Consequences (Warm Bodies fan fiction)

Chapter 20

What felt like hours later, Susan Martinez stirred, groaning slightly in pain as consciousness returned to her. Opening her eyes and covering her face quickly to keep the light away, she tried to figure out what happened and where she was. The last thing she remembered was seeing... oh no! That's right! Tommy! Martinez gasped and tried to sit up but a gentle hand pushed her back down.

"Hey, easy there. I'm glad you're awake, Susan, we were starting to get really worried!"

Martinez pulled her hand away and squinted to see around herself. She found herself lying on one of the cots. She cringed, feeling like she had a hangover. She was old and experienced enough to remember what those felt like unfortunately. "N-Nora?" Martinez winced, reaching up to rub her head and glare at the entirely too bright lights around her. Uh oh, that wasn't a good sign! It felt like she had been smacked with a hardcover book. At least she wasn't bleeding. "Am I-"

"You're fine. We had no idea what was wrong with you though. Me and Mary came in to work and you were lying motionless on the floor," the younger woman frowned in concern. "We had to run basic tests... unfortunately, as you know, we couldn't run a complete one. It would help if we had some bigger equipment, like a CAT-Scan, you know?"

Martinez felt slightly relieved that they couldn't scan her head. "Oh, I've... been so busy, I ...haven't had the chance to eat much. I must have passed out..." she said, trying to come up with an excuse. She did not want to worry the girl needlessly. She would go get help and once it was being seen to, then she would warn them. Nora didn't look convinced, but she didn't argue at least.

"Whoa, where are you going?" Nora stepped in front of the older woman before she could stand up.

"I was going to go get some Carbtein. I need to be somewhere, important things to do and all," Martinez sighed, trying to sound as unhurried and calm as she could.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Nora asked softly.

"I'm sure," Martinez smiled at the girl warmly. "Go on, go help someone who needs it, okay?" Nora nodded in understanding and left her in peace. Martinez quickly stood, shooting her hand to the back of the chair near her bed to steady herself. She hoped she didn't have a concussion, though it was probably very likely... which meant after this, she would have to go sit down and rest. Hopefully it wasn't too bad though. She grabbed her things and left in a rush. It was fortunate that she didn't need permission to go into the command center... being the chief surgeon and all. Slipping in she found her target in the General's office, looking over reports, a very serious expression on his normally kind face. "Colonel?"

"Susan, what can I do for you?" Rosso asked without looking up.

"We may have a problem. A serious one," Martinez told him.

"What is it?" Rosso looked up then, his bushy white brows furrowing.

"Tommy Brown woke up sometime this morning. I wouldn't have thought it a problem if he hadn't attacked me soon after," she frowned. "I've seen the look in his eyes before he knocked me out cold. It was the eyes of someone after revenge. I think he may be planning something..."

"Yes... I suspected as much," Rosso sighed. "Those damn Brown brothers," he scoffed, getting up from the desk and grabbing his coat.

"What's wrong? Why do you say that?" Martinez asked in surprise.

"His brother is gone too. His cell was broken in to and the guard was found out cold this morning as well," Rosso scratched the gray bristle on his cheek. "I thought it was an isolated incident. I was actually going to send someone to check on his brother, but I got side-tracked. I'm going to go put a search detail on and scout the perimeter of the city. Did you tell anyone?"