Nora swallowed and glanced around the deserted area. A chill swept through her. Something was definitely wrong. She casually reached for her phone. “McDougall.” Awareness spiraled through her stomach, and she edged away from the girl. “What’s going on?”
The assistant smoothed down a yellow T-shirt. “I needed to see you.”
Nora peered closer. Something was definitely off. Had Bobbi been infected? “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” Bobbi rubbed her pointed chin. “The Scorpius bacteria is a bitch to get over. I was so sick.”
Heated air burst from Nora’s lungs. “You were infected?”
“Yes. Zach came over the night before he left town, and we, ah—” She blushed and swayed.
Oh shit. “Did he rape you?”
“No. Well, not really. I mean, I fought him, but after the fever, I see that it was love.” Bobbi tilted her head to the side. “I was sick for twenty-four hours—thought I was going to die.” She frowned. “I kept in touch with Lynne, saying I was searching for Zach, but I didn’t die, and now Zach and I can be together. I mean, once you’re out of the picture.” She drew a pointy gun from the back of her waist. “There are a couple of ways this can happen. I can shoot you, but Zach would be pissed. Or I could bite you, but Zach . . . would be pissed.” She sighed. “He wants to bite you himself.”
Nora glanced around for some sort of weapon. Going hand-to-hand with the girl was a bad idea, since the bacteria still lived in the saliva of a host, even one that had recovered from the infection. “Why does he want to infect me?”
Bobbi wrinkled a very pert nose. “He thinks those who survive the infection become immortal.”
“And you don’t?” Nora asked, peering closely.
“Nah. I feel stronger and maybe smarter, but I don’t feel like a god.” Bobbi jerked the gun toward the outside door. “There’s a nice, quiet parking lot out there that nobody uses.”
Nora eyed the weapon. If she rushed the girl, she’d get shot. “Why are you doing this?”
“I love him.” Bobbi’s aim wavered. “When you love somebody, you’ll do anything to make them happy. Right?”
“No.” Nora shook her head. There was an odd glint in Bobbi’s eyes. Fever? Or possibly insanity. “So there weren’t vials stolen?”
“Oh, we’re missing two vials, that’s for sure, but I have no idea who took them and don’t really care.” Bobbi shrugged and pointed the gun at Nora’s chest. “I’d love to just shoot you.”
Nora blinked and tried to remember the layout of the building. The exit let out at the side parking lot; there was a chance somebody would be out there. Not a great chance, considering the main parking area was on the other side of the building. If she let Bobbi take her outside, she’d be at a disadvantage. So she set her feet. “I don’t think so. And if you try to bite me, I’ll knock your ass out.”
The girl’s head jerked back. “Well, Zach figured you’d say that.” She fired, and three red darts plugged Nora in the neck.
So, not bullets. Interesting. Nora’s eyes fluttered shut, gravity took over, and the last thing she felt was the hard cement floor.
Deke finished meeting with the FBI profilers, and his temples pounded at the newest update. Zach Barter was probably back in town. Fair enough.
“We’ll get him,” FBI Director Siles said around a worn toothpick as they maneuvered down the hallway. “We knew he’d come back.”
Deke nodded and headed toward Lynne’s office. Well, Nora’s office now. She was probably still pissed at him, but they both had their ways of dealing with life, and they’d have to agree to disagree. He wasn’t losing her again, damn it. “Aye.” They’d known Zach would return for Nora, but Deke had thought he’d have a little more time to prepare. “Warn your men about Zach. There’s no cure for the bite, and you can only hope to beat the fever.”
So far, based on the newest data from Zach’s reign of terror, most people lost the fight. The CDC had released information to the drug companies, and they were rushing to find a cure. Or vaccine. Or hopefully both. But with the foremost experts in the country still unsuccessful, their chances looked bleak.
Deke reached the office. Empty. He turned toward Siles. “Have you seen Nora?”
“Nope.” Siles’s phone rang, and he glanced at the face. “It’s the vice president. No, I mean the newly appointed president. I bet your girl is either meeting with agents or is in the break room. Call me if you can’t find her.” He turned for the nearest exit.
Deke nodded, glancing down the bustling hallway. A month ago, he’d enjoyed the peacefulness of his job and slow days. Now he could barely find a spot to think. Where the hell had Nora gone? The back of his neck tickled, and he shoved down impatience. She was fine. Zach Barter couldn’t have gotten into the building, considering his face was plastered everywhere, and Nora wouldn’t have gone outside without protection, even if she was pissed about the missing vials.
Where the hell was she?
He scouted the building, going office to office, asking everybody if they’d seen her. All he got were shrugs and head shakes.
He sucked in a deep breath, everything inside him calming. Okay. She wouldn’t have gone anywhere. So he needed to relax and just find her. Yet he couldn’t help but hurry as he headed for the control room.
The men let him in and didn’t question him as he ran through recordings of the last two hours.Damn it.He watched the meeting between Nora and Bobbi, and his gut clenched when Bobbi fired. Nora hit the ground, and then the aide had carried Nora outside with surprising ease. The camera outside captured them getting into a white SUV with a man driving. Probably Zach.
