“Thank you for coming up here and trying to warn me,” I said. “I’m sorry I got you in this jam.”
“It’s okay. Helping you made me feel human.”
“Do you remember much?” I asked.
He paused, then spoke, “The memories fade in and out, but I know I have a wife and a son. I remember...loving them.”
“Are they still alive?”
“I have no idea. They were before I turned. I was bitten while trying to protect them. My wife tried to nurse me back to health, but she couldn’t, and everything went black when I...well, I was told the scientists captured me and gave me some kind of serum. I was human for three days before I changed into this. I begged them to let me go when I thought I was cured, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.”
“I’m so sorry this happened to you,” I said.
“I’d rather be this than roam the streets like those things out there, mindless and devouring everything.”
Even though there was a deep sadness in his voice, I knew he was a coldblooded murderer, a hit man, with orders to eliminate specific targets. “Personally, I think this is worse,” I said. “You still have to kill to eat, but you are also aware of it, aware of what you are, because your mind is more clear.”
“We only feed on animals,” he retorted, “mostly rodents.”
I was just thankful they weren’t feeding on people.
“I feel bad about all of this,” he said. “I really do. Charlie sent me to demolish Z’s gang first, and then ambush Max and his group.”
“It’s a stupid plan. Charlie should’ve let Z and Max battle it out, then took on the victor.”
“Charlie personally wanted his hybrids to take out both sides. It’s a pride thing. He wanted to say he conquered victoriously and nobody else.”
“He’s a narcissistic sociopath,” I said.
I don’t really like the plan, but I have to do what they want me to do if I’m going to get what I want.”
“And what’s that?” I asked. “What do you want?”
“To be human again and to find my wife and son.”
“How will attacking Z’s men help you become human again?”
“Charlie promised that if we help him, he’ll help us.”
“How? What can he possibly do for you?” I inquired.
“He has a cure.”
I swallowed hard. “Shawn, I’m afraid Charlie lied to you. There is no cure.”
“No!” the hybrid insisted. “Charlie would have no reason to lie.”
“No reason other than to create an army of obedient hybrids,” I muttered, but I did think about his words for a minute. If the hybrid wasn’t lying, that meant we needed to save Charlie. What he’d done in the lab was as horrible as it was unforgivable, and I despised the man, but if he had a cure, the world deserved to know about it. The cure might have to be fixed or altered, but it could still save hundreds of lives. I hated that Charlie had dangled it in front of Shawn and the others like a carrot though; it proved that he was still as diabolical as ever, still manipulating others to do his bidding. Maybe there isn’t a cure at all, and Charlie’s just tricking them, telling them what they so desperately want to hear, giving them hope, lying to them. “Do you hate what Charlie’s making you do?” I asked.
“Are you kidding?” he said. “I was out there roaming the lonely city streets, and he gave me my mind back. Do you know how wonderful it was to have some sense of humanity again, if only for three days? Charlie took me to the roof of the building, and I watched every sunset and every sunrise. I got to stare up at the starry sky.” He looked straight into my eyes. “Yes, you have to fight to survive, and I know it’s an uphill battle, but don’t ever take being human for granted.”
“I won’t,” I said. “I’ve had some near-death experiences that really made me think, this being one of them.”
“It isn’t Charlie’s fault I’m this way. He didn’t turn me into this, and I truly believe he wants to help. He just...wants something in return.”
“What did Charlie do with the people he saved, the ones who didn’t turn into hybrids?”
“They weren’t allowed to stay. He let them go, as long as they promised to leave town. He only kept the hybrids because he needs us to save his new lab. If the gang destroys it, there will be no cure for us. He’s helping us, so we’re indebted to him.”
I wondered if Charlie handpicked his little hybrid army, because there were some that I was sure would have killed him in a heartbeat. These were loyal to him, though, and they truly believed he was going to be their savior, that he could cure them.
