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I sat on the bedroom floor stroking Chance's cheek and talking to him. It seemed like hours, but I knew it was only a few minutes before I heard someone pulling into the gravel driveway. I hated to leave Chance, but since all the trouble with the people from the BITES lab, we always kept the doors locked and the security system on.
I ran down the stairs, turned off the system, and threw open the door just as Tom was about to knock. "He's upstairs in the bedroom."
Tom was almost as tall as Chance so he was able to take the stairs two-at-a-time while I followed behind. "Tell me what happened as quickly as you can. Just the parts that might have something to do with what's wrong with him," Tom said. It was clear he knew me well.
"What the hell did this?" Tom asked, pointing at Chance's chest.
"The wounds are from a chupacabra. He was treated at the BITES lab. The doctor there said he'd given Chance a mega dose of antibiotics via IV so he didn't need any pills. I went to the bag that was sitting open on the bed and pulled out the salve. "He gave us this ointment. Chance was supposed to put it on every morning after his shower."
"What is it? There's no label," Tom said, turning the tube over in his hand.
"I know. I thought that was weird. Cassie was attacked by a pack of chupacabra in Texas, and she said the doctors had a tough time getting the infection under control and keeping her fever down. Chance wasn't feeling well this morning. His temp was 103 last time I checked. He laid down with an icepack on his forehead. I called Cassie and Dr. Wainwright but had to leave messages."
Tom continued to work on Chance while I talked. I was trying my best to get out all the pertinent details, but I felt like my mind was running a race. "I called Cassie because her husband, Jared was injured on the hunt too. Not by a chupa though. He caught the tusk of the dingonek in his arm. He was treated by Dr. Wainwright too. I just have a feeling something's not right."
"I stopped to take a breath and realized Tom was talking on his phone. When he finished, I kept going. "Chance yelled for me. He said he felt sick. I was helping him to the bathroom when he collapsed."
"Anything else?" Tom asked.
"He said he had a headache and the wounds were itchy. I have a feeling something's not right with Dr. Wainwright, but I don't know why I feel that way."
"Isn't he the doctor that treated you during Gracie Layne's kidnapping?"
"Yeah. Now, he's leading the study into the medical care Cassie and I got in the woods. Is Chance going to be OK?"
"I hope so. The medivac chopper is on its way. Looks like you were packing a bag. Finish grabbing what you need. You might be at the hospital a while. If there's anyone else you can call that might be able to reach Cassie or Dr. Wainwright, call them. I need to find out if Jared's having similar symptoms, and I need to know what's in that ointment."
When I walked into the bedroom followed by the medical team from the chopper, Tom was just closing his phone. He gave a quick report to the EMTs before they loaded Chance onto a stretcher.
"I need to go with him in the chopper," Tom said. "Laurie, will be here in a few minutes to drive you to the hospital. Chance will be OK. I'll look after him." He gave me a tight hug then let me go. "You OK?"
I just nodded, unsure if I could get any words out past the emotion that was lodged in my throat like a bullfrog. I bent down and kissed Chance's forehead. "I love you, Chance. I'll get there as quick as I can. Keep fighting."
Tom helped them carry the stretcher down the stairs and into the chopper. He turned and gave me a wave before they closed the door. I stood on the back deck and watched them leave. "Fudge," I said. "I need to get my butt in gear." I ran upstairs, changed clothes, finishing packing, picked up my laptop and Chance's, and locked up the house. I was waiting on the porch when Laurie drove in.
She jumped out of her car and ran to the porch. "Are you OK?"
"Yeah. I'll explain when we're on the road, but I need to make a call first."
"Do what you need to do. I'll get us there as fast as I can," she said, picking up our laptop bags and heading for the car.
I was keying in Mr. Meecham's number before we got to the main road. "Hello, Mr. Meecham. This is Everly Mason."
"Hello, Ms. Mason. Is everything OK?"
"Not really. I've been trying to reach Cassie and Dr. Wainwright. I've left messages for both of them but haven't heard back. I'm sorry to bother you, but this is urgent. Chance collapsed and is on his way to the hospital as we speak. There's a concern that this could be a reaction to the medication Dr. Wainwright provided for Chance's chupa wounds."
"And you're wondering if Jared is having any adverse reaction. Is that it?"
"Yes. The salve Dr. Wainwright gave Chance doesn't have any labels on it, so we don't know what's in it. If you have any way to reach them beyond the cell numbers I have, I'd certainly appreciate your help."
"Where are you now, Ms. Mason?"
"I'm on my way to the hospital where they're taking Chance. It's where Cassie was treated after the Randerran incident."
"Let me see what I can do. I will call you back as soon as I've spoken to either of them. Call me if there is any change in Chance's condition."
"Yes, sir. Thank you." I ended the call but kept my phone in hand.
"That sounded very formal," Laurie said.
"Mr. Meecham is the director of BITES. It's his style of communication. I guess we all tend to talk to him the way he speaks to us."
"Tell me what's going on."