Organ Music Read Online Free PDF Page A

come here except by invitation,’ the doctor said. ‘Work goes on here which must be protected. We do have competitors, you know.’
    â€˜May I ring my mother – just to let her know I’m safe?’ asked David.
    â€˜Certainly not,’ Dr Fabrice replied calmly.
    â€˜She’ll be off her head by now,’ David cried.
    â€˜You should have thought of her before you got into that car.’ Dr Fabrice sounded bored. ‘However, you’re lucky in one way. We don’t want to prosecute, but we will need to monitor you for a short term. Goodness knows what problems you have brought in with you, and you may even have suffered some contamination, though we are as scrupulously careful as possible. So we must check you out – not that we actually want the extra work.’
    â€˜Contamination? You mean viruses might have got into us?’ Harley was dismayed. ‘Dangerous ones?’
    â€˜Let’s hope not,’ Dr Fabrice said. ‘It is just possible, however. I’ll give you the appropriate shots in a moment. In the meantime there are a few questions I’d like you to answer. Let’s begin with your names and your dates of birth.’
    Harley and David answered question after question. What illnesses had they had? Did they have any allergies? Were either of them taking any medications? Did either or both of them take drugs? Were either of them on insulin? Or steroids of any kind? Did they drink? Had either of them ever had any heart disease? Had either of them ever had any injections into the heart? Were there any illnesses in their families – illnesses they might have inherited? Nothing neurological? No kidney or liver malfunction?
    The questions went on and on. David and Harley answered and answered until the room faded around them and they wilted in their chairs.
    Finally Dr Fabrice rang a bell. A dark, young woman in a nurse’s uniform came in pushing a small trolley. She did not so much as glance at the boys. It was as if they did not exist.
    â€˜We need a blood sample from each of you,’ said Dr Fabrice. ‘It won’t hurt.’
    â€˜What’s all this in aid of?’ Harley demanded yet again.
    â€˜It’s for your own good,’ Dr Fabrice repeated. ‘It’s not worth explaining. You wouldn’t understand why.’ His voice was soft and calm, but there was something unpleasant – even insulting – about it, too.
    â€˜We’re not stupid,’ David said, watching his blood climb out of the needle and into the tube the nurse was holding.
    Dr Fabrice glanced at him.
    â€˜Are you not?’ he asked. ‘Then why are you here? You were not invited.’
    â€˜Okay, so it was a dumb thing to do,’ David said. ‘But everyone does something stupid sooner or later.’
    â€˜A charming theory.’ Dr Fabrice smiled coldly.
    â€˜Hang on a bit,’ David began, suddenly wanting to argue.
    But Harley began jiggling nervously beside him, muttering, ‘Shut up! Shut up!’ under his breath. Then he said aloud, ‘We’re sorry. Okay? We’ll go away and never bother you again – never say another word. Promise!’
    â€˜Of course, I do believe you,’ said Dr Fabrice in his wintery voice. ‘Of course, I entirely believe you’ll walk away and never so much as whisper about anything you may have seen here. Two boys as honest as you would stick to your promises, I am sure. All the same, the foolish rules insist that you sign these forms – legal agreements to remain silent about your little misadventure. This is a research facility, you know. And these are the days of international industrial espionage. So ... sign these forms, and then we can hold you legally responsible for any rumours in the world out there.’
    â€˜Do you think we’re spies?’ asked Harley incredulously. ‘But we’re ... we’re just ... just