Defiant: Quantic Dreams Book 2 by Elizabeth McLaughlin (reading list txt) 📗

this was all the result of an unprecedented situation. No human had ever faced the task we had ahead. It was only natural that people’s immune systems were getting run down.

Turns out that I didn’t have to say anything. I had just finished sitting down with my tray when a group of people approached me. I sighed and tried to arrange my face into as helpful an expression as possible. A sudden and very loud growl from my stomach destroyed the charade, but I didn’t pick up my fork. Delaying the inevitable would only guarantee that my food would be cold.

“Can I help you folks?” The smell of egg, onion, and bacon wafted up to my nostrils and my sentence was punctuated by another demand from my digestive tract.

“Please pardon the intrusion, Mr. Alvaro.” A young man of about twenty-five sat across from me. His companions joined him. So much for personal space. “If you don’t mind, we just wanted to ask you a couple of questions. We’ve been hearing some strange rumors…”

I forced a smile. “Not at all. Is it okay with you if I eat while we speak? I hate to be rude, but it’s been more than a couple of hours since my last meal and I would really hate to pass out on you mid-discussion.”

“Absolutely. Again, we’re sorry to interrupt your meal.”

The first bite of dinner barely made it into my mouth before one of my new table mates blurted out what was really on her mind.

“Is Allison Garvey sick?”

I took my time chewing and swallowing before fixing the woman with a look that made her flinch. “Now, miss.” I took a long drink from my cup. “I’m sure you understand perfectly well that I can not comment on anyone’s health other than my own.”

“Sophia Caruso’s daughter said that she saw Allison in the infirmary a little while ago. She said that she was having trouble breathing.” The woman continued as if I hadn’t spoken. Her voice quavered with a hint of fear. I made a mental note to speak to Sophia about discretion. The absolute last thing I needed was a panic.

“Once again, I can’t comment on that, especially as I am not a physician. Plus, I’d think you might want to take the statements of a four-year-old girl a little less seriously. I’m sure she means well, but Daisy probably doesn’t understand what she saw.” It occurred to me that I had just admitted that Allison was in the infirmary, but clearly that bit of information had already been confirmed. “Allison is fine. She’s been under a lot of stress lately, as have we all. I’m certain that Dr. Rickman and Ms. McNair are keeping a careful eye on her.”

“Are people getting sick, sir?” The third person who had joined us spoke up. “Should we be worried about this?”

“No.” My answer came out a little too forcefully, and I cringed. “Everything is fine. I am being apprised of Ms. Garvey’s situation, and if there was anything to know, I would have known about it already. Now I do apologize, but I must ask you to give me some space. I desperately need to eat.” The three seemed nonplussed but did as I asked, mumbling to themselves as they left the table.

I hadn’t realized just how urgently I needed to fill my stomach. I wolfed down the meal in front of me so quickly I barely registered what the food tasted like. The echoes of my own advice floated in my ears. I would have to look after my health more carefully or risk falling prey to whatever was attacking Allison’s immune system. Daisy’s fever was also on my mind. I would bet money it was just that she was a tired kid, but I would follow up with the doctor.

I bussed my tray and was fixing to visit the restroom for a post dinner meditation when I heard someone sprinting down the hallway outside. The room turned to see Shannon McNair skid into the doorway, barely catching herself on the frame of the opened doors. Her eyes were wide, face mask hanging from one ear. A rush of cold ran through me as I spotted a spray of blood across her scrubs.

“Jacob,” she breathed. Something was wrong. I didn’t hesitate and sprinted after her. We were heading back to the infirmary. When we got within hearing distance of the door, a cacophony of sound met my ears. The racket of blaring alarms mixed with Dr. Rickman’s shouted orders to Shannon. Over all of it, I heard Allison. She was coughing so hard that her thin body curled in on itself with every spasm. The tendons in her neck stood out so far that she looked like she was going through a transformation into some monster fit for a horror story.

“Stay back! Keep them out!” Phoebe shouted at me. “Shannon, get me a crash cart!” I had to wonder how she even knew who ‘they’ were, but it wasn’t the time.

Allison’s wracking coughs sounded like death itself, the crackling of her lungs audible with every breath. I was already pressed against the far wall of the infirmary but jumped back as red spittle flew from her lips, the blood spraying a macabre slash mark in the sheets of her bed. I knew then what my duty was. With a quick nod to Shannon, I left the infirmary and bolted the doors with a fire axe I found outside. Sure enough, the crowd from the dining hall had followed me and were milling about in the corridor.

“Go back to your quarters!” My voice boomed over the din. “Get back! Now!”

The crowd that had been simply curious moments earlier heard the tone of my voice and indeed turned to leave. I kept one ear towards the infirmary where I could hear shouting and coughing still and put both hands on the fire axe, determined to keep any stragglers from trying to get into the room. It seemed