“That.” Conway pointed at Rigs. “Is exactly the type of thing that is in the report. Get your hand off her Rigs.”
Rigs removed his hand.
Rachel grabbed it and placed it back on her arm and sat down. “This is bullshit. We’re one of the best teams you have.”
“Are you saying none of these are true?” Conway asked.
“I’m saying exactly that,” Rachel said.
“So …” Conway looked down to the report. “Rigs doesn’t tell you how to do your hair.”
Rachel laughed. “He says to pull it up so a stiff doesn’t grab it. You can’t count that, if I worked at McDonald’s they’d tell me to pull up my hair. Next.”
“He refuses to let Sandy fight and orders her to cook and clean.”
Another laugh from Rachel. “Sandy wants to cook and clean and she’s seventy. She doesn’t want to fight.” Rachel shook her head. “Next.”
“Forced a Christmas celebration.”
“Ha!” Kasper barked. “Wrong. Rigs hates Christmas. That was everyone else. What was the big deal?”
“She’s Jewish.”
“Oh.”
Rachel waved out her hand. “What else?”
Conway read. “Stated and I quote, ‘Break out the bikes, we have three chicks now, they’re gonna cycle together.’”
Rigs brought his hand to his face.
Rachel asked. “How can you read that with a straight face? That wasn’t Rigs.” She pointed to Kasper.
Kasper raised his hand. “Me. And I thought it was funny.”
“Was it also you or was it Rigs who demeaned a woman for being post-menopausal.”
“Me, again,” Kasper said. “But it wasn’t demeaning. It was educational.”
“Yeah,” Rachel added. “How about he had no idea women stopped getting periods and went into menopause.”
“Dude,” Kasper said. “They sweat, get hot flashes and gain weight. It sucks. I told Sandy I feel bad for her. Did you know that?”
“Yes, Kasper I knew that,” Conway replied. “What about Rigs boasting about his sexual prowess and then asking her to engage.”
Rachel reached over and smacked Rigs gently. “I told you that you shouldn’t have shared your sordid past. Did I? Ass!” She looked at Conway. “He was sharing his past with her in hopes to get her to talk or … engage as he put it. Not engage sexually. Why would he wait eight months to hit on someone on the team?”
“Have you seen her?” Conway said. “She’s beautiful.”
“As if Rachel is not?” Kasper asked.
“I’m just saying, Belinda is beautiful.”
“Oh my God,” Rachel gasped. “You’re more of a sexist than Rigs.”
“So he’s a sexist?”
“No, I was just saying that …” Rachel defended.
“And he doesn’t bully anyone?”
“Well … that’s true,” Rachel said.
“Thanks,” Rigs grumbled.
“But only Kasper and it’s only to keep him in line. I defend him that’s fine.”
“I’m sorry,” Conway said. “These accusations are serious.”
“Then kick her off the team,” Rachel said. “Get us someone new, because if Rigs goes, I go.”
“Rach, you don’t have to do that,” Rigs said.
“I do. I will. So will Barry and you know Sandy only hangs around because it’s us. And if Kasper doesn’t quit it’s only because he wants to stick around and bug the fuck out of Belinda. So there you have it, Mr. Conway. Find a new member or find a new team.”
Rigs reached over and squeezed her arm.
“As much as I’d like to stick around and bug Belinda,” Kasper added. “I leave with them, too. Doesn’t matter where we are, dude, we aren’t just a team, we’re a family, and one way or another,” he said, “We will always be together.”
GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER
FIVE – HOME BASE
Present Day
April 20 – Day 366
“Flaming Saffrons,” the guard at the bridge greeted them as they pulled up. “Welcome back. Nice rig. Is this the EPEV One?”
“Wait. What?” Yates upon hearing that rushed up front and leaned over Barry to the driver’s window. “What exactly do you mean EPEV One?”
“It’s the original one.”
“It’s the only one,” Yates replied.
“Well …” The guard winced. “Not exactly, there are two more models launching next month.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? It’s my patent.”
