Both of us knew the importance of things being perfect. I had to make sure I could sneak past my colleagues somehow. Which meant, they had to be called out of the office. All of them.

  “I need to find a way to get my colleagues out of the way. Or, at least to somehow sneak in and get what I need without anyone seeing me.”

  I hadn’t thought my plan through. We couldn’t cause panic because that would affect the whole hospital. I didn’t want to put anyone in danger. Sneaking in might be the best option.

  “If you could wait in the car, and come pick me up at patient pickup when I ring you, that would be great.”

  Taurus nodded, his cap catching my eye. “Okay. So, you’re sneaking into your lab and stealing the antibiotics. How long do you think you’ll be?”

  Tapping my fingers on my knees, I calculated the time it would take for me to get in undetected, or at least with an excuse that I’d left something I needed behind. Not that they would believe me. It would take five minutes to get to the lab, another five to scope out who was around. Then, I would give myself fifteen minutes to get in and out. All the while, trying not to look suspicious on the security cameras.

  “Oh, boy, I need to go to my computer too and print off the Anthrax research. I’m never going to get this done.”

  It was a stupid idea to think I could somehow get in and out without being seen. My whole team might be there, although they often went off to do other things, so maybe it would be down to one or two of them.

  “You can do this,” Taurus said. “You could always cause a small earthquake. Nothing damaging, just something to shake the floor and distract people.”

  The minibus approached the entrance to the hospital. My heart thumped against my ribs, making me even more nervous. I could do exactly what he suggested, it would certainly make everyone wonder what was going on, drawing attention away from me.

  But, there was also the danger that something could go wrong. The hospital might be on vulnerable ground, which may or may not shift.

  “Ready?”

  Taurus pulled the van up outside the hospital. Slipping the mask under my chin again, I zipped my hoody up. Smiling at Taurus, I got out without saying anything more. He had his orders, I had my job.

  The security man waved at me as I went in. I smiled, ducking my head, hurrying along. It wouldn’t be too suspicious, doctors and nurses never walked slowly. We always had somewhere to be.

  The corridor led to the stairs. Choosing to go up them, instead of using the lift, I kept my breath even until I got to my floor. Branching off to the left, I still kept my head low. There would be plenty of people who would recognise me, but I had to take that risk. There was no other way.

  The receptionist wasn’t at her desk, which was a huge bonus. Shooting past, I headed straight for the staff room. It was down a small side corridor, which was always quiet as only four of us worked in the area.

  Pausing outside the door, I listened, trying to hear if there was anyone in there. It was silent. Pushing on the door, I double checked, moving inside when it was clear.

  Going straight to the lockers, I checked to see whose stuff was there. Both Gary and Lacy’s lockers were bare. My mind shot back to three days ago when they’d informed me that they were going to a conference for two days. It was as if the universe was conspiring for me to succeed.

  Footsteps outside in the corridor alerted me to someone’s approach. Diving into the shower room, I went into one of the cubicles and locked the door. They were individual shower rooms, the walls were floor to ceiling on all sides. I could stay hidden safely, but I wouldn’t hear when whoever had come into the staff room left.

  Taking a deep breath, I sat on the floor and leant against the wall. I would give it ten minutes and then sneak out to check. It was probably my new boss, Alice, who would be working alone today. It wasn’t exactly the best day for me to go sick, considering she probably didn’t know what to do.

  My eyelids drooped as I waited, my breath becoming shallow. If I wasn’t careful, I would fall asleep.

  *

  “Quick,” a female voice jolted me from my reverie. “You’d better run!”

  Our saviour was the maid who looked after the master. I had no idea who might have known about me and Ceely, but by the sound of the hounds, someone had found out.

  Ceely stretched in the bed beside me, reluctant to flee...again.

  “We have to go,” I said, jumping up and tugging on my clothes.

  Her long slim figure moved under the blanket as she rolled over and tucked herself in. “No, I won’t do it anymore. I’m not afraid of who I love.”

