Nora gasped, her gaze on her friend.
Zach frowned and stepped over debris to reach the downed woman. Humming to himself, he reached down and flipped her over. Quick motions had the suit removed. Frowning, he ripped open her shirt and unclasped her bra.
Blue glowed up from Lynne’s skin. How was that possible? Nora shook her head, trying to clear her vision. Lynne’s heart was a bright greenish blue, cascading out in arteries and veins. Blue morphing into a bright aqua. She lay limp, unconscious.
Zach palmed a breast, and she didn’t move.
Nora gagged. “Let her go. Zach, this isn’t you. Please.”
He looked up and squinted as if he’d forgotten her. Then he smiled. With another almost absent pinch to Lynne’s cheek, he stood.
He stalked toward Nora, a bizarre smile lifting his lips.
Fear ricocheted through her. She hissed out air, her feet kicking to somehow move the chair. “Leave me alone.”
He reached her and bent down, his face an inch from hers.
She stopped breathing and pressed back into the cushions.
Zach licked his lips.
Nora shoved down a whimper of terror.
The door opened, and one of Lynne’s techs strode in. His name was John or Joe, or something like that. “Where’s the guard?” he asked, munching on a bagel.
Zach shot forward and tackled him into the metal door. His head impacted with the sound of a melon on concrete, and he slid to the tile unconscious.
“There’s no way to get you out of here unwillingly. Not through all the hallways and security.” Zach sighed. “Any chance you’ll come with me?”
Nora slowly shook her head. The man had completely lost it, but he had to have known she wouldn’t cooperate. “Why did you come?”
He shrugged. “I wanted to see the green vial and what it would do. My normal curiosity seems to have moved into obsession. Like it has for you. I have a couple of things to take care of, and then I’ll be back for you.” He paused at the door and blew her a kiss. “You and me, Nora. It’s gonna be great.”
Chapter Ten
Deke set his gun on the night table, his senses on full alert. Behind him, Nora perched on his bed, way too quiet.
He sighed, his gaze remaining on the darkness outside his window. His gut roiled, and his fingers curled with the need to extract vengeance. With great pain. “Are you sure you’re not infected?”
“I’m sure,” she said softly. “The infection is spread by bodily fluids.”
He shut the blinds and turned to face her, masking his expression. “So only kissing, sex, blood, urine, semen?”
She shook her head. “Those for sure, but it’s like any bacteria. If it’s on a surface, and you touch the surface and then your eyes, nose, or mouth, you can catch it.”
He nodded, his chest heavy. The memory of having to wait while they’d performed so many tests on her would haunt him forever. “It’s contained for now?”
She winced. “Lynne’s team got her into isolation, and she’s being treated with the highest protocols. Then they disinfected the entire room and everything in it. I stayed with her for a couple of hours while you looked for Zach, but she hasn’t regained consciousness.”
Deke scrubbed both hands down his face. “Our biggest problem now is Zach Barter.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next. He wanted to infect Lynne, so maybe he wants to infect other people. Perhaps part of the bacteria’s strength, when it strips the brain, is to push for more infections. There are contagions with similar symptoms.” Nora clasped both arms around her knees, looking unbelievably fragile.
Deke remained still. “Great.”
Nora leaned her chin on her knees. “You should’ve seen Lynne’s chest. It turned blue. I mean, her heart glowed almost aqua. I’ve never seen anything like it. Ever.”
“You’re sure you’re not infected,” Deke said.
