Nick fol owed him to the staircase. "Why are you doing this, anyway? You know what I was into that night and yet you'd let me in here around al your stuff? Aren't you afraid I'l steal something?"

Kyrian turned around on the stairs to give him a harsh glare.

"There's nothing you can steal from me that I can't replace.

Things mean very little to me." He took a step closer to Nick.

"As for why I'm helping you ... I believe in you, Nick. You remind me of a kid I knew once. Hardheaded to the point no one could stand him. He wouldn't listen and had a ma.s.sive chip on his shoulder because he wanted to show the world how tough he was-that he didn't need anyone hand-holding him through life, or doing anything for him. Everything had to be learned by his own hand ... the hard way."

"What happened to him?"

"He rebel iously joined the army against his father's wishes and met a man who changed his life. For whatever reason, that man had patience. And where others would have justifiably kil ed the arrogant snotnose for his att.i.tude, his commanding officer saw potential in him. He changed that kid's life and I'd like to pay that debt forward with you." It took Nick a second to realize what exactly he was saying.

"You're the kid?"

Kyrian inclined his head.

"And this dude who changed your life?"

He looked down at the ring on his hand that rested on the shiny banister. "A man named Julian."

Nick shivered at such a G.o.d-awful moniker. "Isn't Julian a girl's name?"

One corner of Kyrian's mouth twisted into a sardonic smile.

"Trust me, Nick. He was the toughest SOB you've ever met on a battlefield. No one ever defeated him in a fight. He made Jackie Chan and Chuck Norris look like poseurs."

"Is that how you learned to fight like you did when you saved me?"

"Yes."

Nick had to give him credit. Kyrian could definitely handle himself. It was something he'd love to have. "Could you teach me some of that?"

"When your arm's better. For now, I promised your mom I wouldn't tax your strength."

Nick growled. "Yeah, but-"

"No buts. Today is only an introduction. I want you to get the lay of the land. Rosa is your direct supervisor. Whatever she says goes. Since I usual y work at night, she'l be the one you deal with most when you're here." He turned around and descended the stairs again.

Nick skipped down behind him. "So how many people work for you?"

"Just Rosa and George the groundskeeper. ... And now you."

"What about Mr. Poitiers?"

"He's a friend. I have many who do favors for me from time to time."

Nick could respect that. "Must be good to be king." A flicker of sadness flashed across Kyrian's face before he hid it. "Why don't I show you to your office first?" That announcement stunned Nick. "I have an office?"

"Yes." Kyrian led him to a room off the kitchen that was bigger than Nick's entire condo. Shelves of books lined the wal s. And there were two desks and computers in it, along with nice black leather office chairs. It was an impressive layout. "Rosa has the bigger desk. Yours is there." Nick walked over to it with his jaw slack as he ran his hand across the top of it. Made of rich cherry wood, it was pristine and beautiful. But it was the large monitor on the desk that real y made him smile. "I have my own computer?"

"Yes, and you can do homework on it if you need to. It's hooked online so ..."

Nick's eyes widened even more. "It's online and everything?

"Yes. There'l be times when I'l need you to get information or order things online for me."

"Real y?"

"Real y."

Nick didn't know what to say. This was more than he'd ever imagined. When Kyrian had offered the job, he'd figured it was walking the dog, cleaning toilets, or something equal y as c.r.a.ppy. Not in his wildest dreams had he thought he'd have his own desk or computer.

In fact, Rosa had already put his backpack there. It made him feel like an adult with a real desk job.

Most of al , it made him feel respectable.

Lifting his head high, he met Kyrian's gaze. "So how much money wil I be making?"

"Since you're only part time, we'l start you out at a thousand a week."

Nick about choked on the amount. A thousand what? Lira?

Yen? Rubles? "Excuse me?"

"That's before taxes, of course. And we do have work performance bonuses so you can increase that if you need more. I believe in rewarding hard work and-" Nick held his hand up to stop him right there. "Go back to make sure I heard what you said. A thousand a week?"

"Yes."

"A thousand American dol ars a week?"

"Yes."

"Not Monopoly money or anything?"

Kyrian gave him an irritated glare. "No, Nick. Real, hard cash, and you'l have your own credit card too." Nick couldn't believe it. He was stil aghast over the amount, never mind the other stuff. "And I don't have to do nothing il egal or perverted?"

"You just have to watch your tone, especial y to Rosa." Wel , dang. That made him wonder one thing. ... "How much you paying her if she's ful time?" Kyrian laughed. "A lot more than I'm paying you, but it's not enough to put up with your smart mouth. So if you want to keep this job, you'l have to show her respect."

"Don't worry. I don't mouth off to women." But that rule didn't apply to men or real y to anyone who tried to push him around.

However, Nick did have one major concern. "Um, how much wil you be deducting out of that for the hospital bil s?"

"You keep your grades up, your att.i.tude in check, and show up for work on time for six months and we'l forget about it." If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

And though he was young, he hadn't been born yesterday. "I don't know about that. My mama says we don't take charity from people. We pay our own way."

"Nick ..." Kyrian's voice was strained. "Look around. I'm not going to miss it. You were headed the wrong way down the street, when, for whatever reason, you made a right turn. No one made you do it. You did it by yourself. My goal is to keep you on the right path. And I know that desperate people do desperate things, so this job wil help eliminate some of that temptation. You're a good kid and you deserve a break, which I'm sure life hasn't given you much of." It was true. Life had pretty much battered him and his mom from the moment he'd been born. "Yeah, but that's a lot of money to be paying a kid for doing basical y nothing."

