A Darker Shade of Dead by Bianca D'Arc Page B

seemed to be able to follow rudimentary commands and could even speak a few words. The one I’ve heard most often is master.” Xavier made a disgusted face. “Sellars set himself up as the master of a small army of zombies that were harder to kill and smarter than the previous versions. It takes four darts each to bring one of the new models down, and they’re capable of working together to set traps. That’s how we met Donna.” Xavier gestured toward the youngest person in the room, a fresh-faced young girl seated near the end of the table.
    â€œMy boyfriend, Tony, and his entire football team got infected somehow. Tony took me hostage to use as bait, I later realized. While Xavier was trying to save me, the others were herding Sarah toward a van Sellars had set up to kidnap her.” The girl’s expression reflected the horror she must’ve felt that night. “Tony bit and scratched me before Xavier could stop him. I woke up a few hours later in the grass and walked back to my dorm. I felt awful, so I checked myself in to the campus clinic where your guys found me a bit later. I’m immune, too.”
    â€œSo far, that brings us to four naturally immune people,” Matt reminded everyone. “Simon, Xavier, Sarah, and Donna.” Matt turned again to the youngest and newest member of the team. “Donna, why don’t you tell everyone a little about yourself?”
    â€œWell, I’m not like the rest of you.” She seemed embarrassed. “I was supposed to graduate in a couple of weeks with a master’s in chemical engineering. I’m twenty-five and since I’m immune and have a technical background, I’d be happy to help in whatever way I can. I saw what this did to Tony and his friends. We can’t let that happen again to anyone else. Not if we can help it.”
    Matt liked the way she included herself in the team. He wasn’t sure what she’d be able to contribute besides her immunity, but he was glad to have her in the group. At the very least, she could work with the science team.
    â€œI’m sorry I left you in that field, Donna,” Xavier said with obvious regret. “They’d snatched Sarah and we had to get her back.”
    â€œI told you before that it was okay.” Donna smiled kindly at Xavier. “I totally understand. I would’ve done the same under the circumstances.”
    â€œYou’re a peach, petite. ” Xavier’s Cajun charm came to the forefront. “I got Sarah back, but not before mon ami over there got himself bit.” Xavier gestured toward Lt. Sam Archer, the man who’d been Xavier’s XO, or executive officer, on the mission up north.
    â€œYou got me back by sticking a huge needle in my chest, Captain,” Sam answered with audible humor. It was clear these two were old friends and worked together well. “I woke up in Sandra’s lab feeling like death warmed over.”
    â€œRight.” Matt took over again. “He gave you the serum Dr. McCormick has been working on, and it made you immune. So you’re the first induced case of immunity we’ve got. We’re up to a total of five people who can interface with the creatures without fear of the contagion.” The repetition of facts brought everyone’s focus back to the matter at hand. “While Sarah was being held prisoner, she heard Sellars on the phone with one of his comrades. Specifically, she heard names. Jennings, Rodriguez, Zhao, and Krychek.” He pointed to a whiteboard along one wall where he’d already made some notes. “We believe two of those names—Jennings and Rodriguez—refer to two members of the original science team. The others are more problematic and that’s why you’ve been brought in, John. We need you to check the possible foreign and/or terrorist contacts.”
    â€œRoger that,” John replied. “Already in