Two weeks later…

Emily was walking gingerly down the corridor toward her newly assigned living space, one hand skimming the wall for balance, when Ryan rounded the corner and startled her. She’d seen him nearly every day for at least a few minutes in between the constant barrage of doctors and scientists coming in and out. No matter how busy Ryan was, he always managed to pop in and check on her.

It wasn’t as if she should be surprised to run into him. There were only twelve people living in the bunker besides her. The only other humans she’d encountered so far were government employees—high-ranking military in every instance.

She teetered slightly as Ryan caught her off guard, and he reached out with both hands to grab her shoulders and keep her from falling backward. “Damn. Sorry. Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.” His fingers were warm and welcome on her biceps as she flattened her back against the wall and let him take the brunt of her weight.

“Don’t worry. Not your fault. I’m still unsteady. It’s like my muscle memory isn’t one hundred percent yet. My brain fires directions, but my limbs don’t respond quickly enough.” She calmed under his touch, her mind going back to how he held her hand when she’d first woken up.

Still holding one of her arms, he shifted his body to help her down the hallway. “I can’t imagine the frustration. I wish I could tell you how long it will take to regain total movement, but I just don’t have anyone to compare it to.”

That was an understatement. “What? You don’t have case studies of hundreds of twenty-nine-year-old women who’ve been vitrified for ten years?”

He chuckled. “Nope.”

The truth was she knew the entire team was watching her closely and taking copious notes every day on her recovery before they were willing to awaken the next member of her team. Part of her couldn’t wait. She had pored over Ryan’s data and felt confident his injection would cure her as well as all the others. People she knew. Colleagues.

The only familiar person she’d reacquainted herself with was General Temple Levenson, though everyone called her by her first name. Temple lived in one of several housing units scattered on the four-acre government property. The other units were occupied by the security team tasked with protecting the facility.

Without Temple, Emily would feel like she’d dropped into another dimension. Without Ryan’s friendship, she would also be losing her mind.

They reached her suite, and Ryan took her keycard from her hand to swipe it over the panel at the entrance. She was still impressed by the new technology, and she was well-aware there were dozens of other things she had yet to encounter that had changed in the last ten years. It was too overwhelming to tackle everything at once.

He led her inside, shut the door behind him, and helped her maneuver her way to the couch where she flopped down with a sigh.

“Can I get you anything? A drink or something?”

“Water would be great. There’s a bottle in the fridge.” She glanced around at her temporary home, still enamored by the improvements to the bunker in the last few years. Each member of the team had a set of rooms that reminded her a bit of hotel suites. They weren’t luxurious or anything. Standard stuff. All of them identical and done in a lovely shade of beige. But they were a hell of an improvement over leaving the bunker each night or sleeping on a loveseat somewhere underground.

She took a seat in the main living area on the khaki couch facing a television she had yet to turn on. The room also had an attached kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, and sink. There was an armchair catty-corner from the sofa and a small table for two in a light wood with two slatted kitchen chairs. Behind her was a separate bedroom and bathroom. It was tight, but it gave everyone someplace to spend time alone.

The team ate together in another part of the bunker in the same larger kitchen where she’d spent countless days dining with her previous team. It had been updated and renovated so that it was hardly recognizable, but at least she felt a slight connection to the old days dining in there.

Ryan returned to sit next to her, holding out a bottle of water. He pointed at the remote for the TV. “Have you managed to use that yet?”

She smirked. “Nope. I haven’t even tried. I wasn’t a big television watcher before I took ten years off from society. I don’t imagine I will be now either. Besides,” she pointed at the pile of folders on the coffee table, “I have a lot of work left to do. It feels like I need to go back to med school to catch up.”

He nodded. “It’s not that bad. Technology has changed a lot in the last decade, but doctors still treat patients in much the same way they did before.”

“And this bunker is still working on the latest challenges and discoveries.” She’d been given a briefing from several people in the last two weeks, but her primary concern was the disease she still carried and ensuring the cure would work on her the same way it worked on current victims all around the globe.

