Adam moved on the bed. David Sarif almost jumped on his chair. He spent whole night next to this bed, even though he had the best doctors and nurses right here with him.
„Mister Sarif, you look very tired. Why don't you go back home? He's in good condition, we will take care of him." Said one of the nurses, holding a box of some kind of a drug. She gazed at Sarif a bit worried but confident.
David moved a bit on his chair, really, the dim lights kept him in half-awaken state for the past, long hours. His eyes raised onto woman's face.
„It's okay... I have to be here when he wakes up." He sighted. „I mean, when he wakes up completely and for long enough..." He frowned, remembering the horrible state of Adam, when he first saw him, still on a screen, direct transmission form the place of... He closed his eyes for a moment.
The nurse nodded.
„I'll be here for next two hours, then Mary comes to change me."
„Yes, I know..." Sarif looked at her with a little oblivious eyes.
She turned around and took one step, but hesitated and said: „ Mr Sarif, he would not survive much longer. We just managed to reverse engineer the torture device... his body is strong..."
„Yes, I know about the device." Replied David and blinked slowly, somewhat irritated.
A torture device so horrible, it makes the rejection symptoms appear as a child's play. Device that makes your brain reject all your augumentations within minutes, or even seconds... great tool for Harvesters!
The nurse turned back to face her boss."...kind of miracoulsly strong... I'm not a doctor, however, I know enough to understand that Adam is special." She took a deeper breath, realizing that Sarif's mood shifted.
„And I thought that he must be..." She lowered her eyes. "...a particularly precious... asset." She gasped for air, realizing that she may have said too much already.
The boss wrinkled his forehead, his breath became faster. Just for a few seconds. He looked away from her, as if noticing something.
„Yes... and now you're going to forget about it... for the good of us all..." Sarif got up from his chair slowly, the nurse backed off, sligtly frightened. They were alone here, except for unconscious Adam.
But Sarif changed his course, as she realized a quiet voice is coming from the dark space, where the bed was standing. For some weird reason, David decided to bring Adam to his own apartment, even though Adam hadn't spent that much time in here.
A few gasps and an anxious moan.
„It's alright Adam." Said Sarif in a soft way that she would never expect from him. Her mouth opened a bit, before she rushed to the patient, to check him for any rejection symptoms.
The dark-golden shades were open. Yellowish eyes moved, when she turned on a soft light.
Adam grumped, he tried to raise his hand but it made it only half way through and fell down like a stone.
„Take it easy Adam... you've been through hell."
A heavy breath turned into a rugged laugh and then a caugh. The nurse started making all what she was (well) paid for and Jensen continued to stare at Sarif.
„How bad it was? It is?" He asked after an infinite time.
Sarif's face showed pain of very fresh memories. He looked down. „You don't wanna know son... it's better now... I..."
„Hey, boss... I survived."
„Yes Adam, because the police managed to find a mafia hideout. Except they haven't been looking for you! They were looking for some illegal, new drugs! And you came out as a surprise!" David's eyes filled up with rage. He knew the risks of Adam's job, but he didin't want to watch him almost dead, like the previous time.
„Lucky me..." Jensen said quietly, his voice sounded even more raw than usual.
His eyelids almost closed. He didin't realize how weak he was, as if all the energy was drained from the body, through the metal and carbon strings.
„You have to rest Mister Jensen." Said the nurse. „Your PEDOT connections are getting stronger... which is... „She blinked fast, still not believeing what she saw at the med- scan screen. „... incredible, incredibly... you just need more time for your nervous system to regenerate." She finished, glancing at Sarif.
„That's right." Confirmed Sarif, not dropping his eyes off them both. „Adam needs some peace and quiet, a total opposite what he's been experiencing for the last few days."
Adam gasped. „I'm here. Still awake. I don't like to be reffered to in third person..." His voice was weak. „But I can't even keep my eyes open for too long... I'm afraid boss, I cannot fullfil my duties right now... have to ask for a sick-leave..." He whispered at the end.
The apartment became quiet for a good minute or two.
The nurse finished what she had to do and left the room, not even looking at Sarif lost in his thoughts.
„Adam... son... I don't know if I made a right decision." David started talking into the darkness, where his precious asset was lying unconscious. „I knew we needed someone to protect us... to protect the last stand of morality in this degenerating world economy.." He almost smirked, realizing how pathetic this speech could appear. „And I knew, I knew that you have more than just guts to do this job. I knew you have an indestructible spirit..." He nodded his head in disbelief and cleared his throat. He must have been getting tired but he meant what he just said.
„Thank you boss, you made me who I am now." Replied delicate voice and Sarif felt a bit ashamed. He didin't want to look weak...
He stepped forward and grabbed Adam's hand with his organic one. Jensen's palm was surprisingly warm.
„No Adam... I thank you." He said almost through the tears. He hoped that no one else would know about these emotions...