The Prisoner Read Online Free

husband’s upkeep almost indefinitely.”
    “But … can he die?”
    Simple folk ask unsimple …
Floyd swatted away his dad’s memory and tried marshaling words to reduce the unexplainable to simple terms. “We all die, Mrs. Ward. Hibernation is a form of energy conservation. We lower the patient’s metabolism but don’t stop it. Patients age at a much slower pace, but they age, and their bodies continue to decay. Nyx Corp has the most advanced hibernation installations anywhere in the world—”
    “Better than Hypnos?”
    He would have to tread carefully. “We work under their license. They developed and own the technology, but there are differences. Hypnos runs the penitentiary hibernation stations and built their installations for economy, with large tanks to house many inmates. Our capsules hold a single patient, surveyed day and night by medical personnel—”
    “Instead of wardens?”
    “I didn’t—”
    Sarah shook her head. “I’m sorry, Doctor. I keep interrupting.”
    “Don’t worry. What I was trying to explain is that we’ve designed our installations to arrest your husband’s decline and hope that science discovers a cure for his ailment within a reasonable time.” He raised his hand a fraction to ward off her next question. “How long is ‘reasonable’? We don’t know. We’re in a race against disease. At this station, we hamper cell destruction, buy time.” Floyd drew a rigid finger across the glass. “But there’s a line beyond which your husband’s body will not recover. If he reaches that line before science can help, John will die.”
    She nodded. “Thank you for your candor.”
    John’s breath had deepened into a soft snore. Sarah tried to tug the hem of her skirt over dimpled knees encased in fine silk stockings. Earlier, when she sat, Floyd had caught a glimpse of a garter and mulled over the strange habits of some women. A girlfriend had once explained that garter belts were damn uncomfortable—okay for fun and games but not for every day. Sarah didn’t seem racy but, quite the contrary, almost demure. He puzzled over the contradiction.
    “As I said before, we’ve watched the video, but could you explain the procedure again?”
    Sarah had read the documents, probably knew every word by heart, and had watched the slides, films, and diagrams a thousand times. Floyd held her gaze. She must have been stunning in her day and was still a beautiful woman, not flashy but with a certain poise. With just a hint of makeup, her face had the serenity of a long-distance runner, in for the long haul with her chosen companion. Despite John’s harrowing predicament, Floyd felt a pang of envy. Her amber-colored eyes sparkled under a film of tears. Yes, though she knew everything, she needed to hear it in a voice modulated through living membranes.
    “After admission we place a small sensor, the size of a hazelnut, below the skin in the patient’s neck—a procedure lasting a few minutes under local anesthesia.” From a tray onhis desk, Floyd picked up an oval object similar to a bird’s egg, its glossy surface rippling under the strong light, and laid it on the glass. “This sensor collects information from the body and relays the data to our computer via a receptor on a ring around the patient’s neck. After a battery of tests, we sedate the patient, seal his nose, mouth, and ears to prevent fluid entrance, and place a net of conducting jelly around his body. The net will ensure he can stretch his limbs and exercise his muscles thanks to the impulses delivered by the computer. This will prevent muscular atrophy.”
    “Will J—a patient be able to stand after …”
    “Yes. The procedure mirrors that of some hibernating animals. But your question is a good one, since a human wouldn’t be able to walk after a few months of lying in bed. However, just consider, by contrast, that a ground squirrel can be up and running quickly after six months of hibernation.” Floyd blinked,