Page 8 of The Hero Within
Luc looked up hopefully.
"I said antibiotics wouldn't work. A general in the Confederacy manufactured this plague a year ago. I don't know how it got out here in the Wastelands, but I do know there's a cure."
His gaze sharpened. "Where?"
"That's the problem." She scraped one hand through her hair. "If there's anything left of the research, it's in Cortez City. And this is not a guarantee, but it's all I have."
Thoughts raced behind his dangerous blue eyes. "We could contact the survey camp. Force them to take a helicopter ride back to Cortez, and bring us back—"
"They're not there. One of their team members defected. He said the survey team pulled out and evacuated a week ago."
"That sounds awfully fucking convenient. They knew. They knew this was about to hit, and they didn't even send an, 'Oh, by the way....'"
"Not important," she said sharply. "The fact is, they have a cure. I can't contact them as our two-way radios only have a fifty-mile range, and I have no idea how to work their data towers with their... Fednet, or whatever they call it.
"I can go to Cortez City. I have a contact there, Miles Wentworth. He might be able to assist me."If she gave Wentworth what he wanted."I'm not doing anything here one of my medical team can't do. All I can offer is palliative care and quarantine advice. I've got nothing else." She crossed her arms over her chest. "You've got fourteen days, roughly. Give me that time to see if there's anything in this story of a cure."
"Cortez City's right on the edge of the Confederate territory."
"I know. It will take me at least five days to get there. Five back, maybe. That gives me four days in the city to track down a cure."
"You can't go by yourself. You'll be crossing right through reiver territory."
Eden took a shuddering breath. "I could speak to the council. Ask for an escort."
"Fuck your council, Eden. You know what they'll say. Absolution likes to sit on its hands when they might have to do anything risky." He looked torn. "I could—"
"No. You're needed here."
"I'm a warg, an ex-bounty hunter," he said bluntly. "I can get you to Cortez."
"And who's going to look after Lily? Or Riley and the baby?"
"I'll go with her."
The words came from behind.
CJ. For a moment she'd forgotten he was even capable of listening to hushed whispers. Eden looked at him hesitantly. He'd filled out in the past few years, but she couldn't forget the fact he'd only just celebrated his twenty-first birthday. She'd offered to make his cake, but Riley wouldn't let her.
"Don't look at me like that," he said gruffly. "I'm a warg too. And your brother trained me when he went into exile for a year. He taught me how to hunt bounties, kill reivers, and avoid other wargs. There's nobody better at killing than Adam."
"I beg to differ," Luc muttered.
"I can keep you safe, Eden," CJ continued, taking a step toward her. "You need someone to watch your back, and Luc's right. I doubt you'll get any volunteers from Absolution. If you go back there the council won't let you leave. Let me do this. Please. I can't just sit here and watch her die. I can't."
He was barely an adult.
He might also be the only option she had.
And every moment counted. There was a ticking bomb in her head now, and it had fourteen days on it at the absolute maximum.
"Adam's not—"
"Wasn't planning on getting back anytime soon," Luc said curtly. "You could send a message through the radio chain, but I daresay he's days away."
Eden released a slow breath. There was nothing worse than being unable to control her circumstances. She could react to any situation, but she hated the feeling. She preferred a plan. Control.
"We've got five more hours of daylight left in us." Then they'd be out there alone in the dark, where the monsters lurked. "I need supplies; gasoline, food, water, ammunition. Anything you can give me."
