Chapter 19
Charlie stirred and opened his eyes. "Hey, Don," he whispered.
"Charlie! Buddy! How are you feeling?" Don put the computer aside and put his hand on Charlie's forehead. "Still warm."
"Warm? Nah. It's cold in here," Charlie tried to find more covers. He stopped and stared at his brother. "It's not coming back, is it? The anthrax?"
Don bit his lips, shaking his head. "Nah. It can't be. You're getting better. Aren't you?"
Charlie shrugged. "I thought I was. But now I'm not feeling so great."
"Well, House is getting permission to use that experimental treatment on you. It sounds good: a virus that attacks the anthrax."
"Well, let's hope that's all it attacks." Charlie grinned at Don's shocked expression. "I wouldn't want to end up with a third eye."
"Or no hair!" Don chuckled.
Charlie clamped both hands over his curls. "Maybe I shouldn't have signed that consent form."
"Charles!" Larry rushed into the room, to his friend's side. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, Larry. I was just horribilizing," Charlie smiled.
"'Horribilizing?'" Larry said, "Is that anything like 'Fleinhardting?'"
"Similar. How was the seminar?"
"Oh, excellent, Charles. I took the liberty of ordering the DVD set for you. Mercifully, they decided not to include your truncated presentation."
"That's good. I'm sure I wouldn't want to see that. So, who presented today?"
Larry smiled. "Your friend Marshall Penfield. His presentation was very interesting. His work on set theory is ..."
"Did he say anything about me or my work?"
"Charles, Charles, Charles. Do you believe the whole world revolves around you and your work?"
Charlie chuckled. "No, but sometimes it seems like Marshall's whole world does."
"Well, not today. He did approach me afterwards and inquired about your health. He is worried about you, Charles."
"Well, that's good to hear."
"How are you doing?"
Charlie sighed. "I'm not feeling very well, Larry. I'm afraid the anthrax is coming back."
"Mutating? Oh, Charles."
"Well, there is Dr. House's bacteriophage treatment."
"Yeah," Don said, grinning, "but Chuck here is afraid it'll make his hair fall out."
"Has it had that effect on the laboratory animals?" Larry said, his brow furrowing.
"Nah," Charlie said, punching his brother in the arm. "Don doesn't think I have enough to worry about. He's been taking advantage of my weakened state. Planting bizarre fears in my head. If Dad was here, he'd put a stop to it. By the way, I'm glad you talked him into getting some rest, Don. You're next, right?"
Don shrugged. "We'll see, Buddy. I stay where I'm needed."
"That you do, Big Brother" Charlie said, leaning back against the pillows. "That you do. But you do need your rest, too." He glanced at his computer. "You playing games or fixing my encryption?"
"I don't think you'd want me anywhere near your encryption. Unless you want your password to be your birthday."
"That's okay. I'll work on it later. Larry, I'm sorry you're missing so much of the conference."
"Oh, Charles, don't worry about it."
The men all looked up as Dr. Cameron entered the room. She smiled and said, "Hello," but her smile didn't reach all the way to her eyes. "How are you feeling, Charlie?" she asked as she pulled out her thermometer and stuck it in his ear.
Charlie sighed. "Not very well, to be honest. I'm starting to feel nauseated again, and I think the fever's back."
Cameron glanced at the thermometer and nodded. "It is."
Don asked, "Any word on the approval for the bacteriophage treatment yet?"
"Not yet. The NSA hasn't gotten back to House, so he's calling them again. He wanted me to check Charlie's vitals first." She made a few notations in the file. "I'll let you know as soon as we hear anything. Charlie, you have the nurse beep me if you start feeling worse. We need to put as much pressure on the NSA as possible."
"Who's House calling at the NSA?" Charlie asked.
"Your buddy, Tompkins," Don said. "He should be anxious to help, shouldn't he?"
"I would hope so," Charlie said. "I don't think I ticked him off."