“Sit down, Yates.” Barry told him. “Now, please, we will deal with this.”
“Fine.” Yates stormed back to his seat. “Can you believe they stole my design?”
“I’d be pissed,” Rachel said.
“I am.”
“Rach,” Rigs looked back as they started to drive again. “Can you not instigate?”
“It’s not instigating. It’s agreeing. It’s his design. His patent.”
“In the apocalypse,” Rigs argued.
“And that makes thievery any better?” Rachel asked.
Fred shook his head. “Them stealing that is as wrong as a left hand is right.”
Yates blinked several times quickly, looking at Fred. “Okay, if you’re gonna defend me can you not do so with the country bumpkin phrases that no one gets or ever heard.”
“Absolutely, I’ll stop doing that when you stop being meaner than a wet panther.”
“And that means what?” Yates asked. “Why exactly does a wet panther get mean? Is there some sort of zoological reasoning for that?”
“I hate him.” Fred replied.
Rachel laughed.
Rigs looked back again, “Okay so first stop is to see Liz, then she’ll tell us what exactly we are gonna be doing after that.”
“With Kasper?”
“With, well, whatever,” Rigs replied.
“We should go see Penny,” Sandy said. “It’ll be nice to stop and see her. Say hello. You know this whole Kasper thing, from a doctor’s perspective, has me fascinated. I thought Kasper donated his body to be studied when he turned.”
“He did,” Rachel said. “But, Kasper’s heart is still beating, although slow, he’s breathing, although not much and his brain is firing. Dr. Stevens has been giving him therapeutic injections and he seems to be coming back.”
Rigs scoffed. “Rach, you can’t bring someone back from the dead.”
“But technically Kasper never died,” Rachel argued. “So really it’s helping him be more alive. He was rotting, Rigs.”
“Technically he never died?” Yates asked. “I bet I know what happened. There was this author, David Wellington.”
“Monster series,” Fred added.
“Yes.” Yates nodded. “Monster Island, Monster Nation, Monster Planet. Anyhow he theorized that if a person is fed oxygen, when they died or turned, kept at a lower body temp, that they never really die when they turn, they stay alive. Something like that.”
Fred snapped his finger. “Cognizant. It kept them cognizant. You’re right Yates. Bet it’s something like that. Kasper was in a hospital setting, right? Probably had him hooked up to all kinds of machines when he turned. And whatever this doctor is giving him is healing him.”
“Can you imagine?” Yates asked. “If Kasper was cognizant and they didn’t know, and it took time for him to fight through the physical challenges to be able to get to a point that they want us to bring him along.”
“He would have heard and understood everything everyone said and did,” Fred said. “And he couldn’t of said a word.”
“Do you guys think that’s it?” Rachel asked.
Yates nodded. “It’s the only scientific thing I can think of. Sandy? What do you think?”
“If he never technically died and the brain didn’t die, you are on to something,” Sandy replied.
“Guys,” Rigs said. “I’m sorry Rach. Kasper isn’t there. Okay. Not the way you think. He’s like a
parrot, only mocking what he sees and hears. Only a small portion of his brain is working and it’s only memory and reaction.”
“You’re wrong,” Rachel said. “Why else would they want us to bring him?”
“Not because he’s back. Because he’s a trainable … for lack of a better word, zombie,” Rigs replied. “Sorry guys, as much as you want it, Kasper isn’t going to be the same Kasper. Not at all.”
<><><><>
“Du … ude.” His words were slow, but Kasper knew what he wanted to say, he just had a hard time getting the words out. Sometimes it came out as a stutter, other times the words dragged.
Dr. Stevens knew this. “I have to interrupt, but if you want to continue to play video games, you need to have your daily injection.” He held up the syringe. “How is the game going?”
Kasper nodded.
He placed the needle to Kasper’s flesh. “Did you feel that?”
“So … me.”
“Good. Return of nerves. Before you know it, you’ll almost be the same. You still can infect people though, those not immune.”
