“Whoa,” Barry said under his breath.
The tall, human figure lying on the floor was well-defined and muscular.
“He’s…” Captain Pertus tried not to look at the man on the floor.
Other passengers whistled and cooing at the man that laid where the wolf had once been. His eyes flicked open, but he was still. He seemed confused at the world around him.
Lena could feel the passengers pushing to get a better look at the recently transformed man on the ground. It was like he was a new exhibit at the zoo, and everyone wanted a good look.
Lena could feel her strong nails push into the soft skin of her palms as she watched the wolfman lay there in confusion. She could hear the different passengers talked wildly about the man and who he was, where he came from, and how he had just transformed from a monster to a handsome male.
Lena could taste the faint bile on her tongue, the old taste of red wine mixed with the other unidentifiable tastes rolling around her mouth. She could still smell the odd mix of odors emitted from the dead and living around her. The faint whiff of oranges, the sweet smell Barry had once smelled strong of, and the strong decomposing scents of the zombies that were lying around the strange wolfman.
The captain was still fixated on the man. “He’s… He’s…” he kept repeating the same word, unable to get the rest of the sentence out.
“I know, Captain. It is quite a shock.” Barry nodded, trying to help reassure the shocked captain.
“He’s bloody handsome,” a woman passenger commented.
“Yes, but he’s…” Captain Pertus stuttered over his words.
“Sporting his birthday suit,” Barry said, finishing the sentence for the captain.
Chapter Twenty
The tall, muscular naked man on the cabin floor blinked wildly. He looked displaced as he rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on reality. He sat up quickly. His chest sported a thick six pack of abs that were covered in a soft ginger fuzz. He was handsome and strong, and he stared, obviously confused at the passengers crowding around and staring at him. He stood with great speed, looking from passenger to passenger as they looked at him in his birthday suit.
“Erm…” Barry mumbled, looking down at the floor.
The man focused on Barry, who coughed nervously and motioned towards his stomach. The transformed werewolf hadn’t figured out he was stark naked. The sight of the wolfman transforming and turning into a naked man had caught Barry off guard. Still, he was excited that the werewolf was friendly and had helped them fight the zombies.
“Look down,” Lena said, motioning downward.
Barry looked away, awkwardly squashing his eyes closed. The wolfman bit his lip before looking down at his chest. His mouth hung open as his hands shot frantically to cover his exposed private parts. He looked up at the ogling passengers and down again at his naked body. He stumbled backward, trying to keep his sensitive parts covered. .
“I’m… Holy shit…” He stuttered. “I have no…”
Lena nodded at his observations.
“Where are my clothes?” he sputtered out.
He looked around at the chairs, trying to find something to cover his embarrassment with.
“It’s a birthday suit, mate,” Captain Pertus said, evidently unfazed about the situation. Captain Pertus sniggered heartily, pushing past the naked wolfman. “Great to meet you in such an obscure state. If I may say, maybe you should cover your fucking bologna pony quickly, but that’s just a little manly advice. I wish I could stay and chat, but I have to return to the cockpit and fly this damn thing home in one piece.” He nodded and rushed off towards premiere class and the front of the aircraft.
“Cockpit,” Barry sniggered, still staring at the floor.
“Shut up,” Lena said softly.
She stifled a laugh at both the wolfman and Barry who still looked away shyly. Barry had turned an odd shade of red with embarrassment.
“You know, Barry, when you blush, the lining of your stomach turns red, too.” Lena nudged Barry playfully.
The wolfman grabbed a random sweater from the seat and flung it around his waist. He tied it quickly and let the main body of the sweater fall as a loincloth. He chuckled and tried to shake the embarrassment out of his head.
“Bologna pony.” He chuckled.
“Nice sweater though,” Barry said as he nodded towards the sweater.
The wolfman coughed and licked his lips uncertainly. “I’m Harrison.” He smiled, extending his hand to Lena.
