“What do you have for us in return?” His questions were disturbingly blunt.
“We have a small beer brewery established, limited dairy products, and of course the medical services. I’m also willing to discuss what other needs there may be. Unless we talk, we can’t know what the other has and is willing to part with.” I was so tempted to cross my arms, but the body language might be misinterpreted. This was not a stupid man we were dealing with.
“Okay, Doctor, you can treat Peter. The rest of you must stay here.”
“That’s not acceptable, Collins. My wife is also my nurse, and I don’t go anywhere without my own personal bodyguard.” Mark stood his ground, crossing his arms.
Arthur stood on the porch and stared at Mark for a moment, his eyes dark with anger at being defied. He went inside without a word. Moments later, Lenny came back out, looking nervous.
“Okay, Doc, you, Allexa and one other can come with me. I’ll take you to Pete.”
“Jim, pick one,” Mark said quietly.
“Mr. Wilders, you’ve just become a bodyguard. Forget you have a rank while you’re here, son, these folks have twitchy fingers. I’ll be right here,” the colonel said quietly with his back to the house, then turned and casually leaned against the nearest Hummer.
Lenny led the way down a well-worn gravel and pine needle path to one of the smaller cottages, and walked right in.
“Boy, Art was really pissed when he came back in! He doesn’t like being stood up to,” he said, going to one of the back rooms and opening the door. The rank, sick smell hit me hard. Mark flinched then ignored it, though I saw a flash of anger in his eyes.
Pete was lying on the messy bed, eyes closed and his left arm on top of the covers. Even from the doorway I could see the wound seeping yellowish fluid.
“Hey, Pete,” Lenny said softly to his friend. “I’ve brought some help. Dr. Mark is here to fix your arm.” Pete’s eyes fluttered open and he smiled at us.
“Dr. Mark, Allexa, it’s good to see you. Do you really think you can fix this scratch? It hurts.” Pete’s breathing was labored.
“What did you do to it, Pete?” Mark asked, sitting down in the nearby wooden chair and opening his new medical bag. I automatically moved an end table closer so he could set things out. I was getting good at anticipating his needs.
“We were climbing over some fences and I got scratched pretty deep by the barbed wire. I washed it out with the water in my drinking bottle, but we don’t have any medicine to put on things like this. I did try to keep it cleaned and covered, and it still got infected.”
“Lenny, do you have a couple of clean towels? And some water, preferably sterile; maybe some you boiled then didn’t use?” I asked of him.
Mark cut Pete’s shirtsleeve up and back to expose the rest of the swollen, red skin. Multiple weeping lesions were centered on a deep purple gash, with long red tracks leading up the arm.
“Pete, I’m not going to lie to you. This looks really bad. It’s gone into septicemia and it’s dumping poison into your system,” Mark stated bluntly. “I’m going to give you a shot that will numb your arm, and then I’m going to drain as much of this pus as I can. Do you understand?” Pete nodded.
Mark stood and looked at me, saying “Double gloves, N-99 masks.” He looked deep into my eyes. “Do you understand?” I nodded. It was going to get very messy.
Lenny returned with a stack of towels and a pitcher of water. I told him he didn’t want to watch, and he left. I got out two peri bottles that I had put into the new pack yesterday, filled them with the water and set them on the table. The angled spouts would let me dispense the water without getting in the way. Mark was right; this bigger pack was much needed.
Once the anesthetic took effect, I put three towels under Pete’s arm and Mark wiped the arm down with povidone-iodine solution, and then sliced into it, sending a spurt of noxious yellow fluid into the first layer of towels, which I removed.
“Squirt the water slowly into the wound. I need it constantly irrigated while I probe,” he said through his mask. More water, more probing, more towels.
“Ah! Just as I suspected.” Mark triumphantly held up a metal barb with the forceps and dropped it on the table. We continued to irrigate until the fluid changed colors from the sickly yellow to a pale blood pink. After wiping the skin dry, Mark applied several butterfly bandages, some ointment, then I wrapped the arm in gauze and taped it.
