Banerjee settled his cool brown eyes on her. “Miss Romero, you’re walking well.” “I am.” She did a clumsy pirouette, all the weight on her no-longer-bad leg. “I’ve seen the MRI. A promising development.” He patted the table. “Lie down, please.” She slid up onto the table and lay on her back. He flicked on the overhead lamp, wreathing himself in a blinding silhouette. “Where’s Mom?” His hands slid up under her hospital gown, pressing and prodding at her hip. “In the serum lab. Roll onto your side, please.” She felt something that might have been cold press into the side of her pelvis and heard a hiss. “Does that hurt?” She shook her head. “No, but it’s...cold, maybe?” Metal clattered on the instrument tray behind her. “Hot. Extremely hot. I want to see if the bone tissue regeneration is persistent.” “Jesus, what did you do?” “Nothing you’re apt to notice. I’ll check it next week. You may sit up.” She sat up, conscious of the power he wielded with his delicate instructions.
