Her gaze skimming over her surroundings, Maria noted that the chairs and table were bolted to the floor. The walls were smooth and seamless except for the one door. If she could actually breathe, she’d be hyperventilating. Instead, she remained utterly still, watching the Inferi Scourge hurl itself against the door.

Either it was blind and couldn’t see her or it truly didn’t identify her as human. Even if it was blind, if she moved it might hear her, so she remained against the wall.

The Scourge howled and rampaged against the door for a few minutes before staggering back away from it. Twisting its head one way then the other, its dead eyes moved over her without recognition. With a grunt, it struck out with one hand, slapping its palm against the wall. Slowly, it began to walk along the wall, its hand slapping against the cold surface. Maria had the impression it was seeking a weakness in the barrier between it and the humans in the rooms beyond.

Impacting with a corner, it pushed its face into the narrow crook, then continued its journey along the next wall. Maria studied the ceiling, searching for the cameras, or a possible exit. It was as smooth as the walls except for the panels that illuminated the room. Even if she stood on the table and jumped, she wouldn’t be able to reach the lights.

The Scourge let out another spine-chilling howl as it reached another corner. It turned, now walking along the wall that Maria was pressed against. Daring to make a sound, she tottered on her tiptoes to the center of the room.

The Scourge didn’t acknowledge her presence. It continued its trek around the edge of the room, slapping its hand against the wall as it grunted. It left a trail of blood drops and bits of its clothing and hair, swaying from foot to foot as it walked. Every few feet it would let out another guttural howl.

Backing against the table, Maria pressed a hand to her still chest. Her fear was gradually diminishing as the Scourge started its second rotation around the room. Daring to drop her gaze, she studied her hand. Her skin had a faint undertone of gray and her nails were tinged with blue. Her scars gave her limb a faintly-ghoulish appearance. Slowly, she lifted the hem of her tank top and stared at the mass of scars over her chest and belly. Running her hand over the hard welts, she looked up at the Scourge, rage beginning to pour into her as her fear vanished.

“I’m not one of you!”

The Scourge tilted its head in her direction, its white eyes rolling around in its sockets as it sought out the source of the voice.

“I’m not one of you!” she screamed again, her emotions surging through her like a tidal wave.

With a grunt, the Scourge swiveled about, surveying the room.

“Do you hear me, fucker!” Enraged, she rushed forward and shoved the Scourge into the wall.

It fell back, lost its balance and crashed to the floor. With a screech, it bared its teeth as its eyes darted around the room.

There was no fear now. Only rage. Maria grabbed it by its matted, filthy hair and heaved it to its feet. Its eyes kept swiveling, seeking, searching, for the source of the human voice. With a scream of despair, Maria hurled it across the room. It flailed, then fell again. Running after it, Maria grabbed it by the arm and wrenched it upwards. The creature howled in confusion. Pivoting on her heel, she shoved the Scourge headfirst into the table. Its forehead cracked against the corner, blood oozing from the wound and filling its eyes.

Standing over it, Maria could see its confusion as it clawed on the floor, its eyes searching frantically for a human. It never acknowledged her even when looking directly at her.

Maria pulled in a deep breath of air and screamed.

It joined its howl with her cry.

The Scourge always answered the call of their own.

Infuriated, she grabbed the Scourge again by the hair and hoisted it upright. It bayed again, calling out. Her wrath reducing her to a wordless state, she smashed its head against the table over and over again, decimating its face, then crushing its skull.

Anguish filled her as she finished killing the Scourge. It slipped from her grasp, the bloody remains of its head flopping with a wet sound onto the floor. Blood, brains, and bits of bone littered the table and chairs.

Looking down, she saw that thick, blackish blood covered her hands and arms. Numb and overwhelmed, she fell into a chair, resting her hands on her thighs. There was neither heart to calm, nor breath to still. She was empty inside.

“I’m not one of you,” she muttered to the dead creature at her feet.

In silence, she waited for Dr. Curran to return.

