Ex-Heroes by Peter Clines

Author:Peter Clines
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: apocalyptic, end of the world, horror, heroes, permuted press, postapocalyptic, comic heroes, zombies, living dead, walking dead, george romero, apocalypse, comic books, peter clines, superheroes
Publisher: Peter Clines
Published: 2010-10-25T05:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Gorgon scowled across the table. “What’s he doing here?”

Josh sighed and turned to St. George. “I told you this would be a waste of time.”

“He is here because I asked him to be,” said Stealth.

“Why?” asked Danielle. “Connelly’s our senior doctor. If anyone should be here it’s her.”

“Because he understands the virus,” said Stealth. “And he understands us.”

“And Doctor Connelly’s setting a broken arm right now,” said Josh. “Nice to see you, too, Danielle.”

Barry placed his palms on the table and hefted himself up out of the wheelchair. He swung his butt onto the tabletop. There were half a dozen pictures of the prisoner scattered across Stealth’s usual collection of maps.

“You are all aware of this new development. The Seventeens have found a means of keeping their intellect and awareness when they transform into exes. It would appear they still pose a threat to us.” She held up one of the photographs. “Eduardo, last name unknown. He claims to be here under the orders of the gang’s boss, an individual by the name of Peasy. According to Gorgon, the number and style of Eduardo’s tattoos indicate he has only been with the Seventeens for a few months at best, which would be the proper rank for such an assignment.”

Danielle blinked. “They’re still initiating people?”

Gorgon nodded. “It’s what they do. The gang just exists to grow, build up prestige, grab territory. There’s no outside system left, but they still want the power.”

“Next question,” said St. George. “Have many of the Seventeens changed? Are most of them exes?”

“I dropped over a dozen of them when they attacked the other night. They’re still alive. The majority of them, at least. And all five prisoners were alive when they were brought in.”

“Are you sure your power doesn’t work on the...” St. George shrugged. “On the smart ones? Maybe they’re different somehow.”

“I tried Eduardo in the cell. No effect. He’s dead.”

“About that,” asked Barry, “did all the prisoners change?”

Stealth set her fist on the table and rested on her knuckles. “The two who committed suicide both became exes. So far only Eduardo has shown signs of intelligence.”

“And we’re sure he’s intelligent? Not just spitting out words like a parrot or something?”

“As of yesterday he has taken part in three conversations. He is making definite, deliberate responses.”

“Just playing devil’s advocate,” said Barry, “but we’re usually fighting with the Seventeens over food and resources. From what I’ve heard so far, it sounds like these smart ones don’t go chasing after people. I mean, none of them actually need to eat to survive, right?”

Josh nodded. “Eating seems to slow down decomposition somehow, on a minimal level, but it doesn’t sustain them. We think it’s just some sort of basic, primal urge from the reptilian part of the brain, one of the only things that still works.”

“Good thing that’s the only primal urge they act on,” murmured Barry. It got a few chuckles.

“So this could be a good thing,” tossed out St. George. “A new breed of exes that don’t need to kill people.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.