herbs for there crazy experiments." I reached down and grabbed the bag from Becks hand I promise we will search for him come daylight but going out at night is suicide there are worse things than Volatile at night Bombers get very dangerous at night too can't see them and the'll destroy your buggy with you in it. I looked around at the people gathered around I can't protect all these people just by myself I finally said I dropped the bag near the buggy and moved aside and finally said " Stay."

 

[IntriguedLover]

I looked sternly in Zane's eyes. He was glaring at me right back. I couldn't help but feel at a loss here. I looked around to the people of the village. He was right. They would need more protection. Most of these people have never raised a weapon in their lives and they wouldn't last 20 minutes up against any of the virals. I looked to him as he yanked my bag out of my hand and backed up from the buggy. I climbed out of the vehicle and looked to the survivors. "Fine. But we move to Jasir's farm as soon as dawn comes. This is no longer a safe place. Gather what you might need and be ready to move after we clear the path in the morning.."

I took the bag from Mercer and walked towards my personal hut. The dark night sky littered with the glow of fires between this village and Jasir's. Not all campfires. I knew the trek would be tough, but it wouldn't take too long to get there. Especially if I cleared a path before the sun were to get too high. All the infected along the road would have to be cleared out and torched.

I turned to Mercer who had followed me. "Hey. Don't talk to me like that anymore. As far as you're concerned, I don't know you and you sure as hell don't know me. But as long as we are in the same boat in this hell hole, we're going to have to work together. Those people out there -- they depend on me. I brought a majority of them from the city and I'm the only help they've ever known.."

I sat down. "Now, why don't you tell me more about the Ministry. Why'd they abandon this place? I heard they wanted to torch the place.." I pulled out some lamb jerky, holding some out offering him some.

 

[DrekSilverBorn]

I backed away from the buggy with the bag in my hand seeing what Beck would do "Fine. But we move to Jasir's farm as soon as dawn comes. This is no longer a safe place. Gather what you might need and be ready to move after we clear the path in the morning.." I smiled a bit knowing it wasn't worth it to make a trek in the dark especially for a man who would send out a kid to gather herbs and not himself. I opened my hand a bit when Beck ripped the bag from my hand I looked around at the people moving around gathering up the items they would take with them I looked and watched Beck walk away from me and started to follow her I followed her a bit before she turned around and said "Don't talk to me like that anymore" I chuckled a bit and said listen here captain I said with a rough tone you may think you know best when it comes to fighting these monsters but you don't. I sat down across from her and started to speak well its true the Ministry is wanting to torch this place but since the wall is up they can't very well do that with survivors already know to the world the last I heard from my colonel he was already near this area waiting for word from Ministry to nuke this place that was seventy day ago though so I don't know if he is dead or a infected. I took a bit of the jerky from Beck so what's your story Beck the last time I was in Chicago they only had older male officers not cute ones like you.

 

[IntriguedLover]

"Ha!" I said with a snarky tone. "Cute, huh? Oh god, don't try to get all buddy-buddy with me. You're still a ministry mercenary, that's all.." I said taking another bite of the jerky. "Well, I am certain it must have been about 5 years since you were in Chicago. There were several officers there, females anyway. I rose through the ranks pretty quick. I was chosen to lead the department and never had any accidents or any police brutality either out of my department. We were chosen to come here -- me and my squad. We were ordered by the President to come check it out. Even he didn't trust the Ministry to handle most of the job."

I looked to my equipment. The riot gear that I hadn't had to wear in a long time. Not since the first barricade broke down. I then thought of something. "You ever hear of a man named Crane? He was supposedly part of the ministry. He was supposed to have come to the Countryside for something. But Jasir said he just up and vanished one day. Hasn't been seen back in this area.. Shame to say I never met the guy. Thought you might have known him.."

I looked out the window. "Dawn will be upon us soon. So we're going to need a bit of rest. You and I are running the recon between here and the Farm. That means you're going to need to be the top of the buggy again.."

I stood up and walked around behind him. "There's a spare tent on the edge of the village. You are welcome to stay there. I'll come to call in a few hours.." I watched him leave before I kicked back on the mattress.