“Relax, Jack. Everything is within acceptable perimeters.”
General Henry’s words did little to ease my apprehension. I trusted his exact words before and ended up with a bullet in the belly and a Purple Heart commendation.
“What happens after stage three?” I demanded of Watson.
“I have no idea. We’ve not had one reach stage three until now. The meteor shower seems to have enhanced our—”
“That’s enough, doctor.” Henry snapped as he spun in Watson’s direction. “You don’t have clearance to tell him anything.”
“I want answers.”
“Just watch, Jack, I think you’ll be impressed.”
Smoltz rose up from the table and looked around. He appeared confused as if he’d never been inside the lab before. He sat like that for several minutes until General Henry turned on the light in the observation area where we all stood.
The light ruined the two-way mirror’s illusion. Smoltz instantly sprung from the table and flung his full weight against the glass. A spider web patterned crack formed in front of me and I involuntarily stepped back from the window. My hand found the 9mm holstered on my belt and I rested my palm on the hilt.
“That isn’t necessary, Jack.”
“Turn the light back off!”
General Henry ignored me. He still wore his sly smile as if the enraged corpse was as harmless as a butterfly.
Smoltz slammed against the window again. Several shards of glass landed on the floor in front of me.
General Henry stepped back beside me as he brushed debris from his chest.
“Major Maxwell, please take care of this.”
The beautiful red head removed her jacket, hung it on the back of Watson’s desk chair, and stepped toward the door leading into the lab. She wasn’t armed and, in my estimation, seriously lacked the attributes to physically handle someone of Smoltz’s bulk.
But she strode forward and opened the door.
Smoltz reacted immediately. He charged Major Maxwell like a savage, biting and ripping. Maxwell dodged his initial attack and caught the sergeant with a wheel kick in the back of his head. Her smooth, thin leg struck with the force of a hammer. The dead man slammed into the wall, leaving bits of flesh and blood on the white tiles. Before he had the chance to recover his balance, Maxwell grasped Smoltz’s left arm and wrenched it high up his back. The POP sound Smoltz’s shoulder made as she crushed it echoed like a gunshot.
My mouth hung agape as I stared at the spectacle in front of me. A burly, reanimated man pressed helplessly against the wall by a woman—no, girl would be a better term—less than half his size, with long slender legs better suited for sliding down chrome poles than karate kicks.
Major Maxwell cocked her head toward General Henry and me.
Henry nodded.
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