tunnels. There was a four-inch-long gash; it was a deep one, too,” Dr. Pierce says as he prods at my hand with his thumb. “Did you fix the cut intentionally, Finn?”
I pull my hand away from him and begin rubbing the caked blood from my skin. “What? No, how could I? I . . . I don’t even remember it happening.”
Dr. Pierce is looking at me in a way that makes me very uncomfortable. It’s the kind of look that I imagine scientists have when they’re studying a lab rat in a cage. In fact, I don’t like the way that everyone is gathered around me, gawking at me as if I’m a thing instead of a person. The way they’re all looking at me feels very familiar and deeply unsettling, like I’ve been subjected to this kind of cold scrutiny all my life. I can feel an infuriated flicker spark in my gut just looking at all their stupid faces.
“So, just to clarify . . . ,” says Dr. Pierce. “You had absolutely no conscious knowledge of the wound healing? You didn’t focus your thought on it at all? Not even for a moment?”
I frown at him, my anger growing with every second. “What part of the word ‘no’ did you not understand?” I growl.
He seems to ignore my rising annoyance as he stares at my hand and strokes his beard in thought. “Interesting. Very interesting indeed.”
“What does it mean, Doctor?” asks Jonah.
“Well, it could indicate an array of things. I wouldn’t like to jump to any conclusions without running some tests, but I think Finn’s rapid-healing ability might actually be functioning on a subconscious level.”
“Do you mean that . . . she can do it without thinking?” asks Jonah.
“It appears so. We can test that theory right now.” Dr. Pierce picks up a scalpel from the top of a trolley, and with a wide-eyed, almost joyful grin, he grabs my wrist tightly.
“Hey!” I shout as I wrench my hand away from him.
“Graham!” bellows Jonah.
“You’re not slicing me up just because you want to,” I say, holding my fist to my chest.
Dr. Pierce looks at me with an annoyed frown, but then his eyelids flicker and his expression changes to one of shameful realization. “Sorry,” he mumbles sheepishly. “I got a little carried away for moment there, but . . . if the rest of your enhanced qualities behave in a similar way, then this is a very, very exciting development.”
“It’s amazing is what it is,” says Percy. “Maybe we should change the plan to include her? We’d stand a much better chance of pulling it off if Finn is involved.”
Jonah shakes his head. “Dr. Pierce and I were debating the possibility of Finn’s participation in the plan, but after what I’ve just seen it’s apparent that she’s in no state to join us. She woke up barely twenty minutes ago. Her head isn’t clear; we can do this without her.”
“What plan?” I ask. “What are you talking about?”
“Some of us have been discussing the situation,” says Jonah. “And we’ve decided that we’re going to try and regain control of the facility. It’s the only way to ensure a safe escape.”
“Wait a second,” blurts Margaux. “No one told me about this! I thought we were waiting for the police to rescue us?”
“No, I’m afraid not, Miss Pilfrey,” says Professor Francis. “Mr. Brogan has informed us that it could take weeks, or perhaps even months, for a rescue team to reach us. Even if we ration what is left, the fabrication gel for the food printer will run dry in just a few days.”
“No one is coming for weeks?” whimpers Jennifer.
“Months,” a twitchy-looking Brent mutters. “I heard him say months.”
“So we’re on our own?” Margaux whines. “Well that’s just awesome, isn’t it? I’m going to starve to death in a basement with a bunch of old guys, a nerd, and a freak who never needs a Band-Aid.”
“I don’t understand. Why will it take so long for a rescue?” asks Jennifer.
“Because great effort has gone into hiding the
I pull my hand away from him and begin rubbing the caked blood from my skin. “What? No, how could I? I . . . I don’t even remember it happening.”
Dr. Pierce is looking at me in a way that makes me very uncomfortable. It’s the kind of look that I imagine scientists have when they’re studying a lab rat in a cage. In fact, I don’t like the way that everyone is gathered around me, gawking at me as if I’m a thing instead of a person. The way they’re all looking at me feels very familiar and deeply unsettling, like I’ve been subjected to this kind of cold scrutiny all my life. I can feel an infuriated flicker spark in my gut just looking at all their stupid faces.
“So, just to clarify . . . ,” says Dr. Pierce. “You had absolutely no conscious knowledge of the wound healing? You didn’t focus your thought on it at all? Not even for a moment?”
I frown at him, my anger growing with every second. “What part of the word ‘no’ did you not understand?” I growl.
He seems to ignore my rising annoyance as he stares at my hand and strokes his beard in thought. “Interesting. Very interesting indeed.”
“What does it mean, Doctor?” asks Jonah.
“Well, it could indicate an array of things. I wouldn’t like to jump to any conclusions without running some tests, but I think Finn’s rapid-healing ability might actually be functioning on a subconscious level.”
“Do you mean that . . . she can do it without thinking?” asks Jonah.
“It appears so. We can test that theory right now.” Dr. Pierce picks up a scalpel from the top of a trolley, and with a wide-eyed, almost joyful grin, he grabs my wrist tightly.
“Hey!” I shout as I wrench my hand away from him.
“Graham!” bellows Jonah.
“You’re not slicing me up just because you want to,” I say, holding my fist to my chest.
Dr. Pierce looks at me with an annoyed frown, but then his eyelids flicker and his expression changes to one of shameful realization. “Sorry,” he mumbles sheepishly. “I got a little carried away for moment there, but . . . if the rest of your enhanced qualities behave in a similar way, then this is a very, very exciting development.”
“It’s amazing is what it is,” says Percy. “Maybe we should change the plan to include her? We’d stand a much better chance of pulling it off if Finn is involved.”
Jonah shakes his head. “Dr. Pierce and I were debating the possibility of Finn’s participation in the plan, but after what I’ve just seen it’s apparent that she’s in no state to join us. She woke up barely twenty minutes ago. Her head isn’t clear; we can do this without her.”
“What plan?” I ask. “What are you talking about?”
“Some of us have been discussing the situation,” says Jonah. “And we’ve decided that we’re going to try and regain control of the facility. It’s the only way to ensure a safe escape.”
“Wait a second,” blurts Margaux. “No one told me about this! I thought we were waiting for the police to rescue us?”
“No, I’m afraid not, Miss Pilfrey,” says Professor Francis. “Mr. Brogan has informed us that it could take weeks, or perhaps even months, for a rescue team to reach us. Even if we ration what is left, the fabrication gel for the food printer will run dry in just a few days.”
“No one is coming for weeks?” whimpers Jennifer.
“Months,” a twitchy-looking Brent mutters. “I heard him say months.”
“So we’re on our own?” Margaux whines. “Well that’s just awesome, isn’t it? I’m going to starve to death in a basement with a bunch of old guys, a nerd, and a freak who never needs a Band-Aid.”
“I don’t understand. Why will it take so long for a rescue?” asks Jennifer.
“Because great effort has gone into hiding the
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