Containment (Deanlena AU)

Five.

               

There was nothing pleasant about living within the Cordon. Everything tasted stale, but no one dared check how long the food had been expired. The rules were strict—even if hardly anyone followed them. The air was different than the rest of the city, mostly filled with the iron scent of blood. On a good day that would be the only smell, but on a burning day no one could escape the putrid smell of burnt flesh.

Most people were used to the smell by now, considering it had been over a year since the quarantine was initiated. One year, two months, and fourteen days to be exact, and everyone was very aware of that running clock.

In the government's defense, the virus had evolved. It stayed dormant longer, giving people more time to infect others. It had a slower progression, drawing out the painful process that came before the grace of death. The doctors had timed it, saying there could now be forty-eight hours before a patient showed symptoms, and after the first sign of blood they had no longer than one hundred and twenty hours before they succumbed to the virus. So the government extended the quarantine until a cure could be made—or until the virus killed everyone inside the Cordon.

Dean thought that was the most likely outcome.

"She broke out of the hospital," Jake was saying, standing in front of the new recruits. He had done a good job governing the Cordon, against everyone's initial beliefs. It hadn't been easy, for anyone, but he had organized the Cordon and gotten rid of most of the gangs. He'd set up an extra quarantine zone in the hospital, preventing those who weren't already infected from getting sick. He even convinced several people in the Cordon to become semi-police, which was why Dean was sitting here in the pediatrics wing of the hospital with the rest of the cops. "She was possibly infected forty-six hours ago, which means she could be infecting people without knowing it and—yes, Dean?"

"I was just wondering how she got infected," Dean asks, slowly putting his hand down. Working his jaw, Jake avoids meeting Dean's gaze.

"She was helping a patient," he finally says, clearly leaving something out. Dean narrows his eyes at his friend.

"If she's a nurse, they have precautions for that. Why was she—"

"Moving on, Winchester," Jake announces, casting him a pointed glance before continuing on. "As I was saying, she was possibly infected and is now outside the hospital walls. We need to find her and bring her back for analysis. George, Kyle, you take the upper side. Hale, Brian..."

Jake continues to give out assignments, people slowly filing out of the room to cover their ground. Soon Dean and Jake are the only two still in the room, so Dean stands up to follow the last group out.

"Dean, wait," Jake calls, stopping Dean in his tracks. "I think you should sit this one out."

"Yeah right," Dean says, rolling his eyes. Jake frowns. "Wait, you're serious?"

"You've had a couple of close calls this past week and I think it's best for you to let this one go. We've got this," Jake tells him, smiling tightly. Dean and Jake hadn't been friends long, hardly six months, but Dean knew enough about him to know when he was hiding something.

"Lex isn't out there to watch your back—"

"I know," Jake says, nodding solemnly. "But I want you to sit this one out. That's an order." Sensing the end of the argument, Dean changes tactics.

"Fine," Dean smirks. "But don't go and get infected. I'm not there to save your ass this time." Jake chuckles, clearly relieved.

"I'll try," he teases, nodding before following everyone out of the room. Dean waits a couple of minutes before grabbing his gear and ducking out the back. He knew he should listen to Jake, take the time to reconcile with her. They had hardly spoken in the past couple of days, the cause being a heated argument over safety precautions. Deep down he knew she was strong enough to handle her own, but he still worried.