by AJ Sinclair
Eli turned left onto another street, then stopped and nodded to Chief Warrant Officer Jack Ramsey, standing rigidly against a brick wall. Jack stepped aside to allow access to a door, his usually stoic gaze turning appreciative as it swept over Dr. Jones. Bells jingled as Eli pulled the door open and ushered her inside.
She stopped short and puzzled at their surroundings. “This is your base?”
Chapter 2
INDIE
As Indie’s eyes adjusted to the change in lighting, she recognized the place. Broncos, Nuggets, and Avalanche memorabilia covered the walls. A large pool table occupied the right side of the room, and a long wood and brass bar lined the back wall. They’d brought her to The Imbibed Scholar. University students and staff hung out here before the outbreak. Now the place was deserted except for the four men in Army uniforms all staring at her.
The one who led her here, a tall black man with a gentle smile and weary eyes, stepped aside as they approached the bar. “Major Tucker, this is Dr. Jones.”
The major spun on a barstool and scowled at Indie. He stood, towering over her with a puffed-up chest and potent glare. She stared back at him. Guys like this didn’t intimidate her. She’d dealt with self-important men all her life: scientists, administrators, even a senator. And now, when she held the fate of the world—or maybe just the city—in her hand, she didn’t give one damn fuck about some grouchy Army officer, no matter how attractive. “Major.”
“Doctor.” The word rumbled from his chest.
She tried not to notice how good-looking all these men were. The major had short, dirty blond hair and a beard that looked like it had grown only a few days. His blue eyes snapped with an air of command. The black man, probably another officer, stood beside the major, rigid with authority, and yet his brown eyes showed concern. For himself? Was he afraid to die? Or for everyone else? Maybe he’d seen too much death.
“Do you have a first name?” Major Tucker’s voice interrupted her observations.
Indie hated this part. She braced herself for the inevitable disbelief. “Indiana.”
“So, your name is,” the man who’d tackled her and knocked the syringe out of her hand mused with a slight southern drawl, “Dr. Indiana Jones.”
God, she loved accents. He was from Texas, no doubt. His eyes crinkled as he fought back a laugh, and his wild brown hair toppled over his brow. “That’s correct.”
He shook his head and turned to the black man standing beside the major. “Told you she was making it up.”
From the corner of her eye, Indie noticed the fourth man, still standing by the door, shift his stance. He hadn’t said a word, or barely moved, since she’d arrived. He stood guard, watching with an intensity that burned straight through her. “Check her ID.” His voice came low but strong.
Fortunately, she’d remembered to throw it in her backpack. The major nodded to the guard, and he searched her bag. He pulled out her university badge, read it, then smiled at her as he handed it to the major.
“Dr. Indiana Jones,” Major Tucker read with a hint of awe.
“What were your parents smoking?” A playful smile lit the Texan’s lips. “Weed wasn’t legal back then.”
“Sergeant.” The major silenced him with a single word. Then he focused on Indie. “I’m Major Austin Tucker. This is Lieutenant Eli Cobb,” he indicated the black man to his right, “Chief Jack Ramsey,” the quiet man by the door, “and Sergeant Cody Taggert,” the wild-eyed Texan.
Indie nodded to each of them in turn. When the major finished the introductions, she drew in a breath and stared him down. “What do you intend to do with me?”
Austin ignored her question. “What were you doing out?”
“She says she has the cure.” Eli looked skeptical.
“Are you sure?” Austin appeared to remain indifferent, but hope lurked in his eyes.
Indie reached into her pocket to pet Rizzo. “The virus was successfully eradicated in a human analog.”
“That means she cured a rat,” Eli interpreted when Austin looked baffled.
Cody cackled. “The lieutenant speaks nerd.”
Jack smacked him upside the head. “Knock it off.”
His raspy growl curled Indie’s toes and she smiled at the stoic. He winked back at her without cracking his gruff mask.
“I need to test it on a human.” Indie raised her voice to be heard over the men’s bickering. When she had their full attention, she continued. “That’s why I left my lab. The university has been abandoned, so I need to go to the hospital to find an infected subject.”
