HASH: Human Alien Species Hybrid by April M. Reign

seemed timid and enthralled at the opportunity to be near me. That became even more apparent when she started to talk.
    “Um, would you mind if I asked you a couple of questions, Jade? It’s for a research paper. I mean, obviously, it will be a sealed paper and only people with the right clearance will ever see it, but still…”
    I was used to that kind of thing by now. Maybe too used to it. I’d spent my whole life letting people experiment on me. I’d been sure it was a good thing. That it would finally let me be free when they knew everything they wanted to know. On the other hand, I couldn’t let anyone know that something was wrong now, could I? And I had an idea.
    “Sure, if it will help.”
    “Well, first, can you tell me about any changes you’ve experienced in your dietary needs in the last six months or so…”
    I’d never really thought before about just how many things there were between the outside world and me. About the security people that the Institute employed or about the precautions they took around me. The key card scanners and the locks.
    I’d grown up with it all. It had just been…normal. At most, it had been a necessary annoyance, designed to keep me safe from the outside world. I couldn’t leave them even if I wanted to.
    Did I want to? Part of me knew that Em and Aric were right. That if I stayed, I wouldn’t live. That I couldn’t trust anyone here. Yet, the idea of just going, of leaving the place in which I’d lived for practically all my life, without even saying goodbye…it was so huge I wasn’t even sure whether I would be able to do it with my life on the line. Yet, I could at least start to prepare for the possibility.
    “No changes, really?” I mumbled and as we talked, I moved closer to her and reached up carefully.
    “You’re stealing her key card?”
    I almost jumped as Em said that in my ear.
    When I jumped, Dr. Adams turned toward me, frowning slightly. “What are you doing?”
    I shook my head, thinking quickly. Thankfully, one excuse always seemed to work in the Institute. “Sorry, Em was being a bit…”
    “Oh.” Dr. Adams actually looked slightly impressed by that. “Yes, of course.”
    Em put her hands on her hips. “Oh, sure, blame me.” She reached out to snatch a ghostly copy of the scientist’s card. “Like I couldn’t open any door we need anyway.”
    “Except the one that matters,” I whispered to my side, directly at her. She wasn’t going to be able to open the door to my cell, which had the extra security of the Faraday cage. She wasn’t going to be able to do anything about the security guards either. At least, not all of them. I nodded to one as we passed. “Have you thought of anything for them?”
    “For who?” Dr. Adams asked.
    I gritted my teeth. Most the doctors knew that talking to Em was a part of me and they would quietly listen to our one-sided conversation. But Dr. Adams wasn’t accustomed to that.
    “Nothing, again, I was talking to Em.”
    “Oh, Jade. I’m sorry, please continue.”
    Em shook her head. “Well, I was thinking maybe Aric could help with that. You’ve seen how strong he is.”
    “Do you have a crush on him, Em?”
    “I can’t have a crush on him, but if I were you, I’d have a crush on him. You know, we never talked about that kiss you two had. How did that happen? Did he lean in and kiss you or was it you who kissed him?”
    I smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
    “I’ll ask his metal.”
    “Go ahead, you can barely communicate with his metal.”
    “Yeah, that’s because I’ve been stuck in you for sixteen years.”
    “It’s amazing,” Dr. Adams said from beside me. “Listening in to one half of a conversation and knowing that the other person is just there. It’s like you can almost imagine what the implant must be saying.”
    I really hoped not. We made our way to Dr. Stevens’ office, where Dr. Adams waited until I was inside with her before leaving. That was another