Zombie Anthology by Anthology

ones in first hoping they'll either overrun us or at least weaken our defenses."
         "Aren't they all infected?” Toni asked.
         Nathanial answered before Troy had a chance to. “Yes but they're not the same. These new ones aren't at all like the ones we've had to deal with in the past. They're much more advanced obviously seem to be evolving back into something much closer to what we are, just not as nice and certainly not above using their lesser brethren as weapons or cannon fodder, whatever you want to call it."
         "Somebody should get Ian. We're going to need all the help we can get,” Sheena said.
         "No,” Jeremy warned, “Ian's fine where he's at."
         "We should at least warn him,” Toni added.
         "Ian's fine,” Jeremy moved to take hold of Toni, “Trust me. He's where he wants to be."
         "Jeremy,” Troy motioned him over to a table in the control room. Troy ripped a map off the wall and spread it across the tabletop. “You don't have to die here. None of us do. There's a back way out."
         "That's impossible!” Sheena snapped, “If there was another entrance I would know about it."
         Troy ignored her and continued. “There's a tunnel inside the ventilation system here,” he pointed at a spot on the map, “Wade found it a few days ago. It's sealed up with an iron grate but I think you can get through it. It opens into the back of the garage."
         "The garage?” Those things are all over the place up there,” Nathanial pointed out.
         "They're spread out pretty good though and most of them will probably follow the normal infected in here once they get through the inner door. If you wait until they get into the base, by the time you get up there you'll at least have a chance."
         "What's with all the “you” stuff?"
         "Jeremy, someone has to stay here to slow them down and make them work for every inch of the base they take. That's me. I'm the only real soldier left."
         "Troy…” Jeremy started but Nathanial interrupted him. “I'm staying too. So is Sheena. I'm not running Jeremy and Sheena can't. She'd just slow you down and get you killed.” Sheena nodded her agreement. “You and Toni go on,” She ordered. “Make sure you take the time to gather up the things you'll need to survive up there if you get past those things."
         "No,” Toni cried squatting beside Sheena's chair to embrace her.
         Sheena didn't return the hug. “Go on, Toni, you've only got one chance at this and time's running out."
         Jeremy pulled Toni to her feet and looked back at Troy. There was so much he wanted to say but the words wouldn't come. Troy smiled and shot him a mock salute. Jeremy laughed in spite of the tears burning in his eyes and led Toni out to gather up what they would need.
         The outer seal clanged as it dropped inside the corridor below and minutes later a well-placed charge blew the inner door off its hinges. The mindless ones came in its wake. They flooded down the passage way and into the base. Troy waited for them in the only unblocked passage to the control room. A man dressed in the tattered rags of what once had been a tuxedo came tearing around the corner, pink saliva flying from his mouth as he saw Troy and howled madly. Troy raised the automatic shotgun in his hands and fired cutting the man in two at the waist. A woman in a blood stained jogging suit was next and Troy splattered her brains onto the corridor's walls. When the shotgun clicked empty he snatched up his M-16 and retreated towards the control room firing into the increasing tide of infected on full auto as he went.
         Nathanial and Sheena listened to the battle being waged in the hallway. Sheena struggled clumsily to ready the handgun Troy had given her.
         "You're not going to need that,” Nathanial told her as the gunfire on the other side of the door fell quiet and turned into the sound of