Chapter 3

"Let's split up," Chase suggested. "It'll be the easiest way to scope out the hospital and find out what's really going on."

"You don't think there's really a new chairman of the board?" Cameron asked him.

"Of course not," Chase scoffed. "Cameron and I will take the top two floors. Foreman, you can take the second and third. That leaves House and Wilson to check out the first floor and the basement."

"But the OB lounge isn't on the first floor," House protested.

"No, you'll be searching the morgue and the labs," Chase said. "And of course, the clinic."

"Oh no!" House asserted. "I'm not going anywhere near the clinic. It's scary in there." Jimmy nodded emphatically. The nurses in the clinic were too catty. (Jimmy hated cats.)

Chase, Foreman and Cameron all looked at each other, knowing what would have to be done.

"Would you do it for a Jimmy-Snack?" Foreman asked, as he produced a pouch of macadamia nut cookies from his lab coat pocket.

Jimmy bounded across the room and tackled Foreman, pawing and sniffing at him to get at the cookies. During the scuffle, House limped over and snatched the bag of cookies from Foreman and upended it over his waiting mouth. Once the package was open and Jimmy could smell the cookies, he released Foreman and began pawing at House. House tossed him a few cookies, which Jimmy caught mid-air.

"Come on, Jimmy," House said as he limped out of the room, rubbing his tummy happily and Jimmy followed smacking his lips.


House and Jimmy were standing outside the clinic, not going inside to search.

"I really don't think we should go in there," House said. He was leery of the clinic at all times. After all, it was full of sick people!

"Come on," Jimmy said, and bounded into the clinic so happy that his stomach was full of macadamia nut cookies not even catty nurses could scare him. House groaned and limped in behind him.

He found Jimmy at the nurse's station with most of his arm inside the candy jar, trying to grab out the last of the lollipops. His finger successfully snagged the stick and he withdrew his arm from the jar, panting and drooling in anticipation. He ripped the wrapper off the sucker and just as he was about to place the tantalizing treat in his mouth …

"Thanks Jimmy," House said as he snatched it from his hands and popped it into his own mouth. Jimmy whimpered in dismay.

House looked about and saw nothing but the usual collection of nurses in the clinic. Jimmy growled low in the back of his throat. (Did I mention he hated cats?)

"Well, this doesn't look so scary," House said. Just as the words were out of his mouth, he heard the most terrifying sound he'd ever heard.

Sniff. Sniff. Sniffle. Snuffle.

"Yikes! Clinic patients!" House screamed in terror. House and Jimmy high-tailed it out of the clinic.