Suddenly, something else hit me. Shawn said that Charlie had let the people go, the ones who didn’t change into hybrids. I realized then that the woman I’d seen near the antique shop, the green-eyed one who reminded me of Jackie, was probably one of them. So she wasn’t a figment of my imagination, I realized, and it was quite a relief to discover that my sanity was, for the most part, still intact.
Charlie was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. When he deemed someone worthy, they were given special, preferential treatment. To everyone else, though, he was a mad scientist who put them through hell. Clearly, he was twisted, and while he’d deemed the Jackie lookalike to be worthy of life, he hadn’t felt the same about poor Kate and Asia. For some reason, they ended up on his naughty list, so he punished them horribly.
“Charlie can’t be trusted,” I finally said to his protégé. “He kidnapped innocent people and experimented on them.”
Shawn’s gaze narrowed. “Only because he was desperate to find a cure so we can—”
“I don’t care how desperate he was,” I snapped, cutting him off. “He tortured my friends, did cruel experiments on them. What he did down to all those people is inexcusable! He murdered my girlfriend and tried to kill me. I barely escaped from that house of horrors, and I plan to make him pay for it.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm my nerves. “And I’ll tell you what. Those hybrids were nothing more than murderers.”
“Charlie separated the hybrids who exhibited...less humanity,” Shawn argued.
“You mean the killers?” I asked.
“Yes. He put them in one part of the lab and put the rest of us, the loyal ones, in the new lab at the hospital.”
I shook my head. “No wonder Charlie and his men wouldn’t go to the basement. All the killers and infected animals were down there. That’s probably why Jonathon wanted to blow the place up.”
“Charlie was told to exterminate the dangerous hybrids, but he wanted to do a few more tests on them,” Shawn explained. “He’s a brilliant scientist, you know. Now, we have to destroy the gang, because that’ll make Charlie happy, and he promised to reward us with the cure.”
“How come we didn’t find the lab when we searched the hospital?” I asked. “We searched for where Charlie might hide the hybrids.”
“It’s hidden deep underground just like the last one. Without the right codes and a map, you would’ve never found it. Charlie keeps us safe like that. I completely trust him.”
“You shouldn’t put so much faith in him,” I warned. “The man is a lunatic, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s a liar too.”
“But I saw him cure a hybrid. I saw it with my own eyes.”
My jaw dropped. “Who?” I asked.
“A girl named Jackie...your Jackie,” he said.
The words struck me like lightning, but I wasn’t sure if I should believe him. “You’re a liar! And how do you know who I am? This is all a hoax, a big setup!”
“I know who you are because Jackie told me all about you. She had a picture of you in her pocket when she became a zombie, a Polaroid. She looked at it all the time.”
“More lies!” I shouted.
“She said the picture was taken in a cabin or something, someplace where you had to hole up for a while.”
Emotions overwhelmed me, and my throat constricted.
“Think about it, Dean. What would
I have to gain by all of this?” the hybrid asked. “If this is a hoax, how did I know I’d be trapped inside of this place with you? This couldn’t be planned. It just happened.”
“Dean!” I suddenly heard a voice call. It was my brother’s, followed by the voices of the others.
I knew they wouldn’t hesitate to kill Shawn. I wasn’t sure if I should believe his story, but it certainly was a compelling tale. If he wasn’t telling the truth, at least partially, I had no idea how he would have known about the Polaroids and the cabin in the woods. After all, he hadn’t said anything about operating a psychic hotline in his former life. “They’ll kill you,” I said.
He leaned closer. “If they do, you’ll never find out where Jackie is.”
“She’s in the hospital lab deep underground,” I said.
“Or Charlie could’ve moved her to a more secure location hours from here. Haven’t you wondered why some of the scientists are missing?”
“But this is the safest city to leave. I don’t think he’d do that.”
“Are you willing to gamble that?”
“How do I know you’re not lying?” I retorted.
