by M. Lorrox
June is walking through the lobby when she hears Charlie and Eddy talking outside. She puts the medicine in her pocket and walks toward the front door to meet them.
“You know dad, I think I do like her, actually. I know it’s funny, because she’s like family, but maybe that’s why it’s so strong?”
Charlie takes his arm off Eddy’s shoulder. “She’s a great girl, Eddy.” He chuckles. “But if you try and kiss her, you’ll be terrible at first, so hope that she has low expectations.”
“Dad!”
June goes white. She turns and jogs away from the doors, at first toward the courtyard, but there is a group of people walking out of it, blocking the door. She turns and heads to the elevator. She gets there, hits the button, and glances toward the front doors. They’re going to see me!
To June, an eternity passes before the elevator doors finally open. Inside, a bellman with a luggage cart smiles at her and then slowly, carefully, steps out with the heavy cart. June darts into the elevator as she hears Charlie and Eddy say something to the bellman standing outside. That was close. She takes a few breaths, then she hits the button to open the door, and she steps back out.
Eddy sees her, smiles, and waves.
She smiles and waves back.
When they meet, both Eddy and June stop walking and just stare at each other for a moment. Charlie clears his throat. “Well, unless Sadie is back, Skip is still with Minnie. Right, June?”
“Oh, yes, he’s still in the room. I was just—”
“I’ll go relieve him.” He moves away from them quickly. “I’ll see you two later.”
June squints at Eddy. “Why are you all sweaty?”
He laughs. “I just had an epic meeting with some, uh…” He looks around to see if anyone is listening. He doesn’t see anyone, and then he also remembers that they’re in a hotel owned by vampires and filled with vampires. “I met some vamp warrior kids. You wouldn’t believe what Dad made me do!”
She chuckles. “I dunno, I can imagine him throwing you to the wolves, ’cause you can take it of course.” She smiles and pokes him.
“Wow. Accurate.”
A voice comes over a loudspeaker: “Complimentary appetizers are available in the restaurant until eight pm. They are all made with fresh and local ingredients. Please help yourself.”
Eddy raises his brow. “What do you think? They said the magic word…”
“Which one? Fresh, free, or food?”
“All three. Let’s grab a bite, and I’ll tell you about the wolves Dad threw me to.”
“I’d like that.”
Sadie stands before a semicircular table that seats the High Council. She is just finishing her account of the attack on the farmers’ market that she and Minnie experienced on Saturday. “I’d estimate that roughly twenty zombies attacked the market, and per official reports, they caused eighteen fatalities.”
“Why are you giving us an estimate of the number of zombies? Are they hard to count?” High Councilor Robert Flaxman, a man with a sharp tongue and soft belly, grumbles as he writes a note.
Sadie turns to address the man that has never shown her his good side. “Sir, some of the zombies were badly decomposed before the attack, while others were severely damaged during their execution. Also, trails found leading away from the site suggest that although there were nineteen confirmed dead zombies, there may have been more.”
“You said the facility was fenced in? They were no doubt drawn by the smell of the produce and all the people collected there. This seems like an unfortunate accident due to careless security. Nothing more.”
“Robert…” James Cartwright, a younger-looking High Councilor with short dark hair, flips over a sheet of paper and reads. “This is a quote from Dr. Melgaard’s most recent report: ‘Newly examined zombie specimens show increased functional brain retention in areas known to be responsible for social dynamics and problem solving capabilities.’” He sets the paper down. “They could have been drawn in by the scent, but now, zombies are exhibiting these new and dangerous characteristics. To assume the townspeople and security forces were careless, seems—”
“Rude.” Sadie glares at Robert.
He grits his teeth and swallows hard. “Now see here, all I was saying was—”
Mary coughs into her microphone and everyone turns to look at her. “Oh, I beg your pardon. But, now that I have the floor I’ll remind the Council that I personally toured the attack site. I hate to say it, but I believe that the doctor’s findings are consistent with what I saw there. The zombies had to have a purpose in mind. Let what I’m saying set in for a moment. The zombies had a purpose in mind. This changes the battlefield, and it explains why the United States military has failed to hold The Line.”
