Bone

by Ainsley Cole

  “What is that?” Andrew asked, leaning forward, looking through between the chairs again.

  “Dr. Grant, please sit back.” The man did, and Bones turned his head, looking back to him. “That is an unmanned aerial surveillance device.”

  The blank look to the doctor had Bones raising an eyebrow.

  “It’s a drone, Andrew. It’s a camera in the sky, to make sure there is nothing sneaking up on the clinic. It’s to keep us safe,” Abigail told her colleague, and the man nodded, still looking confused.

  Bones rolled his eyes, turning back to the front of the car as the drone lifted and took off back into the sky. He sighed, sitting back in the chair as they pulled up in front of the clinic. Wolf was waiting for them, gurney by his side.

  Apollo shut the vehicle off, and they all stepped out.

  Abigail and Andrew went to the back of the Humvee, Apollo following with the gurney. Bones walked up to Wolf, standing to the side of him.

  “You’re covered in blood.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Didn’t get any of it in your eyes or mouth?”

  “No. I’ve already had this conversation with Baz.”

  “Have a detox just in case.”

  Bones chuckled. “Already onto it.”

  He threw a look back to the doctors and Apollo. Chris had managed to waddle his way out of the clinic and was helping get the young man’s body onto the gurney. Inhaling, he stepped forward, walking to the side of Abigail. “I’m going to have a shower.” She turned her head to him, raising an eyebrow. He lifted his arms, showing her the blood like fine freckles across his skin. “I’m covered in contaminated blood, and I’m unsure if any soaked in.”

  “Oh, okay,” she said, her face flushing. “After you’re done, come by the clinic. I will take a blood test. We don’t know how long it takes to materialize. Last thing we need is the head of the security team bleeding out.”

  Bones smiled, stepping back. “Then we better make sure that doesn’t happen. I will be back soon.”

  Heading toward the rooms to get his gear, Bones thought about what it might mean if he had contracted something. Would he end up like the kid in the back of the Humvee? Bleeding from every orifice?

  Walking into the rooms, he couldn’t spot his bag, and he frowned. Ready to go find Queenie and figure out where this little shit put it, he spied the dark green canvas sitting on the made bed—the one in Dr. Baker’s room.

  His face slackened as he walked into the small room and picked it up.

  Queenie. He’d be having words with the smartass.

  “Oh. I thought you were having a shower?”

  Bones turned, his pack in his hand, Abigail standing at the door. She blinked, looking at him and he smiled, lifting the bag. “Getting my things.”

  He stepped away, ready to leave the room. But she didn’t move, and he looked down at her. Abigail lifted her head, looking up at him. “I saw you sleeping on the floor last night.”

  “I’m used to it.”

  “There was a spare bed in here. You could have used it,” she replied, looking past him to the room. “I’m an adult. I can share. And you’d be better company than either Chris or Andrew. Believe me.”

  Bones lifted his gaze, looking over her head. Queenie was walking through the doorway of the building. When he saw Bones and Abigail he stopped, turned around and left, a smirk on his face. “I don’t want to impose.”

  He went to step past her again, and she moved to the side. She didn’t move quite enough and Bones’ arm brushed against her breasts. Trying to calm his heart, he walked from the room, pack still in hand, and made his way across to the shower block.

  Shutting himself in one of the stalls, he leaned against the door, his chest heaving. His body was betraying him again, his cock hardening, no matter what he tried to calm his breathing.

  By now, if they were back in civilization, Bones would have fucked her and moved on. So what made out here any different? Why was she getting to him?

  Stripping off, he climbed under the shower, turning on the cold water and started to scrub.

  * * *

  Abigail hovered by the door as Chris and Andrew started the autopsy, their hands moving quickly over the corpse. “The kid looks to be seventeen if he’s lucky.”

  She moved her gaze to Chris. He was a professional when it came to autopsies, and she turned, moving away. She’d leave them to it. No point in her being in the way. Going back to the lab, she picked up the container of blood she had managed to secure from the kid. Taking it to the microscope, she pulled a pipette of blood from the container and put the rest into the fridge.

