"So we're going to tell Doctor Hayward about this virus?" I asked and Dale turned his head. "Not sure how we're going to convince him that it turns people into zombies though."
"Is there any virus or disease you know of that could cause this?" Dale replied and after some thought I gave him my best two answers. "Ebola and Rabies?"
"Hey I read a lot. Just pick one or the other though Ebola's the better one. Apparently you're still really infectious even after you die from Ebola. Plus the rabies makes you act aggressively." I pointed out and Dale just looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow as Harry smiled and Hawk coughed to hide a laugh.
We were lucky catching Jim before he even had time to enter the morgue, meeting him at his home in the town. At first he seemed confused when Harry, Hawk and Dale appeared at his doorstep and after some really quick thinking I knew what Dale should tell Jim.
"Tell Jim that David Bell, the body in the morgue just in case he hasn't been identified yet, has a highly infectious virus. I'm sure no one will go anywhere near Mr Bell if they hear that." I quickly told Dale as he was climbing from the vehicle and after a pause he gave me a smile that brought a tiny smile to my own face.
"Really? Geeze no one mentioned that someone infectious was brought in. Thank you for letting me know but what will I say to Doc Hayward?" Jim asked and Dale cleared his throat.
"Let me handle that, Jim. You just avoid the morgue while we get the victim removed from the hospital." Dale answered and Jim nodded, thanking Dale again before he walked back inside his house. Once they had returned to Harry's jeep I looked up noting Dale's smile and I let out a breath not surprised that my shoulders were trembling.
"So Jim actually believed you?" I asked Dale and he nodded, blinking when I ran a hand over my eyes. "T...thank goodness. That's the only thing I could think that you can catch even after someone dies from it." I whispered, leaning against the backseat when I felt light-headed.
"Megan, what's wrong?" Dale asked and I closed my eyes for a few seconds only opening an eye when I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder.
"If Jim doesn't go near David Bell's body and he doesn't get scratched we're going to be alright." I replied and Dale just sighed, touching a palm to my forehead. "Just a little shaken up but at least we stopped it."
"For the time being, Megan but we still need to move David Bell's body before anyone else comes into contact with him. Jim might not be our patient zero now but someone else could be." Dale warned and I sighed, opening both eyes at him.
"Yeah you're right. Do you know of anyone who could keep David Bell somewhere safe?" I asked, sitting up with a groan before I rubbed at my eyes. Seeing him nod I brightened. "Someone who will believe us?"
"Albert Rosenfield, a friend from the bureau. But we'll have a hard time convincing him that this is a highly contagious virus that changes people into the living dead." Dale replied after some thought and I managed a weak smile before I cleared my throat.
"Just use the excuse we gave Doc Hayward and Jim. If it worked on them it should work on him. Not that we have any other choice." I muttered, crossing my arms when all three men stared at me and I noted three pairs of eyebrows raised in my direction. "You can stare all you want, gentlemen but that won't change my mind about the coming zombie apocalypse."
Climbing into the driver's seat Harry waited for Dale and Hawk to climb into the vehicle and I gave Dale a quick grin. Noting the smile Hawk looked over at Harry. "Not to change the subject but is there something going on between you and Megan?" Hawk asked Dale and he turned around enough to give Hawk a smile.
"Since the zombie apocalypse, Hawk." Dale answered and I bit back a giggle when Harry paused in the process of starting the engine and he turned around to see me with a smile on my face not even caring when both Harry and Hawk blinked at each other then us.
"I'm not one to kiss and tell, Harry but we did have a memorable night together." I admitted and Dale started to laugh. "Just don't ask for details."
We arrived back at the Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department and after I left Harry's jeep I looked up at the building, pushing my hands into my pockets with my lips pressed together. "I just need to make a call to Albert and then we can have David Bell moved to a more secure location." Dale explained and I bit my lip, looking at the dirt beneath my feet. "Megan, is something wrong?" He asked me and I glanced up at him chewing my lip.
"You make it sound so simple but what if we're wrong? What if Jim wasn't the one? What if someone else gets scratched and we don't know until it's too late?" I asked, my heart beating so fast I felt faint and I fell to my knees gasping for air.
"Megan, you're having a panic attack. Focus on my voice." Dale whispered, rubbing circles around my back as I tried to catch my breath my vision blurry for several seconds. "We need to take action and stop the virus in its tracks. I know that Jim was patient zero."
"H...how...do you...know that?" I gasped, pulling myself to my feet and Dale wrapped an arm around my shoulders as I struggled to slow my rapidly beating heart. "We...could be wrong."
"Megan, I trusted you when you told me about the virus that swept through your hometown. When you became infected I trusted you to know what to do even if it hurt me." Dale told me, placing his hands on each of my cheeks. "I'm asking you to trust me. We will stop this from happening and save Twin Peaks."
"Of course I trust you, Dale. If it wasn't for you I probably would have run as far as I could from this town and never looked back." I replied, reaching up before I covered one of his hands with my own. "No one's ever risked their life to keep me safe and I don't want to be a coward."
"A coward is the last thing anyone could call you. As soon as Albert gets here I need your help convincing him that we need to isolate David Bell." Dale said, stroking my chin and I felt my cheeks burning at how close he was and how easily anyone could see us.
"A...a blood sample...should do it." I managed to stammer and he chuckled, brushing a warm kiss against my lips when I didn't move away. "I think you should go and call Albert otherwise we'll never get anything done, Dale."
With a smile and a slight nod Dale released me, heading towards the building and I reached up touching my lips with my fingertips. "Wow." I mumbled, quickly following behind Dale as I tried to ignore the chuckling coming from several feet away.
Once we entered the building Dale excused himself, heading for the nearest phone so I found myself the closest chair. Lowering myself into it I let out a shaky breath still feeling the aftereffects of my panic attack, my shoulders trembling. "Wow that wasn't fun." I muttered to myself, wishing I was back in my room at the Great Northern Hotel.
"I still can't believe it. A zombie virus." Harry commented and I rolled my eyes towards the ceiling turning my head when he started to walk past me. Seeing the way my eyes were narrowed at him Harry stopped talking.
"Wise decision, Sheriff Truman." I muttered, earning myself a tiny smile from Deputy Hawk.