Free Zombies! (Episode 7): Conflicts of Interest by Ivan Turner Page B

he shouldn't be using it to try to win back Shawn's confidence and his love. He should tell Shawn the truth about the exit strategy. The fear would push him out then. Shawn's safety should be his first concern. But Shawn struggled himself up and was sitting with his legs over the side of the cot before Marcus could even complete the thought.
     
     
    "Can you walk?"
     
     
    "I guess."
     
     
    Just then the door burst open and in walked John Arrick. He was just starting to say something, Shawn we've got to… but it died in his throat when he saw Marcus. Marcus' eyes went dark. He stood from the bed.
     
     
    "What are you doing here?"
     
     
    Arrick wanted desperately to dispel the intimidation he felt but he couldn't. Quickly, his mind struggled for an answer. "Toby told me to get out. He said something about an exit strategy."
     
     
    "What the hell's going on?" Shawn asked. "Mr. Arrick, how are you even here?"
     
     
    Shawn knew him. Marcus hadn't even thought about it. Even when Arrick had burst through the door calling Shawn by name, Marcus had been concocting more lies to get what he wanted. But now it was all for naught. If Arrick knew about the exit strategy, then there was no way Marcus' words would hold any water with Shawn.
     
     
    Arrick raised a hand toward Shawn. "Come with me. I'll get you out safely."
     
     
    "Get out of the way," Marcus hissed.
     
     
    Arrick thought long and hard about what he was about to do. He considered the fact that someone, probably Marcus, was responsible for saving Shawn from his gunshot wound. Someone else was responsible for the wound. If Marcus was there, he was probably trying to get Shawn out as well. Arrick could back off and still have a clear conscience. But he had an idea of the kind of man Marcus was and he wasn't comfortable with leaving Shawn in those hands.
     
     
    "No," he said. "If we work together, we'll have a better chance of getting Shawn out."
     
     
    It took Marcus a moment to process Arrick's unexpected response. But then he nodded once. "Okay. Get his other side."
     
     
    Together, they lifted Shawn to his feet.
     
     
    ***
     
     
    WHEN Larry had asked Trevor to come to the zombie fights, he'd thought his friend was nuts. What the hell were zombie fights? Even after Larry had explained it, Trevor was skeptical. He liked a good boxing match and MMA was kick ass, but zombie fights? There was something a little unnatural about it. Trevor had never seen a zombie and he was more than a little afraid of what to expect. But Larry had cajoled him, told him the odds were good and there was money to be made and a good time to be had. So, as always, Trevor had lied to his wife, snuck two hundred dollars out of his bank account, and gone ahead with Larry.
     
     
    And he was so glad he had!
     
     
    The fights were spectacular. The first fighter, Red Rover, had really known what he was doing. Surprisingly agile for a big man, he had danced around those flopping monstrosities until he'd had his opening and then… Well… Trevor had never really liked splatter movies because they always seemed so fake. But now that he had seen real gore, he wasn't sure that he would ever get enough of it. He might have to lie to his wife every week. Hell, it was even better when th e fighter's got nailed.
     
     
    And he was up three hundred bucks!
     
     
    He had some money riding on St. Francis. This guy looked tough. He was wearing light sweat pants and no shirt. That took balls .
     
     
    Someone brushed his left shoulder and he turned. There was no one seated there, but there was someone coming up the aisle.
     
     
    "Watch it, dipshit," he said.
     
     
    The guy turned toward him and Trevor could see that his face was marked with open sores. Really? The moron had really dressed himself as a zombie for the zombie fights? Trevor laughed mockingly.
     
     
    Then the zombie moved in with its mouth open and its foul stench and Trevor knew he'd made a mistake. He tumbled back