Page 51

CHAPTER 50

Noah

M y heart drums in my chest, hammering with terror as I watch Ghost and Rue take off. I just got my best friend back, and it feels like I’m watching her walk away—technically she’s running. I don’t want to save the man I love just to lose my best friend, but I can’t leave him behind. I’m saving him one way or the other.

“Get your head in the fucking game,” Maverick growls at me. I roll my eyes, even though he’s right. I need to get out of my head and focus. We have a plan, a terrible one, but it’s the only way to get Reed back.

It’s not until Rue and Ghost are out of sight that Maverick, Mallory, and I take off towards the main house. My feet pound against the ground, each step desperate to run faster.

The sun has already begun to set, leaving us in the shadows. The path blurs under my feet, the world narrowing as my eyes stay focused on the side of the house. My bedroom window comes into view as we approach the house. Sliding against the brick building, my heart races against my chest.

“Where are the guards?” Mallory whispers.

“They usually don’t patrol this part; it’s my bedroom.” I mutter. Crouching down, I give myself a little cheer when the old crate I stuffed here forever ago still sits in the bushes. Moving it under the window, I step up, muscles coiling as I lunge upward. My fingers grasp the window ledge, the old wood rough beneath my hands. I scramble to haul myself up, surprised when someone under me pushes up. Sliding the window up, I’m shoved upwards, falling headfirst into the darkened room. I barely catch my breath before Mallory is basically thrown into the window.

“Watch it!” She whispers harshly, “I almost broke a nail.”

Maverick lifts himself up, easing through the window. Of course the fucker would be graceful while sneaking through a window.

Climbing to my feet, I glance around my old bedroom. I’m surprised they hadn’t gotten rid of my stuff. My rock collection sits perfectly against the wall, my bed still made from the last time I was here.

“Come on, we don’t have much time,” Maverick says, moving towards the bedroom door. Wasting no time, I grab what I need and follow them out the door.

The hallway stretches ahead, dimly lit and eerily silent. I lead them down the hall and peek around the corner. My ears are straining for any sign of movement. Each breath feels too loud, every move like a risk. Then—voices, heavy boots approaching fast.

Maverick grabs my shoulder, moving me behind him just as two guards round the corner. I barely have time to react before Maverick shoves a knife into one of the guards' necks. Mallory gasps, leaving me with my mouth hanging open as he grabs the second guard's wrist, pulling him forward; Maverick rams the guard's face into the wall. A crunching sound of bone hits my ears; I cringe, gagging when Maverick grabs the guy and twists until his neck breaks.

“That was kind of hot,” Mallory mutters. Swinging my head to her, I can’t fathom what she sees in him. But right now I couldn’t care less. I need to find Reed.

We quickly move forward, not stopping until we reach the back of the house. Rushing forward, I reach for the security panel, fingers crossed that they didn’t change the code. My fingers fly over the keys, entering the last passcode I remember. A quiet beep , and finally the door unlocks with a faint hiss. Slipping inside, I grab the three lab coats by the door.

“I’m not wearing that,” Maverick says, refusing to take the thing from my hand.

“I’m not in the mood to argue with you. It’s the only way we can get through this part; put the damn thing on!” I hiss through clenched teeth. Thankfully he doesn’t argue with me but snatches the coat from my hand.

Moving quickly through the lab, fear laces through me. A tight, unrelenting grip around my throat that squeezes the air from my lungs as I race through the lab. Peeking through each window, every second stretching into eternity. This lab is endless, twisting, and cold.

What if I’m too late? What if he’s not here? The thought is like a dagger in my gut, sharp and twisting. My stomach churned at the idea of me being too late to save him. Panic rips me apart, and for a moment I forget how to breathe.

Then I hear it—Reed's screams.

His screams tear through my chest like a blade, and before I can think, I’m moving.

“Wait—!” Mallory screams. But I won't stop. He’s here. Something is happening, and every second feels wasted as Reed screams in pain.

I slide into the door, my fingers shaking as I type in the code. It takes me two tries before the door finally hisses, and I shove it open. I rush into the observation room, a large window showcasing the room below.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but what I see is far worse than I could've ever imagined.Reed lies there, strapped to the table—broken, barely holding on. Blood drips from his wrist as if he was trying to break out of the material holding him down. His breathing is ragged and shallow, and his body trembles. Wires snake from his skin, electrodes dot on his temples. An IV placed in his arm drips something that is a sickly yellow and greenish color.

No, no, no, no.

To make matters even worse, my mother is standing beside him with a needle in her hand. I squint my eyes, shoving my face against the glass. She grabs the IV, pushing the needle into it. Horror erupts as Reed struggles against his restraints.

“I need to save him. I need to get to him,” I mutter. But I can’t move. My body is frozen, fear racing through me as I watch him wither in pain.

“We need to come up with a plan,” Mallory says behind me.

“Stay here; I’m going to look around,” Maverick orders. I hear the door open before closing again.

The air feels thick with each breath that I take, my lungs refusing to expand fully. A cold sweat prickles at my skin, but I can’t wipe it away. I’m useless, my body trembling as my mother writes something down in her notepad.

Get him. Save him.

My mind screams at me to act, to stop this, but my legs are stone. They’re rooted to the ground. My heartbeat is a frantic drum in my ears, drowning out any rational thought.

Every second stretches as I wait for Maverick to come back with some plan. It shouldn’t be taking this long. My body twitches, a muffled cry coming in through the inner comp.

“Blood pressure rising, 138 over 86.” A nurse says from the far wall, scanning over the monitors.

“Good, good. Page Doctor. Willis, tell him we’re ready for subject X.” Mom says, not bothering to look away from Reed. I don’t like the way she’s looking at him. I’m helpless.

