A Darker Shade of Dead (24 page)

Donna shifted in her seat, but John remained cool. He wouldn't crack. Matt sighed.

“Okay. Spill. What's going on?”

John shrugged and reached a hand out to the side. Donna put her much smaller hand in his all too familiarly, and Matt suddenly understood.

“Donna and I are a couple now, sir,” John said simply, almost defiantly. “If that disqualifies either of us from the team, then so be it.”

Matt had to laugh. “Well, why not? We seem to be running some kind of matchmaking service around here lately. What's one more couple?”

“Scuttlebutt has it that you're involved with Dr. McCormick,” John said in an accusatory tone. Matt figured John mistook his sarcasm for disgust, so he let the disrespect slide—to a point.

“Don't believe everything you hear.” Matt grimaced. Simon had kept his mouth shut about Sandra's costly mistake for now. Matt wasn't sure how long it could remain hidden. Everyone on the combat team had lost friends to the monsters. They all had a personal feeling about how this contagion had gotten out. They wouldn't welcome the news of what Sandra had done—or failed to do. They wouldn't welcome her if they knew. “For the record, I won't answer any questions about myself and Sandra. Not for you. Not for anyone.”

“Then you know how we feel.”

“Understood.” Matt nodded, glad to put this situation behind them for now. “Now that's out of the way, we can get back to business.”

John and Donna proceeded with their report on the action in Tennessee. They'd taken out one of the original science team—a mentally unstable female scientist who'd moved into her ex-husband's mansion on the lake. She'd wreaked havoc on the local fishermen as well as her ex-husband and his new trophy wife. They'd been the first she'd killed, and the carnage had spread from there. The evildoer had built her own little private zombie regiment that hid at the bottom of the lake during daytime.

“I can't believe they were sheltering in the lake during the day.” Matt shook his head at the bizarreness of it all. He'd thought he'd seen everything, but this mission just got weirder and weirder.

“She'd told her husband to go jump in the lake…and he did,” Donna confirmed. “It was a good place to stash them. They were dead. They didn't need to breathe, and the lake had deep parts murky enough to keep them well hidden and out of sunlight.”

“What about the fish?” Matt asked. It would be a nightmare if there was now a lake full of zombie fish. “You'd reported you believed there was no cross-contamination. I assume that still holds, right?”

“Yes, sir,” John answered. “Donna took lots of samples and I checked over the lake visually as well as talking to a bunch of the fishermen. Nothing strange going on with the fishing, according to them.” He looked to Donna, who continued.

“The preliminary results of testing on the remains show the strain of contagion the scientist was using was carefully tailored to affect humans only. Also, the initial samples from the lake itself show no signs of cross-contamination. There are a few more tests to run, but so far, everything looks clean.”

“Donna, I want you to assist in the lab. Your chemical engineering background could prove helpful,” Matt ordered.

“She's good in the field, Commander,” John surprised him by saying.

Donna looked over at her newfound boyfriend. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. I thought you'd be happy to have me out of the action.”

“I would, but I also like keeping an eye on you.” The smile he sent her was intimate. “And the commander needs an accurate assessment of your abilities so he knows where to use your talents best.”

“For now, the lab is the best place. I'd like her to be armed, though. We've had security problems, which is why we all moved into this building. Sandra's been targeted and attacked in her lab, in an off-base home that I knew had been secure previously. She was even approached by one of Rodriguez's men in the base cafeteria a while back. So being stuck in the lab may not necessarily be the safest place in the world. You're immune, Donna, and now you have some valuable experience in battle against these things. You'll be issued a pistol and multiple dart clips. Are you okay with that?”

“Absolutely.” Both Donna and John had grown very serious as Matt laid out the problems the rest of the team had been facing on base while the pair had been on their little road trip.

“Good.” Matt was more than pleased with her quick answer.

He liked the idea of having Donna's skills available inside the lab where Sandra would be working, just in case there was trouble with the security of their new building. He didn't think there would be, but then he'd been wrong about the issue before—to their detriment.

And it would be good to have another pair of eyes on Sandra. He wasn't sure how he felt about her anymore. He was conflicted. His heart was saying one thing while his mind said another. Through it all, he couldn't quite understand why she'd felt the need to lie to him.