  Coming back to the bench, she added blood to a couple petri dishes and took them to the humidifier. They might get lucky and grow something.

  The rest of the blood in the pipette, she dropped onto two slides, before tossing it into the hazards bin. Sitting on the stool, she put one of the slides under the microscope and looked down the lens at it. The material was so thin. She could almost see through it. “It’s freaking weird,” she muttered, leaning back.

  A dark shadow fell over the floor, and she turned, seeing Bones standing in the doorway. He grinned, showing perfect white teeth, and her stomach flipped as he stepped into the room. “I’m here to be your next guinea pig.”

  She rolled her eyes, pointing to the stool as she giggled. “Sit.”

  The man sat on the stool and she picked herself up, crossing to the cabinet. Pulling out everything to take the beautiful man’s blood, she came back to her stool. Tightening the strap around his bicep, the muscle flexed, and she had to calm herself as she felt the inside of his elbow for a vein.

  Once satisfied, Abigail held the needle in her hand, lifting it in front of Bones’ face, grinning. “Not scared of needles, are you?”

  * * *

  Bones blinked as Abigail leaned forward, sliding the thin tube under his skin. Her blouse fell open at the top and he turned his head to the side, looking out the window to the lab a few meters away. “How’s it going in there?”

  She looked up for a second, before turning back to his arm. She concentrated on the syringe which was syphoning blood from his arm. “Andrew and Chris are doing an autopsy.”

  “Why aren’t you helping them?” Bones asked, looking back to her.

  Abigail licked her lips, shaking the full vial, before placing it in the little dish at her elbow. She put another on the end of the syringe to fill. “I’m not qualified.”

  “Not qualified? You’re a doctor, aren’t you?”

  Her face flushed, and he almost pushed her away. She wasn’t a doctor…?

  “I’m an immunologist and hematologist. I deal with disease and blood. Not cutting up bodies.” She reached up, unclipping the strap, before picking up a ball of cotton wool. She put it over the needle, sliding the tube from his arm. “Hold this.”

  His fingers grazed hers as he held the cotton in place, and she moved away. Abigail placed the tube into the dish and discarded the syringe into a sharps container, before turning back to him. “I’m here to figure out what the virus or contaminant is. Not what goes on inside the body. That’s Andrew and Chris’ job.”

  “So, you’re more of a scientist.”

  “Yes. But that doesn’t mean I can’t help.”

  “Like the kid at the village.”

  “Yes. I have basic doctoring skills and first-aid. I can help save a life and have aided in surgery before. That’s how I knew to relieve the liquid in the kid’s lungs.” She turned to him, holding a plaster and a smaller ball of wool. She took the bigger ball, tossing it into a bin. Putting the small one over the puncture mark, the plaster held it in place. “There you go. All done.”

  “Awesome. Very gentle.”

  “A lot gentler than getting a tattoo.” She giggled, and Bones’ gaze flicked to her face. It flushed as her gaze met his.

  “Oh, the throb of a tattoo needle can be very soothing, Doctor.” He rolled down the sleeve on his shirt. “
It becomes numb after a while and pain is the furthest thing from your mind.”

  Abigail shrugged. “Nothing wrong with a little pain to make you feel human, Bones.”

  She turned, leaning over to write on the vials, and Bones tilted his head to the side, looking at her rounded ass. Her shirt rode up, and he rose an eyebrow as the color of a tattoo poked out from under her shirt.

  Bones’ body heated, and he leaned back, waiting for her to turn around again.

  She did finally, raising an eyebrow. “You can go. We’re done.”

  “What if I want to chat? Get to know the woman I’m supposed to be keeping safe?”

  Abigail flushed again, turning her head back to the vials, her hands moving against them. He could see it was a nervous movement, rolling them in the dish, moving them around for no reason. “There’s not much to know.”

  “Oh, come on, everyone has something they want someone to know or don’t know.” he replied, tilting his head to the side. “How about home life? Are you married? Do you have kids?”

