* * *
Watching Cranley leave, Simpson turned to Primeris with a smug smile. Emotionless eyes stared unblinkingly at him. "You... You heard the Colonel," he stammered, suddenly feeling less confident. "Do your job."
"What are you afraid of, Major?"
"I'm... I'm not a... afraid. You have your orders. Make them tell us what they know. I'd like to go home tonight," Simpson said.
Primeris didn't move.
"You're an intelligent man, for a human, Major Simpson. You graduated third from the academy and are the youngest major to be assigned to SU33. Do you really think they know anything?"
"They know where Solaria is. If not, they're working for someone who's trying to capture her."
"Unfortunately, your logic is flawed and a waste of time and energy. Attempts to extract information from them will fail," Primeris said. "Colonel Cranley needs to accept that."
"You... You have your orders. Do as you've been ordered," Simpson stammered. Pulling out his sidearm, he pointed it at her. The barrel shook slightly. Primeris looked at the gun. When the two soldiers guarding the room also started to reach for theirs, she did what she was programmed to do — protect herself. Only a 1A level clearance could override her programming. Major Simpson was 2A. Within seconds he was dead. So were the guards.
Unfortunately for Primeris, those seconds left her vulnerable to an unexpected intruder... one more than a match against her strength and speed.
CHAPTER 3
Pain
PRIMERIS KNEW SHE was in trouble. The pain was an excruciating, mind-numbing agony that threatened her very existence. A safety program was shutting down her bio-electronic systems to prevent them from being damaged. Nerves were transmitting massive amounts of data, causing her processors to overheat. It was impossible for her to simultaneously monitor and control essential physical components of her body. If she couldn't reduce the overwhelming flood of data, her neuro-network would soon fail. Primeris was self-destructing, and helpless to do anything about it.
Do Hubots die? she wondered, fleetingly. Or simply cease to exist?
She wasn't ready for the answers to those two questions.
* * *
Chantelle could feel the woman's pain and was afraid. Primeris was dying, even though the physical damage didn't appear life-threatening. Something was terribly wrong, something Chantelle didn't understand. She needed time to examine Primeris to determine what was happening. Only then could she repair the damage. Feeling a sense of desperation, she looked accusingly at the woman standing next to Primeris' prone body.
"What have you done?" Chantelle demanded of the woman who had just rescued her. "She didn't hurt us."
"What needed to be done," Solaria replied, ignoring the three bodies strewn around the room. After releasing Chantelle and checking Jain's pulse, she lifted the unconscious woman in her arms. "Let's go," she ordered, not even glancing at Chantelle. Jain was her primary concern.
"Not without her," Chantelle declared rebelliously, pointing to Primeris. "I'm not leaving her here. She's badly injured and needs help. They'll blame her for this."
Solaria walked to the door and then turned back to Chantelle.
"They would be right. Whatever her reason, she killed these men. Her actions save me the trouble of destroying her."
"It was self-defense. She was trying to keep them from torturing us," Chantelle replied.
"Her decision wasn't logical, then. At best, she spared you a few hours. When these bodies were discovered, she'd have been overpowered and deactivated. You would be blamed for everything."
"That doesn't even make sense," Chantelle said. "We're restrained."
"Exactly. You weren't a threat physically. The only other logical conclusion is that you worked for someone important enough to cause her to override her orders. Perhaps a word or phrase triggered a... subconscious instruction implanted years ago. She could be a Sleeper that SU33 wasn't aware of. Whatever caused her to react the way she did isn't my problem. My concern is for Jain. Come with me or stay; the choice is yours."
"That's ridiculous!" Chantelle exclaimed. "All they'd have to do is watch the vids of the interrogation. These places record everything."
"Not this time. The security system isn't working."
"How do you know that?"
"I shut it down. Now are you coming or not?" Solaria asked, turning toward the door.
"Wait! I can help Jain," Chantelle offered, desperately searching for something to barter with. Their rescuer clearly had no interest in Primeris. "Please. Primeris is dying."
