The corridor of offices led to intersecting halls of various laboratories, each with broad windows to give view to their specialized purposes. A room for analysis, another for developing hardware, a vast operating theater. All filled with advanced equipment and video and data collecting devices.
And all of them wrecked.
Lacey followed behind Dylan as closely as she could without getting in her way, wishing they were side-by-side and holding hands, like they had been when they were going to the ValuSave.
That had only been a couple of hours ago, she realized, and longed to have that comfort again, needing it to endure.
She contracted, held herself, keeping her mind occupied with the sorts of programming she would encounter at the tower. It was only guessing, but it was better than having to acknowledge the unpleasantness around her.
Dylan didn't bat an eye at the ravaged rooms around them, understanding at once.
The zombies had gotten in, bullied their way toward the staff, and grabbed whatever was available to use to kill them.
Bodies in white coats and military dress littered the chambers, resting in pools of blood, with more darkening red splattered across the walls and even the ceiling.
Attempts to defend themselves using rapid fire had equally failed, resulting only in even deadlier carnage.
It didn't take much imagination. It was exactly as Collier had said.
Dylan shook her head. "Fools," she said. "Should've used something blunt and smashed the shit out of them."
Dylan's sneakers squeaked on the waxed linoleum floor, while Lacey's flats clicked in step with her.
"Do you know where we're going?" Lacey asked.
"I've got an idea, yeah."
Dylan glanced at the wall to her side, at a thin streak of gelatinous slime, like mucus, and at the flecks of oily discharge along the floor, left by a zombie as it was coming in or going out. Either way, it would lead them to a door.
And then, about to turn a corner, Dylan suddenly halted, thrusting out an arm to keep Lacey from going any further, and shoved back a step.
Lacey had only briefly glimpsed it and had to willfully stifle a loud gasp, her body wracked by a fierce shudder in its wake.
Just past the edge of the wall, a zombie was waiting only two steps away at the center of the corridor.
It simply stood there, shifting and twitching in place, seemingly addled.
Dylan leaned back and turned, an inch from Lacey's face. "Stay here," she whispered. "Keep an eye on it. But don't let it see you." Lacey nodded. Dylan added, "Or smell you."
"What?!" Lacey whispered back.
"You use that shampoo that smells like cucumbers and mint."
"I thought you liked it."
"Yeah, I do," Dylan said grudgingly. "It's just strong. Watch that thing, I'll be right back."
Dylan jogged away.
Lacey waited against the corridor wall. It was a long minute before she found the strength to creep to its edge and gaze out at the shifting purple-red corpse.
Beads of its putrescence fell in strands to the floor, to its gnarled, decomposing feet, as it rasped emptily.
She had seen them before, in the dark of the apartment, the shadows of the streets, the night of the forest, but this was her first time seeing one under clean, sterile light. Some of its fluids had fermented, fizzing over limp cartilage. She could even see the marks where insects had eaten at the exposed bone.
As she watched, more than a few of those insects skittered out from its pockets and hollows.
Lacey paled, the contents of her stomach rising and readying to leave when she heard the light tap of Dylan's sneakers nearing.
She turned, instantly calming as her disgust and horror were replaced with utmost surprise. "Where did you get a sledgehammer?"
Dylan grinned widely, gripping the heavy instrument's rubber-coated shaft. Its silvery steel head shined brightly in the sharp xenon light. "She has a name," Dylan said, preparing herself. "Rocket Science!"
She charged into the hall then, took a wide stance, and swung the large hammer back. As the zombie turned, she struck its head, making its entire skull burst and splatter onto the floor.
The zombie staggered, and she bashed it in the remnants of its torso as forcefully as she could, so hard its sternum cracked.
It fell to the ground in a squirming, jerking heap.
Dylan stood a step from where its head had been, and swung the heavy hammer down on its remains, over and over, growling under her panting breath. "Take that, you fucking piece of shit!" she screamed.
Lacey stepped out, watching as the zombie's limbs flopped, trying to reach at Dylan, but unable. Its middle was reduced to grease and red mush, each swing landing with a clink as the steel struck the concrete floor. "Dylan!" she called.
Another swing, and Dylan let the hammer's head rest. She huffed over it, then glanced up at Lacey through the blonde curls over her eyes. "What?" she asked, panting.
Lacey's eyes became wet, and she released a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I love you. So much!" She sobbed. "I can't imagine any kind of future without you, and everything you are. You're so awesome and beautiful. And fearless! And funny and perfect. I never meant to hurt you. Please, don't be mad at me."
Lacey wiped away a tear, looking ahead still with pleading in her eyes.
Dylan looked away, gripping the sledgehammer so tightly her knuckles were white. Her grip finally relaxed and she righted, slumped. "Don't be sorry," she said. "You should be able to tell me how you feel without me getting shitty about it. That's what partners do. And… you were right."
"No! Really…"
"Yeah, you were!" Dylan spat, looking up. Lacey stilled. Tears streaked down Dylan's cheeks, and her lip quivered. "I know it! I know that, the things I do, they're safe and easy. I should want to be a better person, and if I really loved you I'd try harder for you. For us. So I'm sorry. Okay? I know I can change."
Lacey smiled. "I don't ever want you to change."
"I love you, Lacey," Dylan said. "Fuck, I love you."
Dylan jogged around the zombie, stomping on its hand and making it burst like old fruit, and embraced Lacey. Lacey tottered back from the bodily impact and then took Dylan in her arms and held her, prepared to never let her go.
They kissed passionately, feeling each other, squeezing each other desperately. A silent celebration. It was the first major bump in their relationship, a true landmark. And they had survived it together.
Dylan stepped back, a naughty grin playing at her still trembling lips. "Now let's go fuck up some zombies and save the city."
Lacey giggled, smiling as she nodded. "Yeah. Let's fucking do it!"
They took each other's hand and sprinted down the hall, toward the exit.