Testing the chips

After they left, I went to have breakfast while monitoring the situation outside. I wanted to step out but needed to do it when the infected were scarce in the neighborhood.

From what I remembered in my previous life, they wouldn’t stay in one place for long. The larger groups were already moving toward the city center, following the noise created by panicking survivors, emergency vehicles, and the endless stream of people trying to escape.

That left my area unusually quiet, creating the perfect opportunity to test the chips.

I stood inside my garage with one of the tiny neural-control chip between my fingers. It was so tiny that anyone who saw it would probably wonder why I was treating it like it was worth more than gold.

In the apocalypse it was better than gold. If they worked, I could even create a zombie army to protect me and also I could send them to collect supplies and attack my enemies.

After checking my weapon, I put several chips into the small pouch attached to my belt and went to the gate.

Jolie was in the balcony staring at the wall, probably wondering if we were really safe.

“Where are you going?” She asked. 

“Outside.”

“Why would you go there? Aren’t you scared?”

“I need to test something.”

She stared at the chip launcher in my hand. I had also put a small pistol in my jacket in case the chips didn’t work and I was attacked.

In my last life, I had feared the zombies until I made my first kill. Then it became easier for me to venture out.

“Why don’t you wait a little longer until the situation is calm.”

She had no idea that things could only go from bad to worse. There was no calm in the apocalypse.

“I’ll be back,” I jogged to the gate. As soon as it closed behind me, I became more alert.

The street looked abandoned. A few cars had been left in the middle of the road with some doors hanging open. One overturned motorcycle lay near the sidewalk.

But there were no crowds or screaming. I wondered if there were survivors hiding out in the nearby houses or they’d all fallen.

I walked slowly, scanning every direction until I heard a low growl. Turning, I saw a zombie staggering from between two parked vehicles.

My heart began beating faster. I went closer and raised my gun before shooting at the zombie on the leg.

The zombie fell to the ground. For a few seconds, nothing moved. The creature was still, as if it had died but I knew it hadn’t. You had to shoot them in the head to kill.

I moved towards it cautiously while I took out one of the chips. This was the part I had been waiting for. I loaded the chip into the launcher and fired.

The tiny device disappeared into the zombie’s head. I held my breath as I waited for something to happen.

Then the system appeared over the zombie’s head.

[Neural-control chip detected.]

[Searching for compatible neural activity...]

My heart pounded hard as I waited.

[Connection established.]

I froze. 

[Infected subject successfully linked.]

My eyes widened. “They work!”

The zombie suddenly moved, lifting its head. Its body twitched.

“Stand.” I ordered.

The zombie slowly stood. My eyes widened but I wasn’t sure if it was standing because of my order or because it wanted to turn me into its lunch. 

“Walk to the left.”

It did.

“Stop,” I ordered and it stopped. I smiled, a grin spreading across my face.

“They actually work!”

I had done it. After losing everything I worked for in my first life and dying like a fool, I had finally found something that could keep me alive.

[Zombie Control Interface unlocked.]

[Controlled subjects: 1]

[Available commands: Follow / Stop / Guard / Scout / Attack.]

[Controlled subjects can be killed by others.]

[Recommendation: Look for higher level zombies to control.]

In the middle of the apocalypse, I did a happy dance as the zombie stared at me like I was crazy. I had expected the chip to work but confirming it was so exciting.

I pointed at the road. “Stop.”

The zombie stopped.

“Turn left.”

It turned.

“Come back.”

It returned. I laughed again. “This is incredible.”

I was so distracted by my success that I didn’t notice the someone approaching until I heard a voice behind me.

“Give me the gun,” a cold voice said, making my smile disappear.

“Hide,” I ordered the infected before turning slowly.

Marcus was standing a few meters away. In my previous life, he was one of the men who had thrown me out of the community center. He was one of Victor’s loyal dogs.

Before the apocalypse, he was a hardcore criminal feared by everyone in the neighborhood. He was holding a metal bar but his eyes were fixed on my gun. “Give it to me.”

“No,” I shook my head. In my peripheral view, I spotted another zombie. But I could not remove another chip and shoot it while Marcus was watching.

His face twisted. “Don’t make this difficult.”

I glanced at the zombie with the chip standing several feet away, waiting for an order. Marcus hadn’t noticed it yet.

“I know you’ve got supplies in that house,” he said. “Some people have been talking. That you’ve been preparing for this. Give me the gun, and I’ll leave.”

Yeah right. What kind of fool did he take me for?

“Do you think you can defeat me? You’re just a woman.”

Those words reminded me of what had happened before. I glanced at the chip pouch on my belt and considered shooting one into him.

If the technology could control infected brains, maybe it could control him too.

Before I could do it, the system spoke.

[Target: Human.]

[Neural-control chip incompatible.]

What? I was shocked. 

When they were creating the chips, they had told us they were going to be used to control hardcore criminals in maximum security jails. 

Had they lied?

Why did they make chips that could work on infected neural systems and couldnt control healthy humans?

Did the Legion Tech know the zombie apocalypse was imminent?

“Oh my goodness!”

That meant someone or some people out there knew what these chips could do. And I had stolen the biggest batch.

Shit! They were going to look for me. I needed to return home but first I had to get rid of Marcus.

“Leave,” I said, my gun raised. “Before I shoot you”

Marcus laughed hard. “A woman wants to shoot me? Very funny. Do you think you can give me orders? Just give me the gun.”

“No.”

He kept coming closer, forcing me to quickly get another chip into the launcher. I shoot at him and it entered his skull. He immediately stumbled back, clutching his head and screaming.

[Neural connection attempt detected.]

[Compatibility: 0%.]

[Control unsuccessful.]

I put the chip launcher back in my pocket and held the gun. 

When he realized it was only something small, he lifted his head. Now he looked furious.

“You...”

He charged toward me but I backed away quickly. The chip wasn’t controlling him. When he swung the metal bar, I moved aside, and it struck the ground.

He came at me again. This time I remembered the zombie and saw him exactly where it had hidden. 

I pointed at Marcus. “Attack.”

The zombie moved instantly. Marcus turned just in time to see it coming. 

“What the hell”

The zombie knocked him off balance, as the metal rod fell over. As soon as he started fighting with the zombie, I started running.

As I ran, I thought of all the things I could do with my own controlled zombies. 

I could create, scouts, guards and whole army that could stand outside my walls all night without complaining. They wouldn’t even need to be fed. 

I froze when I saw my property. There were two big military trucks were parked outside my gate.

My excitement vanished as I stared at the heavy-duty vehicles. Had the military come for the chips? 

I thought of retreating but remembered I had less than 10 chips with me. I wouldn’t last long with the zombie hordes growing in the city.

I immediately moved behind an abandoned truck and watched, my fingers tightening around the gun.

[Unknown vehicles detected.]

[Threat assessment incomplete.]

[Personnel detected inside perimeter.]

My blood ran cold. “Inside?”