Sanctuary Falling by Pamela Foland Read Free Book Online Page A

from contention. Yllera was first on scene, she recognized the danger and called for backup. I got here first.”
    Erica raised her eyebrow and examined Max, “And you are?”
    “He’s Max, the catalyst I mentioned in my report,” Yllera answered quickly.
    “Okay, where are the operatives?” Erica asked. Max showed her the palmful of containment spheres with their captives. “Okay, so do you need her any longer? For follow up or anything?”
    “No,” Max admitted, “but I might like to contact her later.” Glancing in Yllera’s direction and leaving her with the feeling he too would like to revisit the kiss.
    Erica fished through her factor-pack and handed him a small com-pad, which would allow him to contact Sanctuary. Then she turned to Yllera, “Coming, Yllera?”
    Yllera nodded and flashed another smile at Max before grabbing Erica’s elbow. Erica activated the recall function on her > porter and Yllera found herself in good old room 52. Room 52, also known as the middle of nowhere by tertiary factors, was the main port of entry to Sanctuary for all incoming refugees and most factors returning from the field. Usually arrivals were met by med-teams waiting to do scans to make sure that nothing dangerous had made it through the shields. Yllera almost found it disturbing when Erica ignored procedure and started towards the exit, especially since her lightheadedness had returned.
    “Are you coming?” Erica asked.
    “But what about the med-scans?” Yllera asked, for once actively concerned she might have brought something with her.
    Erica glared at the ceiling, “Gene wants a full medical work up on you in the clinic.”
    Yllera grimaced, despite her passing concern the prospect of an exhaustive checkup wasn’t what she was thinking of. She’d been through more medical tests and scans than any five other factors, even ones who had years more of field experience. “Again? What, does he think? I’m going to bring the plague here?” The room spun briefly, sharpening the sarcastic edge to her voice.
    “You know that he has concerns that your physiology may allow things through the shields which otherwise might not get through,” Erica ducked out the door and Yllera lost the rest of her words, but it didn’t matter she’d heard them all before, several times.   Yllera sighed and followed Erica out the door to the first transport pod in the hall.
    The only surprise left was that Tina, not Gene, was waiting for them in the clinic. Erica waved farewell and left Yllera to the pokes and prods of innumerable medicals scans, blood tests, and the inevitable Everett meter. For whatever reason, just thought of the Everett meter left Yllera feeling dizzy, more precisely thought of the meter made her notice that dizziness was getting worse.   Since Yllera had made no move in the appropriate direction,   Tina smiled and gestured towards the exam table.
    Yllera took two steps and almost fainted, as for one moment all of her senses fluctuated to the “loud” setting. She managed to keep on her feet, but her stomach was stirring in entirely the wrong direction.   Quickly she lunged for the table and managed to sit before another surge of sensory vertigo overwhelmed her.
    Tina helped Yllera lie back on the exam table, telepathically radiating waves of concern.   Tina’s hands felt like acid, even through Yllera’s shirt. Yllera couldn’t help but scream. Tina immediately withdrew her hands clearly having plucked the source of the screams from Yllera’s mind. Yllera painfully heard Tina tapping away at a pop-pad. Suddenly all of Yllera’s senses fell mercifully silent, suspending her in a foggy silent dimness. Yllera tried to move but couldn’t. Panic flared at the lack of sensation until slowly the reality of the clinic faded in over the edges of the fog.
    Tina’s voice drifted in from the edges of Yllera’s reality, “Yllera, you’re having something resembling a metamorphosis. I need you to relax and