“Wh … wh …”
“When?” Stevens asked. “Maybe six months at the longest.”
“Uh … uh … Ug, D… dude.”
“I know. All done. Carry on with the game.”
“Ray … chel?”
“Today my friend. Today.”
“Sw … sweet.”
“Not as sweet as the news she is gonna give you. Have fun, my friend.” Dr. Stevens smiled at Kasper, the sounds of video game music and noise played as Stevens left the room. Once out in the hall he looked through the observation window. He watched Kasper with the game controller in his hands, his dexterity was the one thing Dr. Stevens worried would not come back.
But it did.
He was confident that perhaps Kasper could be almost normal. He didn’t look normal. In fact, his coloring wasn’t ‘dead’ looking but it was far from healthy. His eyes remained their normal shade of blue, but his complexion was so pale he looked like a terminally ill patient.
In the months since Kasper’s accident, Dr. Stevens had tried several times to recreate what he did with Kasper. Trying to stop others from going over the edge. Problem was, he got them too late. He needed to have them the moment they turned, which was nearly impossible considering he saw very few bites and most people opted to lose a limb.
But the truth was he didn’t quite remember, and until he did, Kasper would remain an anomaly.
“This is new,” Barry said just as they entered the perimeter of Center City. “Another checkpoint.”
“I guess Liz is invoking new rules,” Rigs said.
A small orange fence was set up, one of those plastic ones. From what Barry could see they weren’t military. At least they weren’t dressed that way. They all wore black tee shirts and most had on blue jeans. All of them were armed.
When they stopped, one of the security men knocked on the door.
Rigs opened it.
“Afternoon, folks, we need you to step out.”
“Everything okay?” Rigs asked. “We’re Eliminators.”
“We know that, but everyone even Eliminators have to be screened. Just a precaution.”
“Against?” Rigs questioned.
“The virus.”
“Wow, we were here six weeks ago. Was there an outbreak?”
“Since opening the border to folks we’ve have some small incidents. Nothing that can’t be handled.”
“Then absolutely, we’ll step out.” Rigs stood and turned around. “Okay guys, we just need to step out a moment.”
Rigs was the first out, followed by Barry. As soon as they stepped out of the EPEV, they saw two of the security holding dogs. They were German shepherds.
“If I can just get you folks to line up and then you’ll be on your way,” the security man said.
“Are they drug sniffing dogs?” Rig asked.
“No, sir, virus sniffing dogs. Just a precaution.”
They lined up, Rigs then Rachel, Sandy, Yates, Barry and then Fred.
At first the security man scanned each of their foreheads for a fever, when he was satisfied, he stepped back and then another man brought forth a dog.
“Were the outbreaks bad?” Rigs asked.
“They’re popping up everywhere,” the security guard said. “Until there’s a cure, we’re going to have that. We just all have to be vigilant. Eventually we’ll eliminate it.”
“I agree,” Rigs said.
The dog moved closer to Rigs, it brought its nose to Rigs shoes, then to his shins. Rigs started feeling nervous about it, the dog spent what seemed like a lot of time on him. He had drug dogs sniff him and it didn’t take nearly as long.
“You’re good,” the guard said, moving to Rachel.
After a minute, he dismissed her, then Sandy. The dog seemed to snub Yates.
“Come on, boy, give him a whiff,” the guard encouraged.
“Maybe it’s my cologne,” Yates said.
“You wear cologne and fight zombies.”
“I don’t fight zombies, I kill zombies,” Yates replied. “And yes, I wear cologne. Do you know how bad those things smell? It’s like fried food, it sticks on you. I just wished others realized that.” He turned his head and looked Rigs and Rachel’s way.
“Which one of us is he implying smells?” Rigs asked Rachel.
“Probably you. He’d tell me.”
“You’re good,” the guard told Yates.
“You do know having a virus sniffing dog isn’t a good idea. They aren’t immune to the virus and have you ever seen what happens to them when they get infected.”
“No.”
