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“You can’t leave the house, what if you infect someone?” Capricorn shouted from the balcony as I went over to the stairwell entrance.
The lift had been switched off to stop anyone from coming up unannounced. Gemini, Taurus and Leo were the type to not respect my quarantine rules.
“Don’t panic. I can’t pass it to anyone, I’ll explain all about it when I get home. Until then, hang out in the bedroom and...Aquarius, would you take my washing basket and burn my clothes please? Ask Scorpio to collect the other’s clothes and burn them, too.”
My question made the others gasp as they all watched me from the balcony. Anthrax could have stayed on the clothes, so they had to be destroyed. Once the clothes were gone, the chances of infecting anyone else was slim.
“Can’t you go to work when the others aren’t there?” Saggi asked.
Shaking my head, I took a deep breath. “If I don’t hurry, Natalie...she won’t make it.”
The vomiting might start soon. It was already well past the danger zone, so I had to get antibiotics as soon as possible. I knew exactly where they were in the lab, too.
“I promise, I’ll be careful.”
Turning to leave, I waved when someone shouted good luck. My hands thumped the door open as I went into the stairwell and ran as fast as I could. My mask was still on my face. I couldn’t go out in public with it on, but the idea of walking amongst others made me nervous. Taurus had agreed to pick me up outside, no questions asked.
Coming out of the door at the bottom of the stairwell, I paused as I noted the people walking the street outside. My research was tight, Anthrax was rarely transmitted through live humans. If any of the patients died, however, that would be dangerous.
My hands shook as I unlocked the door and let myself out. Slipping the mask to sit below my chin, I zipped my hoody all the way to the top to cover it. My hands were now covered with black winter gloves, even though it wasn’t that cold.
“Get in,” Taurus called as our minibus pulled up.
Not waiting to be asked twice, I surged forward, apologising when I almost knocked someone over. How had I not seen them? How dangerous!
“Where are we going?” My brother was on his own, which was a relief.
Yanking the door open, I got in, slamming it shut behind me before I slid the mask back over my mouth.
I had specifically asked Taurus not to let anyone else know where he was going. He had moaned at first, not wanting to keep anything from Kerry. However, he quickly realised how serious I was.
“The hospital. I need to go to work.”
Wringing my gloved hands together, I watched the road ahead silently. My mind tried to remember the exact procedure for Anthrax poisoning, but it wasn’t quite in order.
“Don’t drive so crazy,” I muttered. “You should stay in your own lane.”
Without saying a word, Taurus reminded me of my fussy nature. Just a flick of his eyebrows told me to shut up. So I did.
“Tell me what’s going on in that mind of yours.” He broke the silence as we waited in traffic.
The cars around us beeped, their fumes surrounding the area. London was a tricky city to navigate, especially if you didn’t know it. Luckily, Taurus was a good driver. He knew exactly where we were going.
“Anthrax. It’s an animal virus, spread through either ingesting, inhaling or wound contact. So, the deadliest is inhalation, which is what we were exposed to. I’m immune, probably because of my healing abilities, but I’m not a hundred percent on that.” I sucked in a breath. “So, we would usually treat someone who’s been exposed with antibiotics straight away, before the symptoms appear. Which means we might be too late for Natalie. Nick said the others won’t die because he can’t kill us, but there’s a high chance Natalie will.”
Taurus coughed, quickly covering his mouth when I frowned at him. “No, I’m...just panicking,” he said, waving my concerned look away.
He hadn’t been around the house much in the last few days. It was a low risk of him catching the virus.
“Me, too,” I whispered, keeping my whole body facing forward. “But, if we can get the antibiotics, I can start them all on it. Every single one of them. Natalie, Aries and Libra will need two types to fight it off. The baby’s...high risk.”
Clenching my hands into fists, I resisted the urge to cry. So far, I had somehow managed to keep it together, but lack of sleep...and hope, was grinding me down.
“We can do this. Tell me what I need to do to help.” Taurus was practical, like me.
Both of us knew the importance of things being perfect. I had to make sure I could sneak past my colleagues somehow. Which meant, they had to be called out of the office. All of them.
“I need to find a way to get my colleagues out of the way. Or, at least to somehow sneak in and get what I need without anyone seeing me.”
I hadn’t thought my plan through. We couldn’t cause panic because that would affect the whole hospital. I didn’t want to put anyone in danger. Sneaking in might be the best option.
“If you could wait in the car, and come pick me up at patient pickup when I ring you, that would be great.”
