Daciana opened the folder and looked at the image of the smiling young girl. Hilda had been experimenting with cloning and something called DNA splicing. The young girl was her granddaughter. The girl and her parents had been killed in an automobile accident. In her grief, Hilda had used her knowledge and expertise to try to recreate the family she had lost. Daciana’s mother had been nothing more than a test subject that escaped and sought shelter under the house of the woman who had used her.
Daciana focused on the girl. She was the genetic mutation of this human child, changed by whatever her grandmother had done along with the effects of the strange gas the comet had spread over the area.
The man had also told her there was a scientist here who needed Dr. Zimmerman’s test results from her research on some kind of experiments with DNA to see if it could help them understand the changes of the captured infected humans. He’d clearly thought Daciana and the others were monsters that should be studied and dissected.
The sound of gunfire warned Daciana that more soldiers were still around and she was in danger. They had come for Hilda’s information—sent by the commander from a complex in the mountains northwest of her location. She would follow them back to their complex and discover what they knew about her. Knowledge was power, and power would keep her alive.
She turned and looked at the black beast who had been her shadow. “Call your pack away and hide until the humans are gone. They will only kill you. Do not eat this one. He is poisoned. Go now,” she quietly ordered.
The large black beast rose to his feet and took off on silent paws. Daciana slipped the file into the satchel and secured the strap across her body. Turning on her heel, she walked toward the door and faded into the shadows before she exited the room.
Fight or Flight:
Dust slid off the exam table and picked up his jacket. He winced when the sleeve caught on the strip of taped-down cotton covering the spot where the lab technician had drawn his blood. He averted his eyes away from the vials in the plastic tray.
Initially, he had been nervous about having his blood drawn. He expected to have the same craving for blood that he had before. Instead, he found that he was repulsed by the coppery smell. Dust was now even more confused by what was going on inside of him.
“How are you feeling?” Dr. Lucy Parson asked with a compassionate smile.
Dust looked at the woman and returned her smile with a weak one of his own. It had been hours since he had eaten anything and he was nauseated and feeling rather shaky. If he didn’t get something to eat soon, he would be useless when it came time to locate and free Josie.
“Hungry,” he admitted.
Lucy nodded. “Have a seat, and I’ll grab you something. It won’t taste the best, but it has a lot of calories and vitamins,” she said.
“Thank you,” Dust replied with a grateful smile.
He watched her pull a small box from a shelf and set it on the rolling table. Inside the box were numerous cans of the nutritious milk like his grandmother used to drink. He remembered trying one years ago. It had tasted like liquid cardboard—or what he imagined liquid cardboard would taste like.
“Doctor Parson, if you have a moment, one of the maintenance crew came in complaining of a headache. I’m not sure what is going on,” a man said from the door.
“I’ll be right there; I was just finishing up,” Lucy said with a worried expression.
“Thank you,” the man replied with a curious glance at Dust.
Lucy turned back and looked at Dust. “Drink this. Once you’re finished, let the guard know, and he’ll escort you back to the others. I wouldn’t try to leave on your own if I were you,” she said with a pointed look.
Dust took the can of nutrition milk from her and nodded. He remained seated in the hard plastic chair by the exam table as Lucy and technician left the room. Dust tilted his head when he heard the sound of a groan from the other room. The guard at the door looked down the hall before he peered inside the room at him. Dust watched in silence, sipping on his drink as the guard grabbed the door handle and pulled the door shut.
Swallowing the contents of the can, he grabbed two more and finished them off as well. His attention moved to the vials of blood. Biting his lip, he picked up the ones with his and Randolph’s names on them. He pulled the rubber tops off the ends and emptied the contents down the drain before rinsing both with alcohol. He looked around for some place to dispose of the vials without it being too obvious that the blood samples were dumped out. If he left them here, they would be found. He looked at the other vials. If he took a little out of each and added some liquid, it would look like they were all still full.
He replaced the now empty glass tubes in the plastic rack and was about to pull the top off of a full one when a loud scream filtered through the closed door. He jerked his hand back, catching the edge of the plastic test tube rack and sending the tray to the floor. He jumped back as the tubes shattered, splattering their contents on the floor.
At the same time, he heard the sound of gunfire from beyond the door. Backing up, he bumped into the exam table. His eyes widened in shock and horror when the door opened. The red-headed man that he had seen earlier was holding the guard up against the door by his throat. The guard’s mouth was open as he tried to draw in a breath of air.
The red headed man opened his mouth, and Dust saw a dark swarm of bugs suddenly fly out and into the guard’s open mouth. The guard began to convulse immediately against the door when he was released. Dust watched in horror as the guard slid to the floor.
Dust’s gaze jerked up from the guard to the man standing in the doorway. He immediately reacted when the man opened his mouth again, and another swarm of insects flew out in his direction. He raised his hands in the air, and the tiny shards of shattered glass from the test tubes rose up with his movement, slicing through the bugs.
The man’s eyes darkened, he tilted his head, and looked down at the guard who was lying unconscious on the floor. Bending over, the man picked up the discarded pistol. Dust twisted around the edge of the exam bed when the man aimed the pistol in his direction. Dust faded, stepping back through the thick wall at the same time the man discharged a round at him.
