Bad Nerd Rising (26 page)

“And the basement is always
the last place to be remodeled. Especially since this is the
autoclave room.”

“All hospital waste come here,” Anson said
proudly.

“Yes.” Tia smiled at him,
thankful to have this problem solved. She didn’t have the heart to
remind him there was another autoclave room in the other
wing.

“So what happens now?”

“We’ll need a cleanup crew,
one familiar with biohazard waste cleanup, in here immediately.”
Tia paused when she saw her crew roll their eyes. “Oh, does that
mean us?”

All three nodded, and
stared without enthusiasm at the disgusting blobs on the floor.
“Wonderful,” she said. “There are worse things than cleaning up
nastiness like this.”

None of them looked convinced.

“What do you need me to do?” Graham
asked.

“While we’re preparing for
this cleanup, I want you to bring tours down here to witness this.
Everyone who has contact with the biohazard bags needs to see what
happens when these bags drip. They need to know this is
not
acceptable.”

She glanced at Anson, who’d
gone a little pale. “It’s okay after the bag has been autoclaved,
but not before.”

He brightened a bit. “I
remind them.”

“Thank you. I think seeing
what happens when they don’t follow proper biohazard procedure will
also help them to remember to follow hospital protocols. Also,
Anson, I’d like some tests run on you.”

“I’ll personally bring
everyone down here,” Graham said. “And I’ll schedule Anson’s
tests.” Graham looked a little peaked around the gills, and Tia
realized he wasn’t as used to the interesting stenches created by
bacteria and such.

“We’d appreciate that. In
the meantime, clean-up peons, we have work to do,” Tia said
cheerfully. She fully expected and appreciated the groans that
followed her suggestion.

***

“You’re doing what?” Aleksi asked again,
still not sure he understood.

“We’re preparing to clean
up the mess in the hospital autoclave room. It’ll probably require
a professional crew, as well, but we can mop up the worst of it,”
Tia replied, her voice still as patient as the first time he had
asked.

“You found the source of
contamination and now you’re going to clean up the
mess?”

“Yes.” She placed more
items in the small plastic box, and he realized he only had part of
her attention. The other three scurried around the lab, as intent
on their tasks as Tia.

“Do I need to call in the
professionals?”

“No, Graham is planning to
do so. I gave him some names and numbers, so he should be set.” Tia
glanced around the room, a furrow between her eyebrows. Like she
knew she was forgetting something. “You will have to have
professionals re-clean and repair the crack after we do some
preliminary testing and cleaning.”

He nodded. That wouldn’t be
a problem. “How long will the cleaning take?”

Maria turned to stare at
him. “All day,” she said pessimistically.

“It won’t take all day,” Tia corrected, and
sent Maria a droll look.

“All day,” Helena said and Jorge echoed.

“Oh ye of little faith,”
Tia scolded. “How many times have you done a cleanup like
this?”

“Never.” Maria sounded happy about that
fact.

“Exactly. While I on the
other hand, have performed this task many times.”

Helena raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve done this before?”

“Of course. When you’re the
lab klutz, you learn lab cleanup fast.”

“This is a little more than a simple spill,”
Jorge reminded them morosely.

“True, but I also
moonlighted on a professional cleanup crew during
school.”

Maria blew some hair out of
her face and glared at Tia. “Why didn’t you tell us
that?”

“You never asked.”

Tia expertly ducked the
flying object and laughed. He liked how she lit up a room and how
easily she worked with the people in her lab. He’d known Jorge,
Helena, and Maria from boyhood. Never before had he seen them enjoy
their work more. He suspected their enjoyment had more to do with
their beautiful leader than the work itself.

Again, he reminded himself
to breathe shallowly, because he couldn’t imagine someone actually
enjoying these odors all day, every day. Bacteria did seem to come
with its own stink, and so far, he had yet to encounter a pleasant
smelling one.

Then there was the whole
medium they used to grow the bacteria. Also not pleasant smelling.
Most of it wasn’t unpleasant, but then it wasn’t nice, either. He’d
rather smell a bunch of wet dogs.

Knowing Tia, she’d probably
remind him that the reason wet dogs stink is because of the
bacteria on them. He would rather not know such information. Let
him keep his illusions. They were easier to stomach.

“Okay, boss, we’re ready,”
Jorge said and hefted one of the tool boxes. Helena wrapped her
arms around a huge bag of what looked like white marshmallow
sheets. Maria picked up another tool box with a grunt. Finally, Tia
grasped the handle of the last box, and with a frown, placed a
supporting hand underneath.

“All right. Let’s go then.”
She turned to Helena. “Did you place a set of Tyvek in there for
Anson?”

“Yes. I figured he’d want
to help us.”

“I had the same
impression.” Tia waved them toward the door before turning to him.
He drank in her smile and happiness. Unlike her lab crew, she was
looking forward to damage control.

Aleksi realized in that
moment he loved Tia. Just like that, staring at her open, fresh
face, love washed over him. Nothing seemed so difficult now that he
realized he had fallen in love with her. How had this
happened?
When
had it happened?

“Are you okay?” she asked, sounding
alarmed.

“I’m fine,” he all but
croaked. Now was not the time to whisk her into his arms and claim
his undying love for her. Especially not with the three individuals
who were all staring at him with a combination of suspicion,
speculation, and amusement.

“Okay, if you’re sure...”
she said, not sounding convinced that he wasn’t going to pass out
at her feet.
It might be a
possibility
. But he reminded himself to
breathe shallowly again, at least until they cleared the threshold.
He could breathe in the hallway. There the scents would be
pleasant.

“I’m sure,” he replied
quickly, in a tight voice.
Please don’t
ask me again
, he pleaded silently with
her. He would never hear the end of things. Since both Helena and
Maria would certainly mention his behavior to Maks and
Emerson.

