Nadya’s Nights: Knight of the Living Dead
Night Five: Virus
Chapter Three: A Secret Place
by Indy McDaniel
Copyright © 2010 Indy McDaniel
The battered and bullet-ridden Mini pulled into a parking garage. Knight guided Nadya to an area towards the back and told her to park. So far, she wasn’t very impressed with his plan.
“It’s a garage. I seriously doubt this is the most secure spot to lie low.”
“Don’t worry,” Knight shot back. “This is only a temporary stop. How many people saw this little bumble bee hauling total ass away from the scene of the crime whilst in the middle of a very reckless and pedestrian-endangering shoot out?”
Nadya rolled her eyes and got out of the car, lighting up a cigarette and reloading her Glock. “So, what? Your plan is to steal another car? One that’ll be reported stolen and then it’s going to be just as sought after as this one?” She looked over at the thief as he got out as well.
Knight gave her an incredulous look. “No. That would just be silly.”
Vlad had the means to get her into a hideout that didn’t involve having to hang out with a smartass motherfucker all night long. Still, the guy had proved to be decent in a fire fight so Nadya figured she’d give him a chance. After all, she could always shoot him once they got to the hideout. “So what is the fucking plan then?”
Nadya caught the scent of sulfur and something else she couldn’t place. A moment later, there was a ‘phump’ sound from behind her. Spinning, she brought her gun up and took aim at the person that had just appeared in the garage with them.
She had black hair that flowed over her shoulders and intense features. She wasn’t armed, but that didn’t mean Nadya was about to lower her weapon.
“Who the fuck is she?” they each said in unison, Nadya’s Russian accent blending with the woman’s British one.
“Whoa, hold on a damn second…” Knight said, moving around the car and between the two women, holding his arms up in an attempt to ease the tension. “Before you two get into what I imagine would be a very stimulating but equally fatal cat fight…” He motioned to the British woman. “This is Zada. She’s our ticket out of here.” Turning to Zada, he motioned to Nadya. “And this is Nadya. She can drive, she can kill stuff… and come on, she’s totally smokin’ hot. She’s gonna be layin’ low with us for a bit.” He glanced back at Nadya, smirking. “Hopefully in more ways then one…”
Nadya glared at him but lowered her gun. “In your dreams, asshole…” she muttered.
“If need be…” Knight shot back, moving to the side and pulling out his revolver, emptying out the spent shells and replacing them with fresh ones.
Zada stared hard at Nadya. “You the one that took out the Claws?”
“Definitely possible,” Nadya said. “I’ve taken out a lot of people, so you might have to be more specific.”
“They were a werewolf pack.”
Although she’d never caught their pack name, Nadya hadn’t made it a habit to go around taking out packs of werewolves. She didn’t recall there being any witnesses left alive but it was hard to say for sure. “Yep. That was me.”
For a moment, Nadya thought the woman was going to say something more but instead she simply nodded and turned to Knight. “We ready?”
Knight didn’t look too sure but gave a nod. “As I’ll ever be.” He turned to Nadya. “Brace yourself, darlin’. This isn’t the most pleasant of sensations.”
Nadya opened her mouth to tell him to not call her ‘darlin’ or anything else of the sort but before she could Zada reached out and grabbed hold of her and Knight’s shoulders. Then an odd feeling encompassed her. It felt as though something was sucking her guts inward. She caught a whiff of the sulfur smell again and then the world blinked out.
There was the feeling of immense speed, then a sudden halting and the world was back. Only now they weren’t in the parking garage anymore, but a small living room. Nadya’s stomach lurched and she felt her last meal rising up her throat.
“The bathroom’s -” Zada started, lifting a hand and pointing down a hall, but it was too late. Partially digested chunks of food spewed from the Russian’s mouth, nearly hitting Knight square in the chest. He managed to jump back and avoid it but it was a close call. Instead, the puke splattered wetly onto the wood floor.
After the initial hurling, Nadya felt a lot better. Spitting out what was left of the vomit onto the floor she let out a groan and flopped down into the nearest chair, working on getting her breathing back to normal.
“Warned you,” Knight said before heading for the kitchen. “Hey, Zaid, got any beer?” He pulled open the fridge and ducked his head inside, poking around.
Zada looked to Nadya, still panting and rubbing her temples, then to Knight, pulling out a beer and twisting off the cap. She let out a sigh. “I guess I’ll get a goddamn mop…” She turned and headed for the broom closet. “I sure as fuck hope you pulled off the job before you decided to pick up chicks.” She pulled out a mop and bucket and took it over to the sink.
Taking a swig of his beer, Knight smirked and reached into his jacket, pulling out a vial of blue liquid. “You know it, baby.” Nadya glanced up from where she was sitting. It looked like the stuff was glowing. She didn’t know what the hell it was but if M.A.D. had created it, she was sure it was no good. “One vial of Plutoxin 7.”
He tossed it to Zada, who dropped the mop to the floor and caught it, visibly startled. “Bloody idiot! Do you have any idea what would happen if this stuff got loose?”
Knight shrugged. “We’d all catch a really bad case of the flu?”
“Not even fucking close,” Zada said, setting the vial down on the counter. “I take it you didn’t manage to swipe the cure.”
“Are you kidding?” Knight laughed. “Soon as I snatched that one, the whole place went ape-shit. Alarms, guards, self destruct sequences, all kinds of death traps.” Zada gave him an unamused stare. “Alright, there weren’t any death traps… but the rest is true.” He looked over at Nadya. “Tell her.”
“Fucking building blew up,” she muttered. “I sure as shit didn’t make it happen.”
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Zada started to mop up the vomit. “Brilliant. You were supposed to get the virus and the antidote.”
Knight took another swig of his beer. “So? Pay me half then.”
“It’s no good if I only have the fucking virus!” Zada snapped.
“Zaid, baby, darling, sweetie,” Knight said, moving over to her. “I am many things. Thief, wheelman, con artist… not to mention spectacular in the sack… but one thing I’m not is a goddamn excavationist. And that’s what you’re gonna need to find anything in that big ass pile of rubble.”
Zada finished mopping and went back to the sink to rinse everything out. “Well, you better figure something out. Otherwise I’m gonna ‘port you and your new girlfriend right into M.A.D. headquarters and let you explain yourselves.”
Having regained her composure and also being fairly confused by the conversation she’d been listening in on, Nadya stood up from the chair. “Last thing’s fucking first…” she said, looking at Zada and pointing at Knight. “I am not his girlfriend.”
“Thank you,” Knight said, nodding. “Recent acquaintance would be more accurate. Future fuck buddy would also be acceptable.”
“Not even if I was in a fucking casket, asshole,” Nadya snarled before turning her focus back to Zada. “Now… what the hell is going on? Because if it’s got anything to do with pissing off M.A.D. then I might just be inclined to assist.”
