Against the Tide

Chapter Ten

Rachel cast her eyes over the preparations she had made for the mainland and the mass production and distribution of the vaccine. Her mind and body hummed in this environment. She was in her element, bringing order to chaos via the systematic use of research methods.

Captain Chandler was due to check in on her in about half an hour's time and her heart unwillingly skipped a beat.

Stop being silly, Rachel. She chastised herself. He's happily married and you've just created the vaccine that could save his family.

Truthfully Rachel felt envious of the level of emotional intimacy Danny and Kara shared. She doubted that anyone would truly feel compelled to stand vigil by her bedside if she came down with dengue fever. Rachel also felt herself feeling vaguely jealous of Kara's pregnancy. Rachel loved children and always thought that she would have a child of her own one day, but the years and opportunities seemed to be slipping away at a greater rate than ever before. Professionally her life was almost perfect. Personally it was a shambles.

Tex was a wonderful friend and she felt flattered by his advances and thankful for his humour. She also quite sure that his intentions were all for show and if she did ever call him out on it, he'd back down quite quickly. He was smart and funny, the jester that the Nathan James had needed.

Tom Chandler, on the other hand, had a gravitational pull to him that Rachel had previously never experienced in another man. His looks, strength and presence were a magnetic force that Rachel had been finding it increasingly difficult to pull away from.

I should never have kissed him.

What had been a tactical ploy for the mission had fuelled a deeper desire that Rachel was desperately trying to quash. Doing what she shakily dubbed the 'Russian Incident' he had kissed her back and this further fuelled her confusion.

"Doctor Scott," a voice snapped her out of her reverie and she flushed slightly as she looked up to see Captain Chandler. Tom mistook her expression for concern about locating a suitable facility in which to replicate the vaccine.

"We'll find a suitable lab for you," he assured her and she nodded, absently tapping a pen against the clipboard she was holding.

"I do have genuine concerns as to what we may find on the mainland," Rachel started. "What the drone showed us of the Fort Dietrich lab is extremely concerning."

Rachel paused for a moment and locked eyes with Tom in an effort to emphasise her point.

"I've seen many epidemics destroy communities and how the instinct to survive can make people capable of doing things they never would have previously thought possible."

Tom nodded, politely listening to her opinions.

"The homeland you return to, will not be the same one that you left."

"You're concerned the United States will have fallen into a state of lawlessness by now?" Tom stood with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Yes," Rachel nodded emphatically. "I think this morning's drone imagery more than confirmed that."

"Even if that is the case, as Navy personnel we are trained in dealing with failed states and capacity building. We can rebuild." Tom responded confidently.

Rachel merely nodded in acquiescence.

"Here," she offered Tom a small case. "These are for your family."

Tom opened the case to reveal four doses of the vaccine – One each for Darien, his children and his father. He opened his mouth to say that he couldn't accept it and then stopped. He had to accept it.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Rachel nodded and turned back to her clipboard, a sense of unease about the future prickling on her skin.

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