"What are we going to do?" asked the raspy voiced guy.
Dustin couldn't move anything, but his hearing was getting better. Could it have really been a virtual reality? No, he refused to believe it!
"Grab the information from the guy next door, that we are planning to release tomorrow. We'll copy it over to this guy's data. No one's going to notice."
"Okay, but I'm not going to be here when this guy wakes up. If he's been on that death world for twenty years, then he'll kill us the moment he's released from his straps. Should I get a psych eval set up?"
"No, that might tip off someone that we think something's wrong. Let's get that new girl, Olivia, in here to deal with him. I hear she's used to dealing with the Josagn. This guy shouldn't be as hard to deal with as those nasty birds," said the deep voiced guy.
"Shit! Did you see the blood results? It looks like they crashed the machine. What do I do?"
"Stop panicking! You're going to give us away. Take a breath and I'll handle this. Need some more smokes?"
"No, I got some. Thanks," said the raspy man as he apparently left, the door shutting softly behind him.
"Freaking idiot," grumbled the deep voice as the sound of keys tapping reached Dustin's ears.
"There, now to get Olivia."
The room was quiet after the two left, and Dustin forced his body to start responding. By the time the door opened again, he had managed to sit up on the side of his bed. Glancing up, his breath caught in his chest. It was Olivia. She was younger than he remembered.
"Awake already? I'm sorry it took me so long to get here, the other orderlies had an emergency to deal with. Let's take a look here," she said cheerfully, stepping up to the console with his information.
"Looks like you just finished a six-month stint at a low-level prison, so we'll get your records updated and you'll be cleared to leave. Do you know if you have anyone capable of picking you up?"
Dustin scrunched his brow at her words. He wasn't sure what was real. Was his mother still alive? Was she a drunk? Did he have a dad, still alive?
"Don't fret too much," she said, throwing a smile at him that caused his heart to jump. "I'll check our records, and see if you have anyone available. I know it's kind of rough coming out of the mind fog."
He watched her as she started typing on the console, letting his gaze travel over her hair and face. She didn't have the added weight of bearing Kit, but she had those muscles he remembered wrapping around him. Closing his eyes, he cleared his throat.
"Do I know you?" he asked, his voice rough.
She glanced up and smiled at him. "That can happen. The computer will take people you've see in your life and construct new people for you to interact with in the virtual world. I'm pretty sure you haven't seen me before, but maybe you saw someone like me?"
Dustin shook his head. "No, I mean… have you gone to see the general, yet?" he asked, remembering some of what Olivia had told him when they first met, so long ago.
Her hands froze in mid type, and a surprised look flashed over her face before it was gone. "I don't know what you mean."
"He's going to try and rape you," Dustin continued in a soft voice, trying to remember what she had told him. Had she killed him? Or had it been an accident where the guy died anyway?
"What?" she squeaked, before clearing her voice and shaking her head.
"Sir, I assure you, that you are merely struggling with fake realities. Please remain calm while I check back over your records. There shouldn't be anything about a general in your history…"
Dustin waited while she poured over the information before, watching as her small mouth frowned deeper and deeper.
"I'm sorry to bother you so much," he finally said, unable to bear watching that mouth frown. "Do I have anyone capable of picking me up?"
She glanced up at him as if trying to decide if he was capable of being released, then decided the small bit from before must have been leftovers from waking up and gave him a small smile.
"I have your mother listed, though it says she's not interested in picking you up. You seem to have a small apartment listed as a waiting residence for you. That's funny…" her voice trailed off as she read the address.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing. You just seem to be in the apartment next to mine. It caught me by surprise is all," she said, giving him another smile before going back to typing.
"If you're not busy, want to grab a bite to eat sometime?" he asked, with a smile.
"I'm not sure that would be appropriate," she said with a shake to her head.
"Fair enough. Keep me in mind, if you change your mind," he said, rubbing his face and stretching. The clothes they had laid out for him were scratchy and poor quality, but at least they weren't made of paper.
"You have been cleared to leave. I've arranged for a taxi to take you to your apartment, where they will have your key waiting at the manager's office. Have a nice day, sir."
She gave him a smile and held out her hand to help him stand.
"What? You don't have to wait for me to pee, or anything like that? No tests to make sure I'm physically and mentally stable to leave?"
She frowned. "You seem physically capable and our conversation, despite the little hiccup in the beginning, proves your mental stability is sufficient for release. Do you have any concerns?"
Dustin wanted to tell her about their relationship. How they had passionate sex that produced a wonderful boy, their falling apart for a decade, only to get back together in just enough time for him to lose her again. The words wouldn't come, and he found himself looking at her longingly.
"Can I ask a question?" he asked, looking down at his non-skid socks that would have to suffice until he got back to the apartment.
"Of course," she said with another smile.
"Can I have a hug? It seems like I just lost a lot of dear people." The words were soft, his look lost.
With a laugh, she held her hands open.
As he hugged her, he knew this wasn't the end. He would win her heart again.