Small World

by Scoutbooradley

After their break-up following her return from the European Tour, Amy and Ty reconcile briefly only to be torn apart, seemingly for good. Each moves on with their own life, they lose touch. Years pass. A chance meeting, in this Small World, may change all that.

44. Small World Chapter 44

Ty's Monday and Tuesday

"You've got time be kidding me." He swore in frustration at the darkened screen, its battery now drained and dead. He rifled through his backpack for a lifeline, only to find the phone charger just as lifeless. Thrown against the taunt tent side, the battery bounced back, like a boomerang, landing in his lap.

Irritated, he swore again, his eyes narrowed at the electronics that seemed to mock him.

Just as quickly as his anger flared, it subsided. Shaking his head, he chuckled at the absurdity of the situation. And, then at himself.

Wide awake, he scratched at his unkempt beard, weighing the options, considered the state bird.

"What the heck." He muttered.

Unzipping the tent door, he repositioned himself, head closest to the outside, lying on his back, staring up at the brilliant sky, speckled with twinkling points of light. With each wave breaking on the beach and its quiet retreat, the words of her text, the ones he had longed to hear, swam in his head, until he was asleep.

We are proud of you.

As predicted, 4am came early. Already showered and dressed, Ty stood outside of his tent, gazing into the darkness, the eve of the morning's twilight. The ocean breeze, fishy and cool, blew in gusts, whipping his wet locks into a frenzied dance about his face, only to suddenly subside leaving his hair slightly disheveled. So focused on the day ahead, he didn't notice that, or the mosquito bites that begged to be scratched or even Doc's approach.

"Morning Ty."

Pried from thought, he turned to greet him. "Oh. Hey Doc. Morning."

"Here." He handed Ty a styrofoam cup of steaming brew.

After taking a long drag, he replied. "Mmm. Good. Thanks."

"Sleep well?" Doc asked.

"Yeah, surprisingly well." He admitted, scratching his chin. "You?"

"Like a baby. Most always do out here." He drew a deep breath taking in the salted air. "Nothing like it."

"Yeah." He felt remarkably relaxed, refreshed, still he took another long draw, finishing his cup.

"You found the facilities, I see." Doc said, taking the empty cup from his hand.

"Yeah." He ran his hands through his damp hair, sweeping it away of his face, drawing it back into a stubby ponytail.

Pleasantries dispensed, Doc got to business. "Listen. Trevor's gonna be at the corral in 30. Michael's getting the others. We're gonna grab some breakfast before we head out. Got everything?"

"Yep." Hoisting his backpack over his shoulder, he fell into step with the older man as they headed up the beach, towards Gus' fifth wheel camper, lit up like a beacon.

Ty hemmed. "I've been thinking."

"Oh? What's that?"

"We should draw samples on others. To be sure."

Doc smiled. "A step ahead of you. Sid's gonna pick up the supplies. We'll test after the swim."

"Good. I'd hate..." Ty stopped short of stating the obvious.

"Yeah. Me too."

The morning sun was just breaking on the horizon, casting a simmering light on Chincoteague Bay as Trevor drove over the causeway, Ty in the front passenger seat, David in the back, and the ponies trailered behind.

"We'll be there well before noon." Trevor said to no one in particular.

Ty nodded from the front passenger seat. "Thanks for driving, Trevor. Sorry about missing the swim."

"This is more important." He said resolutely, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Hard to believe it's been less than 24 hours since we crossed this bridge. Who would have guessed the turn of events?" Ty ruminated aloud.

Trevor chewed on the thought. "Things have a way of changing direction when you least expect it."

"Yeah." The thought of them surfaced in his brain. "Hey, mind if I charge my phone? It's dead."

"Have at it." Trevor handed him the cord. "You should get one of those battery chargers. They're a godsend."

He rolled his eyes. "Have one. It's dead too."

Trevor chucked. "There's an extra cord in the glove box."

"Thanks." He replied, rummaging around as he plugged in his devices.

When Ty settled again, comfortable in his seat, Trevor finally broached the topic. "So, tell me about this Swamp Cancer?"

"Okay." As Ty began, David shifted to the middle of the backseat, leaning in to listen. He listened as Trevor peppered him with questions for more than an hour. He was more cerebral, choosing to listen, think, reflect instead of talk.

"So, humans too?" Trevor asked.

"Yeah. Dogs too." Ty answered, then added. "But, both are pretty rare."

"But, if the..." Trevor started. "What's it called again?"

"The water mold?" Ty asked.

"Yeah."

"Pythium insidiosum."

"Right. Pythium insidiosum." Trevor repeated slowly. "If Pythium insidiosum is contaminating the water and people wade in it..."

"Like I said, the risk to humans is very small." Ty explained. "Only a few confirmed cases per year. And, like 95 percent of those are in Thailand or India."

"That's reassuring. I guess."

"People usually hightail it to a doctor when they have a nasty, oozing ulcer that itches like hell. Wild ponies don't have that option."

"Good point."

"When will the public be notified?" David broke his normal silence.

"Not sure. Doc said he's gonna handle that." Ty was quick to reassure him.

"He's dealt with this kind of thing before." Trevor offered additional reassurance. "He's real pro at it."

"Until he's announces it, we need to keep this to ourselves." Ty warned.

"Okay." Trevor returned, David nodded.

A collective exhale, heavy and audible, was shared between them, followed by a quiet that consumed the cab. Each retreated into their own thoughts. David leaned back, closing his eyes but not falling asleep.

Suddenly remembering, Ty checked his phone, breaking into a huge smile as he read her text.

"Coffee sounds wonderful. Let me know when you're back in town."

He couldn't suppress the light chortle that bubbled up from his chest, gladdening his heart, nor did he want to. Grin firmly planted in place, he read her text again, just to be sure, before typing out a response.

"Great. I'll call later this week." His text said, purposefully light and short.

"Good news?" Trevor asked.

His question broke Ty's singular focus on the phone in his hands. He turned toward him, momentarily confused. "Huh?"

"I asked if you got good news. You're grinning like a little kid."

"Oh, that. Yeah." He raise his phone slightly. "Really good news, actually." He replied, his smile returned.

"From your girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend? No, no. Haven't had one of those in a while." He admitted, his smile gone. "Just planning coffee with...some old friends."

"Sucks doesn't it?"

"What does?" Ty asked, not following the question. "Coffee?"

"No. Breaking up."

"Oh. Yeah, it does." He agreed. Glancing at him, he sensed that Trevor wanted to talk about his. "Was yours recent?"

Trevor nodded, the sting still very fresh. He sighed heavily through his nostrils, his jaw muscles twitched.

"I screwed up. Said some things that I shouldn't have."

"Been there, done that. Any chance of fixing it?"

"I hope so. That's why I volunteered to drive to Blacksburg, so I could see her. To apologize."

"Oh, she goes to school there?"

"Thought you knew. Erica's a first year vet student."

His raised brows telegraphed his surprise. "As in Erica James? Doc's daughter?"

"Yeah."

"No kidding?"

"No kidding. We kinda grew up together. You know, with the ponies. I volunteered with the Chief and she was working with her dad and mom so..." He trailed off.

"Thought she lived in Virginia Beach." Ty wondered aloud.

"She does. But we made it work. I was down there for school. And, she was in Chincoteague for the ponies. We talked every morning and every night. We had a routine."

"How long were you together?"

"Tomorrow would have been 5 years. We had our first date at the Carnival after the pony swim, summer before our senior year of high school." A soft smile played on his lips as he reminisced.

"Long time." Ty asked. "So what happened?

"Todd Manning." He almost spit out the name, but remained very much in control. "He's what happened. Ever since he moved to Virginia Beach to intern with Doc, things between us...changed. And not in a good way."

"Did you talk to her about it?"

"Yeah, when I brought it up, she just laughed. Said I was being silly. That he was just another one of her dad's long list of interns. That she had to work with him and be nice. He'd be gone once the summer was over. Not to worry."

Ty listened.

"For a while, I felt okay with it. But he was always there. With her. All day, every day. At the clinic, on field calls."

"When I was a vet tech, there were two of us, me and Cassandra. We worked ungodly hours, studied together, even overnight. I was with her more than Amy." He surprised himself how easily her name rolled off his tongue. "It bothered her too, but we talked it out. She understood that's just the way those kind of jobs go. That men and women can and do work together without... you know, getting together. Same is true for EMTs. And every other profession."

Trevor nodded. "Yeah, but Erica knows all the EMTs. This was different."

"How?" Ty challenged him.

"Well. They started to hang out together after work. Going to the movies together. He even convinced her to help with some pet project of his. After a while, our nightly calls got shorter and shorter. She said she was too tired to talk."

Ty just listened.

"Then, last month, some of the EMTs got together. I invited Erica. She invited Todd. The whole time they were chumming around, talking, laughing."

"Instead of listening to your EMT stories?" Ty jabbed, trying to inject a bit of humor.

"I admit, those can get monotonous. Even to me." He said. "But, they hardly acknowledged anyone else, me included. People noticed, started to talk, asked if we had broken-up."

"So, what'd you do?"

"When we talked that night, I asked her if something going on between them. She denied it, said that they were just co-workers. That he was helping her get ready for school. She invited him because she felt sorry for him. He didn't have any friends."

"You didn't believe her?"

"I tried. I really did. But, then the next day my buddy told me that Todd said he was continuing to intern with Doc. Thing was, she never said a word to me."

Ty held his breath, dreading what was next.

"So I drove over to see her. She said his internship was still up in air so there was nothing to tell. Then I messed up."

"How's that?"

"I told her we needed a break so she could figure out who she wanted. Me or Todd."

"Oh boy. What did she said?"

"Nothing. She just walked away. We haven't spoken since. She won't take my calls. Or texts. Won't see me. That was more than a month ago. 37 days to be exact."

Trevor's words brought Ty back to his own history. Full of insecurities and missteps, short on trust and even the most basic of communication skills.

"I've been in your shoes, and hers. More than once. I said and did those same things. And worse. And, I still have regrets." He confessed. "So, what's your plan?"

"Plan? This is it. I'm going to see her. I miss her." He admitted. "I want her back."

"Trevor, you realize that this has nothing to do with Todd. Right? This is all on you." Ty didn't hold back. "You got insecure, jealous, petty. You didn't trust her. You didn't trust your relationship."

"That's not..." He started to disagree, then stopped. His shoulders sunk.

"Do you love her?" Ty asked, already knowing the answer.

"With every fiber of my being." Trevor breathed deeply. "I have always loved her, even as a pimply, smelly teenager. Way before she even gave me the time of day."

"Love her enough to just be her friend?" He posed the same question to Trevor that Celina posed to him.

Stunned by the question, the strapping EMT blinked several times, the muscles in his jaw tensed, relaxed and tensed again.

After a hard swallow, he looked to Ty. "You think she's with him, don't you?"

"Well?" Ty didn't answer his question. "Can you be just friends?"

"Even if she's with Todd?" Trevor asked.

"Even if."

As he considered it, his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down, his hands gripped the wheel, his eyes focused on the road.

"Yes." He finally said, his voice quiet. "It'll kill me that she's with him but I miss my best friend."

"You need to tell her that then. Admit you're an idiot. Apologize. Listen to what she has to say. Really listen." Ty didn't mince his words. "Go from there."

Trevor nodded, then sighed a heavy sigh. "So when I get there..."

"Hold up, Trevor. There's a time and a place for that. This isn't it."

"What do you mean? Of course it is. That's why I'm driving there."

"This trip is not about what you want." Ty could tell he wasn't getting through. "We're going to Blacksburg for one thing and one thing only. And, that's to handle the situation with 8 ponies. You know Erica. You know how important this is to her and to her family. Period. We don't need any other situation. Get my drift?" Ty was stern.

"Yes sir." Trevor took the order, then locked his eyes and concentration onto the road.

Pulling out one of Doc's iPads, Ty powered it up, began to research Virginia's laws. Satisfied with the answers, he turned slightly in his seat.

"Hey guys. We need to discuss the plan for today's surgeries."

David leaned in from the backseat.

"I'm gonna need you both to scrub in for the surgeries. David, you're good to go, right?"

"Yes." David was not one to waste words.

"Trevor?"

"Me?" Trevor turned to see if he was kidding. Ty's expression was serious.

