produced a slight rubbing sound because of her latex gloves.
“A drop of that in the ventilation system might help everyone breathe better,” I said.
Fiona nodded. “The most direct method for dealing with the sniffles is a small dose of this in very hot water and then inhale the steam.”
I’d seen Jax and the others do that, and it seemed to bring them some relief, although only temporarily. Despite progress in medicine and science every day, some of the most basic infections had no cure. The common cold was still a huge pain in the neck, but at least here on the Endeavor, and thanks to Fiona, the crew could suck up some highly concentrated celioptolix and at least be able to breathe more easily while they waited out the virus.
Fiona set aside her equipment and took off her mask and gloves. I seriously doubted they were dealing with a common cold on Starway 8. Not if there was a possible quarantine in sight. Whatever had hit the orphanage must have been far more dangerous and highly infectious.
I wondered what could have brought on a virus like that. Mareeka kept her ventilation system cleaner than anyone else in the galaxy, Surral was a top-notch doctor, and a good portion of the kids had already been inoculated against the really bad stuff.
Unfortunately, viruses mutated, and vaccines had to be updated annually. The crew and I hadn’t always found the most recent inoculations—or had enough for everyone.
“What’ve you got there?” Fiona asked, eyeing the blood bag in my hands.
I held it out. “I found this in a hidden refrigerated unit in the lab. It was labeled Point Zero, so I think it could be the base ingredient in the super soldier serum.” I did my best to ignore the guilt dragging my heart toward my feet. I hated lying to Fiona, especially now that she knew more of the truth about me than ever before.
Her eyes seemed to brighten as she took the bag and studied it. “Blood. I knew it. Usually serums are a saline and chemical cocktail, but there was so much organic in that one that I knew it had to be different.”
“Looks like you were right,” I said, starting to feel sick to my stomach. The psychosomatic symptoms of lying to your only friends really sucked.
She glanced up from the bag. “I thought you’d searched the lab and found nothing but the serum?”
I shrugged. “Big Guy must have distracted me. And everything was such a panic and a rush with the Dark Watch chasing us that I obviously didn’t look carefully enough.” All that was true, at least. “This time, I found that.”
“Do you want me to study it?” she asked hopefully, microscopes practically dancing in her eyes.
I nodded, almost wishing that Fiona wasn’t so easily taking my word for everything. I was already a liar. Her faith in me made me feel like a real jerk, too.
But there was a reason for all this. A good one, I thought.
“The kids on Starway 8 are getting sick. Some kind of really bad virus. Didn’t you say the super soldier serum could boost healing?”
“Yeeesss.” She dragged the word out, looking at me strangely. “But it could also turn them into huge battering rams that no one can control. Don’t really know,” she said, frowning.
“I’m not talking about giving the kids those false vaccines,” I hastened to assure her. “I’m wondering if this organic component—point zero—could be useful to boost healing, though.” I’d never been sick, ever, not once. There had to be a reason for that. “What if you mixed it with some of your medicinal plants? Maybe it wouldn’t even have to be a shot. Just ingested or something.”
Fiona looked skeptical. She turned the blood bag over in her hands. “I’ve already got a few purifying herbs distilled in fairly high quantities. Detox stuff. I could do some experimenting, but without an actual sick person to test anything on, I’m not really sure what it’ll be worth.”
I nodded. “I get it. I won’t get my hopes up. Just see what you think of that ingredient by itself and then think about what might help slow or stop a viral infection.” I shoved my hands into my pockets, trying to look casual and probably failing. I never put my hands in my pockets. What a time to start.
“Sound good?” I asked.
“I’ll get right on it,” Fiona said, starting to seem eager, despite her warning about the chances of success.