Bad Timing

by Nicky Peacock

  Chapter Twenty

  Looking at my watch it was now 43 minutes before launch. I wasn’t even sure it would work quickly enough. I just kind of hoped it would.

  I carried the near-death Mariah into the next room. Manga zombie girl was still there, crouching in the corner. I painted my blood symbol on the dying solider and prayed that my crazy enhanced anti-zombie DNA would override the infection and that she would rise back as a normal-ish vampire. I laid her carefully on the floor, and sat behind her with her head against my chest. I gently pulled back her ash blond hair from her face, stroking it against the nape of her neck. Wake up, wake up, wake up. I repeated a crazy mantra in my head. Mariah might be Hope and Glory’s only chance. Nicholas wasn’t exactly coming through with his promises lately. The odds of him reaching Mallock were slim, and if Tate had, he would have come and told me already. I had to raise Mariah and fast.

  The zombie girl stared at us with strange interest. She’d be easy to kill if she decided she was hungry, but her serene manner was almost contagious. She inched a little closer then sat down, cross-legged on the floor by us. I looked her over, she wore a slim gold necklace that read ‘Betty.’

  “Hello, Betty,” I whispered. She cocked her head at me but didn’t answer.

  With a sudden flail of limbs, Mariah jolted awake. Her eyes were still closed but her body tremored with energy. I twisted her round and held onto her as she shook. My only experience of being a sire was with Jack, and his transformation was requested; he was ready to turn, and every day since he had proven time and again that he was born to be one of us. Mariah didn’t even have knowledge of vampires, and I’d just turned her into one. Was I worse than Nicholas for this?

  “What’s happening?” Mariah pushed out. She then went very still. I held her tight.

  “I’m sorry,” I repeated. “Wake up. You need to wake up!”

  She looked round to me. Her eyes were now open and the oddest shade of brick red.

  “I don’t have time to tell you everything, But my name is Brit, I’m a frie…I know Green. You need to stop the bomb. Now!”

  She staggered out of my embrace and stumbled across the room. Betty the zombie stared at her.

  “Sis?” whispered Mariah.

  Crap. They were sisters, that’s why the young zombie was in this office in the first place. They both must have been caught up in the earlier attack. Mariah lurched to embrace her sister, but I pulled her back by her collar. “Bomb! NOW!” I yelled at her.

  “There’s a master control room. What happened here?”

  My watch read 32 minutes. “I’ll explain later. Let’s go.”

  I grabbed Mariah’s hand and pulled her out of the door. Betty trailed after us. We ran through the building and past another hanger. More zombies had found their way in, and they were clumping between us and the next building. If only the Elders had spoken with us beforehand, trusted we could have saved our country, none of this would have happened.

  “Move!” I pushed Mariah forward. I leapt over her into the newest throng of undead. I twirled and cut and slashed. All around us the undead crumbled to the ground. And every time I moved I saw a glimpse of my digital countdown. We now had 22 minutes...

  When I was done, I looked over to see Betty picking up a nearby chair and smashing it into another zombie. Mariah was crouched on the floor crying softly, her shoulders shuddering with sobs.

  “Get up!” I yelled at her and she struggled to her feet but didn’t move forward. I wasn’t sure whether she was perhaps still more zombie than vampire, or if I’d managed to create a Vambie. I just didn’t have the luxury of time to unravel the crazy chain of events. I strode forward and clutched Mariah’s arm. I dragged her on until we got to the control room. All the while, strange zombie Betty followed us.

  Now there were only 7 minutes to go.

  The door before us housed the control centre. It was solid steel. I kicked it, punched it and shouldered my weight against it, but it didn’t move. Without a key, all was lost.

  I yelled out and gave that door everything I had. I poured my hate into it, my love, and my frustration. It didn’t budge.

  5 minutes.

  The undead hand of Betty appeared in front of me. Clutched in it was a key.

  “I heard the sirens and gave it to my sister to keep safe. Just in case I didn’t survive,” Mariah whispered.

  Betty smiled at me and part of her lip fell off.

