Cyborg: Redux

by Imogene Nix

  Clarissa sighed. “Then I did a good thing there.”

  “You’ve done far better than you ever realized, Clarissa.” Michael smiled at her, then reached out to touch her cheek.

  David’s communicator squarked, and he glanced down at it. “All right, you two lovebirds. If you’ve finished the touchy-feely part of the session, I have an update.”

  Michael scowled at his brother. “So?”

  “They’re in and found several women. One of them in the bio-tank after what is being described as bone regeneration and grafting. Michael, is that what I think it is?” David shoved an image on his communicator under his nose.

  Michael’s stomach lurched. “Yeah. They’ve coated the bones in the nano-infused metal coating. They suspend you in a fluid bath until the body has accepted the graft enough to move them.”

  Daniella sighed. “Now at least we can prove he’s undertaking unlawful therapy in an unregistered medical facility.”

  “Yeah. But it’s worse than that. According to my men, they’ve found records showing at least ten other women have been treated in the facility. Including your records, Clarissa.”

  She paled. “What else?”

  “The men state there is extensive information concerning your torture. They’re pulling the records in to be used against him and his team. It also names others involved.” David glanced at his brother.

  Daniella interrupted, “It’s going to be messy, Michael, but what it will do is give me what I need to work on that bill. With this, I can prove that those of you who’ve been given the technology-based therapy, and especially those who had no choice, should have equal rights under law.”

  “What does that mean?” Clarissa’s question had Michael turning in his seat.

  “As it stands, we have to meet certain standards of behavior, and our movements are tracked so they know where we are in order to ensure we don’t participate in any actions that might be dangerous to humanity.”

  “Which is a crock of—” Daniella surged up, but Michael raised a hand.

  “You know that, and I know that, but people get scared about things they don’t understand. David has been working day and night to gather the information so I can formulate the arguments. Clarissa’s actions will reinforce that there is no change to our thought processes or feelings. We just needed to prove it.” He smiled ruefully at Clarissa who frowned.

  “Is that why you wanted me to stay? So you could prove—”

  “No, Clarissa. Everything I’ve told you is the truth. I care about you, and I want you in my life.”

  Now he wondered what he’d done to reinstate the frown lines on her face.

  “Clarissa, Michael has never asked a woman to stay with him. He rattles around in this huge house by himself. Don’t think because he says you’ve helped with the cause that it’s the reason he wants you around.”

  * * * *

  Deep down, Clarissa wondered if Michael wanted her or the assistance she could give him. Which of those was in the ascendancy? She wanted to believe that it was about her, wanted it so intensely her whole body vibrated with it. Of course, so much was going on that she couldn’t be sure what was real and what remained a figment of her imagination.

  David had said his men were now locking down the clinic, Daniella was arguing that she should believe Michael’s words, and he was giving her the I-want-you-to-believe-me look.

  “All right, let’s focus on Jeremy. Have your men caught him yet?” Michael demanded.

  David shook his head. “He’s not there, but we didn’t expect him to be. If the woman is in the bio-tube, from what the on-scene surgeons have said, he’d be offsite and monitoring her stats remotely.”

  “What will happen to her?”

  “For the moment nothing, Clarissa. If we move her, she’ll likely perish, and that’s not our aim. So, we’ll keep our people there, onsite, where she can be monitored. Sara Windhower will be co-opted to oversee her treatment and to balance anything that needs assistance.”

  “Okay, so what about me?”

  “What about you?”

  She leaned forward. “Michael said he had to pass tests. Be checked out. When does that happen for me?”

  Daniella cleared her throat. “I’ve already started the process of petitioning for onsite therapy here. I’ve spoken to a judge I know, who’s had some experience dealing with these kinds of petitions.” She looked to Michael who gave a nod. “He’s indicated that he’ll consider Dr. Aros visiting you here, especially given the current circumstances.”

  “Dr. Aros?”