“I’m Lena Turner. You really made quite a show for these terrified folks.” She shook his hand while laughing.
“Sorry about that.” He turned to Barry. “Nice show though right?” he added.
“Hey, man,” Barry mumbled, turning slightly away from Harrison. He grinned like a kid on Christmas morning.
“I’m Harrison,” the wolfman repeated his name.
“I think I like you better as a werewolf,” Barry breathed quietly.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“Uh, I said, uh, good job, but you aren’t a part of my family,” he told Harrison.
“Why not?”
“I’m Barry Harrison,” he told the wolfman.
“No way!” Harrison beamed.
Barry nodded, pushing hair behind his ear. He tried to hide his excitement of meeting a real werewolf, one that didn’t attack him or hurt him. It was close to heaven for a man like Barry Harrison.
“Well, great to meet you, Harrison!” the wolfman said, smacking Barry’s shoulder playfully.
The werewolf was an enthusiastic man with an extremely dull voice. The way he presented himself was unique. He was enthusiastic but firm, and he had a gentle smile but was quick with his words. His voice was monotone and hard to follow, he spoke softly but with haste. His who persona was not right, but not wrong either.
“Harrison,” Lena began.
“Hm?” Harrison turned his attention to Lena.
“Maybe you should put some… You know…” Lena attempted.
“Put some?”
“Put some clothes on. It might help a little,” she finished awkwardly.
“Ah! Yes,” he said flatly.
Harrison nodded and turned around, showing his pasty white butt cheeks. Barry made a squeaking noise as Harrison made his way back down the aisles to find some clothes. He had a unique way of clenching his cheeks together as he walked.
“Nice cheeks,” Lena whispered.
Both of them tried not to laugh at the way Harrison walked, but the more they tried to hide it, the more laughter came. As Harrison stopped, the two friends held their stomachs from laughing so hard.
“What are you laughing at?” Harrison asked.
“Nothing.” Lena snapped to attention.
“Yeah, nothing… much,” Barry agreed.
Harrison looked at them, concerned, before continuing on towards his clothes.
“Guys, he’s a proper werewolf!” Barry’s voice was high pitched and excited once Harrison was out of view.
“I know!” Levi, the young teenager, was just as excited as Barry was.
Like Barry and Levi, a few of the other passengers couldn’t believe there was a friendly werewolf on the plane. They had watched Harrison change into his human form but, because they’d been huddled in a corner of the plane, hadn’t seen the werewolf help them defeat the zombies.
The wolfman had dressed fully. He had a button-down white shirt, and his collar was untidy and sticking out. His black cargo pants hung baggily around his legs, and his utility belt boasted a security badge. His ID hung from his chest pocket: HARRISON TRAYNOR—PRIVATE SECURITY. The photo was surprisingly terrible for such an attractive man.
He nodded at the passengers before turning to look at Adele on the floor. “Time to get you sorted.” Harrison told the unconscious zombie.
He pulled the woman up in his arms and groaned at the awkward movements to get Adele sitting in the middle seat of the closest row. He panted while shifti
ng Adele back in the chair. Her head lolled to the side, and her arms rested gently on the ripped material of her dress. Harrison pulled the unconscious zombie up straighter in her chair and secured the seatbelt around her waist.
“There, all safe now,” he muttered. He looked at Adele in her seat and sighed as a frown crept across his face. “Thank God,” he added with disappointment.
After he finished, he made his way carefully through the crowd to where Roy still sat. The once triumphant man looked defeated, and his blank tablet sat on the table. He’d found and retrieved it at some point after the fight, and he didn’t seem happy. Harrison stood over Roy menacingly.
“What the fuck was that?” he yelled at the creepy man.
“Oh, Harrison Traynor, the little you know.” Roy sneered at the wolfman.
“Bullshit!” he screamed, and Roy gave a smile that sent a chill down their spines. “Why the fuck would you do this?”
