“Captain..” the voice whispered. Breanna jerked back and away from Caleb, but that was provocation enough for Osborne. He rushed at them, moving far faster than either of them would've believed possible in his present condition.
Osborne streaked past Caleb and ran headlong into Breanna, throwing her down and knocking the breath out of her lungs. He straddled her, a knee on either side of her waist, one hand pinning her arms and the other pushing her head against the hard floor. Osborne brought his face down to hers, grinning in triumph. She gagged as his foul, rotten breath filled her nostrils and lungs.
Breanna writhed weakly under Osborne's suffocatingly heavy body, hoping to find a weak spot in his position so she could throw him off balance. It was hard to breathe with him on top of her. She felt dizzy ... lightheaded—like she was going to pass out. But she couldn't, she told herself fiercely. If she did God only knew what would happen. She thought she heard Caleb call her name, but wasn't sure. Everything seemed so distorted now, like the realms of reality had been switched around and mixed up until nothing remained but a twisted insane mass of distorted confusion.
Breanna blinked her eyes, fighting the haziness that clouded them. Where's Caleb? Why isn't he helping me? she thought angrily, and then realized that he was when her eyes fixated on his towering form struggling to pull Osborne off of her. She wondered briefly why he wasn't using his gun but quickly came to the conclusion that he probably didn't want to chance hitting her.
Caleb grabbed at Osborne's arms, attempting to wrest them from her. The flesh of his arm felt spongy, not quite substantial—as if there was no real solidity to them. Caleb gave a powerful pull, putting all the strength his body held into it.
They fell back, Osborne rolling quickly away and standing with his back against the wall, once again facing them with his gun.
Caleb watched him, waiting for the opportunity to rush him to knock the gun from his hands. Osborne's face crumpled as a spasm of pain rent through his body.
“Oh, fuck!” he rasped, his voice and mannerisms suddenly as they had been before his disappearance. Osborne jerked again as another torturing wave washed over him.
“It won't let me leave,” he said through gritted teeth. “I told him we wouldn't find it ... couldn't control it, but they wouldn't listen. You ... you've got to ... get it and destroy it before it ... arhhh!” he broke off, twisting in agony and clutching his stomach.
Caleb took a step closer to him. He had lost the unnatural pallor to his skin, looked almost like his old self except for the fact that he looked to be in excruciating pain.
“Osborne, put the gun down. We can help you if you'll just put the gun down,” Caleb said softly. He heard Breanna behind him, rising from the floor and slowly moving closer.
“No! No one can help me now! Just listen ... it's hidden somewhere on this ship. I think I know where.” He stopped as the hand that held the gun, moving of its own accord, slowly aimed the barrel at his head.
Breanna jerked and clamped her hands to her ears as the force from the blast reverberated off the walls in near-deafening proportions. He's killed himself ... or something had made him kill himself. Either thought was just as frightening, just as horrible as the other. Breanna shuddered as she tried to banish the vision of Osborne's pleading face just before it exploded. Caleb turned to her, somehow sensing her need for comfort and reassurance. She allowed him to hold her and lead her away from the ghastly scene.
“What the hell happened here?” Angus asked, running up to them along with the other members of the squad.
Caleb pointed back towards the direction they had come from and shook his head. “Osborne's dead. God only knows where Hunter is."
* * *
Chapter Twelve
I know where it is. Osborne's last words echoed over and over again in her head. Breanna massaged her aching temples with her index fingers. She couldn't for the life of her figure out what they meant, had thought over and studied the implications of those words until her head hurt with the dizzying proportions.
Everything that had happened to them in that corridor had been over a period of several hours. As unlikely as it seemed to her, it was true. She still couldn't believe that what had seemed like only minutes had actually been hours. What could distort time and reality like that? And, for that matter, what could drive a sane man insane in an equally short period of time?
But was Osborne really crazy? Of course, he had to be. No sane person would kill themselves ... unless they were without hope. The last thought lingered in her mind. Had he been without hope? What had driven him to the breaking point?
Breanna slid down the wall she was propped against until she was seated on the floor, looking out at the slumbering forms of her comrades. She remembered Osborne's words—Had it been what had caused his suicide? And if so, what had had control over him? And if so what was it? She might have put it down to space dementia, except for the fact that she knew something had been controlling her and Caleb.
Soft footfalls snapped her out of her thoughts, bringing her to immediate awareness of her surroundings. Breanna squinted her eyes, studying Amy Clayborne as she approached. The blonde stopped in front of her, looking down in a tentative perusal for acceptance.
“Captain, is it okay if I talk to you? I mean, I know it's your watch and all, but I was hoping if you had the time,” Amy said softly.
“Sure,” Breanna said, patting the floor beside her. “I don't mind having some company. It'll make the time go by faster.” Amy sat down beside her, looking distractedly out over the cafeteria, chewing her lower lip in thought. They sat together for several minutes, neither one talking, just sitting in thoughtful silence.
Breanna finally spoke up, “So what's been bothering you, Amy?"