  Michael groaned. “He was my therapist and the one who signed off on my clearance. I had to do my time in seclusion and under scrutiny at the halfway house and hospital. At least you’ll be more comfortable here, won’t you?”

  His glance was unsure, and while a devil might have raised its head and she nearly said ‘no’, it occurred to her that it was mean and below her. “I’m happy to stay here, with you, Michael.”

  “Good. Then I’ll progress the petition, and David can continue to direct the search for Jeremy. Michael has the place on lockdown, and your friend…umm…”

  “Clarrie,” Michael added.

  “Oh yes. Clarrie is safe where he is.”

  “All right, so what do I do in the short term?” Clarissa wondered how she’d fill her time. On the streets, she’d hunted for food, clothing, and the necessities of life, but here she didn’t have a role or any particular thing to do.

  “Well, you could enroll in those studies you talked about.”

  Michael’s suggestion surprised her, and she whipped her head around to gaze at him.

  “But I can’t pay the tuition.” It was just one more reminder of what had been stripped from her.

  “Under our witness protection scheme, you wouldn’t have to pay a cent. We just need to get your status as deceased overturned, then we can get you set up,” Daniella said. She made it sound so easy.

  Once again, Clarissa felt amazement at how everything was falling into place. She wasn’t certain it could possibly be as simple as they made out, but hell, anything was better than the limbo she’d existed in for so long.

  “So…”

  “Leave that with me,” David said as he stood up. “Now, I don’t know about you lot, but I’ve got other things to be doing.”

  Chapter 12

  Michael prowled his room. He didn’t really see the dark drapes or the comfortable bed. He’d tried several times to contact Franklin and Jonah, but all he got was their answering service. It was eight in the morning, and they should be answering.

  The screaming ring of his personal cell had him jumping, then rushing to the small table in front of the bed. He scooped it up. “Michael here.”

  “Hey, what’s with the millions of messages, doc?”

  Franklin. Michael closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Are you and Jonah on active service currently? I have a personal situation and could really do with your assistance.” The words tumbled and fell as he flopped into the armchair beside the table.

  “What kind of situation? And yeah, you need us, we’ll be there. Jonah is due here in the next couple of minutes… Hang on, I think that’s him at the door.” Sounds filtered through the earpiece, the thud of a door closing and voices. “Okay, I’m going to put you on speaker.”

  Another silence, then a crackle. “Hey, doc. Frank says you need our help. What’s up?” Jonah always took the lead between the two of them, Franklin bowing to his skill at strategy and organization.

  “It’s delicate. Can you get over here as soon as possible? I need some assistance with bodyguard duty.” He wanted to share more with them, but the situation was far too precarious at the moment. Jeremy was out there somewhere and had assistance from an unknown number of others.

  David had left, and though he’d left a couple of his best men on duty, Michael didn’t know them, so he couldn’t be sure himself of their reliability. Daniella had taken her personal guard with her. And
although Michael and Clarissa were there in his personal fortress, he wasn’t sure it would be enough to keep her safe. And that wasn’t acceptable.

  “I can’t tell you much more over the phone. I need a face-to-face. How soon?”

  “We can be there in about an hour. Should we pack?” Jonah was probably already making notes in his tiny PDA.

  “Yeah. This might take a while.”

  * * * *

  Through the door of the room Michael had allocated to her, Clarissa heard the knocking.

  “Come in.”

  There wasn’t so much as a squeak as the wood parted to admit Sara. “Time for your medicine, Clarissa. Then I have the results of your blood tests and the scans we performed.” Sara carried a kidney-shaped dish, which she slid onto a small table. “Sit down and we’ll get this out of the way.”

  Sara tugged on a pair of examination gloves as Clarissa settled into the easy chair and extended her arm.

  Sara lifted the syringe, tapped it with her finger, then carefully slid it into Clarissa’s flesh. Once she’d disposed of the used implement, she passed over a paper cup and Clarissa downed the tiny purple pill.

