Page 117 of Lethal Game

“I know that. I tested for everything I could think of that could match what you’re seeing, but everything came up negative.”

Dr. Blairmore’s frown deepened. “You can only diagnose rabies from infected brain tissue.”

“I snuck over to your pile of dead and took two samples while everyone was busy with the air-drop.”

He shook his head and threw up his hands. “Do you have any idea how large a mistake that was? If the local leaders find out—”

“Do you have any idea how many people this virus can kill?” she interrupted. “Because it’s killing in a day, Doctor.” She pointed at the sick and dying people on the other side of the tarp. “I know it’s rabies, but I don’t know how people are being infected. Especially, in the large numbers we’re seeing here. I studied rabies in university. There are no known variants that do this.”

He stared at her blankly.

“Have you noticed any bite marks on any of the sick?”

“No.”

“Are the aid workers getting sick?”

“Only a few.”

“So, it’s either airborne, ingested, or perhaps contact with contaminated body fluids.”

For the first time since their first encounter, he looked thoughtful rather than hostile. “I think if it were airborne, we’d be seeing even more sick.”

“Do you have any rabies immunoglobulin?” she asked.

“We always bring a little in case someone on the team is bitten by an animal, but only enough for a couple of people.”

“I tried to call out a few minutes ago, but I couldn’t get a signal. Could you try?”

He nodded and walked stiffly over to a locked box. He pulled out a satellite phone, turned it on, and dialed a number. His face froze after a few seconds and he slowly lowered the phone. “I don’t have a signal either.”

She glanced around. “Where’s Len?”

“Oh, he said he was going to sleep...” Dr. Blairmore glanced around. “But he doesn’t seem to be here.”

“Well, that’s not good.” Getting help was her next priority. “Can you keep this quiet until I can consult with my CO? We don’t need to have the population here panicking.”

“Yes, of course. Panic would be...bad.”

Very bad.

She left the area and headed out of the hospital, but stopped walking halfway to the lab tent.

Stalls wasn’t visible, when he should be standing guard.

She walked a little closer and saw something dark and shiny on the sand between the lab and sleeping tents. A little closer and she could tell what it was.

Blood. A lot of it.

Her breathing seemed to echo in her ears as she looked in the sleeping tent first. Henry, Macler, and Norton were all there, but the knife wounds on their necks and blood all over the tent told her they were dead.

She slithered out, her mind intent on getting herself out of the area as quickly as possible and finding Con.

Len was standing between her and the lab tent, the rifle in his arms aimed at her, an entirely unsavory smile on his face.

Len, who she hadn’t liked from the first. Len, who was supposed to be Connor’s friend. “You killed them.” It was a statement, not a question.

He shrugged and said like he had all the time in the world, “Collateral damage.”

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