  The maid had fled, leaving us to our own punishment. She knew that if they caught her anywhere near us, she would be burned, too. We had to escape.

  Our master was a French man, his plantation our home. We had been bought together one year and six months before, but had managed to keep our secret, until now. Had someone told him? The maid wouldn’t dare; she knew her workload would triple if we were killed.

  “Come on,” I said, going over to the bed and tugging on the blanket. It was rough on my fingers, but it did the job of keeping us warm. “I don’t want to die.”

  Sitting up, Ceely stared at me, her dark eyes the same colour as her skin. I glanced down at myself, my wasted away figure engulfed by the oversized dress that was grey-blue against my own dark skin.

  “I’m sick of running.” Her defiance would be short lived, especially if they caught us.

  I was used to her wanting to break the rules, it’s what had attracted me to her in the first place. But, her blatant disregard for her life, and mine, made it hard for me. Especially in a world where we were not free to do what we wanted.

  “Fine, you stay. I’m going.”

  That was it. I had risked my life since we kissed a year ago, my whole being knowing that what we felt for each other, as two women, was wrong. Yet, I couldn’t help it. I loved Ceely. But, I wasn’t playing this game anymore.

  Shoving my feet into my worn leather shoes, I opened the door and sneaked out, not bothering to wait when she called out. No, she had made her choice. If she was caught, at least there would be no damning evidence.

  The sky was black, one of those eerily dark nights. The crickets were chirping and the bugs buzzing, but I kept walking, heading towards one of my friend’s huts. She was a house maid, not like me. I was an outdoor hand, harvesting the plantation for every sunlit hour of the day.

  Tears popped into my eyes when I heard the dogs. They were approaching Ceely’s hut. If I didn’t hurry, they would catch my scent and find me. It would be evidence enough for the master to conclude that I had been with another woman. Which was something that was punishable by death.

  “Hatty,” someone called out in the darkness.

  My breath rushed out of me as I almost collided with John, the farrier. He was fair and kind, but would he keep me safe? Or, would he give me over to our master in order to find favour?

  “Elsie is waiting for you at her hut, she sent me out to get you as soon as she heard the dogs.”

  He was going to keep me safe. Taking his hand, I let him lead me down the path and to the huts at the back of the house. My feet skipped along, almost falling out from underneath me, but John propelled me forward.

  Elsie had a keen ear, and knew exactly what was going on. Those of us who knew her recognised her as a seer, a healer. But, her secret could never get out. She would be burnt to death, just like me and Ceely.

  As the huts drew nearer, my breath got shorter. I had to get inside, but it looked so far away. My meal had been cut today because I was short on my picking quota by half a pound.

  “Come on.” John scooped me up and ran the rest of the way, slowing only when we reached the outside of Elsie’s hut.

  The door opened, but no one came out. Setting me on my feet, John pushed my back gently. Tip toeing up the two wooden steps, I disappeared into the hut, while John disappeared into the night.

  “Mama,” I cried quietly when Elsie stepped out from behind the door.

  Closing it behind me, she shoved me towards the pallet on the floor. Laying down, I huddled in the corner as my mother got in beside me.

  “You’re a fool, Hatty, how many times do I have to tell you to keep away from that girl?”

  Her arm came around me at the same time as the dogs howled. They were getting nearer. Maybe they could smell my scent. However, if the master or his men caught me now, they had no evidence. I was safely in the arms of my mother, where I should be sleeping every night.

  “You’re lucky that we were all brought here together, but I should have made you go somewhere else. At least you wouldn’t be killing my heart every day.”

  My mother had known about my love for Ceely since we had first met. I couldn’t help it, I just loved her. And, nothing anyone said could change that.

  “I’m sorry, Mama,” I whispered as shouts grew nearer.

  Mama nudged me, making sure I stopped talking and pretended to sleep. The door burst open, jolting us both. We sat up, blinking as if we had been asleep. One the master’s men stared down at us, a scowl on his face.

