Dislike was the best way to describe our feelings towards each other but ever the professional Alexander put them aside. I could and have said many things about him. I have never questioned his competence.

“Let’s move to your decontamination and then unit for the debrief John.”

We head towards a set up tented area in front of one of the parked lorries that make up the base camp. This lorry was the one assigned to me. The tent was for mission decontamination of me and my gear.

I entered the tent and began to strip my gear. To my left and right members of the base camp had set up storage bins. To the right of my gear and left for the rest of my clothes. As the only member of the team to see action I was the only one entering at this time.

Once I was naked with my gear stored away, I moved into the shower area. Being sprayed with hot chemical-filled water was never fun. The gore I was covered in has been found not to have airborne pathogens but plenty of ones that can lead to nasty infections if allowed to get into the body. The chemical smell was almost as unpleasant as the gore from the zombies.

When finished I dried off and put on the tracksuit and trainers supplied. Leaving the tent Alexander was waiting and headed to the trailer.

The back trailer had been converted into a combined armoury and medical centre. This unit was with me every time I was in the field. I have been using it or ones like it for the last year. They were a marked set up from a tent.

We entered the back using a side door up a step ladder.

Dr Helena, one of the base team’s medical doctors, was waiting for me for the standard medical. To be listed in my file and after-action report.

“Hey doc let me finish the clean-up then we will get it done.”

“No problem, John.” The look on her face told me her thoughts on my present condition and smell. The chemicals are very strong as I said.

Shaking my head in amusement I head to the armoury and shower section in the back. I decide not to shower but do try to wash as much of my face and hands. I quickly change again into my regular clothes and head back.

“All right let’s start the de-brief of the mission.” Alexander began setting up a camera to record my report.

I sit in one of the chairs and Dr Helena began her work. I look toward the two people within the trailer with me. Standard fare.

Alexander was not the typical mid-range civil servant. He was in his mid-forties black-haired with green eyes and according to my mother rather good looking. Standing 6 foot, tanned and physically fit.

Dr Elan Helena was a visible difference. Standing 5’2 also in her mid-forties with a clear Mediterranean heritage. Black curly hair, dark brown eyes a curvy figure topped off with a pleasant face.

He is sitting across from me at a table with a camera recording everything that will happen. This too will be analyzed later and was part of the after-action report. The fold-away metal chairs are really not comfortable to sit in.

“Debrief of operation ZCA-0056. The date is the 3rd of June 2036 and the time is 14:34 hrs. Alexander Harley-Grenville, Doctor Elan Helena and Zone Operative John Harrington present.”

That is what they now call the few of us that they send into the breach zones now “Zone Operatives”. Better than cannon fodder I suppose. Bitterness wells within me and anger simmers. The others do not seem to notice my slight mood change or chose to care. I push down on my resentment. Not the time.

The good Doctor began the first stage physical part of the debrief. As Alexander recorded it. She attaches sensors to my head and neck. She began to take my vitals listing them and worked through a basic physical.

“Base scans look good regular heart rate and breathing.” She begins.

“Any injuries?”

“No.”

“Any lingering effects from the Zone interaction.”

“Grave Chill”

She nods at this and makes a note and pad that she was carrying that she is recording my results. Grave chill is the name we gave to the effect of fighting undead monsters. The Scientists have their own long and complex names but use our terminology in the field.

“How bad do you think is it.” She looks directly at me saying this.

“Bad but not the worst I have had.”

She notes my response on her tablet and looks at Alexander.

“John’s first stage assessment is good but he will need a full physical scan.” She moves to sit next to Alexander. They were extensive and often intrusive.

“Thank you, Doctor, let’s start with the events of the mission. At 07:00hrs the briefing of the mission was held. The operation began at 07:45hrs. Operative John Harrington was the lead in clearing the zone. Can you take us through what happened then?”

Party time for me then.

“I entered the Zone through the main gate identified as point Alpha and then……”

I walked them through the events in the graveyard by now these debrief were had become routine. The details were always different but the main points were the same. Entered here, hide and moved around a lot then killed these many targets. These effects were noticed etc. However, the ending for this mission was different from the norm as of late.

“The support team joined me at point Bravo the breach and deployed the breach closer to sealing the Void Breach.”

At this Alexander perked up as far as I was aware this was only the second Void breach to be sealed in the UK.

“So, you witnessed the breach being sealed.”

“Yes, watched as much as I could while scanning the area for any missed threats.” Over the last few years, I had picked up a lot of how they wanted me to talk in reports and debriefs. All very correct and proper.

“Can you describe it?”

I think about that question. I try to communicate to them what I saw.

“Once it started the shimmer effect around the breach became a lot more evident. This was there until the breach was sealed. The breach crack shrunk slowly and when it disappeared there was a pop like when you pass through a pressure change in your ear.”

