by Max Lockwood
“Name?” the doctor droned, looking at Thomas.
“Thomas,” he stuttered. The doctor jotted something down on his paper.
“And you?” he asked, pointing to Bethany.
“Bethany,” she sighed, knowing that she could not be anonymous while her brother was present.
“Okay. Go ahead and remove your clothes and put them into the basket. You can retrieve them once they have been properly sterilized.”
“What?” Thomas asked, fearing he had heard the doctor incorrectly.
“Clothes in the basket,” the doctor said impatiently.
Out of the corner of his eye, Thomas could see Bethany peeling off her layers and placing them in the provided basket with little emotion.
Thomas’s face burned red. He tried not to look at Bethany to give her some privacy, but his eyes accidentally wandered. He stared so hard at the wall in front of him that he started to get a headache.
He didn’t want to undress in front of strangers, especially cute, female strangers. But he could sense the doctor’s annoyance and quickly pulled his clothes off, hoping Bethany was not peeking at his naked body.
He had never felt so exposed in his life. Not only did he not give consent for this examination, but he had no idea what they were going to do to him. He hoped that it would be over soon and that they would provide him with some kind of cover.
The doctor carefully inspected Thomas first, lifting his limbs and checking for any kind of abrasion or wound that could suggest he had come into contact with the virus. He took Thomas’s temperature, checked his eyes, and drew a tiny vial of blood. Once he was finished, he waved his assistants over to ensure that Thomas’s skin was free of contaminants.
He was so busy being scrubbed and sprayed that he couldn’t see what was happening with Bethany. It was probably better this way—he didn’t want to catch his eyes wandering again. He shuddered to think that anyone was looking at his naked body too.
Once they were rinsed off, they were handed small hand towels to dry off with. Thomas quickly wiped his body and held the towel in front of his private parts. Bethany tossed hers on the ground. They stood shivering in the air-conditioned room, waiting for someone to retrieve them and tell them where to go next.
“That was weird,” Thomas said, breaking the tension.
“Yep,” Bethany mumbled. Her long hair hung like curtains in front of her chest. Her once-pristine eye makeup was smudged around her small eyes. Her lips fell into a pout.
“Are you okay?” he asked, turning his head ever so slightly to see her expression. Then, he quickly snapped his head forward.
“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth.
She looked toward one corner of the room, then the next, methodically sweeping the decontamination chamber. Finally, she put her head down.
Her behavior concerned Thomas. She had been fairly talkative between pulling him out of the burning cottage and being picked up by her brother and his fellow soldiers. Now, she wouldn’t answer his questions with more than a one-word response. Fear struck him—did she catch him looking at her? He silently admonished himself for not being more respectful while they were both in a vulnerable position. He was embarrassed by his behavior.
“Is something wrong?” he asked again. This time, she gave a clearer answer.
She covered her face with both hands, as if she were wiping excess water off her skin. But while her mouth was covered, she whispered so softly that Thomas barely heard her.
“There are cameras. We’re being watched. Be careful.”
Trying not to be obvious, Thomas turned his head and spotted a blinking red light on the wall, right next to what appeared to be a small camera lens. He looked back down at the floor and waited for instruction.
Whatever organization he had entered, he knew that they did not care about their privacy and personal needs. If there were cameras in the room where visitors were stripped naked, then there would certainly be cameras everywhere else.
It didn’t matter that he would soon be added to the general population and given all the luxuries he never thought he’d see again. It all came at a price, and he feared the price was freedom.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mud and grass stuck to Melissa’s shoes every step she took along the side of the highway. Over time, her shoes became unbearably heavy, making it difficult to take another step forward.
Panting, she stopped to rest on a fallen tree, letting her aching legs dangle over the log for a while. Her swollen burns were beginning to deflate, but they still showed up as angry red patches on her hands and neck. Her shoulder throbbed, but the pain was finally manageable without medication. Though she wanted to check the progress of her healing wound, she resisted, knowing that she didn’t have any more bandages to keep her wound clean.
Melissa didn’t know how much longer she could go on. Her body was doing its best to stay upright, but there was only so much physical trauma it could take. She would never reach Oklahoma on foot—to believe so would be foolish. But she didn’t have any other options. She would not allow herself to be taken by any organization that wanted to use her instead of protecting her.
As she swung her dangling legs, she thought about Thomas and hoped he was still alive somewhere. She hated herself for allowing herself to get too close to someone. But Thomas caught her off guard. He wasn’t the type she normally went after, but he was sweet and listened to what she had to say.
That, and she was painfully lonely. The few friends she’d had prior to the virus did not survive. She spent so many days alone and could not bear the thought of having to go through the horror of finding safety on her own. Thomas was the embodiment of protection to her, so it wasn’t hard to catch feelings for him. If they weren’t in the midst of a crisis, she didn’t know if she would have ever given him a second look.
Melissa jumped down from her perch and continued walking. She trudged through the mud on the side of the road before she gave up on being stealthy and moved toward the edge of the pavement. She hadn’t seen a car in hours, so it felt safe. Besides, if she heard anything, she could always jump back down into the ditch.
