The Harvested (The Permutation Archives Book 1)

by Kindra Sowder

  Her eyes dropped from my face, and she walked away, picking up what looked like dressings and iodine from a drawer across the room.

  She ripped open the pack of iodine, removing a large q-tip that had been soaking in the brown liquid. The pungent odor of it made me wrinkle my nose. She dabbed the incision on my arm then placed gauze on it, holding it in place with paper tape. The dressing was uncomfortable, and I wanted rip it off, but I resisted the urge as best as I could.

  She threw the packages away and turned to look at the computer screen once more. She tapped on the screen and began to read the information that rolled onto it. I saw her eyes shift as she took a look at the EKG, blood pressure, respiration, and brain wave readings all at once, deciphering them with a skeptical eye.

  “Everything looks great. We’re going to observe you overnight, and then we will release you back to your living quarters, but you’ll still want to take a few days to rest.”

  She left the room in that instant, and both soldiers took their place outside the sliding glass doors. I hadn’t even seen them standing there. I had been too focused on Doctor Aserov and the information she had been giving me to notice them at all. They took positions on either side of the threshold, taking the exact position, but Ryder had his hand on the pistol on his hip and the other I could tell had his hands on the gun strapped to his chest.

  My head fell back on the pillow and I counted the holes in the ceiling tiles. I didn’t want to stay there overnight, but as with everything else, I had no choice. Did any of us? I was honestly beginning to wonder.

  Chapter 14

  I couldn’t sleep, which I was sure wouldn’t help the regrowth of nerve tissues. Other than the constant beeping of the EKG, everything was deafeningly quiet. If it weren’t for the steady beating of my heart, I would insist I had become deaf while lying there.

  Only minutes after the doctor had left my room a nurse had walked in and removed the electrodes from my forehead from the EEG. The doctor had decided they were no longer necessary, and there was no longer any danger to my brain, despite the fact that anxiety continued to creep in.

  While I was relieved by that, I was still apprehensive about the injection of the drug she’d stated would regrow the nerve tissue they had removed. Was there a one hundred percent regrowth rate, or would something go wrong? I had to stop worrying. She had said that the anxiety would only compromise the process.

  My body was restless and only moving my legs while lying on the bed was no longer helping. I desperately needed to walk around. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I threw the blanket off as a small wave of dizziness came and went. I had sat up too fast for the medication that was moving through me. My legs were a little shaky as I stood, so I grabbed the metal stand the bag of fluids was on and rolled it along with me as I stalked to the mirror above the sink. I was startled by what I saw when I looked in the mirror.

  My hair was matted to my forehead with sweat, causing it to look stringy and oily from not being able to shower. In the morning, I would have to ask about how soon I could take one. There were half-moons of purple below my eyes from the lack of sleep. A drug-induced slumber didn’t count. A small drop of blood pooled at the corner of my right eye from where they had done the biopsy, and that was the most frightening part of the whole experience so far. It had dried to a hard crust, making blinking or closing my eyes uncomfortable and tight. I saw a dispenser of clean paper towels to my left. Leaning against the sink, I took one and wet it with warm water, raising it tenderly to my eye to wipe the crimson crust away.

  I wiped it away as gently as I could, which was harder than it should have been. This took about five minutes until there was no longer anything left. I watched the corner of my eye carefully to ensure another drop of blood didn’t escape. All was well as far as I was concerned.

  Throwing the blood tinged paper towel away, I looked around the room. It was a standard issue hospital room and reminded me of a government hospital within the city limits. Nothing like the type of room I had come to expect out of a lab for mutants, which was basically what we were. White sterile walls, generic floor tiles, and some storage spaces for medical supplies. My information was no longer pulled up on the screen. The only thing on it was the EKG, blood pressure, and respiration readings. I was still fit as a fiddle.

  I felt trapped again and turned around to see if my guards were still present at the door. I wanted out of there, even if it was just to walk around until I couldn’t get past the aura.

