“Well you did ask for my professional opinion on how to contain this outbreak.”  House guzzled a paper cup full of water and sneered.  “And I gave it to you.”
He rolled his eyes skyward, theatrically.  “Everyone’s always so gung ho to shoot the messenger.  Particularly when the messenger is always right.”
“And I already told you that your opinion wasn’t an option.”Â
She would not shoot him, not here, in public.Â
Perhaps later, by the docks, where she could dump his corpse in the ocean for the sharks to devour.Â
…Maybe she’d break his neck. So much more satisfying when it was hands-on violence, after all.Â
“Wow, for a second there, I thought you were going to do the sensible thing and listen to me, Commander.”
“We have two dead cadets so far.  Perfectly healthy one day, dead the day after coming back from the fire caves.  We need to cancel field exams, and quarantine the dormitories.  That includes Garden staff.”
“By the way,” House added, waving a hand dismissively at a nearby box of paper masks, “those aren’t going to work.  At all.  Really, it’s like the quarterback putting on a condom after he’s knocked up the prom queen.”  His laughter was derisive and mocking, but House didn’t really care who he offended. He never cared.