Taurus nodded, his cap catching my eye. “Okay. So, you’re sneaking into your lab and stealing the antibiotics. How long do you think you’ll be?”
Tapping my fingers on my knees, I calculated the time it would take for me to get in undetected, or at least with an excuse that I’d left something I needed behind. Not that they would believe me. It would take five minutes to get to the lab, another five to scope out who was around. Then, I would give myself fifteen minutes to get in and out. All the while, trying not to look suspicious on the security cameras.
“Oh, boy, I need to go to my computer too and print off the Anthrax research. I’m never going to get this done.”
It was a stupid idea to think I could somehow get in and out without being seen. My whole team might be there, although they often went off to do other things, so maybe it would be down to one or two of them.
“You can do this,” Taurus said. “You could always cause a small earthquake. Nothing damaging, just something to shake the floor and distract people.”
The minibus approached the entrance to the hospital. My heart thumped against my ribs, making me even more nervous. I could do exactly what he suggested, it would certainly make everyone wonder what was going on, drawing attention away from me.
But, there was also the danger that something could go wrong. The hospital might be on vulnerable ground, which may or may not shift.
“Ready?”
Taurus pulled the van up outside the hospital. Slipping the mask under my chin again, I zipped my hoody up. Smiling at Taurus, I got out without saying anything more. He had his orders, I had my job.
The security man waved at me as I went in. I smiled, ducking my head, hurrying along. It wouldn’t be too suspicious, doctors and nurses never walked slowly. We always had somewhere to be.
The corridor led to the stairs. Choosing to go up them, instead of using the lift, I kept my breath even until I got to my floor. Branching off to the left, I still kept my head low. There would be plenty of people who would recognise me, but I had to take that risk. There was no other way.
The receptionist wasn’t at her desk, which was a huge bonus. Shooting past, I headed straight for the staff room. It was down a small side corridor, which was always quiet as only four of us worked in the area.
Pausing outside the door, I listened, trying to hear if there was anyone in there. It was silent. Pushing on the door, I double checked, moving inside when it was clear.
Going straight to the lockers, I checked to see whose stuff was there. Both Gary and Lacy’s lockers were bare. My mind shot back to three days ago when they’d informed me that they were going to a conference for two days. It was as if the universe was conspiring for me to succeed.
Footsteps outside in the corridor alerted me to someone’s approach. Diving into the shower room, I went into one of the cubicles and locked the door. They were individual shower rooms, the walls were floor to ceiling on all sides. I could stay hidden safely, but I wouldn’t hear when whoever had come into the staff room left.
Taking a deep breath, I sat on the floor and leant against the wall. I would give it ten minutes and then sneak out to check. It was probably my new boss, Alice, who would be working alone today. It wasn’t exactly the best day for me to go sick, considering she probably didn’t know what to do.
My eyelids drooped as I waited, my breath becoming shallow. If I wasn’t careful, I would fall asleep.
*
“Quick,” a female voice jolted me from my reverie. “You’d better run!”
Our saviour was the maid who looked after the master. I had no idea who might have known about me and Ceely, but by the sound of the hounds, someone had found out.
Ceely stretched in the bed beside me, reluctant to flee...again.
“We have to go,” I said, jumping up and tugging on my clothes.
Her long slim figure moved under the blanket as she rolled over and tucked herself in. “No, I won’t do it anymore. I’m not afraid of who I love.”
The maid had fled, leaving us to our own punishment. She knew that if they caught her anywhere near us, she would be burned, too. We had to escape.
Our master was a French man, his plantation our home. We had been bought together one year and six months before, but had managed to keep our secret, until now. Had someone told him? The maid wouldn’t dare; she knew her workload would triple if we were killed.
“Come on,” I said, going over to the bed and tugging on the blanket. It was rough on my fingers, but it did the job of keeping us warm. “I don’t want to die.”
Sitting up, Ceely stared at me, her dark eyes the same colour as her skin. I glanced down at myself, my wasted away figure engulfed by the oversized dress that was grey-blue against my own dark skin.
“I’m sick of running.” Her defiance would be short lived, especially if they caught us.
I was used to her wanting to break the rules, it’s what had attracted me to her in the first place. But, her blatant disregard for her life, and mine, made it hard for me. Especially in a world where we were not free to do what we wanted.
“Fine, you stay. I’m going.”
That was it. I had risked my life since we kissed a year ago, my whole being knowing that what we felt for each other, as two women, was wrong. Yet, I couldn’t help it. I loved Ceely. But, I wasn’t playing this game anymore.
