Dead Matter

“I don’t think so,” he said. Co

Something in me let go and I lunged for him. Co

“Let go of me, kid,” Co

“Oh, but you’re not on Departmental time, remember?” I said, tightening my grip. “You’re off the company clock.” I clamped down around Co

“Some friend,” Co

“Jane’s missing because we were trying to help you,” I said, trying to reason with him.

“I didn’t ask you for that,” Co

“What the hell has gotten into you?” I said. My arms were burning from keeping up the pressure on him. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold on. “There are things out there more important than our day job!”

“Like family?” Co

“Look, I’m sorry we never found your brother,” I said, pushing him away from me. I fell back on the couch and Co

Co

“Jesus, kid, I take a little time off and you go and grow a pair…” He rubbed his jaw, pausing his hand as if he really felt the scruff of his beard for the first time. Favoring his right leg and limping with his left, Co

He turned and headed for his front door.

“Dude,” I said, stopping him with a single word.

Co

“You can’t go out like that,” I said. “You stink. You’re covered in bits of grass and mud from the graveyard, and there’s still dried blood caked in your hair and beard. I think you might want to clean yourself up a bit before we attempt to infiltrate the Gibson-Case Center.”

Co

“Feel free to take a quick shower,” I said. “I don’t want us getting kicked out because they think you’re there begging for change.”

Co

While he showered, I fought the urge to pace nervously by busying myself cleaning up his apartment a little. I was glad I had my gloves on, not to keep my powers from triggering but to keep whatever new life-forms that were growing in here from harming me. Most of the pizza boxes had odds and ends of pizza left in them, some of which I dubbed former pizza, as it seemed to have developed into a new phase of life. The contents of just that filled two giant trash bags and I left them tied off by Co

I was throwing two of his windows open to air the place out when he came back down his hall. I turned to him. Co

“You look almost human,” I said, “and you shaved.”

Co

“You look good. With your face shaved and no more blood in your hair, there’s only the slight swelling around the eyes that make you look a little Stay Puft.”

Co

“Jesus, kid. I feel like I should tip you or something.”

“Yeah, well, I left my biohazard suit at home or I would have done more,” I said, motioning toward the front door. Co

Co

12

We hurried back to the Gibson-Case Center, entering the atrium by the same main doors that Jane and I had used. I started across the lobby, but stopped when I noticed Co

“You okay?”

Co

“Fu

Co

I wasn’t sure if he was being serious or not. Right now wasn’t the best time to test his mental stability. I needed him focused.

“Let’s take it easy, then,” I said, although every bit of my being was screaming to go find Jane and help her as quickly as I could. I put my shoulder under his right arm and helped him across the crowded garden and shopping area of the atrium until I found the kiosk where Jane had disappeared.

“This the spot?” he asked, circling it in long, slow steps.

I nodded.

Co

I watched him with a creeping sense of horror coming over me. Maybe he wasn’t in the best state of mind to help me with this.

“I don’t think she can hear you,” I said, looking around. A few of the people passing by were staring at us.

“You sure about that, kid?” He stood up, his face serious and looking a bit more like the Co

“Well, no,” I said. My face turned red, the blood rushing to it. I felt like an idiot. “I’m not sure about anything right now.”