Mercury Striking

by Rebecca Zanetti

  April Snyder sat by a bed, tears streaking down her face, a fresh bruise across her neck showing where he’d choked her out earlier. She looked about eighteen, pale and wan, and not old enough to have a teenage daughter. Her hand covered Haylee’s.

  The girl tossed in the fever, her cheeks scarlet, sweat pouring down her smooth skin. A series of low moans escaped her.

  Tace elbowed past Jax with a knife in his hand. He lifted the girl’s eyes to show the pupils dilated and red striations marring the red. “Where were you bitten, sweetheart?” He rolled up her sleeves and then cut open her shirt, finding nothing. He turned her over. Nothing.

  Jax yanked off the sheet and slid up her leggings. A perfect bite mark—human—marred her right calf. Somebody in Cruz’s camp, maybe even Cruz, had bitten her deep. Somebody who’d survived Scorpius. “Damn it. Why didn’t she say anything?”

  “Probably too scared.” Tace wiped his chin. “We need B injections to slow down the illness. Now.” He hustled across the room and grabbed a syringe of liquid—undoubtedly morphine. He pushed the stopper, and a little liquid spilled. “This will take away some of the pain, but nothing can help the headache that’s about to occur.”

  Jax pivoted. “I’ll get Wyatt and lead a team right now to hit the labs for B. You try to bring down her fever, if possible, and keep her here. No need to go inland.” He glanced at Lynne.

  “I can help,” Lynne said. “We need ice, if there’s any. If not, cool compresses.”

  April released her daughter to run for the door. “I’ll see what I can find.”

  Jax shared a hard look with Tace. They didn’t have cold water, much less ice. Maybe it was time to move north to a cooler climate, even with the Mercs waiting.

  The girl groaned and rolled over.

  Tace dropped to his haunches and smoothed damp hair away from her face. “It’s okay, Haylee, we’ll get you figured out.”

  Her eyelids shot open, and she grabbed his arm.

  Jax moved as fast as he could, but before he could reach her, she jerked upright and sank her teeth into Tace’s arm.

  Tace howled and yanked free with such force he flew across the room and smashed into the wall.

  Shit, shit, shit. Jax planted Haylee back down and reached for the straps placed out of reach beneath the bed, just in case of infection in a soldier. She fought him, gyrating and bucking, with more strength than a normal teenager should wield. Finally, he secured her in place.

  Growls and inhuman sputtering ripped from her throat. Many of the newly infected tried to bite and infect others—it was part of the disease.

  Jax turned and stepped over Tace’s legs to pull him to his feet. Tace’s arm bled profusely from a perfectly sized teenage-girl bite. “Fuck.” He all but dragged Tace to the sink and dumped a standing pitcher of water over his arm. Rusty, dirty, trickling water.

  Tace punched his arm. “That won’t help, brother.”

  Jax ignored him and reached for the industrial soap, pouring it generously on the bite marks.

  Tace winced and threw an elbow. “You know that won’t help.”

  Jax swallowed, fear gripping his chest. He couldn’t lose Tace. “I know.” Without another word, he dragged Tace to the bed next to Haylee and set him down. Reaching for the hidden restraints, he quickly secured one of his best soldiers.

  Tace didn’t fight him or utter a word of protest. For some reason, that made the entire situation more painful.

  “You’re healthy, and you’re updated on B, right?” Jax cinched the chest strap tighter.

  Tace winced.

  Jax paused, and heat exploded in his chest. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “We ran out, pard,” Tace said slowly. “I’m healthy, haven’t been infected, and thought I could wait for the next round. Plus, being updated wouldn’t protect me from infection, although it might make the fever easier.” He glanced at the girl thrashing on the bed. “Was stupid of me not to watch her closer.”

  A soft hand glided along Jax’s arm, and he glanced down at Lynne.

  Her somber gaze remained on Tace, but she leaned into Jax’s side. “I’ll take good care of him, of them both, until you return with the B. I promise.”

  His heart eased a tiny fraction. Who could he trust to watch her back while he was gone, now that Tace was down? He frowned.

  She squeezed, and her lips turned down. “I won’t make a break for it.”

