Chapter 15
The men tried to back away, but were once again met by Ana's voice: "Just stay still…don' encourage 'em."
The dogs growled again, then stepped forward slowly, using the movement as a last warning.
"Chelsea, maybe we should-"
"Kona, Hunter, relax." Chelsea said calmly to the dogs, taking a step towards them as she uttered the words.
One of the dogs dropped its vicious act, perking its ears and tipping its head to the side curiously. The other remained crouched, growling occasionally. Chelsea stepped forward and rubbed the calmed mastiff between the ears affectionately and the dog whined gently. The other animal watched somewhat curiously, slowly dropping its guard.
"Who's there?" A nervous voice called from within the house.
Chelsea returned her hand to her side, only to have the dogs step forward and lick her palm. She gave the dogs a quick smile, then turn her attention back to the ajar door.
"Relax Dr. Sage, it's just me, Chelsea," she called back evenly.
"Chelsea? Kona, Hunter, back inside."
The dogs quickly obeyed the command and were shortly replaced by a tall, skinny man apparently in his late 40's. His hair was a fiery red and his eyes hazelnut.
"Chelsea!" Dr. Sage exclaimed in surprise, enveloping her in a hug. He quickly released her and held her at arm's length. "How's my favorite…" he trailed off as Chelsea made a cutting motion with her finger over her neck. "Girl?"
Chelsea nodded shortly, then smiled. "I'm fine, but one of my friends is not. Could you help?"
The man's brow furrowed. "What? Who?"
"Uh…"
"His name's John," Ana supplied quickly, using Jack's common alias. "I'm sure you haven't met him before."
"Ah, and who would you be, miss?" Dr. Sage questioned.
"Ana-Maria, and these men are part of John's crew."
"Oh, he's a captain? Which ship?"
"The…uh…Majestic." Ana filled, using the name of the first ship that came to mind other than the Black Pearl.
"Wasn't she a navy vessel?"
Ana opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by Chelsea's hastened statement.
"Dr. Sage,"
"Please Chelsea, call me Mark."
"Mark…please, enough questions. The point is, John was poisoned and-"
"Poisoned?! Splendid! I'm always up to a challenge. Please, bring him in." Mark exclaimed, shoving the door all the way open and motioning for the men to bring the sling with Jack in it inside.
Ana and Chelsea followed and, once inside, Ana hastily pulled Chelsea to the side, drawing a squeak of surprise from the younger girl.
"Are you crazy?! The man is a lunatic!"
"No he's not!"
Ana quirked her eyebrow disbelievingly and Chelsea finally gave in with a sigh.
"I know he may seem off-kilter, but he really knows his stuff…if anyone can help Jack, it's him. Just trust me on this, I've known the man my whole life."
Ana slowly nodded, her expression saying she wasn't anywhere near convinced, but she was going along with it all the same.
~*~
Ana and Chelsea stood silently to one side of the room, watching Mark intently as he studied Jack. He checked the pirate's pulse and temperature quickly, then listened to his heart beat. When Jack began trembling again, Mark leaned back, turning a grin to Ana and Chelsea.
"What?" Ana asked quickly.
"He's going to be fine. Sure, the poison is usually lethal, especially given the size of the dose he must've had…how much did he have, anyway?"
"LETHAL?!" Ana exclaimed.
"He was flogged and the tips of the whip were poisoned…we don't know how much. Can you help him?"
"How much water have you gotten into him? He seems awfully dehydrated."
"Little to none. When we tried to get him to drink, he coughed it back up." Chelsea answered gravely.
Mark winked. "Yah just gotta know how to do it," he said, taking a needle with a marked glass barrel attached to it out of his bag. "Now Chelsea, go get me some fresh water—room temperature, mind—and a jar from my study. It'll be labeled 'O.M.C'."
Chelsea nodded her understanding.
"Go!"
Ana waited until Chelsea had left the room, then confronted the doctor. "You said it was lethal…what kin' o' poison was used?"
Mark raised a finger, indicating he was about to correct her. "Almost lethal. Although it is strange…"
"What is?"
"That he's still breathing okay and the abnormalities in his heartbeat haven't killed him. The man must be a real fighter."
"He is."
Chelsea returned moments later, carrying a glass of crystal clear water and a sealed jar, the contents tinted green.
"Thank you my dear," Mark said, carefully relieving Chelsea of her burden and placing it on the small stand beside the bed on which Jack lay. "First things first," he muttered to himself, filling the hypodermic needle with a few grams of water.
[a/n: Thanks to all who have and will. Please review!]