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

and took her arm in mine. As we walked, I asked her about her latest ideas and smiled as she launched into the shelter designs she had nailed down. Talking about her passion seemed to bring new light into her eyes. When we reached the infirmary, there was only one person there, a physician. His back was turned to us as he rearranged something on a shelf, and I coughed to make him aware of our presence. When he turned around, I saw that it was Edward Naylor, one of the few people who had received advanced medical training before plugging into the virtual world.

“Jacob, Allison! I’m surprised to see you here so late at night. Are you doing all right? Is there something I can help you with?”

I gestured to Allison. “The lady here is having some trouble getting to sleep and was wondering if you had anything to help her drift off. If you do, I’ll take some of it myself. Things are so busy lately I can’t seem to turn my brain off.”

“Yes, of course. Allison, if you would take a seat on one of the gurneys here? I’d like to do a quick examination before I see what I’ve got for you. Call it an overabundance of caution, but I just want to rule out anything else going on.”

“Sure, doc.” Allison hoisted herself onto a gurney and tilted her head upward as Dr. Naylor used his fingers to palpate down from her jaw. He took his stethoscope from his around his neck and pressed the disk against her back, then her chest.

“Hm, your lymph nodes feel a little enlarged.” He produced a tongue depressor. “You know the drill. Open your mouth and say ‘ah!’” She did, and he pressed the thin piece of wood down on her tongue while using the other hand to shine a flashlight into her mouth. “Your throat looks a little irritated, too. Been coughing lately?”

“Weah, a widdle,” Allison mouthed around the tongue depressor. Dr. Naylor removed the stick from her mouth. “I figured it was just adjusting back to life in the shelter. It’s dry as hell in here, as I’m sure Jacob will confirm for you.”

I nodded.

“Well, keep an eye on those symptoms, all right? You probably just picked up a little cold from somewhere. As for sleep, the only thing I’ve got for you is some antihistamines. The medical team is still working on getting medication synthesis back online. Take 50 mg. of these and I guarantee you’ll be out like a light. Just be sure to drink plenty of water the next day, okay? You’ll probably wake up feeling a little groggy so just be careful first thing in the morning. Jacob, I can give you the same. I’ll give you both a three-day supply. If you’re still having sleeping problems after that, come see me again.” He dispensed several pills from a container and sealed them in plastic bags before handing them to us.

“Allison, are you going to be okay making it back to your room by yourself? I’d like to stay and talk with the good doctor here.” I asked.

“Of course Jacob, I’ll be just fine. You get some sleep, okay?”

“Absolutely.” As soon as she had left, I turned to Dr. Naylor. “Doc, can you show me how the more serious drugs are kept locked up?”

“Sure, Jacob, absolutely. We have them locked up in metal lockers with thick key locks. The medical team are the only people who have the keys, and they’re kept on our person at all times. We keep a sparkling clean record of who is on shift at all times and if one of those keys goes missing it will be reported to you and the locks changed. If it’s all right, sir, may I ask why you’re asking after this? Do you have any concerns?”

I fiddled with the lock. It seemed sturdy enough, and it was too thick to break through with bolt cutters. “No, not specifically. I know a lot of folks are having a rough time and I want to make sure that no one gets any funny ideas.”

“Well, most of our supply is kept permanently hooked up to the AutoDocs, sir. The stuff in this cabinet would do a decent job of getting you high, but aside from taking the entire locker, it’d be unlikely to kill anyone.”

“Ah, right. The AutoDocs.” I glanced at the spidery machines hanging behind us, their arms dark against the overhead lights. I snorted and rubbed my hand over my eyes. “Of course, Dr. Naylor. Sorry, I guess I’m getting even less sleep than I thought. I’ll head back to my room now. You have a good rest of your night, okay?”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Good night, Jacob. Let me know how the medicine helps your sleep.”

Chapter Four

Everyone’s mood was high as we prepared to send out our second mouse. This one was a female, christened Athena after the ancient warrior goddess. The team called for any who wished to gather at the shelter door in four hours. Word of Athena’s release spread like wildfire; at least half of the shelter population crowded the hall behind the exploration team. I caught Allison’s eye from within the throng of people and smiled at her. She looked like she had gotten some sleep but still appeared to be a little run down. Her work must have been keeping her up late into the night.

I brought Athena to the front of the throng in her cage, camera already attached to her body. I could see the camera’s point-of-view on a tablet screen Nicole held. Everything the lens recorded seemed larger than life, faces reflected in a fisheye lens. We paraded Athena through the gathering with great fanfare, Nicole holding her high as people clapped and cheered for the mouse. Their enthusiasm boosted my resolve. I had heard so many arguments against leaving the shelter in the past days that I couldn’t help but