Of course, this time she and Neely were looking for something very different.
Sally continued watching them from within the tank, but said nothing. Both of the women were clearly excited, but what neither realized was that Sally had a surprise of her own.
27
Chris Ramirez looked away just as Neely leaned over him, bringing the needle in gently. Leaning forward in his chair, he kept his attention to the side until the sharp pain subsided and the needle was well into his arm.
“Man, that smarts.”
“Sorry,” Neely muttered. “I was never the best phlebotomist.” She gently slid her hand down to support the small tube filling up with blood.
Behind them, Lee was standing several feet away with one finger holding a tiny cotton swab in place. “So what exactly are we looking for?”
“Erythrocyte behavior.”
Lee glanced at Chris. “That doesn’t sound good.”
Neely laughed. “It sounds spookier than it is. I just want to observe the growth rate of your red blood cells, also known as erythrocytes. They’re the most common cells in our bodies and have a tightly regulated lifespan before they are recycled by our macrophages. If there have been nucleic changes affecting cellular regeneration, we’re likely to see it at the erythrocyte level.”
“Well, I’m not sure what you just said, but I’m hoping for some kind of super power.”
She grinned without looking up. “Any specific super powers you want me to look for?”
Lee thought it over. “Flying is always good. Or bulletproof skin maybe.”
“Maybe we should start smaller,” Chris added. “Like the ability for him to eat better.”
“Very funny.”
Neely slid the needle out and pressed a swab against Chris’s arm. She then untied the rubber strap from around his bicep. “Should I check Mr. Kenwood’s cholesterol while we’re at it?”
Next to the table, Alison peered at Chris. “Someone doesn’t have a whole lot of room to talk. They both need to be checked.”
Chris stood up and patted his stomach with his free hand. “All muscle, baby.”
She laughed and stepped forward as Neely checked the seal on the small vial. “You guys are just lucky we had human-sized syringes here. That could have been much more unpleasant.” She gathered the rest of the items and returned them to the box, then handed it to Alison. “Okay. Now I just need a lab.”
Following the closure of the Army’s Puerto Rican general hospital in 1949, along with Fort Brooke, the Rodriguez Army Health Clinic remained the primary medical facility for all active military personnel on the island.
It was from a large secured door in Building 21 that Medical Service Corps Officer J. Prodol stepped out into the lobby where he found both women.
“Commander Lawton?”
“Here,” Neely said, stepping forward.
Even though she was both indoors and out of uniform, Prodol still gave a respectful nod. At six foot three and two hundred and forty pounds, Prodol almost towered over both women.
“I’ve been instructed to escort you to our lab as soon as possible.” He glanced at the small cooler in Neely’s right hand. “Is there anything you need that I can secure for you?”
“No, thank you.” She shook her head and immediately passed through the door as he held it open. Alison promptly followed as did Prodol, who then escorted them down a short white hallway. At the end, they turned and continued through a much wider hall.
Just before reaching the end, Prodol retrieved a key card attached to his belt loop and pressed it against a flat scanner. A red light turned green and the door to his left made a loud click. With that, he pulled it open and stepped through.
“It’s not much, but we should have most of what you need.” He crossed the room, passing two researchers perched in front of their oversized computer monitors and stopped before a larger set of double doors. He repeated the step with his access card and pulled the right-hand door open.
Inside, the Clinic’s lab was larger than either was expecting, filled with three rows of familiar beige tables and shelves. The chairs were upholstered in a sharp royal blue matching the white/blue motif of the room, a common look for most modern laboratories.
Prodol motioned to the nearby equipment. “We have five microscopes –– two inverted and three confocal. The centrifuge and hemocytometer are both behind you and most supplies can be found in the cabinets above them. Per my instructions, the room has been cleared for your use only, and for as long as you need.”
Alison was impressed. She turned to Neely, who scanned the room.
Prodol handed her a business card with the Clinic’s logo on the front. “Please take your time. If there is anything you need, feel free to ring me on my mobile. Restrooms are outside.”