Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100561 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
With a sob, I inspect the wound on his thigh. The bleeding has reduced to a trickle by this point, and my mind screams at me to fix it, fix it, fix it.
If I hadn’t been late. If I hadn’t been late.
Pressing my fingers to his neck, I feel for a pulse but can’t find one. I reach for his wrist, setting my fingers against his radial artery—nothing—his inner elbow: also nothing. Panic chokes me.
“Help!” I scream, but nobody comes. It’s summer and everyone’s windows are closed tight, sealing the air-conditioning inside. “Help!”
I start chest compressions, pressing down hard and fast the way I’ve been trained.
Staying alive, staying alive, ah, ah, ah, ah, staying alive…
“Oh my God, Luca, please, no. No, no, no. Stay with me. Stay with me.”
Pausing, I fumble with slippery hands for my phone but remember it’s in my car, in my bag, wherever I threw it. The hospital is probably thirteen minutes away with no traffic. Luca doesn’t have thirteen minutes. He doesn’t even have three. Even if an ambulance was here right now, they might not be able to save him.
That’s when I freeze, remembering what else is in my car. Awareness sends a cold wash down my arms. I have seconds.
There’s only one thing I can think to do.
7 EMERY
Em? You better not be calling me from your anniversary dinner.”
“Annie!” I shout into the car. “Where are you?”
“I was just about to leave. Is… is everything okay?”
Exhaling a harsh, terrified breath, I look back to where Luca is wrapped in a blanket and lying across my back seat. His skin is pale and he’s disturbingly still.
“I need you to listen to me,” I say, pressing heavily on the gas pedal. “Don’t ask questions, just listen, okay? Are there still gurneys at the loading dock at the back of the building?”
“The ones we use for veterinary emergencies? There should be.” She pauses. “Girl, please do not tell me you stopped for a wounded animal on the way to—”
“What about cameras?” I interrupt, veering around a slow-moving car. “Is it still just the one?”
“As far as I know. They talked about adding more because of the blind spot behind the concrete pillar, but I don’t think they ever did.” She hesitates. “Is there a reason you’re asking me this?”
“I need you to meet me out there. Don’t talk to anyone, just bring your key card—” I look down at my clothes and see my probability dress is covered in Luca’s blood. “And an extra lab coat and meet me outside. When you see me pull in, bring me the gurney.”
“Wha—”
“Just do it, okay? I’m almost there.”
A minute later I come to a screeching stop just shy of the BioNEX loading dock and breathe a sigh of relief when I see Annie silhouetted against the building.
Opening the door, I climb out and kneel next to the car. Luca still hasn’t moved, and I pull back the blanket and press my palm to his cheek. It’s cool, but that’s to be expected; Compound Y lowered his body temperature to prevent pallor mortis and protect his brain and vital organ systems. It’s the faint pulse in his throat that I need to confirm, and I find it with my fingers. The drug is working. It’s keeping his heart beating and his brain firing just enough to maintain respiration and prevent livor mortis.
But a glance at my watch tells me we have less than thirty minutes to get him into the BioVIVE. We’re running out of time.
“Don’t you dare leave me,” I whisper.
I look over my shoulder at the clatter of a gurney on asphalt behind me and stand as Annie nears the car.
“What sweet baby do we have here?” she says, expecting to see an injured animal in my back seat. When I take a step to the side, she stops, her hands coming to her mouth with a terrified gasp. “Oh my God. Is that… is that Luca?” Her medical training kicks in and she rushes forward, looking for injuries. “What happened to him?”
“He was hit by a car.”
“Have you called 911?”
Reaching for the gurney, I roll it to the car. “There wasn’t time. Help me get him out.”
Spinning around, she grips my arm. “Emery!”
“He didn’t have a pulse. He died, Annie! Do you understand?”
She goes still, realization slipping over her features in a mixture of horror and heartbreak. “You… you took it home. Oh my God, Em. Honey. Please tell me you didn’t inject him.” When I don’t answer, she rakes a hand through her hair, spinning in a half circle, breath coming out sharp and fast. “Holy shit, this is bad. Emery, this is so bad.”
“I need you to help me.”
“You don’t even know if the compound will work!”
Bending, I reach for his hand. “It is working. Feel him. He’s cold!”