“What do we do, Commander?” Watkins muttered nervously.
“Keep your shit together and blast anything that moves until McNeely gives us the go ahead to enter the lab,” Malory responded quietly.
The sound of nervous breathing and restless fidgeting were the only things to be heard for the next twenty minutes. Malory’s eyes vigilantly scanning the hall down the barrel of her rifle and trying very hard not linger on the teeth scattered indiscriminately on the floor a dozen yards away. A hand touched her shoulder and it took every once of willpower she had not to scream and rain gunfire down the hallway.
Corky felt the body under her hand tense powerfully and she squeezed Malory’s shoulder reassuringly. “Easy,” she whispered and Malory relaxed slowly.
“Commander,” Clovis whispered. “If we get into the lab, I need to talk to you.”
Malory just nodded, afraid to glance away from the hall for even a second.
Her concentration was so intense that she periodically had to wipe the sweat away from her eyes with her shirtsleeve and she felt the beginnings of a powerful headache. Finally, as she began to believe she had spent a year of her life rooted to the same spot, McNeely called out.
“Lab is clear,” he said loudly. “Move!”
Organized chaos ensued as everyone scrambled to get inside and Malory breathed a long sigh of relief as the pressure door was sealed behind her.
“Commander,” Clovis said.
She turned to him tiredly. “What is it, Mr. Stokes?”
“We need to change the entry code on that door immediately,” he said gravely. “I don’t think we can take the chance that it might not be remembered.”
Malory closed her eyes. “Who knows it?”
“Everyone but you most likely,” he replied.
“Why is that?” she asked peevishly.
“Because you’re the only one who never comes in here,” he explained. “Everyone else knows it, it’s common knowledge.”
She sighed. “How do we change it?”
“Has to be done by computer, I’m sure the Chief knows.”
Reynolds overheard. “He’s right, skipper,” he said. “I’ll get on it right now,” he added, slinging his rifle and ambling over to the nearest computer.
She followed him. “McNeely, Ring, and Alvarez join us, please,” she ordered.
When they had all gathered around Reynolds she spoke softly. “Can you change the codes on all the doors, Chief?”
“Yes.”
“Do it, make them all the same,” she ordered. “The four of us are going to be the only ones with the new code. If one of us falls it needs to be changed again. Who else knows how to do this, Chief?”
“Only myself and DeSoto,” he answered quickly.
“Very well.”
“How do you suggest we proceed from here, skipper?” McNeely asked.
Malory took a deep breath and fell into a nearby chair. “Obviously, we need to clear the service tunnels and seal the pressure doors or we can’t clear the ground we’ve already covered.”
“Only one person at a time can fit down there,” Reynolds pointed out. “Unless we travel through them single file.”
“I kinda figured,” Malory said resignedly.
McNeely scrutinized her intensely. “No way,” he said sternly.
“We don’t have a choice, Sergeant,” she said. “We can’t survive in here until summer.”
“I agree. But you’re not going to be the one going down there,” he said stubbornly. “We’ll draw straws.”
“Rank hath it privileges,” she said softly. “And unfortunately, it also has its responsibilities.”
“No,” he said flatly.
“Sergeant,” she rumbled. “I’ll admit your dick is bigger than mine, but this isn’t your call.”
“I’ll do it,” Alvarez interjected.
Malory’s eyes tracked to the formidable Tech Sergeant. “Your offer is gratefully acknowledged, Mr. Alvarez,” she said sincerely. “But I won’t allow it.”
“May I speak freely?” he asked.
“Go ahead,” she replied easily.
“Neither you or the Sergeant Major can be spared. You two are the only ones capable of bringing the complex out of lockdown. Lieutenant Ring can’t do it because he’s our only pilot and the Chief can’t be chosen because his knowledge of the facility is too valuable to lose. And honestly, I’m probably the only one who stands a modest chance of surviving. I spent my previous two tours with Special Operations.”
