by Susan Bliler
Only the sound of the beeping of machines and mumbles from the scientists in the Lab could be heard. The observation room was sound proofed, which caused Shy to jump when the door to the exam room was kicked open and several Megalya soldiers hauled a shackled and enraged Leto into the room and forced him to the table.
Leto struggled and tossed two of the security guards to the ground before three more soldiers rushed the room to assist. In all, six soldiers were needed to restrain Leto and pin him to the table as the scientists moved in and strapped him down, one injecting a needle forcefully into his massive bicep.
Shy cautiously slid her eyes to Leto and watched his hands ball into fists so tight that his knuckles shone white with the force of his restraint. When Aries’ hand landed softly on her shoulder, Shy turned back to the video as the camera panned left. Shy watched as she appeared on the screen. Her hair was pulled back in a careless ponytail and both hands were tucked into her lab coat as she entered the lab.
“Good morning Dr. Chambers,” she greeted the Scientist who walked slowly to the glass partition to watch as the soldiers finally had Leto strapped to the table and began to file out of the room.
“Oh God!” Shy gasped turning to Monroe. “Turn it off!”
Monroe eyed her sympathetically, but his hand didn’t move for the remote. Beside him, Conn shifted uncomfortably while King dipped his head and strode silently from the room.
“What’s wrong?” Leto demanded, rage coloring his tone. “Afraid to face what you are…what you’ve done?”
Shy looked over her shoulder at the screen and watched as the smile slid from her face once she approached the glass.
“Dr. Chambers…what is this?”
Dr. Chambers smiled in triumph, “We have our first specimen Intern Brookes.” Dr. Chambers glanced at her, “Isn’t this exciting?”
Shy paled visibly as she looked from Leto struggling on the exam table in the opposite room to Dr. Chambers and his clear self-satisfaction.
“Damn it Monroe, turn it off!” Shy had inched closer to Monroe’s desk and lunged for the remote.
Leto was on her before Monroe had risen from his desk. Conn’s hand went to his pistol as Monroe held up his hand halting Conn from pulling the weapon.
Leto’s hands crushed Shy’s wrists as he spun her to face the screen. “You’ll watch what you did!”
Shy was crying now, her head turning to the side as she pleaded, “Leto please, turn it off!”
Leto locked one hand around her waist while the other clamped on her jaw forcing her eyes back to the screen. “Watch Shy! See what kind of monster you really are!”
On the screen Shy flattened her hands on the glass partition. “He doesn’t look like a willing candidate Dr. Chambers”, shock and anger infused her tone.
The scientist smiled wickedly, “Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the betterment of mankind.”
“Betterment of…You can’t do this!” Shy made to turn, but the scientist grabbed her arm roughly.
“Please Ms. Brookes don’t start acting like some sniveling sympathizer.”
Shy struggled furiously under Leto’s grasp, “Let me go!” She tried to force her head sideways, her eyes off the screen, but Leto tightened his grip forcing her face to remain forward.
“Dr. Chambers, take your hands off of me, and let that man go!”
Leto’s grip loosened slightly and his gaze locked on the TV.
The other scientists in the lab stopped their work to stare up at Shy and Dr. Chambers as they squared off.
Shy yelped as Dr. Chamber’s grip on her arm tightened painfully. “Or what Intern Brookes? You’ll report me to your teacher? There are things going on here that are bigger than you and your pathetic excuse for an education.”
Shy tried to jerk from his grasp, but he wouldn’t free her. “I-I’ll call the authorities,” she threatened weakly.
Dr. Chambers' expression turned evil then as his eyes focused on something over Shy’s shoulder and he nodded once.
Shy felt acid roiling in her belly at the memory of what came next. Pure mortification and horror seared through her. “Stop the video! Turn it off!”
Leto continued to hold her, his eyes riveted on the screen as he watched the never before seen footage of what had occurred in the lab while he’d been strapped to the exam room table.
Shy’s eyes slid to Aries as she begged, “Aries? Help me! Turn it off! Please! TURN IT OFF!”
Aries moved for Shy when Monroe barked, “Aries stop! Leto needs to know.”
