ToxicHaven

by Gabriella Bradley

  Exhausted, she eventually succumbed to sleep, but her mind stayed alert the whole night through.

  When a pounding on the door woke her, she jumped out of bed. A voice came through the speaker. “One-zero-one-six-seven and six-eight. You’re going to be late for your shift.”

  Light flooded the room. She was still alive! Maybe they’d told her the truth, after all. Haven covered her eyes and waited for the men to get up.

  Her roommates casually stood, stretched, and after each paid the bathroom a visit, pulled on their uniforms.

  She watched their nakedness disappear, her shocked sensibilities overloaded as the bodysuits covered their muscles and sinew. She knew the image of muscular backs and buttocks would surface in her mind later in the day when she’d least expect it. For the moment, she pushed any lascivious thoughts away while watching them leave her very plush cell.

  She looked down at her body and noticed the faint red marks of an arm banded across her abdomen where one of the men had held her. She inhaled, smelling something that wasn’t her shampoo. Masculine and enticingly warm, the scent faded quickly. She knew one of her new roommates was a cuddler.

  She was ready and waiting when the guards hauled her off for her shift. She didn’t talk to them. They didn’t talk to her. She calmly slid into her station and put on her headset. Within moments, she was watching for the first incoming traffic while programming the drones for their trips to contaminate the unsuspecting with toxic fertilizer.

  This was the part of her imprisonment that ate at her soul. Defending the mine from armed insurgents was one thing, but the systematic poisoning of untold generations was something else altogether. She was participating in the very situation she wanted to blow the whistle on.

  Her name was supposed to mean safety and protection. How ludicrous that she delivered death across a dozen worlds, all with the click of a few keys.

  The colonies’ demands for slag were filed in her computer systems and she went through them carefully. She did what she could to ensure the fewest folks possible were affected. The difficulty was, they were convinced of the residue’s superior powers to grow faster and stronger produce. Thus, there was far more demand growing in larger population centers.

  While her fingers pressed the correct keys to distribute the day’s allotment of slag, she frantically scrambled to find a way out. She had a dozen plans in place, but as a female alone, she could never act on any of them. She seemed destined to live out her life poisoning people who had no idea that every generation was going to be less intelligent than the one before.

  She had no one to tell, no one to whom she could whisper the truth. Haven’s guilt grew with every passing day and so did her desperation. After years of education, working her way up the corporate ladder, this was where she’d ended up. She was trapped in the mines, destroying those who would free the folk held within.

  She was in middle management hell.

  Mindlessly, she continued to jab at buttons and program new slag dumps, blanking out all thought except the task at hand. It wasn’t until near the end of her day that another craft failed to give security clearance and she had to destroy it. That one counted five aboard. Choking back tears, she added them to the tally weighing so heavily on her soul. Other ships veered sharply away from the debris as the craft exploded.

  There were several dozen habitable planets in this galaxy, as the astronauts had discovered many years ago when Earth’s population became unmanageable. Environmental damage was beyond repair. The hungry and homeless numbered in the billions and disease was rampant. When technology had advanced to such a degree that they could send teams out to explore far galaxies, they found this one and called it New Genesis. Soon afterward, migration started, but it was reserved for those who passed medical examinations and tests. The rest of the world’s population could rot in hell.

  Haven knew Earth’s history. Her parents, rest their souls, had drummed it into her and told her never to speak of it to anyone. When she was eight years old, she was selected to take part in the special enhancement program. She’d ended up in an exclusive boarding school reserved for those who were lucky enough to be chosen.

  Her relief arrived, startling her out of her thoughts. The guard waited just outside the door. She didn’t greet the other prisoner, a male. They weren’t allowed to exchange words. To even say hello could mean a demerit. She’d found out the hard way, and those who had dared to answer her suffered for it as well.

