“Doc…” Abarra spoke up with his voice shaking, “Myles is injured, and I need you to take a look. I’ll take 3 o’clock.” Webb looked over toward Myles.
Doc moved over to Myles, “Let me take a look, dude.” Myles reluctantly removed his hand, and Doc saw what looked like a bite with a good size piece of flesh and tissue missing. Doc looked over at Webb and shook his head.
Webb muttered under his breath, “Shit.” He now is burdened with a decision to make and knows that this is the primary method of how the virus is spread. What he doesn’t know is how long it takes the virus to spread and take over one’s thoughts, actions and reasoning. He dropped his face into his palm in sorrow and frustration.
“How bad is it, Doc? I’m alright, right?” Myles pleaded. “How bad is it? I’m good to go, right?” Doc said nothing.
Priest looked over his shoulder at Webb. They locked eyes, and Priest shook his head. We
bb saw the empathy in Priest’s eyes, nodded, and turned his head to provide security.
Priest let out a long-troubled sigh. “Doc, please restrain Corporal Myles.
“Wait, what?” Myles looked at Priest and then to Doc. “No, I’m good to go Sarge. I’m good to go.” Tears began streaming down Myles’ face. “I… I… I’m good to go Sarge.” He could barely get the words out.
Doc pulled Myles’ hands behind his back, slowly, respectfully. “I’m sorry brother, I really am.” Myles dropped to his knees and began sobbing.
One by one the team walked over to Myles and gave hugs, some kissed him on the top of his head. Myles’ sobbing continued for a few minutes or so.
In the distance, the faint sound of Blackhawk’s rotors reached the team’s ears. Suddenly, the team heard a clicking noise…. click, click, click, click, which caused Doc to jump back and Priest to pull his Walther PPQ. Priest spun around and aimed the pistol at Myles’ head, which was moving from left to right.
“You need the poison. Do I see prey or brothers, which ones are you? The poison makes you invincible. The poison brings freedom… click, click, click, click. Do you want the poison?” Myles said. His voice sent chills down the spines of the team.
“Fuck that”, Shaw yelled.
Myles growled and then lunged at Priest, who quickly put a 45-caliber round right in his forehead. Myles stopped short and slumped to the ground…dead.
“Son of a bitch,” Abarra cried.
“What the fuck, Myles? What the fuck?” Doc yelled through tears.
“Overlord to Father. What the hell was that shot? Do you have contact? I don’t see any infected.”
“Negative. Myles was bitten, and he turned… so we sent him home.”
“I shall say blessings for him,” Shin said.
Priest took a knee and recited the Lord’s Prayer over Myles as the rotors got louder, and Shin spied the bird.
“Bird is inbound.”
“Copy that,” Webb said. “You two make your way down so we can load up. Priest, before we roll out of here, we have a couple of civilian survivors on the other side of the terminal who are trapped. We need to get them out.”
Priest looked at him, “We don’t want to compromise our mission getting Dr. Costa to Dearborn. We cannot delay getting her there.”
“I have contacted those civilians and told them we were coming for them.” Webb explained.
Priest lowered his head in thought and after a long moment, he sighed, “We can’t leave people out here. I’ll take Shaw and Doc, and we’ll get the civilians out. You take Abarra, Neville and Shin with you to Dearborn. You’ll also have Kennedy and Bolin. Gear them up, which gives you two more troops.”
“I don’t like the idea of splitting the team.” Webb replied.
“I don’t either, but if you have something better, I’m all ears.”
Webb didn’t. He knew Priest was right. “Ok, so be it. We’ll give you a lift to the other side of the terminal and then proceed to the CDC in Dearborn.”
“Ok, drop us on the roof so we can assess the best way to get these people out.”
The Blackhawk landed, and the team loaded Dr. Costa on board. They grabbed Myles’ gear and weapon for the Secret Service guy, loaded up with Priest, Shaw, and Doc being last.