HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM MY SECOND BOOK TO THE SCARLET MEMORIES SERIES: METAMORPHOSIS

CHAPTER ONE: RESTRICTED

ONE YEAR LATER. Ian held his head in his track marked hands.  He was resting after the recent round of experiments that he had been subjected to. His head felt like it was about to explode and he was parched. Whatever they had injected him with this time, really did a number on him. Ian hands and knees shook with every breath.  As weak as he was it was hard to remove the call button from beneath his pillow.  Finally, he managed.

“Nurse, I need some pain meds and water in here, please!” He groaned.  He dropped the call button beside his quivering body as he lowered his head once more.

The pain from the new injections was supposed to be a good sign. Or, that was what the doctors were telling him. He wasn’t entirely sure that he trusted them. But, he knew that they were feeding him and keeping him safe from the undead outside. Ian took a shallow breath; he had to trust them for the time being. Once he found out what they were experimenting on him for, he would decide his next step. He needed a good reason to be a guinea pig.  Right now, the outcome seemed bleak.  It had been so long since they had started the experimenting.  It wasn’t as if he would be able to walk out of here without objection.  Ian made no illusions; he was here by force. They may have become laxer on his confinement but, Ian was still a prisoner. The thin red line had just become a little hazy, that’s all.

A few moments later, He saw the door of his room open and a nurse walked in. She was carrying a metal medical tray with a syringe of morphine on it and a small glass of ice water.  Only her cold eyes were visible due to her gauzy mask. She slid the tray down on the bedside table next to Ian.

“Here is the water you requested.” The nurse snapped as she thrust the glass into Ian’s hand.

 She picked up the syringe and depressed it, causing a bead of morphine to shoot out. Ian flinched, he was tired of being a pin cushion.

“Alright, where do you want it?” She asked with a bored sigh, “In the arm or on the butt?”

“My hip,” Ian told her while pulling down the waistband of his scrubs. Once he did, he grimaced as he got a good look at his discolored skin.  He was covered in bruises from all the injections.  Healthy skin was becoming a rarity.  His arms were even worse.  If they didn’t stop this soon…  Ian sighed; he wasn’t sure how much more he could take.

The nurse took the needle and pressed it into the skin on his outer thigh. She held the skin down with firm pressure when she was done.  She roughly rubbed an alcohol laced cotton swap across the site.

“All done. You should be feeling the effects here soon.” She turned to leave the room.

“Nurse!” Ian called after her.

“Yes, what is it?” She barked while pausing by the door.

“Are they any closer to finding whatever it is they are looking for?” Ian asked, craving answers and a semblance of freedom.

“I’ll tell your doctor you would like to speak to him.” The nurse huffed.  She turned on her heel and hastened out of the room. “Bitch,” he thought, It seemed like that was the only answer he ever got.  With each member of the staff that they assigned him, it was always the same answer.  He tried his luck with everyone that came into his room.  Someone was bound to give in and help him or at least he hoped. 

He laid there for several hours with the morphine coursing through his veins.  Ian could barely move his sedated body.  All that he could think about was what had happened to the others.  It had been a long year since they were at the school together. And, it felt like even longer since they tasted freedom.

The only survivors from the school were with him right now at this facility.  None of them had a clue where they were.  The last thing he could remember was being placed in a helicopter and flying to this place.  The flight had taken them several hours. So, it had to be several states away.  Ian remembered back to how the military had blown a hole through the door to get it open.  Once inside they took him and Sam to their helicopter just outside the school’s grounds. Ian remembered walking over the mutilated corpses that had been the undead.  Eventually, all the soldiers met back up at the helicopters. With them, they brought Jeremy, Jerry, Susan and her son Jamie.

Ian remembered looking off to the side of the helicopter away from his friends.  Guilt ate away at him, he wished he could have saved more people. It had been a horrible situation. The rest of the refugees at the school had nowhere to go.  Screams rent the air as they were all locked in and eaten alive.  “Why didn’t the military help them?” Ian thought as he sucked in a calming breath. He would never get those answers.

