Blue Plague: Hope: Book Seven Read online

  “Patrick?” they heard behind them to see Sandy run up to Patrick.

  “Damn, she talked to someone other than Stephanie,” Angela said impressed.

  “Sandy knows him already,” Stephanie said moving over and standing beside Bruce. “That’s Dr. Patrick Miller. I’ve seen him around the CDC and sat in on a few meetings with him. He seems to know his area rather well.”

  Shaking his head, “That’s what I needed you and Sandy for. To make sense of some of the research he was following up on,” Bruce said.

  “I’ll try, but if he was working with Emerson, it will take me awhile,” Stephanie said. “I felt stupid working with that man.”

  Moving to Bruce’s other side, Angela weaved under his arm, “If Emerson is here, I don’t want to meet him,” she said. “Anyone that makes Stephanie feel stupid would make me feel like a blubbering idiot.”

  “I’m going to agree with you on that because that’s how I would feel,” Bruce chuckled.

  Stephanie looked over at them, “They shot Emerson a month ago. Something about not following protocol.”

  Hearing that, Bruce’s shoulders dropped, “Damn,” he mumbled.

  Looking over to ask Bruce why he’d said that, Stephanie turned back, hearing Carl and Ted cussing someone. Turning, she saw them drag a man out of the chopper and a wide grin split her face as she let Bruce go. Ted and Carl dropped the man on the ground as Stephanie strolled over.

  “Hello, Agent Hartman. Remember me?” she said grinning.

  Rolling over, Hartman started panting. “I never did anything to you!” he shouted.

  Seeing his busted face, Stephanie chuckled, “I see you’ve met my husband.”

  “Tell him I didn’t do anything to you, please!”

  “Well, what did you do to earn a busted face?” she grinned.

  “He thinks I hurt you!” Hartman yelled.

  Spinning around, “Bruce, is that true?” she asked.

  Nodding, “In a nutshell, yeah,” Bruce admitted.

  Pinching her lower lip thinking, Stephanie looked up, “I never told you what his name was,” she said.

  “Oh, I know. But Sandy did,” Bruce said with an evil grin.

  “All you had to do was ask,” Stephanie said stomping her foot.

  Walking over with Angela under his arm, Bruce wrapped his other arm around her, “You don’t like talking about it,” he whispered.

  “Well, duh,” Stephanie said. “The man kept saying we were going to be married and wouldn’t keep his God damn hands off of me!”

  Dropping his arms from Angela’s shoulder and stepping back with his face set in stone, “What?” Bruce asked with a grumble.

  Looking down at Hartman, “He felt me up several times a day,” Stephanie mumbled.

  Digging in his pocket, Bruce pulled out his cellphone and started scrolling through numbers. Tapping his phone, Bruce put it up to his ear. “Hey, Cook,” Bruce said. “Will you bring the bags to the shop?”

  The area around Bruce suddenly became deathly quiet. “Yeah, the sandals and plastic sheeting as well,” Bruce said into the phone. “I shouldn’t get that messy, so leave the chainsaw.”

  Wanting to know what the hell was going on, everyone moved closer. “I think I have zip-ties in the shop but if you could grab some, that would be nice,” Bruce said as Angela stepped up to him.

  “I want to help,” she whispered and Bruce held up his hand.

  “I have a blow torch in the shop so I don’t need propane for the torch, Cook, but thank you,” Bruce said smiling into the phone. “Twenty minutes will be good for me. See you then,” Bruce finished, hanging up the phone.

  “I didn’t feel you up!” Hartman screamed and Sandy ran over, pointing her index finger at him.

  “You know that’s a lie! I reported you three times for inappropriate behavior toward Stephanie,” she snapped.

  “Whoa,” Bruce said stepping over, “You wrote him up as the world was collapsing and he was killing people?”

  Blinking her eyes rapidly as she nodded, “Well, yes, Bruce. The appropriate office manner dictated it,” Sandy said confused. “He not only was breaking set policy, but also the law.”

  Stepping away from Sandy, “You have balls that drag the ground,” Bruce said impressed.

  Cocking her head to the side trying to understand, “I have a vagina. How can I have testicles?” Sandy asked. Letting out bellows, Ted and Carl dropped to the ground laughing behind her.