Matt put the confusing thoughts from his mind to deal with later. He had to focus on the here and now. Having John and Donna back—albeit as yet another couple on the team—was more than helpful. Right now, they needed every person they could get. Especially those immune to the contagion.

From all accounts, Mariana's treatment of John had worked like a charm. He'd been exposed to the contagion after the treatment, during the action in Tennessee, and lived to tell the tale. He also had the same regenerative healing powers as the others who were immune. It would be good to have a man of his skills able to participate fully in the action.

“John, you're with the combat team. All hell has been breaking loose in the woods and we could use the help.”

John grinned almost evilly. “Glad to be of service, sir.”

“H
ey, you're back.” Sandra was surprised to see Donna
enter the new lab.

“Just got in a little while ago. We had to talk to Commander Sykes for a bit, and then he sent me to you.” She lifted a knapsack in her hand. “And I come bearing gifts.” She placed the bag on the lab bench and opened it carefully. “Samples that need testing as soon as possible.”

“Samples?” Sandra moved closer, intrigued.

“Didn't you hear we'd run into a pocket of zombies in Tennessee?”

“Yes, I'd heard. I assume it's all taken care of, since you're back.”

“Yup. They're all gone, so we came home.” Donna looked really pleased with herself.

“Then what are the samples? The remains are tested by the tech guys normally.”

“Oh, yeah. I know that. These are samples from the lake. The zombies were hiding in there during the day. We didn't find any evidence of cross-contamination and the few tests I was able to perform on site were negative, but we have to be sure.”

“Hiding
in
the lake?” Sandra was intrigued by the idea—and sickened. Cross-species contamination could be disastrous on so many levels. “I can see why we need to push your samples to the top of the testing queue. Hand them over.” Sandra made space on the bench and brought over a few empty test tube racks. “When do you want the results?”

“Oh, Commander Sykes assigned me to you for the time being, so I can help with the testing.”

Now that was interesting news, but not totally unexpected. Despite the fact that Donna was immune, she probably still wasn't much of a fighter.

“Great. I could use the help. Mariana is getting follow-up blood samples from some of the guys. She'll be back in an hour or so. We can get a good start on these in the meantime.”

The two women worked together until Mariana returned to the shared lab space with a rack full of tubes of her own. Mariana greeted Donna warmly when she saw her, giving her a slyly amused smile.

“So I hear you and John are involved.” Mariana certainly didn't pull any punches, putting Donna on the spot almost immediately.

Sandra figured Simon hadn't told Mariana yet about how Sandra had let the zombies out, way back when. If he had, she suspected Mariana would have already asked her point blank about it. Mariana was a no-nonsense person, and Sandra respected her for that. Still, she really didn't look forward to the interrogation she might be subject to when Simon finally spilled her secret. It wouldn't be a comfortable conversation, that was for sure.

Donna's chin dropped as she ducked her head, grinning from ear to ear. She was shy, which was kind of cute on the younger woman. Sometimes Donna made Sandra feel so old by comparison. This was definitely one of those times.

“Yeah,” she confirmed, then seemed to regain her confidence as she lifted her head to face them. “He's pretty amazing.”

“He's pretty spooky, if you ask me,” Mariana kidded. “Of course, some folks say the same thing about Simon, so don't take it to heart. I mean it in a good way.”

They shared a laugh as Donna talked shyly about her budding relationship with John and how it had come about. Apparently, facing death together had accelerated their courtship considerably. Sandra was happy for them, but worry was her constant companion these days and she was concerned about their future. The long-term effects of exposure and immunity to the contagion were still unknown.

“What about you?” Donna turned the attention on Sandra. “I hear you and the commander are a couple now. Good for you.”

Sandra groaned inwardly. “Don't believe everything you hear. Matt moved me in with him because I'm being targeted by Rodriguez and his men. I think he figured the only way he could be sure of my safety was if he watched me himself.”

“Don't tell me there's nothing romantic going on,” Donna insisted.

“Okay. I won't tell you.” Sandra turned resolutely toward her workbench.

“Oh, no, you don't.” Donna grabbed her elbow and coaxed her to turn around again. “Spill.”

