I chuckled to myself, the sound bitter even to my own ears. [The plan is done.] The words echoed in my mind, a cold satisfaction settling over me. The doctors and nurses moved like puppets on strings, their actions precise, their expressions a mix of relief and professional detachment.
I ordered the nearest doctor to apply a bandage to my neck, right where the wound should have been. He didn't question it. None of them did. Their minds were still under the subtle influence of my telepathy, their movements mechanical, their thoughts muted.
The doctor pressed the sterile white bandage against my skin, the adhesive cool against the unbroken flesh beneath.
As soon as it was in place, I dismissed him with a wave of my hand. "Go out and tell Kasumi the surgery was successful. Tell her I was saved. And transfer me to the ward."
