“And we will. It’s going to Alex as soon as we land. We’ll make it, Ava.”
“Don’t promise something you can’t guarantee, Doc,” she said as she sat up and finally sipped the water.
“I just think you need to stay positive right now. And drink plenty of water. And also, maybe eat something.”
“Wow, you are demanding,” she said as she swung her feet to the floor and took another sip.
She leaned forward and grabbed a packet of the peanuts. She tore it open and shook a few into her hand, tossing them into her mouth. “Happy?”
“Very,” he answered as he shifted to sit next to her.
“Hey,” she said as she twisted to face him, “are you okay after that plane crash? We never really stopped to assess our injuries.”
“I’m fine,” he answered. “A few bumps and bruises but nothing major overall, though we both are getting CT scans when we get back to the hospital.”
She nodded. “After we give the cure to Alex.”
“Of course,” he said with a nod. “And then you’re getting an IV of fluids and some real food.”
She shoveled a few more peanuts into her mouth. “So, did you already inject yourself with the cure?”
“I did.” He pulled his sleeve up to show her the injection site. “By the time we got to the plane, I was already feverish.”
Ava’s features turned concerned, and she froze mid-bite as she pressed her hand against his forehead, then his cheek. “Cool now.”
“Yep, that cure worked fast, considering I was only a mild case.”
“So, when we land, we should prioritize the worst cases for the cure, and wait on the mild cases until we’ve produced more, right?” She crinkled the empty bag of peanuts and tossed it in the trash can nearby.
“Yep,” Kyle said. “We have a few that we can give out right away and those will go to the sickest people–and definitely Alex.”
She shifted in her seat, desperately wanting the first round of injections to include Alex, but guilt roiled inside ofher. Were there people on the brink of death who needed it more?
But what if they gave it to others, and Alex didn’t make it while they waited for the first round of manufactured medicine to make it to the hospital?
“How long do you think it’ll take to produce this?”
“Depending on what’s in it, it could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.”
“Days,” she repeated. “Some people don’t have that long.”
“No, they don’t. Let’s hope we can shorten that time a little bit.”
Ava licked her lips, images floating through her mind of Alex in a coma, fighting for his life.
“Ava, we’re going to save him. We fought hard for this cure. And we’re going to get it to Alex in time.”
“I sure hope you’re right, Doc. I’m just feeling guilty because some of these people aren’t going to make it.”
“Alex has to make it. He’s a priority as a member of our team.”
She pulled her legs up under her, the slight fever she still had send a shiver down her spine. “Right.”
She puffed out her cheeks as she drummed her fingers against the arm of the couch. Each moment that passed ramped up her worry higher and higher, a knot tightening in her stomach.
Until they were at the hospital, she was helpless. Unable to save Alex, unable to be near him, unable to comfort him in any way.
Her hand found Kyle’s and squeezed, needing the comfort.