“You don’t, but what if there is truth to my claim? You’ll never find out what happened to her. I can give you the answers you so desperately need, Dean—answers you’ve risked your life to find but haven’t.”
“Dean, we’re coming in! Hold on!” I heard Val call. “Are you all right in there? Dean? Claire?”
“Don’t let them kill me,” Shawn begged.
I shot him a compassionate look. “I won’t.”
“Dean!” Nick shouted in a muffled voice.
“I’m here!” I shouted.
“Stay put,” Val said. “We’re coming.”
It was noisy as they tried to create an opening to get to us. I only hoped the entire building wouldn’t collapse on top of us, and I hated that they were again putting themselves in danger to save me.
“Nick,” I said, “what’s going on out there?”
“We stormed the warehouse. Most of Z’s men were killed by hybrids, but that slippery Z escaped with a band of soldiers. Max and his men went after him.”
“Where are the hybrids now?” I asked.
“Gone. We took out a couple, but most of them escaped.”
The rocks shifted, and Val heaved herself through an opening, followed by Nick and Lucas.
“Zombie!” my sister instantly shouted, taking aim.
Chapter 33
Just as Lucas began to pull his trigger, I jumped in front of Shawn. “You can’t kill this one!” I yelled.
“Huh?” Lucas questioned, as if I’d gone nuts.
“He’s not like the others,” I said.
“Dean, you musta hit your head. Now move away from that thing!” Nick ordered.
“He says Jackie’s still alive, that Charlie cured her!” I shouted. “If you kill him, he can’t tell us anything.”
“What?” Claire said in complete shock as she stumbled to her feet.
Val hurried over to steady her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but I could do without the hangover. Musta been quite a party. Wh-what happened?”
“Hybrids tried to blow up this building,” I said.
She ran a hand through her hair as she contemplated having survived an explosion.
“Some of their explosives crapped out on them,” Val said, “so you’re okay.”
“Did I hear somebody say something about Jackie?” Claire asked, confused. “Is she really alive?”
“No,” Lucas said, then turned his attention to me. “They’re messing with your mind, Dean. It’s what they do.”
“Don’t be fooled by that things bull,” Nick said. “Now move aside, Dean.”
Lucas pointed the gun again, waiting for a clear shot, but I refused to move. I was sure Shawn could answer many of my questions.
Blam!
In one swift move, and without another warning, Nick threw me to the ground and put a bullet in Shawn’s head.
My stomach clenched into a million knots, and I looked at my brother in utter disbelief. “No!” I shouted.
“Dean...” the hybrid said with a groan.
“Shawn,” I whispered, “I’m so sorry.”
“I-I just remembered...” he said.
I held his hand as he took a few dying breaths. “What? What do you remember?”
“I-I slaughtered my wife, my son. I-I...oh no! I didn’t remember till now. But now I can be with them, Dean. Now I can rest in peace. Now I can...” With that, he closed his eyes, and Lucas put another bullet in his head.
I glared up at Nick with disdain. “How could you?”
“It was just a hybrid. Chill out,” he said. “What’s wrong with you anyway?”
“Dean, those things just killed almost everyone in that warehouse,” Val said. “They’re beyond dangerous.”
Lucas shot me a look. “And in case you’ve forgotten, hybrids have tried to kill us more than once.”
“This one was different,” I whispered.
“I highly doubt that,” Lucas retorted. “Once a rotter, always a rotter, even if they do have a good grasp of the vocabulary and can figure out a door lock.”
“Let’s go,” Nick said.
I squeezed through the narrow opening of debris and walked outside. I stared at the demolished buildings and thought about everything Shawn had told me; it all weighed quite heavily on my mind. Bright flames licked up into the night sky, and smoke in various colors was swirling around everywhere. It was like being in the middle of a warzone.
“We gotta save Charlie,” Claire said.
“Again?” Val said. “Didn’t you and Dean risk your lives to save him from a house surrounded by a herd?”
“We did, and then found out he was the mastermind behind the experiments.”
