The Virus Within: Third Wave (Book 2)

Chapter 36

Several clicks sounded as the gun-wielder desperately tried to make a bullet materialize in the chamber. I closed my eyes and charged forward. When my nose told me I was mere feet away, my eyes flew open to ensure my strike wouldn't miss. The would-be assassin barely had time to focus on the red glow before my hand reached his neck. His shocked gasp was cut off by a loud crack.

Closing my eyes, I darted into the darkness before his body slumped to the ground. I slid on my sunglasses so the last man wouldn't be able to see me. Keeping to the shadows, I eased through the darkness as I tried to spot an opening. The man backed up against the wall, holding Nina in front of him like a shield.

He hadn't drawn his knife yet, probably because both of his hands were needed to keep Nina still and silenced. Not that the burly man would need a knife to inflict serious harm. He was more than strong enough to twist Nina's head and cause permanent damage to her neck or spine – or possibly even snap her neck.

Faint footsteps had me glancing over my shoulder with a low growl. Company was the last thing I wanted at this precise moment. I immediately recognized the person meandering over with bare feet.

I seriously wondered if one of the voices in Nicky's head had a magnetic attraction to any dangerous situation. It was bad enough for Nina to wander around unsupervised, and if Nicky was sleepwalking, I was going to tie both of them to their beds in the future.

The man also noticed her approach and quietly called out, "Hey, can you give me a hand over here?"

He glanced in the direction I had gone, possibly hoping the person he was calling had a flashlight, or that I'd leave if more people showed up. Turning back, he peered through the darkness as he tried to identify the person walking toward us, who still hadn't given any indication she had heard him.

She paused some distance away and scratched her head with a sleepy and bemused expression. "Can I give you some advice?"

"Uh, okay...." He replied, stalling for time as he tried to identify her by her voice and make sense of her unexpected question.

While he was distracted by Nicky, I edged closer as I waited for any possible opening.

"Well, for starters," Nicky said with a yawn, "playing hide and seek at night really isn't a wise idea. And having a quick make-out session in front of the public bathroom is even worse."

"I wasn't-"

"Yeah, yeah," Nicky interrupted him with a lazy wave of her hand. "Of course not. The only people who ever admit to that sort of thing are the ones I make sure to chase on a coffee high."

"That isn't what-"

Nicky cut him off once again. "Uh-huh. That's what they all say. Come back in a couple of hours with some better excuses."

The man gritted his teeth and glared at her silhouette, simultaneously irritated and confused by the convoluted conversation as well as his inability to identify who he was speaking with. He still didn't relinquish his hold on Nina, nor did I see any opening I could exploit.

"Who are you?" the man asked, enunciating each syllable.

"Would you believe me if I said I was an undercover agent who got stuck in the wrong country when the outbreak occurred?" Nicky replied.

"Wha- That wasn't what I meant-"

Nicky dropped her face into her hand as if exasperated at the man's stupidity. "Oh boy. I was hoping for a battle of wits, but you, sir, appear to be completely unarmed."

The man stared at the redhead, almost seeming to forget about the motionless woman he still held hostage.

When he didn't say anything, Nicky yawned again. "Since you're clearly no fun, I'd rather be in bed, so let's get to the point. Tip number three – and you better remember this one – women don't appreciate being silenced with a hand over their mouth like that." Nicky crossed her arms. "Now, I want to know what the hell you are doing with Nina. And considering Trinity is stalking you, the only thing I do know is the odds aren't in your favor right now."