Sovereign (Sovereign Series) by E.R. Arroyo Page A

voices but I can’t do it.  Then finally, clear as a bell, I hear, “Why
is it taking so long?” and “She’s almost out.”  Then nothing.  Nothing at all. 
     
    I
awake to a light that sears through my eyelids even though I can’t seem to open
them.  I’m groggy, and my head aches tremendously.  I draw my hands to my face
to block the light, and open my eyes just enough to see where I am: back in the
room where I started.  I’m back in my own clothes, and it makes me
uncomfortable knowing I didn’t put them on myself.  I sit up and cock my head
to each side, wanting the stiffness in my neck to subside.  And the headache. 
It’s intense, and there seems to be pain in distinct places.
    There’s
a tap on the door and my lab tech enters.  Right behind her are Nathan and
Marsiana.  The tech sits next to the counter with the chart flipped open.  I’m
surprised at how thick the file has become.  Nathan and Marsiana stand by the
closed door with their hands behind their backs.  They could be made of stone. 
Two statues. 
    The
lab tech begins to speak.  “Her physical aptitudes are excellent.  No
impairments or abnormalities.  While I did note a few injuries, they did not
affect her performance.”  I hadn’t realized I was performing .  No one
has looked at me or addressed me since they walked in.  “Blood work was as
expected.”
    Nathan
speaks now, “The immunity?”
    “Yes.”
    “Immunity
to what?” I blurt out.
    Nathan
finally looks at me with that crooked smile I’m starting to hate.  Why is he
acting this way?  Pleasant , almost.
    “Just
about everything,” she explains.  “Every virus.  Every disease.  Every poison.”
    “Meds?”
Nathan asks.
    “Most
of them, yes.  We had a hard time putting her under,” she tells him.
    “How
do you know I’m immune to those things?” I ask.
    “Over
the years we’ve injected you with them.  You never respond.  Your immune system
is remarkable,” she says, for the first time with a distinct emotion: wonder.
    “It’s
also frustrating,” Nathan interjects.  He still looks happy, though. 
    The
captain shifts her weight.  “Why frustrating?”
    “Because
she’s unpredictable.  That’s the biggest reason she’s not in Population.  We
can’t anticipate the results of her reproduction.”  His tone has shifted to
grim.  If he’s implying that I have DNA that is otherwise fit for breeding,
he’s off his rocker.  For once I’m glad to be a freak of nature.  I’d die
before letting them use me that way. 
    “She’ll
make a fine soldier.  So it’s their loss,” Marsi says.  I’m touched that
someone is taking up for me.
    “We’ll
see.”  Nathan shoots me a warning glance.
    The
tech clears her throat.  “I’ll go over my dietary recommendations with her, and
then send her out.”
    “Thank
you.”  Nathan nods and sees himself out.  Marsi offers me a quick smile on her
way out behind him. 
    Everything
that 335 says next comes in a blur.  I can’t shake the feeling of betrayal. 
These people pretended they were doing me a favor.  Pretended to save me.  But
they used me.  They tried everything they could to
make me weaker--I could have died from what they did to me.  I’m a punching
bag.  A stupid experiment. 
    I’m
angry.  I’m hurt.  I want to wrap my cold, bony fingers around Nathan’s neck. 
I wonder if Cornelius knew.  He couldn’t have .  I have to get out of
here.  I have to get out now, or I’ll hurt somebody.  I’m hurting them already.
    “Your
head will probably hurt for another day or so, but besides that, you shouldn’t
have any problems from the operation.”  Suddenly, I’m jolted from the storm in
my mind. 
    “Operation?” 
I have no idea what she’s talking about.  She nods to my neck and I follow her
gaze with my fingers.  There’s a bandage on my neck right where...  “A chip?”
    “Yes. 
It’s not been assigned any clearances yet, so you’ll still