Read Skeleton Crew for Free Online

yet. They’re calling it ‘The Miracle in the Projects.’”
    â€œOh, fuck me. Zombies?”
    â€œYeah. Maybe a hundred.”
    â€œJesus Christ. What’s happening there now?” I heard Adan take a deep breath. “We’re losing it, Domino. I think we maybe lost it already. They’re taking them to the hospitals. There’s not much we can do about it.”
    â€œWhat’s Mobley doing?”
    â€œCommunity service. He’s got his posses out there helping with the relief effort. But you can forget about getting him to sit down with Terrence. There won’t be any sit-down, not after this.”
    â€œStupid fucking Wale,” I said, and slammed the receiver against my skull a few times.
    â€œWhat are we going to do, Domino?”
    I really had no idea but I had to think of one, fast. “It sounds like containment isn’t an option. We’ve got to start thinking about a cleanup. I’m not as worried about the projects, but we’re going to have to put soldiers in the hospitals.”
    Adan laughed and there was an ugly edge to it. “That’s it? You want to send death squads to the hospitals? Domino, it’s on the news!”
    â€œOkay, not our soldiers. We’ll handle the projects—we won’t attract much attention there. We can send the fey to the hospitals. They can deal with the zombies and glamour the civilians. They can keep a lid on it, if anyone can.”
    â€œThat might work, if Oberon agrees to help. You’ll be indebted to him, though.”
    I didn’t answer. If I played my cards right I wouldn’t need Oberon for this. “Why don’t you go ahead and say it, Adan.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œI told you so. You’re thinking it, might as well be man enough to say it.”
    The line was silent for a few moments. “I wasn’t thinking it, Domino. You didn’t know Simeon Wale was going to do this. And the zombie problem definitely isn’t your fault.”
    â€œIt was my plan to send Wale over, and it went about as wrong as a plan can go.”
    â€œLook, I’m not going to pretend I agreed with your decision. I didn’t, but not because I anticipated anything like this.”
    â€œNo, you were just worried it would involve us in the conflict, that it would escalate and pull us in. You were right.”
    â€œMaybe,” Adan said. “And maybe next time I’ll be the one who fucks up. The truth is, I’ve been at this, what, ten weeks? Most of the time I’m just bluffing my way through and hoping no one notices. Neither one of us is my father, Domino. We need each other to do this thing.”
    â€œI’ll try.”
    â€œAs will I, starting now. I’ll take care of Imperial Courts. You handle the hospitals.”
    â€œDone,” I said. “Call me.”
    â€œI will. Good luck.”
    â€œYou, too. And Adan?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œThanks,” I said and hung up the phone.
    Â 
    â€œHoney,” I called. I’d thrown on some clothes and I was in the kitchen nuking a frozen snack. Honey flew in from the second bedroom she and her family had converted into the Enchanted Forest.
    â€œMorning, Domino. What’s for breakfast?”
    â€œHot Pocket,” I said, and looked at the box. “Ham and Cheddar.”
    â€œUgh. I don’t see how you can eat that stuff.”
    â€œI’m not in the mood for a burrito. Say, Honey, how do feel about killing zombies?”
    Honey’s face brightened and her wings scattered orange pixie dust. “Did you get an Xbox?”
    â€œNo, I mean real ones.”
    â€œOh. I’ve never killed one. I bet it’s not as fun as it is in the games.”
    â€œProbably not, but do you think you could handle some zombies?”
    â€œAre they really slow, like in the movies?”
    â€œI don’t know. I’ve only seen two of them. I think it depends on how long