Page 74 of Viral Justice

She could make out the shapes of Max, the boy, and his father now. Somewhere deeper into the structure there was light.

“This way,” Max said, pointing in the direction of the light source.

Berez and his father led the way with Max and her bringing up the rear.

“He was going back outside to look for his son,” Max said to her quietly. “The kid slipped away when we were leaving their house.”

The little shit.

“He joined me on the roof, then showed me a rough trail to take to avoid the militants,” she said. “I had to kill another one, though this time I threw a knife.”

He glanced at her, but there was no censure in his gaze. “War is a crazy business.”

She grunted. “It’s a brisk business today.”

They walked down a hallway, turned, walked through a room, then down another hallway. The light got steadily brighter until the second hallway was lit up enough to make out the state of disrepair all around them.

There were tables set up in rows, most of them standing, though a few had been knocked over. Along the walls were counters covered in an odd fusion of school and medical bits and pieces. Chalk, syringes, a few books, a broken blood pressure cuff, and other odds and ends were scattered around.

Max walked into the next room, the one containing the light source. It was a flashlight that someone had stood on its end with the light hitting the relatively low ceiling.

This room wasn’t as messy and dirty as the rest. A long metal table was in the center of the room with a huge spotlight pointed toward it. Tom and Bull were moving what resembled an ancient computer from next to the metal table to the far wall.

“Was this an operating room?” she asked.

“I think so,” Max replied. “It’s certainly cleaner than all the other rooms. I want to set up my lab in here.” He turned to the man who’d sheltered them, risking his life and the lives of his sons. “My friend, do you have family you can stay with? This place may not be the safest if those gunmen find out we’re here.”

Ferhat’s expression was bleak and there were tears in his eyes. “There is no safe place. My wife is dead. Her parents died last night of the fever. Everyone else is sick.” He paused to take in a breath and wipe his face with the dirty edge of his shirt. “My sons need sleep. I will find another room where they can rest out of sight.” He shrugged. “We have nowhere else to go.”

Max nodded, then turned to her and Tom and Bull. “Does anyone have any food and water to share with them?”

“Yes,” Ali said, dropping her pack and opening it. She handed Ferhat three bottles of water and a handful of protein bars.

Ferhat nodded his thanks, then shepherded his kids out of the room.

Shit, now they had civilians to look after.

“Okay.” She checked her watch. “Dawn isn’t far off. How do you want to do this?” she asked Max.

“Bull and Tom will meet with the Special Forces team, while you set yourself up somewhere high and keep watch. If things go bad, you can provide cover fire to help them get away.”

She raised a brow. “What about you?”

“Preparing this room so I can set up my equipment as soon as it gets here.” He let out a breath. “I’m going to need samples from the sick.”

“I can get those,” she suggested. “Being small makes me less threatening to most people.”

“Only stupid people,” Bull muttered. “Smart people know you’re more dangerous than a tiger caught in a burlap sack.”

Ali opened her mouth to verbally smack him, but someone else beat her to it.

“Bull,” Max said, “shut your mouth before I put you in the sack with her.”

She blinked.Had he really said that?

Bull started laughing.

Max frowned for a moment, then shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”

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