Zombie Slayer Box Set, Vol. 2 [Books 4-7]

by Katz, Gayle

  Zan sat and listened.

  “And, one day, something is going to happen, and then he’s going to say, goodbye.”

  “Oh, but, perhaps you can tell him who you are?” Zan suggested.

  They had a good laugh over that.

  “Yeah, right,” said Charlie. “The only way to tell someone is to show them, and I’m not certain he’d survive a zombie attack. Those martial arts moves I taught won’t protect him.”

  Zan adopted a crooked smile on her face. “So, instead, you’re going to string him along for a while?”

  Charlie laughed and shook her head. “I’m not certain at this point. I think I’ll just wait and see how it plays out.”

  “Yes, might as well get full cuddle time out of it.” She tapped Charlie’s shoulder with the back of her fingers.

  Charlie smirked.

  zzz

  There was a large crowd at a brand new development that popped up on the outskirts of the city. The development included an adult escape game room, fancy restaurants, and a small casino.

  “Why, Sergeant Bourne, fancy you joining us for the opening today,” commented Mayor Jane Cote.

  “Hello, Jane! I hope you’ve been doing well and staying out of trouble.”

  “Yes, thank you, and I hope you’re doing well too, Jay. Yep, there haven’t been any zombie sightings recently. Perhaps our shutting down of Ray’s clothing factory a couple weeks ago has put the zombie gang out of business.”

  Jay laughed. “That’s not what I meant. We’ll continue monitoring the zombie situation. I meant your financial escapades.”

  She chuckled. “Why, I told you, we’ve become more transparent at City Hall. There is a line in the budget that is now allocating funds toward keeping the city clean of zombies. Why, I even heard some of that was sent to the police force. And remember, I’m not responsible for the actions of that now deceased city councilman, Mars Simms.”

  Jay looked at her in her creamy white suit and satin teal blouse. “Oh yes. I appreciate the raise, but that’s not fighting zombies, is it?”

  She smirked at him. “Oh look. It’s time for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. We’ll chat later.”

  Jay forced a smile. “I’ll look forward to it.” He watched as she walked away. She may be an older lady, but she certainly looked lovely.

  Jay was so annoyed with these ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Normally, a rookie would be sent to them. However, since the mayor’s last two ribbon-cutting ceremonies had involved zombie invasions, he now had to come and ensure the safety of the public.

  He watched the crowd, but he didn’t see any zombies come barging out this time, like the time the shopping center had opened. He didn’t pay attention to her speech at all. He just wanted his can of soda and a slice of cake. If he hadn’t been on duty, he would have taken the champagne too.

  Good, Jane was finishing up.

  “Thank you all for coming. I invite you to join us over the next several weeks at the casino. The owner, Rina Orzola, has many exciting events planned.” She then cut the ribbon.

  “What the fuuuuu,” said Jay, while everyone cheered and clapped.

  zzz

  “What? Slow down, Jay. What’s up?” asked Stewart. He shrugged at Owen, who was seated on his couch. “She what? They what? Who is that? Wow. OK, keep me posted.” He tapped his phone and dropped it on the table.

  “Hey. What’s up?” asked Owen.

  Stewart sat down on his worn couch. “It appears I may have a new job for you guys. The mayor was at another ribbon-cutting ceremony today.”

  “Oh goody,” he exclaimed. “That means zombies!”

  Stewart rolled his eyes. “Well, I can’t be certain, but it might.”

  Owen smiled and rubbed his hands together. “So, do we know anything about it? Did Jay give you info?”

  Stewart chugged the rest of his coffee and slapped the cup back down on the coffee table.

  “Yep. Apparently, the location in question is a casino.”

  “Cool,” said Owen. “Oh, wait. I’m underage.”

  Stewart waved his hand in the air. “That’s incidental. I can get you fake IDs.”

  Owen smiled knowingly. “And?” he said, knowing that Stewart had more to tell. It was hard to fool a truthsayer after all.

