by Piper Stone
Or were we?
Had the entire human species been lied to about that as well?
I could only imagine the various achievements were considered top secret. Perhaps now I knew why. Earth’s dirty little secret.
Xander lifted his eyebrows then nodded before grabbing the pack I was carrying. When his hand brushed across my cheek, he hissed. “You’re freezing to death.”
“I’m fine.”
The usual snicker slipped past his glorious lips, creating a moment of anger, frustration, and desire. I hated my body, so far removed from everything I was thinking, all the nasty things I wanted to do to him. In a ridiculous attempt, I reached out, ready to smack his face. The action was enough to tip the scale of weakness, my legs giving out. Everything was in slow motion as I pitched forward, until his strong arms swept me off my feet.
“Jesus, little human. What the hell am I going to do with you?” He tossed me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing.
“Let me down.”
“You’re in no position to ask for anything. Just don’t fight me or I’ll be forced to punish you.”
I knew by the odd lilt in his voice that he was doing nothing more than pushing my buttons on purpose. Damn him. But I knew why.
To try to keep me from falling into hypothermia.
Maybe the Cryton warrior was a hero after all.
I was shocked at his progress, his strength and resolve keeping him going while the snow continued to accumulate. I was nauseous, my head spinning. I also had no idea how long or how far we’d walked. There was no use. Whatever compound he’d heard about was just bullshit. We would die out here. I finally closed my eyes, resigned to the fact that there was no hope.
When Xander snickered.
I managed to lift my head, blinking several times in an effort to make out what he was seeing. There was something in the woods, a clearing as well as... I could swear there was some kind of outpost or metal casing.
“I’m putting you down for a little while, Katarina. We might have found something.” Xander was gentle in his actions, holding my arms until I was steady enough on my feet, even though I was forced to rest against one of the ugly trees.
While the snow was still falling, I was able to see what appeared to be a door. “The facility?”
“That’s what I’m thinking. You stay right here, and I mean right here. Cry out only if you hear one of the beasts.”
He didn’t wait for my answer, merely heading toward the partially hidden object. I almost had a level of hope resurfacing. Please, God. Please. Seconds ticked by then minutes, the chill even more biting than before. I could swear the trees were crowding closer, the foliage tipping in our direction as if hungry for fresh blood.
A bitter laugh pushed past my cracked lips, grotesque images of trees with claws filtering into my mind. I was losing it, moving into full hypothermia mode. The hallucinations would only get worse. I did everything I could to try to keep my brain functioning, including math exercises. While time seemed to stand still, only minutes later I was losing the battle.
Trees became snarling monsters.
The snow was nothing but poisonous quicksand.
“Xander. Xander. Xander.” I wasn’t certain there was any sound coming from my throat.
I tried to obey him, to follow his directions until the snap of several twigs twisted the fear around my neck like a tight noose. I took off running, or at least attempting to, but the snow was so deep and so dense, every move was agonizing.
Keep going. Keep going.
The snaps and cracks turned into snarls and growls, the sounds closer than before. I could swear they were coming from every direction. Terror ripped through me as I continued, finally letting out a harsh bellow.
“Xander!” Exhaustion finally ruled, dropping me to my knees. I knew the beasts were only fifty yards away. They were coming to eat me. They were coming to rip me apart.
“Whoa. Whoa, Katarina. What the hell?”
He didn’t seem afraid or even concerned about the monsters standing all around us, snarling and chomping at the bit to tear us into pieces. “We have... to... run. Run. Run. They’re here!” I struggled to get out of his hold, throwing my arm back toward the forest.
“Who’s here?”
“Run! Please... Just—”
* * *
“Are you certain that’s her?”
A voice. Gruff. Dark. Ugly. What? I struggled to open my eyes, but it was no use.
“Yeah, that’s her all right,” another male said, snickering.
“She’s a beaut,” the first man chortled, making grunting noises.
I could swear his hot breath was floating across my face and neck. Why couldn’t I move? What was wrong with me? I wanted to scream. I needed to scream. Help me. Help. Me.
“Just remember, she’s not to be touched. Yet.” The second man was closer, leaning over me.
Was he touching me? Oh, God. I could feel the rough pads of his fingers brushing across my naked skin. No. No! Get away from me. I was nauseous, every synapse alive yet my muscles refused to obey me.
“Yeah, I know the damn rules. I don’t know what we’re waiting for. They’re fucking assholes if you ask me.” The first man was agitated.
“We follow orders. That’s it. You know exactly what happens if we don’t. She’s not to be touched yet. We’ll be told when the time is right and they’re ready to take her. Until then, we keep an eye on her after the test.”
What the hell were they talking about? Help me! Someone help me! Every part of my body was paralyzed. I couldn’t see or speak or move in any manner.
“Damn freaks. They got a lot of nerve telling us what to do,” the first male snarked. “Damn, look at those pretty pink nipples. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was turned on by all of this. Sweet thang. What I could do to that pussy of yours.”
