14 comments/  29744 views/  36 favorites

Bright Arrow

By: dagan732



This is, of course, a work of fiction, including a fictitious disease. This story may describe disturbing images of the victims of that disease so I thought I'd just give a heads up. Enjoy, please rate and comment. 

*

The not too distant future...

Two pinpoint beams of light shown up through a helmet and illuminated a pair of brilliant green eyes. The brow above was furrowed in concentration and more than a little frustration. The man sighed in disgust and stood up away from the microscope. The lab was brightly, almost garishly lit and built like a tomb stocked with a menagerie of scientific equipment. Large doors and vacuum chambers were the only way in or out. Dr. Kevin McEvoy was sealed from head to toe in a heavy duty, plastic reinforced rubber suit keeping him clean from the incredibly hostile environment only a half inch away from his skin. Music was playing from speakers in the corner of the room hooked to an mp3 player outside the room set to random. At the moment David Bowie and Freddie Mercury sung about being Under Pressure.

"What do you think, Kevin?" Asked a tall blonde standing next to him who also protected by an isolation suit. 

Kevin remained silent for a moment and he thought of what he had just witnessed. When he was young he thought of the microscope as an amazing machine which let you see into another world full of wonder. Now he thought of that world as being a cold, desolate place where constant battles raged. He wondered if there was intelligent life in the universe and they had the power to view the daily life of Earth, would they think the same thing. 

"The cells show no sign of immunity. They're still degrading." He finally answered.

"Yeah, but at a much slower rate." The blonde answered. "You saw that, right? The levels of decomposition between the control group and the treated group differed greatly."

"I wouldn't say greatly." Kevin answered with resignation clouding his voice. "I wouldn't say that at all."

"Kevin!" The blonde raised her voice gaining her superiors attention. "What's going on with you?!"

"What do you mean?" Kevin asked, genuinely surprised.

"It's a difference! We're making progress." 

"I don't see how I'm supposed to get excited by what may be a 10% decrease. 10% at best!" Kevin argued.

"Did you see the cell walls? They were intact longer than the control groups. It's something to work with!" The blonde proposed. "I'm not saying have a press release, but it's a direction we didn't have before."

Kevin sighed again and bowed his head. "You're right. I'm sorry. This thing is still out there and still on the loose. I thought we would have nailed it down already."

"Why? Because all of the other debilitating diseases have been so easy to cure? SARS? EV71? Hantavairus? Pneumonia for Christ's sake?! When AIDS was cured we thought we could use the Barovsky method to find answers to every other virus. And we can't, so we have to start all over again."

"I need better than what we've got here, Anne!!! I need a fucking cure!!!" Kevin screamed back and pushed the large metal door open and waited for it to seal. 

When it had and the sprayers disinfected any possible stray and deadly microscopic passengers on the suit, he pushed through another set of doors and undressed from the heavy protective garment. The sound of the sprayers coming on again informed him that Anne wasn't done with the argument. She was a good doctor, Kevin thought. Young but she would learn. She had graduated top of her class and her resume was full of impressive fellowships. He had been glad he'd been able to convince her to come work for him. The National Center for Medical Studies needed her and since she had been there, she hadn't disappointed. The doors opened again and Anne stood in front of him, having pushed her helmet back off her head and stood with her hands on her hips. 

"I'm sorry, Anne. My mind's not in it today." He apologized.

"No shit." Kevin chuckled and looked up to see a smirk on her face. He was forgiven or at least she was thinking of forgiving him. "Look, take the day. Get out of here. Get laid. Whatever you need to do."

"Thanks, boss." He chuckled again at the switch in roles. "It's a good find, Anne. You're right. We're heading in a good direction. Why don't you write up the report and you'll present it on Monday."

"Really? You're letting me present?"

"It's your find. Take the credit." He stood up and changed his scrub pants for jeans.

"Ok. I was going to set up another culture and treat it with 50% more AD450. I'll let you know the results and write up the report after that."

Kevin knew she was pressing her luck and trying to see how much she could get away with.

"Yeah, write it up whenever. It's only Thursday now. Why don't you have someone in Lab B get started on it. Also have them run another IDC4 test on HLFs series 5 through 7."

"Oh my God. What did Lab B do to piss you off?" She asked in surprise. "You know they're going to burn your effigy."

"I could give a shit. Just have them run the tests." He said, threw on his shirt, shoes and started heading out of the room. "Oh and Anne?"

"Yeah?" She said just as she was about to head into the `clean room' again.

"Go above 15% with the AD450 and you'll be fired so quick they'll take away your new Mercedes NR2." He smiled as she frowned and left for the day. 

Kevin flashed his badge to everyone interested as he walked out of the building and tried desperately to avoid Brian Tsu the director of the NCMS. He was a great politician but only a good enough scientist to have an inkling of what the doctors and scientists who reported to him were doing. Brian looked up and caught Kevin's eye. 

"Dr. McEvoy!" Brian called and hurried over to him. 

"Yes, Brian?" Kevin said, slowing barely to let the man catch up.

"Are you leaving?"

"For the day, yes. I'm not feeling so hot and I need a little R&R. You can put it down as a sick day if you want."

"That would be something you'd have to take up with HR, though I seem to remember something about mental health days in the new contract you researchers negotiated." Leave it to Brian to remember the important things.

"Yes, mental health day. That's what I need. Thank you, Brian. I'm going to go work on my mental health right now. If you'll excuse me."

"Dr. McEvoy, you do realize that the Secretary of Health and Science as well as the Vice President are due to arrive in two weeks and both have expressed an interest in all the work concerning HLF."

"I didn't realize that, Brian. Thank you for bringing it to my attention." Kevin said, still walking toward the door of the large building which housed the labs for the National Center for Medical Studies. 

"So?" Brian asked.

"So what?" Kevin answered.

"So what is your progress? What is your current status?"

"The mutability of HLF and its consequent mutant series has given some difficulty in progressing with an effective vaccine or treatment." Kevin started rambling the current and well known HLF protocol in a monotone voice. It was an insult to Dr. Tsu but he didn't care at the moment.

"Recommended treatment still consists of large amounts of I.V. bolus fluids to combat sepsis, hydroxychloroquine to prevent hemolysis, and a rigorous antiviral protocol, though which antiviral is most effective is really a crap shoot at this point." 

"Kevin!" Brian stopped walking and waited for the man he secretly confessed as being the best virologist in his employ to stop as well. Kevin did stop and turned around. 

"Give me something." Brian pleaded.

"Brian, you know how these things are. We might cure this thing tomorrow or we might not see a cure in our life time."

"Hemato Lacramal Fever has killed nearly seventy five thousand people since it's first victim only a year ago. It's blinded and paralyzed almost 30% of those who survived. Those statistics are from this country alone. Not to mention the U.K., India, China, Japan, Australia and most of Europe."

"Don't you think I fucking know that?!" Kevin yelled, not caring who was around to witness his insubordinance. "Don't you think I come to work every day thinking wouldn't it be great if I could fucking find the cure for the fastest spreading disease we have pillaging its way through our society?"

Kevin took a deep breath and looked out of the glass doors only a few feet away and prayed that getting out of the building would give him the break he needed to get back to work. He heard the other man turn and start to walk away.

"Brian!" Kevin called and waited for him to turn back. "We have a compound which seems to slow cellular degradation more than just hydroxychloroquine treatment. It's not a lot and it's nothing to get excited over, but it's something."

"What is the compound?" Brian asked.

"It's a derivative of Sulfanilamide combined with some amino acids."

"Sulfanilamide?" Brian asked, confused.

"I know. I wouldn't have thought so either." Kevin found a new, though hesitant respect for his boss. Apparently he was following the conversation. "It was Dr. Bartholomew's idea. I let her run tests cause I thought it couldn't hurt."

"I'd like a report."

"You'll have it on Monday." 

"Why don't you take a couple days, Dr. McEvoy. You've been under a lot of stress. A break will do you good." 

"I just might do that." Kevin said and walked out of the center. 

Kevin arrived home feeling exhausted as if he hadn't slept in years. He kicked off his shoes and flopped back on his couch to watch a little t.v. It wasn't long before HLF was mentioned on the news during a piece meant to scare the general populous into either finding the nearest bomb shelter or rebelling against the government for not solving the greatest social catastrophe to hit the U.S.A. since the 2016 Labor Strike Riots. They had pictures of the suffering and those that had already died. The dead all had red stains running down their faces from the corners of their eyes appearing as if they had cried blood just before losing their lives. It was an image Kevin had seen many times, and could always see just by closing his eyes. The faces all changed but the bloody tears remained. More than one religious group had used the disease to support their beliefs that the end was coming. A rash of mass suicides had hit every nation that had been affected by HLF. Kevin turned off the television and sat on the couch as the sun made it's way across the sky and set behind the Colorado Rockies. 

Kevin awoke the next morning and decided that he wasn't going to go in to work. He called and let Anne know and then dragged himself into a shower carrying his morning cup of coffee in with him. He stood under the hot spray of water and tried to clear his mind of the incessant buzzing he felt clouded with. It was all nonsensical information and emotional bits of data flowing through his thoughts like static, occasionally congealing into a feeling of guilt or inadequacy or a picture of people now dead because he hadn't found a medicine to save them. That's what he was supposed to do. He was a doctor. He was supposed to find the right medication to save people's lives. Kevin shut of the water and stepped out of his shower and up to the mirror. 

He hadn't shaved the last two days and his stubble was now a light beard of dark brown hair showing only little bits of gray. He stared at himself and saw how tired he was. He shouldn't be this tired for a man of thirty eight. Kevin looked down and saw that he had lost a good deal of weight off his stomach since having been given the responsibility of the HLF labs A and B. Since he hadn't been terribly overweight to begin with, he now looked slightly unhealthy like he had battled a cold for too long. Kevin looked farther and saw a gray hair in the small bush above his thick shaft. 

"Oh fuck!" He said. The day had come. The day when he could no longer tell himself that he was a young man. The day he found a gray pubic hair. And to find it today of all days. He giggled, which was unlike him and finished drying off. 

He threw on a pair of shorts and a Harvard t-shirt he had gotten when he was in med school. He slipped on his sneakers and left the house for a run. He didn't run often but it helped when he was stressed. It wasn't long before the thin Colorado air robbed him of oxygen and forcing him to stop and catch his breath. A truck pulled up and stopped next to him.

"You all right?" Came the husky question. Kevin turned to the truck and into the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. They were bright, shining and smiling. He was thankful he was out of breath because he couldn't have answered if he wanted to.

"It's none of my business but if you haven't been up here that long the air's a bit thin and maybe you should think twice about jogging."

God, he was handsome, Kevin thought. The driver was a large man and took up a good deal of the drivers seat. One long arm stretched to the steering wheel with a large hand draped over it. His hair was shaved close to his head but from his eyebrows and trimmed beard Kevin could tell it was black. His smile warmed Kevin who smiled back.

"I've been up here... for a little over a year now... Just don't have... much time to jog."

"You've been up here a whole year and we've never met? There are only a few hundred people in all of Bright Arrow. How can that be?" The stranger asked.

"I'm with NCMS." Kevin said getting his wind back. "I've been working most of the time I've been up here."

"NCMS, huh? You're military?"

"No, civilian."

"Oh. Well, jump in. I'll give you a lift to town. I gotta run some errands and can give you a lift back if you want. Should only take about an hour or so."

Kevin opened the door and climbed into the cab. He had planned on running the entire way and back but suddenly this sounded like a much better idea.

"That sounds cool. I appreciate it."

"Can't have someone from the Center for Medical Studies dying from exercise now, can we?" He said and smiled again.

"I guess not. It wouldn't look good on our track record. My name's Kevin by the way."

"I'm Pike."

"No offense, but really?" Kevin asked and Pike laughed.

"No. Paul Ichabod Malloy II. My father's Paul so I got Ichabod. My brother's and sister changed it to Ich, which was still better than Ichabod. In college someone got to calling me Pike. It stuck."

"Ok. Nice to meet you Pike."

"You too, Kevin." They drove along in companionable silence for a while still being ten or so minutes outside of town.

"What do you do for NCMS?" Pike asked.

"I'm a doctor." Kevin said simply not wanting to get into his duties too much. "What about you?"

"I do construction. Mostly building houses but also do renovations and stuff like that."

"That's cool. You like the company your with?" Kevin asked and Pike looked glanced over at him and smiled that sexy smile again.

"Yeah, Kevin. I like the company I'm with a whole lot."

Kevin felt his face flush and color like a school girls but couldn't help grinning. 

"I meant-."

"I know what you meant, Kevin. The answer to the question you didn't ask, is yes. The answer to the question you did ask is, since it's my company I had better like it. Right?"

"You own your own construction company?" Kevin was impressed. "You can't be more than thirty."

"Jesus, thank you." Pike laughed. "I'm thirty six but I'm glad to know that I still look younger. What do you do at the Drama Center?" 

"The what?"

"That's what the locals call the Center cause it's always full of people running around and bigwigs visiting and planes flying in and out of the base. Lots of drama, you see." Pike explained.

"Oh got it. Cute. Well, I'm a doctor..."

"You said that."

"Yeah. I'm a virologist. I research-."

"And try to find vaccines and treatments for viruses." Pike finished.

"Yeah."

"How's that going?"

"Not going well." Kevin answered.

"Do you work with HLF?"

Kevin didn't answer for a while.

"Yes."

"That's whats `not going well'?"

"I'm sorry, Pike. I really can't talk about it. No offense but if I told you something that had you worrying you could tell your neighbor and that neighbor would tell someone and all of a sudden I'd be drawn out in front of a news crew to give a statement and there'd be hell to pay."

"I understand."

"I'm sorry."

"No need. You've got your hands full enough with everything that's going on. You don't need that kind of shit mucking it up." Pike said and seemed like he really did understand. 

They didn't speak until they got to town and parked. When Pike got out, Kevin saw that he stood taller than the truck. He must have been 6'4'', four inches taller than Kevin. He was built like a mac truck with a large chest falling down to a flat stomach and a large bulge stuffed into form fitting jeans. Kevin's mouth went dry.

"I'm going to run and do my errands. You can come with or not but I'll be back at the truck in an hour."

"Actually, I think I'm going to just hang around here." Kevin said.

"Cool." Pike nodded and walked a few feet before turning around. "Kevin, let me ask you something."

"Ok?"

"In the truck when I said I was enjoying your company-." He seemed nervous all of a sudden and Kevin smiled.

"Yes?"

"Well, you see... I'm gay. I'm not ashamed by it but... Oh shit, this is coming out all wrong." Pike sighed and shuffled a big heavy boot in the dirt. "I hope I'm not making a mistake in assuming you might be too."

"You're not, Pike." Kevin said and Pike nodded.

"Would you like to get lunch with me after I finish the stuff I got to do?"

"I'd like that." They both smiled.

"Cool. I'll see you at Carter's in an hour?" Pike asked.

"See you then." Pike turned and walked away with Kevin checking out his ass. 

`This was going to be a good day', Kevin thought.

An hour later, the two sat in at and outdoor table at the little cafe and waited for their waiter to get to them. They didn't speak, suddenly feeling a nervousness they hadn't felt with each other in the truck. When their server arrived and took their drink order, handing them menus, they both paid a great deal of attention to what they were going to have. The nervousness didn't abate by the time they received their drinks and gave their food order but they now didn't have the ability to hide in a menu. Pike chuckled.