  “And, the casino development is owned by Rina Orzola.” He turned and grimaced at Owen.

  Owen looked puzzled. “Wait a minute, that name is familiar. Oh, it isn’t?”

  Stewart nodded. “Rina is Ray Orzola’s sister.”

  “Ohhhh.”

  “Yep.”

  “Oh, so that’s not suspicious at all, is it?” He looked at Stewart.

  Stewart was going to make a comment, but then Owen laughed.

  “OK, fun and games aside, I’m worried,” said Stewart.

  “Wow. Is this going to play the same way?” he asked. “But how would you get zombies inside a casino?”

  “Well, the good news is that’s not our job. Our job is to stop them. I’m going to see about getting you, Zan, and Charlie some fake IDs so you can go in. Maybe I can get one of you a job there.”

  “Cool,” said Owen. “But forget about Zan working there. She won’t work, unless it’s in a lab.”

  Stewart laughed. “That I already know. So, I’ll see if I can get you and Charlie jobs there. Zan can be the rich, snooty poker player.”

  They had a good laugh and ate the cookies that Stewart had made.

  zzz

  “OK, Charlie, I don’t know what you’re up to,” said Paulo. They were seated on her couch, while Gran made dinner.

  “I’m sitting here with you,” she said jokingly, really hoping he wasn’t asking her about her hobbies and interests.

  “Well, I’ve seen you with your friends, and I’m wondering,” he explained.

  She stared at him.

  “You spend a lot of time with your friends, and don’t seem to have a lot of time for me.”

  “Oh, but that’s because I told you, I have to do this history summer class. I flunked two courses last year.” She looked a bit worried. Was this the start of the end?

  “I don’t mean that. Anyway, I know you’re taking the course with your friend, Owen. But you spend a lot of time with Zan, too.”

  “She’s like my best female friend, next to Gran,” said Charlie. “Look, we can spend more time together, if you want. Let me dig out my calendar.” She grabbed her cell phone and brought up the app.

  He frowned and looked annoyed. “Yeah, I really want to be scheduled in.”

  She tossed her phone down.

  “OK, look, I was coming up to Owen’s house last week, and you were there too,” he started to say.

  “So? I told you he’s my friend. Like, my best male friend at the moment. Oh wait. That was you peering in the window? We saw some guy running away.”

  “Yeah, that was me. I was going to knock but changed my mind when I saw you playing with a knife in a baggie. That was so creepy. I felt weird and left.”

  “Why were you there in the first place?”

  “I saw your car in the driveway. I don’t live far from there. I already knew Owen lived there.”

  “Do you know anything about the break-in?” she asked, looking directly at him.

  “Break-in?”

  “Yeah, he had his place broken into and vandalized. We had put the knife in the baggie to be turned in to the authorities.” She didn’t mention that it was checked by Stewart, not the cops.

  He frowned. “OK, that explains that. But it doesn’t explain you and Owen hanging with that guy at the apartment building, and setting things on fire in the backyard.”

  Charlie tried to control her anger. “What are you doing? Stalking me? So now what? You just happened to be outside Stewart’s apartment and you saw us?”

  “Err,” he said. “I saw your car and,” he started to say.

  “And you thought you’d snoop around. Geez, Paulo. I don’t know what men do in your country, but in mine, t
hat’s called stalking. It’s also called, mind your own business!” She stood up.

  “Hi, dear. Is everything all right?” asked Gran, poking her face in.

  Paulo sat there, guilty. “But I was just curious,” he said.

  “No, Gran. Paulo is leaving. Goodbye!” He had no choice but to get up and follow her to the door.

  “Sorry,” he said, and left.

  She slammed the door behind him.

  “Oh no, dear. I’m sorry. Did you have a fight?” Gran tossed her dishtowel on the couch and went over to give her a hug.