Harrison pointed down the cabin at the different zombies around. Some laid on the floor, others were shoved against the seats, and Hawaiian Shirt was crammed inside the bathroom.
“The rebirth has begun, Harrison Traynor,” he simply said.
“Why do you use my full name? To intimidate me?”
“He does that with everyone, Harrison,” Lena said, joining the argument.
“Lena Turner is right.”
“But why would you do this?” Harrison asked again.
“The rebirth has begun, Harrison Traynor,” he said again.
“That isn’t a good enough answer.”
“What else am I to say, Harrison Traynor?”
“You have killed innocent people!” Harrison screamed.
Roy remained composed and unchanged. “I have told you. It’s for the rebirth of humanity. Harrison Traynor, the rebirth has begun.” Roy folded his hands on top of the darkened screen and looked calmly at Harrison and Lena.
“The rebirth?” Harrison asked, raising his ginger eyebrows.
“Yes, Asher Brannick’s great rebirth, Harrison Traynor.”
“Asher Brannick?” Harrison asked.
“Choose wisely which side you are on, Harrison Traynor.”
“Oh, I assure you, Roy, I’m on the right side.”
“You only get to make the choice once, then you must stick to it, Harrison Traynor.” Roy sneered. “I am the controller, and it would be a shame for you to be the controlled.”
“Harrison, there’s a chip in Adele’s neck,” Lena said, remembering the red dots and controlling chips in the other zombies.
“A chip?”
“Yes, Roy is controlling them.”
“Roy is?” Harrison was clearly confused.
“The creepy grease bag who smells like oranges.”
“I know who he is, but he doesn’t seem to be the kind of guy who would want to control them.” He nodded slightly.
She shrugged. “He seems evil enough to me.”
“Those with great power usually are,” Harrison vaguely said, looking above the seats.
“If you quote fucking Spiderman, Barry, I’ll smack you,” she threatened lightly.
“With great power comes great reasonability,” Barry said, ignoring Lena’s words.
“They are wise words indeed.” Harrison nodded. Harrison had a far off look in his eyes. It was like a war raged inside them.
“He tells an awful lot of puns,” Lena said, trying to break Harrison from his steady gaze.
“We’ll be great friends then. Harrison and Harrison.” He snapped back to reality.
“Harrison and Harrison. I like it!” Barry excitedly said.
Harrison tilted Adele’s head forward to reveal the small sensor chip lodged in the base of her neck. He studied it for a moment before looking back at Lena. “I see.” Harrison nodded.
Other passengers had lightened up. Emily and Sherri handed out snacks and drinks to help the mood. Some guests talked about a movie they had seen, and others discussed the zombies and werewolf.
“I need to get the chip out,” Harrison said after much thought.
Lena, Barry, and Harrison observed the different parts of the aircraft in search of something that could be used to remove the chip from Adele’s neck. Barry’s eyes rested on Dr. Dick Francis, the arrogant medical professional, and Professor Jack Enright.
“By George, I got it!” Barry exclaimed loudly, rushing over to the two men.
“Doctor,” he began.
“Yes?” Both of the men turned to Barry.
“I need the medical kit you used earlier,” Barry said.
“I don’t got it, mate,” Dick Francis said.
“You ‘don’t got?’” Jack asked, mortified.
“Yeah.”
“You have medical knowledge but can’t put together a proper English sentence?” Jack questioned.
“Guys, forget English right now. I need the damn medical bag.” Barry sighed.
“I do not have it,” Dick Francis replied slower.
Barry rolled his eyes and returned to his friends next to Adele. He didn’t say a word as he searched for the medical bag, trying to remember where it had last been.
“The air marshal,” Lena said.
“Damn, that’s right.”
Barry dashed over to the air marshal and gathered the supplies into the bag. He brought the bag back to Harrison and Lena. Blood covered the once freshly white material of the medical kit. The different medical supplies were disorganized and shoved back into the bag messily. Harrison said nothing as he pulled out the supplies he needed.
