Katie knew why, Aubrey's troops tried to shoot them and they simply stepped out of the way.
The defenders outnumbered the attackers and moved faster and more fluidly than their opponents, the sole exception was Aubrey, she more than matched them for speed and agility. Katie rested her sight on Aubrey's head, tracking it as best she could.
'Don't.' Randy cautioned.
'Don't what?' Katie asked innocently.
'I know you. If you have to shoot, kill one of the ones she is fighting. I think Aubrey could use the help.'
'So you can see what I am doing now? If you ask me there are too goddamned many people in my head.'
Randy shook his head, 'No. I just know you. If you're going to help her you better do it soon, she's down to three guys against about twenty.'
Katie signed and changed her sight to the men fighting across the street. 'I ain't got shit for a shot here.' She switched her aim away from the men fighting Aubrey to those fighting the most competent of her supporters. When a head popped into view, Katie stroked her trigger. The shot went wide and stuck another defender in the throat.
'Nice,' Randy commented, 'Aim for the head. That won't keep him down long.'
Katie grunted, too embarrassed to tell him she had missed her intended target. She aimed again and her second shot caught the man trying to clobber Aubrey's boy full in the face. His brains sprayed out onto Aubrey, who Katie swore was smiling. 'Yeah, laugh it up bitch. I'll get you too.'
The fight continued with Katie taking pot shots that slowly turned the tide of the battle. At least until the group of defenders fell back into the building. A zombie shoved one of the wide door closed and obscured the fight from Katie's sight.
'I'm gonna have to move. I can't see any targets from here. I thought being dead came with the ability to see through walls?'
'Maybe Aubrey blocked it, so you wouldn't get suspicious?'
'Her fucking loss then. I'm going across the street and getting under one of those vehicles.' Katie said, pointing at a row of cars that would let her see into the building.
'That'll only help until they close the other door.'
'I am not going in there.' Katie fished around in her duffel bag for more ammunition to reload the rifle's magazine, then picked it up and headed out into the rain to cross the street.
Chapter 41 — Max
Doctor Sentry popped into the doorway to his room less than ten minutes after leaving and gestured for the two handlers to push Max out into the hallway on the gurney he was now strapped to.
'I am sorry Max, but things are very fluid right now.'
Max thought he heard the sound of gunfire from outside the building.
Sentry had his assistants push Max into a longer room with four beds in it. One bed was empty, the two others were occupied by Bill and Stewart. Bill's bed was lying flat, but Max could see the rise and fall of his friend's chest as he struggled to get free of his bonds. Stewart had one arm strapped to the rail on the side of the bed, much as Max did. Her arm was bruised and bloody, also just like Max's. Though she was gagged with an orange colored ball strapped into her mouth, Max saw the short nod of approval as she looked him over.
Max was not gagged; apparently he had not been fiery enough with his speech to warrant one. Keeping his vision on what Sentry was doing Max waited to seize his chance, for once the doctor appeared to be focused wholly on what he was doing. The doctor was busy preparing a syringe he had taken from a small glass refrigerator built into the counter. Sweat mingled with the blood from one of the bruises on Max's forehead and trickled down into his eye.
Doctor Sentry turned with the needle and walked towards Stewart, 'Series two for you dear. It should work just fine, but isn't as advanced.' He checked her arm as she struggled, 'I thought we've been through this already? Hold still.'
Stewart continued to struggle, making it difficult for the Doctor to line up a vein. Sighing in frustration he mentally sent for the two goons by the door to hold Stewart down. Max intercepted the orders and changed them. Sentry seemed surprised when his two assistants tackled him to the ground, sending the syringe flying.
'What?' he cried out in alarm as he fell. 'Stop this now.' Max saw him emphasize his words with a strong mental push, which he changed to indicate they should continue to hold the man down.
Sentry's brow furrowed in anger and his whole body lit up like a halogen lamp. The two assistants dissolved where they were touching him, their bodies seemed to be absorbed into Sentry's own and he called out with his mind for more assistance as he got up. The remnants of the bodies of the two men who had jumped him fell off in pieces to lie in a disorganized pile at his feet. Sentry's clothing was as blood free and spotless as before.
'So, we have a comedian here then. Who is playing games with my men?' His eyes roamed the room and locked onto Max. 'I choose you, Max. Your other friend here has incredible strength, the woman is both stronger and faster than normal, but you! You, my friend haven't shown your cards until now have you?'
The four men Sentry had summoned appeared in the doorway and charged the doctor, having had their orders changed by Max when they were called. These men were dressed for war, carrying pistols on their belts, along with knives and wearing military style fatigues. Sentry watched them for a moment as they charged and then sent out a burst of orders that blanketed the area. Not hundreds of orders, not even thousands, it looked to Max like millions. Max grabbed onto as many as he could, but when the burst was over the four zombies were approaching Stewart and holding her arm steady, not attacking the doctor like Max wanted. Somewhere in the world there were thousands of zombies who were on their way here to rend the doctor limb from limb. Max hoped they arrived soon.
'I knew I was right.' Sentry said smugly. He bent over and picked up the syringe and approached Stewart's arm. 'You can't order them yourself. Clever, but I am not your run of the mill second stage human anymore. I am a God.' Sentry stabbed the needle into Stewart's vein and depressed the plunger. The zombies woodenly let go of her arm and approached Max.
'Stewart? Stewart, are you all right?' Max called.
'She's fine, or she will be, soon. Things will go quickly now, and soon I will have double agents to infect the few I choose to leave alive.'
Max laughed, 'We don't have medical training; we'll probably mess up the injections, even if you tell us what to do.'
Sentry stopped and stared for a moment at Max, a slight grin on his face, 'Max, I don't have any more of this.' He raised the syringe, 'And I don't think I could make more. You'll pass on the subjugation just like we do, via saliva, blood or other bodily fluids.'
'What? You mean, we'll eat people?'
'I don't think you'll do it by choice, but I will be able to force the issue. And anyone you infect as well.' Sentry plunged the needle into Max's arm.
The doctor pulled the needle out and casually tossed it into the sink over by the counter. 'There, that wasn't so bad, was it? Tell me Max, can you affect verbal orders? Let's see shall we? Kenneth, go see what is going on in the warehouse.' Max didn't see any mental emphasis on Sentry's words and Kenneth hastened out the door quickly.
Sentry nodded and said, 'I see. Very interesting. I wonder why this is? Well, I won't have to wonder long will I? Soon I will be able to crawl around inside your head to my heart's content.'
Bill was struggling on the gurney, trying to sit up against the massive webbed restraints holding him down. Sentry glanced at him, 'There is one who won't give up. A shame, really. Aaron, if that one breaks free, shoot him.'
