Page 11 of Ice Princess

“Oh, really and what would that be?” She grins up at him.

He starts to lower his head when the door to the break room swings open.

“Seriously we have the worst timing,” Blade says, resting his forehead on hers.

“I am sorry to interrupt but something is wrong with Maggie.”

Blade moves back, and she shifts back to professional mode.

“On our way, thanks, Carrie.” Raven walks out and swiftly down the hall to the on-call room. She puts on her PPE, and runs to where the isolation rooms have been set up.

“Get me out of here.” She hears a scream, and then a crash as something is being thrown against a wall. She skids to a stop in front of the isolation room and what she sees has her mouth drop open.

Maggie, her friend who is normally so sweet and kind is standing in the middle of the room her face red with anger. Sores stand out on her arms weeping blood.

“Get me out of here! I can see you. I am going to tear this place apart.” She screams again, and there is another crash as she throws her dinner tray at the window.

“What is going on?”

“It’s the next stage of the virus. We think it has to do with the DNA from the virus that they used to try to weaponize the Ebola strain. It causes extreme violence. Dr. Owens said there had been reports of this in Africa.”

“He talked about aggression in the patients, but this is extraordinary.” She whispers as she watches Maggie’s chest heave with the exertion. They had to stop her before she was going to harm herself. Her body didn’t need any other wounds to deal with.

“We are going to have to sedate her,” Blade says, his mouth set in a grim line.

“I am not sending my people in there she will attack them the chance of someone getting infected is almost certain.”

“I know and you are not going to like this part, but it is the only way.”

“What is the only way?” Raven says watching her once sweet friend scream and throw her body against the door.

“We are going to have to use a tranquilizer gun.”

“Like with animals?”

“It is the only way to get her sedated without someone else getting infected. If we send someone in there, she will fight scratch possibly bite and they might not be able to get the sedative into her fast enough. We have one that will take effect in 10 seconds.”

“How is that possible? I have never heard of such a thing.”

“It is something Dr. Owens developed for another virus that caused aggression. It is the only choice we have.”

Raven just closes her eyes and nods. She knows that he is not asking her permission, he is in charge after all just preparing her for what is to come. She appreciates the gesture, he is a good man underneath all that commanding authority.

“Ok, do you think there is still a chance that we can save her?” She whispers.

“If we find a cure quickly, there is still a chance, he whispers.

“I will stay here you go and grab what you need.” She watches as her friend beats herself against the door again and again. She lets one tear trickle down her face. The woman with the bright smile and jokes is gone. All that is left is an aggression shell. She hoped that they find a cure and she could have her friend back.

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