  He blinked. She might be a badass survivor, but the woman was seriously sensitive. He hadn’t been doubting her word. “You already gave your promise. My worry is for your safety.”

  She bit her lip. “I’ve been in danger before. Vitamin B is more important.”

  It really was, especially now. Tace needed that vitamin. As did Haylee.

  Tace grimaced. “My gut feels like somebody just kicked me.”

  Lynne took a seat between the two patients. “Your head is going to hurt next. Do you have more morphine?”

  “Don’t waste it on me,” Tace said through gritted teeth.

  “In the drawer over there.” Jax pointed. “We have the syringes ready to go just in case.”

  Tace shoved his head back on the pillow, and his body went rigid. “I don’t want fuckin’ morphine, Jax.”

  “Too bad.” Jax stomped across the room and yanked open a drawer to return with a syringe. The least he could do was ease his buddy’s pain. Why the hell hadn’t he known Tace hadn’t taken B? He should’ve double checked. “Suck it up, Texas.” He smoothly slid the needle into Tace’s vein and pressed the stopper.

  Tace sighed, and his body went limp.

  Lynne eyed him. “You’re pretty good at that.”

  Jax exhaled slowly, gaze on his friend. “Not my first time, unfortunately.” He tossed the empty syringe across the room and into a trash can.

  April rushed back into the room with semiclean and damp towels. “We’ve been keeping them in the basement where it’s kind of cool.” She glanced at Tace, secured to the bed. “Oh no. What happened?”

  Jax moved from Lynne to slip an arm around April’s shoulders and escort her back to her chair. “Haylee bit him. I need you to assist Lynne while we’re out securing more vitamin B.”

  April looked at Lynne, Tace, her daughter, and then back to Jax. “I need a gun.”

  Jax blinked.

  “We might have a problem with Lynne, and I may need to protect her. In fact, we should both have guns.” April’s eyes hardened. “I’ll do what I need to do to protect everyone in this room. You can trust me.”

  Jax reached down and retrieved Tace’s ankle weapon to hand to April and then did the same with his own for Lynne. Both women glanced at the small guns, holding them in hands that shouldn’t hold weapons.

  He scratched his head. “April, you know how to use that?”

  “Point and shoot.” She shrugged. “I can do it.”

  “Lynne?” he asked.

  Her gaze met his, filled with nightmares. “I’ve been trained, and I know how to shoot.”

  The pain in her eyes hit him right in the gut, so he focused on April again. “What did you do before, well, all of this?”

  April snorted. “I was the head of the PTA, the softball team mom, and my husband’s helper at his dental office. I did the books.”

  “Sounds like a nice life,” Jax said.

  She glanced at her daughter, her shoulders slumping. “It really was.”

  Jax had already heard the husband had died of Scorpius. “I’m going to shut the door, and you two lock it. Don’t open it for anybody but me or Wyatt. I’ll leave orders you’re to be left alone, and since you have two patients here, people will probably give you a wide berth.” He’d take Sami with him so she couldn’t harass Lynne.

  Here he was already worried about Lynne.

  He needed to keep some distance from the wounded scientist or he’d completely lose perspective. If he’d been more on his game, perhaps Tace wouldn’t be fighting the fever right now. Women and relationsh
ips complicated things, which was why he’d remained alone.

  Yet even now, watching Lynne Harmony settle her shoulders, gun in hand, worry in her eyes, he couldn’t help but be drawn to her. The urge to place a reassuring kiss on her forehead before he left had him turning on his heel and heading for the door. “Stay in here and stay safe,” he said before shutting the door firmly behind him. He waited until the lock engaged before striding down the hallway to find Wyatt.

  It was time to hunt.

  Chapter Twelve

  Nature has never truly favoured humanity over the countless other species who have already perished. We just like to believe otherwise.

  —Dr. Franklin Xavier Harmony

  Two tension-filled hours after Jax had left, Lynne pressed a hand to Tace’s sweating forehead, rubbing over the deep creases. His body fought against the restraints, stiffening until his back arched off the bed. Blood beaded on his lips.

