Zombie Guy

Chapter 17: Error

Linda's perspective

Staying close to Dr. Hayes was no easy task. He had a way of moving through the lab with a quiet efficiency, his steps soundless, his presence almost a shadow. Keeping tabs on him without drawing attention required constant vigilance and no small amount of patience, but I'd learned to manage. Whenever he entered the lab's control room or spent extra time on his computer, I'd find reasons to linger nearby, double-checking equipment or "organizing" files.

Today, he was going through his usual routine, updating records and meeting with a few other scientists behind closed doors. When he finally left his office, I seized the opportunity to check out the control room myself.

The control room was quiet and dark, filled with rows of monitors and equipment that hummed with a faint electric buzz. I made sure no one was watching and slipped inside, my heart racing as I scanned the room for anything that could point to what happened to Kevin on the day of his treatment.

My eyes landed on the surveillance terminal, its screen split into a dozen small windows showing footage from around the facility. I clicked through them, finding yesterday's footage, then the day before, until I reached the day Kevin had gone in for treatment. I quickly searched for the hallway leading to Lab 7, the waiting room, the testing area—any place he might have passed through.

But to my shock, the entire day's footage was missing.

The file labelled for that day showed a "Corrupt Data" error, a red exclamation flashing over the dates and timestamps. It was as if someone had deliberately erased every record of that day. Heart pounding, I clicked on a few other dates before and after, and they all opened perfectly. Only the footage from that single day—the day Kevin and the other volunteers went in—was corrupted. It was no coincidence.

Determined to find out more, I scanned through the storage drives, looking for anything out of the ordinary. I spotted a small, labelled drive tucked neatly under a stack of papers, clearly marked "Surveillance Data: Lab 7." It felt almost too easy, but I didn't hesitate. I reached for the drive, slipping it into my lab coat pocket, my hands trembling as I tucked it securely away.

Just then, I heard footsteps echoing down the hallway. Heart racing, I closed the folders, rearranged everything to look untouched, and slipped out of the room as casually as I could. I walked quickly down the corridor, my mind racing with questions. I'd need to be careful, but if I could get this drive into the right hands, maybe I'd be able to recover whatever was on it. There had to be some way to retrieve the data—any trace of what happened to Kevin in that lab.

I knew I couldn't risk telling Kevin or Jaime about it just yet. The less they knew, the less they'd worry, and I couldn't afford any mistakes. This was something I had to do alone. Once I knew more, then I'd fill them in.

Kevin's Perspective

Jaime had gone out to pick up some supplies, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I'd been doing everything I could to keep the hunger at bay, but it was still there, lurking just below the surface, a steady throb in my chest and gut that reminded me I was something... different. Even after the rabbit debacle, I could feel it threatening to break free, clawing at me.

To distract myself, I pulled out the burner phone I'd given Linda and reread our last few messages. She was staying safe, finding ways to get information without raising suspicion. It was all moving forward, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more she wasn't telling me. There were times I'd catch a delay in her responses, or she'd avoid certain questions—like she was shielding me from something. And as much as I trusted her, it bothered me.

Just then, a new message popped up. Linda.

> *Doing fine. Keeping close to Dr. Hayes and gathering what I can. Miss you. Stay safe.*

I stared at the message, feeling a wave of warmth and worry wash over me. She was in the middle of all that danger, risking everything just to get us a few pieces of information. The least I could do was stay in control and stay out of trouble.

I quickly typed a reply.

> *Miss you too. Just be careful. Call me if you need anything.*

Just as I set the phone down, I heard the door open, and Jaime walked in, carrying a bag of groceries. "What's with the look?" she asked, setting the bag on the counter and eyeing me suspiciously.

"Nothing. Just heard from Linda," I replied, forcing a casual tone. "She's doing alright, but... I don't know, I get the feeling there's something she's not telling us."

Jaime frowned, leaning against the counter. "You think she's hiding something?"

"Maybe. But if she is, it's probably because she thinks it'll protect us," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "I just hate that she's taking on all this risk by herself."

Jaime shrugged, giving me a small smile. "Linda's tough. I don't think there's much she can't handle. And hey, she's got a good reason to dig up whatever dirt she can. Maybe she's keeping you in the dark because she's onto something big."

Her words helped, but only a little. The truth was, knowing Linda was in the middle of all that, getting close to Dr. Hayes, keeping an eye on his every move—I couldn't help but worry about what might happen if she got caught. She was in way over her head, and I was the one who'd dragged her into this.

Jaime must have read the concern on my face because she nudged me playfully. "Hey, don't go all brooding hero on me now. She's got this. You should focus on keeping yourself under control, so when this is all over, you can go back to her in one piece."

I forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah. You're right. The best thing I can do is keep it together."

Jaime gave me a thumbs-up, then turned to unpack the groceries, muttering to herself about how much food she was buying just to keep me out of trouble.

As Jaime unloaded the groceries, she rummaged through the bag, muttering to herself, "Alright, let's see... what'll keep the beast at bay for tonight..." Her hand landed on a frozen, packaged chicken, and she turned to me with a grin that was half-mocking, half-serious.

"Here," she said, tossing it my way without warning. "Dinner is served!"

I barely had time to react before the cold, solid weight of the chicken smacked me in the chest, and I staggered back, catching it with a look of pure disbelief. "Seriously?"

She shrugged, fighting back a laugh. "What? I figured you'd like it fresh—or at least... raw."

I held up the frosty bird, raising an eyebrow. "You know, I'd prefer it a bit... I dunno, *alive*? But sure, Jaime, frozen poultry—just what every guy's looking for in his diet."

She snickered, rolling her eyes as she put away the rest of the groceries. "Look, beggars can't be choosers, alright? Besides, didn't you say you were trying to get in touch with your animal side? Embrace it, Kevin. Nature calls!"

I shook my head, unable to hide my grin. "Next time, maybe a heads-up before you lob a whole chicken at me."

She smirked. "Noted. Now, dig in... unless you'd prefer chasing down rabbits again?"

I held up the chicken, mock-saluting her with it. "Fine. But you're paying for the dentist if I chip a tooth on this thing."

With that, we both burst out laughing, the absurdity of it all settling over us. And as strange as it felt to be holding a raw, frozen chicken for dinner, for the first time that day, I didn't feel like a complete monster.