Page 40 of Devil
“Fuck.”
Devil smiled. “I think that’s my line.”
Cyn chuckled. “I don’t like the idea of you going to DC on your own. Yes, I know Darius will be with you, but if the president doesn’t take your warning seriously, you know you’ll be made the scapegoat.”
Devil sighed. “I know. If something happens, I’ll be blamed for not raising the proper alarms. But if nothing happens, I’ll likely be terminated for crying wolf.”
“Those are both options. I also think it’s possible that he’ll make you responsible for his safety while he’s here, which will put you in the direct line of fire of this virus.”
Devil started closing out of the programs on her computer. “There’s that, too. But we’ve always known our jobs might require us to make that sacrifice. Granted, I never thought it would be here, in the US, where I’m supposed to be nonoperative. But we don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing these sorts of things.”
Cyn was silent for a moment. “You’re right, we don’t. You’ll be careful?”
Devil hit the Power switch on her computer, and the screen fell dark. “Always.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too. Now go see if you can find anything else on this farmhouse while Darius and I prepare for the worst.”
“Aye aye, captain.”
Devil slid her phone into her pocket as Darius rejoined her. He had his work bag slung over his shoulder. For a beat, they stared at each other. Who would have known a few weeks ago that they’d be heading into battle together? Certainly not her. And while she didn’t love the idea of him putting himself in danger, she also knew he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Reaching for her own bag, she gave him a small smile. “Ready?”
He inclined his head. “As I’ll ever be.”
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
“This is it,”Darius said, leaning forward to read the numbers on the battered mailbox. He glanced up the driveway, or what part of it he could see before it curved and disappeared into the woods. “Do we just drive up?”
“Cyn said there’s no security, so I think that’s our best, or at least most efficient, option.” Lily paused, then spoke again. “It’s too bad we’re here for the reason we’re here. It’s lovely.”
And it was. Darius had seen fall colors in the south, but nothing quite like what was before him now. With cooler weather than Boston, the leaves were in full fall brilliance in this part of the northeast. Formerly green forests were now an explosion of red, yellow, orange, and all sorts of colors in between. Maybe when this was all over, he and Lily could find a nice weekend getaway in the area.
“We’ll come back,” he said, then before she had time to react, he gestured toward the drive. “No sense in drawing this out. Let’s go.”
Lily cast him a glance, then eased her car forward. They followed the packed gravel road through a copse of trees before emerging into a field. They continued onward, toward a house and barn, the rooflines of which were coming into sight.
“Did you try to call her again?” Lily asked.
Darius nodded. “Twice. No answer both times.”
Lily pulled to a stop in front of a Greek Revival-style home. The barn sat to their right, and the additional outbuilding Cyn had mentioned was behind it. “I grabbed a few extra things that I think we should use,” she said, sliding from her seat. Darius did the same and met her at the back of her car. After they’d left the lab, she’d dropped him at his place while she’d popped over to Smith House to grab her extra clothing. She hadn’t mentioned picking up anything more, though.
Lifting the rear door, she tugged on the end of a large duffel tucked up against the back seat. Obviously, a robust equipment bag.
“Do you keep that at Smith House?” he asked.
She flashed him a wry smile as she pulled the zip down. “I do. Being in the field I’m in and seeing so many airborne dangers, I like to have these handy.” She reached into the bag and pulled out two respirator masks. “I think we can skip the bunny suits, but I do want us to wear these, too.” She handed him a double set of latex gloves.
Not one to argue with a good idea, Darius tugged the gloves on as Lily pushed the bag back into the car and shut the trunk. “House or barn first?” he asked, as she pulled on her own gloves.
“We’ll knock on the house door but if no one answers, we’ll hit the barn, then the outbuilding, then back to the house, if needed.”
Carrying their masks, they approached the front door. Lily knocked, then moved back to wait. When no sounds came from inside, she knocked a second time. Again with the same result. She looked at him in question, silently asking if he was ready.
He smiled. “Let’s don these babies and see what we can find.”
