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cavity and his right lung, so then he can have the artificial lung rem
?I said shut up. You re scaring me
?I was barely getting started.
?I think we want you scared, said Ax, fervently, ?I think we want you terrified.
Listen, Sage. As soon as they ll let you out of here, we re going to Tyller Pystri.
We ll stay there, the three of us, long as it takes to get you totally well, and then I
don t know what the fuck we ll do, we ll do whatever we like. I m quitting the
Dictatorship anyway. But if we go Cornwall, you have to promise me He
broke off. They were both staring at him with strange expressions.
?Oh shit, said Ax. ?I m doing it again aren t I? I m taking over
?You re quitting the Dictatorship? repeated Sage, slowly.
?Yes. I haven t done my five years, but I want out. It s my decision, you re not
responsible. I ve had enough. I ve realised what a wanker I was being
?Oh, hush, said Fiorinda. ?Forget all that. She held Sage s beautiful hand
against her cheek. ?Er . . . these plans. Do they imply we re going to give our
fucked-up, ridiculous relationship another try?
?Aren t we? asked Sage, anxiously.
?If you ll have us, Fiorinda, said Ax. A short time later Olwen Devi, Dilip Krishnachandran and some
Rivermead
medical centre staff came into the room. Sage was in his bed, propped up high
(his torso must be upright). Fiorinda was curled up on the coverlet, beside him.
Ax fast asleep in the chair by the bed, holding Sage s hand. Carefully, Olwen
checked the telltales taped to the back of Sage s left hand, the tube in his nose, the
diamorphine shunt in his arm. She studied the monitor screens, consulted
silently for a moment with Serendip, and seemed satisfied.
?Should we wake Mr Preston and Fiorinda? asked one of the nurses softly.
?No, said Olwen. ?Make up the other two beds, and then we ll leave them.
Sage will come to no harm. I believe there are two people in this room who have
more power over life and death than anything I can offer.
Dilip knelt, lifted Ax s free hand and pressed it to his brow.
?And the third is just the king of England.
He replaced the hand gently. Ax never stirred.
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