“I hope you never do.” Yates walked away. He approached Rachel with a low voice. “Virus sniffing dogs. It’s just a recipe for disaster. They won’t know how to handle it.”
“Do we know if someone bit by a growler gets infected?” Rachel asked.
Yates shook his head. “There’s usually nothing left.” He stepped on the EPEV.
Rigs was ready to board and turned when Barry was told he was good. Just as he did, he heard the dog go nuts, barking like mad, growling as if he sensed danger. It showed its teeth, neck extended ready to tear into Fred.
It happened so fast,
Yates flew out of the EPEV, hand on his pistol.
The barking dog caused the other to go just as insane. The guard holding the second dog wasn’t ready for the animal’s reaction and the leash slipped from his hand. The dog raged forward.
Rigs saw through the corner of his eye, Yates raising his gun.
Fred didn’t run, he didn’t have time.
Barry backtracked quickly. Perhaps to stop the dog, but the dog had no interest in him. His idea was a good one, but it didn’t execute as Barry hoped. In an attempt to halt the animal, Barry moved forward, slamming his foot on the leash. It slowed the animal for a second until it lunged and when it did, it caused Barry to flip up in the air. It was apparent he tried to stop his own fall, only to slam down with his legs collapsing under him.
Fred would have been a dead man had Yates not fired.
The animal went down with a yelp, just before it attacked Fred.
The gun going off was too close to Rigs ear. He pushed his forefinger to his ear, pressing against the tragus in an attempt to lessen the painful ringing that entailed.
Rigs opened his mouth wide, an automatic response to what was happening with his hearing.
He could see the guard, red faced yelling something at Yates.
Sandy ran to Barry.
Rachel grabbed Rigs. Her words were muffled but he could tell she was asking, “Are you okay?”
Rigs nodded; the pain stopped but the ringing wasn’t going away any time soon.
“Why didn’t you …” her words faded but her mouth moved.
“What!” Rigs yelled.
“Why didn’t you block your ears!” Rachel shouted. “I knew he was going to shoot! You had to see that
.”
“I don’t know!”
It cleared up enough for him to make out the shouting.
“What the fuck asshole? You shot the dog!” the guard yelled at Yates.
“I nipped him in the ass,” Yates yelled back. “He’s fine. I was stopping him.”
“You could have killed him.”
“No, I’m too good. If I wanted to kill him, I would have.”
It was then Rigs saw Barry was still on the ground with Sandy by him. He rushed over.
Barry lay there, propped up by his elbows and he looked as if he were struggling.
“Barry, are you okay!”
“I ew ah me.”
“What!”
“I said, why are you yelling at me!” Barry shouted at his loudest, then red faced, he cringed. “Son of a bitch!”
“I heard that!” Rigs shouted. “What’s wrong?”
Sandy looked over her shoulder. He couldn’t hear a word that came from her.
“What!”
She shook her head.
Then Rigs read her lips, her soft spoken nature, even yelling made her words inaudible to him, but he knew what she was saying. “Call for help.” He didn’t know what, but Barry had broken something.
SIX – FROM ALL SIDES
Rachel’s head spun. All she wanted to do was meet with Dr. Stevens and discuss Kasper, yet there she was in the aftermath of the check-in gate, playing acting leader. Which she was … by default.
According to team rank, she was third. And since Barry was injured and Rigs was labeled injured because he couldn’t really hear anything, it fell on Rachel.
There were three situations she had to deal with.
Yate’s insubordination; Fred, because they took him before she could do anything, and Barry.
She delegated the issues that she couldn’t handle on her own and which ones she wanted support with.
Fred’s situation she did not want to face alone, mainly because she had no idea what was going on. Barry’s wasn’t too serious, at least she didn’t think so, and that ranked at the bottom.
Yates was first.
He was detained at once in what was called, Charleston West Virginia South Regional Jail. He was basically arrested right away, on scene and taken in handcuffs; that was just about the same time they took Fred and an ambulance showed up for Barry.
The Eliminators | Volume 3 Page 4