Austin scratched his beard. “You could find a sick person anywhere. Why go all the way to the hospital?”
To save my family. But for some reason, she didn’t tell them that. She decided it was best to appear logical and objective. “Hospitals have the resources and facilities I need to conduct this experiment properly.”
“Have you been out since the quarantine was ordered?” Eli maintained his rigid posture.
She met his gaze. “No, but I’ve seen the news. I know the risks.”
“You’ll need an escort.” And with that, Austin ordered his men to act. Eli and Cody gathered their supplies, but Jack stepped forward, blocking Austin’s exit.
“This is dangerous,” he growled. “She might be immune, but we’re not.”
Indie couldn’t risk their lives, had never intended to involve anyone else. “I’ll go alone.”
“No,” Both Austin and Jack snapped at her.
Austin narrowed his eyes at Jack. “If there’s a chance she can end this, we’ve got to take it.”
Jack stared back at him, fierce but thoughtful. “Yes, sir.” He stepped aside and allowed the major to take the lead.
Cody let out a breath and flashed a giddy smile. “Road trip! I’m driving.” He practically bounced to the door while Eli scowled behind him.
“I’m driving.” Eli paused and swept his hand to usher Indie ahead of him.
She followed Cody, Jack, and Austin outside. They walked with military precision, single file, maintaining order despite the chaos around them. “How did you end up here?” A vague question, so she clarified. “With a bar as a base…and only four of you.” Seemed odd that they didn’t have an entire platoon or company or whatever the term for a large Army presence was.
Austin pressed his lips together and kept marching.
Eli quickened his pace and caught up to Indie. “We had one hundred and fifty men when all this started.” His eyes dimmed even further. “We’re all that’s left.”
“The virus?”
He nodded.
“All of them?” She knew how deadly a single microscopic organism could be, in theory, but she’d never really believed it.
Austin turned in front of her, and she stopped short, meeting his haunted gaze. “All.”
Her heart clenched, and her stomach twisted. One hundred and forty-six deaths she’d confirmed, seven including her mother. The numbers she’d heard on the news were just numbers. Now they were people. “I’m sorry.” She reached out and touched Austin’s arm.
He nodded once then resumed his pace. She kept up with them while Eli kept watch from behind. A lone camouflage truck sat in a public parking lot, unguarded and looking like it had seen better days.
“Looters got to it.” Jack kicked scattered empty boxes.
Austin shook his head. “But there was nothing to steal.”
“People are desperate.” Eli shrugged.
“Any damage to the vehicle?” Austin’s brow furrowed, and he ran his hand through his cropped hair.
Cody bumped into Eli as they inspected the truck. “Oops, pardon me, Lieutenant.”
Eli ignored him and lifted the hood.
“Tires look good.” Cody jumped in the driver’s seat and jammed the keys in the ignition.
“Where did you get those?” Eli patted his pockets.
“Misdirection.” Cody grinned. He turned the key, but the engine failed to respond. “It’s not sta
rting.”
“I got it.” Eli ducked under the hood, checking connections and generally poking around. “Try it now.”
The big truck rumbled as the engine roared to life. Austin flashed a wry smile at Indie. “Eli can fix anything.”
Eli rolled his eyes and slammed the hood shut. “I just reconnected the battery. Someone tried to steal it.” He climbed in the driver’s side door, shoving Cody aside. Austin helped Indie up the passenger side steps, then got in beside her. Cody and Jack rode in the back, guns at the ready.
They left the university campus and Indie’s safe lab behind, venturing out into a city she didn’t recognize anymore. Broken glass and twisted metal littered deserted streets. Blackened scorch marks dotted buildings and sidewalks. “What happened here?”
Austin peered out the dirty windshield. “A protest got out of hand.”
That’s putting it mildly. Rizzo nudged his way out of Indie’s pocket, searching for food. She gave him a bite of kibble she’d stashed in her backpack.
