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Tiberius starts keying in randoures, the screen beeps and clears itself, proain

"It’s pointless," Mark says glu to key in the exact six numbers by accident"

"Shut up," Tiberius snarls, staying focused on the screen "Maybe it’s a sietting through"

Mark s at theout of the hole The smell of it ticklesmy lips

I look more closely and realize Mark’s blood is different thanwithin a couple of seconds It’s red and pure, just like

"What’s that s his nose

"Me," I say too loudly, lurching toat the flesh around the hole whereIt’ll pass in a - "

"No," Gokhan silences me "This is different, innit? It smells like human blood But it can’t be We’re alone Where’s it co the air too, even Tiberius, who isn’t looking at the screen anymore I try to think of a way to distract theical leap that I have Before I can, Peder shushes everyone

"Quiet," he snaps "I can hear so"

"Don’t be stupid," I tell his It’s just - "

"Shut the hell up!" he roars, then squints suspiciously "That noise it’s like a drumbeat, only softer"

It’s silent in this room Not like anywhere else in the co thunder of machinery to contend with You wouldn’t hear a pin drop, but you can hear a lot of soft sounds that were masked in zom HQ and the corridors, especially if your ears are as sharp as ours Noises like a gentle burp, a soft sneeze, so

Or a heartbeat