Read The Fall (Book 2): Dead Will Rise for Free Online Page B

a flash of insight like many he'd had in the past, but more a final conclusion that his theory was the most likely explanation. A sense of certainty bordering on absolute.
    Kell thought out the possibilities, then opened a small safe in the corner. Though he had to remove the contents blind, the space too small and cramped for him to do more than awkwardly crouch in, he was infinitely careful. Fingers graced the sides of cool glass tubes, vacuum-sealed plastic halfway down the sides. Deep-seated rubber corks, sealed as well as he could manage. All sitting in a padded rack with ties holding the tubes in place.
    He sat back, prize in hand. Each of the tubes, filled only a few days before, held two things. The first was a small piece of venison, straight from the chopping block and bloody. The second, small biopsied sections of lung from the same person.
    Ten samples of what everyone in North Jackson called The New Plague. Another name Kell rolled his eyes at, and again accurate despite its drama.
    A knock from the bedroom door, followed by Laura, who stopped short when she saw what Kell was holding.
    “Do you think it's a good idea to have that out?” she asked. “I got those samples because you asked, but I'd rather you not spill that shit in the RV while I still live here.”
    “I won't.”
    “Good, because that stuff is dangerous. We missed the worst of it living away from everyone, but it killed a lot of people before someone figured out how to treat it. Even now cases still pop up, or I wouldn't have been able to get those for you.”
    Turning the tray of tubes over in his hands, Kell mused. “You told me the way this 'new plague' was finally treated was with very hot air, correct?”
    Laura nodded.
    Kell ran a finger along his bottom lip. “Seems pretty lucky, doesn't it? That hot air would stall this version of Chimera?”
    She shrugged. “Not really. People have noticed almost since the beginning that zombies don't like temperature extremes.”
    Leaning forward suddenly, eyes alight, Kell nodded. “Yes. The organism mutated to adjust for cold temperatures, but never managed to do so for heat. Convenient. In fact, I think it's a shade too lucky.”
    Laura's brows knitted. “What do you mean?”
    “I think this is engineered. A fail-safe inserted by the men who took my work before it was ready. I'm not sure how they did it, but I know they did. It's the only thing that fits. We tested Chimera in all sorts of environments, including pairing it with heat-resistant bacteria. It never had a problem in our trials.”
    “How does that help us?” Laura asked.
    Kell shook the rack of vials slightly, sloshing around the devoured protein inside. “This is the key. Think about it, Laura. It's a version of the plague that tries to overwrite other strains. We know it makes people sick, living people I mean, but do we have any idea what it does to the undead?”
    She paused, considering. “No, I don't think I've heard anyone mention it.”
    “I didn't think so. If it affects the dead, they'd probably remain in their hibernation state to fight the infection. We probably would've overlooked every clue. We need to test it.”
    He removed three of the vials in a blink, yanking the ties holding them in the rack loose. Laura stepped forward, put a hand on his arm.
    “Whoa, there. Hang on. Do you think it's a good idea to go opening those around here? Jesus, Kell, think about what you're doing.”
    He hesitated, though there was no trace of contrition in his eyes. “You're right. We should wait until we're stopped for the night.”
    Laura pinched the bridge of her nose. Kell could swear he heard her counting down from ten under her breath. “That's what I came in here to tell you. We're camping for the evening. We put it to a vote,” she said, talking over his squawks of protest. “Yours wouldn't have made a difference. The consensus is to hunker down here, let scouts clear the road ahead, and if this is a marauder trap,