  Ryder was standing directly in front of the door. I could see the tension in his shoulders as he stood straight, his hands clasped behind his back, and his legs slightly parted. He had been standing there all night from the looks of it. Didn’t the man sleep? Or were they both taking shifts? I had no clue and decided I didn’t care. I couldn’t leave the room, and I highly doubted Ryder would take me on a midnight stroll. He would tell me to get back on the bed. Doctor’s orders.

  I grudgingly looked back at the bed. The top half was raised up at a partial incline and was a mess of sheets. The pillows had fallen and came to rest down with the blanket once I had risen from the bed. I moved back to the bed and listened to the metal clang of the plastic IV tube hitting the stand and the squeaking of the wheels.

  The stand was still partially holding me up. I had gained some of my strength back as my body adjusted to the pain medication, but I was exhausted. I was sure I would be getting a few more doses of the medication I had been given for the slight twinges in my head over the next few days. After all, she had told me the nerve pain and headaches would continue for that long. I grabbed the fluffy pillows and rearranged them at the top of the bed, holding them in place as I got back onto it. I had to get on my tiptoes and hop onto it. A small cry fled from my body as pain shot up through my arm when I used it to catch myself on the bed when I nearly toppled over, the stitches pulling at the flesh they were holding together.

  The glass doors opened, and Ryder appeared at my side—frustration and just the tiniest bit of concern written on his face. His hands shot to my sides, steadying me on the bed as I sat, his palms warm and clammy against my skin. The heat stemming from him was slowly taking away the chill from the room.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. His voice was just as rough and unyielding as it had been earlier that day.

  I nodded in response as I stared into his green eyes. They didn’t look as bright under the blue lights, but they reflected the illumination beautifully.

  “You must stay in bed, miss. Doctor’s orders.”

  “I just can’t sleep,” I answered.

  “Doctor Aserov said you must sleep for regrowth to be successful. I will have a sedative sent to you.” He walked toward the computer screen and tapped it a few times, alerting the good doctor that I was awake.

  I heard her voice boom into the room and winced, the sound still causing pain to reverberate through my skull. Ryder tapped the screen a few more times to lower the volume, so it wouldn’t be so grating.

  “Yes, Ryder?” she said in a tired tone. We had obviously awoken her.

  “Sorry to disturb you, but we need a sedative sent to your patient. She is having trouble sleeping.” He looked over at me as he said the last part.

  “All right. Thank you, Ryder. I will have one sent to the air lock. Make sure she takes it with a full glass of water.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  He closed out the call, and I heard the familiar whoosh of the air lock. He took the medication out, opened it, and got me a glass of water from the tap. I was surprised he was doing those things for me instead of making me do it, but then again, the doctor had instructed me to stay in bed and getting some rest was the good doctor’s instructions. He struck me as the kind of man that didn’t disobey any order that was given to him, no matter how big or small.

  He handed me the blue circular pills and the glass of water, his fingers grazing the palm of my hand. “Drink up,” he said.

  I popped them i
nto my mouth and wanted to spit them back out. It didn’t help that they had a sickening minty taste, but they had begun to dissolve on my tongue before I had a chance to take a sip of the water. My face scrunched up and I downed the whole glass, just to get the taste out of my mouth. The pills were gone, but the tang was still there, causing an urge to spit to get rid of it.

  Ryder took the glass and set it on the counter next to the sink, not even caring to ask if I needed another glass full. Saliva filled my mouth, and I had to swallow to keep myself from gagging. I will not throw up. I will not throw up. I just had to keep repeating that to myself, and it would be all right.

  The feeling eased once I swallowed one more time. Ryder stood in front of me with a questioning look in his eyes that I was inclined to answer.

  “I’d rather drink castor oil,” I said to answer his unspoken question. It was true. I had never once taken a pill that tasted like that, and I would have done anything not to have to take it ever again.

  “Seriously?” The look on his face was one of disgust.

  I wasn’t sure if it was just because I’d rather drink that stuff than take two measly pills.

