Read Dying to Live for Free Online Page B

Why wasn’t it dead?” Pete fought internally to block out the flood of sci-fi movies that were trying to replay in his head.
    “It couldn’t die,” Xin stated simply.
    “I see.” Pete scratched his head thoughtfully, “and naturally this would be of great curiosity to government research bodies,” Pete said, rolling his eyes.
    “Exactly, but that’s where my knowledge diminishes. I know they found something and I know there were experiments. This was all top secret of course. Somebody like me wouldn’t just be given this information but I was being sent out to examine some kind of bonded protein cells. My conclusion would be that they found some kind of cellular extract in the alien that bonded efficiently with human protein cells, creating some kind of hybrid.”
    “Right, so wading through all the science,” he said with an apologetic look. “You’re basically saying that they mixed alien bits with human bits and made zombies?”
    “Yes and no. It was hinted to me that they weren’t the only experiments, and I doubt that just splicing the two would have such an effect. But honestly, I doubt there are any records of what happened anymore. At this stage there will be another cover up under way and they will have been destroyed.” Xin sighed and Pete watched as she scooped back the hair that was hanging around her face, and tied it up with a hair band that she had around her wrist.
    “Okay, and we come into all of this, where exactly?” Pete asked earnestly.
    “My bosses told me not to carry on to America, but I have to go and see what’s left and what I can do. That’s why I’m here. I guess I start by examining one of the infected...” Before she finished, Pete cut in.
    “So, you expect to take all this on by yourself? Are you insane? No way am I going to let you try to fix all of this single-handedly.” He was outraged, not at her but at the idea that something so big could fall onto the shoulders of this one woman.
    “Are you saying... you’ll help me?” She asked hesitantly.
    “I guess I am. Yeah,” He said it confidently. He wasn’t guessing at all. He was totally sure that he wasn’t going to stand by and let Xin fight her way through, what was sure to be, one hell of a battle. He definitely wouldn’t let her do it all alone. “So, we’re going to be the ones who would get everyone shouting at their television screens if this was a film? The crazy bastards who go right into the middle of it all looking for the monsters?” He laughed.
    “Are you always so happy in the face of a crisis?” Xin asked, smiling despite herself.
    “You bet. If I’m going to get my brains eaten, then I’m at least going to make some jokes about it before hand,” he smiled, but when she looked away he downed the last of his alcohol in one swig.
    Pete and Xin were just starting to float some ideas around, when a mobile phone buzzed. Pete reached for his own pocket, as Xin pulled out her phone.
    “Oh!” she exclaimed. When she read the message her heart swelled. “I know it’s a big risk, especially since we don’t know how bad it is already. But I think we may need to wait until this evening to do anything. The message was delayed. Looking at the time stamp on the message, this was sent hours ago, but it says that my boss is coming. He’s bringing something important too. We could use all the help we can get.” She looked up at Pete with wide eyes and they both wondered what the, ‘something important,’ could be.
     
    As it was just a little before dinner time, the two decided to head down to the hotel restaurant for something to eat. Although neither had noticed, they were both ravenously hungry and chatted amicably as they ate. Pete listened as Xin told him about Dr Yuan. He thought that the guy sounded nice enough and she obviously thought highly of him. However, a part of Pete wondered, what kind of person would have just left her to head out into such danger with no argument at all?