The Host (The Host 1)

He didn't answer. His eyes narrowed.

"Jared. . . if they. . . if they don't listen. . . if they don't wait. . . " I started talking faster, feeling a sudden pressure, trying to get him all the information before it was too late. "Give Jamie the No Pain first-lay that on his tongue. Then the Inside Clean spray-he just has to inhale it. You'll need Doc to -"

"Hey, hey! You're going to be the one giving the directions. "

"But let me tell you how -"

"No, Wanda. It's not going to go down that way. I'll shoot anyone who touches you. "

"Jared -"

"Don't panic. I'll aim low, and then you can use that stuff to heal 'em back up again. "

"If that's a joke, it's not funny. "

"No joke, Wanda. "

"Where's the blindfold?"

He pressed his lips together.

But I had my old shirt-Jeb's raggy hand-me-down. That would work almost as well.

"This will make it a little bit easier for them to let us in," I said as I folded it up into a thick band. "And that means getting to Jamie faster. " I tied it over my eyes.

It was quiet for a time. The jeep bounced along the uneven terrain. I remembered nights like this when Melanie had been the passenger. . .

"I'm taking us right to the caves. There's a place the jeep will be fairly well hidden for a day or two. It will save us time. "

I nodded. Time was the key now.

"Almost there," he said after a minute. He exhaled. "They're waiting. "

I heard him fumbling beside me, heard a metal clank as he pulled the gun from the backseat.

"Don't shoot anyone. "

"No promises. "

"Stop!" someone shouted. The sound carried in the empty desert air.

The jeep slowed and then idled.

"It's just us," Jared said. "Yes, yes, look. See? I'm still me. "

There was hesitation from the other side.

"Look-I'm bringing the jeep in under cover, okay? We've got meds for Jamie, and we're in a hurry. I don't care what you're thinking, you're not going to get in my way tonight. "

The jeep pulled forward. The sound changed and echoed as he found his cover.

"Okay, Wanda, everything's fine. Let's go. "

I already had the pack on my shoulders. I got out of the jeep carefully, not sure where the wall was. Jared caught my searching hands.

"Up you go," he said, and lifted me over his shoulder again.

I wasn't as secure as before. He used only one arm to hold me. The other must have had the gun. I didn't like that.

But I was worried enough to be grateful for it when I heard the running footsteps approaching.

"Jared, you idiot!" Kyle shouted. "What were you thinking?"

"Ease up, Kyle," Jeb said.

"Is she hurt?" Ian demanded.

"Get out of my way," Jared said, his voice calm. "I'm in a hurry. Wanda's in perfect shape, but she insisted on being blindfolded. How is Jamie?"

"Hot," Jeb said.

"Wanda's got what we need. " He was moving fast now, sliding downhill.

"I can carry her. " Ian, of course.

"She's fine where she is. "

"I'm really okay," I told Ian, my voice bouncing with Jared's movement.

Uphill again, a steady jog despite my weight. I could hear the others running with us.

I knew when we were through to the main cavern-the angry hiss of voices swelled around us, turning into a clamor of sound.

"Out of my way," Jared roared over their voices. "Is Doc with Jamie?"

I couldn't make out the answer. Jared could have put me down, but he was in too much of a hurry to pause for that second.

The angry voices echoed behind us, the sound constricting as we entered the smaller tunnel. I could feel where we were now, follow the turns in my head as we raced through the junction to the third sleeping hall. I could almost count the doors as they passed me invisibly.

Jared jerked to a halt and let the sudden stop slide me down from his shoulder. My feet hit the floor. He ripped the blindfold from my eyes.

Our room was lit by several of the dim blue lanterns. Doc was standing rigidly, as if he'd just sprung to his feet. Kneeling beside him, her hand still holding a wet cloth to Jamie's forehead, was Sharon. Her face was almost unrecognizable, it was so contorted with fury. Maggie was struggling to her feet on Jamie's other side.