“I agree.” High Councilor Vincent de Villablino nods to Mary. “This does change the field, but I’m not convinced that publicly assisting the military is the best course of action. We could assign regiments of knights to the entrenched cities on The Line, and I will make the claim on record, Mr. Prime Minister, we would hold The Line.”
Council members speak over one another until a gavel is heard pounding.
Prime Minister Hamid ibn al Zaman sets down the gavel. “We will continue to discuss this and other strategies at length—” He gestures toward Sadie. “—but we do not need to waste the elder’s time. Does anyone have any further questions?”
“I do, sir.” Robert Flaxman grins and squints at Sadie. “Near your home outside Asheville, over two hundred zombies were found dead on Monday morning.”
Sadie blinks.
“Two vehicles operated by teenagers were crashed, and some children died in the incident.”
She frowns, thinking of poor Joe lying dead, Jess crying as she cradled him, and the cousin who put a bullet in his own brother to keep him from turning. “I heard, it is very sad.”
“Sad for them, yes, but are we to believe that nineteen zombies working together killed eighteen people while you yourself were present, while not a day later, a half-dozen kids take out over two hundred zombies?”
Sadie glances to Mary, James, and some other councilors she knows. She looks back at Robert. “I don’t understand your question, sir.”
“You lived there, you claim to have survived the attack of nineteen that killed eighteen, and you claim to have killed three yourself. Do you have any insight on this amazing feat that a handful of kids with guns accomplished?”
“I haven’t read any reports, sir.”
He glares at her. “I’m curious, Mrs. Costanza, why would the United States military need our help if a bunch of kids seem to be doing a better job?”
Sadie opens her mouth but she is cut off by the sounding of a gavel.
“You’ve made your point Robert.” Hamid turns to Sadie. “Thank you for sharing your story with us this evening. You are dismissed.”
She gives a curt smile and nod, then exits the room.
When she’s outside and out of sight, she cracks her neck with her hand. Flaxman… Che coglione!
Eddy and June have a nice meal of appetizers in the restaurant while chatting and hanging out. June checks her phone again; she texted her dad to see if he wanted a snack, but he hasn’t responded.
Eddy gets restless. “Well, let’s bring plates up anyway, I know those three magic words work on my dad.”
June laughs, and as Eddy starts to push his chair out to stand up, June reaches over and touches his arm. “Eddy?”
“Yeah?”
“This was nice—nice to just be with you. It’s been so crazy the last couple days.”
He smiles, then sets a hand on hers. “I know, everything’s been a whirlwind, and especially for you.”
She squeezes his arm slightly. “I still can’t believe you jumped in front of a shotgun to protect me.”
He stares into her eyes, not thinking about how different they are. “I…I don’t ever want to see you hurt.”
“Thank you, Eddy.” She starts to smile
and breathe more slowly.
Oh boy. He pats her hand. “You’re welcome. Any time.”
She laughs and pulls her hand away. “Any time? Hopefully people won’t try and blow me away with a shotgun again!”
Right. That was dumb. “Yeah, I dunno what I was saying.”
“I’m not interrupting anything special, am I?” Li Chen walks over to where Eddy and June are sitting. Steve and Madeline follow behind.
Eddy looks up at them. “Oh hey, you grab any of the food? It’s pretty good.”
“Duh.” Steve says with a mouth full of crab rangoon.
Madeline steps toward June. “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend? Cool shades.”
“Thanks.” June glances at Eddy. Who are these creeps?
“Sure, this is June…” Eddy turns to her and motions to each of the vampires standing over them. “This is Madeline, this is Li Chen, and that’s Steve.”
“Hi.” Steve says before taking a large bite of a stuffed jalapeño.
“Charmed.” June looks back at Eddy. “Do you want to bring that plate up?”
“Right, I almost forgot.” Eddy slides his chair out and stands.
