Flip This Zombie - Jesse Petersen [38]
We rode down in an awkward silence. Dave and I kept shifting as our zombie jerked in our arms, The Kid was sulking about being called a child, and Barnes was just staring at our captive in pure rapture.
In fact, the only noise as we moved from the red to the green to the bright white lights were the groaning whines of our little zombie friend. And even they were getting softer.
The doors dinged open and into the bright light of the sterile hallways we moved. Of course, The Kid hadn’t ever been here before, so I couldn’t help but shoot a quick look behind at him to see his reaction.
Even he couldn’t be jaded about this. He was still standing in the elevator shaft, his eyes wide as saucers as he stared at the hallway. I smiled. He looked like an eleven-year-old at that moment, only instead of being impressed by a toy store, it was light and cleanliness that blew his mind.
“Follow me,” Kevin said as he moved down the hallway.
After a few awkward turns, he unlocked one of the little lab rooms where the shades were drawn so you couldn’t see inside. Barnes motioned us past him, flattening against the wall as we passed so the zombie wouldn’t touch him.
There was a table in the middle of the room with restraints across it. Dave shot me a quick glance as we set the thrashing zombie down on it. I ignored it.
“Want us to strap him down?” I asked as I turned back to the doctor.
He shook his head. “No, no. I’ll set him up myself.”
He motioned us from the room and shut the door behind us. I heard the lock click back into place.
“Most excellent work, Sarah. You have impressed me beyond measure, and trust me I had extremely high hopes for you,” Kevin began, reaching out to take my hand.
When he saw it was covered in blood and sludge from our little zombie friend, he hesitated and instead slid his fingers up to my bare bicep. He squeezed gently there, his fingers surprisingly soft. I guess I was used to rough hands like Dave’s.
I stared at the hand on my arm for a moment and then smiled.
“Well, it was truly a team effort,” I said as I looked at Dave. He was also staring at Kevin’s hand on my bare arm. “Right, honey?”
He continued to stare a moment longer and then grunted. “Go Team,” he muttered, the sarcasm dripping from his tone like poison. “So we’d like to get paid, thanks.”
Kevin flinched and I did, too. It seemed so gauche to talk about payment when the doctor was busy congratulating us. Or congratulating me, anyway, since Dave hardly seemed to register with him unless he was annoyed. But the discomfort cleared from his face instantly and he released my arm as he turned toward Dave.
“Of course. Please feel free to use the shower facilities at your leisure. And I have put a store of additional weaponry and ammunition on a wheeled cart near the elevator. I think you’ll find them more than satisfactory compensation.” His smile returned to me. “And Sarah, I hung some new clothing for you in the bathroom stall behind the door. I hope that isn’t too forward.”
Dave sucked in a sharp breath but before he could answer the question directed toward me, I jumped in front of him. “Well, thank you, Dr. Barnes—”
He shot me a look and I smiled.
“Kevin,” I corrected myself, swiftly, even as I reached back and patted Dave’s hand since I could feel his temper bubbling silently. “I’ll certainly take whatever you found for me, but I’m happy to bring my own fresh clothes in.”
“Of course.” Kevin looked sheepish as he shoved his glasses up his nose nervously. “I overstepped, and I apologize. Next time—”
“Wait,” Dave interrupted, shaking off my hand which was still patting him and coming around to stand next to me. “Next time? What the fuck do you mean, next time?”
Kevin stared at Dave for a long moment and then he shook his head. “I’m afraid I don’t understand the question.”
Dave clenched his fists and his voice strained through obviously clenched teeth. “You said you wanted a Goddamned zombie to run your little experiments on. So we brought