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dimly lit corridor, outside the file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20...0Deathlands%2032%20-%20Circle%20 Thrice.html (185 of 215) [12/29/2004 2:12:50 PM] file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20E-books/James%20Axler%20-%20Deathla nds%2032%20-%20Circle%20Thrice.html room where Doc had been sedated with a few drugs that were held in the ville's pharmacy. "Infected and inflamed appendix means two things. It'll go down and get better, but maybe flare up again in a while. Days or weeks or months. Or never. Or it won't go down at all. Burst. Peritonitis and death." They all stood silent. Since they'd gotten back to the fortified mansion they'd seen no sign of either the countess or of Straub. The sec men had been helpful, carrying Doc up to the room and showing Mildred the limited supplies of pharmaceuticals that were held in the ville. Now it was decision time. "How long wait?" Jak asked. "Until it's too late?" Mildred sniffed. "I'm sort of sure it's bad news. Lot Page 127 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html of pain. Fever. Intense, localized tenderness. If I'm going to try and operate to save the old buzzard, then I think I'll have to start within the hour. No longer." "Someone should see the countess," Krysty said. "Tell her what's going on. Need her support. I can go." She looked doubtfully at Ryan. "Better be me." He checked his chron. "Rest of you work with the sec men and get everything ready. See what tools and knives and stuff you can get, Mildred. Mebbe from the kitchens for the best blades. I'll go see the countess." "HE WILL DIE if you don't operate on him?" "We believe so." "And the black woman is a real doctor?" "Yeah. Just that we need your say-so to go ahead with it. Is that all right?" "You come to me, Ryan, my dear man, with a request that only I can grant, which means life or death. Does this sound familiar to you and your friends?" Ryan stood silent for a moment, seeing only too clearly what she meant. He decided in his mind that if she pushed it, then he would yield, agree to sleep with her if it meant the chance of saving Doc's life. She waited a long minute. "Go and do this operation, Ryan Cawdor. It's not necessary to try and get what I want this way. The other options are more sure." "What's that mean?" file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20...0Deathlands%2032%20-%20Circle%20 Thrice.html (186 of 215) [12/29/2004 2:12:50 PM] file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20E-books/James%20Axler%20-%20Deathla nds%2032%20-%20Circle%20Thrice.html "Nothing." "Must mean something." "Time will show us all, Ryan. Now, that same time is passing by and your friend could be on his way down the slippery slope. Go and save him." "Thanks. Thanks a lot." For a moment he considered kissing her on the cheek, then decided against it. MILDRED HAD ELECTED to try to operate down in the main kitchen area of the ville. "Best lights. Large table we've had scrubbed and scrubbed. Some real good knives that Jak's been honing until they sing. Plenty of hot water. Can't ask for more." "You want help?" Krysty asked. "I'll use Jak. Got the longest, most agile fingers. Rest of you just keep well back." She wiped sweat from her forehead, reaching to tie a strip of white cotton around her temples. "Tell them to bring him down. And for Christ's sake, don't jog him." "We'll do that. Me and Ryan," J.B. offered. THE OLD MAN WAS DELIRIOUS, head rolling, eyes staring wildly. He looked through Ryan and J.B. as they bent over him, tucking in the bedclothes, ready to switch him to a stretcher that they'd borrowed. "Turn the right flank, mon commandant , or we are lost! Save the Hussars and we save Moscow. It will take more than a French musketball to keep me from Corunna. Rally stouthearts, and let us seek glory in the cannon's mouth. Onward, onward!" By the time they reached the kitchen with him, Doc had fallen into a deep sleep. "Everything's ready," Mildred said, wearing a makeshift surgical mask, as was Jak, his narrow red eyes staring over the top of it. The kitchen ovens were scorching hot, with cauldrons of water bubbling and Page 128 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html steaming. On a side table Mildred had laid out a number of silver needles, already threaded with stout cord, and an amazing array of different knives. "One thing I don't have is any anesthetic," she said. "Have to go in quick and accurate. Ryan, hold his file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20...0Deathlands%2032%20-%20Circle%20 Thrice.html (187 of 215) [12/29/2004 2:12:50 PM] file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20E-books/James%20Axler%20-%20Deathla nds%2032%20-%20Circle%20Thrice.html head still. J.B., you take Doc's feet. Krysty, try and keep his hands out of the way. Best we can do." She took a deep breath. "Let's do it." She had three of the brighter sec men standing ready to help with swabs, cloth and water. Behind them, a door opened and Straub entered, closely followed by Countess Katya Beausoleil, who gestured to Mildred to ignore her and get on with the operation. "WOULD YOU LIKE LIQUOR to help take away the pain, Dr. Wyeth?" asked Katya. "No. He's out cold. Probably come around, but I'm hoping it'll be quick." Straub leaned forward, dark eyes fixed on Mildred. "I can use my silver disk and it will be easy." She hesitated, knowing that the bald man spoke the truth. "No," she said. "Have to bring him around and that'll mean a lot of pain. Damned thing's about ready to burst as it is. I'm starting right now." Ryan watched, unmoving, as she picked up one of the shorter, broad blades, bringing it close to Doc's wrinkled, taut stomach. He was holding the old [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |