Like yesterday, Daniel pinned the feral zombies against the bars for Nina after the morning meeting. Wren got out of the dune buggy and began walking to the trailer, only to stumble and stand there as tremors jittered through her muscles.
"Wren?" I asked, already jogging toward her.
The tremors stopped as quickly as they began. She shook her head, raising a hand to her face. "Did—did I just black out?"
I slowed down. "If you did, it was only for a couple seconds."
"That kind of looked like the muscle tremors from the controlex," Ethan observed.
Nina finished administering the revised cure and took a few steps closer. "Such tremors are usually the result of a certain group of triggers changing or trying to change. They didn't look that stable in the blood sample from two days ago."
"C-could that be why I had a hard time eating dinner last night?" Wren asked, worry in her voice. "I just kept craving raw meat. I tried cooking some, but it didn't seem very appetizing."
"That could be a side effect of those triggers," Nina slowly said. "Ferals don't show any interest in human food. They'll sometimes eat cooked meat or jerky, but it's not common."
Wren sank to her knees, shaking her head as she whispered, "I don't want my mind to disappear..."
When her vibrant red eyes moved to Nina with a pleading look, the scientist hung her head. "I'm sorry, but the restoration serum isn't ready yet. The version I gave the zombies is a bit different from yesterday's formula, and apart from dozens of blood samples, it's untested. If it didn't hold those triggers in place long enough, it could turn you feral before it removed the zombie virus."
Her lip trembled. "What if I die like that zombie we found in town the other day?"
"I'm currently testing these two drugs in the last of your blood samples. We'll know more in eight hours, but if it had a similar success rate as yesterday's samples, it's too much of a risk to try it right now."
Wren shook her head wordlessly as her hands grasped clumps of grass.
"I've been noticing the bloodlust more as well," Jax admitted. "I doubt I'd be able to give a human a ride on the back of the dune buggy. What are the odds of me losing the Runner triggers?"
"Your markers are for a Runner," Nina told him. "The changes will stop once you reach that rank. Once you're a normal Runner, you could use the controlex or cure. Just not until the serum's changes have completely disappeared."
Wren quietly asked, "How much time do we have left?"
"I'm not sure. Your triggers seem to be coming undone faster than Jax's, and I'd need a blood sample to see where things are now."
Her grip on the grass increased. "Wh-what if I was in a cage and Daniel watched? Like you did with the zombies yesterday?"
Nina hesitated. "It's an option, but it's up to you."
Driven by desperation, Wren staggered to her feet and went to an empty cage. Nina readied her needle and vials as Daniel waited beside the bars. Wren put her arm through the bars, shivering as Daniel gently held it in place and prevented the possibility of her trying to grab Nina.
Nina was reaching out as Wren's other hand tried going through the bars, only to be caught by Daniel.
Wren gave a frustrated cry and slammed her head against the bars. "I'm so sorry!"
She didn't pull away from Daniel, so Nina took that as permission to continue. Once Nina was done and Daniel released Wren's wrists, she staggered against the back wall and sank to the ground.
"I think it's better if I just stayed in here," Wren mumbled, refusing to look up after her slip in control.
Nicky jumped out of the back of the truck. "If you're going through hell, keep on going because you sure don't want to stay where you're at. If you want walls around you, I suggest the trailer instead of a rustic jail cell, so get your butt out of there. Nina is working on a solution, so you'll get through this."
The zombie lifted her head to stare at Nicky, eventually saying, "That is the most bizarre pep talk I've ever had."
"Hey, I've spent a lot of time in jail cells. I know how boring they are. At least you can build a puzzle or something in the trailer. Unlike me, you didn't do anything wrong, so you shouldn't be stuck in there."
Wren opened her mouth, then closed it. Ethan wasn't so restrained by common courtesy and asked, "Why were you in jail so much?"
"I lost track of the infractions after the pile surpassed eight inches, but I think most of them were about annoying the public at large in some fashion or another. Daniel even built me my own time-out cage at Ironwind!"
Seizing the opportunity to distract the women, I said, "Wren, why don't you sit inside the trailer by the window, Nicky can use the chair outside, and she can tell you about all of her exploits?" When Wren hesitated, I added, "Make sure you ask her about the gorilla costume and her favorite turkey."
