Once Bitten, Twice Dead - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,13
dangerous. As far as Xavier was concerned, that went beyond stupidity into downright insane hubris. The original project had used an experimental viral agent to try to make soldiers more resistant to disease. An expected byproduct had been the speed healing, that he and Sarah had experienced firsthand. The experimental substance—the contagion—actually worked on them the way it had been designed. But they were rare. In the vast majority of people, the contagion killed them quickly, and then reanimated their corpses with truly evil results.
Maybe the scientists thought they could contain their creations. Or maybe they didn’t care how many innocent lives were lost. Xavier would bet the latter. The medical researchers hadn’t seen him as a person when he’d miraculously survived the zombie attack. They’d treated him like a guinea pig or a lab rat. They barely even spoke directly to him, speaking over him instead. Nothing pissed him off faster than that. He hadn’t lasted more than a day in the hospital after waking before he’d checked himself out.
He’d walked bare-assed out of that ward but for a thin hospital gown and never looked back. Anyone who tried to stand in his way was forcefully, but politely, moved aside. After the first few orderlies and doctors hit the floor, the rest let him pass without making even the slightest objection.
Xavier’s first stop had been his quarters. He’d needed clothes. After dressing, his next stop was his commanding officer’s office. He’d never forget the look on his new CO’s face when he had marched in. His Green Beret unit had been decimated by the zombies. Xavier was the only one left. The loss of his comrades had hit Xavier hard. Then he’d been reassigned to a former Navy SEAL who headed up the team tasked to stop the zombies.
Matt Sykes was that navy commander and former SEAL. There was always a little good natured army-navy rivalry, but the Special Forces brotherhood bonded them. More than that, Sykes had proven himself in that moment when Xavier showed up in his office. Xavier owed his release from the scientists’ clutches to Matt Sykes. The navy man had gone to bat for Xavier, declaring him vital to the mission and unable to be spared for more testing.
Sykes had the balls, and the authority, to stop the science geeks in their tracks. As the zombie plague spread, the brass had become convinced that only a very few specialists—people like Xavier who were immune to the contagion—could safely get this situation under control. They’d put Sykes in charge of the whole ball of wax and given him absolute authority. And now here Xavier was, in charge of this ancillary cleanup-and-containment operation with a lady cop as his only comrade-in-arms. There were others in support positions, but only the two on the mission who had been proven immune would be risked in direct confrontation with the creatures.
“You ready?” he asked Sarah as she buckled her gun belt. She didn’t have her sidearm, but he’d take care of that shortly.
“I’ll be glad to see the outside. I hate hospitals.”
“Me, too.” Before they could make good their escape, Dr. Singh walked in with his two colleagues. “Damn. Almost made it.” Xavier leaned against the wall, watching the expressions of consternation cross the doctors’ faces. They weren’t wearing masks today, and, sure enough, they looked like they had expected Sarah to meekly lie in bed while they studied her.
“What’s going on here?” Dr. Singh’s accent was much thicker when he was agitated, that was for sure.
“I’m leaving.” Sarah’s answer made the doctor’s eyes bug out.
Xavier had to stifle a laugh at Singh’s reaction.
“But you can’t,” the female doctor objected. “We have to study you.”
“You can study my blood all you want, but I have a job to do.”
Xavier liked the way Sarah stood firm.
“You can’t go out there like this. You have a concussion, right, Dr. Singh?” The woman was clearly grasping at straws, looking for a way to keep Sarah in the hospital.
“Actually, her skull is repaired and her scans are normal,” Singh reported. “I hypothesize that whatever agent caused her rapid healing also accelerated recovery from the concussion.”
“Great.” Sarah finished buckling her utility belt and faced the three doctors. “I’m going. By force if necessary.” Her intent was clear. Nobody would mess with her plans.
The female doctor sighed and gave in. “I’ll get an orderly to take you down.”
“Is that really necessary? I’m perfectly capable of walking.”
“Hospital rules,” Singh replied, crossing his arms over his clipboard.