by Jessica Cole
21. Rescue
As promised, the small group heard the whirring of an engine near an hour after dawn the next morning. Jana’s health had deteriorated rapidly during the last few hours. As such, no one had gotten much sleep at all and everyone was happy to hear the approaching ship, other than Jana herself. After continuing to vomit blood, her temperature dropped again, and she slipped into a near coma they’d been unable to wake her from.
The flight back was long. There was no doctor on board, but there was a med deck. Gordon had much better supplies here. They laid Jana atop the examination table and made sure there was always someone with her. Aeronth looked in on her only once, staying less than five minutes before retreating from the room. In all of the confusion, no one had reported in to the station.
The docking was much smoother than the landing they had endured. As soon as they docked securely, David and Gordon stepped aside as a SCORPION team took Jana, moving her onto a stretcher and hurrying off the ship. One of the team grabbed Gordon by the arm and they followed suit, discussing her condition in hushed tones.
It wasn’t until days later that they were allowed near Jana. The doctors placed Jana in a stark white room, brilliantly lit and devoid of any color. Clear tubes ran from the backs of her hands and oxygen flowed through the tube to her nostrils. A softly beeping monitor at the side of the bed kept in time with Jana’s beating heart. Over the last few days, she’d been given medicine intravenously that sped the recovery process and helped her bones knit together much faster.
“Five minutes,” the doctor warned as he turned to leave. As they approached her bed, Jana opened her eyes and looked at them.
“Hey, cutie,” Lexi smiled timidly. Jana returned it weakly.
“How are you feeling?”
“Great.”
“Ha. That much be all of the painkillers they’ve given you.”
“Probably,” she replied. “How long have I been in here?”
“Four days,” said Gordon. “These guys refused to make a report until they saw you and made sure you were okay.”
“Where’s Aeronth?”
Lexi shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“No one’s seen him since we landed,” added David.
“When can I get out of here?”
“Soon. They’re waiting to see if you’re responding to the treatment. I should warn you, Vacero is coming to talk to you after we leave. He’s in the hallway right now. You’re lucky we got back when we did. You were within an inch of your life.”
“Hmm...felt more to me like 3/8.” Jana managed a weak smile, and caught the worried glances of her team. It’s like they think I’m going to drop dead any second. I don’t even want to know how terrible I must look right now. “Hey! Quit it. I’m fine.”
“Time’s up.” The doctor called out from the other side of the clear glass wall.
“Alright, we’ll see you later. Feel better.”
“Bye guys,” Jana said. Where is Aeronth? Why hasn’t he come to see me? She argued internally, trying to convince herself that she was being irrational. Did I over exaggerate what happened between us? Maybe he really doesn’t care. You were falling apart and he said and did what he needed to in order to get out of there alive.
“Lieutenant?” Jana hadn’t heard Vacero enter the room.
“Hello, sir.”
“You and I need to talk.”
“Is there something wrong, sir?”
“I want to thank you for bringing that case back to us. That is a huge factor that will help us mount a much-needed offensive.”
“Against who, sir?”
Vacero ignored the question. “On the other hand, you crashed a highly valuable ship on a planet that no one is to have contact with. We are now facing an inquiry with the Government.”
“But I thought—“
“What happened on E-1?”
Jana took a moment to gather her thoughts before launching into her retelling of the events that occurred during their mission. When she had finished, Vacero sat unnaturally still. “Not only,” he began angrily, “have you left behind evidence of our presence, you have alerted our enemy that we are onto them. The advantage we gained by the contents of that case is lost. But I suppose the responsibility lies with me for appointing a child to your position.”
Jana was left speechless, mouth gaping. Vacero stood and hurried out of the room. She was lying in a hospital bed after risking her life, and all he could do was insult her. Tears welled up in her eyes, hard as she tried to suppress them. What a dick.
“Jana?” She wiped her eyes hurriedly and sniffled, turning her head away quickly to hide the evidence of her weakness. “Are you crying?” Aeronth asked. Stubbornly, she shook her head. “Are you okay? Did Vacero say something to you?” She sat tight lipped, avoiding eye contact. Part of it was out of shame for being caught crying like a child, just like Vacero sees you, and partly because she was hurt by Aeronth for not coming to see her while she was on the brink of death.
In a fury, Aeronth spun on his heel and punched the control panel on the wall to open the door, then stormed out. A few moments later, two uniformed security guards ran past her room.
Hours later, Gordon revisited and delivered shocking news.
“He punched him?!”
“Right in the jaw,” Gordon nodded. “Broke his nose, too. Took three guards to get him off.”
“What the hell was he thinking? He’ll be court marshaled and tossed in prison.” Jana shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around the news.
“Not so fast,” he said, unhooking her from the tubes and monitors.
“Am I done recharging now?” Jana joked. “And what do you mean?”
“Stress of the mission caused a temporary breakdown.”
“You’re not serious.”
