They got Cabe into the chest and filled it with water. Happy brought a hose over from the truck and turned the bucket upside down and put it into the small hole that Sylvester put into the bottom of the bucket. She used duct tape to make a seal around the hole and hose.
Toby looked at Cabe, "Okay Cabe, this is where the rubber meets the road. I don't have any idea if this is going to work. But if it doesn't, you're going to die anyway."
Cabe looked at him, "What are the odds?"
Toby swallowed hard, "five percent, at best."
Cabe nodded, "Do it, I believe in you kids."
Everyone took a moment to say a few words to Cabe in case things went south and Walter sat there looking a bit nervous and confused. He had told Cabe he loved him before but it was just him and Paige with Cabe. Now he struggled with everyone else there in front of him. He faltered, "It's been a pleasure working with you Cabe."
Cabe just smiled and patted his hand while everyone but Paige looked at Walter like he'd lost his mind. Paige smiled slightly, she could almost feel the anxiety coming from Walter over speaking his feelings in front of the others.
"Okay, we're going to need a few things to make this work. We'll need hydrogen sulfide gas. His organs will need it to protect them from the shock of being super cooled." Toby told them.
"There is natural hot springs not far from here. I saw them when I was mapping out our route here," Sylvester told them.
Paige looked at Walter, she was still upset and afraid he'd try to engage her over what happened earlier. She needed more time before she talked with him about it, "I can take Sylvester there to collect it." She saw the hurt look that instantly came up on Walter's face and she bit her lip.
Toby nodded, "Next we need a blood thinner, Walt, you need to go back about a mile to that outcropping of rocks we passed and catch us a rattlesnake. Its venom is a natural anticoagulant."
Walter nodded as he looked at Paige and she gave him a wane smile, so he stood and took off running.
Paige watched as Walter got further and further away. Her nerves were jumping, "What did I just do?"
"No time to wonder about that now, you got to get to those hot springs and get that gas." Toby told her.
Sylvester collected the Shop-Vac, "What are we going to use to stimulate the water molecules to separate and power the Shop-Vac?"
"Grab Happy's battery from her truck." Walter told him over the coms. "Make sure the negative side is under the Shop-Vac intake. The hydrogen sulfide will exit around it."
Sylvester and Paige gathered the last few items needed while Happy got the water truck running and Toby felt the airflow, "Man that's cold."
After passing by the rock outcropping they saw Walter laying down looking over the ledge. Paige pulled out on the road when Sylvester frowned, "What happened to your arm?"
Paige looked down and saw she had a cut with some dried blood. She frowned, "I don't know, unless I cut my arm when Walter pulled me over in the shack when Cabe got hurt."
Sylvester's eyes opened real big, "Oh man." Sylvester's brilliant mind went to work on his memory of the event and where she was standing in front of Cabe. Her height verses his, he swallowed hard, "If Walter hadn't pulled you over that piece of metal would have cut into your abdomen instead of Cabe's. It would have cut through the right half of your uterus. Possibly even the uterine artery."
A tear ran down her face as the last of her anger fled knowing Walter had most likely saved her life. "Walter, are you okay love?"
"I'm fine Paige, found a snake but it's kind of back under this ledge a bit. Trying to figure out how to lure it out," Walter responded.
With her anger completely gone there was nothing to combat her anxiety with, "I don't know how much longer I can do this Walter, I feel like I am crawling out of my skin." Paige pleaded.
"Love, I'm not saying this to be mean, you made a choice, Cabe's life is in the balance now. We don't have time to change things so we got to see this through as we stand. Start your breathing exercise that Dr Rizzuto showed us, listen to my voice and know that I am fine." Walter told her as he pulled his shoe off. He could hear her breathing was a bit rapid, "Slow down love, you're breathing too fast. Better, a little slower. Continue to listen to my voice, soft, gentle, calm. Like a gentle ocean wave lapping your feet," he pulled his sock off. "That's it, your doing better now." Walter grabbed his phone and started up a number of apps and forced it to continually vibrate. "You know I was thinking about that movie you said that was coming out that you wanted to go see, I think I would like to go with you if you don't mind."
Paige smiled as she turned off the road when Sylvester told her, "I'd really like that Walter."
Walter smiled, "Wasn't it something about a dog, a dog's life?"
Paige gave a short laugh, "Very close, a dog's purpose."
Walter frowned, "What is wrong with this snake? It won't go for my decoy."
"The only thing that would stop it is if it's pregnant Walter, look around and see if there is another snake. There should be a daddy snake nearby if she is." Sylvester told him.
Walter looked up as he heard a rattle. He slowly looked over and saw the snake about three feet away. "Found him."
