The New World

Healthy carrier

The small room was plunged into half-light, broken only by a ray of light escaping from the half-open bathroom door. The man was pacing up and down, smoking. From time to time, he would pause in front of the window and glance uneasily through the slit in the lowered blinds. But nothing seemed to disturb the calm of the street.

"I'm almost finished. Did you get them?"

Ged stopped in front of the bathroom door. Through the opening he could glimpse Clara's naked back, clad only in briefs, vigorously rubbing her hair with a towel.

"Yes", he replied. "They won't be able to come for another hour and a half."

He had enlarged the door opening by a few centimeters. His gaze fell on the girl's reflection in the mirror. Jet-black strands of hair protruded from the folds of the towel.

"An hour and a half? But what are we going to do for all that time? And it's risky too. We've got to get out of here as soon as possible."

She stopped her friction for a moment and looked at him in the mirror. Ged was staring at the reflection of her breasts, her nipples pulled up by his arms raised to her hair.

"Well, leave me alone. I've got to clean up well to remove all traces of dye."

With her foot, she closed the door.

Ged stepped back and lay down on the bed. He gazed up at the ceiling, sending up wisps of smoke.

The sound of showering came from the bathroom. Finally Clara came out. She had put on a shirt.

A bag lay on the floor from which she took out some clothes. She sat down on the bed and quickly smoothed them up.

"Do you think there'll be a terminal so we can log on safely?"

"A terminal?", said Ged, standing up. I'd rather find a real hideout first.

He approached her.

"That hair color really suits you, better than blond. It brings out the whiteness of your skin."

He placed his hand on her graceful neck.

"Clara..."

"Stop it, Ged, that's not why we're here. And we have to be on our guard."

"I know, I know. But I can't help it."

"Besides, I'm carrying something very nasty: a BBW virus."

"What's a BBW virus?"

"Big Bad Wolf. It's called that because of the story of the three little pigs. It goes I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in and no refuge can resist it. The implant stops in two or three days.

"But why?"

"It was a mission assigned to me. I had to inoculate someone. It's dangerous for you. I can transmit it to you if we have unprotected thought contact."

"Well, that's easy! I don't see why we should make contact."

"If you have the slightest feeling for me..."

He smiled. "No, come on. I don't love you!"

She stared at him incredulously, then turned her head away.

"Come on", he said, putting his hands gently around her face. "Relax a bit!"

He ran his hands down Clara's arms and pulled her to him.

"This guy's in love with you and you pull a stunt like this?"

"I'd known him for a few hours. And he's the one who came looking for me to ask me questions."