Chapter 1 – Rabies

"Everything is ready for the upcoming physical ability tests and I prepared a provisional schedule. Of course, there is a plan B just in case but hopefully it won't be needed."

Merlin looked up from his computer screen with a smile and nodded.

They had been working together for almost two years now and the young redhead had learned a lot more from him during this time than she did back in university. But, of course, it didn't change the fact that unlike her mentor she was a doctor which made these annual tests much more interesting for her. If there was one thing she missed from her short-lived career at the hospital it was the ER, the only place that was crazy enough to keep her adrenaline level high for the rest of her shift. This job was peaceful; there were only occasional wounds and smaller surgeries and luckily these injuries were barely lethal.

"Oh, I almost forgot to mention I will be away next week," Madison informed him then said, "hopefully it won't take longer than three or four days."

"Family matters?"

Madison nodded. "Engagement party organized by James' parents which means we will have to spend a few days there."

After this short conversation not much had been said but it was never a problem between them. Silence made her productive and in their line of work even the smallest of mistakes could lead to the death of a Kingsman. Her attention was only drawn to her phone when it began to vibrate on her desk, telling her she received a text message. 'Please, come and meet me in your office. I need your help. Galahad.' That was all the text said but it was enough for the woman to excuse herself and leave.

This hadn't been the first time Harry Hart asked for her help. Every once in a while he asked for her professional advice before presenting an evidence to either Merlin or Arthur and Madison was certain this case wasn't any different. Weirdly enough she knocked on the door of her own office before stepping in and clearing her throat to get his attention.

Harry turned around with his hands still behind his back and greeted her with a small nod. "Morgana," he said quietly, his glasses nowhere to be seen. It was a clear sign of a delicate matter he wanted to keep a secret for now.

"Galahad," Madison replied with a smile. "What did you bring me today?"

While she opened up her private laptop they always used so there would be no trace of this conversation in the computer system of Kingsman, he crossed his arms and leaned against the nearby wall. "I took the copies of these files from the computer of a terrorist last night. I don't really know what it means so I was wondering if you had an idea as of what this might be."

Without saying a word she opened the documents he gave her on a USB drive and read some of the pages in complete and heavy silence. When she reached a certain page in one of the files, Madison raised her hand to her mouth. "This is not good," she whispered.

Harry walked closer and took a look at the computer screen over her shoulder. "What is it?"

"It seems like whoever created these documents managed to turn rabies into an airborne disease," Madison explained. "I have to read every single page to fully understand what we're dealing with but it takes time and I could also use a sample to work on."

"So it's deadly," he said while glancing down at her.

"It can be, yes. Look, the incubation period is usually a few months but I have no idea how much they changed the original virus. And this is where I have to ask you if there was a chance you got into contact with it."

"I honestly don't know."

Madison closed her laptop and pointed at the chair across her desk. "Take off the jacket and roll up both sleeves of your shirt. I need a blood sample," she instructed him, happy to see that he immediately did as he was told. "There's no standard test I could use but maybe this modified version can be spotted this way. Until then if you feel sick, if you have fever or if you feel anything out of normal, call me, okay?"

A small smile appeared on the spy's lips as he glanced up at her. "Yes, doctor."

"I'm serious, Galahad, because rabies can be deadly if it's not treated properly." She intentionally avoided eye contact with him and focused on taking that sample. He was one of those spies she really liked and knowing there was a chance he was infected by this particular virus made her really sad. "And," she then continued, "according to the documents you showed me, they managed to turn it into a weapon."

Silence fell between them and eventually Madison busied herself by pulling her red hair into a ponytail while Harry slowly unrolled the sleeves of his white shirt and put his jacket back on. She wished they had known for sure if he did or did not have the virus in his system. Thinking about this man experiencing the symptoms, especially the extreme ones was terrible, but the thought of all of them in the building being exposed to an airborne version was much scarier.

"You're engaged," he suddenly noted.

Turning around to look at him Madison asked, "What?" At first she had no idea what he meant by this statement but her gaze soon fell on her left hand with the engagement ring on it. Of course, he had probably noticed when she covered her mouth with that hand a few minutes before. "Oh, yes, James asked me two days ago."

Harry nodded but didn't say anything and she soon realized she hadn't met this kind of silence before. Unlike most of the time they were alone in a room and no one said a word it almost felt awkward, as if there were hundreds or thousands of words he wanted to tell her. His brown eyes were fixed on the ring on her finger and Madison immediately covered it with her another hand once she noticed what he was looking at exactly.

"What is it?" she asked quietly when he had no other choice but to look away.

"Nothing," Harry replied with an obviously fake smile. "Congratulations and thank you for your help, Morgana."

"Galahad, wait!"

But it was too late. The door behind him closed and Madison leaned back in her chair. Harry Hart was a Kingsman therefore he was supposed to know perfectly well how to fake a smile without being busted. So why couldn't he do it now? Maybe, she wondered in herself, he just regrets not having a wife waiting for him at home.

This movie and Colin Firth being badass while wearing those suits destroyed my life and here's the result. The rating might change later on because... of reasons. I have plans and it definitely involves our beloved Harry Hart not always being a gentleman behind closed doors.