Once We Were Human (The Commander Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

spine.  Dr. Peterson didn’t introduce the third man, one of the Center’s orderlies, or the woman, a nurse.
    “Good morning, Mrs. Hancock,” Dr. Zielinski said.  Dr. Zielinski was medium height and balding, fiftyish, thin, his dark brown hair salted with gray.  His deeply creased well-worn face didn’t match his surname; like some older French gentleman he had a narrow face with a high forehead.  He projected an air of competence and wore a white lab coat over his starched white shirt, suit pants, vest and expensive Italian silk tie.  He spoke with a noticeable New England Yankee accent.  “Before we speak, I’d like to look at your chart,” Dr. Zielinski said.  Dr. Peterson rushed over to the foot of my bed and, almost fawning, presented Dr. Zielinski with my chart.
    “While Hank here deals with things medical, I’ll start things off,” the FBI man said.  “Mrs. Hancock, I’m not here to investigate or harass you.  I’m here as your friend.”  He turned to Dr. Peterson.  “Why don’t we start by removing her shackles?  We won’t need them.”
    “Agent Bates, she’s quite dangerous, and…” Dr. Peterson said.  Bates interrupted him.
    “I believe we can count on your perimeter security, Dr. Peterson.  However, I’ll have to have a few words with your Chief of Security, whoever that is.  Later.”
    “ Dr. Manigault, the Director of the Center, personally handles all security arrangements,” Dr. Peterson said, agitated.
    “I see.”  Bates turned back to me.  “In any event, remove the shackles, please.”  Dr. Peterson whispered to the orderly, gave him a set of keys, and the shackles were removed.  I took a heartfelt breath of relief and rubbed my sore wrists.  I smelled bacon on the orderly’s white coat and my stomach rumbled with hunger.
    Dr. Zielinski looked up from my charts.  “It states here that she attempted to escape, but doesn’t list the details.”
    “She panicked during the transfer from State authorities to Center authorities,” Dr. Peterson said.  He didn’t mention his own role in that debacle.  “Two killed, five wounded.”
    I hadn’t known.  I was in such trouble…
    “Let me guess,” Dr. Zielinski said.  “She panicked, ran through a wall of state troopers, and they tried to shoot her on the way by.  They probably hit her, too, but didn’t get in any lucky shots.”  He rolled his eyes.  This Dr. Zielinski actually rolled his eyes when talking about a situation where two state troopers died and five were wounded.  Six wounded, if you counted me.  He was so arrogant he was likeable.
    Dr. Peterson silently nodded.  Agent Bates shook his head.  Dr. Zielinski went back to reading my chart.
    “My wife is a Transform, Mrs. Hancock,” Agent Bates said.  Oh.  “A Transform woman, in the care of a Focus.  I belong to a minority of people who believe that Transforms need protection, not protecting from.  I’m here to answer any questions you may have about your new legal status as a Transform, to educate you on how to survive as a Transform, and, if all goes well, to offer you a job, a new career.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding,” I said.  Me, an FBI agent?  In cahoots with a bunch of Communists who thought Transforms were ordinary folk, not some kind of unnatural abomination?  Insane.
    Mr. Bates was a tall man, about Dr. Zielinski’s age, dressed in a dark blue suit, dark tie and white shirt.  He reeked of cigarette smoke.  I pegged him at about six foot three, a hundred and seventy pounds.  A walking cadaver, complete with sunken cheeks.  He had white blonde hair cropped short and it was starting to gray.  He spoke with a muted western drawl and his eyes were always on the move.
    “We can talk about this later, once you get more acclimated to your status as a Transform,” Mr. Bates said.  “Until then, understand that I’m here to help.”
    “I’m hungry,” I said.  If he wanted to help, he could start by getting