Chapter 445: Prank
Chapter 445: Chapter 445: Prank
Arcadia White also said, "She’s just a child who doesn’t know any better. Nina, don’t pay her any mind."
"You, on the other hand, performed exceptionally well tonight.
I’d like to invite you and Wayne Warner to visit us in Whittaker Town. Would you be willing?"
Arcadia White pulled Nina Jacobs down to sit on the sofa, extending an olive branch with a look of utmost sincerity.
"Whittaker Town?"
Nina Jacobs asked in confusion.
’Is that different from White Village?’
"It’s my hometown. You know how it is, there are always some stubborn elders in the family who refuse to leave.
So Aiden is escorting us back this time.
I was thinking that with you and Wayne Warner with us, we’d be much safer.
After all, it isn’t a base."
"But rest assured, the compensation for you and Wayne Warner will be several times better than what you’d get at Lornwood Base.
Once we’re there, you won’t have to worry about your livelihood again."
Arcadia White said all this in a rush. Nina Jacobs listened intently, appearing deep in thought.
Arcadia White smiled and said, "I’m only asking because I can see Evelina is especially fond of you. Of course, if you’re not willing, I won’t insist."
Nina Jacobs nodded. "I’d like some more time to consider it."
"All right, there’s no rush. I’ll wait for your answer tomorrow."
Mrs. White went upstairs after she finished speaking.
Hearing the door close upstairs, Godfrey Thatcher, who was standing nearby, quickly pulled the two of them into his room.
Godfrey Thatcher had an urgent look on his face. "Whatever you do, don’t believe her!"
"You mean Mrs. White?" Nina Jacobs asked, curious.
Godfrey Thatcher nodded frantically.
"The place they’re going... you might go in, but you’ll never come out.
I’ve never been there myself, but I know it’s no good."
As if remembering something, Godfrey Thatcher’s eyes widened. "Before Commander Langdon went missing, he followed them there.
And then... he wasn’t the same when he came back!"
Godfrey Thatcher knew that saying this could get him killed, but Nina Jacobs and Wayne Warner had just saved his life.
He had to warn them, no matter the cost.
"Where do you usually take them?"
Nina Jacobs asked.
"Morrowgate. Sometimes General Hughes just goes and comes right back, and even that takes two days."
Godfrey Thatcher replied.
He and the rest of the Shadow Legion were only ever allowed to wait at a spot near Morrowgate to pick up General Hughes and his party on their way back.
"I understand. We’ll be careful."
Godfrey Thatcher relaxed a little after Nina Jacobs gave her word.
"Before, whenever we ran into any danger, they’d always ditch me and run.
You two were the only ones who didn’t... So..."
Godfrey Thatcher trailed off, embarrassed.
It was the first time he, a grown man, had ever been saved by a woman.
"Well, you’re pretty sharp yourself."
Nina Jacobs said with a smile.
It was late at night by the time Cecily Wells and Jasper Paxton returned.
In the main hall, Julia Hughes seemed to have woken up. She looked at the two exhausted figures on the sofa and said:
"I want to play ’kill the zombies’ too. You can pretend to be zombies and play with me, okay?"
"We’re exhausted. Go find someone else to play with."
Jasper Paxton barely managed to restrain his anger.
He wouldn’t have been this exhausted if he hadn’t had to keep going easy on Julia Hughes.
Dissatisfied, Julia Hughes turned and walked away.
But soon enough, she was knocking on Godfrey Thatcher’s door.
"Digby has to play with me."
Godfrey Thatcher felt helpless but opened the door. "Okay, but only for a little while. Everyone needs to rest for the road tomorrow."
"Okay!"
It was rare to see Julia Hughes be so agreeable, so Godfrey Thatcher patiently started to play with her.
Nina Jacobs didn’t leave her room. Instead, she had a few of her Little Zombie Rats stand guard outside the courtyard gate.
She also wanted to use them to listen in on General Hughes’s quarters.