With curiosity burning in her eyes, she looked hopefully at Nicky.
"The turkey is more of a nightmare than an exploit, and it never resulted in jail time, but I'm all for talking about everything!"
That was enough to convince Wren to come out of the cage, although she made a beeline to the trailer, closing the door firmly behind her before appearing by the open window. Nicky dragged the chair closer while reassuring Wren that she could easily run to one of the empty cages and lock herself inside if a feral showed up.
I quietly asked Jax, "Mind swinging by here occasionally? Nicky is fast enough that she won't be in any danger, but it might put Wren's mind at ease."
He nodded, looking relieved to see the redhead talking animatedly with the self-exiled zombie in the trailer like nothing was wrong.
"I'll be out here with the assistants in an hour," Daniel said. "Ethan volunteered to go hunting, so he'll be back with some blood around the same time."
I nodded. It was all we could do for now. I just hoped it would be enough.
~
I tossed a soccer ball-sized rock out of the trench, forcing the dune buggy to brake hard.
"Sorry, I didn't realize you were that close." I raised my voice to be heard over the groaning and clanking of the backhoe working diligently to merge its trench with this one. More than a football field's worth of distance separated us, but the bucket made all sorts of racket as it clawed through the dirt and stones.
"Wren's having more blackouts," Jax told me, apparently far too distracted by his friend's condition to worry about almost being pegged by a sizeable rock.
I frowned. "Is she okay?"
"That really depends on how you define "okay". She's locked herself in the trailer and refuses to come out until all the humans are gone. She's safe enough for now, but I'm really worried about her."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked.
He slumped in his seat. "I'm not sure. Maybe an update from Nina on what her blood samples are doing?"
"I could do that. How are the zombies?"
"Most of them are starting to come to. One was trying to speak the last time I went by."
I jumped out of the trench. "I can go pester Nina. Mind giving me a lift part way there?"
"Sure."
The guards had left the gates open while they stood watch above, so I wandered through without having to wait. A quick sniff guided me to the assistant's lab, where Nina was in deep discussion with two others as they looked at a computer screen. I leaned against the wall and waited. Whatever it was, it had all of them examining and re-examining it with concerned expressions.
"If any two of these release, all three will go," Nina said, pointing to the screen.
"One has been unlocked for days, and the other two aren't stable."
Nina pursed her lips and flipped through a notebook. "If this follows the timelines seen in the controlex, we have less than two days left. Maybe even as little as a day."
The mention of the controlex made me ask, "Is this about Wren?"
They jumped at my voice. Nina recovered first, halfway accustomed to me simply appearing and knowing I wasn't a threat. "Yes. Her blackouts are caused by some triggers destabilizing."
"I'm guessing it isn't going to create the anti-human effect seen in controlex?"
Nina shook her head. "Pretty much the opposite. It makes them hyperfocus on humans."
I grimaced. "That was not the news I was hoping to take back."
"Please don't mention this yet, but the new restoration serum released the triggers in the proper order in every one of her blood tests. I have to talk with Ethan, but if the restoration serum works properly on the zombies today, we might let her try. It's earlier than I wanted,"—she waved at the screen—"but we're almost out of time."
"I'll tell her the blood tests are going well so far, but that you'll have more details for her later today. Since I need to take back some sort of gossip, what else do you have to offer?"
"The B-negative blood types aren't responding well, but they have always been problematic with these chemicals. I don't expect the zombie with that blood type to regain awareness."
Another woman said, "Bryer Stronghold officially extended an offer for us and Ethan to stay permanently. We agreed. There's nothing at Yersin, and even if Ethan cleared it, the memories would be too painful."
Tentatively, I inquired, "Isn't this place scared of him?" It was likely a touchy subject, but I was genuinely surprised that they were welcoming his presence after he'd single-handedly wiped out a different Stronghold.
She shrugged uncomfortably. "Kind of, but he's been doing his best to protect this place since he arrived. He has the controlex now, and like someone said, we're awakening a bunch of zombies who probably ate all manner of things we don't want to think about. But that was when they were zombies, so it's a grey area between 'they weren't in control' and 'they did those things even if they don't remember'."
