Free Zombie Ever After by Carl S. Plumer

you get.”  
    The scowl is the least of your problems. There’s that mouthful of tiny yellow teeth. And the matching teensy yellow eyes.
    “What do you want?” Donovan asked, guardedly.
    “You had us worried. You see, an experimental drug was administered to you. You were the first human test subject, in fact. My apologies.”  
    Egesa tipped his hand to his forehead with a flourish, as if he were Count Egesa instead of Dr. Egesa.  
    “But it did do its job, and with no side effects, yes? And now you know for certain that everything I do is a brilliant experiment.” He laughed, tilting his head back slightly. Tiny beads of sweat glistened on his forehead under the bare bulb.  
    Donovan didn’t get what was so damn funny. He said nothing, but there must have been a reaction of some sort written across his face. Egesa stared at Donovan for a second, his laugh cut short. His face contorted back to a kind of comfortable sneer.  
    “I assume you know who I am? From television, yes? From YouTube, perhaps? True? I am Dr. Burkhart Egesa, at your service.” He clicked his heels together for some odd reason. Social awkwardness, no doubt.  
    “I am CEO, founder, and chief scientist at ATELIC Industries. Impressed? Good. Now, come with me, my friend.”  
    Egesa gestured toward the door.  
    “We have something to show you. Something that, I believe, may change your mind about me once and for all.”
    Fat chance.
    “I want you to see who here is on the side of good,” Egesa went on. “And who is on the bad side. Yes? Let me assure you, despite appearances and these recent—and quite unintended—catastrophes, I have only—my whole life, my entire career—ever wanted to do the right thing. And now I’ve succeeded."

Chapter 29

    “Right in there, my good Mr. Codell,” Egesa said, stopping at a door painted the color of rust.
    Donovan raised an eyebrow, but Egesa’s expression didn’t change. It never did. Donovan paused, then opened the door and went in.
    The room was small, dark, with four or five chairs lined up in a row facing a large window that looked in on another room. It reminded him of the interrogation scenes he’d seen on TV. One or two cops plus the suspect on one side of a one-way mirror. More cops, lawyers, the D.A., on the other side, observing.
    Through the window, Donovan saw a woman on a gurney, a sheet pulled halfway over her. Despite the bandages covering her neck, face, and chest, Donovan recognized her in an instant.  
    Cathren.  
    The bed was raised so she was sitting upright. She wore a hospital gown, again. A drip attached to her arm fed her—what? Saline? More of Egesa’s “experimental” drugs?
    “Cath—” Donovan breathed.
    “Yes, right. Your girlfriend,” Egesa said. “Looking a bit beat up, don’t you think?”
    Donovan turned, his face tight, his hands balled into fists. One of Egesa’s bodyguards who had followed them into the room placed himself between Donovan and Egesa.
    “Her condition is as expected,” Egesa continued. He slunk away from his bodyguard, toward the window. “She’s been opened up in the operating room, died, and sewn back up again.” He turned toward Donovan. “Frankly,” he said, “I hope I look half as good if that ever happens to me.” Egesa twisted his face into what might have been a smile, but Donovan wasn’t sure.
    Donovan gritted his teeth, his hands shaking. Believe me, I’d love to make that happen, he thought. He felt sick. Both from Egesa’s posturing and the effects of whatever the fuck they’d shot into his veins.  
    “Anyhoo,” Egesa went on, “there she is. But don’t worry; she is being well taken care of. For now, at least. Oh, in case you haven’t figured this out, we can see her, but she can’t see us.”  
    Donovan had, in fact, figured that out. His eyes darted to the thugs at the door, then back to Cathren. He was as incapable of helping her as if he were still unconscious. Donovan stared through the