Ian shook his head.  That was the past and he needed to focus on the future.  As the hours flew by, he rested, enjoying the quiet.  The room he had been placed in was similar to a hospital room. An operating table stood near the door for emergency purposes. He supposed they didn't want to have to move him out while they were conducting tests on him. There was also a bathroom and a mini kitchen so he could prepare meals for himself when allowed. There were always those times he was forbidden to do specific things. Considering his circumstances, he was well taken care of for the most part. Being a lab rat wasn't all that bad but he wanted answers now. He wanted transparency.

 Ian awoke to a person standing over him checking his pulse. It was one of the doctors who had conducted the latest experiments. Ian cleared his throat “What are you doing to me?”

He wanted answers and was no longer intimidated by them.  “I want to know what’s going on out there.  I deserve answers.  It’s been over a year now. Why won’t any of you talk to me?” Ian demanded.  His headache was returning and it made him want to throw things.  He watched as the doctor checking his pulse released him.

“We aren’t supposed to be talking to you.” The man said as he turned around slowly with fear clearly written in his eyes.  “We are testing you for immunities.” The doctor whispered as he leaned in close, giving Ian a close look at his pristine smile.

“What kind of immunities?” Ian narrowed his eyes, urging the doctor to answer. The doctor looked up at the camera that was placed in the corner on the opposite side of Ian’s bed. It watched him twenty-four seven.  The red light on it never turned off. The doctor turned back to him and opened his mouth to speak. Suddenly, the door to the room burst open.

“Dr. Shields!”  The nurse who had administered his pain medications earlier was back at the door.  They must have heard him talking to Ian.  Dr. Shields shot up quickly and turned to face the nurse.

“Yes! I’m coming!” He answered nervously, as his body shook from head to toe.  He quickly grabbed his clipboard and scrambled towards the door. The nurse held it open for him. She watched as the Doctor left and snapped her head back to face Ian.  Her cruel eyes pierced right through him as she glared at him in disapproval. Finally, she broke her gaze and closed the door to the room.  Ian growled when he heard the click of the lock.

Sam shoved her plate of food towards the center of the table she was sitting at. Part of her pot pie sloshed off of her plate and onto the table.  “Damn,” she thought, “I wasn’t that hungry anyway.” She cleaned up her mess while thinking about Ian.  He was out there right somewhere in the labs getting God knows what done to him. Every time one of them left, they all worried. They had no idea what was being done to them or what test were being run. They just knew it had something to do with the undead outside. It had to be. 

Sam walked over to Susan and Jaime.   Jaime had just come back from being a test subject and didn’t look so hot.  “My god, what did they do to you?”  Sam asked as she leaned down and felt Jaime’s head.  It was hot, too hot.

“Has he had any liquids?” Sam asked his mother. Susan nodded with unshed tears in her eyes. Lately, Susan hadn’t said much.  She was locked so deep inside her depression that none of the others could do anything to snap her out of it. 

“I wonder if mental illness runs in their family.” Sam mused to herself.  Susan and Jaime both seemed tragically touched by the situation they were in; much more so than the rest of the small group. Of course, everyone understood why. Their lives had been ripped away from them. And, they were constantly being poked and prodded.

“Is there anything that I can get you?” Sam asked Susan. She placed a hand on her shoulder and quickly withdrew it when she felt how cold she was. Sam snatched the red blanket hanging over a white leather couch in the common room and covered Susan with it. “Poor girl…” Sam thought to herself. It seemed she had almost given up on life. The only thing holding her here was her son.  Jaime needed someone to look after him. The sad thing was, Susan was barely capable of taking care of herself.  Whatever they were giving her, it wasn’t doing her body any favors. Half of her body stopped working at times. Like in the middle of her walking or talking. She would just pause as though she forgot something and fall to the floor. And the sad thing was that Susan wasn’t the only one. Jaime’s Asperger’s was getting too far out of control.

