Read Interface: A Techno Thriller for Free Online Page B
Authors: Tony Batton
the grounds. He gazed out of the window for several minutes before he heard footsteps and turned to see a man wearing a white coat, a stethoscope, and a broad smile.
"Tom, great to meet you," said the man, shaking his hand. "I'm Dr Chatsworth. I'll be in charge of your care while you're at the Angstrom Clinic."
"Nice place. I'm glad work is paying for it." Tom nodded back the way he had come in. "I haven't even seen another patient."
Chatsworth smiled. "Our patients demand absolute privacy. And we want to make you feel you have our undivided attention while you're here."
"But why am I here?"
"After your incident, we've been tasked with making sure that you're in the best possible health. The more candid you can be about what happened to you, the better I can help you."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because a capable, athletic young man rarely just falls over in his office and knocks himself unconscious."
Tom narrowed his eyes. "How does that all work with patient confidentiality? Won't you be reporting back to my company, given that they're paying for all this?"
"Please be assured, Tom, that we will only disclose information to CERUS with your explicit permission. They may be footing the bill, but all they're entitled to is a breakdown of tests and other expenses, unless you say otherwise."
Tom sighed. "Well, it's not like I've got anything to hide. It's just... I had a strange weekend. Strange in that I can't remember any of it. From Friday night to Monday morning it's a blank."
"What do you mean?" asked Chatsworth.
"Friday night, I was at a party. I had a few sips of champagne and a cognac, but that is all I remember drinking. In fact that's the last thing I remember at all. I woke up on Monday feeling dreadful. Maybe I had more to drink after that. It's not like me but..." He shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I didn't trip over in my office. I think I fainted."
"Why didn't you mention this when you were taken to A&E?"
"I didn't want to make a fuss. Like I said, it was the first day in my new job and I wanted to make a good impression."
Chatsworth nodded. "Well, first things first. Let's run a few tests."
◇◇◇
Tom awoke feeling different. He was lying in bed at the Angstrom clinic. It was dark outside, but the curtains were open and a figure was standing at the window.
"How long was I out?" he mumbled. Then he saw he was not talking to one of the clinic staff.
"Hey, loser," Jo said, turning to face him. "I am struggling to decide whether to hug you or shake you for not telling me what had happened. You should have gone straight to the doctor. You should have told me to call an ambulance."
Tom began to struggle upwards, then noticed the bed had automatic controls. He tapped them and slowly raised himself to a seated position. "Yes, well hindsight is a wonderful thing. Although it's not like they've found anything wrong with me so far."
Jo put her hands on her hips. "Aren't you the one who said your mother should have gone to the doctor sooner, and if she..."
"Yes, thanks. I'd rather not think about that right now."
"Well, at least you're in the right place." Jo looked around. "CERUS must really love you."
"Let's hope this place's medical care is as good as its accommodation. How did you know to find me here?"
"I'm still listed as your next of kin - they gave me a call." She reached into her shoulder bag. "I've brought you a couple of magazines and a book, but given that you seem to have two hundred TV channels and on-demand movies I doubt you'll get round to them."
"Quite right," said a voice, "since he shouldn't be here too much longer." Dr Chatsworth walked into the room holding a tablet computer, smiling at Jo then Tom. "I've got the results of the tests. Would your friend care to step outside while we discuss them?"
"You've already got results?" asked Tom. "That was fast."
" Efficiency is part of the service, now about your visitor..."
"Jo's as good as family. You can speak in front of
"Tom, great to meet you," said the man, shaking his hand. "I'm Dr Chatsworth. I'll be in charge of your care while you're at the Angstrom Clinic."
"Nice place. I'm glad work is paying for it." Tom nodded back the way he had come in. "I haven't even seen another patient."
Chatsworth smiled. "Our patients demand absolute privacy. And we want to make you feel you have our undivided attention while you're here."
"But why am I here?"
"After your incident, we've been tasked with making sure that you're in the best possible health. The more candid you can be about what happened to you, the better I can help you."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because a capable, athletic young man rarely just falls over in his office and knocks himself unconscious."
Tom narrowed his eyes. "How does that all work with patient confidentiality? Won't you be reporting back to my company, given that they're paying for all this?"
"Please be assured, Tom, that we will only disclose information to CERUS with your explicit permission. They may be footing the bill, but all they're entitled to is a breakdown of tests and other expenses, unless you say otherwise."
Tom sighed. "Well, it's not like I've got anything to hide. It's just... I had a strange weekend. Strange in that I can't remember any of it. From Friday night to Monday morning it's a blank."
"What do you mean?" asked Chatsworth.
"Friday night, I was at a party. I had a few sips of champagne and a cognac, but that is all I remember drinking. In fact that's the last thing I remember at all. I woke up on Monday feeling dreadful. Maybe I had more to drink after that. It's not like me but..." He shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I didn't trip over in my office. I think I fainted."
"Why didn't you mention this when you were taken to A&E?"
"I didn't want to make a fuss. Like I said, it was the first day in my new job and I wanted to make a good impression."
Chatsworth nodded. "Well, first things first. Let's run a few tests."
◇◇◇
Tom awoke feeling different. He was lying in bed at the Angstrom clinic. It was dark outside, but the curtains were open and a figure was standing at the window.
"How long was I out?" he mumbled. Then he saw he was not talking to one of the clinic staff.
"Hey, loser," Jo said, turning to face him. "I am struggling to decide whether to hug you or shake you for not telling me what had happened. You should have gone straight to the doctor. You should have told me to call an ambulance."
Tom began to struggle upwards, then noticed the bed had automatic controls. He tapped them and slowly raised himself to a seated position. "Yes, well hindsight is a wonderful thing. Although it's not like they've found anything wrong with me so far."
Jo put her hands on her hips. "Aren't you the one who said your mother should have gone to the doctor sooner, and if she..."
"Yes, thanks. I'd rather not think about that right now."
"Well, at least you're in the right place." Jo looked around. "CERUS must really love you."
"Let's hope this place's medical care is as good as its accommodation. How did you know to find me here?"
"I'm still listed as your next of kin - they gave me a call." She reached into her shoulder bag. "I've brought you a couple of magazines and a book, but given that you seem to have two hundred TV channels and on-demand movies I doubt you'll get round to them."
"Quite right," said a voice, "since he shouldn't be here too much longer." Dr Chatsworth walked into the room holding a tablet computer, smiling at Jo then Tom. "I've got the results of the tests. Would your friend care to step outside while we discuss them?"
"You've already got results?" asked Tom. "That was fast."
" Efficiency is part of the service, now about your visitor..."
"Jo's as good as family. You can speak in front of
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