  “Oh, thanks, Gran. Yes, in a way, we did.”

  “Well, don’t get upset over it. There are plenty of guys to choose from,” she said.

  Charlie gave her a small smile. “Being a zlayer means I can’t have nice things.”

  Gran chuckled. She knew only too well how it was impossible for a zlayer to be in a relationship.

  zzz

  It had been a long time since Zan had been able to dress up and go out. She wished that her date could be Owen, but he was working the gig with Charlie. Stewart’s connections had gotten both Charlie and Owen jobs.

  Zan waited until her date texted her, and then she headed down the stairs.

  “Have a great time,” said her dad.

  “OK, thanks,” she said.

  “Sure you don’t want to bring your date in?” he asked.

  “Oh, it’s just a teacher giving me a lift, not a date,” she said, laughing.

  “Good, so no drinking and driving then!”

  “Of course not.” She stood by the stairs while he took a photo of her with his digital camera. She tried not to be sarcastic and say that everyone used smartphones today. Then she gave him a hug and headed to the door.

  “Have a good time!” he called.

  Chapter 12

  ________________________________________

  Charlie was situated at one poker table, with Owen on the side. They were there only to assist, as they weren’t qualified poker dealers yet. The interior of the casino was bright and shining. Everywhere was rose gold and bright aquamarine and gold colors. The cherry wood was shiny, and even the crystals in the chandeliers sparkled. The silent message of the casino was one of opulence and decadence.

  Charlie and Owen mostly observed the games. Most of the time, they offered champagne or snacks to the players, or removed empties.

  Charlie had a smug expression on her face. She wondered where Stewart had gotten adult IDs for the teens. They shouldn’t have been able to work at the casino until they were at least 21 years old. It was a good thing that Owen looked older than his age, and that her makeup and hairstyle made her look older.

  A movement caught her eye at the front of the casino entrance. A beautiful woman wearing a long, red gown entered the room. Her hair was dark and long. She was on the arm of an older man, which pretty much made her fit in with the other casino guests.

  She and the man walked up to the table. “Hello,” she said to Charlie.

  Charlie focused on her face “Hello! So glad you could make it today, Zan. Will you be joining us at the poker table?”

  “In a moment,” said Stewart, waving away the chair that Owen was holding out. “We’re going to tour the facilities first.”

  “Have fun,” said Owen, watching them walk away. “Whoa, Zan! I didn’t think she could ever look any more fantabulous!”

  zzz

  Zan smiled at Stewart. “I’ve never been anywhere this fancy.” She was amazed at the glitz and glamour of the place.

  “I have, but it’s not as fun as you think. It’s just a way to separate you from your money.”

  “OK, so, I can’t see how they’d use zombies in a place like this,” she said.

  “I know. But we’ll keep an eye out,” he said. “Because that didn’t stop Ray Orzola from using zombies in his own factory.”

  Zan frowned. “It’s too bad that Dr. Arora couldn’t have put her science skills to better use instead of creating the second zombie apocalypse. Or deliberately infecting humans. Or creating special zombie-humans as slave workers.”

  “I know,” he said, “but I wonder if more testing can be done on that zombie vaccine she developed.”

  “Yeah, but I discovered that it doesn’t work, at least not in its current form or after someone’s already been infected.”

  “That’s too bad and definitely a sign it doesn’t work at all. For instance, the rabies vaccine is given to humans after infected animals bite them. It works fine in most cases. It’s too bad Dr. Arora is gone, in a way.”

  “Yep. Unless we can find a company that is trying to make a zombie vaccine for real.”

  “I doubt it,” he said. “It wouldn’t be worth it.”

  She adjusted the waist of her skirt. “How do women wear these things?” she complained. After she was done, she looked up at the ceiling. “Say, the second strain of zombie virus is confined to this city, right?” she asked him.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, the zombies are usually confined to one city and maybe some of the suburbs. For some reason, the magic keeps them within. But what if the zombie gang is deliberately infecting people? Will these people stay within the confines of the city too?”