"Son of a bee sting," Sylvester murmured as they pulled up to a privacy fence with a sign, "Nudist Only".
"We're going off coms for a few while we collect the gas guys," Paige said.
They pulled their coms out and looked at each other with dread. They slowly got out of the car. They stepped up to the security guard sitting in a chair just outside of the fence next to the gate. "Excuse me, sir, we don't want to...you know, um, and we need to collect some hydrogen sulfide for a friend." Paige told him.
The guard looked at them, "Yeah, sorry, folks, private property, nudists only."
"If we don't get what we need and get back to our team soon, then a man could die." Sylvester told him.
"Look, I've heard every story in the book from perverts that wanna get all sneaky-peaky without undressing themselves." The guard told him.
"But you're not naked," Sylvester complained.
"I just work here. Drop trou, don't come in, I don't care." The guard told him as Paige walked around past Sylvester.
"Uh...What are you doing?" Sylvester asked Paige.
"You want to save Cabe, nude up, genius-boy. And leave your glasses with your clothes." Paige told him as she pulled her shirt off.
"Glues ready," Happy told Toby.
Toby ran over, "Okay, let's practice. We'll use this wet section of hose." He pinched it together and held it out, "Spread a thin layer on it."
Happy complied and they waited a moment and Toby let go. "Well look at that, it works," Toby smiled.
They both ran back over to Cabe, "Let's take our coms out, they don't need to hear if this doesn't work."
"Hey, Cabe, we're gonna patch you up, warm you up, and you're gonna wake up, deal? He doesn't feel like talking. Well, he does seem a little blue." Toby joked.
Happy looked at him, "You kidding me?"
"I'm nervous. I don't know if this'll work," Toby told her.
Toby pushed both sets of fingers down inside of Cabe and pulled the clip off and threw it on the ground and then reached back in and matched both sides of his aorta together. "Okay, I need you to reach in here and spread the glue."
Happy had her head turned the other way the entire time and she instantly spun it to look at Toby, "Huh?"
"I need to hold his aorta, I need you to reach in here and spread the glue." Toby told her calmly.
"Doc, you know how I feel about blood," Happy told him.
"I do, how do you feel about your friend's dying?" Toby asked.
Happy closed her eyes for a moment, "Oh man." She gathered a large sample and reached over and looked away as she pushed her fingers into the wound.
"See, it's just like putting your hand in a pumpkin, except its Cabe's abdominal cavity. There ya go, just follow my fingers down, yep, right there, just to the left. Perfect, smear it around good, don't be stingy." Toby told her. "Hey, you're done."
Happy pulled her hand out quickly staring at the blood on it as Toby maintained pressure for a few moments. "Hey, I'm really proud of you," he told her sincerely as he kissed her forehead.
Paige walked through the gate carrying the Shop-Vac hiding most of her body while Sylvester followed carrying the car battery in front of his groin. They got out to waist deep water, "When I flip this switch, you might feel a slight tingling from nerve stimulation by the electrical current. This will split the water into oxygen and hydrogen, which will combine with the sulfur in the water to make hydrogen sulfide bubbles."
Paige closed her eyes, "Great, as if this couldn't have gotten more awkward. Just hurry up, I think that guy's trying to get a look at my...bubbles."
She reached up and flipped the switch on the Shop-Vac and almost gagged at the smell, "It smells like rotten eggs."
"Walt, Cabe's aorta is repaired, where are you with that snake?" Toby called over the coms.
"Over here," Walter yelled as he was running up. "Everyone took their coms out so I couldn't update you."
Walter handed the snake to Toby who stepped around Cabe, "How are you going to extract the venom?" Happy asked.
"I'm not, the snake is going to intract the venom," Toby told her.
"You're going to let the snake bite Cabe?" Walter asked incredibly.
"No, their going to kiss on the mouth," Toby told him sarcastically.
"Why are you hesitating?" Happy asked.
"Because it's kind of messed up to force a snake to bite your friend, would you let me ease into this, please?" Toby whined.
"Come on you diamond back bastard, I'm serving him up on a platter for you." Toby stood staring at the snake but even as irritated as it was it wasn't reacting.
Walter ran over and rolled up the sleeve on his arm, "What are you doing Walter?" Happy asked.
"The snake isn't sensing heat from Cabe, so no matter what we do he isn't going to bite him. I'll put my arm down and pull it away so he bites Cabe," Walter told her.
Paige looked at Sylvester, "Sly, lets make a pact, we don't speak of this to anyone." Sylvester nodded his head quickly. They both slipped their coms in as they drove away from the hot springs and they heard Walter talking about letting the snake bite him. "Wait, what are you doing?" Paige said over the coms.