Sometimes Jaime would wreck Susan’s living quarters or break things throughout the living areas. It wasn’t like they could get any of that back either. They were stuck down here with whatever they had on their backs and the few items that they were issued when they arrived.  They weren’t prepared for the schools take over by the military.  But, Sam didn’t feel like thinking about that now. 

She would wait for Ian to get back. They had become rather close since their kidnapping. This relationship was probably the only thing keeping the two of them going.  Aside from a few conversations with the rest of the group.  It was still quite awkward between Jeremy and Ian.  Susan could barely talk and Jerry was off to himself.  He had regressed back into an introvert.  Socially, there wasn’t much going on and it was killing them. Sure, they had food, water, and shelter.  There was so much more that a human needed to survive.

Sam sat in an armchair closest to the elevators. This is where the doctors would bring Ian back.  Sure, they had thought about escaping hundreds of times.  But, they would need access cards and passwords.  Something they weren’t able to acquire. And, even if they could, they only knew what was on this floor. God only knew what was upstairs.  Even if they had a sense of direction for the facility, they would have no idea what to do once they left it. They couldn’t even survive if they got out. Especially, in their current state of being. Their health was at stake. The group had no idea how to take care of themselves now.  They didn’t know what it was like outside the walls. The undead were sure to run rampant from coast to coast by now. One could only imagine the horrors lurking about the streets.

Ian opened his eyes. There was someone with him, the attendant. She was always there when it was time to go back to the living quarters. She had come for Ian as she did countless times before.

“Are you ready to go?” She asked. Her fluffy voice was very crisp in the clinically sterile room. She adjusted her name tag on the left of her shoulder. It read,” Charlotte….”  

It seemed like a nice enough name. Charlotte was always nice to him, but he didn’t trust her.  What reason did she have to show him kindness? He was a prisoner after all.  For that matter, why did they have this woman, who was barely over 130 pounds, escort him back? He could obviously overpower her in any situation.  Something didn’t quite add up here. Frankly, Ian was getting sick of it all. 

“Yes, I am ready Charlotte.”  Ian snapped. She may be sweet and generous to him but, he didn’t let that get in the way of the view he had of this place.  She still worked here regardless of her personality.  He didn’t care what she said.  Charlotte was here on her own terms from the looks of things.

She helped steady him as he pulled himself up on the railing of the bed. Ian put his feet on the floor while thanking God that the wheel locks on the bed were working. Falling was not an option he wanted to deal with.

“Easy,” Charlotte told him. She clutched his arm firmly.

“You know, you should probably drink a glass of water before we leave. It’s a bit of a walk for someone who has gone through what you have.” Charlotte placed his loose arm on the railing and gave him a look that said “Don’t let go.” She scrambled to the cabinet with the pitcher of water and poured him a glass. Ian watched as the glass fogged up from the temperature change.

Ian held himself tightly to the rail.  His legs were unsteady at best.  “Dammit” he sighed to himself as he sat back down, he needed Charlottes help.  He eyed the glass of water suddenly realizing that he was indeed thirsty.  She handed him the glass and he guzzled it down. Charlotte kindly grabbed the pitcher and poured him another round. 

Charlotte watched him chug a second glass. Small rivulets of water ran from the corners of his mouth and onto his shirt. She sighed, the medical ward didn’t seem to do a very good job of taking care of this patient. She could tell that he was severely dehydrated by his sunken in eyes and extreme thirst. So much so, that he drank the entire pitcher’s contents in a matter of a couple of minutes.  It didn’t take a full on doctor to tell that he wouldn’t last long in this condition.  For that matter, it seemed that many of the patients she guided back to the others were this way too.  Charlotte didn’t understand why they were treating these people this way.  It enraged her.  They had no right!  They were after all, human.  On an equal balance with anyone working at this facility.  They didn’t deserve to be made into slaves. Charlotte wasn’t entirely sure why she suddenly felt this way, after working here for so long. She knew their views and what this place stood for. Or, at least she thought she did.

