I grabbed my backpack and left my room, ready to start my mid-morning patrol.

As I exited the secondary building, Daniel's voice called out, "Trinity?"

I looked over and spotted him beside one of the farther garages.

He continued, "Could you please come over here and collect Nicky?" Without waiting for a reply, he went back inside the garage.

What had Nicky done this time? At least Daniel hadn't sounded irritated or exasperated – he'd been oddly calm, in fact. Nor did I hear any commotion indicating Nicky was going off the walls.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I went to the garage. Nicky grinned at me from inside a shoddy cage made from various large pieces of scrap metal and bicycle frames.

"Okay... Why is Nicky locked up?" I asked, glancing at the workbench where Hank nodded in greeting, then went back to helping Daniel fix a small machine.

Without looking up, Daniel said, "She believed she could, so she did, and now she's in timeout."

"The risk I took was very carefully calculated, but I seem to have made a miscalculation somewhere along the way," Nicky cheerfully replied. "I forgot to take into account we were in a garage, and I also learned it isn't wise to let Daniel think something through if you don't want him to succeed."

With a sigh, I crossed my arms and examined the lady who seemed to find this situation far too amusing. "What did you do?"

"Well, I came in here to visit with Hank, but he was already helping Daniel fix one of Nina's machines. Daniel wouldn't let me distract Hank, and I didn't feel like leaving, so I got bored and told Daniel that I bet he couldn't lock me up without me getting loose." She paused and tried to shake the cage bars, which didn't budge and barely even creaked. "I think I might have lost that bet."

"And you let him build that around you?" Wherever two sections overlapped, a band of metal had been securely wrapped around the joint. Even with Daniel's speed, it would have taken him some time to build this cage. And that didn't explain how she was standing on a chain-link floor.

"Nope. He walked out and came back two minutes later with this. I made the mistake of going in when he told me to try it out. By the way, did you notice he used a piece of copper pipe to secure the door? I can't pick a lock that doesn't exist."

"Impressive." I walked closer. "You'd need a hacksaw or zombie strength to get out of that."

Daniel watched us with a pleased smile. "I had some spare time one evening and decided to build something for her next insanity blitz. She was bored, so I figured this would be a good test."

"Can you get out?" I asked Nicky.

"Quickly, no. But, given enough time, I could grab those slats of wood and use that string-" she pointed to the shelf beside her cage, where the mentioned scraps were just within reach, "to tie them together and knock the bolt cutters off the wall." She had clearly thought this out and undoubtedly possessed enough persistence to pull it off.

Daniel nodded thoughtfully. "I was wondering if you'd find a way to reach the bolt cutters. It's why I put the cage there."

"I assume you won't give her such tools next time?" I asked Daniel.

"No. This kept her occupied, and she tested out each joint quite thoroughly without being asked."

Nicky sighed. "Alright. As amazed as I am by your ability to turn scrap metal into a rather sturdy cage, can someone let me out?"

"I'll let you do the honors," Daniel told me, still standing beside Hank. "Mind taking her with you on your patrol?"

"Will you behave?" I asked Nicky dubiously.

"Hey, if it gets me out of this cage and out of weeding, I'll even drive nicely enough to satisfy Hank."

The big man chuckled quietly as he kept tinkering with the machine.

With a sigh, I walked over and untwisted the copper piping, part of which broke off, having been bent too many times. I let both pieces drop to the floor and stepped back as Nicky pushed the small door open and stepped out.

"Well, that was fun," she told me with a grin. "He's learning. Slowly, but he's learning."

Daniel snorted and shook his head, although he was still amused.

"I'll go fetch the side-by-side before someone decides to put me to work." She began skipping to the door. "I'll see you later, Hank!"

The guy looked up, amused, and watched her disappear out the door. I followed the redhead at a more sedate pace.

~

       After lunch, Nicky decided swinging an axe was too much work and went to help Jess find a few herbs in a nearby meadow. There were two people on horseback leading any zombies away from that location, so I decided to enjoy the peace and solitude of chopping wood while I could.

A couple of hours later, activity gathered around a gate as three vehicles drove in. Our last group had finally arrived for the cure. I kept chopping wood, opting to let the other people deal with them.

