“Where are your clothes?” Tara asked.
“Back at the armory,” Dylan said.
“I’ll send someone to fetch them. Lieutenant King and his men’s stuff, as well,” Tara added.
“Thanks, Doc,” Dylan replied.
“And please remember what I told you about safety inside the lab. I don’t want to lose any of you to germs.”
“Ay, ay, Captain,” Dylan said with a mocking salute.
Before Tara could cuss her out for not being serious enough, Ethan showed up. “Hey, Dylan. Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure, Ethan. Any time.” Ignoring Nick’s scowl, Dylan followed the doctor outside to the medical tent that stood waiting for an emergency. It, too, was simple. A couple of beds with clean sheets and fresh pillows were lined up, and trays with gleaming surgical implements gleamed in the light.
It was empty inside, and Ethan turned toward her with a nervous look on his face. “Look. I’m not sure how to say this, so I’m just gonna get it over and done with.”
“What’s wrong, Ethan?” Dylan asked.
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s just…” Ethan hesitated for several seconds before bursting out. “I like you, Dylan. From the first moment I met you, I knew you were the one for me. I left Vandalia to look for you, and I was never happier than when I found you again.”
Dylan stared at him, dumbstruck. Granted, she’d known there was something between them, a spark, but there hadn’t been any time to explore it. They’d never had the chance to talk or get to know one another. “I…um, I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Ethan said, raising his hands to forestall her. “I just had to tell you how I felt before you went into that building. I realize you might not feel the same about me, but no matter what, promise me one thing.”
Dylan swallowed, her mouth dry. “What’s that?”
“Promise me you’ll come out alive,” Ethan said, placing his hands on her shoulders.
Dylan was held captive by the intensity of his gaze. She’d never noticed until now how beautiful his eyes were. A liquid honey-brown filled with all the love and compassion he could muster. “I promise.”
“I need you to mean it,” Ethan insisted, leaning closer. “When you’re inside that lab, and all seems lost, remember this moment. Remember your promise.”
Dylan nodded. “I’ll remember.”
Ethan stared at her for a couple of seconds longer, searching her expression. Suddenly, he pressed a kiss to her lips, his hands pulling her close to his chest. It lasted for only a moment. Before she could blink, he was gone.
“Ethan,” she called, but he ducked out of the tent without looking back. Beyond him, stood a familiar figure, gazing at her. Her eyes focused on the man’s face, and she sucked in a horrified breath. Nick! How much did he see?
The expression on his face, angry and betrayed, said it all. He’d seen the kiss, and no matter what she said, he’d never believe she didn’t ask for it.
“We’re about to go in. The team is waiting for you,” Nick said. Without another word, he whirled around and strode away, his back and shoulders ramrod straight.
Dylan’s hands balled into fists, and her teeth clenched together as she uttered a frustrated cry. Why now? Of all the worst possible times in the world, Ethan had to choose this one to confess his feelings. And of course, Nick just happened to see it.
A swirl of conflicting emotions churned inside her brain. She didn’t know how she felt about either of them. She liked Ethan. He was a good man, and she could do a lot worse, but she hardly knew him. As for Nick, he was fun. He made her laugh, and he got her…somehow. That didn’t mean she loved him or wanted to be more than friends.
“Argh, men. The stupid things,” she muttered. With a stamp of her foot, Dylan stalked out of the tent. It didn’t matter how they felt or even how she felt. When the mission was over, she was leaving. Bye to Fort Detrick and all its assholes. The good ones and the bad ones.
***
“Please, be careful, Dylan. Promise me you’ll look after Saul, and that you’ll both come back alive,” Tara pleaded, her eyes brimming with tears.
“I promise, Tara,” Dylan said, though the irony of making more promises she could hardly be expected to keep wasn’t lost on her.
“Don’t forget Nick. He’s one of us now,” Tara added.
Dylan and Nick exchanged loaded looks, but she smiled at Tara. “Of course, I won’t. He’s a good friend.”
Nick’s lips thinned at the word friend. He managed to keep his cool, however, and said, “I’m glad you think of me like family, Tara, and I’ll do my best to watch over them both.”
“Thank you, Nick.” With a loud sniff, Tara turned toward Saul, and the waterworks began again. After a tearful goodbye, she reluctantly allowed them all to leave.
With Saul in the lead, Dylan and Nick were allowed through the concrete barrier by the guards and joined Lieutenant King and his team. They assembled in front of the USAMRIID building’s main entrance. The doors were imposing, the frosted glass impossible to see through. She shifted from one foot to the other, wondering what lay beyond.
Nick avoided her gaze, and she returned the favor. She was in no mood for games, not with reality staring her right in the face. Within the next few minutes, she’d be entering a laboratory filled with deadly diseases and flesh-eating zombies. The chances of dying were high, no matter what promises she’d made to who. When it came down to it, life was fragile, and anything could cut the slim thread that tied a person to it.
Lieutenant King looked at each of them with his pale eyes.