Ian picked himself back up off of the bed. This time his footing was better than the first time he stood up.  The water had drastically helped with his dizziness.  He was less vulnerable now, more comfortable.  At least now he could hold his own.  Charlotte walked next to him and extended her arm towards him.

“I can manage thank you,” Ian growled. He pushed away from her and headed to the door. His body was his own again and responded perfectly. But, he wasn’t sure how much longer it would hold up.  His stomach rolled as it protested the overabundance of water.  It took all that he had in him to not turn around and vomit into the trash can next to him.

 “I’m ready to go now.” He said turning the knob and pulling on the door. Ian pulled away, it was locked. It never was before.

“What in the hell? Why are they strengthening the security?” Ian asked himself.  He glanced at Charlotte, who pulled a walkie-talkie out of her pocket.  She pressed the talk button and ordered,”Open the door!” She frowned in his direction.  Ian heard a soft click and reached for the door once more.  He opened it and saw that outside in the hall was empty except for a few guards, each of them standing in front of an occupied room.

“They must be guarding other prisoners,” Ian thought. He gave them one last look and headed down the hall to where the exit would be.  Ian could hear Charlotte’s footsteps falling in behind her.  She was close but, not enough to grab him if he ran. He liked it much better that way.  The more distance between them, the better he felt inside. 

Ian passed several doors on his way to the elevator.  They were all closed except for one door at the end of the hall.  Inside you could see the patient sitting on the medical bed.  His skin was extremely red.  The patient was clawing at himself with furious fingers. As Ian passed the door, he watched the man get up and slam his head into one of the metal cabinets hanging on the wall closest to him.

“What on earth is wrong with that man?” Ian pondered. Obviously, he was going insane. But, from what Ian had no idea.  He pressed both of his hands together out of a nervous habit and then tore them apart and stuffed them back in his pockets.  It was a nervous habit he had picked up from the other survivors and he was doing his best to break himself of it.  He didn’t want Charlotte knowing that he had any sort of weakness or tell.

They approached the elevators and Charlotte passed Ian to direct the elevator to the floor they needed.  She pressed the level six button and took a step back.  Ian watched as the button lit up once as the elevator reached their current floor. Taking a quick glance at Ian, she stepped into the elevator and beckoned him to follow her.  Once inside Ian grabbed onto the railings to steady himself. He had exerted a lot of energy just walking from his room to the elevator.

As soon as the metal doors closed in front of them, Charlotte turned to Ian, “Listen, I need to talk to you. And this is the only place that I can do it.” She said holding her hands up.

“What are you going on about?” Ian asked grumpily. He wasn’t willing to play along. He was too damn tired of these people and their games.

“I know what testing they are doing on you. And I think you should know that they have a positive agenda.” She grabbed Ian’s arm to help steady him. He was rocking back and fourth on his heels.

“I don’t need your help!” He yelled at her as he pulled away.

“What are you saying?” Ian asked her rudely. He watched as her face became more serious as she narrowed her eyes and pressed on.

“They are trying to find out how the undead come back…” She paused. She didn’t seem to enjoy telling him this next part. Her face scrunched up and she pressed her hand to her forehead.

“They are planning on giving you the virus soon. After all of the testing that you have gone through, they think they may have found the cure.” Charlotte ran her fingers through her hair, knowing that he wouldn’t take this bit of information well.

“They are going to infect us?” Ian screeched as his tired eyes became alight with fury. His skin flushed as his anger began to rise.

“Lower your voice!” She hissed. Charlotte peered up into the elevator camera. She didn’t want them hearing their conversation. The elevators had video, they didn’t have audio. So, as long as they kept this conversation looking normal, then they would be in the clear. Otherwise, they might as well never stop the elevator. The men outside the doors would shoot them on sight. There would be no escape.

‘They have eyes on us right now!’ She told him, trying to keep her expressions calm. This proved to be a difficult task because of Ian’s unwillingness to cooperate.

Ian shifted his weight to the other foot and pondered on what she had just told him. 