  I grabbed the key and unlocked the door then sat Mariah at the console. 3 minutes to go. She punched in some numbers, but her fingers were shaking. Nothing happened. 2 minutes…

  Mariah started to cry.

  “What’s the code?” I whispered to her.

  30 seconds…

  She told me a string of numbers, which I quickly entered. 5 seconds…

  The screen flashed, the countdown had stopped, but I watched as my watch reached zero. Nothing launched. I fell to my knees and took a deep breath. Biggest problem contained, it was now time to deal with all the other problems I’d created in the meantime.

  “The bomb has be deactivated. But if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll start it...” She didn’t even finish the sentence. I grabbed her by the throat and pulled her close. Betty grunted and reached for me. I kicked her in the chest and she fell into a heap on the floor, like a string-less puppet.

  “Betty!” Mariah yelled. I tightened my grip and her hands flew up to hold my wrist and ease the tension I was creating.

  I should kill them. Why create more questions to have to answer? They were both dangerous and unknown variables at this point. Mariah had definitely transformed, but into what? And Betty was clearly a zombie with an unpredictable personality. Both were just more time bombs, ready to blow my almost happy life to smitherns at any moment.

  “Please…” Mariah pushed out.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered again. I had nothing else left to say as I squeezed harder.

  “Don’t be sorry, be better,” she whispered back.

  What? My long dead father’s advice was now ringing in my ears.

  I let her go and she folded to the floor. Betty scrambled over to hug her and they sat together clinging to one another. Both very dead, but both wanting to live.

  “Don’t hurt us.”

  “It’s a bit late for that,” I replied.

  “What happened here?”

  I stared down at Mariah, half hoping that Betty would take a chunk out of her neck and make the decision for me. She didn’t.

  I crouched down to them,. “I did something bad to you, Mariah. I had to. I hope you can forgive me. I did it to save the people I love. The country I love.”

  “Why would you drop zombies on us?”

  “Oh, no, I didn’t do that. That was the, well, the others. I didn’t get to you, either of you, in time to save you from them. I had to turn you into a vampire to keep you from turning,” I nodded to her sister, “undead. I had to ensure you could remember the codes to deactivate the bomb.”

  Mariah stared at me, “You’re a vampire?”

  “Yes.”

  “And I’m now a vampire?”

  I rolled around a couple of answers in my head, but nothing stuck. “I’m not sure. I had to turn you quick and you had the zombie infection in you already.”

  “Both of us?”

  “Your sister was actually nothing to do with me at all. She was in your office and was already infected. I have no idea why she is what she is and isn’t attacking us right now.”

  “Perhaps our love was just too strong.” Mariah kissed her sister’s undead forehead.

  Barf.

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure love has nothing to do with it,” I said.

  I crouched down next to them. They smelt familiar and as long as I could control them on the plane, they might prove useful, even if they were just a present for Xyla in exchange for more of the undead wonder juice.

  “Let’s go.” I helped them both to their feet and led them throu
gh the base toward the plane. The zombies had mostly been despatched now. There were chopped quivering limbs lined up through the corridors and hangers. A lot of them I didn’t even remember doing.

  “Don’t be sorry, be better,” Mariah repeated her words from earlier.

  I clutched her shoulder and spun her round to me, “Why do you keep saying that?”

  “Family motto.”

  I’d had a younger sister. I thought that Nicholas had killed her, but I had also thought he’d killed Langdon and that had turned out to be some crazy fabrication that he had chosen not to refute. Were Mariah and Betty related to me? Could it be my DNA that was affecting their transformations? Xyla had said that the virus had been engineered with my blood and if that were true, it could explain it. What were the odds that both of them had ended up right where I had seemingly been destined to be?

  The sisters were holding hands. One pale hand clenched in an even paler one. Mariah’s eyes were un-nerving, like all her capillaries had burst into scarlet fireworks. I could now see that Betty had chunks of flesh missing from her arm and leg as well. They were covered with blood and gore but they both smelled just like me.

