Page 119 of The Hero Within
"I can't—"
Mayhew put the gun to Nigel's head. "I actually don't need you any more, though I'd prefer to double-check."
"NKW773X," Nigel yelped.
Mayhew's fingers danced over the keypad. The datapad pinged. "Got it. This is definitely it. There's an entire section on Ener-V in the database. The vaccine’s on the bottom shelf."
Eden eased open the fridge. Each syringe was preprepared, and they lay in neat racks. Hundreds of them.
"Get a refrigerated transport box," Mayhew called. "You’ll need to keep them cool."
He showed her what he meant. There were small silver briefcases in the corner with a cooling pack attached, and foam inside them. Hundreds of cutouts lined the foam; the perfect size for the vials. She didn’t understand half the terms he used, but when he adjusted the temperature dial on the side of the box, she could feel the foam pads begin to chill.
"Start packing them in," he instructed.
"Inject yourselves first," Johnny cut in, looking away from the door for the first time. Their eyes met. "Just in case we lose those cases."
Eden swallowed. He’d been tense ever since she told him she was infected.
Mayhew showed her the instructions on the datapad.
"How are you getting all of this?" she asked breathlessly as she prepared the small syringe and his arm.
"Magic." His smile came quick, and she quite suspected he was getting some sort of thrill from the night. "They don’t even know I’m in their system."
He hissed out between his teeth as she injected him with the full contents of the vial. Then it was her turn. A little whisper of relief went through her as she swiped the alcohol swab over her upper arm. She hadn’t wanted to think too much about the disease, but it’d been on the back of her mind, gnawing away like termites.
"Pinch here," she instructed.
Mayhew blanched. "You’re kidding, right?" He held up his hands and backed away. "Sorry, Miss McClain, but I don’t do blood."
Shealmostlooked at Nigel Wentworth, but there was no way she was letting him put his hands on her.
"Here." Johnny handed his gun to Lincoln, and strode toward her. "Want me to do it?"
She nodded. Johnny pinched her skin together between thumb and forefinger, and stabbed the syringe needle deep into the muscle. Eden winced as a flood of pure cold pumped right into her arm.
He rubbed her arm and dragged her against his chest. "Thank God."
"I’m okay."
A shuddering breath tore through him. "Just let me hold you for a second. You weren’t okay, and it’s been driving me crazy. I’m not afraid to die, Eden, but I couldn’t handle it if anything happened to you."
"Right back at you, big guy."
He drew back and looked at her, his eyes filled with emotion. Then he hauled her in close, and Eden let him hold her.
One hand slid up the back of her neck, sinking into her hair. Eden closed her eyes and took a moment to just breathe. She was starting to get dangerously addicted to these hugs. For a man who’d spent years riding by himself, he was more affectionate than she’d expected.
Or maybe just hungry for affection?
She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed tight. "We did it," she whispered. She had her cure. She could save Lily, and the rest of her patients. "I couldn’t have done this without you."
"Never doubted you for a second, angel." Johnny stole a kiss, tension easing through his shoulders. "Got in, got the cure, now we just need to get out. Then you and I are celebrating."
Eden rested a hand against his chest. "You got something planned?"
Johnny gave her his crooked smile. "You. Me. Dinner and a little privacy."
