Under My Skin

Under My Skin - Part 50

4:00 P.M. Cetz overviewed the dispatch of Surveillance vans to the home of Kara Anne Palmer, the hospice center she frequented, and the home of her nurse caregiver. Before putting eyes and ears in the Luvor Ballroom and ConferenceCenter, where the fundraiser was to take place, he wanted to make sure Terrance Palmer hadn't made contact with his wife already. It had been a week since the scientist's supposed "escape" from Kole's weapons depot. The man could be anywhere.

And Cetz wanted to keep the Watch Two hunt for Palmer under the radar.

The Surveillance vans called in.

"This is Team B, we're clear so far."

"Team C, same here, nothing."

"And Team A has squat."

"Got it," said Cetz. "Keep alert and keep me posted. Olivia, how's the live feed coming along?"

Olivia was still working on connecting the broadcast feeds straight to Watch Two instead of being relayed through the vans. The sooner she could do that, the sooner they could bring the vans back. They were a dead giveaway of their trail to others possibly trying to find Palmer.

"I'll have it ready in thirty minutes," said Oliva.

"Good." Cetz clicked over to the private line to the BT lab. "How are we doing, Rachel?"

The voice that answered was less than happy.

"I want it put on the record that I hate this!"

***

Will sighed and lay back trying to get comfortable on the raised medical bed, watching Louis yell at the intercom and Rachel in the control room. The blond was back in a clean navy blue jumpsuit, pissed off and pacing back in forth in the BT-10 chamber. Will didn't mind much; being in close quarters he got a great view of Louis' rear end.

He's actually kind of cute when he's annoyed, thought Will. As long as he's not annoyed with me.

Rachel cut in on Louis' tirade over the control room intercom. "The sooner we finish this experiment the sooner you two can join the others in the field. All I'm checking for is the viability of other organisms surviving inside Will while being shrunk with you. The exam will take thirty minutes and I'll take you right out. The sooner you go in the sooner I can get you out."

"The last time you said that I was stuck inside him for half a day. We just got a break in the case," argued Louis. "You couldn't have picked another time?"

"No time like the present," said Rachel with a feral smile. "And Cetz approved it. Now scoot!"

Will winced as Louis froze in mid-step. This couldn't be easy for him; simply being in such a small space was bad enough, but being inside a BT must have made it worse. Louis sat on the edge of the bed, his shoulders hunched forward, as if trying to compact himself away from the walls. The blue coiled lights in the BT chamber started to glow. He glanced over at Will.

Will shrugged, adjusting the SkySprecht in his ear. "It's no picnic for me either if that makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't."

Rachel's voice piped over the speaker. "Louis, you have two vented canisters in your jumpsuit, one holding a plant organism, the other holding an animal organism. Make sure they stay secure during the way down."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," muttered Louis as he patted down two long shapes on his chest pockets.

"Animal organism?" said Will. "What animal organism?"