Saving Face

Chapter Sixteen: Transfer Sickness

Sarah found Tomas in the labyrinthine depths of the transfer facility and pulled him into an empty transfer station. Doubts and fear about what she'd just agreed to made her almost afraid to speak.

"You wouldn't have shown me that transfer if you didn't know of a way to help me."

"You needed to know the truth, Sarah."

"Stop! Don't play games with me. I don't have time for it. You showed me, I get it, I'm in. Whatever it takes. I'll help you with whatever you're planning. Just promise me I'll get to keep my own body."

Tomas smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that, although you're moving faster than I thought you would."

"I can't afford to hesitate. They want me to sign over permanent corporal possession tomorrow."

"We don't have much time."

"I arranged a private meeting with the renter to say good-bye."

Tomas smiled. "Brilliant. We can work with that."

"Will Dr. Maerwynn help us?"

"No."

"Will one of her medical assistants help?"

"No."

"Then who? You've got to have a plan to get around them, right? They're not the only people who can do a transfer?"

"No, they are not."

"Then who?"

Tomas sighed. "I'm going to have to ask you to trust me on that part."

"You're kidding."

"No. Trust me on this, and we'll get your body. I promise."

"What do we do?"

"You need to go talk with Jill."

"Hold on, Jill won't help us. You've got to know that."

"She will."

"I doubt it. She's only motivated by money."

"She'll get it. But you're wrong — there's one thing that'll motivate her more."

"Like what?"

"Like learning about the real health risks tied to transfers."

That surprised Sarah. "What kind of health risks?"

"The risks are minimal to the renters, but for donors — you who transfer many times — the risks are very real."

"Like what?" Sarah demanded as she struggled to restrain a flash of anger, although she shouldn't be surprised that there were even more secrets.

"You've already seen the early stages, Sarah. You think that weird memory of that beach house in the Caymans was a fluke?"

"Yes," she said without conviction. That memory had felt completely real for a moment.

"Or Jill's comment about shopping for birthday cards for grandkids?"

"That was pretty weird," she admitted.

"It's more than weird. It's dangerous. That so-called nervous breakdown of Irina's was the corporation's way of hiding the transfer sickness."

"What happened to her?"

"Too many face leaps. Each transfer uses up a little of a soul's power. After too many, the soul becomes too weak to maintain its integrity, and wisps of lingering identity from the bodies they inhabit begin to seep in to fill in the cracks. With enough transfers, it'll drive people insane."

"That's horrible." Sarah hadn't thought things could get any worse. She wanted to ask Tomas what else he was keeping from her, but didn't dare.

"The machinery they use in the transfers is experimental. It's designed to filter brainwaves and block mental dissipation or psychic bleed. It helps, but it's not perfect."

"So eventually we'll all end up like Irina?"

"Or worse. Think of the worst psychopaths in world history. A large percentage of them were suffering from leap insanity. It's not a new problem."

"Tomas, I can't process this right now. It's too crazy."

"Then just believe me when I say this is a lot more dangerous than you understand. I'll give you some internal documentation from Dr. Maerwynn herself for Jill to read. That'll convince her to help."

Sarah nodded. That would work, and maybe Jill would understand enough to escape Alterego before it destroyed her.

"Why don't you just explain it to her?"

Tomas smiled. "I have to write a letter."