Tears formed in Aries’ eyes as she turned to frown at Conn before flicking a heated glare at Monroe then storming from the office, the door slamming behind her. Conn bowed his head and followed his angel out leaving only Monroe, Leto, and Shy to watch the horror on the screen as it played out.
Shy didn’t see the two security guards until they were on her. She screamed and kicked as she was hauled from the room. One guard grabbed her feet and the other caught her under her arms. “STOP! STOP! YOU CAN’T DO THIS! HE’S A HUMAN BEING FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!”
The camera followed and slid to a second glass partition on the far wall before zooming in and focusing. Like Leto’s exam room, this one also housed one exam table in the center of the small room.
Shy sobbed and jerked her chin out of Leto’s grasp to turn her head, and this time he let her, his once bruising grip now slack. She couldn’t watch what she knew was coming.
Dr. Chambers followed the security guards into the room and barked unheard orders. Like the other exam room, this one too was sound proofed.
Seconds later the guards were ripping the clothes from Shy’s body, not caring if they hurt her or not. She fought them and was rewarded with a backhand to the cheek that sent her slamming into the wall before sliding down it and fighting to stay conscious. The guards removed the rest of her clothing easily, leaving her clad in only her bra and panties as they hoisted her onto the exam table where they strapped her arms, neck, and torso.
Shy felt a rumble in Leto’s chest seconds before he released her and she crumpled to the floor. Covering her face with both hands as sobs racked her fragile body she whispered, “Please turn it off. Oh God, make it stop!”
Monroe turned and paced to the window, noting the horror that was now etched on Leto’s face. He knew what the Walker was watching; Monroe had already witnessed the atrocities committed on the DVD.
Three scientists swarmed the room and took readings of Shy’s vitals and several vials of her blood. They were more than rough. They were cruel. When a needle hadn’t found a vein, one of the technicians removed it and stabbed her arms ferociously over and over before calming and trying again.
Shy’s mouth never stopped moving. It was evident from her features that she shifted between trying to talk some sense into the scientists and screaming in agony.
When the scientists were fully satisfied with their readings, Dr. Chambers entered the room and had the guards spread Shy’s legs and had them strapped to the gynecological stirrups that were pulled from under the exam table. Shy screamed, fought, begged, and cried as the scientist used a scalpel to cut her underwear from her body before the group began their extensive and lengthy exam. Shy was studied and probed against her will for long minutes before Dr. Chambers used a long stainless steel device to inject her with something.
Without words, Leto didn’t know what the syringe held. He wouldn’t know that this attack on her was the first of many that would finally succeed in impregnating Shy with his child. He would however know, once and for all, that she had suffered for attempting to free him. He would know that Shy was no Megalya, that she had cause to hate them more than any Walker ever would.
The screen went black and Leto stood for several silent moments staring at the screen trying to digest what he’d just witnessed. His eyes slowly slid to the creature that was huddled at his feet sobbing uncontrollably.
“It continues on like that.” Monroe’s voice was barely a whisper as he
still stood staring out the window. “As you are aware it took us a little over five months to successfully extract you. During that time…,” his tone was full of regret, “the experiments on her continued.”
Leto didn’t move. He couldn’t.
Monroe turned to him then, “You see Leto, she is not our enemy, and you did not suffer alone.”
Shy sawed in a shaky breath and wiped her face with her palms as she struggled to her feet. She stood facing Leto and she lifted her chin defiantly with more confidence than she actually felt, noting that for the first time since he’d laid eyes on her, Leto’s ever present disdain for her was finally absent. Instead, shock and disbelief darkened the brown eyes that found hers.
Without a word Shy turned from Leto and as she took her first step to leave a sharp pain shot through her abdomen and sent the room spinning. Shy felt Leto’s steadying hands on her as she stumbled. She made to shrug him off when the pain stole her breath. She felt her body crumpling even as the darkness consumed her.
