Finding Dani (Once a Marine, Always a Marine Book 3) Read online

  He saw that the two soldiers from B Company were there, and they didn’t look good. Both were prone on cots, IVs hooked up to their arms and oxygen masks on. Damn. Damon had hoped they wouldn’t get ill, but it was spreading fast.

  “This isn’t normal,” Claire said, unknowingly echoing Damon’s thoughts. “What’s happening? And how are you not sick? Dani said you carried in that private and you haven’t used any protection.”

  “I’m not sure, but you need to be prepared for more infected. It’s spreading fast.” He turned to leave, and caught a glimpse of Dani. She was busy with the African man that was originally brought in. She was using a towel to wipe him down. Damon could see blood soaked bandages. There was no way that poor man was going to make it. There was just too much blood.

  He felt Claire’s hand on his arm and turned slightly. “You’ve been exposed.”

  Damon shrugged. “Dani already drew some blood because I’m the one that brought in Jenson over there,” he nodded toward the cot that held the private first class. He was pale and clearly restless, his legs were moving under the light sheet that was covering him. He wondered if he’d ever regained consciousness. “I don’t have any symptoms.”

  “I can’t let you leave, Damon. You might be infected.”

  Claire had an unexpectedly strong grip, so he turned and looked at her. “I’ll be fine. But right now, I need to check on Gunner.”

  “But you could spread the infection.”

  Damon gently pulled his arm away. “Take care of the girl. Since no one really knows how Ebola is spread or who will be infected, everyone in this camp has been potentially exposed. I’ve had close contact with two of the sick, but until their blood tests come back, we don’t even know for sure if it’s Ebola or not.”

  He could tell she wanted to argue more, so he turned her attention. “Hailey has some kind of gold case in her hands. You might want to check it out because she had a death grip on it, even when she passed out.”

  They all knew it was Ebola, but his distraction worked. The doctor in her wanted everyone in a contained area for treatment, but he could see that she was curious about the case and he needed to be free to move around, so he slipped out the moment her head turned. Damon needed to know what was going on and who was behind this, before anyone died. And he was worried. Because as tough as he was, and as tough as all these Marines were, nothing could fight against a virus that killed fast and indiscriminately.

  But he didn’t feel sick. At all.

  It didn’t mean it couldn’t strike at any time, but he trusted Gunner, because Gunner was a genius and because the man was determined to come up with a cure. If anyone could, Damon believed it would be his friend.

  He’d check on Gunner and make sure his blood was clear. And then he needed to have a talk with the commanding officer. At this point, he would be aware of the potential risk, but Damon needed to let him know about the pet virus and the possibility of a killer in the camp. The CO was a reasonable man, but this was bound to cause a stir.

  And he needed the base to be on alert for unusual activity from inside and out. And locked down. At least until he found the one responsible. Because he would, eventually.

  He had a bad feeling about those rebels and that fact that Anuma was still missing. Not to mention that he’d already searched everyone’s tents and belongings and had found nothing. Not one clue who was doing this or even how.

  Chapter 11

  “How is she?” Claire asked, staring down at her teammate.

  Hailey was finally resting, if not comfortably, then at least not fitfully like she’d been when Damon first brought her in. Dani was sitting in a chair next to the bed, holding Hailey’s pale hand with her gloved one.

  “Her fever is high, but not as high as some of the others. I’m hoping that’s a good sign.”

  Claire was tired, but when she looked at Dani, she could feel the exhaustion coming off the other woman. And she hated to bring it up, but Dani was team leader and the only person she really trusted…the only one that went out of her way to make sure they were safe.

  “I found something.” Her tone must have alerted Dani, even though she’d tried to keep it even.

  “What did you find?”

  “This,” she said and handed over the long metallic box that she’d found clutched in Hailey’s hand.

  “What is this?”

  Claire matched Dani’s frown. “When Damon brought her in, she was holding it. Wouldn’t let it go until she finally went to sleep.” She paused. “Look inside.”

  She watched Dani open the latch on the case. There were two empty syringes and a clear vial with a generic label. No way to tell what was inside. But there was a very small amount left in the very bottom. And there was a spot for a third needle that was empty. That was concerning.

  “What do you think that is?”

  Dani shrugged and snapped the case closed. “I don’t know, but Gunner will be able to find out. Have you seen her with this case before?”

  “No, but Martin has one just like it.” Claire had seen him on more than one occasion with the case. “He told me that he takes vitamin B12 shots to keep his energy level up before we get deployed.”

  “He never said anything to me about it.”

  Claire doubted he would ever tell Dani about anything that might be perceived as a weakness. His ego wouldn’t let him. Dani was younger and smarter than Martin and he knew it. They all knew it, which was why they chose to be on her team every time.

  But all she said was, “I’ve never seen him with anything like that out in the field. But he had it with him in Atlanta.”

  She didn’t know what the look on Dani’s face meant, especially since her eyes were distorted behind the protective glasses. But she got up and headed toward the decontamination area, still holding the case.