“Pete, the wound wouldn’t heal because there was a piece of the metal imbedded in your arm. It should do better now. I didn’t stitch it closed, because it needs to drain.”
“Thank you, Dr. Mark. It already feels less swollen.”
“It is. We drained a lot out. I’m leaving you a Z-Pak of antibiotics. Four pills today, three tomorrow, two and then one. You should be better by then.” Mark stood, pulling off his gloves and mask. “And Pete, you were damn lucky we came when we did. The next step would have been amputation to your shoulder, if you weren’t already dead.”
I left my mask and gloves on while I bundled up all the towels we’d used and stuffed them into a cloth hamper bag.
We had been at it for almost an hour. Corporal Wilders was understandably relieved to see us and the three of us walked back to the vehicles.
“How is the patient doing, Doctor?” Collins asked from his seat on the porch, his feet up on the railing. The false casualness was no doubt meant to be distracting.
“I removed a piece of barbed wire from his arm, drained and irrigated the wound, and left him with some antibiotics. He should be fine in a few days, but he will need stitches to close the wound. Lenny can bring him to my office next Monday.”
“There’s a bundle of towels we used that should be washed and sterilized immediately – or burned. Pete also needs a shower, clean clothes, and clean bed linens. And, Lenny, open the damn windows!”
“I’ve made a few decisions while you were busy.” Arthur dropped his feet to the deck and stood. “We’ll come to your homes and see what you have that we may want. We certainly don’t need more people here to take care of, but you, Doctor, can stay.”
“I think you misunderstood our offer, Art. I can call you Art, can’t I?” I tried not to snarl at him, though it was difficult. “We don’t need anyone to ‘take care’ of us, and none of us are staying here. If, and it’s now a doubtful if, we decide to do some bartering with you, it will be a mutual exchange, and will be done in town, not at any residence, and under full guard.”
Who did he think he was?
“I think you misunderstand, Ms. Smeth, we need a doctor. We’re keeping him, and you, if it makes him happy.”
“Now you listen to me you arrogant, pompous dictator! There is no way I’m staying here under any conditions. I am fed up with your authoritarian bullshit and I’m leaving. Now!” Mark spat out, and turned his back on Collins.
All of our personnel pulled up their rifles, chambering a shot, and every one of them was pointed at the porch. Collins froze.
“Ms. Smeth, my apologies,” Collins called out. “Please understand that for this small band of people to survive, someone has had to be in charge. It’s been much easier for one person to make the rules and make the decisions. That’s been me. These men and women trust me to do what’s best for them. Perhaps I was a bit… hasty.” He stepped down from the porch and approached us. The soldiers closed in and Eric stepped in front of us, preventing Collins from getting any closer.
“I think, Ms. Smeth, you and I have something in common.” He glanced at those protecting me, us, and gave me a chilling smile. He looked at Mark and said, “I assume Leonard knows where your office is. I will have him bring Peter to you on Monday at noon.” He climbed the stairs and went into the house without looking back.
Mark and I climbed into the nearest Hummer, Colonel Andrews slid in behind the steering wheel, and Corporal Wilders and Specialist Ramirez hung one-armed onto the sides, keeping their guns trained on the empty porch. The other vehicle
duplicated our action, and we left as one.
~~~
“What was that all about, Allex?” Mark asked, pouring me a splash of spiced rum. My hands shook slightly as I took it. “What could you possibly have in common with Arthur Collins?”
It was late afternoon now, and darker than normal as the heavy clouds moved back in.
“Nothing,” I said a bit too quickly, a bit too sharply. I stood by the picture window and watched Eric and Rayn at the picnic table, laughing and talking, like a couple in new-love. I was happy for him, everybody needs somebody. The other soldiers were playing Frisbee with Chivas on the front lawn. Everything looked peaceful, normal. The encounter with Collins had shaken me deeply.
