Between the two of them Murdock and Decker got the other three men into their bedrooms and tucked up in bed. They went back to the infirmary and Murdock searched around in the drug cabinet for Tylenol.

"We'd better call the Mounties, let them know what's going on, in case we need a doctor's advice on short notice." Decker said. "Are you feeling okay, Captain?"

"Yeah. They give us flu shots at the VA, hope that'll stop me getting it. You?"

"So far." He scowled. "Assuming it is flu how the hell did they get it out here? We've not been near another living thing for six weeks."

Murdock didn't turn around, still rummaged around in the drugs cabinet.

"You know what I think it could be?" Murdock said. "Remember last week we got those spare blankets out of that store room? They were nearly frozen stiff. When they warmed up they smelled like they'd not been washed. I'll bet it came from them." He turned back around. Decker didn't look convinced, but he eventually shrugged.

"Well," Decker said, "it doesn't matter. Whatever it is and however they got it we just have to deal with it."

"Yeah," Murdock agreed. "Well we're going to have our hands full I guess, with looking after those three and doing the chores. I guess you'd prefer the chores while I play nursemaid?"

Decker frowned. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, I just figured -"

"You figured I'm such a stony hearted bastard that I won't take care of three sick men just because I don't like them?"

"I never said that." Murdock scowled back at him, Decker's tone putting his back up at once. "Did anyone in this room hear me say that?"

"The situation hasn't changed, Captain. You're still my prisoners. I'm still responsible for your welfare." He stalked off. Murdock followed, still bristling with anger.

"Hey, I wonder if we can get that doctor to give us some advice on getting the stick out of your butt, Decker!"

"Why don't you call the Mounties and find out?" Decker growled.

"And what are you going to do, sir?"

"I'm going to find a chicken soup recipe!" Decker shot back and Murdock's anger instantly vanished in the face of the ridiculous answer.

As he calmed down he also realised that he'd just about volunteered for something he wasn't actually meant to do.

"Colonel." he said, in a conciliatory tone as he followed Decker into the kitchen. "Sorry about that. I'm just tired and worried you know. Erm, could you call the Mounties? I want to take the guys some water and check they're all comfortable."

Decker shrugged, his anger apparently vanishing too.

"Fine. But I think you'd better go and refuel the generator first. It's already overdue and we don’t want the heaters in their bedrooms cutting out."

Murdock nodded, relieved. He started donning the Parka that sat on a hook by the exterior door. He zipped it up until the furred edge of the hood tickled his face then put on the gloves that were sewn to the sleeves on lengths of elastic. That had been Face's idea and he'd put up with no end of teasing about it. No doubt a little tip from the orphanage, Murdock thought.

As Murdock put a hand on the door handle, Decker spoke again. "Captain, don't forget." He nodded to another hook, beside the coat hook. The handgun hung on that one.

"Oh it's more scared of us that we are of it." Murdock said. "Well, in most cases."

"Take the gun, Captain." Command voice, thought Murdock. Like that's going to work on me.

"You giving me an order, Rod?" Murdock grinned at him, teasing defiance, but with a touch of steel behind it.

"Yes." Decker said, with a lot more than just a touch of steel. Murdock held his gaze for a moment then took the pistol down and put it in his pocket.

Decker nodded, still grim faced. "Right. I'll call Baker." He strode towards the door to the hallway. Abruptly he stopped in the doorway and looked back at Murdock, a puzzled expression on his face, as if trying to work something out.

Damn, Murdock thought. Damn. He felt like he could hear Decker's thoughts. They were going "Murdock... Radio.... Murdock.... Radio." In return Murdock tried to project thoughts to Decker. You've seen me use the radio lots of times, you talk about me all the time on there. Okay, projecting thoughts probably doesn't work, he thought, but it was worth a try.

"Anything wrong, Colonel?" Murdock asked, smiling disarmingly.

"No..." Decker said. "No." He left frowning.

