It’s Alan!

Emma’s bodyguard; the ex-army guy, the one from the beach. He’s moving quietly, stealthily, and he looks as surprised as you are to see him.

‘James?’ he asks, eyes flicking up and down your bruised, bleeding body in an instant. ‘The fuck happened to you, kid? No – wait, doesn’t matter. Don’t move. I’m calling an ambulance.’

‘No,’ you **** out, vision blurring slightly. ‘Don’t. I – I need you to listen. Just listen.’

Alan looks unconvinced. ‘No, you need a hospital – can you still walk? I’ll help you back to the hotel –’

‘Don’t touch me,’ you bite out, and Alan – stops dead. ‘I… someone injected me with something. They said it was HIV.’

Alan doesn’t look disgusted, as you’re anticipating. He doesn’t leave you there, like you’re half-expecting him to. Instead, his face settles into a look of professional wariness and concern. ‘Where? And how long ago?’

‘Ah…’ The jungle spins as you shake your head, momentarily confused. ‘About… an hour ago, maybe longer. Maybe two.’

‘And they jabbed you with a needle?’ Alan gestures to your arm. ‘That hole, right there? Who was it – junkies, kids?’

You say nothing, biting your tongue. If you’re going to have to tell this story, you’re not telling it more than once.

And right now your vision is darkening dangerously at the edges. ‘Some guy,’ you hiss, trying to stand and failing. ‘It doesn’t matter – I’m fucked anyway, right? I need a hospital.’

‘Maybe you’re not as fucked as you think,’ Alan says matter-of-factly. You look up, exhausted and confused. ‘Sorry. Medic, remember?’ He taps his own chest and smiles tersely. ‘Got my discharge years back, but we’re never really off-duty.’

‘Wait,’ you manage, breathing harshly. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

‘Right.’ Alan crouches down to your eye-level, staring intently. ‘Stay with me, okay? It’s not one hundred percent guaranteed, but if we catch the disease fast enough – say, in a three hour window – we can isolate it before it has a chance to spread. Viruses take time to spread through the body – so if we pump enough prophylaxis into you, chances are we can kill it. Wipe it out before it gets started. It’s what we do with guys in the desert who slice themselves up and catch tetanus. You with me?’

A light of hope seems to flash in the darkness… or maybe that’s just the party still going on up ahead.

‘But we need to get you to a hospital, stat.’ Alan hauls his shirt over his head and wraps it twice around his palm. ‘Any cuts on your hands? Grazes?’

‘Ah…’ You try to focus on them. ‘Right hand, yes. Left hand, no.’

‘Give me your left hand.’ You do, and he’s pulling you up with effortless strength. ‘I’ll get you to the resort, then we can call an ambulance. Just stay with me. You’re going to be okay.’