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"Organ snatching was the big hospital bogeyo, before we had is," said Dr Cale She ht of sos was too funny to take seriously "Now, of course, the rejection risk is lower if you have the right kind of i the anti-rejection implants as a forive out from all their abuse, they already have the medication in place It’s a terrible idea, of course, but I never thought that the implants should have been used for that purpose in the first place Why--"

"Mom" Nathan sounded more ilance at the old analog clock on the wall, where the second hand was busily ticking off ourof opportunity

"Sorry," said Dr Cale again "As I was getting around to saying, Sal, people today carry expensive pieces of medical equipment with them at all ti It’s rare, but not unheard-of, for soical process and wake up with their i--especially if they have one of the extremely tailored varieties Sy supply and dees to outstrip demand Unfortunately, that ht this minute, or a worm that supplies anti-rejectionlike your best option"

I stared at her I couldn’t think of anything else to do

"Thanks for freaking out irlfriend, Mo et you to the a away the covers had revealed that I earing nothing but a plain white hospital gown, the kind that tied in the back and left virtually nothing to the iination I didn’t mind that much--I’ve never been shy about nudity--but I had been told over and over that it wasn’t socially acceptable to run around half clothed in front of strangers Fang and Daisy counted

"We’re going to a hospital," said Nathan "Not having any clothes is a good thing"

"You’ll be fine," said Dr Cale "Just tell anyone who asks you that you have problems with the veins in your head, and that Dr Chu and Dr Lee are going to fix it for you If they press, tell the can take things fro to do?"

"Stand there being quiet and trying not to be recognized, while he reo with you in the first place," said Dr Cale coolly, shooting a look at Nathan

Nathan ignored her "All right, Sal Ti I was glad he was taking charge of that part of the trip I would have snarled the tubes on sooneas alked away She just watched us go, expression unreadable, hands still knotted white-knuckled in her lap Then the curtain fell closed again behind us, and she was gone

I leaned heavily on Nathan’s arm as alked out of the se alley Most of the terht, and I wondered briefly whether that would erous Probably not My condition wasn’t i us to the hospital now, she had to have a reason Maybe it was just "we’ll have ht" Whatever her logic, I hadI could do

Fang aiting just outside the interior door, in the dark roohtfully up and down, from my bare feet to ood as a redhead Consider that for e’re done at the hospital" He had a faint accent, although I couldn’t have said from where "Come on, both of you Daisy is outside with the ambulance, and we should ht This would be like Al Capone being busted for tax evasion" His sht, like he had just made a very funny joke but didn’t want to be the first one to laugh

"You never talked this , the sedatives inthe world seeht TV

Fang smiled "I needed to keep a low profile Not so much an issue, now that I’ve been extracted" He turned and walked toward the door to the outside, clearly expecting that ould follow Nathan still hadme with no choice but to do the sa pulled toward a destination I had little to no say in, but normally I wasn’t under the influence of a really iood at drugging people," I said dreamily My lips felt numb That was sort of funny They weren’t my lips--I’d stolen theled That was even funnier; it required the use of so many purloined body parts that I couldn’t even name them all