Running didn’t help. There was nowhere to run. For a breath, Harry didn’t know what to do. His zombie colleagues ambled forward, slamming into each other as they grunted closer. He turned to see if he could go out but the glass door wouldn’t open. He ran left, following behind Cheddar and Naom. The white clear, tiles reflected the fear on his face as if to mock him.

  “What in a batshit nightmare are these?” Cheddar asked, stopping behind a push three-seater couch.

  Harry was thinking the same thing. The zombies seemed to converge, spilling over each other as they switched directions to chase after them. The closest zombie was a stout, bald man in a suit. Harry had never seen him before, but that wasn’t surprising. The man’s eyes were white, oozing something like pus from the edges. His mouth hung low, spit dripping down his chin.

  Harry watched the rushing mob of Drones mow the man down as they rushed for them. Naomi hid herself behind him.

  “Lard, how do we beat these things?”

  —Glad you asked! Was beginning to think you have forgotten I exist. I don’t know if you have noticed, but there are different kinds of Drones in the mix. I know it is easy to mix them up, but believe me, you don’t want to do that.—

  Harry grunted as he pushed the couch in the path of the coming mob of zombies. They moved slowly, but there were just too many of them.

  “Lard!” Harry screamed, irritated by the guide’s rambling. The closest zombie—a young girl, probably one of the new interns—opened her mouth, her neck stretched forward. Harry expected her to try to bite him.

  —Don’t let it get clo…—

  Too late!

  Harry’s body stiffened, and his eyes widened as the pain came. He held his head, stumbling away from the girl as the vibration made his head throb. The pain vanished like a candlelight snuffed by hard wind. He looked up to find the girl stretching over the couch, her mouth still open.

  —It’s the range. You have to avoid the mind-bug’s vibration. Watch out for th—

  Harry shook his head, trying to stop the ringing in his ears. He could still hear Lard but it was difficult to focus on the Guide’s voice. It stopped shortly after and Harry jumped back, away from the growing cluster of Drones.

  The girl was under the pile, probably dead. And those on top were rolling over, trying to get up while others crushed them too. Cheddar and Naomi had pulled two other couches to create a barrier, but that was pointless. They’d have to fight their way through in the end. Their goal was the elevator. He looked at the faces he could see as he stepped back.

  No Lia. Good. If Lia wasn’t here, it meant they had found a way to get past these damn things. Did that mean they found the elevator key?

  —Knock them out! These are not people anymore, so you don’t have to worry about doing any damage. The Mind Bug doesn’t just control, it erases everything. What you see staggering towards you are merely husks of the people you knew before.—

  “But we can’t get close eno…”

  Harry cursed himself for not noticing the first time. Naomi yelped when he pushed her to the side toward where Cheddar was backing himself into a corner. He picked a marble stool and hurled it at the staggering cluster. It crashed into a couple, but it took the whole cluster down, sending more of them behind to the ground.

  “Quick,” Harry growled at Naomi and Cheddar. He spied the Katlyn’s desk as he ran, checking to see if there was anyone there. Perhaps they were hiding behind, but that was good too. Most of the Drones were focused on the waiting area.

  Harry shoved an old lady with a visitor tag around her neck and stumbled back too. He didn’t even hear the vibration, only felt the effect of it in his head. It didn’t last two seconds, but it slowed him down long enough for an old man to run into him, tackling him down.

  Harry pushed the Drone off him and rolled away from another trying to pin him down. He cursed, stomping on the gut of a lithe, slim girl. She stumbled back into another zombie, her face showing no effect of his attack. He frowned when he saw it was Nina—one of the girls working with Kathlyn.

  {Minor hit -1}

  —You will have to hit harder than that! Also, watch out for the level-one Drones. Those are the ones that can do real damage.—

  “What do you mea…” Harry’s voice vanished as understanding dawned on him. He’d been thinking these were the Drones. His epiphany was cut short by the crashing zombies from ahead. He swore when he saw Dex shoving the others as he ran for him. A massive bug chittered on top of his head, its antennas plunged deep into his eyes. Its many legs seemed to dig into Dex’s head and ears. The bug’s large eye seemed jaundiced and strange.

  Harry thought of running for cover, but that would mean taking it to Cheddar and Naomi. His thoughts dragged, fear rendering him inert as the large guard rushed for him. Brace! Harry thought just before Dex rammed into him.

