I knew I recognised that story! ML Thompson's Midnight Gambit
here's another excerpt:
Then she was pulled back and the man he only vaguely knew was
shaking him and saying stridently. "Out of the way, Dr Ducos.
You're always far too considerate of his feelings. He's only a
good-for- nothing layabout. Wake up, specimen! It's time for
another treatment. Your final treatment."
The man in the bed didn't like the sound of that, yet as the
male doctor gripped his shoulders, he noticed the doctor wink --
and he didn't think it was an involuntary action. No, he did it
again! Specimen, for that was the only name he knew was his,
wasn't quite sure he understood what a wink meant, but somewhere
underneath his perplexity, he did feel reassured.
Dr Ducos interjected herself between him and the other doctor.
"There's no need for name calling," she threw over her shoulder.
"Let's try to make this as easy as possible."
Good! The man allowed himself to relax further as woman took
over again. He was familiar with this procedure, yet his feeling
of comfort fled as she beckoned Teo forward and he noticed the
syringe on the tray that Teo held. His eyes fixated on the
needle. Surely after all this time he'd be more used to having
injections, but there was something slightly different about
this particular hypodermic needle -- it glowed faintly green.
c.
