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Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 20
She shook her head a couple times, trying to make sense of what Dean had said. Victor Ortez had been at the UFF helm for more than a decade before he was killed in a military raid three months ago. Thalia saw that on the news, and said nothing that he left behind a child. He didn't even mention his wife or girlfriend who was left behind. But that wasn't even the perplexing part. After spending an entire evening with Ina Reyes, Thalia couldn't really imagine how the smart woman had a relationship with a rebel leader. "Ina was just a teenager and idealistic when she met Ortez," Dean said. "It didn't take long for her to realize what kind of person he was." Dean shrugged. "She's been living on the run, too, ever since Rafael was born.""Maybe the thorn has been pulled out of her now since Ortez died."Dean's laugh was long and husky. "She was actually the mastermind behind his death.""You know I'm troubled. The news says that a unit of the elite San Jose military ambushed Ortez in his
Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 21
The next day, Dean, Thalia and Pierre left the beach house and drove to a small town two hours north of the coast to pick up identification papers for Thalia. The men's contact had shipped the documents to a UPS office that seemed out of place in the town of Calina. Now, Dean opened the envelope and studied its contents, he couldn't help but be impressed. "Fernan did good," he remarked before extending the American passport, Boston driver's license and birth certificate in Thalia's direction. Their fingers brushed, and his groin instantly tightened at the feel of her warm, delicate fingers. He didn't look her in the eyes all morning, and when there were times when their eyes accidentally met, he would immediately look away from her. Because the kiss that happened between them last night was always in his mind. He couldn't remember the last time his body had burned so hot, the last time his heart had pounded that hard. In that moment, he'd needed Thalia Ricafort more than he'd neede
Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 22
The man nodded back at Dean. He quickly glanced at Thalia before he shook his hand. Tatum says that Rick is one of the best pilots in the world. He is said to be a former pilot in the elite fighter unit of the Colombian Air Force. Now, he runs his own cargo airline, which was apparently his only legitimate business. His other business is somewhat questionable. "We're all set for takeoff," said Rick who obviously knows how to speak English. "Time to get you strapped in."Thalia looked alarmed. "Strapped in?" she hissed as they followed Rick to the back of the plane. After they went up the ramp to the cargo hold, Rick led them to a wide metal bench attached to its wall in the cockpit. "Buckle up. Flight duration will be six hours or so." The pilot said before he turned away. Dean placed his duffel bag under the bench they were sitting on. Then he fastened the seatbelt on his body. But he noticed that the doctor was not wearing a seatbelt. "Buckle up, Doc."She shook her head, then sh
Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 23
There was clearly a lot more to the story, but Thalia didn't continue and he didn't push. However, he regretted his change of topic the moment his next question flew out of his mouth. "Didn't you get a boyfriend again after you broke up with that cowboy?"She raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a girlfriend yet?""Neither, we're just being fair." Dean smirked. "Just go first."Thalia stretched out her legs and leaned her head on the wall behind her. "I've dated two men over the past two years, and both of them didn't work out because they didn't want to be in a long distance relationship. Even me, I don't want to be far from the one I love.""You could always find a man who wants to travel with you," he pointed out. "True.""Maybe a colleagues? Or maybe a relief worker you meet abroad?""I don't date my co-workers. Ever. That's my number one rule. I've seen a lot of my co-workers who have gotten better, and they just broke up. So far, I haven't met anyone abroad who sparked my interest."
Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 24
Excited pounded in his blood and skated over his flesh. "Wrap your legs around my body," he ordered, then cupped Thalia's surprisingly plump ass and lifted her up. She wrapped her thighs around his body, kissing her with fervor as he carried her over the nearby pile of burlap sacks. It was as close to a bed, and the scratchy sack sure as hell beat the dirty, oil-streaked floor. He laid her down on the makeshift bed, then stood over her for a moment, admiring the view. "You're beautiful, Doc."She blushed. "I thought I was too skinny.""But I never said you weren't beautiful." He wet her lips with his tongue, then he gestured for her to take off her bra. "Take off your bra."Her fingers flicked the front clasp and parted the two cups, revealing a pair of small breasts, tipped by pink nipples. His mouth watered again. "Now take off your panties."She swallowed and slowly lowered the panties she was wearing. He released his throbbing manhood and separated both of her legs, then he pl
Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 25
They didn't reach Boston until two o'clock in the morning. Thalia was really tired when she climbed into bed at the hotel they were staying at, while Dean immediately fell asleep when his head hit the pillow, but she couldn't even fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. Because that day was full of action, her brain refused to shut down. Just now they landed at a small airport where some cargo planes land there, then they took a taxi to the car rental agency. They rented a car there under her new name - Nathalia Preston - which is also the name on her driver's license. Three hours later, she and Dean had checked into this hotel, and now here she was, wide awake, staring up at the ceiling and wondering what horrors tomorrow would bring. The bad things that happened always kept going back and forth in her mind like a bad nightmare. The clinic they founded is now ashes. As well as her close friends. What's worse is that her life is also in danger. And in between those gruesome images
Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 26
"We're good friends. Every time I have a break, I actually come here to visit him at school." She seemed to be shaking when she said this to Dean. "Do you think they will also be watching Franco so that I might be able to come here?""Yes. That's why we should be careful." He said. "And so I don't look like a fool when we meet this guy, maybe you could tell me what microbiologists do?"She cracked a smile, knowing he was trying to take her mind off the scary scenarios he'd just painted. "Well, Fanco's expertise actually lies in virology, which is a subfield of microbiology," she explained. "Basically, he studies viruses.""How viruses work, how they spread - that type of stuff?""Pretty much, except it was more complex than that. He also focuses on the virus's evolution, the way it interacts with the host organisms, the way it reproduces. And along with that, he tries to develop more efficient ways to isolate a virus and culture it so it can be studied." She laughed. "Most of it is wa
Love In The Time Of Outbreak Chapter 27
Franco stared intently at the vial. "What's this?""That's what we were hoping you'd tell us," Thalia said flatly."I'm confused here, Tali. I thought you weren't coming here for another six months. Why aren't you at the clinic?""First, I need to know, has anyone come around asking about me?" she asked, shooting him a grave look. "Like cops, military, government officials?""What? No." Amazement trickled from his voice. "Should I be expecting someone?""Maybe," she admitted. "People might be looking for me, sir Franco. And if anyone comes by, you can't tell them I was here.""All right. Now I'm worried. What's going on, Tali?"With a heavy breath, she gave him the short version of the story. He interrupted more than once, and several times his eyes widened or his mouth fell open. She knew how farfetched it all sounded, yet to Franco's credit, he kept his skepticism to a minimum."Are you sure those people died from a virus, Tali? You said so yourself, you never saw the bodies."Dean
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- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Epilogue
After Bhram left, Dean's full attention was focused on Thalia, whose cheeks were regaining some color. "How are you feeling?" he asked. "Surprisingly good. For me it's a miracle that you got the antidote on your hands."He nodded. "Dr. Lucas stole the antidote vial from D&N, and at the same time he also stole the virus. I went to him and forced him to admit where he kept the antidote."Thalia's lips twitched with humor. "And how did you do that?""I'm very persuasive," he said with a shrug. Just as Thalia was about to touch his cheek, he flinched, so he could see the surprise look in Thalia's eyes. "What's wrong?" she demanded."Nothing's wrong." He kept his tone light. "You're alive. That means everything is fine."She frowned. "Okay.""Alright, I'll tell your doctor first that you're awake."He started to stand up, but Thalia latched her hand on his arm and forced him to stay put. "Don't leave just yet. First tell me what I missed when I was unconscious.""Not much." He wanted to
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 54
Thalia couldn't answer Dean. But really, who was he trying to kid? He is not a doctor. She was. She knew for herself what exactly happened to his central nervous system at the moment. The virus was attacking it one cell at a time. Soon she'd be nothing but a motionless lump of dead, like the rats in Franco's experiment. Another giggle bubbled in the back of her throat, and soon she was shuddering with laughter because this was all so funny and - nope, she's having a seizure again. God, she was really tired. Those same shrill voices assaulted her ears again. Those same anvils crushed her body. This time she decided to just close her eyes. Maybe she needs more rest. She succeeded in the closing-of-the-eye part because everything went black, but when she heard Dean's husky voice again, she realized that sleeping at that time was a bad idea. Because what if she never woke up? "Go to sleep," he urged. "No," she protested. "But you need to rest.""I do not want."But she couldn't ope
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 53
After a long five-minute conversation, Dean came out of the interrogation room and shot Bhram an impatient look. "The antidote is stashed in a locker at his health club. Locker number fifty-nine-seven. Key is on the key ring you confiscated along with his personal belongings. Bhram Davies sucked in a breath, his face awash with shock. "Get me that damn key ring," Dean snapped on his way to the door. "Magallon, wait."He heard Bhram's footsteps behind him but he still didn't stop. "I'll dispatch a team to fetch it. You don't have to do it yourself."He just kept walking. "Damn it, Dean. Stop!"The next thing he knew, Bhram was in front of him, shaking his shoulder. As a wave of rage crashed over him, he shoved the other man away. "Don't touch me," he hissed. "And don't tell me what to do."Bhram got in his path again. "You need to be at the hospital. With Thalia. For chrissake, Dean, she's all alone there."His heart lodged in his throat. "I'll send people to the health club," B
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 52
