Read Online Alien Jungle by Roxanne Smolen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Roxanne Smolen
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down the valley.
“Let’s move!” Cole cried to the crowd of colonists. “Steddard, bring some extra gellasene.”
Trace looked at Impani. “I need you to take Wilde to the hospital. Have the doctor check him out.”
“I’m all right,” Wilde said groggily.
“Just a precaution,” Trace said. “While you’re there, look around and try to figure out what the moss men were searching for.” He noticed his father watching and lowered his voice. “If anything.”
“What will you do?” Impani asked.
“I’m going with Cole.”
He turned to leave, but she caught his arm.
“Here.” She unsnapped her mask and handed it to him.
It was a small gesture, but it quickened his heart. He leaned close and brushed her lips with his. Then, motioning for Anselmi and Natica to follow, he rushed after Cole and the search party.
<<>>
I mpani watched Trace hurry away. Her cheeks warmed, and her lips tingled where he’d kissed her. How long had it been since they’d kissed? It seemed an eternity, but it had only been that morning. Suddenly, her resentment of him seemed petty.
She met his father’s gaze. He watched her quizzically.
Wilde said, “I thought you two lovebirds were mad at each other.”
“Shut. Up.” Impani took his arm and tugged him in the direction that the colonists had carried Madsen.
The grounds were crowded. People stood in twos and fours. They seemed agitated but not panicked. Other than the fire damage, the camp appeared unharmed. Nearer the hospital, they found wreckage.
Impani stopped before a white dome with four smaller bubble domes attached to its sides. One of the bubbles looked ripped apart. Shredded walls flapped in the forced air, exposing an overturned bed and smashed monitoring equipment. Three people in gowns and masks bent over a woman on a gurney.
Behind her, a man said, “We’ve had to double up the bubbles, quarantine two patients at a time.”
She turned to see Trace’s father. “Why do you need to quarantine?”
“A few people have developed an upper respiratory infection. I don’t know if you’re aware, but the original settlers came down with something similar.”
“You knew about that and you still came, still brought all these people?”
“Let me ask you this,” his father said. “When you are sent to a new world, do you know it might be dangerous?”
“Of course. But the benefits far outweigh the risks.”
“Exactly. Given a choice, you would still go. Well, all these people were given a choice.” His eyes crinkled as if he smiled behind his mask. “I’m Aldus Hanson, by the way. We were never introduced.”
“I’m Impani.” She lifted her shoulder where Wilde leaned heavily upon her. “This is Robert.”
“Oh, yes. Yes, of course.” He waved down a young blonde woman.
She nearly curtsied. “How can I help you, Mr. Hanson?”
“This man is injured.”
“I’ll see to him, sir.” She held Wilde about the waist as she led him away.
Wilde grinned. “Are we going somewhere?”
“I’m a nurse,” she said in a loud, slow voice. “I’m going to take care of you.”
“That’s good,” he mumbled.
Impani smiled and shook her head—and noticed that Trace’s father still stared. She didn’t mind. She was used to men looking at her. In a way, it made her feel more confident, more in control. Aldus Hanson was like everyone else.
“We should get you inside,” he told her. “You don’t want to breathe this air unprotected. My office is near here.”
She nodded toward the quarantine bubble. “I’m going in there as soon as they move that patient.”
“At least, wear one of these.” He took a disposable mask from his pocket and handed it to her.
She fitted it over her mouth and nose then sealed the straps behind her head. His eyes crinkled again. She liked his eyes. They were light blue and friendly—unlike Trace’s brooding hawk-like gaze. Trace must favor his mother.
The attendants encased the sick woman in a
“Let’s move!” Cole cried to the crowd of colonists. “Steddard, bring some extra gellasene.”
Trace looked at Impani. “I need you to take Wilde to the hospital. Have the doctor check him out.”
“I’m all right,” Wilde said groggily.
“Just a precaution,” Trace said. “While you’re there, look around and try to figure out what the moss men were searching for.” He noticed his father watching and lowered his voice. “If anything.”
“What will you do?” Impani asked.
“I’m going with Cole.”
He turned to leave, but she caught his arm.
“Here.” She unsnapped her mask and handed it to him.
It was a small gesture, but it quickened his heart. He leaned close and brushed her lips with his. Then, motioning for Anselmi and Natica to follow, he rushed after Cole and the search party.
<<>>
I mpani watched Trace hurry away. Her cheeks warmed, and her lips tingled where he’d kissed her. How long had it been since they’d kissed? It seemed an eternity, but it had only been that morning. Suddenly, her resentment of him seemed petty.
She met his father’s gaze. He watched her quizzically.
Wilde said, “I thought you two lovebirds were mad at each other.”
“Shut. Up.” Impani took his arm and tugged him in the direction that the colonists had carried Madsen.
The grounds were crowded. People stood in twos and fours. They seemed agitated but not panicked. Other than the fire damage, the camp appeared unharmed. Nearer the hospital, they found wreckage.
Impani stopped before a white dome with four smaller bubble domes attached to its sides. One of the bubbles looked ripped apart. Shredded walls flapped in the forced air, exposing an overturned bed and smashed monitoring equipment. Three people in gowns and masks bent over a woman on a gurney.
Behind her, a man said, “We’ve had to double up the bubbles, quarantine two patients at a time.”
She turned to see Trace’s father. “Why do you need to quarantine?”
“A few people have developed an upper respiratory infection. I don’t know if you’re aware, but the original settlers came down with something similar.”
“You knew about that and you still came, still brought all these people?”
“Let me ask you this,” his father said. “When you are sent to a new world, do you know it might be dangerous?”
“Of course. But the benefits far outweigh the risks.”
“Exactly. Given a choice, you would still go. Well, all these people were given a choice.” His eyes crinkled as if he smiled behind his mask. “I’m Aldus Hanson, by the way. We were never introduced.”
“I’m Impani.” She lifted her shoulder where Wilde leaned heavily upon her. “This is Robert.”
“Oh, yes. Yes, of course.” He waved down a young blonde woman.
She nearly curtsied. “How can I help you, Mr. Hanson?”
“This man is injured.”
“I’ll see to him, sir.” She held Wilde about the waist as she led him away.
Wilde grinned. “Are we going somewhere?”
“I’m a nurse,” she said in a loud, slow voice. “I’m going to take care of you.”
“That’s good,” he mumbled.
Impani smiled and shook her head—and noticed that Trace’s father still stared. She didn’t mind. She was used to men looking at her. In a way, it made her feel more confident, more in control. Aldus Hanson was like everyone else.
“We should get you inside,” he told her. “You don’t want to breathe this air unprotected. My office is near here.”
She nodded toward the quarantine bubble. “I’m going in there as soon as they move that patient.”
“At least, wear one of these.” He took a disposable mask from his pocket and handed it to her.
She fitted it over her mouth and nose then sealed the straps behind her head. His eyes crinkled again. She liked his eyes. They were light blue and friendly—unlike Trace’s brooding hawk-like gaze. Trace must favor his mother.
The attendants encased the sick woman in a
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