  “You!” He pointed at me as he came over.

  Mama tried to get in his way, but he knocked her over. She didn’t utter a sound as he reached for me, wrapping meaty fingers around my skinny wrist. Tugging me to my feet, he started to walk back out of the hut.

  “What have I done?” I asked, feigning innocence.

  The master stood in a circle of lit torches. His men held them around him so we could see. He held the arm of Ceely, his fingers digging into her skin.

  “You women have been accused of breaking the law. Sexual interaction between the same sex is illegal. What do you have to say for yourself?” The master’s accent made me shiver. The French were brutal. But, then again, so were the British. To be a slave in Virginia was not an easy life.

  Gasps went up around the area. People had come out of their huts to see what the commotion was about. The accusation against us had grounds, but who would tell on us? Surely, my own mama wouldn’t...

  My eyes burned at the realisation that it might have been her, even if it was by accident. A passing comment might have planted a seed in someone’s mind.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ceely spoke up, answering the master’s rhetoric question. “I ain’t ever been with another woman.”

  The leering looks of some of the men made my skin crawl. Some of them liked the idea of it, yet, they knew the punishment if it was proved.

  Clearing my throat when the man holding me shoved me to the ground in front of the master, I looked up. “I...”

  “Shut up!” the master snapped, making it obvious that he hadn’t expected us to answer. “I’ll not have you talking back to me.”

  Stepping forward, he slapped me across the head. Cringing against the pain, I kept still, not uttering a sound. If we did, it would make him angrier and more likely to keep up the beating.

  “Who here has seen these two women fornicating?” The master looked around.

  The whole estate had woken up in the hullabaloo, coming to see what was going on. Surely, no one would step forward. If they had no proof, they wouldn’t be able to punish us in the worst possible way.

  “No one?”

  My heart was beating in my chest so fast, I thought it might break my ribs. Lifting a shaking hand, I wiped away the droplet of blood that ran down my cheek from a small cut in my head. The pain? It was nothing. Not compared to what I’d endured at the hands of my master and his men.

  “Okay, so we have no proof. Henry, take that woman...” He pointed at me. “...to the slave market tomorrow and sell her on.”

  My eyes closed as emotional pain shot through me. I would leave my mother behind. And Ceely. It would be hard, but at least we would still have our life.

  He went to turn, but a guttural cry came from Ceely, which made him pause. Launching herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs gripping around his waist. Her fingers dug into his eyes, a squelchy pop causing me to wince.

  The master’s scream was a sound that would be imprinted in my memory. He had just lost an eye.

  “You won’t take her away from me!” Ceely screamed as the master’s men yanked her off him.

  Falling to the ground, the master clutched his face, his shouts quietening as he grew accustomed to the pain. My skin was covered in sweat. What had she just done? We would have been safe, but she’d ruined it.

  “Kill them!” the master shouted, trying to scramble to his feet as his men helped him.

  The man who had seized me earlier grabbed me under the armpit and tugged me to my feet, bruising me in the process.

  Looking over my shoulder, I shook my head roughly when my mother went to step forward. Waving her back, I winced. The men dragged me, along with Ceely, hauling us towards the field.

  “Actually, I’ve changed my mind. They need to suffer,” the master said, pushing his men away from him as they tried to look at his eye. “Tie them to the post and let them starve. No water, no food.”

  He stumbled as the pain hit him again, but was quickly supported by his men. He gestured for them to take us away to our fate.

  Glancing over at Ceely, I frowned at her. My lip wobbled, tears coming to my eyes. She had killed us. They were killing us. All because we had loved each other. My lover’s eyes were defiant, her jaw clenched hard. She had always been a warrior, someone willing to fight for what was right.

  But, this wasn’t a good fight. This was survival. And, not only had she sent herself to her death, she had sent me there with her. I loved her, but I would never forgive her for the suffering I was about to endure.

