“But —”
“It’s not open for discussion, Dr. Lee,” the major said, throwing her a sharp look.
For a moment, Tara considered arguing with the man, but it would be a wasted effort. The major’s mind was made up. Plus, Saul was throwing her the kind of looks that meant he agreed with the major. Besides, they did have a valid point. Without her, there was no cure. It would take months, or at the least weeks, for the other scientists to interpret her work.
With reluctance, Tara inclined her head. “Fair enough.”
Suddenly, Ethan spoke up. “I’m going with them in case someone is wounded.”
“I’m afraid not, Dr. Hayes. As an experienced medical doctor and surgeon, you’re too valuable and cannot be risked. One of Lieutenant King’s men is a trained medic and can perform such services for the unit.”
“But, I insist, Major,” Ethan said, looking at Dylan.
“You’re not an experienced fighter, doctor,” Sergeant Dean said, and Tara wanted to kick him.
Ethan raised his chin. “I can handle myself.”
Dylan looked from one to the other, her eyes wide, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. For once, she showed a bit of discretion.
“The decision has been made, Dr. Hayes. You will not accompany the unit. If you wish, you can wait outside with a medical team when they emerge,” Major Reed offered, which was more than Tara had thought he would.
For a moment, it looked like Ethan would press his case, but in the end, he said. “Alright. I’ll be on standby with a team.”
“Thank you, Dr. Hayes,” Major Reed said. “Rest assured they’ll have access to the best equipment we have to offer: Full protective gear, weapons, ammunition, rations, comms, and a map of the building. We all want this mission to succeed with minimal loss of life.”
“Good to know,” Dylan muttered.
“What else?” Tara asked.
“We’ll need to provide electricity to the building,” another stranger said, raising his hand. “Otherwise, they won’t be able to access different floors.”
“That’s correct, Mr. Davis. That’s why you’re here,” Major Reed said. “We’ll need a steady, uninterrupted power supply while the unit is inside. Can you ensure that?”
“I might have to do some rerouting, but yes, it can be done,” Davis said.
“Good. We’ll also need a full set of passwords and key cards to allow them access to the different levels,” Major Reed continued. “Drs. Patel and Wilkins. Can you assist us in that regard?”
“Of course, Major,” Dr. Patel answered. “We’ll get right on it.”
“Excellent.” For the first time since she’d met him, Tara saw the major smile.
“When are we going in?” Dylan asked.
“Tomorrow morning,” the major replied. “All members of the infiltrating unit are expected to report to Armory B1 at zero seven hundred hours tomorrow. They will gear up and receive their instructions at that time. Any questions?”
“I’ve got one,” Dylan said, sitting upright. “What about the infectious diseases inside the lab? Isn’t it dangerous? Won’t we be exposed to the pathogens?”
The major hesitated, and Tara silently applauded Dylan. It was a valid question and a clever one.
Major Reed turned to Dr. Patel. “Can you answer Miss Young?”
The scientist nodded, her dark eyes gleaming. “Recent safety concerns led the government to shut down research involving dangerous microbes like the Ebola virus and tularemia. This was before the outbreak began, and the ban was never lifted. As long as you observe basic safety protocols, you should be fine.”
“Basic safety protocols?” Dylan asked.
Dr. Patel smiled. “It’s simple. Don’t touch it if you don’t know what it is. If it looks dangerous, it probably is.”
Dylan laughed. “Good tip. I’ll remember that when a dozen bloodthirsty zombies are chasing me.”
“I’m sure Dr. Lee can brief the unit on the safety protocols as well as anything else they might need to know?” Major Reed asked.
Tara nodded. “Of course. I’d be happy to, and I’ll also set up a decontamination process for them when they emerge from the building.”
“We can help you with that, Dr. Lee,” Dr. Patel said.
“Thank you,” Tara said, inclining her head.
“Good. Then it’s settled. Are there any more questions or concerns?” the major asked.
A couple of people raised a few minor things, but in essence, the meeting was over. Half an hour later, Tara and the others were standing outside discussing the mission to come.
“How do you guys feel about Lieutenant King leading the mission?” Tara asked.
“He seems competent enough, and I’m willing to take all the help we can get,” Saul replied.
“But doesn’t it seem odd to you that the major is so eager for this to succeed? It feels to me like he’s got an agenda,” Tara said.
“Don’t they all?” Dylan asked. “Governors, politicians, officers…they’re all the same. They use circumstances and people to make themselves look good.”
“Either way, you’re getting what you want. You should be celebrating right now,” Ethan said.
“I’ll celebrate when Saul and Dylan make it back alive,” Tara replied.
“We’ll make it. Don’t worry,” Saul said.
“I think we should all get as much sleep as possible. Tomorrow is going to be a long day,” Tara said, making a mental list of everything that had to be done.
“I could use the rest,” Ethan agreed.
“Anything to get rid of this hangover,” Dylan said, pressing one hand to her forehead.
“Okay, guys, nice chat, but I need to get going,” Nick said, excusing himself.
“Where to?” Dylan asked.
“I’ve got some things to take care of first, but I’ll see you at the debriefing tomorrow morning,” he said, turning toward the barracks. “Enjoy your day off!”
“You heard the man. It’s our day off. Let’s make the best of it,” Dylan said, heading toward the civilian quarters.
Tara followed at a slower pace, her mind buzzing as she looked for loopholes in the plan. Anything could go wrong. Anyone could die. This was what she’d wanted, yet now that the time had arrived, she had second thoughts.
“Don’t do that,” Saul said, falling in next to her.
“Do what?”
“Worry yourself to death. It will all work out, I promise,” he said. “You’ll see.”
“I hope you’re right,” Tara said, leaning into
