We push on, Dr. Cerveris calling the shots, leading the way. I ask Reilly about Mr. Burke, if he's safe. Reilly says he doesn't think my ex-teacher is in the complex at the moment, though he can't be sure. I start to ask Dr. Cerveris, but then he stops at another door and tells Reilly to open it.
Rage steps out, cool as you like. He raises an eyebrow at us and grins. "Are we going on a picnic?"
"This is no time for levity," Dr. Cerveris snaps. "The complex has come under attack from an unidentified enemy."
"I heard," Rage nods. "There was all sorts of fighting going on outside my door. I was confused at first. Then I figured it out." He cracks his knuckles. "How bad are things, sir?"
"Critical," Dr. Cerveris mutters. "The complex has been overrun. Our forces will regain control eventually, even if extra troops have to be summoned, but I have no confidence that stability will be resumed anytime soon. Our lives are in very real danger."
"Do we have a plan?" Rage asks as we jog on, only Danny left to gather.
"Once we're all together, we'll lock ourselves into a secure room and wait."
"That's all you've come up with?" Rage asks Reilly, chuckling bleakly.
"Just be glad we came for you," Reilly snaps. "We could have left you to rot."
"Oh, I am glad, sir, truly," Rage says. Then, to my astonishment, he slams an elbow into Reilly's nose, dropping the soldier to the floor. As Reilly slumps with a muffled yelp, Rage grabs the soldier's gun and takes it from him.
"What the hell are you - " Dr. Cerveris starts to roar.
Rage turns and jabs a finger into the doctor's eye, popping it as easily as he would a grape. As the scientist screams, Rage sucks on his finger. "Yummy," he grins. Then his face goes hard and he drives his hand through the side of Dr. Cerveris's skull, cracks it open and scoops out a handful of brain.
My field of vision narrows when I spot the fresh chunks of brain. Pain shoots through me, but it's a pleasurable pain. My mouth falls open and I advance, the other zom heads shuffling with me, all of us focused on the juicy substance in Rage's hand.
"Nuh-uh," Rage jeers, and thrusts the fistful of brain into his mouth. He chews with relish and kicks back Peder as he darts towards the one-eyed doctor. "He's all mine," Rage barks, and swiftly shovels out more of the dead man's brain.
I feel disappointment and start to turn away, looking for a victim of my own. Then my senses click back into place and I shake my head.
"What have you done?" I roar, startling the others. They lose their vacant look.
Rage is smirking. "A growing boy needs his vittles, that's what my gran used to say."
He drops the carcass of Dr. Cerveris and smiles tightly at Reilly, who is back on his feet and staring at Rage with unconcealed terror. "No need to brick it, Reilly. I'm not going to eat you. I've had my fill for the day."