Chapter 2

The following day, LaSalle and Brody headed down to the Bayou to process Margarite Bonnet's 2012 Honda Accord. Dive teams recovered the car a short distance from where her body had been found which meant the two agents had to trudge their way 30 minutes through dense undergrowth.

The sun hidden behind the shade gave off a dim light as LaSalle lead the way through the muck. "Did go back to Voodoo shop this morning?" He asked holding up his flashlight as they came to an usually dark spot on the trail.

Brody brushed a low hanging branch away from her face. "I hardly consider a tarot card and a dead battery a reason for me to go begging for a so called hex to be removed."

"I didn't ask you to beg. I asked you to apologize." LaSalle set down the forensics kit and took a knee before handing Brody a pair of blue latex gloves.

Brody pulled the gloves over her long slender gloves and moved toward the car. "I'll take the front, you take the back?"

LaSalle gave her a nod and continued to set up the kit. Once it was complete he joined his partner at the water damaged Honda Accord.

Brody gave the driver's side door handle a tug only to discover it was locked. Using the blunt end of her flashlight she broke the glass and slid her hand inside to work the lock. Once she had the door open Brody noticed a coat sitting on the seat. Moving the coat aside, Brody saw a large black snake rearing up from the void between passenger's seat and the gear shift. Before she had time to react, the snake struck plunging its fangs into the flesh above her wrist.

"Brody!" In one fluid motion, LaSalle grabbed the snake just below the jaw and slung it across the car. Eyes, wide in horror, he stared at the puncture marks in his partner's wrist. She'd been bitten by a cottonmouth.

He watched his partner grimace in pain.

"I think it hit a vein," she breathed biting down on her lower lip.

Christopher could tell she was trying hard not to cry out. "You're going to be ok, just keep your wrist above your heart." LaSalle had some training in treating snake bites and knew he had about a 20 minute window before the venom caused irreparable damage or worse.

It was a 25-30 minute hike back to the car and the first aid kit.

Whipping out his cell phone, he dialed 9-1-1.

No Service.

He had to make a judgment call.

Wrapping an arm around his partner he ushered her back over toward the kit, directing her to sit on an adjacent log. "Hand above your heart!" he reminded as he dug through the kit for anything that resembled a scalpel and bandages.

Crossing over to Brody, he fell to his knees. "Do you trust me?" he asked looking into her big brown irises. From the gaze she was sending back to him, her skin was on fire. The venom was working faster than he thought.

"Ye-Yesss," Brody whimpered sensing what he wanted to do. He would use the scalpel to enlarge the puncture wounds so that he could extract the venom.

"I won't lie to ya. This is gonna hurt and it may leave a scar."

"Do it!" Brody hissed.

"You want a stick to bite down on or somethin'?"

Brody gave him a murderous look and he knew he'd gone too far.

"I can't do this if you're lookin' at me," he admitted watching as sweat started to form on her brow. He knew this wasn't the best way to deal with a snake bite but what other option did he have? In an hour, his partner could be dead.

Pursing her lips together, Brody instinctively made a fist and pressed it into his chest. Using his left hand to brace her arm, LaSalle quickly slid the scalpel between the two puncture wounds making a small but deep incision.

LaSalle was so focused on what he was doing that he blocked out Brody's cry of pain. Pressing his mouth to the wound, he attempted to extract some of the venom. Spitting, he tried again.

After placing a bandage over the wound and creating a makeshift sling from his belt he helped Brody to her feet. "You think you can walk?"

Body closed her eyes for a moment; her head was beginning to swim. "Yeah"

Brody attempted to move with him only to have her knees buckle. She went down fast hitting the ground palm first.

LaSalle immediately fell to his knees.

She was holding her stomach now. "It hurts," she moaned The pain was now coming in intense sharp waves invading her entire body. She felt like she was going to be sick.

"I think might be your turn to look away," she said feeling an all too familiar lump rising in her throat.

LaSalle looked at her sympathetically.

"What no sarcastic remark?" Brody managed as the contents of her stomach began to betray her.

"Maybe later," he said gently rubbing her back. In reality, he knew the situation was far too grave to be making jokes. One thing certain, time was not on their side.

It had been a long time since LaSalle had to carry a woman anywhere he reasoned as he threw a hand under her knees and hoisted the sickly looking NCIS agent to his chest.

A weak Brody wound her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck. "Chris," she said using his first name. "If you tell anyone about this, I am going to murder you."

"No worries about that. You'll always be superhero Brody in my book."