ZAC POV
I look down at the man that has been dragged on to our deck and I can not believe that this is a fellow Navy soldier. I look at his credentials and it is clear that he is from one of the other ships that have been deployed with us.
A Thousand questions run through my mind. Why are they on a rubber boat? Why are they unconscious? Why are they drifting on the sea and where is the rest of the men?
I can not help as I, personally pick up the man to take to Amy for a check-up. A permanent frown appears on my face and I know that frown will not be disappearing anytime soon.
AMY POV
I have just finished putting on my mask and my gloves when I see the Captain coming towards me with a man in his arms. I do not know how things work on this ship but it is very strange for me to see the Captain doing some of the work.
According to my knowledge, the Captain just gives orders and the soldiers do what he says. Usually, they do not get their hands dirty. But there is something else going on with him.
It is clear to me that something is bothering him with that frown on his face. I know that I have no right to his feelings but I can not help as I feel deep concern for him. I wish I can somehow relieve some of the trouble on his shoulders.
So, I decided to be as professional as possible and do a good job like he would want me to do. I lead him towards the mat that I laid out for the bodies and show him where to put the soldier down.
I can not help to look at his arm muscles as he put the man down. His muscles are bursting out of their seams and it is proudly displaying itself to me. I then pull my eyes off his muscles and get right back to what he asked me to do.
"Thank you, sir. I got it from here"
I watch as he takes a few steps back from me, to work but it is clear that he wants to see everything that I'm doing. I quickly open the man's shirt and put my stethoscope on his heart. I listen carefully if I can hear his heartbeat but unfortunately, there is nothing.
I sigh loudly and then shake my head. I take the stethoscope out of my ears and then turned to the Captain saying.
"I am sorry, Captain, but he's not alive"
As I tell him the news I watch him almost react as if I put a knife in his heart. Then he clears his throat and says.
"Are you sure?"
"I am sure, sir. He has no heartbeat"
He stamps his foot on the ground and then curses. It is clear that he is very upset about the news that I gave him. Then another soldier comes with another man and I show him where to put him. I take a deep breath before I listen to this man's heart as I really do not want to tell the Captain that this one is dead as well.
But by the looks of things, this one is dead as well. I put my stethoscope on his heart and as I thought he is dead. I turn to the Captain and just shake my head.
"Fuck!"
This time it is not him that feels as if somebody put a knife in his heart but this time it feels as if somebody puts a knife in my heart. I hate to see him so disappointed. It feels as if it is my fault somehow.
Then they bring the next man and the same thing happens. I stand up and I turn to tell the Captain that he is dead too. But this time I'm trying to control the tears that are about to fall down my cheeks.
I walk to stand close to the Captain and then say.
"I am so sorry, Captain"
I expect him to utter a few more curses but then, to my surprise, he puts a hand on my shoulder and looks me straight in the eye.
"Thank you for your help, Dr. Michaels. I really appreciate the work you did here for me. Can you help me with one last thing, please?"
I can not handle the number of emotions running through my heart right now. I want to cry and I want to leap for joy at the same time because of the way that he speaks to me. He has this way of making you feel like the only person in the world and that your service somehow helped him personally.
"Of course, sir what can I do for you?"
"Can you give me some kind of an idea of what the soldiers died of?"
I feel happy that he asked me that question because I spend a year in a morgue doing autopsies on bodies as part of my training. I am sure I would be able to help him with this after I just gave him horrible news.
"I can help you with that, Captain"
I quickly turn around and walk to one of the bodies and start to do a checkup. I take my flashlight and look into the eyes of the soldier. I can see that his pupil has been blown and that is normal for a deceased.
Then I look on his chest to see if I can find any abnormal marks but everything looks normal. I slowly work my way down to his ankles where I pull up his pants to investigate his legs.
As I start to roll up his pants I see a rash that looks like a coating of red color covering his calf. I know that a rash should disappear after death but this rash almost looks alive.
You suddenly remember something that you saw when you were only a resident and if you are correct in conclusion then this could mean big trouble.