The Virus Within (Original rough draft)

Chapter 78

Nicky had halfway finished her lunch before Daniel and Nina made their appearance. Judging from how Daniel narrowed his eyes at Nicky the moment he entered the room, I was pretty sure I knew what was on his mind.

Daniel grabbed a bottle of water, but didn't take any food as he kept Nina company on their way over to our table. Daniel slid into his seat, still focused on Nicky, "How did you manage to find colored permanent felt markers in the lab? Even Nina wasn't aware that there were any down there."

Nicky chuckled, "Oh, I didn't find them. Trinity gave them to me while you were out landscaping the forest."

Daniel's irritated focus shifted to me. I smirked, "It kept her busy and out of the room Nina was in. She had been plotting revenge on that shoe for a long time."

Nina chuckled which earned her a sour look from Daniel. She apparently found it pretty funny, "I have to admit that I wasn't aware that Nicky was capable of that level of detail."

I shrugged, "I never did see the finished product so I couldn't say. It definitely kept her busy for a long time."

Nicky grinned, "I plotted for hours on exactly what I was going to do to it. It was all planned out."

Nina smiled at me, "Well, you will have to come to the lab after lunch and see it. I also wouldn't mind another blood sample."

I suspected that the second half was closer to her real motive and it put a dampener on any humor I had felt from Nicky finally getting her hands on Daniel's shoe. Why he had left that pair there was beyond my understanding. "Okay."

Nina shook her head at my lack of enthusiasm, "That feral Nightstalker no longer has muscle tremors and has no interest in me at all as long as I don't approach the bars. Otherwise it is still extremely aggressive and tends to strike out at anything that approaches it, regardless if it is a stick, a remote controlled car, or Daniel."

"I assume the lights were on?"

Nina made a face, "We have no other way to observe it-" Nina cut off as she blinked at me in realization. Daniel glanced at her before comprehension also dawned on his face.

Nina started to get excited, "But you can see in the dark! You would also have a better idea if it was behaving normally compared to other feral Nightstalkers because you have encountered them before!"

How do I get dragged into these situations? I sighed, "It will probably act differently in a cage than out in the open, so I am not sure how valid the results will be."

Nina waved that concern away, "It will be better than what we have. I would also be curious to see how it reacts to a human entering the barn in the dark as well."

Daniel growled, "You aren't going into that barn at night with no lights. I wouldn't be able to see it or hear it if it got loose somehow."

Nina frowned, but realized that this argument wasn't one she was going to win with Daniel. Her eyes tracked over to Nicky speculatively. Daniel also tilted his head in consideration as he regarded the redhead.

Nicky noticed and looked at them like they had lost their minds, "You want me to go into a dark barn in the middle of the night when there are two Nightstalkers inside? Are you nuts? Even I have some sense of self-preservation."

Nina clearly considered this matter as being debatable, "That Nightstalker hasn't managed to get out yet and I am sure that Trinity could protect you if it did."

"That is completely beside the point. You want me to go into a barn with not one, but two Nightstalkers. In the dark. You might want to make an appointment with a counselor or a therapist. I can recommend a couple of decent ones if you like. Not sure if they are human or zombie at this point in time though."