“What can they be doing with them?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Kyle admitted.
“They’ve got Harley in the restricted area now too,” I told him. “She was bitten during the evacuation, and they took her back there right out of decontamination.” I told him what Bell said, that the research team would try to treat her.
“Then it sounds like they’re close to a cure,” Kyle said.
“Maybe they are,” I said doubtfully. “But something’s telling me we can’t trust them. I mean if they’ve got live zombies back there, and they’re experimenting on them, how do we know they won’t do the same with Harley?”
Kyle looked around the facility. “I don’t know, but we can’t jump to conclusions. I agree that this is an odd situation, but we can’t assume they’re doing anything illegal or unethical.”
“I have a bad feeling about this, Kyle. I still don’t believe Jordan lied to me about his decision not to volunteer. Why would he do that? It doesn’t make any sense. Now they have Harley too. We’ve got to get them out of there.”
“Casey, listen to yourself. If Harley is infected, there is nothing we can do to help her.”
“Maybe not,” I said. “But we can make sure they don’t make her suffer. No one deserves to be experimented on like a lab rat.”
Kyle’s expression was grave. He stared into nothingness for a long moment and then nodded in agreement. “What do you want me to do?” he asked.
“You’ve got to get me into the restricted area,” I said. “Nurse Hoffstedder is being assigned to the infirmary. Maybe she can help.”
“Casey, I already know the answer to what I am about to ask you, but are you really sure you want to do this? You could get infected. You may be too late to help Harley or Jordan.”
“I know,” I admitted. “But don’t you see that I have to try to help them? I have to get us out of here. If I’m right about Jordan, and I believe in my heart that I am, any one of us could be taken at any time for this so-called research. They’ve probably lied about relocating us. We’re all trapped in one big research lab where we’re the test subjects. You’ve got to get us into the restricted area tonight!”
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said, suddenly pulling me into his arms. He held me tight. I leaned against him and allowed myself to draw comfort in his arms. “Come back and find me tonight,” he instructed. “I’ll be patrolling the fence and will be near the front gates at sundown. I’ll try to have a way to get us into the restricted area by then.”
“Us?” I asked.
“Yes, us,” he said. “Now get out of here before you get caught by one of the officers.” He continued holding me even as he said this, and I could tell he did not want to let me go. He relaxed his arms, and I left the tent. I raced back to G14 and found Maxine and Hoffstedder sleeping soundly. I stretched out on my own cot and plotted out a plan while they slept.
Lunch was announced on the public address system, and Maxine and Hoffstedder woke up. I helped the nurse to her feet. “We should probably go to the infirmary after lunch and get your knee looked at,” I told her.
“Yes, I could use a brace,” she said.
We ate the meal quickly and then walked to the back of the compound. Inside the infirmary tent, it looked like a small emergency room. There were about a dozen cots where evacuees were being treated. Some of the patients must have been seriously ill because they were hooked up to IVs and monitoring equipment. A young-looking nurse walked up to us. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m Verna Hoffstedder, and I’m a nurse.”
“Oh yes. Private Bell mentioned you would be coming by,” the other nurse said. “I understand you’ll be working with us.”
“That’s my plan,” Hoffstedder replied.
“I noticed you were limping,” the younger nurse commented.
“I think I tore a ligament, and I would like to get a brace and meds for the pain.”
“No problem,” the nurse said. “Stand on this scale so I can get your weight.” Hoffstedder stepped onto the scales while the nurse adjusted it to get an accurate reading. “Okay,” the nurse continued. “Sit down on that cot over there, and I’ll have the doctor see you.” Maxine and I helped Hoffstedder onto the cot. The nurse came to take Hoffstedder’s blood pressure. A few minutes later, a female doctor approached her. She was quite thin, and her eyes looked hollowed from fatigue.
“I’m Dr. Morris,” she said. “I understand you have a knee problem.”
