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"I was looking for CDC-related reports froure out e have co of a break-in at the Me one of the doctors died"

I didn’t need to ask which one The ansas in Kelly’s sudden pallor, and the way her eyes darted fro for an escape route from the apartment There wasn’t one With the entire resident staff inside, the door had auto to open for anyone who didn’t have a key

Or couldn’t pass a blood test

I wasn’t the only person who’d put two and two together Alaric took two quick steps backward, nearly tripping over a beanbag chair someone had abandoned in theher hands behind herself She always kept a firearm of some sort in a holster at the small of her back, where it wouldn’t necessarily be spotted I knew from field trials that she could have it out and aie of this situation, or it’s going to get e sounded worried That worried me, in a "less important than the possibly infected CDC doctor in our apartmore crazy? And if I was, did Ithe whole "don’t talk to George in front of strangers" rule in the face of a bigger problem

You trained Becks and Dave That ht have been helpful if this had happened yesterday, but hes sudo wound up froht now You need to settle them down

Great It wasn’t enough that iving me orders "It never stops," I muttered, and looked back toward Kelly "If you died, want to tell us how it is you’re standing here and not trying to eat us?" I paused, then added, "That wasn’t actually a request"

"If you listen to the report, it doesn’t say I died It just says they found nized from way too many press conferences It was the voice people use when they aren’t saying so

The silence in the room for the next few seconds was alled with that state, "So you’re listed as dead because you’ve started amplification?"

"No," Kelly said e to submit to as many blood tests as you need in order to prove that"

She was technically lying: We’re all infected Anyone born after the Rising was infected in the womb, since Kellis-Amberlee is totally untroubled by the placental barrier It’s just that inpeacefully, rather than taking over our bodies and turning us into so from a horror show That’s what the blood tests look for Not infection; amplification Which raised another question: amplification takes minutes, not hours If Kelly was exposed to the live virus in Memphis, how could she possibly have traveled all the way to Oakland without fully a?

"So why do they think you’re dead?" Becks sounded pissed, like she was considering drawing on Kelly just tolook She glared back

George was right I needed to take control of things before they got bad

"Becks--" I said, cautioning

"It’s all right, Shaun I knew I’d have to answer so calmly, "They think I’m dead because the body they found waselse she could have said that would cause that much chaos, that quickly, amidst my staff Even "Look, a zoeneral interest and a search for things to poke it with It’s only because ere viewing her as friend, not foe, that she didn’t get a bullet in the forehead as soon as she finished speaking As it was, the sentence was barely out of her uns drawn and aie on the other side of the rooree of co cover behind the couch

All three of the their actions; Alaric was just yelling And through it all, Kelly stood perfectly still, keeping her hands clearly in view She was tre, and the whites showed all the way around her eyes, but she didn’tshe could possibly have done

"Guys!" I clapped my hands I didn’t need to draw, since Dave and Becks were already holding guns on her I could actually be the one playing Good Cop in the potentially life-threatening situation for a change "She had to pass a blood test to get inside, reood explanation" I glanced toward Kelly "Just a friendly hint, Doc: This would be a really, really good tih sense that it can keep s are for target practice"

Kelly turned towardthe motion as econo the slightest degree of extra pressure on the triggers Catching his eye, I shook h If Kelly didn’t have a truly excellent explanation, ere going to need a new carpet