“Dr. Fenster told me to pick a couple people to bring with me as part of my team. There’s a possible chemical aspect, so Pansy’s going, but I want you coming as my number two. We’re flying out in ninety minutes, so we can begin the initial investigation. The rest of the team is in Massachusetts and will be flying down later this evening.”
Without another word, he turned around and walked out, leaving me staring after him, speechless.
The paralysis lasted nearly a full thirty seconds before my brain kicked in, and I went for my purse. In theory, I’d known this was possible. I was an intern, true, but I was almost a doctor myself, and I’d been assigned to a specific scientist, and if he was called to the field, then I could be expected to go with him.
I just hadn’t expected it within my first two weeks.
My mind was racing as I hurried outside, the thoughts chasing each other. I should’ve had a go-bag already prepared. What should I put in a go-bag? The basics were obvious. Toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, soap, shampoo. I should’ve kept travel sizes on hand. Dorly might have some, but if she didn’t, I could take a risk and hope the hotel would have them. Except, I didn’t know if we’d be in a hotel. Texas wasn’t a third-world country, but I wasn’t deluded about the conditions we might encounter. There was a high probability that I could end up sleeping on chairs or a cot; if I slept at all.
Still. Toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, soap, shampoo. Those would work just as well in a public bathroom as it would in a hotel. I didn’t know how many days we’d be gone, but I could wash clothes in a sink if necessary, so one pair to wear, one to change into.
I was still making my mental list when I arrived at the apartment.
“Is something wrong?” Dorly asked, concern on her face. “You’re back early.”
I shook my head, rushing past her into my bedroom. I shouted over my shoulder, “I’ve got to pack!”
“Pack?” Codie appeared in the doorway. “Where are you going?”
“Texas.” I pulled my suitcase out of my closet and set it on my bed.
“Slow down, Addison.” Dorly came inside. “What are you doing?”
I stopped, took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She was right. I needed to slow down. If I kept going at this rate, I’d end up packing six pairs of shoes and my deodorant but forgetting everything else.
Deodorant.
That had to be on my go-bag list for the future.
I needed to make a list.
Not now though. Now, I needed to pack because I didn’t have much time before I needed to get back.
“There’s a possible epidemic in Texas,” I said. “The CDC is sending out a team, and I’m going.”
Dorly’s eyebrows shot toward her hairline. “They’re sending an intern with two weeks of experience into the field to handle an epidemic?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like they’re sending me out to the deepest darkest jungle with a first-aid kit and a flashlight. There’s three of us going out in about an hour. I’ll only be helping with initial investigation before the remainder of the team gets there.”
“Would your hot doctor be one of the ones going?” Codie asked with a smile.
I glared at her as I stuffed a couple pairs of panties and bras into my bag. “I don’t have a hot doctor, Codie. But if you’re asking if Dr. Hunter is going to Texas, yes, he is. That’s why I’m going.” I pointed at her before she could speak. “Because he’s my supervisor. That’s all.”
And that was what I reminded myself as I finished packing a few more necessities. This was a business trip. Nothing else.
Thirteen
Cai
I was impressed with how quickly Addison returned, and how frugally she’d packed. Most of us, on our first time out, tended to over-pack, preparing for any contingency.
“Dammit!” A harsh curse came from the front door, and I looked over to see Pansy struggling with a massive suitcase as well as a shoulder bag that was almost the same size as mine.
“Did I under-pack?” Addison asked from behind me. “I wasn’t sure if there was anything outside the basics I should bring. I can go get my laptop from the lab. Files, books, anything else you think we might need.”
I held up a hand before she could start babbling again. “A laptop is a good idea, since you’ll want to be able to take notes about anything we find. But we usually encourage whoever is first on site to pack light since they never know what they’re getting into. If you’ve forgotten something, we let the incoming doctors know, and they’ll bring it.”
