Journal:Dr Doom86

This story is part of the Malton Chronicles. This story is fan-made, and is not officially part of any background history for Urban Dead.

	Roleplaying Notice
	Notice: This User or Group enjoys the RPG aspect of MMORPGs, the category of games that Urban Dead falls into. As such, there is probably quite a bit of roleplaying and/or creative writing on this page and in said User/Group's in-game actions. In other words, if you think the difference between IC and OOC is "One has an 'I' and the other has two 'O's," buzz off.

(This story corresponds with Journal:Airborne88)

How I Arrived in Malton

I remember my first day in Malton. It seems like lifetimes ago. Before the outbreak, before the city was a living hell. I was fresh out of my med school program. I was ready to begin my residency at St. Seraphim's hospital, where I would begin my field of study for the next several years as a surgeon's intern. The days at St. Seraphim's were long, and the nights even longer. There didnt seem to be a moment where I was away from the hospital, and I was always on call. Come to think of it, by the time my first year went by, I didn't get to see much of Malton outside of the Operating Room. That was all about to change pretty damn quick...

The Early Days of the Outbreak

It was 5:00 AM on a rainy Tuesday morning. I had just gotten the call to report to the OR for my next shift. I had hardly had any time to sleep since my last one! I remembered catching a bit of the news before I headed out though...Some crazy looking scientist was on TV saying that efforts were under way to contain some sort of new virus. He said the situation was under control, and that there was no immediate threat to the general public. He represented some company Ive never heard of. Necrotech I think it was. Must be another case of bird flu. I didnt give it a second thought, and shut off the TV and headed to work.

I remember our first patient that morning-Charles Timmins. A middle aged man with a disoriented look in his eye. He didnt quite seem to know where he was, but he was fairly calm nonetheless. He was bleeding pretty badly on his right arm. On first glance, it looked like some sort of defensive wound. Like he was trying to shield himself from some sort of wild animal....

We rolled him into the OR. On closer inspection, I could see something lodged in the wound...a tooth? Not just a tooth, but a human one! Why would somebody bite this man on the arm with such ferocity? Maybe he had one too many drinks the night before and things got out of hand. No matter, it was my job to patch him up. As we begin to prepare for what we thought would be a simple operation, things took a turn towards the more bizarre side. The man's heart suddenly flatlined! Dead from a simple bite wound on the arm? This couldnt be possible, but I wasnt going to have time to figure it out. Things were about to get bad with Mr. Timmins. Real bad.

Escape From St. Seraphim's

As they attempted to administer defibrillation (basically, shock the man's heart back into beating) he turned his head sharply towards the lead doctor-James Watkins. He had a look in his eye that I had never seen in any human being before. With a horrifying groan, he rose from his bed, and grabbed Dr. Watkins. The poor doctor never had a chance. He ripped into his neck with a ferocious bite. Screaming and panic ensued as the rest of the medical team ran for their lives towards the OR door. Damn my luck. I slipped on a tray that had been dropped in the panic. The crazed man had turned towards his next victim-me, as I struggled to get off the floor. I got back on my feet, but I couldnt get to the door before that maniac grabbed me.

I grabbed him by the neck in an effort to keep his head as far away from me as I could. He was chomping like a rabid wolf. With my other free hand, I was able to grab a scalpel. I hacked and slashed, but this...thing...seemed unaffected. Still holding the maniac by the neck, I reached for the next surgical instrument I saw-a drill. I bored straight into the man's skull. I had never killed anyone before, but its amazing how little hesitation there is when your opponent is looking at you like lunch meat. That did the trick. As I drilled into his head, he dropped to the floor. Blood was everywhere, but I was moving and he wasn't. Relief.

Not for long though, As I turned around, I saw Dr. Watkins rise to his feet. The same hungry look was now in his eye. I didnt think twice. I bolted for the door. Unfortunately, Charles Timmins wasnt the only man brought into the hospital with this...condition. St. Seraphim's had become a blood bath. People were on the ground, eating other people! Everyone was screaming. Corpses littered the hallways. I fought my way to the closest window, grabbed a chair, and shattered the glass. Out I went. Luckily for me, I was only on the 2nd floor. As I was about to find out, the fall would be the least of my worries.