While Hoffstedder talked to the doctor, I seized the opportunity to look around. Noticing an opening in the side of the tent, I looked inside. There was a smaller tent attached to the infirmary, and inside, there were several rows of shelves containing medical and surgical supplies, medicines, IV fixtures, and bags of saline solution. I also spotted several shelves of uniforms and biohazard suits like the ones used by the staff in the decontamination unit and by the crew that picked up the tranquilized zombies. I moved back to Hoffstedder’s cot. The doctor fitted her with a knee brace.
“We’d need an MRI to confirm you have a torn ligament, but, we don’t have one here.
You’ll also need surgery to repair it, but we’re not equipped for those procedures either. The nearest hospital that can handle your case is at the army depot.”
“The army depot?” I asked. “Where the explosion was?”
“Yes,” she said. “I’m afraid that’s the only facility available to us.”
“But isn’t that area contaminated with the virus?” I asked.
“The virus is no longer airborne. The only way it can be transmitted is by direct infection through the exchange of blood or saliva.” The doctor turned to Mrs. Hoffstedder. “You’d be transported into and out of the facility by air, so there is no danger.”
Dr. Morris sent one of the nurses into the supply tent to get pain medication. “We’ve successfully sent all of our emergency surgeries there. We could arrange for you to go with them on the next stat flight if you decide you want that treatment option,” the doctor said to Hoffstedder.
“When would that be?” Hoffstedder asked.
“I don’t know for sure,” the doctor said. “It will be whenever we have our next emergency. Lately, we’ve had one every few days, but you can never tell for certain.”
“Why can’t she be flown to a hospital beyond the safe zone?” I asked. “Can’t she be taken to a hospital away from the virus?”
“We have to follow the security protocol,” the doctor replied. “We can’t take anyone outside the safe zone until they are formally relocated.” She turned to Hoffstedder. “Will you feel up to working tonight? We could really use your help on the night shift. I’m supposed to work it, but I haven’t slept in two days. You would be here alone, but frankly, there won’t be much to do.”
Dr. Morris gestured toward the cots where patients were resting. As you can see, we must have someone here observing. You would be working mostly at the desk so you won’t have to be up on that knee very much. You’ll just need to keep an eye on the IVs and contact me by radio if there is a need.”
“Absolutely,” Hoffstedder said. “I’d be glad to help.”
“Great then,” said Doctor Morris. “Report here after dinner.” The doctor disappeared into the supply tent and returned with a set of medical staff scrubs, which were olive green. “You’ll need to wear these while you’re on duty,” she said.
“Here’s your prescription,” a nurse said, handing a bottle of pills to Hoffstedder. “I’ve written the instructions on the label. These will ease the pain, but they won’t make you drowsy, so you’ll be able to work.” She instructed Mrs. Hoffstedder to sit down as she pulled a package out from under her arm. “Here’s your brace,” she said. “I’ll help you get it on.” The nurse raised Hoffstedder’s pant leg and fitted the Neoprene and metal brace around her knee and secured it with Velcro straps. She gave Hoffstedder her first dose of medication and suggested she rest her leg as much as possi
ble. When they were finished, we left to return to our tent.
I couldn’t wait until we got back to G14. I had a plan, and Hoffstedder was a part of it. When we reached the structure, I was thankful there were very few people inside. Maxine and I again helped Hoffstedder onto her cot.
“Mrs. Hoffstedder,” I began.
“Casey, I think after all we’ve been through, you can call me Verna,” she said. “Okay, Verna,” I said. It felt awkward calling her anything other than Mrs. Hoffstedder.
“I have something important to tell you. It’s about this place. I know this is going to be hard to believe, but I need you to trust me.”
“What is it, Casey? You’re starting to worry me.”
“I have reason to believe that Jordan was forced into participating in the research study and that he may be in danger.” I expected her and Maxine to question what I said, but surprisingly, they both looked willing to listen. “I think they’re planning to use Jordan and Harley for experimentation.” They both watched me, their expressions intense as I told them everything that was happening. Maxine looked stunned. Verna looked concerned. “I don’t think they’re as close to a cure as we’ve been led to believe. Otherwise, why would they be capturing and housing zombies in the restricted area, and why would they force Jordan into the research study if he didn’t want to go?”