  Claire looked back at Hailey, who’d begun mumbling softly, twisting her legs back and forth. Even through the gloves, Claire could feel the heat coming off of her “Damn it, Hailey, what did you do?”

  But the younger woman couldn’t answer. And it was possible that she wouldn’t ever answer again.

  ***

  It took about ten minutes to fully decontaminate and strip out of the biohazard suit. Dani had on khaki shorts and a tank top underneath the suit, but she was still soaked with sweat. The humidity of the area combined with the suit made working for long periods of time almost unbearable.

  But bear it she would. Because she had to do her best to save as many lives as she could. She hadn’t doubted her findings in the village, not really. But now she was certain. Someone on her team had turned loose a virus that was faster and more destructive than its predecessor. It was the only thing that was consistent with the data.

  The question was why? None of it made any sense.

  She headed for Gunner’s makeshift lab with Hailey’s blood for testing and the box with the vial and syringes. The tent had two sentries posted. Dani expected them to be bored with the assignment, but they looked deadly serious. Automatic machine guns were poised and ready, and they were acting vigilant.

  That’s when she noticed the activity. Everywhere.

  The soldiers were relaxed and unarmed in the compound only this morning, merely going about their normal duties. Now, every man and woman was armed and moving with intense concentration.

  “Dr. Bordeaux, you do not have access to these quarters.”

  One of the Marines guarding Gunner’s tent had spoken, jerking her attention from the compound to his face.

  He had to be mistaken. “I have blood to give to Dr. Halverson.”

  The other soldier inclined his head toward the command tent next door. “Dr. Halverson is in protective custody and only command staff and his escort have permission to enter.”

  “I don’t want to push the issue, but I have to give this to Dr. Halverson. Can you call him out here?” She paused and tried to smile. After all, she wasn’t the threat. “Please?” she asked when neither of t
hem moved.

  The Marine who’d initially spoken made quick eye contact with the other one. After receiving a slight nod of assent, he entered the tent, leaving Dani outside with only one guard. It was strange to be on the outside, basically needing permission to do her job. But she could also understand the precaution. So, she waited patiently.

  The soldier popped back out quickly, followed by Gunner.

  “Sorry about this, Dani, but I didn’t have a choice.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Reaching out, she handed him a small cooler with everything she had. “This is Hailey’s blood and something else.”

  Gunner accepted the cooler. “What else?”

  “Hailey came in holding a metal container with two empty syringes and an unmarked vial.”

  He frowned as he opened the cooler. “You think it’s the mutated strain?”

  Dani shrugged. “What else could it be? But we won’t know for sure until we can look at it under a microscope.”

  “There’s enough to sample?”

  She nodded. “Barely enough. Is there any way your watchdogs are going to let me in to help you?”

  To his credit, he looked apologetic. “Your entire team is about to be quarantined, if my guess is right. Damon said the CO is scared and pissed off. That means everyone under suspicion is likely to be rounded up and interrogated.”

  “We don’t have time for that, not with more sick people coming in.” The rest of the team she could understand, but not her. At the same time, she understood the paranoia that accompanied an outbreak. And that made her think of something else. “How did our blood tests come out?”

  Gunner lowered his voice because he knew what she was asking. “The three of us are showing no infection. And I took more blood from Damon about an hour ago after he brought Hailey in to the infirmary. His blood is still clear, even after two very close exposures.”

  “Will you be able to recreate your serum? For everyone else.” She really hoped he could, because it could save lives if that was the case. The worst scenario was that the three of them were just immune for some reason, and the shots they were given didn’t work, in which case there was nothing Gunner would be able to do and more people would fall ill and die.

  “If I had more time and better facilities, sure. But this virus is moving so fast that we’ll lose most of the camp before I can synthesize something useful.”

  “Damn,” she said. Damon was right about her, she was a crusader, but she was also pragmatic. If she was going to be arrested and held with the others, she wanted a shower first.

  “Where is Damon?” she asked.

  “Hunting Travis. He seems to have found a good rock to hide under.”

  “He might be out of camp. As the contact tracer for our group, he normally comes and goes and no one would have thought anything of it.”

  “Damon is checking into that as well. Don’t worry, Dani, he’ll find him.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about.” Travis was no match for Damon’s strength or tracking abilities. If he tried to get macho with Damon, he was going to lose more than a little pride. But she couldn’t worry much about that now. She was hot, tired, and in desperate need of some soap and water.

  With a quick wave, she left Gunner with the vial and headed toward her tent. It only took a couple of moments to gather up the stuff she needed for a shower plus a change of clothes. She stepped outside and ran headlong into two Marines that were clearly waiting for her.

  “I need you to re-enter your tent, Ma’am.”

  Dani had hoped she’d get that shower, but the very serious young men standing in front of her looked like they took their orders to heart. No exceptions. But she still tried.

  “I was warned that I might be detained and I will fully cooperate, but can I cooperate in the shower tent? I promise to do nothing more subversive than bathe.” She made her tone light and teasing, hoping they would have a sense of humor and maybe indulge her. It wasn’t like she’d be able to do anything else if they said no. They both towered over her and were armed with big scary automatic weapons.

