Page 137 of Viral Justice

“Ali, move so you’re sitting up against the well,” Max ordered, his voice still broken.

“Yes, sir, Colonel, sir,” she said, crawling over to the stone-and-wood well housing. “Any other orders?”

“Yes, an extra-large pepperoni with mushrooms.”

“Ha, ha.”

She heard footsteps. When had she closed her eyes?

Max was walking toward her, a determined expression on his face.

“Oh no you don’t, Doctor,” she said, pointing at him. “One of us dying of this shit is enough.”

“I can’t just stand by and watch you—”

“You’re not standing and watching at all,” she said between coughs. They weren’t as body racking as they’d been a couple of minutes ago. Or maybe it was because she was so damned tired. “You need to make sure those armed men are secure and then prepare for that air drop.” She smiled at him and patted the ground beneath her. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”

Gunfire in the distance helped to emphasize her point.

“Give me a weapon,” Warren said from where he was sitting on the ground in front of a house. “I’ll keep an eye on things here.”

Max rolled his eyes. She could almost hear what he was thinking...Goddamned Special Forces soldiers.

“Fine. Stay here and don’t get up, either of you.”

“It’s just cracked ribs,” Warren complained.

“It’s not just anything,” Max snapped. “You have a concussion and several deep tissue bruises.” He whipped around to stare at her. “And you,” he said in a tone that allowed for no argument. “No dying while I’m gone.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, sir.”

He stared at her, his face a mask of anger, frustration, and hopelessness. Seeing him this way hurt worse than the pain in her body. “Good,” he said, but the word was almost unintelligible.

That’s when she saw the tears on his face.

Her ultra-competent doctor was coming apart at his emotional seams. Before she could think of something comforting to say, he nodded at her, turned, then marched toward the valley.

“He’s totally in love with you,” Warren said to her after about ten seconds.

“Don’t make me shoot you, asshole,” she replied. “I don’t have time to hide your body before someone comes back.”

“Just sayin’.”

“Don’t. Don’t say it. He’s doing a job no one else can do and he doesn’t need schoolyard gossip fucking him over.”

Warren was silent for all of two seconds. “Does he know you’re in love with him too?”

She sighed, which led to a nasty coughing fit. “I’m going to find my gun, load it, and fucking murder you if you don’t shut up.”

“My lips are sealed, but I would like an invite to the wedding.”

“Asshole,” she said, running out of energy all of a sudden. Her chest was so tight, and she’d hit her wall. Her eyes slid shut and all she heard was white noise.

* * *

She had to fight herway back to consciousness.

At first, all she knew was Max’s voice. She couldn’t understand what he was saying, but she’d know his timbre and tone anywhere. She blinked heavy eyelids open, but nothing seemed familiar.

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