Malory studied him thoughtfully. “All good points,” she conceded. “But you’re not going to change my mind.”
“Commander,” he continued. “Your survival is paramount. In addition, you are physically the weakest among us and the most injured. I’ve seen you try to hide it from Dr. Rivers but you took a hell of shot in the ribs this morning. You’ll have to stoop to maneuver in the service tunnels and even crawl in certain areas. Your injury will only hinder your ability to act in the event of a confrontation. Not to mention, you risk further injury to yourself by attempting to negotiate the terrain down there.”
“Mr. Alvarez…” she started.
“Let me also point out that if you die down there, you’ll kill the woman behind me who has been afraid to take her eyes off of you since this began,” he interrupted.
She stood angrily from her seat. “That’s not only extremely manipulative but way out of line,” she said dangerously.
He stood his ground. “It’s also true, Commander.”
She opened her mouth, taking a deep breath to get some steam behind her tirade.
“He’s right, Commander,” McNeely cut her off. “On all counts.”
She slowly closed her mouth and studied the men silently for a moment. “I’ll let you know in the morning,” she said finally. “At that time, I’ll brook no further argument. Regardless of my decision. Right now, I could use some rest.”
They nodded silently and she began to walk away.
“Commander,” Reynolds said. “The entry codes have been changed, you’ll need to memorize the number.”
She stopped and turned to view the monitor, committing the code to memory. “Thank you, Chief. Let’s keep everybody close to the door for the evening. Just in case,” she suggested quietly.
“Understood,” McNeely answered and she walked off slowly in Corky’s direction.
Corky was leaning against the wall with her knees drawn up to her chest, Malory noted the brown eyes watching her attentively.
“Hey,” she said with a grin as she approached.
“Hey,” Corky replied quietly and Malory slid down the wall to take a seat next to her.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” Corky said unconvincingly, reaching out a hand to pet the back of her head.
“Your beautiful hair,” she added sadly.
“Huh?” Malory asked confusedly, bringing a hand up to check and finding the stub of a ponytail. “Shit,” she said disappointedly, pulling the useless band out. “How bad does it look?”
Corky grinned and studied the now shoulder length hair. “Kinda cute actually.”
“Really?” Malory asked warily.
Corky ruffled it playfully. “You look great,” she said honestly.
Malory eyed her suspiciously.
“Really, it looks good,” Corky soothed.
Malory shrugged. “I guess I’d rather lose a hunk of hair than my ass.”
“Your hair will grow back if you don’t like it,” Corky said amiably and then whispered. “But I want that ass to remain where it is. It looks good on you.”
Malory smiled slyly. “It does?”
“Uh huh,” Corky whispered playfully. “I’d like to see it right about now.”
Malory beamed. “As much as I would love to indulge you, I’m afraid our situation isn’t as private as I would prefer,” she said with a look around, noting more than one face watching them curiously.
Corky giggled. “I suppose
that would ruin your command image.”
Malory chuckled. “Pretty much,” she agreed and winced.
“What’s wrong?” Corky asked worriedly.
“Nothing,” Malory said quickly.
Corky didn’t buy it and glared at her stubbornly until she reddened guiltily. “Take a deep breath for me,” she demanded.
Malory sucked in a gulp of air and blew it out with a triumphant smile. Corky’s eyes narrowed and her hand darted forward to probe her side, receiving a sharp hiss of pain for her effort.
McNeely had been watching them for the last few minutes and turned to his comrades. “Hey, fellas,” he said conspiratorially. “Check this out,” he added with a gesture in Malory’s direction.
Four sets of eyes covertly studied the ensuing scene, watching as the little doctor began to quietly scold the guilty looking Commander; eventually rising to her feet and pointing authoritatively to an adjoining room. Malory offered what was apparently an unacceptable response and the doctor bent over to pull her to her feet, again pointing to the next room. Shoulders slumping, Malory sighed and turned to walk through the door Corky had indicated.