Solaria shrugged. "If you expect me to feel anything for her, I can't."
"I'm not leaving unless we take her with us," Chantelle said, her voice growing steely. "And I don't think Jain would like it if we left her, either."
"What do you know about Jain?" Solaria asked.
"I know she refused to tell them anything about you, even when they were beating her. That tells me she cares for you a lot. Jain wouldn't have protected you if you weren't worthy of it. You're Solaria, aren't you?" Solaria gave a slight nod. "I don't know much about her but I think she would want you to help Primeris." Frustrated tears welled up in Chantelle's eyes. How do I make you understand? she thought.
Solaria saw the tears and hesitated. Why would the woman be so upset over someone who had been instrumental in her capture and Jain's torture?
"Why do you care what happens to her? She put you in danger and almost killed Jain."
Chantelle shook her head.
"I was never in danger from her. Primeris tried to help us. She's the only reason Jain is still alive."
Solaria glanced at Primeris' still form.
"I don't —"
"I can explain later. Trust me. Jain will confirm everything. We need to get them somewhere safe so I can heal them."
Walking back to Chantelle, Solaria gently placed Jain on the floor.
"You said you could help Jain."
Chantelle nodded and knelt next to Jain.
Cupping the unconscious woman's face in her hands, Chantelle closed her eyes and hummed softly. Solaria felt an energy spike in the room.
* * *
Seeking out Jain's injuries, Chantelle realized a song wasn't needed to perform the healing. A simple melody would suffice.
"She has a mild concussion and some bruising, but nothing life-threatening," Chantelle explained. "I can repair the more serious damage. The rest will heal naturally in a few days. "
Concentrating, Chantelle gathered her strength and focused on the bruised cells. She hummed softly, forcing the melody deep into the brain. Slowly, the swelling subsided and then shrank, reducing the cranial pressure. Jain’s body absorbed the leaking blood. Nutrients and electrolytes rushed to the injured site. Old cells generated new ones, replacing those that had been irreparably destroyed. When the repair was complete, Chantelle removed her hands and leaned slightly backward feeling drained.
"She'll awaken shortly," Chantelle said.
Jain's eyelids fluttered open. She blinked rapidly a few times and then reached up to rub her forehead.
"I have such a headache," she groaned.
"It'll disappear in a few minutes. Can you get up?" Chantelle asked.
"I... I think so." To Jain's surprise, the headache faded to a dull ache. Solaria, who had remained kneeling, stood to assist Jain to her feet. "Thanks," Jain whispered and smiled. "It's good to see you again."
Solaria returned the smile, her teal eyes glinting. Tears? she thought and quickly dismissed the idea. Now wasn't the time to analyze feelings.
"We need to get out of here. Are you able to walk?"
Jain nodded.
"Good. We'll talk later," Solaria said to Chantelle and then bent down and hefted Primeris into her arms. Chantelle grasped Jain's arm, giving her a small jolt of energy. Jain gave her a strange look but said nothing.
CHAPTER 4
The Escape
THE HALL WAS empty. No one had yet discovered th
e Trojan virus Solaria programmed into the security system. Personnel DNA ID detectors and vids were now deactivated. The women had less than nine minutes before the sensors came back online.
Moving quietly down the hall, no one spoke. Carrying Primeris was draining Solaria's strength faster than expected. She began shutting down several programs in her backup system and diverted the unused energy to her bio-mechanical network. It was a risky maneuver. If any of her main processors failed, retrieving the lost data would be impossible — the equivalent of a human stroke.
* * *
"How are we going to get past them?" Jain asked, pointing at the two guards near the entrance.
"Good question," Solaria replied. "In less than eight minutes, the bio-scanners will come on line. They track everyone in the complex. Since we aren't in the system, the building will go on lockdown until we're apprehended."
"So waiting here isn't accomplishing anything, except to get us caught," Chantelle said. "Doing something is better than doing nothing."
