Bai and Gu waited in the corridor beyond the banquet room. Yan came out alone, closing the door gently behind him. He held his notebook in one hand and kept the other tucked against his chest so the palm dressing would not catch on the cuff.
“What did Zhao offer?” Bai asked.
“Treatment for Ning, a room, stipend, manuals, and adoption. The price is permanent research status. The laboratory would own anything I discover, test my body, and decide whether Ning keeps receiving care.”
Gu’s expression changed at the word permanent. “That resembles the old Registry assignment language.”
“You recognize it?”
“I recognize the shape. The Registry used similar wording when assigning subjects to research divisions. I cannot say Ashfall’s contract follows the same authority.”
Bai looked at Yan’s notebook. “Did they give you a copy?”
“No. They refused. Zhao says I have to sign before I can take the terms away.”