Shoving my feet into my worn leather shoes, I opened the door and sneaked out, not bothering to wait when she called out. No, she had made her choice. If she was caught, at least there would be no damning evidence.
The sky was black, one of those eerily dark nights. The crickets were chirping and the bugs buzzing, but I kept walking, heading towards one of my friend’s huts. She was a house maid, not like me. I was an outdoor hand, harvesting the plantation for every sunlit hour of the day.
Tears popped into my eyes when I heard the dogs. They were approaching Ceely’s hut. If I didn’t hurry, they would catch my scent and find me. It would be evidence enough for the master to conclude that I had been with another woman. Which was something that was punishable by death.
“Hatty,” someone called out in the darkness.
My breath rushed out of me as I almost collided with John, the farrier. He was fair and kind, but would he keep me safe? Or, would he give me over to our master in order to find favour?
“Elsie is waiting for you at her hut, she sent me out to get you as soon as she heard the dogs.”
He was going to keep me safe. Taking his hand, I let him lead me down the path and to the huts at the back of the house. My feet skipped along, almost falling out from underneath me, but John propelled me forward.
Elsie had a keen ear, and knew exactly what was going on. Those of us who knew her recognised her as a seer, a healer. But, her secret could never get out. She would be burnt to death, just like me and Ceely.
As the huts drew nearer, my breath got shorter. I had to get inside, but it looked so far away. My meal had been cut today because I was short on my picking quota by half a pound.
“Come on.” John scooped me up and ran the rest of the way, slowing only when we reached the outside of Elsie’s hut.
The door opened, but no one came out. Setting me on my feet, John pushed my back gently. Tip toeing up the two wooden steps, I disappeared into the hut, while John disappeared into the night.
“Mama,” I cried quietly when Elsie stepped out from behind the door.
Closing it behind me, she shoved me towards the pallet on the floor. Laying down, I huddled in the corner as my mother got in beside me.
“You’re a fool, Hatty, how many times do I have to tell you to keep away from that girl?”
Her arm came around me at the same time as the dogs howled. They were getting nearer. Maybe they could smell my scent. However, if the master or his men caught me now, they had no evidence. I was safely in the arms of my mother, where I should be sleeping every night.
“You’re lucky that we were all brought here together, but I should have made you go somewhere else. At least you wouldn’t be killing my heart every day.”
My mother had known about my love for Ceely since we had first met. I couldn’t help it, I just loved her. And, nothing anyone said could change that.
“I’m sorry, Mama,” I whispered as shouts grew nearer.
Mama nudged me, making sure I stopped talking and pretended to sleep. The door burst open, jolting us both. We sat up, blinking as if we had been asleep. One the master’s men stared down at us, a scowl on his face.
“You!” He pointed at me as he came over.
Mama tried to get in his way, but he knocked her over. She didn’t utter a sound as he reached for me, wrapping meaty fingers around my skinny wrist. Tugging me to my feet, he started to walk back out of the hut.
“What have I done?” I asked, feigning innocence.
The master stood in a circle of lit torches. His men held them around him so we could see. He held the arm of Ceely, his fingers digging into her skin.
“You women have been accused of breaking the law. Sexual interaction between the same sex is illegal. What do you have to say for yourself?” The master’s accent made me shiver. The French were brutal. But, then again, so were the British. To be a slave in Virginia was not an easy life.
Gasps went up around the area. People had come out of their huts to see what the commotion was about. The accusation against us had grounds, but who would tell on us? Surely, my own mama wouldn’t...
My eyes burned at the realisation that it might have been her, even if it was by accident. A passing comment might have planted a seed in someone’s mind.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ceely spoke up, answering the master’s rhetoric question. “I ain’t ever been with another woman.”
The leering looks of some of the men made my skin crawl. Some of them liked the idea of it, yet, they knew the punishment if it was proved.
Clearing my throat when the man holding me shoved me to the ground in front of the master, I looked up. “I...”
“Shut up!” the master snapped, making it obvious that he hadn’t expected us to answer. “I’ll not have you talking back to me.”
Stepping forward, he slapped me across the head. Cringing against the pain, I kept still, not uttering a sound. If we did, it would make him angrier and more likely to keep up the beating.
“Who here has seen these two women fornicating?” The master looked around.
The whole estate had woken up in the hullabaloo, coming to see what was going on. Surely, no one would step forward. If they had no proof, they wouldn’t be able to punish us in the worst possible way.
“No one?”
