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McCallister hesitated a bare second before he said, "I’ to need to see the prototype in action before I jump into that kind of ot in the bank, Pat Don‘t kid a kidder You may not have access to the trust, but you don’t do so badly for yourself Couple of hundred thou won’t break you"

McCallister stared at hi moment, then nodded sharply, once "It had better work"

Manny shrugged "It’s science, "

Well, that was co her ju to want to sit down for this"

It’s just an IV, Bryn told herself, as she watched the clear fluid drip slowly fro Just saline

It wasn’t just saline, and it was going into her veins, and that scared her so much her mouth felt dry The shots, at least, were fast, over before she could really think about the i here like this as Manny’s prototype whispered into her veins, that was so else entirely

"So," she said, to take heron this?"

Manny didn’t seem to hear her, but he finally answered as he scratched down notes in a chart, referring to the htwhen it was first started in trials," he said "He wanted to know the potential for abuse I told hi but potential for abuse So technically, I suppose al apart"

"And this is … an antidote?"

"For what, death?"

"Manny!" Pansy called from the next room "Behave"

"Sorry," he muttered He didn’t sound sorry "As far as I can tell, your condition isn’t fixable by anyyou back to life, just supports your vital functions If I wanted to get poetic, I’d say it replaces your soul"

That was … unco into her ar do?"

"No pain at the entry site?" Manny asked It wasn’t that he sounded concerned, really, just inquisitive All this was an intellectual problem for him

Life and death, for her Or whatever passed for life these days

"It’s fine," she said, and dry-sed "I’m really thirsty"

"Yeah, that’s a side effect," he said, and poured soulped it down in three convulsive ss "Not too ainst the leather headrest and studied the ceiling girders high above "I can’t believe that I’uy who bunkers hiuy who bunkers hi to be nice"

"Don’t waste it on me; I mostly don’t notice Or care"

"Do you have any qualifications?"

"Why, would it matter now? The IV’s already in If you wanted to see my Johns Hopkins certificate, you should have asked before"

"Do you have one?"

He shrugged "Somewhere"

She eyed him curiously and wondered what his story was, butinto her body Slowly To no apparent effect "I repeat--what the hell is this stuff?"

"If I tell you it could prejudice the trial," he said "Just telllike what? Because I’ht now!"

Manny, unruffled, checked his watch and the level on the bag above his head, then stood up and went to the door "You can test it now; the solution should be filtered throughout her syste ridiculously exposed, as if they’d left her naked and defenseless "Uh, could so to me?"

McCallister stepped into the rooed a look with Manny before he said, "How are you feeling, Bryn?"