"What's funny?" Kevin asked.

"Us. We talked most of the ride here but now we can't seem to find a word to say."

"I know. I guess it's always a little more intimidating when the stakes are raised."

"I guess so." Pike smiled. "I like you Kevin, obviously or I wouldn't have invited you here. I'm not a real big dater. I don't go on dates a lot."

"Oh." Kevin said, wondering exactly what he meant. Pike must have realized the thought as it crossed Kevin's mind because he hurried to explain.

"I don't hook up that much either. I mean, a man has needs and I'm no angel but I'm not a big slut." Pike closed his eyes in embarrassment. "I mean-."

"I understand what you mean, Pike. I'm not a lily white virgin either and I do happen to enjoy sex. Personally, I haven't been able to indulge due to my job, much less get out and meet someone important. I'm glad you asked me out here though." 

"You were a hard one to read, Kevin. I wasn't sure if I was making a total ass of myself by asking you, or if you were interested. You just seemed... sad."

"I was definitely interested, though I probably wouldn't have taken the initiative." Kevin sighed and tried to let go of some of the stress he was feeling. "I have a very difficult job which I love, don't get me wrong. But when so many people are suffering and I can't come up with the answer.... well, I haven't found a way to deal with that yet."

"I can imagine how that'd be a heavy weight to bear. And to bear it alone must be even harder." Pike commiserated. 


Bright Arrow Ch. 02



Kevin woke the next morning and headed to the bathroom to release a steady stream of piss into the toilet. He hadn't drunk in a while and though he hadn't had a lot, the beer still had left his bladder full and his head feeling funny that morning. He flushed, and made his way into his office.

"Computer?" Kevin said as he sat down in front of his terminal.

"Yes, Dr. McEvoy?" Came an automated man's voice.

"Access Uberworld."

"Accessing Uberworld. Would you like to start on your personal page?"

"Yes."

"Your personal Uberworld page was last updated four years seven months and twelve days ago."

"Update personal information."

"Personal information has been updated. Would you like details?"

"No." Kevin said. "Search for user Cathy Upton."

"There are eight Cathy Uptons in the United States. One living in Colorado. Shall I widen the search?"

"No. Access the one living in Colorado."

"Cathy Upton, 35, lives at 184 Market Street, Alamosa Colorado. She is offline at the moment."

"How current is her information?"

"Her last update was yesterday. She uploaded pictures. Would you like to see them?"

"No. Message her."

"Message forum is activated. Begin when ready."

"Begin." Kevin said and waited for the beep to know it was recording. "Cathy, hi. I'm your cousin Kevin. Eric and Layla's son. I know we've never met and honestly, I'm not sure why but I'm in Colorado and you're in Colorado and I have the next couple of days off so I thought if you wanted maybe we could get together. And meet. I don't know what your schedule is like, mine's kinda hectic except for the next few days but if you can't meet soon then give me a ring and we can meet some other time. Anyway, like I said, I just thought since we were so close maybe we could have coffee or something. Well, take care and I hope to hear from you soon....End."

"Recording has ended. Would you like to view message or send?"

"Send."

"Message sent."

"Search user name Pike Malloy, also in Colorado."

"There is one Pike Malloy in Colorado. He is not online."

"View page." Kevin said and watched as Pike's page came up on the monitor. "Friend request."

"Friend request pending."

"Close Uberworld, but let me know of any messages on my page."

"Understood."

"Access NCMS database."

"Please look at the terminal and prepare for identification." The computer requested and Kevin looked at the monitor as it scanned his retina.

"Identity confirmed. Accessing NCMS database."

"Pull up most recent lab status reports for Labs A and B."

"Accessing."

Kevin scanned the results and found those for the tests he ordered. He was working for two hours before his computer interrupted him.

"You have a message on Uberworld. Would you like to view it?"

"Yes."

"Accessing." The computer said and suddenly there was a video of a younger pretty girl smiling at him.

"Hi Kevin, I'm Cathy Upton. It's nice to meet you. My mom never really talked about your side of the family much with the argument between her and your dad but I've always been curious about you and never liked the fact that we hadn't met yet. I guess I didn't have the guts to contact you on here. I'm glad you did. Today is bad for me but this weekend I'm pretty much free though I'll have to stay pretty local since I'm on duty. I'd love if you would come down and have some lunch or dinner or just coffee. I'd really like to get to know you. Can't wait to hear from you! Oh and next time, just call. I'll leave my terminal on. Bye!" 

She seemed nice and welcoming. Maybe Pike was right and it was time to start making some connections with people again. The last person he had put any effort into having a relationship of any kind was Anne when she had first started working. And of course Pike, Kevin thought but that was more of a pleasure than an effort. 

"Call Cathy Upton."

"Calling." The computer said and Kevin listened to a few electronic rings before he saw Cathy on his monitor. The two cousins spoke for a while and though the conversation started awkwardly, they both hung up feeling good about meeting. Kevin hung up with her and told his computer to call Pike. After a few rings a voice message picked up.

"Hi, this is Pike. I can't answer at the moment. Please leave your address after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks." The computer beeped.

"Pike, hi this is Kevin. I just wanted to thank you again for a great night last night. I spoke with my cousin today and we're planning on meeting up this weekend. If you're still willing to take me down there, I'd be happy for the company. Just call me back and let me know what day works best for you." 

Kevin hung up and accessed the NCMS database and got to work on some reports he needed to read and file. It was around lunch time that he started getting hungry and it was while making a tuna fish sandwich that he heard a truck pull into his driveway. He peeked out the kitchen window and saw Pike walking up the path. They met at the door.

"Hey, how are you?" Kevin asked.

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Fine. Come on in. I'm making tuna if you want a sandwich."

"I'd love one." Pike said and followed Kevin into the kitchen. "I got your message and was working in the area so I thought I'd stop by and give you my answer in person. I'd love to go."

"Great! I was hoping you would. Which day would be better for you?"

"Either day's pretty good, but how about Sunday? There was something I wanted to do tonight and was kinda hoping to sleep in tomorrow."

"Oh? Big plans?" Kevin asked, hoping he didn't seem as pathetic as he felt.

"Not sure yet. I was hoping to see if someone wanted to go get some dinner tonight."

"Oh." Kevin said and tried to think of something to say that would disguise his disappointment.

"So?"

"So what?"

"So do you want to get dinner tonight?" Pike said slowly as if talking to a child.

"Oh! Um... yeah. Yeah, I do."

"You didn't know I was talking about you?" Pike looked affronted but kept smiling. He walked over and stood right next to Kevin, looking down in his face though Kevin couldn't meet his eyes. "You thought I was talking about someone else, didn't you?"

Kevin stopped what he was doing and looked up in Pike bright, blue eyes.

"I don't do this a lot and haven't done this in so long. I'm a bit out of practice. The last person I asked out was a female doctor on my team and that was only to discuss retroviral transduction."

Pike took Kevin's hands in his and turned him so they were facing. He lowered his head the inch or two to look him in the eye and waited till Kevin's eyes met his. 

"Dr. Kevin McEvoy, would you go out to dinner with me tonight?" Kevin smiled.

"Yes, Paul Ichabod Malloy II, I will go out to dinner with you tonight."

"Normally, I'd kick your ass for calling me Ichabod but it's cute when you say it." They laughed and Pike leaned in and pressed his lips to Kevin's. It was a soft kiss and even when Pike slipped his tongue forward and into Kevin's mouth, it was slow and sweet. 

"Mmm, you taste good Dr. McEvoy."

"Why thank you, sir. As a medical professional I've been highly trained on having a productive and stimulating doctor patient relationship."

"I don't know if this is covered by my health plan."

"I'll do it pro bono."

"Isn't that more of a lawyer thing?" Pike asked.

"Shut up and kiss me again." Kevin demanded. 

"Yes, doctor." Pike leaned in and met Kevin's mouth again. This time it was more savage with the attraction both of them felt for the other urging them on. When they broke apart, Kevin stepped back and hid the evidence of his desire behind the kitchen island. Pike chuckled and hid his on the other side. 

"Now how about that sandwich?" Kevin asked. Pike left after an hour and promised to return at seven for the date and Kevin returned to his work in a much happier mood than he had been earlier. 

At six thirty, Kevin realized he was running late, saved his work and jumped into the shower. As he washed his thoughts drifted to later in the evening. He hadn't been intimate with someone in quite a while and he was looking forward to it with excitement and a little nervousness. Pike was younger than him, not by many years but when you find a gray pubic hair one suddenly feels ancient. He was also hot and hoped that Pike would find him just as desirable. Kevin was rummaging through his closet when he heard Pike pull up. He had left the door open so Pike could let himself in. 

"Hello?" Pike called from downstairs.

"Hey, I'll be down in a minute." Kevin chose an outfit and prayed it was flattering. Coming downstairs he found Pike sitting on the couch.

"I'm sorry. I was working and lost track of time."

"Not exactly what a man wants to hear when he comes to pick up his date." Pike smiled.

"Well, I'm pretty sure the reason I was able to get so deeply engrossed in my work was because I often thought of our date tonight and it put me in an exceptionally fine mood."

"That's much better." Pike leaned down and took possession of Kevin's mouth. "You look HOT."

"Thank you. You always do." Kevin said and tried to ignore the sudden heat in his face. 

"Thank you. Ready to go?"

Pike had chosen a little Japanese restaurant that Kevin hadn't even known was in town. The decor was a lot of black lacquer with red highlights and Buddhist imagery. It was lit well over the tables but dim enough to be cozy and intimate. Kevin was pleased. 

"Ever had hibachi?" Pike asked.

"Once when I was a kid."

"If you don't like Japanese we can go somewhere else."

"No, I remember liking it. I just never got a chance to go back. This is fine."

They sat and talked and watched the show as the chef flipped eggs into his hat, squirted them with saki and told corny jokes that of course, they laughed at. They ate their sushi appetizer and spoke of whatever came to mind. 

"My first relationship was when I was eighteen, he was twenty three. His name was Roger and I was in love." Pike started. "I didn't really know what love was at the time and I was still feeling weird about my feelings for guys but when we met I fell head over heels. I was a jock, played football and baseball and hockey sometimes. Roger was a slacker, I guess you'd call him. He smoked pot, wouldn't join a team to save his life, hung out with the 'bad kids' and wore a lot of leather."

Pike laughed and Kevin smiled at the image he had of these two different young boys finding each other. 

"I guess it was his apathy that sort of fascinated me. He was so cool, you know. Plus, he was out at the time and no one gave him shit for it. He was just gay and if you didn't like it, he could care less. No one seemed to be able to make him feel bad about it, so they stopped trying and accepted him. I learned a lot from Roger."

"What happened?" Kevin asked.

"I think it was the fact that I wasn't as ready to accept myself as he was. When I went to college, I asked him to move with me but he wouldn't. He moved to Portland. Last I knew he was in Seattle, had changed his name and is lead singer for a band which is doing pretty well. I even have an album of theirs. Ever heard of the Grundles?"

The name brought up a vague impression of punk music and overtly sexual stage antics. They were interrupted by the waiter placing their orders in front of them. 

"Aren't they the ones who wear tutus and throw vegetables at the audience?" 

"Yup. That's them."

"You dated the lead singer?"

"Yeah." Pike smiled. "He wasn't throwing vegetables when I knew him."

"That's pretty cool." Kevin laughed.

"He's really a great guy, just a little eccentric. He sends me tickets when he's doing a show in the area. Maybe we'll go next time he's around."

"Sounds good. I haven't gotten pelted by a zucchini in forever." 

"All right, wise guy, what about you?"

"My early relationships?" Kevin thought for a moment. "Well, I played around with friends in high school and in college that really turned into alliances."

"Alliances? What does that mean?" Pike asked.

"If you were having trouble in organic chem you'd date this guy. If you needed help in physics you'd date this guy. That kind of rolled over into med school a bit, though I have to say it was a bit more honest. The 'dating' side of it just turned into having sex. It was like study buddies with benefits."

"Sounds cold." Pike said.

"It was, but at the same time we didn't have time for much else."

"So what were you good at?"

"I was a really good student and was usually the stronger academic partner. I was driven and determined to get into Harvard." 

"And in Harvard?"

"Well, I was still driven but you're now going to school with only the top neurotic driven hopeful doctors in the country. I will say I held my own though." Kevin felt a little embarrassed by his early love life and was asking himself why he had decided to be this honest with Pike.

"And your first real relationship?" 

"Was with a young surgical resident in the hospital I was doing my internship in. His name is Michael and he was great. I was in love. We dated for four months before I moved in and I think that's when it started to collapse. The only time we saw each other was when we'd break away for lunch in the hospital cafeteria. Other than that, we'd come home, hopefully be awake enough to give sex a try and then pass out. We did try though and I believe he loved me as much as I loved him but when you consider the life of two doctors trying to establish their careers, there's not much time left for anything else."

"I'm sorry." Pike said.

"It was a very amicable break up in the end. We've remained friends and his current boyfriend is great so I'm happy for them both."

"What about your last?"

"My last was Brian, an insurance adjuster from Florida that my parents set me up with. Nice guy, a little set in his ways and when the opportunity came for me to work at the NCMS there wasn't really a choice. I think we had just been there to ease each others loneliness for a while. What about yours?" 

"My last was Hector." Pike said and sighed. "He was from Denver and we dated for a while before we decided he should move up here. We lived together for six years, then we hit a rough patch. He lost his job and didn't try too hard to find another one. I started resenting it when he would just be lounging around the house, not even cleaning. Then I came home and found him in bed with another guy. I kicked him out. That was three years ago. No one really since him."

"God!" Kevin said. "That's horrible."

"Well, no one ever said relationships were easy."

"No, but I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to be that hard either."

"Probably not." Pike raised his glass. "To a better relationship for both of us."

"I'll drink to that." Kevin said and touched his glass to Pike's. "I have to thank you, Pike. I haven't had this good a time in forever."

"I'm glad. That means I'm special." Pike grinned.

"Yeah. You are special." Kevin admitted.

"Good. I think you are incredible. Even though I've only just met you I get happy every time I see or think about you." Pike took Kevin's hand in his.

"Oxytocin."

"What?"

"Your body's producing a high amount of a neurohormone called oxytocin which is necessary for mammalian bonding and mating. It increases empathy and lowers fear and distrust actions of the amygdala. It's release is trigger based and the cerebrum interprets it as a positive emotion, such as love."

"Yeah?" Pike said and leaned in.

"Yeah."

"Well, get ready cause I've just released a whole shit load." Pike took Kevin's lips with his and slipped his tongue into the doctors mouth. Not caring of who was around and who might be watching they kissed and held hands for some time.

"Are you ready to go?" Pike asked.

"Yeah."

"How are your oxytocin levels?" Pike chuckled.

"I think I might be close to an overdose."

"We can't have that. We need to release some, don't you think Doctor?"

"Well, actually it doesn't really-."

"Shut up and come on."

Even though Kevin offered money toward dinner, Pike became Alpha male and refused him flat. 

"I invited you out. I pay. Ever feel like returning the favor I'll let you pay." 