"Yeah you. You're an EMT, aren't you? You're trained and licensed by the state of Virginia to render care to animals in an emergency, right?"

"Yeah, but,.."

"This is an emergency. Have you ever used your skills on a pony?" Ty quizzed him.

"Several times actually. Vehicular trauma mostly. Resuscitation, oxygen, fluids, wounds. Helped with a birth once. The foal was upside down in the canal. That sort of thing."

"Even better. Are you in?"

"I'm in."

"Thanks. So I found the layout of the Large Animal Hospital, so..." A lively discussion commenced, lasting a couple of hours, as they worked through the details.

Around 11, Trevor's phone rang.

"It's Bonnie." He said then put it in speaker. "Hey Doc B. You're on speaker."

"Morning y'all! How are y'all?" Her voice sweet as always, stretching the vowels in each word.

"We're all fine. Ready to get there, stretch our legs. And, you? How are you?" Trevor spoke for them.

"Fine. Erica and I got here a couple of hours ago to get things lined out for the day."

"Oh. Um." Trevor asked, his demeanor softening. "How is she?"

"She's fine. She's gonna help me with the ponies."

"That's good."

"Hey Bonnie." Ty jumped in. "It's Ty."

"Well, hello Ty."

"Have you heard from Doc? How was the swim?"

"He just called. No mishaps, no injuries, to ponies or persons, so to his way of thinking, it was a success. Ponies are resting up, grazing. Parade's in about 40 minutes."

"Good to hear." Ty replied. "Big crowds?"

"He said it was the biggest he had ever beared witness to. Mind you, he says that every year." She deadpanned, making the truck full chuckle.

"Where are y'all?" She asked.

"Just your side of Roanoke." Trevor answered.

"Good. Less than an hour out."

"About 30 minutes. Need us to pick up lunch or anything?"

"Thanks Trevor. We've got it covered. Listen, y'all park in the back of the Large Animal Hospital. By the orange cones."

"Yes ma'am."

"And, please do call when y'all get on campus. And I'll meet y'all out back."

"Will do."

"Stay safe."

As promised, Bonnie was waiting at the back door as Trevor pulled into the lot at 11:30 sharp. After a quick hello and hug from Bonnie, the four got to work unloading the ponies into separate stalls. A quick vet check and blood draw followed.

Trevor joined Bonnie as she exited StarLight's stall, closing the half door behind her. The shaggy weanling stuck her head out, playfully, looking for more attention.

"You are too pretty and too young to have to go through this all nonsense. You should be by your mama's side eating alfalfa grass, waiting for a kind someone to claim you in the auction." Bonnie gently stroked the pony's cheek with the back of her hand.

"Yeah. She should be." Trevor agreed.

"How are you doing, Trevor?" She asked gently, a tenderness shared between them.

"Won't lie. I've been better, Dr. B.. I miss her."

"She misses you too." She gave him hope. "Give it some time. Y'all will work it out, one way or another."

He nodded.

She switched up the topic. "Thank you for carrying everyone over here. Know you'd rather be on the island." She patted his defined bicep. "When are you headed back?"

"Not sure. Ty's asked me to scrub in so..." He said, trying his hardest to keep a straight face, but failing to conceal his excitement. Ty walked up on their conversation.

"You don't say? Dr. Borden asked you to scrub in?" Pleasantly surprised, she looked to Ty for confirmation.

"I did. Figured Trevor has his training and a license from the great state of Virginia. Not to mention, a lifetime of experience with the ponies, which is more than I can say. We need more hands. It's a win-win." He explained his reasoning.

"You don't have to convince me. I've known Trevor since he was in short pants. He'll do y'all proud and then some."

"I have no doubt." Ty replied, catching Trevor standing a little taller.

She looked at her watch. "Heavens to Betsy. Look at the time. Know y'all must be hungry. There's smoked ham and cheese biscuits, fixings, and sweet tea waiting in the conference room. Let's wash up and head that way." Bonnie motioned for them to follow. "Then the Dean wants to meet y'all."

The conference room was massive, modern and tastefully furnished, centered by a highly polished long table, surrounded by two dozen leather and chrome chairs on wheels, symmetrically arranged. Across from the door and table were ceiling to floor windows overlooking the manicured grounds with mature shrubs and trees, traversed by a winding sidewalk. On one end of the room was a lectern complete with microphone and a jumbo monitor spanning the wall. On the opposite wall hung an exquisite oil painting of a defiant mare protecting her foal on the beach, a turbulent ocean, brooding sky and fierce winds as backdrops. Below that was a buffet, sleek and long.

On the buffet sat a cardboard box, a brown paper bag, two six packs of soda, a case of bottled water and a jug of sweet tea. They looked out of place in the impressive room.

An earthy, smoky aroma waffled toward them, filled their senses, pulling them into the room.

"That smells so good, my mouth is watering. Is it Heavenly Hog?" Trevor guessed hopefully.

Bonnie laughed. "What else?"

"They got the best smoked ham, bar none." Trevor said to no one in particular, making made a beeline to the buffet to check out the offerings. The other three followed.

He took the top of the cardboard box.

"You got fried pies too! Are these peach?" He almost squealed.

"Of course, it's your favorite." Bonnie smiled.

Throwing his arms around her, he gave her a bear hug, their closeness on full display. "You're the best!"

Bonnie opened the bag, pulled out a stack of red plastic cups and began to move things around. "Y'all see the ice? Shoot. Think they forgot to bring the ice for the tea."

"That's okay. We hardly ever use it home." Ty offered.

"Well, y'all might not, but I most certainly do. And, lots of it for my sweet tea. Trevor and David would be so kind and get some from the kitchen. It's just down the hall, to the right, then hang a left. Y'all can't miss it." She handed them a stack of cups. "And, don't lollygag."

"Yes, m'am." As soon as they left, Bonnie closed the door.

"I need you to know that Erica and our intern, Todd Manning, will be working with me in the recovery room." She said in a hushed tone.

"Figured Erica. But, didn't count on Todd." The corners of his mouth dipped low.

"So, you know?"

"About Erica and Trevor? And Todd?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. He told us. Poor kid is tied up in knots."

"They both are. Spitting mad and brokenhearted at the same time. They can hardly see straight, not alone talk it out." She shook her head in empathy. "Cam and I just try to stay out of their way, let them figure it out. They always do."

"Todd sounds like a real jerk."

"Oh, well. He's not all that bad. He's smart and has good rapport with animals, dogs especially. He's been good intern this summer." She said, half heartedly.

"But?"

"He's got a bit of a chip on his shoulder."

"Why's that?"

"Todd comes from a modest means so he's funding his own way through school."

"That's tough." Ty said knowingly.

"Yeah. I admire him for that. The thing is he reminds folks of that constantly and uses it to his advantage. He pushes too hard to accomplish his goals. It's kinda off-putting."

"One of his goals Erica?"

She sighed. "He's taken a shining to her. No doubt. Not sure that she feels the same about him. Though they've gone to a couple movies together. And, she's helping him with these evening dog obedience classes that he's running to make extra money. Know that didn't sit well with Trevor."

"Guess I can understand where he's coming from." Ty said, frowning.

"Yeah."

"I told him to keep things in check. Focus on the ponies."

"Let's hope that they do."

Soon after, Trevor and David returned carrying several cups of ice each. "Thanks. But, look what I found hiding behind that big old jug of sweet tea." She exclaimed, holding up a bag of ice. Ty rolled his eyes.

While they ate, Bonnie reviewed their surgical plan, scrolling back and forth through the document several times. Ty closely watched her face for any telltale signs but she gave nothing away. When finished, she carefully wiped her fingerprints from the screen with a napkin and handed the iPad back to Ty. Taking a sip on her sweet tea, she blotted her lips with a fresh napkin.

"So?" He couldn't wait any longer.

"Well, this looks good. Real good. Did you send it to Cam?"

"No, but I can."

"Please do." She gave him the email address.

"Do you think Dr. Daniels will be okay with it?" Ty asked.

"If Doc and Dr. Shibley give their blessing, yes. By the way, did y'all hear back Oklahoma Animal Labs about the vaccine?"

"Heard from Dr. Hansen a bit ago. He wants us to overnight the tissue samples. He thought we could get the vaccines in a few days after that, maybe Friday."

She looked at her watch. "Okay, gotta get the Dean. Ready up the room. And, wash your hands. Take a breath. He's gonna want details." She schooled them, mom-like, stood and left the room.

"I'll take the trash out." Trevor offered, leaving the two in the room, closing the door behind him.

"He's a good guy." David remarked.

"Yeah. He is. And, just so you know that Todd guy is here."

David grimaced. "Great."

"We'll tell him when he gets back."

A soft knock sounded at the door. "Speak of the devil." Ty said, just before opening the door to Erica standing there, a serious look on her face. Ty didn't notice the young man standing in the hall behind her.

"Hi Ty." She gave him a quick hug.

"Erica, come on in." He smiled.

Erica sailed into the room, graceful yet purposeful. She went straight to David, gave him a hug as well. "Hi David."

"Hey."

"Mom told me what's going on with the ponies. I can't believe it's Pythiosis."

"Yeah. Not what any one expected. Heard you're helping out." Ty replied.

"Yeah. Pre and post op." She started, then remembered that he was standing there. "Oh. This is Todd, by the way."

The young man stepped up, his shirt tight across his defined chest and around his bulging biceps, held his hand out.

"Hey Ty. Todd Manning." He spoke with an air of familiarity and confidence. "I intern for Bonnie and Cam. I'm a fourth year here at Tech."

"Hey. Nice to meet you." Ty shook his hand. "This is David Hudson. He's a fourth year too, but at the University of Calgary. He's interning with us."

The two shook hands.

"Todd is gonna help out in recovery too." Erica explained.

"I'd rather assist with surgery." Todd said bluntly as he took a seat at the table, next to David. "I performed nearly 200 procedures this summer alone. So I'll scrub in." His pushiness on full display.

"Todd, I appreciate the offer." Ty replied, then shutdown any possibility. "David and Trevor will be with me in the OR to start. Both are experienced as well."

"Trevor? Do you mean Trevor Dunn, the EMT?" He was incredulous, his eyes rotating from Ty to Erica and back again.

"Yes." Ty said simply, not feeling the need to explain his decision.

"Are you kidding me?" He laughed. "The only experience he has in the OR is pushing a gurney."

Before Ty could retort, Bonnie returned with several others in her company, Trevor tagging along. His face light up when he saw her, then quickly paled.

Bonnie made introductions.

"Everyone, this is Dr. Clive Daniels, dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Christina Shibley, department head of Large Animal Hospital and professor of Large Animal Surgery and Dr. Richard Owen, department head of Research. Dr. Daniels, Dr. Shibley, and Dr. Owen, please meet the team. Dr. Ty Borden, surgical and wildlife specialist in private practice in Vancouver and adjunct professor with the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, David Hudson, 4th year UCVM vet student with an equine specialty, and Trevor Dunn, with Chincoteague Emergency Services. I think everyone knows my daughter, Erica. She and Todd, here, both work at our Virginia Beach clinic and are vet students at Virginia Tech. Erica's a first year, Todd's a 4th year."

Before anyone could get a word in, Todd stepped up, toe to toe, with the Dean. "Hello Dr. Daniels. Todd Manning. Good to see you again."

"Ah yes, of course." He replied, clearly trying to place him as they shook hands.

"I'll be assisting with the surgeries." He continue confidently. Bonnie stared at him, speechless.

"Good to hear." The Dean turned to shake the others' hands as well.

Standing back, Ty watched the whole interaction. Todd was exactly as Bonnie described and he had imagined, maybe worse. Bulked up, brash, pushy and overly confident. His dislike and distrust for the man intensified.

After pleasantries and handshakes around the entire group, Dr. Daniels suggested that they take a seat.

"Let's get started, shall we? First, let me welcome y'all to Virginia Tech campus of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. The Chincoteague ponies are our state's treasure and as I have assured Doc, we will do everything in our power to support their treatment and recovery. Dr. James, you and your team have full use of equine portion of this facility."

"Dr. Shibley has cleared and cordoned off the east space, two surgical suites and ten stalls in the Post Op so that y'all can work without interruption and in complete privacy for the next two days. We understand sensitivity and urgency of the situation."

