Evolution - The Oasis Project Book 3

Twelve - Linkin

"You know, that was a brave thing you did today," Stuart said as he ran the ultrasound probe over the spot on my ribs where I assumed the tracker was. "Stupid, but brave."

The conversation at the meeting went for only ten more minutes before Four dismissed us. I think my question shook the group, I don't think any of us really knew what we wanted it was time for a reality check. We were getting ready for a war, and yet no one knew what we were fighting for. This tracker which Stuart was struggling to find was my reality check. I was done being treated like an animal. I wanted my freedom. I wanted normal.

"Stupid?" I asked with a weak laugh, doing my best not to move too much since Stuart was struggling enough.

He stayed quiet as he focused on the display monitor, "Ira was probably right that the Asmar situation could have been handled better... Plus, who knew how Four could have reacted to any of that. You're lucky she didn't send you out into the cold."

Maybe he was right. I glanced down and watched him work. "But she didn't. Someone needed to answer those questions."

"Got it."

"You know what you want?"

"No, I found the tracker," he said with a bit of a smirk, reaching out and grabbing a marker, marking my skin where he'd make the incision. "Do you need me to freeze the area?"

I raised my brow and smirked. "Did you seriously just ask that?"

His whole body tensed and he looked up at me, eyes wide. "I am so sorry, I didn't even think..." Stuart slowly trailed off. "Plus, Ira said you could feel without hurting someone?"

A week ago, I probably would have lost my temper. Now, I just laughed. "I can," I said as I laid back onto the bed so I wouldn't have to watch this next part. "But I still need contact to feel anything. You're wearing gloves, and, I'd rather not feel you digging around under my skin."

Stuart made a face. "That's a disgusting way of putting that."

"Says the one who is about to do it," I rolled my eyes. "You remember how I showed you?"

He nodded hesitantly, "Ya, but you sure you can't just do this yourself? I'm not a surgeon, and my medical days are long behind me. Remember how well that CPR went when we first met?"

It was hard to forget. It wasn't like he was the one who did it, but he also didn't stop Desmond from his mistake. "Don't remind me when you're holding a scalpel," I grumbled. "Plus, I can't exactly do an excision on my ribs."

The door opened and Ira walked in with a small smile on her face. I didn't bother to pretend to be shy, lying on a table with nothing but my bra on with her boyfriend. She didn't seem bothered. "Hey, how's it coming?"

Stuart didn't say anything, staring at my thorax and I could feel the pressure of the first, shakey cut. "I think Stuart is doing worse than me," I told her. "What's up?"

"Stop moving," Stuart growled. Every muscle in his body coiled.

I rolled my eyes as Ira walked over to the head of the table so she could look down at me as she spoke. "I thought about what you said," she started off, her eyes flicking to what Stuart was doing. A disgusting, wet suction sound filled the silence as Stuart started to fish around for the tracker he swore he found on the ultrasound. "Four is going to take a team and go to China, take down them next. I'm coming with you to that farm; I'm not letting you take down Asmar alone... I may not know what I want, but I know I don't want my family to be torn apart."

Smiling at her, there was a lot I wish I could say, but I didn't want to move for Stuart who seemed to be struggling. "The thing keeps moving..." he growled.

"Try the tweezers."

"Stop talking," he repeated, but removed his fingers from the cavity he created in my side as he reached a bloody hand for the tweezers sitting beside us.

Ira, the tough girl who had stabbed Doctor A in the neck without even flinching, went pale. "You're my family now, the both of you and Thierry, Yulian. If Asmar is going to come after one of us, he's coming after all of us. I spoke to Four, she won't let Yulian come along, but she did agree that the kid, Fang, is coming along."

I raised a brow, a bit surprised, and Ira shrugged.

"I might have argued for it," she continued. "I don't trust Four to always have our best interests at heart. If it came down to it, she might give you up before that kid, at least if we have the kid with us, we can protect the both of you. We're not giving Asmar anything. We'll make it work together."

"Got it, you bastard!" Stuart exclaimed excitedly as he pulled the tracker out, tossing it onto the metal tray with a clink. "Oh, that was gross."

Shaking my head, I sighed. "Please be sick after you stitch me up," I whined, glancing up to Ira. "Thank you. We'll deal with Asmar, then finish Oasis. Together."