Odd Jobs for the Undead - A Zombie For Hire Story

Chapter 16

My second day of work did not start off as well as the first. For one thing, my ride to the WexlerPharma offices was spent staring into the irritatingly polite face of Mr. Ffinch, two f's. We chatted about the weather. He asked where I found my wardrobe and complimented me on my running suit. We even spent five minutes talking about the Giants' prospects for another World Series shot, a subject about which I know nothing. By the time the limo pulled up to the loading docks, I would have gladly cooperated with any request Ms. Sherwood made so long as I didn't have to listen to any more of Ffinch's chit chat.

The two goons who were attached to me at the hip helped me out of the Hummer and held onto my arms while Ffinch went up the stairs to the metal door. He rapped on it three times with his knuckles and the door was almost immediately opened by Nina, the freckle faced lab tech.

"Gordon!" she squealed. "I'm so glad you made it!"

Nina held the door open so Ffinch and the two other muscle heads could walk me through the opening and into the hallway.

"You may go now," she said authoritatively to the goons.

"I'm sure Ms. Sherwood would like us to escort Mr. Gordon to your lab," Ffinch said politely.

"Well its my lab, and my experiment," she said, practically pouting. "You're not going to run off or anything, are you Gordon?"

"No, of course not," I agreed. "Thanks for the ride guys."

Ffinch gave Nina a thin smile.

"Off with you," she said.

"Certainly, Ms. Reid," he said, and motioned for my escorts to unhand me.

Nina waited for the metal door to clang closed behind them, then grabbed my arm and whispered to me conspiratorially.

"I'm really sorry about that. Ms. Sherwood told them to make sure you got here okay and that nothing happened to you. Ffinch always takes things a little too seriously, if you know what I mean."

"So if I don't feel like working today, I could just go?" I asked.

Nina started to pout again, crossing her arms across her chest.

"But I'd be so upset if you did! Without you my whole project would be set back months. Please, please, please stay," she begged, bouncing up down as she said it.

"I wouldn't want you to get behind," I told her.

The pouting frown was replaced by a wide grin.

"That's my zombie! C'mon then, I can't wait to get started. We have a new mono-molecular bonding agent we want to incorporate into the deodorizing aerosol today that will really toast Fuch's theory of olfactory sensitivity if it works!"

Nina led me down the hall and continued to go into great detail about her work in words I didn't understand. I nodded along.

"So that movie really nailed it, smelling something is just like eating it," she was explaining to me when we reached her lab. Nina pushed open the door and all but pushed me inside. The room, which had been a filled with activity the day before was empty. Nina followed behind me and promptly put her hand on her hips and made an unhappy hrrumping sound.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"My team has apparently decided to take a collective coffee break," she said, red fury coloring her freckled cheeks. "Could you wait right here?" she asked, then stormed out of the lab without waiting for an answer.

For the first time since Ffinch had interrupted my breakfast I found myself without an escort. I momentarily considered making a run for it, but despite Nina's affirmations that I was free to go, I doubted I'd make it far without a challenge that would end up with me right back there. And I had wanted to come find out what had happened to the scientist I met yesterday.