Tia’s eyes raked his face
again, before she turned to precede him out the door. “I’ll call
you when we return from the cleanup.”

“Which will be sometime
tomorrow afternoon,” Maria groused.

“It’ll take two hours, tops,” Tia
corrected.

Helena and Jorge both snorted.

“With Anson’s help, it might take even less
than that.”

“Do you have a plan, oh mighty leader,”
Helena asked, her voice dripping brattiness, and disbelief.

Tia sniffed. “Of
course.”

“She doesn’t have a plan,” Jorge verified
with a melancholy air.

“Two hours,” Maria snorted.
“Two days later, they’ll find our bodies on the cellar
floor.”

“We’ll be supporting many life forms by
then,” Helena added with a glum look.

Tia laughed. “I’m going to
dock your pay for your lack of faith in me,” she threatened, but
she was laughing, so he decided none of them were concerned as he
accompanied them to the door that led outside.

“Well, it’s been nice knowing you,” he said,
siding with Tia’s companions because it was fun.

Tia sent him a death glare,
but her lips twitched. “It’ll be fun.”

That utter whopper brought
about a round of disbelief, and groans from her helpers. “I’ll show
you,” she promised and stepped out in front of a truck. Helena
jerked her back just in time.

“Let’s stay alive at least
until after we finish the cleanup.” Helena’s voice
shook.

Aleksi feared passing out
all over again. Clutching a hand to his heart seemed to help. Maria
and Jorge also looked like they were ready to pledge allegiance to
the flag.

How would he be able to
tell Tia he loved her if she died between now and then? Aleksi
watched her and her crew cross the street and disappear inside the
hospital and he wondered how on earth a man told a woman he loved
her.

Chapter
19

“Two hours and ten minutes
later, we’re striping out of our Tyvek suits and are ready to head
back to the lab,” Tia crowed as she peeled the sterile booties,
suit, hood, and gloves off. She had already removed the mask,
safety glasses, and first set of gloves.

Her companions looked
relieved, and tired. Which she understood.

“I’m surprised it didn’t take longer.” Maria
wearily slumped on the bench and stared at her feet.

“Let’s go find a late lunch
and then we’ll discuss the rest of our day,” Tia offered, placing a
commiserating hand on Maria’s shoulder.

Anson hovered solicitously
near her. Yes, he definitely had a crush on Maria. Not that it
surprised her. Maria was all sinew and femininity, and hot looks,
whether she wanted to be or not. Most men responded to such a woman
whether he liked it or not. Anson was French so his response might
be programmed in his DNA.

“I’m not sure if I want to
eat after all that.” Helena wrinkled her nose. Tia noticed the
gesture didn’t detract from her stunning looks.
Some women had all the luck.

“You do,” Tia said. “It’ll
make us all feel better. Even more than the showers.”

“If you say so,” Jorge
remarked and stretched. The girls followed suit and Tia heard
joints creak and bones pop. They’d endured, and now they could
relax.

She led the way out of the
cellar and they separated to remove their borrowed scrubs and take
quick showers in the hospital. When they all reconvened the four of
them made for the lab. “We can dump our equipment, pop by Aleksi’s
office, and then grab lunch.”

The others trailed after
her, with the exception of Anson, who still had some things he
wanted to finish up. They had invited him along, but he declined.
Tia suspected he wanted to admire his nice clean floor a little
longer.

With a smothered grin, she
looked both ways before crossing the street. For some reason, she
didn’t want to be run over by a truck, and now that Aleksi had
witnessed firsthand that it was a possibility, she strove to be
more alert to her surroundings. So she wasn’t grace personified,
and she could concentrate like nobody’s business. To the point
where she could block everything else out, including big trucks
driving along a street.

Aleksi would have to keep a
close watch on her. A little thrill zipped through her, and Tia
wanted to wrap her arms around herself and hold the feeling tight.
Instead she headed toward the lab, where they set their equipment
on the bench just inside the door. Her companions didn’t dawdle. In
moments they all headed down the hall.

The woman who manned the
desk in front of Aleksi’s office looked them up and down. “You
survived,” she said cheerfully.

“Of course. I told them,”
Tia said knowingly, and couldn’t resist rubbing it in a
little.

Her companions groaned, but
good-naturedly.

“I think there’s someone here to see you,
Tia.” Mrs. Goodhew ushered them into Aleksi’s office.

“To see me?” she echoed,
stunned when she walked into the room and noticed a familiar man.
She rushed into his arms with a squeal and wasn’t surprised when he
crushed her against him, gave her a loud kiss, and messed up her
hair.

When she finally extracted
herself from his arms, she punched him before turning to her
companions. “Meet Nick, my oldest brother. Nick, this is Jorge,
Maria, and Helena,” she said in the way of introductions. “I assume
you’ve already met Aleksi.”

Both he and Aleksi nodded.
She wanted to kick everyone out of his office and kiss Aleksi
senseless.
Now where had that come
from?
Hoping her feelings didn’t show on
her face, because ole Nick would pick up on it immediately and
embarrass her, Tia tried to smooth her face into impassive
lines.

Like she had any idea how to do that.

“You have a brother?” Helena exclaimed in
mock disbelief.

Tia rolled her eyes. She
turned to Nick. “You didn’t bring Bryan or Josh, right?”

“Of course not.”

“What about Macy and the
kids?” This she asked hopefully.

“I’m alone on this trip.”

“What brings you here?”

“I’m just passing through,
actually. There’s an architect conference I need to attend in
Germany, so I thought I’d come a little early and visit
you.”

“Did General Emma and Rich arrive home
safely?”

“Yep. They’re home and
she’s the one who suggested I stop over and see you.”