“There's nothing to spill.” Sandra sighed and ran a weary hand through her hair. “Matt and I almost had something, but I doubt it will go anywhere now.”

“Why not?” Donna really didn't know when to stop.

“We've had a falling out.” Sandra didn't see any way out of this conversation. If she had, she would have taken it gladly.

“Over what?” Great. Now Mariana was getting involved.

Sandra wasn't sure what to do. Here was a chance to tell her side of the story. A chance to set the record straight. But telling the secret that wasn't so secret anymore might also turn these women against her for all time. Really, what choice did she have? They'd find out sooner or later, she was certain. Better to have at least some control over how the information was presented to them, right?

Sandra took a deep breath for courage. She could tell both Donna and Mariana were growing more concerned the longer she deliberated over her answer. Both knew now that something more than a simple lover's spat was dividing Sandra and Matt.

“I was keeping a secret from him, and it came out in a rather unpleasant way.” She searched for words. For a way to make this sound better than it was. “The night the zombies were unleashed on the world—the very first night—I was there. I was the person left on duty overnight in the morgue. I was the one the zombies attacked first. That's how I got infected and how I became immune. I was also the fool who ran into the night to get away from them…leaving the door open behind me. I let them out of the lab. My foolish, headlong flight allowed them to escape into the woods, only to infect and kill so many more men who were sent after them.”

Dead silence greeted her confession. Sandra imagined she could hear the clock on the wall ticking away the beginnings of friendship she'd started with these women.

“Oh, honey, don't blame yourself.” It was Donna who spoke first. “You didn't know what would happen. Nobody did. I think you were damn lucky you turned out to be spontaneously immune, and I know from whence I speak. The same thing happened to me. I was attacked and left for dead, toyed with by those monsters who had been people I once knew. I've never been more frightened in my life. I tried like hell to get away from my attackers. We were outside, but if it had been indoors, I doubt I would've had the presence of mind to shut the door behind me if I'd managed to escape.”

Sandra was grateful for Donna's eager willingness to forgive her blunder, but Mariana's steady gaze made her nervous. Mariana was older and perhaps wiser than the younger woman. She also had seen the effects of that first infestation firsthand and knew the pain her fiancé experienced, having lost his best friends to the initial attacks. Simon, too, had been one of the first to face the creatures. He'd prevailed, proven to be immune to the contagion, but he'd come close to death more than a few times.

All because of Sandra's biggest mistake to date.

“Such a simple thing to cause so much havoc,” Mariana said in a contemplative tone. “I'd wondered what had Simon so upset.”

“He had every right to be upset with me.” Sandra spoke when the silence had dragged on too long for her stretched nerves.

Mariana regarded her with a steady, no-nonsense gaze. “I can understand why you hold yourself responsible to some extent. If you'd barred that door and alerted someone on the military side, a lot of pain and death might have been avoided. On the other hand, I doubt I would have done any better under the same circumstances.”

Sandra's breath eased out, and only then did she realize she'd been holding it. Mariana's understanding wasn't something she would take for granted—if that's really what her well-considered words were leading up to.

“What really happened that night, Sandra?” Mariana asked, eyeing her sharply. “I've often wondered how the situation developed. How it got so out of control, so fast.”

Mariana was giving her a chance to tell it like it was. The other woman's expression clearly said she was reserving judgment, willing to listen. That was way more than Sandra had gotten from either Simon or, especially, Matt.

“I was alone on overnight duty in the lab that had been converted to a morgue. They'd brought in cadavers for the next phase of testing. The experiments had started late that afternoon and nobody expected much to happen. Especially not as fast as it did. I was only supposed to monitor the progress overnight.” She shivered remembering the cold chill that had permeated the darkened room. “I heard a noise. I'd turned off most of the lights in the lab so I got up to investigate. It turned out to be the first one rising. As I passed a table, one of them grabbed my arm. I got infected by him, though I didn't realize it until much later. I fought him off and ran for my life. The others were rising by that time and I only barely escaped.”

“That's like something out of a horror movie,” Donna whispered, moving closer. “Nobody knew what the contagion would do at that point, right? You were the first to see it. Damn. That must've been really scary.”

