The Anubis Plague полностью

Zahra cringed as she sat. “Usually, it’s me who’s getting you home safe after a wild night.”

The Brit went to the kitchen and opened Zahra’s freezer. “Yes, well, let’s just say I owe you one.”

Zahra snickered. “More like thirty.”

Dina sat next to her and gently placed a bag of frozen peas against Zahra’s face, fully covering her left eye and cheek. It, like most of Zahra, was banged up and a bit raw. The cold “compress” felt amazing against Zahra’s tender skin. She reacted to its touch by slumping forward onto the table and resting her head against the peas like a pillow.

“Ah…” Zahra moaned, patting Dina’s hand. “Thank you.”

Dina was already up to speed on what had happened. Everything. Zahra had explained it all at warp speed on the car ride over to her place. Baahir, Grant, the jar, the attack… Zahra had spilled the beans.

“How are you feeling?” Dina asked.

Zahra snorted, head still down on the table. “Like shit.”

Without another word, Dina got up and headed back into the kitchen. Zahra didn’t see what she was doing, but she could hear the woman rummaging through a cabinet that was wholly dedicated to alcohol.

“Ah, yes. This’ll do just fine.”

“What’ll do just fine?” Zahra asked, keeping her head down.

Dina rejoined her at the table and set down a glass. “This.”

Zahra lifted her head and saw that there were two glasses. “Let me guess? Eagle Rare?”

Dina picked up her lowball and softly clinked Zahra’s glass. They were both healthy pours, something both women needed, all things considered. The archaeologist worked up the strength to sit up, clumsily fingering the glass before getting a good grip on it. Together, both ladies took a solid sip, relishing in the bourbon’s warmth as it made its way down their throats and chests.

“Oh, yes,” Zahra said, wincing as she smiled, “this’ll do just fine.”

They stayed at the kitchen table while they drank. Once both women were finished, they moved across the living space to Zahra’s bedroom. The master, like the rest of the quaint home, was nothing spectacular. Her bed was pushed up against the right-hand wall with a TV mounted across from it.

“How are you doing, Z, really?”

“Fine, mom,” Zahra replied. She gave her close friend an appreciative smile and sat on the bed. She looked around her room. “Finally got me in bed, huh?”

Now, it was Dina’s turn to roll her eyes. “What’s your next move?”

Zahra glanced at her closet. Dina knew her well enough to know that she wasn’t going to back down and give up. There was more to do than just curl up and go into hiding. But first, Zahra needed to reboot and recharge.

She gingerly got to her feet. “Help me with my clothes, will ya?”

There was no joke about Dina finally getting to see Zahra in the buff. The pair worked together to get Zahra undressed and into the shower. The water was boiling and felt incredible on Zahra’s abused physique and psyche. Both needed a reset in the worse way. Apparently, Dina did too. She had left Zahra alone to clean up before re-entering the bathroom, carrying another pour of bourbon.

Once Zahra was bathed, she got redressed, replacing her soiled, and slightly singed, clothing with a fresh set. The only thing she kept was her sneakers. New jeans — black, of course — and a fresh top. Color? Duh, black. It featured a very-recognizable logo on it. The vintage Jurassic Park shirt wasn’t falsely aged, as was the current style. This particular t-shirt was as old as the original film.

Lastly, Zahra threw on a leather jacket that was just as worn as her shirt. When she was fully dressed and comfortable, she opened her closet. Inside of it was…nothing out of the ordinary. An assortment of seasonal garbs hung from hangers. Outdoorsy gear was tossed about in an unorganized manner on the floor. Compared to the rest of the home, it was out of sorts.

It was also on purpose.

Zahra dug through the mess until she hit the floor. When she did, she pushed on the rear portion of it, right where it met the wall. With enough pressure, the two-by-two section of false floor popped free to reveal a hidden compartment full of things she wasn’t technically supposed to own. Out came a black JanSport, already packed with everything she’d need for the next phase of her journey. Zahra was always prepared for the worst. She added her knife, flashlight, and grappling hook to it. They had come in handy tonight.

What she could have really used was a gun.

Zahra removed the Glock 19 from her pack and checked it over, making sure the light mounted below the barrel still worked. It did. Good, she thought, knowing Dina was watching her intently, but she didn’t care. Zahra trusted the Brit with her life.

“Expecting more trouble?” Dina asked.

Zahra peered over her shoulder. “Yeah. In my experience, this is about the time where things get ugly.”

Dina’s eyes opened wide. “Worse than tonight?”

Zahra returned her attention to her gear. She sighed. “Yeah, Dina, much worse.”