“What are you hiding?” I demand.
With a frightened but defiant stare, she glares back at me.
Her insubordination rattles me. I press my lips together, fighting the urge to slap her.
“Perhaps this will convince you,” I say. Pulling my revolver from its holster, I raise it to the Professor’s chest. She shudders but stands tall.
“Captain, wait!” Smeeth says, stepping between the gun and the Professor.
He is like kerosene, fueling my anger.
“Soldier, stand down!” I snarl.
The Professor guffaws and stares at me with unintimidated, unyielding eyes. “You’ll never pull that trigger. You need me.”
I cock the hammer of my gun back.
“Think this through,” Smeeth says, holding his palms up. “She is the only one left who knows how to develop the cure for the Horologia virus. You kill her, you kill any chance we have to find the antidote.”
I study the Professor, searching for any sign of fear. There is nothing. Smeeth is right and she knows it. “You have a valid point. Your daughter, however”—I turn my revolver toward the unconscious girl—“is not vital to my plan. She is not the Immune.”
Just as I expected, the Professor’s resolve dissipates. She throws herself over the girl’s body, shielding her from my aim. “No!” the Professor pleads, the blood draining from her face.
Smiling widely, I lower my weapon. “Ah, just as I thought. I want answers and I want them now. There’s something keeping her alive. Start talking.”
The Professor’s eyes glisten as she sits up and laces her fingers into her daughter’s hand. “Sixteen years ago, I had just begun working for the biological weapons laboratory. Three other researchers and I were assigned to study the Horologia virus. It was sent to us by an anonymous rebel of …” The Professor hesitates, as if struggling to continue. She sighs. “It was sent from Germany.”
Disbelief and rage flood through me. My knees grow weak. I lean against the counter to steady myself. It was one of my own who sent this virus here. But why? And who? As if reading my mind, the Professor continues.
“We don’t know who sent it, only that it came from Germany with a dire warning that it would potentially be used against England. I was commissioned to create an antidote in the event Germany attacked England.” The Professor lets out an audible breath, appearing reluctant to share more.
I swing my pistol, its barrel aimed at the Professor. “What else do you know?”
The Professor gathers herself and stands, straightening her lab coat. “Immediately, it was apparent the virus was meant to destroy whole populations. Not only cities, but entire countries. After months of research, we were able to isolate and create not only an antidote, but also a vaccine. But the base of the virus was developed with an ingredient so rare that we couldn’t re-create enough. It was impossible to generate enough of the vaccine to protect England with the small sample we had. Just enough to vaccinate a few individuals. Once I knew the vaccine was safe, I began to vaccinate her.” The Professor nods toward the unconscious child. “I knew that it was only a matter of time before the treaty was as worthless as the signatures on it. Peace can only last so long.”
I watch the young girl as her chest rises with each inhalation. “But if she’s vaccinated, why is she showing symptoms?”
The Professor frowns. “Immunity required a series of three doses over fifteen years. Joanna has received only two. She wasn’t scheduled for her next for another three years. Considering how rapidly the population succumbed to the disease, it’s no surprise that she’s showing signs. Without the third shot, she wouldn’t have developed the immunity to entirely resist the virus.” The Professor drops her gaze, a crease deepening between her eyebrows.
I regard the Professor, looking at her from head to toe. “If you had access to the vaccine, then you must have vaccinated yourself, too.”
The Professor shakes her head. “The program was shut down. With England at odds with Germany and the funding for the project dwindling, Parliament was more concerned about defending the country, not some obscure virus that no one had seen before. I was reassigned to study more prevalent biological weapons. Only a small portion of vaccine was developed, but with tensions between England and Germany rising, I wasn’t going to take the chance. I stole the vaccine and used it on her. I didn’t make enough to vaccinate myself before the program closed. The only way I survived the initial outbreak was because lab protocol required we dress in hazmat suits while working with the specimens. Luckily for me, I happened to be in the lab when you bombed London.” Sarcasm laces her voice.