Bright Arrow Ch. 03

"All right."

They pulled up on the scene and ran up to the house. The front door was open and waiting for them and the patient's family was standing outside with fearful expressions.

"Officer!" Cathy called and waited for the police man to head over. "I want the family back inside quarantined till we know what's happening. You'll have to stay here and make sure of that."

The officer nodded looking more than displeased at the situation. Cathy and Kevin walked into the house and found the patient lying in bed.

"What's going on, Linda?" Cathy said as she sat next to the woman.

"I don't feel good, Cathy. It's not HLF is it?"

"We don't know yet but we're going to take care of you as if it were, ok?"

Cathy and Kevin both did assessments with the EMS tools at their disposal, which to Kevin were rudimentary. When the patient was on oxygen and had an intravenous line pumping much needed fluids into her body, Kevin and Cathy both stepped back for a quick discussion.

"What do you think?" Cathy asked.

"If this is HLF, we caught it extremely early. It's also possible that she may be one of the immune."

"If she were immune, wouldn't she not get it at all?" Cathy asked.

"No, the immune system would still get over run with the virus and show signs and symptoms of sepsis but if she is then it might not progress much further. The fact that her family hasn't shown any signs is a good thing. There is still a very good chance that this is not HLF. I'll know more at the hospital."

"All right, let's get her there." Cathy said and they transported the patient to the ambulance.

On the way to the hospital, after repeating their assessment, Kevin called on the radio to give report to the ER.

"County this is Alamosa 698 ALS on route to you with a 52 year old female. She's alert and complains of abdominal and muscle pain, vomiting, fever and headache. There are erythemas on her chest and arms. Her vital signs are 140/100, 93 strong, 17 shallow and rapid, temp of 40 degrees Celcius. This is a code 42 protocol. Do you require further?" Kevin waited for the nurses voice to respond over the radio.

"Negative Alamosa 698. Use bay two when you arrive, you'll be in room 4."

"County, Alamosa 698, this is Dr. Kevin McEnty of the NCSM. I'll be taking the patient to rule out HLF. Please confirm my identity and arrange for any authorizations needed."

"Copy Dr. McEnty, we'll get prior authorizations and be waiting for you when you arrive."

Kevin put down the mic and closed his eyes for a moment. He hoped to God this wasn't another case.

They pulled into the hospital and wheeled the patient into an isolated room at the end of a hallway. Nurses and other doctors in isolation suits were there to meet them. As Cathy gave report to the nurses one of the doctors came up to Kevin.

"Dr. McEnty? I'm Dr. Sarah Myers. I'll take your word for the moment but when you have a free second we'll need you to state your identity to a terminal and get proof. All the legal stuff."

"Right."

"You think this is HLF?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. It looks like it but HLF looks like a lot of things in it's early stages. There's still hope." Kevin answered.

"Well, I checked out your bio on NCMS database. I'm very happy to have you here if it is."

"Honestly doctor, there's not a whole lot more that I can do for her that you couldn't but I'll do my best."

"Let me know if you need anything." She said and left him to return to the patient.

"Nurse," Kevin began as he got into the room. "I need a blood sample drawn and analyzed by the NCMS labs. Get her started on intravenous hydroxycholorquine."

"Yes, doctor." The nurse said and left to follow out his orders.

An hour later Anne called from the labs and Kevin left to find a free terminal to video with her.

"Anne, did you analyze the samples?"

"I did. It's not HLF. HLF antibody 4 was present but not in the numbers that would cause symptoms or even be contagious." Anne replied.

"So she came in contact with a dead strain of HLF 4?"

"Apparently. That's becoming increasingly common. It may also explain some of the immunities we've seen. A person with a minimal first exposure seems to have a better chance than one not exposed at all."

"Then why can't we synthesize a vaccine?" Kevin growled.

"Because sweetie, it's not always easy getting the right combination of DNA to be effective enough to produce antibodies while not being effective enough to cause a disease." Anne said, realizing Kevin knew that as well as she did.

"Remind me to put you on report for insubordination when I get back."

"What was that? You're breaking up."

"Yeah, I bet. So I don't suppose you ran the sample for anything else?" Kevin asked.

"I did. And you're welcome. RMSF."

"Really? There hasn't been a case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in years." Kevin argued.

"I'll restart the clock." Anne retorted.

