Zombie Soap 2: Conspiracy

Forty

Echo/Jeannie

A beep followed by a hydraulic hiss brought Echo and Daniel's attention to the door. By this time of the evening, most personnel had knocked off for the evening. Within the next hour, Daniel would be checking the hallways so he could take Jeannie to the north gate without anyone to question them. But no one ever came for them unless it was to draw blood or use her for tests.

What she hadn't expected was a new face — a tall, slim man with a trimmed beard and pressed clothes with blue eyes deeper than a lake. Light streaks of gray salted his dark hair and fine wrinkles settled on his forehead and corners of his eyes. He rushed inside, panting as if he'd run a marathon.

Daniel frowned as he approached the older well-dressed man, standing at attention with a reference he never offered Benson. "Mr. Whittaker?"

"I'm not here for pleasantries," Mr. Whittaker replied between gasps. He glanced at Echo, scrutinizing her with downturned lips and scrunched brows. "Doctor Adams?"

Still on the bed, Jeannie scooted away, putting distance between them. Anyone who addressed her by her surname generally served someone in charge of the facility. This man and everyone like him were the enemy. "What do you want? More blood?"

"No," he whispered, closing his eyes and shaking his head. He raked his hand over his face before dipping his head. "You've been through too much, Doctor. It's time to discharge you."

"From these quarters?" Her heart leaped with unexpected anticipation at the prospect of finally being released from confinement. She couldn't keep the curiosity out of her voice as she allowed herself to move closer.

Instead of responding to her question, he met Daniel's puzzled gaze. "Are you planning to take her out again tonight?"

If Daniel was surprised by this man exposing their activities, he didn't show it. But if her nightly escapades weren't a secret, why did Daniel bother to sneak around?

When Mr. Whittaker took Daniel's arm, Jeannie hopped to her feet before anyone could speak. Running to the door, she flattened her back against it and pinned Daniel with her most pleading gaze. "You can't leave me out of another important conversation." She was supposed to have a voice too.

"Bugs?" Daniel side-eyed Mr. Whittaker.

The older man shook his head. "No. I checked before coming down here."

"Then say it here," Jeannie begged, digging her heels into the floor. "You can't keep acting like I don't have rights."

Daniel nodded once at Mr. Whitaker, and the latter produced a map and a flash drive from his pocket before giving it to the former. "Hold on to these until tonight. I've left instructions on the map with an access code to a facility in Colorado. Keep Doctor Adams out of sight. The world is better off not knowing she exists."

Echo's heart skipped a beat. What changed that someone suddenly wanted to bust her out of this place? Was he in on the plan to bring the government down too?

Daniel answered her question before she could even ask. Stuffing the items inside his boot, he straightened and narrowed his eyes. His downturned mouth was far from offering a show of gratitude. "This might be a good time to explain what you're planning. Echo has been through enough, and I'm not putting her through more unnecessary stress."