Chapter 9

Awareness sliced into her mind like a rapier. Reality assaulted her senses, consuming Maria. Her brain struggled to process her surroundings as fear filled her. Blinking her eyes, she twisted about in the chair she was seated upon and discovered her feet were secured to the floor and her wrists were fastened to the armrests.

Before her rose a bank of screens. She was no longer in the room with the dead Scourge.

“What are you doing to me?” she demanded, her voice sounding raw and fragile.

“A few tests, Maria,” Dr. Beverly Curran answered as she stepped into view. The room was dimly lit and the walls were plain and gray. The blond woman looked tired and a bit strained, but her smile held a hint of genuine warmth. “I know you’re still adjusting to all of this-”

“You have no idea what I am going through,” Maria snarled. “No idea! You locked me in a room with a Scrag, for god’s sake!”

Sitting on a stool near Maria, Beverly nodded her head. “Yes, I did. And I know it is no reassurance for me to say that I knew it wouldn’t attack you, but it proved to you and to us that the procedure was a success. You’re a walking, talking, thinking Inferi Boon that Inferi Scourge will see as one of their own. You have now become the most important weapon against the Inferi Scourge humanity has ever had. Do you understand that?”

Averting her eyes from the doctor, Maria stared down at her lap. Her chest was still and her lungs empty, yet she was alive. Alive enough to want to cry and to miss Dwayne.

“You lied to me.”

“We twisted the truth.”

Maria fastened her gaze on the doctor and glowered. “You took away my life.”

“To give life to others.”

Maria rubbed her dry lips together and wished she could clear her throat. Her mouth and esophagus felt horribly dry. “Tell me again that there’s an antidote. Swear to me that you can bring me back.” Leaning as far forward as she could, Maria stared into the eyes of the other woman, seeking out the truth.

“We can bring you back,” Beverly stated in a firm, calm voice. She met Maria’s gaze without wavering.

Sagging in her restraints, Maria closed her eyes. “I just wish you had given me a choice.”

“I understand that. I didn’t want to deceive you, but I’m not the only one making decisions around here. Protocols were decided upon and adhered to.”

Beverly did appear remorseful, which helped calm Maria’s nerves just a tad. Glancing toward the monitors, she asked, “What are those for?”

“More tests. We need to check on your responses to various stimuli.”

“Trying to see how human I am?” Maria asked wryly.

“Honestly, yes. The virus reanimates a human brain and body at a base level. We altered the virus in order for our test subjects to retain their cognitive skills and personality.”

“Test subject,” Maria echoed tersely.

Beverly pursed her lips slightly then said in a rather tired tone, “A wrong choice of words.”

“But that’s what I am. A test subject. You said I am the first one that has received this virus. So all these tests are to see if it’s safe to give to other soldiers. Am I right?”

“Yes, you are.”

Beverly’s admittance of the truth was not any sort of comfort to Maria, yet she was satisfied to some degree to be conversing with the scientist openly.

“Will the others have a choice?” Maria asked.

“A choice as to whether or not to take the serum?”

Maria laughed darkly. “No, no. Let me rephrase my question so that I am very clear and you can’t twist my words around. Are you going to tell the other people who volunteered for this mission that you’re going to kill them and revive them as a thinking, talking Scrag?”

Beverly sank back in her chair and regarded Maria thoughtfully.

“I take it by your silence that you weren’t considering that as an option.”

“You’re a soldier. You take orders.”

“That’s true. I did vow to give my life to The Bastion, but that life has been given. You took it from me. I think it’s only fair that if you’re going to be taking our lives, you let us know what you’re giving us in return. I want to help defend The Bastion and its people, but your actions have fucking pissed me off!” Maria wished she could pound her fist on the table, but instead strained at the end of her restraints and glared. “If you want me to cooperate with you with all your tests, I want to know that the others will know what you’re doing to them before you kill them, too!”

The scientist remained impassive. She set her stylus down and stared directly into Maria’s eyes. “Is that what it will take for you to cooperate?”