21
Geoff stirred when the phone rang. "The calf is coming," he murmured. "Gotta help the cow…." The room seemed unfamiliar. He was living in a small rented house in Connecticut, not the medium-sized home he once owned in Montana. He worked for ArtReal Artificial Realities, not Whispering Pine Veterinary Hospital. He was used to sleeping with his phone nearby, so he snatched it up and blurted, "Huh-Whisp-Geoff-hello?"
Laughter on the other end. "Dr. McKenna?"
He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes?"
"Would it be possible for you to bring your daughter to ArtReal, ASAP?"
He squinted at his alarm clock. "ASAP? What's wrong? You need Macy?"
"Quasar Two thirty-one is exhibiting the same symptoms as yesterday and we were wondering if she could assist us."
"You're kidding. You really think she did something?"
"Dr. McKenna, we had to dispatch Officers Perandah and Geiko to the Black Hole tonight to quell a disturbance because Two thirty-one is currently out of commission. Your daughter seemed to help pull him out of it yesterday. We need a quick fix, Geoffery. Dory and Haines may need him."
"ASAP, Dr. Halbot," he told her and hung up.
He pulled on jeans and a Henley shirt, a belt, socks and hiking boots. He hurried to Macy's room to wake her and get her dressed for travel.