“Charlotte could be lying. She could be setting him into a trap. But, what more did he have to give? What motive did they have? He knew nothing about anything!” But, Ian eventually decided to give her a chance to speak. Their level was coming up.

“OK, go ahead and talk.”

“They are going to infect you with the virus because they think you and Sam have the cure inside of you. If they can narrow down the antibodies they gave you, then, we might have a fighting chance. Just hang in there a little bit longer. We can save you.” Charlotte was hopeful that telling Ian this would change his mind about the people holding him captive. She knew that he would always resent them. But, he could learn to appreciate what they were trying to accomplish.

Ian decided he wouldn’t say anything else to her. He needed to think things through. If what she said was true, then they really were doing something for the greater good. But, if she was lying he would only know after they tested him again. And by that time it may be too late. The sound of the elevator chime rang and the double doors to the elevator opened. He could see the common room of the living quarters.  Sam was there waiting for him. He briefly met her blue eyes before he turned back to face Charlotte.

He couldn’t quite pin down what made him dislike her so much. But, he saw this as an opportunity to get some sort of information. Maybe she was telling the truth after all. He would just have to tread carefully and choose his actions wisely.

“We’ll talk later,” he asserted to Charlotte. She slightly nodded back to him as he stumbled out of the elevator and into Sam’s arms. She was already up and waiting for him at the doors. They both stumbled back with the weight of his body. He could barely hold himself up now. Unbelievably, his body was already dehydrated again. Ian pulled himself back from Sam’s grasp and looked back at Charlotte as the doors closed in on her. He found her eyes and locked on, praying that she wasn’t lying.

“What happened?” Sam asked Ian while she helped him to the nearest couch.

“Did they say what to expect with this one?” She queried. Sam was already grabbing a pitcher of water from the kitchen about ten feet away. This routine was repeated all too often. Every single one of them knew how it was to come back from that hell hole of an experimentation room. Staying hydrated kept the headaches at bay.  But, nothing could keep the nightmares away. It was horrifying to feel so hopeless in a situation, no matter how hard you tried. But, if what the Liaison said was true and they really want to help; then Ian had to go through with it. He knew that the best thing would be to talk it over with Sam. She would give him a clear head about what to do. 

“I gotta talk to you about something.” Ian held his head up for a moment longer and then let it drop on the arm of the couch.

Handing Ian the water, Sam plopped down on the couch next to him.

“Go on.” She told him as she nestled in next to him. Sam moved his arm and placed it on her shoulder and waited with patient eyes for him to speak.

“Charlotte told me that they are planning on giving the two of us the virus. They think we have the cure. They must have figured a way to isolate it.” Ian took a gulp of the cool water and relished the quenching power it had.

Sam took in a breath and held it for a moment longer than usual.

“Why is this woman taking their side right now?  Why was she trying to make it seem like the people who held them were saints”

“Do you believe her?” She whispered as she turned her body to face Ian’s.  Sam looked at him, noticing all of the signs of the last round of experiments.  His skin was sallow, his eyes sunk in, even his breathing was off.  This last round really did him in. He would be sick for days.

Ian contemplated his next answer for a moment.

“I suppose… maybe it was because she seemed so sincere about it. I don’t know, you just had to be there.” Ian sat up a bit, so that he could hold her a little tighter. Besides, he didn’t feel like lying down any longer. He squeezed her feeling her warmth and smelling her intoxicating scent.

“I am not saying I believe her. I’m just telling you what she told me.” Doubt was clear on his handsome face as he shrugged.

“Whatever happens, we need to be on guard. This could mean very bad things for us. There aren’t many of us left down here. I don’t even know if they are out looking for other survivors.  I wish there were some way to confirm her story without getting her into trouble. She’s our only ally.”

 CHAPTER TWO: EPIPHANY

Jeremy headed to the common room. He wanted some coffee to perk him up this morning.  He already felt himself becoming agitated, he was going to be pissed if they were out. The military rationed out the coffee from week to week. It was getting harder and harder to get the foods each of them wanted. Eventually, they would have to send someone out to get more food. Because the way things were looking, they wouldn’t last long.