A shaft of power surged through him when he realized the extent of the danger he and everyone else was in. If this man wasn’t contained, the newly infected guard and he would infect everyone, and it would only get worse. He had to find Josie and warn the others.
Passing through the next two exam rooms, he stopped when he realized that he almost went through the doctor who had drawn his blood. She looked dazed as she leaned over the technician. He wavered between helping them and finding the others. He groaned. He couldn’t leave them defenseless if they weren’t infected with the bugs.
Dust glanced over his shoulder. Down the corridor, he could see the boots of the guard who had been outside of his exam room. With a mental push, he rolled the man into the room and slammed the door. Another thought turned the lock, imprisoning both men.
Lucy turned and looked down the hallway with an expression of fear and confusion. Dust took advantage of her distraction to reappear beside her. He looked down at her with a wary expression, trying to see if she was infected with the bugs or not.
“Did he infect you?” Dust asked, studying her.
She shook her head in confusion. “No, the guard saw what was happening and tried to shoot Tommy. The guard struck Matt, Tommy knocked me to the side and attacked the guard. What happened? I’ve known Tommy for over two years and have never seen anything like this,” Lucy demanded as she rose to her feet.
“He is infected and so is the guard now,” Dust replied. They could hear the muted shouts from Tommy as he banged on the door. Both of them jumped when they heard gunfire on the other side. “Do you have an alarm system? We have to warn everyone,” he urgently asked.
“Yes,” Lucy replied.
He watched as she hurried over to a covered panel by the door. Lifting the clear
plastic cover, she slammed the palm of her hand on the large red button. Immediately, the alarm sounded and red lights began to flash. She turned toward the main door leading into the medical unit.
Dust reached out and touched her arm. “What about him?” Dust asked, looking at the man on the floor.
Lucy shook her head. “He’s dead,” she quietly said.
Dust jumped when he heard more gunfire. He quickly glanced down the hallway and saw Tommy opening the door. Without a word, he pressed his hand on the doctor’s back and pushed her through the door, slamming it closed behind them. He was about to lock the door when she pushed him aside and swiped a key card next to it. The light changed from green to red.
“That won’t hold him for long,” he said before he turned and realized that they were surrounded by armed guards.
Dust lifted his hands in the air. His gaze flashed over the dozen intense faces of the men and women with their guns aimed at him. He wanted to point out that he wasn’t the one who was a danger to them, but he didn’t think they would believe him. Instead, he stared at the one man that he needed to convince—General McCullon.
“What happened?” McCullon demanded, his eyes fixed on Dust.
“Tommy Rutland came in complaining of a headache. Matt asked me to take a look at Tommy because he was acting strangely. When we entered the exam room, Tommy had some kind of bugs crawling on him. One fell to the floor and Matt stepped on it. Tommy went nuts and tried to attack us. Matt and I fled the room. The guard saw what was happening and ordered Tommy to stop. I… I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Lucy said in a shaky voice.
“I have,” Dust quietly interjected, slowly lowering his arms.
McCullon turned toward him. “Where?” he demanded in a clipped tone.
Dust looked at the door. He could sense that the creatures who had taken over Tommy’s body were assessing what to do next. They were evolving—and multiplying—at an incredible rate. If they didn’t do something soon, this entire complex would be overtaken, and these insects would have an advanced military base in their control.
“Back in the town where I first met Raymond, Martha, and Denise. The bugs couldn’t live out in the daylight. They only came out at night. The second time was at the bridge. Josie and I thought we had burned them all in the town, but there must have been more. The men on the motorcycles were infected with them. Somehow, one must have gotten across without being killed by the sun,” he explained.
Lucy looked at the General. “Tommy told Matt he first felt ill after working on one of the helicopters that had returned from picking up the new survivors. It must have somehow managed to get on the helicopter,” she said.
McCullon turned to the two soldiers on his right. “Find the flight crew and quarantine them. I want every man and woman on that mission examined,” he instructed before turning back to Lucy. “How can we be sure if someone is infected or not?” he asked.
“Their eyes…,” Dust began before pursing his lips together when the General shot him a warning glare.
Lucy nodded. “Dust is correct. Tommy’s eyes had changed to solid black. You’ll also see swollen black veins. Also look for jerky, uneven movements,” she said with a frown.
“They spread by crawling into your nose, mouth, or ears, and then they multiply. Oh, and they swarm,” Dust added.
“The question is how do we kill them?” McCullon growled.
Dust stared at the General for several seconds. Behind him, he could sense Tommy and the newly infected guard preparing an assault. His body was buzzing, and a surge of adrenaline made him feel like he was about to come out of his own skin. He looked at a section of the wall behind the General—the ventilation system. If the bugs got into it, there would be no saving the complex.
“Sir,” Dust murmured, drawing the General’s attention.
“What is it?” McCullon asked.
“Can you close off the ventilation system?” Dust asked, looking back at McCullon.
McCullon frowned. “Yes, we can isolate sections. Why?” he demanded.
