Midnight Outbreak Read Online Free

you feed tonight?” Lexi asked.
    He wouldn’t answer for a few minutes. The sound of another bottle opening was exaggerated in the silence. Finally he sighed and answered, “Yes. I did. But the pain… It won’t go away. I’m dying, Alexis. I don’t know how long this will last. But I do know I’m dying.”
    Fresh tears pricked Lexi’s eyes and she embraced her father. “No.”
    She could feel Miguel’s presence in the room and soon he was embraced with them.
    “Father, Miguel will look it all up. You know how brilliant he is at research. We’ll go to the head council, find out what we can do if we must.”
    “They would send me into the light for what I created,” Samuel said, depressed.
    “No, we’ll figure out something.” She held onto that hope, even though deep down she knew it might be a lie. It might not be true, but everything they had ever known might come crashing down on them if it was.

Chapter Three

    Present Day
    That night, all Josh wanted to do was relax at home and not do a damn thing. He’d arrived too late to watch the game Brendan had mentioned earlier. He recounted his day from hell to Myra, who listened attentively as he described Choy’s episode. Her round eyes grew bigger as he told her about the ER and how crazy it was. She had gotten him a beer (or three) while he talked, and the alcohol did its job. His body felt more relaxed, and his brain had grown fuzzier.
    They ate dinner in front of the TV, watching a movie, some action flick that had most of the dialogue beeped out. When that ended, the news came on. More reports of the mystery illness spreading dominated the segment. For a minute Josh worried that he had somehow gotten himself in harm’s way and would come down with whatever Choy had. He didn’t want to end up like that. It looked like some sort of monster flu virus. He couldn’t afford to take time off, and have Myra worried. But his immune system was a beast. He never got sick; maybe once every two years. Myra said it was unnatural and he was probably inhuman. It was a running joke between the two of them.
    “I just don’t know what it is. Why they can’t diagnose it,” Myra muttered, more to herself than to her husband. She shook her head and brought a hand to her mouth. She was a nail biter when she thought. Josh hated it, but he was too tired to give her a reminder.
    “It was all of a sudden. Choy was fine yesterday. I’m wondering if that’s why the boss wasn’t in.”
    “Well, we need to keep an eye on you for any symptoms. I don’t want you being stubborn if you start feeling bad.”
    “I won’t. But I didn’t get that close to him. Will and Robins lifted him onto the bed.”
    “Yeah, and you rode right alongside them on the way back to work,” Myra snorted. She leaned her head on his shoulder as they both turned their attention to the TV.
    They both fell asleep like that. It was the heavy knock on the door that woke them both up, Josh bolting upright and Myra falling behind him.
    “What time is it?”
    “I have no clue.”
    The persistent knocking continued and Josh answered it, opening it a crack. He opened it up wide when he saw Brendan and Mari standing outside. Worry was written all over Brendan’s face and Josh ushered them inside.
    “I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to do. Claire’s sick. Really sick. Nothing I’ve given her is making the fever go away.” Fear was prevalent in his voice. Mari looked sleepy, her glasses slumped far down the bridge of her tiny nose.
    “What are her symptoms, Bren?” Myra asked, her voice soft and comforting. The nurse side of her was out, ready to help someone in need.
    “She’s been in bed all day. High fever. Claire and Mari went to run errands and came back this morning. That’s when it started. I was at work, but came back at lunch after Mari called to say she hadn’t gotten out of bed. She’s sweating through the sheets, and when I put her in the bathtub I had to change them.”
    Myra