Before Jain or Solaria could reply, Chantelle stepped into the lobby and strolled casually toward the guards. The men stopped talking and watched her warily.
"Who are you?" one challenged.
"Chantelle. I was cleared earlier today."
"By who? I didn't see you come in."
"You weren't here. Colonel Cranley authorized it."
The guard turned to his comrade for verification.
"If she's in the building, she's authorized," the other man replied, shrugging with disinterest. "You don't hear any alarms sounding off, do you? Besides, she came from Section 5. No one goes into that wing without the top sec officer's permission."
"Maybe we should contact Colonel Cranley just to be sure," the first guard suggested.
"By all means," Chantelle said. "He left the building about twenty minutes ago to attend an important meeting. Afterward, we're supposed to meet up for... well, for a little one-on-one of our own, if you know what I mean." Winking, Chantelle's lips curled upward slightly.
"You and Cranky... I mean Col —"
"Cranky? How cute! Listen, fellas, I've probably said too much already. Just call him and tell him I'll be late. I'm sure you have his number. If not, I can give it to you. Of course, knowing Cranky, he's not going to appreciate my indiscretion... or the fact that I..." This time Chantelle did smile, although it held no warmth.
The guards looked at each other nervously. Colonel Cranley's temper was well-known.
"Ummm, that's okay. Just scan out, ma'am," the first guard said, motioning to a palm pad on the desk.
"Sure," she replied, moving to the desk. I hope Solaria has figured out what I'm doing.
* * *
With Primeris in her arms, Solaria could do nothing to stop Chantelle. Jain attempted to grab the woman's arm, but missed.
"What's she doing?" Jain whispered to Solaria.
"I'm not sure." Kneeling, she quietly placed Primeris on the floor and then stepped over her to get a better view. Several large pillars surrounded the open space at the entranceway. They were elegant to look at and convenient to hide behind, blocking them from the guards' view. "The security system is going to reset in less than three minutes," Solaria warned. "When that happens..."
"We'll be trapped inside," Jain finished. "Damn! I hope she has a plan."
Me too, Solaria thought, exploring possible solutions. She could reach the soldiers in seconds, but one would have enough time to activate the alarms.
"Stay here," she told Jain and then cautiously moved to the next pillar.
Solaria could hear the conversation between Chantelle and the soldiers. She was aware the security system was about to reactivate. It would detect Chantelle immediately.
* * *
Chantelle hesitantly reached toward the scanner. Hand trembling, she jerked it back to rub her right temple.
"You okay, lady?"
"I feel... dizzy. I hope I'm not coming dow —"
Her knees buckled and she started to fall. Both guards jumped forward to catch her.
"Hey," one said, grabbing her arm to support her.
The distraction was exactly what Solaria needed. Quick calculated blows insured unconsciousness. The men would have headaches when they recovered, but no permanent damage.
"That was foolish," Solaria said to Chantelle. "You should have told us your plans."
Chantelle's eyebrows flicked upward and back down.
"I knew you'd figure it out. Let's get out of here."
* * *
Carrying Primeris in her arms, Solaria stepped into the darkness and quickly moved to a secluded area outside of the building, not wanting to attract attention. After telling Jain and Chantelle where her car was located, she waited for them to retrieve it and return.
Because Primeris was still unconscious, it was critical to get her to Solaria's home to assess the damage. Only then would Solaria make a decision about the Hubot — she was either ally or enemy.
CHAPTER 5
Healer Revealed
LAYING PRIMERIS ON the bed, Solaria examined the external damage to her head. Scootie, who had greeted everyone enthusiastically with her loud barks, immediately jumped up next to the unconscious woman and sniffed her face.
"Raararoof!"
"Get off there," Jain ordered.
"Arrararr!" Scootie responded, ignoring the order. Plopping down next to Primeris, she rested her head on her paws and closed them. The message was clear. She wasn't going anywhere.
"Have it your own way. Not that you haven't since I found you."