She nodded, eyes wide. She didn’t look nervous though. At least, that didn’t appear to be the primary emotion she was feeling. She looked…excited.
“Will this be your first time in Texas?”
Why couldn’t I stop talking to her?
“I’ve never been anywhere except Minnesota and here,” she said. “And not much more than around Minneapolis.”
“Minneapolis? Who in the world would want to go to Minneapolis?” Pansy said breathlessly as she plopped her bags down next to Addison.
I intervened before Addison could respond, or Pansy could say something worse. “The pilot called a few minutes ago to say that they were almost done refueling. The car to the airfield will be here soon.”
“Where, exactly, are we going in Texas?” Pansy asked. “Austin? Dallas?”
“Pecan Grove,” Addison answered.
At least one of them had been listening.
“How long are we going to be there?” Pansy put her hand on my arm, and I turned to look at her. “I’m just asking because I remember when we were in Seattle two years ago, we thought we were only going for three days, but we had to stay for five days, and my pet-sitter charged me overtime.”
“You know that we won’t know anything until we actually get on site.” I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice, but it wasn’t easy. Pansy had been here for as long as I had. She’d been at half a dozen sites herself, and we never knew anything for certain until we could assess the scene ourselves.
I remembered the case that she was talking about, as well as her behavior when she realized we’d be staying longer than she’d anticipated. She’d been furious, ranting at anyone who would listen that she couldn’t stay in Seattle because she had to get home. She had plans and responsibilities. And I was the one she’d come to about all of it, even though I hadn’t been running point on it.
I’d been ready to send her back just to get her away from me.
I really hoped this wouldn’t be a repeat.
Three people were waiting outside the Texas hospital when we got there. A short, harried-looking woman in a business suit, an African-American man in scrubs, and a pretty, tired-looking woman. Their expressions when we came toward them told me that they were the ones who’d been dealing with the patients so far. Their faces lit up with the sort of hope that always made me a little anxious. It reminded me too much of the way Slade and Blake had looked at me when we were little, and before our parents died.
Like I could do anything.
That changed after the accident. I didn’t know if it was because my brothers no longer believed in me, or because I no longer believed.
“Hi, I’m Dr. Hunter.” I held out my hand, and the woman in the suit shook it.
“I’m Isis Bairstow, head of St. Mary’s. This is Dr. Neilsen Hoskins. He’s been working on this since the beginning.” She gestured to the other woman. “And Nurse Diaz was here when the first patients were brought in.”
“This is Addison Kilar and Pansy Kemyss, two members of my assessment team.” I gestured to both women. “Why don’t you get us up to speed and show us where we can set up?”
“Very well,” Ms. Bairstow said. “Follow me. We’ll talk as we walk.”
Efficient. I liked that.
“Dr. Hoskins, do you want to explain?”
“Go ahead,” the doctor said. “I’ll speak up if I think you’ve missed anything.”
“Three days
ago, four men came into the ER with ulcers on their hands and wrists, as well as irritated, inflamed eyes and swollen lymph nodes. They were admitted for observation. The next morning, three women and two children came in with sore throats, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis, and swollen lymph nodes, as well as a cough. When we discovered that the five new patients were related to the original four, we suspected something transmittable and quarantined them together. Three of the patients began having breathing issues by that night.”
“We did blood work, but we’re still waiting for results for anything more exotic than the basics,” Dr. Hoskins said.
I raised an eyebrow. “After four days?”
“Our lab’s had some issues as of late, and it takes forever to get anything back,” Nurse Diaz put in.
“Last night is when things started to get bad,” Ms. Bairstow said. “A group of six kids were brought in with coughs, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. One of the boys happened to be related to the families in quarantine, which made us believe that all the cases are related. The men with the ulcers have been having issues breathing today.”
“I don’t think they have much time left,” Dr. Hoskins said.
Ms. Bairstow pointed. “We’re going to the top floor.”
