Generation 18 (Spook Squad 2)

He studied her thoughtfully. “The cross-check came up with her name, didn’t it?”

“Yeah.” She rubbed her forehead again and waited for the axe to fall.

He was silent for a few seconds. Then he sighed and rested his palms on the desk. “When are you going to see a doctor about that headache of yours?”

Consideration when she’d expected an axe was definitely cause to be wary. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you’ve had that headache for the last few days. I think it’s time you got it checked out.”

“I will.” She barely kept her irritation in check. Lord, it was bad enough that he was ordering her around at work. Now he was trying to run her private life, as well?

“When?”

“Soon.”

Gabriel shook his head and looked at the com-unit. “Izzy, make an appointment for Sam with Dr. O’Hearn at the Collins Street clinic.”

“Sorry, sweetie, but you’re not the boss in this shoe box.”

Surprise and annoyance flitted across Gabriel’s features and Sam smothered her laugh. She would have hugged the cyber character if she could have. “Who’s Dr. O’Hearn? SIU employed?” If he was, she was staying well away. An SIU doctor meant Gabriel could access her records, and he knew more than enough about her already.

He shook his head. “No, but she collaborates with both the Federation and the SIU. She’s a specialist in nonhuman medicine.”

Sam snorted softly. “So you could get access to my medical files?”

“Not with Dr. O’Hearn, I can’t. She’s a total stickler when it comes to patient confidentiality.”

“Then why are you sending me to her?”

“Because she’s not only the best, she’s also the only one who might truly be able to help you.”

Because they didn’t know what was she was, other than the fact that she was not entirely human. She glanced at the boa-twirling fuzz-ball. “Do it, Izzy.”

“Right away, darlin’.”

“Tell Dr. O’Hearn I recommended you. She’ll forward the bill to the Federation.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I’m not a part of the Federation.”

He crossed his arms. “You could be, if you wanted to.”

“What’s this, a recruitment attempt?” And why now, a good month after she?

?d found out about the Federation?

He shrugged. “No. Just something for you to think about.”

“Why? I don’t know a thing about the Federation, apart from what you’ve told me.”

“I’ve already told you the important stuff.”

“You gave me a brief background. That’s hardly the same as knowing their current goals.”

He shrugged. “If you’re interested, let me know.”

She considered him for a moment. His face, as ever, was neutral. It was hard to judge whether he was actually serious or not. “I thought you were trying to get me out of your life.”

His smile seemed almost bitter. “I don’t want you out of my life—quite the opposite, in fact. I just don’t want you as a partner. It’s nothing personal.”