"The physical injuries are superficial," Solaria said, straightening up. "The damage to her —" Solaria paused, reluctant to expose the existence of Hubots to Chantelle, who was quietly standing next to Jain, "— brain is a different matter."
"Brain?" Jain asked, giving Solaria a curious look. "Oh... Well yeah. Can you help her?" On the trip to Jain's place, Chantelle had told her how Primeris had confronted the colonel and killed the other three men.
"I can heal her," Chantelle said, confidently. "That's what I do."
Jain's eyes filled with tears of relief.
"You're a doctor?"
"No, I'm a Singer."
"Singer?" Jain looked at Solaria and then back at Chantelle.
"Yes. Actually, a Healer. I don't have time to explain everything. Let's say I have a gift. It may be her only chance."
"What can we do to help?" Jain asked.
"At the moment, nothing. Leave us alone. I need to concentrate to heal her. And take her with you," Chantelle said, motioning toward the dog. She then hesitated. Something about the canine seemed familiar. "She'll... She'll be a distraction."
"Arragh. Arrarrahrah." Standing, Scootie stretched one rear leg behind her, then the other and jumped off the bed. Without looking back, she left the room.
"Yeah, yeah. The indignity of it all," Jain quipped. "I'll just go fix us something to eat. You hungry?" she asked, looking at Solaria.
"Yes. My energy is lower than I like. A half-dozen sandwiches should replenish it."
"I wonder how many she's going to need," Jain wondered out loud, giving Primeris a final glance before leaving the room.
CHAPTER 6
Scootie, Heroine
JAIN PUT HER EAR against the bedroom door.
It had been almost three hours since Chantelle had ordered them to leave. Sighing, Jain abandoned her eavesdropping and joined Solaria in the living room. Dropping into a chair, she looked from Solaria to the dog.
Scootie was curled up on Solaria's lap, her eyes closed. Occasionally, a paw would twitch or a soft woof escaped twitching lips. She had been ecstatic to see Jain after the kidnapping. Once she was assured Jain was okay, Scootie turned to inspect Primeris. Her hackles rose. A low growl rumbled from deep within her throat.
"She sure took to you," Jain said. Solaria was scratching the base of Scootie's neck with her fingertips. "Primeris is another story. Scootie didn't like her at all. I got the impr
ession she stayed in the room to protect Chantelle."
"Possibly. Scootie and I may have a common history," Solaria said, surprising Jain. "She isn't an ordinary dog. She showed me where you were being held. I suspect she knows who Primeris is, too."
Jain's eyes widened with surprise.
"Scootie? How would she know Primeris?"
"Her sense of smell for one... and her intelligence. Primeris and I are bio-mechanically similar. She'd recognize common components."
"That makes sense. So, how would she know where I was taken? I locked her in the condo before I went out."
"She tracked your scent. Dogs are quite capable of following scent trails for days. One owner claimed a bloodhound tracked and located the bodies of three people thirteen days after they disappeared."
"Thirteen days! How extraordinary!"
"Not really, although Scootie's ability is more highly evolved than normal. I believe she was part of an experiment."
"Experiment? What kind of experiment?" Jain didn't want to think of Scootie as a lab animal. Images of cages and needles raced through her mind.
"A modern version of Xenotransplantation."
"Xeno what?" Jain asked.
"Transplantation. Replacing one species of animal organ with another."
"That's barbaric."
"Human history is filled with barbaric concepts. If it had worked, the solution to the organ shortages of the late 1900s would have been solved. Chimpanzees and pigs were the main focus of a few experiments. Fortunately, stem cell discovery proved a better alternative. Reputable researchers lost interest in the Xeno projects."
"Then who would be doing it now?"
"Governments, ambitious companies looking for huge profits. Only now, instead of experimenting with animal transplants, they'd probably focus on bio-mechanical and bio-intelligence manipulation. Vision or hearing enhancement would be an enormous advantage to the military. A human brain, fused with computer chips, can make the average soldier the ultimate war machine. Then there are the medical fields."
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