Page 90 of Deadly Strain

Sharp grunted. “I didn’t think you had that much time.”

Max turned to stare at him. “I hope you’re wrong.”

“So do I.”

Max continued to stare.

“What?” Sharp asked.

“You’re the sniper, right?”

“Yeah.”

Max nodded. “She trusts you, which is why I’m going to give you a direct order.”

Sharp couldn’t keep his eyebrows down.

Max didn’t seem to notice. “Whatever happens with this situation, don’t leave her alone with Colonel Marshall.”

That was an order he could get behind. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now, I’m going to begin some delicate work. Please tell the others to make every effort to be quiet.”

“Colonel,” Sharp said on a sigh. “We’re hiding from an awful lot of people who would love to kill us. Quiet is our first order of business.”

***

Grace woke feelinghungry and in desperate need of the cave’s inadequate bathroom facilities.

She put out a hand so she could leverage her body into a sitting position and noticed the IV in the vein on the back of her hand. She followed the tubing up to a couple of bags hanging off a pole above her head. After maneuvering herself onto her knees, she was able to read the labels on the bags.

Saline andclindamycin.

Memories from the past few hours rose hesitantly. Max arriving. Her infected wound. Max putting in an IV. Several times Sharp’s hands and voice reassuring her she was going to be okay.

No one was around, so she pulled her pants down, peeked under the bandage, and looked at her sore leg. It was red and inflamed, but not quite as bad as she remembered. She felt less foggy too. Maybe her fever had gone down enough for her to think clearly.

Redressing, she got up, grabbed her IV bags and left the alcove.

Darkness had fallen and the cave was lit in strategic places only. Those light sources were carefully shielded so no light could make it through the patchwork of debris, garbage, and camo mesh camouflaging the hillside exit of the cave.

Max was inside a do-it-yourself clean room fashioned out of clear plastic. He was wearing a full bio-suit and was seated at a microscope viewing something through the lens.

The Special Forces soldiers were scattered around the rest of the cave, playing cards, sleeping, or watching Max. Until she came into view.

Sharp got to his feet and walked over to her, putting one finger over his lips to tell her to be quiet. As soon as he was close enough, he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “A group of twenty men are camped about fifty feet away, along the edge of the garbage dump. They’re not carrying a lot of firepower and look like locals, so I don’t think they’re here for us.” He paused then asked, “How are you feeling?”

“Like crap,” she whispered back. “But better than a little while ago. My head is clear.”

Even in the near darkness, she could make out a relieved smile on his face. “Good. Why don’t you sleep some more?”

“Can’t,” she said, wincing. “I need to use the ladies’ room again.”

“Okay. You remember where it is?”

She nodded. “I don’t remember if there’s somewhere to hang these, though.” She lifted the IV bags.

“Let’s take a look,” Sharp said, and led the way to the hole in the ground.