  “I’m sorry, Ma’am, but we have our orders.”

  She was about to give up hope when she heard his voice. The sound of reason in her suddenly messed up world. The tension unwound and she could feel her shoulders begin to relax.

  “I think we can let the lady shower before making her spend a sweaty night under guard,” Damon said.

  He’d come up from the side, out of their vision like a shadow. His nickname was apt. Even she hadn’t seen him until he’d spoken, and she should have.

  “We’ve got our orders,” they both said. Dani thought it was eerily in unison, but that was just military.

  “You’re orders are to keep Dr. Bordeaux contained and under guard, correct?”

  They both nodded. Dani hid a smile because she knew where he was going with this.

  “Then you can keep her under guard in the showers. And I will be inside myself, so I can guarantee that she won’t get past me to cause you any trouble with guard duty.” Then he sidestepped her watchdogs and took her hand.

  The soldiers exchanged a look, shrugged, and followed along.

  “I don’t think those two are going to be able to be flexible enough to allow me to get my shower gear, so you’re just gonna have to share, Red.”

  “As long as you don’t mind smelling like lavender.” The thought of him soaping up with her bar caused a hot tingle to start low in her belly.

  “I think I’m secure enough in my manhood that I can handle some girly soap,” he said.

  “It’s the only thing girly that I can bring when we’re deployed. It reminds me of home when everything sucks.”

  They reached the tent and Damon pulled her inside. It wasn’t a large space, but each shower cubicle was enclosed and shoulder high to help with privacy. He’d brought her to the men’s shower quarters, since it was closer to her tent than the women’s. He released her hand and took his shirt off while she was talking.

  “I get it, and it smells nice on you.”

  But Dani didn’t reply because she had her eyes glued to his shirtless body. She wasn’t really sure what to do. She thought maybe sharing her soap meant taking turns with one of them outside. Clearly, he was planning on showering at the same time.

  And Lord, he was built right. Muscles bulged in all the right places and his tanned skin was smooth enough that she wanted to glide her hands over him to see if he felt as hard as he looked.

  He turned slightly and she saw his back for the first time, and the scars there caused an involuntary gasp. She stepped closer and hesitantly touched the first scar. It was a spider web of lighter colored puckered flesh, marring the perfection of his skin.

  “It doesn’t hurt,” he said softly.

  Her eyes jerked to his. He watched her intently, not moving and not stopping her from touching him. “But it must have hurt like hell when it happened,” she replied.

  His whole back moved up and down when he shrugged. “I lived, Doc.”

  She couldn’t stop her hand from moving lower to another webbed ring of flesh. When Gunner had said Damon had been shot twice, it hadn’t really registered for her. Logically, she understood, but right now, emotionally, she wanted to cry that he’d been in so much pain. Probably healing alone in some military hospital, not even his father knowing he was hurt. He should have had at least one person that loved him around.

  “This one is so close to your spine. It could have caused paralysis or worse.”

  At that, he turned further so that her hand slid from his lower back to his abs. Rock hard six pack abs that contracted at her light touch. Good Lord, she thought, and fought the need to lick him from navel to neck—and everything in between. His scars were mostly forgotten as she willed her eyes up toward his face. She was embarrassed to be ogling his magnificent body. But she was a doctor, after all, and she admired the human form. At least, that’s what she tried telling herself.

  “Wel
l, it didn’t cause any paralysis. As you can plainly see.”

  She followed his glance downward and found his camouflage pants tighter than usual. His erection was as impressive as he was and she had to clench her hands to keep from reaching out to touch him. You’d think she never had a man the way her hormones were reacting.

  “Oh,” she whispered. Tearing her eyes away, she saw that he was smiling at her. And she hoped that her sudden all over body flush would be mistaken for embarrassment instead of blatant arousal. “Maybe we’d better get in the shower and cool off.”

  She was proud that her voice shook only a little.

  Damon laughed. The sound husky and too sexual for her peace of mind. “Coward.”

  She stepped inside a stall and closed the curtain, refusing to fall victim to his taunt. He was too damn sexy for his own good, and she was already biased. That was the problem. Damon was her husband’s twin, so she had firsthand knowledge of his anatomy, without ever touching him or seeing any more than she already had.

  It was a sobering reminder. But only for her mind; her body was remembering.

  “Sorry about the quarantine, Red. I tried to keep you out of it, but the CO is a hard-ass and doesn’t trust anyone outside his own unit.”

  Dani smiled, thankful to focus on something else beside her lusty thoughts. “It’s frustrating, but understandable. I would probably do the same thing in his place.”

  The walls were high enough that she’d have to be on a tall ladder to check out Damon’s nakedness. She almost wished she had a ladder. But it broke up the sexual tension, and if she were honest with herself, she was relieved. With a side of disappointment.

  Once she was stripped, she turned on the shower and had cool water streaming down over her body. She stood on tip toes to pass Damon her bar of soap. Then she heard his chuckle from the other side and wished she could see his face.