  Stephanie moved over to Sandy, “I’ll explain later,” she said, putting an arm around Sandy. “We have to go over some of Patrick and Emerson’s work.”

  Stepping away from Stephanie, “Stephanie, you know I hate going over Emerson’s stuff, none of his formulas equal out. He uses his own method of calculations,” Sandy complained.

  “Come on, we can work together like old times,” Stephanie smiled.

  Letting out a sigh, Sandy smiled, “Well, I can once more attempt to understand the insane logic Emerson proposed.”

  Leaning down, Bruce put his mouth beside Angela’s ear and whispered, “Sandy needs to get laid really bad.” Letting out a loud snort followed by laughter, Angela’s legs got weak and Bruce had to hold her up.

  “What’s funny?” Stephanie asked as Angela’s face turned purple.

  Smiling with an innocent face, “Tell you later, baby,” Bruce promised. “Ted, Carl, take Agent Hartman to the shop, please,” Bruce said, looking at them rolling on the ground as Mike walked over.

  “Never a dull moment around you,” Mike grinned. “How do you want to process this bunch?”

  “Get Sandy to point out anyone who was in with Homeland. If we have video of anything they did, throw them in the middle of the lake. If they can get to shore without getting eaten by gators they can leave after we brand them, but if we see them again they will be shot. The rest, just tell them the rules and if they wish they can stay,” Bruce said, still holding Angela up as she took a deep breath.

  Looking over as Ted and Carl threw Hartman in the back of a truck, “You really going to break open the bags on that one?” Mike asked.

  “Hell yes. Mess with my woman, I’ll peel you like a banana,” Bruce said with a frown. “Oh I won’t kill him. I need him for something.”

  Closing his eyes, Mike just shook his head, “What about these ‘magic bullets’ Steve is shouting about?”

  “Gather the command group and meet me in the shop in one hour so we can talk about them. I have some things I need to handle first,” Bruce said putting Angela down and was relieved she could stand on her own.

  Watching Angela stumble over to Stephanie, “I really don’t want to watch,” Mike said.

  “Shit, I’ll be done with his ass in ten minutes,” Bruce said walking away.

  ***

  Just over an hour later, Mike was leading the command group to the shop. Before they reached the door, it opened and two praetorian guards were dragging Hartman out; bloody and unconscious. Behind them, they saw Patrick and two other men walking out with pale faces.

  “What the hell is Bruce doing?” Nancy asked Mike.

  Holding up his hand and shrugging his shoulders, “Your guess is as good as mine,” Mike said heading for the door. Inside, they found Ted and Carl sitting beside Bruce and Angela sitting in his lap. “Lose interest in him?” Mike asked, walking over.

  Shaking his head, “No, I’m saving him for something special,” Bruce grinned. “I need bait.”

  Hearing the door slam, everyone looked over to see the kids, Stephanie, and Sandy walk in. “I can’t believe you made me do pushups,” Sandy exclaimed, looking at Stephanie in shock as they walked over.

  “Sandy!” Stephanie shouted, “That’s basic quantum physics and you messed up the equation!”

  Buffy ran up to Sandy as fast as she could with her hurt hip and grabbed Sandy’s hand, “Stop, Sandy, or she’ll make you do more,” Buffy warned in a low voice. “And you will do them or she will call Daddy.”

 
“She threatened to spank me with a belt if I didn’t do them,” Sandy said, looking down at Buffy.

  Nodding with wide eyes, “And she will too. She always cries afterwards, but she can spank hard,” Buffy said with a very serious face.

  Bruce cleared his throat as Ted and Carl struggled to remain standing. “I take it, you two didn’t make much headway?” he asked.

  Putting the briefcase on the table beside him, Stephanie moved Angela’s legs and sat down beside her in Bruce’s lap. “I went over some of the notes and started working with the equations, but this is going to take some time,” Stephanie said with a low voice.

  “I only messed up on one formula,” Sandy cried out.

  Snapping her head around, “And it screwed up the entire equation!” Stephanie shouted.

  “It didn’t balance out even after I did the pushups and used the right one!” Sandy pointed out.

  “Yeah, wasting thirty minutes,” Stephanie huffed. With a hurtful expression, Sandy sat down in a vacant chair.

  Turning away from Sandy, Bruce looked up at Stephanie, “You know, that’s like kicking a puppy,” he mumbled to her.

