Concisus Read Online Free

you’re ready to go back out into the field.”
    “What do you mean when we’re ready?” I blurt. “Just how long will we have to wait to get back to work?”
    She gives me a stern look that has the feel of a threat. “That depends on you. After the trauma you’ve been through, the other field managers and I believe it’s best to give you some time. Besides, I need to be sure the two of you won’t repeat any of what happened.” She leaves the room before I can argue.
    I pace and rub a hand along the back of my neck. Grounded! I can’t believe she actually grounded us, and she didn’t even have the decency to say so directly.
    “Trauma? Ha!” I rant to Ryan. “Can you believe that? They’re worried about our trauma. The only trauma I’ve had is from them! Friggin’ lab rats. Heck, a rabid dog gets treated better than they treated us!”
    Ryan crosses over and folds me in his arms. I bury my face in his chest and breathe in his scent, which currently has an antiseptic quality to it, but I don’t mind. He’s still Ryan, and this is the only privacy we’ve had in weeks. I reach one arm around his waist and rest the other on his neck. Ryan leans down, lightly kisses my forehead, my cheek, and finally my lips. His kiss is slow and gentle. My tongue traces his lips, and his responding kiss has an intensity that spreads warmth through my body. Footsteps approach before I completely melt in his arms.
    Begrudgingly, I pull away. We’ve agreed to keep our relationship quiet until we break up with Brody and Kelly. Having them find out about us as a rumor would just be cruel. “Let’s go to the base so we can remember what it feels like to be normal.”
    Ryan laughs softly. “Normal. I’m not sure what that is anymore.” He leans in, brushes his lips against mine, then lets out a soft moan. “I’d rather stay for more of this, but I did promise to thank someone profusely the minute we got back.”
    The thought of Andi is enough to make me want to run back to the base. Ryan takes my hand and leads me onto the base.
    I dread facing the potential crowd of well-wishers, but I’m confused and disappointed when we enter the base and no one is there to welcome us. Not a single friend. I thought someone would have at least told Jake and Molly about our return to base.
    “I guess they decided to keep our release quiet.” Ryan looks around. “Let’s find Andi.”
    “Come on. We’re gonna be late.” A couple of girls in party dresses run past us.
    Ryan jerks his head in their direction. “Should we follow?”
    “Sure. I just hope it’s not a surprise party for us.” I’d rather individually hunt down our friends than be the center of everyone’s attention.
    “Me too.” He rests his hand on the small of my back. Remembering appearances, I step away, but the heat of his touch lingers.
    The girls are a little far north to be so dressed up. Only labs, offices, and the base hospital are in the immediate area. Further north are the warehouses and manufacturing buildings which remain inactive for the most part.
    The girls jog along the perimeter fence, past the shops and dining halls. They don’t stop at the recreation centers or dorms, but continue into married housing until they reach a large crowd all dressed in formal attire. The group has their backs toward us, as they look at something—the tree Ryan planted for me. But why?
    I understand as soon as we get near. Streams of tulle and silk bows adorn a metal arch beside the tree. A narrow white carpet forms an aisle, dividing the crowd, and at the end of the aisle stands a nervous groom and his Best Man. The people around us are not brainless pod people but guests of a wedding.
    “Brett? Ryan? Is it really you?” Wendy calls in her sugary-sweet voice and weaves her way through the crowd. Rising up on her toes, she throws her arms around us both. “I can’t believe it. They’d said you’d been found, but it seemed too good to be true.”
    I gasp for