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QT:NW continues the official Spin Off for the Quaranteam universe originally created by CorruptingPower. You do not need to have read the original series to enjoy this one, but you really do need to start with Chapters 1-4 (I really suggest you read the original though, it's great!). Fans of the original should be pleased to know CP has approved the story and the continuity.
In this chapter you can expect to see some of the fallout from an outbreak, sexual bolstering of the vaccine, and multiple MF encounters.
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Organized chaos reigned for about twenty minutes as army-green heavy trucks continued to rumble onto the construction site. There were even more National Guard than when Miriam had broken up the protest, all of them suited up in full hazmat suits, being directed by airmen in gasmasks. It was tough to even follow what was going on.
"Harri," Vanessa said from the ladder, getting my attention. I hadn't gotten down from the top of the RV since I wasn't sure how much of a contamination threat I was, but Dani, Erica and Kyla had gone to let the others know that things were safe now. Miriam was clearly busy with everything else going on around us, so I hadn't exactly felt it was the right time to figure out what to do.
"God, I want to hug you," I said as I did the opposite and backed away.
She smiled weakly as she pulled herself the rest of the way up. "I know," she said. Vanessa sat down on the edge of the RV roof, her feet over the side, and I joined her about six feet away. She looked out at the hectic organization going on, listening to the shouting and the thrum of engines. "Shit."
"Yep,' I agreed.
"I feel like it's my fault," she said more quietly.
"It's not," I said.
We sat there for a while, not saying anything else.
Eventually, Miriam came back around - hazmat tents had been set up, bright white with yellow caution signs on them - and it looked like the construction workers were being split up between the tents and the trucks. Miriam already looked haggard as she trudged through the field to us. After she'd said hello earlier she'd put on a gas mask of her own, and she was still wearing it as she approached, only slipping it off once she was about ten paces away from Vanessa and I.
"How are you two doing?" she asked. "Everyone OK over here?"
I shrugged. "Tough to say," I said. "I'd like to be checking on everyone and making sure they feel safe, but Vanessa and I aren't sure what sort of risk we are to the others. Any chance there's a test or something we could take?"
Miriam sighed. "There is, but this is another one of those situations where you should've already been told this. In all likelihood, based on Vanessa's extended amount of time among the workers, she's probably carrying the virus. The best thing you two can do right now is to make sure your inoculations are running at full potential."
"What?" Vanessa asked.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
Miriam went to wipe her brow, then realized she shouldn't since her hands were gloved up and unsanitized. Instead she just sort of wiped them on her fatigues in frustration. "You need to go screw," she said. "The vaccine you all have will do its job, but you can bump up the inoculation effect by having sex with your partners. And Vanessa, with your out-of-the-norm condition with the vaccine, you should probably go more than once."
"Miriam, you realize-" I started.
"I know, I know," Miriam said, raising a hand to cut me off. "It sounds ridiculous. But that's what the science people are saying."
"So have sex, and we should be fine?" Vanessa asked.
"Yes," Miriam said. A radio on her belt squawked and she grabbed it, speaking into it quickly. "Look," she said, turning back to us. "The rest of this out here isn't your job, it's mine. I've got it. So focus on taking care of yourselves, and I promise I'll give you another update when I can."
"Is my Father alright, at least?" Vanessa asked.
"Brent is probably the most important person on this site," Miriam said. "He'll be at the front of the line for anything he needs. Alright?"
"OK," Vanessa nodded.
"Miriam," I said as the Lieutenant Colonel was about to turn away. "Thank you for showing up."
She grimaced a little. "I should have been here sooner. All of this is coming too late."
"But you weren't too late for us," I said. "Just remember that you're pretty fucking awesome."
She smiled, shaking her head a little. It was the same mini speech I'd given her before she was scheduled to go in and face the music back when we'd both been in the military. She'd been nervous to go and face the tribunal with her superior officers after I'd discovered the blackmail and interrupted the assault. At the time she'd blushed a little and looked down at her boots. Now she took the compliment a lot better.
As Miriam walked away back to the organized chaos of the emergency response, I shifted down the RV edge to Vanessa and wrapped my arm around her.
"We're still not safe," she said but didn't pull away.
"We will be," I said softly. "I just need you to know I'm here for you."
She lifted up a hand and took a couple of my fingers in hers as it rested on her shoulder.
We ended up heading down into the compound a few minutes later and let everyone know what Miriam had said. Dani had immediately begun ushering Leo, India and Aria towards their RV. Things in my own household were a little more difficult to handle now since Kyla wasn't interested in the idea of group sex at all - and almost more importantly, I felt like Vanessa needed something different than a group experience at the moment. She'd been the most exposed and knew the most people who were currently being affected.
