The Rabbit's Den

WOLF in the Den

Standing in the infirmary Trixie was amazed every bed was filled, even recently relocated Petra's. "What are their symptoms?" Trixie asked looking concerned over the room. Milly held her hands together, "Fever, chills, headache, coughing and a few have a rash." "Have you tried any antibiotics?" Milly nodded, "The first two who had symptoms, but they had very little improvement." "And all have audible lung noise?" Milly nodded again, "Sounds like a cat playing with a plastic bag." Shaking her head Trixie whispered, "It doesn't make sense, it sounds like pneumonia." Milly patted her on the shoulder, "Sounds like it but it's not."

Kaleb came into Trixie's room while she was deep in research, "Trix?" She looked up dazed at Kaleb, "I have no idea what to do." Her books were scattered everywhere. Every book she could possibly find on respiratory conditions was out and opened. Kaleb looked around, concern for his friends sanity was high on his list of current worries. "Trixie, you need to come eat." Shaking her head she mumbled, "I' m not hungry." "Coma for three days, you're hungry. Please come eat something and I'll help go through all this." He said motioning at the books. She looked up at him defeated, "If this gets into the hutch..." He didn't let her finish, he walked over to her dodging books and helped her stand, "It won't." She stared up at his dark brown eyes, "Okay." Kaleb leaned down and gently placed his lips on hers, as usual she became ridged. He leaned back. "Really?" her tone wasn't actually a question. Kaleb smiled, "Guys got to take his chances." She grabbed his hand and led him out of the room, "Poorly timed Kaleb." "It always is."

Even after eating, which did make it easier to think, Trixie was at a loss. "I can't do this anymore Kaleb, I'm a piss poor substitute for a doctor. We need a real doctor." Kaleb glanced up at her, "We have one." Trixie cocked her head slightly, "What? Who?" Gesturing towards her, "Your doctor." His coy smile did nothing to reassure her. Her face went stony, "What? You brought him here? What the hell were you thinking?" "That's not fair Trix, we didn't exactly think it through. We grabbed him to find the girls, and just never let him go." He shrugged. "You do realize he's WOLF, and a monster, and a creep?" He kicked his heels up on her footboard, "But he is a doctor!"

"Take me to him." Worried moved across Kaleb's face, "You're not going to..." "What Kaleb? I'm not going to do what?" she yelled. He shoved his hands out toward her, "This, you can't be...you." She glared at him. "Fine."

"Just let me do the negotiations." Kaleb stated as they walked down to the tank, the area reserved for those that aren't welcome to the community until they can be taken somewhere else. "Fine" Trixie sounded incredibly cold. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlatched the door. Dr. Mullens was sitting on the cot in the corner of the room. He looked up and saw Trixie, familiarity was the only emotion that crossed his face.

"We are here to negotiate your release." Kaleb stated, he was actually intimidating at times. The doctor's eyebrow went up and his smug smile eased across his lips, "And what are the details?" Rage had built up, and exploded inside Trixie's skull. Before Kaleb could begin talking Trixie shoved him to the side and bent down to the doctor's face, "You work for us, or we kill you." Her eyes were like daggers. He shifted back away from her and glanced at Kaleb, who now had no patience for Trixie. "Not much of a negotiation Trixie." The doctor said still looking at Kaleb. "And if any of my people die, you die." He looked back at her, "Well it's hard to argue with those terms isn't it?" She straightened back up and pointed to the door. Looking from her to Kaleb he slowly stood and walked to the door.

"It looks like pneumonia." Dr. Mullens stated as he took the stethoscope off. "Yeah, but nothing is working. And it seems to be contagious." Trixie had her arms crossed in front of her. Dr. Mullens looked over at Milly, "And the antibiotics didn't help?" She shook her head. "What are your diets like? Canned foods? Dehydrated?" Trixie shook her head, "No we grow, raise and sometimes hunt what we need. Only thing we get from outside consists on sugar, flour and coffee sometimes." He looked back over the room, "Do people have specific jobs here?" Kaleb stepped forward, "For the most part. Why?" "Where do all these people work?" Trixie realized she hadn't checked that. Milly spoke first, "The fields, we just harvested potatoes." Dr. Mullens smiled, "Oh my God, I think I know what this is."