Dr. Lee still does not look at me, his eyes fixed on the laptop screen.
"As I said, I do not set the protocols. The cost of supporting a single pair on the island is very high. We want participants who cooperate, not those who just want to take advantage of free accommodations. We have imposed procedures we must follow. If we allow opportunities like yours to go to waste, the program risks losing funding."
"You dress it up in medical jargon, but we all know what lies beneath it."
The doctor snorts softly.
"May I remind you, Salt committed a crime. Sector C is not a wellness retreat, but in essence, a correctional facility. That said, there is no coercion in the strict sense. At any moment, you may call Mr. Gessler and request a ferry. Participation in the program is entirely voluntary, but once you choose it, you are bound by certain rules. Otherwise, Salt returns to state prison."
"Let’s go," Salt says through clenched teeth. He is pale and furious. "This is pointless."
"One moment. There is one more matter I need to examine. I did not do this on the previous visit so as not to overwhelm you. I need to examine your testicles and collect a semen sample," Dr. Lee says, turning toward me, his dark eyes locking onto my face.
Salt jerks his head up.
"I assume refusal is not an option."
Silence answers him, but it’s obvious there’s no way I can wiggle out of it.
So I speak calmly instead.
"Fine. If those are the requirements. Salt has been examined, so it is only fair that I am as well. I will comply."
Salt stares at me intensely, but I avoid his gaze.
"Please undress. Pants are sufficient," the doctor says.
I move to the examination couch against the wall, sit down, and pull off my pants.
"Please lie back."
I do so, my eyes fixing on the ceiling. The room is quiet. Salt sits rigid, coiled tight with tension.
Dr. Lee steps closer, and suddenly Salt jumps to his feet.
"You are going to touch his balls?"
"Yes, that is required for the examination. Is that a problem?"
"Maybe it is."
"Unfortunately, in this type of examination I cannot simply tell you to do it yourself. You would not know what to look for."
Salt’s lips press together hard, his jaw trembling, muscles jumping in his cheeks like he wants to spit at Dr. Lee, but he only looks away.
The doctor puts on gloves and gently examines my testicles. The touch is purely medical and detached, so it does not bother me much. Salt, however, looks miserable, turning his eyes toward the window.
"Everything looks fine. I also need a semen sample," Dr. Lee says, gesturing to a door in the wall. "There is a small room there where you can… prepare the sample for me."
No point in resisting, I guess.
"Okay."
"I want to go in there with you," Salt says firmly. His eyes are locked on me with a strange wildness, a stubborn intensity.
"That is fine, if you want," I reply, offering him a gentle smile to ease him a little.
Dr. Lee hands me a small, white container, and we both step into the adjoining room. A chair sits before a screen, which displays a paused alpha-on-beta porn video.
