Page 111 of Viral Justice

“Say the wordcuteagain in reference to me and I will punch you in the face.” She said the sentence absolutely deadpan because she absolutely meant it.

Hunt chuckled again, unaware of how close to death he was skating, because right now she really, really wanted to choke him.

They left the village behind, and she forced herself to walk ahead of Hunt to give herself time to calm down before they stopped and she had to look at him again.

If he wore a smug expression of any kind, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop herself from...what? Taking her stupidity out on the first handy person who came within reach? She was the one who turned her relationship with Max into one that violated every promise she’d ever made to herself when she joined the army.

It wasn’t Hunt who deserved a beating.

She deserved every smirk and joke that came her way.Every one.

“I see it,” Hunt said behind her.

She stopped and looked in the direction he indicated. There it was, a camo-green package.

They scrambled down an embankment to reach it. Bigger than she’d expected. Four feet by four feet and covered in green cargo netting, it might be hard to sneak through the village without attracting attention.

Then again, people might still be interested in the drone they’d shot down.

It didn’t require conversation for Hunt to grab one side of the package while she nabbed the other. It didn’t require conversation to start heading up the hill either.

Hunt kept glancing at her, though, actual concern on his face.

“What?” she asked as they reached the goat track. “Worried I’ll break a nail?”

“Uh, no.” He cleared his throat and muttered, “I should have kept my mouth shut.”

“Probably, but you didn’t.”

He’d done her a favor, really. At least now, she had time to figure out some kind of exit route before shit got embarrassing.

“Look,” Hunt said, sounding nervous. “I’m sorry. It was unprofessional of me to bring it up while we’re out on a mission.”

“It’s fine.”

“It’s none of my business and, hell, you haven’t even admitted it, so maybe I’m wrong and there’s nothing going on between you and Max.”

“Just drop it, okay?”

“On one hand, I’m happy for you, you know,” Hunt continued, seemingly unaware of her deteriorating temper. “You’ve got this iron maiden reputation, but it’s good to know you—”

Ali cut him off. “Shut. The. Fuck. Up.”

He shut up.

So did she.

They reached the edge of the village and took a moment to make sure they were unobserved before slipping in through the outermost houses. The smell of death and decay from inside told Ali that their occupants were no threat.

As they made their way to the old hospital, the odd gunshot was audible in the distance, but nothing close by. The locals, or whoever was around, must still be picking through the crash debris, looking for useful bits to sell or trade.

A small herd of goats and two cows trotted past them, on their way to the grassy hillside surrounding the village.

Either the farmer had let them out, or their owners were dead, and they’d found an escape. One of those goats would make a decent meal for the people who were now under their protection.

She glanced over her shoulder and noted the direction the animals took. She could go after one once the package was delivered.

The hospital finally came into view, and they walked through the doorway without incident.

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