"Thank you." Bonnie responded.

"So, what's the plan of action?" He asked her point blank.

"As Cam said, Dr. Borden identified and confirmed Pythiosis in the ponies just yesterday. Since then, he has done a rigorous review of the available literature on the subject. Given his surgical specialty and experience, he will lead our surgical efforts and I will lead the anesthesia and recovery efforts. Erica, Todd, David and Trevor will assist. We hope to complete the surgeries today, tomorrow morning at the latest. Recovery from anesthesia should take no more than an hour or two. But, full recovery could take weeks."

"Dr. James, you, your husband and I have worked together for years. I value your knowledge, talent and your recommendations." He smiled at her.

Bonnie smiled back. "Thank you for your kind words, Dr. Daniels."

He turned his attention to Ty, his stare intense.

"Truth be told, Dr. Borden, when Doc called and recommended you, I was apprehensive. So I did my own rigorous review of the available literature." An ironic smile. "There wasn't much."

Ty maintained eye contact, kept his cool.

"This morning I received a call from Dean Singh. He assured me of your surgical qualifications, experience and skill. He cited a case of late involving a mare, her colt and a melanistic cougar. Quite an accomplishment."

Bowing his head slightly, he barely nodded. "I was just one part of the team."

"He said you were humble." Dr. Daniels said, then warned. "Dr. Shibley, Dr. Owen and I will be closely watching as you work. The surgical suites are monitored with cameras from every angle."

Not intimidated, Ty replied calmly. "Of course. We welcome your observation and input."

Dr. Daniels continued, updating them on the larger plan. "Just so you are aware, Doc and Chief Bowden will hold a press conference here tomorrow to inform the public of the situation. After that, the university will assume full responsibility for the ponies' care and treatment until such time they are able to return to Assateague. Now that Pythiosis has been confirmed in our state, we will to do our utmost to be a part of the solution."

Everyone nodded.

"Dr. Shibley?"

She turned to Ty, asked. "Dr. Borden, what is your triage plan?"

"As you know, Pythiosis has rapid rate of progression in both tissue demise and pain intensity with a 95 percent rate of death within six months." He paused to let that sink in.

"So, early detection and early treatment are critical for survival. We will operate on the healthiest pony first, the one with the least amount of tissue damage, lesioning and kunkers, progressing in order to the point most advanced case."

"That's a bit unorthodox. Normally, the most critical are treated first."

"In normal circumstances yes. But, with this aggressive disease, if we want preserve any life, we start with those with the best chance to survive."

"I see your point. Continue."

"Thank you. So, first will be Evening StarLight, a 6 month old weanling with a small open ulcer, just above her right hind hoof. Last will be Essie, a 5 year old mare with extensive ulcerated lesions that perpetually ooze fluids. She has exacerbated the area by vigorously scratching and biting at site which has led to more damage. Her surgery will likely last 2 to 3 hours, give or take." Ty handed her the IPad summarizing each pony, lesion images, disease state, likely outcome and priority rank.

After several minutes reviewing the information, she frowned. "If I read this correctly, you are predicting that only the two foals will survive?"

"All eight ponies will survive the surgery, no doubt. But, given the aggressive nature of Pythiosis and current state of the other six, I suspect that ligaments, tendons, nerve sheathing, and bone are already impacted. If that's the case, humane euthanasia will be required eventually." He frowned, then continued. "I sincerely hope that I am wrong. Surgery will give us better information."

She nodded. "What's the general plan?"

"It's fairly simple. General anesthesia, intubation, dissection and excision of the lesion from the underlying structure. Electrocautery to destroy remaining abnormal tissue and to stem bleeding. We expect a bit of blood loss. Lesion samples will be sent overnight to Oklahoma Animal Labs. They have formulated a vaccine that's fairly promising."

"Interesting. When will the vaccine arrive?"

"It's customized to the strain." Ty estimated. "So it will take time. Friday at the earliest."

"Okay. So, post-surgery?"

"Ponies will recover quickly from anesthesia." Bonnie stated. "Though they will remain on IV fluids for a couple of days. Our main focus will be monitoring the open wound for moisture, seepage, regrowth of lesions and immunotherapy. Flushing twice daily and a topical DMSO applied right after. Given the blood loss during surgery and expected wound seepage, quality feed and constant supply of water are musts throughout recovery."

"Feed will be supplemented with natural chamomile, turmeric and garlic." Ty jumped in.

Dr. Shibley's brows shot upward. "A surgeon prescribing herbs?"

A subtle smile rose on Ty's face. "I prescribe them, because I have seen them work. Chamomile works a calming agent while turmeric and garlic work as a natural antibiotic, antibacterial and antifungal."

"Wait til Dr. Broussard hears. She'll be jumping with joy." She gave a knowing look to Dr. Daniels, then asked Ty. "Mind if I bring her in?"

"I would welcome that." Ty replied.

"Thanks. So. Bandaging?"

"None." Bonnie replied. "The wounds will remain uncovered, exposed to the air so they can dry and be closely monitored for regrowth."

"Right." Ty agreed. "If we can successfully remove all the affected tissue and get a clean margin, the wound will be begin to dry within just a few days and will take 6-12 weeks to fully heal." He added. "If not and the lesions regrow, additional excision will be needed."

"Solid plan." Dr. Shibley concluded.

Dr. Owen nodded in agreement.

"And, I received Dr. James' endorsement by email. So, I too approve of the plan." Dr. Daniels stated, then removed his glasses with one hand, pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb of the other, as though a migraine was starting.

Everyone in the room was silent, awaiting his next words.

After a pregnant pause, he released a heavy exhale. "If what Dr. Borden has said is true, most, if not all, of the ponies will die while in VT's care. I am concerned now how that will play in the public's eye. And, what will that do to our reputation."

Before anyone could answer, Dr. Owen, who had not said a word, cleared this throat. "As we are the only vet school in the state, we have a duty to be at the forefront of this. You said so yourself. We can't avoid it. I firmly believe that our involvement can only raise awareness and enhance our reputation. Research and foundation activities likewise will be stimulated."

"I agree. We need to be in the lead here." Dr. Shibley added.

"Hope you are both right." He glanced at his watch, then stood. "I leave it to y'all. Thank you everyone." He left the room with Dr. Owen at his heels.

Dr. Shibley lingered in the room. "Listen. Don't let him rattle y'all. From everything I've heard today, those ponies are in excellent hands."

She smiled as a chorus of thanks rose.

"I am assigning several techs to work with you, to move the ponies, sanitize, restock, charting. Whatever you need. There's a scrub and laundry room next to locker room between the ORs." She handed both Bonnie and Ty her business was card. "Here's my direct cell. Don't hesitate to use it." She smiled, turned then exited the room.

"Okay. Let's get changed and scrubbed up." Ty directed, making assignments clear. "David and Trevor, you're with me in the OR. Erica and Todd, you're with Bonnie in pre and post OP."

"Ty. Mind if we stay in the OR and observe this one? There's plenty of room." Bonnie asked.

"Excellent idea."

As the others headed to get changed, Todd pulled Bonnie aside.

"Bonnie. It makes better sense for me to be in the OR and an EMT to be in the post-Op. Don't you think?" Todd didn't use Trevor's name.

"Heavens to Betsy. Of course, I think. Actually, quite a bit." She smiled, though it was forced. "I'll remind you that the OR is under Dr. Borden's jurisdiction. He has selected his team. Now, we have a pony to sedate." She started to walk away.

He grabbed her arm again.

She gave him a stern look. He dropped his hand.

"Bonnie. I'm just trying to protect you and the clinic. He's Canadian and doesn't have a clue about Virginia's laws." He pushed, knowing her strict adherence to rules and regs.

She laughed. "Oh Todd. He clearly knows the law better than you. Now, if you don't mind, we have work to do." She walked away.

Led by techs, Evening StarLight, or simply StarLight, high-stepped excitedly into the induction room, making everyone laugh. The six month weanling of Evening Star had a rich chocolate coat, splash of white on her forehead, and precocious nature that stood out, warming the cold white and stainless steel of the hospital.

Erica cleansed and clipped around the foal's wounded right hind leg while Todd prepared a spot over her jugular. Within seconds of Bonnie administering the anesthetic drug into the catheter, StarLight drifted into a deep sleep. The VT techs braced her, positioning her on a huge blue padded operating table. Settled there, she and table were wheeled into OR1. Once in place, the techs exited, except for Jessica. Dressed in Virginia Tech's color, Chicago maroon, from surgical cap to sneakers, the young woman would stay with them in the OR and update the hospital records on each animal.

"1:37 pm. Anesthesia start." Bonnie said.

Without pause, Trevor set the stop watch function on his watch, Jessica made note in the chart.

Ty thanked Bonnie, then set expectations for the team. "Team. Listen up. Foals can only tolerate anesthesia for 45 to 60 minutes. We need be thorough in our work, quick and done at 2:32 with 5 minutes to spare. Trevor, hook up the monitors and keep us posted on time and vitals every five minutes."

"Will do." Trevor said as he began to place the four ECG leads to the foal.

"Erica, have you connected monitors before?" Ty asked.

"Yes."

"Good. Assist Trevor please." He said, surprising Trevor.

Forehead bowed, Trevor's eyes followed her as she walked to his side of the operating table.

Ty turned his attention to David. "David, you've intubated a foal before, right?" Ty asked.

"Yes." He said with unstated confidence.

"I have too. Many times." Todd jumped in without being asked.

"David, please intubate StarLight." Ty instructed.

"I can assist." Todd pushed.

"You can observe. But, do not get in David's way." Ty warned.

Unhappy, Todd stood next to David as he positioned at the pony's nose, opening her mouth, checking for any feed or hay that could lodge in her throat, or worse, lungs.

"Hi." Trevor said quietly to Erica as she joined him, his smile nervous.

"Why are you here?" She asked curtly, in a low voice.

"Volunteered to trailer the ponies here. Ty asked me to stay and help." He explained quietly as he continued to attach the ECG electrodes.

"Yeah. Right." She said under her breath, clearly not pleased, working to connect the blood pressure monitor.

"Kinda like old times, us working together." He attempted to build a bridge.

"Whatever." Her sarcastic tone cut into him. The two locked eyes for a second, Erica defiant in her stance, his hopes dwindling, each hiding their hurt.

"Everything good, Trevor?" Ty asked, sensing some tension.

"Yes sir." Trevor snapped back to professional demeanor and the task at hand.

Ty shifted his attention back to David, watching him slide the tube into the trachea with ease.

"Good work, David...Ever think of becoming a vet?" He deadpanned.

David rolled his eyes.

"Trevor, Erica ready?" Ty checked on them again.

"Finishing up the pulse ox." Trevor replied, focused on his work, not noticing Erica stepping away.

"Okay. Done." Looking up, Trevor saw her standing next to Todd, who whispering something in her ear. Ty noticed Trevor stiffen, steel against his emotions.

"Erica, why don't you stand on my right side? You'll be able to observe better." Ty suggested, watching her glance at Todd, before stepping his way.

"Trevor. Initial readings, please?"

He glanced at his watch. "Under sedation 6 minutes...heart rate 63, SPO2 95, BP.." Trevor calmly called out each reading from the monitors.

"Let's get to it." Wearing loupes, scrubs, mask and cap, Ty leaned in close despite pungent odor. With a razor-sharp scalpel in his gloved hand, he began to skillfully cut away the necrotic tissue. As the blood began to flow, Erica turned away, stepped away.

Clad identically, David stood next to him, using forceps to spread the wound to give better access. Bonnie snd Todd stepped forward and watched. Dr. Shibley and Dr. Owen watched as well but from the OR observation room where the surgery was live-streamed from a dozen different angles to a bank of monitors.

"David, a specimen cup, please." When offered, Ty dropped in a piece of fibrous yellowish tissue covered in blood into the wide mouth plastic bottle. "Thanks. Jessica, could you please ensure the lid is on tight and labeled? We need to send out specimens today to Oklahoma Animal Labs. Thanks."

"Will do, Dr. Borden." She replied.

"Ty, please."

"Will do, Dr. Ty." She answered back as she retrieved the cup, then walked away to print the label.

