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Chapter 7

AUGUST 2027

Sher departrilled about my receipts, which looked exactly like every other batch of receipts I’d ever brought in for them to review Medications, vita that actually should have caught their attention was the bill for a new grain heating pad--technically a "household item," and thus a questionable expense--but they waved it off without co to focus instead on the number of times I’d been to see the chiropractor since my last visit

Eventually, they freed me back into the halls of SymboGen, and Chave deliveredwith a receptionist I didn’t recognize The receptionist pouted when Chave called Sherman away, but hid the expression quickly Smart I wouldn’t have wanted to attract Chave’s attention when I didn’t have to

"She’s all yours," said Chave, waving me toward Sherman "Get her an ultrasound and make sure she’s in the cafeteria at one Beyond that, I don’t care what you do" Then she turned and stalked away

Sher until she was out of earshot before sighing longingly "That,Sal, is a woman who needs an infusion of fun in her life Possibly accompanied by a pitcher or two of strawberry htly wound is going to be a tornado when they finally let go I end of that stor"

"I think we have very different ideas of what reed, and turned to lead ood day so far?"

"No worse than usual, and I guess I’ll call that a win" I sighed "I just keep reain for six ood" The elevator doors slid open Sher, casually, "Word is that Banks is trying to hire you on for the research departine you’d be too thrilled about that"

I stared at hiood is the ruo"

"Nothing happens in a vacuu about a cohtfully "Are you going to take it? You’d be around here a good bit more But you wouldn’t have to worry anyht take a bit of the edge off"

"Yeah, and I’d be on site when I cracked fro at me all the tietour safe return to the subterranean domain of the scientists "I’d rather worry a little now than freak out a lot later on"

"That’s what I thought you’d say," said Sherether werooo ot it," I said, and slipped inside

The ultrasoundjust tightly enough that I didn’t need to be afraid that I would soravity would fail or an earthquake wouldupside down and send ree, crossing or uncrossing my arms and ankles, but for the most part, I was safely confined I raised one hand to check that my rebreather was solidly in place, and closed my eyes

Some people apparently found full-body ultrasounds invasive and claustrophobic, and would go to any lengths to avoid them I had the opposite response If I’d been able to trade all my other tests for additional time in the ultrasound cha to Sherman, that was one more reason for the company technicians to viewdepartment at SymboGen consisted of two different sections: the MRI rooone both at one tiel ultrasound was definitelyon my back for up to an hour while thenot to ht seemed to pressin an MRI tube; that s

People who found MRIs claustrophobic apparently freaked out coel ultrasounds, which required a rebreather and that the subject’s eyes relue them shut for you if you asked thee to look around and see as happening After you were fully prepped and inside the tube, it was flooded with a bioresponsive plastic gel ical structure of slienic, nontoxic, and as harmless as possible

Gel ultrasounds were infinitelyas I allowednoise in my left ear just before the head technician’s voice cah the side of my rebreather: "You ready for us, Sally? Clench your left hand for ‘yes’ "