“No,” he cleared his throat. “You won’t be touched... by me, or anyone else.”
Clara leaned over and picked her purse up off the floor. Her eyes remained on the man—Cyborg—who suddenly couldn’t stop moving. “So, I’m part of the program?”
“No—”
“But you said no one would touch me.” Her resolve hardened.
He scowled at her but she held her ground. Clara didn't know the rules for candidacy for the program and she knew she was definitely not the ideal candidate by a long shot. That didn’t matter to her.
She shuddered to think what would happen if she left the facility without a contract.
Dr. Canis clasped his hands and put his elbows on the desk, leaning toward her. “It's not that easy.”
“But... you said—”
“I know what I said.” His face went dark, and she her breath caught in her throat. “There is a lot to consider when joining this program. Both from my perspective as an administrator and yours as a potential candidate.” Reid seemed to grow more imposing as he talked.How did I ever see him as just a man?“If you sign the contract, it’s for three months. Three tries. You'll be monitored constantly. You’ll have no privacy.”
“Why?”
“We would have to make sure that you did nothing to harm yourself or jeopardize the process.” He made a show of flicking through some digital paperwork that she couldn't see. It made her angry how cavalier he was being. She knew all this going in and she understood the lack of privacy, but she didn't like it.
“Who would be watching me?”
He looked up and pinned her with his black eyes. She barely held back a shiver and it wasn't from the frigid atmosphere of the room. Would he be watching her?
“A.I. mainly. Your doctor will have access but only under certain protocols would he observe. But if you do something that has negative effects on the process, the A.I. and I will be notified. But, you should know that there will be daily checkups and your health would be completely in our hands.”
“What does that mean?”You better not be serious, asshole.
“You won't be able to leave once you've signed, at least not the grounds. Your diet and your daily activities will be monitored as well as your vitamin intake, chemicals, and mental stability. Any personal freedoms will be surrendered for the duration of your contract.”
It's worth it.She told herself.If I'm able to get the surgery and gain the ability to have children for three months of captivity... it’s more than worth it.Hell, she'd resigned herself to a lot longer if it meant that she would get what she wanted. It wasn't like she hadn't been a captive before. At least this time she stood to benefit from it.
“What happens when the three months are up?”
“That depends. If you're pregnant, you'll have to remain here for the entire cycle and the months following.”
Clara looked away and to her image projected onto the wall.
She had been happy then, at that moment, with her fiancé. He was a good man—unlike Santino—a decent one and she would've been happy with him, happy living a quiet, normal life even if she would never be able to have children. At least she would've had somebody to care for. Someone to care for her.
Could she do it?
I could be beholden, my child could be beholden to the government for years to come.
If she were able to get pregnant here, her child would be strong, be healthy, have access to a great education, and would never have to deal with the slums and the wasteland that remained of Middle America.
She could do it. Her child would have the world at its fingertips and technology in its body that would outlive this age and the next.
She looked back at the man across from her.I could deal with this asshole too.If it meant reaching her goal, she could. But she couldn't deny the hollow feeling in her gut and the intimidation she felt under his gaze.
He really is a Cyborg...
“Where do I sign?”
The Cyborg rose from his seat with a scowl.
