The Adoration of Jenna Fox

On their way back from the mission, Ethan and Jenna pick up Allys at her community project, which is at a medical center. Allys volunteers at the same hospital where she receives physical therapy. Allys explains to Jenna why she blames earlier, unethical medical practices and the overuse of antibiotics for the loss of her limbs and declares her support for the Federal Science Ethics Board (FSEB), the organization that now monitors and regulates medical treatments. Under this new system, medical procedures are assigned a point value system, and each person only a certain number of points. Once they have used up these points, they are denied further medical care. She mentions Bio Gel, which Jenna recognizes as her father’s invention; Bio Gel makes it possible to recreate organs using neurochips, but each organ costs many points and Bio Gel brains are illegal. Ethan is annoyed by Allys’ unfailing support of the FSEB, noting that such “intelligent and qualified people” (96) ruined his life years earlier. As Jenna waits for Ethan to finish conferencing with their teacher, she is approached by Dane. He knows Ethan has warned Jenna to stay away from him, but maintains that his only flaw is honesty, while Ethan can’t accept the truth.