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"Yes, Miss Mitchell," said one of them--I didn’t knohich one was Private Dowell and which one was Private Fabris, and I didn’t really care I was never going to see these s like this worked out

I followed them out of the office

Not one of us paused to turn out the light After everything that had happened that day, somehow the shadows had lost their appeal

The soldiers ledto a small cluster of men in lab coats with an oddly military cut USAMRIID doctors, the real kind, not the interns from the containment lab or the enlisted men who someti very serious, like this was an exah thebehind them, I could see Joyce and three other people, all still awake and clearly alert, watching the nurses who adjusted their IV drips with trained hands Joyce glanced inHer mouth e Reading lips was a bit beyond me

"Colonel Mitchell," said one of my escorts "Do you have any further instructions, sir?"

My father turned to face us He looked tired, but he didn’t scohen he saw hter’s boyfriend should be arriving in the visitors’ lot soon," he said "His name is Dr Nathan Kim Please escort him to the main entry and wait there for my word"

"Yes, sir," said the twoback the e’d couess I didn’t nestured for lass Unsure of what else to do, I ca strapped to her own cot, watching us She hadn’t taken her eyes off ressed, but they haven’t i us?"

There was sothein to explain The one thing I could think of that ht be relevant was one that hopefully they already knew, and so I said, in a halting voice, "You know the implants have some human DNA in them, don’t you…?"

"Yes" His expression hardened as he stole a glance of his oard Joyce "That’s part of what s that we knoould kill the SymboGen implant have to reach it first, whichthat attacks hu the patient along with the parasite" And he didn’t want to kill Joyce, or even risk it

I couldn’t blame him I didn’t want to kill Joyce, either "Dad…" I said, and paused before continuing, forcing the words out one by one: "If this is in the brain, is there any point in treating people that are already all the way gone? Aren’t they just going to… well, aren’t they just going to die if you take away the thing that’s keeping them alive?"

"First you tellhuman brains, and then you ask me whether we can let those implants keep the brains they’ve taken over" His attention swung back to me "I can’t believe you’d even say that Of course we’ll treat those people They deserve the dignity of a peaceful death, rather than living on under the control of soh tofor the co of the druhed, rubbing one hand across his face, and said, "I’s out on you I know none of this is your fault"

"Colonel--" began one of the doctors My father shot hi the hand he’d been about to gesture with

My father turned his attention back to o off with Nathan? Your hter in the hospital and the other with her boyfriend"

"I’ the house because I’ That would just htened out inthat"

"If this is about our grounding you…" He looked briefly, profoundly unco him and scream at him at the same time What else could it possibly be about?

And I was tired, and I was done "It is, yes," I said "It’s also about everything else It’s about you lying tothat you don’t have to treat me like an adult when it’s not convenient for you None of that was fair, and I don’t want to risk you deciding to do it again This is so I have to do I’d like it if you would understand that" Because I’ it either way "And when all this is over, we’re dissolving your guardianship"

"All right, Sal All right" He sighed, looking toward Joyce one oes Hopefully, she’ll start responding to the treatment that you and Nathan have recoestions if eren’t so desperate"