“The virus is constantly evolving so I guess anything’s possible,” Melly admitted. “But if they regain any cognitive abilities we’ll be in a whole new ball game to survive.”
“Could it mean they’re recovering?” Tamsyn asked, her voice a mix of horror and hope.
“No. As a doctor I can assure you there’s no recovery possible when your brain and blood have gone to black mush.” Melly was adamant and her stomach was churning at the mere idea.
“Well the big guy is paying even more attention now we’re talking,” Trent said. “Time to revert to silent mode.”
To give herself something to do, Melly rose from her seat and went to the supply locker to retrieve packets of water and nutrient drinks and passed them out. She drank the last one herself and tossed the empty into the APC’s recycler. No matter how much the behavior of the infected changed, they couldn’t get into the APC, she reminded herself. Even if there was a group of enemy humans out there, they couldn’t gain access, nor could they destroy the APC, not without weapons Jeff had assured her didn’t exist on Randal Four. Would she have to sit crammed in here with four other people and a dog until Jeff and the others returned from New Damarkal? She’d seen there were survival rations in the locker and more drinks. The APC had the tiniest bathroom she’d ever seen at the rear so at least that wouldn’t be an issue either but she hoped no one had a tendency toward claustrophobia. The idea of spending a day and a half or two days in here wasn’t appealing.
“Everyone doing ok?” she asked, making herself take stock of her companions in her capacity as a doctor.
“This ain’t my idea of a vacation,” Tamsyn said with a smile. “But considering the alternative, I’ll deal with it.”
“If the infected are going to hang around whether we talk or not, then we might as well play cards to pass the time,” Zach said, breaking out a well-used pack from a small compartment beside the control panel.
They all gathered as closely as they could, given the APC’s seating arrangement and began a game of friendly poker. Melly wasn’t crazy about the idea of her kid brother gambling, even for imaginary stakes but she didn’t object, figuring it was better to keep him distracted for now. Tamsyn revealed herself to be a card shark, saying with a wistful expression she’d learned from her father’s ranch hands when she was growing up.
They’d been in the APC for about four hours when there was a ping from the com and Zach straightened, set aside his cards and keyed the comlink. Jeff’s voice rang out in the compartment and the soldier lowered the volume hastily.
“We’re coming in hot, about two hours out from Rosewater, so add another hour to the time. Ryan is pushing the engine as hard as he dares. What’s the situation there?”
“Not good, sir. We’ve got a swarm of maybe 100 or so infected camped out on the lawn. We’re all safe inside the APC,” Zach reported. “They don’t seem to be dispersing. There’s a watcher positioned at our door.”
“Take him out and see if the group will wander off then. If not we’re going to have to combine forces and wipe them out. Lucky it’s not a bigger group.”
Melly heard stress in his voice and wondered what was causing the team to return early and in a rush.
“What’s your sitrep, sir?” Zach asked, fortunately posing the question she had.
“We got the parts and valuable intel but Cody was bitten.”
There was a concerted gasp in the APC, only Trent and Zach maintaining their composure, although both men swore. Melly moved to the com. “How bad a bite? How long ago?”
“Bad. On the right forearm. It’s been about four hours. He’s running a fever. Damn fool saved my ass when I had three of the infected coming at me.”
“I’ll review my notes,” she said. “I can’t do much to get ready being stuck here inside the APC but I’ll do what I can once you get here. You have him restrained?”
“Yes. He asked us to do that right away. So far he’s pretty lucid.” Jeff lowered his voice. “I am seeing flashes of mental symptoms but he shakes them off.”
Fighting tears, because she was very fond of Cody, Melly nodded. Realizing this was voice only, not holo, she said, “Sounds promising. We can work with that.”
“See you in three hours. Crisp the Watcher, Zach.”
“Yes, sir.”
The link closed.
Chapter Five
Tamsyn felt as though the captain had plunged a blade into her heart with the news about Cody. Sure she’d barely met the man but what she knew, she’d been drawn to. There was an attraction between them which she’d had foolish hopes might become more as time went on. And now there was no time. The faces of her ranch hands and foreman flashed in front of her mind’s eye and she shuddered. “We—we can put him in the bunkhouse,” she said, fighting a deep sadness weighing her down like a blanket. “Once we get out of here. You have something to reverse the effects of the virus, Dr. Jericho? I believed it was incurable. Didn’t we have the discussion earlier in fact?”
“Right. We’re all well aware there’s no cure,” Melly agreed in a somber voice. “But Cody has one thing going for him no one else on this planet can claim.”
When the doctor didn’t elaborate, Tamsyn said, “Not to be nosy, but that being what?”
The others exchanged glances as if the group shared a secret she wasn’t privy to. Mike piped up, “Cody’s a cyborg, which is so cool.”
“I thought he might have mentioned it to you,” Melly said apologetically. “It’s his secret to keep or disclose,” she told her brother mildly. “Not everyone thinks cyborgs are cool.”
