Page 90 of Viral Justice

“A whole lot of dying,” Holland said, pulling a protein bar out of a pants pocket, ripping it open and eating it. “It’s more than moderately horrible.”

“What about the militants?”

“Oh, they’ve been busy, mostly questioning and killing people. Between them and the virus, there isn’t going to be anybody left alive in this place.”

“What are they questioning people about?”

“They keep asking about Americans and other strangers in the village. They’ve grabbed people from homes and tents alike and taken them somewhere. We don’t know where, though we’re searching for the place. Nolan has talked with a fair number of the surviving village elders and found out that this sickness just appeared a week ago, like someone dropped a bomb on the place. The refugees had arrived two weeks prior.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Ali said.

Hunt grunted. “That sounds like a weapon.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Max woke to the soundof his name. He forced his eyelids open, though they seemed to weigh far more than gravity could explain.

Ali knelt next to him, a small smile curving up one corner of her lips. “Hi, sleepy head.”

Relief surged through him. She was here. She wassafe. “How long did I sleep?”

“Thirty minutes, as ordered.”

He pushed himself into a sitting position then took in a couple of deep breaths. Ali was only a couple feet away. Behind her sat a line of laboratory equipment and the sight brought the situation into clarity.

He refocused on her face and realized there was one other thing he could do to help the people who lived here.

“Do you have the flu?” he asked her.

“I feel fine, normal, so I don’t think so.”

“What about Hunt, Tom, and Bull, do either of them have it?”

“Hunt thinks he might be coming down with it. Tom isn’t sick, but I don’t know about Bull. He’s sleeping”

Max pushed to his feet. “Let’s ask them.”

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