Austin jumped when the rat sniffed his arm. “You brought the rat with you?”
Tough little Rizzo had been the only one to survive her experiments. She couldn’t leave him behind. “He’s my hero.”
The engine coughed, and Eli gripped the wheel tightly. “Shit.” He frowned at the dashboard.
“Why are we slowing down?” Cody yelled from the back.
“We’re out of gas.” Eli guided the sputtering vehicle to the shoulder, a pointless maneuver since there was no other traffic to avoid.
“I thought you filled it up yesterday.” Austin jumped down and stormed to the gas tank. He flipped the lid open as Jack joined him. The gas cap was missing, and a plastic tube still stuck out of the tank. “It’s been siphoned.”
“That’s what the looters stole,” Jack grumbled and scanned their surroundings, pointing his rifle as he turned.
Cody angled his head. “Gas station at the next exit.”
“Do we have a portable tank?” Austin asked as if he already knew the answer.
“No, but they’ll have one.” Cody led the way. “If they don’t, we’re screwed.”
Indie fell into step behind Jack, and Eli followed her once again, walking down Interstate 25 in the middle of the day, sun blazing on their backs. The men held their guns across their chests, and she kept a protective hand around Rizzo. If she looked toward the mountains beyond the Denver skyline, she could pretend it was a beautiful day. Fluffy white clouds dotted the brilliant blue sky. A cooling breeze tossed her hair. Memories of her family’s Fourth of July picnic filled her mind. Kids laughing. Her dad and Montgomery wrestling over the Frisbee. Dallas bitching at her about something stupid. Her mother collapsing on the living room floor, bleeding, dying. Perfect days never last.
She walked straight into Austin’s back as he came to an abrupt halt. “Oh. Sorry.” His large hand came down on her shoulder and directed her around an abandoned car.
Cody had stopped, sidestepping something on the ground. “Biohazard.” He clapped his hand over his mouth and moved past it.
Indie gasped as they walked by a decaying corpse, a man dressed in a gray suit, soaked with his own blood.
Eli shuddered, and Jack looked in the other direction as they silently filed past the dead man.
Austin dropped back and walked beside Indie. “Who was patient zero?”
Patient zero. The first to be infected. “I don’t know.” Before the quarantine, the lab staff had been briefed on the particulars of the virus, mostly speculation from government scientists. After the university was abandoned, she’d gotten all her information about the outbreak and spread of the disease from the news. “When we brought my mother to the hospital, the doctors already knew what was wrong.” She clutched his arm as a wave of guilt washed over her. “They already knew there was nothing they could do.”
“Here!” Cody shouted as he stopped at a gas pump. He set his gun on the ground and picked up the pump. “Anybody got some cash?”
“The place looks deserted.” Austin studied their surroundings. “We might not need it.”
Indie followed his gaze. The convenience store windows were shattered, and glass littered the parking lot. Broken neon signs flickered, and the wind blew trash in circles.
Jack stuck his hand in his pocket. “I’ve got five bucks.”
“I do too.” Eli turned and strolled toward the store. “I’ll get a container.” He’d barely taken two steps when a gunshot rang out, striking the pavement in front of him.
“That’s far enough!” a gruff voice called out from somewhere inside the building.
Indie ducked behind Austin as he stepped in front of her. “We need gas,” he shouted back. “We’ll pay.”
“I’d never take money from the goddamn Army.”
The guys rolled their eyes, and Indie recalled hearing news reports about anti-military protests.
“You trapped us all in here to die!” The invisible shooter continued. “For all we know, you turned this virus loose on Denver to test a biological weapon.”
“That’s a new one,” Indie muttered.
Eli shook his head. “No, it isn’t.”
We’re wasting time! People were dying, maybe even her brother and sister, while some nutjob spouted crazy conspiracies at them. Indie shoved Austin’s protective grip aside and stepped in front of him. “Then take my money! I’m not Army. I’m a scientist.” No reply, so she tipped her hand. “And I have the cure!”
