1840 Words, this chapter

Chapter Eleven, Zombie

"Jess? Do you read?"

Even though she was busy, Jess was delighted by the sound of Becker's voice. "Hi!" She cursed herself for sounding so...eager. "I mean, how's it going?"

Becker chuckled. "Better than we thought."

"What is all that racket?"

"Just our volunteers," said Becker. "The sick ones. They're a bit...distressed. Though, it's hard to tell through the incoherent yelling."

Jess shook her head. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Nah, piece of cake."

"Don't get cocky."

"Never."

"They sound a bit more than 'distressed."

He laughed. "I don't think they like the poking and prodding. I did have to EMD-butt a couple."

"Shame on you. You enjoyed it, didn't you?"

"No comment. Anyway it's for a good cause," said Becker.

"What are you going to do with all those people?"

"That's a problem. The local jail is getting pretty full."

"They're in jail?"

"We can't have them hurt someone or themselves. The mayor's looking into other possible holding cells. He may have to resort to cellars and offices."

Jess shook her head. "This place isn't exactly zombie-ready, huh?"

"No zombies, Jess. Just sick people. The clinic is swamped. We need a place to study these samples. Matt says all we really need are microscopes and basic study equipment. Until we can get the ARC labs here."

"With that in mind," Jess said. "I've found a place for you guys to work."

"Aren't you efficient?"

She giggled. "It's a large lab ran by a marine research group, specializing in the local fish. It should have the basic equipment." She paused. " I think it will work...fine."

"You don't sound too confident."

"Well, they were a bit rude."

"Oh, no they weren't."

She giggled. "I'm afraid so. I did convince them to let us work there, given the desperate mess we're in. I just hope they don't cause too big a problem."

"They're the ones with the problem. Rude to Miss Parker? I don't think so."

Jess giggled again. "Becker, you said yourself that the local clinic is swamped. It does not need new patients."

"I'll keep that in mind."

A short while later Becker called back. "The lab is ready and in full cooperation. I even have a letter of apology for you."

Jess chuckled. "Should I be worried?"

"No one was injured, physically."

Jess shook her head. "They're just scared out of their wits."

"That's not allowed?"

Jess chuckled. "I suppose drastic measures are called for."

"Didn't you hear me say there were no injuries? That would have been drastic."

"It would have," she said. "OK, I'll send Abby and Connor."

"You don't want to come, Jess?"

"Why do you people keep asking? Do I look like the kind of girl who likes fishy smells, fish guts, and gross host-affecting zombie parasites? No thank you. I'll stay here."

"Parasites?"

"Connor will explain. In fact, he'll pout if he doesn't get the chance."

Becker laughed. "Yeah, you're right." He sighed. "I don't like the idea of you alone, Jess."

She smiled. "I know. I'll be fine."

"O...Ok, stay alert."

"Don't worry, Becker, it's quiet and dull here."

"Good. Just be prepared."

"I will."

"Stay in contact."

"I promise, Becker. I have my EMD, and the cottage is locked tight."

He chuckled. "Right. I'm sounding like a worried old mother hen, huh?"

"I like it."

"Do you?"

"I mean, I like the fact...that you...think about me." She bit her lip. "I think about you too."

There was a pause. "I'm glad, Jess."

She blushed all over and smiled. "I'll...see you soon. Take care."

"You too."

Becker stood outside the doorway of the lab. He surveyed the surroundings. The lab was a fair distance from the village, out in the middle of nowhere, just one long narrow road leading to it. He wasn't too worried about an assault coming from that direction.

It was the water that disturbed him. The lab was situated on a small island, accessible all the way around by large water ways, able to hold several boats. Fortunately, there were just two docks on the lab, situated halfway from each other. They weren't tiny, but big enough to hold a few people and any large size fish.

"Impossible to defend against a water assault," he muttered. He was in a bad mood. Evening was coming. The lab needed him there, for defense. That meant Jess was alone, with night coming. He didn't like that at all.

He tried texting, then calling her. "Damn it." There was no answer. "Why isn't she picking up?"

"Problems?" asked one of the lab's staff.

Everyone else had left, leaving just three of them with the ARC team.

"Not really, Ginger," said Becker to the burly old seaman. He served as the lab's link to the area. His hair, the reason for the nickname, retained some red, but was mostly grayish-white.

"Are you sure?"

Becker sighed. "One of our team isn't here. With the villagers so unpredictable, I don't like the fact that she's alone."

"Oh," said Ginger. "Well, if she's a member of you lot I'm sure she can take care of herself."

Becker managed a troubled smile. "Right."

Ginger gave out a loud, jovial laugh. "You aren't so convincing, Captain."

Becker chuckled. "It's my job to worry."