  Giving a big huff, “Sandy, I’m sorry I yelled at you and made you do pushups,” Stephanie sighed.

  The gloomy look immediately left Sandy’s face, “Thank you, Stephanie. I’ll review some works on quantum physics before we start again.”

  Wanting to say something to Sandy, Bruce changed his mind and looked over at Jake, “Please tell me you have good news.”

  Throwing down a stack of papers, “The cyber ninjas came through big time, Dad,” he grinned. “We have over two hundred locations of pure europium.”

  “Europium?” Mike asked looking at Bruce.

  Nodding, “That is what’s in the magic bullets. The scientist that discovered it was shot because he wouldn’t help figure out ways to train blues to fight for them,” Bruce said, making several people gasp.

  “That’s kind of rare, isn’t it?” Nancy asked.

  “One of the rarest minerals in the universe,” Stephanie answered. “But Dr. Emerson found out several other things about the infected, like you can knock one out for several hours with three hundred milligrams of potassium bromide delivered intramuscular.”

  Liking the sound of that and giving an evil grin, “Now, that will come in handy,” Bruce said nodding.

  Patting his chest, “Baby, don’t go getting weird. Just kill them,” Stephanie said and Angela nodded.

  Laughing at them, Mike jumped up and sat down on the table, “How much does it take, europium, I mean?” he asked.

  “Ten micrograms,” Bruce answered smiling.

  The color drained from Mike’s face, “My God, we can win this war.”

  Carroll slapped his leg, “Watch the tongue,” she snapped. “Is these mickro grams big?” she asked.

  “Carroll, it’s smaller than the area of Lincoln’s eye on a penny,” Bruce said still grinning.

  Looking on the table behind Bruce, Carroll saw the glass box from the lab with the chunk of europium. “Then, that could kill millions,” she said pointing.

  Nodding his head with his grin getting bigger, “Yes Carroll one kilogram is one billion micrograms,” Bruce said. The mood suddenly lightened in the room. “Jake, just a rough guess, how much do you think we can bring in?”

  Thinking, then looking through the stack of papers, “Around a ton and a half, maybe up to three nearby. Triple that further out,” he said. “China was the main supplier, but one of the biggest mines was here in the states. But the EPA shut it down.”

  “What’s it used for?” Marcus asked.

  “Electronics mostly,” Stephanie answered. “It’s what makes the TV give red color and is very conductive but remember, it must be pure. Any corrosion decreases how effective it is in killing the infected. That’s why sealing it in a lead bullet is the perfect delivery system, that much I got from Emerson’s notes.”

  Conner jumped up, “Can’t we, like, spray it in a crop duster over large cities?” he asked.

  Stephanie shook her head, “It dissolves in water rapidly and loses its effectiveness. Even leaving it in the open it will oxidize, greatly decreasing its lethality.”

  “So, we still have to shoot each one,” Conner said disappointedly.

  “Hey, Conner,” Bruce called out, making him look over. “I was killing six at a time with one shot.”

  Raising his eyebrows very impressed, “Well, there is something to that,” Conner admitted.

  “Well, what be next?” Carroll asked smiling.

  Moving the girls off his lap, Bruce stood up stretching, then squared his shoulders back heading for Gene. “Bitch,” he said stopping in front of Gene.

  Standing up Gene nodded, “Yeah, it’s that time,” he said and people started backing away.

  “Bruce-,” Angela said moving toward them, and Gene held up his hand stopping her.

  “Angela, this has been put off for too long,” Gene said turning to glare at Bruce.

  “You’re a pussy and can’t handle it,” Bruce growled and Ted and Carl jumped up off the floor grinning.

  Pulling his shoulders back, “Well, bring it, little girl,” Gene challenged.

  “First one to pass out; gets painted,” Bruce bet.

  “I’ll choose your color,” Gene grinned holding out his hand.

  Clasping Gene’s hand and shaking it, “I’m going to paint you green with white polka dots when you pass out,” Bruce smiled.

  “Wood run!” Ted yelled jumping up and down.

  “Whoa, buddy,” Stephanie said jumping in front of him, “We’re pregnant, so no wood runs.”

  Using her hip, Angela pushed Stephanie to the side and stood in front of Ted. “Bring it, bitch,” she said, putting her hands on her hips and poking him with her belly.

