by Gayle Katz
“Besides that strange cop guy? No, but I’m a hundred percent certain that they were after the spell book.”
“Oh my gosh! But what about the photocopied one?”
“Drat! I was so happy that the actual version was locked up in the safe, that I forgot about the copy!” He raced to his desk and pulled out a binder. He flipped through it. “Nope, they didn’t find it. I guess they didn’t expect there would be a copy.”
“What? You just leave it in the open?”
“There are supposed to be protections surrounding my place. I never expected someone would try to break in!” he said in protest.
“So that’s Owen’s place and yours now. How do we prevent it from happening to me, or to Zan?”
“I’m not sure what the point is, anyway,” he said.
“Does this mean you’ll start seeing ghost zombies too?”
He frowned. “I hope not. I’m going to suggest that Owen and I find some other places to stay while this blows over.”
“You guys can stay at my place,” she suggested.
“Fine,” he said, grabbing his bag. The first thing he put in was the photocopied spell book. “Good thing I put this in a binder.”
Just then, Charlie’s phone rang. “Hi, Owen. What’s up?”
zzz
Zan gave Sergeant Bourne a call.
“Hey, Zan. How are you?” he asked over the telephone.
“Hi. I think I’m fine,” she said. “I just found out that the local hospital has a quarantine zone.”
“What of it?” he asked. “Did you find out that’s where they’re keeping Ray? Listen, kid, you need to forget about him. He’s essentially dead. I was told that they were only keeping his zombie body alive in an effort to do a bit of research.”
“What? Who told you that?” she asked.
“Lieutenant Latrofa,” he replied.
“OK, but do you know who the doctor or scientist was, at the hospital?”
There was a pause. “I don’t know who that might be. My colleague told me that when I showed up at the hospital after the shooting. Oh shit.”
Zan laughed.
“No, I’m not thinking straight. Why would Latrofa shoot Ray? But he was already there when I showed up at the hospital, after the nurse called 911.”
“Well, you better figure out who is in the zombie gang,” she said. “Anyway, do you have any idea how I might get into the quarantine zone?”
There was a mild exclamation on the other end of the phone. “Why would you want to do that? Like I said, the guy is already dead.”
“I know that, but I want some answers. I want to take some blood samples to test.”
“Where’d you learn to do that?” he asked out of curiosity.
“My parents are both doctors. Err, were, oh crap, you know what I mean.”
“Right, sorry. OK, leave it to me. I’ll get back to you on that.” He hung up.
“Darn,” said Zan. “This isn’t going to be easy. I need to get in that quarantine area.”
zzz
“Hey, Owen. What’s up? You what?” she frowned. “OK. Let me tell Stewart.”
“What is it? More ghost zombies?” Stewart asked.
She shook her head. “He said he’s found what he thinks is the connection.”
He looked on in concern. “OK, please tell him not to touch it. Use gloves, and put it in a plastic bag. Bring it here immediately.”
Charlie repeated that to Owen. “He’s on his way.” She put her phone back in her pocket.
“That means that the perp could have left something in my place too.” Stewart went over to his desk and emptied out the drawers.
“Oh great, just when we had finished cleaning up.” She went over to help him.
zzz
Sergeant Bourne was ninety-nine percent certain that Lieutenant Latrofa was the link between the zombie gang and Ray Orzola. He had a list of police officers up on his screen. He was sorting through them. There were a number of rookies that he simply scrolled past. The traffic control cops wouldn’t be involved either. He doubted the fraud department would have a hand in it. That left the violent crimes unit, of which Latrofa was a part of. There were also the floater cops, like him, who bounced around and supervised, as needed. There were three other maybes in the department, but now that it was right in front of him, he had a good hunch.
He headed to Latrofa’s desk.
“Hi, Bourne. What’s up?”
“Oh, I was just wondering if there have been any zombie sightings recently?”
Latrofa looked frantically around, and then looked back at him. “Shh! Keep it down! You know that we don’t like to admit there are zombies around. And no, Ray Orzola has been the only zombie around so far.”
“Good, makes my job easier,” he replied. “Say, what do you know about that quarantine room at the hospital?” he asked. He might as well be open about it. Sometimes you got more information that way, even if the other party was trying to hold back.
“That’s where they’re keeping Orzola,” he said.
“I know that. But do they have a little lab in there? Like, to do tests? I imagine they’d have to keep on top of infections if they had someone in there.”
“Oh, I see what you’re asking. Yes, they do have a mini lab back there. Very useful. It’s to minimize the spread of infection. I had a cousin in there last year with tuberculosis. Can you believe that’s still around?”
“Can’t imagine,” said Bourne, trying to get away, now that he had the information he needed.
“Take it easy,” Latrofa called out to him as he left.
zzz
“Thanks for the heads up,” said Zan over the telephone. “Still doesn’t get me in there, though.”
“No, you’d need someone at the hospital to take you in there,” he said. “I don’t have any contacts there. Plus, I doubt they’d let a kid in anyway, one who has no medical training.”