He took the water bottle from her shaky hand. “You sure you’re not overdoing it? You need to take it slow.”

She lifted a brow. “You say that like I have all the time in the world.”

He scrunched up his face. “Good point. I realize the clock is ticking, but you’re not in any danger so far. The total blood replacement and the drugs we administered to minimize the effects are buying you time. You’re not even showing symptoms yet.”

“Yet. The operative word.”

He leaned back against the couch next to her, having left enough space between them that they weren’t touching. His palms were on his thighs, gripping. When he tipped his head back to stare at the ceiling, she felt the tension coming from his body.

“You must be anxious to bring your parents back,” she whispered, reaching out to set her hand on top of his. What possessed her to touch him like this? She glanced at their connected hands, unwilling to release him. It felt good. Human. He didn’t pull away.

He turned his head slightly in her direction and smiled. He looked tired. As though he’d spent the better part of the last decade working his ass off. And she knew he had. “I’ve waited ten years. Another few weeks or months won’t kill me. We need to be sure we’re doing everything right before we revive the next person.”

She nodded, feeling awkward about touching him so intimately. As she started to remove her hand, however, he flipped his over and threaded their fingers together, holding on to her. When he lifted her hand to his cheek and closed his eyes, she stopped breathing.

His touch was welcome. She was living in another dimension. She hardly understood the world around her or even who she was or what her place would be in this new universe. It was nice to have this connection. Ryan was kind. Caring. Concerned.

She stared at him, learning his features, the way his nose tipped up slightly at the end, the way he licked his full lips often as if he either had a serious need for lip balm or was always about to say something he held back.

He sighed as he pressed her knuckles against his face, blinking his eyes open to meet her gaze. “You ground me. You give me hope.”

She nodded slightly, unsure how to respond. She knew he was referring to his parents, and she was glad she could help him through the process. He needed a friend. She could be that friend. She was the only person alive who had walked in those shoes.

He continued, “I’ve had my head buried in books for half my life. I started working on the cure for AP12 as far back as fifteen years old when General Custodio was first brought into the bunker.”

She gasped. “Wow.”

“Yeah. It interested me. I researched everything I could about blood disorders. Before I even went to college I knew more than most medical professionals about anemia. It became a hobby, or an obsession.”

She nodded, not interrupting him. If he was anything like her, he hadn’t had the time in the last ten years to share his concerns with someone else. He probably kept them bottled up, ignoring his fears because what good would it do to wallow in self-pity?

“I’m rambling.”

She squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

He met and held her gaze for several moments. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For listening.”

“Thank you, for bringing me back to life, for helping me find myself, for being a calm presence when the world feels like it’s upside down. I have no idea what I’m going to do next with my life. It helps having someone to talk to.” She turned her hand around in his grip and cupped his face with her palm.

He smiled. “You’re not alone there. I worry about what I’m going to do next with my life. After all, I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. I found the cure. It works. I also found the people who specialized in cryobiology to solve my other problem. I put together a team.

“I got the government to back me. The highest ranking members of the military are involved in a project I spearheaded. I did it. It’s almost over. I can see the finish line…”

“Totally understandable.” She would be lost in his shoes too.

“I’m definitely scared. My parents are trapped in suspension one floor below me as I speak. But I have so much hope. And I’ve done everything I can. It’s like the end of a chapter.” He took a breath. “On the flipside, I’m not done. My parents are still waiting. Nineteen other people are also waiting. I feel guilty every time my mind wanders to the future instead of focusing on what I’m supposed to be doing.”

She understood every word. In many ways the two of them were the same. She too had devoted her life to finding a cure for AP12. She also had no idea what the next chapter of her life would look like. She still had to reconnect with her family and figure out what role she might play concerning Project DEEP going forward.

She got him. They were in the same boat. “You said you were already involved in other projects here. Do you see yourself continuing with Project DEEP or leaving the facility?”

