Back at the warehouse, Vincent stood at the table with dozens of castor beans scattered about. He crushed them in his hands and dumped them into a bowl and ground them into powder. He dumped the power into a cup and started crushing more beans. JT pulled out needles and gloved from the cabinets and set them on the table.
"Have I told you how crazy this idea is, yet?" he asked.
"Twice." Vincent answered. "But we don't have any other choice. And Jamie's not going to last much longer."
"I'm still not completely sold on your theory Vincent."
"Muirfield wants the strongest soldiers, what's so great when your soldiers get a cold?" Vincent explained. "Accelerated healing and heightened immunity is just what they'd want in a soldier. Let's face it, that's the only thing keeping Jamie alive right now. If I ingest the poison, my blood can create a cure for him and everyone else Muirfield deems acceptable losses."
"But you don't know for sure, Vincent. For all you know ingesting poison could kill you too." JT said.
"I'm not gonna sit by and watch my son and twenty other people die because of me. If this doesn't work you can say 'I told you so', but I'm not gonna stop JT." Vincent finished.
JT took a deep breath. "How much are you planning to ingest?"
"As much as I can."
"When was the last time you ate anything."
"Yesterday." Vincent answered.
JT nodded. "I figure on a completely empty stomach it should take your system about forty-five minutes to start affecting you."
Vincent poured the power into the cup. "We won't get a quarter of a cup. Probably three to four tablespoons of the stuff."
JT snorted and shook his head. "Here we are talking about poison like we're going to cook with it."
"What can I say; we lead interesting lives, JT." Vincent said. He picked up the glass and filled it with water. He mixed the poison in and looked to JT. "Ready?"
"Are you?" he replied.
Vincent swallowed and stated drinking the poison. The cold liquid rushed down his throat, sending a chill through his body. He downed it all in one attempt and set the glass down. "Here we go."
"How do you feel?"
"Like I just drank poison."
"How many dads can say they'd do that for their kids?" JT asked.
"How many dads are the reason their kids were poisoned?" Vincent replied.
"Don't this the wrong way, man, but I think it's a good thing Jamie got it. If it'd been Catherine, there's no way she wouldn't have lasted this long." JT explained.
Vincent nodded. "I know, and she only just started showing signs of poisoning when I left. Hey, can you get my stethoscope and blood pressure cuff."
JT nodded. "Yeah, anything else?"
"Yeah, the garbage can. Soon as the poisons takes effect that can's gonna be my best friend." Vincent explained.
"Fun." JT said. He walked back to the cabinets and dug out the cuff and stethoscope for Vincent. He dragged the can beside the table and set down the supplies.
Vincent strapped the cuff around his arm and placed the stethoscope on his arm. He listened pulse and read the gauge. "138 over 89. Probably high because of the anxiety, but it'll drop fast an hour."
The minutes following were the longest Vincent ever had. Staring at the clock, waiting for his body to break down, knowing his son didn't have any idea what was coming, but he did. It went it hit, it hit hard. His chest tightened painfully, making it hard to breathe. His stomach tightened, convulsing. He leaned over the garbage can and heaved. He coughed painfully and spat into the can. Vincent filled the bp cuff and checked his pressure.
"72 over 53." He said. He wiped his forehead.
"Okay ten minutes and we draw blood." JT said.
Vincent nodded and closed his eyes. He folded his arms on the table and leaned his head down. "Put this down on the list of things not to do again."
"I'm the one who told you not to do it." JT reminded. "Dumb question, how're you feeling?"
"Hot, can barely catch my breath, stomach's knotting up..." Vincent answered. He heaved into the can again. "And internal bleedings set in."
"Good news is you are definitely metabolizing the poison faster." JT said.
"You don't say." Vincent coughed viciously. "You ready to draw?"
"Yep, all set." JT passed an empty sealed vial. He tied Vincent arm just above his envelope.
Vincent took the vial and slowly inserted the needle into his arm. Blood slowly filled the vial. JT passed the gauze and took the vial. He put a drop of blood onto a glass slide and slipped it onto the microscope. JT peeked into the microscope.
"Vince, check this out." JT said.
Vincent groaned and forced himself onto his feet. He fought the sudden wave of dizziness and forced himself to the counter. He looked into the microscope. His antibodies and antigens were already latching themselves to the poisoned cells and breaking them down. It was really working. Vincent grabbed another vile and slipped the needle beneath his skin.
"Take this to the hospital. They need to purify the antibodies, but it's a cure." He said.
JT took the vial. "You think they'll listen?"
"They've got twenty-two people poisoned in that hospital without a way to cure them, they'll do it." He answered.
"Okay well what about you? I can't just leave you here by yourself." JT said.
"Yes you can. I'll be fine. Get that vial to the hospital." Vincent insisted.
JT nodded. He headed toward the door and paused. "What do I tell them when they ask where I go it?"
"Tell them another doctor was working on ricin poisoning." Vincent answered.
"And if Catherine asks?"
Vincent looked over to JT. "Under no circumstances do you tell her where you got it."
Catherine woke slowly. Her mouth was dry and lingered with the taste of charcoal, used to absorb the poison. She lifted her head from Jamie's bed and watched the nurse inject something into her son's IV and then hers. Catherine frowned. "What is that?"
The nurse smiled down at Catherine. "It's an antidote."
"What?" she asked.
The nurse nodded. "Complete recovery and cellular repair to damaged organs."
"Where'd it come from? I thought-"
"The hospital received a package containing a sample where the poison was being combated. It's really lucky we got it in time." She said. She walked out of the room.
Catherine turned her head to follow and saw JT standing in the hall. Adrenaline suddenly flooded her with realization. She grabbed her IV stand and forced herself to her feet. A look of annoyance filled JT's face and he entered the room.
"You need to rest, sit down." He said.
"What did he do?" Catherine demanded.
"Who?"
"Do not play dumb, JT." Catherine hissed. "You and I both know that was him. Now what did he do?"
"I told him you wouldn't know." JT replied.
Catherine took a deep breath. "Is he alive?"
"Of course he's alive." JT answered.
"JT did heā¦did he take the poison?"
JT was silent.
"Oh my god." Catherine muttered.
"It was the only way he could get the antidote in time." JT explained.
"And you let him?"
"I told him repeatedly not to do it. But like every other time I give him advice, he didn't listen." JT replied. "All he wanted to do was make sure you and Jamie pulled through."
"Mommy?"
Catherine turned quickly. Jamie's was slowly coming around. She grabbed his hand. "Hi sweetie."
"Is daddy still here?"
Catherine's brow furrow. "Daddy?"
"I heard him. He was here." Jamie explained.
Catherine swallowed. "Get some sleep baby."
okay so ricin poisoning and the antdote took A LOT of research and this was the best way i could get it out. please don't critisize me for this.
on another note...does this count as Vincent whomping to the reader who wanted it?
