Page 38 of Viral Justice

“Was the cause of death dehydration?”

“No, sir, the report says viral pneumonia.”

“Thirty hours? That’s fast.”

“Yes, sir. I think they’re scared.”

“I would be too.” Max pulled up his master spreadsheet of all his specialists, where they were today and what they were dealing with.

Everyone was dealing with a medical crisis that they couldn’t just up and leave. That left only one person able to respond to this outbreak.

Him.

Chapter Nine

Alicia walked intothe lab building expecting to meet with Max regarding the training schedule for his people. A perfectly normal, professional conversation. If only she could convince her brain to get with the program.

Her head kept replaying his expression when she’d gone down on him. Maintaining a professional distance was going to be a problem, but she couldn’t dredge up a speck of regret either. Last night had been amazing. She’d never felt as connected to another human being as she did to Max.

That was some kind of scary shit.

It all took a backseat when she walked into the lab office and found Eugene talking into two different phones at the same time. Max’s portable lab bags were on the floor next to Eugene’s desk and Max was pacing outside his office talking on the phone.

Eugene saw her, but didn’t do much more than angle his chin toward his boss’s office.

Max saw her a moment later and waved her over. He indicated she should go into his office. He pointed at his computer, so she sat down in his chair and read the report open on the screen.

Some kind of flu had killed four people in a small village in Iraq that had swelled in size due to an influx of refugees from nearby parts of the country recently taken over by extremists. Four out of the dozen infected people dead. She didn’t need a medical degree to know that was bad.

Max ended his call. “I’ve just arranged coverage for me from the chief medical officer on the base. I’m heading to the outbreak myself. He’s going to monitor the flu that seems to have knocked half of Supply on its ass.”

“Is there a connection?”

“I hope not, but we’ll find out.”

“Who’s going with you?”

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