Resurrection Hour - Hidden in Ice(Nanowrimo)

Chapter Twenty-two

"She took a turn for the worst overnight. There was nothing they could do," Director Adams told her, his voice rough and worn. Tears weaving their way through the vocera.

Hannah flinched at the news. "Oh no, I'm so sorry." It must have happened after they'd moved Flynn back to the clinic. He had needed a respirator later that same night while she was at the lab.

"Dr Booth is in the lab now trying to determine cause of death. He's not sure if it was the wound or whatever is infecting those who were bit." All injured parties were now in the clinic, and they all followed the same pattern as Flynn. Her chest ached. If she didn't find an answer soon, they could lose each and every one of them.

Hannah stood up from her desk and wandered over to the observation window. Her back was aching from sitting for so long, wheeling between the different science tables in the lab.

"Have you come up with anything yet?" Director Adams asked.

"Aside from the element being found in all three of their blood, nothing so far. It's not reacting in a good or bad way to any of the antibiotics I've tried so far. So I still have no clue what we're dealing with. Any news on the CDC?"

"Unfortunately we're stuck in a wicked storm, there's nothing they can do for us yet."

"And I take it we're not close to any type of a military base with their own scientists that can just drive here?

"Negative."

"Okay, well I need you to spare me every single scientist we have. I need more people working on this with me."

"Now, that I can do. We'll dedicate your unit along with the one across from you to solving this problem."

Hannah wasn't so certain that it was solvable, but she was certainly going to try. They were dealing with something unlike anything she'd ever seen and nothing that was apparently current in their culture. Had they frozen the boy, hoping to eventually solve the problem? Had the illness destroyed his people? There were far too many mysteries and no answers.

"Thanks, Director. Have them report to my office as soon as they arrive."

"Will do."

Hannah rested her arms on the observation windowsill and watched him. He'd taken to just sitting on the floor, No activity. Nothing. She needed to figure out how he responded to them, whether it was by vibration alone or by scent too.

She called Xavier. "I need a mouse."

"Odd request. Why?"

"I need to test a theory." It's not one that would help her figure out what the heck was going on, but it would help determine what his trigger was. Maybe if they could determine a trigger, then maybe they could stop him from attacking, so that they could study him close up again.

It took Xavier about 15 minutes, but he arrived with a mouse in a cage. "I need to get this into that room."

"If we open the door, he'll charge you."

"Can we put the mouse in the decontamination chamber and then close this door and remotely open the one leading into him?"

"We can unlock it, but can't open it. Only standing in front of the censor will do that, but then you have a few second delay before the door closes again."

"Shoot! There goes that idea," Hannah groaned, throwing her hands up in the air. She had finally thought she found a way to test the boy more, but nope. Rubbing her chin, she stared at Josh who was sitting on the floor in the back of the isolation room. He'd gone back to a somewhat comatose state. It seemed when there was no stimuli, he reverted back to it.