Lockdown Part 6
Disclaimers in Part 1
Thanks to all of you still reading this, and to those who reminded me where this was going
and what I needed to leave out. :)
"Sam, if you could put some verbs in this it would help." Toby growled, as he
peered over Sam's shoulder at his computer screen.
C.J. and Josh lounged on the couch and watched as Sam made shooing motions with his hand,
then kept typing.
C.J. shifted and spoke, "Hey, is anybody hungry? Let's order some Chinese."
Josh, looked at her with a bemused expression. "Yeah, C.J., we'll just ask them to
drop it off at the front door and run away when we open it."
"They have a set up at the front, remember, we can get whatever we want in, but
nothing goes out."
Toby chimed in, "At least not without being heated to a toasty 1000 degrees to kill
the germies."
"Toby-you are such a--" began C.J.
"--total pain in the ass." finished Josh. He flashed a small smile at C.J.. Toby
torture was always a good way to break the boredom. He stood to pace the room.
"Don't we have another briefing from Kate sometime soon?" Sam looked up from the
computer. "Cause I need to ask her about this thing with the number of facilities
that have the Ebola virus."
"Sam, if we mention in a press release that someone stole this deadly virus from one
of a handful of ultra high security sites in the world to start their own epidemic, I
think the public will be a bit wigged." C.J. offered, from her spot on the couch.
"I think they'd be a bit more that 'wigged,' perhaps terrified, outraged, infuriated
that it could happen-" continued Toby.
Leo appeared at the door. "Did you get hit with the Moron Stick? We are not telling
them ANYTHING about the virus being stolen!"
Sam pushed his chair back from the computer and said quietly, "Guys, could you not
yell, please, I have a hell of a headache."
Four pairs of eyes turned to look closely at Sam. They noted the dark circles under his
eyes and a face nearly as white as his shirt.
Toby spoke first, "Sam, are you O.K.?"
Sam managed a small smile, "I'll be fine. Gee, Toby you've been so nice to me, I
don't know what to think..."
Josh picked up Sam's attempt to redirect attention from himself by remarking further on
Toby's uncharacteristic behavior. "Yeah, Toby, what's brought out this softer side of
the beast?"
Toby was instantly irritated. "Shut up Josh, I'm just feeling guilty 'cause I
probably gave him the damn flu."
"When were YOU sick Toby?" inquired C.J.
"Last week."
"You were fine last week, mellow even---oh, you WERE sick." C.J. smiled.
Leo leaned deeper into the door. "Will somebody tell me why Sam is the only one
working, and why you are all letting him when he shouldn't? I'll call Kate down here if I
have to, but I warn you she's not in a pretty mood."
Josh crossed to Leo. "Where is she? When is our next briefing?"
C.J. stood and stood to glower at Leo and Josh. "She's locked in the conference room
trying to find out who stole this virus and how she can minimize the number of people who
die, but I'm sure she'd love to come out here and tell us all we need to be nice to Sam.
Honestly, you are all little boys."
"Naah, I won't bother her, 'cause Sam and Josh would just be drooling on her. But she
did say Sam had pretty eyes." Leo joined the sarcasm.
Sam looked up. "She said I had pretty eyes?"
Josh looked at Sam. "I saw her first."
C.J. threw her hands up and glared at Sam and Josh. "What!! are you guys twelve or
something, are you gonna fight over who gets to ask her to the school dance?"
"Children, please. There's food down the hall. Kate had them deliver Chinese and
pizza. Said her boss is a Republican and she enjoyed charging it on his credit card. So,
eat and make nice."
Kate dragged herself off the couch and back to the desk. It was piled high with
security data from all the facilities that housed the Ebola virus samples held for
research. All had level 4 containment facilities. All were manned by only the most highly
trained people in the world. She knew almost all of those people. One of them was a
monster.
She felt the headache behind her eyes increase with that thought. She understood that
there were people in the world that killed for an agenda. But the thought that she knew
them, that they were doctors or scientists, chilled her. The fatigue she'd kept at bay
with the adrenaline of absolute panic clawed at her now.
She stretched her arms over her head and reached for her coffee cup as she stood up.
It was time to go hunting.
TBC
Lockdown - 7
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