Amy looked at Breanna's profile, searching her face for any signs of mockery. Not seeing any, she started, “I don't know. A whole lot of things I guess. It's just that lately everything seems to have been turned upside down."
Breanna smiled sadly at that.
“I guess that was the year's biggest understatement, huh?"
“You could say that. But I can tell there's more to this than just what's happened since we got here. Has it got anything to do with you and Luis ... maybe a fight?"
“Oh no, nothing like that ... well, maybe that's just a small tale.” She let out a sigh of regret. “Actually, it has everything to do with him."
Breanna nodded her head in sympathy, urging her to continue.
After wrestling with herself for several moments, Amy said, “You see, we've been ‘together’ for awhile now, and have gotten quite close—Breanna, if I told you a secret could you swear not to tell it? Not to anyone, not even the company.” Amy took on an earnest expression, waiting anxiously for her reply.
Breanna thought it over a moment before answering. It wasn't like her to become involved in other people's affairs, but Amy was so trusting, so needy, she found it hard to resist helping her. Amy was the closest thing she'd ever had to a friend, and she couldn't bring herself to let her down.
“Okay, I promise I won't tell. Now what's this big secret? Are you going to keep me in suspense all night?"
Amy looked with watery eyes to where she knew Luis rested. “I'm in trouble. I don't know what to do and I thought, if anyone could help me, it'd be you."
“Don't worry, Amy. I'm sure we can figure out a solution to whatever's bothering you."
“That's just it,” Amy broke down then, crying, “I don't think I can be helped, or cured or whatever you do in these sort of situations. You see ... I'm ... going to have his child."
“Oh Amy,” Breanna said, hugging the girl close and smoothing the fine blond hair back and away from her face. She hadn't thought things like that happened anymore, that people could control themselves, but she supposed everyone had a moment's weakness. And Amy's would cause her a tremendous amount of heartache.
“Shhh, shh,” Breanna soothed, “It'll be okay. We'll think of something?
What has Luis said about it?"
Amy wiped at her eyes with her palms. “He doesn't know. I..I can't bear to tell him. I mean, what'll he think of me once he knows I've ruined his life?"
“Amy,” Breanna pushed the young woman away to study her face, “It takes two to do this, you know. It's every bit as much his responsibility as it is yours. You need to tell him as soon as possible, before he finds out from another source. He won't take it nearly so well that way."
“Yes, I guess your right. I suppose I was just hoping there'd be a way out of this mess I've made without hurting anyone, but I can see there's really no good solution to it.” Amy stood up and prepared to go back to her pallet.
As she turned to go, Breanna spoke up once more, “Amy, don't worry about how your going to get out of this mess. I'll think of something, and when I do, I'll tell you immediately."
Amy nodded. “Thanks for listening to me,” she said as she walked away.
* * * *
Caleb rolled over on his pallet. He couldn't sleep. The more he thought about it, the more he was certain that there was something important at the end of that corridor. He had to get back to it, before someone tampered with whatever evidence could be found. Hunter was still out there somewhere, with nothing to stop him from screwing things up even more so than they were already.
And if Osborne and Hunter were in league with the company, then that meant that Osborne had been trying to protect, or find, something they wanted. The revelation caused him to sit up excitedly. Why hadn't he seen it before? Now there was no choice but to go back down there. He had a promise to keep, and he wasn't going to let two men keep him from his objectives.
Glancing around to make certain Breanna hadn't returned from her excursion into the galley, Caleb stood up from his pallet, stretching his aching body. He still hurt from his brawl with Osborne, though he'd never let anyone know it. Hefting his gun, he looked around quickly to make sure he hadn't alerted anyone. Seeing no suspicious action, he crept quietly to the barrier/alarm they had constructed. He had to get over it somehow without waking the entire squad.
Caleb walked over to the wall farthest from the sleeping squad, studying the narrowest point on the barrier. It wasn't too wide. If he got a good running start he might make it over, but then doing it quietly was another matter altogether.
Unfortunately, he didn't have a whole lot of choices right now. He'd just have to jump it. Placing his hand against the wall to judge the distance he'd need, he drew it back in confusion, then touched it again, running his hand over the surface. There were small grooves in it, something he hadn't noticed before. On sudden impulse, Caleb placed his foot on one and found it had just enough edge to hold him. So this was how Hunter and Osborne had gotten out without anyone hearing them!
Caleb hefted himself up and plastered his body against the wall, edging over the barrier until he was halfway across, then decided to just jump the rest of the way. He landed lightly on his feet, straightened, and looked out at his sleeping comrades to make sure he hadn't been heard.
Smiling in satisfaction, he turned to go and ran right into Breanna Delaney.
“What the hell? How'd you get over here?"
“Same way you did. And just where do you think you're going mister?” Breanna asked, not bothering to hide the grin which had suddenly assailed her face. Now she knew why he liked to tease her so much, it was fun to get the drop on him when he was so unused to it.
He stammered a moment then quickly recovered, grinning sheepishly. “Where do you think you're going?” he asked, arching one eyebrow and eyeing her mischievously. He liked this new Breanna Delaney, she was much easier to deal with than the other.
“Where ever you are."