  She shook her head, turning her brown gaze back to him for a moment. She picked up the tray and walked to the other side of the room, her back to him. “No to both.”

  Bones’ excitement picked up. She wasn’t married and didn’t have kids.

  “And the ring on your finger? That tells me different.”

  Her hand moved, coming to the front of her, hiding the gold band. “It was my mother’s. It’s the only thing I have left of her.”

  The woman’s tone was soft, hurt, and Bones blinked.

  Ranting, raving, punching, kicking, moaning, screaming in pleasure. They were the sounds he knew from the opposite sex. Not the soft sorrow which floated from Abigail’s mouth and confusion flitted through him. Lifting himself off the chair, he walked over to her, touching her shoulder. Abigail flinched, and he dropped his hand. “I’m sorry.”

  Stepping back, he turned and left the room, angry. Angry at himself for pushing. For being so intrusive into the life of a woman he didn’t know. Was it only so he could get into her panties?

  Leaving the clinic, Bones made a beeline for Reaper.

  The hulk of a man turned his head for a moment, before looking back to the screen on the small laptop.

  Bones sank into the seat next to him, folding his arms over his chest. “I’m going to become like you.”

  Reaper didn’t say anything, and Bones turned his gaze to him. “Silent and celibate. Not a care in the whole damned world.”

  Reaper rolled his eyes, turning his head to his boss. “She’s not giving in. Is she?”

  “Fuck, no,” Bones said with a whoosh. “I am so fucking hot for her, it’s making my life a misery.”

  “You’ve known her two days,” Reaper stated, turning his gaze back to the monitor. “You’ll get over it.”

  “Uh. No,” Bones stated. He turned his head, looking out to the amazing scenery. The rich reds and yellows of the dirt. The bright blue sky. The spotting of trees and the looming Mount Kenya in the distance. It might have been amazing, but it did nothing to hold him in awe anymore. “Not this one.”

  “Then do something about it. Stop complaining.”

  “I can’t. Wolf told me to behave.”

  “And when do you ever listen to what someone tells you?” the Irishman asked. He leaned forward, looking back over his shoulder at Bones. “You are pig-headed. You go in, guns blazing, and hope it turns out okay. Why be so cautious now?”

  “Gee. Thanks for the vote of confidence, pal.” Bones frowned, sucking his tongue over his teeth. But the man had a point. Bones wasn’t gentle in the bedroom, and he wasn’t gentle in the real world, either. He knew what he wanted, how to get it, and how to kick up a stink if it didn’t go his way. “I don’t know why it’s different with her. It just is, and it’s driving me insane.”

  “I’ve been where you are, Braedon, and I know what’s on the other side if you don’t get off your ass and make a move.” Reaper didn’t elaborate, and Bones didn’t push. Reaper was their silent and broody one. If he wanted to tell him, he would.

  He sat by the man’s side, thoughts running through his head on what he should do.

  Bones wanted the doctor. More now, knowing she was single. But the mission came first, and he had to be professional. Even if that meant it killed him.

  * * *

  “He won’t mind.” Abigail put a couple drops of Bones’ blood on a slide and shoved it under the microscope. She leaned in, looking at his blood. It was a healthy red. Thick and starting to coagulate, with access to the air. Frowning, she sat back, looking at the slides from the kid. Taking the one she hadn’t looked at, she rolled a clean cotton tip in it, smearing the thin liquid all over it.

  Slipping the end of it into a vial, she put clear fluid in it. Popping it in the mini mass spectrometer they had brought, she shut down the lid. Pressing a few buttons, she went back to the samples on the bench and looked at both again.

  The difference was remarkable.

  Bones’ blood was so rich of a color. The young man’s wasn't even red enough to class as blood.

  Looking over to the machine she had turned on, she sighed. Half an hour.

  Half an hour and she would be a step closer to knowing what was going on.

  * * *

  It was so quiet. Bones was enjoying sitting with Reaper. The man never made it necessary to speak. The silence was comforting.

  “Bones?”

  The pair of men turned their heads, seeing Abigail standing off to the side. Bones lifted himself from the chair, walking over to her. “What’s wrong, Doctor?”