"I can't see bandits or feral zombies being a concern with Ethan around," I said. "It's partially why Ironwind allows sane zombies to live there."
The woman hesitated, then asked, "You're a Nightstalker, aren't you?"
"Yes, why?"
She flushed. "Uh, I just wasn't sure." My head turned to face her, and under my silent scrutiny, she hunched her shoulders. "Sorry, I thought a Nightstalker would be grouchier after all the stories I've heard."
Nina touched her fingers to her lips as she tried not to laugh at the face I made.
"Some of us are more accustomed to scientists," I replied dryly.
"In general, most Nightstalkers don't have much tolerance for questions," Nina told her companions. "Trinity has been more than patient with me."
"You got growled at a few times," I reminded her, keeping a straight face as the two assistants shifted uneasily.
She shrugged. "It let me know when I was inadvertently stepping over the boundaries. Even Daniel growled at me a few times during the early days."
Now that was a detail I hadn't been aware of. Nina shuffled through her papers and turned the discussion back to the restoration serum as I contemplated how hard it might be to get Daniel or Nina to tell those stories.
The mention of Wren's name had me shaking my head and refocusing on the conversation at hand. As intriguing as the stories sounded, our priority was Wren, and those blackouts were a warning sign of what was coming.
~
I stood beside the trailer with Wren while Nicky, Logan, Daniel, and the assistants helped nine humans into the back of the two trucks. A man—the one with the B-negative blood type—lay in a cage yet again.
Wren shuddered and took a step forward. I grabbed her wrist and spun her around with a light growl. Crimson red eyes glared at me as her lips raised to flash her teeth—then she blinked and awareness returned.
"Oh, no. It—it happened again, didn't it?"
I nodded idly, hoping she wouldn't feel too bad, but she buried her face in her hands. Her blackouts were happening more frequently, and to make things worse, she was moving and acting while unaware of what was going on. During those few seconds, she behaved exactly like a feral zombie.
Ethan had stopped to watch us, and I quietly told him, "Things are getting worse. If Nina is going to make that offer, it would be wise to do so before nightfall. I doubt she will make it until morning."
His concerned gaze lingered on her as he nodded. He got into one truck while Daniel drove the other back to the Stronghold. Even if Wren hadn't asked me to stay with her, I would have remained nearby in case her control slipped further.
I wasn't exactly great company, but my silent presence seemed to reassure her as she leaned back in a chair. She allowed herself to close her eyes, relaxing now that the humans had left and trusting me to keep an eye on her if she blacked out again.
Sooner than I expected, the grating of tires on gravel announced the return of a vehicle. Wren opened her eyes in surprise and sat up. It was unusual to see Ethan driving Nina around; Daniel was probably helping the newly awakened. Or maybe he decided the restoration serum was Ethan's prerogative.
"How are you feeling?" Nina asked as she got out and stood in front of the truck.
"Like my mind is coming undone," Wren said glumly, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm having at least two blackouts every hour, and I'm not in control during those times. Could-could I please have the restoration serum? Please?" She stared at the scientist pleadingly.
"That's actually what I came out here to discuss," Nina replied. "Some of your triggers are becoming unstable, and they're among the last sanity-related ones. The serum worked on nine out of ten zombies, and I know the tenth one was because of his blood type. If your triggers weren't close to releasing, I'd advise waiting, but—"
"But I don't have that much time," Wren finished for her. She rested her elbows on her knees, somberly adding, "Either I turn in a day or two, or the serum speeds it up. And I can't trust myself with these blackouts."
Nina nodded slowly in acceptance of those facts. "The restoration serum worked in all your blood tests, but there's still a chance it will do something unexpected."
"Even if I go feral because of this, I trust you to keep trying until you bring me back." Wren attempted a wry smile. "But I'd rather not go feral, and the serum is my best chance."
"Due to the chemicals involved, this won't be the most pleasant experience," Nina warned as she opened a plastic case and held up a needle with fluid inside.
Wren stood up. "These blackouts and not knowing if my mind is going to come back each time isn't a pleasant experience either. I know it's a risk, but it's one I'm willing to take."
Nina passed Ethan the needle. "Anywhere in the upper arm should work. A vein, if possible."