“I thought you were on watch,” Caleb hedged.
“Amy relieved me. So....Shall we?"
* * * *
The stench of the dead, of blood and smoke, hung in the air like the cloying scent of rooting gardenias in the heat of the summer, sickeningly sweet in their intensity. Breanna slowed as they reached the corner, just before where it had happened. Caleb, sensing her wariness, stopped and turned to face her.
“Are you sure you want to do this? I can take you back if you don't want to go through with it,” he said softly, reaching out to pull her close. He really hadn't wanted her to come, wanted to be alone for his discoveries, but it wasn't possible once she'd known about his proposed expedition.
Breanna pushed him away. “I'll be okay. I need to know just as badly as you do what's at the end of this corridor. And don't try to talk me out of it.” She glared at him then moved ahead, determined not to let him see her falter ever again, especially in the face of danger.
Breanna passed the point where they'd been earlier, willing herself not to look at her surroundings, though she knew nothing was there. Corbett and Ahmad had cleaned up ‘the mess’ and had left not even the faintest speck of blood. But for all their efforts, the area still held a tainted, haunted feel to it—be it all in her mind or not. She just couldn't banish the image from her mind, hard as she might try to do so. She wondered briefly about how Caleb was holding up, if he was fairing better than she.
He caught up to her, and they strode side by side down the corridor, closer and closer to their unknown objective. Breanna studied Caleb's profile out of the corner of her eye. He seemed tired, despite the fact that there was an excited expectancy he carefully held at bay. If he felt half as badly as she did, he had to be exhausted. How he could go traipsing about the place as if nothing was wrong and nothing had happened was beyond her.
“Aha!” Caleb yelped as he caught sight of a door at the end of the corridor. He quickly left her behind at this discovery.
“Caleb, wait for me. Don't just go running up there,” Breanna called after him in an urgent whisper, hurrying down the hall in his wake. She didn't want to become separated from him again, not after what happened last time.
“It'll be okay,” Caleb said through gritted teeth as he struggled to turn the large handle centered in the door. “Breanna, get that cute ass of yours over here. This thing's stuck and it's gonna take a little bit more strength than I've got to get it open."
Breanna ignored his comment about her butt and ran over to him, gripping the wheel with both hands and putting all her weight into turning it. Caleb grinned when he felt it move, looking much like a child opening his Christmas presents. The wheel groaned its loud protest at such abuse, but slowly turned, loosening the lock more and more until it was possible for them to open the door without restraint.
Caleb pushed it open, blocking the doorway with his body as he searched the wall inside with his hand for a light switch. Finding one, he flipped it and muttered a curse at what he saw.
“What? What is it? Move out of the way so I can get inside too.” Breanna pushed at him, trying to squeeze by him to get into the room.
Realizing he'd been hogging the vision to himself, he stepped aside, bowing down and sweeping his arms in mock gallantry. “My lady ... we have found your lab."
* * *
Chapter Thirteen
At first glance it appeared much the same as any other lab, but on closer inspection they found one major difference. The experiments performed therein were done on humans, not animals.
Breanna shivered as she studied the three cages. Inside each were the skeletal remains of the humans who'd once inhabited them in life. Many of their bones were broken, as if they'd beaten themselves against the bars in a frenzy to escape.
It was horrible, inhuman to have caged them thus, with barely enough room to stand fully erect and barely enough width to sit. She wondered why they had been locked inside ... and what had been done to them.
Breanna moved past the cages to the counter behind them. It ran the length of the room and was covered with the broken glass of beakers and test tubes. All the equipment in the lab had been destroyed, basically turned to rubble. And what few papers and notes could be found had been scattered throughout the roo
m in a what appeared a mad, raced search.
“Breanna, come here a minute. I think I've found something.” Caleb's voice carried over to her. She turned and looked to where he sat searching through a desk, a book of some kind in his hand.
“What is it?” she asked as she approached him.
“It's a journal of the experiments that they were doing here. I found it wedged down between the desk and the wall. If I hadn't dropped those papers I would've never found it.
“Who did it belong to?” she asked hopefully as she sat down in the roll-away chair a few feet from where he sat at the desk. If it was her father's...
“I couldn't find a name inside so I don't know who it belonged to, but that doesn't matter. What matters is what's inside. It's amazing what they've done, the experiments they were doing. Well ... It's just too crazy to describe. Here, you need to read this.” He handed the small leather-bound book to her. Breanna flipped through it, a dubious expression on her face.
“Just read it—you'll understand me when you do."
Breanna breathed a sigh of irritation then leaned back in her chair, opening the book. The first few pages were filled with the trifling matters of setting up the experiment, obtaining equipment and test subjects. But after the first few weeks, the journal was less dry and clinical, and things started taking on a more eerie tone...
... Subjects one and two have begun to show abnormal behavior. Whereas before, as stated earlier, each were of a rational, calm personality, as of late they have been prone to paranoia and fits of frenzy. We have had to move both them and subject three to the cages (unfortunately—for it is more difficult to study their reactions to the tests in those) where they will remain for the duration of the testing.
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