To Be A Hero

Chapter 35: Nitroglycerin

"We've got it! We're here!" Jody shouts as we rush inside the labs of the hospital.

Paula's sitting on a nearby bench, tubes still connected to her arms. She stands, pale and sweating, her cheeks sunken in slightly, her eyes bloodshot.

"I can't tell you what this means," She says.

"It's not the nicest thing, P."

"It doesn't have to be pretty," Maxine says. She's holding onto Sam's arm, her face scrunched up in pain, and Sam's face is scrunched up in sympathy for her. "It'll keep Paula contained without being able to harm herself or others. That's the main thing."

"It doesn't matter if I harm myself."

"Not now, honey. Not now. I-oh!" Maxine shouts, her grip on Sam's arm tightening. Sam gasps, the fear and pity in his eyes obvious.

"Another one?" He asks. "Where the hell is our bloody chopper? Where the hell is it?"

Maxine shakes her head. "It's fine. It's fine, Sam. We have plenty of time to get to Whitebridge. The maternity suite is expecting us, and if we have to do it here... women have given birth successfully for centuries without medical intervention."

Suddenly Kefilwe and Nicole burst through the doors, both panting and gasping.

"Maxine! Paula! I'm so glad I caught you!" Kefilwe says, clutching a few papers. "You need to take this data with you to Whitebridge."

"What is it?" Maxine pants.

"I missed something. Oh, sweetness, I'm so sorry. This heart reading here, Veronica spotted it."

She groans. "Oh, good grief."

Sam's eyes go wide. "What is it?"

"This is suggestive of a congenital heart defect. A hole in the heart. I'm not certain, but I had Nicole radio Whitebridge. They will prep a specialist team in case the baby needs immediate attention."

Sam tenses. "What? Is the baby going to be okay?"

"The baby will be fine," Maxine says. "It's a precaution. We can't be sure this is serious until the baby's born."

"Miss Edwards, Miss Marsh, check where the chopper is," Janine commands. "Stress the urgency."

"Right on it," Jody says, and both she and Nicole race out of the hospital labs. Kefilwe has Maxine lie down in order to check her and make sure everything's going okay, and I can't help but stand there, helpless to do anything of use in this situation.

"Dr. Meyers, you're five centimeters dilated, progressing well." Kefilwe shakes her head. "I can't believe I missed that reading! I checked and double checked the figures."

"We all missed it. It happens," Maxine says, gritting her teeth. Paula's eyes fill with tears.

"Oh, Maxi," She says, reaching out to her. Janine quickly steps in front of her.

"Dr. Cohen, please stay back. Your seroconversion is so advanced, even your sweat may be contagious. We must get you into your containment facility." She reaches up and clicks on her headset. "Runner Four, Miss Edwards, do you have an update?"

"Yeah, I've just had a message from Mullins," Jody replies. "They can't send a helicopter. They're under attack!"

"Good grief!" Maxine exclaims with a curse.

"We shall take the van," Janine states, her expression calm but serious. "Mr. Yao, you shall drive. Runner Five, I'll need you to run interference. Draw any zoms away from the vehicle. Dr. Cohen, Dr. Meyers, Mr. Yao, head outside. There should be a van ready to go. Miss Edwards believed it to be a good idea to have it ready just in case plans go awry."