Lucas raised a brow. “And you want to save him, why?”
Claire sighed. “I hate him, but he knows where Jackie is.”
“You’re falling for that hybrid’s crap!” Lucas said.
“What if this was about somebody you loved?” she retorted. “I need answers. I need to talk to Charlie.”
Lucas looked at me. “What did the hybrid exactly tell you about Jackie?”
“Shawn said Jackie was alive, that she was cured,” I said. “That he witnessed it with his very own eyes. If I can talk to Charlie...”
“We don’t even know where he is,” Nick said.
“Dean!” a voice called.
Nick, Lucas, and Val trained their rifles on a woman emerging from the curtain of smoke.
“Put your guns down,” I said. “It’s Sandy. She’s from Z’s compound, but if it wasn’t for her and her sister, Asia and I wouldn’t have gotten out of there alive.”
Nick walked over to her. “I can’t thank you enough for saving my brother’s life.”
“Your brother is an honorable man,” she said. “I couldn’t let Z kill him.”
“We can’t thank you enough,” Val added.
They lowered their weapons, and Sandy hurried over and hugged me. “I thought you were dead. I saw you on the roof, and I tried to stop the hybrids from placing the explosives, but I couldn’t. I’m so sorry.”
“No need to be, Sandy. I’m alive,” I said, hugging her.
Lucas looked at me seriously. “You were trying to protect your own would-be murderer back there, Dean.”
“He was trying to save my life,” I said.
“Sure he was,” Nick said in a sarcastic tone.
“He said Charlie put all of us on a ‘no kill list’,” I said. “No hybrids were allowed to hurt us.”
“He lied,” Val said.
“I don’t believe he’d do that.”
“So zombies lie. Go figure,” Lucas retorted.
“It makes perfect sense,” I said. “It explains why that hybrid saved my life when those thugs attacked me.”
“Where’s Z?” Claire asked.
“He
was pretty busy running from the other hybrids,” Lucas said. “I bet they woulda spit him out if they ate him though.”
“I know where Z is,” Sandy suddenly blurted out. “I tried to find Max, but he’s gone already.”
I gasped. “Where, Sandy?”
“Z just left, and they’re on their way to kill Charlie, then go after Max.”
“Charlie? Where? Do you know exactly where they’re headed?”
“They’re going to Charlie’s place in Fairport, on the edge of town,” Sandy said. “Do you know where the elementary school is? By the town hall?”
I nodded. “I’m learning Fairport pretty good. So yeah.”
“It’s a huge, brown house with a wraparound porch you can’t miss.”
“I’ll find it,” I said.
Lucas shook his head. “Good riddance, if ya ask me. Maybe they’ll kill each other so we can have the day off.”
“Right. The scientist gets what he deserves,” Nick agreed, “but when Z comes for Max, we’ll be ready.”
“I agree that Charlie should pay for the evils he’s done,” Claire said, “but if he has info on this supposed cure or Jackie, we should—”
“Tell me you’re not falling for that fairytale, that crap the hybrid was spewing at Dean,” Lucas said. “Did you hit your head too hard too?”
Nick pulled Claire into a close embrace. “Listen to Lucas. I know you want to hope Jackie’s alive, but it was a load of crap. Now c’mon.”
Pointing his rifle straight ahead, Nick led the way to the car parked blocks over.
On the way, Claire grabbed my arm. “We have to warn Charlie that an execution squad is on the way. We have to stop it and find out what he knows.”
“Then let’s do it,” I said.
“You think you can beat Z’s gang there?” Lucas asked Nick.
“If we take Breech Street over to Maple, it’ll save a good ten minutes. We’re gonna need backup, and we need to tell Max what Z is up to.”
“There isn’t time,” Claire said.
I gripped her hand to try to calm her down.
“Let’s just go, you and me,” she said.
I nodded, then announced to everyone my decision. “Claire and I are leaving.”
Trepidation Page 23
