I know she means that she’ll take me out of my flesh eating misery. I nod. “I guess that means I have to be ready too.”
“Yep.”
We sit together quietly until she says, “Come on,” and shakes her head at the tower of cat food. “Let’s get out of here. All those little yellow eyes are freaking me out.”
Chapter Forty-Five
~Now~
Days pass and a consistent routine develops. I’m strapped to the chair in the lab and they take blood. I eat and sleep in my room. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
As I’m escorted from my dorm room one morning the tension in the lab becomes noticeably thick. Even with their blue masks it’s pretty clear the Drones are stressed. The reason becomes clear when I hear Erwin shout, “We’re no closer to the cure than when she first got here!” Loud enough for the whole lab to hear.
“Maybe,” a brave Drone says. “The information we had about her is inaccurate.”
Erwin’s face turns beet red. “Did I give you permission to speak?”
“N-n-no, sir.” The Drone looks ready to sink into the ground.
“Do not question my authority again. Perform another test.” The Colonel turns back to this office mumbling about geeks and nerds and how when the G-D world fell apart it would be on their shoulders.
Ouch.
I catch Cole’s eye across the room. He’d been brought in when it was clear the Drones had no idea what they were looking for or how to actually make the vaccine. A guard, usually Richardson, stands over him at all times. We’re no closer to figuring a way to get out of here and at this rate, the only people left uninfected by the E-TR virus will probably be the Drones and officers trapped in here with us.
That idea alone strengthens my resolve to get out of here. Over the last couple of days, I’ve had the opportunity to study the lab. Most of the workers are at the long tables in the middle of the room. They have access to pretty high tech supplies from what I can tell. There are no windows or other exits other than a metal door square in the back of the room. I’ve only seen military personnel go in and out, using a keypad and code. I can’t help but wonder if it may be our way out of here.
Walker enters the small cubicle where I’m strapped to the chair. She checks the fluids and loosens the Velcro around my wrists. My arms are a wreck. Dark bruises from the needles and my wrists are rubbed raw from the restraints.
“Thanks,” I say quietly. She’s nice to me but not in a way anyone would notice. Just little things, like not treating me like a piece of trash. “Any idea how much longer they’re going to keep me here today?”
To my shock she answers, “Despite Erwin’s freak out, I think they’re making some progress. They’ve lined up an experiment to test the first round of vaccines.”
“Seriously? They figured it out?” I can’t decide if I’m happy or not about this. I certainly rather not be their personal guinea pig any longer.
“It’s just a first round. It took your father months to get this far. Without his research they’re starting from scratch. Even your boyfriend wasn’t privy to how the vaccine actually worked.”
I glance at Cole, who is busy leaning over a microscope. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
She shrugs.
“No really, he’s not. He’s just…some guy.”
Walker turns to face me and asks suddenly, “Can I ask you something?”
“Uh, sure, I guess.”
“Why were you on the run from us? Shouldn’t you do what you can for the country? You could be the solution to this whole freaking disaster.”
“I wasn’t on the run,” I say. “I was trying to take care of my family. My father never told me about his work—ever.”
“You should have reported to the emergency center and saved us all some trouble.”
“If I’m the savior you’re telling me I am, then why do you guys keep treating me like a piece of crap? Like a prisoner?”
“You do realize historically what has happened to those who can potentially save mankind? Ever hear of Jesus Christ? It’s not like he got a warm welcome.”
She did not just compare me to Jesus. I r