The Good Doctor's Tales Folio Nine Read Online Free

different definition of it.  Gilgamesh, for instance, gets misty eyed around intricate machines and mechanical devices, and you’re missing a major opportunity if you don’t befriend him and get him sucked into the Bob’s Barn crew,” Hank said, looking at Bob.  When Hank had arrived in Inferno, Connie had shoved him at Dr. Bob, knowing they would hit it off.  Connie, as good as she was with Transforms and normals, hadn’t figured out Crows, yet.  From Hank’s conversations with Gilgamesh, the Crow didn’t even know Bob’s Barn existed.
    “Before Gilgamesh transformed, he was a professional engineer, and before he moved to Detroit he worked at an oil field service firm he founded in Houston, with Focus Laswell’s help.   He and Carol had been teaching each other – at Arm speed, if you’re familiar with the term – all about modern electronics, especially electronic surveillance systems.”
    “You’re kidding,” Ann said.  “I would have never pegged him for being an engineer.”
    “Crows don’t give off any of the normal signals you’re used to.  I was able to dig this out of Gilgamesh after a lot of work, but Sky is so scarred up I can’t figure him out at all.  That’s your job, Ann.  You and Connie, that is.  Figure out Sky.”
    Ann, Bob and Bill stood without thanking him and retreated to the doorway, where they conversed, partly in whispers and partly by juice signals.  H ank put away his materials, slowly, not at all missing the fact the trio were blocking the doorway and keeping him from leaving.
    Amy Cizek walked over, grabbed him by the elbow, and motioned with her eyes for him to follow her to the far side of the lab, hidden from the doorway and the three adults by a ratty equipment cabinet.  “Gilgamesh.”
    “Yes?”
    “You’ve actually talked to him?”
    “Quite a bit, Amy,” Hank said.  “Is there a problem?”
    “Well, I know the Focus likes him, and has gotten intimate with him, but, well…”  Amy’s voice trailed off.
    “Yes?”
    “He barely talks to any of us,” Amy said.  “You know, Sky is interested in us, but Gilgamesh isn’t at all.  Or…” Amy reddened “we’re not interested in him.  Like that, you know what I mean?  Any idea why?”
    Hank’s eyes opened wide.  “I wouldn ’t use Sky as the measure of all Crows.  Gilgamesh possesses a more typical Crow personality.  Still…”  Not to have attracted any interest from any of the women in the household?  With the amount of time Gilgamesh had spent inside Inferno, he should have attracted some attention.  On the other hand, this did partially illuminate a recent discussion he had with Gilgamesh, just before Gilgamesh left for Detroit.
     
    ---
     
    “Doc, do you have a moment?”
    Hank looked up from his work in his Houston office to see Gilgamesh standing in front of his desk and took a deep breath to steady himself.  “I didn’t hear you come in, Gilgamesh,” he said.  He never did.
    On the other hand, he always had time for Crows.  He still understood too little about them.  He also liked Gilgamesh.
    Gilgamesh smiled, and didn’t say anything.  Instead, he just sat in one of Hank’s well-worn second hand office chairs.  The office door shut on its own accord behind him.  Either that, or Gilgamesh had done something he hadn’t seen.
    “I have a problem.”
    “What sort of problem,” Hank said, softly, echoing Gilgamesh’s quiet voice.
    “Sexual.”
    Hank clamped down hard on his emotions and reactions.  Carol had been right; Gilgamesh had consummated his budding relationship with the Focus.  How did this work with two Crows and one Focus?  Or had Lori stopped seeing Sky?  Or…
    Doctor.  Think doctor, Hank told himself.  Not gossip columnist.
    “Can you describe the problem for me?”
    Gilgamesh nodded, and described.  Hank hummed and listened intently, his mind churning.  Premature ejaculation, a problem Gilgamesh hadn’t had before his transformation or