"Hey, you got through it," he offers. "Most probably wouldn't. It's called Bitter Drink for a reason."

The Stimpack is taken back, and then injected one by one. He chooses the thigh, something hopefully less tender than the rest of the body. The Stimpacks should fortify and strengthen, cut the healing time down, and so the only thing Alex would need to worry about would be the fever. Something he would have to try to balance in another way.

He holds out a hand, palm out. "Spit."