My axe split a thick piece of wood, and I turned my head as my nostrils flared. Someone in the convoy was infected. Since I knew Daniel would smell it the instant he came outside, I turned back to my task and swung the axe into another piece of wood.

Something in the scent made me pause and take another breath. I examined the vehicles as my nose picked up certain details that were faintly alarming.

I put the axe in the shed and headed over to the group. The locals noticed and also closed in. They knew my approach was out of character, especially since Nina and Daniel hadn't shown up yet.

The smell of the multiplying zombie virus was oozing off someone like heat from a fresh horse pile. The biggest difference between the two was that equine road apples weren't a serious threat to an entire Stronghold.

I circled the group, who were just beginning to realize something was amiss with my behavior and how intently the locals were watching us.

"Is something wrong?" A woman asked, looking around in confusion.

I stopped and replied, "If any of you sneezes, everyone needs to cover their mouth and nose." I glanced at the waiting locals. "Someone go fetch Nina and Daniel, and tell them to bring a vial of the cure."

One of the men took off at a run to relay my words. Even though Nina and Daniel would be bringing some vials shortly, we needed them here sooner rather than later. The infection was running rampant.

Even though I'd been sorting through layers of scent the entire time, I wasn't quite sure which middle-aged man was infected. I'd narrowed it down to two, but they were standing beside each other and as alike as two peas in a pod.

"You two, come closer." I pointed to the two brothers.

They glanced at each other and cautiously walked forward.

"That's close enough." I turned my head slightly so they knew who I was addressing. "Toss me your shirt."

"My shirt?" he protested, staring at me like I was crazy.

"Your shirt," I huffed with a faint growl in my voice. "I want a better idea of how long we have before you start sneezing, and I really don't want to come over there and smell you."

He blanched and went pale as my words sunk in. Suddenly, he practically tore his shirt off and tossed it to me, nearly panicking in his need for answers. I took a deep breath of the thin fabric. I'd only smelled the airborne strain a few times and never at close range, so I hadn't really had a chance to analyze it.

Familiar, jogging footsteps heralded the arrival of Nina and Daniel, who must have already been on their way to have made it here so quickly.

"Tr-" Nina cut herself off as she remembered my request to remain nameless. "Is something wrong?"

I turned my head to face her. "I thought we had a couple of weeks until the third wave?"

Nina slowed to a stop and frowned in worry. "In theory, we should have thirteen days until the ninety-day mark, but there should be at least a week before even the earliest cases."

Daniel stopped beside her, holding a small box that contained this group's share of the cure.

The man's scent wasn't lining up with her answers, making me ask, "Are you sure these waves run in ninety-day cycles?"

"That's roughly what we've seen so far." She shrugged helplessly. "There were ninety days between the outbreak and the earliest cases in the first wave. The second wave had some variation, but most didn't start sneezing until close to that mark. Why?"

"Either this guy's infection is progressing faster than normal or that timeline is out to lunch. Without the cure, he'll start sneezing in about three days."

"Are you sure it's the sneezing strain?"

I gave her a contemptuous look, and she scrunched up her nose at my wordless answer.

"Sorry. I was really hoping I misunderstood what you were getting at. Are you sure it's going to be that soon?"

"He might have four days, but I can't see him getting more than that before he starts sneezing."

Before Nina could reply, one of the other men asked, "Does this mean the wave is coming sooner than we expected?"

I shrugged. "Unless he's a unique case, that's my guess."

"This isn't good," Nina said. "It's possible the disease may advance faster in people with a poor immune system. We speculated about it – but we never found any proof. Outside of those waves, there are no reports of someone turning after several days of intense sneezing. If the sneezing period is spreading out over a wider window of time, this could have serious consequences. Not just in this wave – but in all future waves. In a couple of years, the waves might cease to be predictable, and the sneezing could happen at any time." Horror tinged her final words, as if she was visualizing the end of the world.

Many faces had wide eyes, and the edges of panic started to drift through the air, particularly from the group in front of us.

I crossed my arms and tapped my foot like an impatient teacher with far too many overly dense pupils, pointedly asking, "Care to remind me what these guys were coming for?"

Nina relaxed a fraction. "The cure. The third wave may arrive early, but even if we only have two months before the fourth wave hits, that'll be enough time for the labs to share the cure with every Stronghold and effectively stop the sneezing strain in its tracks. We could wipe it out like the scientists who cleansed the world of smallpox."

