Zombies Sold Separately by Cheyenne McCray Page A

“I just don’t think you belong on this op.”
    “I don’t need this.” I raised my hands. “You say I’m the best you have, yet you don’t respect me enough to keep me as team leader.”
    “Of course I respect—”
    I cut across his words. “When have I ever let you down? When have I ever not come through for you? We lost one of my best friends, Caprice, during the Demon op. Did it compromise my performance? No. If anything it crystallized my resolve to defeat the Demons.”
    “Listen to me,” Rodán said in a way meant to calm me down.
    “You listen to me.” I don’t think I’d ever been so angry as I was at that moment. “As I see it, Rodán, you have two choices.”
    “Nyx—”
    I put my palm up, facing him, telling him to shut up with the movement. “First choice is that things stay the way they are and I lead this operation as a Night Tracker.”
    My hands shook and I clenched them again. “Second choice is I walk away and I’ll never track again.” My words sounded cold, hard, and that was exactly how I’d meant them. “I’ll work on the Zombie case on my own as a PI. Either way I will work on it.”
    “Wait—”
    “I’ve loved working for you,” I said. “I’ve loved being a Tracker. But I don’t need this. I’ve never been more shocked by one of your decisions. I don’t need to work for someone who doesn’t have confidence in me.” I put my hands on my hips above my weapons belt. “Whatever decision you make right this instant will determine exactly what it is I’m going to do.”
    I clamped my mouth shut to keep myself from saying anything else while I waited for him to speak. My heart thundered and my skin prickled.
    “That is no choice.” He looked resigned. “I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you.”
    I raised my chin but some of my anger started to slide away, and my tone calmed a bit. “Rodán, you know I’m the best Tracker to lead this case. You know that. But you’re removing me for your personal reasons. A fear for my well being.”
    Before he could say anything, I continued. “This isn’t right. None of this. You’re replacing me with Angel, who is a good Tracker but doesn’t have the record I do. I’m not the one who’s compromised by emotions and personal feelings.
    “I understand you care and at some level I appreciate that,” I continued, “but it’s you who must make decisions for the good of all. You can’t make a choice to put someone in charge who’s not the very best.”
    “Perhaps my decision is driven in part by my concern for you,” Rodán said. “But Nyx, you did lose a family member to the Zombies and it resulted in your freezing up tonight.” Rodán paused. “But I also know that you’re right. You have never let me down. You have always come through in the end, have always gotten the job done.”
    I took a deep breath. “Then what is your answer? Am I a Tracker or not?”
    Rodán’s eyes met and held mine for a long moment. “Everything will remain as it was,” he said, his tone quiet. “You will continue to lead this operation.”
    I didn’t look away or show how his statement affected me. The relief that poured through me.
    “As it should be,” Rodán said, “it’s up to you and your team to solve this case.”

 
     
    ELEVEN
     
    Thursday, December 23
    The following morning I was still furious. It didn’t matter that Rodán had relented and I was the team leader for the op. What mattered was that he had tried to take me off the case entirely … that he actually doubted me.
    The fact that we now knew Zombies were in the Earth Otherworld didn’t help my mood at all.
    Fae bells jingled as Olivia pushed the door open then let it close behind her. At once I wondered if we might need to steer clear of one another—if her scowl and her T-shirt were indicative of her mood today.
    I HAVE PMS AND A HANDGUN . ANY QUESTIONS ?
    Nah. I couldn’t let it go. I raised my hand as she tugged off her Mets jacket, then tossed