“Some children, yes. Very sick. But Dr. Radic helps them. He brings medicine.”
Chloe looked at her. “What doctor?”
“Dr. Radic. Comes every month. Brings aid packages. Medicine, yes, but also food. Rice, cooking supplies, seasoning for the curry. Very generous man.” Mrs. Nu Paw’s face brightened. “He gives herbs that help the sick children. Traditional remedies, he says. From the old ways.”
Something cold slithered down Chloe’s spine. “Where is this Dr. Radic now?”
“Gone back to Thailand. But he gets special plant that fights the sickness in children.” Mrs. Nu Paw gestured toward the door.
Tobias caught Chloe’s eye. A visiting doctor. Monthly visits. And herbs that supposedly helped sick children?
Yeah, what he said.Too many coincidences.
“What kind of plant?” Tobias asked.
“Local name ishtawbyu.Small leaves, bitter taste. Dr. Radic says it removes poison from the body.” Mrs. Nu Paw touched Tobias’s forehead, checking for fever. “Maybe it helps you too.”
Another boom, followed by the distant chatter of automatic weapons. The fighting was escalating.
“Mrs. Nu Paw,” Chloe said carefully, “what does Dr. Radic look like?”
“Tall man. Light hair. Speaks good Thai, little Karenni. Always smiling, very patient with children.” The older woman’s expression grew thoughtful. “Why you ask?”
Chloe exchanged glances with Tobias. A foreign doctor making regular visits to remote villages. Bringing “medicine.”Were children getting sick despite his treatments—or because of them?
“Just curious.” Chloe forced a smile. “This plant—htawbyu—does it grow around here?”
“Of course. But dangerous now. Fighting makes travel?—”
Footsteps. Captain Wong appeared in the doorway, his mouth a grim slash. He wore a tactical vest over camouflage fatigues, held a radio.
“Miss Silver. We have problem.” His English carried the clipped precision of someone accustomed to crisis. “Myanmar forces are moving toward the village. Two hours, maybe less.”
Chloe’s stomach dropped. “Can we evacuate Dr. Tobias?”
“Not in his condition. The journey is difficult—jungle paths, river crossings. He cannot survive.”
She stilled.
“Chloe, don’t—” Tobias started.
“Then we make a stand here.” The words escaped before she’d thought them through. Still, maybe she was right.
Captain Wong’s expression remained neutral. “We are a humanitarian mission. We do not ‘make stands.’ We evacuate civilians and medical personnel.”
“I’m not leaving him.” She looked at Tobias, her throat filling.
“Chloe—”
“I got you into this.”
Tobias lay back on his pillow. “That’s not how I remember it.”
Her eyes filled.
“You need to go.”
“Miss Silver—” Captain Wong began.