They jumped in the truck and were headed back to Kevin's house when Pike turned to him.

"I was going to take you home and hopefully get invited in but I think I'd rather offer an invite of my own. Would you like to come over my house?"

"I'd love to see your house, Pike." 

Pike smiled and pulled the truck back onto the road. When Kevin's turn came, Pike kept heading up the mountain and they were soon high above the town and lower valley. He pulled up a long driveway and Kevin watched as the woods gave way to a clearing and an impressive log cabin sitting right in the middle. 

"This is home." Pike said and smiled as Kevin was obviously charmed. 

"It's beautiful."

"Thanks. Wait till you see the bed." Pike said and got out of the truck. Kevin chuckled and felt a tingle of anticipation in his stomach. As they walked up the stairs to the front porch, Kevin heard dogs barking.

"That's my alarm system." Pike said.

"Sounds like you have quite a few."

"I'm a dog person. I bought about half the litter." He said and opened the doors. Medium sized black dogs with white chests and funny little, light brown eyebrows.

"They're gorgeous. What kind are they?" Kevin asked.

"They're Australian Shepherds. They're great dogs and one of the smartest." Pike told the dogs to go and play and led the way inside. 

Kevin walked into a large great room which was just as described. High cathedral ceilings, a huge river stone fireplace and an entire wall full of windows and glass doors which led out to the back porch. 

"Out there, you can look out and it seems like you can see forever. It's got a great view." Pike said. "Ready for the tour?"

"Yeah." Kevin said and followed him. 

Pike's house was beautiful, Kevin thought as he followed the bigger man around. It had a master bedroom and two other spare rooms, one that Pike used as a gym. It had an upstairs full bath, with a downstairs half bath and of course a full master bath. On the walls were pictures of smiling people that Kevin assumed was Pike's family due to their resemblance. 

"Come on. You've got to see the bed." 

Pike said and grabbed Kevin's hand.

Pike flipped the lights of the master bedroom and in the middle of the room was a huge, dark wooden bed. The headboard had been carved to show a nature scene of two bears fishing in a river underneath a sun. The foot board had been carved to show a similar scene, but the bears were curled up next to each other sleeping underneath a sky bright with a full moon and stars. 

"I made it myself with a little help from a carpenter friend. I knew what I wanted and he helped me make it. I even carved it out myself." Pike said proudly.

"Pike, it's beautiful! When you said you wanted me to see your bed, you really meant just see it." Pike laughed. 

"Not exactly, Kevin, but I hope I'm a little smoother than that. I was thinking of offering you some tea, coffee and maybe some dessert or something." Kevin smiled.

"Nah. I'd rather have you." Kevin pulled Pike into him and they kissed as they had in the restaurant with passion and need. Kevin helped Pike pull his shirt up over his head and almost gasped at the sight. Pike was a truly beautiful man with a large chest covered in black hair. It made a shiver run up Kevin's spine.

"Whatever the doctor orders." Pike said and pulled Kevin onto the bed. "I've thought about having you in this bed ever since I saw your cute ass bending over trying to catch your breath." 

"Wow, all of two days ago? You must have been going out of your mind." Kevin said, nibbling on Pike's lower jaw that smelled of man and a heady aftershave.




Bright Arrow Ch. 02



"Well, luckily for me you're easy." Pike said with a shit eating grin and Kevin burst out laughing.

"Bitch! Just for that I think I might just change my mind." Kevin smiled down at Pike who smiled back.

"You can do whatever makes you comfortable but I just want to tell you that I'm really enjoying getting to know you and there hasn't been anything about you that has made me think twice."

"Not anything?" Kevin asked.

"Not anything. That scares me a little."

"Why does it scare you?"

"Because if there isn't anything that slows me a down then I'll charge full ahead. I might wake up one day totally and completely in love with you and I can see that happening very easily." Pike said and looked up at Kevin who had lain on top of him. Kevin was struck by the honesty and vulnerability in his face. 

"You're scared if you wake up one day in love with me-."

"Totally and completely in love with you." Pike clarified.

"Totally and completely in love with me that I won't love you back?"

"Something like that, yeah." Pike felt Kevin's hands stroke his chest through his shirt and felt his whole body respond to his touch.

"I'm scared too, Pike. I'm scared that you'll wake up one morning and realize that I'm not good enough for you. That you need someone else, someone younger or smarter or better. And I'm scared because I could see myself falling completely and totally in love with you too." Kevin admitted.

"I couldn't imagine someone better or smarter than you are. And as for younger? What the fuck do I want with younger? You're only two years older than me. I don't go in for little kid drama shit. I want a man in my bed. I want you in my bed, Kevin."

"Well, you got me here, Pike. What are you going to do with me?"

Pike lifted his arms and started unbuttoning Kevin's shirt. It was like unwrapping a present and his excitement grew with each inch of skin uncovered. His chest was broad and covered in hair, some dark brown, some gray, all of it beautiful. Pike pushed Kevin down so he was straddling Pike's groin and sat up. He took off Kevin's shirt and pressed his face into his chest to smell the man. 'God, he smelled good', Pike thought and wrapped his arms around him. 

Kevin took Pike in his arms and squeezed the man into himself. The man's very presence was comforting as much as it was exciting. They met for a kiss as they held each other both half naked. Pike lowered his hands to Kevin's waist and unbuttoned his pants, then repositioned him so they could shuck the pants down. Kevin laid next to Pike wearing nothing but his briefs and began unbuttoning Pike's jeans. When they were shucked, Pike pulled Kevin into his arms and languished in the feeling of their erections still enclosed in fabric, pressing up against the others. 

"You're so hot, Kevin. I can't believe how good you feel."

"God, Pike I need you so bad."

Kevin drew back from kissing Pike and made his way slowly down his lovers body. He sucked and lightly nipped Pike's nipples till they were hard as rocks. He dragged his body down along Pike's torso as Pike shivered with pleasure. When Kevin came to his briefs, he lifted the waistband and pulled them down over Pike's generous penis which was hard and pointing to his own stomach. A small drop of pre-cum had leaked out and fell on Pike's naval. Kevin dipped his finger in it and brought it to his mouth to taste it while Pike watched him intently. 

"You taste good, Pike."

"Oh baby, you can taste all you want."

Kevin leaned down and started licking up Pike's shaft. When he took the head into his mouth, Pike grabbed a handful of blanket with both hands and held on as he breathed deep and fast. By the time Kevin had reached the base of the cock, Pike was moaning and bucking his hips. Kevin hadn't been intimate with a man in quite a while and was taking his time enjoying the hot man writhing beneath him. Pike's cock leaked out copious amounts of the salty sweet liquid Kevin had tasted before as he continued sucking up and down his long length. The full feeling of Pike's manhood in his mouth made Kevin wonder what it would feel like up his ass just as Pike pulled on Kevin's shoulders bringing him to meet his mouth. 

"I was about to cum and I don't want to cum in your mouth. Is that ok?" Pike asked.

"Have you been vaccinated against HIV?"

"Yeah, and I don't have anything else either. I take advantage of the free clinic at the Center and get tested pretty regularly. You can check my records if you want. I'll approve it."

"No, I believe you."

"You've been vaccinated?" Pike asked.

"Of course, I'm a medical professional."

"God love you doctors!" Pike said and laid Kevin down across the bed. Pike stood on the floor and leaned down to take Kevin's large penis into his mouth trying to give him the same amazing pleasure he had just received. Kevin moaned and took Pike's head in his hands, loving the soft, prickly feeling of the bigger man's short hair. When Pike had brought Kevin to the brink of orgasm, Kevin stopped him and told him it was time.

"I want you inside me."

"I want to be inside you, baby." Pike said as he lubed his cock with a great deal of lotion then massaged Kevin's ass until he was begging to be fucked. Pike brought the head of his penis to Kevin's soft opening and slowly pushed in and out until he felt it begin to open and respond against his body. Once he knew he was being accepted, Pike pushed further and felt Kevin's body being stretched tight with his.

"Are you ok, Kevin?"

"I haven't done this is forever. It hurts." Kevin said through gritted teeth.

"I'm almost in, baby. Can you take it?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, you can take it baby. Take my dick for me, Kevin." Pike whispered words of encouragement and they both felt Kevin's body open enough for Pike's head to slip through.

"Oh God!" Kevin moaned. Pike waited for his lover to get used to his girth and nuzzled Kevin's neck, sucked on his nipples, pressed kisses to his face and stroked his cock till Kevin relaxed enough.

"Pike, give me more."

"All right, baby. Take some more." He said and shifted his hips to push his cock deeper into the beautiful man laying beneath him. When he felt himself being take to his hilt, he let out a soft moan and lowered his head on Kevin's chest. Pike felt Kevin wrap his arms around his back and his legs around his ass. "Oh God Kevin, you feel so good!"

"You do too, Pike. You're so big!"

"Are you all right? I want to move." Pike asked.

"Yeah, Tiger. Move all you want." Kevin said and felt Pike pull out and push back in. 

They started in a slow rhythm, with Pike leaning down over Kevin. They kissed as they made love and stared into each others eyes. Green ones looking up into blue, the two felt themselves getting lost in the other. Pike slipped his arms behind Kevin's back and gripped his shoulders to give him better leverage. With each thrust in he pulled Kevin down to meet him and soon wasn't able to hold back the pace. 

Kevin felt himself being thrust into with an abandon he not only wanted and matched but needed. He pulled at the man above him with his arms and his legs. Kevin's body screamed to be joined with Pike's and seemed never to be satisfied when it was given more. But Pike kept giving more, even lifting Kevin partially off the bed so that he was almost in a sitting position while being taken. 

"Oh God, Kevin! Your ass feels so good!"

"Fuck me, Pike!" Kevin answered.

"You're so fucking tight! Your ass is so fucking tight around my dick!" Pike yelled as he plowed Kevin. 

"Don't stop! Just keep going! Please don't stop!" Kevin leaned back into Pike's arms and let himself go as he was thrust into. His ass was burning as much as the shocks of Pike's lovemaking was bringing him closer and closer to the edge. 

"Baby, I'm getting close! Are you ready? I want you to come just before I do." 

"Yeah, I'm close! Just a little bit more!" Kevin shouted.

Pike slowed his rhythm down and used longer thrusts to massage Kevin's prostate and anus with his thick cock. Kevin's eyes rolled back into his head and he squeezed them close and he took his own cock in his hand and started fisting himself. Pike's long thrusts were sending little electric shocks through out his body and bringing him closer to orgasm. 

"I'm cumming, Pike! I'm cumming!!" Kevin shouted and felt Pike quicken his pace and slam into him again and again.

"Me too, baby. Me too." Pike felt Kevin's ass spasm around his shaft and felt his cock thicken and spurt shot after shot of his seen into Kevin. Pike kept fucking until he couldn't move any more and collapsed on top of him. 

The only sound to be heard in the room was the heavy breathing of the two men as they lay together in each others arms and the warm sensation of afterglow. Pike felt Kevin's hand stroking his back and smiled at the gesture, especially because he was sure Kevin wasn't even aware he was doing it. Pike was still inside Kevin and slowly shifted to pull himself out, but remained kneeling on the side of the bed where he had fallen post coitus. Kevin sat up suddenly.

"What's up, babe?" Pike asked.

"I have to go to the bathroom." Kevin grinned and Pike chuckled.

"Fine. Ruin the moment."

"You answer one need and another just pops up to take it's place." Kevin said and ran to the bathroom to clean himself up. Pike came in a minute later and let loose a large stream of piss into the bath since the toilet was occupied. When they were through, Pike went downstairs still naked to let the dogs in and returned to the bedroom where Kevin was waiting for him. 

"You look good in my bed, Kevin." Pike said from the bedroom doorway. He was leaning with one arm against the door jam looking entirely too pleased with himself. His smile was filled with a manly sort of pride. Kevin's heart skipped a beat and he couldn't help but smile back. 

"You sure look proud of yourself there, stud."

"Talk like that will get you more of the same." Pike said and came over to climb into bed. 

"I don't know if I could take more just now. I think that's something that I'll have to work up to." Pike chuckled and pulled Kevin to him.

"We'll have to work up to." Pike said. "I don't think I could do that again if I wanted to, but my machismo won't let me admit it too often. I'm beat."

"Me too." Kevin said as Pike shut the light off. A half moon sat low in the sky just above the mountains and lit the room with a soft, pale glow. 

"I'm glad you're here, baby." Pike whispered into Kevin's neck.

"I'm am too, stud."

"Good night." Said the one.

"Good night." Said the other.



Bright Arrow Ch. 03



Kevin woke up late the next morning to see the mountains in the distance lit by the morning sun. He took a deep breath and enjoyed the feeling of Pike's body pressed close to his back. Kevin could feel Pike's cock, half hard poking at his ass. His arm was thrown over his chest pulling Kevin back against him and his nose was lightly brushing the hair on the nape of his neck. Kevin sighed and turned over to lay face to face with Pike. It wasn't long before his long, dark lashes fluttered and his eyes opened. Pike smiled.

"This is a nice way to wake up?"

"How's that?"

"With you in my bed, watching me sleep."

"Not creepy?" Kevin grinned.

"Not at all." Pike said and grabbed Kevin's hip to pull him closer. He leaned his head down and Kevin closed his eyes expecting a kiss but only felt Pike brush the tip of his nose back and forth against his. "I would, baby but I'm pretty sure I've got morning breath and since this is our first morning together I'll be nice and spare you."

"But other mornings I might not be so lucky?" Kevin asked as Pike got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. His eyes wandered down to the beautifully made ass as it walked away.

"I could keep some Scope in one of the nightstands." Pike called from inside as he peed and brushed his teeth. Kevin followed him into the bathroom and gargled then relieved himself. 

"What did you have in mind for today?" Kevin asked walking back into the bedroom. Pike grabbed him from behind in a bear hug.

"I was kinda hoping for morning sex if you're up to it?"

"I think that sounds like a great idea." Kevin said and turned around and lifted his head for a kiss. Pike met his mouth with his own and slowly walked Kevin backward till his knees were pressed against the bed. Kevin let himself fall and waited for Pike to climb up and cover him with his body. 

"You know, it's quite possible that we might not leave this bedroom today." Pike warned.

"I think even you with your voracious sexual appetite would need to stop for food." 

"True. But we could bring it back up here." 

Kevin laughed and wrapped his arms around Pike as they kissed again. Pike climbed up and offered his dick to Kevin who took it in his mouth and ran his tongue around it's soft, velvety length. They both moaned and Pike slowly fucked Kevin's mouth before turning around and sucking on Kevin's swollen member. Before Pike was about to cum, he pulled off and got down on the edge of the bed to lift Kevin's legs. 

"Ever been rimmed before?" Pike asked.

"Actually no. With all of the diseases and-." Kevin stopped as Pike broad tongue flicked at his ass. Pike used his clever little muscle to stroke and massage, then to tongue fuck the hole he couldn't wait to slide his cock into. 

"Oh God." Kevin moaned softly and closed his eyes to let himself just feel. He took his dick in his hand and the combined pleasure had him moaning louder and gyrating back against Pike's face. Pike stood up.