Li Chen repositions himself to stand square with Eddy.
“We were actually about to sneak some of the food up to the room.” He motions up with his chin. “My dad’s up there babysitting.”
Li Chen glances at June and snickers, “Oh, and you’re not?”
“Hey!” June pushes her chair out and stands. “Watch it, buddy.”
He smiles and turns to her. “I guess I was interrupting something. C’mon guys.”
Madeline snags a cracker from Eddy’s plate and bites it in half while winking at Eddy. She tastes it then makes a disgusted face as she looks at the other half of the cracker in her hand. “Ugh, poppy seeds.” She tosses it on the ground and spits the cracker from her mouth behind her.
Eddy walks over to June, grabs her by the arm, and leads her toward the stack of new plates.
“Oh Eddy, one more thing…” Li Chen sits down where June was seated a moment ago.
Eddy turns back around. “What?”
Li Chen takes a sip from the glass of blood June was drinking. “Oh, this is good.” He lets a drip trickle down his chin. “After you’re done dropping things off upstairs, you should swing back down.” He grins, baring his blood covered teeth. “I’ve got something I want to show you.”
June pokes Eddy in the ribs. “Let’s go.”
Li Chen wipes his chin. “Oh, maybe we’ll just have to skip it tonight guys. Eddy’s got a bedtime.”
Eddy turns away from June. “Don’t insult me or my friends. If you can give that a try, I’ll consider your offer.”
Steve steps to the back of Li Chen while swallowing a large mouthful of something he didn’t properly chew. He grimaces, then coughs.
“Deal?” Eddy doesn’t blink while he stares straight through Li Chen.
He nods. “We’ll see you later.”
Eddy turns and rejoins June. They each grab a plate and silently pile some appetizers on them. Behind them, Steve is still coughing, and Li Chen smacks him hard on the back. Madeline laughs.
June shoots them a look of despise, and Eddy snuffs in amusement. When the plates are full, they loop around the bar to the other side and leave.
June walks beside Eddy all the way to the elevator without saying a word. When the door closes, she shifts the plate she holds into one hand, and with the other, punches him in the arm. “Ouch! Jeez, you’re getting vampire strength, you’re going to have to tone it down, or else I—”
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
Eddy holds his plate with one hand and rubs the spot she punched him with the other. “About that, you see—”
“No Eddy!” She nearly growls. “Don’t explain things to me. I know what you’re doing; you’re being all tough to fit in. Those creeps are trouble. You know it, and you do not need to prove yourself. Didn’t you learn anything from what happened?” She leans back against the side of the elevator and nearly spills the food off her plate.
Eddy reaches out, grabbing her gently just above her elbow. “June. Please listen to me. I met them last night, and yeah, they’re totally trouble. I—”
She snaps her arm out of his grip and a calamari ring is tossed into the air. “Then what’s your problem, huh?”
“June, listen. I don’t trust them, but I want to make sure they’re not causing any real trouble. Remember that oath I told you about, the one I’d take to be a squire? Well, this would fall into the category of ‘I should do something because I have a duty.’ And just because I haven’t taken that oath yet doesn’t mean I can ignore what it stands for.” He exhales completely while looking at the calamari on the ground. He bends down and picks it up. When the elevator door opens, he steps out and holds the door open with his calamari hand. “I’ve made some huge mistakes the last couple of days, but I’m trying to make up for them. You have to trust me. The last thing I want is to put you in danger.”
She steps out of the elevator and points at him. “What about you, huh? What about you staying out of danger?”
He reaches out and takes her hand. “June, right now, I’m a squire to my dad, and soon, I’ll be a squire in the Order. I’m going to be a knight someday. There will be danger, but I’m going to be really careful so I don’t get hurt.” He squeezes her hand. “I’ve got so many loved ones, and I don’t want to let any of them, or you down.”
“Eddy?”
“Yeah?”
“Your hand is gross. Let go.”
