Infection Runs Deep

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: A FOOL'S HOPE

Turns out, we didn't have to wait until tomorrow for the problems to start rolling. They were already here.

Warner and Ian burst into the clinic, both panting and clutching files.

"Sorry to interrupt this tender moment, but we've got a problem," Warner said, flinging the files onto the little table.

Luke and I were passed out on the waiting rooms chairs, too tired and full of heartache to make the journey back to the Woods. Since we weren't leaving, Leo took the rest of the night off. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and got to my feet with a yawn. Luke was already on his feet, paging through the abandoned files.

"What kind of problems?" I yawned again. "It's too early for problems."

Warner smiled at me before tackling me in a hug. "There's the El I know. I missed her yesterday."

I jabbed him in the ribs. "Who said I missed you?"

"I'm hurt, El." He feigned being shot in the heart and collapsed to the ground. I giggled, the motion pinching at my split cheek. Reflexively, I put a hand to my face to probe it.

"Problems," I said, drawing the attention away from my face. Thankfully, Ian and Warner didn't comment on it. "What kind of problems need to be dealt with at this ungodly hour?"

"The timeline," Ian said, thrusting the files at me. Luke had the other half, but mine were familiar. "It's happening too quickly."

"Ian, I've seen these files." I pushed them back at him. "These are the ones that Warner stole from Siles."

Ian tossed them on the table. "Falls, give her the ones you have."

Luke didn't seem to hear him, too focused on the files ahead of him. He looked up in confusion, his brows furrowed. "What does it mean though?" he muttered, the words not meant for us.

"Luke?" I asked, tapping him on the shoulder.

He straightened abruptly. "Yeah, what's up?"

"What did you find?"

He handed me the file. "Nothing good, but I don't know what it means."

I scanned through the doc, looking to Warner in astonishment. "This is the base file. The op with all the details. Where did you get this?"

Warner clapped Ian on the back. "My young klepto."

Luke and I exchanged a glance. "Ian?"

Ian flushed and looked at the floor. "I just want to help."

I jumped to my feet and gave him a quick hug. "No this is great. We have all the information now. We can stop it." Everyone's faces were grim. "Can't we?"

"Read the doc, Lizzi," Ian said.

Warner took it from me. "We don't have time for that. Here's the SITREP: Those experiments are supposed to test the infected on a large scale." He pointed to a line in the operation. "'Assess the environmental stimuli as an aggressor.' Don't know what it means but it can't be good."

"It's not," I said darkly. "It means that Siles wants to use the bases to see how a particular stressor, like light or sound or pain, affects the behavior of the infected on a large scale. It's a recipe for disaster. If the stressor is an aggressor, the infected are going to be unpredictable."

"So you're saying that this little experiment is going to harm the base?" Warner asked.

I nodded, pursing my lips. "Or worse. If enough of the infected are aggravated and attracted here. This experiment could destroy the base."