Z 2136 (Z 2134 Series Book 3) by Sean Platt, David W. Wright Read Free Book Online

lot.
    Ana spoke up before the other woman could voice her concerns, though. “OK.”
    “And I’ll take you both to see Father Truth so he may help you look better, mister,” Calla said.
    Ana couldn’t tell if Liam understood the girl’s mouthed words or not. But he didn’t resist when Katrina took his hand and nodded as Calla led them back the way they’d come.
    Liam waved goodbye.
    Ana turned and stepped into the office.
    A man stood to greet her. “Happy to meet you, Miss Lovecraft. My name is Charles Egan, but everyone just calls me Egan.” He extended his hand.
    “Pleased,” she said, shaking his warm palm.
    He was a short man in his 40s with dark, wild hair and tired eyes. He was wearing a dark-brown coat, black shirt, beige pants—and a relaxed look, as opposed to the more formal clothing she’d seen other leaders wearing.
    “Please, have a seat.” He waved to the chair opposite his own, which stood behind a large wooden desk piled with a small mountain of papers. She sat, noticing that there wasn’t much in the office to indicate what sort of man Egan might be. No photos, paintings, or even old books like Ana had seen in the few offices she’d ever been in. She wondered how much time the man actually spent in the room. Maybe he was more of a people’s leader, spending community time in the living area rather than tucked away in his own space all day like those who ruled The Cities.
    “I hope your journey here wasn’t too eventful,” Egan said.
    “Not after your daughter and the others took out the hunter orb. How did you all know we’d be there?”
    “Because I intercepted a State transmission. They were planning on you trying to get your brother. They want you and Liam dead . . . for real this time.”
    “Yeah, I’ll bet. Thanks for saving us.”
    “You’re most welcome. But I must admit that my motives weren’t entirely altruistic.”
    “Oh?” Ana said, a nervousness stirring her stomach.
    “Yes, you see, I understand that you may hold a cure to this zombie plague.”
    She shifted in her seat, suddenly wishing that either Liam or Katrina were in the room. She felt like the situation was about to get quickly out of control.
    “What do you mean?” she asked, playing dumb.
    “It’s OK, Miss Lovecraft, your secret is safe with me. I know you were infected, and that you were also cured. That makes you the only known person to come back from infection.”
    “What makes you say that?” she said, not willing to concede the information just yet. Ana wondered if that was also overheard in The State transmission. And if so, how did The State find out?
    Egan just smiled at her hedging and said, “Relax, Ana. We have a mutual friend. Dr. Oswald has been staying here since he fled Hydrangea.”
    “Oswald is here?” Ana said, feeling a bit more at ease, and eager to see him.
    “Yes, and I’ll bring him in a bit. But first, I wanted to ask you a favor. I need you to help the doctor work on his cure.”
    “I’m not a doctor or a scientist.”
    “I mean that I need you to stay here until he finds the cure. We believe we’re close, but he’s run out of your blood and needs more to continue his experiments.”
    Ana shook her head, “I’m sorry, Mr. Egan, but I need to leave here as soon as possible. My brother, Adam, is in The Games. I need to save him. He’ll never make it out on his own.”
    “I know, and I’m sorry to ask you, but at the same time, I can’t just let you leave.”
    “What do you mean you can’t let me leave? I am not staying here.”
    Egan swallowed, ran his hands through his hair, and blinked back tears. “Believe me, Miss Lovecraft, I would not ask if it weren’t so important for us to find the cure.”
    “Why?” she asked, something about the tone of his voice giving her pause. “Are you infected?”
    “No,” Egan said, “my daughter, Calla, is. And you’re her only hope.”

CHAPTER 6—PROVISIONAL LEADER OF THE STATE KELLER
    City 1
    Keller knew he