“I've never been a fan of horror movies. What happened in that lab scared me beyond anything I can even describe.”

“I bet.” Donna, bless her, was as sympathetic as Sandra could have hoped.

It was Mariana who still seemed to be reserving judgment, and that worried Sandra. She would have liked to have Mariana's understanding—one colleague to another.

Finally, Mariana seemed to thaw. She held out her hand and Sandra took it. Mariana pulled her close for a quick hug.

“That can't have been easy for you. Like I said, I doubt I would've done anything differently than you did under the circumstances.” Mariana released her and stood back. “It's obvious you've been carrying this guilt for a long time. You need to let it go. Simon may come around in time. If not, it's not your problem. You did the best you could. As have we all.”

“I wouldn't blame Simon if he never forgave me,” Sandra said honestly. Of course, it wasn't really Simon's forgiveness that was upmost in her mind.

“He lost a lot of friends to the contagion. So did Matt. The spec ops community is a small one, all things considered.”

And there it was. Matt was what really mattered. His opinion was the most important one to her. Everybody else could want to burn her at the stake, but if Matt believed in her, it would be enough.

Too bad she doubted he'd ever speak civilly to her again. She'd betrayed his trust by not telling him sooner. She'd had her chances, but she'd let them all pass by. Too afraid to trust him with her heart.

Yet, here she was, heartbroken over him. She hadn't been able to protect herself from the pain of loving him.

And now she'd lost him.

“Don't look so sad.” Mariana clasped her shoulder. “He'll come around.”

“I'm not so sure.”

“So there
is
something going on between you and the commander,” Donna said from her side. “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to pry before.” The younger woman looked anxious.

“It's okay. I guess we're the talk of the team since Matt moved me in with him.” She laughed brokenly. “I don't even know where I'm supposed to sleep anymore.”

Donna put an arm around her shoulders. “Don't worry. We'll take care of you if needed, but I think our fearless leader has a strong possessive streak when it comes to you. He had some hard words for John when he mentioned your relationship.”

That was news to her. Sandra was surprised, and a little ray of hope sprang up out of nowhere. She tried not to let that little ray shine too brightly, just in case. It wouldn't do to get her hopes up only to have them crushed. She had to be cautious with her heart. It couldn't take much more damage.

The women worked together companionably until they were summoned to an impromptu meeting with the rest of the team. Everyone gathered in the conference room. Matt was the last to appear. When he walked in, the room quieted and all eyes focused on him.

 

“The techs found some things in the remains.” Matt slapped a file folder on the table in front of him. “My former assistant, Tim, had one of the same trackers in him that Dr. McCormick had implanted without her knowledge in her hip. So did our escaped prisoner. He also had a wallet on him with a number of false I.D.s under a couple of different aliases. With the help of our investigative contacts,” he nodded toward John, “we've traced them back to his real identity.”

Matt signaled for the lights to be lowered as he turned on the projector. The former prisoner's face illuminated against the screen much larger than life.

“Meet Leroy James Mertle. He's a native of this area. His grandfather owned a farm just outside of town, which he inherited. I'd lay odds that's where Rodriguez is hiding out. John requested satellite time, and we have initial surveillance reports that indicate activity inconsistent with typical farming activity. We may have caught a break.”

“Were the eyes in the sky able to spot anyone we know?” Sarah asked from the end of the table as a series of enhanced satellite photos circulated on the screen.

It was her brother who answered. “We haven't had a whole lot of time to watch the place yet. CIA is streaming images to us whenever the satellite is overhead.” John checked his watch. “The next pass should be in another two minutes.” He fiddled with the laptop he'd set up on the table in front of him, rechecking the wire that led to it from the data projector at the center of the table, facing the screen against the far wall.

“I want us all to watch that next surveillance feed. Combat team, I want you to get the lay of the land and formulate an infiltration plan. Everybody else, keep an eye out for anyone who might look familiar. Rodriguez and his people seem to have an easy time getting on and off this base. Any of you may have seen someone that works for him at one time or another. Sandra, I want you to tell us if you see Rodriguez. You've seen him recently and know what he looks like better than any of us.”