Throughout the surgery, the four maintained a steady stream of communication, punctuated with pleases and thanks. They worked well together. The observers took note, except one who seethed at being on the outside...again.

Several minutes passed as Ty removed the necrotic tissue until only healthy, pink remained.

"Okay, think we got it all." Ty said, clearly happy with the result. "David, another specimen cup please. We need to send a scraping of the margin to just make sure." Ty dropped a specimen of pink healthy tissue into the cup.

"Jessica, this one needs a label too. Goes to Oklahoma Animal Labs too. Thanks."

"Will do, Dr. Ty."

"Jessica..." peeking out between his mask and cap, his green eyes were stern.

"Will do...um, Ty."

His eyes softened. "That's better."

He offered David the electrocautery pen. "Please cauterize the wound."

Taking the instrument, he touched the hot metal tip into the wound, blackening the pink tissue and stemming the flow of blood, a sickening stench of burning flesh rose, assaulting their nostrils leaving metallic taste of coagulated blood lingering in the mouths. Weaker stomachs would have surely lost their contents.

After a few minutes, David announced. "Ty, think we're finished."

Ty leaned in, took a closer look. "Good job, David. That does it. Trevor, last reads."

Trevor did as asked.

"Thanks everyone. Let's get her into recovery." Ty said, shedding his mask and gloves.

"Well?" Bonnie asked. "What's the prognosis?"

"Think we caught it early. Not much internal tissue damage." Ty reported.

"Excellent." Bonnie smiled.

"One down, seven to go. Too bad the rest won't be this easy. RainDancer is next." Ty said.

"Exactly. Easy" Todd said under his breath, loud enough for Ty to hear.

"Erica and Todd, let's head to Post-Op to transition StarLight." Bonnie instructed, noticing that Erica had already left. "Once she's settled in her stall, Todd, you'll stay will the pony and Erica will help me prep RainDancer for surgery."

All told, surgery was short, lasting only 27 minutes. As Trevor unhooked Starlight from the monitors, David removed the tube from her throat.

Like clockwork, the techs came in, moving the foal into the recovery stall.

"Let's take a 10 minute break, hydrate, stretch our legs, then scrub back in." Ty said "It's gonna be a long day and night. Jessica, wanna come?"

"Thanks, but I have some charting to do." She declined.

As the three took a quick walk around the building grounds, Ty took a long swig from his water bottle.

"Trevor, you good?" Ty asked.

"I'm good."

"Good." He took him at his word. "So, David, why don't you take the lead on the next one? I'll assist."

David readily agreed, but the tiniest bit of apprehension seeped into his voice.

Ty picked on his hesitation. "Just take it slow. Remove abnormal growth a piece at a time. Take a couple extra centimeters of healthy skin margin just to be safe. You'll be great."

"How long do I have?" He frowned, telegraphing his insecurities.

"55 minutes."

"What if it's not enough time? What if I don't get it all?"

"We can't think like that. We can always go back in later, take more tissue. Regardless, the odds are already stacked against them. Period. We can't worsen the odds." He caught his eye. "We can only improve them."

David still seemed unsure.

"A wise vet told me that as long as we keep trying, apply what we learn to the next time, it's not for nothing. It's called advancing veterinary medicine."

"Who said that?"

"Doc. I was having the same thoughts as you last night." Ty admitted.

"Really?"

"Really."

Kachina's Shenandoah RainDancer, a six month old Palomino female weanling, had big brown eyes framed by extra-long eyelashes. As the spirited personality succumbed to the anesthesia, her chin twitched twice but her eyes remained open, unfocused.

Once surgery started, David took the lead with bolstered confidence. As procedure wore on, it became obvious that RainDancer's condition was worse than expected. The forelimb lesion had spread below the skin's surface. Partially encircling annular ligament, the lesion had begun to erode it, thus making excision tricky.

"Under sedation 45 minutes..." Trevor called the vital readings.

David broke out in a sweat, his heartbeat began to pound in his ears. Putting the scalpel on the tray, he asked Ty to step in.

"David, take a breath." Ty advised him.

Doing as told, he inhaled deeply in through his nostrils, then heavily exhaled through his mouth, trying to regain calm.

"Good. Remember what I said?"

David nodded, paraphrasing Ty's words. "Take it slow. Remove abnormal tissue one piece at a time."

"Exactly." Ty said. "One piece at a time."

"You got this man." Trevor shouted out encouragement.

Taking another deep breath, David nodded, picked up the scalpel and went back to work, excising the remainder of the lesion.

Fourteen minutes later, with one minute to spare, the surgery was completed, specimens collected, wound cauterized and the pony was moved to a recovery.

"Good job everyone." Ty praised the team.

"It was worse than it looked on the surface." David commented as he wiped his forehead with the back of his forearm.

"Yeah, it was tougher than I expected too." Ty affirmed. "But that's gonna happen. Gotta be flexible and ready to pivot when things don't go as predicted."

"Yeah. Textbook cases are a myth, especially in emergency response. It took me a while to come to grips with that. Believe me." Trevor added support.

"I panicked when I heard we were at 45 minutes." David confessed.

"But, you recovered quickly and finished strong. That's what counts." Ty patted him on the back. "Let's take a short break and get ready for Shadow. Jessica?"

Again, she declined but as David passed her, she whispered. "Good work, David."

As they took their now ritual walk, Ty suggested that they change it up a bit. "Trevor have you ever intubated a pony?"

"Actually I have. We worked a mare with a collapsed lung. Hit and run."

Ty gave a nod. "David, do you mind swapping with Trevor and give him a chance to get some surgery action?"

"No." David was relieved to have a bit of a break.

"Thanks man." Trevor was thrilled.

Destiny's Shadowing Moonbeam was a splashy three year old tobiano female with a white star, snip, four matching stockings and brown eyes. After sedation set in, she was hoisted by her four legs, upside down, and routed by a track in the ceiling into the OR and onto the operating table.

"Guys. We have 3 hour hard stop on anesthesia, but let's try and keep it closer to 2." Bonnie advised them.

"We'll do our best." Ty replied. "Jessica, do know how to attach the electrodes for the monitors?"

"Yes." Usually quiet, she answered confidently.

"Great. Please assist David then."

With Ty performing the surgery and Trevor assisting, Shadow's surgery was still even more complex than either of the first two. The aggressive lesion had worked its way in, attaching itself to the exterior covering of long pastern bone in her left fore leg.

As the surgery wore on, a balanced rhythm solidified between the four, serious but calm, instruction mixed with banter, encouragement, and the occasional laughter.

"How's things over there?" David asked.

"It's a bloody, stinking hell." Trevor quipped. "How 'bout your side?"

"Steady Eddie." He replied, then quickly got serious. "Under sedation 90 minutes, heart rate 35, SPO2 95, BP.."

"How's that documentation, Jessica?" David asked.

"Awarding wining, not a single typo." She gave a little laugh.

Moments later, the pulse oximeter began to beep. "SPO2 is dropping rapidly. It's at 92. Heart rate, respiration and BP climbing." David read as other monitors began to alarm.

"Raise her head." Jessica commanded. "15 degrees."

"What?" David was starting to sweat.

Jessica moved into action, reaching down, pressed the switch, raising the pony's head to the prescribed level.

"David. Vitals." Ty reminded him.

"Heart rate 42, SPO2 92, BP..." David read, his heart pounding.

Jessica adjusted the oxygen tube, checked her gums then bent over the mare, whispered in her ear. "Come on Shadow." She stroked the horse's cheek.

Within a few minutes of chaos, the alarms began to subside, eventually stopping. David looked at pulse ox. "SPO2 93. Heart, BP, respiration returning to normal...SPO2 94...SPO2 95. She's good."

"Great team work, guys." Ty said, calmly turning his attention back to the open wound, delicately scraping away the last bit of growth from the bone.

David leaned over to Jessica as she resumed her work. "Thank you."

"Trevor, want to cauterize?" Ty asked.

"Sure." Taking the pen, with Ty's oversight he sealed healthy tissue. From start to finish, the surgery lasted 98 minutes.

On their loop around the building, sans Jessica again, they decompressed and discussed the surgery.

"Wow! That was crazy." David started. "My heart's still beating hard. How do you stay so calm?" He asked no one in particular.

"Practice." Trevor chuckled.

"That, and breathing." Ty added.

"Jessica was great." David said. "She knew exactly what to do."

"Yeah. She jumped right in. No hesitation." Ty remarked.

"Well. Thanks again for having my back guys." David said.

"Soitenly!" Trevor said in his best Curly impression.

"Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!" Ty chimed in, making all three laugh.

Getting serious again, Trevor said. "Hey guys. I really appreciate you letting me assist with the surgery. It was really awesome. Thank you."

"Certainly!" David tried his hand at a Curly impression, not quite hitting the mark.

"We have five to go. We'll have to stay fresh and on our toes. So, I'm gonna continue to rotate as needed." Ty set their expectations.

"Sounds good to me." David replied.

"Me too." He said, then asked hesitantly. "Um, but could I ask a favor?"

"What's that?" Ty asked.

"Do y'all think I could swap with Erica?"

"What do you mean?" Ty wrinkled his brow, not understanding.

"I just thought, maybe, she could be in the OR instead of me."

Ty glanced at David, unable to read his thoughts. "Let me think on it." He said, non-committal.

"Okay, well, thanks for considering it." He didn't push.

"Speaking of Erica." David interjected. "Heard you two talking earlier."

"Words were said, but I wouldn't call it talking exactly." Trevor lamented.

"So the swap? Trying to get in her good graces?" David guessed.

"No. I'd rather she didn't know that I asked."

"Then why?"

He shrugged. "It's just that she's always wanted to be the ponies' surgeon. That's all she talks about. Or did, at least."

Ty's interest was piqued.

Trevor sighed, then explained. "When we were just teens, a filly named Butterfly was chased by another pony right into the corral fence. Back then, it was a just an old, rusty barbed wire fence. Anyhow, it tore up her neck something bad. She bled to death in Erica's arms, right before our eyes. It was horrible. One minute, we were watching them play, the next..." He trailed off.

"But, what about Doc? Wasn't he there?"

"He got as soon as he could and tried to stop the flow, but.." A pained looked crossed his face. "He's not a surgeon. Bonnie isn't either. She believes that if a surgeon was there, Butterfly would have lived. She even got a butterfly tattooed on her right shoulder to remind her."

"Knowing what you know now, could the pony been saved?" Ty asked.

"Probably not. She knows that too. At Tech, you get to pick a track at the end of her first year. She wants to get into the equine surgical track, but it's real hard to get into. Horse racing is a big deal in Virginia, so there's tons of competition. At this point, she doesn't feel like she has any surgical experience to put on her application."

"I see."

Coming to the end of their walk, Ty reminded them. "Elusive Star's up next. Her lesion is about the same size and stage as Shadow's, but she's 10 years older."

"So longer under the knife?" David asked.

"Probably...You okay to lead?"

"Yes." He said, his confidence restored.

"Good."

"Thanks for the second chance." He was humbled.

"You'll do great. No doubt in my mind." He turned to Trevor. "You're on the monitors."

He nodded. "Yep."

Ty opened the door, leading the way back to the OR. Jessica looked up from her iPad, smiled as they walked in.

As he passed her, David leaned in, said. "I'm leading. Wish me luck."

"Luck." She smiled, adding. "But, you'll do fine regardless."

Officially named TSG's Elusive Star, the dark chestnut mare with star between her brown eyes had given birth to a male, Riptide's Bucking Star, in March. Her lesion was similar in size and progression to Shadow's except it was located on the opposite foreleg. Despite earlier predictions and excessive bleeding, surgery on the thirteen year old went remarkably well. The surgery lasted only 87 minutes, much to David relief.

"Good job team." Ty said, removing is his gloves.

"We do make a great team." Trevor said. "Jessica, that includes you. Don't you think David?"

"Absolutely." David jumped on, looking right at her. "You were pretty incredible today. You should be a vet."

Jessica averted her eyes, her cheeks turned a noticeable pink.

"So, David?" Ty jumped in to take the focus off of Jessica. "What about our EMT friend over there? Think he'd be any good at being a vet?"

"Not so sure. Earlier he looked like he was gonna pass out from all the blood or gore." David teased.