Gordon leveled his eyes at her. “It held up. Did you really think I wouldn’t back him up for doing what the rest of us could only dream of? As soon as the doctor told me what Vacero said to you, even I wanted to sock that guy.” He waved to the doctor sitting in the observation room in the center of the medical hub.
Each hub was round, with a central observation room and eight patient care rooms fanning out like wedges from it. The inner walls were clear for obvious reasons. The walls between adjacent rooms were white and opaque, and the outer wall to the main hallway was clear glass, but could be tinted for privacy with the push of a button. Jana felt like she was in a fishbowl.
“Either way,” Gordon continued, “I’ve got great news for you. Due to our friend’s little altercation, the whole team gets a few days off-base for mental health. So as soon as you’re cleared, we’re off. I get to visit my family,” he beamed. Forced leave? Normally it would have been great, but the closest station was the one she’d rather sit in her little fishbowl than have to visit.
“Can’t I just get out of here now?” Jana groaned while Gordon finished unhooking her from all of the machines.
“If you feel at all unwell, let me know. You need to stay here for a little longer, until I get the okay from your attending physician. I’ll be back later to check on you.”
22. Pick Your Poison
Free of restraints, Jana was able to walk about. She’d regained some muscle coordination, but still found it difficult to actually move around. Holding onto the edge of the bed for support was the best solution. There wasn’t much else to do, so she focused on regaining balance.
Every so often someone would walk by, but the medical bay wasn’t a well-traveled area for the general population, so there wasn’t much to look at. The room didn’t even have access to the Net. Bored out of her mind, Jana grunted as she flung herself facedown onto the bed in frustration.
“Oh there...once was a girl named...Helen. Who...found out her son was a felon. The son got locked away...and the girl...the girl...the end.” She’d begun composing poems to entertain herself. “There once was a cat named Scott...oh, forget it.” Jana grumbled into the pillow.
&
nbsp; “Personally, I think you should keep your day job.”
Jana rolled over quickly and leapt off the bed. “Joey!” She jumped into his embrace, locking her arms around his neck.”
“Hey, cutie,” he laughed. “I came here to say hello and you’re lying in a hospital bed singing poems to yourself.” He hugged her tightly and set her back on her feet.
“I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“I should have called you.” She frowned.
“When? While you were unconscious? You’re fine, kiddo. I’m just glad you are okay.”
“How did you know I was in the hospital?” He sat down on the bed next to her, and she leaned her head against his chest. He put an arm around her, lacing his fingers through hers.
“I’m still your emergency contact, remember? I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner. I got word in the middle of a supply run. I came as soon as I could.”
“How long are you here for?”
“Only a day or so.” His smile faded a little when he saw the crushed look on her face. “Hey, you knock that off. I’m here, so let’s make it count.”
“Will you stay with me?”
“Of course. As long as you want me to.”
The doctor appeared in the doorway. He slid the glass door open and closed it behind himself. “I need a moment with you, Jana.” She looked up at Joe, and frowned. He nodded and kissed her forehead.
“Will you wait outside for me, please?”
“Sure, honey.”
The doctor waited until he’d left before continuing, but not before approaching the control panel and blacking out the outer wall of the room. “Well, you’re free to go.” Jana started to rise, confused. “But—“There it is. She sat. “Some of the toxins haven’t dissipated. The latest screening came back positive.” Is he telling me they won’t go away? “We’re putting you on some medicine,” he said, pulling out a small bottle of pills. “Twice a day.”
“For how long?”
“It could be a day, or years. It depends on how long it takes to neutralize.”
“Why is it taking so long?”
“Well...” he hesitated, searching for the words. “It’s like nothing we’ve seen before. We-we have something strong enough to wipe it out, but the medication itself is dangerous. It could kill you.”
“And what’s the chance of that?”
“About eighty-five.”
Jana didn’t hesitate. “Do it.”
“It could kill you. The medication we’re giving you is much safer, you just have to be sure to take it on schedule. If you miss a dose, it will begin replicating in your system faster, and you’d die within a few days. But I’ve already spoken to Colonel Vacero. You’ll be placed in an administrative position here at the station to ensure your safety and access to your treatment.”
No. They can’t do this! “Give me the other medicine. I’d rather risk that killing me than be tied here like I’m being kept on a leash.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not? If you can’t do it then why did you tell me about it in the first place?” Jana demanded angrily.
He avoided her gaze. “I’m not authorized to administer it.”
“You’re lying to me.”
“I can’t give it to you,” he repeated, shifting his weight back and forth. “They won’t allow me to.”
“Who?”
“The Health and Emergency Medical Association.”
“HEMA?” That was the Government branch of what the SCORPION team was for the military. “But why?”
“They’ve instructed me to administer you the treatment that won’t kill off the toxins, just keep them under control, and continue to take blood samples so that it can be researched. Our attempts to keep it active outside living tissue have been unsuccessful. So I’m a test subject. Nothing more. “We can freeze the blood, but once thawed, the toxins die outside the body within minutes.”
Jana held out her arm, tapping the crease of her elbow. “Take it now, then. How much do you need?”
