“It seems like it.Serves me right for leaving the house.”
“You need massive cellular repair at a number of levels, and we are going to manage it.”
Hemma took the glass of water that Arcady gave her and drank it down.There was a metallic tang that let her know the nanites were now in part of her system.
She listened to the plan and started to put the monitor pods on her temples as the instructions continued.She added stickers to her chest and abdomen.Within an hour, she was in a bed with a larger drip in her arm, and a tank was being pushed into the chamber she was in.Naked and wired, she had to get into the tank to let the repairs be enacted with the liquid as support.Pain control was also in her system.That was a first.
She walked with Arcady and got into the tank.The oxygenated liquid would help the nanite-laden fluid work on the connections for her gills.
This was going to be quite the soak.
Arcady smiled.“There is a tablet hooked to the inside of the tank, and you can use it for communication and entertainment.”
Hemma gave her a thumbs-up, and Arcady said, “You are going to be guarded around the clock.Don’t worry.”
Hemma shrugged and closed her eyes as she began to feel pulses in her system.A voice in her mind began to give her BDC instruction.Well, may as well.It would be interesting if nothing else.She listened to the voice and learned all she could about how dating actives worked.
Late in the night, she opened her eyes, and a familiar face was sitting and reading on a tablet.Ival was sitting there, and she turned her head to make eye contact.Her red eye made the silver cybernetic eye look startling.The scars across her features set everything off.
Ival sent her a message via tablet, and she heard the voice in her head.“I am just here to make sure no one comes in and tries to snag you.Keska and Zephyr were worried, so they asked Char to call me.She did, and here I am.”
Hemma typed,“U R Okay?”
Ival touched a button on the outside of the tank and spoke softly.“I am okay.It’s been a rough road, but the writing helps.Folks seem to enjoy paying me for my personal therapy.”
Hemma smiled and pressed her hand to the inside of the tank.Ival pushed her hand against the exterior, and they met eye to eye.
Hemma looked into the red eye and remembered when there had been a matching set and when they had both been in training to gain secrets from the different countries they had travelled to.Everyone was wary of Ival, so it made Hemma look more desirable in comparison.
Hemma typed.No gloves?
“I am on guard duty.Anyone who comes through that doesn’t have the password, drops.”Ival smiled.“Oh, and the biochem department is working on an antivenin for my effect, so that’s fun.I get paid for it, too.”
Wow.Finally.They dodged you for how long?
“Three years.Everyone thinks that covering up is manageable, and no one thinks that it means you can’t touch anyone.I miss touch.”
Hemma paused.You used to be able to touch?
“Like many of their experiments, I got more toxic as I aged.”
You are still stunning.
“Flatterer.You must be delirious.I know what I see when I look in the mirror.”
Survivor.Very sexy.
“Practicing your BDC info on me already?You are a quick study.”
I think you are beautiful.
“You knew me before they started to engrave my face.When my eyes matched.”
I like your books.
“I get a lot of frustrations and random thoughts out with those.I also have friends who are escorts, and I use the vague details to spark my imagination.”
It’s efficient.
