Doc sighed. "Ninety percent of the time, they're quietly eutha nized. Some are kept around to try various kinds of experimental medications. They don't feel pain, from what we can tell by brain-wave function and glandular response. Oh, and early cases are important for study to develop a vaccine. That's where the booster shots come from. Too bad he missed this last series, issue date October. We should have thought to bring some."
"I want you to end this, Mister Valentine," Mrs. O'Coombe said.
"End this?" Valentine asked.
"I can't watch him suffer."
"He's not suffering, is he, Doc?"
Doc agreed, "Not while the sedatives hold out. Even when they wear off, provided we can keep him in the bed, I'm not sure suffering is the right word for what he'll be going through."
Valentine wondered how much of the patriotic, Bible-reading charity act of Mrs. O'Coombe was real. With Keve Rockaway/ O'Coombe dead, she'd own the vast ranch her husband had built.
"Any decision about your son's health I'll leave to the Doc."
Doc said, "I work for her ladyship, I'll remind you, Valentine."
"A rich woman outranks the Hippocratic oath?" Valentine asked.
"Major," Doc said. "Please. I'm in no hurry. I'm just wondering if I'll still have a job if I ever make it back to the Hooked O-C."
"Do what you can, Doc," Valentine said. "Anything else?"
"One more thing, Major," Doc said. He took out a little powder blue case. "In my younger days, before I settled down to bring babies into the world and plaster broken bones and dig bullets out, I was a researcher.
"This is a perfectly ordinary piece of medical technology from fifty years back. Nowadays I use it for interesting butterfly pupae and leaves. It instantly freezes and preserves, like liquid nitrogen without all the fuss and bother.
"I've been taking samples of Keve's blood as the disease progressed to see how his body's fighting it, and to see just how the ravies virus is attacking and changing him. It could be useful to Southern Command in developing a serum for a vaccination." He handed the case to Valentine.
"I'll get it back across the Mississippi as soon as I can," Valentine said.
Mrs. O'Coombe caressed her son's head.
"Keep an eye on her, Doc," Valentine said.
"Understood." Doc lowered his voice. "In all honesty, Major, she does love her son. She loved all her sons. Deep down, I think she was really trying to get him back home, but make it his idea."
Valentine stepped out of Boneyard. "Hey, Major," he heard one of the Wolves call. "There's a plane flying around north of here a few miles. Two-engine job. Looks kind of like it's circling."
Valentine wondered if the plane was part of Jack in the Box's operation. How did he fit in with the divine judgment of war, famine, disease, and death to Kentucky?
Which reminded him. He called Frat over. "Frat, how are you on a motorcycle?"
"Decent, sir. I used one to get around in Kansas."
"I want you to courier something important back to Fort Seng for us. And, if necessary, get it all the way back to the Mississippi-but that'll be for Colonel Lambert to decide."
"I don't want to leave you in the middle of this mess," Frat said.
"You'll do as I ask, Lieutenant. If you want to be addressed as captain in a week, that is."
"Captain!" Frat grinned.
"A platoon of Wolves this far outside Southern Command is supposed to have a captain in charge. I hope you'll be it."
"Not as easy as it sounds. But we should get a sample back to Southern Command as soon as possible."
They gave Stuck's big motorcycle to Frat. Frat grabbed his rifle and his bag and very carefully put Doc's sample freezer in a hard case. Doc added a final blood sample and a note before packing it on the bike.