Final Cut Read online

  Her fingers curled against his thigh as he started again, his breath catching quickly. If only she could feel his balls, know how close he was; but these soft gasps would have to do. Then she tasted him, swallowed all that he had for her. It was his turn to buck and jerk as she had done for him, and Anna savored his warm, musky flavor.

  The Voice suddenly spoke, its tone now totally alien to her. DNA Match Confirmed. Extraction Sequence Initiated. Beginning 20-Second Countdown Sequence.

  Anna shot upward, and her hand wrapped around Jack’s wrist. The blade he had palmed throughout their coupling toppled to the ground as he struck the opposite wall. Anna was uncertain if Jack had hit harder than she. One could only hope.

  There was a dark, playfully sinister laugh peppering her words as she spoke.

  “Thank you, Jack.” The air around them—only them—beginning to swirl and howl. A faint scent of electricity tickled her nostrils. “Time to go.”

  ###

  “Right then. Follow the light.”

  Anna huffed and did as she was told. She was done with the testing.

  “Good. How are you feeling?”

  “Just as I did yesterday, Dr. Henson,” Anna said. “In fact, I feel wonderful. Considering that I repeated that temporal loop three times.”

  “Four.”

  “Ah, four. I thought you had told me…” Her words drifted off. “Never mind.”

  She watched Dr. Henson nod as her stylus tapped the tablet. A quick scribble later, and the woman returned her attention to Anna. “This was a particularly hard case. We’re just being thorough.”

  “I see.”

  “And really, Ms. Hamilton, your performance has been exemplary. As agreed with the Parole Board and the Supreme Court, your pardon will be approved and your record wiped clean. Your debt to society has been paid.”

  “Paid?” quipped Anna. “I would think I’ve earned interest.”

  Anna’s smile widened as Dr. Henson chuckled. This lab coat was actually quite lovely.

  “I would imagine worth a clean slate,” Dr. Henson commented.

  “And what of case—”

  “Case #7734?” Dr. Henson paused, her head inclining to one side ever so slightly. “Does that really matter to you, Ms. Hamilton?”

  Something about the curve of her neck made Anna swallow. Yes, she was a lab coat; but still a woman. She obviously took care of herself, and it showed in her skin.

  “I suppose not.” Anna shrugged. “Ancient history to me.”

  “Precisely,” Dr. Henson replied. “Did you have any other questions for me?”

  “Apart from when I get this damn chip out of my head?”

  Dr. Henson’s eyebrow arched slightly as she considered the question. “We had this discussion a few days ago, do you not remember?”

  Anna paused, and then said, “If I’m asking…”

  “Your A.I. started a system shutdown at the same time the countdown initiated.” Her attention turned back to the tablet cradled in her arm. “As this program is still in the experimental phase and we’re all learning as we go, these kind of questions—even the forgotten ones—we benefit from. I have to wonder if putting the chip so close to the nucleus accumbens is such a good idea now.”

  Anna furrowed her brow. “I’m sorry. The what?”

  Dr. Henson chortled. “Sorry, a bad habit. I tend to think out loud. I think we’re done here unless you have any additional concerns.”

  “I do,” Anna said. She took a small hint of delight in surprising the good doctor. “These holes in my memory. I’m not one to be repeating myself; and while I know that time travel isn’t commonplace, I don’t remember being forewarned about these lapses.”

  “That is a concern of mine as well, Ms. Hamilton.”

  Anna nodded, and then smiled meekly. “Then would you mind if we looked into it together?”

  “Certainly, Ms. Hamilton. I can make an appointment with you—”

  “Actually,” and her skin tingled as she said, “I was thinking dinner. Together.”

  She watched Dr. Henson blink again. It really was a charming attribute about her. “Ms. Hamilton, we have policies—”

  “I’m asking you to do this off the clock because if I’m here any longer, I’ll be wondering if I’ve really earned my clean slate.” Anna gently bit her bottom lip and asked, “Consider me a special case?” Dr. Henson opened her mouth as if to shoot down the idea again, but Anna interjected, “Oh please don’t make me beg. I’m hungry. I’m sure you get hungry, too. Why not take care of both? You pick the place as I don’t know any good restaurants in this area.” It felt so good to smile and smile honestly. “Case investigation and dinner? It’s a tax deduction.”

  The silence was awkward, but a pleasant awkwardness.

  “Wednesday,” Dr. Henson said. “Pick you up from your hotel at seven?”

  “It’s settled then.”

  She watched the doctor leave before sliding off the examination table. She looked around the room casually while waiting for her escort. A clean slate. Hard to believe, but she had earned it.

  Tonight?

  Anna closed her eyes and relished the heat she felt along her skin. Perhaps it was the anticipation of freedom or just the exhaustion following her atonement, but she was thirsty.

  Tonight.

  The door slid back, and there was an Institute’s security guard. “Ready to go?”

  Kill.

  “Soon,” Anna said pleasantly. She considered the guard for a moment, and then asked, “Do you mind if we go by the cafeteria? I could use something to…take the edge off.”