"Yeah, I think you're ready. Baby, hand me the lube." He said and smeared a large quantity of the lubricant on his large cock before aiming and slipping passed Kevin's outer opening. Pike rocked and slowly buried himself into Kevin who winced at the pain.

"Take some time, baby." Pike said as his manhood reached full depth. Kevin felt himself slowly relax and the pain abate. 

"I'm good, Pike. Fuck me please?" Kevin asked.

"Since you said it so nice." Pike smiled and started pumping into his lover. 

It was morning lovemaking, simple, sweet, and new. They had the whole day to explore each other and they took their time doing it. Pike picked Kevin up from the bed and sat on the side with Kevin on top of him, allowing himself to be ridden while still pushing up from beneath. Kevin bent his legs effectively kneeling on the bed which gave him greater leverage. The pleasure in Pike's eyes added to his own gratification. Pike hugged Kevin tightly to him and stood up.

"Woah! Where you going?" 

"You're a big guy but I've got you." Pike answered.

"Yeah, but where are we going?"

"Ever been fucked against a wall?"

"Um... no." Kevin said.

"Any objections?"

"No." Kevin said with no objection whatsoever. 

Pike smiled and brought them close to a wall, leaning Kevin back against it.

"What do I do?" Kevin asked.

"You take it, baby." Pike said and thrust his cock deep inside. Kevin felt the cock slam back into him and small stars appeared around the outside of his vision.

"Oh fuck!"

"Like it?"

"Oh Pike! YES!" 

Pike kept slamming into Kevin who was thrilled to feel the thrust of Pike's cock as well as reverberation of the wall against his back. He threw his arms around Pike's neck and held on as best he could.

"Kevin, I'm cumming!!" Pike said and slammed over and over again as his dick thickened and shot his seed in Kevin's ass. Kevin felt his own release building in his groin.

"Pike, don't stop! I'm close! Don't stop!!" Kevin felt himself build and then shoot his own cum between their chests. Pike lowered them gently to the floor where the lay, catching their breath. 

Kevin looked over at Pike who was smiling from ear to ear. 

"I haven't done that since I was a kid." He chuckled. "I wasn't sure I could do it."

"You did it and did it well. I'm beyond impressed." Kevin said. Pike brought a hand up and cupped Kevin's cheek.

"I wanted to impress you. It's important to me because in the short time we've known each other, you've become important to me."

"Pike, you don't have to impress me. Not that I didn't appreciate that." Kevin smirked. "But you impress me just by talking to me."

"Yeah?" Pike asked with a childish expression on his face, but Kevin could sense the honest surprise. "So you're not embarrassed by the dumb jock you're sleeping with?"

"Where the fuck would you get an idea like that?" Kevin said offended. "You're not dump. I actually haven't seen you play sports so it's not the jock thing. Besides, that'd be sexy."

"You're a doctor and you save lives and find cures and shit. I build houses."

"You started your own company and give people reasons to live, like houses that they love and live in. What's all this about?"

"Just a little insecurity, I guess. Not sexy but honest at least." Pike chuckled. "I just don't want you getting bored with me."

"Insecurities happen. There's no way around it. I'm insecure that you'll figure I'm too old or something." Kevin stated.

"Never happen."

"Well, it's there and it's something we'll have to work on." Kevin said and rolled over to lay on Pike's chest. His heart was still beating rapidly. "I am really into you though and I don't think I can be cured of that."

"No? What's the prognosis then?" Pike said and cupped Kevin's ass cheeks in his large hands.

"Not good, I'm afraid. The condition might worsen. My best advice is to just let it run it's course."

Pike smiled and leaned up and kissed Kevin long and hard.

"Sounds good. I ever tell you how much medical double entendres excite me?" 

"No, you never have." Kevin laughed.

"It's a new thing." 

They spent the day hiking through Pike's land and the surrounding area. The dogs ran along side them or explored on their own though never going far enough that they couldn't hear their master's cry. Pike and Kevin found a waterfall that fed a pool of clear water. Though they both had the same idea, the morning's lovemaking still left them tired and they tacitly left it for another day. They made their way back to the house and started making lunch. 

"I don't have a lot of food in there, huh?" Pike asked.

"It's ok. We'll make sandwiches." 

"Are you excited about visiting your cousin tomorrow?" Asked Pike.

"I am. I never really thought about it before, but I realize I should have done this years ago." Kevin said as he made the sandwiches. "Thanks for the kick in the ass."

"Not a problem. It's good to have family around. Speaking of that, how were parents when you told them you were gay?"

"They weren't bad." Kevin smiled, remembering his parents reaction. "I told them when I was in med school and they started yelling."

"Yelling? That doesn't sound too good."

"I thought they were yelling at me cause I was gay, but then I realized they were upset that they weren't going to have grandchildren. Once they got over that they were ok with it."

"You could always adopt or do the artificial insemination thing." Pike said and took a bite of the sandwich Kevin offered him.

"Yeah, that was the plan but I think they've kind of given up hope. I did too actually."

"Hope of what?"

"Meeting a man who I thought was worthy of being a father of my children."

"Well," Pike said and took a swig of his beer. "I'm not saying I'm worthy. Shit, I don't even know if I'm ready yet, but I'd like kids. Just FYI." 

"That's good to know. And for the record, I think you'd make a great father."

"We can still beat them right? When they piss us off?" 

"We'll have to wait till they're a little older, but yeah. We can beat them senseless." 

"Good." Pike said and chuckled. "You feel like going grocery shopping with me? I know it's not really date weekend type stuff but it'd get us out of the house."

"One, I don't mind being in your house with you. Two, I don't care if it's date weekend type stuff or not. Sounds like fun."

"Cool. We'll have to go into Cheyenne. I'll buy you dinner."

"No deal. You bought last night. It's my turn. Mind if we stop by my house so I can pick up a change of clothes?"

"Not at all, but you're not buying dinner. I offered first."

"You didn't offer. You told me that you were going to buy me dinner. I refused and counter offered. Your move." Kevin smiled smugly. 

"I should pay cause-."

"Don't give me the 'I'm the man in the relationship' shit. I don't feel like listening. Just accept so we can go." Kevin said and watched as Pike went to get a clean shirt, grumbling all the way. He just chuckled. 

They stopped quick at Kevin's so he could change and then made the twenty minute trek into the city of Cheyenne. Country music blared from the stereo and Pike drove happily singing along. Kevin had to admit, though his taste in music left a little to be desired, he did have a beautiful voice. At the shopping center, they grabbed a cart and started down the aisles. Kevin watched Pike's choices and tried to restrain himself from commenting. It was the hot dogs that put him over the edge. 

"Do you know how many nitrates are in those things?"

"But I like 'em." Pike answered defensively.

"Do you know what nitrates do to your body?" Kevin asked.

"I'm not sure I wanna." He said like a petulant child. Kevin sighed.

"All right. Get them."

"Thanks." Pike grinned.

Kevin smiled to himself and thought about small changes he'd like to make to Pike's diet. He was interested in changing Pike, just making sure he ate healthier. It's not the same thing, he thought. Kevin felt a small feeling of fear. Had they really gone this far, this quickly? He could definitely see Pike as being a part of his life and the feeling gave him some comfort and a little anxiety. It had been a while since his last relationship had ended so badly and the feelings of hurt and heartache came back swiftly. He had gotten used to being alone. It was easier. They finished shopping, ate dinner at a small Mexican restaurant and headed back to Pike's house. The evening for Kevin was spent in an odd funk where he both enjoyed Pike's company and feared the new feelings he was having. 

"Hey, you there?" Pike asked as they sat on the couch finishing their glasses of beer. 

"I am. Sorry. I was just thinking about something." 

"Me, I hope." 

"Yeah. Actually I was."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"No, I'm fine. I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought. Someone wore me out last night and this morning." Kevin said and Pike chuckled.

"You ready for a little more wearing out?"

"I don't think my ass could take it just yet."

"Well there's other things we can do." Pike suggested taking Kevin's hand, pulling him up and leading him upstairs.

They laid down naked in bed and pulled each other close. They started off kissing, rubbing and stroking each other. Pike rolled over to lay on his back still holding Kevin in one arm. His erection swung with the beat of his heart. Kevin followed suit and the two stroked themselves, watching each other and kissing. 

"I didn't know you were left handed." Kevin observed.

"I'm not but I got used to it the last couple of years. A guy likes a change sometimes, you know?" Kevin laughed.

"Why don't I help you out there?" He asked and took Pike's throbbing cock in his hand. Pike returned the favor and stroked Kevin's erection. They stroked each other's dicks while they kissed and mated tongues. "Pike, you're so beautiful." Kevin said, taking in the long, muscled length of his lover's body.

"Ah Kevin. You're the beautiful one." Pike said through ragged breathing. "Oh Kevin, you're going to make me cum." Their hands stroked until their release shot and covered them both. Pike recovered first and washed up in the bathroom and brought a warm, wet towel for Kevin. 

"Thanks. I didn't feel like moving just yet."

"That's all right. It's good to know that you get just as excited playing as fucking." Pike said, throwing the towel back into the bathroom when Kevin was done with it.

"It's not the playing or the fucking, it's you. You make it so much more." Kevin said startling himself at his honesty.

"Well now, that's really good to know." Pike said and pulled Kevin into his arms. They kissed and snuggled closer. "Lights off." Pike said and the room was suddenly dark. 

"Good night, baby."

"Good night, stud."

They woke early the next day, put the dogs in the kennel and got ready for their long trek to Alamosa. It would take four hours to get there and they were hoping to be there just before noon. They climbed into the truck and started out on their trip. 

"I should stop and get Ethytrol." Pike said. 

"This truck still uses Ethytrol?" 

"I have to. Electric trucks just don't have the power of combustion engines yet and I need it for work. At least Ethytrol is cheap and lasts a while. Not like the old days."

"I know. I remember paying sixteen dollars a gallon for gas and I had a hybrid." Kevin added.

They stopped and filled up the truck's tank with the fuel which was made from rotting vegetation, garbage with a few additives mixed in then continued their trip. Kevin looked out the window watching the impressive views of their rural area slowly turn to more developed urban areas. By lunch time, they were pulling into his cousin's driveway and looking up at his cousin's house. It was a cute blue house set just outside of town and she was there at the door.

"Kevin! Hi! It's great to meet you." Said the cute little redhead as she came down off the porch. They stood awkwardly in front of each other not sure if they should hug or not until Cathy pulled Kevin in to a hug. 

"It's great to meet you too." Kevin said returning the embrace. "This is Pike." He said simply.

"Nice to meet you Pike. Are you guys together?" Cathy threw her arms around Pike as well.

"We're working on it." Pike said with a smile.

"Great! Well, welcome. Come on in."

She led them in to her house which was obviously lived in by an active family. 

"I apologize for the mess but we're always running these days. My husband's at work. He's a nurse at County Hospital and the kids are... Well, the kids are wherever they are." She laughed. "Once they hit the teen years I guess parents become the enemy and no one tells me anything."

"Don't worry about it. It's a great house." Pike observed. 

"Thanks. You guys want coffee?"

The coffee was french pressed and as flavorful as it was aromatic. They sat and talked of their lives up till the moment and eventually got on the subject of their parents disagreement. 

"I have no idea." Kevin said. "Any time I asked my father he would just say that he didn't want to talk about it."

"My mother said once that your father was a `stubborn ass who needed to lighten up'. She was a bit of a free spirit and I think she regretted that they didn't talk toward the end. She died so suddenly neither of them got a chance to make up. I gave a half-hearted attempt to find your parents to let them know but I didn't find them until after the funeral."

"What did she die of?" Kevin asked.

"HLF. She was in California for a bit when one of the first outbreaks happened. They didn't even know how to treat it." Cathy said. Kevin dropped his eyes and felt Pike's hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. Have I said something wrong?"

"No Cathy, you haven't. I'm so sorry for your mother. HLF is a horrible disease and if there was anything I could have done I would have." Kevin said shakily.

"I don't understand. It's not your fault, Kevin."

"Yes, it is. I work for the NCMS. I'm in charge of the labs which are studying HLF and we haven't made much progress. Each death is my fault." 

"No, they aren't. As a doctor you should know, death just happens. There's no rhyme or reason. The bad don't always die first and the good don't always live forever. We don't live for ourselves, Kevin. We don't even work for ourselves. Your work will help the future, not the present. If you found a cure today that's a bonus for us. If you never find a cure then someone will base their work on yours and find a cure tomorrow. You can't blame yourself for anything. That's selfish. You're not that important that the fate of the world should rest on your shoulders." Cathy finished. Kevin was speechless for a moment then began to laugh. 

"Wow. I don't know whether I should be insulted or relieved." He said and Cathy smiled.

"I'm an EMT and firefighter. I've seen a lot of bad happen to people and there's no way to get around it. You just have to accept it and do the best you can. Sometimes we get to be the shining light in someone's life and bring them back from the edge of death and sometimes we get to be the witnesses to their lives and be with them as they go." No one said anything as they pondered her words. 

"I'm sorry, I recently became a Buddhist." Cathy said and Kevin and Pike chuckled. 

They spoke for quite a while until Cathy's beeper went off alerting her to a call. 

"911 center to Alamosa Ambulance ALS, 52 year old female patient complaining of abdominal pain, flu-like symptoms, red rashy areas and general malaise. Use code 42 protocol."

"Shit! I have to go." Cathy said and started to the door.

"What's code 42 protocol?" Kevin asked.

"It's a possible HLF victim. It'll be the fifty third since the beginning of the year. I hate to do this but I'm going to have to leave. I should be back in an hour or so."

"Let me come with you." Kevin said.

"I don't think that's a good idea. I know you're a doctor and uniquely qualified but you're not used to being on an ambulance." Cathy argued.

"I did some time on an ambulance in med school. I can handle it and I'll only be there in an advisory position." 

"All right." Cathy said after thinking it over. "But you do what I say, all right?" Kevin nodded and turned to Pike.

"Are you ok with this?"

"How can you ask that? Just go. I'll be fine."

Cathy and Kevin jumped in her SUV and headed toward the squad house. As they pulled up they saw the Ambulance outside and running with a driver waiting for them. He was a large man who was dressed in an isolation suit just as Kevin wore at work. They jumped in the back and headed out. Cathy and Kevin through on their suits as they rode to the scene. 

"Kevin, I'm serious. I'm assuming since you're in research you don't treat patients every day?"

"I do treat patients but no, not every day."

"Well, if you need to step back I want you to do it. I don't need to worry about you, ok?"




Bright Arrow Ch. 03



"All right."

They pulled up on the scene and ran up to the house. The front door was open and waiting for them and the patient's family was standing outside with fearful expressions. 

"Officer!" Cathy called and waited for the police man to head over. "I want the family back inside quarantined till we know what's happening. You'll have to stay here and make sure of that."

The officer nodded looking more than displeased at the situation. Cathy and Kevin walked into the house and found the patient lying in bed.

"What's going on, Linda?" Cathy said as she sat next to the woman. 

"I don't feel good, Cathy. It's not HLF is it?"

"We don't know yet but we're going to take care of you as if it were, ok?"

Cathy and Kevin both did assessments with the EMS tools at their disposal, which to Kevin were rudimentary. When the patient was on oxygen and had an intravenous line pumping much needed fluids into her body, Kevin and Cathy both stepped back for a quick discussion.

