Zombie Battle (Books 1-3): Trinity by Jacqueline Druga Page A

What?”
    “Everyone.” Powers shrugged and took a seat.
    Saul took things more serious than his colleague, Captain Long. “What’s going on?”
    “First, our guard posted outside, I determined it was a surface wound not caused by an infected. He’s fine. Another positive is, we are dealing with the reanimated. Meaning, walking dead. As ridiculous as that sounds, it’s true. And they are human. Meaning . . . a few months maybe they’ll be a threat. Even if we don’t kill them all, they’ll eventually just decompose until there is nothing left. Problem being . . .”
    “They carry more than just a viral threat?” Saul asked.
    “Exactly. Like every other dead body.” Powers replied. “Now, why they’re dangerous. The brain works on pure instinct, in most cases. Only a portion of the brain survives when they return. And it reanimates after it was dead a few minutes. Hence why the violent behavior. They don’t know. The longer it takes for them to reanimate, the worse they are.”
    Steve asked. “What about the child?”
    “Without a doubt he reanimated instantly. Retaining some cognisance.” Powers held up a finger. “We have so much to learn from him. Unfortunately, he is decomposing and the order has come in to do final testing and relieve . . . to put it kindly . . . all those infected, reanimated or not.”
    Steve released a heavy sigh. “We’re going to kill the boy?”
    The corner of Powers’ mouth rose in a hidden smile. “He’s already dead.”
    Steve shook his head. “In a conventional way, yes, but . . . there’s something there. A bit of soul. I don’t know. I just . . .”
    Saul reached over laying a hand on Steve. “It’s inhumane to allow him to exist like this. I know you and I see this little boy. But, Steve, really, he can’t go on like this.” Saul then looked at Powers. “What about the soldier who had the amputated limb. Carlson.”
    “He’s fine.” Powers replied. “No sign of infection, traces of it in his blood, but he is recovering. We had to move him to County for the amputation. He’s under guard, but we feel he’s safely out of the woods. He holds the key to possibly fighting this thing. Or at least that strain.”
    Both Steve and Saul produced the same curious and questioning looks.
    Powers explained. “There are three strains to this virus. The original, ground zero strain. Those exposed got sick, died, reanimated. Strain two were those like Carlson, those bit or scratched. Strain three is long term exposure. The contagion was still present in the air for a twenty mile radius before the area was burned out. It wasn’t as strong as we believe the initial levels were, but like radiation, continuous exposure . . . would cause those to get infected.”
    Steve asked. “How long? I was there and exposed.”
    “I ran your blood, Dr. Klein’s as well. You are fine. Those there maybe twenty four hours,” Powers shrugged. “Those are the ones I’m waiting to test. Because I am pretty positive they are infected. This is theory, remember, I don’t know. But we have to check.”
    He spoke so nonchalantly, Saul couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t a measles outbreak or chicken pox, this was unreal, frightening. “All of those who were there for over twenty-four hours,” Saul said. “They are arriving in the States as we speak.”
    Powers nodded. “Four different flights. Four different locations. Yes. We are rounding them all up now.”
    “So they landed?” Saul asked.
    “Four hours ago.”
    Steve released a shriek. “Four hours ago? They can be anywhere.”
    Powers held up his hand in a calming manner. “Remember this is theory. The data regarding the air samples only arrived two hours ago. I moved as fast as I could.”
    “My God.” Saul sank into his chair, slouching in defeat as he ran his hand over his face. “If your theory is true, we just invaded our own soil.”
    Powers shook his head with closed eyes, and gave a reassuring look. “No, we’re