Jeremy rounded the corner and searched the common room before entering the hallway.  Sam and Ian were sitting on a couch talking to each other.  Ian looked pretty worse for wear.  These days it seemed that they were taking more from those two, than anyone else in the group.  Jeremy quietly went in search of his caffeine fix.  If it was there, he would grab a cup and head back to his room.  He wouldn’t stay and cause an awkward situation.

Ian noticed as Jeremy came into the common room. He watched as Jeremy covertly glanced around the room and made a quick dash towards the coffee pot.   He grabbed a cup and poured himself a cup of coffee.  Of course they still weren’t really speaking to each other. But, Ian thought he had the right to know what has been going on with the experiments on the group.  Ian saw a piece of paper and a pen lying next to him on a coffee table. He picked them up and began writing down what he had learned. When he was finished, he shakily stood up and walked over to Jeremy.  Acting as if he were getting himself a cup of coffee he slipped the note next to Jeremy’s cup. Ian didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he scooped up his coffee and walked back to Sam.   She stood up and took his hand and they headed back to their room.

Jeremy frowned when he noticed Ian place a folded up piece of paper next to his coffee.  Ian didn’t say a word to him.  He didn’t even look at him.  Ian just walked away from him like he didn’t exist and Jeremy followed him with his eyes as he left the room. What the hell?

Instead of opening the note in the common room, Jeremy decided he would take it to his room where he had more privacy.  He walked into his room and went straight to his bathroom.  There weren’t cameras in this room, or at least he hoped.  Closing himself in, he sat down on the toilet and opened the note.

“I have just gotten word that we are going to be administered the virus soon. They say they think we have the cure. Sam and I are not sure if we want to take our chances with believing our source. We need to talk.”

Jeremy crumbled up the note and threw it in the toilet and flushed. “Where could Ian have gotten this information?” Jeremy thought.  “Why would anyone help their group?”

They had been here a year already and no one has shown a sign of remorse.  Jeremy splashed some water on his face and brushed his teeth.  Tonight he would find Ian and talk.  He already knew what he wanted to do.  It was just going to take some convincing with the rest of the group.  He needed to come up with a plan.  This time though, Ian wasn’t going to take over at the crucial moment.

CHAPTER THREE: DISCUSSION

Ian opened the door to his room and stepped inside. He grabbed a shirt and pair of pants to change into.  The hospital gown they had given him made him feel like an invalid and it was quite drafty in the back. As he changed into his clothes, he saw his door open.  It was Sam and she was carrying a bowl of food in her hands. The smell of strong spices and dog food wafted through the room and he sighed.  They were down to canned food now.

“That for me?” He asked pointing to the bowl in Sam’s hands while sliding onto his bed.  The thin sponge mattress gently absorbed his weight making him acutely aware of the differences between it and the hospital bed he had been contained to.  He never thought he would miss this bed.

“Yep, you looked like you needed it.” She said with a smile. She handed him the bowl and sat down next to him.

“What are we going to do? We can’t leave here. We would be complete idiots if we tried. And even if we made it, we would surely die out there with them.” She said. Her face was smeared with worry.

“I’m not sure what we will do. I think you’re right, though. We really have no choice but to trust Charlotte. We are going to have to look at this as an opportunity to save lives”’ He told her.  He looked into Sam’s (color) eyes and remembered how much he missed her.  She was his rock. Nothing could faze him while she was around. They had gotten so close since they were taken prisoner. Luckily, they were allowed to socialize. Without her, he would have given up hope a long time ago. She gave him something to live for. Even with all of the rigorous testing and sleepless nights… As long as he had her, Ian could withstand anything.

A small tap on the door broke his gaze with Sam. She got up and walked over to the door,” who is it?”

“Jeremy!” The voice growled. 