“If I may,” Colonel Andrews said, pouring a similar drink for himself. “I think Collins looks at the command structure here as similar to his own. What he doesn’t know, and doesn’t need to know, is that this is a family, with a matriarch at the helm. The loyalty here runs much deeper, because it runs on love and respect. His group runs on fear.”
Mark looked from Jim to me, waiting for more.
“He all but accused me of being a dictator!” I protested.
“Allex, honey, you’re certainly no dictator, but you are in charge. Besides, you were the first one to speak introducing yourself and the rest of us. I think being in charge was a natural assumption on his part. Why didn’t you mention that you’re the Emergency Manager?”
“I’ll answer that, if you don’t mind,” Jim said. “It was obvious from the start that there was going to be a distrust of anything government, whether it was local or military. After all, that’s why we came in civvies. I think it was wise and prudent for Allexa to not mention her official title, just as she failed to mention Eric’s relationship. He could have been used against us.”
I slumped down into the nearest chair. “I hope I didn’t screw things up by insisting we go there. I don’t like this Collins. He makes me nervous, and I don’t think we should trust him, no matter how fast he back peddled under your show of force.”
“Well, I will agree with you on the trust part, ma’am,” Jim said. “He’s got a lot to make up for in my book. I think it’s a wait and see what his next move is.”
“I’m sure glad you were with us, Jim. And please stop calling me ma’am. It makes me feel old.”
CHAPTER 16
September 17
“Well good morning, Sgt. Jones,” I said, wondering what she was doing here. “This is a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?”
“Good morning, ma’am, Doctor,” Rayn acknowledged Mark over my shoulder. “Colonel Andrews sent us to accompany you to your office for the visit from the Mathers Lake guys. Before you say anything, he told me you would protest and to ignore you.” She had the decency to look embarrassed.
I laughed. “He’s right, I would protest, and I appreciate the concern. I was considering asking Eric to come with us.” Rayn’s gray eyes flashed at the mention of Eric. “I’m guessing you wouldn’t mind if he joined us.”
“That would be great!” She grinned. “In fact, Perky and I were talking it over, and he suggested much the same. I think he really misses his dog, and he wants some more play time with Chivas, so he volunteered to switch places with Eric.”
“Perky?”
“Sorry, Corporal Ansell Perkins. Our group calls him Perky since he seems to always be in a good mood.”
“And it would give you more time with Eric,” I commented, and she blushed. “That’s okay, Rayn, I know my son is an attractive young man. Quite frankly, I think the two of you make a good pair.” Her eyes widened at my admission.
“Thank you, ma’am. In the short time I’ve known Eric, I… I’ve grown quite fond of him and I would like the chance to know him better,” she admitted.
“Then go across the road and get him while we finish getting ready.”
“That didn’t take long for them to zero in on each other!” Mark laughed. “You don’t think they may be moving too fast?”
“Mark, when did we meet? How long have we been married? Times have changed drastically.”
Mark opened the locked doors to the clinic at 11:45 am. It was a little dusty inside, so I quickly gave everything a wipe down while he set his medical bag on the portable tray in the exam room.
“I’m still not sure why you didn’t bring the bigger bag. Won’t we be needing more supplies for you to do the stitches?” I asked.
“I’m not doing stitches today,” Mark said. “It never did need any and I did enough butterflies that it should have begun knitting. If it hasn’t, nothing will help.”
“Then why this appointment?”
He smiled down at me. “I thought you would appreciate the time alone with Lenny and Pete away from Collins. Don’t you have questions for them? I know I sure do.”
“I know you’re a smart man, but I had no idea you were also so devious!” I grinned. “I hope they come alone.”
“With Eric and Rayn outside, even if they have guards, only those two will be allowed in. We will still have time to get some answers.”
I heard the rumble of a truck out front. Pete climbed out of the passenger side holding his arm, and Lenny got out from behind the wheel, making a show of leaving his rifle on the dashboard.
