Chapter 4

Addison slipped through a few yards before getting on a dimly lit street. She kept to the shadows as much as possible. It was a good thirty-minute walk from Bree's house before she reached the outer fence to the Zombie Patrol's building and confinement area. She crouched down along some bushes that ran the length of the fence and slowly made her way towards the gate. Addison hoped the next part of this plan worked since she hadn't been able to try it out. She trusted Eliza's abilities though. She crept right up to the entrance and stayed behind the bush. There was a camera that was watching the entire entrance area. She moved as close as she could to it and held as still as possible. After a few moments the camera stopped moving and the light was off. Addison hurriedly pulled out the Z-Patrol badge and scanned it above the lock. The door clicked and Addison pushed it open and closed it behind her. She quickly found cover in some more bushes and made her way towards the building. She smiled to herself and thanked Eliza for her brilliant idea to attach the piece that could block the cameras to her ankle monitor. She only had to stop once as two security guards passed by. They were talking quietly. She couldn't make out what they were saying. She didn't go to the main entrance once they had passed. Luckily Addison knew of a side door that was hardly ever used. Her dad had walked her around the building numerous times while she was growing up. The only place she had never seen was the confinement area. Addison approached the side door and got as close as she dared to the moving camera above it. She held still and held her breath. A few moments later the camera stopped and the light went off. Addison scanned the badge again and entered.

It was dark in the hallway. Addison could see a few security lights every twelve feet or so. The lights were dim and she didn't see any cameras in the hall. She slowly made her way towards a supply room she knew was at the other end. Addison's next plan was to crawl up into the air ducts. The building was industrial looking and so the air ducts were exposed throughout the building. She planned on crawling through the ducts to find Zed. It would be slow going as the ducts were just big enough to let her crawl flat on her belly through them, but it was the only shot she had. When she was little, she had seen a grown man climb into the duct to set some traps for mice. He had been crammed in there. Her dad remarked how someone who was claustrophobic wouldn't be able to do it. Addison knew she wouldn't be able to make it through the whole building without running into the buildings security guards if she went through the halls. The air ducts were her only other choice.

