“Is this going to hurt?” Martin asked as he lie on an operating table.
“I’m already done,” Augusta replied as she removed the needle from Martin’s arm.
Surprised at the speed with which Augusta worked and the lack of pain, he lifted his head to look at his arm. “Wow. You have a good touch.”
Augusta smiled, gave him a wink and said, “I know.” She then swapped the old needle for a clean new one, attaching it to the vial filled with Martin’s blood.
“Are you sure this will work?” Bulldog asked in a tone somewhere between pleading and demanding.
“Am I positive beyond the shadow of a doubt? No, of course not. It’s the best shot we’ve got though.” She smiled again. “Pardon the pun.” Bulldog rolled his eyes and sighed with resignation. He felt helpless and hated having to stand by and watch others work.
Augusta quickly eased the needle into Molly’s arm and began to empty its contents into her vein. When the last of Martin’s blood flowed into Molly, Augusta withdrew the needle, looked up and said, “All we can do now is wait.” It struck her that this was a tired expression, used on countless medical TV shows, but at this moment she could think of nothing else to say, and it seemed to give a measure of comfort to the worried Bulldog.
On the opposite table, Martin had fallen asleep and began to softly snore while everyone else gathered around Molly. “How long do you think it will take before we know if it’s working?” Archie asked.
Augusta gave a slight shrug. “It’s hard to say. I’ve never done this before. I’m not sure anybody has.” She looked at Adriana. “How long did it take you to become ill after you bit Martin?”
“It was almost immediate. The big sissy passed out and I started vomiting. It was within the first day that I lost my appetite for blood.”
“Well,” Augusta said, “the good thing is that we were able to give Molly the antidote, or whatever Martin’s blood is, not too long after she was bitten. Hopefully the quick response time will make it easier to counteract Laz’s bite.”
“It would be awful if she became a vampire,” Bulldog said.
“Tell me about it.” The feeble voice emanated from Molly.
Augusta shouted, “Hey! It’s working.”
“You sound surprised,” Colette said. “I always had faith in you.”
“Thanks.”
Holding Molly’s hand tightly, Bulldog asked her how she was feeling.
“I’ve never been hung-over, but I’ll bet it’s similar to this.” Her voice was getting stronger as she spoke. “My head hurts, I’m a little nauseous and shaky, but other than that I feel okay.”
“Thank God,” Bulldog said. He leaned in close and whispered to her, “You don’t think you’re a vampire, do you? Do you feel like biting anyone on the neck?” She looked at him as if he were insane.
“I just had to ask,” he said sheepishly. “I’ve been so worried about you. I wouldn’t know what to do if...”
“You were worried about me? You tried to arrest me numerous times. Why are you holding my hand anyway?” She tried to shake him off, but he only held her tighter.
“That arrest stuff is all behind us now, Molly.”
“Yeah, especially since you’re not really a vampire cop anymore,” Colette chimed in.
Bulldog ignored her. “I’ve been thinking about us, Molly. I have to admit, I think I’m in love with you.”
All activity in the lab ceased as all eyes turned to Bulldog and Molly. There was silence save for Martin’s snoring.
Molly looked up at Bulldog, her face expressionless. Then she burst out laughing.
“You’re old enough to be my father. Heck, I think you’re older than Daddy. You’ve been hit in the head too many times. Mr. Bulldog.”
He bit his lip and nodded. “True, I have had a lot of concussions lately. Still, don’t you think you could love an old man like me? I mean, I’m really only middle-aged. And I’ve kept myself fit.” Molly let loose a loud burst of laughter again.
Concerned that perhaps Bulldog had finally lost his mind, Maria said, “Maybe we should let Molly get some rest. She’s been through a lot.”
“Maria’s right. We should let Molly sleep,” Augusta said as pried Bulldog’s hand from Molly’s.
“I guess I wouldn’t mind a nap,” Molly said as she lay her head back down on the pillow.
The last person to leave the lab shut the lights off. Molly drifted off as Martin fell into a deep sleep and dreamt of Little Johnny’s Mini-Choco-Cakes.