  “May I speak with you a moment?”

  “Sure.”

  Abigail turned and walked off. Not toward the clinic, but toward the edge of the camp and Bones raised an eyebrow. He looked back to Reaper. The man had gone back to the screens of the security system and wasn’t paying him any attention.

  Sighing, Bones followed the doctor, stopping to her side. “What’s wrong?”

  She looked up at him, blinking. “I was thinking to what you said earlier. About it being manmade.”

  Bones swallowed. Even listening to her voice drove his body crazy. “And?”

  “I did some preliminary tests on the blood we saved when we put the chest tube in the boy’s body. I found traces of a substance like EDTA.”

  “The anti-coagulant?”

  “Yes. But the level was abnormal.” She frowned, the skin between her eyebrows scrunching together and all he wanted to do was kiss it. “Even if the boy was on blood thinners, the level he had in his system shouldn’t have caused what happened to him.”

  “So, what does that mean?” Bones asked, and she looked up at him again.

  “Do you mind following me to the lab? I’ll show you.”

  He nodded, and she turned, leading him back to the clinic, and he had to keep his eyes off her behind. Moving through the clinic to the lab room, Abigail closed the door and turned on the lights.

  “I have a slide I was looking at.” She walked across the room and sat on the stool in front of the microscope, looking at it. Bones grabbed a wheeled stool, sliding it across to the doctor and sat within an arm’s length of her. She leaned in, adjusting the wheel on the side, her long fingers now sporting chipped nails. She might not be as precious as he thought.

  “Here.”

  Leaning back, she slid away a little and looked at Bones.

  He raised an eyebrow but slid forward. Moving in front of the microscope, he peered into it. “What am I looking at?”

  “Your blood.”

  Bones lifted his head, looking at her. “My blood?”

  “Yes. I took one drop to compare it to the sample from the boy,” she said, her voice quiet. “I’m sorry, I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

  “It’s fine,” he replied, looking back to the sample. What he could see were his own red blood cells. Coagulated and clumping together across the glass.

  “Your blood clots. It has good,
strong coagulation.” Abigail moved, and the slide disappeared. Bones lifted his head, trying not to move as she leaned forward, placing another slide under the scope. “This is from the boy in the village.”

  Bones leaned in, ignoring the scent of her, and looked at the slide. “It’s very thin. Almost see through.”

  “Yes. The cells look like they are trying to break. They're very stretched.”

  Bones frowned, lifting himself, and turned to her. His legs were either side of her knees, and her gaze dropped to her lap. “So, what does it mean? The kid was taking anti-coagulants? Aspirin?”

  Abigail shook her head, lifting her gaze to his. “No. Aspirin can’t break the blood down like that. And it is such a small dose. Only a tenth of a milligram. It shouldn’t have been anywhere near enough to kill him.”

  Bones watched as she turned, lifting herself from the stool. Abigail walked over to the small humidifier, pulling a tray from it. “I put some of the blood into petri dishes. Nothing has formed.”

  She shoved the tray back into the machine and Bones stood, crossing to her. He gripped her shoulders, turning her. She lifted her head, and he could see frustration burning brightly.

  This was getting to her.

  “Hey, relax. It’s going to be okay.” Staring up at him, Abigail bit her lip. Bones had to bring all his reserves into play to not lean forward and kiss her. “You’ll figure it out.”

  He stepped back, going back to the stool and sat down, his body on fire.

  Abigail pursed her lips, turning back to the fridge, righting the tray and closed the door with a gentle push. She turned back to him, walking over to her stool and sat down, staring at him.

  Bones raised an eyebrow. Abigail’s face flushed again, and she cleared her throat. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

  “Depends on how personal.” He chuckled. Her face turned crimson this time, and he touched her knee. “It’s fine. Go for it.”

  Her gaze lifted, not to his eyes, but above, and he knew she’d be wondering about his scar. “How’d that happen?”

  Visions of that night flashed into his mind, and he frowned, clearing his throat. “You know I speak Swahili.”