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Scout slept very little that night. Shadow, who always liked to sleep as close to Scout’s belly as possible, would not stop licking at the site where the doctor had injected the nanite. Every time Scout got him settled and just started to drift off herself, he would wake back up and get back at it. He was so persistent it started to annoy even Gert, who slept curled against the back of Scout’s knees. She popped her head over Scout’s thigh to make a protesting sound that Shadow just ignored.
Scout woke in the morning to the sound of someone opening the door and opened one eye to see an orderly pushing a hover cart into the room. On top of the cart were a couple of carafes with mugs lined up beside them and plates filled with fruit and pastries.
“Good morning,” the orderly said when sh