Chapter 19
Shy woke in the StoneCrow Infirmary. A heart monitor beeped steadily at her side. As her eyes slowly focused, memory returned and her hand flattened on her belly as she quickly scanned the room. She was alone. Her hand found the nurse-call button on the side of the bed and she pressed the mechanism repeatedly until the door to her room swung open. Jenny walked in with her hair pulled back in a tight black bun. She carried an I-pad as she entered the room and smiled warmly at Shy.
“Good morning Shy…”
“The baby?” Shy demanded without preamble as she struggled to sit up.
Jenny’s hands at her shoulders prevented her from completing the task. “Take it easy. The baby’s fine.”
Shy reluctantly relaxed against the bed, “What happened?”
Jenny smiled as she used her index finger to tap on the I-pad. “Stress. You’ve been under a great deal of pressure. Too much pressure for a woman in your condition.” Jenny dropped the I-pad to stare at Shy. “When the body’s had too much, it’s had too much.” Jenny shrugged, “You need food and rest. In that order.” She lifted a hand to examine the saline drip that was injected into Shy’s arm before stating casually, “Now that you’re awake I’ll have Leto summoned back to StoneCrow. He’s eager to take you home.”
Shy’s soft features contorted in confusion. “Leto?” Shy shook her head, “Jenny, I think you’re confused.”
Jenny clucked her tongue, “Nonsense. He’s been hunting the Megalya non-stop since you’ve been admitted. Granted it’s only been two days.” Jenny added absentmindedly before her brows furrowed and her tone softened, “I know what they did to you Shy. I’m so sorry you had to endure what…”
“Oh God, he doesn’t know about the baby does he?”
Jenny smiled then it faltered, “Well…of course he knows.” Her tone was laced with uncertainty. “We had to tell him, the baby was at risk Shy. He’s the father, he deserved to know.”
Shy threw her head back as tears formed. Fuck! She yanked the IV from her arm, “I need to speak to Monroe.”
“Wait!” Jenny was trying to stop Shy from ripping out her second IV and detaching the heart monitor. “Shy please, I don’t want to have to sedate you.”
Shy slid her legs from the bed and eased onto her feet ignoring the doctor’s protests. “Monroe. Now!” she snapped attempting to steady herself as her legs wobbled beneath her. She felt weak.
The door to the room opened and it was two nurses that Shy had never met. One held a syringe and strode quickly toward Shy.
Shy spun, taking up a sharp pair of tweezers from a nearby table and wrapped an arm around Dr. Arkinson’s throat jerking the Doctor’s body into her own as she held the tweezers to the Jenny’s jugular. “Back off! I want a car out front, running with the keys in it, and I want it now!”
The smaller nurse smiled wickedly and shook her head, “We’re Walkers Shy. You can’t escape.”
“Stoney,” Jenny cut in reproachfully, “do as Shy requests.”
Reluctantly, the nurse, Stoney, dropped the hand that held the syringe and pulled the other nurse with her as she backed out of the room.
“Shy,” Jenny began, “this is insane. Leto won’t let you leave.”
Shy shoved the Doctor into the chair in the corner of the room, still holding the tweezers extended towards her as she quickly checked the two dressers in the room and retrieved her clothes. “Look, I don’t know which Leto it is that you’ve met, but the Leto I know wants me dead.” Shy pulled on her jeans and stripped out of the hospital gown before tugging her shirt quickly over her head, and cramming her bra and socks into the pockets of her jeans. “As a matter of fact, he has tried to do the job himself on more than one occasion.” Shy slid her bare feet into the tennis shoes she found next to the dresser as she motioned with the tweezers for Jenny to get up and lead her out the door.
“Honestly Shy, Leto’s changed. You need to give him a chance.”
Shy balled her fist in the back of Jenny’s lab coat as she followed the woman down the hall. Several infirmary staff slowly appeared in doorways to watch the spectacle. “Give him a chance?” Shy laughed harshly. “Like the chance he gave me?”
Several times during the walk down the long corridor that led out of the infirmary, Jenny waved off would-be rescue attempts.
Outside, the sky was dark and a light snow slowly fell and dusted the earth. Stoney had delivered as ordered. A black sedan was parked in front of the building. The motor was running and the driver’s side door was left open.
