“Now you and I are going to join Dr. Sharp and your girlfriend.”
Carson skeptically walked to the morgue door with Warren following. The phone receiver was missing from the base on the nearby wall. The receiver lie on the desk with the red speaker light glowing.
†
At the same time, just upstairs in the x-ray department, Lexx stood by the phone in the waiting room. The red speaker light was lit on the phone alongside her. She disconnected the call and turned to Hill with a look of alarm on her face. Hill was already pacing the waiting room and didn’t bother looking at Lexx. Allison, who had been drawing on her pink cast with a permanent marker, stopped and looked at them as well.
“Dr. Sharp is going to do something to Carson,” she gasped. “We have to help him!”
“I know, I know,” Hill announced and appeared to sink into thought. He checked the clip in his gun and frowned. “I have four rounds and an extra clip. There’s no telling how many of them are out there.”
“We have the weapons.”
“And they have sheer numbers,” he reminded her. “If they mob us, we’re done. I can’t risk the little girl.” He hesitated, drew a deep breath, and stared at Lexx a moment. “You stay here with Allison. I’ll get Carson back.”
“Sheriff--” she protested.
There was a strange thumping from the ceiling. It was the same sound they’d heard in the corridor. Hill aimed his gun at the ceiling while Lexx forced Allison behind her and grabbed the ax. All three stared at the ceiling and listened to the sound. The sound appeared to be traveling the length of the ceiling.
“There’s that sound from the hallway,” Lexx gasped softly while clinging to the ax.
The ceiling grate suddenly swung open, alarming both. They raised their weapons defensively toward the ceiling. Monica poked her head through the opening, saw them, and grinned. She possibly meant to startle them with her entrance.
“I’ve been looking all over for you guys,” she announced almost cheerfully. “I was starting to think you didn’t get away from those freaks.”
Monica swung her legs through the opening and dropped to the floor below. As she dropped, Hill helped catch her. She took a quick step back from him, brushed some cobwebs from her bloodstained clothes, and eyed Lexx. She raised her brows sharply in question.
“I didn’t interrupt anything between you and Snow White, did I?”
Lexx rolled her eyes. The woman was insufferable. It was possible the zombies didn’t attack her, because they secretly feared her. Allison peeked out from behind Lexx and appeared distrusting of the aggressive woman.
Hill smiled with relief and hugged Monica. “I thought you were dead.”
Monica pushed him away and glared at him. “Keep that sappy stuff to yourself,” she snorted. “Of course I’m alive.” She hesitated then sneered with disgust. “I’m not exactly thrilled about having to kill Evan to stay that way, but shit happens.”
Hill appeared horrified while sweeping a look over her. She had a large amount of dried blood on her clothing. “He didn’t bite you, did he?”
“Not for lack of trying,” she replied. “I saw firsthand what happens to your ass if you’re bit.” Monica saw Allison peeking out from behind Lexx. She immediately tilted her head then eyed Hill. “How long was I gone?” Monica looked back at the little girl and smiled. “Hey, I remember you. You were in the emergency waiting room. Have you been hiding in here the whole time?”
Allison again hid behind Lexx and avoided Monica.
“Huh, I don’t get it,” Monica said. “Kids usually love me.”
Hill looked at his sister, gently cleared his throat, and indicated the large amount of dried blood covering her uniform. “Your appearance may have something to do with that.”
Allison again peeked out from behind Lexx and uncertainly pointed at her EMT badge. “Is that someone’s finger?”
Monica glanced at her uniform, saw the partial finger caught behind her badge, and casually flicked it off her uniform. “Yeah, but I’m an EMT, we reattach those all the time.”
The little girl still didn’t know what to make of Monica. Lexx was happy Monica was making friends with the little girl, but she’d had enough of the small talk. Carson was in some sort of trouble, and they needed to act quickly before Dr. Sharp did something unthinkable to him.
“Is there a vent opening in the linen closet on this floor?” Lexx abruptly asked.
