I traded glances with Dax. He looked confused, but was probably liking this Shiloh and her sense of rebellion.
“And who do you and your fellow minions support as your leader?” he asked. “Or are you a bunch of free spirits who want to do away with all government?”
She evil-eyed Dax. “Every large group needs leadership. We simply believe that the leader we need is one who will endorse equal rights among the citizens.”
“And who does your group hope will lead you?” I knew the answer before I even asked it.
At the end of the pedway, she stopped to open a door for us. She allowed Dax to enter first, then stood directly in front of me. “West is the future of this city. He will be our next president.”
“But West is already being groomed to take over. What does your group hope to accomplish that the council isn’t already doing?”
“The president, although popular, doesn’t really hold that much power. The council is truly running this city, and most people know that the council is corrupt. The council will never lead us forward; in fact, they deliberately hold us back. Only West is ready to lead us into the next era.”
“Why was I so important?”
She tilted her head, and a grin lifted the corners of her lips. “Because while many of us are ready to reenter the outside, the council understands the importance of a vaccine to prevent future outbreaks of Bad Sam.”
I studied her eyes. She was being quite forthcoming. “Sounds to me like there’s enough support behind West already without adding me to the mix.” They had my antibodies now. “Why do you need me inside the city?”
“You guys coming?” Dax asked from inside.
Shiloh leaned closer. “Why do we need you? We don’t. But West wants you.” She turned and walked through the door, joining Dax and leaving me trailing behind them.
~~~~~
We were approaching the main medical laboratories. My pulse sped up with each step we took. There was no guarantee that my theory would work—that the beads my parents had left me would be the missing ingredient in Caine’s or Dr. Hempel’s already tried and failed drug cocktail. What if what I was remembering about that mysterious hospital visit was something else entirely? What if it wasn’t so simple?
We turned the next corner to find an army of red hazmat suits at the end of the hallway. Shiloh stopped, and Dax and I collided with her back. We quickly retreated out of sight. Shiloh darted for the first door we saw, and we followed her through it, into a stairwell.
Shiloh pressed something on her PulsePoint, then spoke into it. “We’re in the north stairwell of the hospital.” Her voice echoed around us.
West’s voice came across the PulsePoint. “The fifth floor is packed with red.”
“We saw that. What now?”
“Go back out the door you just entered. Proceed away from the lab, to Room 517. I left red hazmat gear for Christina and Dax there.”
My eyes widened as West said my given name. Dax’s head jerked up. His eyes found mine, but I looked away. I had promised I would tell him everything. But now was not the time.
“Did you give Christina her PulsePoint?” West asked Shiloh.
“Yes.”
“Point yours toward her.”
Shiloh tilted her wrist in my direction, and I immediately saw West’s face. Though the screen was small, I was amazed at how in control he looked. When he saw me, his face softened. “I’m sorry. In order to get Justin out of the hospital wing and away from you, I had to convince him that I believed you were a threat to our city.”
“I am a threat to your city,” I said curtly.
He smiled. “No you’re not. I know you’ll make sure the bomb is destroyed. After you find a cure and save my sister. I can’t say I don’t believe in miracles; you’re evidence that miracles do exist. But my sister is barely hanging on.”
A knot formed over my heart. West was losing hope. I could see it in his eyes. “I’ll do what I can. I just need to get into the lab.”
He nodded. “Once you’re suited up, you should be able to get in. The others won’t recognize you with that dark hair under the hazmat mask, and your face will be mostly covered. And Dr. Pooley knows you’re coming. But you won’t have much time once you’re inside. The others will figure it out eventually. I’ll jam the locking system for as long as possible, but when the alarm sounds on your PulsePoint, you’ll need to get out of there. I’ll send a map for your exit through your device.”
“What happens after that?” I was asking so many things with that simple question, more than he could possibly answer across the tiny screen or in the small amount of time we had. Ever since West had found me again, I knew our timing wasn’t right, and might never be right.