"Ah heck. That's nothing over there." Trevor retorted. "You should do a ride along with me and see how fast you lose your cookies. Talk about blood and gore!"

The joking continued as he stuck his head in. "Hey Ty?"

Ty looked toward the voice. "Hey Todd. What's up?"

"Bonnie said to tell you that there's dinner in the conference room. We're heading over."

"Sounds great. I'm starved." He looked down at his scrubs, smeared with blood and other indistinguishable bodily fluids. "I should probably hose off a bit and change clothes."

"Me too." Trevor said. David nodded in agreement.

"Todd, we'll see you over there in a bit."

"Sounds good." Todd disappeared into the hallway.

"Jessica, you're coming too, right?" David asked.

She looked unsure.

"Come on. You've got to be starving." He pushed. "Plus, you've more than earned a free dinner."

Just then, Ty's phone vibrated in his pocket. He looked at the screen.

"Gotta take this. Excuse me."

He stepped away to answer. "Hey! Everything okay?"

A few minutes later, he rejoined the two others. "That was Michael. He said the swim was great. No injuries during the swim or parade. Post-swim checks went smooth. And, no positives for Pythiosis either."

"So we got them all? That is great news." David replied.

"It appears so. The auction has already started. First foal, Thunder Across the Sky went for 2,500 dollars."

"Awesome. Bet that's a record for the first foal." Trevor grinned.

Already half past 7:00, the sun had begun its descent in the western sky. Freshened and in clean scrubs, they met up with the others for pizza where they started the day. David pulled out a chair for Jessica at the table end, then took the seat next to hers. Trevor sat on her other side. Ty ventured to the other side and sat next to Bonnie. Then Erica and Todd.

Though exhausted, the seven hungrily ate pizza and salad, sipped on caffeine laden drinks while rehashing each surgery, the play by play of every flick of the wrist, scalpel incision, lesion excision. No one seemed to be bothered by talk of blood, rotting tissue, and the pungent stench, least of all Erica. On the contrary, she was fascinated, even pushing for more specifics.

"So Erica. Trevor tells us that you want to be an equine surgeon." David said.

She glanced at Trevor, then back to David. "I do. I want to expand our clinical practice back home to include surgical services, focusing on the ponies." Her answer was pat.

Still smarting from being stuck in recovery, Todd mumbled under his breath.

"Sorry, missed that Todd." David said earnestly.

His posture stiffened, his chin jutted out. He repeated the words aloud. "I said, don't let her fool you."

"Fool me about what?" David took the bait.

"She talks a good game but can't stand the sight of blood and guts." He gave away her guarded secret, his eyes making direct contact with Erica's, a smirk played on his lips.

Deep wrinkles formed between her brows, her eyes moistened, but Erica said nothing.

Pushing his point further, Todd chuckled. "She can't even watch a slasher movie without getting nauseous."

"Me neither. Halloween is particularly brutal." Trevor said, trying to deflect attention away from Erica.

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the one that gets under my skin." David quipped.

"Puking in the OR is not a good look for a surgeon." Todd continued to push his point.

"Lots of veterinary students start out with the same issue. It all just takes some getting used to." Jessica jumped in.

"Same way with EMTs, Firemen and Police. Some never get over it and they still can do their job well." Trevor added.

"I almost didn't go to vet school after seeing a horse mangled in collision between the horse trailer and a semi." Ty piled on.

Feeling outnumbered, Todd took a leap. "Truth is, it doesn't really matter. Erica has it made, always has. She's the heir to the royal pony throne. Whether she's a surgeon or not."

"That's enough, Todd." Bonnie tried to hush him.

"But, I want to be a surgeon." Erica said, her voice plaintive.

He waved a hand in dismissal.

Her eyes steeled, flashed with anger, her voice quivered as she spoke. "You have no idea what it's like to have a beautiful foal bleed to death in your arms. Blood spurting everywhere, bubbling from a jagged hole in her jugular as she withered in pain, gasping for breath, her momma wailing in distress."

Everyone's eyes locked on her.

"So, yes, I admit, I hate the sight and smell of blood. It reminds me of that horrible day and makes me want to hurl."

"I was there that day with Erica. It was worse than horrible. Especially for a couple of teenagers." Trevor said, supporting her. "In my line of work, I've seen a lot of terrible things, but that one sticks with me. And, let me tell you. Despite being drenched in blood herself, Erica was amazing, calm under pressure, comforting the foal and her mare." He looked at her, his eyes tender.

"That would be tough for anyone to see, Erica." David added.

"It was. I still have nightmares about it. But, I vowed that day to become a surgeon so that history doesn't repeat itself. And, that's exactly what I aim to do. Come hell or high water."

"And you will. I have no doubt." Ty encouraged her, then asked. "Erica. Have you ever assisted in surgery?"

She shook her head. "No. Mom and dad only let the vet students assist."

"Erica." Her mother gave her a look. "You need a vet tech license."

"I know." She said quietly, then admitted. "That was my excuse. Truthfully, I was...afraid to tell you."

"Honey. We knew." Her mother grasped her hand.

"You did?" She was caught off-guard.

"We didn't want to push you. We wanted you to come to it on your own terms, in your own time. If you wanted to do it at all."

"But, I do want it. It's all I ever wanted." She pleaded. "Care for the ponies. Bet I've seen hundreds of puppies and kitties being born. But they didn't touch me like helping Swallowtail give birth to Butterfly. That's when I knew for sure." She glanced across the table at Trevor. "Remember that?"

"I'll never forget." He said quietly.

He held her gaze as she continued. "That why her death upset me so much. We helped to bring her in this world. And, we couldn't do anything to save her. I want to be able to save them too."

"We did the best we could." Trevor reassured her.

The room was silent.

Jessica suddenly spoke up. "You know, Abraham Lincoln once said, 'Next to creating a life, the finest thing a man can do is save one.'"

"Really? He said that?" Erica asked.

She nodded. "Erica, I think you're going to be a very fine surgeon one day and save many lives. You are very passionate about your patients and I admire you for it."

Erica beamed.

"So, would you like to scrub in?" Ty asked again.

"Yes. I would."

"Figures she'd get asked." Todd muttered under his breath, but just barely.

"Todd. What is your interest? Besides spilling beans and stir things up." Ty asked, matter of factly, putting him in the spotlight. "Vet-wise? Do you want to be a surgeon too?"

"I want to focus on all aspects in the medical care of companion, support and working canine actually. So surgery, yes. But, also, preventive care, obedience and skills training." His answer sounded rehearsed as well.

"So not ponies."

"Not a chance. Clearly the James have that market cornered." He said bitterly.

"Seriously man. Can you just let it go?" Ty chastised him.

Bonnie was about to say something when Dr. Shibley knock on the doorframe. "Good evening everyone. Sorry to interrupt your dinner." Everyone turned toward her.

"Christina! Come on in, have a seat and a slice." Bonnie suggested.

Dr. Shibley entered the room followed by a petite woman, pretty, with long black hair braided down her back of her maroon scrubs.

"Everyone, this is Dr. Lauret Broussard. She's our Clinical Associate Professor of herbal medicine and acupuncture in Large Animal Clinical Sciences. Lauret, meet the team."

"Hello." Her accent was distinctive, sort of French, but not really.

Dr. Shibley went around the room clockwise introducing everyone, starting with David and ending with Jessica.

"And, of course, you know Jessica." Dr. Shibley said.

"Ah, yes." She smiled. "Bonjou, my dear, Dr. Taylor." David's brows shot up, his eyes grew wide as saucers.

"Hello Dr. Broussard. So nice to see you again." Jessica smiled.

"Please have a seat. Both of you." Bonnie suggested. "We were just talking about the surgeries."

Dr. Broussard took a seat next to Ty, Dr. Shibley next to Todd.

"We been watching y'all perform. We've impressed with your work and the level of teamwork and agility. Particularly impressive given the grueling schedule." Dr. Shibley said, snatching a bottle of water from the center of the table, unscrewing the lid. "So, halfway done. The rest tomorrow?"

"Actually, I'd like to crank out two more, if at all possible." Ty said, then asked. "Team, are you all in?"

Everyone mumbled some form of yes.

"Can you really do that?"

"I think so. Four or so more hours of surgery tonight will put us at midnight, give or take. After seven or so hours of solid sleep, we can back at say 8:00 and tackle the last ones in the morning."

"Make it 7:30. Dr. Daniels wants to huddle. By the way, y'all be staying at The Inn on campus tonight and tomorrow night. Breakfast is in the dining room."

"Thank you." Bonnie said excitedly. "I've never stayed there. Cam says it's very nice."

"Least we could do." She rose. "Look. Lauret wants to talk herbs with y'all. And, I gotta scoot. So..."

After a five minute conversation about herbs, Dr. Broussard followed Bonnie, Erica and Todd to the recovery while the other four walked back to the OR in twos, Ty with Trevor and David with Jessica.

Ty broached the topic that was weighing on all of their minds. "So, Jessica, or should I say, Dr. Taylor, what's your doctorate degree in?"

"I got my DVM in May. In the equine surgery track." She admitted sheepishly. "Now I'm in the Equine Field Service Residency program."

"I see."

"Sorry. I should have told you." Jessica was contrite.

"Why didn't you?" David asked, somewhat miffed.

"I'm only supposed to be observing." She explained. "Thought it was easier to not bring it up. I'm really sorry. If you want me to leave, I understand completely and will go."

"We need all hands on deck. Including yours." Ty reassured her. "You're a part of the team."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"David?" Jessica looked to him.

"Like Ty says, you are a part of the team and have been since the beginning." David gave her a reassuring glance.

Ty thought for a moment. "Trevor, you still want to swap with Erica? You'd have to work with Todd in recovery." He warned.

"Yes." Trevor said without hesitation.

"Good. Listen, everyone please scrub in. I need a quick word with Bonnie and Dr. Shibley to make some arrangements."

Calceti'n, a five year old Palomino tobiano female with four white stockings, and big, brown eyes was their fifth surgery. Ty led the surgery with David assisting while Jessica handled the intubation and monitors. Trevor moved to the recovery room with Todd and Bonnie while Erica was responsible for updating the chart in the OR.

Although she had been fairly quiet through the first 4 surgeries, Jessica proved to be a natural teacher and mentor. As she set up the monitors, then intubated the pony, she talked Erica not only through the process but the reasoning behind each step, answering her questions, making her feel more comfortable in her role as well as in the OR suite.

"You know Erica, you're not alone in your reaction to the sight of blood." She broached the subject just after she read the vital measurement to the team. "For humans, blood represents danger. So, the natural response is a fight or flight. Your brain senses danger and goes into flight mode."

Erica listened, taking her words in.

"When I started Vet School, the sight of blood made me faint." She confessed. "It was embarrassing to say the least to find myself sprawled out on the floor."

"So how did you get over it?"

"I signed up for a mentor through the school. She suggested several things including volunteering in the lab. Turns out, the more I was exposed to blood in the tube or on the slide, the less a reaction I had. Now, blood doesn't faze me one bit."

"How do I sign up for a mentor?"

"Well, you go to your advisor and request one. They will randomly assign one to you or you can pick from the list of mentors."

"I will do that tomorrow. Thanks."

"Um. If you're interested, I am in the list. I'd love to mentor you. Think about it."

"What's there to think about? I would love that. Thank you!"

Things did not progress as well for Calceti'n. Turns out, the lesion on the pony's left front limb, just above her heel, had eaten into the digital cushion. While the damaged tissue was removed as much as feasibility possible, her viability, even in the short term, did not look promising. The chance for secondary infection in the cushion cavity and for lesion regrowth was high.

After the long surgery, the four were feeling low. Exhaustion was setting in, especially for David and Ty who had been up since 4am. This time, their normal walk around the building was in darkness punctuated only by landscape lighting and a few words.

Halfway around the loop, Ty reminded them. "Look. We did the best we could. We knew this would not be a cake walk."

When no one responded, Ty suggested that they change it up. "Jessica, I talked with Dr. Shibley. She's fine with you assisting. Up for it?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

"Good. David, you're on monitors and intubation. Erica, you're charting again. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Oh, would you tell us a bit about our next case, Lightning."

"Me?" Erica was taken aback by his request.

"You know her better than any of us."