"I understand," said Ginger. "I'm not so happy about leaving my nephew alone either. He's a tough one, for sure, but..." He sighed. "It's different when you care about people."

Becker was quiet. He did care for Jess, more each day. He tried texting her again. "How young is your nephew?" Becker asked.

"Oh, he's a grown man. Probably around your age."

"How is he with a gun?"

"He's related to me, so he's a master marksman," Ginger said with a smirk.

Becker laughed. "Good in a fight?"

"Again, he's related to me."

"Why not ask your nephew to come and give us a hand? Of course, you might not want him in the eye of the hurricane, so to speak."

Ginger already whipped out a cell phone. "He'll hate me if I don't invite him. You know, I can have him swing by and check on your associate, if you like."

Becker smiled widely. "I like how your mind works." Then he gave Ginger a playful, dubious look. "Is he trustworthy?"

Ginger gasped. "He's related to me!"

Becker chuckled and texted Ginger the cottage location. "He better be or he'll be, well, dead."

"I believe you, Captain. I truly do," Ginger said.

Becker relaxed a tiny bit, knowing that Jimmy, Ginger's nephew, was checking on Jess. There was still no answer, and it was driving him crazy.

On cue, the lab got rowdy. Just the distraction he needed.

"Your methods are highly unorthodox," said one of the lab researchers, Dr. Haulsey.

"That's why they work in our field," Connor answered.

The doctor shook her head and sneered. She was a young petite woman with long brown hair like Jess. Her manner and personality however were very different from the friendly, happy ARC field coordinator. This brunette had an air of arrogance and condescension.

Becker didn't like her.

Beside her, worked Dr. Ainz. He was tall and gangly, with a few quirks, like nervously hiccuping every few minutes and a nervous twitch that caused his whole body to spasm.

"It does seem strange that you based your whole hypothesis on the fact that the fish resembles a Stickleback," he said.

"Exactly," said Haulsey. "Guessing."

"Some of my best work came from guesses," Connor said. He went back to his microscope, looking at samples of fish tissue. Suddenly he shrieked. "We have a parasite! Well, larvae."

Abby gasped. She leaned over him, joined by Matt and the lab scientists. Connor let Abby look. "Eggs, inside the muscle!" she cried with excitement.

"That's wonderful," said Becker dryly.

"It is!" cried Connor. "It's got to be the cause."

The female researcher scoffed, "That's not very scientific," said Dr. Haulsey. "We don't know for certain it's what's causing the strange behavior."

"No, we don't know for certain," Connor said. He smirked. "But I bet ya."

"Betting has no place in science," snapped Haulsey.

Becker shook his head.

"Sure it does," said Connor. "There's no rule that science can't be fun."

"There should be," muttered Haulsey.

"He likes his hunches," Abby said.

"They usually prove right."

"Usually?" Becker asked, exchanging an amused grin with Matt.

"It's enough to get the medical lab down here," the team leader said. "Good job. Once medical is here, we can prove that there are parasites inside the the biological samples we got from the villagers."

"By looking for antigens the body would release in an attempt to fight off the parasite," Ainz said. "Yes, that's plausible.

"Perhaps," said Dr. Haulsey. "But then we'd be assuming that it causes the behavior. I never assume."

Becker rolled his eyes.

"I understand your concern," said Ainz, "However if the biological trace does not belong in the specimen from the villager or animal, that would be a pretty good indication of transmission."

"But only of that," said Haulsey.

"Hey!" yelled Becker. "You eggheads can argue later!"

Matt, Connor and Abby all laughed.

"It's probably a tapeworm," muttered Connor.

"Again, you're guessing!" cried Haulsey.

Becker took in a deep, loud breath, and stared menacingly at her.

Ainz began to shake at the mild threat, but Haulsey stared back. She adjusted her glasses. "Soldiers, I've never understood them," she muttered.

"I don't understand scientists either, so we're even," Becker muttered back.

"The captain has a point," said Ginger. "I don't care why this is happening. Just fix it."

Becker chuckled. "Ginger, you're my favorite villager."

The man laughed. "I appreciate that."

"Any word from your nephew?"

"Not yet. He's on his way to the cottage," he said. Seeing the look of worry on Becker's face, he said gently, "I'm sure she's fine."

"Jess did say she was having communication problems," Matt said.

"Oh, these bluffs around here are notorious for that," Ginger said. "I'm sure that's all it is, a communication Snafu."

"I hope so," Becker said.

The lab became quiet. Becker kept watch outside the main door, looking onto one of the docks. He wouldn't relax until he heard from Jess.

"Jimmy called in," said Ginger, "He was nearly at the cottage Then I lost the connection. Now there's static."

"So it is a reception problem," said Abby, looking over at Becker.

Ginger nodded.

Becker took a small sigh of relief. He wanted to hear Jess' voice though.

End of Chapter Eleven