Query Read Free Page B

gym explained the fitness of the Guardians, and the general scent of sweat told her it was used often.
    The pool was a surprise. Olympic sized, it beckoned to her with tiny, rippling waves catching the light. It was tempting, but she kept snooping.
    There was another flying vehicle. A few small ones for single riders.
    The property was encased in a huge fence, which didn’t seem to have a door. She was locked in unless she went through the Oracle’s cave.
    Freddy saw the line of doors and couldn’t resist finding out who slept where.
    She pressed her hand to the door across from hers and saw Rune.
    The others were set left and right with Ember across from her brother, Rescue. The realization made her laugh. Fire and rescue. Too funny.
    Freddy wondered how long the ability to read without a swig of tea would last. On Earth, it had only continued for an hour. It had already done more than that here. Out of curiosity, she walked back to her quarters and pressed her palm to the door. Aw... Axis had given up his room.
    Wait... no. Axis would be there in the future. What the hell?
    She turned and touched Rune’s door again, concentrating.
    Sounds came to her, reverberating through the wood and metal, the audio track of a couple who were very into each other.
    She shivered and jerked her hand back. It was like listening to porn.
    So, she had read the occupant when she touched the doorplate, but she read the door when she touched the flat surface. Hmm.
    With the interior of the base explored, including all the common spaces, she headed back to the exterior door that would let her explore the grounds.
    She walked down to the wall and quirked her lips, pressing her hand against it.
    She woke up next to the stone with her head pounding. She muttered, “Note to self. Don’t screw with anything that looks like it will outlive you.”
    With her head pulsing painfully, she staggered toward the base.
    Light had shifted drastically, and she heard someone calling her. “Over here.”
    Rune came out of the shadows and walked toward her. “Where were you? What happened?”
    “I was experimenting.”
    He sighed and lifted her into his arms. “You are bleeding.”
    She touched her head and nodded. “I went head first into the wall. Long story.”
    “Did something attack you?”
    “The future. Note to self, don’t try to read or scan objects that will be around for ten thousand years. It is going to see some serious stuff.”
    “So, you really can see the future.”
    She chuckled and kept her hand pressed to the small cut. “Yeah. Thankfully, the booster I took has worn off. I am just getting a general hum now.”
    “From me?”
    “Yes.” Freddy wrinkled her nose.
    He carried her to the medical chamber and sat her on an exam bed.
    “Where are the others?”
    “Showering. We had to attend an outbreak, and they were exposed to the nullifying slime.”
    “What about you?”
    “I am immune to the toxin. It is in this rune.” He tapped his ribs.
    “Are you covered with markings?” She cocked her head while he grabbed a med kit.
    He turned. “Do you want to look?”
    His challenging smile was a bit more than she was up to.
    “Not today; thank you for the offer.”
    “I was not offering. I was merely trying to gauge your interest.”
    She rolled her eyes before wincing as he cleaned her cut.
    “Well, this is deep, but it didn’t crack your skull. The bruising will be minimized by this regenerator, but it will be tender.” Rune lined up the healing device and activated it.
    The prickles that danced across her skull were tiny lights of pain. She held still and breathed shallowly while it did its work. She exhaled in relief when it was over.
    “Did that hurt?”
    She rocked her head. “A little.” Her scalp felt better.
    He swiped a cool swab over the area. “Well, it may have hurt, but you took to the healing.”
    “Oh. Goody. Can I go now?”
    “Have you eaten?”
    “No. I got distracted.”
    “What was the last thing