Chapter 13: Trixie

Medical testing using live animal subjects has been controversial, to say the least, over the years. There are many who say that it is cruel to the animals to breed them for the sole purpose of using them to test things that may very well kill or permanently main them. This being said, the proponents of medical testing on animals point out that many of the advances in modern medicine that we have is a result of the use of medical testing on animals, with the lab rat being chief among them. Regardless of which side of the debate they might have been on prior to the zed apocalypse, all the survivors had agreed that testing their vaccine on a cat would be the best option, as they were apparently similarly susceptible to the virus as canines and could be more easily controlled than a potential canine subject (and it also avoided the difficulty of either procuring a subject or having a volunteer, at least in the short run).

The grey tabby had been given the vaccine on Monday, and after a week of monitoring it appeared it hadn't become a zed. That was encouraging, but in order for a vaccine to be effective it had to protect the subject from the disease. So, Trixie and Frisky carefully injected the cat with some zed blood and waited to see what would happen. The current strain had an infection period ranging from 12 to 48 hours, and they suspected that smaller creatures would likely be infected quicker. After two days the cat was still a cat, exhibiting no symptoms of the virus.

"It worked." Frisky said, looking at the feline, who was pacing its cage slightly. "It's not a zed…"

"Does that mean we actually have a vaccine?" Trixie asked, stunned at the prospect.

"Provided the vaccine works the same on canines as felines, yes." Frisky paused, "Canis erectus has many similarities to other carnivores, like the common housecat, but trials with them haven't always been conclusive. Sometimes something that works as a cure in a cat could kill a dog."

"So, it's inconclusive?"

"Until we do canine testing."

"And it could cause the dog to become a zed." Trixie stated.

"Among other possible side effects, yes." Frisky replied.

"Okay, I guess we convene with the others and see what they think."

***ST***

"Which is where we are now…" Frisky said, concluding her summary of the earlier results of the trial.

The room was silent a moment before Nate spoke, "So, someone has to test it to see if it's safe?"

"In order to make sure it is, yes. Someone would have to be the first canine subject. We'd then observe them for some time and see if there are any side effects, then if it's shown to be safe we'd then move to the second part… where they'd have to be exposed to zed blood." Trixie explained.

"Woah, wait a minute. So someone's gonna have to be injected with a mystery drug that could cause them to become a zed, and if they don't turn they'll then have to risk direct exposure to zed blood?!" Rad asked, stunned. "Are you fucking insane?!"

"It's the only way to test it, Rad." Frisky said, slightly irritated at her husband's outburst. Rad tucked his tail between his legs, knowing not to further irritate his wife.

Stripe exhaled, "Okay, so the way I see it we have two options. One, one of us tests it, or two, we get a test subject."

"And how exactly would you propose we get a test subject?" Chilli asked, knowing that the chances of finding a willing volunteer would be basically zero.

"We could…" Stripe mumbled the rest.

"What?" Trixie asked.

"We could 'borrow' someone and after the testing, if it's successful, return them to where we got them." Stripe muttered.

"Are you seriously suggesting kidnapping?" Bandit asked, stunned at his brother's suggestion.

"I'm saying we're desperate, and if this works we've just saved the dog's life." Stripe defended.

"And if it doesn't we just condemn a dog we kidnapped to a painful death." Bandit remarked.

"Yes, but would you rather have it be you?" Stripe asked, pointedly. "We already have enough casualties. I'm not risking my life. I have a wife and two kids to look after." He gestured to Nate and Trixie, "Think about it Ban, all of us have families to take care of. If one of us goes there's no turning back. We need to be certain it's safe before any of us try. That's why we get a test subject."

Rad frowned, sighing. "Yeah, Stripe makes sense."

"You too?" Bandit asked.

"Bandit, this isn't the world we used to live in. Morals are great when the world is at peace, but right now that isn't the case. You killed a kid, remember? If the world was still the way it had been you'd be in prison, we'd all be in prison." Rad gestured to the other adults. "Fuck, I'm pretty sure I ate a guy when I was borderline feral on the rig! That's definitely illegal!"

The others looked down; Rad's statements had rung true. The world wasn't the way it had been. And while they had generally taken the moral high ground, none of them were free of guilt.

Bandit sighed, resigned to the fact. "Okay, I get it. I… just… can we make sure we try to get someone willing to do it? I don't want to kidnap someone."

"Maybe we can find someone with a family, promise them shelter and protection if one of them is a test subject. We'd still get someone, but without the violence." Trixie suggested.

It was silent a moment before Jeff spoke, "No."

"No?" Rad asked, looking at his friend.

"No, I will not allow you to harm someone until false pretenses or under duress of their family's safety. We are better than that."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Trixie asked.

"I'll do it."

"Jeff, mate, are you okay? You heard the risks…" Rad said, cautiously eyeing his friend.

Jeff simply nodded his head, his eyes fixed in steely resolve. "Yes. You all have families, loved ones. I have none left. I have nothing left to lose. If I survive we have a cure, if not, I know that I die trying to save my friends."

"Jeff, you're sure you want to do this?" Frisky asked.

"We probably could find someone." Trixie said, "Maybe even someone who's willing to try honestly."

Jeff shook his head. "No. You won't. Even the promise of a cure wouldn't convince someone if they honestly knew the risks. I'll do it." He stood up and headed to the door. "Before that, I need some time to pray, then I will meet you in the lab."

It was an hour later when Jeff was injected with the vaccine. For the safety of everyone he was put in the brig, a single room by itself at the edge of the castle next to the armory. He would be observed over the next few days to make sure he was safe, then the zed blood would be given to test if the vaccine worked.