He paused a moment. His hazel eyes appeared bright green in the small screen. “I’ll be in touch,” he said, but I could hear the desire to say more. “Good luck.”
Shiloh’s screen went dark. She lowered her wrist. “Okay then. Let’s go.”
We looked both ways as we exited the stairwell. Shiloh darted right. We followed her to the room at West’s instructions. When we reached Room 517, Dax and I entered first. The room was dark. As I felt around for a light switch, I heard a male voice from behind us, in the hallway.
“You there.”
I froze. Dax plastered himself against the wall behind the door, pulling me with him.
Shiloh didn’t enter. Instead, she let the door close. “Hello, Mr. Rhodes.”
I turned my frantic gaze on Dax. He wrapped his hand around mine and squeezed.
“Shiloh, what are you doing over here in the hospital sector?”
“I was ordered here by my superior, but I was told to dress in protective clothing. I forgot where they keep the gear that I need.”
A moment of silence passed. “Follow me,” Justin ordered.
Their footsteps retreated from the door, and Dax and I let out a collective sigh.
Dax clicked on the small flashlight Shiloh had given us.
I looked around the small room—a large medical supply closet of some sort. In the corner was a metal rod where several white lab coats hung beside two complete red hazmat suits. I scrambled over to them and started to slip one of them on over my clothes.
But Dax stepped closer to me and reached a hand to cup my cheek. “You’re the infamous Christina Black, aren’t you? The one person who survived. The one person who’s immune to Bad Sam. And the person West came looking for.”
“Yes.” I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing I was only answering “yes” to a portion of his question. Yes, I was Christina Black, but I no longer knew if I was immune to Bad Sam. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I so badly wanted to forget that part of my life. But it seems my past has caught up with me.”
“I understand. I can’t help but want to save you now, though. To get you out of here. To learn why West didn’t even recognize the Cricket I’ve come to know.” Deep lines formed across his forehead. “But… Dylan.”
“I know.” I touched a finger to Dax’s lips. “I have to do what I can. I can’t promise anything, but if there’s a chance that I’m able to help anyone with this disease, I have to try.”
“I’m with you all the way.”
I started to argue with him, to convince him to stay behind, but I realized that if we didn’t stick together, I didn’t know how I’d get him out of New Caelum.
“Listen to me,” I said. “When we’re in the lab, you touch nothing. And you don’t remove any part of this protective gear until I say. You understand?”
Dax nodded.
We suited up. When I was satisfied that both of our sets of gear were on properly and completely, and that my necklace was safely tucked in a pocket on the belt beside my PulsePoint, I led us from the closet and turned toward the lab. This time when we rounded the corner, we came face to face with ten or so guards in black protective gear and at least that many emergency personnel in red. Dax and I squeezed through the crowd, making our way to th
e main doors to the laboratory. No one even noticed us.
“Listen up,” a voice boomed behind us. The people around us shifted and turned toward the voice. I didn’t want to turn, but felt we should. When we did, I realized the voice belonged to Justin.
“There are two outsiders inside our city. Their pictures have been sent to your PulsePoints. If you see them, bring them directly to me. But do nothing to harm them. I need them alive and conscious. Now, all of you in red, follow me. I need you to—”
I didn’t wait for Justin to finish his sentence before lifting my PulsePoint to the scanner beside the door. As soon as the lock clicked, I pulled Dax with me into the lab. No one tried to stop us.
As soon as we entered the lab, a doctor in protective gear approached. “We no longer need any emergency personnel. Weren’t you told?”
I swallowed hard. “I’m under orders to speak to Dr. Pooley immediately.”
“That’s not possible. Dr. Pooley is not to be disturbed. No one is to enter his lab until Mr. Rhodes gives the okay.”
“It’s okay, Maria.” A voice sounded through a speaker overhead. We turned toward the lab, where Dr. Pooley spoke through an intercom from inside. “And could you be a doll and get me some food? Something with plenty of protein? And maybe some fruit?”