  {Minor damage -2}

  It felt like being bludgeoned. But he wasn’t tossed back. Harry groaned, feeling a tight pain in his arm. He pushed, trying to shove the man away from him. But Dex didn’t move. He grinned manically, tears of white ooze sliding down his cheek. His fingers clamped on Harry’s shoulder and he lowered his head, mouth opened.

  Harry slammed his knee up, crushing Dex’s groin with all the force he could muster. The bug chittered wildly and Dex staggered back, his face folded in a frown of unimaginable pain. Harry frowned. He hadn’t even thought of the possibility of the bugs feeling whatever damage was done to the body.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  {Critical hit -8}

  {Critical hit -8}

  “Isn’t that something you should have told me, Lard?” Harry asked, sweat dripping down his face, stinging his eyes. There was no time for Lard to respond because Dex recovered quickly and rushed at Harry again.

  Harry thought it would slam into him again, but this time Dex’s large palm swung with maddening speed. Harry had just enough time to flinch, but that was pointless. His face stung and darkness covered his sight.

  For a moment, all he heard was a pinching ring so loud it seemed to fill his skull. Then the buzzing grunts of zombies filled his his ears once more.

  Harry staggered back, blinking rapidly to clear his sight. The throb in his head didn’t recede and his face stung madly. He took cautious steps away from the larger man, watching to see if there was anything he could do. He didn’t notice before, but the other zombies—Minor Drones—had shifted away from them, moving as if in fear.

  {Minor damage -4}

  Dex growled and Harry noticed the bug on his head had lowered itself, resting its under on the flat of the man’s head. The antennas moved slightly, but the eerie part was the thing’s eye. It seemed to watch him. That attack from before seemed to have made it wary and belligerent.

  Dex lowered himself, spit dripping down the sides of his mouth as he launched himself forward. Harry braced himself, but he was lifted off the ground and tossed back.

  The wall behind him stopped him abruptly and a strange pain stretched up his spine. His entire body shook as though a spasm touched his nerves. He tried to stand up but Dex suddenly loomed over him.

  {Minor damage -4}

  Speed and strength, Harry thought as he eyes the magnificent thing the bug had turned Dex into. The man was strong when he was alive—he was larger than Voss even.

  Now he was more like a beast. His eyes were lifeless and Harry gambled he wasn’t conscious either.

  Still, he tried to call him. It was a plea as large hands came down to him, wrapping around his neck. Squeezing.

  {Minor damage -4}

  {Minor damage -4}

  {Critical damage -6}

  “De…Dex. Sto…” the words would come. His face felt tight. His heart hammered in his chest. “Ched…”

  —He’s dead! Whoever he is before, that person is gone! You have to focus on the bug. It can do worse than the minor Drones...—

  Harry lifted his left hand weakly and punched. Dex’s face didn’t move. There was no sign of pain, or that he felt the punch. It pulled Harry up and pushed him against the wall as he squeezed harder. The chittering didn’t stop, even as Harry felt his breath snuffed. His hands smacked at Dex and he tried to kick the man’s groin or stomach, but nothing worked.

  {Critical damage -6}

  Lard, Lard! Help me! No…. No, I don’t want to die!

  Harry felt his guide’s fear leak into him. For the first time since he met the noisy guide, he hated its silence. The absence of its voice filled with a frightening chill. Harry’s eyes widened when Dex opened his mouth. His teeth were dark, coated in something viscous. His tongue was longer than any human’s had the right to be.

  Dex grinned, and Harry realized his hands had stopped fighting. They were by his side, too heavy to pick up.

  He couldn’t fight anymore. His vision was dimming at the edges. His heartbeat was crazy in his ear. It was amusing how hard his body was fighting to keep him alive.

  So why am I giving up?

  Instead of attacking Dex, Harry swung for the bug. His fingers grazed its head and the thing flinched. Dex’s mouth snapped shut, clamping on the tongue. The bug made a strange whining noise.

  Dex’s grip on Harry's neck loosened and Harry leaned forward, teeth bared.

  Dex let go, stumbling back as the Mind-Bug screamed from the pain. Harry hit the ground, tried to stand, and fell. His breath came in painful ragged huffs. His vision swam from clear to blurry and he felt like a hammer was hitting an anvil in his skull.

  “Lard,” Harry called, his throat raw. He staggered to his feet, watching the bug recover from the shocking pain. Never had a tongue, huh? “Lard? How do I kill that bug?”

  —Level One Mind-Bug is resilient, but they are just as weak to blunt force. But it is usually easier to just kill its host.—

  “Not possible,” Harry muttered. He was directly in line to see behind the reception desk. Cheddar and Naomi were out of sight. Good. He didn’t have to worry about them. Although he felt a bit disappointed that Cheddar was hiding like an idiot.