My heart was beating in my chest so fast, I thought it might break my ribs. Lifting a shaking hand, I wiped away the droplet of blood that ran down my cheek from a small cut in my head. The pain? It was nothing. Not compared to what I’d endured at the hands of my master and his men.
“Okay, so we have no proof. Henry, take that woman...” He pointed at me. “...to the slave market tomorrow and sell her on.”
My eyes closed as emotional pain shot through me. I would leave my mother behind. And Ceely. It would be hard, but at least we would still have our life.
He went to turn, but a guttural cry came from Ceely, which made him pause. Launching herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs gripping around his waist. Her fingers dug into his eyes, a squelchy pop causing me to wince.
The master’s scream was a sound that would be imprinted in my memory. He had just lost an eye.
“You won’t take her away from me!” Ceely screamed as the master’s men yanked her off him.
Falling to the ground, the master clutched his face, his shouts quietening as he grew accustomed to the pain. My skin was covered in sweat. What had she just done? We would have been safe, but she’d ruined it.
“Kill them!” the master shouted, trying to scramble to his feet as his men helped him.
The man who had seized me earlier grabbed me under the armpit and tugged me to my feet, bruising me in the process.
Looking over my shoulder, I shook my head roughly when my mother went to step forward. Waving her back, I winced. The men dragged me, along with Ceely, hauling us towards the field.
“Actually, I’ve changed my mind. They need to suffer,” the master said, pushing his men away from him as they tried to look at his eye. “Tie them to the post and let them starve. No water, no food.”
He stumbled as the pain hit him again, but was quickly supported by his men. He gestured for them to take us away to our fate.
Glancing over at Ceely, I frowned at her. My lip wobbled, tears coming to my eyes. She had killed us. They were killing us. All because we had loved each other. My lover’s eyes were defiant, her jaw clenched hard. She had always been a warrior, someone willing to fight for what was right.
But, this wasn’t a good fight. This was survival. And, not only had she sent herself to her death, she had sent me there with her. I loved her, but I would never forgive her for the suffering I was about to endure.
Starving to death. I had seen it. One of my co-workers had assaulted one of the female maids. He was tied up for two weeks before he died. It was torture for him, it was hell for us to watch. And, now, my mother would walk by and see me dying. All because of Ceely’s stupid temper.
I loved her. Yet, I hated her. She was the cause of suffering. Not only to me, but to my mother, too.
*
Blinking, I looked around the shower stall. Wait, had I been sleeping? No. I’d zoned out and the images had played out in my mind. My chest burned with anger, heat searing my skin. The pain in my chest heaved as I tried to even out my breath. What had just happened? It was as if I was there.
The silence in the room made me get to my feet. Stepping out, I went to the door that led to the staff room.
The images were still in my mind, distracting me from my mission. How long had I been there? Glancing at my watch, I frowned. Only five minutes had passed.
Standing near the door, I listened to see if anyone was on the other side. It was quiet. Taking a deep breath, I went into the staff room, releasing the air from my lungs as I looked around. There was no one there.
Tiptoeing over to the other door, I peeked my head out, only going into the corridor when I heard that no one was around. If Alice was in the lab, I would really struggle in seizing the antibiotics. Creeping, I went to our office, looking through the glass window to check if anyone was there. I knew Lacy wouldn’t be at her desk, but Alice was at hers. Okay, at least she wasn’t in the lab. But, it would still make it difficult to not make a sound when I got in there.
A brainwave hit me. Digging out my phone, I backtracked into the corridor and send Alice a text message. I explained that I was supposed to deliver a letter to an onsite surgeon, which was true, and he needed it urgently. I had to grovel, saying pretty please could she help me.
Poking my head around, I watched her look down at her phone. A frown crossed her face before she got up from her chair. Her lips moved as she obviously muttered something about me, but a text came back to say that she would do it just this once.
Reaching into my in-tray, Alice plucked the only letter there and came out of the office, her quick footsteps retreating down the corridor. Smiling to myself, I dove across the space and into the office, shutting the door behind me.
Going straight to my computer, I moved the mouse, heaving a sigh of relief when the screen flashed on. Logging into my account, I waited while it loaded. It sometimes took its time, but today, it was quick. Good.
Searching for my Anthrax file, I quickly pressed the print button and logged out. My heart was pounding, vibrating in my brain. Adrenaline mixed with the fury that had stayed with me since my little vision.
