Page 56 of Fully Loaded

“We have lab rats, of course, but for something of this magnitude we need a human host. And because of the nature of this disease, we can’t test on volunteers.”

Ice prickled his skin. “Fuck you.”

She cocked her head. “I know this isn’t ideal, but think about all the lives you’ll be saving. Dr. Lichti plans to sell this virus to the highest bidder. There’s a lot of organizations who’d like to see the population reduced. If we have the cure, we’ll?—”

“Be incredibly rich,” he said with a hiss. “You won’t get away with this. I’ve been working with the FBI and Interpol. They know who Giles is, and it won’t be long before they tie you and your whole team”—he nodded at Genevieve—“to him. You’ll spend the rest of your life in prison.”

She shoved her hands in her pockets and shrugged. “That’s a risk I have to take. Genevieve is going to ask you some questions about your medical history before she injects you with the virus. It will be in your best interest to answer honestly and accurately.” She strode to where the young woman sat and passed the clipboard to her. “Call me if he gives you any trouble.”

Genevieve accepted the questionnaire and the older woman marched to the door, opened it, and slipped out. The sound of steel banging off the jamb echoed in the room. Genevieve rose from her seat. Keeping her gaze down at the clipboard and a pen poised in her hand, she approached. The ball of lead moved into his throat. He was going to die as a fucking lab rat.

Out of all the reckless, dangerous events in his life, this was going to be the end of him? Strapped down and injected with some kind of twisted concoctions by a group of power-tripping sadists?

Hell no.

He couldn’t leave Dani waiting and wondering. He stared at the corners of Genevieve’s drawn-down mouth. Her brow puckered between her eyes, and she held herself perfectly erect.

“How old are you, monsieur?”

“Please, you don’t have to do this.”

She didn’t look at him but scratched the pen on the paper.

“Date of birth?”

“I have a friend you can call. If you just tell him where I am, he’ll send?—”

“Do you have a heart condition?”

“Dammit!”

This time, her gaze snapped up and her lips made a small O.

“For god’s sake. Please, don’t do this.”

Her throat bobbed on a swallow. She went back to the desk, pulled on a pair of latex gloves, and turned around with a vial and sealed needle package in her grasp. “There’s a camera above the door,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She placed the items on a small metal table next to his bed. She picked up a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab.

Every muscle in his body turned rigid. The tendons in his hands squeezed, ready to catapult him off the table with the slightest give from the belts. He heaved against the restraints, lifting his knees in an effort to get at least one leg free. That’s all he’d need to knock her out. One solid kick to the head.

“I have—had—a friend. She worked here. Giles and Dr. Lafontaine did to her what they want me to do to you. She died last week.” Her dark green eyes flicked over his hands. She squirted the rubbing alcohol onto a cotton pad and swiped it over his wrist before wheeling an IV rack from the corner. She checked the bag of fluid then opened a separate package of plastic hose and connected it to the IV drip.

Confusion raced through his brain. Her words, terse and calculated, contradicted her actions. He rolled his lips together and jerked again when she brought the IV to his skin.

“Just saline,” she whispered. She dug the IV into his vein and taped the tube to the top of his hand. “I’m going to go over some side effects you’ll expect to experience from Chrisolicom XII.” Her voice came out strong, louder than necessary. “Mild side effects are dizziness, dry mouth, bloodshot eyes, nausea, and vomiting. The effects will come hard and suddenly, as the disease takes over your nervous system. More serious side effects are convulsions, seizures, blindness, loss of hearing, paralysis, and heart failure.”

He bared his teeth and curled his hands into fists. He’d kill them. All of them. “Thanks for the fucking warning.”

She glanced at the IV bag and her mouth tensed. “Mild side effects will occur within the first twelve hours. The serious ones will hit you after that. My team and I will work around the clock for an anecdote and hope you won’t have to see the serious side effects.”

“Oh, and I suppose Ms. Kevorkian will let me walk out of here after that?”

She leaned toward the IV in his arm as if checking it. “I have to make this look legitimate. They’ll kill me if they know I helped you.” She spoke so softly the sound barely reached his ears.

Hope erupted in his chest, but doubt dug in its heels. “Why are you working for her?”

She lowered her gaze and blinked several times, as if dashing away tears. “I don’t have a choice. I know too much now. Are you ready?”

He gave one sharp nod and she continued.