“Okay, let’s pop this baby out,” Harrison said as he focused on the chip in Adele’s neck.
Barry turned a shade of green all over again and turned around so he couldn’t see what Harrison was about to do.
“You really could’ve used a better choice of words there, Harrison,” Lena said, smirking.
“Let me get deep inside her and thrust in and out until it is removed.”
“That’s worse.”
“You’re right it is, but I tried.” Harrison turned to his patient. He wiped the chip with a disinfectant wipe.
“She hardly needs to be disinfected before you rip that thing off.” Barry motioned to the wipe in Harrison’s hand.
“Yeah, I suppose I didn’t need to do that, but I was once a medic in the army.”
“Really?” Barry asked, his mouth gaping open.
“Yes, sir. I went on five tours serving as a field medic. Many died in my very own arms because I didn’t have any disinfectant wipes.” He waved the wipe as he spoke.
“I served in Afghanistan,” Lena told Harrison.
“Really? What division?”
“I was with EJG Division,” Lena said.
“EJG? Isn’t that the elite special ops? Best of the best kind of deal,” Harrison questioned in disbelief.
“Look, I know I’m a female, but that doesn’t mean I’m all pink tutus and waiting to be rescued,” she snapped at him.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean that to sound sexist. I was curious. I’ve just have always heard of EJG, but I never actually met anyone who served in that division,” Harrison said, stumbling over his recovery.
“Smooth recovery,” Barry snorted.
“So EJG, are you with them anymore?”
“No, when I got back from my third tour, I got recruited to the UKSF, and I haven’t looked back.”
“Woah, UKSF and EJG. You are a badass indeed,” Harrison said, looking back at Adele.
“I suppose. Why did you leave the army?”
“Saw too many people die, and I couldn’t help them. Also, the chaplain snored so loudly I thought I was going to get blown to kingdom come just from the noise he made in his sleep!” Harrison smiled as he cut into Adele’s neck.
“The chaplain when I was in Afghanistan snored a hell of a lot, too,” Lena replied.
“No way!”
“Yeah, he would snort in his sleep, too. It would’ve been funny if insurgents weren’t trying to
kill us.” She looked over his shoulder and watched his precise movements.
“Same here. Maybe it was like a requirement for the chaplain course,” he said, cutting slowly at the chip.
“If you snore loudly, apply to be an army chaplain. Forget religious education. You only need to snore loudly and make weird sounds in your sleep.” She laughed.
Harrison had well-trained movements, and he easily made incisions around the chip. He chewed at his lip as he worked and breathed softly.
“I learned quickly to limit my breathing when operating in the field,” he said as he worked.
“Did it help?”
“It stopped the smell a bit.” He finished his incision and pulled the chip free.
A small hole was left at the top of Adele’s spine where the chip had once been lodged. Harrison lifted the chip up the light and examined it closely.
“Hey, brainy boy, does this look like anything to you?” Harrison asked Barry.
Barry looked closer at the chip but shook his head. The chip was stuck firmly to zombie flesh, and it connected directly into her spinal cord and dictated her every move. All those who had been under Roy’s control had suffered this fate.
“Is there any hope of Adele turning back into a human?” Harrison asked, looking at the woman he should have protected.
“Harrison Traynor, your sentiment is real, but no there is no hope,” Roy said with a hint of amusement.
“What do you mean?” Harrison asked coldly.
“You know exactly what I mean, Harrison Traynor.”
“Tell me!” the werewolf roared.
“Do you like games, Harrison Traynor?”
Harrison was silent.
“Let us play a game here, Harrison Traynor. You guess, and I will tell you if you are right.”
He didn’t say a word to Roy.
“Silence will get you nowhere, Harrison Traynor.”
Harrison still didn’t move.
“Come on, little boy, did the army teach you nothing?” Roy mocked the tall man.
“She’ll always be a zombie?” he asked softly, treading carefully.
Pandemic Z (Book 1): Pandemic Z Page 17