Page 42 of Logan

The work was tedious, but she methodically plodded onward, her interest piqued at what they were creating. Occasionally, she flipped the screen back to the other room, but Akram appeared busy at his laptop, and Farrah stayed in the kitchen, first cleaning up from breakfast and then preparing their next meal. A small TV was on the kitchen counter, and Farrah would watch game shows while cooking.

Vivian stood and rubbed her eyes while moving to the kitchen to fix a sandwich. As she walked back with her meal, she heard the crunch of tires over the gravel. Sliding the curtain back slightly, she saw a car park outside the Zamans’ house. Recognizing Rashad and Malik alighting from the vehicle, both with boxes in their arms, she hurried back to the laptop and watched them enter the house.

Akram greeted them with a cursory nod, his voice low and indistinguishable. Malik walked past Farrah in the kitchenwithout speaking to her, but Rashad nodded his greeting. As Vivian changed the view on the cameras, she saw them enter the lab.

They donned white lab coats along with gloves and masks. The two men sat at the tables and began taking more test tubes from the boxes they brought in. Zooming closer, she was frustrated when she realized there were no labels.If only I could get in there.Knowing that line of thinking would get her nowhere, she continued to monitor their progress as she munched on her sandwich.

Watching them carefully, she leaned back in her chair, sipping her tea as she analyzed what she was seeing.They are cautious but not extraordinarily so. There is no way they can be working on deadly biologics or chemicals.Vivian knew bioterrorism did not have to cause immediate deaths or life-threatening diseases to be effective. In fact, with a large gathering, such as the upcoming Olympics in Europe, the only thing that bioterrorism would need to do would be to cause panic, disruption, and chaos. Categorized as “incapacitating agents,” they would be effective even if all they did was create a strain on the healthcare system by causing many thousands of sick patients to inundate treatment facilities that contained only limited quantities of drugs and only a few isolation beds.

The concept was much like the COVID-19 virus, which had the same effect of overloading the hospitals. But it didn’t have to be as severe as the COVID-19 virus. Just to cause panic when the pharmaceutical companies couldn’t keep up with the demand for medication.

Turning to her laptop, she began researching the most common incapacitating agents. Hearing another car approach, she moved to the window and observed as Nafisa arrived. Curious, she watched Nafisa enter the house, barely speaking to Akram, ignoring Farrah, and walking directly to the lab room.Malik looked up, greeting her with a smile, but Rashad never acknowledged Nafisa’s entrance. Vivian watched with interest at the relationships playing out before her.

Malik continually glanced in Nafisa’s direction. Nafisa ignored him while appearing irritated at Rashad’s disinterest.A love triangle?

Before she had time to process if that information interested anyone else, her phone rang, pulling her away from her personal soap opera.

“Hey,” she said softly, knowing Logan was the only one who knew the number.

“Babe,” he said, his voice still sending warm tingles down her spine. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah. I’ve managed to stay out of trouble and have been working on the security feed all day. Right now, the whole group is over there.”

“Good,” he replied. “Listen, I’m finished here and will head home soon. Thought I’d stop at the grocery.”

“Oooh, I’d love to make pizza tonight. Get whatever you like on it and some pizza dough.”

“I can just buy a frozen one?— ”

“No! I want to dazzle you.”

The phone went silent for a moment, and she wondered if the line had gone dead. “Logan?—”

“Viv, if you want to dazzle me, all you gotta do is repeat last night.”

She smiled as warmth speared throughout her. “Well, I can certainly do that, but how about I dazzle you in the kitchen first?”

“Kitchen, bedroom, living room…babe, you can dazzle me anywhere you want.”

Now laughing, she said, “Just bring the pizza fixings. I’ll make dinner, and then…we can see what comes next.”

“You got it. See you in a bit.”

Disconnecting, she stood and walked into the living room, plopping down on the sofa. Leaning her head back against the cushion, she closed her eyes, a huge sigh escaping her lips.Girl, what are you doing? You never do flings.Opening her eyes, she knew he had said what they were doing was not a fling.So what is it? What happens when he goes back to wherever he came from, and I go back to California?The silent room gave no answers.

It’s okay…I can do this for now…enjoy what we have for now.Standing, she walked back into the kitchen, hoping she was not lying to herself.

25

At the sound of tires crunching on the gravel drive, Vivian hurried to the window, her lips curving into a smile as she watched Logan’s old truck come driving up. Moving to the kitchen door to help him with the groceries, she watched as he came in, several bags in his hands.

“Is there more?” she asked, moving to go outside.

He caught her arm, gently halting her progress. “I got it, Viv. Stay in here where it’s warm.” He kissed the top of her head as he moved past, bent to pet Sakari’s head, then headed back to the truck. Re-entering, he brought a six-pack of beer and a bottle of wine. “I got you some Reisling. I know you like sweet white.”

Grinning at his memory, she said, “Go take a load off. I’ve been on my ass all day while working. I’ll get the pizza in the oven in just a bit.”

He stalked toward the bedroom with a nod, and she busied herself with dinner. Half an hour later, the pizza went into the oven, and she realized he was still in the back of the house. Walking around the counter, she headed down the hall. His door was shut, but hers was open. Peering in, she was startled, seeing two twin bedframes stacked up against the wall. Sakari weaved among the displaced furniture in curiosity.

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