Glass

'He shot two teenagers in Kentucky, buried them in the woods. Nobody ever found them. He brags about it.'

'Stories,' Franz said.

Dr. Liddell stepped closer and knelt down next to Franz's outstretched legs. 'Lyle, I swear to you, we'll keep you on GLS.' She held out a hand. 'Give the weapon to me, Lyle. I know you were trying to protect me, but you don't have to be a murderer. You don't have to throw away everything you've gained.'

'Oh, please,' Franz said.

Lyle squeezed shut his eyes, as if blinded.

'I give you my word,' she said, and placed her hand over his. 'We won't let the old you come back.' After a long moment she felt his grip relax. She slowly pulled the screwdriver from his fist.

Shouts went up behind her, and then she was shoved aside. The extraction team swarmed over the two men.

Three days later she came down to solitary. She brought four guards as escort.

'You know, you're good,' Franz said. 'I almost believed you myself.' He lay on the bed with his jumpsuit half unzipped, revealing the bandages across his chest. The blade had missed the lung and the heart, tearing only muscle. The wound at his neck was covered by two long strips of gauze. He'd be fine in a few weeks. ''I give you my word.' Genius.'

'I did what I had to do.'

'I've used that one too. But did you have to break his heart? Poor Lyle was in love with you, and you out- and-out lied to him. There was no way you were going to keep him on GLS—you made a petty thief into a suicidal, knife-wielding maniac. How can they put anyone on that stuff now?'

'There'll be another trial,' she said. 'Smaller dosages, perhaps, over a longer period of time.'

'That doesn't help Lyle, now, does it?'

'He's going to live, that's the important thing. I have plenty of GLS left, so I can bring him down slowly. The suicidal thoughts are already fading. In a few days he won't be bothered by remorse. He'll be back to his old self.'

'And then someday you'll get to wring him out again.' He shook his head, smiling. 'You know, there's a certain coldness about you, Doctor—has anyone ever told you that? Maybe you should try some GLS yourself.'

'Tell me about Kentucky,' she said.

'Kentucky?' Franz shrugged, smiled. 'That was just some bullshit to get Lyle worked up.'

She frowned. 'I was hoping you'd want to talk about it. Get it off your chest.' She turned to one of the guards, and he handed her the nylon bag from her office. 'Well, we can talk again in a few days.'

He blinked, and then he understood. 'You can't do that. I'll call my lawyer.'

'I don't think you'll want a lawyer any time soon.' She unzipped the bag and lifted out the plastic-sealed vial. 'I have a lot of GLS, and only one patient now.' The guards rushed forward to pin the man to the bed.

She popped the needle through the top of the vial and drew back the plunger. The syringe filled with clear, gleaming liquid.

'One thing I'm sure of,' she said, half to herself. 'In a few days, Franz, you'll thank me for this.'