Page 32 of Marked By the Bounty Hunter

“How long?” The doctor’s voice was but a whisper. “How long have you been exposed?”

“What?” Nalina straightened, trying to hide her unsteadiness. “I don’t-”

“Those reactions. That speed. But the slight tremor in your hands...” Dr. Gondon was already pulling out scanning equipment. “I need to test you. Now.”

I stepped forward, torn between protecting Nalina and finally getting answers. “Doctor-”

“You don’t understand.” She calibrated her instruments, eyes narrowed. “If she’s been exposed, if the deterioration has already started... there might still be time. But only if we act quickly.”

“Test me,” she said quietly. “I need to know.”

The doctor nodded, already calibrating her equipment. And I stood guard, watching the shadows, while my world shifted beneath my feet.

NALINA

My fingers brushed the modified medical scanner, an odd tingling sensation making me set it down more carefully than necessary on the repurposed crate serving as Dr. Gondon’s exam table.

“Hold still.” Dr. Gondon adjusted another piece of equipment - what looked like an old atmospheric sensor welded to part of a neural interface. Her large eyes narrowed as she scanned the readouts. “This will take a few minutes to calibrate.”

Tyrix paced behind her, his shoulders rigid. Three steps, turn, three steps back. The movement should have irritated me, but somehow his restlessness matched the buzzing under my skin.

“You’re doing it again.” He paused mid-stride.

“Doing what?”

“That thing with your hands.” He moved closer, reaching for my fingers where they drummed against my thigh. I hadn’t even noticed.

“I’m fine.” I pulled away, immediately regretting the sharpness in my voice when hurt flashed across his face.

“Fascinating.” Dr. Gondon’s sand-colored skin rippled with excitement as she studied another screen. “The neuraladaptation rates are unprecedented. Even accounting for human plasticity, this level of integration shouldn’t be possible.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“It means you should be dead.” She adjusted another dial. “The first human trial subjects didn’t last six months. Their bodies couldn’t handle the changes.”

My stomach dropped. “How long ago was I exposed?”

“Based on these readings...” She tapped through several screens. “Approximately two years. Though the deterioration has accelerated recently. The increased strength, faster reflexes - those weren’t just adrenaline.”

Two years. My mind raced back, trying to pinpoint the moment. The maintenance job in Blue Section? That weird metallic taste in the air when the environmental controls malfunctioned? Or maybe...

“The coolant leak.” The words fell from numb lips. “When we were rerouting power to the hydroponics bay. I thought the headache was just from the fumes.”

“Different strain than what they used on Jevik.” Dr. Gondon’s fingers raced across the controls. “Earlier version, before they added the direct neural control elements. More... elegant in some ways. They were still focusing on enhancement rather than domination.”

“But it’s killing her.” Tyrix’s voice was rough.

“Yes.” She didn’t soften the blow. “The cellular breakdown is accelerating. Without intervention...” She hesitated.

“How long?” I forced the words out.

“Days. Maybe less.”

I nodded, oddly calm. “What are my options?”

“There might be...” Tyrix started, then stopped himself.

“What?”

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