Hollis rubbed at his chin and glanced at the boy. “He’s been here since the beginning?”
“Yeah.” Hatcher answered slowly. “What are you thinking?”
Hollis shrugged. “There have been rumors of people…out there.” He pointed out of a window. “In what’s left of the world. People who are immune.”
Hatcher raised a brow. “You think maybe he’s…” he trailed off.
Hollis shrugged again. “He was at ground zero and none of that crap raining down on him got him infected. People a thousand miles away were infected as soon as the trade winds carried it to them. You do the math.”
Hatcher glanced at the boy and shook his head. “I wonder if he suspects?”
“I doubt it. He probably figures he’s been lucky so far.” Hollis nodded toward his prone figure. “I need to take him back and let our researchers take a look at him.”
“What about Brenda? If she’s immune, then shouldn’t she be enough?”
Hollis pulled Hatcher aside. “Look, I’m no virologist, but this thing has mutated so many times since the initial release…yeah, she may be immune, but to what strain?” He pointed to Buck. “The kid was at ground zero. The primordial strain came from here. Unmutated. And somehow he survives?”
Hatcher blew his breath out slowly. “So, you’re saying you’re gonna need him for testing.”
Hollis nodded. “I didn’t want to say anything until we were closer to being out of the fire, but yeah. I want to take him back and get him a screening.”
Hatcher turned wary eyes. “What will they do to him?”
Hollis seemed confused. “They’ll probably just draw some blood for testing. If he’s carrying the virus or the antibodies for it, then they’ll probably need more.”
“How much more?” Hatcher’s meaning wasn’t missed.
Hollis gave him a crooked smile. “Don’t worry, Ranger. They’re not going to hurt him.” He turned to leave then added, “You’ll see for yourself when we get back and your friend Brenda is still just fine.”
“Stain?” Roger pulled his sunglasses off and eyes the man cautiously. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you. You never checked in and we couldn’t raise you on the radio.”
Roger patted his pocket and groaned. “I must have lost it.” He slipped his glasses back on and sat back on his bike. “In all the confusion, I wasn’t thinking.”
“Confusion?” Stain crossed his arms and gave him a cautious stare.
“Yeah, tell me something, in your dealings with the ragers, have you ever see them do anything that made you think they could…think?”
Stain raised a brow and looked at him as though he had lost his ever-loving mind. “The ragers? Think?”
“Yeah.” Roger nodded. He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I just rode through a trap of theirs.”
Stain shook his head. “Not possible.”
“I would have said the same thing yesterday, but it was like they knew I was coming and they set up a trap between two wrecks.” He leaned forward and eyed the group. “And as I was trying to escape, one of them threw a piece of pipe at my tires. Like he was trying to jam me up.”
Stain shook his head. “You been smoking too much wacky weed, man. Ragers can’t think.”
Roger shrugged. “I got this creepy feeling, man.” He started his bike and revved the engine a few times. “I just can’t shake it.”
“So, what are you doing?” Stain asked.
Roger gave him a blank look. “I’ve been all over this town, man. If that truck came from here, I can’t find it.” He nodded with his jaw. “I figure they had to come from Albuquerque.”
Stain raised a brow at him. “That was an awful fast run through. This town ain’t exactly small.”
Roger nodded. “But if he had a camp, they’re either gone or so small that they could be hiding anywhere. I say we move on to Albuquerque and look for them there.” He gave the man a sinister grin. “It’s a bigger town, more resources…odds are much higher they originated from there. So why not skip to the chase.”
Stain nodded slowly. “You got a point.” He turned to the others, “You heard the man. Move out.”
The bikers all started their engines and Roger held a hand out to Stain. “I need to radio Simon and let him know where we’re headed.”
Stain shook his head. “You ain’t good at holding on to radios. I’ll let him know.”
Roger nodded. “That works, too.”
He revved the engine then kicked the bike into gear. In his best Bugs Bunny imitation, he muttered, “I knew I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque.”
“She’s burning up, doc.” Jason paced the tiny room while Vivian LaRue checked Bren’s vitals. “I know you said that it could be viral and if the meds didn’t take that it must be, but she can’t even hold down water anymore. She’s throwing up everything she’s eaten since kindergarten.” He implored with his eyes. “Please, you gotta do something.”
Vivian nodded as she stood. “She’s severely dehydrated. I need to get her on an IV right away.” She turned to walk out of the room and Jason followed her.
“You gonna put her in there with them?” His voice was barely a whisper.
Vivian had to take a moment to realize what he was asking. “Oh, no, no, no. I’ll send a gurney for her and we’ll take her to the infirmary. She’ll have round the clock care.” She gave him a reassuring smile and patted his arm. “I’ll send somebody straight away.”
He watched her walk away and he had to