  On the way to her quarters, Josias and Isan came to mind. On purpose, she’d not dwelt on the two men during her shift. But now that she was going be with them again, strange feelings surged through her, emotions she couldn’t afford—a longing to be with someone, to find true bonding. Maybe that wasn’t for her. Certainly not there, in prison.

  “I’ll be back for you in one hour for your daily orientation.”

  Haven nodded, although she was ready to burst into a torrent of curses. The doors slid closed and she was instantly startled when Josias came out of the bathroom, stark naked. He didn’t seem at all perturbed by his nudity. My God, he’s hung.

  “Greetings, Drew,” he said formally and walked toward her while holding up both hands.

  She pulled the cap off her hair and shook her head, not only to loosen the long blonde hair but to shake the wild thoughts from her mind. She tucked the cap into her belt and placed her palms against his. She didn’t do it to simply be polite— she ached to touch him. He was so close to her, she could smell his minty breath. As their skin touched, small sparks emanated and their hands glowed.

  “It can’t be,” she whispered looking into his eyes. A smile tilted the corners of his lips and he nodded, then mouthed, “Ssh.” He stepped closer, so close his throbbing erection tapped against her belly. It had not been erect when she’d entered, but now it sure as hell was. All she wanted was to reach down and touch that throbbing invitation.

  Haven waited. His face was barely inches from hers. She parted her lips anticipating his kiss.

  Instead, he whispered so softly it was good she had enhanced hearing or she’d never have picked up the words. “Don’t say a word, Haven. Nothing that will incriminate you. The walls have eyes and ears.”

  “But—”

  “Ssh. Later. In bed.”

  The energy still sparked between them when he dropped his hands and walked away.

  Isan stood and headed for the bathroom. “Evening, Haven. I think I’ll have a shower, unless you’d like to bathe first?”

  “I think I will. I have to go to orientation again in fifty-five minutes. That leaves me barely time to bathe and eat. When I get back, it’s almost lights out.”

  “Okay,” he answered, but held both hands up for the customary greeting as she approached on her way toward the bathroom.

  Haven placed her palms against his and experienced the same transference of energy as she had with Josias. Impossible. Two bonding partners? Meeting his gaze, she picked up anxiety within him. He seemed more serious than Josias.

  Haven lowered her hands and swiveled into the bathroom. Rather than the soak she so longed for, she quickly showered. She wouldn’t mind the orientation so much that evening, knowing when she got back to her quarters, it would be lights out and time to crawl into bed with those two gorgeous hunks. This time, even though she was exhausted, more so mentally than physically, she would force herself to stay awake. That was, if her interrogators didn’t pump her full of drugs or truth serum again.

  The shower helped to cool her libido. Feeling refreshed, she dressed and returned to the main room. Happily, she jabbed at the buttons on the food dispenser. One of the choices was hamburger and fries. She’d earned another bonus that day. She chose it, but the burger almost got stuck in her throat while she chewed. It was food she’d earned by killing another five innocent people. Leaving half the burger and most of the fries, she opted for her herbal tea instead. She’d barely finished drinking it when the guard entered to escort her to orientation.r />
  “Prisoner one-zero-one-eight-eight, can you tell us why you are here?”

  Over and over they asked the same questions, day after day. They injected her with truth serum, but she was immune to it, thanks to her enhancements. Haven kept glancing at the clock. She endured their cruelty, the blows to her ribs, the rod sending shocks through her body, the occasional fist to her head. All she could think of was Josias’ whispers. She kept that in her mind the whole time they came at her—until their final words. They scared the living hell out of her.

  “Prisoner one-zero-one-eight-eight, you may return to your quarters. We have scheduled a transfer for you to our medical facility in three days. Your enhancements are hampering our investigation, so we have consulted with the scientists who enhanced your abilities. They will remove some of those devices. Go. We’re done.”

  Oh, my God! Oh, dear Jesus! What am I going to do?

  The guard led her from the room and back to her quarters. Her feet felt like lead and her heart hovered somewhere near them.