“I think you’d better close off this section now. If the bugs affecting Tommy have been released, they will take over the complex. It would be best if you could evacuate everyone until there is a way to make sure,” Dust suggested.
“Oh my God, I never thought of that! He’s right,” Lucy said in horror as she turned and looked at the General.
McCullon was silent for a moment before he looked at the woman standing silently to his left. She nodded. The General looked back at Dust.
“Tell the control center to close off the ventilation systems on each level Rutland had access to. Four-man teams are to check each section thoroughly and evacuate everyone. Then I want a full lockdown. Doctor, I want you in charge of evaluating each man and woman from these sections.” Dust looked at McCullon with a wary expression when the man turned his intense gaze on him. “Son, you appear to know more about this than anyone else. I want to know if there is any way to stop these damn bugs.”
Dust frowned and thought for a moment. Raymond had said that the bugs liked two things—electrical equipment and humans. From what he’d seen back in the town where they had found Raymond and the two women, as well as on the bridge, he knew they would protect their host. He parted his lips as a new, rough plan began to form. What if he could offer them something—or someone—better?
He looked back at the General. Drawing in a deep breath, he released it as he made the difficult decision. There might be a way, but he wouldn’t do it without something in return.
“There might be a way, but I’ll need three things,” Dust replied, lifting his chin in determination.
“What?” McCullon impatiently responded.
“Josie, a case of the nutrition milk, and your promise that you’ll let all of us—including Josie—go if we do this,” Dust replied.
A muscle in McCullon’s jaw twitched as he returned Dust’s steady gaze. As the silence lengthened, he wasn’t sure the General was going to agree. Finally, McCullon nodded.
“Take him to the girl and close down this damn section,” he ordered Mendoza.
“Yes, sir,” Mendoza quietly replied with a nod.
Chapter Eleven
Never again:
Josie sat with her knees drawn up against her chest. She wiped at the dampness on her cheek in irritation. Her chest ached from the suffocating fear of being chained and confined again.
She took a shuddering breath and began to rock back and forth. Dark scorch marks marred the surface of the uneven rock walls. She had been furious when she woke to find herself in a familiar situation. It was exactly the same as her dad had done to her.
Whoever captured her had used something on the chains to insulate them from the heat of her fire—not that she could create much at the moment. Thanks to the amount of energy she had used at the bridge, she could barely roast a marshmallow for Todd if she wanted to. Sniffing again, she lowered her head and rested her forehead on her knees. She hated people.
Her fingers curled when she heard the door unlocking. She slowly lifted her head. The heat of her glare changed to relief when she saw Dust hurrying toward her. Her lips parted lips with a relieved cry and she dropped her feet down to the floor before she stood up.
Without thinking, she threw her chained arms around his neck and held onto him. A strangled sob caught in her throat and she buried her face against his neck. He slid his arms around her and hugged her close.
“Get me out of here,” she demanded in a hoarse voice.
“And I thought you were just happy to see me,” he teased.
A reluctant chuckle shook her body and she leaned back and looked up at him. Fresh tears formed in her eyes when she saw the concern on his face. He lifted a hand and ran it across her cheek.
“What took you so long?” she demanded.
Dust shook his head. “They threatened the others. We need your help. The zombie-bugs are here,” he said in a gentle voice as he released
his hold on her.
Josie groaned at his softly spoken statement. “I am so done with those damn things,” she hissed, holding out her arms so he could undo the restraints around her wrists. “I have to warn you, unless I get something with some mega-sugar in it, I’m not going to be much help except to run like a screaming idiot in a Walking Dead episode.”
“He said these would help,” a woman stated.
Josie glared at the woman in the military uniform. “How about I test it on you?” she snapped.
Dust looked up from where he was unlocking the restraints around Josie’s ankles. “She doesn’t mean it,” he told Major Mendoza.
The Major’s lips twitched. “I know,” she replied, placing the cardboard box down on the bench. “Nutrition drinks.”
Josie peered into the box before picking up one of the drinks. She wiggled her nose in distaste and looked down at Dust. Holding out the can of milk, she raised an eyebrow.
“Are you serious? You want me to charge up on Granny Milk? Don’t they have soda, marshmallows, high energy drinks, or bottled iced coffee?” she retorted in a dry tone.
“Drink up, Josie. We may not have much time and the plan I have—well…,” Dust started to say.
Josie didn’t miss the uncomfortable glance at the woman next to them. “What happened?” she asked, pulling the top back on the can and lifting it to her lips.
She listened as Dust and Major Mendoza explained what had happened. She was surprised that the supplemental milk didn’t taste quite as bad as she’d thought it would. By the fourth can, she decided that the chocolate was better than the vanilla or strawberry but all of them carried a kick. She groaned in relief when her powers kicked into high gear. Tossing an empty can onto the floor, she sent a fireball to engulf it.
“Nice,” the Major stated.
“So, we know there are bugs. We know there are at least two bad guys. And we know we are the lucky ones who get to deal with them. What is this fantastic plan of yours?” Josie asked, feeling tons better as she popped the top of her eighth can.