Free Broken Protocols by Dale Mayer Page A

technology. Too bad she couldn’t take a unit back home. The people there could use this technology.
    And this time period needed better food. Her stomach growled again. It had been getting worse since she first woke up. She’d lost track of time and didn’t know if it was day or night, and her stomach didn’t care. It needed sustenance.
    She glanced at the partially closed door. Were they still talking about her impending death? More likely she’d die from starvation at this rate. Should she search for food herself? And would she recognize it if she saw it? Or did the cupboards hold mostly shakes and booster like Milo had threatened?
    That sent her stomach careening to almost heaving. Almost immediately, the racing lights warmed and slowed. Probably in response to her discomfort. She closed her eyes. In truth, she didn’t want to leave the pod. She was warm and comfortable and pain free. But very hungry.
    “Levi?”
    No answer. She called out louder. “Levi?”
    Still no answer. Damn it.
    She tried to push the top of the pod open and found it wouldn’t budge. Shit. Was she locked in here?
    And if so, how was she going to get out?
    “It won’t open unless it is done with its work.” Levi stopped at the doorway, “Or if you need to go to the bathroom or another physical discomfort. It’s set to automatically shut off when the patient has other needs that supersede the healing.” He frowned. “But I can adjust the settings so you can open the lid just by pushing on it.”
    She stared over at him. “The only body function that is paramount at the moment is my appetite. I’m incredibly hungry.”
    He approached the pod and pressed some buttons on the console. After a moment, he glanced down at her and said, “I raised the height of the lid so you can lie sideways easier.” He stared at her. “I guess you didn’t get anything to eat yet?”
    “No.” She gave him a tentative smile. “And if possible, I’d really like to change that.”
    For the first time all day, a real smile lit his face. “I can do that.” He winked at her in a surprise move that left her doubting what she’d seen.
    She watched him leave, feeling happier than she remembered in a while. The resemblance was only a passing glimpse now to Lawrence. Levi was a different person. She no longer felt any animosity towards him. He wasn’t responsible for this. She understood he was trying to help.
    He was his own person and was starting to be someone she really wanted to know better. He’d been nothing but kind to her and patient with his brother. There was something so very attractive about that kind of caring.
    Being pampered like this was addictive.
    But Milo…now him she wasn’t so sure about.
    As she came to terms with her new reality, she felt better emotionally. Sure, she’d lost so much, but maybe, just maybe, she’d also gained something.
    According to Milo, her life as she’d known it hadn’t ended up too special. As in she’d never married, never had children, and she’d never had a major career that he could find.
    That was quite depressing. She’d just been approved for a special Internet Security program at the company she’d worked for. It had taken her years to get there. In more ways than one.
    If she could return to her own time, she’d try harder to make something of her life there. But if that was no longer a possibility, she wanted to make the best of whatever life she had here.
    Maybe she could make a success of it.
    She didn’t know how society worked here, but with Milo and Levi around to help, maybe she could make a difference.
    She’d overheard Levi say something about tagging. She didn’t know what that meant, but if it allowed her to be one of them with proper ID – she was all for it.
    She was so busy making plans, it was Charmin that let her know something was different.
    He pushed himself up on his front paws, yelling, “Food!”
    Dani struggled to get out of the pod. It seemed to resist her