She planted her hands on her hips and glared at the man. “Right now, the most aggressive creature on this boat is you.” She stepped toward him and pointed a finger in his face. “This is a RESEARCH vessel. You knew that when you came aboard. In order to research the virus and its effects on humans, we have to have infected people here. Until the virus started mutating, we were this close to a cure. We could have turned it all around in a matter of weeks. But that went out the window. Now you and your girlfriend arrive and tell us that she is immune.” She lowered her voice and stepped closer to Jason, causing him to take a step back. “Which means we need her, not you.”
Jason swallowed hard and stared at the woman staring him down.
“Perhaps you might take a different tone when speaking to us.”
Jason nodded nervously and stepped away from her. “I was just saying…you know…that she’d totally wig out if she saw…”
“I understand what you were trying to say, Mr. Anderson.” Vivian jotted a few more notes, then gave a subtle nod to the tech assisting her. “We’ve analyzed Ms. Wilkes’ blood. There are definitely antibodies in it.”
She turned to face Jason again and pulled her glasses from her thin nose. “She also carries the virus.” She gave him a moment to process what she said. “She’s a carrier, Mr. Anderson.”
Jason’s jaw quivered as his eyes shot from person to person in the room. “Wait…what does that mean?”
“It means that if your girlfriend were to scratch you or bite you hard enough to break the skin, you could become infected, too.”
His eyes widened even more and he stepped back against the counter. “W-what about kissing…and stuff?”
Vivian shook her head. “Your body creates its own defense against oral viruses. That’s why you can’t get HIV from drinking after somebody. Same thing here.” She stepped closer and rested a hand on his shoulder. “We can’t be certain about sexual transmission though.”
Jason groaned and felt his legs give way beneath him. “We could test your blood as well.”
His head nodded, but his eyes were locked in a thousand-yard stare.
“I doubt you’ve been exposed. The transition rate for infection is…minutes.” She shrugged and offered him a weak smile. “But I suppose there is that slight chance you are immune as well.” She shot him a sarcastic smile that he totally missed.
“Y-yeah. Sure.” He held his arm out to her and she nodded to the tech who helped him to a chair, then prepared to draw blood.
“As soon as it’s processed, we’ll let you know the results.” Vivian opened to the door and led him back out through the research stations. “In the meantime, you might want to minimize your…physical contact with Ms. Wilkes.”
Jason nodded nervously as he stumbled out of the laboratory and toward the room he shared with Bren.
He shut the door behind him and practically collapsed onto his bed. Bren came to his side and he cringed when she placed a hand on his shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Her eyes searched him as he forced himself to calm down.
“Nothing.” He shook his head and reached for her. “I just…I really don’t like this place, Bren.” He pulled her close and she felt him trembling. “It gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
She snuggled in close and pulled his arm across her to hold her. “I don’t like it, either.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “We shouldn’t have come here.”
Jason forced himself to remain calm. They’d been together numerous times since she was scratched. Dr. LaRue’s words echoed in his mind, “Just like HIV.” He sighed and wrapped his arm tighter around her. “Yes, we should have. This place may not seem like the nicest, but if you really think about it, we’re safer than we’ve ever been. There’s three square meals a day and clean beds to sleep in.” He gave her a soft smile. “Besides, you’re gonna save the human race.”
Vicky Sue stepped out onto the roof and stared at the landscape. She carried the hot coffee to Henry Willis who stood sentry on the roof with Dennis Wallace. “I bet you’re tuckered out.”
He gladly accepted the coffee and pulled his coat off. “Nah. Ain’t much a nothin’ right now.” He sipped the coffee and gave her a grateful smile. “I don’t guess you heard from Hatch?”
She shook her head and glanced toward Wally. “He still swearing off the bean?”
Henry chuckled. “If Candy keeps us pulling doubles, he’s liable to change his mind.”
Vicky walked closer to the edge and glanced down at the few bodies roasting in the sun. “They from last night?”
Henry nodded. “Snuck up on us and we caught them before they could start screeching. Wally dropped them with that silenced .22 of his.” He shook his head. “Man, that thing is whisper quiet.”
“Too bad he couldn’t make a few more for the bigger rifles.”
Henry shrugged. “They wouldn’t work as well. The bigger the caliber, the tougher it is to hush ’em up. But that little Ruger of his? That thing is tight!”
Vicky patted his shoulder. “Maybe we can scrounge up another one for you when we send people out to gather supplies.”
Henry shrugged again. “Pretty sure we’ve picked it all clean.” He sighed heavily and pointed out toward the northeast. “We gonna have to send trucks out and get outside our comfort zone.”
Vicky shuddered and pulled her coat tighter. “Gives me the chills just thinking about it.”
“I know, but there just ain’t much left out there that we can reach on foot.” He tugged gently at her shoulder and walked past Wally to the other side of the flat roof. “See that out there? That green sign?”
Vicky squinted and could barely make out what he was pointing at. “I think so.”
He handed her his binoculars and she focused them on the sign. “Oh my…”
“I’ve been watching it for a couple of weeks now. Nobody has gone near it.
