H10N1 by M. R. Cornelius, Marsha Cornelius Read Free Book Online Page A

everyone’s face. They never understood that the people who knew the most, said the least. They always zeroed in on some idiot man-on-the-street. My father had a saying. ‘I don’t know, but let me tell you anyway’.”
    Rick’s jaw flexed, his mouth in its permanent scowl, but he remained silent as he zigzagged the van through the tangle of cars. Taeya noticed several gaps in the long lines. Had people given up waiting for gas, or had the vehicles been stolen?
    “Here you go, Doc. Just your style.” He stopped beside a gold Lexus.
    “Very funny.”
     
     

CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    Actually, there was nothing funny about her situation. Taeya’s confidence took a nose-dive. She was on her own now. Regardless of why Rick continued his charade of reporting for work, he intended to put her out here. Did any of these cars still have keys? Or gas?
    Unbuckling his seat belt, Rick weaved around their supplies to the back of the van. He popped open a wall cabinet full of weapons — everything from what looked like a rocket launcher to M-16s, handguns, and knives. He jerked an M-16 off its brackets and slipped a Ka-Bar into his belt. Now why did he need the knife?
    The instant he slid open the side door, he swept his M-16 left and right, searching for potential trouble. Taeya stood, but the moment she stepped out from between the seats, he stuck a hand up to stop her.
    “Hang on there, Mary Poppins. First rule of the road. You never leave your vehicle without a gun.”
    She cocked her mouth to the side in a sneer before working her way back to the gun cabinet. She chose a Beretta—lightweight, not much recoil, and continuous firepower if necessary.
    Rick had already jumped down out of the van when she stopped him. “Hang on there, Rambo.”
    She dug a surgical mask and latex gloves from her medical bag. “First rule in a pandemic. Never leave your vehicle—”
    He snatched the mask out of her hand before she could finish.
    While Taeya made her way along the street, peering into windows for keys, Rick kept a lookout. They’d walked two blocks when she began to lose hope. Most of the cars not only were missing their keys, but they were locked up tight. If she broke out a window, did Rick’s talents include hot-wiring a car? Evidently not, or they wouldn’t still be searching.
    The unmistakable odor of carrion grew stronger, and when she glanced down a side street, she spotted an SUV with the driver’s door open. On the pavement — a body.
    She skirted wide to the left and came up on the passenger door. Keys dangled from the ignition.
    The body didn’t bother her as much as it seemed to bother Rick. He stood three cars back, his mouth probably puckered in a grimace behind the mask.
    The driver was male, and from the amount of decay, she’d guess he’d been dead four to six weeks. That was good. Any virus feeding on the dead host had long since perished as well. The man’s left leg was tangled in the strap of his seat belt. He’d climbed out of his car, perhaps too ill to drive, but had gotten twisted up and hadn’t had the strength to free himself.
    Were other car thieves too fearful to move the body?
    She trotted back to Rick. “Let me have that knife.”
    His eyebrows furrowed, but he slid the Ka-Bar out of its sheath and handed it to her. She cut the seat belt strap to free the man’s leg, and his body slumped the rest of the way to the pavement with a soft squishing sound.
    Stepping across the body, she perched a knee on the driver’s seat and turned the ignition key to auxiliary power. The gasoline needle barely rose to a quarter of a tank. At least it wasn’t empty. Hopefully, some of the other cars had enough fuel that she could siphon off another quarter tank or more.
    She pumped the gas a couple times, then cranked the SUV. Leaning out of the opened door, Taeya gave Rick a thumbs up. Then she asked, “I don’t suppose you have a garden hose in the van.”
    He gave a quick snort and stomped back to the