As we crowded into the elevator, Pansy took the silence as an opportunity to start asking the questions that had apparently been forefront in her mind.
“Where are we going to put our luggage? I don’t want anything to get lost or stolen. That reminds me, who’s going to be taking our things to the hotel? I want to get a name so if anything’s missing, I’ll know who to talk to. And I need a ground floor room with a handicapped bathroom. I can’t handle those little ones.”
“Pansy.” I didn’t yell, but my voice was sharper than usual. “Let’s focus on the patients rather than our suitcases.”
She gave me the same look she gave whenever I was forced to reprimand her. On the surface, she appeared hurt, but I could see something…meaner underneath. Something I’d begun recognizing a lot more since Addison had joined the CDC.
“This is our floor,” Ms. Bairstow said. She stepped out first and waited for the rest of us to join her before starting down the corridor at a brisk pace. When we neared the end, she stopped and pushed open a door to the right. “You can use this as your lab. We don’t really have equipment, but there’s space in here.”
“We have our own,” I said. “We’ll need all of the charts, x-rays, results of any tests you’ve run.”
“Already ahead of you,” Dr. Hoskins said. “They’re lined up in the order we saw the patients.”
I set down my bag next to one of the chairs and saw Addison do the same. Pansy claimed the couch but didn’t say anything. None of us did because before anyone could, Nurse Diaz collapsed.
Fourteen
Addison
One blink.
Two blinks.
That was all the time I allowed myself to be surprised, and then I was moving. I went to my knees next to the nurse even as everyone behind me reacted.
“Adrionna!”
I took a guess and assumed that was the nurse’s name, so I used it when I leaned over her. “Adrionna? Can you hear me?” I put my fingers against the pulse point in her neck. “Her pulse is erratic,” I said. “And her breathing’s labored.”
“Are you a medical doctor?” Dr. Hoskins crouched down next to me.
“No,” I moved out of his way to allow him to get to her. “My youngest sister is epileptic, and I spent a lot of time babysitting her. I learned a bit more than usual about first aid.”
“Let’s get her up,” Cai said from behind me.
I stood up, letting Cai and Dr. Hoskins lift the unconscious woman onto the gurney someone had found. The doctor pressed his fingers against Nurse Diaz’s neck and frowned. “Her lymph glands are swollen. This is how the kids presented when they first came in.” His face looked even wearier than it had just a few minutes ago. “Does this mean we’re all going to get sick now?”
“Let’s get her into quarantine,” Cai said. “Do you have a mask? We’ll want to do full precautions from here on out, but we need to get her inside with the others and get her stable.”
“Here.” Ms. Bairstow passed around high filtration masks, and we all put them on before moving toward the hallway.
“I’ll get us set up in here,” Pansy said, her voice slightly muffled by the mask. “I won’t be any help in there.”
Cai didn’t even acknowledge her as he pushed the gurney down to the zippered part of the plastic sheeting across one whole section of the floor, and I took my cue from him. Nurse Diaz was the priority. Cai asked Dr. Hoskins questions at such a rapid-fire pace that I could barely follow them, and the expression on the doctor’s face suggested that he was having as difficult a time as I was. I made a mental note to suggest to Cai that Dr. Hoskins get some sleep and some food before he passed out from sheer exhaustion.
Ms. Bairstow unzipped the plastic and allowed us to pass through into the anteroom, a small space between the hall and quarantine. We replaced the mask with higher quality respirators, then quickly pulled on protective jumpsuits, face shields, and gloves. Dr. Hoskins opened the second barrier, and we stepped inside. I had a moment to process two rows of beds, and then we were pushing the gurney into an empty space.
“Oxygen.” Cai gave the instruction even as Dr. Hoskins was reaching for the oxygen tubing.
