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I stared at her "What--?"

"You are accompanied," said a bland, pleasant male voice from a speaker set somewhere above the door "Please identify your associate"

"This is Georgia Carolyn Mason, version 7c Designation, electronic journalist, human clone, presently listed as deceased in the ence Service" Dr Shaw--Dr Kihtly bored, like she was reciting a shopping list "Georgia, put your hand on the panel, if you would? I’d rather not be standing here when the security system decides we’re a threat and floods the hall with forainst the flat testing panel, feeling the brief sting as the needles bit into h a slit in thethe sht above the door began to flash, red to yellow to green and back again The light stabilized quickly on green, and the door unlocked with a click

"Ah, good," said Dr Kiia" She pulled her hand away fro yet another standard-issue CDC lab

Well Standard issue except for the three technicians ere standing just inside with guns in their hands, ainized the one in the middle as James, from Dr Shaw’s--Dr Kimberley’s--other lab The others were new to hed "Oh, yay," she said, deadpan "This is quite my favorite part Is it Tuesday? It’s Tuesday, isn’t it?"

"Yes, Dr Kimberley," confirirl with a riot of carroty-red curls barely confined by her headband

"Brilliant In that case…" Dr Kiirl "Matriculate" She turned and pointed to Ja to the tall, dark-skinned man on the end "Polyhedral"

All three technicians lowered their guns "Glad to have you back, Dr Kimberley," said James "Did you encounter any trouble?"

"None that couldn’t be handled" Dr Kietic smile "I was able to depart e needed, and that’s what ize"

"What?" I blinked at her Maybe it was everything I’d been through in the past few days, but I was suddenly afraid I’d trusted the wrong people "What are you talking a--"

And then the syringe bit into the back ofme in darkness