“I’m already done,” Augusta replied as she removed the needle from Martin’s arm.
Surprised at the speed with which Augusta worked and the lack of pain, he lifted his head to look at his arm. “Wow. You have a good touch.”
Augusta smiled, gave him a wink and said, “I know.” She then swapped the old needle for a clean new one, attaching it to the vial filled with Martin’s blood.
“Are you sure this will work?” Bulldog asked in a tone somewhere between pleading and demanding.
“Am I positive beyond the shadow of a doubt? No, of course not. It’s the best shot we’ve got though.” She smiled again. “Pardon the pun.” Bulldog rolled his eyes and sighed with resignation. He felt helpless and hated having to stand by and watch others work.
Augusta quickly eased the needle into Molly’s arm and began to empty its contents into her vein. When the last of Martin’s blood flowed into Molly, Augusta withdrew the needle, looked up and said, “All we can do now is wait.” It struck her that this was a tired expression, used on countless medical TV shows, but at this moment she could think of nothing else to say, and it seemed to give a measure of comfort to the worried Bulldog.
On the opposite table, Martin had fallen asleep and began to softly snore while everyone else gathered around Molly. “How long do you think it will take before we know if it’s working?” Archie asked.
Augusta gave a slight shrug. “It’s hard to say. I’ve never done this before. I’m not sure anybody has.” She looked at Adriana. “How long did it take you to become ill after you bit Martin?”
“It was almost immediate. The big sissy passed out and I started vomiting. It was within the first day that I lost my appetite for blood.”
“Well,” Augusta said, “the good thing is that we were able to give Molly the antidote, or whatever Martin’s blood is, not too long after she was bitten. Hopefully the quick response time will make it easier to counteract Laz’s bite.”
“It would be awful if she became a vampire,” Bulldog said.
“Tell me about it.” The feeble voice emanated from Molly.
Augusta shouted, “Hey! It’s working.”
“You sound surprised,” Colette said. “I always had faith in you.”
“Thanks.”
Holding Molly’s hand tightly, Bulldog asked her how she was feeling.
“I’ve never been hung-over, but I’ll bet it’s similar to this.” Her voice was getting stronger as she spoke. “My head hurts, I’m a little nauseous and shaky, but other than that I feel okay.”
“Thank God,” Bulldog said. He leaned in close and whispered to her, “You don’t think you’re a vampire, do you? Do you feel like biting anyone on the neck?” She looked at him as if he were insane.
“I just had to ask,” he said sheepishly. “I’ve been so worried about you. I wouldn’t know what to do if...”
“You were worried about me? You tried to arrest me numerous times. Why are you holding my hand anyway?” She tried to shake him off, but he only held her tighter.
“That arrest stuff is all behind us now, Molly.”
“Yeah, especially since you’re not really a vampire cop anymore,” Colette chimed in.
Bulldog ignored her. “I’ve been thinking about us, Molly. I have to admit, I think I’m in love with you.”
All activity in the lab ceased as all eyes turned to Bulldog and Molly. There was silence save for Martin’s snoring.
Molly looked up at Bulldog, her face expressionless. Then she burst out laughing.
“You’re old enough to be my father. Heck, I think you’re older than Daddy. You’ve been hit in the head too many times. Mr. Bulldog.”
He bit his lip and nodded. “True, I have had a lot of concussions lately. Still, don’t you think you could love an old man like me? I mean, I’m really only middle-aged. And I’ve kept myself fit.” Molly let loose a loud burst of laughter again.
Concerned that perhaps Bulldog had finally lost his mind, Maria said, “Maybe we should let Molly get some rest. She’s been through a lot.”
“Maria’s right. We should let Molly sleep,” Augusta said as pried Bulldog’s hand from Molly’s.
“I guess I wouldn’t mind a nap,” Molly said as she lay her head back down on the pillow.
The last person to leave the lab shut the lights off. Molly drifted off as Martin fell into a deep sleep and dreamt of Little Johnny’s Mini-Choco-Cakes.
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