"So feverish, but not a complete lack of appetite," Nat said more to herself than anyone. She slipped the tube out of the syringe, and placed it on the counter. Then, placing her finger just above the entry point, she withdrew the needle. She applied pressure for a few seconds and allowed the wound to heal. Which it did. Slowly. A lot slower than it should, she thought.

Nat looked up at Veronica as she dumped the sharp into the hazardous waste container. "He's going to need more -- a lot more. And maybe human, depending on what I find in my analysis."

A closer examination of the wound offered no splinters or fragments. Just red, irritated, and blistering skin.