“Goodbye, Lucía,” he said. No emotion. Just a sign-off.
“Doctor,” Teresa called out. “We are ready to sign the directive. Disconnect her.”
I waited until I heard the pen scratch on the paper. I waited until the signature was complete. The legal seal of my death warrant.
Then, I opened my eyes.
I turned my head slowly and looked directly at Andrés.
His eyes went wide. His jaw unhinged. He dropped the clipboard. It clattered loudly on the floor.
“A-Andrés?” Teresa asked, annoyed. “What are you doing?”
“She…” Andrés stuttered, pointing a shaking finger at me. “She’s… she’s looking at me.”
Teresa spun around. Her face, usually a mask of composure, crumbled into pure horror. All the blood drained from her skin, leaving her looking like a wax figure.
I pulled the oxygen mask away from my face. I smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile. It was a predator’s smile.
“Hi, honey,” I rasped. “Did I ruin the schedule?”
“Impossible,” Teresa whispered. “This is… impossible.”
“What’s impossible,” I said, my voice gaining strength with every word, “is how you thought you could sell my daughter and get away with it.”
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Teresa stammered, stepping back toward the door.