  “Oh crap! I never thought of that,” Stewart said. Then he smiled. “But we can find out.”

  She turned and looked at him. “How?”

  “Well, the next time we see a zombie, instead of killing it, we can take it for a drive.”

  “That’s crazy.”

  They looked at each other and laughed.

  “OK, let’s go and find one,” she said. They went back to walking the casino.

  zzz

  During their break, Owen and Charlie compared notes.

  “This is lame,” he remarked. “There are no zombies here. How would they even make use of them in the games?”

  “I know. I’m guessing that no criminal activity actually happens on the floor. But there may be something happening behind the scenes. Such as in this break room, or some of the offices upstairs.”

  Owen smiled, looking forward to the idea that there may be zombies somewhere around there. “Maybe in the basement.”

  They laughed.

  “Somehow, that is always a common theme,” said Charlie.

  They had ten minutes left on break and decided to head down the stairs.

  zzz

  Zan and Stewart were also getting nowhere fast. They’d been approached by several of the staff, asking if they’d like to have a drink or have cash converted to chips.

  “Hey. Take it easy on the champagne, Zan.”

  Zan was on her third glass. “Relax. This is cheap American shit that has half the alcohol content of real French champagne.” She took another sip.

  “I don’t think I want to know how you know that,” he said.

  She smirked. “Sometimes Dad brings out the good stuff for the holidays.”

  “Right, well, let’s hope we get that far.”

  She pointed behind him. “Let’s check out the map,” she said. “It’ll give us an idea of the layout of the building.”

  zzz

  “Hey, Stewart. Check this out,” said Zan, reading some of the posters on the electronic board.

  “Wow,” said Stewart. “Monday night, Tropical Party. Wednesday night, Half Price Gin. Friday night…”

  Zan laughed. “Zombie Party! Oh my gerrr herd!”

  “Well, that’s being pretty obvious.” He smiled. Sometimes things went easy.

  Zan downed the last of her champagne, and then dropped the glass on the floor. “Cool. So, what’s today? Monday? We wait five days then.” She stumbled in her high heels.

  He reached out to steady her. “Sorry, I didn’t want you to fall,” he said, apologizing for touching her.

  “Oops, thanks,” she said.

  “By the way, today is Wednesday. So, it’s only two days away.”

  “What is Wednesday?” she asked.

/>   He sighed. “Let’s go.”

  “But we haven’t played a game yet. I brought money for us.” She wobbled after him.

  “Save it for Friday. We’re going to need it.”

  They left the casino and headed back to the car.

  “Good thing I drove today.”

  “Yeah, thanks,” said Zan, settling in to have a nap in the passenger seat.

  “Oh, and by the way, on Friday, no drinking at all!” he said in a stern voice. But it didn’t matter as she was already sleeping.

  zzz

  “Beep!” went Owen’s phone, as he and Charlie lingered by the access door from the stairwell to the basement.

  “What’s that?” asked Charlie.

  “It appears that Stewart and Zan have made a discovery. We’ll all meet up at Stewart’s place after our class tomorrow.”

  “Great. So, can we go then?” she asked.

  “Nah, let’s check this out. It’ll give us something to report back.” He grabbed the doorknob, but the door was locked.

  “Yeah, can’t let that Zan get the better of us,” she said jokingly.

  “Totally. We need your lock-picking skills here,” he said.

  “No problem,” she said, removing the snowflake brooch from her dress.

  “Say, where did you get that from anyway?” he asked.

  “From my Gran, where else?” she replied. “I’m not certain where she got it from. She said I could do with it what I wanted, and she didn’t care if it went missing.”

  “OK,” he said, puzzled. “Now she gets to see you wear it all the time.”

  “Nah,” she said. “I sometimes wear it on my jacket or put it on my purse, or take it off when I’m at home. But I like it.”