“Well, thanks anyway.”
“Hey. Maybe you can get your dad to help you out? Anyway, Zan, I have a lead on the bad cop on the force, and I’m about to check his desk.”
She laughed. “I doubt it and good luck finding the bad guy.” She hung up the phone and wandered around the living room for a bit. “What to do? What to do?” she muttered to herself. “I guess I’ll have to enlist Charlie’s help, if she’s not already too busy.” Zan went to toss some things she needed into her purse.
“Dad helping out?” she chuckled to herself at the thought. Imagine trying to explain zombies to him! She doubted that working at a clinic would ever expose him to zombies. Working at the hospital, yes, but not a clinic.
Zan was about to head out the door. “How could Dad help me out?” She chuckled. Then she stopped. She looked in the direction of the basement door. Perhaps Dad could help her out after all, and she didn’t even need Charlie’s help. Yes, she could do this herself.
Chapter 10
________________________________________
Owen rushed over to Stewart’s apartment and met up with his team.
“What do you have there?” asked Stewart.
Owen dug through his bag and then pulled out a small baggie.
“Ew! Gross,” said Charlie. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yep. It’s a severed finger,” said Owen.
“Ugh. Put that on the table, please,” said Stewart. He pushed his glasses higher up on his face, then sat down in front of it to get a better look. Then he rummaged around on the table. “This matches what we found when we did a search of my place.” He tossed a similar bag beside the other finger Owen brought.
“Wow,” said Owen. “Someone has lost a lot of fingers.”
Charlie peered closely at it. “Well, you can take comfort in knowing that these are likely zombie fingers.”
“Gross. Why would someone go to the trouble of obtaining zombie fingers?” he asked.
“And what’s the point?” asked Charlie.
Stewart looked
at both fingers. “Yes, these are both recovered from zombies. My best guess is that the person who planted them did it as a joke, as they had no evil intentions. But the person who gave the fingers to them, did. This person is in the zombie gang.”
“But why?” asked Owen. “What is the point of tormenting us?”
“Probably to get rid of us,” said Stewart. “Our team has hunted and killed zombies since last September, almost a year now. This is why zlayers often move around a lot. Well, that and killing off the zombies, and then finding new infestations in new cities.”
“So, you’re saying someone knows that we’re ayers and they know you’re a mentor?” asked Charlie.
Stewart nodded his head. “This is unprecedented. We are in a stage two outbreak. I’ve never had to deal with this before. Usually a zombie problem is eradicated within weeks. That’s the whole point of having zlayers.”
“But how did a finger break our defenses?” asked Owen.
“Well, this severed finger hasn’t broken any defenses here, as I have yet to see zombie ghosts. But I believe that the fingers have had some magical spell performed on them.”
“But how could they break the protections around our houses? And, how did a burglar get into our places in the first place?” asked Owen.
Stewart sighed. “Well, the second question is easier to understand. A home can’t be protected from your average burglar, only magical spells or creatures that aim to hurt you. I’m guessing that someone gave this guy the finger to plant, and he had no idea what it really was.”
“I see,” said Charlie. “So, he had no bad intentions against you guys? He was simply there to leave something?”
Stewart nodded. “And in the real world, it’s usually not harmful leaving something behind. Well, unless it’s a bomb. The guy was probably told the finger was fake and it was a joke, which lets the spell slip past our protections even more.”
“OK, so now that we’ve found the fingers, are we safe?” she asked.
Stewart smiled. “Yes, we’ll take the fingers outside and burn them. That would take care of it. And now, I can work at performing a new and better spell with a few additional protections on our homes.”
“Cool,” said Charlie. “I’d really like to learn more about that spell book.”
“You could, if you’d translate what I gave you.”
Charlie looked down in chagrin. It was true. Stewart had given her a few photocopied pages of the spell book to translate from ancient Latin to English, but she’d slacked off and not done it.
“It’s OK. I have no time either,” said Owen.
“OK. Let’s do it!” Stewart rummaged around in a drawer to find his lighter.
The trio headed outside.
“I still don’t understand how their spell worked though,” said Charlie.
“It’s complicated,” said Stewart. “I don’t either, but at least we figured out a way to stop it.”
zzz
Zan simply used a crowbar to pry the deadbolt lock off the quarantine center’s door. She struggled to grab it before it fell to the ground. “Nice one,” she muttered to herself, glad that no noise had been made.
The doorknob was still locked, so she used the crowbar on it too. She held onto the knob while using the crowbar. “Wow,” she said, impressed with her break-in skills. “I should do this for a living.”
Then she was inside. Since it was nighttime, there was no one on shift at the reception area. Visitors must only be allowed during daytime hours. She headed to the second door where the patients were kept. She looked in but couldn’t see anything. She briefly thought of donning protective clothing, but if it were Ray, she would be safe from infection. Anyway, she wouldn’t be going into any other room.