Shy scanned the area. All was quiet. Too quiet. She propelled the Doctor in front of her as she inched around the vehicle.
“Shy listen, you need pre-natal care. You’re still too weak and too exhausted. All this stress isn’t good for the baby. Please, just stay and let me help you.”
At the driver’s side door Shy stopped. She felt betrayed that a mere two days earlier Jenny had been willing to risk her life to protect Shy and now she was basically just throwing her to the wolves…well one wolf…Leto. “What do I need to know about the baby?”
Jenny shook her head, “How do you mean?”
“To take care of it,” Shy demanded impatiently. “How do I make sure it’s healthy? What do I need to know?”
Jenny licked her lips, “You need bed rest. And your underweight, that’s not good for the baby. Honestly Shy, if you stay I can…”
“What else?”
Jenny’s brow furrowed disapprovingly, “You need to start taking pre-natal vitamins immediately. Seriously Shy, twenty pounds wouldn’t hurt, thirty’d be great.”
“Fine,” Shy bit out, “Is there anything else.”
Jenny’s lips thinned into a line of disapproval. “As a physician I strongly urge you to reconsider your course of action here.”
Shy snorted, ignoring the comment. “I’m going to need some money.”
Jenny didn’t hesitate to reach into the pocket of the slacks she wore. “You’re in luck. The girls and I had a poker game planned for shift break.” Jenny held up the folded bills and Shy grabbed the money quickly.
“I’ll send you a check when I get where I’m going.” Shy released Jenny’s coat and shoved her forward before sliding into the driver’s seat. “Where am I?”
Reluctantly, Jenny supplied, “The Highwood Mountains, just East of Great Falls.”
Shy nodded.
“One more thing,” Jenny quickly grabbed the car door before Shy had a chance to close it.
“Fuck, what?” Shy’s eyes scanned the area fearfully.
Jenny smiled then. The excitement and brightness of her smile was so genuine it had Shy pulling back from the woman. “It’s a boy Shy. You’re going to have a son!”
Shy stilled, shock keeping her from moving.
“You should know, I haven’t informed Leto of the baby’s sex.” Jenny continued proudly, “He’ll be the first male Walker born here at StoneCrow.”
Shy gave Jenny a somber look, “No, he
won’t. My child will not be born here.” Shy pulled the door closed and clicked the electronic button, locking all the doors before she raced from the estate.
Jenny watched the taillights as she crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her arms in an attempt to fight the chill of the snowy night. “Stoney?”
The Walker nurse stepped from the shadows behind her, “Yes Chief?”
“Contact Leto, let him know his angel has checked herself out of the facility and is currently en route off the estate.”
“Already done.”
Chapter 20
Shy had no problem at the main gate. She suspected Dr. Arkinson had advised them to have the gate open as a safety measure for the sake of the child. It was a foolish mistake on the Doctor’s part, for as much as Shy wanted to be free of StoneCrow, she wouldn’t risk her son’s life to do so.
She slowed her rate to maneuver the winding mountain road that led down and out to the highway. There had been a map of Shonkin at the Megalya facility along with dozens of other maps of small mountainous areas where the Megalya suspected the Walkers were taking refuge. By some miracle, Shy’s heritage touted Blackfeet ancestry, which had led her to study only one map, the map of Shonkin, as it was the Blackfeet word for High Woods. She knew where she was and how to get to the nearest town.
Once on the highway, Shy stayed within the speed limit. There was no point in risking her life or her son’s. If the Walkers wanted to follow, they’d do so effortlessly regardless of the pace she set.
A son. One hand slid to rub comfortingly over her belly as she sucked in her bottom lip. Oh my God! I can’t believe it! I’m going to have a son! The dawning realization conjured up tears. What will he look like? Will he be healthy? What will I name him? So many questions and too few answers. First things first. I need to get to town and I need some food. Her stomach rumbled its concurrence.
I wonder if he’ll grow to be as handsome as his father. Her lips curved into a rueful smile. From the moment she’d laid eyes on Leto she’d thought him handsome, and now that she’d seen him without his scowl, she found him even more attractive.