Page 63 of Deadly Strain

Smoke, who’d turned around in the pilot’s seat to listen, asked, “Now give us the bad news.”

“Cutter’s friend is CIA.”

The helicopter was suddenly full of more swear words than she’d ever heard in one place, ever.

Hernandez said it best. “We’re fucked. Totally fucked.”

The rest of the team seemed to agree, until Sharp put in, “We don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“We can’t stay here,” Grace added.

Everyone stopped complaining.

Smoke looked at Grace and Sharp, then at the rest. “Let’s hope Cutter’s friend is actually friendly.” He revved the engines some more and they lifted off.

As soon as they were safely away, Sharp leaned over to talk in her ear. “When we get to the location, I want you to stay out of sight.”

“Hide?” she asked.

“Yes. I don’t want this guy to know you’re with us until I’ve had a chance to figure out if he’s going to help us or bury us.”

“Okay, but where are you going to hide me?” She glanced around the aircraft. Every space and crevice was already in use.

“Behind Cutter’s body.”

She turned her head to look at him so fast, she was sure whiplash was going to be an ongoing problem. “What?”

“It’s the least likely place anyone will look.”

“It’s thefirstplace I’d look,” she retorted.

His frown was unforgiving. “You got a better idea?”

“Yeah, why don’t we pretend I’m one of your guys and I’m injured. I can fake unconsciousness.”

His gaze flickered to her chest. “There’s just one problem with that, Doc.”

“What?”

“You don’t look anything like any of us.”

She gritted her teeth. “So, I’ve got a chest wound.”

“There’s no chest wound in the world that could result in your...figure.”

“I’ll be lying down,” she bit out without punching him in the face. “Cover me up with blankets or something.”

“This isn’t World War Two. We don’t have bulky blankets, just the reflective, emergency kind.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“If you won’t hide, you won’t hide.” He shrugged in a jerky, tense movement. “Just sit there and don’t make eye contact with anyone.”

“How imaginative. The oldhide in plain sightplan, eh?”

He didn’t respond.

She was going to die. Not from a bullet or bacteria. No, she was going to die of terminal irritation.Men.

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