Zombie Soap 2: Conspiracy

Seven

Taylor, Part I

Long after leaving Monica's quarters, still carrying the note burning a hole in his pocket, Taylor sat in his quarters and waited. Even if there was something to do besides stare at his empty metal wall, he wouldn't have been able to focus.

The revelation about his dad shouldn't have shocked him, but he'd wanted so badly to believe John wasn't one of the bad guys—that he'd gone to the trouble of bringing Taylor here because he cared. Once he'd realized the truth, Monica's distrustful gaze made more sense. She'd thought he was in on it too.

Taylor didn't know how to convince her of the truth except to show her he was the same man he'd always been. That had to count for something. Friendship was something he valued more than anything, and not something he'd throw away for power.

When someone knocked loudly at the front door, Taylor trudged across the room to open it, revealing Monica on the other side. She stood there, rubbing her arms and shifting her feet from side to side, all while not looking at him.

"Dinner is ready in the mess hall."

Taylor sighed in relief before stuffing his key card in his pocket and stepping outside the stuffy room. He linked his good arm through Monica's and walked with her through the corridors. "Where's everyone else?"

"Waiting," she said with a sour tone. "Jayson didn't exactly play nice with Dr Benson, and they have guards continuously watching him. It's best if we meet him at meals for now."

Taylor stopped in his tracks and groaned. "They can't stop us from being friends."

"And your father?" she challenged, pulling him forward again.

"My father doesn't control me. We might have been close once, but he destroyed any relationship we had the moment he cast me out. He never kept secrets until now, and I don't know how to ask him about it without punching him in the face. I don't blame Jayson at all."

Monica shrugged with a loud sigh. "Even so, we need to play the game. Jayson has barely spoken to me, but I feel like he was threatened. I think I can keep him close, but I won't always be with him while I'm in the lab. With both of you not working, I thought perhaps you could..." She unhooked their arms and waved her hands, stumbling over her words. "I don't know...like, maybe use your influence."

Taylor squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his fists by his sides. "You mean to get close to my dad again. I can't do that."

Monica snatched his good arm and spun him around to face her, leveling a stern glare on him to rival the fiercest mother. "This isn't about us or personal feelings, Taylor! Jeannie is dead according to this secret 'council', and as a scientist, complications is not an acceptable answer to me. Medical professionals keep extensive notes on surgeries, and I want to know what led to her death.'

'Jayson also mentioned leaving the facility, and the psychiatrist seemed to imply we are not permitted to leave. He also brought up personal details that no one should so readily have access to unless the government has been illegally storing this information on all of us."

Monica released Taylor, pacing the empty corridor with a furrowed brow while tapping her chin. She paused long enough to fix Taylor with a bemused expression. "Your father admitted to keeping tabs on us. He rescued us through you, but made no effort to search for other survivors. He's president of the council. For a socialite, he has way too much political power, and we need someone on the inside. The only person who can even get close to him is you."