***ST***

The days passed and eventually it was shown that Jeff hadn't turned as a result of the vaccine. That wasn't to say it was perfect, there were some clear side effects. After a few days Jeff had become irritable, snapping at anyone who talked to him or offered him food or drink. Even Rad was yelled at by his best friend. It was Stripe's turn to deliver lunch, and he wasn't looking forward to it. He entered and slid the plate with lunch through the hole in the door to the cell.

"I want to eat meat." Jeff commented, looking at the plate set in front of him.

"There is meat, it's in the stew." Stripe commented, pointing at the bowl he'd handed Jeff.

"No… meat meat." Jeff repeated, a low growl in his tone.

"What?" Stripe asked.

Jeff lunged at the bars, grabbing onto Stripe's chest fur. This prompted a frightened yip from the Heeler. "I want MEAT!"

"Okay! I'll get you some! Please, don't hurt me!" Stripe whimpered. Jeff blinked and immediately released Stripe, backing up against the back wall.

"Sorry, I… I really need it."

Stripe nodded and disappeared. He returned a few minutes later with a piece of emu meat. As soon as he entered the door to the brig Jeff was at the doorway. "That smells amazing! Give it to me!"

Stripe placed it on a plate and slid it through the slot into the cell. Jeff hungrily devoured it, kneeling on his hands and knees as he ate. Stripe watched the kombai devour the meat in moments, licking the blood off the plate and ground. He turned away from Stripe and moved to his bed. A moment later Stripe heard snoring, showing that he had quickly fallen asleep.

Stripe stood, somewhat terrified at the display he'd witnessed. He quickly left the room and counted the hours until dinner, hoping it wouldn't come soon. It did, and he was back at the door to the brig with dinner. He pushed open the door and was greeted with Jeff sitting on the bed reading his prayer book.

"I… have dinner." Stripe said, carefully, placing it in the slot to the cell.

Jeff looked up, "Thanks." He said, walking over and calmly taking a fork as he ate the potatoes.

Stripe glanced at Jeff, "You seem better."

"Yeah, I blacked out a little earlier, but after a nap I woke up feeling fine." He commented, "Guess my blood sugar was too low and I lost it a little."

"Yeah…" Stripe murmured, "I'll see you later."

"Can you stay please?" Jeff asked, "I, I'd really like the company, if you don't mind."

Stripe nodded, taking a seat against the far wall. The next half hour passed and Jeff seemed normal, Stripe nodded and spoke at times, carefully observing the other dog. Eventually he bid him farewell and returned to the others.

Stripe found his wife with Frisky talking and quickly pulled her aside. After they were in a private nook he spoke. "Okay, I swear I'm not crazy, and you need to listen to me, okay?"

"Stripe, what's going on?" Trixie asked hesitantly.

"Okay, you know how Jeff's been acting really mean, right?"

"That's one way to put it."

"Well, he demanded meat at lunch."

"He had meat in the stew."

"No, like raw meat."

"Raw meat?" Trixie raised a brow. "We aren't supposed to eat raw meat, you know how many diseases we can get from that?"

"I know, but the guy literally had me by my chest hair. So I gave it to him, he devoured an entire emu steak and passed out. When I come back for dinner he's totally normal."

Trixie frowned.

"What?" Stripe asked, knowing his wife's expression meant she was thinking.

"Well, maybe it's a side effect of the vaccine. After all, the zed virus just unleashes the primal desires to attack and feed. Maybe the vaccine increases aggression and a desire for more primal appetites."

"So, like a mini-feral state?"

"Kind of." She stated.

"Should we still test him with the zed blood?" Stripe asked.

Trixie thought a moment, "At this point we have to, if we don't we've just cursed him to this for no reason. Frisky and I were just talking and we think we'll do it tomorrow, then we'll observe and see what happens."

"Okay, you're the doctor." He nodded.

"Nurse." Trixie corrected. "Far more important." She smirked.

"Of course." Stripe smiled, knowing how proud she was of her service over the years.

"We'll share this with the others, that way we're prepared if anything happens."

***ST***

The next morning Jeff was injected with zed blood.

The group hesitantly watched and waited, and after a week nothing had happened. Trixie and Frisky drew blood sampled and saw that he had the same antibodies that Nate had. It was a success; the virus had been stopped from progressing into an active stage by the vaccine.

Needless to say, the group was ecstatic at the news and Jeff was released from the brig.

"We need to go full scale production with this!" Stripe declared, happily hugging his sister-in-law, wife, and now free friend.

"Well, we still need to make sure in the long run that he's okay." Trixie said, patting Jeff.

"Of course, and given my… urges, I think that is wise." He stated.

"Well, remember big guy, we're here for ya, you need an extra rare steak, we'll get you one." Rad stated, pulling his best friend into a headlock.

"Thank you." Jeff nodded, happy that his apparent condition hadn't caused him to be stigmatized.

"Just remember, next time ask before raiding my supply." Wendy warned, a sharp look in her eye. "But, I'll be happy to help if you need it."

"Of course." Jeff nodded.

"I was actually talking to Stripe, but thank you." She nodded. The youngest Heeler brother nodded tightly, well aware that angering Wendy wasn't a good idea.

And so they celebrated, looking forward to a brighter future, unaware of the pack of dogs heading straight for them.

***Author's Note***

Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for the delay between posts, I have been a bit busy with the Christmas season upon me, but I should be back to regular postings after next week. In any case, if you liked this, or have constructive criticism, please feel free to leave a comment. Thanks and have a great one!