The sound of running feet cut her off. They spun, heard the moan before they saw it.
A zombie came around the corner, chasing a terrified ship crew member.What the hell?
Nera drew her sword. “Get down,” she shouted.
But the man was too frightened. He kept running.
Nik drew his laser pistol, but he couldn’t shoot without hitting the man.
Suddenly, the zombie snagged the back of the man’s uniform and dragged him down. His terrified screams echoed off the walls. Nera was already moving, but Nik knew in an instant that it was too late.
The zombie tore a hunk of flesh from the back of the man’s neck. Blood sprayed everywhere and the man’s scream choked off.
Light reflected off the blade of Nera’s weapon as she swung it. A second later, the zombie’s head rolled across the floor.
But even as Nera knelt to check the man’s pulse, Nik knew he was dead.
She stood, and calmly decapitated him. She looked at Nik. “How the hell did a zombie get aboard the ship?”
He didn’t know. It was a disaster. Just one on a rampage could be enough to infect and kill them all. “I suggest we find out. Now.”
Nera charged down the corridor,her grip tight on her sword. Niklas was right beside her. Zombies in the tight confines of a starship was a very bad thing.
They heard noises ahead in the cargo bay. And worse, she heard the growls and moans of more zombies.
They raced inside and skidded to a halt.
“What the hell?” Niklas muttered.
Galen and his team were there, subduing some out-of-control zombies they were herding into a containment box—one of the boxes she and Nik had seen on the very first day of the voyage. Other crew members wearing exosuits maneuvered the other heavy boxes into place.
The boxes were filled with moaning zombies.
Shit. Everyone had gone insane. She was trying to work out what the hell the Institute thought they were doing. On the far side of the bay, some security team members were using Tase prods to urge some zombies into another containment box.
Niklas stomped up to Agent Ryant. “Are you crazy? You’re going to kill us all.”
The agent straightened. “You shouldn’t be in here.”
Niklas was as angry as Nera had ever seen him. “One of these got loose and just ate one of the crew. If more escape?—”
“I have my orders.”
“Orders? What orders? To spread this mutated virus across the galaxy? There isno waythe Institute would approve this.”
The other man’s jaw tightened. “You are not privy to the Institute’s decisions. Like I said, I have my orders.”
“What the hell happened to you, Galen? You were a good man. You would never endanger innocent people like this.”
Agent Ryant looked away. “I suggest you leave. Immediately.”
Nera strode over to the nearest containment box, yanking a grenade off her belt. She wasn’t letting these zombies stay on this ship. They were a risk to Niklas, a risk to all of them.
For the first time in her entire life, she had something to live for. She wasn’t going to miss out because the Institute was fucking crazy.
She tossed the grenade through the bars. The zombies inside shifted restlessly, but she was already moving to the next box, dropping another grenade.
Three, two, one. The first flame grenade detonated, fire spewing out of the box. The grenades had a localized range, so they wouldn’t destroy the tough containment boxes, but would burn the zombies to a crisp.
