Death Touch novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Fenn

Dr. Fenn came to my room before breakfast.

"Mara, dear."

She stood in the doorway in a pressed white coat with a clipboard against her chest.

She wore the same warm smile she used to wear before a needle.

Trina, half asleep in her bunk, pulled the blanket over her head.

"Out," I said to Trina, and then to Fenn, "No. Not here."

"The colonel gave me the training room."

I followed her down the hall because refusing would have cost more.

The training room had changed overnight.

A steel cage stood where the table had been, and inside it sat a white rabbit in a wire box.

Colonel Strake leaned against the wall with a cup of coffee.

Forrest stood by the door, stiff as a post.

His eyes met mine for one second and slid away.

"We'll run a standard output reading," Fenn said pleasantly. "You know the protocol."

"No."

"One touch. I'll time it."

"It's a rabbit."

"It's a controlled animal. Mara."

"Her name is Miss Hargett," Forrest said, from the door.

Fenn glanced at him with polite surprise.

"Sergeant. Thank you."

"I mean it."

She turned back to me and held out a stopwatch.

"This is what you are for. We have discussed it."

My whole life, I had done what Fenn asked, because she was the only warm face in the building.

I looked at the rabbit.

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