"Okay. Um. Lightning, is officially named Cathy's Lightning Rose. Born in the spring of 2016, Courtney's Boy is her sire and CJ Samm'n is her dam. She's a chestnut tobiano female with a white star on her forehead and four white stockings. Lightning is just 2 years old and the spitting image of her momma." She chuckled to herself. "I remember seeing her for the first time, on the beach with her parents, playing and splashing in the outgoing tide, trying to get her parents to chase her."

"How old was she at the time?"

"About two months old. She was all legs and knobby knees. I remember that I had come home after my last final of my sophomore year, completely exhausted. But, dad wanted me to check on the herd with him. So I went. It was the first time, either of us had ever seen her. After watching them, I felt restored somehow...Um. Sorry. Got carried away."

"No. That was perfect. Now we know who we're trying to save." Ty suggested.

As they headed into scrub in, Ty's phone vibrated. Checking the screen, he saw it was Myrna. "I gotta get this. Go on."

"Hey Myrna. Everything okay?..."

Hanging up, Ty walked into the scrub room with a bounce in his step despite keeping the news to himself.

Lightning's main lesion was located between the Fetlock and Pastern joints and wrapped around the long Pastern bone of her left front limb. Although Ty started the surgery, he stepped aside, encouraging Jessica to takeover, assisting to her lead. As she worked, she explained her methods and reasoning in explicit terms, pointing out the pony's anatomy, for Erica's benefit.

Blood began to puddle in the ever widening opening in the pony's leg.

"Erica, we need more sponges, please." Ty said, unable to retrieve them himself. "They're over there in that cabinet." He pointed with his elbow.

When she returned, Jessica placed the sponge on the wound. "Erica, could you apply pressure on the wound? You don't have to look."

She did not hesitate, doing as instructed.

"Excellent. Now, see that space right there? At the fetlock joint?" Jessica asked.

"Yes." Erica looked.

"Okay. Ty, pull back a little more. I see a bit more necrotic tissue that I want to remove. Good." With a steady cut, she removed a tiny piece a grayed tissue from the bone, held it up.

"Good eye." Ty told her.

After nearly 150 minutes, the surgery was complete, charting done and Lightning moved to recovery where the entire group assembled.

"Think we all need to get some sleep." Bleary eyed, Bonnie suggested. "It's 1:30. The techs can watch after the ponies til we get back at 8."

Back in the conference room at 7:30 sharp, most of the group had nearly five hours of sleep and breakfast before they arrived. Unfortunately, Ty couldn't sleep and barely got two. Drs. Daniels, Shibley and Owen and a couple others from PR office were already in the room when they entered.

"Please come in. Have a seat." Dr. Daniels said, sitting at the head of the table. "I assume that your accommodations were acceptable and that you well rested."

"The Inn was wonderful. I could have used a few more hours in that comfy bed though." Bonnie admitted. "Bet we all could have."

A mumble of agreement followed.

"Have you heard from Cam yet?" Dr. Daniels asked. "How was the Auction?"

"We talked this morning. Auction was another record breaking success. Cam sent the stats." Bonnie looked at her phone. "Let's see. All the foals were sold, at an average final bid of 4,309 dollars, with high bid 20,000, low bid 1,000, and total sales 228,400. So a very good night."

A slight buzz rose up. "Good to hear. Know you all are very pleased." Dr. Daniels congratulated her.

"We are very excited." Bonnie spoke for the group. "We needed some good news."

"Any rumors floating around?"

"None that he heard."

"Good. So, when do they expect that they'll get here?"

"The swim back to Assateague is scheduled at 8:45. After that, he and the Chief will drive here. So it's gonna be late. Maybe 4 or 5."

"Good. Dr. Borden. I understand from Dr. Shibley that the surgeries this far have gone well. What's the schedule for the remaining surgeries?"

"We have two left. If we start at 8 or so with Lyra's Vega, we can be comfortably done with end with Essie by 2:30 if we have quick lunch in between."

"I'll take care of the lunch." One of his staff offered.

Dr. Daniels nodded his approval. "Let's set the press conference for 5:30. That gives us plenty of time to prepare." He stood. "And, good luck in surgery. We will see you in a few hours." As he left the room, his staff followed him.

"Erica, could you brief us on our next patient, Lyra's Vega?" Ty asked.

She smiled. "Lyra's Vega was born to Shashay Lady and sired by North Star in 2005. Lyra has a solid chestnut coat except a single white sock on her hind right leg and a perfect five point star on her forehead. The year of her birth, she was auctioned as a buyback to the island. Since then, she has given birth, ah.." She paused to count on her fingers. "I believe, nine times. Lyra is wonderful, nurturing momma. Much like my own." She glanced at her own mother. "We are treating one of her progeny, Calcite'n. Lyra is now 13 years old."

"That was excellent, Erica. Thank you." Ty praised her.

"I grew up with these ponies. They are my family."

"I wonder if there is something in Lyra's and Calcite'n make-up that makes them susceptible. Is there a registry of all the ponies that we can tap into?" Jessica asked.

"Of course. The lineage and auction information goes back at least 30 years. In the last five or so, we added fairly detailed medical records." Bonnie replied. "It's all available online."

"Dr. Owen will be all over that." Jessica said.

"Ty. Who is in the OR with you?" Bonnie asked.

"Jessica, David and Todd. Erica and Trevor in recovery."

"Are you serious?" Todd blurted out.

"Depends. Are you going to do as told? And, drop the attitude?" Ty said. "Be a contributing member of the team?"

"Yes." He agreed immediately.

"Then I am serious."

"Thank you."

"Todd. Just so you know, Pythiosis has been found in dogs too, especially in the south where sporting dogs are used to hunt water fowl. The disease can manifest either in the cutaneous form and the gastrointestinal form. You need to be aware of the possibility."

"Have there been any cases in Virginia?"

"Found only one, but it appears it was contracted in Florida. But, have a suspicion that there were gastro ones that were undiagnosed."

"Good to know."

"Let's go and get scrubbed in." Ty said, then rose from his chair, as did everyone in the room.

"Ty. Before you go, do you have a minute?" Bonnie asked.

"Sure. Everyone go ahead, we'll catch up." He turned back to Bonnie. "What's up?"

"I want all of them to be in the OR for the last surgery. I'll handle recovery with the techs."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. This is important milestone. They should all be there."

"You should too, you know."

"Nah. I've seen enough." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you." She turned and walked out of the room.

He stood there for a moment, unable to move as he thought things through, counting on his fingers. Then he pulled out her business card, dialing her number. "Dr. Shibley? Ty Borden here."

When Lyra was wheeled into the OR later than expected, by nearly 10 minutes, the team was more than ready.

Under Ty's watchful eye and instruction, Jessica led Lyra's surgery with David as her assistant and Todd intubated the pony, set up the monitors and charted. At first, the conversation in the room was stilted, a bit uncomfortable. But, the surgery wore on, the focus shifted toward the pony and her wellbeing, the atmosphere relaxed and the conversation flowed.

The pony's lesion was located at the top of her white sock, on the interior of her hind right leg.

Halfway through the 3-hour time anesthesia window, Jessica had just finished slicing away the exterior lesion, piece by piece, only to realize the extent of the damage underneath. The lesion had grown between the deep digital flexor tendon and suspensory ligament, and had begun to gnaw away at both. Any more penetration into the tendon or ligament would render the pony lame, likely permanently. Or worse.

She put down her scalpel.

"This looks bad." She lamented.

Ty stepped in to take a look. "Yeah, it's really pushing tendon outward, putting pressure on the ligament. That's got to be painful."

For several minutes, the four conferred on the best tact to take to avoid further damage to the tendon or ligament. Once they reached a consensus, Ty asked. "Sounds like we have a plan. Anything else we need to consider before execution?"

They shook their heads No.

"What about the blade?" Ty asked.

"I'm using a number 10." Jessica replied. "Should I use something else? Maybe an 11?"

"Give an 11 a try. Think it will give you some additional dexterity in that small space." Ty suggested.

Searching through the room's supplies, David came up empty. "There aren't any."

"I'll check the supply room. Ty, could you watch the monitors?" Todd offered.

Ty nodded. "Of course. Go!"

A few minutes passed, Todd came flying in the room, box in each hand. "11s and 15s. Thought 15 might work the gap." He said, handing the boxes to David.

"Excellent idea." Ty praised him. "Tell us, Todd. What's a 15 used for?"

"Well, it's the smallest of the curved blades and sharpest area at the apex of curve. So here." He pointed blade image on the box. "Anyhow, the incision is made with the curve instead of the point on the 10 or 11." He flicked his wrist to demonstrate.

"So when should it be used?"

"For short, precise incisions. It could also be used to remove skin lesions, perform biopsies or fine procedures involving nerves. That kind of thing."

"David, please load both." Ty asked.

"Will do." David said, attaching a disposal 11 blade to a scalpel handle. He handed Jessica the scalpel, then attached the 15 blade to its own handle. Todd started to head back to his position with the monitors on the other side of the room.

"Todd, why don't you demonstrate what you meant by 15 working the gap?" Ty asked.

"Really?" With Ty's nod, he slipped between Jessica and David, taking the scalpel. "Um. The curve of the blade allows for short slicing. Like this. So, you can take thin layers off. See?"

Jessica and David both nodded, watched as he skillfully removed some of the deadened tissue. He handed the blade back.

"That will be perfect between ligament and tendon. Thank you!"

From that point forward, she switched between the blades as she worked.

"I'm concerned that we won't have any margins." Jessica said, directing her comment to Ty.

"Let's cross that bridge when we get there. You're doing good. Slow and steady wins the race."

"Under sedation 135 minutes, heart rate 35, SPO2 95, BP.." Todd said from across the room.

Jessica glanced at David.

"Just breathe. You're doing great." His eyes reassured her.

She nodded, then turned her attention to back to the ever growing on hole in Lyra's leg. As a team, they continued to work until there was nothing more that they could feasibly do. With not much time to spare in their three hour window, Lyra was moved to recovery.

Drained, the four washed up and changed before lunch.

"Let's walk. Everyone grab a water. Hydrate." Ty suggested.

Outside, not even the sunshine pouring through the azul sky, the gentle breeze that freshened the air, or the happy trill of a bluebird pair could lift their spirits damped by overwhelming hopelessness and despair over Lyra's situation that hung with them.

The pall of silence accompanied their every step until Ty interrupted.

"Listen guys. You should be proud of yourselves, your work and our work together. I could not be prouder of the team."

"I wish there was something more we could do." Jessica said in a near whisper, her shoulders low.

"At this point, we're done everything that we could in that room." Ty replied, then tried to assuage their feelings, give them some hope. "But, it's just the first step. Treatment will continue post op. And, the customized vaccine should arrive Friday. If, by chance, there is continued growth, we'll bring her back to surgery."

"But, the odds are against her." Jessica said.

"Yes, but the odds were against her going in. Who knows? Maybe we improved them. Maybe now she has a chance."

David cleared his throat. "I learned this yesterday and have repeated it to myself before and after every surgery. Maybe it will help."

"What's that?" Jessica asked.

"As long as I keep trying, apply what I learn to the next time, it's not for nothing. It's called advancing veterinary medicine."

"Ah. Doc's words. Yeah, we would all do well to remember those." Ty suggested.

"Um. Could I say something?" Todd spoke up, his ego very much in check.

"Shoot." Ty said.

"Well. I wanted to thank you for letting me scrub in. I really appreciate it. I know that you didn't have to...especially after yesterday."

"Your patients may present with Pythiosis, possibly sooner as opposed to later. We need to work together, support each other. Felt like you could benefit from seeing both firsthand."

"I know I was an ass. And I'm sorry."

"You need to apologize to Erica. You were cruel for no reason." Jessica wasn't ready to forgive. "You don't have to tear someone down just to make yourself feel better."

"I know. And, I will apologize." He seemed contrite.

Arriving back at the conference room, they found it to be empty of people.

"Are we supposed to be here?" David asked.

Both the buffet and conference room table were covered with a white starched table cloth with matching silver vases of flowers, coordinated to match the colors in the painting. The buffet was artfully arranged with silver and crystal serving platters and bowls, heaped with meats, cheeses, breads, salads, fruit and desserts. Urns of coffee and pitchers of sweet tea and water with lemon slices. White china plates were arranged in two stacks, along with fancy napkins and silver cutlery.

