control.” Sam spoke in even tones. “Maybe you should pack a few things, just in case.”
McCormick eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then relented. She disappeared into another room for a few minutes and returned with an overnight bag. Sam took it from her as he led the doctor toward the door.
But she stopped short of their goal. “Am I under arrest?”
“No, ma’am,” Sam said, trying to placate her. “More like protective custody until we’re sure the situation with Sellars is under control. He might target you because of your past association.”
“So you’re going up against him and his creations?” She looked around the room, pinning each man with her glance. “Are any of you immune?”
Xavier was surprised by the question, but then he realized she knew exactly what this experiment was all about. She’d been in on the initial experiment. She knew firsthand what the contagion could do. He wasn’t certain which side she was on, though her aversion to getting involved with Sellars and willingness to give them his address had to count in her favor.
“I am.” Xavier stepped forward and her gaze met his. He could see concern in her eyes as she looked back at the others.
“I have something you might need, then.” She lowered the laptop she’d been clutching to her chest and handed it to Sam.
Xavier jerked his chin at Kauffman and Reno to keep an eye on the doctor, who was well on her way toward another room in the small house. They followed behind like well-trained puppies while Sam stowed her computer in the bag she’d taken it from and slung the strap over his shoulder.
“What do you think?” Xavier asked his friend and XO.
“I think she’s beautiful.” Sam surprised him with the all-too-serious comment. “I’m also pretty sure she’s innocent since she didn’t want anything to do with Sellars.”
“That’s my read, too.”
She bustled back into the room, holding a small, flat black case that zippered all the way around. It was about an inch thick and roughly five-by-seven inches. She opened it as she moved, and Xavier went instantly on guard when he saw the vials inside.
“What is it?” he asked, suspicion in every bone of his body. For all he knew, this harmless-looking pixie could go all mad scientist on their asses without a moment’s hesitation.
“Not an antidote, unfortunately, but the next best thing. If I’m right, it will provoke the immune response in some people after exposure to the contagion. I’ve been working on it on my own time. I know that puts me in violation of the agreement I made with the navy when they dumped me, but it had to be done. I was afraid some of the other members of the team wouldn’t let the work rest, and I feared something like this would happen. I made this”—she held up the small holder full of vials—“to help when the time came. It appears that time is now.”
“So if one of us gets bit and we take that stuff, we’ll end up like the captain?” Reno asked. “We’ll be immune?”
“It should redirect the contagion to act as it was supposed to, but only for some people. It’s not perfect yet. I haven’t had the time—or the desire—to really test it. Think of this as a last resort. Do everything you can not to get bitten. But if you do get bitten, this is something you can try before dying. I wish it was more.”
“It’s more than we could have expected, Doctor.” Sam stepped in and took the case from her with gentle hands. “Thank you.”
“Okay, I’m ready.” She headed toward the front door without further urging.
Kauffman drove them all back to the police station with Reno and Sam sitting in back, flanking the doctor. Sam had given her the laptop case and she clutched it on her lap.
Reno had engaged her in a somewhat scientific discussion of how the immune boosting compound she’d developed worked. It wasn’t Xavier’s field, but he found her talk interesting, to say the least.
“So why would it work for some people and not others?” Reno asked.
Xavier wanted to know, too.
“It has to do with certain antigens. If they are present, the serum seems to work. If not, it has no effect. I haven’t nailed down all the factors yet, but I believe the serum will work if the right combination of antigens is present in the person already.”
Reno thought out loud. “Tricky. There’s no real way to know if the person you