by Katz, Gayle
“I just love pizza,” she said. “Can you make me some?”
Julian turned around, but there was no one there. “Say what?”
“Pizza. I want pizza. I haven’t had any in such a long time.”
“Where are you?” he whispered, not wanting to sound crazy in front of the other staff.
“I’m here,” she said. “In your head. Just visiting. And before I go, can you do something for me?”
Julian tried ignoring the voice, but she wouldn’t leave him alone.
“Fine,” he whispered. “What do you want?”
zzz
“What is in the display case, Jane?” asked Jay, not bothering to knock on her door before opening it. “It looks like a dead zombie head.”
“Oh. Hi, Jay. Please come in.” She gestured to the available chair in front of her desk. “That is not a zombie. It’s a shrunken head. Some have called it a mask, seeing as it’s missing its back half. Our new assistant, Sebastian, found it for us, along with the other artifacts in the case.”
“Have you seen it?” he asked. “It’s super creepy. I think you should remove it.” Jay sat down.
“No, I’ll have a look later.” She put her pen down.
“Anyway, I’ve taken photos and bagged that rock with the strange message on it.”
“Good,” she said. “Any luck identifying the culprit?”
He frowned. “Sort of. I mean, we went and arrested the John Smith who we identified in the video.”
“Excellent! Then I don’t expect that we’ll have any more issues with broken glass.” She smiled.
“Not exactly,” said Jay. “We arrested John and he was in a jail cell during the time of the second attack.”
Jane sat back in her chair. “Oh. So, he has an accomplice?”
Jay nodded. “Yes, for this reason, I think we should lock up City Hall until we find out who is responsible for this.”
“But I need to work!” she said. “Working from home is no good. I get distracted by housework or TV.”
“Well, we can set you up in one of the meeting rooms at the station. How many people work here?”
“Well, just me and my assistants. The other city council members have other jobs and are only part-time. Budget, you know. They usually work from home.”
“Then it shouldn’t be difficult to set you up at the station.”
Jane stood up. “Can’t you just have an officer on watch?”
Jay stood up, ready to head out. “If you’re at the station, we can watch you even better.” He winked at her.
She smirked. “OK, well, let me finish up this project, then we’ll pack up some things and head over.”
Jay walked to the door. “Good. I’ll inform the chief that you’re on your way.” He walked into the hallway and out through the main entrance.
“Hello,” said Sebastian, carrying a paper bag and several drinks in a cardboard tray.
“Hello,” said Jay, frowning. He paused in the doorway and looked back at him.
zzz
“It’s so boring,” said Zan, tossing her smartphone down on the bench.
“I know,” said Charlie, putting her book aside. “No zombies at all!”
“Yeah, because this has turned into a political and societal issue.”
“Figures!” added Charlie. “How is your kitty doing?”
“Major Fluff? He’s great.”
“Ha-ha! I can’t keep up with his names.”
Zan smiled. “Me either. But he’s going to the vet next week to be fixed, and I have to have his name firmed up by then, when I give it to the clinic.”
“Perhaps just Major? Then you can call him Fluffy, Puffy, or whatever you want after that.”
“I just might do that.” Zan picked up her phone again.
“And what about Owen?”
“What about him?” Zan asked.
“You’re just friends?”
“Yep, same as always,” she said.
“Does this mean you’ll need a date for the prom?”
She shrugged. “If I go. I’m not too concerned about that right now.”
“Yeah,” said Charlie, flipping through her book. “We don’t even need dates. We can all just go together.”
“Hey, yeah. I didn’t even think about that.”
“Or,” said Charlie, smirking and inwardly dying to laugh out loud. “You could always ask Sergeant Bourne to go with you.”
Zan turned and frowned at her. She grabbed her bag off the bench and whacked her with it.
zzz
“Here’s dinner!” said Sebastian, placing the bag on her desk, along with the tray of drinks. “I picked it up after school, just like you wanted.”
“Great! Thanks!” said Jane. “Please let Marta know that dinner is here.”
“Will do.” He left her office to go and tell her.
Jane tore into the bag. She pulled out several small pizza boxes. Each of them was labeled, so she found hers. She pulled a cup from the drink holder.
“Wow, you’ve already gotten started,” said Marta, grabbing a chair from the wall to add it beside the other one that Sebastian had already sat in.
Jane struggled to chew and then swallow before answering. “Yep, this is the best.”
“Yeah, my neighbor, Julian, works there. He makes the best pizza, ever!” said Sebastian.
Marta opened the box. “Cool, lots of pineapple!”
“Oh yuck,” said Jane. “Dessert shouldn’t be on a pizza.” She took a sip of her drink.
“You should try it. It really brings out the flavor of the vegeroni.”
Sebastian just shook his head. He took a sip of his drink. “Everything is great, except my soda tastes funny.”
“Oh, sorry. I think you got my diet soda,” said Jane. “And I’ve almost finished this sugary one.” She offered it to him.
“Nah, I’m fine. I should watch my weight.” He laughed.