"What do you think?" Cathy asked.

"If this is HLF, we caught it extremely early. It's also possible that she may be one of the immune."

"If she were immune, wouldn't she not get it at all?" Cathy asked.

"No, the immune system would still get over run with the virus and show signs and symptoms of sepsis but if she is then it might not progress much further. The fact that her family hasn't shown any signs is a good thing. There is still a very good chance that this is not HLF. I'll know more at the hospital."

"All right, let's get her there." Cathy said and they transported the patient to the ambulance. 

On the way to the hospital, after repeating their assessment, Kevin called on the radio to give report to the ER.

"County this is Alamosa 698 ALS on route to you with a 52 year old female. She's alert and complains of abdominal and muscle pain, vomiting, fever and headache. There are erythemas on her chest and arms. Her vital signs are 140/100, 93 strong, 17 shallow and rapid, temp of 40 degrees Celcius. This is a code 42 protocol. Do you require further?" Kevin waited for the nurses voice to respond over the radio.

"Negative Alamosa 698. Use bay two when you arrive, you'll be in room 4."

"County, Alamosa 698, this is Dr. Kevin McEnty of the NCSM. I'll be taking the patient to rule out HLF. Please confirm my identity and arrange for any authorizations needed."

"Copy Dr. McEnty, we'll get prior authorizations and be waiting for you when you arrive."

Kevin put down the mic and closed his eyes for a moment. He hoped to God this wasn't another case. 

They pulled into the hospital and wheeled the patient into an isolated room at the end of a hallway. Nurses and other doctors in isolation suits were there to meet them. As Cathy gave report to the nurses one of the doctors came up to Kevin.

"Dr. McEnty? I'm Dr. Sarah Myers. I'll take your word for the moment but when you have a free second we'll need you to state your identity to a terminal and get proof. All the legal stuff."

"Right."

"You think this is HLF?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. It looks like it but HLF looks like a lot of things in it's early stages. There's still hope." Kevin answered.

"Well, I checked out your bio on NCMS database. I'm very happy to have you here if it is."

"Honestly doctor, there's not a whole lot more that I can do for her that you couldn't but I'll do my best." 

"Let me know if you need anything." She said and left him to return to the patient. 

"Nurse," Kevin began as he got into the room. "I need a blood sample drawn and analyzed by the NCMS labs. Get her started on intravenous hydroxycholorquine."

"Yes, doctor." The nurse said and left to follow out his orders.

An hour later Anne called from the labs and Kevin left to find a free terminal to video with her. 

"Anne, did you analyze the samples?"

"I did. It's not HLF. HLF antibody 4 was present but not in the numbers that would cause symptoms or even be contagious." Anne replied.

"So she came in contact with a dead strain of HLF 4?"

"Apparently. That's becoming increasingly common. It may also explain some of the immunities we've seen. A person with a minimal first exposure seems to have a better chance than one not exposed at all."

"Then why can't we synthesize a vaccine?" Kevin growled.

"Because sweetie, it's not always easy getting the right combination of DNA to be effective enough to produce antibodies while not being effective enough to cause a disease." Anne said, realizing Kevin knew that as well as she did. 

"Remind me to put you on report for insubordination when I get back."

"What was that? You're breaking up."

"Yeah, I bet. So I don't suppose you ran the sample for anything else?" Kevin asked.

"I did. And you're welcome. RMSF."

"Really? There hasn't been a case of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in years." Kevin argued.

"I'll restart the clock." Anne retorted.

"Well then my work here is done and I'll be coming home soon." Kevin suddenly felt relieved.

"When are you coming to work again?" 

"I'll be in on Monday."

"Really? Thank that hot piece of ass you've been seen around town with for me." Anne smiled wickedly.

"I will." Kevin smiled back. "Pike's a great guy."

"I look forward to meeting him." Anne said. "Take care and I'll see you later."

The video blacked out.

Kevin turned around and saw the nurse who was working with him on the patient. 

"Take her off the hydroxychloroquine, keep her on the I.V. fluids and put her on doxycycline. Also make a note in her chart that she tested positive for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The test results will be coming back shortly."

"Yes, doctor."

Kevin sanitized his isolation suit and took it off. Cathy had left a while ago and he would have to drop it off at the ambulance squad house. He wondered how he was going to get back there when a nurse came up to him.

"Dr. there's a Pike Malloy here. He asked me to tell you that he'll be waiting for you in the waiting room but not to hurry." Kevin smiled.

"Thank you." He said and headed out to meet him. 

Pike was reading a magazine but looked up as he saw Kevin coming out of the ER. His face broke out in a large grin.

"You look happy." He said.

"I am. It's not HLF. It's Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Fatal but only if left untreated. She'll be fine." Kevin said and sat down next to Pike.

"It's a good day then." Pike said and put an arm around Kevin's shoulders. 

"It's a good day. But I think I'm ready to go home." Kevin was surprised when his thoughts of home were of Pike's house and not his own.

They stopped by Cathy's house, dropped off the isolation suit and despite Cathy's insistence that they stay over, promised to visit again and headed back to the house. Kevin was quiet on the way back and stared out the window. 

"Anyone ever tell you you get really quiet on a roadtrip?" Pike asked.

"Yes. I do. I'm sorry. It's just such a great opportunity to think that it's gotten to be a habit. I should have taken a long drive instead of a jog that first mental health day."

"That would have been horrible." 

"Why?"

"We never would have met?" Pike said.

"Yeah, that would be horrible. I'm glad I didn't."

"Me too." Pike agreed. "So what were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking that I feel energetic and hopeful. I haven't felt that way in a long time. It feels.. new."

"I hope a little of that has to do with me?" Pike asked.

"I think a lot of that has to do with you, Pike." 

They made it home just after two in the morning and went straight to bed.

"You don't mind if we hold off on the sex tonight?" Kevin asked.

"No, I'm beat." Pike said and crawled in to bed naked to press up against him. "You mind if we make up for it in the morning?"

"That sounds perfect." Kevin said. "Good night, Stud."

"Good night, baby."

The next morning, Kevin woke while the sky was just beginning to lighten. Pike wasn't in bed, but the shower was running. `Who the fuck gets up this early?', he thought. Then his thoughts turned to other things and the promise they had made to each other last night. Kevin smiled, rose and headed toward the bathroom. Pike was washing his hair as Kevin slipped in to the warm spray of water. He put his hands on Pike's large, wet chest and smiled as Pike grinned with his eyes closed. 

"Morning. I didn't think you'd be up this early." 

"I didn't think anybody would be up this early." 

"I have to get to a new job site we're getting ready for a client who's building a mini-mansion." Pike said as he washed the soap away from his face. His dark eyes opened and turned even darker with desire. They met for a kiss and ran their hands around each others bodies. Pike took Kevin in his hand and stroked him till he was just as hard. Kevin turned around and placed both hands on the far wall of the shower and felt Pike push the head of his cock up against his ass. They both moaned in pleasure.

"What do you want, baby?" Pike asked.

"I want you." Kevin answered.

Pike thrust his hips and slipped inside his lover's ass. 

"So tight and warm." Pike said. 

"So big." Kevin answered and chuckled. 

Pike thrusted and pulled Kevin back against his chest. Kevin could feel Pike's ragged breathing and hear his moaning. Pike took Kevin's hands as he increased his rhythm. Both of them were straining against each other, their legs shaking with the force of it. Pike took Kevin's cock in his hand and pumped till Kevin was yelling and moaning and his cock shot his load over the wall. Pike felt the ass muscles around his cock spasm and tighten in response and found his own release with a great cry. Kevin felt Pike's cock slip out of him and sighed in pleasure. The two washed each other up and stepped out of the shower to get ready for the day.



Bright Arrow Ch. 04



The week went smoothly with work slowly progressing in the labs. The whole team felt an excitement that they had found a direction which might actually prove useful. Even through the long hours the entire medical staff were putting in, there was an air of optimism. Friday afternoon found Kevin and Anne sitting at desk going over an analysis of a compound they were intending on trying when a terminal interrupted them.

"Dr. McEnty, you have a call coming in from Pike Malloy. Would you like to take it?" The computer asked.

"Ooh, I'll actually get to see what the hot stud looks like?" Anne asked.

"You haven't seen him? He's called here before." 

"Never when I was able to see the screen." Anne said, sounding disappointed. Kevin chuckled and told the computer to view the call.

"Kevin, hi. What's going on?" Pike asked.

"Just work as usual. What about you?" 

"The same." Pike said and his eyes darted to Anne for a second.

"Pike this is Dr. Anne Bartholomew. Anne, Pike Malloy."

"Hi Anne, nice to meet you." Pike said.

"So you're the one who put the boss man in a better mood?" Anne asked, outright. Pike chuckled.

"Yeah, that'd be me."

"You have my deepest gratitude."

"It was no problem." Pike said humbly.

"Anne, get back to work." Kevin ordered and turned back to the terminal. "So what's up?"

"I'll be done with work soon and was wondering what your plans were. I wanted to see if you wanted to grab dinner."

"That'd be nice. What did you have in mind?" Kevin asked.

"I'm easy." Pike said. "Whatever you feel like."

"I'm going to be working for a bit longer and won't get out till around seven. How about we pick up take out and eat in?"

"Sounds good. My place or yours?"

"How bout yours? I'll have to stop by my place and grab a change of clothes but I can be up there by eight."

"That's perfect." Pike said and glanced over at Anne. He pressed a button on his terminal and the sign for private conversation popped up on Kevin's. Even though Anne was sitting next to him, all she could see now was a blurry image and hear garbled audio. "I've been thinking a lot about you."

"Have you now?" Kevin smiled. "I have too. I'm looking forward to tonight."

"You better be, cause I've got a whole lot of things planned for you. I can't wait to get your ass in my bed." Pike leered and Kevin felt himself harden at the thought.

"That sounds... acceptable." He said for Anne's benefit.

"I'm glad you're on board. I'll see you later, baby. Say goodbye to Anne for me."

"I will. See you later." Kevin said and disconnected the call.

"`That sounds... acceptable'?" Anne asked and laughed. "You guys are ridiculous."

"Why?" 

"Like no one could decipher that complex code you were using."

"He was just being discreet." Kevin said. "Did you finish?"

"Yeah, the sample's coming up now." Anne said and got back to work. "It's showing some promise. There seems to be some useful antibodies in it. We might be able to pull out the similar genetic material and hopefully that will give us a basis to work with."

"Hopefully." Kevin agreed. "If the similar material isn't sufficient we'll have to try a larger sequence."

"Right but at least we'll have vaccines for at least three of the virus series."

"I'm not saying it isn't a Godsend but we don't stop till we get 'em all." Kevin added.

"I like this new you. You were luck a fucking whipped dog before your met Pike and now you're like that old t.v. show House."

"Hardly." Kevin chuckled. "I just needed... a break."

"If that's what you want to call it, you go right ahead sweetie." Anne smirked. "Hey, why don't you knock off a little early. It doesn't take both of us to sit here going over genome reports."

"You remember the early HIV research?" Kevin asked, lost in a thought.

"Of course. It's basically it's own class in med school."

"They found that HIV was dependent on lipids to enter or exit the cells."

"Right, it lead to the first suppression regimes. Are you thinking that HLF might be too?"

"This immune patient has some odd results. It might be a place to look. If we don't get the vaccine from the sample, maybe we can at least treat it effectively." Kevin said, looking through other patient reports.

"That's a good catch. But you've got to disconnect for a while. Get out of here. Go see Pike." Anne ordered.

"Why do you want me out of here so badly? Are you hooking up in the lab again?"

"No!" Anne said innocently. "Not in the lab."

"Oh God. Don't tell me."

"Come on, Kevin. It's almost six. Why don't you head out early?"

"Fine. I'll go. Start the simulations on the sample material and have lab B check for correlations between lipid factors and cellular susceptibility. I'll check them tomorrow." Kevin said and packed up his stuff.

"You know, Anne, I'm thinking you should get out a little more yourself."

"And leave all this? Never!" Anne smiled. "Have a nice night, boss."

"You too."

He drove to his place to pick up a change of clothes and then headed up to Pike's house. Pike's truck was there and the dogs barked as they ran along side his car. Pike stepped out onto the porch as Kevin stepped out of his car. 

"I wasn't expecting you till later." He said with a smile.

"Annie kicked me out of the lab and to tell the truth, I didn't put up much of a fight."

"I'm glad to hear it. Come on in, baby." Pike said wrapping an arm around Kevin and leaning in for a kiss. 

The male voice of Pike's terminal woke them a sound sleep.

"Dr. McEnty there is an urgent message for you from the National Center for Medical Studies.... Dr. McEnty?"

"Yes." Kevin said, sitting up in bed trying to wake up. "Who's it from?"

"Dr. Tsu the director of-."

"Put it on." The screen flashed and Kevin's boss appeared, looking like he had just woken up himself. "What is it Brian?"

"I'm sorry to wake you, Kevin but there's been an outbreak of HLF. Four hospitals in New York city have requested testing on over 15 samples. Seven have come back positive so far. I need you out there."

Kevin stood up, thanking God he had put his boxers on before going to bed. 

"Have you called anyone else?"

"I just got off with the center, you were my first call."

"I'll need a plane and my response team. I'll take the minimum for now but I may need all of them later."

"Take whoever and whatever you need. I'll call and authorize it. Kevin, we need to look big on this. You know what I mean?"

"Like the NCMS is everywhere. Of course, Brian. I want to be off the ground within two hours."

"The plane's already being fueled. You can leave as soon as your team and equipment are on board." Brian said.

"I'll call you from New York when I know anything. McEnty out." The terminal flashed off. "Lights!" The bedroom lights turned on and Kevin saw Pike half sitting up, leaning on his arm. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Pike smiled. "For doing your job? Don't be. I guess this is what it's like to date a doctor."

"You're amazing, you know that?" Kevin asked as he threw on his pants.

"I've heard tell." Pike sobered. "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know. We've got some new treatments, some compounds that we can try, but...." Kevin sighed. "We just don't know how effective they're going to be."

Pike stood and wrapped Kevin in his arms. 

"Be safe?"

"I will."

"Be good?"

"I'll try."

"Come back to me?"

"You bet your ass." Kevin promised and pulled Pike into a deep kiss.

After a quick stop at his house for a hastily packed bag of essentials, Kevin pulled up to the military check point of the Center. A guard stepped up to the car.

"Hello, Dr. McEnty. Could you please look at the monitor?" 

"Hey, Steve. How's it going?" Kevin asked as he verified his identity with the computer. After seeing the approval flash on the screen, Kevin drove off and made it to his lab to prepare the necessary tools for travel. Within the next hour, most of his team were assembled and loading the plane. 

"This is going to be bad, isn't it?" Annie asked once the plane had taken off. 

"Probably." Kevin admitted. "I've gotten us an empty storage warehouse that should be suitable. It's already being prepared. The first patients are being transported. I've ordered all ems systems to be on alert and to divert suspected patients there. I have Rodgers doing supply so God willing we won't want for anything-."

"Did you have him notify the pharmaceutical company to increase hydroxychloroquine and the new serum production?" Annie interrupted.

"Fuck! No, thank God you're here."

"Don't worry about it. I'll do that. What else?"

