D.E.A.D. Till I Die: An Action Thriller (GlobaTech Book 1) by James P. Sumner Page B

outfit for her, quickly finding a feminine sweater and skinny-fit jeans. He also sprung for a pair of sneakers, which he figured she’d prefer. He never professed to know much about women, but he knew, where possible, that comfortable shoes were always a good thing.
    He changed into his new clothes in the store, and paid for everything in cash. He put his old clothes in the first trash can he found, and made his way back to the hotel, stopping in a Starbucks on the way to pick up two coffees and a couple of bagels.
    He opened the door to the room just as Julie was stepping out of the bathroom, dripping wet and wearing a short towel wrapped around her slender frame. She gasped, placing her hand to her chest, startled.
    “Oh my God!” she said, breathing heavily. “You scared the crap outta me!”
    Jericho stood, momentarily frozen with embarrassment, staring at her. He couldn’t help but cast a quick, approving eye over her before regaining his senses and turning his back on her.
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t realize…” He took a couple of steps back, without looking round, and held out the bag containing her new clothes. “Here—I hope they fit.”
    Julie took the bag. “Thanks… I’ll just go and…y’know.”
    “Yeah… of course, sorry.”
    He turned only when he heard the bathroom door close. “Jesus…” he muttered to himself, unable to suppress a small smile.
    He placed the coffee and bagels on the table near the door and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting patiently. After a few minutes, the door opened again and Julie appeared, dry, and dressed in her new outfit.
    “What do you think?” she asked, cocking her hip out to the right and shrugging, in a light-hearted pose.
    Jericho looked at her approvingly. The sweater was a little big, but she seemed comfortable enough in it. The skinny jeans were a perfect fit.
    It was the first time he’d seen Julie in anything other than the nurse’s uniform. She had a great figure; her legs were deceptively long and toned.
    “You look great,” he replied, which he noticed made Julie’s cheeks flush a little. He nodded at the table. “Breakfast is over there. Hope you like coffee!”
    “Who doesn’t?” she said, eagerly taking a sip. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste. “How did you sleep?” she asked him.
    Jericho shrugged. “I’ve slept enough over the last week. You?”
    “I got a few hours, but nothing significant.”
    She handed him his coffee, which he took gladly. He had a mouthful and moved over to the window, looking down at the street below. The sun was rising, and the new day was already in full flow. He turned back to look at Julie.
    “What did GlobaTech do to me?” he asked her, gesturing to his bandages.
    Julie took a deep breath and a sip of her coffee before replying. “If I tell you, are you going to freak out and run like you did before?”
    Jericho smiled, feeling a little embarrassed. “No, I swear. I just need to know.”
    She took a seat on the bed, where he’d sat a moment ago, holding her coffee in both hands. “Okay... your left eye was damaged beyond repair by the bullet, you know that already, right?”
    He nodded. “Josh mentioned it, yeah.”
    “Well, they had to remove it completely during surgery.”
    Jericho’s right eye went wide, and he gestured angrily to his bandages. “I have no fucking eyeball under these?”
    Julie went silent, avoiding his gaze.
    “What?” he asked.
    She took a deep breath before continuing. “GlobaTech have been doing a lot of research on stem cells, as part of an ongoing healthcare program designed to aid the recovery of damaged limbs.”
    Jericho frowned. “Josh started to say something about stem cells? Isn’t that to do with, like, cloning or something?”
    Julie nodded. “About a month ago, GlobaTech manufactured a right hand in their labs, and were able to successfully attach it to a field operative who lost their own during a skirmish. This prompted more