  Chances were, he was going to die. If he survived, he stood a good chance of going insane. It was hard to imagine the good-natured doctor as a crazy man. If she had vitamin B, she’d shoot him up. Unfortunately, there was nothing to do but ride out the fever and pray he didn’t die.

  She reached for a cup of water and held it to him. “Don’t bite yourself,” she tried to murmur in a soothing voice.

  He coughed out the liquid, spitting blood.

  She sat back, glancing sideways to check on Haylee. The girl had quieted to soft mutterings and incoherent spurts of crying.

  Her mother held her hand, lines of fatigue and fear cutting into her face. “I can’t believe this,” she muttered.

  Lynne wiped her brow. “I know. She’ll be okay. She’s young and in good shape.”

  April’s eyes filled with tears. “I hope so.” So much pain filled her voice that Lynne’s heart clutched.

  April dug out a rough angel figurine and placed it near Haylee. “Little Lena gave me this yesterday. Must’ve found it in one of the apartments inner territory.”

  “Lena?” Lynne asked.

  April swallowed. “Lost seven-year-old who hangs around soldier headquarters and gives presents. Pretty petite blond who I’ve kind of taken in. You’ll see her, and she’ll probably give you some sort of present, although she doesn’t speak. She loves Haylee.”

  Haylee seemed pretty lovable. “What was Haylee like before Scorpius hit?” Lynne asked softly.

  April’s lips trembled into a parody of a smile. “Amazing. Straight As, good kid, played shortstop on a competitive team.” She chuckled. “We traveled all the time—every summer. Don used to say softball was our life, but he was so proud of her. No matter his schedule, he made it to every game.”

  “How long were you married?” Lynne asked.

  “Um, fourteen years.” Lynne sobered. “We had Haylee when we were only sixteen, and we got married after she was born.” She shrugged. “Grew up in a farming town in the middle of Washington, and there were plenty of people who said we wouldn’t make it. But we had Haylee, got married, and then Don went to college. I cleaned houses for a long time to help with bills.”

  Lynne nodded. “Sounds tough but sweet.”

  A sad smile lifted April’s lips. “Yeah. Then about ten years ago, his dental practice took off, and I quit working. Became a full-time mom.” Her brow wrinkled. “Wanted more kids, but it just didn’t happen.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Maybe it’s better, considering. We almost made it to the big fifteen year mark. We were planning to celebrate with a trip to the Caribbean.” She glanced down at her loose jeans. “Believe it or not, I was working incredibly hard to lose twenty pounds before we hit the beach.”

  Life from now on, if humanity survived, would be measured as before and after Scorpius had infected the world. “Scorpius bacterium. The ultimate diet,” Lynne said.

  April snorted. “So true. Who knew?”

  Lynne cleared her throat. “For the record, I am sorry about everything.”

  April rolled her eyes. “From what I understand, none of this was your fault. I mean, unless you’re psychic and ignored the signs.”

  Lynne picked at a string on her yoga pants. “Not psychic.”

  “Besides, aren’t you the one who figured out that vitamin B could help?”

  Lynne’s stomach recoiled. “Two of us figured it out. My best friend, Nora McDougall, and I studied the research on which medications were known to work on the brain. Which supplements. It was a shot in the dark, but we took a few of those.”

  April caressed her daughter’s arm. “Where is Nora now?”

  “I don’t know.” Lynne rubbed her chest. “Things went bad at the CDC, and she was out on assignment with her husband, and then all hell broke loose. I had to make a run for it, communications were down, and I haven’t found her again. God, I hope she’s okay.”

  “She smart like you?” April asked.

  Lynne grinned. “Thinks she’s smarter and probably is. More importantly, she’s not alone. If her husband is still alive, and I’d bet on that Scottish bastard any day, then she’s safe.”

  “Scottish bastard?” April smiled.

  “Yes. He’s got the coolest brogue even though he moved to the States as a teenager. Went into the service, and he’s a badass. If anybody could keep Nora safe, it’s him. He was appointed the leader of the Brigade right away, and I hope they’re still alive somewhere.”

  “Do you think the Brigade is still out there?”

