Chapter Five
7:12 p.m.
Ava kept her eyes on the four people from the CDC, including the decontamination team leader, Ben White, as they got out of their vehicle wearing hazmat suits and harnesses with dual tanks. Long rubber tubes connected the tanks to spray wands they held ready to use.
The four ignored everyone else, ducked under the yellow tape, and began spraying down River, Ava, and her sample collection kit.
She wasn’t sure what the Homeland Security agents wanted to know, especially since she didn’t have a whole lot to tell them. “He said something about forcing American troops to withdraw from somewhere.” She rotated her arms so the CDC team could spray her properly. “But he was very confused and never finished his…speech.”
“Did he say anything else?”
“Someone called him. I don’t know what they said, but the terrorist looked at me and apologized.”
“Apologized?”
“He said, ‘I’m sorry.’ A second later, someone shot him.”
“That someone would be me,” River put in as the team finished spraying his suit. “I saw your reaction to what he said. Whatever you saw on his face scared the shit out of you.”
“I don’t know what I saw, but whatever the caller ordered him to do, he seemed determined to carry it out.”
The Homeland agent glanced around the area, taking in the buildings surrounding the plaza the coffee shop was in. “Someone could have been watching.” He looked at his fellow agents. “Have all the buildings with a line of sight to the café and surroundings searched.” He turned back to Ava. “I need a description of the bomber. I also need you to sit with a sketch artist. Identifying the bomber is a top priority.”
“Any security camera pointed in this direction is going to get you a more accurate picture than a sketch artist could produce,” River said. “Dr. Lloyd is an important member of the CDC’s investigative team. If you need her for anything else, go through appropriate channels to schedule an interview.”
Anger radiating off him, the Homeland agent stared at River. “I don’t like your attitude.”
“I don’t give a shit,” River retorted.
The agent took an aggressive step toward River. “Being in the Army isn’t going to save you from a lot of very uncomfortable questioning.”
“Dude, if you’re trying to intimidate me, could you at least look as threatening as my drill sergeant from Basic?”
Homeland’s face turned a deep red.
“Dr. Lloyd,” Ben said, not bothering to fight a grin. Ava had worked with him twice before, and he treated her like a kid sister, telling her stories of his ten years with the CDC and the hundreds of biological hot spots he’d worked. He could probably decontaminate the area in his sleep. It was Homeland Security’s attitude making this interesting for him. “Dr. Rodrigues needs you and your samples at the hospital now. You, too, Sergeant River.”
“Our hazmat suits may be compromised,” Ava told him with a glance at her suit.
“You’ll be disinfected again, from bare skin out, at the hospital. The helicopter will be landing at the north end of the street in about three minutes.” He pointed. “Please make your way there now.”
“Homeland has jurisdiction—” the Homeland agent began.
“The Governor of Texas has declared a state of emergency,” Ben interrupted. “He’s given the CDC the authority to isolate the sick, quarantine the healthy, and investigate the disease. Dr. Rodrigues is in charge. You’ll have to speak with her regarding any questions you may have for her or anyone on her staff.”
“A state of emergency?” The agent sneered. “For only two deaths?”
“Your information is outdated. Ten people have died in the last hour alone,” Ben replied. “We’ve got over one hundred cases reported now and more pouring in.”
An icy rock formed in the pit of her stomach. “Good God,” she whispered. “It must be an airborne pathogen.”
“That’s what we’re afraid of. If it is, what we’ve seen this morning is just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Agent—” Ava hesitated. She hadn’t heard his name.
“Geer,” River supplied.
“Geer.” She glanced at River and smiled. “You’re correct. Identifying the bomber is crucial. He may have been what we call patient zero. We need to know who he is…was. We need to know what his movements were in the last several days. Everything he did, who he was with, who he talked to. Everything. I wish I had more information, but he said nothing to me beyond what I’ve already told you.”
“He didn’t mention any names?”
“No. As I said, he said he had to wait for instructions, then got that phone call.”
“Where’s his phone?”
“I left it next to the backpack,” River said. “I doubt there’s much of it left.”
Geer stared at the two of them, frustration a palpable thing on his face and body. “I don’t have time for all this shit.” He looked at her up and down, as if her hazmat suit was something ridiculous.
A dangerous attitude. For him and anyone he came into contact with. An outbreak like this could rapidly get out of control and spread. Following safety protocols could save your life.
“Make time or get dead,” River said with a bluntness that rocked the Homeland agent back on his heels. “This isn’t a case of the flu or measles. This shit is killing people.”