“Surely that’s not possible,” Verna reasoned. “But if it is, we’ve got to stop them.”
“What can we do though?” Maxine asked. “We have no weapons. We’re completely enclosed by the fence, and there are guards.”
“I have a plan, and Kyle is going to help,” I explained. “When we get in, we need to find out what’s really going on back there. My goal is to talk with Jordan and make sure he’s really back there because he volunteered. If he didn’t, I think it’s safe to say we’re being lied to and that we’re all in danger.”
“Just tell me what you’re planning, and I’ll help,” Verna said, looking determined. “If there’s a problem here, we’re going to get to the bottom of it.”
“I get that we’ll need to spring Jordan, but what can we possibly do about Harley if she’s infected?” Maxine asked.
I swallowed hard. “I know they’re experimenting on the zombies they’re tranquilizing around the compound. I have no reason to think they’ll treat Harley any differently, and we have to help her.”
“Help her?” Maxine asked. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we’ll have to ensure she is humanely euthanized because I don’t trust them to do it.”
Maxine’s eyes widened, and her face went white. Verna placed her hand on my arm. “So, what can I do to help?”
“I need for you to report to work in the infirmary tonight. Maxine and I are going to pay you a visit shortly after dark,” I said.
After dinner, Verna dressed in her olive-green scrubs and left for the infirmary. Maxine and I waited for dusk back in G14. As soon as the sun began its descent, we took off for the perimeter to find Kyle. The zombies began their nightly screaming. Kyle was standing by the front gates, just as he’d promised. He was holding one tranquilizer gun, and another was strapped over his shoulder.
“Kyle,” I whispered, “I have a plan.”
Chapter 10
“Not here,” Kyle cautioned. “Walk with me. Look casual.”
We walked toward the south end of the compound. When we reached the back of the military tents in a darkened section of the fence, Kyle spoke. “I’ve got the code to the gate of the restricted area,” he whispered. He handed me one of the tranquilizer guns. “This works just like any other gun,” he said. He showed me how to use the sights to aim.
“I know how to use a gun, Kyle,” I reminded him. “Let’s get to the plan. Hoffstedder is working in the infirmary alone. There are biohazard suits in storage there. We can use them to get behind the wall.”
“What then?” asked Maxine. She looked nervous.
“We find Jordan and Harley. We’ll get them out if we can, and then we’ll find a way out of here,” I said. “If I’m right about what’s going on, we’ll need to get out of the compound with Jordan. And Harley…Mrs. Hoffstedder will take care of Harley.”
We followed the fence line to the back of the compound. When we reached the infirmary, I told Maxine and Kyle to wait while I checked to make sure Verna was alone. I looked into the tent, and Verna was seated at a desk recording notes in files. “Verna,” I whispered.
She looked up and motioned for me to come in. I signaled for Maxine and Kyle to join me. We slipped into the tent and closed the door flap behind us. “We have to make this quick,” I said. I went into the supply room and brought out three biohazard suits. I handed one to Kyle and one to Maxine.
“Get one for me,” Verna said. “I’m going too.”
“You can’t run on that knee,” I said. “It will be too dangerous for you to go.”
She looked at me, her expression stern. “And just how do you think I’ll get back there to euthanize Harley if it has to be done?” she asked. “I have to go with you tonight.” She reached into her pocket and withdrew two syringes. “I am already prepared,” she said, showing them to us.
I looked at Kyle. “Makes sense,” he said.
“But what about your patients?” I asked Verna.
“I’ve replenished all of the IVs. Everyone is stable and sedated. We have enough time to get into the restricted area. Once we’re out of here, I’ll radio the doctor and let her know we’re gone. She’ll have to report into the infirmary and will be here to take care of the patients.” “Sounds like you’ve thought of everything,” I said.