“So, I spoke to Sergeant Bourne, and he has suggested we move City Hall to the police station for now.”
Marta shrugged. “If it’ll keep us safe from those wackos.”
“I could keep an eye on things here,” said Sebastian.
“Oh no,” said Jane. “How would I explain to your parents if you got hurt? The next time around, the crazy could have a gun! So, after dinner, we are packing up what we need, and moving to the police station.”
“I can help,” said Marta.
“Me too,” said Sebastian. “I think I ate too much. I feel so full.” He rubbed his tummy. He stood up and started collecting the garbage from the mayor’s desk.
zzz
Julian finished work and left. It was strange, but it was like he’d been going through the motions. It was like something had happened, but he couldn’t remember what it had been. His mind hadn’t felt this foggy for several weeks now. He also felt like he had a bit of a fever. He got into his car. He hoped he was safe to drive.
As Julian pulled out of the pizza shop’s parking lot, he really hoped that he wasn’t reverting back into a zombie again.
But once he started driving down the street, he started feeling much better. Perhaps it was just the smoky oven. He made a mental note to give it a good wipe down before his shift tomorrow.
zzz
Marta knocked on the bathroom door. “Are you OK, Sebastian?” she called out.
“I’m sick,” he yelled through the door. “That pizza didn’t agree with me.”
“Oh dear. Was it lactose intolerance?”
“No, I’m vomiting and my gut hurts real bad.”
“OK, I’ll get you some antacids. Be right back.” Marta left to find them. On the way down the hall, she popped her head into the mayor’s office.
“Jane, are you feeling OK? Sebastian says he has food poisoning.”
“Food poisoning? From that pizza place? That can’t be possible. They’re really careful and clean. They’ve won awards.”
“I know, but he is sick. It might be a flu bug.
”
“Send him home. No point in getting everyone sick. It’s almost closing time anyway.” Jane looked back at her screen.
Marta went to grab the bottle of Pepto they kept in their small employee kitchen. She touched her abdomen, but it felt fine. She was fairly certain they had all eaten the same thing, so she really hoped it wasn’t food poisoning.
She walked back to the bathroom and knocked on the door. “I have an antacid that might help you. Hello?” There was no answer. “Sebastian?” She turned the doorknob and it opened.
Sebastian was sprawled on the floor, unconscious.
“Oh no!” she dropped the container on the floor. “It’ll be OK,” she said, squatting down beside him. “I’ll call 911.” She grabbed her phone from the pocket of her jacket and proceeded to call for help.
zzz
Julian returned back home and parked his car. He headed inside the house.
“Hi, Julian. Can you do something for me?” called out his mother.
“Sure,” he replied.
“Can you take out the garbage before dinner? It’s smelling up the place.”
“Sure.” He went into the kitchen and winced as he packaged it up and carried it to the door. He took it outside and placed everything in its respective waste receptacles. He dropped the lid down on the last bin.
In his mind, he was remembering something. His mother had asked, “Can you do something for me?” Then he remembered what had happened at the pizza shop. There had been a voice and she had asked him to do something.
He was so shocked that he collapsed right there on the ground. He smacked his hand against the side of his face, and then used it to prop up his head. “What have I done?” he muttered to himself.
zzz
“It’s really bad,” said Marta to Jane. “The paramedics are taking Sebastian to the hospital to pump his stomach. They said that it appears to be a poisoning, not a flu bug or bad food.”
“Oh my god,” said Jane. “It’s all my fault.” She sunk back in her chair.
“Your fault? Because he picked up dinner for us?” Marta had a concerned look on her face.
Jane shook her head. “No, because that was meant for me.”
Marta grasped the edge of the chair in front of her. “For you? What? Someone wanted to poison you?”
“I don’t know why,” said Jane, tears running down her face. “It must be these zombie rights guys. Please call Jay immediately. We are packing up and heading over right now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Marta went off to do as she asked.
Chapter 15
________________________________________
“Jay!” said Jane, racing over to his desk at the police station.
“Jane!” he said, getting up and giving her a hug. He nodded at Marta. “Are you sure you’re OK? You both should be at the hospital!”
“No, the paramedics checked us out.” Jane and Marta sat in the chairs in front of his desk. “They said if we don’t feel well, then seek medical attention, but the only sickness I feel is guilt.”
Jay sat down at his desk. “Yes, I feel sick about it myself. I called the hospital and apparently they got to treat Sebastian just in time. They pumped the contents of his stomach and gave him an antidote.”
Jane sighed in relief. “What am I going to say to his parents? I must call them.”
“Yes, but wait a bit. They’re at the hospital with him.”
“I feel so bad,” said Jane.
Jay looked at her with sympathy. He so rarely saw the mayor break down like this. In fact, she was one mean zombie slayer and was extremely good with a gun.
“Do they know what it was?” asked Marta.
“Oh right,” said Jay, looking away from Jane. “It was rat bait.”
“Rat bait?” asked Jane, looking up.
