A/N: It's been ten years since my anatomy and physiology classes, I'm chemist, not a microbiologist, so if something is not quite right here, I'm sorry. Try to just enjoy the fiction, and don't focus on my failing physiology memory.
Courage Under Fire – Chapter 3
Lee stood in frustration. Copies of the poems had been sent to encryption to analyze for a hidden code, and he was reading them over for the tenth time. He felt like he was handicapped without his wife's input. Glancing at her empty desk, he picked up his phone, poised to dial Doc McJohn's number, but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the door.
Before he could reach the door, Francine was entering, and reprimanding her companion, "This really isn't a good idea. When Lee gets back he'll—" she stopped mid sentence after seeing his still form inches from her. "—be very understanding, and not at all reprimanding," the blonde gave him a steady stare.
His eyes shifted from Francine to Amanda. She was moving slowly, and was supported by her fellow agent. Lee quickly moved past Francine, and helped Amanda to the couch they had added to the far side of the room. "What are you doing out of bed?" he asked, doing his best to keep his voice even.
"There's nothing more they can do for me until they crack the formula, and I can't sleep, so I figured I could get some work done," she explained, winded from the trip up to the Q bureau.
Kneeling in front of her, Lee placed a hand on her forehead, "You have a fever Amanda Stetson. What if you have a reaction? You should be down there where they can help you."
Pulling away from his touch, she wanted to argue, but just didn't have the strength. Looking at him, she pleaded with her eyes, "Lee, they're three stories down, if there are any problems I will go right back. I want to help."
"Whatever drugs they gave her would have reacted to the Thyprolien by now," Francine commented, receiving a look of appreciation from the brunette, but frustration from Lee.
"Someone said you were working on a lead?" Amanda asked hoping to change the subject.
Grabbing the stack of papers, he handed them to her. "T.P. thought there was something here, but I don't Amanda. The crypto guys are working on it, and I've been staring at them so long, I'm starting to go cross-eyed," he admitted.
"Poetry?" Amanda asked, skeptical.
"Written by Dr. Krauss," Lee explained watching her eyes squint at the words. She was clearly having problems focusing.
"Lee, these poems…" she began flipping to the next one.
"Are really bad—"
"—horrible—"
"—yeah I know, that's why T.P. thought they were a clue," they exchanged in rapid fire. Wanting to protect her was replaced with the growing realization that they were better together on a case, and really in life in general.
"They don't follow any pattern or literary device I studied," she commented. "And they don't even make sense. 'Here the catacombs crumbled / haven't compelled the humbled'. Some of them rhyme, but that's really about it. Philip and Jamie wrote better poems then these when they were five."
"Why don't we just divide them up…another pair of eyes should help," Francine reasoned taking a few pages from Amanda's stack.
--/--
Lee kept his eye on Amanda as the three agents searched for any pattern. There were over forty poems, and the prospect of the writings being anything but a failed attempt at expression was starting to fade.
"Lee?" Amanda spoke up suddenly.
He was already staring at her, and could tell she thought she was onto something. "Yeah?" he asked hopeful. Standing he had crossed the space between them in two long strides.
"Isn't 'catalyst' a chemical term?" she asked scanning the page she had been studying.
"Yeah, it is, but that doesn't mean—"
"—there are an awful lot of c's and h's in this one…" she continued oblivious to his comment. Taking her pen she started counting. "There are 21 h's and 15…no 17 c's," she finally said, her voice rising.
Confusion was evident on his face, as he took the page from her, "So he liked words that started with c—"
"—no Lee. Philip just started chemistry. I had to help him balance equations. There must be some chemical that has 21 hydrogen and 17 carbon… H21C17…" she continued to think aloud as she looked at another.
"This one starts out with NO, NO, NO, NO…in all capital letters…NO4," she explained trying to stand. She was only able push herself up several inches before her arms gave out.
"Easy Amanda, you ok?" he asked momentarily forgetting about their progress, and knelt in front of her.
"I'm ok," she assured him. The prospect of a clue had clearly helped animate her, but she still looked weak.
"This on does start out with the word first, he may have written down the entire procedure for the drug, the antidote, or both," Francine added from her position at Amanda's desk.
"Amanda, this is great! I'll call crypto, tell them to get one of the chemists from Doc McJohn's team on it," Lee said, feeling a small weight lift from off his chest.
The brunette nodded, and leaned back heavily. The burst of energy had quickly run its course, and she suddenly realized how much she really wanted to sleep, but knew it would be impossible. She recognized the feeling, she had experienced sleep deprivation when Addi Birol had her, and the thought made her shutter involuntarily. It had been almost two years, but her experience with him would enter her thoughts unbidden often. Tears stung her eyes.
Lee hung up the phone, smiling. "They're on it! They're the best—" seeing the emotional state of his wife made him stop instantly, and he rushed once again to her side. "What's wrong?"
Trying to wave him off, she wiped an errant tear with the back of her hand. "I just get overly emotional when I'm tired," she tried to explain, hoping he wouldn't press the issue.
Francine cleared her throat, and stood. "I'll go update Billy," she offered smoothly, and slipped out of the office.
Sitting on the far end of the couch, Lee pulled her down. "Here lay down, just take a minute," he soothed.
Resting her head on his lap, she looked up at him. "I'm so tired," she choked out. Her guard suddenly crumbled at his touch, and she finally broke down.
"Shhh, it's ok, you're going to be ok," he spoke softly taking her hand. "Just try to relax."
Her breathing appeared shallow to him, and he wondered if it was a result of her sudden breakdown or something more serious. Taking her hand, he rested it flat against his chest. "Breathe with me Amanda. In and out," he instructed.