  Not the time, Harry thought as he faced Dex-the-bug-man. And you’d be scared of dying too if you aren’t already headed there.

  Harry grinned as he approached the large zombie. He looked at the others, catching another bug just as big as the one on Dex in the crowd. Gary, Harry thought. Or one of the other guards. But he knew it was Gary. The man was lost in the crowd because he was shorter than most of the others. Voss and Clarice were taller. And Voss was almost as big as Dex.

  Harry charged at the grunting zobie Blood trickled down from his injured tongue, staining his chin and the tiles. Harry leaped up when he was close enough. Dex caught him by his torso at the same time Harry wrapped his fingers around the bug’s antennas It was hard to touch, as if made of steel. The bug’s limbs pulled out of Dex’s ears and its claws raked over his skin.

  The cuts were shallow, but they hurt like tiny hot poles stabbing into his skin, through his flesh. There was no sizzle, but his muscles tensed up, his hand feeling numb as it tore at him. Lines of blood welled up his skin, its chittering filling his ears, his mind.

  Harry didn’t let go.

  {Minor damage -2}

  {Minor damage -2}

  {Minor damage -2}

  {Minor damage -2}

  He felt Lard’s emotions roaring in him, lashing at him like the tide of a feral sea storm wailing against a ship’s hull. Fear, raw in potency. Harry groaned through it, ignoring the discomfort. The Guide’s voice he could handle. Its emotions were another thing entirely.

  With a growl vibrating from the depth of his chest, he pulled at the antennas. There was nothing to leverage his weight on though, and Dex held him in place as the bug chittered on. Harry felt the man's hold tighten, fingers digging into his skin.

  Harry’s eyes twitched and his breath caught in his throat. Dex would crush him if he stayed in that position any longer. He brought his legs up and placed them on Dex’s chest, squeezing hard on the antennas. There was no other option. He was going to die if he let go. He might as well do this.

  Through the biting pain of the bug’s claws and the agony of Dex’s squeezing his si sides, Harry heaved. He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as he pulled at the antennas. He’d suspected it would be difficult to remove, but not like this.

  He pulled again, and when he felt it move an inch, Dex’s hands stopped. The pain ebbed, but he didn’t let go. He didn’t stop pulling.

  The antennas moved another inch. Black fluid slid down the edge of Dex’s eyes and a shudder rushed through the man’s body. Another pair of bug limbs cut up Harry’s arm. He leaned back, keeping his face out of reach as he pulled.

  He heard the squelch again as the antennas slid out another inch, then another. A smell filled his nostrils, burning his eyes. Harry cursed. He felt bile fill his mouth. His wounds stung and his body felt so cold.

  With all he could muster in his legs, he pushed off Dex’s shaking body.

  The rest of the chittering bug slid out the large man’s eyes, twitching in Harry’s hand as he crashed to the floor.

  He crawled to his knees, hearing it whine and screech as if it was far away. Harry bunched both antennas together, swung it behind him as if to throw it, and swung it forward, hit it on the tiles.

  {Critical hit -10}

  Harry hit it again.

  {Critical hit -10}

  And again.

  {Critical hit -10}

  {Critical hit -10}

  {Critical hit -10}

  He felt it jerk once, but no sound coming from it. Harry slammed it down again, just to be sure.

  {Critical hit -10}

  {You have slain a level one Drone!}

  {You have slain a level one Mind-Bug!}

  Harry wanted to fall back on the floor and rest. His arms stung, blood oozing from many cuts. He couldn’t slow his breath either and he felt like he’d soon breathe his last. Yet, he could already see the effect of the bug’s death.

  He crawled over to Dex’s corpse. The stench was strong on it, but Harry didn’t mind. He searched the pocket, his frown deepening when he didn’t find any key. He turned immediately he realized it wasn’t with Dex, scrambling for the cover where Cheddar had his knees to his chest.

  Harry scowled at his frightened friend.

  Next to Cheddar, Naomi stared at Harry with dread and awe.

  “I… couldn’t find…” Harry waited for his heart to slow down and his breathing to come under control. “The key is not with Dex.”

  “No,” Cheddar said, shaking his head like a nutcase. “Anice said it is with the strongest of the Level One Drones. It is with Clarice.”

  Of course, Harry thought, closing his eyes. Of course, I couldn’t have been that lucky.