  Lynne nodded. “I really do.” The Brigade was created with top soldiers as the first line of defense against Scorpius, and they’d been working on securing nuclear plants and military facilities before communications went down. Lynne patted Tace’s arm when he stirred. “I kind of blackmailed them into getting married. Made it a deathbed wish when my heart first turned blue.”

  April nodded. “You’re a good friend.”

  “Nora wanted to kill me.” Lynne slipped the sheet up over Tace’s torso as he shivered. “But I was right, and she needed protection. Plus, it was so obvious they were in love and belonged together.”

  “Speaking of romance, what’s up with you and our illustrious leader?” April squinted.

  Lynne swallowed. “Nothing. I mean, he’s intriguing and dangerous as hell, and we had a moment. Neither one of us can afford emotions right now.”

  April smoothed hair from her daughter’s forehead. “If you say so. I think emotions have their own agenda, you know? If you can find something real in the hell we’re living, you’d be a moron to let it go.”

  Lynne shook her head. She hadn’t even leveled with Jax completely, and soon he’d want her gone. After she shared all she knew with Tace, if Tace survived, then the group would be a hell of a lot safer with her far away from them. She might not know Jax well, but she understood he’d sacrifice her for his people. It was his duty.

  Haylee thrashed to the side and strained her feet against the restraints. Her eyes suddenly opened wide. She screamed, louder than any banshee, and kicked out. One small foot escaped, and she started kicking wildly.

  Lynne jumped up and reached for her ankle.

  The girl struggled with amazing strength, and Lynne dropped to the floor. Grunting, she stood back up and snagged the girl’s foot, planting it hard on the mattress. April scrambled for the restraint and secured it around her daughter’s ankle.

  Haylee yelled and gyrated on the bed.

  Damn it. Lynne rushed to the medical cabinet and drew out another syringe of morphine. Hustling back, she smoothly inserted the drug into the girl’s vein.

  Haylee subsided with a soft whimper.

  April sat back down and exhaled loudly. A tear streaked down her face. “I can’t believe this.”

  “I know.” Lynne put the syringe in the garbage and returned to check on Tace. He’d lost all color, and his body shivered as it fought the fever, but he’d gone quiet. For now.

  April wiped off her face and tucked her head against her chest. “I need to get out of my hea
d for a minute. What about you? Before Scorpius, I mean. You were a bigwig at the CDC, right?”

  Lynne stretched out on the floor, her back to the wall. Knots curved around her spine and her muscles pounded in pain. “Yeah. I was in charge.”

  “Type A personality?” April lifted her chin.

  “Definitely.” Lynne nodded. “Only child, enjoyed school, just loved science. The possibility of it . . . of what we could do.”

  “Your parents?”

  Lynne shook her head, hurt echoing in her chest. “No. Scorpius got them.”

  “Mine, too.” April scratched her leg through a hole in her jeans. “What’s it like outside of Los Angeles? I mean, the world out there? Are we reorganizing civilization?”

  Lynne took a deep breath and blew it out. “I don’t know. What I saw was more refugee camps outside of cities. I haven’t been into a city except here in three months, and even before that, I was pretty isolated and locked down.”

  April bit her lip. “What about our government?”

  Lynne swallowed. “I, ah, don’t know.” Hell, she really didn’t want to know, but she’d probably find out soon enough. “The military was regrouping and trying to secure vital areas, specifically with the creation of the Brigade, and since all troops were recalled six months ago, at least all our soldiers are here on our soil.” Not that the soldiers had fought Scorpius any better than the civilians. It killed without discrimination. She chose not to mention the creation of the Elite Force to April. Maybe word hadn’t spread this far.

  “Oh.” April smoothed the ragged edges over the hole in her jeans. “So. Did you have a boyfriend or anything? I mean, I watched a television special on you when your heart first turned blue and you came out of the coma, but the show focused on your career and the hope of curing Scorpius. It showed your picture but didn’t talk about your life.”

  Heat flared down Lynne’s torso. “No. No boyfriend. I guess I lived for my work.” She cut her eyes toward April, unwilling to trust that much.

  “Hmm.” A frown settled between April’s eyes and then understanding lightened them. “Okay.”