Chapter 14

Amelia was equally shocked and confused as she fisted her hand beneath her chin and tried to make sense of whatever she saw. "This indeed is something to worry about" Amelia murmured staring at the cat. "Did you touch it?" she instantly asked David. "Mmm yea I guess" he replied incredulously. "Then sanitize your hands immediately," she advised him with a warning tone. "And everything else that you have touched after that. This might be something dangerously contagious. We don't know yet." Just as David left for the washroom she stopped him in the way, "Do bring that blood collection container with you and plastic gloves." She said with a peircing gaze. Without any questions he nodded his head in acquesience and left. Amelia was thinking hard as she moved to and fro in the courtyard.

Moments later David came back with a pair of gloves and blood container for Amelia. He too was wearing gloves to avoid going back for it. She immediately took them and started wearing quickly. David stared at her and tried to predict her next move. "We have to take pure blood from the cat," she dashed to the tub where the cat lay. "The blood in the mug is mixed with water. It won't be helpful." David understood whatever she intended to do. "What are you going to do with the cat's blood?" he asked though he knew the answer she would give. "I guess it's something that we were seeking for a long time. I don't know I feel like it came to us by fate." She said partially excited. "We are going to run some tests on this blood sample. I just want to make sure that my suspicions are true." she stated without looking at David.

She handed the container to him and held the cat up in the air. It's head tilted to the side and then down to the ground that forced its mouth to open partially. Amelia motioned him to bring the container to the level where the blood was dripping from the cat's mouth. He did exactly as she guided him. "We must try to fill half of it. Though we know most of the blood has been spewd out." she wanted to make it possible in any case. The blood was dripping slowly from the cat's mouth. "Be quick please," Amelia silently implored though it was needless. She slightly sqeezed the cat's belly to make the blood come out fast. It happened exactly as she assumed.The dribbles quickened with the movements of her hand and instantly the pot was filled with blood. "You need to be cautious. We have to cover this container in plastic bag." Amelia said. "Where are we going to preserve it?" David asked doubtful. "If we leave it like this for a long time we may lose the things that we are seeking." he said with a warning.

"You are right but I am not going to leave it for too long. I am taking it now." she said as she put the cat's body back in the tub. This cat shouldn't be disposed in the open bins. We have to bury it somewhere outside the residential area. She looked at David expecting his approval. He couldn't agree more. Lisa too was moving restlessly around. "Let's do it quickly." He said. "Also, we need to make sure nobody from our building had close contact with the cat."

Amelia took the blood from him and left immediately, while David picked the tub and found a place for the cat to bury followed by Lisa who seemed anxious about the scenario. Amelia went straight to the lab where she had started working on the vaccines. She was given permission to use her college lab owing to her interest as well as acumen.

She put on her lab coat, gloves and lab goggles to avoid any contamination before starting her work. Then she poured some of the cat's blood from the container into a test tube and kept the rest of it in the blood bank refrigerator that was present in the lab. "I maight need it later," she whispered to herself. It was a huge laboratory with hundreds of chemicals showcased in the big sized wall cabinets with names pasted on them. There were also sections for each type of tests done in the laboratory to detect chemicals or viruses in the body. Amelia went to the section where the blood was taken for the hepatitis panel test, to check the availability of virus A and E in the blood that she had brought.

She ran the tests and decided to wait for the results till the next day. Although she wasn't sure much about the results but she anticipated something. She dialled David's number. "Hello! It's done..." he replied without waiting for her question. "That's great!" she exclaimed in return "but I need something else?" She grinned. "Whatt?" David asked cluelessly. "Well I... need... a... healthy... mouse." She requested him with pauses as if he would mind her request. "A mouse?" he asked veiling his cluelessness. "Yes, I need to see how it responds to the virus? Though it's not found yet. We have to wait till tomorrow. But if it comes out positive I don't want to waste further time." She divulged in idealistic tone.

David could not reject her request. So, he went in search of mice. He knew where to find them and he was right. Amelia could only say thanks and for her it was needless to ask how he found it. Because no matter how tough it was he would still have found it. There was a big healthy mouse trapped in a cage where it was already served with food. Amelia took it home and waited for the next dawn to rise. She was adamant to work on the virus and nothing could draw her back from it. She knew she was meant to do something and David was there to help her with all his heart. The next day was important and she was ready for it.