Avril nodded. “I agree with Darc.”
The medic hissed out a breath. “Sir? Ma’am?”
They all turned and Nik got a look at the man’s injured leg.Uh oh.The agent was clearly part-aquatic, obvious fromhis large eyes and the pale blue tint to his skin. There were bloody claw marks at his ankle, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was the black, sludge-like substance they could see under the man’s blue skin, working its way up his veins.
“What the hell?” Datarr’s face was sheened with sweat. “Get it out. Please! Get it out.”
The medic lifted a medscope. “I’ve already tried the medscope…it had no effect. I’ll give you an antibiotic, but I think we need to get you back to the ship and into the medbay.”
He gave a jerky nod, then he stiffened like he’d been hit by an electrical shock.
Galen frowned. “Datarr?”
Suddenly Datarr swung out. He backhanded the medic and she fell to the floor with a sharp cry. Another agent, a tall, brawny man who towered over Datarr, dived at him.
Datarr’s hand shot out and he grabbed the other agent around the neck and lifted him an inch off the ground.
Fuck. Nik took a step back and raised his pistol.
Datarr pulled the struggling guard closer and made a noise. A growl.
He turned and they all saw that his wide eyes were changing, blackness leaking into them.
“God, what the fuck?” Galen stared, his gun aimed at his agent.
Suddenly, Nera flew forward and jumped into the air, her sword glinting above her head. One quick, controlled swing of her blade and Datarr’s head was removed from his body. It hit the floor and rolled, and his body collapsed.
The tall agent stumbled backward, his gaze horrified. The medic got to her feet, shaking a little.
Nera straightened. Black blood ran down her sword. “I suggest you check they aren’t infected, then have your teamdecapitate the rest of the bodies before they also decide to feast on our insides.”
Galen gave Nera a hard stare, then he turned with a jerk and nodded to his team. “Do as she says.”
“Zombies.” Avril held a closed fist pressed to her chest, her eyes as wide as moons. “They’re zombies.”
Niklas frowned. It was an old Earth term for reanimated corpses that rose from the dead with a hunger for flesh. He suspected there was a scientific reason for this. Most likely a virus, no doubt mutated by radiation. Reanimation of corpses was abhorred throughout the galaxy, but it did happen. Zayn and Ria knew that better than anybody. He looked at the bodies littering the ground. Still, this was something far, far worse than recycling bodies.
“I suggest we get back to the ship and recall the other team as well,” Galen said. “Until we have a better handle on this situation.”
Gunn snorted. “I am out ofhere.”
Avril cast one wistful glance at the artifacts, then nodded at Galen. “Do it.”
After the gruesome task of decapitating the bodies was carried out, the group moved out together.
“It seems wrong to leave them here,” Avril said.
“We can’t risk any contamination on the ship.” Galen’s tone was as hard as stone.
They kept moving and everyone had their weapons drawn. Nik stayed close to Nera. She held her sword in a relaxed grip but was watchful. He was pleased to see Jonas move in beside them, a laser pistol in his hand.
“Okay, Jonas?” Nik asked.
The younger man nodded. “Wasn’t expecting zombies, though.”
“None of us were. Good job on the Olmec head and the skull.”
Jonas flicked a glance his way. “It’s a good start. Sun Stone tops it though.”