Jamie still lay limp and red, eyes closed, his chest barely moving to pull in air.

"You!" Sharon spit, and then she launched herself from her crouch. Like a cat, she sprang at Jared, nails reaching for his face.

Jared caught her hands and twisted her away from him, pulling her arms behind her back.

Maggie looked as if she was about to join her daughter, but Jeb stepped around the struggling Sharon and Jared to stand toe-to-toe with her.

"Let her go!" Doc cried.

Jared ignored him. "Wanda-heal him!"

Doc moved to put himself between Jamie and me.

"Doc," I choked. The violence in the room, swirling around Jamie's still form, scared me. "I need your help. Please. For Jamie. "

Doc didn't move, his eyes on Sharon and Jared.

"C'mon, Doc," Ian said. The little room was too crowded, claustrophobic, as Ian came to stand with his hand on my shoulder. "You gonna let the kid die for your pride?"

"It's not pride. You don't know what these foreign substances will do to him!"

"He can't get much worse, can he?"

"Doc," I said. "Look at my face. "

Doc wasn't the only one who responded to my words. Jeb, Ian, and even Maggie looked and then did a double take. Maggie glanced away quickly, angry that she'd betrayed any interest.

"How?" Doc demanded.

"I'll show you. Please. Jamie doesn't need to suffer. "

Doc hesitated, staring at my face, and then let out a big sigh. "Ian's right-he can't get much worse. If this kills him. . . " He shrugged, and his shoulders slumped. He took a step back.

"No," Sharon cried.

No one paid any attention to her.

I knelt beside Jamie, yanking the backpack off my shoulders and tugging it open. I fumbled until I found the No Pain. A bright light switched on beside me, pointed at Jamie's face.

"Water, Ian?"

I twisted the lid open and pinched out one of the little tissue squares. When I pulled Jamie's chin down, his skin burned my hand. I laid the square on his tongue and then held out my hand without looking up. Ian placed the bowl of water in it.

Carefully, I dripped enough water into his mouth to wash the medicine down his throat. The sound of his swallow was dry and painful.

I searched frantically for the thinner spray bottle. When I found it, I had the lid off and the mist sprayed into the air above him in

one fast movement. I waited, watching his chest until he inhaled.

I touched his face, and it was so hot! I scrambled for the Cool, praying it would be easy to use. The lid screwed off, and I found that the cylinder was full of more tissue squares, light blue this time. I breathed a sigh of relief and placed one on Jamie's tongue. I picked up the bowl again and dribbled another mouthful of water through his parched lips.

His swallow was quicker this time, less strained.

Another hand touched Jamie's face. I recognized Doc's long bony fingers.

"Doc, do you have a sharp knife?"

"I have a scalpel. You want me to open the wound?"

"Yes, so I can clean it. "

"I thought about trying that. . . to drain it, but the pain. . . "

"He'll feel nothing now. "

"Look at his face," Ian leaned in beside me to whisper.

Jamie's face was no longer red. It was a natural, healthy tan. The sweat still glistened on his brow, but I knew it was just left over from before. Doc and I touched his forehead at the same time.

It's working. Yes! Exultation swept through both Mel and me.

"Remarkable," Doc breathed.

"The fever has cooled, but the infection may remain in his leg. Help me with his wound, Doc. "

" Sharon, could you hand me -" he began absentmindedly. Then he looked up. "Oh. Ah, Kyle, do you mind handing me that bag right there by your foot?"

I scooted down so that I was over the red, swollen cut. Ian redirected the light so I could see it clearly. Doc and I both rustled through our bags at the same time. He came up with the silver scalpel, a sight that sent a quiver of unease down my spine. I ignored it and readied the bigger Clean spray.

"He won't feel it?" Doc checked, hesitating.

"Hey," Jamie croaked. His eyes were open wide, roaming the room until they found my face. "Hey, Wanda. What's going on? What's everyone doing here?"