Suddenly a light flared, and he looked around. They stood in a tiny living space, complete with a small kitchen nook, bathroom, and bed. No windows, nothing to reveal to the outside world that this was here. He laid Sophie on the bed where she curled up into a ball.
“You’ll find food and water here,” said Velna. “Simple medical supplies. It’s not luxurious, but it will suffice. Take a few moments to get her settled, then fetch what you need from your car. You should move it to the shed in the back for safety’s sake.” The SUV was a coalition vehicle, so it made sense to conceal it.
“I cannot thank you enough. Give me some time to examine her and talk to the doctor at the camp. Once I have more information, I will speak with you again.”
His benefactors nodded and headed hastily back upstairs, probably fearing that what Sophie had was contagious or dangerous. Or both.
Michael sat on the edge of the bed, and took her hand. “Mana mila, I am going to examine you. Is this all right?” She nodded, and he gently pulled her arms away from her torso. He lifted her shirt and probed her abdomen. Her moan turned into a scream as he pressed her tender flesh. Her pulse beat rapidly, and heat blazed from her body. A search of the bathroom produced a thermometer – 104 degrees. Damn it.
She rolled off the bed and staggered to the bathroom. A few moments later, Michael could hear her vomiting, among other things. Fear crawled all over him. He had treated friends before, even family members. But this was different.
This was Sophie.
He went upstairs and found the bag she’d brought with her into the house. He pawed through it frantically, looking for her cell phone. Thank God Anjali’s number was pre-programmed.
“Having trouble remembering how to do it?” Anjali answered.
“This is Vanguard.” Michael felt like an idiot for using the name.
Instantly, all the teasing fell away from Anjali’s voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Not sure. She is sick. High fever, chills, abdominal pain and swelling, diarrhea. Some vomiting.” He paused. “Most likely dysentery. I seem to recall she has contracted it in the past on other missions.”
“Sounds like it,” Anjali sighed. “We have it in the camp. She gets it a lot, and it hits her hard.”
“Was she not inoculated before leaving the US?”
“She’s allergic to the vaccination against diarrheal diseases.”
Michael’s heart sank. “It came so hard and fast that I feared it was c-c-c...” He couldn’t even bring himself to say the word. “…something else.”
“Cholera? There hasn’t been any sign of it in the camp for weeks. Is she passing rice water stool?”
“I have not checked yet. I am concerned, that is all.” He hated how weak he sounded, but he couldn’t help himself. The thought of losing her was unbearable.
“I know,” Anjali said kindly. “I had to nurse Will through a severe bout of malaria in India under less than ideal circumstances, and I was a wreck. It’s surprisingly difficult to treat a loved one. You’ll be fine, Vanguard. You’ve probably seen a million cases of this, right? Try to forget it’s Sophie, and let your instincts take over.” She paused. “Did you get the med kit out of the car?”
“There is a med kit in the car?”
“Yes, in the back. All our vehicles have them. You’ll find everything you need there. Are you in a place where you can treat her?”
“Yes, a private home. Good people. I trust them.”
“Fantastic. Better for you to treat her than take her to a hospital. Go get the med kit, and get to work. And, Vanguard…” Michael had nearly hung up the phone but came back at Anjali’s request. “She’s going to be fine, and so are you. Call me as many times as you need.”
“Thank you.” He dropped the phone and ran for the stairs.
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