“Lieutenant...” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Too much.”
“Would it kill me?”
“No, but...”
“Then damnit, just take it!”
The doctor grabbed a packaged needle, tube, and plastic cylinder from the rolling steel cart. He forcefully shoved the drawer closed, which sent the cart clanking into the side wall of the room.
“I don’t like needles.”
“Then look away, because you’re going to hate this.” The sound of shearing paper cut through the air that smelled of rubbing alcohol and fresh sheets. She clenched her eyes shut and held her breath. Jana hardly felt the needle go in, which was surprising for its size. There was that much to be thankful for, at least.
The tube filled and began draining into the vial. “Doesn’t look like a lot.”
“It’s much less than I should take, but I don’t want to be responsible for your death. You need to be able to fight off the effects of the treatment. You’ll feel lightheaded afterwards. You can have a few crackers. We’ll need to do this right away, before anyone can find out what’s going on. That friend of yours outside; do you trust him?”
“More than anyone.”
“Good, because I’ll need his help to steal the treatment from the research lab.”
23. Under The Skin
It felt like an eternity, but when the doctor finally returned, it was with a vial of oily green liquid. She turned to the side and made a face when he jabbed her with the needle.
“This stuff is like pumping battery acid into your blood.”
“When will I know if it worked?”
“When you survive it. It you still feel alright tomorrow, you’re in the clear. I’ll probably be court marshaled for this. I’ll send him in when I leave.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. I just want him to be able to say goodbye to you.”
He left, and at first, Jana felt fine. Joey entered the room cautiously. He looked angry. “Jana...what are you doing to yourself?” She didn’t answer, but he tucked his feelings away and held her close.
Then she started to itch.
At first it was only the bottoms of her feet, but a minute later it was in her fingers, too. Jana readjusted herself in the hospital gown, trying to settle. The itching intensified. It spread to her palms and ankles. She scratched her palms, noticing for the first time that she’d bitten her nails to the quick during her time on E-1. The jagged edges scraped her skin, but did nothing to alleviate the growing itch.
“Jana?”
A billion centipedes spread through her body, wriggling under her skin. She could see them. Jana whimpered. She scratched and rubbed, trying to get them off. It’s not working! Where is the doctor? Where did they come from? She stood, and fell down. The muscles in her legs wouldn’t respond.
The floor was freezing. The cold seeped in through the thin gown, and her left side went numb. But all Jana could think about was getting the bugs off her. She writhed and quivered, near tears.
The crawling bugs turned to molten lava. She felt it in her feet and fingers, and it slowly worked its way to her core. She screamed in agony. I’m going to die. I survived once, and now I’m going to die. Stupid, stupid! Just because you didn’t want to give up your stupid job!
“Help me!” Jana choked, biting back the need to tear at her skin. Joey tried to grab her, but she was jerking and convulsing. Already, there were deep gouge marks on her arms and thighs. She lay on her stomach, cheek pressed against the tile floor. Not even the icy tile helped staunch the flame, but it gave her something to concentrate on.
Joey’s fingers brushed through her hair, and her body relaxed. “Just breathe, baby. It’s going to be okay.” She steadied her breathing and pressed her palms against the floor, laying spread-eagled. You can do it. Just like the operation. She tried desperately to withdraw into herself, as she’d done once before. She fidgeted a little, stru
ggling to maintain her breathing. The fire raced through her veins like a bullet, twisting and whirling. It reached her core, and her stomach churned. I’m going to puke.
Jana threw up stomach acid and water until there was nothing left. Joey grabbed her under the arms and tried to help her up. His hands felt like half-melted wax.
“What’s happening to me?”
“It’s the side effects of the medicine. You’re doing great. Just hold on.”
The poison was more bearable than this. Tingling and itching started on her tongue, and the flames ran rampant through her body. Jana began to tremble. At first it was slight, but quickly deteriorated into a fit of convulsions. Joey scooped her up and somehow managed to get her back onto the hospital bed. He held her wrists together with one of his own hands and called a nurse. The door opened, and a woman in a white lab coat came running in. Jana grit her teeth, breathing hard and fighting against the acid flowing through her veins. She could feel it melting her organs, churning her insides to magma. The nurse grabbed at Jana and between the two of them, they managed to strap her down.
Delirious, Jana fought against the restraints, trying to claw at her skin. The nurse left the room, and returned with a snow white blanket. When she put it over Jana’s body, she felt the coolness.
“There’s nothing we can do for you other than try to make you comfortable. Anything we give you would only make it worse. You’re on your own.” The door closed again, and she no longer heard Joey’s soothing voice.
How long had it been? Minutes? Hours? It was impossible to tell. All she knew was that she was alone.
Jana’s hair was matted to her forehead, and she could feel the sticky perspiration beading on her face and chest. Her vision blurred like someone switched on a lamp in a dark room. She cried out again, throwing herself against the straps holding her down. Just breathe. Relax. Close your eyes. Jana forced her eyes shut, breathing heavily. Where is Joey? Faintly, she heard the door open again.
