Zocopalypse (Death Fields 1)

“How much blood,” I ask.

She shrugs, pressing the needle into my skin with a pinch. “As much as it takes.”

This happens three more times before the Drone tapes a bandage to the inside of my elbow and unhooks the tube of fluids. She leaves and Walker and Richardson enter the room.

“Hey guys,” I say feeling a little woozy.

Typically silent they rip the Velcro off my wrists and ankles.

“What? Where are we going?” I ask but my arms are latched behind my back again and we head through the lab.

I scan the room on my way out but there is no sign of Cole among the Drones. I do catch sight of Colonel Erwin in his office, huddled over a computer. His eyes are narrowed and his jaw tense. He doesn’t look happy, no, I know he’s not happy. He finds the closest Drone and begins screaming.

“We’ve got a timeline here! A completely fucked timeline. We’re weeks behind and without Ramsey we have no map to follow. Do you not understand that? We have to get this out there before PC gets their version live. Once they do we’re screwed. Not just us but the whole goddamn planet. ”

Spittle flies from his mouth, and the Drone, a Hispanic guy, mask off, stands ramrod straight in front of him taking it like a champ.

“We’ve only just started processing her blood,” I hear him say. “It’s going to take time to get a breakdown.”

“We don’t have time,” Erwin says glancing away in disgust.

I avert my eyes before he can spot me. I have no interest in being any further on his radar at the moment. Walker’s hand pushes against my back, leading me faster out of the room. She must feel the same way.

We travel the same long hall as before and I realize we’re going back to my room. “So that’s it? Are we done?”

“For today.”

Richardson unlocks the door and they push me inside, slamming the door before I have the chance to ask anything further. Cole is sitting on the bed but jumps up quickly and rushes toward me.

“Are you okay?” he asks taking my arm and lifting the bandage at the crook of my elbow. “Did they hurt you?”

His concern is real. I can see it in his eyes and voice. It stings as much as the injection. It’s his fault that we’re here—or partially at the very least, and I want to be angry, but right now he’s the only one on my side. The only person I’ve got.

“No, I’m fine. They just took some blood.”

“Sit down,” he says leading me to the bed. “Are you lightheaded? Weak?”

“A little. They had me hooked to fluids.” I sit and lay back, resting my head. Cole doesn’t leave me but presses his hand to my forehead like he’s checking for a fever. “I need to know the truth, Cole.”

“Okay,” he agrees. “About what?”

“Everything.”

Chapter Forty-Two

~Before~

3 Weeks Ago

My mother finds me coated in blood, standing over the remains of the Eater. My hands shake but never let go of the hatchet.

He’s dead for real now. I know that since I’m the one that severed his neck, but I keep going back to the restraints, even picking up the heavy chain, lifting his arm like a marionette.

“Someone did this,” I say trying to wrap my head around it. Who had restrained him and how had he gotten loose?

“Come on,” my mother says leading me toward the house with her flashlight. To my surprise she pushes open the back door. I stop abruptly, yanking her back.

“We can’t go in there.”