Cameron smiled at Charlie. "I can't imagine you ticking anyone off." She turned and left the room.
"Oooh, Charlie," Don said. "I think the doctor likes you."
"Don't tell Amita," Charlie said, grinning.
"Why not, Buddy. If she knows another hot woman is after you ..."
Cameron dropped the folder on House's desk. "His temp is back up, and he's started to feel nauseated again."
House dialed. When Tompkins picked up, House said, "You haven't called me yet, and it's been over half an hour."
"I'm sorry, Dr. House, but this is not the only thing I have to deal with today."
"The anthrax is starting to mutate. You'd better move this up on your to-do list."
"You say this is Dr. Adukalil's treatment? How did his tests go so far?"
"You'll have to ask him that. All I know is that my patient is getting sick, and will keep getting worse until ..."
"Transfer me to Adukalil."
House smiled and pressed a few buttons. "Mike. House. I have Mr. Robert Tompkins of the NSA on the phone for you. He has a few questions about your anthrax treatment."
"Put him on. How's the patient?"
House pushed buttons again. "Tompkins? Adukalil? We're all on the party line now. Mike, the patient's fever has started going up again, and he's feeling nauseated. Tompkins, you can ask Dr. Adukalil your questions."
Tompkins started, "Dr. Adukalil, what results have you had with your animal tests?"
"It's been eighty percent effective on mice. Seventy two percent effective on primates."
"Side effects?"
"None noted."
Tompkins was silent for a few long moments. House was about to say something when Tompkins said, "All right. Give him your treatment. I'll fax you the necessary paperwork. House, can you at least wait to get the fax?"
"How long?"
"Fifteen minutes."
"I'll wait fifteen minutes. No longer. Thank you, Mr. Tompkins."
"Tell Charlie I send him my best wishes, will you?"
Adukalil said, "I'm sure House will not, but I will. And thank you, Director. I will send you my file on Dr. Eppes when we are finished, if you'd like."
"I'd appreciate that, Dr. Adukalil."
"Mike?" House said, "Can you be ready in fifteen minutes?"
"Yes, Greg, I will be ready. I will meet you in Dr. Eppes' room in fifteen minutes."
As House hung up, his beeper went off, followed almost immediately by Cameron's beeper. They both looked at the display and headed to Charlie's room.
Charlie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He rubbed his stomach and grimaced. "Charlie?" Don said, leaning forward. "You okay?"
Charlie gasped and opened his eyes. "No. I think I'm gonna be sick."
Don looked around for something, anything, for Charlie to throw up in. He grabbed the wastebasket and brought it up just in time.
Larry looked perplexed, "But he hasn't had anything to eat."
Charlie slumped back onto the pillows, gasping. Don winced as he looked into the wastebasket. "It's blood, Larry." He put the wastebasket down, and pushed the nurse call button, then touched Charlie's cheek. "Hang in there, Buddy."
Charlie rolled onto his left side, curled up and moaned, "Don... "
"It's okay. I'm here. The nurse is coming." The nurse hurried into the room, and Don got up to get out of the way. He looked at Charlie's bed. "Oh, God. There's blood where he was lying."
Two more nurses entered the room, and Don joined Larry and Agent O'Connell near the wall. They heard one of the nurses say, "I've paged House and Cameron."
Charlie groaned loudly as the nurses rolled him onto his back. Don couldn't see his face, but he could see him struggling against the nurses and hear his gasps. He bit his lips and fought the urge to push the nurses out of the way. He jumped as Larry grasped his arm. "Geez, Larry," he said angrily.
"I'm sorry, Don. I was afraid you were going to try to help. It's perfectly understandable, but not advisable."
"You guessed right, Larry." Don smiled briefly. His smile faded as he heard Charlie murmuring his name. "I'm here, Buddy. Let the nurses do their job."
Don heard House's voice and glanced toward the door. House said, "Page Dr. Adukalil. Tell him screw the fax, bring his stuff down here now."