Roger’s experience as a half-zombie was a huge help. “My heart still beats at least once an hour,” he would say while Leo took notes. “That slows the rotting process quite a bit.”
It was true. With glue, Band-Aids, and a few fake teeth, Roger might have been able to pass as a human. But what if somebody found out? Or what if Roger’s nose got blown off and lost forever? Or a dog bit him and became a half-zombie too? It was too risky.
For now, the two friends agreed the best place for Roger was working in their hidden zombie lab. Roger barely ever needed to sleep, eat, or go to the bathroom. The small, cluttered room they had built in the back of Leo’s closet served his half-zombie needs well.
A tower of machines hummed, beeped, and blinked along one wall of the lab. Shelves along another wall held rows of fizzing tubes and bubbling beakers. Above those were tangles of plants and herbs. Rubber gloves, droppers, lab coats, microscope parts, and jars of pills and powders oozed from a cabinet in the corner.
It was no wonder the lab was so stuffed. The two friends had been adding to it for more than four years now. Leo and his best (100% human) friend, Chad, had recently added a merchandise section to Leo's Zombie Zappers Web site. Chad’s homemade zombie T-shirts were selling so fast Chad could barely keep them in stock. Now they could afford supplies whenever they needed them.
Roger plopped down on a box labeled “Caution: Hazardous Materials.” “How’s my finger?” he asked. He waved a four-fingered hand toward the jar Leo was holding. “Any luck with the Mucinus maximus?”
“Nothing so far,” Leo said. He handed the jar to Roger. The bright green slug was curled up on Roger’s middle knuckle. “The skin on the finger might turn purple before it turns pink,” Leo added. “That’s what I read online.”
“Roger that,” Roger said, grinning.
Leo groaned. “You seriously are the weirdest zombie ever.” He stepped back into the closet to leave and slipped on the pile of notebooks.
“Half-zombie!” Roger said. He pulled Leo up by an elbow.
“Half-zombie,” Leo repeated. Then he took off for school, late as usual.
Leo slid into his seat right as the morning bell rang. Chad flashed his notebook at Leo from across the aisle. “Will you be mine?” it said. Chad ran a finger across his chubby chest. He was wearing one of his recent T-shirt creations. This one showed a heart (a real one) dripping gore onto the words, “Be My Zalentine.”
That made Leo snort out loud. Chad added a fake burp. Leo looked over at Mandy Wagner to his left. This was when she’d normally roll her eyes and say, “Nice.” Or she might shove her desk over an inch with a huff.
But Mandy wasn’t even looking at them. She just stared ahead. Leo waved his hands in front of her face. “Helllooooo?” Mandy didn’t even blink. A pencil slowly rolled between her feet.
Leo gave Chad a look that said, “What’s up with her?” Chad shrugged, “Who knows?” and pointed at Josiah Sullivan behind him. Josiah had the same look as Mandy, only a line of drool dripped down his chin.
“Z-alert???” Chad held up his notebook again.
Leo felt tingly all over. Could it be? Were his classmates turning into zombies right before his eyes? Leo recorded more strange stuff in his notebook as the day went on:
10:20. Media. Mrs. Snyder stares at blank computer screen for whole class. DOES NOT BLINK ONCE.
12:45. P.E., swimming pool. Molly Fisher floats FACE DOWN for 45 minutes. Mr. Brown pulls her out of the pool by one leg. She barfs green water and walks away.
1:01. Math. Maddie Lee turns her head in my direction. Must be zombie. NO OTHER POSSIBLE EXPLANATION!
“What are we going to do?” Chad whispered to Leo as the two friends passed on the way to their reading groups at 2:03.
“I don’t know,” Leo admitted. “I mean, they’re not biting, at least not yet. Did you see any attacks?”
“Attacks of creepiness,” Chad said. “Did you see that stuff coming out of Jeremy Berry’s ear?”
“I need to talk to Roger,” Leo said. “He can help us figure out what’s happening. But for now, we need to protect as many people as possible. It’s time for Operation Zombie Code. Meet me by the flagpole at 3:13.”
CHAPTER 3
OPERATION ZOMBIE CODE
Leo knew he was a zombie expert. But outside the lab, he didn’t like getting his hands dirty. And for that matter, he really hated talking to adults. Or talking to kids he didn’t know. Or talking to a group of kids. And those skills were exactly what Operation Zombie Code required. This was where Chad came in handy.