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“Angel, it’s Justine Chu.”
Okay, that was unexpected.
“I hope you won’t be mad or creeped out that I dug up your cell phone number, but I really wanted to call and apologize for my behavior on Mardi Gras. I am SO sorry for behaving like such an ass. I hardly ever drink and so my tolerance is shit, and I know that’s still no excuse but I got too caught up in the whole party atmosphere and was having so much fun and then when I saw you, I was just like hey, that girl is really cool and grounded and I need people like her in my life, y’know? Oh Jesus, I’m babbling. Ugh! Okay, anyway, I’m so very sorry I barged into your private meeting, and I hope I didn’t say anything stupid and I don’t blame you one bit for running after the guy when he got sick of waiting for me to leave.” She took a deep breath. “So . . . I just hope you don’t hate me, and I hope your meeting worked out okay and that you’re doing okay too.”
Amused—and relieved that she didn’t interpret any of the scene in the VIP tent as suspicious—I went on to listen to her next message.
“Justine again, doubling down on the stalker thing. Forgot to say that this is my cell number and you’re totally welcome to call or text. I mean, if you want. Shit, I’m going to start babbling again. All right, take care, and sorry again.”
Damn, I really liked her. The mega awesome rising star Justine Chu had normal, everyday insecurities like the rest of us. And wanted to keep in touch. How cool was that? It called for a little in-the-wheelchair dance, but I stopped when even that wore me out.
Sheesh.
I set the letter and my phone on the counter, only now noticing a softly burbling aquarium covered with black cloth. Curious, I lifted a corner of the cloth then recoiled as I came eyeball to dead eyeball with Judd. Heart pounding, I snatched my hand back and shoved away in my wheelchair. “You can’t regrow Judd!”
Jacques glanced over then returned to typing at the workstation.
“We’re not,” Dr. Nikas said calmly as he wrote in his shorthand on the whiteboard. “I’m merely preserving him until I have time to determine how he mindlessly reanimated, and with such speed. It is disturbing, and the matter is on my urgent task list.”
Everything about Judd and his creepy head was disturbing. I wheeled a bit farther away from the tank. “Well, I know you’ll figure it out,” I said with conviction. “You always do. Look at the miracles you pulled off with me and Kang.”
Dr. Nikas placed the marker in the tray and turned to face me, expression uncharacteristically bleak. “Angel, your quick recovery was possible because I contacted Allen Prejean, and he in turn arranged direct contact with his goule-gris connection in Africa. If not for their help, at best you would be in stasis like the people who haven’t regrown.” He gestured toward the head vats. “Or, more likely, irrevocably dead due to the V12 overdose.”
I shook my head. He had no idea how awesome he was. “But you’re the one who put the pieces together and made it work. You always find the answers, and you will with the Judd mess, too.” I gave him an encouraging smile. “And don’t forget all the progress you
’ve made on fake brains! You’re so close on that one. I bet it won’t take you more than—”
“Angel.” The force behind the word silenced me. “I am only one man. An enhanced man but limited nonetheless.” His voice carried an edge of desperation I’d never heard in him before. “I made more progress in the few months of brainstorming with Kristi than in the three years prior. Together we produced far greater results than either of us could have managed on our own even with all the time in the world. I have only one mind to engage a staggering list of urgent needs. I am doing all I can, but I fear it may be too little, too late.”
“But your one mind really kicks ass.”
“Not nearly well enough on its own for the challenges we face. Kristi Charish is brilliant, undeniably so.” He held up a hand before I could blurt out my own undeniable opinion of her. “I’m not discounting my own ability, but brilliance manifests in different ways, both in cognition and processing. Areas of weakness for me are strengths for her. Through necessity as a solitary researcher, I have a broad base of knowledge and experience founded on the considerable time I’ve had for study and experimentation. This base is a great advantage, yet information is quickly outdated and new discoveries are made daily, and I am therefore forever two steps behind in my specialties and ten steps behind in other areas. Kristi is focused in her fields of expertise, and we complemented each other well. Two or more minds working in harmony can see possibilities and make connections and draw conclusions that a single mere mortal”—a whisper of a sad smile touched his mouth as he gestured to himself—“or not-quite-mortal, cannot hope to match.”
My stomach ached. “Maybe the Tribe will find a way to convince her to come work with you instead of taking a deal with Saberton.” I couldn’t stand the bitch, but I’d do my best to tolerate her if she could help Dr. Nikas.
Dr. Nikas resumed writing on the whiteboard but with hard strokes that squished the tip of the marker. “Tuesday afternoon she confirmed a deal with Nicole Saber and, escorted by Saberton, left the apartment Rosario had provided. Pierce and the others had no means to intervene. We lost her.”
Now I understood why he looked so bleak. “Saberton will set her up in a lab.” I rubbed a hand over my mouth. “She’ll be back in the game, bigger and badder than ever. That really sucks.”
“With a small army of staff along with the knowledge she gained while here in this lab.” Dr. Nikas sighed. “Not to mention, she’ll have access to cutting-edge equipment that we could never hope to acquire. Even if funds were available, the purchases would instantly draw attention to us.”
“If we end up having to move the lab for the exodus, that will—”
“There won’t be an exodus this time,” Pierce said from the doorway.
Jacques froze, slack-jawed. Dr. Nikas simply looked resigned as if it wasn’t news to him. Pierce stepped into the room, face tired and drawn but eyes intense.
No exodus? Can’t they think of a place where no human will find us?
Comprehension struck me like a hammer between the eyes. “Because it’s impossible!” I exclaimed before Pierce could speak. I gave myself a little forehead smack. “Duh. Dunno why I didn’t realize it sooner. The last time y’all had an exodus there was no Internet or streaming video or digital records or security cameras everywhere.”
“Yes,” Pierce said, so stiffly I thought his jaw would crack. Heh. Guess I just totally stole his thunder. “We’ve examined the logistics,” he continued. “There’s no way to successfully disappear en masse.”
“What then?” I asked, frowning. “Every zombie for himself? Every zombie either goes rogue or fights it out for the available morgue and funeral home jobs?”
“I don’t have an answer yet,” Pierce said with an edge of annoyance. “However, you bought us time by capturing Dante Rosario and forestalling immediate large-scale exposure.”
“What’s going to happen to him?”
