Agent Priest: Battle for Tijuana (© Jesus Riddle Morales)
Page 1 - Summary -
The Vatican deploys two
of its more eccentric representatives to explore the spiritual issues regarding
the zombie outbreak and hopefully stop the virus from spreading across the
Mexican border. By the time the undead epidemic has reached a nation-wide
emergency in the United States, government officials give the right to bear
arms to certain Catholic priests in a desperate attempt to add more muscle to
their military efforts against the zombie onslaught. These "licensed to kill"
holy men are dubbed "Agent Priests". In this new regime, Agent Priest, Ben
Sparrow and Priestess, Kit Purvey are sent to attempt an exorcism in a Mexican
outbreak zone, where zombies are beginning to mysteriously appear in the
raunchy town of Tijuana.
- Spitfire -
"The Lord works in
mysterious ways!"
As Ricardo checked the
engine to the old plane, he swayed his head back and forth, while listening to
a classic song.
"Bye, Bye, Miss American
pie, drove my Chevy to the levy, but the levy was dry the good old boys were
drinking whiskey and wine singing this will be the day that I die."
Ricardo had strolled
pass the local village in Mexico earlier and noticed some atypical stereotypes
such as a man resting near a building complete with a large sombrero on as he
enjoyed his siesta, or sleep. The Mexican towns were warm and comforting as the
sun and clean air warmed his spirit. Old style houses with their adobe textured
walls and vine-strangled fences made the southern country appear both natural
and beautiful. Ricardo had come from Mexico himself, but that was long ago. He
was now an American citizen, but his country up north was in a dire state.
"Helter
skelter in a summer swelter, birds and bees in a fallout shelter;" again those
eerie words from that classic song rang in Ricardo’s head. It stirred thoughts
of the oncoming Armageddon that Ricardo was currently immersed in.
"In
the streets the children screamed, the lovers cried and the poets dreamed. But
not a word was spoken, the church bells all were broken, and the three men I
admired most, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, they caught the last train for
the coast the day the music died."
Was
all lost? Was he just stalling an end to the world that God already set in
place? This thought fluttered before Ricardo’s brain, but he put it in a darker
place in his mind like some unused cloths in a dark closet. It wasn’t time yet
to confront such fatal thoughts…not just yet.
" I thought I’d never fly one
of these old beauties again," replied Ricardo.
Fifty-two year old, Catholic
priest and former Marine, Ricardo Mendoza signed the last release form for the
old, world war two, fighter plane. In the hanger just outside of the Tijuana
border, Ricardo briefed the Mexican airline officials of his task at hand. In
Spanish, he explained that he would take the old, Spitfire plane and patrol
over the border and part of the Rio Grande River. His mission was simple; fire
at targeted groups of infected people before they could breach the border.
Though most of the Mexican border was under control, there were some smaller
areas where both rowdy Americans and ghoul outbreaks did sweep past the ground
patrols. These areas were the main targets of Mendoza’s mission. He was an
X-Marine and would usually be fighting off hordes of zombies in the large,
urban areas of the states, but his age and his creed as a Catholic had made him
the servant of the new Catholic division called the Agent Priests. However,
Ricardo didn’t mind, he was Mexican American and hadn’t been to his homeland in
years. His job of providing cover fire for the ground patrol would not be a
long one. This noted; he figured he could leave the states and bring his family
to Mexico where the land was still infection free. In the U.S, all hell had
broke lose and Ricardo found out the hard way that most of the police from his
stateside home in L.A were only concerned about protecting the rich folks in
Beverly Hills. Knowing this, he thought it best to find his family a good spot
in Mexico. Mexico was not the third-world country that it had been when he had
left for the states over twenty years ago. Instead, it became a bustling place
of rich, cultural diversity and successful commerce. When he had the chance,
Ricardo enjoyed strolling the marketplace and testing the exotic cuisine.
Homemade enchiladas, jarihito soda pop and Mexican, fried ice cream were a few
of his favorites. Nonetheless, he had to put those little pleasures behind him
as he prepped himself for another flight into the death zones. [ Continue to page 2 ] |