  “Good. Now, your results show anemia, a hint of giardiasis, and a few other things.”

  Clarissa’s heart rate revved, and she made to stand, but Sara lifted a hand, staying her.

  “Nothing too problematic. That’s a broad-spectrum antibiotic I’ve prescribed. A couple of days on that should help to clear most things up. But what I do want to talk to you about is a little more…concerning.” Sara whipped out a small, hand-held device that clearly had the details of Clarissa’s tests. “You have shown signs of more than one pregnancy, but since you didn’t disclose it…”

  The pit of Clarissa’s stomach yawed. How could she tell Sara that they’d done things to her body in order to find out if their improvements negated her ability to conceive and carry a child?

  “I don’t…” Clarissa shook her head, trying hard to blank those memories out.

  “There’s some scarring, Clarissa. We can repair most of it, but there could be ramifications.”

  Bile rose, scouring her esophagus. She didn’t want to revisit those memories. Along with just about everything else, it tore at her soul. “Please, I really don’t want to discuss this.” Her voice sounded hoarse, and she pushed up now, ungainly in her need to escape. “Please go.”

  Clarissa turned away, but she knew Sara hovered. She felt Sara’s presence at her back.

  “I’ll go for now, but we need to discuss this,” Sara said. “You may also require the services of—”

  “Please! Stop talking about this. Go!” Clarissa wrapped her arms around her middle, gripping the flesh of her arms even as she shouted. She needed to be alone, to find her balance once more. Couldn’t Sara see that?

  Clarissa heard the door opening and footsteps coming closer. She hunched inward, not expecting a blow, but unwilling to see who was there to view her pain.

  “Sara? What are you doing to her?” Michael had made his way into the room.

  “See this? I was trying to discuss it with Clarissa and—”

  Clarissa heard his inhalation, and she shuddered, knowing Sara had just shown him the one thing Clarissa hadn’t fully disclosed because she wasn’t ready.

  “Get out, Sara.” The trembling of his tones meant he too now struggled to accept the truth. Sara had stripped Clarissa of the one secret she’d buried deep in her psyche. Revealed it in its ugly glory, which made her even less human than before.

  “I’ll be back. Clarissa needs counseling and—”

  “Go.” He didn’t bellow but the intent was there. If Sara didn’t leave, he’d forcibly eject her.

  He slid his arms around Clarissa, enfolded her like a child, and just held her. Letting her know without words that he understood.

  * * * *

  “I’m so sorry, Clarissa.” Michael was genuinely devastated by the result Sara had thrust upon him. If that was his reaction, he couldn’t even begin to understand how Clarissa would feel.

  “You don’t have to stay, Michael. I know you have things to do.”

  “I have many things I should be doing, that’s true,” he said. She stiffened in his arms, and he almost smiled. Instead, he propped his chin on the top of her head and whispered, “But most of all, I have your needs. Don’t push me away. I need to be here for you. To support you in anything you need or want.”

  She sagged, accepting his embrace. The one small action speaking volumes.

  He waited, quiet and patient, until she stirred and tugged away.

  “My friends made contact. They should be here soon. Come down with me and meet them. Franklin and Jonah served with me in the GMC during the war of ’42.”

  Now her lovely brow creased. “GMC?”

  “General Medical Corps. Rear-Guard position offering medical support to the front line.”

  “Oh.” Her eyes widened. “But that’s not how…”

  “No. Car accident. I’ll tell you about it later, if that would help?”

  Clarissa nodded distractedly. “Your friends? They’re doctors too?”

  “No. They were my personal guards and aides. We became good friends, and they’re both still career military, but in a specialist area. I’m going to co-opt them into your security task force until we get our hands on Jeremy.”

  “But I don’t…”

  He stepped forward and grabbed Clarissa’s hand, tugging her closer. “You need to be safe. I need to know that you’ve got the best and someone I trust. Franklin and Jonah are like bears with cubs. No one and nothing will get near you. Now, come downstairs and meet them.”

