“An apple a day?” She slipped it into her pocket and sipped the coffee.
“That wasn’t exactly what I was thinking when I snagged it off the mess deck, but if you really think it apropos.” He leaned against the workbench and sipped at his own coffee. “I’ve gone back through the different sequences.”
“And?” She hoped he had found something promising. She didn’t want to tell him before, but she secretly hoped that his gene therapy would work.
He shook his head slightly. “Until we get the original virus to study, I don’t think I’ll be able to make any leeway.”
She nodded toward the second test subject. “His vitals are improving.”
“Which one is he?”
“He received both of the vaccines. The secondary antigen has the stronger adjuvant.” She took another sip of the coffee then set her cup down. “His temperature is only slightly elevated, and his eyes are beginning to clear.”
Charles gave her a surprised look. “His vitals?”
“Blood pressure is still a bit elevated, but that could be normal for him.” She shrugged. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s responding.”
“Dare we pray that he recovers…”
“If praying works for you, Charles, feel free.” She gave him a look he couldn’t read. “I gave up on a divine creator the moment this monstrosity raised its ugly head and wiped out nearly all of humanity.”
Charles nodded. “I may not have much faith left, but I think I’ll exercise it.” He gave her a lopsided smile. “I’ll try to be believe enough for the both of us.”
She picked her cup up to take another sip when a weak and trembling voice asked, “Is that coffee I smell?”
Both researchers turned and stared at the source of the voice and Vivian’s cup fell from her hands, crashing on the deck below.
Candy paced outside of the room she held the biker in and chewed nervously at her thumbnail.
“Thoughts?” Vicky asked.
She shook her head. “Part of me thinks he’s telling the truth.” She glanced back toward the door, then added, “The cop in me doesn’t trust a word he’s saying.”
Vicky groaned and tried to stop her from pacing. “What does your gut tell you?”
Candy sighed. “My gut is just as confused as my head.” She hooked a thumb back toward the door. “Prince Charming in there shows up, surrenders his weapon, and tells us he’s with the marauders, but he wants to help. What am I supposed to think?”
“Is there a reason to doubt him?” Vicky was simply trying to play Devil’s advocate.
“Part of me worries he’s some sort of advance force that comes in and reads our strengths and weaknesses then uses it against us so that his people suffer the least losses.”
“What does the other part tell you?”
Candy’s eyes narrowed. “I’m hoping his report will cast a bit of light on that.” She gave Vicky a sly grin. “If he really is a cop, I’m hoping he’ll use terms or acronyms that cops use in his write up.”
“But even if he does, there aren’t any police left.” Vicky added. “Who’s to say he wasn’t a cop at one point, but then joined with this group just to stay alive?”
Candy nodded. “Exactly. Even cops can have bad apples.” She sighed and wiped a hand across her face. “I can go in circles with this kind of logic all day.”
“Okay, let’s assume he was a cop once.” Vicky began. “And let’s assume that what he’s saying is true. All of it. He stuck with the group because it increased his survival odds. Why would he suddenly jump ship and try to help us?”
Candy shook her head. “I dunno.”
“Because I want to do what’s right.” Both women jumped at his voice and Candy spun on him. He held his hands up in surrender and shot her another brilliant smile. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I heard voices.” He handed her the notepad. “Apologies. I didn’t use much cop-speak in the write up.”
“You need to go back inside and sit down until—”
“We can’t waste any more time. There are four more men out there in neighboring towns searching for the source of the smoke…from the car? We spotted it last night and played a hunch.”
“You need to go back inside and SIT DOWN. I will be with you in just a—”
“Candy, is it?” He stepped back into the room, but held the door. “We don’t really have much time, so let me just say this,” he paused and took a deep breath. “Yes, I rode with those assholes. I witnessed things I wish I could scrub from my memory, but I can’t. I’ve pondered leaving them in the middle of the night and just riding until I hit an ocean and…and become somebody else. But I never did. And I think the reason I never did was because I had to atone for the things I allowed to happen.” He stared into her eyes and prayed she could understand what he was saying. “You and your people give me that opportunity. Who knows? Maybe the reason I never left was because I was supposed to help you.”
Candy shook her head. “I’m not done with you yet.”
“I understand that. But I need you to understand something…just because I rode with them, and yes, it was mutually beneficial, that doesn’t make me like them.”
“Ever hear of guilt by association?” Vicky tossed in.
Squirrel nodded. “Fine. You do what you need to do, but trust me on this. You need to get a crew out there and hide that car and the trail it left back to your doorstep. Otherwise those four men will find it and they will report back to Simon. Then you’ll have the whole damned gang breathing down your neck.” He pulled the door shut and walked back to his seat.
Vicky looked to Candy. “It couldn’t hurt to send a crew out. Maybe…somehow they could disguise the damage the car did?”
Candy shook her head. “How?”
“Haul in dirt.” Squirrel said loudly
