Waking The Zed by ML Katz Read Free Book Online

Perhaps a slower poison would be safer. It might mimic a disease so that nobody would be surprised when Dr. Klein died tragically.
    “I have to go now, my love,” Dr. Klein said. She frowned thoughtfully at the text message for a moment. “Can you get the clinic prepared and then meet me in Preservation Room 17 in a few minutes? I’ll need some techs ready to transport the clients, of course.” In an instant, Dr. Klein had returned back to her professional tone. She ran a hand through her loose hair, checked her face in the small mirror, added a quick swipe of lipstick, and then turned to leave.
    “Anything for you, and for the advancement of human knowledge,” he said seriously. She nodded and left him to compose himself and straighten up his clothes.
    He took his time in front of the mirror to arrange his hair and make sure his clothes were adjusted. Meanwhile, he whispered to himself, “It’s like romancing the dead.” Working in this place, surrounded by all of the frozen clients, made the phrase seem particularly ironic. Unlike either Dr. Klein or Pam Stone, he was an engineer and not a scientist with medical training. He found the dead bodies, floating in their sparking solutions quite distasteful. He could hardly wait until he could marry Dr. Klein, retire from his position, and spend his time as he chose.
    When Pam Stone, the intern, had told him she felt like her job was like babysitting corpses, his agreement had not been entirely insincere. The young scientist was a fool though, unable to dismiss a bit of present discomfort for future gains. He did not care what happened to the young scientist, but he supposed she would manage to move on to some other grunt job, even if a well-paid one. Meanwhile, he could live out a fantasy, all financed by Dr. Klein’s estate.
    He left the office to attend to his tasks. Meanwhile he pictured luxury cruises, yachts, and exotic destinations. He thought about penthouse apartments and beach villas. There would be fine dining, culture and entertainment, and above all – passion. He pictured young women of a dozen different ethnicities and nationalities, all waiting for his embrace.
    “I could father a whole new race,” he practically sang to himself. “ Maybe I will call them the people of Enrico.” He pictured children, all as handsome and charming as he pictured himself. The superior beings, all fair of face and brilliant, would eventually grow in numbers and spread through the world. I will only be doing the human gene pool a favor.
    Perhaps if Pam is still around, I’ll even give her a couple of my offspring. She’s intelligent enough, if a bit blunt and naïve in a sort of corn-fed way. She has an interesting face. Any children we had together would surely be intelligent and handsome enough to please me. She seems like she could be a sturdy mother for my gifts. Maybe next week, after I have sealed this deal, I’ll go mend some bridges with the intern.
    With that though in mind, Enrico emerged from Dr. Klein’s office and went out to meet his destiny.
     

Waking the Dead
     
    Dr. Klein rushed back to Preservation Room 17 immediately after Pam called her.  The younger woman noted that the doctor’s hair was now loose and her cheeks looked a bit flushed. Did she and Enrico actually find some quiet corner of the building to make a little romance? Pam remembered that Dr. Klein’s office suite contained a plush sofa. She tried to push the image of the two of them together on Dr. Klein’s office sofa out of her mind.
    The older scientist fiddled with some controls for a moment. Then she paced back and forth between the two warming capsules. By that time it was obvious that the mouths had opened. Bubbles streamed out intermittently.
    It’s not as regular as breathing, but some exchange of gasses is taking place. In fact the two bodies seemed to be working their mouths in a way that reminded Pam of fish in an aquarium. Repelled and fascinated, Pamela was sure she