Waking the Zed - By ML Katz Page 0,25

this room though I am not a person who perspires excessively.” She gestured towards the corridor, blocked by closed doors and the Zed. “Unfortunately, the thermostat for this part of the building is on the other side of those doors.”

“Let me feel your forehead,” Paul said. “You know I’m a medical student, and I worked in hospitals every summer before this one.” He started to rise from his seated position on the floor by the wall.

Pamela glanced at Paul with renewed interest. So he was another student. He was probably also being very well paid for this summer internship. She thought it was odd that Dr. Klein had employed a medical student to do simple tasks like pushing bodies around, and she also wondered if his typical duties were as boring as hers were. She also wondered if his job had allowed him to learn more about Dr. Klein’s activities than she did, and that was why he had appeared so concerned before. Maybe Paul could help her figure out how to stop this.

“Stay where you are,” Dr. Klein ordered. She pointed outside with her gun hand. “See, the cavalry has arrived.” She arranged her features in a complacent smile. “I told you I had everything under control.”

Pam and Paul swiveled their heads from the inside door to the outside door. Two large trucks rumbled into the circular drive in front of the building. Within moments two dozen battle clad men poured out of the back. A portly officer with a bad complexion scampered down from the passenger side of one truck. The drivers remained in place.

“They arrived very quickly,” Dr. Klein said, looking somehow self-satisfied despite everything that had occurred. “I told you two that we had nothing to worry about. I am quite well connected with important people in Washington, DC.”

Everything’s under control? We have nothing to worry about? Pam felt a renewed urge to bolt for the military trucks but controlled herself with an effort. She would have plenty of help within moments. It’d be crazy to risk getting shot now when help is a few steps away.

Paul’s eyes travelled from the front driveway to the dead woman slumped over the receptionist desk. Then he glanced at the straining double doors that led back to the laboratories. His frowned deepened but he managed to keep from commenting. Pam could take no comfort from his expression, but she felt relieved that he remained sitting beside her.

As Pamela watched two burly, fatigue-clad men advanced towards the door. They seemed to be a sort of advance guard for the officer. The soldiers hesitated at Mr. Barnes’s sprawled form. Dr. Klein approached the doors, slapped the red unlock button, and propped the door open enough to call out to them. Pam saw she still held her gun, but it was dropped down to her side.

The officer approached with the two soldiers. The rest of the troop fell in behind them. Soon the small reception area was crowded with tall men in heavy boots and battle dress. From Pam’s vantage point, seated against the wall, she mostly just saw a forest of boots. She considered darting between legs and slipping out in the confusion, but she doubted she would get far. She and Paul just slid up to their feet and stayed by the wall.

“They are in there,” Dr. Klein said, pointing to the inside doors. By now the frame had actually separated from the metal door in a few places. The rhythmic but irregular pounding continued.

“Those are people?” the officer asked.

“They are infected,” Dr. Klein said levelly. “I am not sure that they still retain much humanity, though they physically still resemble people. “

“So, they are insane,” the officer said. “Is that what you’re telling me, doctor? Some kind of infection made these people crazy?”

“I do not believe that insanity would be a precise diagnosis either,” Dr. Klein said. “Insane people are more functional than this.” She spoke with the patient tones of an elementary school teacher lecturing a child. Pam winced with every repetitive thud against the weakening door frame, and she had no idea how Dr. Klein could maintain such an even tone. She felt certain that if she opened her mouth to speak her voice would emerge as a shriek.

“What do you mean?” The officer jerked his head from facing the inner door to looking at Dr. Klein with a startled look.

“An insane person is still human. I believe these poor creatures are entirely subsumed by the virus.