in

inutes were the l

m. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, a sterile, indifferent w

was paranoid, broken, a woman dri

finish th

my belly, feeling the gentle curve of my five-month bump. The baby

silently. I'm sorry I

e lab door

his face pale and grim. In all the years I'd known him, I'd never seen that expr

ice came out

ted his eyes.

oice low and hoarse. "

em-that'll take more time-but the preliminary screen shows a compound that shouldn

etonated i

ears, drowning ou

cells. Something tha

nted to poison it from the inside-slowly, deliberately,

am tearing from my throat. Ben caught my arm, lowering me gently. The lab report fluttere

long I lay ther

ain. A small kick

against the cold floor. "Ben," I said, m

d probe gliding over my belly. The technician was silent. I stared at the

d, came in and reviewed the images.

e baby looks normal. Limbs, spine, heart-a

ught. A flic

all damage is visible right now. Some effects appear later-neurological issues, motor functi

a hand on

monitoring. Or you can terminate. There's

lutter against my palm. I pressed my hand

time," I

. "The next two we

ort from the chair beside me. My hands were no longer tre

ite, found a quiet corner by the