Free The Shift: Book II of the Wildfire Saga by Marcus Richardson Page B

here.   He shifted his finger two streets over until he found the road that Charlie had indicated.   "We gotta be in here somewhere," he said, his finger tracing a three block area on the map.   He checked the distance from the extraction point to their assumed location.   Too far to make a run for it right now.   They'd have to seek cover until the Germans gave up the hunt.  
    He checked his HUD for the local time.   Sunrise is only a couple hours away.   Definitely not enough time to get to the extraction point.
    "All right boys, we need to find shelter, pronto.   The sun’ll be up in a couple hours and we gotta be off the streets.   Let’s move—fast and quiet—until we find a good place to hide the doctor."
    "Excuse me,” whispered Boatner in a nervous voice.   "But we've got to get back to my lab—I have research there that needs to be—"
    "Sir," replied Cooper.   "My mission is not to rescue your research, it's to rescue you.   We have to get you out of here and back to safety."
    "You don't understand," said the doctor, refusing to back down.   He yanked his arm free of Cooper's grip.   "Rescuing me is important, I'll admit that.   But without my research notes, there's not going to be much I can do towards finding a cure for this influenza strain.   The genome has been modified—"
    "Okay, you lost me at ‘genome’.   We don't have time for this."   Cooper looked down the street again.   "How far away is your lab?"
    " Is his lab back on campus? " asked Charlie, still scanning the street to the south.   " Coop, we don't have time for this bullshit.   We can't double back— "
    "No, not that lab," said Boatner in an impatient tone.   "The University had strict policies against doing any kind of research that would aid the United States government in any way possibly used by the military.   They wouldn't let me work with anything on school grounds.   I was moonlighting for the Argo Corporation.   Look,” he said, leaning toward Cooper, “I promise I'll explain everything, but you’ve got to get me back to my lab!   If your mission is in any way a part of the greater effort to stop this flu virus, then getting to that lab will be absolutely critical to completing your mission!"
    "All right, all right, settle down.”   Cooper could see through his green-tinted visor the sincerity written on the good doctor's face.   The man was not going anywhere without first visiting his lab.     Cooper sighed.   “We'll take you to your lab."  

C HAPTER 6

    C HAD WOKE WITH A start when he heard something against the door to his cell.   He opened his eyes and glanced around the dim room.   Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.   There was nothing in the room besides the cot he occupied and the 5 gallon bucket he used as a toilet.
    Muffled shouts in the corridor preceded a faint vibrating rumble that made its presence felt through the legs of his cot.   Chad sat up.   It sounded like an explosion.   That was new.  
    He flexed his arms and grimaced.   Once again, the guards had loosely strapped a cable-tie around his wrists.   He bent his elbows and winced at the familiar ache that told him he had already survived the day’s bloodletting.   The question was, what day was it?   In planning for his escape, he lost track of time–all the more reason he needed to make his move as soon as possible.  
    Confused shouts out in the corridor suggested his guards were distracted.   Hope flared in his chest.   It was time to act.
    Idly wondering if he would have any veins left in his arms, he swung his legs over the side of the cot.   He braced himself on the floor, preparing to break his bonds.   Chad rolled his neck, loosened his shoulders and took a few deep breaths.   This was it.   The moment of truth.
    He stretched his arms straight out in front of him, twisted his wrists parallel to the floor, and gripped his hands into fists.   He felt the plastic cable-tie start to tighten.