Infection Runs Deep

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: HEARTACHES AREN'T ALWAYS HEART ATTACKS

The hall was quiet, dark and unassuming, as we trekked to our doom. We were in shambles, half of us in day-old clothes and the others in fatigues. The bleariness of sleep had been wiped away by our morning catastrophe, but the bleakness of the situation had settled in.

"Here goes nothing." After a deep breath, Luke raised his fist and knocked on the door.

"Enter," the Colonel said, his voice muffled by the thick wood.

A quick glance at all of us, followed by a nod. We've got this. He opened the door.

The Colonel sat at his desk, hands folded neatly on his desk. My eyes immediately flitted to the files on the corner of his desk. A quick brush of hands with Luke told me he was thinking the same. I guess Warner caught him up to speed last night.

Silently, the Colonel watched us, observing our small shifts and tells, the subtle glances and tics. The Colonel pointed to the three chairs in front of his desk with a sweeping hand.

"Sit," he said simply. No one moved. As desperately as I wanted to get off my feet, I stood tall, letting the Colonel know that he wasn't getting to me, even though he really was.

"What is this about, Colonel?" Luke asked, breaking the icy tension building in the room.

The Colonel looked surprised. "You broke over half of the base's rules and have the audacity to ask what exactly this meeting is about?"

"Regarding the civilians?"

"Among other things," the Colonel said. "Let's see. You brought in about 15 civilians without prior approval, left the base without permission, led a whole horde of infected right to our gates." His voice raised with each word and it took everything in me not to flinch even though his anger was not directed at me. "Need I go on, Sergeant?"

Luke shook his head stiffly. "No, sir."

"There is only one reason why I am calling this meeting rather than exiling you for treason," he said. "Do you know what that one reason might be?" He took our silence as a no. "You have value to me. You may have disregarded some rules, but you returned with resources. Food, weapons." He gestured to Leo, Oliver, and me. "Most importantly, doctors."

"Despite this," the Colonel continued, "it is still treason to disobey and turn your back on this base, to turn your back on this country. You'll be punished, have no doubt about that. The treason charges will be frozen, a probationary period to prove yourself loyal. If you break any more rules," het let his voice drift off, but he didn't need to finish. It was easy enough to fill in the blanks. We'd be charged with treason, left to rot in exile or in execution. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Luke said in understanding, the rest of us meekly chorusing a second behind him.

"Good. Soldiers, you are dismissed. Return at 0700 for your new orders." He gestured to the ones remaining. "My doctors, we have much to talk about."

Luke, Warner, and Ian were very hesitant about leaving. After what I'd seen the Colonel do, I didn't want them to leave either. We didn't have a choice. With a final, pleading glance at me, his dark green eyes a mirror of my own fears, Luke shut the door with a gentle click.

"It seems introductions are necessary." The Colonel looked at our stiff, trembling forms. "Sit, I insist."

We followed his orders. Leo and Oliver flanked me on my left and right respectively, putting me at the center of the Colonel's vision. I didn't know if they did that intentionally or not. All it did was make my heart beat even faster than before.

"Dr. Hunter and I are already familiar, but the two of you I don't recognize. My name is Colonel Stewart and I am the head official at this base." He paused, gauging our reactions. "To the best of my knowledge you all are doctors, yes?"