Toby shook his head and moved the snake up and just as it flinched Walter pulled his arm back and the snake bit Cabe. "Perfect," Toby said as he ran over to the side of the area and put the snake down. "Your assistance is greatly appreciated."
Paige was beginning to panic, "Walter?"
Walter smiled, "I'm okay love. Cabe has gotten the venom, we just need the gas now."
"We're on our way with a tank full of stinky gas," Sylvester told him.
They built a small fire to start warming Cabe up. "I sure hope he's talking about the Shop-Vac," Toby teased.
Paige drove up in her car. "Okay, Cabe's almost to 90 degrees, let's put out this fire." Toby told them as they threw water on the branches.
"When he reaches 98 the normal autorhythmicity of his heart will kick in. Whoa, he's at 94, get that gas over here now."
Sylvester ran over with the tank and Paige ran up to Walter and grabbed him in a fierce hug, "Oh God, Walter, I'm so sorry. For getting mad, for hurting you saying I would take Sly to the hot springs. Please forgive me."
Walter returned her hug just as tightly, "It was my fault love, I'm sorry. I've never been more jealous over someone before and I handled it so badly, please forgive me."
Paige just nodded.
Toby put the hose from the Shop-Vac into Cabe's mouth, "I'll pinch his nose. You create a seal around his mouth."
Sylvester nodded, "Okay."
"Happy, pass that gas," Toby told her. Happy reversed the switch and turned the Shop-Vac on. "Valve is wide open. Oh, that's strong," Toby complained as he gagged.
Sylvester grimaced, "Oh, I can't believe Cabe has to ingest this stuff."
Walter stepped over with Paige and put the thermometer into his ear, "Cabe is up to 96 degrees."
Toby smiled, "Perfectly on target. Another degree or two, and his heart should start beating on its own."
"Incredible, we fixed his aorta, thinned his blood, gassed up his lungs. This is really going to work, isn't it? I can't believe we did it." Paige hugged Walter from behind.
"Uh, guys. Guys, Toby, Cabe's temperature is up to 99 degrees," Walter warned.
"That can't be right. At this temp, his heart should've restarted by now." Toby looked at Walter.
"No, the thermometer says 99 degrees," Walter showed him.
"Cabe, Cabe? We got to get him out of here before he gets too hot, or his heart will never restart. Why isn't this working? Cabe, wake up. You can do this." Toby pleaded.
As they pulled him out and put him on the ground Happy got upset, "You're going leave me after we've become friends?"
"Still nothing," Toby exclaimed.
"I swear to God, if you die, I will not wear that pin just to piss you off." Happy threatened Cabe.
"Come on, Cabe. You got to come back! He's not responding," Toby told them.
Walter knelt down, "Quick, get out of the way. Come on, Cabe." Walter began CPR, "Come-Come on, Cabe. Come on. Come on, Cabe. Come on!"
"Manual CPR won't do it. Our only chance of getting Cabe's heart beating again is the application of an electrical current." Toby explained.
Sylvester looked at Toby, "How? I don't exactly see a portable defibrillator anywhere."
Happy's eyes opened wide, "No, but we do have electricity. Okay, quick. Lean him against the metal rim of the toolbox." She saw the looks they gave her, "Just do it."
Paige panicked when she saw Cabe's face go into the water, "Careful, he'll drown!"
Walter shook his head, "No, he won't. He's not inhaling. He's dead."
Sylvester asked, "Is she planning to do what I think she's planning to do?"
Toby nodded, "She's going to throw the toaster in the bathtub with Cabe."
"Okay, everyone back away from the toolbox. Please let this work," Happy said as she flipped a switch and threw it into the toolbox. There was a crackle of electricity and Cabe's muscles contracted and threw his body backwards from the tool chest.
"Cabe? Cabe, still nothing," Toby told them.
"Please don't let this happen," Paige pleaded.
Toby's eyes opened real big, "It's tired, but steady! Cabe's heart's beating! Welcome back."
Cabe opened his eyes slowly, "Oh, man...Heaven's full of nerds."
Everyone laughed.
A short bit later the medivac copter arrived, "Well...looks like your ride's here," Toby told Cabe.
Paige was holding onto Walter, "You should go with them."
Walter smiled at her as he shook his head, "I'd like to, but you've been out of my reach for far too long today. You've had to deal with your anxiety over it as well, so I am not leaving your side. Cabe will be fine." He pressed his forehead against hers and they smiled at each other.
After the helicopter took off they got Happy's toolbox put back in her truck and got everything cleaned up and left.