Kevin rattled off the impressive list of preparations they had made. 

"I can't think of anything else." Annie agreed. 

"I want this nipped in the bud, Annie. Anyone who even thinks they have it, I want quarantined, tested and not released till they've been proven negative."

"That's going to be hard and will probably throw the city into a panic."

"I'd rather scare people than kill them."

The plane landed two hours later and was met by a large caravan of government cars and moving vans. Kevin left one of his chiefs in charge of transporting the equipment, anxious to get to the warehouse as soon as possible. He jumped into one of the vehicles with a man who identified himself as Dr. Tenay, the city's Department of Health director. 

"Dr. McEnty, I realize this is a NCMS issue but I demand that I be appraised of any and all developments as they happen. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you come into this city and run roughshod over it."

"I appreciate your situation, Dr. Tenay and I will do my best to accommodate you, but as the senior medical officer here I'm going to be a little busy. Whatever I need from you will be explained as soon as I know what that is and I'm sure I can count on you to carry that out immediately. Also, my second in command here is Dr. Anne Bartholomew and as my second, will be speaking for me and you will take that into consideration. Forgive me for my bluntness but as you said this is now a NCMS matter and we're here to save lives."

"Of course." Dr. Tenay said, obviously irritated by the dressing down. "I'm only concerned that this is handled properly."

"I understand and I assure you, it will be. But it's impossible for us to stop for every official who wanted up to the minute details. You being DOH, however, will be kept in the loop, I promise."

"Thank you."

"Now, what's the latest?" 

Kevin was briefed by the director as they headed to the warehouse which had been prepared for them. It was in upper Brooklyn and sat on the Hudson river, appearing very much the old, abandoned building left over from when docks were crowded with shipping freighters. On the inside, it had been made to look like many different clean labs, with separated isolation rooms. There was a great deal of empty space and Kevin prayed that they wouldn't need it. 

Hours later, Annie walked into Kevin's makeshift office and quietly sat down in the extra chair. They had been working since they arrived and the more they learned, the more bleak the situation appeared. Twelve more patients had arrived in the last couple of hours, each testing positive for HLF. 

"What's the toll?" Kevin asked.

"Of the fifteen originally transported, fourteen are positive. We've sent the other home. Of the twelve new ones, all twelve are positive. Twenty six infected. We've had reports that four others are on their way, three from outlying areas that have begun diverting HLF suspected patients here. And there's been two other local calls which are suspected as well."

Kevin nodded as he stared at his terminal. 

"This is an epidemic." Annie stated the obvious.

"Yes."

"What are we going to do?"

"Has the Hydroxy or the serum gotten here yet?" Kevin asked.

"No. We're using our own supply of Hydroxy, but if the numbers keep rising we'll be out by tomorrow and we have no serum as of yet. I'll get Rodgers to ride the pharmaceuticals."

"I want those drugs here tomorrow." Kevin demanded.

"They will be."

"What stages are the patients in?"

"All of them. We have everything from showing first symptoms to end stages. There is one patient who I don't think will make it till he can be treated." Annie said and Kevin nodded, trying to process the information clinically and suppress his true feelings of grief and frustration. 

"Have Rodgers contact the pharmaceutical company now. Wake up whoever you have to and if you need to drop names to get action, drop the vice presidents name."

"Understood." Annie said and left the office. 

Kevin stood and went to the nearest entry port to don his isolation gear. Once inside, he made the rounds of all the patients. Many were older, but that was be expected. Epidemics usually targeted the very old and the very young. HLF was no different. Many of the middle aged patients were showing only early symptoms, the older ones had progressed much further. Kevin stepped into the man's room that Annie was worried wouldn't survive much longer. His face was wrinkled with his seventy years of age and fear. The blood red tears of an end stage infection were staining his cheeks. Kevin was briefed by the nurse in the room on the patients condition before turning to the patient himself. 

"How are you, sir?" Kevin asked. The man turned his head in the direction of the voice but Kevin knew that at this point his optic nerve had degenerated past the ability to see.

"Are you a doctor?"

"Yes, sir. My name is Dr. Kevin McEnty."

"Am I going to die?" The old man asked and Kevin swallowed.

"Yes, sir. I'm afraid you will." The old man nodded, then smiled.

"It's hell not knowing." 

"You have no idea, sir." Kevin added. 

"George. My name is George."

"I'm sorry, George. I'm sorry I can't save you." Kevin said and George took his hand.

"I'm old, son. If I have to go this way than that's what I'll do." He smiled again. "I can at least be pragmatic now, right?"

George chuckled and Kevin smiled.

"I guess so."

"Would my body help if I donated it to science? I'd like to help."

"We'll take samples from your body and of course an autopsy will be done but as to donating it, no. It's not allowed. You're body, I'm afraid will have to be cremated." Kevin said and George nodded.

"I never liked the idea of taking up space in some cemetery anyway."

"Do you have family you'd like to talk to? We can't bring them in here but we can have a video set up for you to talk to them."

"My wife is dead and my kids aren't here yet. They were trying to find a flight out here when I was being brought in."

Kevin sent someone to try to find out where George's children were and when they could be expected. 

"I'll have the video set up so that you can speak with them as soon as they get here." Kevin said and left the room to finish the rest of his rounds. He spoke with nurses, advised other doctors and even chatted with some of the patients. While he was in the infected area, two more patients were brought in from the suspected area. They had tested positive, been quarantined and now awaited their fate with the others. Kevin left the area, sanitized the suit and retreated to his office.

A day later, Kevin was woken with a start as Annie entered his office. He had fallen asleep on his desk and felt his body complain over the uncomfortable position it had been in for so long. He checked the clock on his terminal and saw that he had been out for two hours.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." She said.

"It's all right. I'm fine. When's the last time you got some sleep?"

"I took a cat nap a few hours ago." They both knew that they weren't getting enough sleep and that it was par for the course. "You could go crash. They've got cots set up in the back."

"Sure, maybe later. You too. If you get too tired, go get some sleep."

"Right."

"What's up?" Kevin asked.

"We just received the second shipment of hydroxychloroquine and serum 417. Maybe 417 will do better than 416."

"God willing." Kevin said, wiping his hands over his face. "What's the death toll? Is it still only George?"

"No. Cindy Rodriguez passed about an hour ago."

"Cindy Rodriguez?"

"The waitress from Westchester."

"Oh yeah. Jesus, she was young."

"Yeah, well, she was on anti-rejection medication for her kidney transplant. She didn't really have a chance."

"No, I suppose not." Kevin added. "Anything else?"

"We've gotten at least seventeen more patients."

"What are the numbers?"

"We're up to sixty three positive with eight not expected to live till morning."

"Christ. Do you need me in there?"

"No, we'll be fine for a little while longer. I've been having some doctors and nurses with experience going through isolation training. We can use them if we run low."

Kevin closed his eyes.

"Pike called while you were asleep."

Kevin felt a tug at his heart. He felt like crying and wanted to be home with Pike so bad and not in this hell of watching people die and not being able to do anything about it. 

"I'll call him now. Thanks, Annie." Annie left and Kevin checked the time. It'd be late in Colorado but Kevin needed to talk to him. "Computer, call Pike Malloy."

Pike's face appeared on the screen, his eyes sleepy and warm and beautiful. 

"Hey baby." He said, his voice deep and sexy from his slumber.

"Hey stud. I'm sorry, I was sleeping when you called."

"That's fine. I'm glad you got some sleep. Annie said you hadn't slept since you left."

"I'm fine, Pike. It's just like my residency all over again. I'll sleep when I get home. Speaking of which I wish I was there right now."

"I wish you were too, baby. This bed feels mighty lonely without you in it."

"You know, Pike... This is probably a really horrible time to do this... no, strike that. This is a fucking shit-ass time to do this... but I... I don't know. I just-."

"What is it, baby?"

"I love you, Pike. I just wanted you to know. I know it's early and we haven't known each other that long-."

"Shut up, Kevin." Pike said and sat up further. "You're right, this is a really shitty time to tell me this." Pike said and laughed. "I love you too, Kevin."

"You do?" Kevin smiled.

"I do. I was going to tell you before you left and lost my nerve. I thought that telling you when you came home would be better. I don't know why."

"We probably should have told each other then or when I get home but now feels like a good time." Kevin said and felt a tear proudly fall down his cheek.

"Kevin, is it bad?"

"It's not great." 

"Kevin, don't bullshit me. Is it bad?"

"Yeah, Pike. It's bad."

"Can you talk about it?"

"No. Not right now. I just have to get through this."

"All right. I'm here for you, baby."

"I know that, Pike. I gotta go, stud. I'll talk to you later?"

"You call me anytime you need me."

"I will. I love you, Pike."

"I love you too, Kevin."

"Good night."

"Good night, baby."

A week later had the resources of the NCMS strained to almost breaking. Though the mortality rate was still high, the amount of patients coming in had near tripled. Though his request to quarantine the city was denied, Kevin had managed to set the highest medical alerts possible over television and radio warning the public to stay out of the area if at all possible. Even with the new doctors and nurses the Center had sent to assist and the ones Annie had found and trained they were only able to handle the patient load they already had. Should they receive many more infected, they would be horribly understaffed. Kevin was on the phone constantly with multiple members of every level of the government as well as the scientific community. When he was able to break away from that, he was seeing to the few patients he was able to care for and still meet his responsibilities as chief medical officer. He was in one of the patients rooms when Annie found him.




Bright Arrow Ch. 04



"Serums 421, 435, 490 and 402 are having no effect." She stated plainly. Kevin had decided that testing multiple serums over the many infected might give them quicker results to find a cure. 

"Are any of them slowing the progression other than 418?"

"No, though I think we may have found a cure for Lupus. Hydroxychloroquine and serum 422 were administered to a woman with SLE and she started saying that she was feeling better. Her HLF levels were still high but her ANA tested negative."

"Well that's something, I guess."

"What about the lipid factors? Has the Center sent something over we can use?"

"There seems to be a correlation but the lab hasn't figured out a way to use that."

"Maybe I should send you back to Bright Arrow." Kevin said and saw Annie shaking her head inside her isolation suit.

"No Kevin. You need me here."

"I need you were you're useful and I'm sorry Anne, but none of us are doing much good here. We're just pill pushers here and I need you to be researching rather than zipping body bags!"

"We've got labs here and I'm doing both! I'm not ready to give up on the serums. We've got some left."

"None of them have had an effect other than 418 and that only slightly inhibits HLF."

"Dr. McEnty!" A nurse called as she rushed into the room. "You have an urgent message from Dr. Tsu."

"Computer, put my message on." The video flashed and Brian's face on the screen. "What is it, Brian?"

"Kevin, you have to return to Bright Arrow immediately. There's been more cases."

"Where?"

"Here, in Colorado. They started in Denver and are now spreading outward. We've even got positive results in Bright Arrow and our labs are under siege with sample testing requests."

Kevin's heart stopped. Another outbreak. That was impossible. They didn't have the one they were working on under control and from the looks of things it was only getting worse. 

"Brian-."

"I'm ordering you, Kevin. Get on the fucking plane and get back here. I need you here. New York is a testing ground at this point. I need you researching." 

"I'm on my way." Kevin said, still disbelieving that this was happening. 

"Jesus, Kevin." Annie said and followed Kevin to the sanitation port. They both waited as they were sprayed and decontaminated before unsuiting. "What the fuck is going on?"

"An infected must have gotten on a plane. I told them to shut down the city."

"They didn't listen to you."

"They'd better listen to you. You are now the chief medical officer. I'll call Brian from the plane and make it official but I'm sure he already has. Keep me posted on everything and I'll let you know what's going on."

Kevin was driven to the plane waiting for him at J.F.K. and was given priority clearance to depart. The flight took three hours which Kevin used to find out as much as he could of the new outbreak though the information was spotty. When he landed at NCMS, he made his way to the lab and saw the rest of his research team hard at work. He briefed them quickly and handed out orders, knowing that he wouldn't have much time for them once he was involved with the new patients. He caught one of the people who worked for him and made him his assistant.

"What's you're name?"

"Dale Thompson."

"Get me numbers, Dale. I want to know how many are infected, where they are, what stage they're in and if we have some time get names and info and stuff like that. I also want them all here, in Bright Arrow. Try to find me somewhere we can convert into a hospital like we did in New York. Then get me meds."

Kevin and Dale left, both communication with the many people involved in organizing the quarantined area and transporting the patients there. Within three hours the first ones were arriving and enough of the isolation rooms were up to treat them. NCMS doctors were at Kevin's disposal and flooded the area helping to test or treat the increasing numbers of infected. Early numbers were twenty six infected, mostly early stages, but Kevin knew they would grow quickly. 

Kevin returned to the lab, some hours later after the numbers had doubled. The medical professionals treating them were adept at dealing with infectious diseases and would not need his close supervision allowing him to check on the researchers. He made some changes to some of the work they were doing and went back to his lab to continue working in private. He also took a minute to call Pike who didn't answer. After leaving a message that he was back in Colorado and to call him as soon as he could, Kevin returned to his work. 

"Computer, run compatibility analysis of compound seven one three with normal variables."

"Analysis begun, completion in two hours fifteen minutes."

"Notify me upon completion."

`Just enough time for a nap', Kevin thought and headed to a small couch they kept in the office.

An alert woke him up from his sleep and he stretched broadly. He felt worse for the cat nap but knew his body would get used to the hard hours he had been subjecting himself to eventually. He stood and made his way to a coffee maker to make a cup.

"Computer, display the results of the last analysis." A diagram appeared on the screen as Kevin sipped his coffee. The results seemed promising as he scanned down the list, but then his face fell and he threw the cup across the room. The last sequence of the analysis had failed. The compound wasn't viable. 

"Computer, prepare next slide." He said and heard the machine whirr and hiss and an automated arm changed samples. "Run compatibility analysis of compound seven one four with normal variables."

"Analysis begun, completion in six hours fifty three minutes." The computer answered.

"Why so long?"

"Density of compound seven one four will inhibit electron analysis."

"What is compound seven one four?"

"N-7-chloro-thia-carboxylic acid methyl guinidine."

"Is that from the list Dr. Bartholomew created after the lipid study?"

"Yes. The list was created by Dr. Bartholomew on May 4th from results of the lipid study done on April 29th."

"Continue and notify me when it's done."

Kevin used the time to head back to the makeshift hospital they had created for the Colorado outbreak. He sat at his desk and called Dale into his office.

"Where are we at?"

"One hundred and four patients as of now. Thirteen in end stage. Two deaths already." Kevin nodded. 

"There's a patient who's asking for you by name."

"For me?" Kevin asked but couldn't think who would know him. The only one he knew well in town was Pike. His face blanched. "What's his name?"

"Paul Malloy. He said he's usually called-."

"Pike." Kevin said jumping up from his desk and running toward the first isolation port. He threw on his suit as quickly as possible and pushed his way into the isolated area. He found Pike's room and saw him lying on the bed, his face covered in the early red rashes of HLF.

"Pike? Pike, it's me. It's Kevin."

Pike's eyes opened and he smiled as he saw Kevin.

"Hey, I didn't think they got to you."

"No one told me you were here until just now."

