system began to subside and the pain in her back became more and more pronounced. By the time they reached the medical floor the sentry was all but carrying her. He laid her gently on the exam table as a doctor and nurse entered the room. Nysa related the story of what had happened as they turned her onto her stomach so that they could examine and clean the wounds.
“Mostly superficial lacerations from what I can tell,” the doctor noted. “There are a few that managed to cut a bit deeper, and I’d like to clean them more thoroughly and stitch them just to be careful. I’m sure you’d prefer I play it safe to reduce the chances of scarring.”
“Yes, please,” mumbled Nysa as the nurse retrieved a suture kit. The guard walked to the door while the doctor picked up a syringe and began to administer the anesthesia.
“Wait!” cried Nysa. The security man looked back at her. “I wanted to thank you for your help out there. It would have been pretty hard to get out of that tree and up here without your help.”
“My pleasure, ma’am,” he replied. “Next time you’re wandering in the woods, look out for the wild trees. They look tame but can get pretty nasty.” He winked at her and left the room.
Nysa laid her head back on the table and the doctor continued suturing her wounds, pausing every now and then to do additional cleaning. When he was done, Nysa went back to the main lab to let Dr. Leyden, Mary Alice, and Laura know that she would be taking the rest of the day off to recover, but that she would be back first thing in the morning. It took her a while to explain what had happened and to assure the two women that she was, in fact, fine and didn’t require their assistance in getting back to her room. Dr. Leyden seemed less concerned about her injuries and told her that he would remain in the lab for the rest of the day working, should she need to contact him for any reason. Nysa thanked them all and, grimacing as she walked, shuffled to the elevator and back to her room. Once there, she gently undressed and carefully laid down on her bed for a nap.
I have heard rumors that the church is in possession of it. Is that possible? Can it have survived unharmed for so long? Oh, if I could look upon it once more I might be able to live again. How my life has fallen to ruins. I know I should be helping my fellow man, but worldly possessions have taken hold of me. I must take credit though; I have become quite successful in business and have accumulated quite a bit of wealth. Would the church sell me the shroud, the last remnant of his existence? my last link to a life I lived so long ago?, I wonder? From my dealings with them in the past, I would guess not. I will have to find another way. Possibly a replica will quench my desire. There are quite a few promising artists that I have available to me. I think I will commission Piero’s son to make me a copy. I will have to find someone within the church who will allow him access to it so that he can recreate the image. I have some acquaintances who might be able to help me with that. With the right incentives, I may be able to sneak him in to the Vatican. I must be very careful though, they must not know why he is there nor what he is doing.
February 1, 8:00 AM
After stopping by the main labs to say hello and tell her partners she was okay, Nysa spent the rest of the morning checking all of the supply cabinets, advising the other doctors and technicians as to their objectives as far as she could make them out at the moment and to find out if any additional chemicals, machines, enzymes, or other supplies might be needed in their designated stages of the cloning process. She walked slowly, as her shirt and lab coat were rubbing on the wounds on her back. Although they were bandaged, just the weight of the fabric of her clothing was uncomfortable. But she persisted. She made a list of some chemicals she believed they were a little light on, just to make sure
“Mostly superficial lacerations from what I can tell,” the doctor noted. “There are a few that managed to cut a bit deeper, and I’d like to clean them more thoroughly and stitch them just to be careful. I’m sure you’d prefer I play it safe to reduce the chances of scarring.”
“Yes, please,” mumbled Nysa as the nurse retrieved a suture kit. The guard walked to the door while the doctor picked up a syringe and began to administer the anesthesia.
“Wait!” cried Nysa. The security man looked back at her. “I wanted to thank you for your help out there. It would have been pretty hard to get out of that tree and up here without your help.”
“My pleasure, ma’am,” he replied. “Next time you’re wandering in the woods, look out for the wild trees. They look tame but can get pretty nasty.” He winked at her and left the room.
Nysa laid her head back on the table and the doctor continued suturing her wounds, pausing every now and then to do additional cleaning. When he was done, Nysa went back to the main lab to let Dr. Leyden, Mary Alice, and Laura know that she would be taking the rest of the day off to recover, but that she would be back first thing in the morning. It took her a while to explain what had happened and to assure the two women that she was, in fact, fine and didn’t require their assistance in getting back to her room. Dr. Leyden seemed less concerned about her injuries and told her that he would remain in the lab for the rest of the day working, should she need to contact him for any reason. Nysa thanked them all and, grimacing as she walked, shuffled to the elevator and back to her room. Once there, she gently undressed and carefully laid down on her bed for a nap.
I have heard rumors that the church is in possession of it. Is that possible? Can it have survived unharmed for so long? Oh, if I could look upon it once more I might be able to live again. How my life has fallen to ruins. I know I should be helping my fellow man, but worldly possessions have taken hold of me. I must take credit though; I have become quite successful in business and have accumulated quite a bit of wealth. Would the church sell me the shroud, the last remnant of his existence? my last link to a life I lived so long ago?, I wonder? From my dealings with them in the past, I would guess not. I will have to find another way. Possibly a replica will quench my desire. There are quite a few promising artists that I have available to me. I think I will commission Piero’s son to make me a copy. I will have to find someone within the church who will allow him access to it so that he can recreate the image. I have some acquaintances who might be able to help me with that. With the right incentives, I may be able to sneak him in to the Vatican. I must be very careful though, they must not know why he is there nor what he is doing.
February 1, 8:00 AM
After stopping by the main labs to say hello and tell her partners she was okay, Nysa spent the rest of the morning checking all of the supply cabinets, advising the other doctors and technicians as to their objectives as far as she could make them out at the moment and to find out if any additional chemicals, machines, enzymes, or other supplies might be needed in their designated stages of the cloning process. She walked slowly, as her shirt and lab coat were rubbing on the wounds on her back. Although they were bandaged, just the weight of the fabric of her clothing was uncomfortable. But she persisted. She made a list of some chemicals she believed they were a little light on, just to make sure
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