  She sighed and looked up at him. He couldn’t ignore the primal thrum that pushed him to kiss her. Her lips, soft and tender, parted under his ministrations, and he deepened the connection, clutching her close so their bodies crowded together. His tongue slid within the cavern of her mouth, and she moaned, her hands clutching his shoulders, and his fingers found and caressed her buttocks.

  The twin nubs of her breasts grazed his chest, even through layers of clothing. I need to feel her. “Clarissa.” The word was a query.

  Her moan was an answer, and he burrowed his hands under the waist of her jumper. sliding up the flesh he found until his hands settled over her breasts, which were only hidden by the light bra she wore.

  Her nipples jutted, and he slid shaking fingers over them as she gyrated against him. His mouth tore away from hers and found the sensitive flesh of her neck.

  “Michael,” she breathed, and his body, which was already hard, took on the feel of titanium, his cock straining for her.

  “I want you so much, Clarissa.”

  “Please,” she mewled, “don’t stop.”

  A fine madness settled in his mind, demanding more.

  It was the rapping of knuckles on the door that intruded. “Shit!” He pulled away.

  Clarissa hurriedly rearranged her clothing as he watched.

  “Who…” He had to clear his throat and mind. “Who is it?”

  “Mr. Michael, Franklin Mann and Jonah McDowal are here to see you. Shall I admit them?” His housekeeper’s voice echoed.

  Michael screwed up his face, for a moment cursing the timing of their arrival. Yet he couldn’t and wouldn’t take advantage he’d told her. Instead, he pulled her along by the hand.

  “Coming now, Mrs. Hudson.”

  Chapter 13

  The two men waiting in Michael’s office were brawny with large, meaty arms and military correct posture. Clarissa stopped, unsure, but the look in their eyes didn’t imply pity so much as a guarded interest.

  “Thanks for coming, Frank, Jonah. This is Clarissa. She’s had a rough time of late. But I’ll fill you in over breakfast. I’m assuming you’re both hungry.”

  “Could eat a pig right now,” the largest man, with a hard-chiseled jaw and bright blue eyes, stated.

  The other, dark-haired and brown-eyed, laughed. “You can always coun
t on Frankie to be hungry.”

  The three men chuckled as if it were an old and well-worn joke.

  “Then come through to the dining room. Mrs. Hudson will have some of her special breakfast goodies ready to go.”

  Michael led them through into a cool tiled room, decorated in muted tones. He pulled out a chair for Clarissa and waited until she was seated before settling himself into the seat beside her. Even as they relaxed, Mrs. Hudson bustled in, carrying a tray of coffee.

  “It’s good to see you boys again. Michael and Clarissa are just about to eat, and I take it you boys would like some bacon? Eggs? What about mushrooms?”

  “Mrs. H, if I could afford you, I’d whisk you off and marry you so I could enjoy your home cooking every day,” Frankie teased the older woman, and she bussed his arm.

  “None of that, my boy. Now let me go and I’ll get some food on.” She scurried away.

  “Clarissa, are you okay to tell them your part, or do you want me to explain?”

  It was as if he understood her need to be somewhat in charge of her life, and she couldn’t help the tiny squeeze of her heart. “Would you?”

  The telling was painful, but for the first time, she had someone who understood and treated her as an equal. Someone who knew the pain and suffering she’d experienced, even if he could never fully appreciate the loss of trust or terror of those experiments.

  With few words, Michael explained about the circumstances, how she’d been manipulated and tortured. The two men listened, their gazes sharpening. Partway through his recitation, Frankie pulled an old-fashioned notebook from his pants pocket and started making notes, but they remained silent until Michael had told them everything.

  “You expect him to try to retrieve Clarissa?” Jonah took a sip of his coffee and gazed into the cup as if it were a guidebook.