Read Online Braving The Storms (Strengthen What Remains Book 3) by Kyle Pratt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kyle Pratt
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several others in the waiting area looked as bad. Whatever this sickness is, could it already be here, ahead of us?
He plopped down in a corner seat. His stomach grumbled, but he didn’t feel hungry. All he wanted to do was sleep until he fully recovered—or died.
Private Spencer sat beside him. “All the sick have been brought in. Corporal Franklin is staying with them. I really think you should see a doctor.”
“No, I’ll live.”
“They cleared a ward and moved Harper and Deputy Morris in. They seemed to have some idea of what is going on.”
“I’m sure they do.” Fletcher slid low in the chair. “When did we last report in?”
Spencer shrugged.
Fletcher cursed, fumbled for his phone, and called the armory.
* * *
Hansen General Hospital, Wednesday, September 23 rd
Caden awoke. He never slept during the day, but without a television, radio, or even a clock, it was easy to drift off. Wires and a tube still clung to him, but he stood and looked for his phone. Why do I leave it in random places? Such mysteries were unfathomable.
The door creaked and Dr. Scott entered.
“Do you need more of my blood?”
“No. Your tests came back negative.” She wrote on a notepad. “You’ll be fine.”
Caden knew he was fine, but it felt good to hear it from the doctor. “Can I go?”
Without looking up from her writing, she nodded.
“What about everyone...?” He wasn’t sure how to phrase the question.
“Hugh Coulson died early this morning. Debra is recovering. Jake is asymptomatic, but still sedated. I want his wife awake and healthy when he wakes.”
“What about Zach and Private Nelson?”
“I released them two hours ago.”
“Why did you keep me longer?”
“Because you were resting, and even sleeping, two things you need to stay healthy.”
He shook his head, found his pants, and slipped them on under the hospital gown.
Dr. Scott walked toward the door.
“Where is my phone?” Caden mumbled.
The doctor stopped, turned to a locked cabinet, and pulled out the phone. Handing it to Caden she said, “Wouldn’t want you to lose this.”
“Huh?” Had the doctor purposely hid his phone? She walked from the room before he could ask. After dressing, he turned the device on and called the armory. When Brooks answered Caden asked, “Any word from the First Sergeant?”
“No, but Second Squad should be near their last reported position, so we should know something soon. Are you okay?”
Caden walked from the room. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Dr. Scott sat at the nurse’s station in an otherwise dark and empty isolation ward. They nodded at each other as Caden left. As he pushed through the heavy wooden doors, he asked, “What’s the situation at the … hang on I have another call coming in … its First Sergeant Fletcher.”
He poked at his phone and accidently disconnected Brooks. “First Sergeant, where are you.”
The words came slowly. “The Morton hospital.”
“What happened? Are you okay?”
“Most of us have been sick, sir. Some have died.”
Caden’s heart pounded. He stopped, and returned to the isolation ward. Dr. Scott still sat at the nurse’s station typing on a computer, but looked up as he entered. “I think we have a problem.”
Chapter Ten
Hansen General Hospital, Wednesday, September 23 rd
“First Sergeant, I have you on speakerphone with Dr. Scott. Describe what happened.”
“Hello…ah sir, this is Private Spencer. The first sergeant handed me the phone. He’s kinda sick….”
Caden frowned and looked at the doctor.
Her brow furrowed as she hastily grabbed a pen and notepad.
“…he was out of it for most of the last couple of days, but he is getting better…slowly. We went to this hunting lodge in the mountains southeast of Morton. We were tracking a gang that used the place as a hideout. By the time we arrived they were all dead. There were no marks on them, they all just died.”
The doctor leaned over the phone. “I need to know when
He plopped down in a corner seat. His stomach grumbled, but he didn’t feel hungry. All he wanted to do was sleep until he fully recovered—or died.
Private Spencer sat beside him. “All the sick have been brought in. Corporal Franklin is staying with them. I really think you should see a doctor.”
“No, I’ll live.”
“They cleared a ward and moved Harper and Deputy Morris in. They seemed to have some idea of what is going on.”
“I’m sure they do.” Fletcher slid low in the chair. “When did we last report in?”
Spencer shrugged.
Fletcher cursed, fumbled for his phone, and called the armory.
* * *
Hansen General Hospital, Wednesday, September 23 rd
Caden awoke. He never slept during the day, but without a television, radio, or even a clock, it was easy to drift off. Wires and a tube still clung to him, but he stood and looked for his phone. Why do I leave it in random places? Such mysteries were unfathomable.
The door creaked and Dr. Scott entered.
“Do you need more of my blood?”
“No. Your tests came back negative.” She wrote on a notepad. “You’ll be fine.”
Caden knew he was fine, but it felt good to hear it from the doctor. “Can I go?”
Without looking up from her writing, she nodded.
“What about everyone...?” He wasn’t sure how to phrase the question.
“Hugh Coulson died early this morning. Debra is recovering. Jake is asymptomatic, but still sedated. I want his wife awake and healthy when he wakes.”
“What about Zach and Private Nelson?”
“I released them two hours ago.”
“Why did you keep me longer?”
“Because you were resting, and even sleeping, two things you need to stay healthy.”
He shook his head, found his pants, and slipped them on under the hospital gown.
Dr. Scott walked toward the door.
“Where is my phone?” Caden mumbled.
The doctor stopped, turned to a locked cabinet, and pulled out the phone. Handing it to Caden she said, “Wouldn’t want you to lose this.”
“Huh?” Had the doctor purposely hid his phone? She walked from the room before he could ask. After dressing, he turned the device on and called the armory. When Brooks answered Caden asked, “Any word from the First Sergeant?”
“No, but Second Squad should be near their last reported position, so we should know something soon. Are you okay?”
Caden walked from the room. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Dr. Scott sat at the nurse’s station in an otherwise dark and empty isolation ward. They nodded at each other as Caden left. As he pushed through the heavy wooden doors, he asked, “What’s the situation at the … hang on I have another call coming in … its First Sergeant Fletcher.”
He poked at his phone and accidently disconnected Brooks. “First Sergeant, where are you.”
The words came slowly. “The Morton hospital.”
“What happened? Are you okay?”
“Most of us have been sick, sir. Some have died.”
Caden’s heart pounded. He stopped, and returned to the isolation ward. Dr. Scott still sat at the nurse’s station typing on a computer, but looked up as he entered. “I think we have a problem.”
Chapter Ten
Hansen General Hospital, Wednesday, September 23 rd
“First Sergeant, I have you on speakerphone with Dr. Scott. Describe what happened.”
“Hello…ah sir, this is Private Spencer. The first sergeant handed me the phone. He’s kinda sick….”
Caden frowned and looked at the doctor.
Her brow furrowed as she hastily grabbed a pen and notepad.
“…he was out of it for most of the last couple of days, but he is getting better…slowly. We went to this hunting lodge in the mountains southeast of Morton. We were tracking a gang that used the place as a hideout. By the time we arrived they were all dead. There were no marks on them, they all just died.”
The doctor leaned over the phone. “I need to know when
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