Addison opened the supply room. She closed the door behind her and started looking around for something she could climb to get up into the air ducts. She moved a few boxes, looking for a chair or ladder to stand on. She looked over in the corner and saw a desk. That would work. She pushed it over to the air duct that was overhead. She then found a chair and put that on top of the desk. She climbed up and stopped. She needed a screw driver! She climbed down quickly and started searching on shelves and through boxes. She had been through several boxes and shelves before she found a small screwdriver. Before climbing up again, she arranged some other boxes on the desk to look as if it was just being stored that way. The only one who would notice a difference would be the cleaning crew. She climbed on the desk and chair again and started unscrewing a panel of the air duct. Addison quickly climbed in and put the panel back in place. Hopefully she would be able to come back this way to get her and Zed out of here. She took a deep breath and ever so slowly as to not make a sound, started crawling forward. Addison moved so slowly and the space was so tight, she knew her dad was right. Anyone that was claustrophobic could never do this. Even people who weren't would have a hard time. Addison herself was feeling a bit anxious at the lack of being able to move easily. She reached the first vent where she could see down into a room. She was above the hallway she had arrived in. She knew where she needed to go to get to the entrance of the confinement area. That was easier said than done though when one was trapped in the air ducts. She was helpless to go anywhere, but forward and would have to follow the air ducts to each room to see if she was going the right direction. And so, for the next few hours, Addison crawled forward through the ducts. She did have to decide whether to go right or left at times, but luckily with her knowledge of the building, she seemed to be moving in the right direction. Addison also had to keep her ears open for the security guard that would occasionally walk the halls directly below her. He seemed to make rounds around most of the building every hour or so. When she did hear him, she would stop and only the beating of her heart seemed to be noisy. Luckily, he didn't hear it and continued on his way. Addison was sure no one had ever tried to break into the Z-Patrol headquarters and so there was a certain confidence from the guard that nothing was wrong just like all the previous nights. No one wanted to break zombies out of confinement. She was the first.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Addison was starting to get weary and her muscles felt heavy and tired after many hours crawling. She was about to take her second break, when she looked into the vent just ahead of her. Her heart skipped a beat. She was above the entrance to the confinement area. Her heart then started thumbing loudly again. This was it. Zed was close by. She willed her body forward to continue her search. She came to a section that had air ducts leading to her right and left and forward. There was no vent to look down. Addison decided to go right, at least for a short way to see if she needed to alter her course or not. She came to a vent and looked down. There was a hard looking, metal chair that had clamps to go around ankles and wrists. There was also a table with different looking tools on it. This must be a z-band check room. Addison slowly backed up to get back to the intersection. She figured going left would lead to another room and so chose to keep going straight. When she came to another intersection, she again went right and found a z-band check room. This one only had the metal chair that the previous one had. It was a very empty and gloomy looking room. Addison shivered, knowing Zed had been in the previous room as that one had a table of tools and this one did not. She backed out again and continued forward once more. At the next intersection Addison chose to go left. It only led to what looked like a locker room with showers, sinks and toilets. Once again, she backed out and took a look at her phone. Addison knew she was losing time. Her body was mentally and physically tired not just from sneaking around, but because she hadn't slept at all this night. Her phone showed the time being 4:55 a.m. The Z-Patrol headquarters opened up 7a.m. There was no way she was going to get Zed out of here through the vents before the next shift came in. She had not counted on the time it would take her to crawl slowly through the vents. They would either have to escape through the halls, which Addison found highly unlikely, or they would have to stay in the vents for the day and get out late tonight. However, once they discovered Zed gone, she doubted it would be as easy getting out even if it was late at night. No doubt the place would be crawling with agents even then. Her plan was in action, though, and those were the only options at this point. Addison tucked her phone back in her pocket and moved forward again. At the next intersection Addison again took a right. When she got to the vent she peeked down and saw that it was a room! She could see a toilet and a bed. And the bed wasn't empty! Addison hurriedly worked at removing the vent door and an extra panel so that she could lower herself down. Once she had them open, she could see the room completely. It was bare except for the toilet and bed. Addison could also see the one-way window that led into the hallway that she had just been above. There was a door next to the window. Addison could also see half of another room through a window that took up half of another wall. The other room would have been further down the air ducts if Addison would have continued that direction. Addison shifted her gaze to the bed. There were no covers to hide under. She saw Zed's bright green hair. She listened again and then slowly lowered herself into the room. She smiled to herself. Cheerleading was the only reason she had the strength to do it. She made her way over to Zed, and nervously looked over her should at the one-way window. Once she was at the bed, her breath caught in her throat. Zed had some bruising on his jaw and his arms. He looked thinner and paler- if that were possible- than he normally did. He was sleeping and Addison hated to wake him up. He looked like he needed all the sleep he could get. Addison touched his shoulder and shook him ever so lightly.

"Zed," she whispered, leaning down close to his ear.

Zed didn't move. She shook him slightly again. This time Zed flinched away from her hand.

"No, plezca," he groaned out, softly.

"Zed, you need to wake up!" Addison tried again.

This time Zed sat up quickly and scooted away from her, putting his hands up in a defensive position. When he realized no one was grabbing him or doing anything else, he lowered his arms and looked at Addison. Zed's mouth fell open and then he closed his eyes and shook his head. When he reopened them, Addison saw him realize that she was really there.

"Addy? What are…za farhsig…here?"

Addison didn't know the two words he spoke in zombie, but she understood his question.

"I have come to get you out of here," she whispered quickly, looking over at the one-way window. It made her nervous. "You have to get up. We have to move quickly."

"How are we… levenza?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

Addison pointed to the ceiling where the panel was still missing.

"Addy… I… can't," Zed motioned towards his body and struggling to find the English words. He opened his mouth to say something again, but shut it after a few tries to get words out. He then seemed frustrated with himself.

"I will drag your bed over to the hole. I will just have to give you a boost up there myself. This is your only chance Zed," Addison said, grabbing a hold of the end of the bed.

Zed just shook his head and point to the bed post near the wall. Addison looked down and found that the bed posts closest to the wall were chained to the wall. Addison's shoulders slumped and then she shook her head and looked at Zed again.

"Fine, we will have to go through the doors."

Zed lifted his eyebrows, but didn't argue. He had no idea what her plan was, but he was still trusting her. He slowly moved his body off the bed. Addison hurried over to help him up. Zed put his arm around her shoulder and they made their way to the door. Just as Addison was getting ready to stick her foot near the door to hopefully unlock the door, the door was pushed open. There standing on the other side was an agent with a plate of food in his hand. His mouth dropped open at the sight of them. The next second, Addison felt her body being lifted up and almost thrown into the ceiling hole.