Walter drove Paige's car and she rode leaning against his right arm as Sylvester sat in the back. Paige reached up and pulled her coms out and showed it to Sylvester and Walter and they both did the same. "Walter, Sylvester and I agreed not to tell anyone, but there is something I need to tell you," Paige said as she sighed. Sylvester grimaced as he shook his head back and forth.
Walter smiled, "That you both had to remove your clothes to collect the hydrogen sulfide gas?"
Sylvester's eyes closed as he started whispering, "Please don't kill me," over and over.
Paige sat up straight, "Wha, h-how did you know?"
Walter grinned, "You were bone dry when you got back, you should have been at least damp if not sopping wet."
"J-just so you kn-know, I wasn't wearing my glasses and I am really blind without them." Sylvester told him.
Paige couldn't believe his calm, "You're not mad at us over this?"
Walter shook his head, "I'm not saying I like it, but you did what you had to do to save Cabe's life."
Paige slowly leaned back over and put her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for earlier, you probably saved my life when you pulled me away from in front of Cabe."
Walter nodded, "Anything for you love." He looked at her arm, "We should stop at a prompt care when we get to the city and get your arm addressed and a tetanus shot. Did either of you bring your go bags?"
Sylvester nodded as Paige looked at him, "Yes, why?"
"When we get to the hospital you both should change your clothes or Toby and Happy will figure out you had to remove your clothes to get the gas. Well, unless you want to hear all the jokes and be teased by Toby mercilessly about it." Walter smiled at her.
She looked back at Sylvester, "Hand me my bag from back there. Back off from Happy's truck a good bit."
Walter slowed gradually as Sylvester passed her bag up as she sat up and scooted down in her seat. She pulled a new shirt and a skirt from her bag. She carefully replaced her clothes while Sylvester kept his eyes closed. "Here you go Sylvester," she told him as she passed her bag back to him.
Sylvester replaced his slacks as quickly as he could before Walter slowly sped back up.
The door to Cabe's room opened, "Oh, boy, look at this crew." Cabe said softly with a smile as Happy, Walter and Toby walked in wearing Hawaiian shirts.
"Thought we'd bring our sunny day to you," Toby told him
"We brought you some iced coffee," Sylvester held out a cup.
"I think I'll try to avoid ice for a while," Cabe smiled.
"Makes sense," Toby told him.
"Hey, roomie, you might hear that I yelled at you a lot, when you were dead. I was just motivating you." Happy told him.
"It's okay. I assume you were all going a little nuts out there," Cabe told her.
"You know, I was thinking, after all I've been through, that maybe I should ask that Allie girl out to that Italian place." Cabe told them.
"Superlative idea," Sylvester told him with a grin.
"There you go. Get back up on that horse," Toby told him.
"I'm fine with it, but I'm reserving final approval until I determine whether she's good enough for you." Happy told him.
"Maybe I'll wear one of those Hawaiian shirts on our date." Cabe teased.
"Bad idea," Sylvester told him.
"We're in these nightmares because our clothes are wet and sun baked at the same time." Happy complained.
"Speaking of that, when did you two change?" Toby eyed Paige and Sylvester.
"In the car on the way here," Paige said off hand.
"The smell of that gas was horrible," Sylvester told him.
Toby smirked, "Funny thing about that, as we drove by coming here I saw a sign that said nudists only. You two saw each other's parts."
Paige blushed, "We did what we had to do to save Cabe."
"Uh... it was very... professional," Sylvester said blushing worse than Paige.
"And naked, it was so sunny out there. You could've burned your schmeckle." Toby teased them.
"Now I wish I really had gotten hit with the shrapnel," Paige said holding her arm.
"Okay, well, I'm gonna go to Kovelsky's. Get some food. Hey Sylvester, Paige, can I get you guys anything, melons and sausages? Cantaloupes and wieners," Toby teased.
Paige got upset, "I will kill you."
Toby grinned, "Tater Tots and salami?" "Ooh," he exclaimed as he dodged around the bed from Paige.
"I had to die for an hour to finally get some peace and quiet from you guys." Cabe joked.
A nurse walked in, "I'm sorry, visiting hours are over. You all are going to have to leave."
Paige grabbed Walter's arm and squeezed his hand, "He's my husband's father."
The nurse smiled as she took Cabe's temperature, "Okay, you two can stay but the rest need to leave."
"We'll see you guys at the Garage in the morning," Walter told them as they left.
Greetings, I hope you have enjoyed this re-imagining of Ice Ca-Cabes. The dialogue through out the show was so spectacular it was hard to cut or alter too much. The wife is doing okay, she continues to thank you for your well wishes and prayers! To the Adventure! -Tim