“They will. They have to.” Ryan gives me one more kiss before releasing me and gathering out packs.
Chapter 25
We drop our gear off in the lab area and only carry our containers of berries into the main living quarters of the field lab. After traveling so far from the base, Ryan and I won’t reenter until we’ve complete a quarantine, but we’ll pass the berries to Jeremy and he can give them to Andi.
“Welcome back.”
Ryan and I jump at the sound of Dr. Brant’s voice. Instinctively I look around for a place to hide the berries, but I already know it’s too late. She’s seen us with the container and will certainly confiscate them.
“Let’s not waste time mincing words or fabricating stories. I know the two of you left the base without authorization and I know these two tried to cover for you.” Over Dr. Brant’s shoulder I see Molly and Jake hanging their heads. “What I don’t know is why.”
Something about Dr. Brant makes me pause. She’s not jumping down our throats like I expected. In fact, she’s giving us the chance to explain ourselves.
“We were collecting opal berries. The tests from quarantine showed both Ryan and I had increased neurological activity. It’s a long shot, but these berries could help Andi walk again.” I stop to take in the shocked expressions on all of my friends faces. As far as they know, I’ve just confessed everything to the enemy, but I’m hopeful the real Dr. Brant is back. “I don’t care what you do with me but can you please let Andi have the berries?”
Dr. Brant takes a container from my hands and examines the contents. “So you’ve eaten these berries before without any ill effects?”
“They were our main food staple on our way back to the base and our dinner last night.” I explain, even though Ryan is shooting me a look that clearly says “shut up.”
Dr. Brant reached in and plucks a berry out of the container. She rubs some berry juice on her lips and then tastes a small amount of the juice, mimicking exactly what Ryan did the first time he tried a berry. Finally she eats the berry. She replaces the cover and then takes the rest of the containers from my hands. I guess I was wrong about her.
“Takes these to Andi and then remain on base. These two need to be quarantined.” Dr. Brant passes the containers to Jake who’s so shocked that he almost drops them. Then Dr. Brant takes Ryan’s containers and hands them over to Molly. “Shoo.” Dr. Brant points to the door. Molly and Jake snap out of their shock and hurry out.
She gestures to the kitchen table and we all sit down. “What am I supposed to do with the two of you? First you get lost and now you’re breaking out?” I open my mouth to explain myself, but she holds up her hand. “I guess the first thing I should do is apologize.”
“What?” I sputter in shock.
“I don’t know what came over me, but I’ve acted horrible towards the two of you ever since you returned to the base.”
I stand up before she can say anything else. “Can we talk about this outside? I think the fresh air would do us all some good.
Dr. Brant gives me a startled look, but then graciously smiles and motions for me to lead the way.
I lead us to the center of the large grassy field and then visually sweep for any unwelcomed bugs in the air. “Only three team leads are supposed to know about this: the chairman, Dr. Wickerham and one other person—the pods can be used for more than education.”
The three of sit in the field as I explain everything I know and suspect about the pods, the camera bugs, and even the warehouse. The more I talk, the angrier Dr. Brant looks, but this time her anger is directed at someone other than me. When I finish talking Dr. Brant closes her eyes and takes several deep breaths like she’s trying to compose herself.
“Thank you for sharing everything with me,” she says as she opens her eyes. “Now I must ask a favor of the two of you.”
Ryan and I both nod.
“Do nothing. Let me handle this.” The glare she gives us says she means business, but I can’t contain my curiosity.
“What are you going to do?” I ask
“Nothing yet.” Dr. Brant sighs. “Thanks to the chairman’s interference, I’ve lost all of my credibility. I doubt the other field managers would believe me. But I’m serious about the two of you not getting involved. You’re already on the chairman’s radar. He’s the one that alerted me to the fact that neither one of you had scanned into any building in nearly two days.”
“I promise,” I say and cross my heart. I’m in no hurry to challenge the chairman again.
“Me too,” Ryan says as he makes the Boy Scout promise sign.
“Good.” Dr. Brant shakes her head laughs. “I still don’t know what I’m going to tell the man. I lied and said the two of you were working on a special project for me. Now I have to come up with a report to present him”
“I can help with that.” I run into the lab section and pull the igloo and space heater from our packs. I hand them both over to Dr. Brant and explain, “We were field testing the effectiveness of the heater, just in case any teams get stuck out in the field during the cold winter months.”
“Good thinking.” Dr. Brant takes the equipment and heads toward the field lab. “I know my leaving technically breaks quarantine, but I can’t stay in here without the chairman knowing I lied. The two of you didn’t have any direct contact with any strange insects of animals did you?”
“No,” Ryan and I both answer.
“Good enough.” As Dr. Brant leaves, I hear her mutter, “This is so screwed up.”
The worst part of being stuck in the field lab is the lack of information on Andi. Molly and Jake stop by the first night to see what happened to Ryan and me. Through the door we explain that Dr. Brant is herself again. Molly and Jake then describe the near food fight scene between Andi and Jeremy as he tried to get her to eat some berries. He finally picked up the spilled berries from her bed and left the room, but he purposely missed one and watched through the doorway as she ate it.
“It’s a good thing those berries taste good, otherwise she’s have to be force fed.” Jake jokes. “When Jeremy went back into the room, Andi actually asked if he had some more.”
I relieved by the news, but even more impatient to find out if the berries will work.
The next day Molly stops by to tell us there’s no change with Andi.
The day after that Jake stops by with the same news.
The rest of the week the two of them take turns giving us the bad news—no change.
By the time we get out of quarantine, I’m convinced the berries have failed. I feel foolish for getting everyone’s hopes up on what amounted to a hunch.
Ryan and I decide to visit Andi. I’m sure all she’ll do is scream at me, but at least she’ll know I’m still here for her, when she’s ready.
When Ryan and I enter Andi’s room we have to squeeze our way in to get a spot near her bed. Everyone’s around her is giggling and chatting loudly.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Andi points down at her foot and proudly announces, “I wiggled my big toe.”
A toe wiggle may not seem like an accomplishment, but to me, it’s everything. A delirious grin spreads across my face.
* * * * *
About the Author
Tracy Rozzlynn writes YA Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in New England with her daughter and several pets.
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Currently Available
Verita
The first book in the Verita Series
Fast-Tracked
The first book in the Fast-Track Trilogy
Coming Soon
Darkened Shadows
The first book in the Darkened Trilogy
Fast-Trapped
Th
e second book in the Fast-Track
Table of Contents
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Concisus Page 23
