ing windows and spread across the cold grey ma

body aching. Her e

at all. Grey white walls, metal trim

d back. She took a deep brea

d, then died behind her. Every door looked the same.

l, two black suited g

id you shouldn'

l records. I can't make a treatment plan without his full hist

r clinic has,

rd cut

ds for treatment? We have it here

All the arguments she'd pr

the guards led h

leather chair, dark circles under his eyes

footsteps, he di

e he

ne sat on the desk, sealed

t. His hand lande

call the police if

ed up, eyes sliding over her

ing a

e smiled. The smile didn't reach his eyes.

all black box on the corner of the desk. A red light

After you're done, you're going to tell me why you

oze for a

but her heart dropped. He

n she tore open the bag, turned on sp

Kate's voice cracked,

oject. I'll be gone a few days. Follow Protocol Three f

he was your colleague. Asked which school Dorothea goes to. I didn'

ened on the phone. "W

uldn't see his face

otocol. Don't

hung

n and looked up. Domi

or told me to." Avery took a deep breath. "He said your previous t

k I belie

ve to. But it

e he was tasting it. "Your mentor.

es

use you as a paw

wn." Avery's

r progress. A patient who won't cooperate? The best treatment

. Then he stood, walked around the de

e tilted his hea

ayed for a fool. I'll deal

pped c

g device? You

ve back. "How d

ped away. "Now go get ready. First off

he door. As he pas

ay. What's Pr

didn't

pushed the door o

ed down the ha

re, palms slick

became uncontrollable, use a strong sedative and lock the door from the outside. The las

r mind was stuck

. The one who asked ab

the corner of the desk. The

ord

ad been recorded. Including the part whe

r opene

ossed a folder on the desk

u need data.

lab records from the last seven

xplain furt

folder. She walked

hirty

n interior shot of a lab. A row of numbered tags

3

rs stoppe

t number somewhere in

e out what it meant. She flip

d no photos. Even the table was

ns: Name, N

down and stopped

St.

d. She brought the folde

irthday matched t

ank. The Notes column ha

ng, darker ink than the rest.

Can neutralize residual compounds in Subject 047.

ent numb. The numbness

ed her ears. Everything in the study felt far awa

d all t

ad no

didn't notice until the edge of the fo

NG

e floor to ceiling windows cracked with a sound that made her teeth

. The last page flipped face u

ne, on

drowned ou

oke filled the hallway. Guards shouting. Guns

d grabbed Avery's wrist. The grip

t u

from above her. He

o choice but to follow. Her medical bag slipped fr

ave

, and locked it behind him. The room was dark. A storage closet

ing for air. Dominic stood by the d

des. His shirt was torn. A shallow

're

gra

very's voice stea

ergency light slipped through the crack in th

a psychi

can handle a

t down and found the first aid kit in the corner, opened it, and pulled out ant

ent back t

still be debris inside. If I don

against the wall and turned

ntiseptic touched the cut, Domin

ange his breathing. But she saw it. Hi

of debris lodged near the surface. Small. Not de

As the gauze wrapped around his shoulder blad

was

on

teppe

daged wound and rolled his sho

he said. "It wa