McNeely chuckled as the women disappeared. “Looks like someone outranks her.”
“I’ll be damned,” Reynolds said. “Are they together?”
“Yeah,” McNeely admitted.
Ring grunted. “I was wondering what was going on with them.”
“Who gives a shit?” Alvarez said dismissively. “I’d follow her orders to the Gates of Hell.”
“You might have to do just that,” McNeely said quietly.
———
Corky pointed to a table and turned to lock the door. “Take a seat and strip off that shirt,” she demanded.
Malory did as she was told, sitting down on the metal worktable and pulling her sweatshirt over her head. Corky gasped from the door and rushed forward.
“Jesus, Malory,” she said worriedly, eyeing the massive purple-yellow bruise covering most of her side. “Lift your arm,” she ordered.
Malory raised an arm in the air and tried not to wince as Corky gently probed her side, failing twice and receiving extra attention in that area.
“Take a real deep breath,” Corky said sarcastically.
“I can’t,” Malory admitted in a whisper.
Corky sighed. “Oh, baby,” she said sadly. “Just take a big breath and hold it for me. This might hurt a little.”
Malory nodded and did as she was asked, grimacing as Corky pressed a hand against her in examination.
Corky dropped her hand. “They’re not broken but I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t cracked,” she said with a measure of relief. “I’ll need to wrap them.”
Malory blew out a puff of air. “Well, that’s good news,” she said happily.
Corky frowned at her. “No it isn’t,” she said sharply. “You’re all beat up and I don’t like it one bit. One side of your face looks like someone beat you with a hockey stick, you’ve got cracked ribs and are minus half a foot of hair.”
Malory brought a hand up to her hair self-consciously. “I thought you said it looked good.”
Corky slapped her on the knee. “I can’t believe you,” she said, shaking her head. “Out of all that you’re worried most about your hair? Don’t be such a girl.”
An indulgent smile. “I thought you liked girls?”
Corky rolled her eyes. “I do,” she said quietly. “But I love you and I don’t like to see you hurt.”
“I love you too, Corky.”
“I was so scared for you today,” she said in a small voice.
“Corky,” Malory said softly. “I have to go outside in the morning.”
Brown eyes looked at her sharply. “No,” she said strictly.
“I have to.”
“No, you don’t!” she said in alarm. “You send someone else.”
A sigh. “I can’t send anyone else.”
“No,” Corky said determinedly, gearing up for combat. “You will send one of the other guys, you’re not going,” she added, stomping a foot for emphasis.
Malory reached out and grabbed her hands. “Corky, I have to go,” she said tenderly. “I can’t and I won’t order anyone else to do it. Neither will I allow someone to go in my place.”
Corky stared at her fearfully. “Then we’ll stay in here until summer.”
“We don’t have enough food to last us the week and no matter how secure things are, these things are smart. They’ll find a way in here by summer.”
“Don’t ask me to let you do this,” Corky pleaded.
“I won’t ask,” Malory sighed. “Because it’s going to happen anyway.”
Corky’s face crumbled and the tears started. “Please don’t go.”
Malory pulled her into her arms, embracing her tightly and ignoring the pain in her side. “It’ll be okay,” she whispered into her hair. “You’ll see.”
———
McNeely looked up when the women emerged from the other room, noting the doctor’s puffy eyes and the Commander’s look of sad resolution. He knew what it meant and he nudged the napping Alvarez who sat beside him.
“What’s up?” he said, coming awake instantly.
“She’s going,” he said quietly.
Alvarez looked across the room and watched as the Commander took a seat against the wall and the doctor snuggled up to her desperately, burying her face into Malory’s chest.
“I knew she would,” he admitted.
McNeely sighed. “I did too,” he said resignedly. “Think she has a chance?”
Alvarez considered silently for a moment. “Better than average,” he said finally.
