Read Thirteen Roses Book Two: After: A Paranormal Zombie Saga for Free Online

deep breath.  
    'Where are you going?' Luke asked.  
    'I need to get some lunch.'
    'Is there a cure yet?'
    He shook his head.  
    'Then you don't need lunch. You need to keep working.'
    'Luke, look…' There was no way this was going to end well. 'Look, the cure. Whoever it was changed my equation, they did things I don't understand. I can't just create a cure based on what's there; I have to understand it first. And I don't. At all.'
    'Why do you have to understand it?'
    Luke's voice was calmer than he'd anticipated, which was either a good thing or something to be scared about. Maybe he just hadn't got the point yet.  
    'Without understanding it, I'm just guessing. I could do this for decades and not get any closer.'
    The frown grew deeper. 'Are you saying you can't create a cure?'
    Alex shrugged evasively. 'Not can't, exactly, but it's very unlikely.'
    'I see. That's unfortunate.'
    Alex stuck his chin out and glared. His hands slipped unobtrusively beneath his armpits. 'So what, are you going to kill me now, or take my hands away?'
    Luke chuckled and shook his head. 'As tempting as that is, I think the alternative will be far worse. You've created a disease and very soon you'll have to live with the consequences. That'll be much worse than anything I can do. I've been wondering what'll happen to babies in the womb. Perhaps they'll zombiefy and eat their way out of their mothers...'
    He drifted off and went to stroll past Alex, a wry, sickening smile on his lips. Alex grabbed his arm and Luke froze, looking down at the hand. Their eyes met and Alex refused to look away. It was like a bee had got stuck inside his head and the buzzing grew louder and louder, but still he stared.  
    Eventually the buzzing faded and Luke nodded, maintaining eye contact. Alex wanted to punch him. More than anything, he wanted to take a swing and feel the impact. It would probably break his hand but it'd be worth it, just for the look on the bastard's face.
    'Fine, so what do we do? I can't make a cure and we can't let it happen, so what do we do?'
    Luke smiled and Alex wondered whether he'd planned this entire thing. There was something self-satisfied in the way he sighed and ambled up the street towards the shops.  
    'Well, that's an excellent question. I've spent the last few days searching for something and as luck would have it, I found it.'
    He dug in his pocket and removed a small bag the colour of blood. He stopped and tipped the contents of the bag into his hand. A jewel, the same colour as the bag and cut into a simple square, glowed in the sunlight. He juggled it gently in his palm, watching Alex as he watched the stone.  
    'What is it?' Alex asked.
    'A gemstone.' Alex gave him a look and he shrugged. 'What question are you asking?'
    'Fine. What does it do, what's the point of it?'
    'It was blessed, a long time ago, by a man considerably holier than me. It should be a direct route to the Father, if I can get the words right.'
    'Do you know the words?'
    'I do. I think.'
    'So who's the Father?'
    Luke looked at him, smiling wryly. 'Take a guess. I'll only give you one.'
    'You know I'm not going to say what you want me to say.'
    'Frankly, I don't give a toss what you say. All you need to decide is whether you're ready to have your opinions changed. If so, grab some lunch and let's get going.'
    He strolled off and Alex stayed where he was, watching the strange man get further away. What would happen? His curiosity alone was enough to get him moving. What if the stone was radioactive in some way? But if that was the case, it was probably too late already.
    He picked up his pace. 'What are you going to say to him?'
    'I'm going to call him a bastard and ask him why he lets his people scheme and connive under his nose without doing anything about it. Then I'm going to explain that we screwed up and ask for help.'
    'Would it perhaps be a good plan to ask for the help before you insult him? It's just a thought, I don't know, just seems a