He releases his grip. Calamari grease, some breading, and a piece of fuzz the breading picked up from the elevator’s floor is stuck to the back of her hand. “Oh… Sorry.”
“Don’t you dare get hurt.”
He shakes his head. “I won’t. Now let’s get back. I want to talk to Dad about those three jokers.”
Candace drags a rolling suitcase filled with her lab equipment and materials through the security checkpoint at the Pentagon. When she’s at the x-ray scanner, she lifts the heavy bag up with ease and sets it on the conveyer.
A security officer checks her credentials. “Good evening, Ms… Dr. Baker.”
“Good evening.”
A second security officer watches the scanner’s video feed, and a flag flashes on his screen: RSRCH LVL5. He hits a button, and the conveyer pushes the bag through. She picks it up on the other side and sets it down on the ground without breaking stride. She walks through the halls and straight to the florist. What should I get for the lab tonight?
She settles on a bouquet of lilies and daises. She smells them lightly and is filled with the scent. Oh yes, that’s good.
She quietly whistles a tune as she walks through the wide halls.
She turns to a stairwell and descends. At the bottom level, she exits and walks into the hallway. There are additional areas underground that aren’t above ground, and she passes through additional security to enter them. Here, they recognize her without checking her badge.
“Good evening Dr. Baker. Lovely flowers.”
“Thank you, Sally.”
She walks down another hallway, then she turns and walks through a corridor of black glass. At the other side, she looks to the security desk along one wall. It’s empty. Usually a security guard is present to operate the elevator down to the bunker-turn research lab. Oh shoot, they must be on break… I’ll just have to do it manually.
Across from the desk is an elevator that isn’t marked on any maps. She hits the button at its side, and the doors open immediately.
She walks into the large elevator, and the doors stay open. Inside by the door, there’s a screen with a timer counting down from thirty seconds. Below the countdown, a series of words:
GLIMMERS
TRAILBLAZER
BATTERY
CRACKED
PRISMS
.
.
.
Be
low the screen is a keypad with numbers 0-9, as well as CLEAR and ENTER keys. She studies the screen and raises her hand to the keypad.
She enters 5, then 8, then 7, then 5, then 6, then 19, and finally ENTER.
The screen goes blank, the doors close, and the elevator begins to descend.
The doors open to the massive research lab that she shares with Dr. Melgaard and his team. She starts to sing lines of a song to herself while she pulls the wheeled bag behind her. The wheels -click- as they pass over each line of grout in the tile floor. When she reaches the galley, she sets the bag upright, pours some water into a glass, and puts the flowers in it.
Later, when she reaches her desk, she drops off the vase with flowers. She takes one last sniff as she walks away and continues with the case down another hallway, around anther corner, and finally into a large room with some computers, high-powered microscopes, and an autoclave.
She lifts and slides her bag onto a steel table. She opens it and fetches the container of material to be sterilized. She sings quietly as she puts on a rubber glove.
“La mer—Au ciel d’été confond—Ses blancs moutons...”
She sets each item onto a tray one by one, making sure no two pieces overlap. She lines up some pipette tubes, metal tongs, and a pair of scalpel handles she used at the hotel.
“Et d’une chanson d’amour—La mer—A bercé mon cœur pour la vie...”
She places the tray inside the autoclave and shuts the door to the chamber. She sets it for twenty minutes, then logs on a computer to write up some notes.
When the autoclave beeps, Candace knows that the material inside was subjected to high pressure jets of dry-steam at over 150 degrees Celsius for the duration of the time—minus however many seconds it took to vacuum all the air out of the chamber and to properly heat the steam. So when she opens the door, slides out the tray, and sees that one slide isn’t completely cleaned and sterilized, she’s at the very least, confused.
Did the machine malfunction? Everything else has been sterilized. What’s going on?
The slide once held a drop of blood under a cover plate; she knows this—it’s the only thing she’s used slides for today. Maybe I stacked them? She lifts the slide up and examines it. It’s a single layer, with no cover plate, but with a dried blob of blood on it. She sighs. This isn’t supposed to happen.