  The two men gazed at her as she sank onto the side of the bed. Tears were close, but she refused to cry. Never, ever, would a man see tears spill from her eyes. She knew from the expression on their faces and in their eyes they realized something was off. But, Josias had warned her, the walls have eyes and ears. In other words, there were hidden cameras and the room was bugged. They watched every move the prisoners made and heard each word said.

  “Lights out,” the monotone voice informed them.

  Haven quickly took her clothes off and lay on the bed. Within a few seconds, Josias and Isan joined her. With the auto metal blinds closed, the room was inky black. There was no way the cameras could see them, but the bugs could still pick up speech. If Josias and Isan were enhanced, as she was, she should be able to communicate with them telepathically. That didn’t seem to be the case or they would have done so earlier. Then again, if she was able to turn it on and off, so could they. And if they didn’t know she had a particular enhancement, maybe they wouldn’t even try. She decided to give it a whirl.

  Snuggling close to Josias, she groped behind her and pulled Isan tight against her on the other side. “Are you telepathically enhanced?” she asked in the softest whisper. Although she’d suspected it, having felt strongly they’d tried to probe her mind, she needed to be sure.

  “Yes, we both are. Are you?”

  “Yes.” Quickly, she concentrated and activated the microchip in her brain.

  Can you hear me?

  Yes, we can, in unison.

  I’m afraid to trust you. Were you planted here to spy on me? To get information out of me?

  That would be my guess, Isan said.

  And mine, Josias echoed. It’s unusual to place two males with a female, to say the least.

  The rooms are bugged? Cameras?

  Yes, there are. We know where, but we can’t disable them or they’ll be onto us, Josias said.

  Onto you?

  Like you, we have crucial information about the disappearance of settlers, of officials. Not just to this facility, but complete disappearances. We think they’ve killed many. Isan and I want to put a stop to it all, to their slag dumps, their contamination of innocent victims. We think you’re of our mindset, even if you’ve killed people by destroying their ships. We realize you had no choice.

  Isan added. We saw you were very upset when you came back from your interrogation. Yes, we know you were interrogated. No one goes through orientation more than once. What happened?

  In three days I’m to be transferred to the medical facility, to the science and research labs, where they’ll remove some of my enhancements.

  Oh, my God. Three days? Have you thought about escape?

  Haven still wasn’t entirely sure she could trust them. They were asking so many questions. What choice did she have? She knew they were her bonded partners, that she was destined to spend her life with them both. Surely they knew, too?

  You can answer truthfully. I’m sure you know by now that we’re bonded, we’re destined to unite, Josias said.

  Of course I know. As soon as we touched. I’m still stunned at being bonded to two men. I didn’t know it was possible.

  Neither did we, Josias said. But here we are. Now about escape?

  Yes, I’ve thought about it, but I can’t do it by myself. I’ve discovered several escape routes and I’ve devised a plan that could work.

  How about letting us in on it? Isan asked.

  Haven still hesitated. Bonded or not, if the powers that be killed her, the two men would find another bonding partner. How could she trust them completely? Had she already told them too much?

  Tomorrow night. We’ll talk more then.

  Girl, if you only have three days, we need to move. Fast! Josias told her firmly.

  I’m still not sure I can trust you completely.

  Once we’re physically bonded, nothing can break that bond, Isan said.

  That’s not supposed to happen until we’ve been formally united.

  We can change that rule in this instance, can’t we? Anyway, who is going to know but us? Josias told her.

  Feeling somewhat calmer then, she thought about his words. Once bonded physically, they had to stand up for her, fight for her and remain by her side. If they took the bond as seriously as she did, it would seal her trust in them.

  What do you say, Haven? Josias asked. We won’t do anything without your permission.

  Dammit, get to it. I’ll never sleep if you don’t, she told them, having made up her mind.

  It won’t be the same as a normal bonding. We can’t utter a sound. They must not know.

