"As for you, Tanner," Williams said, turning to the Private. "Get checked out, cleaned up, then report to me for debriefing. And make it snappy."
"Sir, yes sir!" Tanner answered with a salute.
"Take them to the med tent," Williams told the soldiers. "And don't let them jump anything, not even the line."
Bunny couldn't help but chuckle at that. She had a feeling she and Williams were going to get along just fine. For that matter, she was honestly relieved to be letting someone else take all the stress of being in charge, and wanted nothing more than a long shower, followed by a longer nap.
As it turned out, there was no line at the medical tent, outside of the one they made themselves. There were, however, a large number of military medics, all led by a lovely blonde with Lieutenant Bars on her collar. Tanner was happy to introduce her as Elizabeth Gorman, the head of the medical staff in the camp.
"And the finest looking woman in uniform around," he added with a wink, just as the Lieutenant jabbed him with a needle to draw some blood, making him wince.
"Don't be a baby, Tanner," she said.
"You did that on purpose," he argued.
"Probably," she admitted with a smile, handing off the blood sample and jamming a thermometer in his mouth.
Bunny snickered at the look he gave her as the doctor turned to her. "Will that keep him quiet?"
"Doubt it," Gorman replied as she began checking Bunny out. "But it never hurts to try."
"I'm right here," Tanner said around the thermometer.
"Mouth shut," Gorman told him. "Have any of you been bitten, scratched, or had their blood get into any open sores or wounds?”
"No, ma'am," Bunny said as the others echoed her.
Gorman nodded slowly. “Still, I’m going to want to do a full physical exam just to be sure.”
"What do you mean by ‘full’?" Angel asked.
"She means naked," Tanner offered.
"Mouth!" Gorman snapped at him. "And yes, it means naked. Either that or spend the next week in quarantine. Your choice."
"I vote naked," Bunny said.
"You would," Tanner laughed.
Gorman gave him a dark look, sending Tanner into a brief fit of silence. "It's not only for your own good, but the good of everyone in the camp."
"So, you know something about this whole... whatever it is?" Bunny asked.
Gorman shrugged. "I know what to look for as far as afflicted that have yet to turn. Otherwise, no clue." With that, she shoved a thermometer in Bunny's mouth and leveled a finger at her.
Bunny nodded, smiling as the doctor proceeded to do a quick check on York, Lucy and Angel as well. Other people came and drew blood and one-by-one, made the trip into the curtained-off exam area, where they were stripped, and every inch of their bodies examined carefully.
By the time this process was over, evening was falling, and Bunny had settled back in a chair to await the final determination. York sat next to her, Lucy asleep on his shoulder, while Tanner fidgeted and paced. Outside, she could hear voices, and the low background noise of life going on, sounds she had deeply missed and warmed her heart to hear once more.
Soon, Gorman stepped out of the exam room, Angel trailing her with an odd look on her face. She flopped down next to Bunny as the doctor went over their results with a couple of her people, clearly just trying to drag out the nonexistent suspense of the whole ordeal.
"I feel dirty," Angel said at last.
"Kinda turned me on," Bunny countered.
"But you're crazy," the other woman shot back.
York chuckled and shook his head. "Nice to know some things never change, even if the whole damn world ends."
"Okay, who wants to hear our findings?" Gorman asked.
"Doc, you're killin' me here," Tanner whined. "The Colonel is expecting me."
"When I say so, now hush or I'll stick you back in there with Sergeant Miller," Gorman told him, pointing to the burly, and hairy, man behind her.
Tanner came to attention quickly. "Requesting your diagnosis, ma'am!"
"Much better," she said with a smile. "And you'll be happy to know you are completely clean. We found no trace of affliction."
"So, what, then? We're free to go?" Bunny asked.
"You are free to go," Gorman replied. "There's a Corporal just outside who will take you to the mess for some food, and help you arrange sleeping quarters for the night. However, I do want to see all of you again every 12 hours for the next week, just to be sure."
Bunny nodded as she stood and stretched. "Whatever you say, doc. Food sounds good to me, though, so show me this magical soldier and I will follow wherever he leads."
"I gotta go clean up and see the Colonel," Tanner said. "But I'll catch up with you later, okay?"
Bunny nodded. "Take care, Private. It's been an ass-load of fun."
"That it has," he said with a smile, adding before vanishing out of the tent, "Ma'am."
Bunny threw a dirty look his way as York roused Lucy, and together, the four of them stepped out into the cool night air, where Bunny came face-to-face with something even more impossible that anything she'd seen so far. So much so, for a moment, she froze, unable to think, speak, or move.
"Heya, Bunny," Caroline said with a wide smile. "Miss me?"
She wasn't sure how it happened, couldn't remember taking the three steps needed to cover the distance, much less when exactly the tears came to her eyes, but the next thing Bunny knew, she had Caroline in a tight hug, squeezing her as hard as she could. She felt the woman's breath on her neck, and barely allowed herself to believe it was real.
"What, no love for me?"