Monica eyed Lexx with bewilderment and raised a cocky brow. “I would assume so, but there’s nothing we need there.” She returned her gaze to her brother. “The others are in the doctor’s lounge. We have enough coffee and snacks to hold us over until CDC grows a pair and gets in here.”
“Others?” Hill asked with surprise. “How many others? Any of them bit?”
“Do you think I’m stupid?” she snarled while glaring at him. Monica collected herself and attempted to sound less hostile. “No, none were bit. We dealt with them.”
“Dealt with them?” Hill suddenly asked.
“Yes, dealt with them,” Monica hissed with a demanding look then indicated the frightened little girl. “Considering how daisy fresh you’re looking, I’m guessing you’ve been sitting around twiddling your thumbs. There are eight survivors in the doctor’s lounge.” Monica looked at the little girl and again smiled. “Your mother will be happy to see you.”
The little girl’s face lit up. “My mother’s there?”
Monica nodded. “She showed me your picture right before I climbed into the vent. Asked me to keep an eye out for you on my travels.” Her look turned serious. “Follow me and keep quiet. I’ll get you to the doctor’s lounge.”
Monica turned toward the vent and was prepared to jump for the edge when Hill stopped her.
“We have to get to the linen closet down the hall,” Hill quickly announced. “Do you know the way to it?”
She suddenly turned and stared at both with annoyance. “Yeah, it’s just beyond the doctor’s lounge. What’s with the linen closet?” Monica scoffed and eyed them demandingly. “You two have a hot date?”
Lexx was quickly losing patience with the insufferable woman and desperately wanted to lash out. “Dr. Sharp locked my assistant and the coroner in the morgue freezers,” she boldly announced. “He took my brother at gunpoint and intends to do some sort of experiment on him.”
“Experiment?” Monica suddenly gasped.
“We’ll explain on the way,” Lexx informed her unable to contain her anxiety. “There’s a dumbwaiter shaft in the closet that’ll take us to the basement.”
“Dr. Sharp’s goon is going to kill them if we don’t get down there,” Hill informed his sister. “You can take Allison to her mother, and we’ll continue on to the linen closet.”
Monica cocked her head and cleverly raised her brows. “And let you have all the fun? I don’t think so. Let’s go.”
Monica looked at Allison and indicated the vent above her. She extended her hand to her. Allison took Monica’s hand and allowed her to boost her up to the vent. Allison grabbed on to the edge and managed to climb in despite her pink cast.
“Wait for us,” Monica informed the little girl in the vent opening. She eyed her brother and Lexx. “Oh, I’m sorry. Where are my manners?” Monica pulled a chair from the wall, placed it under the vent opening, playfully slapped it, and grinned at both while indicating the chair. “After you.”
Hill rolled his eyes then looked at Lexx. “You’ll have to forgive Monica,” he announced. “We’re thinking about having her balls snipped.”
Lexx hid her smile. She enjoyed Hill’s brazen comment a little too much. Monica just glared at Hill. He was going to pay dearly for that remark.
“At least one of us has balls,” Monica retorted lowly so the little girl couldn’t hear them. She glared at Lexx and indicated the vent. “You’re next, princess.”
Lexx sneered in response and climbed on the chair beneath the vent. Hill attempted to assist her. With som
e irritation, she motioned him to back off. He frowned and took a step back. Lexx swiftly pulled herself partway into the vent, allowing her legs to dangle a moment. She kicked out with her legs for added momentum, purposely kicking Monica in the face. Monica yelped and jumped back while clutching her cheek. She glared at the vent opening as Lexx’s feet disappeared into the ceiling. Lexx turned within the vent, looked down at the stunned woman, and smirked deviously.
“I’m so sorry,” Lexx hissed with bitterness. “I didn’t see you there.”
Monica sneered at Lexx while gently rubbing her red cheek. “You kick like a girl.”
Lexx smiled and disappeared into the vent. Hill avoided looking at Monica so she wouldn’t see the smirk on his face. Monica stopped him from climbing onto the chair. He looked back at her, groaned lowly, and folded his arms across his chest.