A City In Chaos

I was lucky to be alive. My ankle was in tremendous pain from the fall, but given the situation around me, I didn't have much trouble fighting off the pain and getting to my feet. As I fled down Grove Blvd. I turned to take one last look at the carnage behind me. I watched a group of 5 of those walking corpses drag a nurse out into the street. I was powerless to help. I was unarmed, impossibly outnumbered, and injured from the fall. It didnt take long for her to be ripped to pieces. Sadly I turned away, and continued down the street. I didnt know what the hell was going on. Why were corpses reanimating and eating everyone in sight? Regardless of what this was, I knew one thing-I didn't want to feel that powerless again.

I continued making my way through the suburb of Pashenton. I was ducking through alleyways and creeping through ransacked buildings to avoid being seen. These walking corpses were all over the place. The last thing I wanted was to attract their attention. As I made my way through the streets, I began to notice that every building I passed had been barricaded so strongly, that I couldnt budge the doors. Not even an open window was to be seen. There was no way I could get inside! With the increased activity of these things around me, I knew if I didnt find a way in soon I would be dead. Were people willing to let me die out here on these streets, rather than loosen up their barricades just enough for me to get by? I passed by Bagehot Way Police Dept. praying that the police would have some resemblence of order there. Nope. There was not a cop to be seen. Had they all been dispatched to deal with this situation? Or were they all dead? I wasn't going to find out, because by the looks of it, the building was sealed off as tight as every other.

I finally managed to find a building that wasnt sealed up like a bank safe. Club Riste, a local nightclub had a window in the corner that was open just enough for me to squeeze through. Inside, there was a small group of survivors gathered there. I took a quick look at each one, to make sure they werent one of "them." They seemed okay. I noticed they were all huddled around a radio, so I got closer to find out what I could hear. A General from the U.S. Army was giving a speech. He announced that the military was sealing off the borders of the entire city! No one would be allowed in, and no one would be allowed out! We were trapped in this hell! Of course, he assured us that this would only be temporary, until the "problem" was under control. Given the U.S. military's current track record of controlling "problems" I knew I was in for the long haul!

	Way Too Long
	This is a very big and very long article. It deserves at least one template. You know... For Feng Shui.

Figuring This Mess Out

The next radio program was a company official from Necrotech-I had heard that name the morning before on the news! Was this the same guy who said there was no immediate danger to the public? Nevertheless, I felt compelled to listen. He informed us that a Necrotech engineered virus had somehow escaped one of the labs in the city-through no fault of their own, of course. The virus infects the brain tissue of deceased individuals, causing them to re-animate into basic, animal like creatures. Apparently, they have no memory from their previous existence, or no knowledge of who they were. The virus drives them to fulfill only their most basic need-the need to eat. The official went on to say that an antivirus was being developed by Necrotech, which would kill off the virus inside of the brain, and in the case of recently deceased people with their main organs still intact, may even reverse the effects of the virus, returning the individual to their previous "human" state. I felt relieved knowing that someone was trying to clean this mess up. My medical training was intended to keep living people from dying. What good was I against something that is already dead and trying to eat my face off?

Enlisting with the Umbrella Corporation

As the other survivors drifted off to sleep, I took control of the radio. I started to scan other frequencies to see what else I could find out. I picked up nothing but static until I stumbled onto the frequency of 27.31. Then I heard a voice. I couldn't hear all of what was said, but I picked up most of it. The voice on the radio stated that anyone with any type of military, police, or medical training was urgently needed to help contain the threat. The voice did not mention who he was working for. Was he with the government? Who knows. All he said was anyone with with these qualifications was urgently needed to submit an application at Adney Towers, in the suburb of Galbraith Hills.

Then a flashback came to me. I remembered seeing that poor nurse being ripped to shreds outside of the hospital. I remembered how powerless I felt to help her, and how I never wanted to feel that way again. I wanted to help fight these things, in any way I could. So I made up my mind I would begin the long walk to Galbraith Hills. I would submit my application to this...organization, and see if they could use my help. I was a graduate of medical school after all, and a surgeon in training.

