Orthodontics in the Zombie Apocalypse

17. OH NO! The Cure is Gone! (2/2)

"Pandora Medical," I reply. "Duh."

"But did he ever say that explicitly?"

"He said he wasn't welcome there because he stole something and then held up the pee pendant," I deadpan.

Shaniya narrows her eyes at him. "I want to hear him say it."

Greg peels his face away from his knees long enough to reply. "I got the cure from Pandora Medical."

"He's lying."

"How do you know?" I ask, but even I recognize something was off. Tone, maybe. Or the fact that the sentence made...sense. "Oh. Yeah, never mind. His pants are for sure on fire."

"Well, where did he get it from, then?" Mikah exclaims.

"Alright, I'll squak!" Greg says, sweat beading across the bald top of his scalp. "Technically the cats at Pandora Medical cooked it up, but also technically they didn't. It was a joint effort between Pandora and a different group of medical researchers, if the wind do whisper the truth. And the wind did there call that other group the Doctor's Guild."

"Where will we find more of the cure?" Shaniya presses, taking a step closer to Greg so that she looms almost menacingly over him. Certainly adds some pressure to the poor guy.

"Little birdie once told me they shipped it off to several locations. Asked me for the best routes to dole it out to Pandora's locations in LA, Phoenix, Chicago, and a few other big dogs. The liquid gold I was carrying came from the LA location. Looked like wild dogs came in with how much was left by the end. Sold it off to the highest bidders, I been told. Glad I snagged a sample when I thought nobody was lookin'."

"So we need to go to Phoenix to find more?"

"Not if the moon is blue! If the birds sing that a high bidder's got some, then you best look at the rich people."

"We're in California! If you don't have money you're either a college student with a hefty scholarship or living in a shack," I complain.

"Takes mountains of money to get your hands on an ounce of the cure."

The hard line of Shaniya's mouth tells me she isn't convinced we have the full story. "Give me a name."

"Sorry?"

"A name. Greg, give me a name. One of the bidders who won."

"Wasn't there. Don't know."

"A name."

"Fine! Tie me up and call me a gorilla's girlfriend! Charles Hamlin bought enough to feed an army of dragons. Paid billions for a pint."

"Thank you," Shaniya says through her teeth. "Good luck with your wife."

"You aren't all leaving me now, are you?" Poor Greg actually looks kind of pitiful, all crumpled and defeated down on the ground like that with his head hanging and shoulders slumped.

"You've done nothing to earn your keep. If you have an address for this Charles Hamlin, I might reconsider."

"I dunno about an address, but the bees once buzzed about Hamlin living in Hollywood," Greg says, eyes lighting up just a touch.

"Very well. We're leaving at dawn. One more misstep, Greg, and I will waste a bullet on you. You have a lot of trust to build."

Through this, Mikah has been edging toward me. "Can I talk to you?" he whispers, right next to me by now. He nods to some place a little farther from the group. I follow him off to the side, out of earshot. "I took it. For you. We can go find your orthodontist—or any orthodontist—and cure them."

Why didn't I include him in my plan to start with? My grin spreads from ear to ear. "I'd kiss you right now, but you might get cut," I whisper. "So, you're saying it's time to have it be just the two of us again on this journey through apocalypse hell?"

"Exactly. I was getting tired of having too many other eyes around, if you know what I mean."

"Long as you beg me for consent, I totally understand. Need these damn braces off first, though. Too insecure about them. You understand, I'm sure."

He sighs. Did I just see an eye-roll? I'll let it pass. "Yes, I understand."

"We'll split off tomorrow morning."

"Won't they be suspicious?"

"Have you met me?"

His face twists into a grimace. "I hope you're right."

"What's the worst they'll do, anyways? Shoot us?"

The grimace shifts to something more...worried. Ah, but he's so handsome, I can't be concerned by that right now.

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