“Lieutenant Sacks, for the love of Christ, do your damn job. I have a birthday party to get to tonight.”
“Yes, sir.”
I jerked up, clawing at my throat and gasping for air. There were no images left over in my mind, only voices that had penetrated into my very soul. Swallowing hard, I blinked several times until my eyes became accustomed to the dim lighting. What the hell? A flash of memories surfaced into my mind. The cave. The walk through the snow.
Xander...
I was in some kind of room, the smell odd like a metallic fire had occurred. One of the light sticks was located several feet away, highlighting what appeared to be a desk of some kind. What the... I looked down, realizing that a blanket was covering me. My wet clothes had been removed, replaced with some kind of uniform.
Xander.
He’d found the facility. The beasts. Oh, God! I listened for the heinous growls or screams from before. There was nothing but another level of eerie silence. From what I could see, the room had once been a medical facility, although the area had obviously been ransacked. The bed Xander had placed me on had a thin mattress with a pillow and the blanket. This was completely unexpected.
Exhaling, I eased onto the floor, fearful that I’d lose my balance. There was decent circulation in my limbs and despite the fact the room itself had a distinct chill, my body temperature had warmed up significantly.
Either Xander had found supplies or I’d been out for some time. Then I noticed a bandage on my arm, just under the crook of my elbow. I pulled the tape as I walked closer to the light source. The pinprick was obvious. He’d given me some kind of solution or medicine intravenously. I wasn’t certain whether to be grateful or terrified.
I grabbed the light stick and as I moved around the room, my curiosity kicked into high gear. I’d been right about the use of the facility. There were gauze pads, packaged syringes, and some vials of what appeared to be alcohol still intact, but the room had nearly been destroyed by a vicious round of violence.
The space was devoid of windows, like some kind of a cavern. The entire ugly room became more suffocating as the m
inutes ticked by. I took several deep breaths, doing everything I could to calm my nerves. The air seemed thin, difficult to breathe. I knew I had to calm down. Xander had to be close by. He wouldn’t leave me here all alone.
Or would he?
I swallowed several times, my pulse slowing. At least I was safe from the ugly beasts. I shuddered remembering their horrific cries and managed to scan the environment. This certainly didn’t seem to be a space that the Zatans would occupy, although I’d seen little more than the prison cells and the primitive doctor’s office. However, the area reminded me of something I’d see back home.
I became homesick for a few minutes, claustrophobia hitting again. I was sick and tired of being afraid. Shoring my courage, I continued my search of the room.
There were three beds remaining as well as the desk. After close examination I could see what appeared to be a hub for a computer, with no sign of the piece of equipment itself. Someone or something had stripped the room of anything useful. I searched the premises, finally finding a metal pipe. At least I had some kind of protection.
The door leading to the exterior was closed and suddenly my hands were clammy, fear trickling back in. I took a deep breath, willing myself to find courage before heading for the door. The slight creak forced a whimper and I shrank back, half expecting the creatures from before would storm into the room. After a few seconds of the same quiet, I was satisfied there were no monsters lurking in the shadows. However, as I stepped out into the hallway, the darkness was almost foreboding.
With every step, I realized just how large the facility must be. There were several rooms and doors, the initial corridor splitting off into two directions. A buzzing sound came from overhead, bringing another round of intense anxiety.
Then the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Pop!
As light flooded the area, I felt tremendous relief but there was also a sense of foreboding seeing the significant destruction, almost every room wrecked, items taken. I finally heard footsteps and bristled, cowering against the wall, the pipe firmly positioned in both hands. As Xander rounded the corner, he stopped short, his eyes opening wide, his expression one of relief.
I took a series of shallow breaths, surprised how happy I was to see him.
“You’re not supposed to be out of bed,” he chastised.
“And you’re not supposed to play doctor,” I retorted as I rubbed my arm. “What did you give me?”
He exhaled then walked closer, his eyes sweeping up and down, his expression one of caution. “Fluids. You were dehydrated.”
“You’re not a doctor.”
“No, but the majority of our people are trained for difficult circumstances in battle,” he retorted.
Battle. Yes, we were certainly in a horrific war. “And how did you get my temperature up?”
He inched closer still. “Whoever was at this facility had thermal blankets. They must have been used because of the harsh conditions on this godforsaken planet.”
When he was only inches away, the same burning electricity shot through us, sizzling me to the core. “Okay. How long have I been out?”
“Three days.”
“Three days?” What the hell? I shook my head, still shaking from the apprehension of what we would be forced to face next.
Xander nodded as he used his knuckle to slide hair away from my mouth. “I was really worried about you. You must have been hallucinating.”
I shuddered not only from the remembrance of the beasts just before I passed out but the voices that continued to play inside my head. Had they been real at some point in time or merely a product of my near madness? “Yeah, I guess so. What is this place? Everything has been ripped apart.”
“Yeah, whoever was here tore it to shreds.”
“You have no idea who?”
He snorted before answering. “I have a few guesses.”