She tried the door and it opened up. She peered inside. There was a long corridor, with separate rooms for each patient. She walked down the corridor. Almost all of the rooms were empty. There was one room that had a nurse and patient, so she quickly walked away. It wasn’t Ray. She reached the end.
“How odd. Where is Ray?” she muttered to herself. “I wonder if he died? A second time.” She chuckled. She would be glad to see that.
“Excuse me, miss? Why are you here?” asked the nurse. “I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
“Sorry,” she said. “I was searching for Ray Orzola. He’s family.”
“Oh, some guy with a police badge showed up. He wheeled him out of here.”
“Really? Who was it?”
“Um, Latrofa, I believe.”
“Don’t know him,” said Zan. “Do you know where they were going?”
“Something about how he’d be spending his last days playing poker. Anyway, he had a living will stating he was to die at home. Though, he was a zombie, so, not sure how the laws work in that situation.”
“OK, thanks,” said Zan. “You’ve been a big help.”
zzz
Sergeant Bourne was digging through Lieutenant Latrofa’s desk when he got caught.
“Hey! What are you doing?” someone cried out.
Bourne turned and saw Lieutenant Latrofa standing there.
Bourne held up a small baggie. “I’m talking about this,” he said. “Evidence is supposed to be properly tagged and placed on the shelf in the locked up storage facility downstairs.”
“Whatever,” Latrofa said. “It’s just a stupid zombie finger.”
“Yeah, I don’t think the guy who died would agree with you.”
“What’s it to you?” asked Latrofa. “Or perhaps to your zlaying friends?”
Bourne was onto something. “At least I have friends,” he said. Great. It sounded like he was one of the teens! “So, was it you who infected Ray?”
Latrofa looked worried. He looked around the room, but everyone was busy minding their own business. Some people were involved in telephone conversations.
“What’s it to you?” Latrofa repeated. “Why would you care about some zombie gangster? He got what was coming to him.”
Bourne shrugged. “That part I don’t care about. But I suspect that same zombie gang gave you a bunch of cash. Oh, because, I saw it in your bottom drawer.” He stepped away from his desk.
“Hey, that dough better still be there,” said Latrofa, running up to it and pulling the drawer out. He sighed in relief. Then he pulled his gun out and pointed it at Bourne.
By now, everyone saw what was happening and cried out.
zzz
“This is great,” said Charlie. “A zombie blaze!”
In front of the team was a small bonfire, made from dried leaves and twigs, and the two zombie fingers too.
“By now, the spell should be gone. We can go back home and rest assured that our homes are safe and protected,” said Stewart. “That being said, by this time tomorrow, expect to have an additional protection on your homes. Let’s call it the ignorant spell, for those who try to harm us through another.”
“Cool,” said Charlie.
“I’m so glad we worked this out,” said Owen.
“Yes, because there is no Z in team,” said Charlie. “Oh wait, ha-ha!”
“But I still don’t understand how the spell was actually able to move objects,” said Owen.
“I honestly don’t know everything,” said Stewart. “But this won’t happen again. And make sure you lock all doors and windows, and use your alarm systems from now on. And don’t let anyone give you anything, or bring it to me to be checked first.” He stared at them all until they nodded their heads in agreement.
They laughed and watched until the fire was nearly out, just to be certain that the site was safe.
zzz
A shot was fired at the police station. Sergeant Bourne ducked just in time. Everyone else in the office part of the station ducked down too.
Bourne heard a scream, and then looked up.
Latrofa’s desk had caught on fire. As if by magic, the flames jumped to his police uniform.
“Fire extinguisher!” yelled out Bou
rne, but by then it was too late. It was as if the flames consumed Latrofa in seconds. Then, the flames went out. His body dropped to the ground.
“Oh my god! What happened?” asked a female cop.
Bourne went over to inspect the body. It was charred beyond recognition. The flames had also extinguished themselves on his desk, leaving behind no evidence of the severed zombie finger.
“Well, I’d say that the zombie gang has gotten rid of their evidence,” he replied in his expert police officer voice.
Chapter 11
________________________________________
“Wow. It’s been quiet for a week,” said Charlie. They were hanging out in her bedroom.
“I know. No zombies. No zombie gangs. Even the mayor sounds like she’s been behaving herself.” Zan put her smartphone down on the bed.
“So, how’s it going between you and your dad?” asked Charlie.
Zan smiled. “Really good, actually. Now that the source of the friction has been removed, things are better. In fact, I’m almost happy she’s gone now.”
Charlie didn’t know what to say about that.
Zan continued. “Oh! Guess what? My brother is coming into town! That’s when we will hold a funeral for her.”
“That’s great,” said Charlie. “I mean, about your brother.”
“Say, how is it going between you and Paulo?” asked Zan.
Charlie slowly smiled. “It’s OK, but,” she started to say.
“But?” asked Zan.
She sighed. “But, dating has really reinforced the problems of being a zlayer and being in a relationship. I feel like I can’t be a hundred percent honest with him. It’s like three quarters of my life is held back from him. He’s a great guy, but I think he’s sensing something is up.”
