Hilliard snapped his fingers in the man’s face. “Hey, over here.”
He lowered the cup and glared at the military officer. “I’m not a dog, Captain.” He set the cup beside him and crossed his arms. “I’m every bit as cognizant as I was before I caught this…thing.”
Hilliard leaned back and stared with a discerning eye. “So was the Senator, and she ended up killing a man shortly after she was ‘cured.’”
The man chuckled then picked up his coffee again. “I told them that she’s always been nutty as a fruitcake. Stupid cow thought that she was the queen of England or something.” He took another drink then faced him. “You ever hear of somebody who thinks the laws don’t apply to them? That’s who she was.”
Hilliard nodded slightly. “I’ve worked with a few like that.”
“I assure you, Captain, I have no desire to shoot anybody.” He glanced over his shoulder to Tammy. “How soon can I get a shower?”
Irene appeared next to him and slowly shook her head. “I’m afraid that the good senator may have ruined that for you.”
The man groaned and his shoulders slumped. “What if I offered to clean up under armed guard?”
Hilliard scoffed. “She was under armed guard.” He glanced at the researchers. “Until she wasn’t.”
Randy narrowed his gaze at the officer. “Your people were standing guard when she waltzed through the blast doors.”
“And your people were supposed to have her tied down for observation,” Hilliard countered. “I’m not saying that my people didn’t screw the pooch, but if it had been my decision, the old bat would still be strapped to that table.”
Broussard pushed open the door to the lab. “And how is our test subject doing today?” he asked as he stepped around Hilliard.
“I’m alive,” the man replied. He quickly glanced to Hilliard. “I’m not so sure everybody is happy about that fact, though.”
“Just being cautious,” Hilliard mumbled as he walked past the man. “Doctor, how much longer before you’ll know if your treatment is viable enough to be used on the vice president?”
Broussard set down the printouts he was reading and sighed heavily. “If we could have kept the senator in here a bit longer I might possibly have been able to give you an answer.”
Hilliard stepped closer and lowered his voice. “That decision wasn’t mine to make.” He glanced at the other researchers then back to Broussard. “Even I answer to a higher authority.”
“The same authority that jumped the gun by announcing our treatment as a cure?” Both men knew exactly of whom Andre spoke.
“General Green is under a ton of pressure—”
“And we’re not?” Broussard asked, the vein in his temple bulging. “Create a cure or be shot?”
Hilliard’s face flushed and he looked away. “Again, not my decision.” He hurriedly turned back to the man. “But you did it, didn’t you? You created a cure.”
“Possibly.” Andre crossed his arms and glared at the man. “But our test subjects keep being removed before we can properly evaluate them.”
Hilliard took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “As I’ve tried to explain, that wasn’t my call.”
“Then know this,” Broussard stepped closer and gently jabbed a finger to the man’s chest, “regardless of what we are able to glean from this man’s testing, we don’t have time to formulate anything else. So once the president arrives, we will be forced to treat the vice president with what we have.” He stepped back and gave the man a knowing look. “We’ll simply have to deal with the fallout if the treatment fails.”
Hilliard sighed animatedly and shook his head. “That wasn’t the answer I was hoping for.”
“Neither were we, but General Green sealed our fates when he announced that we were ready.”
“I honestly don’t know how you do it,” Veronica replied softly. She continued to glance towards Simon’s RV to ensure that Lana didn’t sneak up on them while they spoke. “From what you’re describing, I’m leaning towards megalomania with sociopathic tendencies. Perhaps even psychotic.”
Simon raised a brow at her. “I’m no doctor, but that doesn’t sound so good.”
“It’s not.” Veronica blew her breath out and relaxed slightly when she couldn’t see it. “Look, I think you need to seriously consider cutting ties.”
Simon shook his head slowly. “I can’t. She needs me.”
She raised a brow at him. “Does she?” She leaned forward again and lowered her voice even more. “Does she really? From what you’ve described…” She paused, searching for the right words. “Look, I’ve always heard that opposites attract. And maybe that’s what this is.”
“How so?”
“I realize you are having difficulty accepting the paradigm shift you are experiencing, but you also should realize that she’s—” She abruptly stopped talking when the door to the RV opened and Lana stepped out, stretching and scratching herself. “Your friend is awake.”
Simon glanced over his shoulder and Veronica would have sworn that his face drained of color. She’d have to point this fact out to him later, if they were given the opportunity to talk privately again.
He held his hand out for her. “You’re awake.”
Lana shuffled toward him and stood next to his chair. “What are you two doing?”
Veronica poked at the embers again with the stick. “He was telling me about Trent.”
“And his cohorts,” Simon added.
Lana smiled broadly. “Did he tell you how he gutted the fucker like a trout?”
Simon blanched and Veronica’s head popped up, staring at the other woman. “Do what now?”
Lana’s smile widened and she hunkered next to Simon’s chair, her hand gripping his good arm. “Stuck him in the chest and rode the knife all the way to his nuts, didn’t you, baby?”
Simon avoided the doctor’s gaze, his mouth forming a tight line. “I didn’t go into details.”
“Oh, but you should have,” Lana purred. “It makes me wet just thinking of how you offed that fucker.” She met Veronica’s shocked expression with one of pure passion. “He was literally soaked in his blood.
