“Unclear. My sources say that it could be any number of compounds. But the good news is, we can probably wash it off with simple detergent and warm water.”
“Then what?” Carol asked as she stripped her own gloves.
“Then we dry the seeds, pulverize or grind ‘em in a coffee grinder then we’ll have to saturate them with petroleum ether.”
Andre scoffed. “That would kill the subject as well.”
“The ether is just to unbind the LSA. We dry it completely, soak for a few days in alcohol, and that’s it. We can make it as weak or as strong as we like.” He gave the pair an uneasy smile. “The bad part is that it has sedative side effects.”
Andre smiled. “Because making a rabid, attacking human sleepy is a bad thing.” He nodded slowly. “Regardless, we’ll definitely want to test it before we attempt mass production.”
“It sounds like it takes a while to create, though.” Carol added. “And we have to find a source for the seeds.”
Andre pointed to David. “Get with Randy. See if Davis can lend you a man or two for security then hit any and all stores in the area that might have stocked flower seeds. Hopefully, they aren’t covered in mold by now.”
“On it, boss.” David turned and pushed through the steel doors leading to the stairwell.
Carol pulled Andre aside. “You realize what this could mean, don’t you?”
Andre gave her a tight lipped smile. “Oui. But how easy will it be to convince one of these people to stop attacking and have a drink with you?”
“It’s a start.” She straightened the lapel on his white coat. “And if it works, perhaps we can come up with a way to make it injectable.”
Andre raised a brow at the idea. “Like a knock out dart?” He chuckled. “I like that idea. And it would give the military an excuse to shoot at something.”
Carol groaned. “Not all military are trigger happy, my dear.”
“Perhaps.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “We’ll find out, won’t we?” He stepped back and reached for another set of gloves. “We have work to continue, cherie.”
“All work and no play…” she teased.
“We’ll have plenty of time to play later. First, we get these cultures finished and in the incubator.”
Carol sighed as she reached for another pair of gloves. “Do you think this will ever really be over?” She gave him a forlorn look. “I mean, will we ever not have some kind of threat looming?”
He pulled down his mask and opened his mouth to reply but slowly closed it. “I do not know.” He sighed as he tugged the edges back up. “But we can hope.”
Simon paced the small trailer until Veronica grabbed him by the wrist and made him stop. “You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet.”
Simon nodded and quickly sat down, his hands fidgety. “I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” He stared at her eyes and his mind calmed down, the gears slowing until he could concentrate on one thought at a time. “I know what is about to come and I…” he trailed off.
She gripped his hands and held them, her thumb softly stroking his knuckles. “I know what you’re afraid of.”
He looked up at her and shrugged. “Please, go on.”
“You’re afraid you’ll have to hurt Lana.”
He scoffed and fought the urge to smile. “Believe me, that is the furthest thought from my mind.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Then what is it?”
He looked away and swallowed hard. “I don’t want to become who I was before.” He glanced up at her and noted her confusion. “The Simon from before relished the idea of drawing blood.”
“Like you did with Trent and the boys?”
He nodded slowly. “Except the old me would have enjoyed it.” He looked up at her solemnly. “A lot.”
“Then that’s your answer. If you found no joy in it then, you’ll find no joy in it now.”
He smirked and slowly shook his head. “I wasn’t born that way, Vee. I didn’t like it the first time I killed and…” He looked away.
“And what?”
“And it just became easier with each one afterwards. It reached a point where…” He inhaled deeply, buying time to choose the right words. “The time came where people’s lives meant nothing to me.”
“I don’t understand.”
He looked up at her and she saw the shame in his eyes. “Men, women…even children. They meant nothing. They were like pawns on a chess board. If I could advance my agenda, I would gladly sacrifice one or…all of them.”
She nodded, her mind trying to wrap itself around the idea that he could murder a child. “And it’s different now?”
He nodded slowly. “Much different.” He squeezed her hands gently. “I don’t want it to ever be easy. I don’t want to have to do what they’re making me do.”
“Then don’t.” She stood suddenly and planted her hands on her hips.
“But baby, when they come back, they’re gonna be out for blood.” He patted his chest. “MY blood…maybe even your blood.”
“I’m not saying don’t fight back,” she smirked at him. “I’m saying don’t be the one to pull the trigger.”
His face screwed up in confusion. “I don’t follow.”
She pointed out of her window to the other trailers. “You got a lot of other people out there who would go to war with you. Let them.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Place them strategically so that they’ll encounter them first. Let them deal with the bad guys for once.”
Simon sat back and stared at her. “Pass the buck you mean?”
She shook her head and shrugged. “Delegate.”
“There they are, children. All fat and sassy and ready for you to finish the Lord’s work.” Jedidiah pointed down the lonely street. “Just the other side of these walls lie enough of the diseased to keep you fed for weeks.”
He turned and smiled at his army, slowly swaying in the evening sun. It was as though each of them heard a drumbeat that only