  Nodding, I replied, “Seriously.”

  He then did something unexpected and put his hands on my shoulders. I met his eyes in that instant and I saw fear, but I could also see concern and empathy. The last two emotions weren’t ones I expected.

  “The sedative won’t take long to take effect, so you’ll want to lie down.”

  He applied a small amount of pressure to my shoulders, coercing me to lie down before fatigue set in. I leaned into the mattress without even having to be told and was already feeling the effects of the drug. He helped me swing my legs onto the bed and placed the blanket over me like I was a five-year-old needing to be tucked in on a school night. The room began to swim slightly, and I started to feel that same disconnect as with the medication before my surgery. I could swear my spirit was floating above my body.

  He was right. Those two little blue pills worked fast.

  I felt heavy, like lead in water. I could feel myself sinking to the bottom of the pool, and all I could do was close my eyes and let the darkness take me. The dull thud of Ryder’s boots as he walked out of the room was distant, the sound muffled along with the sound of the sliding doors opening and closing. My body was numb, and I could feel the undertow of extreme lethargy pulling me down. I didn’t want to swim back to the surface. All I wanted to do was sleep, but even with the drugs, my body was fighting it. I was anxious, my heart racing as the regrowth of nerves in my brain and my arm sent me into a slight panic.

  The adrenaline was the only reason I wasn’t asleep yet. I took a deep breath in and slowly let it out through pursed lips, feeling each muscle in my body relaxing one at a time as I forced the stress to roll out of me. My eyes opened just long enough to see Ryder resume his post outside of my door, drifting back shut once his feet were firmly planted in the usual position. For what felt like the millionth time, I let the darkness envelope me, and finally, I slept.

  Chapter 15

  True to their word, I was back in my living quarters the next morning. Doctor Aserov checked all of my vital signs, as well as my brain waves, again. She also had me take a neurological test to make sure everything was functioning as it should. I followed her finger with ease and hadn’t lost any strength or feeling in my hands or feet. I was glad, and the doctor seemed pleased with my progress.

  The only stipulation was that I continue to rest. The only time I was to be up and about was to come for more testing, to eat, or use the restroom. Doctor Aserov stressed the importance of the nerves growing back correctly and how important rest was to that process before letting me leave, forcing me to promise I would follow her exact instructions.

  Looking out past the aura of my cabin was nerve racking. The rest of the compound was like a ghost town. Everyone was locked away in their cabins, resting until our designated meal times. Ryder had escorted me back to my living quarters, and the aura had snapped into place as soon as both feet had crossed that invisible line. All I wanted to do was look out and see what there was to see. He turned his back to me, and every other guard was at their post. Their eyes looked forward and never strayed, all hands placed on either the gun strapped around them or in their hip holsters.

  Not a single thing was out of place, but it was too quiet. I made a few intentional noises, like clearing my throat and coughing, just to make sure I hadn’t gone deaf. Everyone was either sleeping as directed or pacing in their cabins from the anxiety. I could even see a few pacing back and forth in front of their auras or staring out into the quiet. I decided to walk away from the aura. It was only making me depressed that I couldn’t be beyond it, walking and doing something with myself. I sat on the bed and let my shoulders sag, sinking into its softness like a cocoon.

  Bandages covered both of my arms—one along my wrist and one at the bend of my elbow. Doctor Aserov had said the stitches would be ready to come out the next morning. It was a process I wasn’t looking forward to experiencing. The bleeding from the insertion site in my eye had stopped altogether, and I was relieved to be able to finish cleaning dried blood from the corner.

  The sight of it had terrified me, but Doctor Aserov had assured me it was perfectly normal and would stop within a few more hours. She had been right, but I was ready to have all the bandages removed. She had highly recommended I leave the one on over my stitches until they could be removed but had said that I could take off the bandage situated over the IV site at any time.