The two of them worked together to get the mask on Nurse Diaz, and I busied myself with taking inventory in case they needed anything else. Pulling open drawers and cabinets, I was happy to see that they had a lot of basics, which was good, but if we needed anything a bit more obscure, we’d be in trouble. I started a list in my head of all the possible instruments we might need so I could ask Ms. Bairstow before giving Cai the list.
“Do you have access to Ms. Diaz’s health records?” Cai asked as he assisted in inserting an IV and the leads necessary for patient monitoring. “I need to know if any pre-existing conditions may have played a role.”
“We don’t have enough computers to spare one for quarantine,” Dr. Hoskins said. “And we didn’t think it’d be wise to carry one back and forth.”
Cai nodded and watched the monitor as it began to pick up the nurse’s vital signs. “Good call. Until we know more about how this transmits, we’ll need to be extremely careful about what we take in and out of here.”
“Do we have a hard copy of protocols?” I asked as I held out a stethoscope I’d found and wiped down with alcohol preps.
Cai took it without looking at me. All his attention was focused on the patient. “Ask Pansy. She’s responsible for bringing them, making copies, and ensuring that they’re properly distributed.”
Pansy. Great.
“She’s waking up,” Dr. Hoskins said. “Adrionna, can you hear me?”
She nodded slowly, her hands moving across the gurney as if she was trying to figure out where she was.
“Do you think you can breathe without the oxygen mask?”
She nodded again, then tried to sit up. Cai put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down. “Take it easy. Just lay back and answer our questions.”
“Do I have it too?” Her voice was surprisingly calm. “Whatever it is these patients have?”
“It’s possible,” Dr. Hoskins confirmed grimly. “You were having problems breathing, and your lymph glands are swollen.”
Cai straightened and looped the stethoscope around his neck. “Do you have any pre-existing conditions that might have made you more susceptible?”
She thought for a moment. “Asthma, but that’s about it.”
He nodded. “That would explain the difficulty breathing. How do you feel now?”
“I thought I was coming down with a cold,” she said, glancing at Dr. Hoskins. “My throat’s been sore all day, and my eyes have been dry.”
“We’re going to need to keep you in quarantine,” Cai said. “Just to be on the sa
fe side. We don’t know yet how this bacteria or virus spreads.” He turned to Dr. Hoskins. “We’re going to want to monitor you and Ms. Bairstow. We need both of you to take care of yourselves, so eat, sleep, stay hydrated, but you need to do all of that from the hospital.”
I opened a cabinet and pulled out a hospital gown that looked like it’d fit the nurse.
“What if we were already exposed? Could we have given it to everyone we’ve seen over the last few days?” Dr. Hoskins asked.
“I don’t believe so,” Cai said. “But we’ll want to put together timelines for you, Nurse Diaz, and Ms. Bairstow so we can compare them with the timelines for each of the other patients. Often, that helps us determine the origin of the infection.”
I held up the gown so Adrionna could take off her shirt without embarrassing herself.
“We didn’t get much in the way of histories from the kids,” Nurse Diaz said quietly.
“Were they unconscious?” I asked as I helped her slide the gown on and tie it.
“They’ve been in and out,” she said. “But I think most of it is because they didn’t want to get into trouble. Whatever they’d been doing, it wasn’t something they wanted their parents to know.”
I thought of my younger sisters, Angel and Erin. At ten and eight, they were hardly rebellious tweens, but like most kids, they did things on occasion that they wanted to hide. But as long as they felt like they would get in more trouble for what they’d done rather than lying, they wouldn’t share.
Cai tapped the temporary garments we were wearing. “Our suits are in one of the large cases on the plane.”
“You’ll want to talk to Ms. Bairstow about that,” Dr. Hoskins said.
“All right.” Cai put the stethoscope down on a counter. “Nurse Diaz, we need to run some tests on you to compare to the other patients.”
She nodded. “Do what you have to do, Doc.”
“I’ll draw the blood,” Dr. Hoskins said. “You two should probably keep your exposure in here to a minimum until you get those hazmat suits, right?”