'You've got no idea how good this feels.'
'I bet I do.' Smokey grinned. 'We'll leave you two alone. If you're so inclined, Jim, a bunch of us get together every night and play cards in my room. You're welcome to stop by.'
'We'll see. Thanks. I think Danny and I have some catching up to do, though. Don't we, squirt?'
'Yep!'
Smokey led Don to a door a short way down the hall from Jim and Danny's.
He informed Don that he would be moving in with a member of the security team named Forrest.
'You'll like him,' Smokey whispered as he knocked on the door. 'Forrest is one of a kind.'
The door opened and a large, muscular black man in a terrycloth bathrobe stared out at them.
'What's up, Smoke?'
'Heya, Forrest. Wanted to introduce you to your new roommate. This is Don De Santos.'
Forrest opened the door the rest of the way and stuck out his hand. His grip was strong, and Don actually winced.
'Pleased to meet you,' Don grunted. 'Sorry to barge in like this.'
'No problem,' Forrest assured him. 'They told me I was up next for a roommate, and when I heard they were bringing you folks in, I figured I'd get one of you.'
'Well, I still feel weird about it. Seems like I'm being forced on you, and I haven't had a roommate, other than my wife, since college.'
'Don't sweat it. I usually work the night shift, so it'll almost be like you've got the place to yourself. That's your bunk over there.'
'Well, I'm gonna go take me a nap,' Smokey said. 'Let you two get acquainted. If you need anything, Don, be sure to let me know. Forrest, I'll see you for cards tonight, before you go on duty?'
'You know it. Hope you're ready to lose.'
'All right, we'll see about that.' Chuckling, he turned to leave.
'Hey, Smokey,' Don called after him.
'Yeah?'
'You never did tell us. What's your job around here?'
Smokey laughed. 'I just did it. I'm the welcome wagon.'
After he'd left, Don wondered just how many people Ramsey was rescuing, to have Smokey in an official position like that.
Ob stared across the parking lot at the armory, then sat the binoculars aside and looked down at the rat.
'How many are inside?'
The undead vermin squeaked in an ancient language, and Ob listened carefully, and then repeated the information aloud.
'Six of them. Heavily armed. And they were not aware of your presence?'
More prolonged squealing. The rat's vocal cords hadn't been designed to speak Sumerian. Ob was patient.
'Very good. You have done well. Now, I want you and the others wearing rats and mice as host bodies to go back to Manhattan and do extensive surveillance on Ramsey Towers, from all angles; above and below. I don't care how you get in-just gain entrance. Do not alert them that you are there. Observe all and report back to me. I want to know their numbers, weaknesses, and defenses. Is that understood?'
The zombie rat twitched its scabbed tail in confirmation and scrabbled away.
Ob picked the binoculars back up, watched the armory, and spoke to one of his lieutenants.
'There are six humans holed up inside the armory. All but one are former police officers, so they'll probably be combat trained. After dispensing with them, we can loot the building. There is a stockpile of assault rifles, grenades, rocket launchers, urban assault vehicles, body armor, and more. We will add these to our weapons that we've found throughout the city, the ones we culled from former drug dealers, crime syndicates, terrorist cells, and of course, the ones the humans kept for home defense.'
The zombie licked its lips. 'Very good, lord Ob. We shall prepare to attack at once.'
'The armory also has a fully functional ham radio unit and a gas-operated generator. Make sure that neither is damaged during the raid. After we restore the generator, I want to use the radio to contact our forces to the south, just in case our avian messengers didn't make
it. We'll need those reinforcements before we launch an assault on the skyscraper.'
'Understood. And lord Ob, if I may-this host body is deteriorating quickly. If it does not last the battle, it has been an honor to serve you in this form. I hope that my next possession takes place in a host body here beside you as well.'
Ob waved his hand. 'Good. Commence the attack. Send in the first squad.'
The lieutenant keyed a handset and gave the order. The creature plucked a loose piece of skin from its thigh. It appraised the morsel, and then plopped it into its mouth. Rotted, broken teeth ground in delight.
Suddenly, there was a flurry of activity. Five zombie suicide bombers, each wearing a backpack loaded with explosives, charged toward the armory. One of them was gunned down before he reached it, the bullets eradicating