  “Honey, you stopped the bomb!” Tate was suddenly by my side. He slid to a stop when he saw the sisters beside me. “What’s going on? We need to leave.”

  “Tate, this is Mariah and Betty. They’re coming with us.”

  “Okay.”

  Good ol’ Tate, didn’t even question it.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The flight back was uncomfortable. Mainly because we’d filled the plane with people and the vampires had been demoted to gripping onto the wings. I had one arm around Mariah and she had one arm around Betty. Tate was the other side of me, poised to jump in if my two new wards got bitey. Nicholas and Eddie were on the other wing. When I’d rocked up with the girls, Nicholas had narrowed his eyes and sniffed. He then looked a little sheepish and had sunk into the shadows. Eddie had looked almost elated to see us. He even clapped his little hands together in inappropriate ghoulish glee. I’d have to deal with him later, question what he knew about my fate. I certainly didn’t like the fact that I was starring in his creepy little imagination.

  “Where are we going?” Mariah asked me.

  “A safe haven, Hope and Glory. We’ll figure this all out when we get there, okay?”

  “Okay, ummm, what’s your name?”

  Oh, how embarrassing I’d turn someone without even introducing myself.

  “Britannia.”

  “I forgive you, Britannia.”

  “For what I did to you?”

  “Yes, and for what you’ll probably have to do.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m hungry. I’m so very hungry.” And Mariah lunged at me.

  I couldn’t move out of her way quick enough and she bit down on my arm that was holding her. Tate pulled me back, but Mariah was already attached and simply held on, like a dog with a toy. She let go of Betty, who began to slide down the wing. Tate reached down and grabbed her before she was out of reach. Two thoughts blinded me at once. If Betty bit Tate too many times, he’d turn. He had no immunity. If Mariah tore off my arm it would be a bitch to grow back, but it was less important to me than my friend’s life.

  “Give her to me,” I yelled at Tate. He hoisted Betty to me and I held her close with the arm that Mariah was locked on. If she bit through, her sister would fall. I just hoped she would realise that. She didn’t, she gnawed harder.

  I was bracing myself to lose an appendage when Betty slapped her sister in the head. Stunned, Mariah let go of my arm then licked the blood from her lips.

  “Are you okay?” Tate asked.

  I head-butted Mariah in the face.

  “Hey!” she yelled.

  “Hey to you too. Control yourself.”

  “Ladies, please, we’re almost there, and when we land we can get you blood, and whatever Betty here wants,” Tate said.

  Betty grinned up at him, her expression verging on flirty.

  I hugged the sisters closer.

  “I’ll be better, I promise. I just feel…” Mariah sniffled.

  “It’s okay. I understand. You actually did pretty good warning me.”

  “Are we going to be okay?”

  “I’m not sure,” I replied looking into Betty’s blank eyes.

  “Betty is my only family.”

  “Not anymore,” I said.

  Epilogue

  Xyla was positively giddy to see Betty and Mariah. Her theory had been right on the money. They were related to me. My blood had guarded them, somewhat, from the full zombie virus. Still unpredictable, Mariah was being kept in Josh’s old cell while Dr. Watts, Xyla and the other geeks were testing her. Introducing the vampire ‘infection’ to her already infected body was proving a bit of a biological puzzle for them. And I really didn’t like being referred to as an infection.

  Betty was more placid than her sister but she was beginning to smell. We’d been back for two days and although everyone was grateful for the sisters’ part in their safety, they were more than a little unsettled to have a zombie fumbling around with them in the safety of their walls. We had to make a hard decision.

  Five vampires sat around me in a darkened room. Tate, Lyle, Eddie, Jack and Josh. It was the most vampires I’d ever comfortably been around. We sat in solemn silence waiting for Nicholas to join us. As the minutes ticked by, I started to tap my fingers on the floor, my mouth twitching with the effort of containing a tirade of insults.

  “Maybe we should just start without him, eh?” Lyle suggested.

  “Don’t we need him?” Tate asked.

