2. Zombie
TWO
ZOMBIE
I looked down at the results on my tablet screen, proving once again that Anthony Ricci was in fact my biological father. I had found out a week ago, but I kept looking at the results hoping that they would somehow magically change.
Badger was still healing from smoke inhalation. Machine was in the hospital after a rival mob had attacked him. Phantom was fighting her demons and healing from being tortured by Ricci. And all of us were still mourning the loss of Arrow.
I’d kept the truth about my parentage quiet because of everything going on.
I needed my team to be ready to hear it without it having to be a game of telephone.
The secret tasted bad in my mouth, like sour milk.
Hell, I couldn’t even think about Ricci without wanting to throw up.
Still, some of the questions I’d had my whole life were now answered.
But so many still remained. Why had my mom never mentioned him, and how had she gotten caught up in his web of destruction?
And the most important question of all, that I wrestled with every single day: How could Arrow be dead?
Arrow and I had been best friends since our elementary school days in a small town in Texas. When he joined the Elite Squad, he’d immediately sent Chief my way, and the rest was history.
It was still unfathomable, existing in a world without my best friend, but life kept moving.
I went through the motions of getting my tools together for my next autopsy.
She was about fourteen years old, with blonde hair and ashen skin, and was the fourth child I’d had to examine in the past month.
I was freelancing for the county for these autopsies which, based on my findings, were definitely related to Ricci’s operation based on the patterns.
There was no way to deny that they were related.
Clearly, the trafficking of young women had not stopped, based on the young lady in front of me who appeared to be the latest victim.
And the team was no closer to finding Sarah.
“You know if you keep on frowning like that, your face will be a permanent scowl.” Arrow’s voice echoed in my mind as I imagined his figure in the corner of the room. “There’s nothing you can do. She's at peace now.”
I’d been seeing Arrow for the past two weeks, and I wished I could let him go.
Would I ever be able to move past his death?
I couldn’t go to my team for support because they were hurting just as much as I was.
I’d been distancing myself from the people who loved me ever since I found out about Ricci’s claim on me.
What if they could sense the evil that lurked within my veins?
What if they could sense that I wasn’t right?
But the logical side of my brain knew that was foolish.
I planned to bring Chief the folder of the positive DNA test linking Ricci and I forever as soon as I was done this autopsy.
I shook out my revolving thoughts and set out to work, making the first precise incision in the center of the young girl’s chest cavity.
I was almost done with the examination when my phone began to ring in my pocket.
Normally, I kept it on my desk and played Sleep Token.
Today, however, I had fallen out of my routine.
As soon as it stopped ringing, it started up again.
Groaning, I disposed of my gloves and saw the call was from Kaden Romano, the infamous mob boss known as Ghost.
The only other time he’d called me was after Ricci’s attack on my team, so I immediately felt the urgency to answer. Had something else happened?
“Hello?” I answered, my tone clipped.
“Zombie, I need your help.” Kade sounded almost frantic.
“What do you need?”