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“No, I think they’re still here.”

“Don’t worry,” said Chase, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Sooner or later they’ll be picked up and brought here.”

“I just hope they’re all right,” she said. “And I hope my cats are all right, too.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about your cats. They can take care of themselves.”

She glanced beyond the gate, which was being guarded by armed soldiers, and hoped Chase was right. At least they would be fed and taken care of by Fred Peppard’s people.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_3]

The tests they were putting us through were a little silly, I have to admit. Flashing lights, hatches opening and closing, colored balls we had to shove into the right holes, cards we had to pick out of a lineup… Pet Psychology 101, but at a very basic level.

“Humans really think we’re pretty dumb, don’t they?” Dooley said at a certain point.

“Yes, they do,” I said. “Only the Pooles know how clever we really are. And that’s only because they can talk to us and understand us.”

At least we were rewarded each time we did something right, which, of course, was all the time. Of the other cats there was no trace, but I assumed they weren’t far behind in this gauntlet they were having us run through.

“When is this going to end?”’ asked Harriet. “And when were we going to be allowed to go home?”

“After three days, remember?” I said.

“At least Odelia is coming to visit us tomorrow morning,” said Dooley. “And then we’ll tell her the truth about this place.”

I didn’t really know what the truth was, though. What was Peppard’s big idea? How was testing us going to improve his kibble? Frankly I didn’t see it.

Finally we were allowed to take a breather in the playroom we’d been led into when we first arrived. I didn’t feel like playing, though, but I did like the sight of all of that delicious kibble, so I ate my belly full, and so did the others. And then Fred Peppard himself came walking out, just like before, and this time he was beaming with delight.

“You are some pretty clever kitties!” he said. “You belong to…” He studied a clipboard he was holding and frowned. “Odelia Poole. Huh. I guess I better give Miss Poole a call. Clever pussies like you who ace all of my tests are pretty rare. Pretty rare indeed.” An assistant had walkedin, and whispered something into Peppard’s ear. He rolled his eyes. “Oh, all right. Just let him in.”

The assistant walked out again, and when he returned a moment later, he was accompanied by none other than… Zebediah Clam!

“What is Gran’s fertility doctor doing here, Max?” asked Dooley.

“I have no idea, but I bet we’ll soon find out.”

“You idiot!” said Clam, shaking his fist. “You moron!”

“Nice to see you, too, Zeb,” said Peppard.

“Why did you release them? Why?!”

“Release what? What are you talking about?”

“Haven’t you seen the news? It won’t be long before they’re on to us, you imbecile.”

“They won’t catch on,” said Peppard. “I made sure of that. And what the hell are you wearing?”

Clam was dressed in his customary black silk shirt and red leather tie.

“I’m running a client in town. Oldest pregnant woman in history,” said Clam dismissively.

Peppard grinned.“Of course you are.”

“Look, this has got to stop.”

“Trust me, it already has. I released the last batch last night.”

Both men now walked out, and unfortunately took their highly interesting conversation with them.

We all stared at one another, in shock.“So Clam and Peppard are working together?” asked Brutus.

“It sure looks that way,” I said.

“But how—what—why—”

Lots of questions, and so far not a lot of answers. But one thing was for sure: there was something very smelly about this whole operation. Very smelly indeed.

Chapter 33

Tex wasn’t happy. In fact it wasn’t too much to say that he was furious. He’d been pacing the small room he’d been locked up in ever since it happened, and had been placing an angry fist against the door and giving it a good pounding to show his discontent.

It wasn’t the way he was used to being treated, he meant to say. Usually doctors were treated with respect, they were asked for their opinions and the welcome mat was rolled out wherever they came. And now here he was treated like a criminal. It was an outrage.

Suddenly the door swung open and a large man dressed in military garb walked in.

“Doctor Poole,” he said in a gruff sort of way. “Sit down, please, sir.”

“I will not sit down until you tell me exactly what’s going on,” said Tex defiantly.

“Sit. Down,” said the man in a guttural growl.

Tex immediately did as he was told.

“It is my understanding you examined one of these zombies?” asked the man.

“Yes, I did, so what of it?”

The man stared at him, then took a seat.“My name is Brett Spear. Colonel Brett Spear, and I’ve been assigned to deal with this zombie outbreak. We have evacuated the entire town, and have all the zombies sedated and confined to a temporary medical facility.”

“My wife… my daughter?” he asked, stunned.