Passage Graves by Madyson Rush Read Free Book Online Page A

officials dressed in contamination suits.
    “It’s a full deployment.” Hummer’s chiseled frown sagged even lower. “NCEC has garrisoned the place.”
    Lee turned off the highway and stopped in the pasture-turned-parking lot.
    Thatcher took off her seatbelt. “Have they found any leads?”
    “No .” Hummer was stone-faced. “And they won’t.”
    She sat back. Her heart fluttered with panic. T ension was building in her shoulders. The whole bloody mess twisted her stomach into knots. Hummer was already certain their team was responsible. She hated to admit the scenario was even plausible. Their test site was nearby, but there were safeguards in place. Testing Sonja at levels that rivaled a disaster of this magnitude was strictly prohibited.
    “Suit up,” Hummer said, stepping out side.
    Thatcher zipped up her hazardous materials suit, pulled the bulky plastic helmet over her head , and exited the SUV.
    A man half the size of Hummer rushed to the group with a digital clipboard in hand. “Are you with NEMA or INTERPOL DVI?”
    Hummer shut the driver’s door.
    The man’s eyes darted back and forth behind the glass shield of his helmet.
    “Wait, gentlemen!” he shouted at Marek and Bailey as they opened the back of the Land Rover and started removing equipment from the cargo hold. “I need names and authorization before anything can be unloaded.”
    Marek and Bailey looked to Hummer. Hummer waved at them to continue.
    The man tittered. “I need the names of your team as well as their credentials, sir.”
    Thatcher and Lee kept at Hummer’s heels as he started toward the tents. Thatcher spoke quickly, trying to satisfy the NCEC officer who trailed behind them. “I’m Dr. Brynne Thatcher, NATO Intelligence, a forensic pathologist. This is Strategic Director Hummer.”
    The NCEC officer searched his digital clipboard.
    “ That’s Dr. Lee, Assistant Director of the Security Consul, and Dr. Marek and his tech team: Golke, Donovan, and…bloody hell...” She snapped her fingers, trying to remember.
    “Bailey.” Bailey scowled.
    The officer lowered his digital clipboard, confused. “You’re with what agency?”
    “NATO,” she answered.
    “NATO?”
    Hummer wasted no time. “Thanks for preparing the area. Discontinue all first responder activity and vacate the premises.”
    The man dropped his clipboard.
    “NATO has no authority over this incident site.” The NCEC officer grabbed Hummer by the elbow. “This is a CBRN emergency. Stenness is a Level 5, Class 6.2, 606.”
    Humm er raised an eyebrow. The NCEC categorized whatever killed these people as a biological infectious substance. They were either a million miles off target or they’d found contamination.
    Thatcher bit her lip. Let it be the latter .
    Hummer scanned the area with a look of satisfaction. “We’ll keep the tents, but Lee, I want our lab up and running with a one-way link to NCEC’s intel.” He turned to Thatcher. “I want you in the morgue. Lee will get you whatever you need. The others can help—”
    “E xcuse me!” the officer interrupted.
    “And for Chrissake!” Hummer thumbed at the man sputtering behind him. “Find someone other than this plonker to give us a tour of the place.”
     
    ****
     
    Thatcher walked through the morgue behind Hummer and the NCEC’s highest-ranking onsite pathologist. Six rows of gurneys lined both sides of the chilled and pressurized tent. “What is the death toll?” she asked.
    “Forty-seven.” The pathologist’s voice was muffled by the heavy PVC of his sealed hazmat helmet. “I’ve only had time to autopsy a few bodies. We sent tissue samples to the lab , but the onsite facility is limited. I’d wager they’ll find nothing substantial.”
    Thatcher bent over one of the cadavers. The body sho wed no signs of infection. A few burst blood vessels crested the man’s pale skin. She met Hummer’s eyes. He had to be thinking the same thing: subsonic trauma. Sound was a remarkable