"I can't imagine this is for us." Jessica agreed. "I don't want to touch anything."

"Yeah. Let's wait in the hall." Ty said. "Bonnie will be here soon."

When Bonnie appeared shortly after, Trevor and Erica were a few steps behind, side by side smiling.

"Why are y'all in the hall?" She asked.

"Take a look." Ty suggested.

She leaned in. "Let me call Christina. Don't touch anything." She warned.

Hanging up, she looked perplexed. "She said to go on in. They're on their way. I'm gonna go in and grab a seat. Rest my weary dogs."

Everyone filled in, gabbing a seat.

Todd cleared his throat. "Um. I'd like to say something to Erica. Really to everyone."

"Keep it professional." Bonnie warned him.

"I will." He nodded. "Erica. I'm sorry how I acted yesterday. I was mean and no right to tell about your...um, issue. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay." Erica replied. "Actually better than okay. Because you brought that up, Jessica offered to mentor me. Help me get over my fear of blood." She smiled at Jessica.

"It's my pleasure." Jessica confirmed. "I had the same problem and I got over it. Erica will too."

"That is so wonderful. Thank you Jessica." Bonnie patted her daughter's hand.

"Um. I'm also sorry what I said about the pony royalty. Bonnie, you, Doc and Erica have dedicated your lives to those ponies. And, you've been nothing but kind to me. I was a jerk. I'm sorry."

"Apologize accepted. We all have said stuff we regret out of anger."

"Every one has been really nice and included me. Thank you."

"You're a part of the team." Trevor said.

A few moments later, Dr. Daniels entered the room first, announcing. "Good morning everyone!" His voice soared. "I brought the entire team!"

As he stepped aside, Doc and Fire Chief Max Bowden entered, then Michael and Henry, after that Dr. Singh. Others followed. A buzz rose immediately in the room, as folks greeted each other.

Bonnie stood, her eyes wide. "Cam. You're here!"

"Daddy!"

"Hello my loves." He first walked to Bonnie, embraced her, then kissed her cheek. He whispered something in her ear to which she nodded with a smile.

He gave Erica a hug and a peck on the cheek, then shook Trevor's hand as he stood by her side.

"Doc, did the Chief flip the lights to get here?" Trevor asked.

He chuckled. "No. We hitched a ride on the HokieBird."

"What!? You flew on Tech's jet!?" Erica couldn't believe it.

"That is so cool." Trevor added.

At the same time, Dr. Singh made his way across the room, greeting Ty, Michael, David and Henry, shaking each of their hands, offering his praise and thanks. "You have really outdone yourselves. Congratulations! You did UCVM proud."

He leaned into Ty's ear. "Offer still stands. We can chat about perks."

"Everyone! Your attention please!" The Dean was at the podium, his voice amplified by the microphone. "Please help yourselves to the lunch buffet. We'll start the program shortly after." He smiled as a photographer took his picture.

"Ah Dr. Singh, a word?" Dr. Daniels called.

"Excuse me, gentlemen." He said as he stepped away.

The four got in the buffet line.

"Quite a production." Michael observed.

"Yeah. It has been pretty grueling." Ty replied.

"I was talking about lunch." Michael teased him, then he turned serious. "How are you holding up?"

He shrugged. "Just one more."

"And the ponies?"

"Right now, they're holding their own too." His lips formed a tight line, not wanting to voice his predictions. So, he changed the subject. "Tell us about the carnival."

"It was so much fun!" Henry started.

As he talked excitedly about the carnival and auction, Ty spied Todd talking with Erica and Trevor, though he couldn't hear what he was saying. When he gave Erica a quick hug then shook Trevor's hand, he hoped that they had made amends.

With everyone nearly finished with their lunch, just talking, Dr. Daniels rose the podium, tapped the microphone to get their attention. The voices quieted, but not the adrenaline.

"Thank you. Thank you everyone. Wasn't lunch terrific? Let's give a round of applause to Cheryl and Tom who assembled this for us in short order!" As applause sounded, the Dean requested that they stand up to be acknowledged.

"Thank you again. I want to also thank Dr. Bonnie James for planting the seed, suggesting that the entire team be together for this last surgery, a significant milestone on the medical path of our eight Chincoteague ponies." As the room murmured, Bonnie blushed, her eyes cut to Ty.

"Pythiosis. Swamp Cancer. This insidious, horrendous, rare disease was thrust upon our beloved ponies, threatening their health, life, their very existence. Unknown in Virginia, not anticipated, not wanted. But, here it is. In the fight against it, two countries, the United States and Canada, two renowned veterinary schools, Virginia Tech and University of Calgary, have joined together in support of the ponies, their owner, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company and their longtime veterinarians."

"Let me make some introduction first. First the distinguished Dean of the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Baljit Singh."

Dr. Daniels introduced everyone in the room and their role thus far. "So as we prepare to go into battle again, I request that Dr. Ty Borden and Dr. Bonnie James come to the podium to give us our marching orders."

Ty looked at Bonnie in surprise. Both rose from their seats and made their way to the podium.

"You start." She whispered to him. He nodded, not sure what to say, then stepped up to the microphone.

He leaned into the microphone as he looked at those seated at the table before him. Each had given him more than he could ever repay, not only with the ponies but in other ways, even more important.

"Thank you." He said sincerely, his eyes began to sting, fill emotion. The room was silent. He chuckled lightly. "Ah. Thank you. Everyone." He started again, then took a deep breath. "A very wise man told me that as long as we keep trying, apply what we learn to the next time, it's not for nothing. It's called advancing veterinary medicine."

He stopped, letting that sink in. He gave a grateful smile to Doc, who gave a deep nod back. "Dr. Cameron James shared that with me Sunday night, soon after we learned of pony's diagnosis and the exceptionally grim odds for their survival."

"Despite that knowledge, each of you willingly stepped up, volunteered, rose above, gave selflessly of yourselves, your time, your skill, your resources. Working together like a well oil team to try to improve their odds and save the lives of eight exquisite ponies."

"Then, yesterday another vet, wise beyond her years, quoted the words of Abraham Lincoln. 'Next to creating a life, the finest thing a man can do is save one.'"

"Dr. Jessica Taylor shared this simple, yet powerful truth as talked of the reasons we become vets, EMTs, caregivers despite our flaws, insecurities and inexperience."

"We've come together, as imperfect individuals, to save the lives of 8 ponies and in the process, we've grown, sharpened our skills, honed our sense of duty, learned seek to forgiveness and to forgive. Despite our best efforts, we may not be able to save every patient, but we'll advance veterinary medicine without a doubt. For that, I am so very thankful and so very proud of all of you. I am."

He stepped back, giving Bonnie a hug, not wanting to let go, as a single tear slipped and ran down his cheek. The room remained quiet, the exhaustion and emotion wearing heavy.

Bonnie stepped to the podium and praised the team, their work, and Ty, his leadership, skill and humility. "Ty. Why don't you come back up and explain the plan for the last surgery?"

He stepped up, leaned into the microphone. "Before I do that, I'd like Erica to please tell us about our next and last patient, Essie."

Erica rose, made her to the podium, cleared her throat then began. "Born in 2013 to North Star and Surfer Dude's Gidget, Essie is a chestnut tobiano mare with full blaze, forehead to the tip of her nose and four stockings. So beautiful are her markings, her big brown eyes, and her sweet disposition, she was auctioned as a buyback foal at 6100 dollars, more than double the average price that year."

"Last year she became a mother for the first time to a spunky chestnut tobiano colt with four stockings named The Heroic One From South Assateague. This year she gave birth to a shy and dainty bay tobiano female with four stockings named Wendy's Carolina Girl who is now fully weaned. Both foals were auctioned as buy backs to the island."

"Essie is a wonderful and protective mother who loves to splash in the incoming tide with her offspring, Hero and Carolina Girl, in the early mornings when the beach is empty and quiet." She stepped back.

"Thank you, Erica. That was lovely. Now that we know a bit about our patient, the plan is simple. We will rotate the lead surgeon from newly experienced to most." His eyes settled on Bonnie. "Starting with Erica James and ending with her parents, Bonnie and Cameron James."

Bonnie gasped, "Oh Ty."

He grinned at her. "I'll assist y'all throughout." A southern expression creeped into his vocabulary. "We will all work as a team to remove the lesions, kunkers and damaged tissue to clean margins. As we will all share in this work, we all will advance veterinary medicine. Let's go scrub in!"

Given the thunderous cheer that followed, he could have been the starting quarterback at championship game.

Essie's lesion was far advanced of what had been seen thus far. The angry, red, ulcerated lesion on her left foreleg seemed to have grown exponentially overnight. She was sedated nearly the full three hours, as each took their turn, cutting away the necrotic issue, only to find more. Given the extent of damage, it was more than likely that Essie would succumb to the disease, though it was unsaid.

The short and lightly attended press conference was held in front of the Virginia Tech Large Animal Hospital. Naturally, Dr. Daniels took center stage first, quickly welcomed attendees and introduced himself as the cameras rolled and pictures were snapped.

"The men and women behind me have performed extraordinarily in caring for the Chincoteague ponies." He went on to introduce his staff, Dr. Singh and the UC representatives, the Chief and Trevor, and lastly, the James family.

"Please welcome the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company Chief Maxwell Bowden. Chief?"

The Chief took the podium, his expression was solemn. "The Chincoteague Pony is Virginia's state treasure. As announced earlier, the 2018 Chincoteague Pony annual swim ended successfully this morning with 142 ponies safely returning to their Assateague Island home." There was a smattering of applause. "I'd like to introduce Dr. Cameron James, head veterinarian for the Chincoteague ponies. Doc?"

Doc stepped to the microphone.

"Each year in preparation for the pony swim to Chincoteague Island, we vet each and every pony to ensure their fitness to swim the channel. It was during this vetting, two days ago, we identified that 8 ponies had what appeared to be infected flesh wounds of various sizes on their lower legs. This was reported to the press Sunday evening. After additional testing and research, we discovered that these ponies actually had Pythiosis, a disease caused by a mold found in stagnant, fresh water."

"This disease is extremely rare, can be fatal without early treatment, and has never seen in the state of Virginia. We took immediate action to treat this disease with urgency, trailering the eight ponies to Blacksburg yesterday morning. Yesterday afternoon and this morning, the lesions were surgically removed here at the Virginia Tech Large Animal Hospital, by the multi-faceted team behind me, under the leadership of Dr. Ty Borden from the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine professor and Dr. Bonnie James, Virginia Beach Veterinary Clinic and Services. The ponies are now resting in post-surgery recovery under the care of the Virginia Tech veterinarians. While we are cautiously optimistic, the next few weeks will be critical."

"Due to our heightened concern, we tested all Chincoteague ponies yesterday morning after the swim but well before last night's auction. All ponies tested negative. The disease is not contagious."

"We are informing the public of this rare and isolated issue. If you find non-healing wounds on your horse and dog, please seek veterinary care immediately. We have sent an alert on the disease to all veterinarians in Virginia and bordering states. This information is also included in your press packet."

"Thank you. Dr. Borden, Dr. Bonnie James, Chief Bowden and I will now take a few questions."

The entirety of the conference lasted only 18 minutes. The group retreated from the press, into the building, and gathered in the conference room for debrief and review the transition plan.

Dr. Daniels closed out the meeting. "You all deserve to celebrate a job well done. We have arranged dinner at the Black Hen, one of Blackburg's finest restaurant. After that, we have reserved rooms for you at the Inn tonight. You all have my deepest thanks. Enjoy your time in Blacksburg, you deserve it."

A buzz of tired excitement sounded as folks stood to leave.

Immediately following, Doc, Bonnie and the Chief approached the Dean. "Thank you Clive." Doc shook his hand. "Thank you for everything. Unfortunately, we need to get back. We've neglected quite a few chores at the carnival grounds and the clinic."

"Understand. We'll give you a lift back."

"On HokieBird?" He asked hopefully.

"Of course. Anything for you, Cam!" Dr. Daniels motioned to his aid to make the necessary arrangements.

Hearing this exchange and conferring with Michael and the interns, Ty and Henry approached the group.

"Dr. Daniels. We just wanted to thank you for everything. You and your staff have been great."

