All We See or Seem by Leah Sanders Read Free Book Online Page A

active. It was his eyes that drew her attention. They were like cold, gray steel — his thin colorless lips curled into a smile, but his eyes scoured her with an icy intensity that sent chills cascading down her spine.
    â€œShall we?” Then with his pasty soft hand on the small of her back, he gently guided her to a room on the left. Once inside, the door slid closed and the clinician gestured with the other hand to an exam table. “If you please.” His voice was deep and seemed like warm oil, sliming its way over her mind. Gem cringed at the sound, but complied with his request to seat herself on the table. “I am Dr. Spurius.”
    Gem did not answer. It was common for the EROMI staff to prefer one-sided conversations and almost always safer to indulge them. Dr. Spurius was not an exception to the rule apparently, because he simply droned on in his oily voice as he rolled a tray of unfamiliar medical instruments to the table and prepared the usual concoction Gem had drunk many times before in the Repository. Gem traced his movements but ignored his meaningless words. He probably meant only to set her at ease, but that was impossible now.
    â€œGemini, I’m going to step out to retrieve my attendant, Ms. Birger. If you would, please change into the gown there behind you. I shall return in two minutes.”
    The door slid open, and Dr. Spurius stepped into the hall. The door slid closed, and Gem changed quickly. She was ready well before the two minutes had passed and was left alone in her thoughts.
    Replaceable . That was the word they had used. It had confused her at the time, but now it was fuel for consideration. They had a use for her now, at least that’s what it sounded like, but what would happen if she couldn’t meet expectations? That must be where the “replaceable” would come in.
    As it was, there was not time to work through all the possibilities. Dr. Spurius and his attendant were at the door now, talking in hushed tones. When they walked through the door, Gem would have to put her own thoughts on hold and try to absorb as many details as possible. Maybe something would help her to unlock the mystery of what was really happening to her.
    The door slid open, and Dr. Spurius and his attendant stepped inside the room. “This is Ms. Birger, Gemini. She’ll be conducting your examination today.”
    Ms. Birger’s smile took Gem by surprise. She looked her directly in the eye, a look without irony or even a hint of apathy or disdain. Gem had seen the look before, but never in an EROMI staff person. Aria. Aria had that look.
    Here was an ally.
    Gem felt her body relax, and the difference must have been visible, because Dr. Spurius noticed immediately. “I believe you have the touch, Ms. Birger. I wasn’t having any luck at all.” The attendant patted Gem’s hand and whispered to her as she set up the heart rate monitor and readied the other equipment.
    â€œDon’t worry. This is easy.” Gem looked in Ms. Birger’s warm blue eyes again and believed her.
    â€œDo you know why you’re here, Gemini?” Dr. Spurius inquired. “Why we requested you to come?”
    â€œI believe it is connected to my incident report this morning.”
    â€œYes. That is correct. We have a battery of tests — to determine the… stability of your health,” the doctor informed her, then to his attendant, “Ms. Birger, I will leave you to it. Alert me for the ultrasound.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œAs he exited, the tension drained from Gem, and she lay back against the incline of the exam table, physically exhausted. Ms. Birger worked quietly beside her recording data from the monitors and adjusting the machines where necessary. There was an ease in her manner, though her work was executed with the usual efficiency of a technician. Gem studied her in silence.
    â€œI will be drawing some blood, Gemini. Would you please