“How are you doing, Pete?” I asked when he walked in. He looked better than the last time we saw him.
“My arm still hurts, but it’s a lot better, thanks.” He turned to Mark. “And thank you again, Doctor. I don’t know how to repay you.”
Mark cut the soiled bandages off of Pete’s arm to reveal the wound. The red striations were gone and the swollen tissue had lost most of the puffiness, though it still had a strange look to it.
“It’s definitely better, Pete, but something is not quite right,” Mark said. “I want to do an x-ray scan of it.” Having power back at our house also meant power was on in the town, even though there wasn’t anyone to use it. Mark flipped a switch and the imaging machine came to life with a hum. “There are times I love technology! Look here, Allex, I missed a piece. That barbed wire fencing must have been really old, Pete, when it scratched you and broke off, it also broke into pieces.”
“Is that why it still hurts?”
“Yes, those antibiotics helped with the infection, but this would have started festering again soon, and you would have been right back where you started. We will repeat the procedure, which will be quicker and easier this time knowing what we’re after.”
Pete lay down on the exam table, and Mark gave him another local anesthetic. We gloved and masked and I swabbed the area. Mark made a small incision in the center of the dark tissue. This time there was only blood and not the rank fluids from deep infection. I kept it rinsed away.
Mark dislodged another small piece of metal and I irrigated again. The scanner was pulled over to the table and Mark watched the screen, focusing on the open wound.
“I’d say we got it all this time!” he said triumphantly. “Since you still have the antibiotics in your system, I’m only going to give you a booster shot, no more pills.” Four tight little stitches later, and we were done.
I dabbed some precious antibiotic cream on the stitches, then a couple of gauze pads, and wrapped it all with an ace bandage.
The four of us sat in the tiny waiting room to talk.
“How have you been treated up there?” I asked both Lenny and Pete.
“Oh, it hasn’t been bad, Allexa,” Lenny said. “Collins has some rules with hard punishments, and once you understand everything, it’s fine. It’s hard work, but at least we’re fed and safe.”
“Yeah,” Pete said. “If you don’t break his rules, and do your job, you’re left alone.”
“Do you want to stay there?” I had to ask. I inwardly cringed at the thought of them being held against their will.
“I’m okay with it,” Lenny said, and Pete nodded.
“My turn,” Mark stood to talk. “How many are up there? And why does Co
llins want me so bad?”
Lenny took a deep breath. “There are twenty of us, including six women and a handful of kids. Four of the women are pregnant. I’m guessing he wants you for them.”
I was stunned.
Mark was delighted. “Babies? That’s wonderful!” He started pacing. “I need to think some things through. Lenny, are you and Pete free to come and go from there?”
“Or can we get messages in to you or Collins? Maybe leave them at the gate?” I added before either of them could answer.
“I think messages would be good, and the gate is the perfect spot, inside the guard shack. That way Collins won’t be as concerned about breaching security, and he can preview any messages going in or out, which will give him the control he needs,” Lenny replied. He’d caught on quick to Collins’ personality.
“Great. We’ll leave a message on Friday morning. And we will come back on Monday morning to pick up a reply,” Mark said.
“If Dr. Mark is needed for an emergency or if Collins wants to talk to us before Monday.” I said, “either one of you are to come for us, but no one else. Make sure Collins understands that. We have our own security to uphold.”
~~~
“I want to set up some kind of hospital, Allex,” Mark blurted out once we were alone back at home. “In town, so our home won’t be compromised. My clinic office is much too small to handle more than one or two people at a time, and not set up for overnight stays.”
I could feel love and concern battling inside me for this man I married. “You want someplace to care long term, don’t you? I can tell you’re worried about those pregnant women.”
“Yes.” Mark pulled me close. “I know we will never have children, but the thought of bringing new lives into the world is exciting to me! And even though women have been giving birth for millennia, they’ve also been dying in the process. Saving lives is why I became a doctor.”
The Journal: Crimson Skies: (The Journal Book 3) Page 11
