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traction.  Simon jogged over to the driver’s window and explained to the driver what he wanted him to do.  The driver nodded and he headed back to the rear of the bus and the three began to push.  The bus rocked back and forth while the wheels began to spit mud back on the young men.  They pushed and pushed, while the bus rocked forwards and backwards.  Their legs were slowly sinking into the mud.  A man in the window at the rear of the bus began to panic and holler pointing behind the panting men.  Simon turned around and noticed five Azrael sprinting towards them.  He turned back around, without fear and began to push even harder.  The other two were too caught up in pushing to notice what was happening.  Two seconds later the bus caught traction and it began to move forward on the road.
    Simon turned back around and drove his hands out in a defensive push catching the two quickest Azrael in the chest knocking the wind out of them, landing on their backs several feet away stunned.  The other three were tripped by the two and fell in the mud face first.  The three men took this opportunity to break for the bus.  Simon pushed his friends out of the ditch and began to climb out when one of the fallen Azrael blindly grabbed his ankle and attempted to bite him.  His awesome strength yanked the bastard out of the mud with him onto the road keeping the Azrael from pulling itself towards Simon to bite.  It lost its grip due to the slippery mud and struggled to pull itself up.  He kicked him in the chest back into the muddy grass pit with the others and joined his friends back towards the bus that was moving at a speed slow enough for the brave men to board.  Trent got on first, then James with Simon not far behind.  All three were covered in mud and received a hero’s applause from the bus patrons.  One woman tore the bottom of her long skirt and proceeded to wipe mud off of them.  Other passengers did similar acts, removing shirts or pulling towels and clothing from backpacks to clean off their heroes.  Dr. Schwinn watched as the football players accepted their praises with humbleness and respect.  These men were truly heroes on and off of the field, he thought. 
    Simon noticed Dr. Schwinn and asked if he could sit next to him.
    “Of course, there is plenty of room for you here.”  Dr. Schwinn said.
    “Thank you, sir.  I came over because I know who you are from my studies and know what an amazing scientist you are.  Of anybody who could come up with a cure for all of this, it would be you.  I am glad that I could have been given the opportunity to help get you to wherever you need to go.  Trent and James both have families who live nearby that they hope to reach and protect.  I, on the other hand, am from Atlanta sir.  I have no one left to go home to, so I stayed here and tried to help my friends the best that I could.  When the outbreak happened, no flights were going to Atlanta or to any airport in Georgia.  It was a no fly zone and traveling by land wasn’t an option since no one wanted to go there.  I never got a driver’s license, since it wasn’t necessary.  We took the bus to get to everywhere we needed back home and my parents didn’t own a car, so there wasn’t one to practice with.  Listen to me, talkin’ a hole in your head.  It would be my honor to escort you to wherever you need to go, as one fellow scientist to the other.”  Simon said hoping his long winded greeting didn’t put off the Doctor.
    “It would be my honor to have you with me.  What was it that you studied young man?”
    “Biological Science.”
    “I was going to ask you to join me after seeing your quick thinking with the bus and how you handled yourself under pressure.  Now knowing that you were studying to be a scientist, I will gladly take you with me to Chicago, unless you don’t want to leave your friends. It’s up to you.  I am not forcing you.  Please know that where I’m going is a