He nodded. “I’ll be honest, every time I dig into another project, my blood pumps faster. I love the thrill of curing the next mysterious disease. It’s awkward for me at this stage because half my mind is focused on finishing this project and bringing the entire original team back to health.” His eyes twinkled with excitement that made her heart lurch in a manner she was extremely familiar with as he continued. “But I itch to move on to another virus, another mystery, another cure.”

She smiled. “I get that,” she whispered. They were so much alike.

He licked his lips again and then sighed. “Thank you for listening. I mean it.”

She nodded. “Any time. I hope you know that. We’re in the same place in a way.”

He held her gaze, not moving a muscle.

A shudder rushed down her spine, and she jerked her gaze away at the same time she pulled her hand back.

She pointed at the pocket on the front of his scrubs—the only clothing she’d seen him in so far. Inside the bunker everyone wore scrubs most days. It was just easier. Logical. “Show me this fandangled phone of yours. Eventually I’m going to have to learn modern technology.”

He pulled it from his shirt and handed it to her.

“How do you turn it on?” she asked.

“You don’t. Not without my thumb print.” He winked. After unlocking the screen with his thumb, he tapped the front, making her flinch.

“The screen responds to your touch?”

“Yep. It’s called a smartphone. It’s come a long way in a short number of years. It’s a tiny handheld computer. I can do anything on it I can do on my laptop. It even takes pictures. It also holds books. As many as I want.”

“That’s insane. No wonder no one ever sets their phone down since I woke up. It’s like you’re all possessed. Addicted.” She settled back on the sofa, touching the screen to see what would happen.

“There’s an app for everything.”

“And app?”

“Application. A software program. Let’s you connect to almost anything.”

It was truly amazing. And exhausting. It was going to take her forever to catch up with technology. After several minutes she jerked her head up. “Oops. Sorry.” She handed him his phone. “I’m sure you have places you need to be.” Half of her wished it weren’t true. She enjoyed spending time with him. More so by the day.

This accidental meeting had to come to an end. He was supposed to be in the lab. People were probably wondering where he was.

He nodded as he pocketed his phone.

She pointed at the pile of folders on the coffee table. “I’m almost done going through all your notes. I was thinking you could give me the shot sometime tomorrow.”

“Of course, if you’re ready.” His brow was furrowed.

“Hey,” she added. “It’s going to be fine. It’s going to work. And then we’re going to reanimate your parents and everyone else on the team. You’ll see.”

He blew out a long breath. “Thanks. I need to take a page from your book of optimism. I haven’t had much of that lately. Not until recently. But as I get closer and closer to the possibility of seeing my parents…”

She smiled and then reached out to grab his hand again. “It’s all going to go perfectly smoothly. I can feel it.”

Emily stayed on the couch as Ryan pushed to standing and headed for the door. As he was leaving, he turned around and tipped his head to one side. “Thank you.”

She stared at the door for several minutes, wondering what the hell was happening between them. They were friends. Of course. Could it be more someday? The idea was foreign to her. In her previous life, she hadn’t had time for a man. She seriously doubted he’d dated much either. She couldn’t blame him. He’d had more at stake than she’d ever had. She’d been driven by the desire to save the world. He’d been driven by the desire to save his own parents.

She shuddered as she considered how unbelievably lonely he must have been for all these years. A decade inside his head, always thinking, formulating, calculating. Hoping.

Ryan Anand had given his life to this project, and it was coming to an end. He would suffer a letdown. He needed to sleep for a month. But that would all happen after he reunited with his parents and spent time with them. As much as she liked him, it was senseless to consider something more than friendship with him. He wasn’t going to be emotionally or physically available to anyone for some time. And the truth was, neither would she.

She needed to reconnect with her own parents and brother, none of whom knew she was back in the land of the living, nor did they know such a concept was even possible. They were going to be shocked. They were also going to be older. She was not. It would be most strange seeing her younger brother. He would be eight years older than her now. On the flip side, anyone who saw her wouldn’t have trouble recognizing her. She had literally not changed. At least not physically. She was concerned that her personality was altered, but not necessarily in a bad way.