  Starving to death. I had seen it. One of my co-workers had assaulted one of the female maids. He was tied up for two weeks before he died. It was torture for him, it was hell for us to watch. And, now, my mother would walk by and see me dying. All because of Ceely’s stupid temper.

  I loved her. Yet, I hated her. She was the cause of suffering. Not only to me, but to my mother, too.

  *

  Blinking, I looked around the shower stall. Wait, had I been sleeping? No. I’d zoned out and the images had played out in my mind. My chest burned with anger, heat searing my skin. The pain in my chest heaved as I tried to even out my breath. What had just happened? It was as if I was there.

  The silence in the room made me get to my feet. Stepping out, I went to the door that led to the staff room.

  The images were still in my mind, distracting me from my mission. How long had I been there? Glancing at my watch, I frowned. Only five minutes had passed.

  Standing near the door, I listened to see if anyone was on the other side. It was quiet. Taking a deep breath, I went into the staff room, releasing the air from my lungs as I looked around. There was no one there.

  Tiptoeing over to the other door, I peeked my head out, only going into the corridor when I heard that no one was around. If Alice was in the lab, I would really struggle in seizing the antibiotics. Creeping, I went to our office, looking through the glass window to check if anyone was there. I knew Lacy wouldn’t be at her desk, but Alice was at hers. Okay, at least she wasn’t in the lab. But, it would still make it difficult to not make a sound when I got in there.

  A brainwave hit me. Digging out my phone, I backtracked into the corridor and send Alice a text message. I explained that I was supposed to deliver a letter to an onsite surgeon, which was true, and he needed it urgently. I had to grovel, saying pretty please could she help me.

  Poking my head around, I watched her look down at her phone. A frown crossed her face before she got up from her chair. Her lips moved as she obviously muttered something about me, but a text came back to say that she would do it just this once.

  Reaching into my in-tray, Alice plucked the only letter there and came out of the office, her quick footsteps retreating down the corridor. Smiling to myself, I dove across the space and into the office, shutting the door behind me.

  Going straight to my computer, I moved the mouse, heaving a sigh of relief when the screen flashed on. Logging into my account, I waited while it loaded. It sometimes took its time, but today, it was quick. Good.

  Searching for my Anthrax file, I quickly pressed the print button and logged out. My heart was pounding, vibrating in my brain. Adrenaline mixed with the fury that had stayed with me since my little vision.

  Once the pages had printed out, I grabbed them from the printer. Getting my lab key out, I rushed over to the door and let myself in. The surgeon’s office was on the other side of the hospital, so it should take Alice at least fifteen minutes to walk there and back, if not more.

  My gaze traced over to the fridge in the corner. Looking down at my paperwork, I found the section on treatment. Okay, so those of us in the building who weren’t showing any symptoms needed a sixty-day antibiotic treatment for post -exposure prophylaxis.

  There were six of us without symptoms. That was a lot of antibiotics to steal. But, I didn’t have a choice. Did I?

  Going over to the antibiotic cupboard, I opened it. My palm slipped over the handle as sweat coated my skin. Was I really going to do this?

  An image of Natalie popped into my head. I didn’t have a choice. If I wanted to save them, I would have to take the meditation. And, then pay the hospital back somehow.

  Grabbing out the boxes of doxycycline, I shoved them in my bag. I had made sure to bring a big over the shoulder bag, ready to be filled. If I was caught, I would go to prison for a very long time. I had to keep my head. My nerves caused my hands to shake as I reached for the BioThrax vaccine. I would need it considering I had confirmed contact with the anthrax. Shoving three into my bag, I grabbed a whole box of needles. Just in case.

  Glancing down at my list, I started to think about Aries, Natalie and Libra. They would need more. Searching the cupboard, I heaved a sigh of relief when I found the Clindamycin. The toxins that were growing in their bodies would need to be compounded with the anti-toxin.

  I tried to keep the noise down as I moved on to the next cupboard, looking for Raxibacumab, a monoclonal antibody that would be directed at the protective antigen of the bacteria.