Chapter 389

“You go on ahead. I’ll eat later,” Shermaine said. No food was allowed inside the lab, so after collecting the blood samples, she stepped back out.

Joshua insisted, “Eat first, then continue with work.”

With no other choice, Shermaine removed her PPE suit and medical gloves, then followed Joshua to the adjacent break room. After Shermaine finished her breakfast, Joshua left for work.

Shermaine wasn’t in a hurry to test Joshua’s blood sample. She was sure there was nothing seriously wrong with him, and whatever she had observed that night likely posed no threat to his health.

After all, they had lived together for so long. Shermaine knew Joshua’s health inside out.

His bloodwork could wait. But with the new sample from that patient already delivered, Shermaine finished her breakfast and immediately got down to work.

That afternoon, when Danielle returned to the hospital, she went straight to the orthopedics department. As soon as the doctor told her she could finally get her cast removed, she had it taken off immediately.

‘This damn cast had ruined so many opportunities for me, especially last night,’ she thought. Upon learning that Shermaine was still inside the lab, Danielle went over to check on her.

Danielle turned to Ross and said, “You can go now. I’m going to meet Sheary.”

Ross said, “Grandma just called. She wants us both home for dinner tonight. Let Sheary know, and ask her to come over with Joshua later this evening.”

“Got it,” Danielle said.

After parting ways with Ross, Danielle had just reached the doorway when Shermaine emerged from the lab, clutching a report with an unusually grave expression.

“What’s going on?” Danielle asked.

Shermaine said, “We need to call an emergency meeting. This virus is highly complex, and we can’t deal with it anytime soon.”

The main issue was that it was blood-borne and neuroinvasive. Once it reached the central nervous system, the infected patient would become violently unpredictable, posing a major threat to others.

Until a serum or vaccine could be developed, strict precautions had to be taken. Even more urgently, they needed to trace the virus back to its source and eliminate it before it could spread.

After being hospitalized and away from work for so long, Danielle immediately perked up, eager to get back to work. “I’ll handle it.”

“Transfer the patient to the isolation ward immediately,” Shermaine ordered.

“On it.” Danielle nodded.

In just thirty minutes, nearly all of Yaleview Hospital’s top executives assembled in the conference room. Even the hospital’s director, Ashley Reynolds, was present.

Shermaine’s formidable reputation in the medical field meant that even the hospital director treated her with deference.

Her skills alone commanded respect, but her age made her accomplishments truly remarkable. It made people wonder just how far her extraordinary talent could go.

And it wasn’t just medicine. Shermaine had proven herself time and again across disciplines. She was an undeniable standout in any field.

For someone as exceptional as Shermaine to convene a high-level meeting over a single patient’s condition made it clear this case was anything but ordinary.

As the meeting progressed, and with Shermaine explaining the patient’s genetic test results, everyone’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Firstly, they were dealing with a completely new virus of unknown origin. It was bloodborne, and once the symptoms kicked in, the patients would lose all sense of reason. They become violent and even aggressive.

This patient was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

According to the patient’s family, while he was on his way home, a disheveled homeless man suddenly jumped out and attacked him. They got into a fight, and though he managed to get away, he didn’t come out unscathed.

That was how he got the wound. But they had a problem. If they couldn’t find that homeless man, they’d lose their only lead on the virus’ source.

Ashley asked, “Is anyone willing to go to Horington to investigate this case?”

The room was filled with experienced department heads, all of whom were willing to take on the mission. The chief virologist was the first to raise their hand. “I’ll go.”

Ashley said, “It’s settled then. You’ll leave for Horington first thing tomorrow morning.”

Ashley had barely finished speaking when Shermaine cut in, “I’ll go with Dr. Morton.”