Damn, Murdock thought. Better try and keep his mind occupied. Of course with three sick men to take care of, the station to keep running and that wolf still lurking around outside that shouldn't be a problem. Though nothing wrong with adding a little something extra to the mix. What was that Face had called Murdock earlier?

~~~~

"Captain Obvious?" Hannibal croaked. He took a couple more spoonfuls of the chicken broth Murdock had brought in for a very late lunch.

"Yep. Captain Obvious. His superpower is stating the obvious, obviously." Murdock grinned. "Obviously it's going to be very annoying. It's Face's fault." He had felt it happen. Two snappy sarcastic words from Face and a new personality had leapt up fully formed, to join the cast of characters that lived in Murdock's brain.

"Should drive Decker pretty crazy." Hannibal managed to smile a tiny bit. "Guess you two are gonna be thrown together a lot over the next few days."

"Obviously. And yeah, I know, try to remember to play up the crazy angle."

"Good, Murdock, good." Hannibal put the spoon back in the bowl and gave it back to Murdock. Murdock frowned at the still half full bowl.

"You have to eat, Colonel."

"Had enough." Hannibal started to slide back down under the covers. He just wanted to sleep when he was sick, Murdock knew. Liked to just sleep it off and wake up when he felt better. Murdock pulled away the cloth he'd been using as a bib to keep Hannibal from spilling broth all down him.

"Some water first," Murdock insisted, pouring some. "And your Tylenol."

"Sleep..." Hannibal said, muzzily, dropping into a doze already. Murdock sat on the bed and kept the colonel sitting up long enough to make him drink a beaker of water and swallow two pills, then let him lie down. Hannibal burrowed into the covers. Murdock stood up, frowned down at him.

"Too hot." Murdock muttered. He stripped away a couple of the blankets. Hannibal's fever wasn't as high as either Face or BA's, but he still needed to cool down. Hannibal stirred as the blankets were pulled off, but then settled under the remaining ones and started to snore quietly. Murdock watched for a while, until he was convinced Hannibal was settled, and then left the room, leaving the door open.

BA was also sleeping when Murdock checked. Murdock checked he wasn't too hot then he went on into Face's room, which was lit only by a bedside lamp. Decker was in there already, sitting in a chair by Face's bed. He held a soup bowl and bent over Face, speaking quietly.

"You're sure you can't manage just a spoonful, Lieutenant? You'll feel better." He heard Murdock come in and looked up.

"His fever's gone up to 103. He took the Tylenol, but he won't eat." Face was curled up and shivering. His hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. Murdock looked down at Face, unable to hide his worry. Decker spoke again.

"Do you want to sit with him?"

Murdock looked at him. "I... I was gonna clean up the kitchen." He frowned. "I hate the damn chores."

"I'll do it." Decker stood up from his chair. "You keep an eye on these three. I'll fetch you some ice water for him." He gestured at Face. "We'll see if we can get the fever down." Decker strode out.

Murdock smiled down at Face who looked back at him with hazy eyes. "Rod's just a big softy underneath," Murdock said with a grin. Face just looked confused.

"Murdock?"

"Yeah, it's me." Murdock sat on the bed. He took Face's sweaty right hand.

"Decker..."

"Yeah, he's around too." Murdock said, in a soothing tone. "You should try to sleep, Face."

"Yeah... sleep." Like Hannibal he drifted off quickly. But unlike Hannibal he didn't rest easily. The fever made him restless. He muttered, whether delirious or dreaming Murdock didn't know. He kept hold of Face's hand, to provide an anchor in the storm of fever dreams.

Most of the muttering was incoherent, until Face started saying the same word over and over. "Wolf. Wolf." Soft at first, getting louder and more frightened.

"Easy, Face." Murdock said. "No wolf. You're safe."

"Wolf!" Face gasped, sat up, grabbed at Murdock's arm. "Wolf! It's here!"

A shadow crossed the door and Murdock looked up alarmed, but it was only Decker, carrying a bowl and a wash cloth.

"What's he saying?"

"He's dreaming," Murdock said. He put a hand on Face's shoulder, pressing him back to lie down. "There's no wolf here, Face." He glanced at Decker. "Um, have you seen it lately?"

"No." Decker handed the bowl and cloth to Murdock. "Not for a couple of days. I guess Smith was right. It must have moved on south."

"Yeah," Murdock said. "I... I guess." He dipped the wash cloth in the bowl of water. Ice bobbed as he wrung the cloth out.

"Wolf." Face whispered as Murdock laid the folded cloth on his forehead. Murdock sighed, looked at his watch. It was four thirty in the afternoon.

"We've got a long night ahead," said Captain Obvious.