“Measles kill, too,” Ava said, wincing when the two men looked at her. “It’s a lot deadlier than most people believe.” She stared at Geer. What would convince this man the biological threat was as serious and deadly as explosives or bullets?
Geer’s contemptuous expression disappeared into a frown as he said in a tone so falsely sweet it could give cavities, “Fine. If the CDC is in charge, it’s in charge. We’ll see what we can pull off the surveillance footage. Priority one is identifying him, two is determining his movements for the last week. Any other orders, doctor?”
Oh, he did not like her at all.
“Do you have River’s contact info? We should share information as we receive it.”
“I’ll get it from Agent Dozer.”
“Watch your six,” River said to Geer. “EMS is often a high-priority target to these assholes.”
“The voice of experience?” Geer asked with a faint sneer.
“Abso-fucking-lutely. This kind of multiple strike is a favorite of today’s modern terrorist.”
Geer snorted. “As opposed to what, eighties mullet terrorists?”
“And shoulder pads, don’t forget the shoulder pads.” River gave him a half-salute, then nodded at her. “Let’s get to the helicopter.”
She grabbed her collection kit and followed him as he damn near ran for the helicopter landing at the other end of the courtyard.
The pilot was dressed in a hazmat suit, as were the two men waving at River and her to hurry. As soon as they were inside and the door to the aircraft was closed, the pilot had them in the air.
One of the men helped her to a seat. The other secured her collection case to an empty seat with the seat harness. Normally, she’d think they were overdoing the safety thing, but given the situation…there was no such thing as overdoing it.
The flight only took a couple of minutes, which was plenty of time to see firsthand just how crazy the situation had become in the hour since she’d been gone to collect samples.
There was an army of ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars at the front of the hospital, all with their lights flashing, but their sirens off. People were milling around, but not as many as all the vehicles warranted. In fact, she could only see seven moving bodies down there.
The lack of noise and imbalance between the number of vehicles and people made the scene below…eerie.
She lost sight of the area as they flew over the top of the building. They didn’t land on the helicopter pad; they landed in a back parking lot surrounded by a fence. A lot empty of cars, but full of CDC vehicles, tents, and people in hazmat suits.
Once the helicopter touched down, an entire brigade of people rushed over. Ava hadn’t even gotten her harness released before someone had the door open and was reaching in for her sample collection case. It took her a moment to recognize the man as Henry Lee, a tech who was the key person responsible for the hands-on lab work that would identify the pathogen. Once Henry had begun investigating an unknown microorganism, he didn’t stop until he had it identified.
“How many samples did you get?” he shouted at her.
“Forty-three,” she shouted back. The pilot hadn’t turned the engine off, and between that and the noise the rotors made, she could barely hear herself think. “We got blown up, so you’re going to need to take samples from us after we’ve been through decontamination.”
He paused to stare at her. “Blown up? When did that happen?”
“About twenty minutes ago, I think.” She glanced at River, but he was talking to Dr. Rodrigues, who must have entered from the other side of the aircraft. “It’s been a bit chaotic.”
Henry nodded. “I’m working in our lab-in-a-box. They set it down on the other side of the parking lot. As soon as you’re finished in decontamination, come find me and I’ll take some samples from you.” He gave her a thumbs-up and trotted off with her collection kit.
Someone on the other side of her shook her arm.
Ava turned to find Dr. Rodrigues examining her with a critical gaze. “Any injuries to report?” she yelled.
“Nothing worth treatment, ma’am. I’d be surprised if I don’t have some deep bruising along my right side and back. Did Sergeant River explain about my concern with the integrity of our suits?”
“Yes, there’s a decontamination team ready to scrub you head to toe. Report to me after you’re done.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Dr. Rodrigues ducked away, paused, then came back. “Good job. Sergeant River said you handled yourself well.” She left so quickly Ava didn’t have time to think of a response. She glanced at River, but he was busy getting out of his harness.
He’d taken the time to compliment her to her boss? Her breath shuttered out of her chest as heat blossomed inside her to spread across her body and up her neck. He kept surprising her. It was confusing.
Focus.
Ava got out of the aircraft and followed another tech from the CDC who led her to a free-standing tent. River was being guided into another tent a few feet away.
Both structures were about twelve feet square with one entry/exit.
Inside, there was a line of three tanks containing different chemicals capable of killing bacteria, viruses, fungi, molds, and spores.
The tech sprayed her down with her suit on first, then had Ava take it off, along with the clothing she wore beneath it. A different woman, one she didn’t know, came and took her clothes away without comment.
“Close your eyes and mouth,” the tech ordered. “You don’t want to get this stuff in them.”