———
Corky slept fitfully, snapping awake several times just to make sure Malory was still in her embrace. Finally, she gave up trying to sleep altogether and just lay still in her lover’s arms, listening to her heartbeat and soft breathing. She had tried frantically to get Malory to change her mind but it was all for naught. She had even considered throwing herself to the floor in the morning and pitching a fit but discarded it reluctantly, figuring Malory would just have someone drag her into the other room and lock her inside. The fear for both Malory and their situation was making her irrational.
She sighed and opened her eyes, slowly tracking around the room cluttered with sleeping men, her entire body growing ice cold as she met another pair of open eyes staring at her from the other side of the door. Her terrified scream echoed around the room alarmingly, jolting everyone awake instantly.
Malory went from a dead sleep to standing at a rigid attention in a nanosecond, her hands white on her shotgun, eyes flying around the room frantically. “What the fu…” she trailed off abruptly as she met Coy’s hopelessly insane stare.
He was standing stock still as if in a trance on the opposite side of the transparent door, his broken jaw drooping hideously.
“He’s alone, Commander,” Alvarez said. “Let’s let him in, we can finish him quick and it’ll be one less to worry about,” he added and received several nods of approval.
Malory nodded to agree. “Form a firing line,” she ordered and the men scrambled to obey her.
“Love… craft,” Coy’s voice gurgled gruesomely, his devastated jaw slurring his pronunciation.
The entire room froze in their tracks, all eyes slowly turning in Coy’s direction.
Malory squeezed Corky against her tightly, her grip on her lover steady to keep her hands from trembling. Not wanting to believe she had heard the thing speak.
“Love… craft,” Coy repeated.
Feigning a confidence that she didn’t feel in the slightest, she let go of Corky and stepped forward. “What can I do for you?” she asked, feeling proud of the question.
His eyes focused on her drunkenly, his jaw convulsing sickeningly. “Love… craft,” he repeated stupidly.
“That would be me,” she said impatiently. “What is it you want?”
“Only… for you�
��” he struggled and coughed a mouthful of worms onto the glass that separated them. “…for you… to…die.”
Malory fought back a gag, only barely succeeding. “Why me?” she forced herself to ask.
“Without…you… no hope,” he replied.
“There’s always hope,” she countered quickly.
“Very… little hope… I assure… you,” he said with difficulty.
Malory’s heart skipped and her face paled as the words struck a familiar cord, her brain jumping through hoops to remember where she had heard them. It came to her suddenly and scared her so bad she took an involuntary step backwards.
“Y… yes,” Coy rasped. “We… know.”
“Malory,” Corky said worriedly taking a step forward, concern etched deeply into her features.
Malory raised a hand to stop her. “What is it you know?”
“Everything,” he said. “You will… die… soon.”
“Will not happen,” she challenged.
“Someone… some…thing rules… in … his place.”
Malory closed her eyes. “What the fuck was in that cube?” she asked in a whisper.
Coy’s head twitched violently to the side several times. “S…seventh … seal,” he answered and turned to stagger stiffly into the hall, slowly disappearing from view.
Stunned silence reigned in his departure and Corky came forward to embrace Malory from behind.
“Commander,” McNeely said finally. “You are not leaving this room,” he added sternly. “If you try, I’ll have you subdued.”
Malory turned an empty glance in his direction. “It doesn’t matter, Doug,” she said calmly.
“What doesn’t matter?” he asked confusedly.
“Those… things, they know everything.”
“What do you mean, Commander?” Lenard asked. “What was Coy talking about?”
“He was quoting Vincent Price from ‘The Masque of the Red Death’,” she said indifferently.
“Why would he do that?” Watkins asked.
“I had a nightmare just before you found the cube, I was watching that movie at the time,” she explained. “I was alone.”
“What does that prove?” Lenard asked.
“He knew it scared me, just like he knew I was planning to go out and seal the tunnel doors in the morning. They know everything. They know what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling.”
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