My New Career Begins

The travel to Galbraith Hills was the most dangerous and terrifying experience of my life. These things had seemingly infested every part of the city. I managed to avoid them by moving quickly through the streets, and avoiding large crowds of people, where these corpses would seemingly flock too in their search for living flesh. I made it to Cyril General Hospital in Roachtown, which fortunately for me, was completely abandoned. This meant no zombies. I stayed there for a short time to fill a back pack with all the medical supplies I could find, then headed out again. I only stopped to rest briefly, and help administer first aid to wounded people in safehouses. I made an important medical discovery during this time. The infection from this Necrotech virus was seemingly stopped easily, provided the victim had not yet become deceased! I guess it only becomes a real problem once your heart flatlines. If you can catch it before then, you'll be okay.

It wasn't long before I reached Galbraith Hills. Up until now, every part of Malton I had seen was in utter chaos. However, this suburb had a strange sense of order to it. What a relief! Somebody obviously had things somewhat under control here. I reached Adney Towers by using an old map I had found back on the streets of Pashenton. Didn't look like much. It was dark, dusty, and apparently had not been used for awhile, even before the outbreak. I guess this company hadn't put out a call for a janitor yet.

As I entered the building I was stopped by two armed men dressed in black tactical gear. I caught the logo patch on their shoulder-Umbrella Corporation! I had never heard of them before, but these guys looked like they meant business. Each one wielded an M-4 Carbine, so I decided to keep my sarcastic comments to myself.

They asked me what my business was here. I told them of the voice I heard on the radio, and that I was here to submit an application. I wasn't comfortable with letting a bunch of corpses just walk around outside, and wanted to do something to help. I told them of my medical background, and my experience as a surgeon at St. Seraphim's hospital. They looked me over for a second, then motioned for me to follow them down a hallway, then up a staircase. Judging by the condition of the building, we weren't going to be taking the elevator. Perhaps they were trying to keep as low profile as possible by using this abandoned building? When we reached the 4th floor, we entered an office at the end of the hall. The man behind the desk offered me a seat, and I didn't argue.

He informed me that he was known only as Airborne88, and began to give me some basic background information on the Umbrella Corporation. I got the feeling there was alot about Umbrella I wasn't being told, but I figured I was being told all I needed to know to do my job. He informed me that the mission of Umbrella's Malton division was to contain the zombie threat, and luckily for me, they were greatly in need of skilled medics for their elite Search and Rescue team. At that point my fate was sealed. As I was handed the contract, I had no idea what I was about to be getting myself into.

From Doctor to Soldier

From that day on, my life would never be the same again. I was committed now, and there was no going back. My first days as an Umbrella employee seemed like they were straight out of a movie. I was informed by my officers that my previous name would no longer exist. My life, as I knew it before, was over. From here on out, I would be known only by my operative name, Dr Doom86. I was required to turn in all identification documents in my possession-credit cards, driver's license, my birth certificate, even my gym membership card!

In the blink of an eye, all my records were erased, just like that. It was like I just, up and vanished. I was only Dr Doom86 now. After that roller coaster ride, it was time to begin my training. I was issued my equipment. A set of body armor, complete with full ceramic plates, was the first thing I was given. Why? What would I need this for? Zombies don't shoot you, they chew your face off. As I would find out later though, in a city infested with zombies, people with guns start to go a little crazy in the head, and my armor would come in handy.

Next I was issued a radio, a combat knife, a DNA extractor (to see if a zombie would be fit for revivification), and best of all: an M1014 Combat Shotgun, and Beretta 9mm pistol! This was the most exciting part about my new job. I had never fired, or even held, a gun in all my life. Best of all, during the course of training I was treated like a professional. It was not at all like Army basic training you see in the movies.

I breezed through training, passing all of my courses with flying colors. The first-aid course was a joke for me, as I had already been performing surgery while these guys were learning to apply a simple pressure dressing. During firearms training, I became pretty damn good with my Beretta...not at all bad for someone who had never fired a weapon. I came to like it so much, that from here on out I would never leave HQ without drawing two of them, and tucking them into my Umbrella medic's jacket. They were pretty easy to carry after all.

When I graduated the training program, there was no big flashy ceremony, or fancy certificate awarded. I was simply given orders to report to the Search and Rescue Commander, and prepare for operations. Now things were about to get intense. Soon I would find myself on the front lines, staring down countless numbers of shambling undead.