  I won’t utter a sound, I promise. Don’t worry, my virginity was removed, like all other enhanced women, when they experimented on me.

  From what we’ve learned, you are an exception to the rule. I’m surprised you were imprisoned, Josias said. Your capabilities are every enhanced human’s dream.

  I’ve hardly had a chance to use most of them, she thought wryly, at the same time wriggling so their throbbing cocks pressed against her body.

  Josias took her first while Isan fondled her breasts, and—what she so longed for—he kissed her deeply, fully, sucking her tongue into his mouth. She moaned softly.

  Hush. They’ll know, he said.

  Gawd, how the fuck could she have two men make love to her and not utter a sound?

  Josias slipped between her legs, his fingers on her bald pubic area, stroking, fondling, putting pressure on her clit. If only she could speak. Reaching down, she grasped his cock. It felt wonderful, the silky skin, the throbbing veins. She stroked it softly, then gently pulled the skin back and forth while Isan massaged her breasts and sucked her nipples.

  They were so tender, so sweet, so utterly loving, it was all she could do not to scream out her longing for them.

  Josias placed his cock near her slick opening and slowly entered her. Arching her hips, she placed both hands on his buttocks and pulled him into her. It hurt, but at the same time she was so slick that he slid in all the way in one deliciously slow stroke. She ached when he started to move, but it felt so good she didn’t want him to stop.

  He came too soon. Much too soon. She’d barely reached the point of climax when he pulled out. But she needn’t have worried. Isan took his place between her legs and wasted no time.

  He, too, came fast, indicating they’d not had a woman in a long time or they were exceptionally turned on. Either way, she was sated. At least, for the time being.

  They lay entwined, their minds calmed but still busy with the other issues they needed to address.

  Do you trust us now? Josias asked. You do realize by bonding with us, your birth control has been deactivated?

  Yes. I trust you now. And I’d better not get pregnant or I’ll have to kill you both.

  They chuckled very softly and she yanked their hair.

  We need to talk about escape. What plans have you come up with? Isan asked.

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sp; She thought for a moment. The building was octagon shaped. Each corridor of cells led to the center control station where there were three guards on duty. From there, the guards monitored the screens, controlled the lights and all the cell doors. She’d carefully studied the control station each time the guards fetched her for interrogation and led her past it to the elevator.

  There is no way to get out of this room once control has initiated lockdown. We have no tools and even if we did, they wouldn’t help. We need explosives to get through that door, she told the men. If we could get to the elevator, we can go to level sixteen. From there we should be able get to the launch pads.

  You mean where they launch the ships that carry the mining slag, Josias said.

  Yes. If we can get to one of the ships, we can slip into the cargo hold. When they dump the slag, we’ll get dumped with it.

  Good plan. But you already pointed out, how do we get out of here and slip by the control station undetected? Invisibility was not included in my enhancements, Isan said.

  No, but it was included in mine. Did yours include super strength? Isan? Josias?

  Yes. That’s why we’re heavily guarded when we go to and from our workstations every day. Getting zapped by their snida guns is not my idea of a fun time. Josias, you got any ideas?

  Haven mentally cleared her throat. I have an idea. It’s dangerous and stupid, but it could work.

  Josias stroked her hip. Tell us.

  We can escape during the day, just before shift change. The guards and controllers in the station only work eight hour shifts. Change is at three.

  Isan ran a hand down her back. Tell us more?

  With the prior guard shift running their reports at the guard station, and the new shift getting their briefings, it’s the time when everyone is there but no one is really looking. We’re already out of the high security of the cells, so it will be easier for us to move. I haven’t used my invisibility enhancement ever, but I’ll practice in the morning. They taught me how to use it in theory, but that was years ago. The briefings usually last about five minutes. Long enough for me to run from the lav to the station, deactivate the cameras in your area and in the corridors to the cargo area. There will be a scheduled drone ship leaving and I can turn off the life and movement sensors as well, so that you can get away.