Wells mumbled something indistinct, then ripped the strap out of his mouth, scowling. “You’d better do that. She’s not strong enough.”
Mira’s lips twitched downwards. “Fine. Hannover, you take his hand?—”
“No,” Kalie said, at the same time as Wells.
Tipping her head back, Mira inhaled deeply. “Would you two please grow up? Zane, you’ll need to hold onto something, and Hannover, he’s right, you can’t hold him down.”
Kalie exchanged a wary look with Wells, but she sank to the floor and slid her hand into his sweaty, calloused palm. At least he’d washed the grime off. Her hands were clean, but the phantom feeling of sludge under her nails was driving her mad.
Handing Cybel the regenerator, Mira pinned down Wells’s shins. “You’re sure you won’t take?—”
“No.”
Mira sighed. “Whenever you’re ready, Cy.”
Cybel leaned over the wound. The aibot’s metal eyelids lowered over its orange optical sensors. Its thin metal fingers probed at the skin around the wound, earning a hiss from Wells and a glare from Mira.
“Humans,” Cybel clucked, pinning Wells’s arm to the couch. “So breakable.”
Kalie snorted and disguised it as a cough.
“Now, now. Play nice, Cybel. I know the medical programming I installed taught you better bedside manner than that.”
“Whatever you say, Mistress. Wells, brace yourself. Ninety-eight percent of weaker life forms like you humans reported that exponentially increasing the process of stem cell generation was excruciatingly painful.”
“Just do it, wire-brain,” Wells growled, sliding the strap between his teeth.
Cybel pressed a button. The regenerator’s purple light shone on the ugly red wound.
For a few moments, nothing.
Then Wells’s body spasmed. His pinned leg thrashed upwards, and his hand crushed hers. His clenched teeth stifled his scream.
Flinching, Kalie glanced at the hole in his arm. The ripped muscle stretched and knit together; the tissues surrounding it mended, cleansed of infection by the salve. Bile burned Kalie’s throat. She swallowed convulsively as Cybel withdrew, letting Wells catch his breath.
Kalie mustered up her most encouraging smile and squeezed his hand, but his glistening eyes hovered on Mira.
“You’re almost there,” Mira said softly, patting his shin. “Just a little longer.”
Cybel pressed a button, and the purple light flared again. The severed blood vessels snaked towards each other and fused together. Wells screamed again, louder this time. He threw his head back into the pillows and bit into the strip of leather.
“I’m sorry,” Kalie whispered, but no one heard her.
Another break, another dose, another scream. She’d had the same procedure before, but she’d been numb through the whole thing. If he was able to bear it without any relief, he had to be far stronger than she’d assumed.
“Done,” Cybel said. Fresh pink skin stretched across the wound. As Wells ripped the leather strap from his mouth, the aibot’s monotone voice took on a sarcastic edge. “It is simply astounding that a lesser specimen like yourself managed to endure the whole process without any outward signs of stress.”
“Give me a minute,” Wells panted, looking anywhere but Mira. The color had drained from his face. Sweat and tears soaked his pale skin. “Go, please.”
Pleasewasn’t a word she’d ever thought she’d hear from him.
Mira sidled around the couch and brushed a gentle hand over his arm, but Wells turned away.
Kalie cleared her throat. “I’d love to take a shower, if you could show me where it is. And if you have a change of clothes, I’d greatly appreciate it.”
Frowning at Wells, Mira sighed and rose to her feet. “Come on, then. I’ll let you raid my closet.”
Wells mouthed,Thank you. Kalie nodded and followed Mira across the room.