"You won't be doing nothing. You'l be part of a vital support staff I rely on to do my job. Not to mention, you keep your grades up and that's nothing compared to what you can make working for me when you're grown."

Stil , Nick was skeptical. "And I don't have to strip naked?"

"Oh G.o.d, no. Please keep your clothes on. Neither Rosa nor I need to go blind. There's a pool in back though, that you're free to use whenever you like. However, I would encourage you to always have trunks on when you swim. Last thing I need is for my neighbors to start complaining or George to quit." Kyrian moved over to a smal box on Nick's desk and picked it up to hand it to him. "By the way, this is for you."

"What is it?"

"Cel phone so that I can contact you when I need you." Nick couldn't believe it. "No friggin' way."

"Part of the perks of the job. But don't abuse your minutes or texts. I get a ten-thousand-dol ar bil in one month and I wil choke you for it." Kyrian turned it on and handed it to him. "It's already hooked up and the number for it is on the card. Make sure your mom has it too. I programmed my number into the auto dial under two. Just press and hold it." Nick was overwhelmed by the generosity. He didn't know what to say. "This is just so cool. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Kyrian's phone rang. He pul ed it out of his pocket and checked the ID before he answered it.

"No, I've been up for a while. Why?" He frowned as he listened.

Nick played with his own phone. Man, this thing was real y awesome.

"What do you mean there were more attacks?" That got Nick's attention. Was Kyrian talking about the zombie stuff?

"Yeah. I'l head out as soon as I can and I'l keep my eyes peeled for, and I cringe as I say this, things out of the ordinary for us." He listened a few more minutes before he hung up the phone.

"Is something wrong?" Nick asked.

Kyrian didn't exactly respond to the question. "Is there someone at your school with an ax to grind against footbal players?"

Had the man never gone to high school? "Depends on the footbal player. Why?"

"There's been two more attacks."

Nick was stunned.

"Al of them were against footbal players. How many guys are on the team, anyway?"

Nick had to stop and think. "I'm not exactly sure since I don't play anymore. Probably around fifty total, counting JV and V."

"JV and V?"

He was surprised Kyrian didn't know what he was talking about. "Junior varsity and varsity."

"Ah ... Why don't you play anymore?"

Nick shrugged, as that brought up a memory he didn't like thinking about. He'd been real y good at the game, but that hadn't saved him. "Got thrown off the first week I made the team for fighting when Stone mocked my shoes. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a people person." Kyrian laughed. "I noticed. Look, I need to make a few more cal s. Wander around the downstairs here and get acquainted with it. Don't get too tired. If you need anything to eat or drink, it's in the kitchen. Make yourself at home." Nick waited until Kyrian left before he tried to cal Madaug again on his new phone.

Stil no answer.

Sighing, he had a bad feeling about this. If what Kyrian had said was right, they were down about a quarter of the team.

There won't be any state finals for us this year.

Stupid concern given everything going on, but it was the first thing that popped into his mind.

What he couldn't figure out was what had started it. Yeah, the jocks picked on certain people and now that they were becoming zombified, it would only get worse. Now they'd pick on everyone.

How could they stop this?

Aggravated with the lack of details, he made his way back to the kitchen, where Rosa was making something that smel ed unbelievably good.

Licking his lips, he went to investigate the pot while Rosa chopped shrimp and onions on the cutting board. "What are you making?"

"Gumbo."

Nick's brows shot up at a dish that he'd eaten most of his life, but this didn't look anything like his mom's. "Huh ... so this is what rich man's gumbo looks like."

"How do you mean?"

"It ain't got leftovers in it and you're putting real meat into it and not bacon bits or roadkil ."

Rosa laughed. "I'm sure you've never eaten roadkil ." He wouldn't bet on it. His mom might have denied it, but some of the meat she brought home ... he was sure it'd been sc.r.a.ped off the street. Maybe even plucked out of the tread on tires.

Rosa handed him a spoon. "Feel free to sample it."

"Real y? Thanks." He dipped the spoon in and stepped away for it to cool before he took a bite. Man, it tasted even better than it smel ed. His stomach growled so loud, it sounded like a monster was about to pop out.

Rosa turned to stare at him.

"Sorry. I didn't have lunch." Bubba hadn't given him permission to take money out of the til for it, and since school lunches came with his tuition, he didn't have money to buy lunch somewhere else.

Rosa's jaw went slack. "Why didn't you say something about being hungry?" She pul ed him over to the island where two tal stools were set. "You have a seat and I'l make you a sandwich."

"I can wait for dinner. I'm used to it."

"No one goes hungry in this house, m'ijo. You just sit there while I make it."

This was seriously creeping him out. No one was ever this nice to him. Had he fal en into the Twilight Zone or something?

I'm going to die. It had to be an omen of doom. Yeah, I'm going to turn into a flesh-rotting, flesh-eating, no-dating- 'cause-I-stink demon. His body parts, especial y the real y important one, were going to fal off like in that movie he'd seen. ...

And al because he'd helped an old couple escape his friends.

Stop being stupid.

But it wasn't stupid. It was a fact. Something was wrong with the world. It'd skittered sideways and nothing was like it should be.

He was doomed. No if, ands, or buts about it. He was going to die.

And no sooner had that thought finished than he heard something scratching around the back door. There was a low growl and the rattle of a pretty large creature. Vicious and guttural, the sound reminded him of a dog cornering a cat. It must be a Rottweiler or something.