Taking a deep breath, Wren held out her arm as Ethan approached with an apologetic smile. She visibly braced herself as he entered her personal space. She slowly exhaled when he inserted the needle into her skin and gritted her teeth when he pressed the plunger.
"Thank you," she told the scientist and overpowered Terror as she rubbed her arm, her nails digging in and leaving red marks on her skin.
"You're welcome," Nina replied. "If you could take notes in a journal, I'd really appreciate it. Time, side effects, and so on."
"Of course. I think I will rest in the trailer, just in case," Wren said, following her words as she opened the door. She paused. "Thank you again."
The faint creaking of a chair wasn't close to a window, so she must not want company right now.
I walked beside Ethan as he returned to the truck, saying, "A penny for your thoughts."
He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "My thoughts are all jumbled together. I'm hoping it works. I'm worried it's too early. That we were too late. That we're missing something."
"You're doing the best you can do with what you know," I quietly told him.
"Thanks."
I stopped and watched as they got into the truck and drove away. My eyes drifted to the man they had reinfected earlier. He still lay motionless, but it was a reminder that the new drug wasn't fully functional yet. The other nine had recovered though.
My emotions were just as mixed as Ethan's were. At first, I lingered nearby, but the wait was torture, and Wren was out of sight. I went back to the trench to distract myself.
Regan drifted by for an update, but when he heard Wren had received the serum, he promptly kicked me out of the trench and sent me back to keep an eye on her. "I'll watch the south," he said firmly. "She trusts you more than most. Someone should be with her in case she needs support."
There was no way to argue with that, so I returned to the clearing.
Wren opened the window as I walked past, so I asked, "How are you holding up?"
"It burns," she admitted. Despite her words, she looked more like her usual relaxed, easy-going self than she had in days. "But I feel much better. My head is clearer, and I haven't blacked out in over an hour."
She took another bite of a half-eaten sandwich as I settled into a chair to maintain my vigil. It was a companionable silence as she worked on a jigsaw puzzle, and I gazed at the forest while monitoring the scents in the air. Jax checked on us regularly as the hours drifted past.
As the sun descended to the horizon, Wren's scent began to shift, and the zombie tang weakened. The dune buggy entered the clearing again and stopped in front of the door.
"Mind passing me my backpack?" he asked her when she opened the door. "I'm going to stay at the house on the other side of the forest."
She bit her lip but retrieved the backpack and brought it out for him. His nostrils flared at the emerging human undertones.
"I'll be back in a few minutes," I said, getting up and slipping into the forest to give them some privacy.
When I returned, Jax had left, and Wren sat by the window again. She leaned back in her chair and dozed, her muscles occasionally twitching as she slept. The light dwindled from the sky as the man in the cage thrashed in seizures. Eventually he stilled, then rose with red eyes.
Wren slept through it, for which I was grateful. That wasn't something she needed to see right now. As much as I wanted to enter the forest and enjoy the night, I remained where I was in case she woke up.
The stars shone overhead as a shadow emerged from the trees. I gave Regan a faint growl of welcome which he returned.
"Her scent is almost completely human," he commented.
"Only about half an hour to go."
He was silent for some time. "A drug capable of restoring even the most feral zombie to their human self will change a lot."
I nodded in agreement. It would take years, decades probably, for humankind to reclaim their friends and family, but the hope shone just as brightly as the stars overhead.
~
Wren practically skipped beside me as we walked to our usual meeting place. The sun was only starting to peek above the horizon, but she hadn't been able to stay inside the trailer any longer.
The rumble of the dune buggy came from around the corner. Jax must not have been able to sleep in either. The stress lines on his face morphed into a relieved smile when he saw her walking.
"It worked!" she exclaimed, holding both thumbs up. She spun around with a giddy laugh, unable to contain herself and reminding me a lot of Jess when she got overexcited.
"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that," he said as he stopped the dune buggy nearby.
Wren clasped her hands in front of her, her brown eyes dancing in happiness. "These human emotions will take some getting used to. My immediate reaction was to run over and hug you!"
He laughed, probably the first genuine laugh I'd heard from him, and said, "Give me a few weeks until I can take the cure and can properly appreciate it."
The smile she flashed him promised more than a hug. Zombies might not experience romantic feelings, but she was no longer a zombie.