Captivated Read Free Page B

keep her under at least while we check her over. Operative Cuomo, she’s clearly malnourished and emotionally unstable. You’re not equipped to handle that.”
    Vincenz got in the med-tech’s physical space and used it to push him back. “I
told
you not to approach! It’s your own fault and now she’s injured and her emotional state worse. You can examine her
here
. Now. I’m not leaving the room either.”
    “Are you saying I’d hurt her?” The soldier’s features broadcast just what he thought of that accusation.
    Vincenz batted it away just as angrily. “No. I’m saying I’m not going to let you make it worse. I made a promise to her and I don’t break my promises. I’m staying because she wants it that way, not because I think you’d molest her in some way.”
    With a glare, the soldier took up his medical bag and got to work. Vincenz moved to the doorway, watching, his side touching Julian’s.
    “Hey.” Julian wanted to kiss Vincenz just then. But they were on duty. But after … when the soldiers left, then he’d get that kiss and more.
    Vincenz gave him a smile and Julian forgot some of his troubles. “I’m glad you’re here. When did you get back?”
    “Daybreak.” And then he’d sat in the shower, hoping he could wash it all away. The water had gone cold and he still couldn’t get thestench out of his nostrils. “What happened?” He tipped his chin toward the woman on the bed.
    “Andrei and Piper are on their way to the Center. Kenner … her brother Kenner is dead. He was killed on the roof of the lab where I found Hannah.”
    Both men looked toward the woman on the bed and the soldier who’d slid her shirt open, carefully using his diagnostics on her. “A year?”
    Vincenz nodded. “When I found her she was in a corner, rocking. Not quite filthy, but it was clear she had to make due with wet cloths. Though, that she took the care to try to stay clean speaks to how strong she is. She wouldn’t let go of me, but even in the middle of a firefight she held it together. She’s a survivor.”
    Julian looked at the curve of her cheeks. Pretty. Too thin, but with some time to recuperate, she’d be better. He hoped. Then again, he wasn’t sure there was such a thing as recuperation anymore.
    “What happened to her hands?”
    Vincenz huffed a sigh. “I told them to back off, but they persisted. They wanted to interview her right there at the portal station. Gods. She was holding on to me and then sort of wrapped her hands up in the straps of my pack. They pulled at her. She screamed.” His voice broke. “She screamed and screamed and screamed as they pulled at her. I kept telling them to stop. Finally they used a sedative and before she went under she looked at me like I’d done it to her. Her hands were bloody from where she’d tried to hang on.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and Julian heard the ache in his voice.
    They watched as the soldier did his diagnostics and turned back to them.
    “She’s underweight considerably. Dehydrated.” He held up an IV bag. “She’ll be out for several more hours so I’m going to at least get her hooked up to a drip. It’ll help.”
    Vincenz paused, but after a few moments he nodded. “Just be sure not to strap her down.”
    “If she moves, she could tear the IV out. It’s not to hold her, but to keep her from doing that.”
    “I know. But this woman was tortured for a long time. She was kept prisoner. You will not strap her down, not even her arm. I won’t have her waking up and thinking she’s back on Parron. She’s had enough trauma for the day.”
    The soldier nodded and set the bag up and got it going, taping over the needle in the back of her hand. “She’s got some scarring here and there. Consistent with beatings. I took some blood samples and I’ll run them at HQ to run some tests. I need to get some internal film. She could have any number of health issues we can’t see.”
    “When she’s ready I’ll bring