  “I think we’ll be okay. Don’t you think, Britannia?” Eddie stared at me with big weird eyes. Everything he said made me question if he was referring to some worrying vision or whether he was trying to be kind. At this point I wasn’t sure I cared anymore.

  I nodded in agreement and he grinned back to me. I then moved as far away from him as possible, pressing my side to Josh.

  “You all right?” he whispered to me.

  I smiled at him and squeezed his hand. It was nice to have him in general population again. He’d overcome the first trials of vampirism much quicker than I had.

  Betty was laid out on the ground between us. I had stripped off her stained clothes, bathed her and dressed her in a pretty pink dress that matched her hair. It had been a feat to wash and dress a zombie. She kept trying to wander off and actually growled at me when I pushed her into the tub, but she smelt better and at least she looked more human.

  “What happens now?” asked Jack, his eager eyes taking everything in.

  “I’m not that sure, I’ve only ever done this once properly,” I replied.

  “The one time we could have really used Nicholas’s help and he’s MIA,” Josh said.

  “We don’t need him. Trust me,” Eddie said as he crawled forward. In his chubby little hand was a switch blade. He kind of looked like a little boy scout trying to start a fire. He reached over to me and I stopped myself from recoiling. I hadn’t quite worked him out yet, he gave me the undead willies being so little, so knowledgeable, so unknown. Once I had these feelings under control I was going to interrogate him as to his visions of me, and what I was doing starring in his dark and twisted imaginings. I had the worst feeling that my journey was not yet over. I had more fighting to do, miles to go before I sleep, and all that.

  Eddie gently took my hand and cut my finger. Blood dribbled down my wrist and every vampire in the room stood a little straighter.

  I leant over Betty. “You’re going to need to close your eyes,” I whispered to her. She obeyed and I drew my symbol over her forehead.

  “Okay, gents let’s hold hands,” Lyle said.

  “You’re not going to make us sing are you?” Josh asked.

  “No, although I’m always up for a bit of opportune karaoke.” Lyle chuckled.

  “We need to lend our strength. If Betty is to turn fu
lly, Brit needs more magic.” Tate laid his hand on my shoulder as I pulled Betty into my arms. I closed my eyes and blocked everything else out. Eddie’s weirdness, Tate’s gentle touch, Jack’s bouncing energy, Josh caressing my arm and Lyle’s next joke.

  I felt Betty’s zombie presence, which was bizarre as I hadn’t had any extra serum from Xyla. I also felt Mariah. Three doors down, she was pacing back and forth in her cell, frustrated, hungry and angry. I tried to calm her as best I could, but she slammed a virtual door in my face. Pissed that she wasn’t there trying to help her sister.

  The zombie energy in my arms began to fade. I tugged it back, but it slipped through my subconscious. I used the others’ magic around me, but I wasn’t strong enough, it eased itself away…

  The door to the room suddenly burst open and Xyla stumbled in. Lyle broke the circle and caught hold of his friend’s arm to steady her. The energy I’d been using vanished and I slumped down over Betty.

  “What’s happened?” he asked.

  “It’s Nicholas.”

  “What’s that ass-hat done now?” Josh moved to help me up.

  “He’s gone.”

  “Gone?” Jack asked and a caught a draft of wind as Eddie ran out of the room.

  “He attacked me and Dr. Watts, and we’re okay, but he took all our research.”

  “Why?” Josh asked.

  I knew why. “He’s taking it to the Highlands, he’s buying himself a new home with it.” I pushed my hair behind my ears and looked down at Betty, still and beautiful, in a zombie kind of way. At least she was at peace now.

  “I’m so sorry. Didn’t it work?” Xyla asked.

  A howl went up from Mariah’s cell. She’d heard.

  “Doesn’t appear so, although the rising of a vampire is a tricky and variable act. Some take more time than others.” Lyle bent back down and squeezed Betty’s hand. Lie. I can always tell with Lyle.

  “What do we do now?” Tate asked.

  “We give the ladies some space.” Josh said, and with that everyone left, leaving me alone with Betty’s body.