Fixed by Beth Goobie Page A

calm, even, almost like someone singing under her breath. However, once Lt. Neem flicked the switch that hum would change to a series of loud revs that had been timed to synchronize with the jolts of shock the electrodes would send into her leg. Nellie loved the gut groan of those revs. Combined with electric shock, the sound roared through her with such power that she could lose herself in it, forgetting the pain of the shock and the harness strapping her in.
    “Your Seeing Eyes,” said Lt. Neem, handing her a pair of virtual-reality glasses. Sliding them on, Nellie adjusted the strap until it fit snugly around the back of her head. Then she inserted two tiny speakers dangling from the earpieces into her ears. With the exception of the head strap and the speakers, the virtual-reality glasses resembled a pair of sunglasses, and recreational versions were commonly worn by children at play in Marnan’s back alleys and parks.
    “Seeing Eyes open,” said the lieutenant, and the lenses filled with images of outer space. Transparent stars, planets and spaceships now dominated Nellie’s vision. Through them she continued to see her surroundings, but the gym had taken on an unreal quality, as if it was the illusion and she was actually hovering somewhere in outer space. Through the speaker in her left ear, she heard a slow steady beeping.
    “Face the target.” Lt. Neem’s voice was now coming through the speaker in her right ear. Nellie turned to face the row of mannequins, moving in sync with the beeping in her left ear. “Third doll down,” said Lt. Neem. “We’re working on the chin kick first.”
    The mannequins had been positioned in a variety of poses, the third in a semi-crouch, its hands raised. “Sight on the chin,” said Lt. Neem, and an illuminated bull’s-eye appeared in the left lens of the virtual-reality glasses, fixed on the mannequin’s chin. “Begin,” said Lt. Neem. Beside Nellie, the machine let out a loud revving sound and a small burst of shock ran up the back of her leg. At the same time the metal rods connected to the harness lifted upward, bringing her foot in a slow even arc toward the mannequin’s face. Her heel connected with the chin, the mannequin rocked backward and the machine lowered the rods, returning her foot to the floor.
    “Again,” said Lt. Neem. This time the burst of shock was stronger and the harness carried Nellie’s foot more quickly toward the mannequin’s face. Simultaneously, the bull’s-eye shone more brightly in her left eye and the beeping grew louder in her ear. As her foot settled back onto the floor, Nellie grinned. When she really got going, these workouts gave her such a rush she flew higher than the stars in her virtual-reality glasses.
    “Again,” said Lt. Neem, and another, stronger burst of shock ran up the back of Nellie’s leg. Her foot was lifted more quickly from the floor, the beeping grew louder in her ear, her heel connected with a solid whack, and the mannequin rocked back onto its heels. “Ride the light,” said the voice in her ear and Nellie knew the kick rate had been established — the computer had assessed her heart rate and brainwave pattern and settled on the appropriate tempo.
    Again and again a burst of shock ran up her leg and her foot was yanked from the floor. Stars shot through her peripheral vision, she felt as if she was traveling at the speed of light as her foot smashed the mannequin’s face. Boom! She was really starting to feel it now — the white-hot burst of shock combined with the revving power of the kick, all of it tied to the high-pitched beeping in her left ear . Riding the light. Another wave of shock pierced her calf and her foot was carried upward, but now her leg was starting to feel less like flesh and bone and more like spasms of light risingthrough her body. Riding the light, riding the light. Back snapped the mannequin’s head, down went Nellie’s foot and for a second the beeping in her ear shut