"Well then my work here is done and I'll be coming home soon." Kevin suddenly felt relieved.

"When are you coming to work again?"

"I'll be in on Monday."

"Really? Thank that hot piece of ass you've been seen around town with for me." Anne smiled wickedly.

"I will." Kevin smiled back. "Pike's a great guy."

"I look forward to meeting him." Anne said. "Take care and I'll see you later."

The video blacked out.

Kevin turned around and saw the nurse who was working with him on the patient.

"Take her off the hydroxychloroquine, keep her on the I.V. fluids and put her on doxycycline. Also make a note in her chart that she tested positive for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The test results will be coming back shortly."

"Yes, doctor."

Kevin sanitized his isolation suit and took it off. Cathy had left a while ago and he would have to drop it off at the ambulance squad house. He wondered how he was going to get back there when a nurse came up to him.

"Dr. there's a Pike Malloy here. He asked me to tell you that he'll be waiting for you in the waiting room but not to hurry." Kevin smiled.

"Thank you." He said and headed out to meet him.

Pike was reading a magazine but looked up as he saw Kevin coming out of the ER. His face broke out in a large grin.

"You look happy." He said.

"I am. It's not HLF. It's Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Fatal but only if left untreated. She'll be fine." Kevin said and sat down next to Pike.

"It's a good day then." Pike said and put an arm around Kevin's shoulders.

"It's a good day. But I think I'm ready to go home." Kevin was surprised when his thoughts of home were of Pike's house and not his own.

They stopped by Cathy's house, dropped off the isolation suit and despite Cathy's insistence that they stay over, promised to visit again and headed back to the house. Kevin was quiet on the way back and stared out the window.

"Anyone ever tell you you get really quiet on a roadtrip?" Pike asked.

"Yes. I do. I'm sorry. It's just such a great opportunity to think that it's gotten to be a habit. I should have taken a long drive instead of a jog that first mental health day."

"That would have been horrible."

"Why?"

"We never would have met?" Pike said.

"Yeah, that would be horrible. I'm glad I didn't."

"Me too." Pike agreed. "So what were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking that I feel energetic and hopeful. I haven't felt that way in a long time. It feels.. new."

"I hope a little of that has to do with me?" Pike asked.

"I think a lot of that has to do with you, Pike."

They made it home just after two in the morning and went straight to bed.

"You don't mind if we hold off on the sex tonight?" Kevin asked.

"No, I'm beat." Pike said and crawled in to bed naked to press up against him. "You mind if we make up for it in the morning?"

"That sounds perfect." Kevin said. "Good night, Stud."

"Good night, baby."

The next morning, Kevin woke while the sky was just beginning to lighten. Pike wasn't in bed, but the shower was running. `Who the fuck gets up this early?', he thought. Then his thoughts turned to other things and the promise they had made to each other last night. Kevin smiled, rose and headed toward the bathroom. Pike was washing his hair as Kevin slipped in to the warm spray of water. He put his hands on Pike's large, wet chest and smiled as Pike grinned with his eyes closed.

"Morning. I didn't think you'd be up this early."

"I didn't think anybody would be up this early."

"I have to get to a new job site we're getting ready for a client who's building a mini-mansion." Pike said as he washed the soap away from his face. His dark eyes opened and turned even darker with desire. They met for a kiss and ran their hands around each others bodies. Pike took Kevin in his hand and stroked him till he was just as hard. Kevin turned around and placed both hands on the far wall of the shower and felt Pike push the head of his cock up against his ass. They both moaned in pleasure.

"What do you want, baby?" Pike asked.

"I want you." Kevin answered.

Pike thrust his hips and slipped inside his lover's ass.

"So tight and warm." Pike said.

"So big." Kevin answered and chuckled.

Pike thrusted and pulled Kevin back against his chest. Kevin could feel Pike's ragged breathing and hear his moaning. Pike took Kevin's hands as he increased his rhythm. Both of them were straining against each other, their legs shaking with the force of it. Pike took Kevin's cock in his hand and pumped till Kevin was yelling and moaning and his cock shot his load over the wall. Pike felt the ass muscles around his cock spasm and tighten in response and found his own release with a great cry. Kevin felt Pike's cock slip out of him and sighed in pleasure. The two washed each other up and stepped out of the shower to get ready for the day.