Once the pages had printed out, I grabbed them from the printer. Getting my lab key out, I rushed over to the door and let myself in. The surgeon’s office was on the other side of the hospital, so it should take Alice at least fifteen minutes to walk there and back, if not more.
My gaze traced over to the fridge in the corner. Looking down at my paperwork, I found the section on treatment. Okay, so those of us in the building who weren’t showing any symptoms needed a sixty-day antibiotic treatment for post -exposure prophylaxis.
There were six of us without symptoms. That was a lot of antibiotics to steal. But, I didn’t have a choice. Did I?
Going over to the antibiotic cupboard, I opened it. My palm slipped over the handle as sweat coated my skin. Was I really going to do this?
An image of Natalie popped into my head. I didn’t have a choice. If I wanted to save them, I would have to take the meditation. And, then pay the hospital back somehow.
Grabbing out the boxes of doxycycline, I shoved them in my bag. I had made sure to bring a big over the shoulder bag, ready to be filled. If I was caught, I would go to prison for a very long time. I had to keep my head. My nerves caused my hands to shake as I reached for the BioThrax vaccine. I would need it considering I had confirmed contact with the anthrax. Shoving three into my bag, I grabbed a whole box of needles. Just in case.
Glancing down at my list, I started to think about Aries, Natalie and Libra. They would need more. Searching the cupboard, I heaved a sigh of relief when I found the Clindamycin. The toxins that were growing in their bodies would need to be compounded with the anti-toxin.
I tried to keep the noise down as I moved on to the next cupboard, looking for Raxibacumab, a monoclonal antibody that would be directed at the protective antigen of the bacteria.
One last thing was needed for my very sick patients. Intravenous antibiotics. They would filter into their systems quicker than the oral supply would allow.
Closing the cupboard, I almost screamed. Alice was standing there, her arms crossed over her chest. No, no, no. I couldn’t be caught. She shouldn’t be back.
“What are you doing?” Holding up her phone, she pointed at my bag. “If you don’t tell me right now, I’m calling security.”
A blaze of annoyance flashed over me, directly straight at her. Why? Instead of questioning, I stayed silent, unsure of what to do. The pressure of the last twenty-four hours suddenly pushed so hard on my shoulders, I sank to the floor, my legs folding under me.
Sobs came to my throat before I could stop them, my hands coming up to cover my face. Alice’s footsteps approached before her knees bent right next to me. Pulling my hands away, she looked directly in my face.
“What’s going on, Virgo? Do you need money? Are you going to sell those drugs?”
Shaking my head, I stared at her. Seriously? Was that what she thought of me? Although, I couldn’t blame her. Why else would I steal such a vast amount of medicine?
“You won’t believe me if I told you.”
Sucking in my breath, I kept her gaze, unable to look away. Her frown deepened, pulling her pretty face into a disbelieving scowl.
“Try me.” Her order was obvious.
If I didn’t tell her the truth, she would report me. Rightly so, too. If I had found any of my colleagues doing what I was, I would have told on them already. So, why hadn’t she?
“I need your help. My family...they were caught in a bioterrorist attack. Anthrax.”
Holding up the paper in my hand, I tried to keep it together as she ran her gaze over it. She didn’t look convinced. Which wasn’t a surprise. It even sounded far-fetched to me.
“They’re sick,” I went on. “Three of them. I know two will be okay, but Natalie, my brother’s fiancée, she’s heavily pregnant.”
Shaking her head, Alice straightened, leaving me on the floor. Scrambling up next to her, I wiped my face. How could I convince her?
“Look,” I suddenly blurted, pulling my phone out of my pocket. “I’ll ring my other brother and get him to show you on facetime.”
Her head tilted to the side, her eyebrows raising. She was listening. If I could show her the symptoms of the others, she might just decide to believe me. Even if it sounded like it was straight out of a film.
Nodding, Alice indicated for me to make the call. I face-timed Scorpio, sighing when he answered.
“What’s going on? Are you on your way back? Libra’s looking a little better, but Natalie...” He shook his head, his facial expression grim.
“Scorpio, I need you to-”
“Scorpio?” Alice interrupted. “Libra? Are you serious?”
We’d had the same reaction over and over again in our lives. No matter how many times it happened, it always made me apprehensive.
“Yes, we had quirky parents. Scorpio, I’m at the lab. I’ve been caught by my boss. I’ve had to tell her everything. Please can you show her the others on your phone so she can see that I’m not lying?” My voice was breathless as I thought about the time.
Taurus would start to worry soon, but I could just give him a text after I had finished my call. If Alice did report me, he needed to get away before anyone knew that he was involved, too.
