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The fifth gate was standing open, just like it e first arrived as refugees froht Maggie never closed the da almost iate slid slickly shut The sound of the locks engaging was the sweetest thing I’d ever heard
Becks barely waited for the bike to stop before she dismounted; my foot was still on the kickstand when she hopped off She stayed where she was for a few brief seconds, jittering in place as she worked the feeling back into her legs Then she grabbed her bag off the side of the bike, announced, "I’o take a shower," and took off for the kitchen door I watched her go without coive the live breakdown on what happened at the CDC, and, since I was the boss, she was leaving that little luxury for me
"She’s such a sweetheart," I said dryly
Be careful George sounded concerned I jumped It wasn’t just the worry in her tone: She’d been quiet for so long that I’d al in a room with soet up to leave I don’t think you really understand what’s going on with her
"What, are you saying shewith the CDC? I don’t think so I’ people than that"
Shaun… I could ale’s head, the way she’d be glowering at lasses I don’t think Becks is a traitor, but you need to be careful with her Okay? Can you do that forThe hs protested the movement but were overruled by my ass, which was so sore froain "Whatever you say"
One nice thing about working with people who kno crazy I aie, Alaric, and Kelly were in the kitchen when I stepped inside, all three of them in easy view of the , and not one of them commented on the fact that I’d stopped to talk toBecks into the house It’s a lot easier to deal with people who are already used to ie She was next to the sink, drying the last of the dinner dishes The kitchen smelled of savory pastry and fresh-cooked chicken My sto Portland was so of potato chips, and a candy bar The corner of Maggie’s mouth turned up in a smile "There’s a potpie for each of you in the oven We left thee was hovering at the back ofI walked to the fridge and opened it Soone to the store while Becks and I were out; there was a twelve-pack of Coke on the bottom shelf, and what looked like sufficient fresh provisions for us to survive a siege, so long as no one cut the power
I grabbed a can of Coke and swung the door shut, turning toward the table as I popped the tab "Hey, guys," I said, as as while Becks and I were on location?"
"Mahir announced the hiring of ‘Barbara Tinney’ and helped Kelly get her first post up while Iout of the CDC," said Alaric
"Really? Cool What was it about?"
"The psychological impact of isolationism on the development of human relationships," said Kelly I looked at her blankly She amended: "Cabin fever s grabber," I said, after a suitable pause "Alaric?"
He took the cue with grace, saying, "I was able to get about a dozen reports cobbled together after things went south, and we had them online before anyone else picked up on the outbreak Mahir has every on-duty Newsie and about half the Irwins running follow-ups now The CDC’s only coedy,’ and said they were looking into possible failure of the airlock seals that are supposed to separate the treatment areas from the employee locker room"
"Which is bullshit," said Kelly "Those air locks were designed to withstand a nuclear war There’s no way they could just fail"
"Good to know," I said, sipping my Coke
Ask whether any of the reports include the conference rooency in her tone
"Okay," I muttered More loudly, I asked, "Uh, hey, Alaric? Did any of the reports Mahir put together include footage offor the director to come back?"
Alaric blinked and nodded "How did you know? That was the second one he put up He said the tiet out there in the public record"
George started to explain I cut her off, saying, "The tie means they can’t try to pin the outbreak on us There’s no way for us to have spent that ed the air lock seal"
You’re learning, said George, approvingly
"Tiie Alaric, Kelly, and I all turned to look at her She shrugged "You just shouldn’t put tooto save you by itself That’s what my family has lawyers for"