"My pleasure, Dr. Borden and Dr. Hudson."

David laughed. "Not quite a doctor yet."

"It's just a matter of time. From what I observed, you'll make a fine vet. Just like your mentor here."

David smiled. "Thanks. That means a lot to me coming from you."

"Dr. Daniels, would it be okay if we hitched a ride back with Doc?" Ty asked hopefully.

"She had seating for nine. How many?"

"Four."

"Plenty of room." He smiled.

"Thank you."

"Hope y'all gonna take some time to relax and sightsee before heading back to Calgary."

"That's our plan. Relaxing on the beach."

"Good. Y'all deserve that. The van should be here in a few minutes."

After final goodbyes, they turned to walk away.

"Dr. Borden, may I have a moment?" Dr. Daniels asked.

"Of course." Ty motioned to the others that he'd meet up with them.

"I'm impressed with your work and your teaching style."

"Thanks. It's been a good experience."

"We'd love you to come onboard with Tech as a surgical assistant professor. Interested in moving south and becoming an official HokieBird?" He offered.

Surprised, Ty was momentarily speechless. "Um. Wow. Thank you. I..."

"Daniels, are you trying to poach my staff?" Dr. Singh interrupted.

"Trying? Absolutely Singh." Dr. Daniel's shot back, not attempting to deny it. "And, planning to succeed."

"Think again." He retorted. "Dr. Borden's leading UC's wild horse internship for the next year. Know he'll want to see that through."

"You mean externship?" Ty reminded him.

"Perks, Borden." Dr. Singh raised an eyebrow. "Perks."

"I've never felt so wanted." Ty laughed, then shook both of their hands. "Thanks again. I have a HokieBird to catch."

"Remember UC doesn't have a jet." Dr. Daniels jabbed.

"Remember VT doesn't have a Wild Horse Internship."

As he walked away, Ty heard Dr. Singh say. "Clive. I believe you offered to treat me to dinner at Blackburg's finest restaurant. Did you say the White Chicken?"

"Baljit. Of course, I never rescind my offers." Dr Daniels replied laughing, continuing to spar. "And, by the way, it's the Black Hen. They have an excellent menu, including fresh seafood. I understand Calgary only has frozen."

Well before the jet took off, Ty had fallen fast asleep in the leather seat, his head leaning against the window, its blind shut. The flight was short, less than an hour. He woke when the landing gear touched down, bounced twice against the short runway, before the brakes took hold, and the jet decelerated. Opening the blind, he looked out at flat landscape, his eyes squinting against the sunlight.

"Two days on the beach." Ty said aloud, then sighed wearily.

"Um. Ty." Michael said hesitantly, sitting next to him. "There's been a slight change in plans."

Ty turned to his friend. "Slight change?"

"Tried to wake you, but you were dead to the world. Figured you needed your sleep. So I made an executive decision." Michael explained.

"You did, huh?" He raised his brows, in equal parts of amusement and concern.

"Well, after I talked to Myrna and Celina."

"I'm not liking the sound of this. So what's this slight change?" Concern now out weighing amusement.

"Doc got a call. A wild horse was killed in a traffic accident in False Cape, just south of Chincoteague. She had an open wound on her hind right leg. They think it's Pythiosis." He started.

"We missed one?" His stomach turned.

"No. it's not a Chincoteague pony. It's a Banker horse."

"Banker horse? Guess I didn't realize there were other wild horses in Virginia."

"Me neither."

"So Pythiosis?"

"From the grainy picture they sent, it seems likely."

"Have they confirm it?"

"Not that I know of."

Ty looked out the window again, read the sign on the hanger. "Where are we? The sign says Carova Beach?"

"It's the closest airport."

"Maybe we'll still have time for the beach." He hoped. "So we're here to confirm the diagnosis on the horse?"

"Yeah. And to check the rest of the herd." Michael slowly revealed the extent of the slight change.

"Herd? How many?"

"20 or so horses on the farm."

"Thought you said they are wild?"

"They are. Or at least were. There's another 100 or so still living in the wild. In some refuge."

Ty groaned as the jet came to a stop.

"Those have to be rounded up first." Michael confessed.

Speechless, Ty couldn't believe it.

"Not til tomorrow. You have the night off. Go check out the beach." Doc added, now standing on the aisle next to Michael. "Come on. Your ride's waiting."

"Our ride? You're not coming with us?" Ty couldn't imagine that this could get any worse.

"Can't. We have too much to do back home. A few Saltwater Cowboys will be down to round up in the morning. Y'all are in charge."

He said, before moved towards the open door of the jet.

Ty looked at Michael. "Seriously Michael? I'm beyond exhausted."

"I know. I just couldn't tell Doc No when he asked. Not after everything he's done for us."

"Get that." Ty said glumly. "Henry and David?"

"They're onboard."

"Fine."

"Don't worry. I'll lead this time." Michael promised as he stood, hoisting his backpack onto his shoulder, his vet bag in hand. "Don't forget your stuff."

Last one off the jet, Ty joined the group, standing back ever so slightly from circle, letting Michael make good on his promise. Doc made introductions. "Y'all this is Dr. Cindy Cook, and Josh Jones, Bonnie's nephew."

They all shook hands.

"Y'all be working with Cindy and her staff." Doc said, quickly dropping the formalities. "And, staying at Josh's place."

"I really appreciate y'all coming down to help us out. Especially on such short notice. Sally Snow from the Virginia Wild Horse Rescue notified us of the accident and sent us images of Maude's body. After seeing the alert Doc sent out, we knew we couldn't wait."

"Glad we can help." Michael said. "Could you show Ty the image? He hasn't seen it yet."

"Of the wound? Sure." She drew her phone from her back pocket, pulled up the image, handed it to him. "What do you think?"

He leaned, zoomed in on the image. "Hard to say. The picture is kind of grainy but it could be a lesion. Or, just road rash." He passed the phone back.

"Hope it's just road rash." Doc commented. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Michael push on. "Have they drawn a sample yet?"

"On Maude, yes. They send it to lab in Virginia Beach. We'll need to test the rest of the Renegade 7 when they get here."

"Renegade 7?" Michael asked.

"Right. Lucky Duck leads the Renegade 7 band, four mares, a yearling and a foal. Maude was one of the mares." She explained. "It's not the first time he's led them around the barrier fence and across the border. Game and Fish isn't keen on them staying so Sally's trailering them to the farm as I speak."

"So what's your plan? While we're here to help?"

"Well, I'd like y'all start with horses at the farm in Grandy in the morning, begin treatment if necessary. In the meanwhile, the Saltwater Cowboys will round up the horses in Currituck Refuge. I'd like y'all to check those tomorrow afternoon." She held out a map and showed them where the refuge was in relation to the farm. "It's about an hour and a half drive between them."

Ty frowned at Cindy's plan. The math didn't hold. But, he remained silent.

Michael caught his friend's expression. "Cindy, given everything, it's not possible to check all the horses in one day. Not alone treat any infected ones. I suggest that our team split up." He turned to Ty. "Do you agree?"

"You read my mind. One pair could sample and result all the horses at the farm. The other pair could visually inspect the wildies for obvious wounds. The wounded would be trailered to the farm for sample draws and confirmation, right?"

"Yes." Cindy confirmed.

"Same teams?" Michael said.

Everyone nodded.

"David, your pick this time. Refuge or farm?" Ty offered him the choice.

"Refuge." He said without hesitation, much to Henry's disappointment.

"Good. We have a rough plan for tomorrow. We can all meet up at the farm tomorrow night and make plans, if need be, for surgery on Thursday." Michael concluded.

Drained from two days of surgery, Ty was not ready to face another. Still, as the lone surgeon in the group, he needed to have a sense of the facilities he would have to operate in. So he asked.

"Cindy, does the farm have the adequate resources and staffing needed to facilitate this type of surgery?" He came across a bit snooty.

"We're not at all sophisticated like Virginia Tech HokieBird, if that's what you are asking." She chuckled lightly, but clearly heard the tone of his question. "But, yes, we do and can treat the early cases. Of course. With y'all's help."

"Even early cases require surgery under general anesthesia to remove lesions. It's not the simple, short procedure and recovery that can be done at a farm. It's far more complicated and long surgery requiring a sterile environment and staff skilled in intubation, monitoring, excision and cauterization. And, after all that, most of infected horse will have to be euthanized anyhow." Ty came across rather brusque.

"Yes, Dr. Borden." Cindy replied in the formal. "We are acutely aware of what the treatment, early case or not, entails. From a veterinarian, humanitarian and, yes, a community perspective, we can't have infected horses in excruciating pain roaming around the island. And, we can't have dead ones lying around either. We've got to be proactive, do everything we can. Even if we don't save them." She stared at him, daring him to say something negative.

Realizing his misstep, Ty was quick to respond. "Dr. Cook. I apologize. I didn't mean to be rude. It's just been a long few days."

"Understand. We're on the same team. We're both worried."

"I'll do everything I can to help." He said flatly.

"We all will." Michael add with more excitement.

Final arrangements made, they bid Doc, Bonnie and the chief goodbye. As the HokieBird taxied down the runway before leaping into the sky, the four Canadians loaded into Josh's old Ford Bronco, topless in a candy red. Ty barely noticed the vintage 4x4.

"Sweet ride." Michael admired the vehicle. "68?"

"71. Restored it myself."

The nine mile drive to Josh's place down North Beach Access Road was slow going as it weaved between sand dunes covered in grasses and the wide beach. Although the paved, the road was mostly covered by sand drifts making it popular with 4x4 enthusiasts. Despite numerous brown signs warning, Do Not Approach, Touch Or Feed Horses. Citations Will Be Issued, not a single horse appeared.

His gaze fixed on the ocean on his left, Ty shutout the excited, rowdy conversation bouncing around the Bronco, spilling into the salty air. Already well up in his head, he desperately needed some time to be alone, to think, to process. So much so that when they pulled into the parking lot at Josh's apartment, he told Michael that he was going for a walk.

"I'll go with you." Henry offered.

Michael shot him a look, shook his head No.

"Or maybe not." Henry capitulated.

"The beach is that way. You can't miss the signs." Josh pointed.

"Thanks." He replied, then told Michael. "I'll back in 30."

Following the signs, he headed east on Schoolhouse Lane, the sun on his back, sand already collecting on his sandaled toes. Without as much as a nod, he passed several groups of people, loaded down with blankets, umbrellas, and coolers, returning from a day on the beach, their happy faces kissed by the sun. He kept to himself.

Before long, the lane dead-ended into a sandy footpath that wound its way to grass covered dunes. Following the narrow path between the mounds of sand to the beach, he saw her standing there, her back to him. She was facing the ocean, two chestnut horses, a mare and a foal, their coats thick and bellies rounded, gathered a several yards before her, milling in the foamy ribbons of incoming and retreating waters. Hatless, her long blonde hair, wavy by the mist, hung low on her back, its ends fluttered in the wind. She wore a sarong of muted blues and greens, which hung low on her slim hips.

As his heart quickened with joy, he wanted to run to her, take her in his arms but Jack's words echoed in his head, slowing his pace, until he couldn't take another step. Stopping in his tracks, not more than a dozen feet behind her, he watched as the foal approached her, lipped her outstretched hand, then ran off.

"Aren't they beautiful?" She said aloud with delight.

"Yes, you are." He said in reply.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, she turned to him, her eyes wide, her expression full of surprise and disbelief. She stepped forward, closing some of distance between them. Her eyes took the whole of him in, every nuance, every change. He was dressed casually in sandals, shorts and a white t-shirt, his arms and legs tanned, muscular. His long hair hung beneath a baseball cap turned backward, his beard dark, full as though he hadn't shaved in weeks. His beautiful green eyes were shielded behind a pair of darkened aviators. But, she knew it was him, a faint smile played on her lips. "Ty?"

Hi Readers. Bet you never thought it would happen! The meeting of Ty and Amy. You have been so very patient and loyal.

This is by far the longest chapter I have ever written. The Chincoteague and Banker horses are very real. So is the outbreak of Swamp Cancer in 2018, a devastating disease.

Let me know your thoughts. Thank you to all that have spurred me on with lovely, supportive reviews and PMs. Without those, I would have given up writing long ago.

SBR