The sun shone directly into her eyes. She squinted until her head hurt. Finally, she just closed her eyes and continued walking in a straight line.
It felt nice to just walk in peace and quiet with the warm sun on Melissa’s face. She hadn’t seen any infected since the fire. She wondered if she had reached an area where the virus wasn’t as prevalent. With her eyes closed, she pretended that she was walking down the dirt road by her grandparents’ house on a sunny day. Perhaps there was calm in the world, after all.
Her spirit was instantly lifted. Her feet felt lighter and her legs felt fresh. She picked up the pace, optimistic that she would reach shelter or maybe even an abandoned vehicle by the time the sun went down. it didn’t take her long to get to the end of the trail. Maybe she would even catch Alec on his way back for them.
She heard a vehicle zooming down the road. Her initial reaction was to hide, but if it were Alec, she wanted to be seen. She got closer to the edge of the road, ready to either jump into the tree line or wave her arms, depending on who was driving the vehicle.
Unfortunately, the approaching car was moving so quickly that Melissa didn’t have time to hide. A red Corvette cruised down the center of the highway, screeching to a halt once the driver saw her.
It was a fairly small vehicle, so it definitely wasn’t being used to gather up stragglers. This was a good sign for a cautious Melissa. In fact, when she looked into the car, there was only a driver.
The driver stopped in the middle of the road and got out of his car. He looked to be about Alec’s age and wore a leather jacket, ripped jeans, and boots. He took off his aviator sunglasses to get a better look at Melissa.
“What are you afraid of?” he drawled, a toothy grin on his face.
Melissa had recoiled, preparing herself to run away if the situation turned out to be dangerous. She w
as prepared to grab her knife and defend herself if necessary.
“Are you afraid of me?” the man asked. He seemed particularly pleased by this assumption, as if he liked to feel powerful. “I don’t have the virus. I’m not going to bite you.”
Melissa froze. She didn’t want to engage in conversation with a stranger, especially when he seemed so wild. She was intrigued by this mystery man but also extremely skittish.
“So, are you going to get into my car or not?” he asked, tapping his boot on the ground.
Melissa hesitated. “I don’t think so,” she stuttered. “Thanks for the offer.”
“Whoa, girl,” the man said, his brow furrowed in confusion. “I don’t think you’re understanding the situation right. I pulled over to give you a lift. You look like a nice young woman in need of assistance. Now, you’re telling me that you’d rather walk on the road instead of ride in a fast car?”
She shrugged. “I’m just going to the border. I’m sure I’ll find a car along the way.”
He chuckled. “No, you’re not going to make it to the border on foot. I’ve been hauling ass down the road, trying to reach it myself. Even at a hundred miles per hour, I’m still pushing it. No, if you walk, you can be assured that you will be stuck in the infected zone for as long as this thing holds out.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Everyone knows this,” he said plainly. “I’m surprised you don’t.”
When it came down to it, Melissa also knew that she was running out of time. She just didn’t have any evidence to tell her exactly how much time she had left.
“You’re not very trusting, are you?” he asked.
“No, not really,” she said firmly. “I’ve had some bad experiences.”
“Join the club, sweetheart,” he hollered. “Just the other day, I had a guy stab me in the arm because he thought I was trying to sabotage his plans. I just wanted to get a fast car and get the hell out of town. If you’re afraid of crazy, I’m not crazy. I’m just a good man trying to get to a safer place. You can turn my offer down and keep walking, but you’d be stupid to do so.”
“I don’t even know your name,” she said desperately.
“Bobby Dean, at your service.” He grinned, holding out his hand for her to shake.
“Melissa,” she said softly, weakly gripping his coarse hand.
“Beautiful name for a beautiful girl. So, are we hitting the road, or what?”
Melissa looked around. “I don’t know. I had some friends who said they would come back for me.”
“Did they go east?”
She nodded.
“I’m afraid to break this to you, but they’re not coming back. Hop in.”
Bobby Dean was probably right about that. She’d doubted that Alec would return the second Thomas told her the plan. Alec and Elaina had no reason to move backward when they had a very specific mission.
“Fine,” she said reluctantly, opening the passenger door. Bobby Dean removed a rifle from the seat and tossed it into the back. “Thanks,” she mumbled as she fastened her seatbelt.
“No problem,” Bobby Dean said as he adjusted his mirrors and started the car. “You’re in good hands now. Let’s see if we can race the border now, shall we?”
He started the car and revved the engine. Then, he took off, speeding down the road. Melissa gripped the seat, ready to brace for impact. Her knuckles turned white and she noticed that she was holding her breath.
“You should see yourself right now.” Bobby Dean laughed, looking straight at her.
“Shouldn’t you have your eyes on the road?” she squeaked out.
“You’re just not used to going fast yet,” he said. “Give it time. You’ll even come to enjoy it soon. There’s not another soul out here, so we don’t have to worry about the cops.”
“Yeah, but you could still lose control of the vehicle at this rate of speed.”
