Okay, that did sound reasonable, but it still meant a bunch of strangers were going to know exactly how the CDC’s security worked. If they started suggesting new measures, would they understand how those measures would work within the necessary infection-control processes?
Next to her, Henry tensed up until he was all but vibrating. He didn’t like this accommodation. Not at all.
“We need to focus on our top goal,” the surgeon general said, the smile gone now. “Identifying and capturing the members of the Free America From Oppression terrorist group.”
A murmur went around the table. She couldn’t hear distinct words, but the tone of everyone’s voices implied agreement with the surgeon general.
The SG leaned over and said something quietly to the CDC director, who then leaned around Dr. Rodrigues and said something to Henry, too softly for Ruby to make out.
Henry nodded and stood, his body still too stiff for her liking. Something had upset him, but she wasn’t sure what.
He met her gaze. “Time to go.”
She got her to feet, following him out of the room and closing the door behind her.
They walked in silence back to elevator and up to the level of their office and got back to their desks.
His jaw was so tight she feared for the condition of his teeth, and his eyes were twin thunderstorms. But she couldn’t figure out what had set him off.
She pulled out her personal phone, expecting to see a text from her brother, but there was nothing. She tried to call him again. Nothing.
What the heck was he doing?
She was going to kick his ass for worrying her like this.
“What did you think of the meeting?” she asked, hoping the open question might get him talking about what was bothering him.
“Fine.”
No one ever used the word “fine” because anything was actually fine.
“That bad, huh?”
He stopped typing to look at her. “They questioned our competence to design and implement appropriate security for our facilities and safeguards for our most dangerous pathogens.”
Ooh, he was pissed. “You shot down large group inspections.” She smiled. “Now we only have to deal with a limited number of people for a quick inspection.”
He did not return the grin. He held himself stiffly, the storm inside him a barely contained monster.
The danger in him fascinated her. So much power, passion, and persistence. She couldn’t look away, couldn’t retreat, couldn’t resist the intricate puzzle he presented.
“Why is that not good?” she asked, because she could see he thought the idea was terrible.
His fingers hit the keyboard harder. “Their so-called experts aren’t going to be satisfied with what we’ve done.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I’ve been down this road before. In the military, some idiot in government decides things aren’t good enough and brings in a ballistic expert or weapons manufacturer for a tour. They look around, and the next thing you know, you’re using inferior weapons that cost twice as much at the weapon you’ve customized and know inside out. Weapons that fail after getting rained on or sand in them.” His gaze was so hot she was sure the room was going to catch fire.
“Technology changes and we have to keep up, but having a whole bunch of people who know nothing about what we do inspecting our security protocols—” He cut himself off and took in a couple of breaths before finishing, “And giving orders carefully phrased as advice on how our security should be upgraded. It rankles.”
No wonder he was mad. “Who could do a better job than us at our own security?”
“Some contractor.” The way he said “contractor,” like it was covered in slime, raised the hair on the back of her neck. “Which is bullshit.”
“The guy in the suit whispering in the general’s ear?”
“There’s a reason he didn’t introduce himself.”
Of course not. If you wanted an outsider to come in and tell a bunch of subject specialists how to do their job, you wouldn’t advertise who the outsider was in advance.
“It’s ridiculous. We’re the experts, and we’re the ones responsible for some of the most dangerous organisms on the planet. Where are they going to find people more qualified than us?”
He studied her, his expression relaxing into thoughtfulness. “The surgeon general seems to think these so-called experts exist and will soon ensure our security protocols reach or exceed proper ‘standards.’” He put air quotes around standards.
“Safety or security standards?”
“Both.” Her face must have looked blank, because he added, “To keep armed assholes out and the pathogens in.”
“Unless you plan to blow the whole place up, there’s no guaranteed way to keep a determined armed force out of anywhere.” She’d read enough history books from various wars around the world to know that. Another thought occurred to her. “What kinds of security exists now?”
“Restricted access to qualified personnel in an underground bunker-style facility. One way in and out. Hazmat suits with their own oxygen source. To keep the pathogens in and away from exposure to any other bacteria, viruses, et cetera, someone might bring in with them.”
That sounded comprehensive. “So, what do they want to do? Surround the place with cannons and tanks?”
“Something like that.”
She winced. “Putting guns, explosives, or things that go boom anywhere near microscopic pathogens would be dumb. Unless the explosion is large enough to destroy everything completely, it could be a quick and dirty way to spread them around.”
Disgust pulled his top lip away from his teeth. “I noted the same.”
They hadn’t listened to him.
“But you were a soldier,” she said, cocking her head to one side. “You’re uniquely qualified to advise them on all of this.”
He stared at her, his face emotionless. “The asinine idiots know that. Apparently, being a veteran doesn’t make me an expert on keeping volatile biological substances secure from assholes.”
The anger was back, lowering his eyebrows and narrowing his eyes. Making him look like he’d have no problem putting his hands around someone’s neck and choking the life out of them.
There must be something wrong with her, because it made her hot.
Chapter Four
11:34 a.m.
Henry took in Ruby’s indignant expression and the blush spreading up her neck and across her face and wondered for the eight millionth time what she was thinking.