Reed lies strapped to the table, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. His eyes flutter open weakly, pupils sluggish.

“145 over 90, heartbeat rising,” the nurse calls out. Mom lifts her head, scanning over the monitors before the main door hisses open. I watch in horror as a doctor in a lab coat enters, along with a guard, gripping a leash hanging onto a zombie. The thing stumbles forward; its rotting flesh hanging from its decaying body.

“Oh fuck,” Mallory mutters behind me.

Mom peers over Reed, reaching across and unlatching the restraints. She backs up, eyeing the other doctor. A rattling groan escapes from the zombie's lips, hunger gleaming in its eyes.

“Patient X shows signs of fatigue, increased heartbeat.” Mom announces, letting the other doctor make notes.

Reed’s eyes flicker all around the room, unable to stay focused on anything clearly. Forcing himself into a sitting position, he shifts forward, planting his feet on the ground.

“What are they doing?” Mallory whispers. I want to tell her to shut up, but my mouth doesn’t move. I don’t move.

“Release him,” Mom orders the guard.

I watch in terror as the zombie moves towards Reed at a horrifying speed. Its decaying finger makes grabs towards him. Reed holds his hands out, trying to keep the zombies snapping teeth away from him. The sound of his heart monitor starts beeping, showing an increase.

The zombie jerks and snarls, trying to take a bite out of Reed.

I can’t stand here any longer, watching Reed try to fight off that thing, especially in his weakened state.

Pushing off the glass, I trip backwards, barely catching myself.

“I—he needs to be saved,” I mumble.

“We will, but we need to wait for Maverick. We have to wait for him, Noah.” Mallory's words make sense. And while I had planned to get us inside, I didn’t have one as far as getting out of here. I doubt my parents are going to let me just walk out of here with him?—

I hear Reed crying out in pain. Snapping my head towards the glass, the zombie claws at Reed, who is lying on the ground. I’m out of the door before I can think clearly. Mallory yells at me to stop moving, but I don’t. Racing down the steps, I slide into the wall panel. My fingers shake as I type the code in, the door hissing open.

“Who are—” The nurse curses as I race inside. Grabbing the metal chair from the corner, I hurriedly moved towards the zombie and raised it. Slamming the chair down, the zombie growls, but his attempts at grabbing Reed are stalled.

Rushing to his side, my knees nearly buckle at the sight of him. His eyes squeeze shut, pain lacing through his face.

“Reed,” I mumble. “What did they do to you?”

“Noah,” I hear my mother’s voice. Peering over, the guard has the zombie chained up to the leash again, holding him steady. Mom huffed in annoyance. “What are you doing? You’ve been told before about coming into my work.”

“What are you doing? What is this?” My voice shakes. I wave a hand at the zombie, clearly not understanding what she would be doing with a dead guy.

“I don’t have time for your childish problems, Noah. Get your hands off Patient X.”

“P–Patient X? If he’s a patient, he shouldn’t be trying to f—fight off this zombie! He–he has a name, mother.”

Mom rolls her eyes, but nonetheless she remains calm, untouched by the words coming out of my mouth.

“Enough of this.”

“He’s not some experiment for you!” I scream, holding his arms in my hand.

A flicker of irritation tightens around her mouth, the slight twitch of her fingers even as she crosses her arms.

“Do I need to call your father?” She threatens. Of course she won’t acknowledge me; she’s going to dismiss everything I’m saying. I’m nothing but a buzzing insect to her.

Mallory comes rushing in, breathing heavily as her eyes land on me. I peer down at Reed, his blinks sluggish, his breathing shallow. The beeping echoes around the room, wires still taped to his temple and chest. My breathing is still uneven, my hands shaking from the chaos against his.

It’s then that I catch it. The jagged, raised white scar on his bicep— a bite mark . Something in my stomach drops, the world around me seeming a blur. Sounds fade into a distant hum as I stare at it. It’s clear as day what it is, but my mind struggles to catch up. It’s not a new bite mark—it’s old and scarred.

He should be convulsing, blood hanging from his mouth, flesh peeling back. He should be turning or turned.

My breath hitches as the realization crashes over me. He was bitten, and while he should be dead, he’s not.

He’s immune.

Slowly, I lift my gaze, already finding him looking at me. His expression is unreadable, but something heavy lurks there. He knows what I’m seeing, and now he’s waiting to see what I plan on doing.

I should be mad; I should just hand him over. He lied to me again— again. But how would I have reacted if he had told me? This disease is new, even several months later. But while I don’t blame him for not telling me, it begs the question if I can trust him.

“Noah, back away from Patient X. We can discuss whatever you want when I’m done,” Mom's emotionless voice hits my ears. Breaking Reed's gaze, I peek over at her and the other doctor. The guard jerks the leash back, holding the thing back. It’s the teeth snapping towards us.

And like all at once, I’m done.

I’m done waiting for her approval—it’ll never come. I’m done shrinking myself to fit into this mold they’ve carved out for me. My fingers tighten around Reed’s wrist, his eyes waiting—questioning what I’m going to do.

Climbing to my feet, I swallow the lump in my throat and square my shoulders. The weight of not needing their approval is slowly slipping away.

“He’s coming with us,” I announce, my voice only shaking a lot. Stepping in front of Reed’s weakened body, my hand forms into a fist, ready to square up with a zombie if that means saving Reed.

“Let project X go,” Mom orders, raising a brow.

All at once the guard unleashed the zombie, the thing rushing towards us. I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the thing to attack. Only it doesn’t. Peeking through my lashes, Mallory stands in front of me, her arms open wide.

“There’s no way,” The other doctor mutters in disbelief as Mom says at the same time. “She’s what we’ve been waiting for.”