Alexander nodded at all this as I attempted to explain what had happened.

“So, there was no attempt to stop the breach sealing”

“No, the earlier culling’s had made sure the zombie’s numbers were low.”

Alexander frowns at the name “zombie” as His Majesties Government classes them as a Grave type 2 humanoid threat. But everyone else calls them zombie’s because that’s what they are. Skeletons are type 1 threats. There were other monsters classed by the areas in that the void breaches appear. Grave as the name implies covers the undead type monsters. Other zones had different types and were classed accordingly.

“Unless there’s anything to add this will mark the end of the debriefing of Zone Operative John Harrington on operation ZCA-0056.” Dr Helena shakes her head indicating she was done. The recording was ended.

“Alright, John were done here your transport is ready outside the camp.”

“Please make yourself available for your next full physical.” Dr Helens added.

“No problem Doctor.” I reply to her as I got up to leave.

The air outside the trailer was a welcome change. The fog from the breach was clearly gone as the graveyard that held it was visible on this summer day. Looking around I spotted the man I needed.

“Hey, Sergeant Gregson is done. Time for me to go.” I say to her as a goodbye though the doorway.

Sergeant Gregson was a man in his late thirties just short of 6 feet and physically fit. He had a deep voice with a soft Liverpool accent. He also had that mess with me and I will break you in half vibe. He got respect from me.

I don’t know if he is military or police and I have never asked. If I had to put money on it, I would bet military. Definitely military.

“Right this way John the car is over here.” He nods in the direction of several vehicles on the edge of the camp.

“Right on lead the way.”

We head out to the vehicles and Sergeant Gregson stopped at a government issue Land Rover.

He uses an electronic key to unlock the doors. He gets into the driver’s seat and I go shotgun. He quickly gets the engine started and we leave the site heading for the motorway that will lead us to an airfield. The electric motor makes almost no noise as we travel.

The radio is on during the trip and the noise is a welcome distraction to the Grave Chill effects. Gregson is aware of my silence and knows I get like this after a job. Facing death can leave one introspective. I am sitting with my eyes closed processing what had happened.

“Heard it went well.” He began.

“Yea breach sealed one down, god knows how many more to go.” The depression effects get to me sooner or later.

He grunts at this. We both know it’s the truth.

“A lot of threats?”

“Six zombies. Culling been keeping the numbers down; don’t want another Portland do we.”

Six years ago, the Void breaches were appearing after the supercollider accident that had created them in the alps. The city of Portland, Oregon good old US of A had a breach form in it. The local government had not sealed the area around it off fast enough. Federal pressure did. Even as it was identified as one of the largest so far recorded the locals dragged their feet. It was one of the targets nearly four years later of a military operation. The centre of the city and some of the suburbs were overrun with zombies, skeletons and other things. The city is now completely sealed off after the US military’s disastrous attempt to retake it two years ago.

Gregson has no real reply to that so we continue the drive to the airfield in silence.

The drive did not take long as we pulled off the motorway to a road that led to a small local airfield.

Gregson dealt with the entry and drove to a car park. We got out and headed into the terminal. Another Government agent meet us and took the keys for Gregson. They spoke for a few minutes and he came over to me.

“The helicopter is spinning up and will take off in a few minutes they are waiting for us.”

I simply nod and he leads the way to where the helicopter will take me home. We operatives are a serious resource that the Government has been forced to recognize the importance of. So, to keep us happy and help with our recovery in the downtime we had privileges.

We boarded the helicopter as the rotors began to spin up and are secured by one of the crew. We take off with a lurch which my stomach greatly appreciated and head north. The flight took nearly three hours and we arrived at a military base on the northeast Scottish coast in a town called Arbroath.

The base we landed at is next to the town I live in. Gregson and I get out of the helicopter. We get into another car and Gregson drives me to my door.

“Thanks, Sergeant Gregson see you next time.” I say to him as I get out of the car.

“No problem, John and thanks for your work.”

I look at him before closing the door. I nod to his thanks and close the door. I turn away pulling out my keys to enter my house. Time to find some food. I am starving!

## ## ## ##

Sergeant Gregson watched John walk away from the car and approach the first house in the close. He let out a breath to help reduce his stress level. He rolled his shoulders to help with the weight of his under-arm gun holster.

Today was a relatively good day as the mission was a success and the breach was closed. But his mind went back to the briefing that he and most of the other operative minders that if the danger of corruption became an issue. The words of the briefer came back to him.

It did not sit well with the majority of the minders until they were shown what could happen if they failed in their duty and then they all became serious. The cost of inaction was too terrible to consider. But so were the orders.

“If the Zone Operative has become corrupted to a point of non-recovery upon final confirmation eliminate them.”