Read Online The Lazarus Particle by Logan Thomas Snyder - Free Book Online Page A

have thought you had been informed of the implications of that by now.”
    Roon faked a look somewhere between confusion and mild consternation. “I’m sorry, no. You’ll have to enlighten me.”
    Jenner lowered his flexpad, clasping it before him with both hands. “The fact of the matter, Miss McNamara, is that this was a significant event brought about by severe neurological trauma. Based on my preliminary examination, I’d say Mr. Wilkes won’t be capable of standing trial anytime soon. Technically you are no longer his advocate, and therefore not entitled to see him. I’m very sorry.”
    This was the moment, Roon realized, when one of them would have no choice but to blink. They were playing a form of chicken, bluffing one another over a hard-fought game of cards. The chips were there for the taking, but only one of them would be able to wrap his or her arms around the pile when this little game they were playing was through.
    “Are you sure of that, Dr. Jenner?” Roon countered sharply.
    “Well, I—”
    “Of course you aren’t! Because you are not an advocate. Don’t you understand that I’m Mr. Wilkes’ advocate more than ever? Who else but me would be qualified to speak for him in his condition?” Feeling a daring surge of bravado rise up in her chest, she lifted a finger to poke at Jenner’s breastbone. “Do I tell you how to treat your patients? Do I tell you what medications to administer, in what amounts, for how long and how frequently?” She scoffed. “No, I don’t, because I have no idea what you do, just as you have no idea what I do. Now stand aside or I’ll be forced to call shipboard security on grounds of obstruction.”
    Fuming though he clearly was, Jenner finally relented. “Very well. You have five minutes, though I don’t know what you expect to get out of him in his current state.”
    Neither did Roon, once she saw him. Fenton was out and then some, wrapped in the grip of so many clear plastic tentacles feeding medication and other life-giving fluids into his arms. They didn’t seem to be doing much good, at least if his pallor was any indication. He was pale as a ghost, with thin bloodless lips and dark bags hanging heavily below his eyes. He looked like—there was no charitable way to put it—like a junkie going through an especially heavy-handed round of detox and withdrawal.
    Again, strange. This was not the Fenton James Wilkes she had conversed with—even lightly flirted—the day before.
    “I’ll need some privacy to confer with my client,” Roon said over her shoulder to Dr. Jenner. He shrugged, moving away and muttering beneath his breath all the while.
    Roon sat in the chair beside the bed. She reached out to take Fenton’s hand in hers, stroking the other over it, hoping for some response. “Fenton? Fenton, it’s Roon.” She scooted the chair a little closer, trying to keep the noise down. “Blink or, I don’t know, squeeze my hand if you can hear me.”
    Somewhat to her surprise, she felt Fenton’s fingers constrict around her own just so.
    “That’s good,” she complimented, patting his hand. “That’s really good. But I need more, Fenton. I need you to try to wake up. Just for a minute or two, just long enough to tell me what happened to you. Then you can go back to sleep. Can you do that, Fenton?”
    Fenton made a low gurgling sound. Roon nodded, squeezing his hand, feeling him squeeze back harder.
    “There you go. Listen to my voice, Fenton, follow my voice. Can you hear me?”
    It took several seconds, but at last Fenton’s eyes fluttered to consciousness.
    “Wha—whur am… ohh haiiii, Roooon.” Upon seeing her he bared his teeth in a dopey, anesthetized version of a smile. “S’nice t’see yoo gyin…”
    “Hi, Fenton. It’s nice to see you again, too, but we don’t have long, so try to focus, alright?”
    “I lye kyoo, Roon. Yoo—yoo’re vurry nice…”
    Roon couldn’t help smiling a little in spite of herself. “I like