Free Eve Vaughn by The Factory Page A

picks up things from a great distance. It gives me a damn headache because on one side I have nearly perfect vision by Human standards, but on the other side, I see too well. I tried adjusting, but it became too much of an effort, hence the patch. This wouldn’t be something I would have chosen for myself, but this metal monstrosity has gotten me out of a jam or two. It can zoom in on something as if it were being spied under a microscope. I’ve been able to read people better, see trouble coming my way.”
    “Why do you have it if it wasn’t something you chose for yourself?”
    “I went to the clinic because at the time I was suffering migraines. I saw an advertisement that said they had a treatment for it. Little did I know my aches were from the side effects of their poisonous food, but I went in anyway. At first I questioned why they needed to put me under, but they insisted.” Jack paused, his face tightening, as though reliving the memory was painful.
    It took several moments before he continued. “When I came to, I had this thing in. That’s when I knew something was wrong. What rational person would have gone into any medical facility for one thing and then have another procedure done on them?
    But that’s exactly what they tried to convince me happened. They attempted to make me look crazy. Everyone is prone to bouts of madness, myself included, but I definitely didn’t have one then.”
    “That sounds horrible. Why… well, I suppose knowing what I do now, I guess I can’t put anything past them. What happened next?”
    “Of course I argued with them, told them to fix what they’d done. They insisted this was what I’d asked for. In my anger I attacked, which was my one mistake, because it gave them reason enough to sedate me. The next thing I knew, I woke up strapped down on a gurney with three Cyrellian doctors poking at my bionic eye. They were
     
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    speaking in their own tongue, but little did they know, I’d picked up enough of their language over the years to basically understand what was being said.”
    “And what was that?”
    “They were going to harvest my organs and replace them with artificial parts, eventually, but not before they could perform experiments on me. From what I can discern, it was some kind of program they’d created to benefit Cyrellian health.”
    “In what way? I’m not sure I follow.”
    “Apparently the Human molecular structure is similar to theirs as far as how our hearts beat, we digest food, and so forth. A while ago, I’d read in some history books how our society used animals to test make-up, drugs, and anything that hadn’t been introduced to the market yet. Though we’ve since found other means to do that, it occurred to me the Cyrellians were doing something similar to what our ancestors did.” Comprehension hit Sydney like a ton of bricks. “But this time around we’re the animals.”
    “Exactly.”
    “Oh no, poor Bella,” she whispered.
    Jack rubbed her arm in a comforting gesture. “It’s quite possible your friend has managed to escape. You don’t know for certain if they have her.”
    “But she went to the clinic for treatment to get her hearing back. It seemed like her prayers had been answered when she received a letter in the mail that said there was a cure. It sounded too good to be true, but I wanted to support her. I even encouraged her to go for it.” If only she had listened to Holly. Why hadn’t she made Bella research this so-called procedure before diving in headfirst? Sydney buried her face in her hands.
    Jack touched her knee. “Don’t blame yourself. They had us all fooled.” She raised her head. “It doesn’t make me feel any less responsible for what’s happened. I thought I was being supportive. Instead I should’ve voiced my concerns.
    Maybe then she might have thought things through a little more before going for it.”
     
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    “Sydney, regardless of who’s responsible, there’s no point in