Page 147 of Storm Warning

“Give me one,” Brent said. “I’ll take care of the back door.”

“Shadow, M team, come down to the lab.”

“Copy that, sir.”

Teagan looked puzzled. “Why are you bringing them down here instead of leaving them upstairs to slow the crowd?”

“United we stand, and divided we fall. Our mission is to destroy the virus and the lab. We need everyone here to hold back the tide of soldiers while we wait for the machines to finish their work. After that, we’ll destroy the virus. In the meantime, Riley will upload a copy of their computer memory to Fortress, then wipe it clean here. We have to be sure a computer expert can’t work a miracle and recover the hard drive memory.”

Seconds later, M team and Shadow unit streamed into the lab and found defensible places to make a stand.

Grant reached inside his pack and handed a small C-4 bomb to their boss. “Know how to set it?”

“I’ve got it. Take care of the front door while I booby-trap the back one.”

They hurried to opposite ends of the lab and went to work on their respective doors. By the time they finished, none of their work showed.

One minute later, a buzzer sounded in the lab. The scientists and assistants looked at each other with grim expressions on their faces.

“What is it?” Noah asked.

“The weaponization process is complete. One of the most dangerous flu viruses ever known has been strengthened to where people who catch the virus are more likely to die.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

RILEY SWALLOWED HARD. Why would anyone create such a dangerous virus? She shuddered. Her teammates looked around the lab and at each other, their unease clear in their expressions. “Can you destroy it, Violet?”

“I think so.”

Not good enough. She wanted full reassurance that her brilliant teammate would kill this bug before it killed them. “Vi.”

The medic turned to the scientists and their assistants. “We need your help. You’re worried about the virus affecting your families. I saw the concern on your faces. You can stop this virus from spreading and making your families sick. Help us destroy this weaponized virus. Not only will you help yourselves, you’ll save millions of lives worldwide. Will you help?”

The group looked at each other. From their expressions, they were sympathetic but on the fence about whether they should help.

One woman spoke to her colleagues. “We can’t.” She wrapped her arms around her middle. “You know what will happen if we do.”

Her companion nodded and turned to Violet. “Maria is right. We can’t help. You don’t understand what’s at stake. They know where we live, our family members’ names, and our schedule. They know everything. If we help, the soldiers will punish us and our families.”

One scientist snorted. “You’re underestimating the consequences. If you help these strangers, you and your families will die. Javier and Diego have no mercy. Betrayal means death.”

The first woman who spoke shook her head. “We can’t. I’m sorry. Really.”

Violet inclined her head. “So am I. Where is the virus?”

The workers remained silent. Most of them broke eye contact with the Fortress operatives.

Violet’s hand clenched. “You aren’t getting away with acting like cowards.”

Noah shifted closer to his wife. “What do you need?”

“Your Sig.”

He handed it over without question.

Violet grabbed Tall One and pressed the muzzle to the woman’s temple. “None of you wants to die, but you can’t hide from the truth. If that virus is injected into the carriers, we could all die. So, here’s your choice. Tell me where the vials are, and you get to live another day.”

“And if we don’t?” Tall One’s voice was tight.