Chapter 3
AUSTIN
Austin practically felt his men cringe. Jesus, she’s going to get us all killed! He snatched her arm and jerked her back against him, the heat of her body the only feeling that had managed to penetrate his senses for weeks. “Don’t tell him that! Don’t tell anyone.”
“Why not?” The brilliant scientist looked sincerely baffled.
“Never let anyone know you have anything of value.” Eli had backtracked, sliding closer to them.
“You’re a target.” Jack kept his gaze and his weapon pointed at the building, one window in particular.
Austin slid over to the chief and lowered his voice. “Do you see the shooter?”
“More than one.”
Great. He assessed the situation—four armed men and one woman armed with her brain and a rat against an unknown number of shooters. We could be well and truly fucked.
“Lies!” the shooter shouted.
More voices chimed in. “There is no cure! Fucking Army! She works for them!”
Austin glanced at Eli. “How many did you count?” The man spoke at least six languages fluently and knew bits and pieces of three more, and while everyone in the store was yelling at them in English, he knew Eli could distinguish voices.
“Seven. We’re outnumbered.” Eli tightened his grip on his weapon.
Jack and Cody advanced too, and even Dr. Jones leaned forward, her eyes tight and fixed on the unseen enemy, her empty hands curled into fists.
Scientist’s got balls. “Fall back,” he ordered. “We’ll walk from here.”
The three soldiers stepped back, but never lowered their weapons.
Austin revised his strategy. If they couldn’t refill their truck, they’d take another one. “Can we borrow your car?” He had no intention of returning it.
Gunfire exploded from the store. The men scattered, ducking and rolling for cover. Austin grabbed Dr. Jones and pulled her to the ground, covering her with his body as a bullet grazed his shoulder.
The shooting abruptly stopped. Austin seized the opportunity, pulled the doctor up, and scrambled behind the car he’d wanted to take. Eli and Jack had hidden there too. Cody was crouched behind a gas tank. More bullets whizzed by, and Austin propped his weapon upright on his leg, weighing his options.
“Shoot back!” Dr. Jones slapped his injured shoulder.
Austin winced, more from the internal conflict than the pain. “We were ordered not to.”
“Does that still stand?” Jack p
eered through his scope, obviously lining up on a target.
“Yes.” Austin refused to kill civilians, even the assholes shooting at them.
Dr. Jones crossed her arms over her chest. “What about all those people who were shot climbing the fences?”
“That wasn’t us.” Austin clamped his lips together.
Eli peeked through the car’s shot-out windows. “What are your orders, Major?”
“Blow up the gas tanks.” He’d put a wall of flames between them and the shooters and escape in the ensuing chaos.
“Cody’s gotta move first.” Jack grunted toward his friend.
“Shit.” His shoulder burned now, and dizziness threatened to knock him over. “Taggert! Get your ass over here!”
Cody stood and saluted with a big stupid grin on his face as gunfire rained down around him. Then his eyes hardened as he turned and held the trigger down, unleashing a barrage of bullets as he ran toward the car.
“Idiot,” Jack grumbled.
Austin smirked. “You would’ve done the same damn thing when you were his age.”
“I know.”
As soon as Cody ducked beside him, Jack aimed and fired at the row of gas tanks. Flames roared to the sky, and billowing black and orange clouds blocked the shooter’s vision. The gunfire stopped, and Austin ordered them to run through the blinding smoke.
Several blocks later and out of the gas station’s line of sight, they gathered behind a brick building to catch their breath.
“Damage report,” Austin commanded.
No one spoke up until Dr. Jones touched his arm. “You’ve been shot.”
His shoulder throbbed, and blood had soaked his sleeve. “Just a nick.” But his legs gave out and he sank down against the wall.
She rolled her eyes and knelt beside him. “This needs to be tended to.”
“Go ahead, Doctor.” Austin unbuttoned his jacket and pulled his aching arm free.
She hesitated. “I’m not a medical doctor. Your soldiers probably know basic first aid better than I do.”
Several snickers sounded around him. Austin nodded. “Ramsey?”