  Buffy dropped down on the floor, “Y’all are going to act stupid again, aren’t you?” she moped.

  “I’m making her strawberry daiquiris,” Gene said looking down at Buffy as Bruce moved over, standing in front of Sandy.

  “You’re getting drunk,” Bruce said looking down at her.

  Jerking her head back and blinking rapidly, “Well, I don’t know. I guess I can drink a few glasses of wine, but I really don’t like drinking,” Sandy stuttered.

  “No wine. I’m introducing you to vodka,” Bruce grinned, “then tequila.” Everyone cheered as Bruce walked to the back of the shop and carried over several cases of vodka. “You’re pregnant, so no drinking,” Bruce said looking at Angela and Stephanie who both poked out their bottom lips. “You get to paint the first ones that pass out,” he added, making them smile.

  Chapter 5

  Sitting in a chair by the pool with a group around him, Bruce poured another glass. “Can’t believe you are Special Forces,” he said as Gene held his glass over.

  “Shit, you better believe it after what I went through,” Gene slurred as Bruce filled his glass. A yell went out and they turned to see Conner climbing up a tree.

  “Tarzan!” a group of Omega screamed.

  Even though it was January everyone was outside and the weather only nippy, but the group had been drinking for an hour and not very many were cold. All of Omega, Gamma with many others were around, spread across the property tossing down a few.

  Draining his glass as he watched Conner climb a big ass oak tree, “That boy is insane,” Gene slurred.

  Laughing and slapping his thigh, “If his wife Susan finds a babysitter, she’ll be up there with him before long. She’s Jane,” Bruce said.

  Sitting in the group with Bruce but on the other side, Angela huffed, “This isn’t any fun.”

  “We can’t drink, it’s been proven-,” Stephanie started and Angela held up her hand.

  “Stephanie, I know,” Angela said turning to look at her. “What I meant was, Bruce isn’t getting drunk, he’s barely drinking. Hell, just watching him is usually entertainment enough.”

  Looking over at Bruce talking with
Gene and Mike, “He won’t,” Stephanie said with a frown. “He never did when Debbie was pregnant and I have to say, that would be worth not drinking to see him drunk again,” Stephanie said and turned to Angela. “You realize the last time we got drunk; we got pregnant.”

  “Shit, yeah,” Angela grinned. “That was a blast.”

  Shaking her head, “You’re awful little to be doing some of those things,” Stephanie said.

  “Bite me, ‘Miss. I can have a hundred orgasms’,” Angela smiled.

  Slapping her leg as she laughed, “Well, Bruce won’t get drunk, but we get to paint the first that passes out,” Stephanie snickered.

  Sighing, “But it would be much more fun if Bruce got drunk. Even the kids are drinking,” Angela said.

  Looking over at Buffy draining a strawberry daiquiri, “I hope they don’t hurt themselves,” Stephanie said.

  Buffy was sitting at the picnic table with Ted, Carl, and their girlfriends. Liking the taste of her drink, she drained it and pushed it across the table, “I want another one,” she smiled as Danny and Matt sat down with them.

  “Sis, you better pace yourself,” Danny grinned.

  Shaking her head, “Those are good,” Buffy said as Ted grabbed her glass and left.

  “How many is that for you?” Matt asked taking a drink.

  Buffy shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know. Do I have to keep count?”

  Tilting her glass back and draining it, “No, but for your first time, be cautious,” Danny warned as Ted came back with another glass.

  Tired of watching Bruce nurse his drinks, Angela got up, “I’m going to tell Bruce to get drunk,” she said looking back at Stephanie.

  “You can try,” Stephanie shrugged.

  With a grin, Angela walked over and sat in Bruce’s lap, then whispered in his ear. Stephanie chuckled seeing Bruce’s eyes get big as Angela whispered then, he pulled away and looked at Angela in shock. Angela smiled and kissed him as she got up and walked back to her seat.

  When she sat down, she saw Bruce draining a bottle of vodka. “What the hell did you tell him?” Stephanie asked shocked.

  Glancing over with a sly look, “We have to make sure the kids spend the night with Mamaw and Papaw,” Angela said. “I just made a bet with him that he couldn’t out drink Gene but if he could, we had to do whatever he wanted tonight.”