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Sanchez looked at the gloves in Ridder’s hand as he continued to wipe his skin. “That’s not going to f.u.c.king help me now, you a.s.shole.”

Ridder took a step back. “Well, I don’t want AIDS.”

“You said AIDS doesn’t have blisters!”

“I don’t f.u.c.king know, okay?”

The burning sensation grew. Sanchez had vacationed in Jamaica once, with his second wife, and while swimming had put his left hand through a jellyfish. That’s what this felt like, a persistent stinging/burning pain that steadily increased.

“Oh man,” Sanchez said. “That was so G.o.dd.a.m.n sick. s.h.i.+t, this burns.”

Ridder stared at the hand. “Uh, Chez,” he said. “Remember this morning’s

Ridder stared at the hand. “Uh, Chez,” he said. “Remember this morning’s briefing? About that s.h.i.+t in g.a.y.l.o.r.d?”

Sanchez stopped wiping. His eyes widened in fear.

“Flesh-eating s.h.i.+t? You think I got that flesh-eating s.h.i.+t?”

“I don’t know, man,” Ridder said. “Just relax.”

“You f.u.c.king relax!”

“Look,” Ridder said. “We’ve got that test kit, that swab thing. Go use it on that guy.”

“Me? I think I’m f.u.c.ked up enough here.”

“Well, if he’s got it, then you already got it,” Ridder said. “Why the f.u.c.k should I get it?”

Flesh-eating disease . . . was that supposed to burn? If not, what did burn? This came out of a dead man’s skin, for G.o.d’s sake.

“Dude, this hurts,” Sanchez said. “You’ve got gloves on, just check him!”

“No f.u.c.king way. Let the paramedics do it, they’re trained for that stuff.”

Sanchez could already hear the sirens. The ambulance would be here within minutes, but he couldn’t wait. He had to know now. “Come on, man,” he said. “Just do the test.”

He took a step toward Ridder. In the blink of an eye, Ridder was backpedaling, drawing his weapon and pointing it at Sanchez.

“You stay the f.u.c.k away from me,” Ridder said. “Stay right there!”

Sanchez did just that. His own partner, drawing down on him. This was messed up. This was how people got shot. “Okay,” he said. “I’m not moving. Just relax, Ridder, and stop pointing that gun at me.”

Ridder didn’t stop, not until the ambulance arrived and the paramedics took over.