“Put the uniform on. Hang on to the NVGs. Power goes out in twenty seconds. There’s a helo seven decks above us. I figure we’ve got about three minutes to get there. If we’re not there by then, we’ll have to shoot our way out.”

Desmond felt cornered, like the day Dale Epply had come to Orville’s house. He had fought for his life that day, and he had killed for the first time.

He made his decision: he would fight his way out if he had to. He was going to stop these people, even if it killed him.

He took the clothes and began slipping them on.

Movement on one of the flat screens caught Desmond’s eye. They showed four cells just like his. Three empty. One occupied. A woman, roughly his age, with dark hair. Her skin was the color and smoothness of porcelain.

“Peyton Shaw,” he whispered.

So they had captured her too. Her phone number had been the only clue he had left himself in Berlin. She had been investigating the outbreak in Kenya—the outbreak Conner had started, that the man swore Desmond had helped start. Somehow, she was connected to what was happening. She might even be the key to stopping it.

Desmond pointed to the screen. “We’re taking her with us.”

“No. No way.”

“Listen to me, Avery. She’s coming with us.”

Avery exhaled.

“She’s coming with us.”

The blonde shook her head in frustration, but to Desmond’s relief, she moved to the long table and typed on one of the computer keyboards. On the screen, the glass wall of Peyton’s cell began sliding open. But it had slid only about seven inches when the power went out.

Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Peyton stared in disbelief as the glass wall started opening. Were they moving her? Or coming to kill her? That was it—they had gotten her CDC password when they drugged her. Now they don’t need me anymore.

Fear rose inside her. But just as quickly, rage met it. The two emotions fought a battle as she watched the glass partition slide.

Rage won. If she was going to die here, she was going to die on her feet, kicking and screaming and punching. She wouldn’t let it be easy for them.

The lights snapped out, plunging the cell into darkness and utter quiet, like a sensory deprivation tank. Peyton froze. A second of panic sparked. Is this their plan, to kill me in the dark? I need to move.