“That’s my job,” she said.
“You can have my suit,” Maxine told Verna, looking like she might throw up. “I don’t think I can do this. I knew Harley, and I know this has to be done, but I just can’t. I thought I could, but I just--.”
“It’s okay,” I said, placing my hand on her shoulder. “Just go back to the tent. If anyone comes looking for us, you can tell them we’re in the multipurpose tent or something. You can stall for time for us.”
Maxine nodded her head and handed the biohazard suit to Verna. “Be careful,” she said as she left the tent.
We pulled the white suits on over our clothes and put on the masks. Kyle and I picked up the guns, and Verna grabbed her radio. We walked quickly to the gate to the restricted area.
Kyle went to the keypad and punched in the code. The massive steel gate slid open with an electrical hum, and we slipped inside. Behind the wall, the zombies sounded closer. Verna was moving remarkably well. “Your knee,” I commented. “You’re not limping.”
“I got myself some morphine,” she said.
“Good thinking,” I told her.
Kyle punched in the code on the keypad inside the gate, and it slid closed. The research facility was a large white building ahead of us. It had the look of a prefabricated structure. I suspected it had been constructed quickly in response to the outbreak. A sign with the company name, BioGenetics, was posted on the wall. The building had few windows, and a dim light showed from inside.
“We’ll have to go in,” Kyle said in a low voice. “If we see anyone, just keep walking like you’re supposed to be here.”
We opened the door walked through an outer office. Behind the second door, we found ourselves in a large room that looked like a cross between a hospital ward and a laboratory. There was a horrible stench in the air. I looked at the center of the room and saw the source of the smell. An infected-looking body was chained to an operating table. It wasn’t moving, and I suspected it was dead. But it must have been alive before they did whatever they did to it. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been chained. I moved closer to inspect it. Kyle and Verna followed. An oxygen tube from a ventilation machine had been inserted into its mouth. IVs were affixed to its arm. Its ribcage had been cut open, and parts of its intestines and vital organs had been removed and placed on a nearby table.
“It l
ooks like they’ve done an autopsy on it,” Verna said in a bewildered tone. “They’ve removed its intestines. I heard her breath quicken. “I don’t understand why they would have chained it to the operating table if it had been dead before they brought it in here.” She walked around the table, peering at the body and processing what she saw. “The only thing we know for sure is that this thing was alive when they started working on it, and it ended up dead. Either they killed it on purpose, or they kept it alive while they worked on it. But why?”
She walked to the table where the organs rested. “I can’t tell if this is an autopsy or if they were removing the organs. It almost looks like they were harvesting them for transplant but stopped in the middle of the process.”
“But what does this mean?” Kyle asked.
“I don’t know for sure,” Verna confessed. “But there’s no scenario I can imagine that this would be a proper scenario for humane treatment by any standards.
I had no love for zombies, but this thing had been a person once, and I felt sorry for it.
“We’ve got to find Jordan,” I concluded.
We walked through the operating room and into the corridor beyond. There were rooms on both sides of the hallway. “He’s got to be in one of these rooms,” Kyle said. We each began opening the doors, trying to find him. In each room, we found people, ordinary looking people who appeared uninfected. In one of the rooms, I found the two girls we had met playing pool in the multipurpose tent. All of the subjects were restrained in their beds and unconscious. Each was hooked up to an IV.
Verna examined the bags of solution hanging above several of the beds. “They’re all sedated,” she said. “This is highly irregular.” She pulled a chart from a rack on the end of one of the beds. As she scanned through the pages, I heard her gasp and mutter exclamations of disbelief. “They’re using these people to test the vaccine!” she said. “They’ve been vaccinated and then deliberately injected with the virus!” Verna took several pages from the chart, folded them, and stuffed them into her pocket. "Evidence," she explained.
Viral Series (Book 1): Viral Dawn [Extended Edition] Page 26