  I used my fingernail to work up the inner corner of the bandage, leaving small red scratch marks behind. The adhesive stung when I began to pull it away, and I hissed through gritted teeth as I drew it back as slowly as possible. It tugged at the delicate hairs on my arm, only making the pain worse as I continued to work the bandage free. There was a small spot of blood on the pad where the IV needle had punctured my skin, but it wasn’t bleeding at all anymore. I had to look closely to see a small hole in the bend of my elbow.

  Why drag this out? With a quick jerk, I ripped the rest of the bandage away from my skin. It began to sting, and the sensation continued for a few more seconds afterward. I grunted in pain until it subsided. Looking around, I noticed I did not see a trash can in my cabin, let alone a chute. I got up and walked into my private restroom, and the blue tiles lining the open shower were a striking sight against the white of the walls. Glancing under the sink and by the toilet, I noticed that there was no trash can in the room. With another sigh, I placed the bandage on the edge of the sink and walked back to the bed. As I stared down at the blindingly white sheets, I realized I didn’t want to lay down. I didn’t want to sleep. I had such a restful sleep because of the sedative that I had too much energy, and my legs were restless.

  Screams erupted from outside of my cabin, and I rushed to stand in front of the blue glow of the aura that separated me from the guards. Even Ryder had left his post. At first, I couldn’t see what was happening, but then a man stepped out into the middle of the large expanse of space that separated each row of cabins.

  He had somehow made it past the aura that was supposed to keep him locked away but had failed. Was it a glitch, or did this man have the power to disable it?

  He was a towering presence, and I felt intimidated just looking at him in the distance. He was at least twenty feet away, but was so large he could’ve been standing right in front of me with how he loomed. I could even see the muscles rippling underneath the white t-shirt, and the white pants hanging low on his hips. The white shoes were gone, and I could hear the dry slap of his bare feet on the floor as he ran.

  He raised his arm out to the sides and an electrical current fluttered over his skin in a purple haze. The blue aura in front of me had a small glitch, almost coming down altogether. He was trying to free all of us from our prisons, but I knew he wouldn’t be able to finish the job. The doctors and guards wouldn’t allow it.

  Blurs of black un
iforms and white coats flew past me, moving in his direction. They might have wanted to stop him before he could achieve his goal, but I wanted to cheer him on. Instead, I stood there in stunned silence. While I wanted freedom from my prison, I didn’t want it badly enough to risk the lives of those that were only doing their jobs as ordered.

  I raised my hands to hover over the aura, the blue glow causing my skin to reflect its glossy surface. The flesh of my palm turned from nearly cream to the color of the summer sky. I had to force my hands not to meet the electric surface to avoid a shock.

  The purple veins of electricity spread over the man’s flexed muscles again, and the aura fell away with the same electric snap it had made when it had sprung to life. I had barely crossed the threshold when a purple ball of electricity flew toward Ryder.

  He narrowly avoided it by rolling across the floor, but then it headed straight for me. I felt a body hit me hard and tackle me to the ground. My body collided with the ground with so much force that I felt the stitches in my wrist pull, and the air was forced from my lungs.

  My head barely missed the floor, but my neck jerked, causing a muscle to strain painfully. A burning sensation flowed from my shoulder to base of my skull, and my hand flew up to the spot as I rolled onto my back. An explosion of sparks flew from right next to where I had been standing, and I realized how close I had come to death.

  A groan escaped between my clenched teeth as the pain intensified. I saw a hand reach out to me. Ryder stood over me. He had knocked me out of the way of the ball of brilliant voltage that had zapped its way towards me. The commotion was all around us as I stared at his outstretched hand and I saw the impatience developing in his posture.

  I could barely move my neck, let alone give him my dominant hand so he could pull me from my place on the floor. I used the other hand to grab his, and he pulled me to my feet. They slid slightly on the slick linoleum, despite the rubber soles on my shoes. Holding my hand against his chest, he kept the other on his rifle as he looked me in the eyes. His gaze was intense and full of fear, but I saw something else in it that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.