LOGINOnce inside the apartment, the heat of the room was almost surreal after the cold outside. Nathan took her jacket off, tossing it over the back of a chair. It was still wet and heavy from the rain. He handed her a towel, and Ashley took it, tucking it against her chest. "You should try to rest," Nathan said. "You've had a long day. I'll just sleep in the guest room tonight. If you need anything, just call."
As Ashley lay against the pillows, smiling at Nathan who was sitting beside her, "Thank you, Marcus. Let them know how proud we are of them. Now, I'm going to rest, like I promised."Nathan helped her get settled and pulled the blankets up. "No more heroics. Doc says we're taking a break from saving the world. We'll be heading home as soon as you've cleared by the doctor.""I want that more than anything," Ashley replied. "A quiet house, you, me, and our baby. No alarms. No late-night phone calls. Just us figuring out how to raise a kid."Nathan smiled softly. "I've already decided on the color for the nursery. Soft Yellow. And I promise to cook every meal so you don't have to worry about cooking. You've done all the heavy lifting carrying us through this nightma
Marcus returned to view on the screen. "The simulation looks great, Dr. Dawson," he said. "98% stop rate on the new mutation. We're working on making a small test batch."Ashley let out a sigh of relief. "Great job, everybody. Get it into production when that sample comes back positive. Ship it to that community first. They need it the most."Dr. Ellis reviewed the monitor screens. "You've got a slightly elevated blood pressure due to the strain, but your baby's doing well. Rest when you can."Nate leaned in and kissed Ashley's cheek. "Did you hear that?" he asked. "Our baby's strong, just like you. I'm always thinking about that first day we'll get to meet them, when our lives aren't ruled by viruses and sirens and alarms, just us."
Dr. Ellis called the number and put it on speaker. "The situation is under control," the voice said. "We have caught the second intruder. Your husband helped subdue him. We are currently conducting a search of the facility to ensure everything is secure."Ashley breathed a sigh of relief. "Please thank him. And tell him I said thank you. Thank him for taking care of you." She paused for a moment. "And tell him I love him. Ask him when he's coming home."The guard agreed to pass along the messages. Ashley felt some of the weight lifting off her shoulders. She turned to Dr. Ellis. "He's okay. He's fine. All we need is for him to get back here with us."Hours ticked by slowly. Ashley ate some soup and rested between visits. She spent time talking with Dr. Ellis about baby n
Dr. Ellis became white. "This is located two halls from where we are," she said. "But everything is connected by the air system. We have to shut off this area."Nathan acted quick. He returned Ashley to her seat and handed her an emergency mask. "Get this on, stay calm and take slow breaths. I'm not letting whatever it is near you."Ashley got the mask on and clutched her stomach. "The baby's been moving a lot. I believe the stress is affecting both of us. Please look at the baby's monitor, Dr. Ellis."Dr. Ellis hooked her up immediately. "Baby's heart rate is elevated, but steady. We have to get you out of here asap."The team leader called in again. "Dr. Dawson, the new formula is complete and stabilized. We have enough for initial distribution. Should we release it?""Yes," Ashley said through the mask. "Release it to the closest hospitals first. Tell them to begin with the most critical cases. It could save thousands of people."Nathan remained right next to her. "You're incredibl
Ashley's eyes locked onto the data. "Look at this," she said, gesturing toward the tablet. "The binding protein has an extra chain. That is why the old counter-agent isn't working."Nate peered over her shoulder. "Can you fix it?""I think so," she replied. "It'll take some time and careful testing. I need to speak with the team on the ground as soon as possible.""Your call is being placed immediately," he agreed.Ashley returned the tablet to Nate and looked him directly in the eye. "That's why I had to come. Nobody else has noticed that extra chain yet. I can help guide them."Nate caressed her cheek with his fingers. "I understand how much this means to you
As Nathan drew her into a gentle hug, he whispered, "You did it. I always knew you would.""Not yet," Ashley replied softly. "We still have to conduct the trials safely on humans. However, this is the breakthrough we were looking for."At that same instant, Dr. Ellis stepped into the space, with a concerned expression. "I have both good and bad news. The good news is that your vital signs, along with those of the baby, remain stable. Bad news – we received a message from the field teams that a new cluster of cases surfaced in the vicinity of Washington. Moreover, they are only approximately thirty miles away from where we are currently located. Additionally, the rate at which the disease progresses seems to be accelerating; some patients are developing symptoms associated with stage two within less than four hours."
Her eyes were intent, her fingers precise. This was her element, in this place of numbers and molecular models and interminable hours that bled into nights and nights."Hello, Erick," she said as her friend, the CEO, joined the video conf
The building was quiet when they arrived. Disinfectant stung their noses as the door slid open. The lab was closed for the day, and the normal white noise of instruments and computers was only a muted backdrop to the tension of the situation. Jamie
Ashley's eyes flashed. "What about her?"He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You might think she sunk into this depression because I left her. But the truth is, she was already falling
Nathan scoffed, but his lips curved up just a bit. He didn't feel like a winner—only someone lucky enough to stand beside her.The music changed, and everyone turned as the church doors o







