Virus

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

170 Days

25th January 2022

I knew I had been asleep for a while yet, it only felt like minutes. Wearily I looked around my new surroundings, everything was too white and constant beeping noises wasn’t helping my throbbing head; I jolted awake at the realisation that I was at a hospital, the hospital back home in Alaska.

“I was beginning to think you weren’t going to wake up.” A voice sounded from the doorway. A small nurse in her mid twenties began fiddling with my IV, I watched her cautiously as she adjusted all the wires and tubes going in and out of my body and mentally prepared myself from the abuse I was going to receive from the doctors and nurses. The news had made us out to be selfish fugitives out to infect as many people as possible as some sort of lunatic murder spree, turning us into the new favourite people to hate.

“How long was I out?” I croaked, my throat felt like sandpaper.

“A few days. Did the sedative help?” She asked kindly while pouring me a glass of water. I smiled and reached out eagerly but the cold bite of metal digging into my skin caused my arm to jerk backwards; confused I looked down to see my hand cuffed to the side of the bed.

“Son of…” I muttered and took the glass with my other hand; relishing at the feeling of the cool water soothing the scratching in my throat.

“The guy from the FBI said you could come home because you co-operated.” She said helping me sit up and making sure I was comfortable. “But obviously they had to make sure you don’t try and run off again, it’s a bit much though I think, the hospital gave the security a massive upgrade after you and your friends escaped.” She said light-heartedly and not in the harsh scolding I was expecting.  “I’m Lucy by the way, let me know if I can make you more comfortable.” I frowned, why was she being nice? “I can arrange for more sedatives in the evening for your insomnia.” She said and sat herself down in the chair facing me. "I can't live without my sleep so I can't imagine how horrible it must be for you." She chatted away while I continued to frown and figure out why she was being kind. The confusion must have been obvious on my face because she laughed a sweet child’s laugh and was about to explain but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

I looked past nurse Lucy and saw little Agent Adam standing by the door but instead of being afraid and shy he stood with a stern expression on his face.

“Good morning Miss Taylor.” He said formally keeping his tone serious and professional, I frowned at him for a second then decided to play along.

“Agent Ross.” I replied, mimicking his tone.

“Part of the condition for you coming home was that you could answer questions whenever we needed. Are you okay with that or do I need to move you to a federal hospital?” He asked, I narrowed my eyes at him for a few seconds then agreed to his condition and Adam dismissed Lucy, leaving us alone in the room. The second the door was closed, his serious demeanour evaporated.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t little Agent Adam, looks like I’m not the only ‘teenager’ who can fool the FBI.”

“Lovely to see you too Natalie.” I ignored his sarcasm and continued to taunt him.

“You guys must be pretty bad at your jobs if one of your own managed to pull this off.” I said smirking; he smirked back, and put his feet up on the bed, acting like a regular teenage boy. “Tell me Adam, you know every word I told you back in the interrogation room was a lie, so why are you back for more?”