“Oh, what’s the worst that can happen? We crash and die? At least then it will be quick and painless. It’s better than having your arm gnawed off by an infected.”
He chucked at his own joke. Melissa didn’t find it amusing at all.
“Lighten up, toots,” he said. “Just sit back and enjoy the ride.”
He turned on the radio and Melissa was surprised to hear music coming through the stereo. She found it relaxing to listen to music instead of searching for the news that never gave any helpful information. Melissa even found herself sinking into the leather interior, taking slow, smooth breaths again.
“That’s better,” Bobby Dean said. “Where do you come from?”
That question took on a whole new meaning for Melissa. She figured he was asking where her hometown was, but she had also come from a lot of places in the past few months. Every time she got a chance to settle down, she was running again.
“The Seattle area,” she said. “My family lived in the suburbs. How about you?”
“Nevada. It’s nice to be out of the desert. I’m hoping I can make my way to Miami. I just want to be on the beach, surrounded by beautiful women. You can join me, if you like.”
“That’s okay,” she said, shuddering at the thought of being the strange man’s arm candy. “I’m trying to get to Oklahoma to find my grandparents. They live near the panhandle, so I guess we’re not that far away.”
“Farther than you think. I’ll get you as close as I can, though.”
“Thanks,” Melissa said, feeling more comfortable with Bobby Dean. He was certainly acting the part of the bad boy, and she was surprised to find that she kind of liked that. He didn’t seem too concerned about anything, despite the fact that his driving was just as dangerous as any infected person on the street.
He was clearly a wildcard. Melissa had no idea what Bobby Dean would do next, but she was curious enough to stick around and find out. In fact, she was starting to have fun listening to loud music. She felt like a regular teen, cruising around with a guy her parents would not approve of.
“You got family back home still?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’m the only survivor. You?”
“Never had much family to begin with. It’s probably better that way. I just live my life the way I want to. I don’t have much use for rules.”
“Yeah, totally,” she agreed, trying to appear cool in front of her new travel companion.
“You got a boyfriend?”
“No,” she said, her voice going up an octave.
“Good,” Bobby Dean concluded. “I’ve never been one to tie myself down with a chick. You always gotta play the field. Keep your options open. You never know when the next pretty thing will walk into your life.”
Melissa blushed. She got the feeling that he was trying to hit on her. It didn’t seem like the appropriate time or place for that, but she was flattered.
“How many infected have you killed?” Bobby Dean asked casually, as if he were asking about the weather.
“I don’t know,” Melissa stammered. She felt uncomfortable talking about killing infected people like it was a normal part of life. After she’d killed Natalia, talking about such things was almost taboo.
“You don’t keep count? I think I’ve killed over thirty at this point. That should make you feel safe, huh?”
He wasn’t wrong. She tended to feel safer when she was surrounded by people who were willing and able to defend themselves.
“I don’t know—maybe five or six?” she guessed.
“Good girl. We’ll make a fine pair.”
“Did you hear that?” Melissa asked.
“Only thing I hear is the music and the engine,” Bobby Dean replied.
“It’s weird—I thought I heard someone talking.”
Bobby Dean’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know.” Melissa sighed. “I’m exhausted.”
“You look pretty gassed. Why don’t you take a little rest?” Bobby Dean suggested, turning the music down. “I’ll wake you up
if there’s any action.”
“Okay, thanks,” she said appreciatively, closing her eyes. Melissa counted back the hours, trying to figure out when she’d last slept. Her body was begging her to shut down for a few hours so it could repair itself.
As she drifted off to sleep, Melissa couldn’t help but think about how bizarre it was that she’d heard such a familiar voice speaking. If she hadn’t put the bullet in her head, she would have sworn that Natalia Vincent was in the back seat.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“That’s the last of it,” Elaina said, loading a final rack of test tubes into the incubator. “Now we wait—for the serum and for the professor.”
“Easier said than done,” Alec replied, twirling around on a lab stool out of boredom. “How long has it been since you called?”
“Well, we slept for about three hours,” Elaina said, counting on her fingers. “Then, I worked for about five hours while you cleared the hospital and looked for supplies. So, it’s been approximately eight hours since we heard from the outside world.”
“Seems much longer than that.”
“I agree. But it’s not as if we’re spending a typical work day in the lab. We’re essentially waiting to find out if we’re going to be saved.”
“I don’t even want to think about it.” Alec groaned. “I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but I can’t stop thinking about how amazing it would be for you to get some help on your serum.”
“And for all of us to get out of this part of the country,” Elaina added. “Maybe the military could even drop Thomas and Melissa off in Oklahoma. That way, everyone could be happy.”
Alec got off his stool and sat down on the small loveseat he’d dragged into the lab. He motioned for Elaina to join him. She followed, plopping down on the couch beside him.
“Did you sleep well last night?” Elaina asked Alec. He had bags under his bloodshot eyes.
“I rarely do,” he said, scratching at the stubble on his face. “Bad dreams. I’m sure you have them too.”