"But many places could be wiped out in this wave!" the man in front of me exclaimed, somehow going even more pale.

"Let's consider the worst-case scenario," Nina said as she furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "Even if every currently infected person turns early, we still have several days before they start sneezing and more after that until they turn. Even if we just gave them the sanity serum until we can make enough of the cure, we should be able to minimize the casualties."

"People know what that kind of sneezing means," Daniel pointed out, "and those individuals will likely be exiled or caged before they turn. As for the cure and sanity serum, Ironwind might be able to spread the drugs far enough to assist most of the Strongholds in our area. Other labs and research facilities are already doing likewise. This wave will be difficult, but we'll have enough time to prepare for the fourth wave."

"A couple of our trader groups already left this morning, and they're heading to four nearby Strongholds with all three drugs," Nina added. "So we've already started circulating them."

"Do you have enough of the cure to help those who start sneezing in this wave?" a woman asked quietly, but her words were more than loud enough to be heard by the mostly silent crowd.

Nina hesitated. "To send out enough today or tomorrow," she finally said, "no. But if we include the sanity serum, we probably have enough to help most Strongholds in our area before anyone turns. I'm fervently hoping most people have at least a week or two until they start sneezing."

"No one living here is infected," I said, "so it's possible other Strongholds are also free of the virus."

"We'll have to send a radio transmission to warn the other places," Nina said, no longer hesitant, "then we'll check how much of the cure we can send out now, how close the other batches are to being done, and how much we can ramp up our production on short notice."

"I can run to the radio room and get them to contact the others," a man from the archery group offered.

Nina nodded, and he raced off to relay this vital new information. Turning her attention to the infected man, she held up two vials. "I can offer you the cure. We also have the sanity serum, if you prefer."

"The cure, please," he replied quickly.

"May I grab a blood sample first?"

"Sure." Even if Nina had asked for his big toe, he probably would have agreed with the same level of near desperation.

Not that I had expected him to react any differently. Until very recently, getting infected with the zombie virus was pretty much a death sentence. Not only that, but sane zombies weren't exactly welcomed in most places, and these people would have seen feral zombies killing – and possibly eating – their family and friends. Very few would consider becoming like the thing that had destroyed everything they held dear.

It didn't take Nina long to get her blood sample and inject the cure. "There you go. Just be careful for the next six hours." She looked at the people around us. "Unless anyone needs something, I should start more batches of the cure."

When they shook their heads, she told the man in front of us, "Have a safe trip back."

"Thanks," the man replied, "and thank you for the cure."

"You're welcome." Nina turned and began jogging back the way she had come.

Still holding the wooden box, Daniel walked toward the group. "Here's your batch of the cure. Make sure it doesn't sit in the sun for long. It can take some heat, but not direct sunlight. I suggest grabbing a quick meal because your Stronghold is going to want this as soon as possible."

Another man came forward to take it. From his lack of nerves, I suspected he didn't realize Daniel was actually a zombie. "Thank you. Our Stronghold has enough of the sanity serum to keep our people safe, but they want to start producing the cure."

"Does your place have a radio tower?"

"Unfortunately not, but the Stronghold half a day's drive away does, and when they get the message, they'll be sending someone over with the news since we're the ones with the lab."

The man carried the box to the truck and placed it in the shade. Other visitors kept sneaking furtive glances at me, although Daniel wasn't getting the same kind of attention, likely due to his mostly brown eyes.

As the group scattered, Daniel walked toward me, massaging his temple with one hand. His expression wasn't quite one of tiredness, I decided. It was something deeper. Almost as if life's endless supply of curveballs were slowly wearing him down. Like someone who had seen too much death and grief.

It left me wondering how many people he had lost during the waves. He had been with people the entire time, so he would have made friends during his time among them, only to lose some with each wave.

He had never once mentioned his family, nor did he seem to have any really close friends here, which meant that anyone from his past life was either dead or had turned into a feral zombie. Leaving him alone in this world.

For the first time ever, I felt a pang of sympathy for the Terror.

I quietly said, "Let's go see if there's anything we can do to help."

His eyes focused on me, and he nodded. We walked to the lab together, although we both knew there wasn't much we could do without getting in the way or possibly messing something up.