Peril Read Online Free PDF

from his mind.”
    Scott nodded. “Yeah, and he didn’t have help from somebody else like we did.”
    Tyler frowned at the statement. Assigning a cluster of cells personal characteristics seemed odd. Like calling your kidney Fred. “What do you mean by that?”
    Scott tapped the side of his head. “It’s like someone else is there.”
    â€œYou’re hearing voices?”
    He clasped his hands together and squeezed. “No. I’m not hearing voices. No reason for you to line up an admission to the funny farm. Not yet at least.”
    â€œOkay, then what?”
    â€œDid you ever consider what the consequences would be of giving someone the ability to have . . . what is it you call it?”
    â€œA superior autobiographical memory.”
    â€œYes. Big words for us grunts.” He ran his finger across his upper lip. “Aren’t there some things you’d like to forget?”
    Tyler fidgeted in his seat. Did Scott know what today was? “It depends. Although painful, some things we’d like to forget are those very things that make us who we are. The pain of the things we endure helps us to be more compassionate toward others.”
    Scott chuckled. “That’s quite a speech, Doc. Don’t think I took you for the sappy type. How’s work going for you? Transplanted many hearts lately?”
    â€œThere’s one young lady that desperately needs a transplant who’s on the list. She’ll die if she doesn’t get one soon.”
    â€œWhat’s her blood type?”
    â€œWhy, are you offering yours? Are you wanting to take your own life?”
    Scott shrugged his shoulders and eased back into the chair.
    â€œHow have things been at home?” Tyler asked. “Job going okay?”
    Scott’s eyes narrowed as if contemplating how truthful he wanted to be. “Not so well. Haven’t been able to hold down a job.”
    Tyler motioned toward the door. “Is your friend supportive?”
    â€œWho? Dylan? You met him?”
    â€œHard not to with him just outside.”
    Scott nodded and then chuckled softly. “Dylan may not be the best influence. Never stays in one place too long. We served together so he gets what I’m going through.”
    â€œSo he’s someone you can talk to.” Tyler situated the file so he could write notes in the chart.
    â€œAbout some things, I guess . . . like this surgery.” Scott folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve been reading a lot about memory lately. Probably should have spent some time doing that before I became your guinea pig.”
    â€œScott, your type of surgery had been done before. It was just the cells that were different.”
    He nodded. “You know, at first, it really was amazing what the graft could do. The amount of information I could keep in this soggy noggin was like something you’d see in the movies. It made planning missions easy. I could make inferences between different intel reports—it was easier to see connections between terrorist groups that were physically separated from one another. I mean, miles and miles of bare mountain tundra.”
    â€œThen what exactly is the problem? You sound happy to have these new skills. Don’t you think it helped you get the Silver Star?”
    Scott’s eyes darkened like a blue sky gathering storm clouds. “Maybe the graft enhanced our efforts, but we would have succeeded in that mission—even without the surgery. If that’s all it was, just a great memory, I wouldn’t be here.”
    â€œThen why are you here?”
    Scott leaned forward and brushed his hands over his short hair. “It’s hard to explain. It’s the emotion that’s all wrapped up in them.”
    â€œCan you try?”
    He exhaled slowly through puffed cheeks. “My marriage was in trouble long before the surgery. Got a lot worse after.”
    Tyler