Discovery - Bionts Series (Book 1)

9 - Quo

At the lab, Astrid called Quo's attention to some samples in a microscope, allowing us to duck into a corner behind the shield of some high lab benches.

"I have some... calculations to complete, while you're... uhhhh, checking those samples," with a dramatic nod of the head and glance for our benefit in the direction of a comp unit, Astrid headed right over.

Could Astrid have been any more obvious? It's a wonder Quo isn't laughing out loud at the pathetic attempt at subterfuge.

Quietly, hoping not to draw more attention to Astrid's suspicious behavior, I asked Astrid what was next.

"I have more than enough serum ready for you." Astrid spoke softly, facing away from Quo on the far side of the room. "Once Medic Quodis leaves, I will take you to the sample vault, where I will administer the serum."

"Where is the sample vault?" I whispered, sensing a hitch in this plan.

Astrid paused, realizing the difficulty, fingers hovering above the softly backlit console, "Three buildings over, and two floors down."

"We have to ditch the Medic soon then, so we can make it over there before workers start arriving!" Sabeece's eyes widened. "We don't know how many people are after us, or how closely they're following."

"...Or why they're after us, or how they even tracked us to your office. What if they only want to help me?..."

They sure hadn't acted like they were on my side so far.

"I'm alert now," Sabeece reassured me. "If they found us earlier by tracking your thought patterns, I'm covering them now with a steady stream of minutia. It would take a very competent Counselor to shift through it, and by the time they do, you won't be broadcasting enough biosigns for even the most advanced Counselor to triangulate your true location."

"Okay, I'll have to take your word for it. So, how do we shake the Medic and get - "

I was interrupted by a familiar voice from behind me, "Who's shaking Medics?"

Uh oh!

"Quo, uh nice seeing you again, ummm so soon," I stammered.

How to explain...

"This really isn't a good time, Medic Quodis," Sabeece tried steering Quodis toward the frosted glass doors to the laboratory, saying something about having misheard.

Quodis was having none of it though, "This wouldn't have anything to do with Grayce's visit to my clinic yesterday, would it?" That brought us all to a stop. Sabeece paused mid-pivot to the doors.

"What do you mean? Uhhhh, why would you think that?" My brow furrowed, trying to figure out how the Medic would have made that connection, correct though it was.

" 'Cuz it couldn't have been 15 ticks after I logged my notes from your appointment, that I was visited by a pair claiming to be Medics. They were asking about any 'late Bloomers' for a research project they were recruiting volunteers for. They asked if I knew anyone who might be interested. It struck me as too much of a coincidence. I didn't recognize their Bloom-marks - they were like nothing I'd ever seen." Quodis trailed off, looking down and to the right, frowning at the recollection of the strange Bloom-marks. Sabeece must have sent an inquiring thought - their eyes connected briefly. Sabeece's eyes went wide in what must have been in response to the Medic's reply. I made a mental note to ask Sabeece about their exchange later.

It's times like these when I feel most cut-off from the collective. Being able to send discrete thoughts to others, and not just passively receive what they choose to send me, was one of the things I was most looking forward to about Astrid's promised attempts to trigger my Blooming.