Bannock raised his eyebrows. “A proposal?”
“Yes, you see, the major was not impressed by your interview. He believes you are lying about Dr. Lee because you want to take over the project for yourself.”
Bannock sputtered. “That’s outrageous.”
Lieutenant King studied him. “Is it?”
“What are you suggesting?”
“That you are an ambitious man. One who looks to the future. Did you lie about Dr. Lee? Probably. The major can smell a lie a mile away. Do I care? Not in the least. All I want is your cooperation.”
“Regarding what?” Dr. Bannock asked with a frown.
“Getting rid of Dr. Lee and her group,” Lieutenant King said.
“I take it this is not for the major’s ears?” Bannock speculated.
“No, it’s not.” Lieutenant King’s voice hardened, and his pale blue eyes turned to ice. “It’s to stay between us, Dr. Bannock. If I find out you blabbed about it to anyone, I will make sure you regret it. Understand?”
Dr. Bannock swallowed, a knot of fear forming in his belly. “I understand.”
“Good. Because if you stick with me, I’ll put you in sole charge of USAMRIID and its many scientists. You can take over Dr. Lee’s work, and when you produce a vaccine using her research, you can claim it for your own.”
“You’d let me do that?” Dr. Bannock asked.
“Yes. You’d be the man of the hour, doctor,” Lieutenant King said.
A shiver of excitement ran down Bannock’s spine. The words had a certain ring to them — the man of the hour.
“What do I have to do?” he asked.
“It’s simple. During our operation at the lab today, I discovered three infected specimens being held in captivity.”
Dr. Bannock nodded. “When the outbreak hit the world, killing millions, USAMRIID realized the severity of the outbreak. All available staff, including me, were relocated here to study the virus. We were given all possible resources, including live specimens to study.”
“Lucky for you, I didn’t kill them. They were locked in secure cells, and it was obvious they were there for medical purposes,” Lieutenant King continued.
“What does that have to do with me? Or Dr. Lee?” Bannock asked.
“Now that the lab has been cleared, Dr. Lee will be eager to resume her research. She was the driving force behind the opening up of the building. In a way, doctor, you owe her your life.”
Dr. Bannock blinked, taken aback. “I didn’t know that.”
“Be that as it may, she will be in the lab tomorrow. While she’s there, I want an accident to befall her.”
“An accident?”
“Yes, Dr. Bannock, and I don’t expect her to survive.”
“What do I do?”
“I’ll leave that up to you. Surely, a man as brilliant as yourself can think of something,” Lieutenant King said.
“Why her? What’s she to you?” Bannock asked.
“She’s just another obstacle standing in my way to complete power.” Lieutenant King studied Bannock with eyes that held no mercy. “Make sure you don’t become an obstacle, as well.”
“No, Sir, but what’s the plan?”
“The less you know, the better. All you need to know is that tomorrow night, the storm won’t be the only thing hitting Fort Detrick. Several other changes will happen.”
“I see,” Bannock said, beginning to get the picture.
“All you need to do is get rid of Tara Lee. Once you’ve accomplished that, return to your quarters and wait for the storm to pass,” Lieutenant King said. “Understood?”
Dr. Bannock nodded. “Understood, Sir. I’ll get it done.” And indeed, he would. If there was one thing he lived for, it was bettering himself and his situation. Dr. Lee, be damned.
Chapter 17 - Tara
The morning after the laboratory was cleared, Tara woke up extra early. She wanted everything to be ready for that morning’s breakfast meeting. She slipped out of bed and padded across the thick carpet to the bathroom down the hall.
The reflection in the mirror wasn’t kind. Purple shadows lined her eyes, and she looked exhausted. She’d gone to bed after twelve the night before, and it showed. The previous day had been a nightmare of never-ending decontamination. After the sweeper unit finished, the clean-up crew had gone in.
Not once.
Not twice.
Three times. That’s how long it took them to clear out all the bodies, bits, pieces, blood, gore, and broken glass.
After that, a team of scientists went in, led by Dr. Patel. Their job was to ensure that the pathogens in the lab were safely stored away, and the equipment adequately sterilized. Even after all that, there was still a lot more work to be done, but she was eager to resume her research.
After splashing cold water on her face, she brushed her teeth, tied her hair into a ponytail, and washed her hands. Over her flannel pajamas, she wore a thick woolen robe and a pair of slippers to keep her feet toasty.
With a gaslamp in one hand, she descended the stairs and lit a few candles throughout the kitchen and dining room. They cast a warm golden glow, which gave the house a homey feel. Plus, Saul had covered up the awful message on the front porch. It was starting to feel like a real home, at last.
She put a kettle of water onto the stove to boil along with a pot of oats. While that was busy, she set the table with bowls and spoons. In the middle, she placed sugar, a carton of UHT milk, and a tub of margarine. Margarine was a scarce commodity, and according to Nick, the remainder in storage wouldn’t last long. Might as well enjoy it while it’s there.
She was stirring the oats with a wooden spoon when Dylan walked down the stairs. She too was bundled up in her warmest pajamas, the infernal bunny slippers still on her feet. Tara eyed the pink footwear with a snort of amusement. It was the kind of thing you expected from a ten-year-old…and Dylan.
“Good morning, Dylan. Did you sleep well?” Tara asked as she poured them each a cup of coffee.
“Well enough, thanks, considering how much everything hurts,” Dylan