“Sure,” Scorpio said, walking back into Aries’ bedroom.
Handing Alice my phone, I watched her face as he showed her all three patients. She held a hand over her mouth when he pointed out the sores around their mouths. Once he’d zoned back on himself, she gave me back the phone.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Ending the call, I looked straight at my new boss.
A frown still dug into her forehead. “Why haven’t you brought them to hospital?”
It was a viable and sensible question. Anyone else would have rushed their siblings to hospital, but I wasn’t just anyone, and nor were my family.
“We’re not your average family. I...I promise to tell you everything if you just let me treat them first. I know it’s crazy, I know...it’s beyond comprehension and protocol, but please...” I took her hands in my gloved ones, gasping when the image of Ceely popped into my head.
She pulled away, her mouth dropping open. Had she seen that, too? Or was it just me?
“I’m coming with you,” she said, going towards the fridges. “You need some IV antibiotics, yes?”
Blinking, I stayed where I was, frozen in place. She was coming with me? If I let her into our house, I really would have to tell her everything. Which meant I would have to trust her. And, I didn’t even know her. We hadn’t exactly got off on the right foot.
“Yes, I’ve not got those yet.”
The IV drugs needed to be refrigerated. As Alice grabbed them out, I went over so she could drop them into my bag. Biting my lip, I grabbed her arm when she went to pull her hand out of the bag again.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
She looked down at me, her gaze searching mine. All of a sudden, she felt familiar somehow. And, yet...there was still an irritation about her...something that niggled at the back of my mind.
“I’m interested to hear your story, I must admit. Let’s go before we’re caught.”
Closing my bag, I almost winced at how bulky it was. Opening it again, I tried to make it look a little less suspicious. Alice held up a finger to get my attention.
“I’ll take some in my bag.”
She went to walk towards the door, but I stopped her. “No, I can’t have you risk it. If we’re caught, at least you can pretend you didn’t know what I was doing. This has to be perfect, or it won’t work. You’ve already messed up my plan.”
A laugh left her lips. “I’m sorry for that, but you know, I couldn’t just stand back and let you do this...I need a proper explanation once this is done. And, even then, I still might report you to the police.”
Nodding, I smiled. “That’s fair enough. Just...let me heal my family first without putting others at risk.”
Agreeing, we both made sure that everything was as it was before we had raided the stash of drugs and then made our way to the office. Alice didn’t say any more about helping me sneak it all out. If she had offered again, I still would’ve said no. This was my risk.
Picking up her bag, Alice tucked her long blonde hair behind her ear. Her light eyes glanced at me as she looked around. I was putting her new job in danger. Big time. Why, oh, why, had I decided to break into the lab? And, why had she managed to get back so quickly?
Texting Taurus, I let him know that I was on my way. He replied to say he would pull up outside the entrance in five minutes.
“Did you deliver that letter?” I asked as we went out of the office, locking it behind us.
Her cheeks blossomed pink as she shrugged. “There was a cute man passing by, he looked official, so I asked him to deliver it.”
For some reason, my heart skipped a beat when she mentioned the man. Why was I bothered that she was straight? Surely, it shouldn’t even have entered my mind.
Keeping my gaze on the shiny lino floor, I followed Alice as we made our way through the hospital. When we were about to go through the main entrance, I touched her arm and smiled up at her. “It’s so good working with you,” I said, all bright and cheery.
If I passed the security guard looking suspicious, he might notice that something wasn’t right.
“You, too.” Alice’s response was a little more reserved than mine, but her intuition had picked up on what I was doing.
We went straight through the door. My heart rate was higher than it had ever been. Especially when a woman bumped into me, almost knocking my bag. If the liquid antibiotics burst, it would be disastrous.
Apologising, I tried to keep my cool as Taurus parked the minivan right in front of me. Alice glanced at me, her eyebrows raised. Opening the sliding door at the back, I indicated for her to get in.
“Who...?”
“Shut up,” I snapped at Taurus, stopping him mid question.
Jumping in, I slid the door shut and told Taurus to drive. He muttered something under his breath, but I couldn’t hear.
When we were out of the hospital car park, I released my held breath. Alice relaxed, her shoulders sinking as she wrung her hands in her lap.
“Shit, Virgo, have you kidnapped someone?” Taurus asked, glancing over his shoulder.
My mouth dropped open as Alice laughed. “No, of course not. This is Alice, my boss. She’s a doctor. She’s going to help me cure the others.”
