He introduced himself simply as Zane, and she was Dr Chandra Chang.

“H-how?” I stammered. Zane stroked his salt and pepper goatee. Chandra just smiled as they led me across the hill to their armored humvee. After a long drive in the rolling country in a beautiful sunrise, we came to a heavily fortified military base.

The humvee passed abandoned machine gun emplacements along a chain link fence embedded with human gristle and the occasional yowling of a trapped zombie. The entire base was deserted, and the humvee eventually descended a ramp into a secure garage.

Chandra showed me around the comfortable living quarters before taking me to the laboratory.

“We know you were bit,” Chandra said.

“That was a ballsy move, shooting your finger off. You a military man?” asked Zane.

I shook my head.

“That was brave,” Chandra said. That smile!

She motioned for me to lay myself on the examining table.

Zane gripped me and pulled the restraining band across me. What?

“I’m sorry. It’s necessary,” she said.