Page 64 of Smoky Lake

He didn’t know what he was saying, exactly. “Maybe that part about the diplomatic plates was true. Maybe some foreign entity is involved, someone with access to advanced surveillance technology.”

God, it was hot in here. He turned to open the window, and stumbled over his feet.

Ani darted to his side. “Are you okay?”

“Tripped,” he said curtly. Once he got the window open, he’d feel better.

But the damn thing wouldn’t cooperate. He struggled with it, feeling weirdly weak, defeated by a damn window frame.

“Gil.” Ani elbowed him aside. She opened a latch he hadn’t noticed and slid it open. “What’s going on?”

Nothing, he wanted to scream. I’m fine. I’m the strong one. I’m the watchman, the bodyguard, the shield, the sword.

But her dark eyes flooded with concern and she touched the back of her hand to his forehead. “You have a fever.”

“No, it’s just hot in here.”

“It’s not hot. Lie down.” There was no contradicting that doctor’s voice of hers. He allowed her to lead him to the bed, where he collapsed with a groan of pain. She kneeled down to unlace his boots. This wasn’t right. He was supposed to be taking care of her, not the other way around.

But his legs felt so heavy that he couldn’t resist when she lifted them onto the bed and adjusted his position to make him more comfortable.

“Does your head hurt?” Her voice seemed to come from very far away.

He nodded, which made him realize that his neck muscles hurt too. Was there any part of him that didn’t hurt?

A knock sounded at the door. It echoed through his brain like a tolling of a bell.

“Stay right here,” she murmured. “That’s probably our pizza.”

Sounded good to him. Staying right there was about the only thing he could do. Lethargy was draining away his energy. In the back of his mind, he knew there were still things he had to take care of. They were probably safe here. But what if John had put a nano-tracker in Ani’s bloodstream? Did that exist, or was he confusing real life with a James Bond movie? He was losing it. He couldn’t lose it, not while Ani was in jeopardy.

And then a wave of fear came over him. Ani was outside the room, without his protection. He fixed his gaze to the door, counting the moments until she got back.

There she was. Carrying a pizza box. Thank God. “Ani,” he whispered.

She hurried to his bedside. “What’s the matter?”

“Don’t let anyone into this room.” He reached into his pocket for the card that Dr. Christianson had given him. “Call her if anyone shows up here who seems suspicious.”

Even though he had his issues with Dr. Christianson, he trusted the CDC team more than he trusted some unknown bad guys with diplomatic plates and devices hidden in pens.

Ani set the card on the nightstand and took both his hands in hers. “How does your head feel?”

“I’ll be all right.”

“Answer the question.”

“It hurts,” he admitted.

She tested his forehead with the back of her hand. “Fever. Sweating. I think you might have the virus, Gil.”

“Nyx…he tested me. All clear.”

“You must have gotten it since then.”

“No.” His brain felt foggier than Smoky Lake on a misty morning. “Too fast.”

She nodded, her expression puzzled. “Maybe Nyx was wrong. This is new to him too.”

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