She indicated the opening in the vent. “You could do worse,” Monica casually remarked.
Hill stared at her with surprise. She offered a tiny smile. Hill hid his smile and climbed on the chair.
Chapter Thirty-two
Warren forced Carson at gunpoint along the corridor in the direction of the lab. Both paused before the door and were about to enter when they saw Gunther slowly approaching from the opposite end of the hall. He had a look of horror on his face and appeared unable to speak. Warren stared at him with a puzzled look as he approached.
“Is something wrong, Doc?” Warren asked.
“I--I was just in the bathroom,” Gunther fumbled and could barely get the words out.
Both watched him as he got closer with shared looks of concern. His color was off, although he wasn’t showing symptoms as the others had.
“He doesn’t look right,” Carson muttered to Warren and attempted to take a step behind the man with the gun.
Warren grabbed Carson’s arm and forced him to stand his ground. He clutched his gun while watching Gunther. “You feeling okay, Doc?”
“I’m, uh, fine,” he said softly and held his head with a trembling hand.
As he got closer, they could see blood on his hand and discolored blood seeping through the crotch of his pants. Carson’s eyes widened with horror and then turned to rage.
“It was you!” Carson exploded.
Warren appeared tense and uncertainly aimed his gun at Gunther. He cast a quick glance at Carson with a demanding look in his eyes. “What are you talking about?”
Gunther stopped his approach, realizing the gun was aimed at him, and then looked at the blood on his trembling hand. He looked back at Carson and Warren.
“I didn’t do anything,” Gunther insisted with less confidence and a look of fear on his face.
“He’s been infected,” Carson lashed out.
Warren appeared alarmed and aimed the gun at Gunther with more conviction.
“No, I haven’t,” Gunther gasped with the sound of fear in his voice. “Don’t listen to him. You work for me, Warren, remember?”
“He molested Tracy’s corpse,” Carson cried out in rage while pointing wildly. “Nathan said it would cause infection at the contact site.” He indicated the blood spreading across Gunther’s crotch. “That’s the contact site.”
Warren appeared stunned then enraged, showing emotion for the first time. “You sick fuck!”
He was about to squeeze the trigger when the lab door opened to reveal the naked, dead doctor. Carson saw her and cried out with surprise. Warren spun with his gun aimed but wasn’t fast enough. Tracy leaped onto Warren and bit him on the side of the neck. He cried out with surprise and ripped her off him before she could tear through his flesh. He shot wildly without aiming and hit her in the shoulder near her neck. She was jolted but continued for him. Warren pulled the trigger, but the gun clicked empty. Carson grabbed Warren and pulled him away before she could grab him. Carson hurried Warren down the corridor and away from Gunther and the dead woman. They ran inside the physical therapy department and slammed the door behind them. Tracy set her sights on Gunther as blood ran down her chin. He stared back at her with horror in his eyes. He backed away but appeared weak and uncoordinated. Despite her bone protruding out her lower leg, Tracy lunged for Gunther and tackled him to the floor, landing on top of him. Gunther attempted to hold her back while she straddled him and tried to bite his neck.
“No, Dr. Kirby, no!” Gunther shouted. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
Tracy appeared to smile through bloodstained teeth then lunged for his neck. Gunther cried out as she tore into his flesh with all the aggression of a wild animal.
†
Hill held onto Allison’s good arm as she dangled from the vent into the doctor’s lounge below. Ellen and Adam caught the little girl and helped her to the floor. Her mother smothered her while sobbing tears of joy. Pricilla hugged both her daughter and granddaughter at the same time. After indulging in the tearful, joyous reunion for a moment, the three within the vent continued on their journey to the linen closet. Crawling through the vent seemed to take longer than it actually did. Monica stopped just above the linen closet and peered through the grate to the room below. Fresh blood stained the excessively white linen piled neatly on the racks. She looked back at her brother and Lexx.
“The closet door is open,” she announced softly. “We don’t know if any of the infected found their way inside. We’ll need to quietly secure that door.”