Dean immediately let go of Bhram, and the man nearly fell over before managing to steady himself. With a wave of his hand, Bhram dismissed the guards who were warily monitoring the entire exchange. "Resume your posts, men. Everything is fine here." He turned to Dean. "You know I could have you arrested for this, right?""Five minutes, Bhram. I only need five minutes."Indecision flashed across the other man's face. "I know you're worried about Dr. Ricafort. Hell, I'm worried, too. I don't know how she got infected, but I promise you, the last thing I want is for that woman to die."Dean fought the urge to grab a gun from the hip holster of one of those guards and empty an entire clip into Bhram Davie's chest. The son of a bitch had given him that water, and now here he was, he acted like he had no idea how Thalia got infected with the virus. Acting like he actually cared about her well-being? "Take me to Dr. Lucas," Dean muttered. "Now."Silence prevailed for a few moments before Bh
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 51
The next ten minutes were a total whirlwind. Thalia can't remember when she was getting dressed, but somehow she was wearing jeans and a tank top when they stumbled out of the hotel. She doesn't even remember that they got in a car, but somehow she was in the passenger seat while Dean murmured soothing words in her ear and kept a firm hand on her thigh. Her skin was on fire. Blood was still flowing from her nose, she could almost taste the coppery blood in the back of her throat and she almost gagged. As Dean drove, she didn't hear a single word from him. "Maybe...maybe the CDC developed an antidote already," she said to Dean. He sucked in a breath. "An antidote.""Maybe," she murmured again. "Sometimes they can develop one fairly fast."Yeah, right. But that will take weeks, months, and even years. She knew that, yet she refused to give up hope. After everything she'd been through, her life couldn't be end this way. Lisa. Nadine. Marc. Kelvin. Theresa. Kelsey. NasirAnd she wil
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 50
They got out of the Jacuzzi and dried off, then they got dressed in a pair of complimentary robes instead of getting dressed. They both ended up ordering cheeseburgers and fries, along with the plate of onion rings to share. Probably wasn't smart to eat such a heavy meal at midnight, but they were both hungry, and Dean was happy to see Thalia eat well. She was always full since they were together, which was ironic considering they'd been doing nothing but traveling and hiding out in motel rooms. Still, no matter where they'd been, he'd encouraged the girl to eat right and it was obvious that she had already eaten much because his efforts showed in the rounding of her cheeks. "If you can work on a new foundation again, don't let yourself be overworked."Thalia raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Who's going to stop me?""I will." Dean shot her a mocking look. "I'm not going to hide forever. Sooner or later, me, Tatum, and Pierre, we will also find out who ambushed our unit and who wants
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 49
Instead of going back to their motel room, Dean and Thalia checked into a hotel using Dean's fake identity. The only available room ended up being a suite with a huge Jacuzzi tub that brought a delighted grin to Thalia's face. Dean loved seeing her so happy, and she was much cuddlier now than usual. Linking arms when they walked, snuggling close during the car ride, planting a spontaneous and unbelievably passionate kiss on his lips in the hotel elevator. That kiss had succeeded in getting him harder than concrete, but neither of them had been in the mood for sex as they got settled in the suite. They haven't slept in the past twenty-four hours, so that's the reason why they just fell asleep when they got to their hotel room. When Dean's eyes opened a few hours later to find that it was dark beyond the floor-to-ceiling window, and he groaned with unhappiness. Thalia lay next to him, her warm ass wiggling into his groin. "What's wrong?" she asked sleepily."Imagine, we've been slee
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 48
An hour later, Dean was on board the chopper after their successful operation. A ground unit was bringing Escalante and the two surviving UFF soldiers for interrogation, while the deadly vials were taken to the basement to be airlifted to the CDC. A search of the house had not turned up any more vials, and according to one of Escalante's men, all the vials in the group's possession had been in the house. That only spoke to the disorganized and highly unprofessional tactics of the UFF sect. Escalante's planning had been shoddy, his security weak, his goals unrealistic. "Very good job," Bhram Davies boomed as he greeted him at the helipad. He slapped Dean's back, and the two men headed for the door leading into the building. The rest of the team stalked past them, Faust barking orders at his men as he wiped the black paint off his face with a cotton rag. Dean did the same, he also wiped the black paint on his face with a cloth. "A joint task force is being organized in San Jose. Ev
- Love In The Time Of Outbreak
Chapter 47
"We've got a visual on Apollo. I repeat, visual on Apollo. He appears to be asleep in the back bedroom, west side, clear shot." The hushed report came from the sniper positioned on the roof of the house bordering the terrorist nest. "Roger that. Maintain visual." Faust's voice, in that same monotone murmur, echoed in Dean's earpiece. "Visual on two tangos in the back bedroom, east side," the operative covering the side of the house whispered. "Andromeda One and Two. No movement.""Andromeda Three, Four and Five in the kitchen. Visual on back door," came another whisper. "Awake but no movement."From his position in the hedges separating the UFF nest from the neighboring home, Dean fixed his gaze on the front of the house. The light was on in the living room, and he saw someone lying on the sofa, a man watching television. The bluish light from the TV screen reflected off the glass of the large front window. "Tango in the living room. Awake but no movement," Dean murmured. "That mak
