“I can’t believe we made it,” Dylan said.
“Me neither,” Nick admitted, wiping a hand across his face. Blood smeared his skin and splattered his uniform, and she surmised she looked much the same. “What a day.”
Saul picked his way through the corpses and began shifting those that blocked the lab’s door. A couple of the soldiers moved to help him, and soon they’d cleared a path. Dylan grabbed Nick’s hand and dragged him through the pile of bodies until they reached the door.
She waited with growing impatience for Lieutenant King to unlock using a key card and password. They could’ve climbed through the broken window, but Dylan didn’t fancy clambering over a dozen dead infected. When the door slid open, she exited with a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Lieutenant King.”
His pale eyes flickered from her to Sergeant Dean. “Don’t mention it.”
He turned and walked away, signaling the rest of the unit to follow. Dylan fell in beside Saul and quizzed him. “What took you so long?”
“I’m sorry, but we were in a different part of the lab and had to fight our way here,” Saul said, his expression somber.
“I’m just glad you made it. I thought we were going to die in there,” Dylan said with a big grin on her face.
Saul shot her a strange look. “You have no idea.”
“Um, okay?” Dylan said, but she was soon distracted by something else. “Who’s that?”
She pointed to a stranger that walked behind the Lieutenant. The man wore a grimy lab coat and walked with a shuffle. His glasses were perched on the end of his nose, and his thinning hair was greasy and shiny with oil. It was apparent he hadn’t bathed in days.
“That’s a scientist. We found him barricaded inside the kitchens,” Saul said.
Dylan gasped. “He’s been here all this time? Poor guy.”
Saul nodded. “Lucky for him, Tara arrived at the base, or he’d have died in here if the major had his way.”
“What about the rest of the lab?” Dylan asked. She patted her vest. “I’m all out of ammo. Nick too.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s clear. Lieutenant King will send in another unit to sweep the place for stragglers, but the worst is over.”
“It’s over? We can get out of here?” Dylan asked.
“That’s right. We’re done,” Saul said.
“Thank God,” Dylan said, her relief genuine.
“You can say that again,” Nick said, looping a casual arm around her shoulder. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter 15 - Tara
Tara shifted from one foot to the other while she waited for the team to emerge from the lab. All morning, she’d sat on a chair and watched the entrance. She hardly dared go for a bathroom break or even a glass of water for fear of missing something.
When the shooting began, distant and muffled, her heart nearly stopped. It carried on like that throughout the long hours, and by the time they came out, it felt like she’d run a marathon.
She stood on tiptoe as the doors opened and cried out with joy when she spotted Saul. Dylan and Nick followed him, and not one of them appeared to be injured. As they neared the tent, she almost threw herself at them but restrained herself at the last minute. “Saul, Dylan, Nick. You made it!”
Saul reached out to hug her, but she raised a hand to forestall him. “Sorry, my love. Decontamination first, hugs and kisses second.”
His face fell, but he managed a rueful smile. “Show us the way.”
Before Tara could move a muscle, however, a familiar voice greeted her. One she never thought she’d hear again. “Dr. Lee. I can’t believe you’re here. I never thought I’d see you again. Not in this lifetime, at least.”
She whirled around, and she gasped when she recognized her superior. “Dr. Bannock!”
“Indeed. I see you are every bit as surprised as I am,” he replied with a raised eyebrow. “A happy surprise, I hope?”
“Of course,” Tara managed to say while she stared at him, a million different thoughts running through her mind. “You were inside the lab this entire time?”
“Yes, I’ve been a prisoner of its walls these past few weeks.” He frowned. “Has it been weeks? I confess I lost track of time. It certainly felt like a long time, but I suppose it could’ve been days.”
Tara shook her head, running the calculations in her head. “No, you’re right, doctor. It’s been about two weeks, maybe more.”
“I see.” He smoothed his hands over his stained and wrinkled lab coat. “I’m afraid I require a grooming session. Bathing was a luxury not afforded to me while I was trapped.”
“How did you survive in there all this time?” she asked.
“I barricaded myself into the kitchen. There was enough food and water to last me a while. Even so, I’d all but given up hope of rescue when the soldiers showed up.”
“You’re lucky to be alive,” Tara said.
“I am, and I’m very grateful to be standing here today, especially in such illustrious company.” Dr. Bannock accompanied his words with a broad smile.
Tara stared at him, taken aback. This was a side of Bannock she’d never seen before. A warm, friendly Bannock. Maybe his ordeal changed him? Gave him some sort of epiphany?
She was pulled from her thoughts by Lieutenant King. He approached her with his rifle in one hand and his helmet in the other. “Dr. Lee. Forgive my intrusion, but can we begin with the decontamination, please? My men are tired and hungry. The sooner we can get out of here, the better.”
“Of course,” Tara agreed, feeling sheepish. It was an emotion she despised, and one that Bannock always seemed to bring out in her. “This way.”
Tara spent the next hour taking the Lieutenant, his team, and Dr. Bannock
