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Philip backed the truck up to the edge of the water. We opened the truck doors and the crates, then I retreated to stand by Nick.
The little gators needed no convincing, and quickly flopped onto the ramp and waddle-slid into the swamp. Biggie and Tupac went last, lumbering down with reptilian majesty to slip into the water. They turned to face me, eyes and snout visible above the surface.
“Oh, all right,” I said. I shucked off my shoes and waded in until I was waist deep. Biggie and Tupac rubbed up against me like cats, rumbling the water until I finally pushed them away and bid them a laughing goodbye.
With that, they swam off, disappearing quickly into the gloom. I waded back to shore and Nick.
“I have the weirdest girlfriend ever,” he said with a smile and kissed me.
“So I’m your girlfriend now?”
“Sure are,” he said. “Let’s go home so you can get out of those wet clothes.”
• • •
Life returned to a semblance of normal-busy fairly quickly. Saturday, Brian reported that Linda Garrison, the Health Department doctor, had filed a police report, stating that a man fitting Harlon Murtaugh’s description used threats against her family to force her to get him access to a patient—Beckett Connor. I passed the info on to Allen, who seemed relieved that she was not, in fact, a Saberton baddie. Sunday evening, I asked Jane if there was a way to get the warning signs replaced at the dangerous curve out on Highway 1268—where Spencer Leigh had died, and where Marcus had kept me from the same fate by turning me into a zombie. Jane made a few calls, and by Monday afternoon the new signs were in place.
It sure was nice having friends who could Get Shit Done.
On Tuesday, I borrowed a black dress from Naomi and attended Connor’s funeral. Since he’d died in the line of duty, the attendance was massive, with every law enforcement agency in the parish in attendance. I even spied Special Agent Gallagher in the back, but had no desire to go over and strike up a conversation.
But I did give my condolences personally to Connor’s mother. “I’m sorry for your loss,” I murmured then silently added I avenged your son’s death and killed his murderer.
With Justine’s help, I finished my essay in English comp about the worst birthday ever, and didn’t pull any punches. The professor loved it and would have given me an A except for the fact that I had a tendency to put commas in all the wrong places, and so I ended up with a B+.
As far as biology went, I asked Isabella Romero—the student who Professor Dingle had given such a hard time—if she wanted to be study partners. And when she had trouble finding a babysitter for her young son, my dad was happy to help out.
Kyle’s body was cremated, as per his wishes, and we had a private ceremony for him at the lab. Everyone spoke and did their public grieving, then we broke out some of Dr. Nikas’s zombie booze concoction—again, as per Kyle’s wishes—and had a rollicking wake for a proper sendoff.
Bear, Nick, Allen, and my dad were there as well, because even though they hadn’t known Kyle in life, they were grateful for everything he’d done for all of us. And Marla and Moose wandered around in doggie heaven, getting the pets and scritches they so very much deserved.
The party was just winding down when Pierce called me over. “Jane texted that Andrew Saber is holding a press conference in five minutes. Meet up in the media room.”
Soon enough, Pierce, Dr. Nikas, Brian, and I were clustered around the TV. Andrew stood before a throng of reporters in the lobby of Saberton’s New York headquarters. Appearing vibrant and confident, he announced that his mother had stepped down and that he was now CEO of Saberton.
I snorted. “Stepped down, my ass. More like shoved kicking and screaming, I bet. Good riddance.”
Andrew went on to praise Dr. Kristi Charish for her stellar work to unlock the cure for the LZ-1 epidemic. He then revealed that, tragically, Dr. Charish had suffered a mild stroke immediately after casting her vote in the Saberton board meeting and would be taking a sabbatical from research. But the silver lining was that she would be at his side to help lead Saberton in a new, humanitarian and eco-friendly direction. He closed with a sappy promise of a brighter tomorrow, thanked the reporters for coming, and left without answering the shouted questions.
“Hot damn!” I said as Pierce muted the TV. “That was a brilliant move since Kang-Kristi doesn’t know squat about research.”
Pierce looked thoughtful. “Kang has well and truly ensconced himself in the Saberton hierarchy.”
I poked him in the chest. “That’s right, and you and Kang are going to put your centuries of differences behind you and work together to create a brighter tomorrow for all zombies. Right?”
He surprised me with a genuine laugh. “What do you say, Ari?”
Dr. Nikas smiled. “I say that we are in a golden moment of opportunity. And if you fuck it up, I will have your head in a vat until you come to your senses.” That produced a round of laughter from everyone, including Pierce. But as it died away, Dr. Nikas sobered. “With Kang only masquerading as a scientist, the burden of research rests on my shoulders. I need more help.”
“The Tribe accountant was looking into the possibility of finding a dying neurobiologist or the like who might be willing to be turned,” I pointed out. “And you already have Portia.”
“Both with excellent potential.” He blew out a breath, and his shoulders relaxed. “There’s no rush. We’re in this for the very long haul.”
We. Not just Dr. Nikas or Pierce or Brian. It included me as well. I had a potentially very long life ahead, and damn it, I really liked the idea of spending at least some of it helping the Tribe—my people—bring about an honest-to-goodness better tomorrow.
A gasp came from the direction of the door. Naomi stared at the TV where Andrew waved to the press as he entered an elevator and the words Saberton CEO Nicole Saber steps down ran along bottom. She burst into un-Naomi-like tears. I ran over to pull her into a hug. She’d been worried about her twin for weeks, and now not only was Andrew safe, but he was being the kind of man she’d always wanted him to be.
Dr. Nikas herded Pierce and Brian out while I guided Naomi to the nearest sofa.