“Some fruit,” Maria said, irritation in her voice. “I’ll have to decontaminate if I leave.”
“Yes, I know. I’m sorry to trouble you. Thank you.”
Maria left in a huff, and Dr. Pooley pointed us toward the entrance to the main lab. Dax and I had not been inside an area sensitive to Bad Sam yet, so we entered without changing gear.
“This lab is way bigger than Caine’s.” Dax’s voice came through the speaker in his mask.
“Yes. They take every precaution to prevent the spread of disease.”
“Yeah, well, they’ve done a terrific job of it. With all this, how did it manage to spread?”
I shrugged at the question that had haunted me the entire time I’d been inside New Caelum, though I new the answer lay within the deception of a group of people that swore to protect this city. Inside the lab, we joined Dr. Pooley. Behind him the timer continued to count down. 14 hours, 34 minutes, and 32 seconds.
“West says you might have figured out what our treatment is missing,” Dr. Pooley said, without looking up from his microscope.
I lifted my hand and revealed my necklace. “I believe my parents injected me with the substance found inside a bloodstone.”
Dr. Pooley’s eyes widened briefly. He lifted his hand, cupping his chin and massaging his whiskers as he considered what I had said. Then he leaned his head back and belted out a loud laugh. I traded a puzzled glance with Dax.
“You mean to tell me that we’ve hung our last hope on some silly bead from a child’s necklace?”
I lowered my hand back to my side. The necklace dangled against my thigh. “This isn’t just any necklace. This is a medicinal mineral. It’s very rare in our country, but it’s worn widely in the countries of Africa. My parents believed that this stone was the reason why people in those countries were better at fighting many diseases—not just Bad Sam. The people in those countries used the medicinal properties from this stone in many ways. I think that’s why they returned to Africa—to obtain additional bloodstones.”
“But we don’t know if anyone is alive in any of those countries, do we?”
No, we don’t, I wanted to scream. Because President Layne stopped all travel and cut off all communication with the rest of the world.
Panic mounted inside me like magma inside a volcano. I glanced backward toward the isolation unit, where I was sure Dr. Hempel must be. “Can’t we at least try? West said you were going to help me.”
My PulsePoint vibrated at my side. I glanced down at it and found a text message from West: You will see guards in red and black enter the outer chambers any second. They won’t be able to access the room yet because of the scrambled lock codes, but when the alarm sounds, know that you have about ten minutes before they unscramble the codes.
I glanced toward Dax, helpless. “We don’t have time for this,” I said, no longer caring that Dr. Pooley could hear us. I pulled the PulsePoint from my belt and began typing: Dr. Pooley is not cooperating.
Can you come up with a treatment yourself?
What? No. I shook my head, though West clearly couldn’t see me.
“What is it?” Dax asked.
I handed him the PulsePoint.
“You can. You’ve helped Caine for years.”
“I’ve watched Caine for years. I’ve never really done anything.”
Movement out of the corner of my eye distracted me. Dax and I turned toward the outer chamber, where guards dressed in red and black had gathered, all armed with Tasers. The last one to enter was Justin. I could see the stern look in his eye.
“We’re out of time.”
“You were out of time before you even started,” Dr. Pooley said behind me.
“Cricket, look out!” Dax screamed.
I whipped around just as Dr. Pooley came at me with a syringe and needle. I grabbed his arm, falling backward to the ground. He straddled me and was about to jab the needle into my arm when Dax kicked the syringe out of Dr. Pooley’s hand, then landed a boot into Dr. Pooley’s head, knocking him off of me and unconscious.
I sat up, panting and holding a hand over my heart, and met Dax’s gaze. “Thank you.”
He let out a relieved breath. “My pleasure.” And I was sure he meant it. I think he’d been wanting to hit something or someone ever since he’d arrived inside New Caelum.