"That's ok. I was just glad to hear you were back in Colorado. I swear, baby, I didn't do this just to get you back here though." Pike laughed.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel tired and achy. I came in as soon as I started getting the red rash thingies."

"How did you get it Pike? Do you know? Did you see anyone with rashes?"

"No. I had to go in to Denver to pick up some things for a job and talked to a couple people but I don't really remember anyone being sick or anything."

Kevin's hand shook as he held Pike's. 

"Don't worry, babe. I'm ok, just now." Pike said and pulled Kevin into a hug. "I'm just tired, you know?"

"Ok, stud. Why don't you close your eyes for a bit. I'll be right here." Kevin promised.

"No, Kevin. I'm going to go to sleep, but you've got work to do. You gotta go do it now. Ok? I'll be fine." Pike smiled.

"Pike, I'm not going to leave."

"I'm not dying yet, Kevin. You've got to go, though. You have to go do your doctor thing and you can't be doing that if you're sitting here watching me sleep."

"You know me, I like watching you sleep."

"Go on, baby. I'll be here when you get back."

"Pike-."

"Go on." Pike said and pushed Kevin back. "You have to go now."

Pike closed his eyes and Kevin stood watching until he had fallen asleep.

"Tell me the moment he wakes up." Kevin ordered and made his way back to the lab. 

He called Annie at New York.

"Pike's got it, Anne. He's infected."

"Oh Jesus, Kevin. I'm sorry."

"I don't know if I can do this, Annie. I don't think I can."

"You have to. You're the only one I'd trust to save me if I were on that bed so you have to. Where are you at?"

Kevin told her of his latest research.

"The serums here have all failed. We're using 418 like it's water but I'm not sure how far that will even get us anymore." She said. "I hope your lipid compound works."

"It had better." Kevin added and ended the conversation. 

He sat in the lab alone waiting for the results to come back. He sat with his thoughts of his love waiting to die in an isolation room. Kevin cried until he passed out from exhaustion.



Bright Arrow Ch. 05



Thanks to everyone who has commented and emailed me on this story! I'm touched to know that so many of you enjoyed it! 

*

Kevin woke sometime later and pulled himself up from a hunched position over a lab table, his body aching all over. He called down to the quarantine hospital to check on Pike's status and was assured that Pike was stable and that for the moment his blood samples showed that he was responding to serum 418. Kevin sighed, hung up with the nurse and looked around the lab to try to remember where he had left off. It was then that he saw the flashing message on his work terminal.

`Analysis of compound seven one four complete'. It showed. 

"Computer, display results of last compound analysis." Kevin looked over the results as he prayed. It wasn't long before he found a sequence that had failed and shook his head with disbelief. Compound seven one four was his lipid compound.

"Computer, verify results."

"Compound seven one four analysis was conducted using normal variables. 159 separate sequences of HLF DNA were tested. Line sequence 93 was the only failure."

"What was the nature of the failure?"

"Sequence 93, protein sheath trans-migration."

"So the compound cannot pass through the virus wall?" Kevin asked.

"Correct." Answered the computer. 

"Can the compound enter a human cell?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Computer, would compound seven one four be able to neutralize or inhibit viral DNA or RNA synthesis within a human cell?"

"Unknown. A level 8 Human Host Simulation test would be required. Accuracy of such a test would prove 79% reliable."

"Run level 8 Human Host Simulation test on compound seven one four in human cell. First variable; HLF infection."

"At what stage?"

"End stage. And set all other variables to highest."

"Highest variable results will lower the accuracy to 72.4%."

"Understood. How long till test completion?"

"Twelve days, nineteen hours, fifty two minutes."

"That's bullshit!" Kevin yelled. "Is there anyway to decrease result time?"

"Completion time was predicted using maximum CPU usage allotted to labs A and B."

"How long would the results take if we were to use all of the CPU?"

"Maximum CPU usage possible before critical shutdown of all automatic systems is 86% and would take four days, three hours, eight minutes." The computer responded. Kevin sighed and knew there was no way to get the results sooner but if this worked he would have a cure. 

"Understood. Begin test at 86% CPU usage."

"Authorization required."

"Who's?"

"Dr. Brian Tsu, director of the National Center for Medical Studies."

"Call Dr. Tsu."

A minute later, Brian answered his terminal in his office.

"Kevin? Please tell me you have something good." The director looked harried and Kevin thanked God he wasn't in his shoes. 

"I just might, Brian. I need maximum CPU usage and I need it now."

"I know. My terminal just informed me of your request. I'm not sure I understand."

"I have a compound which very well may inhibit HLF synthesis inside the cell. I was only hoping to be able to stop it from entering the cell but now it looks like I can kill it once it's in. I need to do a Human Host simulation so I can determine if it's effective and won't kill the patient."

"Are you sure, Kevin? I'll have to shut down every other department for this. We'll barely be able to get our email much less figure out another way to fight this. You're asking for a lot and I need you to be sure."

"Brian, this is the closest we've been in a long time."

"How long would the test take at your normal usage?" Brian asked and Kevin's heart tightened in fear. Pike didn't have twelve days to wait.

"Almost two weeks."

"And if I give you the entire CPU?" Brian asked.

"Four days."

"You're asking me to give you the entire database for eight days, Kevin."

"Brian-."

"Eight days on what might not be a sure thing."

"Brian, Pike's down there. He's in the hospital right now. I don't think he's going to have twelve days."

"Pike's your new boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, Kevin."

"Brian, don't do this! Please God!-."

"I'm sorry, he's infected. Do your test. Give me a minute to inform everyone. They're going to have to save all their work and basically leave for the next four days, so the least you can do is give them an hour or so to do that."

"Absolutely!" Kevin felt the flood of relief course through his body. "Thank you, Brian."

"Don't thank me, thank the vice president. He said `whatever is necessary to get this under control'. I'm just following orders, right?"

"You're a good man, Brian. I'm sorry I ever thought different." Kevin smiled for the first time in weeks.

"Yeah, fuck you too." Brian smiled back. "Give me an hour."

The terminal hung up and Kevin heard Brian's voice over the intercom alerting the entire staff to save whatever material they were working on, secure all specimens and basically shut down their terminals. The next hour was the longest of Kevin's life. After an hour and fifteen minutes, Kevin still had not received the all clear.

"Call Brian." The terminal did and Brian's face shown on the screen.

"I know, I know. We had a test finishing up but you're good now. I've just given the authorization."

"Thanks again, Brian."

"Don't thank me, Kevin. Just be right." The terminal disconnected. 

"Computer, begin test."

"Beginning level 8 Human Host Simulation test on compound seven one four in human cell. First variable, HLF infection. All other variables set to highest. Completion in four days, three hours, eight minutes."

"Alert me when it's completed." Kevin said and headed down to Lab B to check on his other researchers. 

"Dr. McEnty?" One of the researchers approached. "Why did we have to shut down all our work? Doesn't the director know there's an HLF epidemic out there?"

"He does and that's why you've had to shut down all your work. I'm testing a new compound which may inhibit DNA syntheses. I've got all the hard copy for you to go over." Kevin said and handed out the information he had printed out while waiting. "If this is successful, I'll need it processed immediately. We'll test it here in Bright Arrow before sending it to New York."

"Do you think it will work, Dr?" Another researcher asked.

"Yes. I do. But just in case, work on some other alternatives as best you can." 

Kevin left and headed back to the hospital. He was briefed by his staff on the logistics of the situation; 210 infected, mostly still in early stages, 34 mortalities. He issued what advice he had but was most effective by admitting that they were testing a new treatment which may prove useful. Kevin then went and found Pike.

His bed was raised and his eyes were open, but Kevin knew the pain he must be in right now. The rashes had spread farther across his body and stood out brightly against his sickly, pale skin. Thankfully, his eyes hadn't become bloodshot nor started leaking the bloody lacrimal residue that was indicative of end stage. Pike smiled.

"Hey baby."

"Hey stud. How they treating you?"

"They keep poking me with stuff but I just tell him I'm sleeping with the boss so they'd better treat me good and they leave me alone." 

Pike's voice was quiet, as if it took effort to speak and his respiration's seemed labored. Kevin's eyes darted to the monitor he was hooked up to and saw he had a temperature of 100. Still low, but it meant Pike's body was starting it's last-ditch efforts to rid itself of the disease. 

"Pike, I've got something. It might be a cure. I'm testing it now and should know in four days if we can use it."

"If you got it now, I'll take some now."

"We can't do that, babe." Kevin reached out and took Pike's hand in his isolation suit glove. "It's a dangerous chemical and we need to know that it doesn't effect humans too adversely. Or even if it's worth it to use on humans."

"You can try it on me."

"Not going to happen. You just have to hold out for four days. You can handle four days right?" Kevin felt himself start to shake and a tear slip out of the corner of his eye. 

"I'll try real hard, baby but this thing is kicking my ass."

"Then kick back, Pike! You better fight this or I swear to God I'll kill you myself." Kevin said and Pike laughed but that caused him to have a coughing fit. Kevin watched as Pike's gown was spotted by his blood.

"No! Oh God! Nurse!!" A nurse rushed in saw the blood and a knowing look passed through her eyes. Pike was suddenly just another end stage. "Double the hydroxychloroquine."

"Dr. he's already at the recommended dosage."

"Then double the recommended dosage!"

"Yes, doctor." She said and started entering new figures into the automated filter which was pumping chemicals into Pike's blood. 

"What's the serum 418 up to?"

"50mgs."

"Double that too and make this new protocol for all end stage patients. We have to slow it down for at least four days."

"Yes, doctor."

Kevin looked over and found Pike was unconscious. He held Pike's hand up to the shield and imagined being able to kiss and touch his lover again. He would, Kevin resolved and left the hospital. He called his team into his lab.

"We have to get the patients four days. We've got over thirty end stage patients who need just a little more time to see if this new treatment will work. Give that to them." Kevin ordered to a room full of disbelieving doctors and scientists. 

"Are you kidding, sir?" One asked. "We've been trying to do that since day one."

"No. We haven't. We've been trying to cure them, to give them their lives back. I'm not asking for that. I'm asking for four days. By whatever means you can think of." 

The room was silent as each began to redefine their goal and to rethink their job in a new way. 

"End stage HLF is accompanied by renal failure. What about dialysis?"

"You want to put end stage HLF patients on dialysis? It would shred what's left of their blood cells. They'd die of systemic anoxia."

"What if we doubled the amount of hydroxychloroquine they get? I've changed the protocol a couple of minutes ago. I've doubled the amount of serum 418." Kevin asked.

"I still wouldn't recommend dialysis, but it might be an option."

"What about therapeutic hypothermia?"

"It's not the fever that finally kills them."

"What about it inhibiting the virus itself?"

"That's not been proven."

The team discussed many different options and almost all of them seemed to have some flaws. But Kevin was desperate and ordered that his team themselves oversee the administration of the top five ideas on the worst of the end stage patients. The equipment was brought down to the hospital and set up about each of the chosen patients, of which, Pike was one. Pike's treatment was just being hooked up when one of the researchers stopped Kevin.

"He's got the bloody tears. Do you still want to treat him?" She asked. Kevin whipped around and saw that Pike's eyes were leaking the reddish colored tears.

"Dr. McEnty, what do you want to do? Should we treat him?" One of the researchers asked.

"Yes. Treat him now. He still has time." 

Kevin said and sat next to the unconscious Pike. He sat there all night and passed out around four in the morning. He was woken up by a nurse who told him the battery level on his isolation suit was dangerously low and ordered him out of the quarantined area. Kevin left, hung up his suit and went to find a hot pot of coffee. Brian Tsu found him hours later, asleep at a cafeteria table, a cold cup of coffee in front of him. 

"You should go get some sleep." Brian advised.

"I just did. I think I was in here for a couple of hours at least." 

"No, Kevin. Real sleep. With rapid eye movements and delta waves, the real thing. That cat nap was just because your body couldn't go another minute."

"I'm fine, Brian. Really." Kevin took a sip of his forgotten coffee and grimaced. "How is the center getting along without the database?"

"Surprisingly well. We've outsourced all test sample requests to other labs who are kissing our asses right now for giving them the work. Course there are only a few people who know the reason why we've devoted our entire CPU to one project so at the moment we look a little incompetent, but it'll be easier to deal with the backlash if this compound of yours doesn't pan out."

"Thanks for that, at least." Brian nodded in thanks. "It's got to work, Brian. I've nothing else. If it doesn't work, we're very possibly looking at another viral outbreak which will cull the human population down to the bare minimum."

"Like the Influenza outbreak?"

"No, like the Black plague. We're talking millions, possibly billions of people. It will be the worst thing any of us have ever seen, unless..."

"Unless?"

"Unless that compound in there works." Kevin leaned back in his chair. "Computer, how long till test completion?" 

"Three days, ten hours, fifty one minutes." Came the answer.

"I'll see you in three days, ten hours." Brian said and left the cafeteria. 

Anne called later that day, though not on the database terminals, but on Kevin's personal mobile device. She looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep in the past two weeks.

"How are you holding up?" Kevin asked.

"Well, for the last week and a half, I've been wishing that I had never become a doctor." She said simply. 

"I know how you feel."

"Kevin, this is getting worse. I now have three warehouses near full of patients. We can barely keep them quarantined and we're running out of medicine."

"I've spoken to the pharmaceutical companies. More of them are shifting over and producing the serum and hydroxy. We'll have more to you within in the next twenty four hours."

"How is it out there?"

"I have two quarantined hospitals, one in Bright Arrow, one in Denver. L.A. just got hit and I had to send a team out there to set one up. Miami, Atlanta and Houston have all reported positive results. We're keeping an eye on them but at the moment, they've only got a handful of patients each."

"You ever feel like we're just standing in the way of something bigger and badder than we are?" Anne asked.

"No." Kevin lied. "It's just a disease and it'll run it's course. If we can keep the population away from each other for a little while by scaring the shit out of them, then maybe those that are already infected," Kevin thought of Pike. "will die and the disease will contain itself."

"That's a little cold, Kevin."

"That's our job, Anne." Anne nodded and took a breath.

"Right. Business as usual. Got it boss."

"We'll get through this, Anne." Kevin said but could barely hear the sincerity in his own voice.

"I know we will, Kevin." 

His mobile disconnected.

Kevin walked into the hospital a few hours later to check on Pike and the status of the treatments. He noticed how cold it was in the building.

"How's it going?" He asked one of his research scientists.

"Apparently well. It seems that the treatments we've used have slowed the virus so much that we've implemented them across the board. I'm sure you've noticed the freezing temperature in here."

"I have."

"We've actually seen viral loads stabilize for the first time. Even in end stage patients. We've only had two mortalities in the last twelve hours."

"That's excellent. How are the patients dealing?"

"As best they can. They complain but we just keep telling them that it'll only be for another day or two. I hope to God your test works, doctor." The young man stated.

"You and me both."

"I've never seen a patient up close. I've always been in the lab dealing with the virus. It's different when you see what it does to them."

"It is." Kevin said. "You don't deal with it now though. That's for later."

"Later when?" The scientist asked.

"When they're cured or when they die."

Kevin sat down next to Pike's bed and held his hand. He read through his chart and was pleased to see that though his levels were high, they had stopped climbing. He breathed a sigh of relief and let himself believe that Pike would make it the last two days. 