Just then, in the living room, a tray of juice brought by Julia Hughes was sitting on the table.
"You’ve all worked so hard. This is the juice I made for you. Hurry up and drink it."
Julia Hughes said.
"Thank you, Evelina,"
Cecily Wells said, forcing a smile.
Even though she and Jasper Paxton were on watch duty tonight, this little girl was just exhausting.
"I’m going upstairs for a second. All three of you have to drink it, okay?
I’ll be back to check. If you don’t, I’ll have my daddy beat you up."
As soon as she finished speaking, Julia Hughes darted upstairs as if something was chasing her.
Jasper Paxton, who had dozed off, was shaken awake. With a sullen expression, he downed the juice in one gulp.
Godfrey Thatcher took a sip and thought it tasted strange.
Just then, Nina Jacobs’s door burst open. "Don’t drink that!"
"What’s wrong?"
Cecily Wells, who was just about to raise the glass to her lips, froze when she saw Nina Jacobs’s grim expression.
Godfrey Thatcher looked at the glass of strange-tasting juice he’d taken a sip from and finally realized what was happening.
He stuck his fingers down his throat and began to make himself throw up.
Meanwhile, Jasper Paxton was clearly unwell. His breathing grew ragged, and his nose started to feel itchy.
He touched his nose and his hand came away wet with blood.
"What’s... happening to me?"
Jasper Paxton asked blankly.
Immediately after, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and his body erupted in pain, as if he were being torn limb from limb.
"These symptoms... It must be the zombie virus."
Nina Jacobs said grimly.
Earlier in the day, when she was escorting Mrs. White and her daughter during a bathroom break, she had indeed seen Julia Hughes secretly pick something up, wrap it carefully, and stuff it into her pocket.
She had simply pretended not to see it at the time.
’Julia Hughes hates sharing her things with anyone. Why would she suddenly be kind enough to give juice to the three of them?
Plus, she’d been pestering everyone to play her ’kill the zombies’ game.’
That was why Nina Jacobs had burst out of her room.
She just hadn’t expected Jasper Paxton and Godfrey Thatcher to drink it so fast.
"Zom-zombie virus?"
Cecily Wells was on the verge of tears from fright. The glass in her hand fell to the floor with a CRASH.
The faint, putrid smell explained everything.
Dry heaving, she stumbled out the door.
And just as feared, Jasper Paxton had already begun to turn.
"Damn... you..."
Jasper Paxton cursed resentfully before he lost consciousness.
Godfrey Thatcher was also drenched in a cold sweat, his face flushed beet-red.
A burst of laughter came from the stairs.
Julia Hughes watched Jasper Paxton’s unending convulsions, pointing at him and dancing with glee.
"You wouldn’t play ’pretend zombies’ with me,
so I made you into a real one."
Nina Jacobs glared at her, murderous intent flaring. But just then, Mrs. White, having heard the commotion, also came downstairs.
She screamed upon seeing the mutating Jasper Paxton, but when she saw the look on her daughter’s face, she immediately understood.
"Did you do this, Evelina?" Arcadia White asked.
"No... It was... I just wanted to play a game, but they wouldn’t play with me..."
Julia Hughes was still afraid of Arcadia White’s temper.
But to her surprise, Arcadia White didn’t get angry. She just pinched the girl’s nose and said:
"You’re not to pull pranks like this again. It’s too dangerous, understand?"
"I know, Mommy."
Julia Hughes tilted her little face up and smiled triumphantly again.
"Nina, kill the zombie. And him, too."
Arcadia White’s finger casually pointed toward Godfrey Thatcher.
At that moment, however, Wayne Warner walked over, hoisted Godfrey Thatcher onto his back, and carried him into his room.
Nina Jacobs looked at Jasper Paxton, who was beyond saving, and ended his life with a Stone Spike.
"Godfrey Thatcher might still have a chance. He has to drive tomorrow."
Nina Jacobs said.
Arcadia White nodded. "Fine. It’s not easy finding a driver who’s so obedient."