So, it looked like it was up to me to test my theory and develop a cure for Bad Sam. I pushed myself up and surveyed the lab. Could I do this? Behind Dr. Pooley’s unconscious body was the row of refrigerators where Dr. Hempel and Dr. Pooley had been storing the substances they’d been using and creating, including the refrigerator the virus was stored in.
I opened the refrigerators and removed trays of vials. I could quickly see the difference in Dr. Pooley’s handwriting as compared to Dr. Hempel’s and Caine’s. I sorted through vial after vial, all tagged with dates and names and other cryptic indicators. As I looked over the many trays, all marked by different doctors, a slow burn developed in my chest.
“I can’t do this,” I whispered. “I don’t even know where to begin.” I closed my eyes. What had I been thinking? I couldn’t do this alone. I needed Dr. Hempel. Or Caine.
Suddenly, the alarm West had warned me about sounded from my PulsePoint. My eyes flew open. “We have ten minutes.”
“Cricket, can you do it?” Dax asked, his voice surprisingly calm. “If not, no one will blame you, but if you can’t, let’s get the hell out of here.”
I looked back at him. “Keep it simple, stupid,” I said softly. “I can do this.”
I glanced at the timer and marked the minute. “Watch the timer.”
Keeping it simple and sticking to what I knew, I searched through the trays of vials until I finally found the ones I had brought with me. The tray that Caine had been using on the rats.
“The earlier dates will have stronger antibodies,” I said to myself. “I’ll use those.” I turned in all directions looking for the tool I needed. “Quick, over there.” I pointed across the lab. “Grab that mortar and pestle.” Every scientist needed one.
Dax handed me the tool, and I quickly pulled one of my beads off of my necklace and placed it in the small bowl. I crushed and ground the bead until it made a fine powder, trying not to wonder what I was doing or if it would even work. I couldn’t afford doubts. It had to work.
The guards in hazmats banged on the windows.
“Christina, let me in so we can talk.” It was Justin, speaking over the intercom from the other side of the window. “I think you’ve somehow gotten the impression that we don’t want your help in obtaining a cure for Willow and Dr. Hempel. We just didn’t take kindly to you threatening us with your computer virus
and your Bad Sam bomb.”
I looked up, distracted and angered. “If you had simply allowed me to work with Dr. Hempel, I and my weapons would have been gone from here by now. And you would have your treatment.” I poured the bloodstone powder into a beaker. I had no idea how much of it would be needed for each person.
Keep it simple, stupid, I repeated to myself.
“Christina, West would really like you to stay with him. And I know you’d like that, too.”
Dax’s jaw hardened. “Can we shut him up?”
“We can work something out. Open the door, Christina,” Justin continued. “The council and our city want you to join us here.”
“Feel free to crush the intercom over there.”
Dax walked over to the windows. He grabbed a metal stool and slammed it repeatedly into the intercom until the vice president’s voice crackled into incoherent static. “There. That’s better.”
I smiled, but continued to separate the vials in front of me into two trays.
“Why are you separating these?”
I cringed inwardly and looked up into Dax’s brown eyes—eyes I’d studied so often since we’d met. He was my friend. Aside from Nina, he was my best friend. I had kept too many secrets from him. He deserved to know this one.
“This set”—I pointed to the vials on my left—“is filled with a medicine that Caine developed from antibodies he took from me a few years ago. The others”—I gestured to my right—“used antibodies taken from me more recently.”
“Why does it matter? Are the fresher antibodies more effective?”
I shook my head, and he read the expression on my face.
“What are you saying?”
“You know now that I’m not immune to Bad Sam the same way Caine and Nina are. My immunity came from developing antibodies after I survived the virus. Well…”
“Has your immunity to Bad Sam weakened?” he asked, his voice cracking slightly. “That’s what Caine meant with the message he sent me here with, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
Dax only stared at me. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed.
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