“They said that they’d had some damages. Maybe they aren’t capable of—”
“They sent a radio message to the fleet.” He narrowed his eyes. “If they can radio a message, we can radio one back.”
Carol nodded slowly, her mind trying to connect dots. “I’m still not really seeing the problem.” She gave him a soft smile. “You could have assisted us via radio, but they sent for you. You know it’s easier to do things in person than try to tell someone else how.”
“True.” He crossed his arms. “And what could they possibly want us to do? They have our data. They know how we did what we did.”
“But he said that they wanted us to help them to deal with others like Kevin.” She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “If we’re working on yet another cure, it would be best if we worked together.”
He nodded. “Then why not send them to us? We’ve already established a working laboratory.”
She opened her mouth to argue then closed it. “Perhaps they have a better facility?”
“Then they should have found the cure before we did.”
“Unless they didn’t think of addressing the problem the way you did.” She sighed and pulled him closer. “I fear you’re trying to create a sinister situation where one isn’t warranted.”
He took a deep breath and tried to shake the uneasy feeling. He nodded slowly, more to placate her than anything. “Perhaps you are right.” He bent low and lowered his voice. “Dress prepared.”
She raised a brow at him. “I don’t understand.”
“Be prepared to run.” He slowly shook his head. “I pray that I’m wrong, but in case I’m not, pack light, dress ready to go on the run and stay alert.”
She gave him a worried look but nodded. “I will.”
He gave her a quick kiss then pushed open the door to his cabin. “Find me before we have to be topside.”
She nodded quickly then disappeared into the hall. Broussard closed his door and assessed his meager belongings. “Please, let me be wrong.”
Simon paused at the short liquor aisle and stared at the untouched bottles. He picked up a particular whiskey that he always preferred and stared at the bottle.
“That’s not an antibiotic.”
He nodded, his eyes still glued to the label. “I know.” He placed it gently back on the aisle and turned to her. “But if worse comes to worst, and you have to cut my arm off, I think a couple of these would make the pain a bit more tolerable.”
She shook her head and marched up to him. “We’re here so that it won’t come to that, remember?” She pushed him away from the booze and towards the small pharmacy counter. “Not every answer can be found in the bottom of a bottle of hootch.”
“I know this.” He paused and gave her a knowing look. “But I also know that being passed out drunk would make it a lot easier to do what needed to be done.” He paused and peered into her eyes. “If it did come to that.”
“We will cross that bridge IF and WHEN we come to it.” She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “I promise. If it starts to look like we may have to go that route…and god help us, we won’t. But if it does, I’ll come and get you the best of the best myself.”
“I don’t want to consider it as a real possibility either—”
“Then let’s not even think about it,” she interrupted. “Simon, I don’t think I could hack off your arm if I had to.” She lowered her eyes and he caught the glint of a tear streaming down her cheek. “I wouldn’t know what to do.”
He reached out and pulled her close, tucking her tightly against his chest. “I hate that it might come to it because I’d have to ask you to do it.” She sniffled against him and he felt a tight smile form. “I have no clue what you’d need to do either.”
She pulled away and wiped at her face. “You made my mascara run. Now I look like a raccoon.”
“A beautiful raccoon.” He kissed her nose as she pulled away.
“I have to find your medicine.” She sniffled again as she slid over the counter.
He turned and leaned against the counter while she searched the shelves. “I would imagine, if you had to do it…you’d need to tie me down. Even passed out drunk, I’d likely come up swinging once you started hacking.”
“Stop.”
“No, seriously.” He turned and faced her. “You would need to tie me down and we’d need to find like a really sharp cleaver. Something that had enough heft to take it off in one or two big chops.”
“I mean it. Stop.” She shook her head as she picked through the drugs. “I don’t want to think about it.”
“You’d probably need something hot standing by to sear the stub.” He scratched at his chin. “Or would it be a nub?”
“We’re not talking about your dick anymore,” she yelled flippantly.
He turned and gave her a cold, hard stare. “You really are evil.”
“If you’re gonna keep talking about hacking off your arm, I’m gonna talk about your dick.”
Simon huffed and turned back around, leaning on the counter. “Grab some more pain pills too.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Surgery or not, we’ll probably need them.” He heard her fluff open a plastic bag and begin to drop bottles of pills into it. “You finding them okay?”
“I’m taking anything that ends in ‘in’. Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Ampicillin…whatever I can find.”
Simon nodded approvingly. “I knew you had some doctor in you.”
She glanced at him and smirked. “More like vet, because you’re being an ass.”
Simon rolled his eyes. “If I didn’t love you…” he froze and refused to look at her. He didn’t think he could deal with her passive aggressively rejecting him again. He swallowed hard and took
