Free Tainted Trail by Wen Spencer

from Ukiah’s ability to learn; nothing had to be repeated, only refined. Alicia’s patience ran deeper,willing to practice what she already had pat for the simple joy of helping him.
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    â€œUkiah?”
    Ukiah blinked away the dream recall and looked up at Max in surprise. Max had that harassed look he got when things went bad. “Max? What’s wrong?”
    â€œThe EMS crew is almost here.”
    â€œThe EMS?” Ukiah started to sit up and stopped as pain shot through his body. “Max? What happened?”
    Max looked at him, eyes widening. “Oh, damn. What’s the last thing you remember?”
    â€œWe were at the office with Kittanning, trying to figure out if we could do a stakeout with him along. I was hurt, wasn’t I? What happened? Is Kittanning all right?”
    â€œKittanning is fine. You fell off a cliff and you’re bleeding someplace.” Max slipped a hand under his back, running it from shoulder to hip. “You’re bleeding and losing your recent memories. I thought I checked you thoroughly.”
    Ukiah grunted in pain, trying to distance himself from the hurt by looking around. The place looked hauntingly familiar and it smelled of home. “Max, what are we doing in Oregon?”
    â€œWe’re on a case.” Max rocked back on his heels. “Ukiah, you’re bleeding inside. It’s the only place possible. You said earlier that your stomach hurt.”
    â€œYeah, it hurts.”
    â€œHow does this work, with you being Pack?”
    Ukiah searched Pack memory. “Um, there are three ways this could go. If I’m not hurt too bad, my body heals up the damaged area and then reabsorbs the blood trapped inside.”
    Max looked down at him and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
    â€œSecondly, I’m hurt so bad that I die. That stops the blood from being pumped into the body cavity. My body reabsorbs the blood and then focuses on healing the leak. It’s a matter of energy. Once wounded, my body can only do one or the other.”
    â€œThen what’s the third thing?”
    â€œI’m screwed.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œThere’s this magic halfway point that’s really hard to hit, but when you do, you’re screwed. You’re hurt too bad to heal, but the blood keeps pumping into the body cavity, so while you reabsorb some, the rest becomes mice. They have no way out. They die trapped inside. Their bodies rot. Blood circulation would spread that toxin through my system, and I’m too hurt for my cells to adapt to the poison, so my body shuts down. When I come back alive, the problem is still there, and I’m only weaker than I was before. I’ll die, and come back, then die, again and again, until I simply don’t come back.”
    Max looked at him bleakly. “Isn’t there a way out of it?”
    â€œThe Pack usually just kills the person cleanly, usually by snapping their neck: that’s fairly easy to heal afterward. The blood stops pumping, and what’s trapped inside reabsorbs before the mice form. You’re only screwed if the mice form.”
    Max looked at him, too stunned to speak. Finally he asked in a weak voice, “How soon does that start?”
    â€œAbout a half hour after I started to bleed.”
    Max glanced at his watch, then covered his face. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”
    â€œHow much time?”
    â€œIt’s been nearly an hour.” Max’s hands slid up until his palms were pressed against his eyes. “I’m sorry, Ukiah. I thought you’d be okay, so I’ve been looking for Alicia.”
    â€œAlicia?”
    â€œYou were tracking her when—never mind. It’s not important.” Max sat rocking, hands pressed to his face. Finally he took away his hands to look down at Ukiah. “Have you stopped bleeding?”
    Ukiah considered the question. “I think so.”
    â€œSo if we get whatever mice