“Is it safe?”
“For now. Let me show you around. When I got here, there was a lock on the door I had to bust. I haven’t been able to tell the source of the attack and whether it came from an outside source or internal.” Xander headed down the corridor, finally entering what appeared to be some kind of communications center or maybe a workplace for several employees. The small desks would indicate the latter, dozens of power supplies coming from various outlets.
But nothing was left except for the cheap furniture. “What the hell?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ve explored every area I can, although there is a section that was damaged by what appears to have been a fire I wouldn’t risk going into. This is definitely a medical facility of some type, but it appears there were experiments going on.”
“Experiments? You mean scientific?”
Shrugging, he led me out of the room and into another. I was surprised to see a rather modern kitchen, although the same kind of destruction had obviously occurred; I had no doubt Xander had cleaned up what he could.
“You’re a scientist. I’ll let you tell me in a few minutes. At least I found some food and with the generator hooked up, we can hunker down until we figure out a damn plan. We can’t stay here for long.”
“A generator? Here?”
This time, he laughed. “Yes. I found several vats of a green substance that the generators appear to run on. I was terrified I’d blow up the place, but I took a gamble.”
“This is... insane.” Everything was sleek, modern in every manner. I ran my hand across the counter.
“Disturbing is more like it. There’s no one here, although I did find evidence of more than a few struggles by the amount of dried blood accumulated. Whoever swept this clean didn’t give a shit about clothes, food, or the majority of actual medical equipment. They seemed to be after the electronics, and I’d venture a guess whatever was here was sophisticated. They knew what they were looking for.”
I tilted my head, looking into his eyes. “Government issued.”
“I would say your guess is correct.”
“Are there bodies?” I asked tentatively.
“None. I have no idea if the inhabitants were taken or they escaped. Either way, we were led to this location for some reason.”
“Why? Why would the Zatans give a shit about us finding this place? You have to tell me what you think is going on.”
Xander lifted a single eyebrow before walking further into the room. “All in good time, little human. First things first. I know you must be hungry, but we need to talk. The battle that occurred here isn’t going to be the last.”
“You think someone is hunting us?”
He laughed. “I have no doubt. Take a seat. You need to tell me the truth about anything you know. I’m done playing games. We’re going to work together.”
“O-kay. What do we need to talk about?” I watched as he pulled what appeared to be an actual liquor bottle from one of the cabinets along with two glasses. I shivered simply thinking about what the people here must have endured. The mystery surrounding this was baffling, as well as terrifying. He remained quiet until he poured two glasses, his face expressionless as he walked closer, handing me one of the drinks.
Once again, our fingers touched and I was taken aback by our connection, one he obviously experienced as well by the single twitch of his pursed mouth.
“We should sit down,” he directed, pulling out one of the chairs for me.
“I’ll stand.”
“Let’s get one thing straight. I’m in charge here. Period. You’re going to follow my rules no matter what I direct you to do. Anything less and you’re going to be punished.”
The same anger and defiance swept through me. “You seem to need me, Xander. I suggest you treat me like your equal.”
His nostrils flared, the same dominating look even more oppressive.
“Fine.” Asshole. I eased into the seat, still reeling from everything I’d seen. Nothing made any sense, including the nightmare I’d had. “I’ll ask again. What do we need t
o talk about?”
After sitting down, he shifted the drink from hand to hand as he leaned forward, close enough I could feel his hot breath.
“What? Just fucking ask me some questions.” I heard the demand in my voice. I was just as exasperated as he was, perhaps even more so.
“Are you going to obey me?”
I looked away until he cupped my chin, forcing my eyes to lock onto his.
“We’re not playing here. We have a minimal chance of making it to some unknown ship without supplies and answers. You’re going to supply those answers to me, but I have to make certain you understand that this is no bullshit. If there are other Crytons on this planet, I will save them.”
“And humans?” I dared to ask.
His mouth twisted. “I will do all that I can.”
I wanted to hate him, to curl up in a ball but so far, he’d managed to keep us both alive. “Fine. I’ll follow your orders.”
“Better. You know something about this facility. I can sense it. So talk. You also have some inclination of why you were taken. You shouldn’t have been. You weren’t the type of girl who’d been placed on the list.”
“The type of girl?” I managed, even though my throat was closing off.
“Yes. No families. No future. Nobody missing them. The Zatans were not ready to have any attention drawn to their actions.”
“Jesus.” I was immediately pitched back into the nightmare, the disgusting realization that the two assholes had touched me, violated me. And there’d been nothing I could do about it. I was a damn doctor, for Christ’s sake. They’d given me some kind of paralyzing drug. When and how?
“You’re flushed. Maybe we should let you get some rest,” he said quietly.
“No, you’re right. We have to figure this out. Rest isn’t going to give us any answers. Why are we here? I know the Zatans aren’t going to allow us off this planet, so don’t lie to me.”
“You are correct. Unless we give them what they want.” He took a sip of his drink, swirling the liquid and nodding as if in approval.