Ava complied, and she sprayed her with the first solution, then the second.
“Keep your eyes closed while I scrub you down,” she said. “Let me know if any gets into them. We’ll need to rinse them properly if that happens.”
Ava nodded, and she began scrubbing.
After that, she was sprayed down with a third solution. Then the tech put a towel in her hand, and Ava could finally wipe her face dry and open her eyes.
“I didn’t see any obvious tears or holes in your suit. I also didn’t see any evidence of any liquids penetrating the suit.”
Ava nearly collapsed with relief.
“I’m going to issue you another suit anyway,” the tech continued. “Once you’re dressed, Henry wants to see you, then Dr. Rodrigues. After you’ve seen them and been cleared for work, you can come back here to pick up your new suit.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
“Be careful. Just before you arrived, I got word that the death toll has grown to fifteen.”
Holy shit. “Has the pathogen been identified yet?”
“If it has, no one is saying anything.” The tech gave her a wry smile. In other words, they either had no idea what it was, or they knew what it was, but were double-checking the identification to ensure that the first answer they got was the right one.
It had to be something very nasty.
Ava nodded at the other woman, then took the set of scrubs provided, got dressed, and stepped out.
The sun had set while she’d been in the decontamination tent. Portable light towers set up at regular intervals now added a white glow to the fading sunlight.
Two men were talking quietly not far away. One of them had his back to her. He wasn’t tall, his body compact, and the scrubs he wore left his muscular arms bare for the most part. He almost seemed to blend into the shadows.
“Sergeant River?” she asked, not completely certain it was him.
He glanced at her over his shoulder. It was quick, no more than a second, but that was plenty of time for her to confirm it was him.
The impact his gaze had on her, now that there weren’t two layers of hazmat suit between them, knocked the wind out of her. His eyes were a warm amber, the bones of his face strong rather than handsome, his black hair trimmed military short. He looked every inch the soldier. Tough. Determined. Deadly. But even the most dangerous men needed help and support sometimes. He’d been assigned to her, which made him her responsibility.
That’s all he was, a colleague, a partner, nothing else.
She shivered as a cold ball of ice formed in the bottom of her stomach, telling her it was already too late—he’d saved her life and treated her like an equal partner. For that alone, he’d earned her trust, but he’d gone even further. He’d shown her more respect in the past hour than most men did in a week.
She didn’t want him to get under her skin, really didn’t.
He turned away to shake the hand of the man talking to him, thanked him, then faced her, giving her a thorough head-to-toe examination. Protective. Proprietary.
He strode toward her, stopping close enough that she had to force herself not to take a step back. “Everything okay?”
In the face of his concern, how could she not care? “Um, yes,” she managed to say after taking in a quick, shaky breath. “You?”
“Yeah. They didn’t find any holes in my suit.”
“Mine was okay, too.” She couldn’t stop staring at him. He radiated testosterone. How could she have not noticed how seriously freaking hot he was?
“So,” River drawled after a moment, one corner of his mouth curling up for the briefest of moments. “We need to see that guy, Henry?”
Ava winced. Get it together, you stupid woman. “Yes, come on.” She led the way to what most people would look at and see as a metal shipping container, the kind used on large ships for items like cars or trucks.
“This is a portable lab?” River asked as they stopped outside a tentlike structure that had been attached to one side of the box. Another smaller tent sat next to it. A glance inside revealed a cot, a case of bottled water, and a few Meals Ready to Eat.
“Yes, fully functional and self-contained.” she said, waving at the security camera mounted on one of the support poles of the tent. “Henry, we’re here.”
“Think of this”—she gestured at the heavy-duty airtight plastic in front of them—“as an air lock.”
River stepped back a few paces to examine the entire structure. “A helicopter brings it in?” he asked, pointing at the giant handles on either end of the metal box.
“Yes. It provides its own power through batteries recharged by solar panels, so it can go anywhere.”
“An Army doctor I know had something like this, but it was made of canvas and broke down so it fit into duffel bags.”
“I know her. I’ve seen pictures of her tent. It’s ingenious.” Wait, how did he know about it? She watched him sidelong and said tentatively, “I didn’t think that tent design had been shared with anyone outside of the Army’s Biological Response Team.”
“I did some support work for the Bio Response Team last year. Helped set up that tent.”
“During the incident when she blew up her lab?”
“Yep, though I didn’t witness the explosion.”
“Busy shooting bad guys?”
“No, an ex-friend of mine had kicked me in the head. There’s forty-seven hours I lost last year the doctors say I’ll never get back.”