Defiant: Quantic Dreams Book 2 by Elizabeth McLaughlin (reading list txt) 📗

as I could. I should have gotten in touch with you first, but I was worried. The doctor is keeping her for observation overnight and I’m here to grab her tablet and anything else you think she might find comforting.”

“Sure, just give me a second.” Frank disappeared and returned with a small stack of objects consisting of a pillow, a blanket, and Allison’s tablet. “Can I see her?”

“I don’t think so, but I’ll be sure to let her know that I saw you. The doctors are treating her cough with an extra dose of caution. It’s most likely something minor, but they want to make sure. If they tell me that you can see her, I will come straight back here and bring you to her myself, okay?”

Frank pursed his lips. He looked like he was ready to object, but apparently changed his mind. Maybe he knew that I wasn’t going to let him see his wife, doctor’s advice or not. We had some medicine at our disposal, but it wasn’t possible to synthesize everything yet. If Allison had something contagious, it was imperative that she remain isolated. “All right, Jacob. Just..just make sure she knows that I’m here for her?”

I took Allison’s belongings from him. “I’m sure she knows that, my friend. Don’t worry, I’ll have her back to you as quickly as I can.”

I arrived back to the infirmary to find Allison hooked up to an intravenous line and wearing an oxygen mask. The change from Dr. Rickman’s nonchalantness to this was jarring. I stopped in my tracks for a moment before continuing. Rather than letting me hand Allison’s belongings to her, Shannon rushed over to me and took them. “She’s fine, Jacob, but we’re treating this like it might be contagious, just in case. We have her on the extra oxygen just to prevent complications.”

“That’s fine, I understand your caution. Hey Allison, I told Frank what’s going on and he’s okay. He says he misses you and can’t wait until you are back with him so he can take care of you himself.” I called across the room.

“Thanks Jacob.” She lifted the oxygen mask from her face, but Dr. Rickman pressed it down again.

“Listen, I’ve copied your designs onto my personal tablet.” I raised it to demonstrate. “You’re the best one we’ve got Allison, but until you’re feeling a little better I’m going to find someone to take over, all right?”

Allison nodded weakly at me as another coughing fit took hold. I waved goodbye to her and left. It was dinnertime, and I’m sure that my absence was being noted. She would be fine in the morning, I told myself. She would be just fine and we would keep going.

Chapter Five

I hadn’t gone more than fifty feet when I heard George’s heavy footsteps behind me.

“What’s going on with Allison?” He jogged to catch up with me and stood in front of me to block my path.

“For fuck’s sake, George, I’ve had a long day. It’s none of your business what’s going on with Allison, or anyone other than yourself.” I tried to shoulder my way past him, but he moved to stop me again and again.

“I’m just concerned, Jacob. No need for such hostility.” He smirked down at me, enormous arms folded across his chest. The man I had liked so well in the psychiatric hospital was gone. I felt an unexpected pang of sadness well up in my chest and pushed it away.

“She’s not feeling well. As you might think was made obvious by the fact that she’s in the infirmary.” I was getting seriously sick of this routine. If I had known that George was going to be such a prick in the real world, I might have wanted to leave him plugged in! The first prickling of a headache started in my temples, and I took a deep breath to lower my blood pressure.

“If she’s sick with something contagious, you have a responsibility to inform the rest of us, Jacob.” George’s voice held an unusual snap to it. It eerily reminded me of the way Gabriel used to talk when he was feeling impatient with me. I pushed the comparison out of my mind. I couldn’t go the rest of my life seeing his ghost everywhere.

“I couldn’t tell you. All I know is that she’s not feeling well and that she’s staying overnight for observation. As you’ve no doubt failed to notice, she and the whole exploration team have been working day and night to work utter miracles so the rest of us can live a full life out on the surface. The woman deserves a break, I’m only sorry that it was illness that forced her to take one.”

George stared at me for a full minute, his jaw working as he tried to conjure some kind of insult.

“If you’ll please excuse me, I haven’t eaten in close to eight hours and I must get to the mess before the evening meal has ended.”

“Yes,” he growled. “No doubt your precious family is wondering where you’ve disappeared to.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I turned and glared at him.

“Nothing, nothing.” He rolled his eyes and held out his hands to ward me off. “Only that some of us weren’t so lucky to meet the beautiful wife and have a lovely child. You’re lucky, Jacob, never forget it.”

That was enough. I grit my teeth and stalked to the mess. No matter how much he needled me, letting him have the satisfaction wasn’t worth it. I arrived to find a room thrumming with tension. Word of Allison’s illness had gotten loose, as had the news that Sophia’s daughter had spiked a fever. The appearance of disease had ratcheted up the stress in a group of already strained people. The urge to get up and make some kind of proclamation was tempting, but I thought better of it. Opening my mouth before I had any definitive details would only bring trouble. I comforted myself with the certainty that