Hill appeared bewildered while staring at his sister. “Lexx closed that door after us, I’m sure of it.”
Lexx nodded in agreement.
“Well, it’s open now,” Monica remarked. “I’ll go first, since I’m a little more stealth. You two wait here while I secure the room and barricade that door.”
“Be my guest,” Hill muttered.
Monica quietly opened the grate, sat on the edge, and then slipped through the opening, dangling from the vent. She dropped nearly silently to the floor, landing in a crouched position. She looked around and at the excessive amount of blood on the linen and quietly headed for the open door. Hill stared through the opening and appeared curious. He looked back at Lexx.
“There wasn’t blood in there when we went through, was there?”
“No,” Lexx replied. “It was sterile.”
Hill appeared concerned and stared through the opening at the blood below. He then looked back at Lexx. “Stay here.” He slipped through the opening and landed with less grace than his sister had.
Monica quietly approached the open closet door. Several zombies wandered aimlessly just outside the closet. She reached for the door to close it. A zombie suddenly appeared from alongside the linen rack and lunged for Monica. The male zombie was on top of her too fast for her to fight it. As it tackled her to the floor, she flipped it over her and onto its back. Both ended up inside the corridor among the other zombies. They saw Monica as she scrambled to her feet and lunged for her while snarling. She spun into a high roundhouse kick and nailed the first zombie in the chest, sending it backwards and crashing into a wheelchair lying on the floor. Another zombie came at her from behind. Hill struck the zombie in the chest with the ax, embedding it deep into its chest while knocking it back against the wall. He struggled to pull his ax free while the zombie attempted to reach for him despite the blade within its chest. Hill held the zombie at bay with the ax and reached for his gun. Monica kicked another zombie away from her and saw him going for his gun.
“No,” she cried out softly with alarm. “You’ll bring them all to this spot.”
She turned to fight off another zombie when a second lunged for her and knocked her into the wall. Hill saw the attack and shot the zombie before him. He released the ax and turned to help Monica, prepared to shoot the zombie on her. She kept the first zombie from biting her face while the second zombie went for her arm holding the first one back. Hill shot the zombie about to bite her arm. Monica attempted to get enough distance between her and the zombie pinning her to the wall to fight it, but she had no leverage. The zombie’s teeth were now close to
her face. A hammer suddenly struck the zombie in the head, spattering thick, dark blood from the wound. She released the zombie and watched it fall to the floor then looked at Lexx holding the bloodied hammer. Nearly a dozen zombies now charged them from the opposite end of the hall. The first of the dozen was nearly on top of them.
“Get into the closet,” Monica called out. “I’m right behind you!”
Monica spun into a high roundhouse kick, struck the zombie in the head, and knocked it backwards. A second one was already on top of her. She spun for a return kick and struck it in the chest. The first one recovered more quickly than anticipated, since they didn’t respond to pain. She was about to be engulfed by the approaching herd and needed to get away from the two. The first zombie suddenly went down on its right knee. The bone now protruded from its left knee. Lexx stood over the zombie, having broken its knee with a low kick. She plunged the screwdriver through the zombie’s ear and yanked it free as it collapsed to the floor. Monica stared with disbelief then turned and karate kicked the one in front of her. As the zombie went down, Hill herded both women into the nearby linen closet. He slammed the door behind them and bolted it. The first few zombies struck the door, unable to stop in time. The second string stepped on the fallen zombies and pawed at the door, attempting to get inside. Inside the linen closet, Hill hurried both women for the dumbwaiter. Monica grabbed Lexx’s arm and forced her to face her.
“Where’d you learn that move?” Monica suddenly asked with a look of surprise.
“Med school,” she replied simply. “I know every vulnerable place on a person’s body. I’ve also gotten good at resetting bones, so I know just how much force to use to snap them.”
Hill appeared sickened. He forced Lexx into the dumbwaiter shaft then turned to Monica. She watched Lexx disappear into the shaft then stared at her brother. Monica attempted to catch her breath then casually indicated Lexx, who was already climbing down the rungs.
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