Thrust Into War

I remember my first mission as a fully trained Umbrella operative. Our objective was to deploy to the suburb of Lukinswood, and secure and hold the Stagg NT building from the undead hordes. For some reason, the Umbrella chain of command had declared this an extremely important target, and it must be secured at all costs. What was going on in this facility that was of such importance? Were they manufacturing the antivirus serum here? It didn't matter. I had my orders and I intended on carrying them out.

We moved into the target zone, and man it was hot. I dont mean like the desert. I mean it was crawling with zombies! We took our positions in the Galavin museum, right next door to our objective. From there, we assaulted the Stagg building over and over again. We would go in, hit the zombies with everything we had, then retreat when their numbers became too much. On the 3rd night of the battle, we attracted quite a horde back to our safehouse! They smashed their way through our barricades, and began to chew up our men. In the middle of the night, Airborne88 was drug out into the street! Luckily my Search and Rescue platoon was able to finish off the undead intruders, and administer the antivirus to Umbrella's leader, saving him from becoming one of them.

By this time my ammo was running low. You must understand, I had never seen any type of combat before. I was getting "trigger happy" with my weapons, and nervous whenever one of those zombies would get close to me. I would fire off rounds recklessly, often forgetting to aim for the head. Nevertheless, my primary job was a medic, and I'm proud to say I saved many lives with my medical expertise. My hard work, and that of my comrades, would pay off. After a week, Stagg was ours for good. Any and all zombies in the area were completely eradicated by UC forces. My first mission ended in victory! Better yet, I lived to tell the tale....

Climbing the Umbrella Ranks

The battle at the Stagg building did come with a price unfortunately. During the fierce fight, the Commander of my Search and Rescue platoon had disappeared. A search team attempted to locate him, but was unsuccessful. I feared the worst. If he had gone down in the battle, by now he had probably shambled off into the ranks of the undead. We might not ever find him if that were the case. I didn't want to think about it. I guess I was beginning to learn the realities of combat. After that, my platoon was declared temporarily inactive until a suitable replacement could be found. Just my luck. I finish my first mission, and now my platoon is simply put out of service? I couldn't stand the thought of Search and Rescue sitting idle, while the undead still roamed the streets. Lives needed to be saved, and if nobody would step up, I would.

My first step was to figure out who was still alive in my platoon. We had taken pretty severe casualties. Once all living members were located, I contacted them and organized their return to Umbrella HQ. With permission from Airborne88, I also began to interview new recruits coming into the Corporation. I offered several of UC's most qualified operatives positions in the new Search and Rescue unit, and in no time at all I had replenished our ranks. So impressed was the Umbrella staff with my efforts, that they decided on a "suitable replacement" to lead the unit-you guessed it, me. I was given a class 3 security clearance, and charged with the directive of leading Umbrella's Search and Rescue unit towards successful completion of its objectives! We were back in business. Whew!

Making Our Mark

Through the course of my career as Umbrella's Search and Rescue commander, the Corporation was involved in many more battles against the undead. Each operation we undertook seemed to be more difficult than the last. Operation "Ghostbuster" was probably our most famous victory. It was aimed at making the suburb of Molebank a safe place for survivors to seek refuge. Before we went in, the place was completely devoid of any and all life. Every building was in ruins. It was a complete ghost town-hence the name of the operation. I did some research on the suburb, and discovered that it contained 6 Necrotech labs! I suspect that because of this, Molebank was hit especially hard in the early stages of the outbreak. The zombie concentration must have been so intense in this area, that all living people were exterminated in short order! Once the living population had been wiped out, the zombies obviously dispersed to other sections of Malton, hunting for more survivors to feast on. Man, I'm glad I wasn't practicing surgery at a hospital on this side of the city! I probably wouldn't have made it through the first night of the outbreak!

We moved into Molebank in full force. We had to move quickly-if we took too long fortifying the area, zombie hordes would discover our presence and be on top of us in no time. Fortunately, we were able to secure the suburb in a timely manner, including 5 of the 6 Necrotech labs. Molebank would continue to be our base of operations for many more months. The zombie hordes would eventually discover our presence here, but we would fight them off time and time again. We never seemed to be able to take a break from defending this suburb...my platoon would conduct operations in seperate parts of Malton, only to be called back each time to help fight off another zombie incursion. The zombies seemed to have a fierce determination to kill everybody in this suburb. I figured that the presence of so many NT facilities had to be the reason for such intense zombie activity. We would only be able to hold them off for so long.....