“Yes, the kind used in mice and rat bait traps. Like the ones they have in restaurants.”
“But, how did that get in the pizza?” asked Marta.
Jay shrugged.
“No,” said Jane. “It wasn’t in the pizza. It was in the soda.”
“Oh,” said Marta, remembering that she’d had some too.
“In the diet soda,” said Jane. “Marta had ordered the diet soda for me, and two other regular sodas.”
“But Sebastian got the diet soda,” said Marta, remembering.
“OK, I guess I’m off to the pizza place,” said Jay, standing up. “I just need a name and address.”
“But how would rat bait get into the diet soda? Did it just fall in?” asked Marta.
“No,” said Jane. “Someone deliberately tried to poison me.”
“OK, you two stay here at the station from now on. Maia over there will lead you to the meeting room where you can set up. I’ll be back shortly.” Jay grabbed his hat and his radio. He rarely wore his hat, unless he wanted to look tall and imposing.
zzz
Charlie and Zan were chatting at Charlie’s place.
“You know what puzzles me?” Charlie asked.
“What?” Zan was trying to read something on her phone and looked annoyed.
“I’m sure we know how that zombie got into Dr. Arora’s shed. But why didn’t Jay find it when he did the search of her house?”
Zan dropped her phone on the couch. “Ummm, that’s odd. Maybe he just forgot to search the grounds?”
Charlie shook her head. “No way he’d forget something like that.”
Zan squeezed up her lips. “So, maybe the zombie was placed there after the search then?”
“Exactly,” said Charlie.
“But who would do that? And why would they do that? Why not just kill it?” She looked at Charlie.
“It is odd. Unless they needed to do more experiments on it.”
“But, Dr. Arora is dead. I mean, she may be trying to inhabit people’s bodies from the ether, but was it Keri who put the zombie in the shed?”
Charlie shook her head. “No. I think it was Philly.”
zzz
Sergeant Bourne was on his way out the door when he nearly got barreled over by a young man. “Hey! Take it easy! Most people want to get out of here real fast, not in!”
It was Julian. “I’m here to turn myself in. I did it. It was me. I had an alien occupy my body. She made me do things. I heard about Sebastian. It was my fault that he got poisoned. Dr. Arora told me to do it!”
Jay looked nervously around the police station. Fortunately, the front was empty. He liked to keep most of the zombie happenings under wraps, particularly when it involved Dr. Arora.
“OK. Take it easy, kid. Let’s go in the back and chit chat.” Jay led the way.
They were nearly down at the end of the hall when Julian took off.
“Hey! What the?” called out Sergeant Bourne. He took off after Julian. He followed Julian to the back of the building and down the stairs to the cells. Julian sure could run fast.
Finally, Bourne caught up with him. Julian had run into one of the cells and had somehow found handcuffs. He had handcuffed himself to one of the bars in the cell.
“There,” he said, calming down. “Now she can’t inhabit my body and make me hurt any one else.”
“OK,” said Bourne. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
zzz
“Yes, I’m so glad,” said Jane, hanging up the landline telephone. “There, that’s done. I spoke to Sebastian’s parents and let them know that this is being investigated as attempted murder. And I called the owner of the pizza place to let them know they are under investigation.”
Marta placed some papers in front of Jane. “Damn! I really liked their pizza too.”
“Yes, it’s sad. This could shut them down permanently, even if they had nothing to do with it. I mean, someone could have tainted the soda between the pizza place and City Hall.”
“Well, I’m so glad it wasn’t Sebastian who did it,” said Marta.
“What?” asked Jane.
“It wasn’t Sebastian who thre
w the glass at you during the protest outside. It wasn’t him who threw the rock through the window of your office, and it wasn’t him who poisoned you.”
“Wait a minute,” said Jane, sifting through her memories. “I think he did do something.”
“What?” said Marta in disbelief. “You can’t tell anyone that! He’s the victim here!”
zzz
Zan and Charlie raced outside.
“What do we do?” asked Zan. “Who do we tell?”
“I tried calling Stewart, but no answer,” said Charlie, frantically. “Once she knows we’ve figured it out, she’ll come for us!”
“Oh crap,” said Zan. “I’ve texted Owen to meet us at Stewart’s place.”
The two girls got into their respective vehicles and drove over to Stewart’s apartment.
“Oh crap! That’s her car,” said Charlie, muttering to herself.
zzz
Julian explained the situation to Jay. “Dr. Arora inhabited my mind and told me to take the box of rat poison and pour as much of it into the diet soda as I could, the one that was destined for City Hall. Once a week they order pizza from us, and the mayor always orders a diet soda with her pizza.”
“So, you saw nothing? This voice told you to do it and you just obeyed?”
“It was like I had no choice. She was controlling both my mind and my body. And no sooner had I done it, I forgot about it. Then when I got home, I remembered, and I came right here.”
“I see,” said Jay.
“Is Sebastian going to be OK? I heard he drank the soda instead of the mayor. Am I going to prison?”