"Addy, agtza!" she heard Zed yell from below her. She looked down and saw Zed on the floor, panting hard. The agent was standing next to him, having shoved Zed down, and then looked up at her. He then grabbed his radio and yelled into it for help.

Addy made herself move then. She wanted to cry with frustration on how close she had come to getting Zed out. She crawled into the vents out into the hall and then, realizing they would hear her move, stopped.

Below her she heard many people come down the hall yelling. The agent that had seen her started relaying what had happened. She could tell by the location of his voice that he was still in Zed's room.

"Quiet you fools! She is in the vents. Spread out around the building."

"Yes, of course, Director."

"She cannot have gotten far. Listen for-" the Director started to say.

At that moment Addison had thrown some of the tools she had with her down the hallway vent.

"There she goes!" yelled out a voice, and many feet sounded like they were leaving the area.

Addison didn't move a muscle. She knew she wasn't alone yet.

"Mr. Smith, why on earth did you open the door and not look into the room first," the Director's commanding voice asked.

"Sir, I had no way of knowing someone was in here with him," Mr. Smith answered.

"A zombie is in the room and you just walk in without seeing if it is safe?" the voice sneered.

"Uh… yes, sir. I mean, no sir."

"Bring out the zombie, Agent Smith!"

Addison heard rustling and Zed grunted. She peaked through a vent just ahead of her. The Agent held Zed tightly by his arm. The Director walked over to stand in front of Zed.

"Careful, sir. He was able to lift the girl into the hole. I haven't seen him have that kind of strength since the first day we brought him here."

"Really? That is surprising news. We may have to look more into that." The director then looked at Zed. Good morning, Zed. I hear you had a visitor. A girl visitor." There was a pause. "Who was it?" the Director asked.

"Levenza… her… alone," Zed growled out through gritted teeth.

"Hmmm, your zombie tongue is becoming more prominent the more time you spend as a zombie. Fun side effect of our time together, wouldn't you say?" the Director stated, ignoring Zed's answer. "And judging by your reaction to my question on who is here, I would say I have a good idea."

Addison watched as the Director circled Zed.

"Why don't you come down now, Miss Donnelly."

He then motioned to someone that must have been out of her view.

"No! Ad-"

Addison saw Zed start to say something as his eyes grew wide, but he was cut off from Agent Smith shoving him to the ground again. The air was knocked out of Zed. The panel underneath Addison's legs suddenly gave way. She felt hands grabbing her legs and dragging them down. There was nothing for her to grab hold of to fight it. She was forcefully pulled down by an agent while another one caught her so she would not stumble or fall. She slowly looked up at the Director as he came and stood in front of her. Her stomach tightened at the look of triumph in his eyes.

"I am so happy to finally meet you, Addison," the Director stated truthfully, as his eyes rested on her white hair for a moment. "I had hoped to talk to you, but your father refused any kind of meeting."

Addison's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"He didn't tell you that I wanted to talk with you?" the Director asked, feigning surprise.

"I have wanted to speak with you also. There are many things you don't seem to understand about our town and citizens." Addison hand motioned to Zed when she said this.

"Citizens? You mean the zombies?" the Director asked, once again feigning ignorance.

"Yes. I have some things to explain to you about what happened-"

The Director waved his hand in the air, brushing her comments aside. "I have heard many times the explanations of what happened when this zombie didn't have his z-band working properly.

Addison's fist clenched at her side. "Obviously you haven't, or Zed wouldn't be here anymore. He never hurt anyone! You can't treat him like this?"

"Like what?" the Director asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Like a…."

"Like a monster? Is that what you wanted to say, Addison?" the Director wickedly smiled. "But he is a monster and I am going to show you just how much of a monster he is. Agent Smith, take our guest to the z-band check room.

Agent Smith pulled Zed up roughly and Addison saw Zed's face wince in pain. The agent half drug, half "helped" Zed down the hall. Zed looked back at her over his shoulder. He looked worried.

The Director motioned with his hand for Addison to follow them.

Any kind of hope Addison had had about trying to talk with the Director and explain things went out the window. Her dad was right. The Director didn't give her a good feeling either.