Page 1 of Viral Justice

Chapter One

“They’re not going toagree with your plan, Colonel,” Alicia muttered as she stared at the group of military doctors standing several feet away.

Colonel Robert Maximillian, head of the US Army Biological Rapid Response Team bent closer to the tiny, curvy Sergeant Alicia Stone’s ear and had to clear his throat before asking, “What makes you say that?”

“Look at their body language,” Ali continued in that almost subvocal whisper. “They’ve closed ranks and you’re on the outside.”

He had to consciously hold himself still as he studied the group of men. Military doctors from five different countries. They were positioned in a tight circle, two with their backs to him, talking quietly. All of them stood at just a hair under attention. The faces he could see were set, eyes serious. Understandable. These were dangerous times, and their mutual enemy could be anyone, even someone in your own army.

Stone shifted and her shoulder brushed his arm.

His attraction to the sergeant was irrational and impossible. He wasn’t a fan of either situation.

“They’re having a simple conversation, Sergeant, nothing more.”

“I’ve been on the receiving end of that kind ofconversation,” Stone said, her voice filled with enough acid to melt steel. “If they wanted to include you, they’d have left a space for you to step into, but they didn’t. They’ve already decided and they know you’re not going to like their decision.”

“That’s ridiculous.” He knew every man in the group and had earned their respect. “They’re professionals and they know I have new information for them.”

“It isn’t going to matter. Their minds are made up.” Stone’s voice was so sharp he stopped to really look at her.

“What happened?” he asked her.

“It’s not what happened, but what’snotgoing to happen that’s the problem, sir.”

“No.” He waved away the reference to the meeting they were about to attend. “I mean, with you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this angry before.”

“Me, angry?” she said with wide eyes that did nothing to hide the displeasure on the rest of her face. “I’mgrateful, sir, to be the only female combat trainer for the Special Forces.” Her tone made it clear she was anything but grateful.

“Did you break another officer’s arm?” Four months ago, an asshole who’d thought he was some kind of martial arts expert had tried to intimidate Stone during a training session. She’d put him on the mats twice before he got angry and attacked for real, thinking she couldn’t handle an actual fight. She’d not only broken his arm, but two fingers of the opposite hand, as well.

The incident hadn’t ended there. The officer had accused her of assault, but with so many witnesses the charges against Stone had been thrown out, andhe’dbeen charged with assault. Since then, however, at least two other officers had lodged formal complaints against her.

The old boys’ club, closing ranks.

“Nothing that would show up on an X-ray.” Her voice sounded bland. It should have been a joke, but there was a note in her tone and a flash of something dangerous in her expression that made the very bottom of his gut twist.

Something had gone very wrong.

If someone hurt her, he was going to find out and make their life miserable. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

She jerked, as if the question startled her, but recovered quickly. “Don’t argue with me if I tell you to do something.”

“Arguing with one’s bodyguard would be stupid. I try not to be an idiot more than twice a day. I reached my quota an hour ago.” Yet, he always seemed to butt heads with her whenever they were involved in the same operation, even if it was just a meeting. Having her as a bodyguard for any great length of time would be uncomfortable at best. At worst...she’d realize he was a coward and lose all respect for him.

She blinked.

He consulted his watch as several light armored vehicles pulled up nearby. “Gentlemen, I appreciate your early arrival,” he called out to the five men. “The summit is scheduled to begin in an hour. Several more countries than expected have sent representatives. As a result the meeting has been moved to a larger venue.” He gestured at the waiting vehicles. “If you would? We’ll travel together.”

Their cluster broke apart and they got into the vehicles.

When he glanced back, Stone was staring after him with a profoundly confused expression on her face.

Max rode with Franz Meyer, chief medical officer for the German Army, while Stone got into the vehicle behind his with his British counterpart.

“Militants invaded another Kurdish village in Northern Iraq today.” Franz sounded tired. “At least seventy-five dead and an unknown number of women and girls taken.” He shook his head. “Last night a group of refugees attempted to cross the border between Bulgaria and Hungary. At least thirty died in a series of fires started by Molotov cocktails they threw themselves.”

Stupid. Human beings had a great capacity for stupidity. “The unrest isn’t making any of our jobs easier. Which is why we need countries around the world, not just in Europe or the Middle East, to agree to implement a global vaccination plan.”

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