Amanda concentrated on his words, and the feeling of the steady rise and fall of his chest. She hadn't noticed how difficult it was to take in a deep breath, and the thought fueled her panic.
"Amanda, close your eyes, and just focus on me," he pleaded.
"I just want to go to sleep," her voice cracked.
Lee closed his eyes, trying to maintain control of his own emotions. "I know honey, I know. Control your breathing, in out, in out," he told her, and looked up at the phone on his desk. He was moments away from calling for medical help. "You're ok, in and out."
She could feel his voice vibrate under her hand, and she tried to obey his instruction. After several seconds, she felt her heart rate slowing down, and she once again had control. Opening her eyes, she focused instantly on the hazel eyes of her husband. The depth of his love and concern was almost tangible. "I'm ok, it's ok now," she told him.
"Yeah?" he asked, and she was able to nod up at him. "Ok. Let's just sit here a while." As he spoke, he knew he needed a moment to get control over himself. He watched her eyes drift shut, and she tried to take in a deep breath but was unsuccessful.
"I hate this feeling," she told him.
Lee understood her words. He had been subject to several interrogations of his own, and he knew how crippling sleep deprivation could be. He was surprised she had deteriorated so quickly, but the level of truth serums in her would have caused intense fatigue, coupled with the concussion and the inability to sleep, he was more amazed that she was handling the experience so well.
--/--
They were still resting on the couch, when the ringing of the phone interrupted their easy conversation. Offering a silent apology, Lee slipped out from under her, and gently laid her head down on the cushion.
"Yeah," he answered, hoping to hear good news.
/Lee, it's Francine. Can you come down/
Looking at Amanda's still form he ran his hand through his hair. "I don't want to leave Amanda, Francine. What's going on?"
"I can go down with you," she offered, sitting up slowly.
Lee shot her a look of disbelief, but was interrupted by Billy's voice.
/McJohn wants to see Amanda anyway. We'll go up there./
A sense of foreboding settled in the pit of his stomach as he hung up the phone. Looking at the questioning eyes across the room he sat on the edge of his desk. "Billy and Francine are coming up with Doc McJohn," he explained.
"What do you think he wants?" she asked full of apprehension.
"Maybe they cracked the formula," he offered, unable to voice his real thoughts.
"Maybe he has a sleeping pill for me," Amanda wondered hopefully.
They waited in silence and trepidation until the trio walked through the door.
"Lee," McJohn offered a nod his way, and walked toward his patient. "Mrs. King, how are you feeling?" he asked taking her pulse immediately.
Lee looked on with concern. "What's going on Billy?" he asked studying his friend's faces. They appeared worried, but also carried some guarded optimism.
Handing over a folder, Billy glanced at the pair in the corner.
McJohn rested his stethoscope on Amanda's back, "Now try to take a breath in, as deep as you can."
"They know what the Thyprolien does, and it's long term effects, and it appears the code in the poems give both instructions for the drug and a way to counteract its affects," Melrose explained.
Scanning over the report, Lee just wanted to know the end result. "And?"
Their boss looked back toward the doctor. "Tom?"
The older man, stood, and turned toward the group. "The drug is extremely complex. The long term effects however are serious," the words hung in the air.
Lee moved to sit beside his wife. Placing his arm around her, making small circles on her back with is fingers; his attention was glued on the Colonel in front of them.
"It contains a drug derived from rotenone. It disrupts cellular respiration," he explained.
"That's why she's having trouble breathing?" Lee asked.
Nodding he continued, "Yes. It appears the most insidious part of the drug is that it's carried by a virus which has the ability to replicate its own RNA."
Amanda shook her head, trying to grasp the words.
"Basically, the virus won't just go away. The Thyprolien won't wear off naturally. If we can't duplicate the antidote it will completely inhibit Amanda's respiratory system," the doctor delivered the news as gently as he could.
"How long?" Lee was able to ask.
"The rate we've seen the virus replicate…24 hours. Forty-eight at the most," he answered honestly. "But we have made progress with Dr. Krauss' notes. All our chemists and microbiologists are working this. We're going to put her on a series of antibiotics which will hopefully slow the process down."
"Can I go home?" Amanda asked quietly.
McJohn shook his head, "I wouldn't recommend it. If you stop breathing, we'll need to intibate, and you may need to be on oxygen soon."
"Can you give her anything to help her sleep?" Lee asked, concerned for her comfort.
"Fortunately the other chemicals in the drug that are keeping her awake are also slowing the process down. Like I said, this is one complex drug. If we sedated her, I'm not sure she would wake up," he explained bluntly. "You should bring her back down to the infirmary, and we'll start the antibiotics."
Billy nodded, and looked at his somber agents, "Thanks doc, we'll be down soon."
Taking his cue, McJohn left the agents to speak privately.
Letting the news sink in, the section chief took a deep breath. "Lee, Amanda, all our resources are on this one," he explained.
"Yeah," Lee answered absently, his full attention on his wife.
"Lee, we also have warrant for Rice and Hargrave," Francine changed the subject.
"When are you going in?" Lee asked with venom, but tried to relax when he felt Amanda tense.
"Why don't you call Amanda's mom, bring her down here, and then meet me in the bullpen. We'll discuss the plan then," Billy suggested.
Processing the wisdom of his words, Lee agreed, "Yeah, ok. Give us a minute, and I'll be down soon."
Once the Q bureau was theirs again, Lee enveloped Amanda in a hug.
"What am I going to tell mother?" she asked absently. She felt numb.
Giving her one last squeeze, he got up, grabbed the phone, and brought it to her. "We agreed on the truth when we could," Lee reminded her. "Start there, and we'll see."
Nodding, she took the phone and dialed the familiar number.
TBC