She sighed as she picked up the file in front of her. Yes, she would have Ryan give her the shot tomorrow. It was time. She needed to move forward. Her life was in limbo. She didn’t even know what she wanted to do next.

She was under no obligation to serve in the military. In fact, as far as the government was concerned, she had died. That had been her official classification. It wasn’t as though anyone expected her to return to active duty. There was a good chance they wouldn’t even permit it. There was talk of changing her status from “deceased” to “medically discharged.”

In addition, she didn’t know what new projects were being worked on in this bunker, and there was every possibility she wouldn’t be anywhere close to up to speed with the latest medical research. It would take time and education to get back up to par. Did she want to devote herself to that work again? Like re-entering medical school in a way. Ten years was a long time. A lot of changes and advances had occurred.

What worried her was that her entire life had been devoted to medical research. Not just this AP12 project but many others as well. She used to literally get giddy at the prospect of spending days on end with her head buried in research. Now? She wasn’t sure who she was now. She wasn’t positive she still had the passion for the kind of work she did.

It was crazy since as far as her mind was concerned, she’d been that mad scientist just weeks ago. How could she wake up from what amounted to a coma with a changed outlook on life? She supposed it was possibly the result of facing death head-on. Something like that changed people. There was plenty of evidence to support the idea.

Closing the file, she pushed to standing on once-again wobbly legs. She needed to get to her next appointment, round three of physical therapy for the day. For a group of world-renowned scientists who were all in the military in some capacity and worked for the government, it was amazing how many of them knew enough about physical therapy to get her body back up to par.

It was working too. She was getting stronger every day. In spite of the fact that she still had anemia AP12, she was gaining ground.

Ten minutes later she was in the rehab room where one of the team, Dr. Michelle Houston, was waiting for her. Emily was out of breath. Not unusual. “This place isn’t large enough for the length of time it takes me to get from one end to the other,” she joked.

Michelle laughed. “With the new wing of suites, it’s also a maze. Don’t feel bad. You’re getting stronger every day. I’m impressed.” She had Emily lie on a thick blue mat on the floor and began to stretch her legs. “How are you doing emotionally? We don’t really have the support staff in here to handle that side of things yet.”

“I’m doing okay so far. It’s weird and stressful, but I’m hanging in there.” Largely because of Ryan. At least she had her friendship with him to look forward to.

“Before we start waking up twenty-one other people, we need more staff, and frankly I don’t see where we’re going to put everyone,” Michelle pointed out. “I’ve made a few calls. We need to bring in some temporary mobile homes to house the increase in staff. There aren’t even enough beds for twenty-one more souls. And definitely not enough medical staff to support their needs, emotional and physical.”

“I could work up a proposal for you if you want. I’m kind of useless for much else right now. At least I could figure out how many hours a day each patient is going to require therapy and mental healthcare. Calculate how much outside help you’ll need and for how long.”

“That would be great. We were all stretched thin as it was. Besides AP12, we’ve got about seven other diseases we’re looking at.”

Emily sat up and decided to take the first step to reclaim her life. “I know I’m not one hundred percent by any stretch of the imagination, but I can definitely help out in some way. If you want to assign me to a project, I could try to catch up on the research and attempt to be helpful.”

“You don’t mind?” Michelle looked skeptical. “I don’t want you to take on too much too fast. We really shouldn’t be asking you to do anything except concentrate on getting healthy.”

“You didn’t ask. I offered,” Emily stated as she extended her weak arms into the air to grab onto the pulley system above her head. It would keep her from feeling like she was going crazy. Maybe some time in the lab would help her get back in the groove. It was also possible it would make it more obvious that she was no longer as interested in medicine. Either way, she might get some answers.

“I’ll talk to General Levenson and the team. See what everyone thinks.”

Emily nodded as she gritted her teeth and pulled down hard on the handle. Rehabilitation sucked. Being vitrified sucked more. She could do this.