Kevin had been contacted by various agencies who were reporting more HLF patients and had left Pike's side to organize some help. He delegated as much as possible to his aid, Dale, and finally was able to return to Pike's side. There were doctor's and nurses already in the room and their body language made Kevin rush to get there.

"What's going on?" He asked one of the doctor's.

"He started throwing irregular heart rhythms. I'm trying to stabilize him."

"What kind of rhythms?" Kevin asked and pushed his way closer to the bed. Pike looked even paler than he had before and the monitor connected to him was beeping erratically. 

"Kevin, you need to step out now." The doctor ordered.

"No. I'm not leaving."

"Dr. he's coding!" The nurse called as Pike's monitor showed a lethal heart rhythm. 

"Kevin, get out of there!" Another doctor ordered and pushed Kevin out of the way. They allowed him a lot of leeway since he was the foremost authority on HLF but when it came to actively treating a loved one, there were not exceptions. Kevin sat back and watched as Pike's body was shocked and shocked again only to reveal no electrical activity. He heard the doctors orders and watched the nurses push medications into the I.V. bag with a numbness that could only be born out of great fear. Kevin closed his eyes and tried to pray but found no words, only an immense feeling of pain. 

He turned around and leaned his isolated helmet on the far wall, barely listening to the sounds of a medical crisis. He had heard them before, he had been part of all of that before, but this time was different. This was his crisis. The best man he had ever known lay on the table behind him, dead. The heart that loved him was dead, the arms that had held him and the hands that had touched him were dead. His lover was gone. Kevin now knew with certainty that he would not get through this. A mundane part of his mind told him the logical thing to do would be to call Anne back and hand authority over to her before he shut down. 

A hand touched his shoulder, lending comfort but none was taken. There was none to be had. The hand pulled but Kevin refused to move and it wasn't till he was forcibly turned around that Kevin actually spoke.

"Get the fuck off me!" 

"Dr. he's alive. We got him back." The nurse said.

"What?"

"Pike's alive. He was revived after four minutes seven seconds. He should be fine for now." She said and left. Kevin stared at the monitor for what felt like hours reassuring himself that the tiny blip which represented Pike's life was stable and not going to disappear again. He took Pike's hand.

"Please, Pike. Just two more days. Give me two more days!"

Four days, three hours and eight minutes later the computer finished it's analysis. The message blinked on the screen for several seconds without a response. Kevin sat in his chair, staring at the floor seemingly oblivious to what was going on around him. Brian Tsu coughed politely but Kevin didn't even respond.

"Kevin, we're waiting." Brian said and Kevin raised his head as if suddenly seeing the director and the rest of his research team.

"Computer, display result of Human Host test." Kevin ordered, and the results appeared on the screen. One of the researchers was shaking his head.

"This isn't good." He said.

"What?" Brian asked, in a panic. "What isn't good?"

"These results are showing that if we administer this drug it'll completely shut down the liver causing hepatic encephalopathy, renal shut down, and all sorts of complications that we can't handle as a mere side effect. The compound is worthless."

"Are you telling me that I shut down the NCMS, hoping to find the cure for a disease that is bringing this country to its fucking knees, for a worthless compound?!!!" Brian screamed. "Kevin, you're fucking fired!!!! No! You're not fired, because when all this shit comes down around us, you're going to be right in the middle of it!!!! God damn it!!!!" 




Bright Arrow Ch. 05



"Why the fuck are you just sitting there smiling?!!!" Brian screamed at Kevin and held himself from physically assaulting him.

"David," Kevin calmly called the scientist who had listed the compound's worthlessness over. "How effective is the compound at treating HLF?"

"Not effective at all, doctor since it kills the patient."

"No, I mean, just the disease."

"Excellent. It completely obliterates it." David answered.

"Computer, lower variables to one quarter above normal."

"Variables are set to one quarter above normal." The computer answered.

"Display results."

The results showed on the screen and both Kevin and David looked them over both smiling.

"You set the variables to highest?" David asked.

"I needed all the information, not just what we hoped might happen." Kevin answered.

"What? What's going on?" Brian asked.

"The drug apparently ceases all HLF viral DNA and RNA synthesis within a human cell and causes some minor, yet manageable side effects. The patients won't die." 

"What was all that bullshit before with the hepatic encephalopathy and the renal failure?" Brian asked confused.

"Worst case scenario. Truly, worst case scenario. That's so unlikely to happen that it's basically guaranteed not to." Kevin stood and threw on his lab coat. "I want as much as this facility can produce of compound seven one four. We'll use the Human Host sim's suggestion for beginning dosages. Get this info to the pharmaceuticals and tell them to stop producing serum 418 and hydroxy. Just go with this for now. I want it here, Denver, New York, L.A., Houston, Miami, anywhere they've called to report an outbreak. And Dale,"

"Yes, doctor?"

"I want this today. Light fires under whoever and tell them to call me if they have a problem."

"Yes, sir."

Kevin took a vial from the lab and ran down to the hospital. He dressed in his isolation suit as quickly as possible and ran into Pike's room. Pike looked drastically different now, and Kevin shuddered every time he saw him. He was pale and seemed to be wasting away in front of him despite the therapies that slowed down the disease. Kevin inserted the vial into the I.V. and injected twice the recommended dosage. His job, he prayed was over. He took up his seat next to Pike's bed and fell asleep for the first time since Pike's heart stopped. 

A nurse woke him up later, again ordering that he leave and change his battery. Kevin's eyes flew to Pike's but they were closed and he didn't look much improved. The nurse said that he was still stable and hadn't shown much change from the last blood sample she took. She'd advise him of any change after he switched out his battery. Kevin did as ordered and returned to his chair next to Pike's seat. That's where his team found him a few hours later.

"The beginning stage patients are already showing improvement. They're levels are dropping more rapidly than those more progressed. Even some mid stage patients have begun responding."

"What of the end stage patients?" Kevin asked.

"No sign of improvement yet. It's quite possible that with a high viral load, the change is at first undetectable."

"Yes, I assume it is possible." Kevin agreed, though his stomach felt cold. This is the cure. The only answer he had. He had nothing else to give.

"The drug companies are shipping out the first batches now. New York should already have theirs."

"Thank you." Kevin dismissed them and sat quietly with Pike. 

Two days later, Kevin still sat at Pike's side. The viral load had lessened dramatically but he still hadn't woken up. Kevin had ordered a Scanning EEG which showed only the barest amount of electrical activity in his brain. Pike had gone into a coma due to the trauma and stress on his body and it was anybody's guess when or if he would recover from it. Kevin heard the alarm on his battery and left again to change it and to grab some coffee and food before returning. Upon his arrival back he saw Pike's eyes open. He was talking to the nurses.

"Oh my God, Pike!" Kevin ran into the room. "You're awake."

"Hey baby." Pike smiled. The nurses left them alone. "I guess you did it, huh?"

"Did what?"

"Saved the world."

"No. I saved you. Everyone else just got lucky." Kevin smiled and sat down next to Pike.

"No, I got lucky when I picked you up on the side of the road."

"I got lucky too." Kevin leaned down and pressed his gloved hand against Pike's cheek. "I love you, Pike."

"I love you too, baby. Now get me out of here. I want to go home."

It was another three days before they were able to release the last of the infected from the quarantine hospitals which were deconstructed having served their purpose. It was another two days before Kevin was able to bring Pike home. The dogs met the car barking and jumping, thrilled to see their masters again.

"You saved the world and took care of my dogs? Where did you find the time?" Kevin laughed.

"I called your neighbor and asked if she could take care of them. I didn't have any time to spare." Kevin helped Pike into the house and had him sit down on the couch. "Hungry?"

"Not really, though a beer would be great." Pike grinned. Kevin went over the list of meds he was taking mentally and concluded that one wouldn't hurt. He cracked two open for them and sat down next to his love. 

"So does this mean you're on to another disease?" Pike asked. 

"No. I'm actually thinking of resigning from the NCMS. At least as a researcher."

"Really? What will you do?"

"I think I'd like to just be a doctor. Just a regular one. Maybe open an office here in town. See patients, birth babies, wipe noses. That kind of shit."

"Won't it be a little boring for you? After all, you saved the world?"

"Stop saying that. I didn't save the world."

"They're giving you the Nobel prize! I'm so proud of you. My boyfriend saved the world! No, bullshit!" Pike put his arm around Kevin and pulled him tight. 

"They're not giving me the Nobel prize, they're just nominating me for it."

"That's big shit no matter how you shake it." 

"What does that even mean?" Kevin asked and Pike laughed.

"I don't know. Maybe it's a side effect."

"Shut up. Ass." Kevin laid back against Pike's chest, once against strong with life. 

"So, you moving in with me or what?" Pike asked.

"You really want me to?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah. I really do."

"Ok."

Epilogue

Kevin walked out of his office onto Main St. Bright Arrow and shaded his eyes from the bright sun. He looked up and down the street and stopped looking when he was a large man walking toward him. It was his swagger that gave him away, Kevin thought. God, he was still so sexy. Pike reached Kevin and pulled him in for a kiss.

"Hey stud."

"Hey baby. How was work today?"

"Fine. Wall to wall patients. The flu's going around." Kevin said and fell into step along side his husband of two years.

"You'd think someone would find a cure for that." Pike said.

"Yeah well, it's not going to be me. Besides, HLF is a cake walk next to the flu. What time are we meeting Annie?"

"She's going to be at the house around five. I guess being pregnant finally made her slow down."

"I doubt it." Kevin disagreed. "Annie's a fireball. She'll be director in a few years despite what Brian has to say about it."

"There are your parents." Pike pointed and Kevin looked over at the elderly couple, each holding a little boys hands as they walked along. "Oh that reminds me, my parents will be here around eight."

"We'll have a full house." Kevin said, happily.

"Paulie's getting big." Pike said as he watched his son walk with hiss.

"He's only one."

"He'll need a brother or sister soon." Pike smiled and winked. "You ready for it?"

"And ruin this figure?" Kevin laughed.

"You think someone will ever figure out a way for a guy to have a baby?" Pike asked.

"It's not going to be me." Kevin said. Pike was laughing when he kissed his husband's lips. They caught up to Kevin's parents and their son and headed home.



Bright Arrow



"It can be. I actually took yesterday and today and will probably take till Monday as mental health days. I need to detach myself and get back to work with a clear head."

"I might be able to help with that." Pike said and a more comfortable silence settled for a moment. "You realize I wasn't offering sex, right?"

Kevin laughed at Pike's need to clarify that point and once he started he couldn't stop. Pike joined in and they laughed until most of the diners around them had wondered what was so funny.

"I can't seem to stop embarrassing myself with you." Pike said, when they had stopped.

"It's cute and thank you. I haven't laughed like that in a long time." Kevin smiled. "And for the record, Pike, I like you too. A lot."

The two ate their meal, enjoying the food almost as much as each other and the conversation. They spoke of their childhood and coming out stories and exes. Everything but what Kevin did for NCMS. That subject remained taboo and Pike respected the boundary without fail. 

"Five brothers and a sister?" Kevin asked amazed.

"Well my sister's married, so I do have a brother and three of my brothers are married, so I have three sister-in-laws. Yeah, it makes for an interesting time, especially at the holidays."

"You see them often?" 

"Well, they're spread out a bit. My mom and dad live in Napa still with my younger brother. Another brother and my sister live in California but down south. One brother lives in Memphis and the last lives in New York. Like I said, we're all over, but yeah I get to see them. My parents kind of insist that everyone tries to get together at least once a year. Usually in the middle of summer we all try to get out there and a few of us go back for Christmas."

"My God." Kevin said.

"What about your family?"

"I'm an only child and my parents live in Boca Raton. I try to get to see them every once in a while but lately I haven't gotten to. Work and stuff."

"An only child?" Pike asked and Kevin nodded. "Lucky!"

"No. I don't think so. I had a friend when I was growing up who had a brother and a sister and I was so jealous of him. Even when they fought, I'd think how cool would that be? You know? And when my parents die, I'm sort of going to be alone. I have a cousin who lives somewhere down south but I've never met her."

"Where down south?" Pike asked.

"Alamosa or something?"

"Alamosa, Colorado?"

"Yeah."

"That's only like three hours away."

"Is it?"

"Yeah. You should call her up. Ask her if she wants to meet. I'll even drive you. It's better than you jogging there." Pike offered.

"I don't know. We've never met. Her mom was my dad's sister and they didn't really talk. Then she died a while ago and it would be weird."

"Yeah, it might. But she might also be cool and since you're only a couple of hours away you have no excuse."

"I guess not."

"Listen, why don't you try to get in touch with her. Maybe we could go for a road trip this weekend. I don't have to go, I'm just offering in case you want company or moral support." Pike smiled.

"Maybe I will. God, I wouldn't even know how to get in touch with her."

"She's got to be on Uberworld. Everyone's on Uberworld." Pike said, talking about a popular social networking site.

"That thing's still up and running? I don't even know if my site is valid anymore."

"Well, your mental health seems to just need a little tweeking so nothing major there and what else are you going to do on your mental health days? Consider this tweeking."

"Why not?"

Pike pulled into Kevin's driveway at almost six o'clock. He shut off the engine and turned to Kevin.

"Nice house."

"Thanks. It's not really mine. They just provide some of us with housing as a benefit. It's `mine' as long as I'm `theirs'."

"Got it." Pike said and Kevin was hesitant to get out of the truck. 

"Feel like coming in? I mean you bought me lunch the least I could do is make you dinner." Pike smiled and Kevin grinned back. He loved the man's smile. "You do realize that I'm not offering sex."

Pike started laughing and blushed so much his ears turned red. 

"I'd love to stay for dinner with you."

They cooked some steaks on the grill and drank beer as the meat sizzled. Pike continued to tell him of his company and some of the houses he had built in the area. Kevin spoke of medical school and some other projects he had worked on while still refusing to bring up HLF. After dinner the two sat in the living room playing the newest 3D game on Kevin's Halcyon system. Pike woke at two in the morning having snored himself awake to find Kevin resting on his chest. Pike stared at the doctor's face and saw none of the worries which had plagued him most of the day. It was a beautiful face especially without the pain and torture he had seen in it earlier. 

"Kevin?" Pike whispered but received no reply. "Kevin." He said a little louder.

"Wha-?" 

"I have to go. It's late and I have to take care of my dogs. They've been in the house all day and have probably shredded my house to hell."

"Huh?" Kevin said opening his eyes.

"My dogs, I have to go take care of them."

"Oh. All right. We fell asleep?"

"Yeah. It's two in the morning."

"Oh God, I'm sorry Pike. I'm not a very good host apparently."

"You are a great host, I had a wonderful time. I just have to get home." Pike said and stood up feeling his leg complain from being in one position too long. Kevin groggily walked to the door with him trying desperately to wake up.

"Well, next time I won't fall asleep on you." Kevin said with an apologetic smirk.

"You can fall asleep on me anytime." Pike said. "Well, not anytime." And pulled Kevin to him as their mouths met for a quick kiss which held future promises. 

"Good night, Pike."

"Good night, Kevin." Pike get into his car and drove off. Kevin undressed and slid into his bed feeling the caress of his sheets against his naked body. He closed his eyes and for once in a long while slept soundly.