Sam looked to Ian. They had an unspoken understanding of how things needed to go with this conversation.  They knew their stance on things.  But, of course, Jeremy could be bull headed.  Sam opened the door and let Jeremy in.

“Come to the bathroom with me.” Jeremy told Ian.

Ian gave Jeremy a surprised look while wondering why he wanted to be accompanied to the bathroom.  Ian rolled his eyes at Sam and she shrugged.  He followed obediently, he wasn’t looking for trouble today.  After all, he needed Jeremy to go along with their plan. Once inside, Jeremy sat on the edge of the tub. Ian decided he would sit on the toilet. The further away he could be, the better he felt in the cramped room.

“There’s no cameras or audio in the bathrooms. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not. So, it’s the safest place to talk.”  Jeremy huffed with distaste.

‘So, what happened today?’ Jeremy questioned.  It surprised Ian, because Jeremy always chose to argue over the past instead of talk about the future.  Today, he seemed to be trying to keep the peace.

Ian took a deep breath while debating on what to say.  Jeremy was no friend of his and the only reason he was willing to discuss this with him was because as the leader, it was his place to make sure everyone was taken care of and aware of what was going on.

“Charlotte told me they are checking for immunities to the virus. She said they think that we may have the cure. They want to be sure. So, they are going to give us the virus soon.”

“And you believe her because?” Jeremy asked with an icy glare.  Ian understood the distrust that Jeremy had towards the employees here.  They were neglectful and secretive.  This was the first communication they had received.  “She acted as though she really wanted to help us and wants us to stick it out.  She said it’ll be over soon.” Ian said as he watched a look of surly disbelief cross Jeremy’s face.  Nothing he said would sound good to Jeremy. It was as if anything Ian stood for… Jeremy would be against it. He felt like they were children at times. Arguing over the best toy or who would get to be the leader in the game they were playing.

“They’ve never wanted to help us before! Why are they doing this now?” Jeremy yelled as Ian watched his face turn dark crimson.

“I know.”  Ian sighed, “I told her that. She understood why we wouldn’t believe her. But, what choice do we have Jeremy? It’s not like we have weapons to defend ourselves, and what if they are right? What if we have the cure? We could save very important lives. We are going to have to start humanity over. We need this cure! Ian loudly finished.  He did his best not to cause more problems with his attitude, but it was the only way to get through him. He was so damned stubborn. If you weren’t on his level, he wouldn’t respect you.

“I can’t believe you would just sit idly by while they just turn us into one of those mindless corpses!” Jeremy huffed sounding extremely frustrated.

“I’m not going to do that!  I will not succumb to this injustice.  I am finding a way out of here!  If you don’t want to come you can just stay here and die with the rest of them!” He stated as he stood up and tried to pace the room. There was so little space that he took two steps and then stopped.

Ian raised a hand to quieten Jeremy.

“No one ever said that you were getting the virus.  It’s me and Sam they want. So just cool your jets a bit, eh?” Ian demanded.  He felt himself relax a bit as Jeremy considered his words.

“I don’t really give a shit who they are after. We would be next! If you’re not with me, you’re against me!” Jeremy snarled.  He glared angrily at Ian and reached for the bathroom door.  He opened it and slammed it shut behind himself.  The door hit so hard that it bounced back open and Ian watched as he stormed out of the room.

“What the hell happened?” Sam asked when he walked into the room.  She went over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“He can’t be yelling like that….They can hear us.” Sam whispered to Ian.

“I doubt they were listening. They would have been in here already.” Ian whispered back. He pulled her in tighter against his chest, enjoying the feel of her body against his. 

“He’s going to give us trouble.” Ian sighed.  He put his hand under Sam’s chin and lifted her face towards his.

“We’ll keep an eye on him, ok?” She nodded and he pressed his lips to hers. Their tongues twined together and his body stirred.  He pulled back with a grin.

“You feel like a shower?”

 Sam smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

“Sure, grab the towels.” She told him. Ian smiled at her and ambled into the bathroom.