Just in time...Really? Where else would I be? Oh, I know. At home where I was supposed to be before this guy abducts me. It’s not like I had a choice. I didn’t just exit my cell for a stroll and waltz my way down here. The nerve of this one.
I want to ask him so many questions, but I’d rather not give him the satisfaction of conversation, and I get the feeling that I’ll know the answers soon enough anyways, so I continue to stand here feeling quite rebellious of myself.
“Not in the mood to chat? No matter. Come with me, we have a lot to get done and so little time.” He beckons me to follow him through another doorway.
I follow him through into the new room, which looks like a medical examiner’s office, sort of, but in a creepy way. There’s no easy to read information wallpapers telling me to quit smoking, or the benefits of exercise. It feels cold and distant in here and my anxiety creeps up my spine when I see the bare metal examination table in the middle of the room donned with all the crazy things from a sci-fi movie like stirrups and cuffs. To the side is a movable tray with forceps, syringes, needles and surgical knives.
“No way!” I bolt out of room, through Dr. Shaw’s office and into the corridors that brought me here. I keep running as fast as I can, but eventually, I’m captured by the guards who tried to sedate me. I thrash around like a fish in a tank who refuses to be grabbed. It prevents them from injecting me again, but these men are stronger than me and I can’t break free.
“No sedation. I need her awake. Bring her back to the examination room please,” Dr. Shaw’s cold voice echoes. No longer is it warm and friendly, like when he actually cared about my well-being. What happened to the I shall do no harm?
He’s changed, or rather I’ve changed. My eyes are now open to my innocent naivety. I haven’t been here long, but I feel brutalized by my experiences and I feel like I need to be strong. I’m not a fighter, I’m just a woman, I enjoy the simple things in life. I don’t like conflict and I certainly don’t seek it out. It’s not who I’m and I feel out of depth.
I’m dragged back to the examination room. I gave them the fiercest struggle I could muster, as I wriggled my body, trying to slip from their grasp, but my lack in physical strength makes it easier for them.
They strap me tightly to a cold metal table in the center of the room. There’s no give and it’s rather uncomfortable. I’m fully clothed, which is a small mercy, but it’s still humiliating. I feel like a damn guinea pig.
“Now, let’s get down to business, shall we?” Dr. Shaw grabs a needle and inserts it directly into my arm and draws blood.
“I didn’t sign up for this.” I spit at him as it’s my only defense. But what I lack in action, I make up with luster. His disgruntled frown doesn’t escape my notice. Small victories.
He finishes collecting my blood samples before meticulously wiping my spit off his face and washes his hands. It’s one of the most satisfying things I’ve seen all day.
“But you did. You just didn’t know it at the time,” he says, glaring back at me. “We created that medical study so we can test and solve any procreation issues that might arise in an alien-human mating. And you,” he jabs a finger in my direction, “signed up for it and got paid. You reap what you sow and I’m here to collect.”
I gasp. Kate was right about everything. It’s not like it would have changed anything if I did take her word for truth. I know I didn’t believe her at first, but after thinking about it, there was some merit to what she said. I just couldn’t believe that something like this was really happening to me and others. I must believe that I’m going to escape and get out of here. I need some hope, something to hold on to and keep me sane. I’m going to fight this to the end. Wherever that leads me.
He takes the blood samples and sends them through a machine, which beeps a moment later. “It’s a real damn shame your body didn’t fully take to the targeted treatments. We were able to fully heal some minor genetic defects, but unfortunately your DNA refuses alteration. Good news, you are still of use to us. We can sell you off as a slave or something...”
“The bad news is you can’t reproduce with any of our buyers and that makes you less valuable. You will need to earn and pay back the cost we put into your treatments, but that will be up to your buyer.”
No way in hell is anyone buying me. Is he serious right now? He used the medical study to try and alter my DNA so he could sell me to some aliens? I don’t even recall receiving medical treatment for reproduction. I bet it was in that damn ‘sleep’ medication they gave me.
It pisses me that these people thought it was OK to mess with my body, but I’m damn near elated that their sick little plan isn’t going the exact way they planned. Besides, what were they going to do? Sell me to an alien just to die a few weeks later? And if Dr. Shaw thinks he's getting any money from me, he is out of his damn mind.
I can’t possibly see how much worse this scenario could get. Whatever will happen to me, I won’t be around long enough to have to deal with it. The thought of this entire plan of theirs has me in a fit of rage and laughter.
“What are you laughing about? If you think this ends well for you Jane, you’re mistaken. You have no idea what a potential buyer has planned for you, but I can tell you one thing, they love to break females. With the way you’ve been behaving, you’re not going to last long,” he says, sneering at me with his disgusting face.
“You’re right!” I yell. A self-satisfying grin slowly widens over my face. “I won’t last long. I won’t have to deal with this crazy shit much longer.”
I can’t even believe the words that are coming out of my mouth. I’m not someone who typically swears, but I can’t help myself.
“Fuck you, fuck your plan, the aliens and your stupid fucking experiments. I hope when I suddenly die from my illness, the aliens that buy me come back for you and cut out your stone-cold heart you greedy son of a bitch.”
My grandparents would be rolling in their graves if they heard the pure, vile hatred coming out of my mouth right now. But I’ve had my say and I’m damn proud.
Dr. Shaw starts to laugh. “Illness? Oh Jane. You don’t get it do you. What part didn’t you understand? Do I need to spell it out in small words, or are you just that incapable?”
What an asshole. This man used to be so damn nice to me, taking his time listening to all my concerns, going over all my options when I was sick. He even came into work on a day off just so that I could be seen by him. It’s like the man I knew died and left this spawn in space.
“Clearly, incapable,” he says with a hint of disgust.
I thought I understood completely, but clearly, he thinks otherwise. What could I possibly be misunderstanding?
He must have realized my confusion because he crosses the floor to get closer.
His next words are articulated with slow precision. “There. Is. No. Illness.” And for several moments he just waits for his words to sink into my head. “The symptoms you are experiencing is the rejection of our targeted DNA modification serum that we injected you with many years ago.”
“That's a load of shit. That was a sleep medication study.”
As I try to convince myself, the reality of his harsh words is hard to deny. Was I really played like a fool for some easy money?
“And what would you know about what you were actually taking? Nothing, because you’re just a little art major who couldn’t capitalize on her degree.”
“Screw you. Don’t you think I’d have known if someone modified my body?”
Wouldn’t I? But if what he says is true, honestly, what else could I have missed?
“The DNA modification serum wasn’t successful, so no we didn’t actually modify your body. However, if the DNA modification serum was successful, there would have been no pain or symptoms. In your case, your illness is the result of the rejection.”
He shakes his head.
“It was all too easy to convince you and the other medical staff by manipulating your samples, and
everyone fell for it like fools.”
He leaves the room for a moment but returns quickly with papers in his hand. He’s reading something.
“The best part about your situation is how well it worked out in our favor. Your friends think your dying and they won’t suspect a thing when you're sold. You have no family or current job, no loose ends to tie up.”
Disgust and revulsion churn through my entire body. It’s as if everything I know about my life is a lie. If I wasn’t strapped to this damn table I probably would have collapsed against the floor.
How could Earth let this happen to their citizens? Do they even know that there is an alien abduction facility testing on humans so they can be sold off planet? This sounds like some kind of reverse Area 51 shit.
I could have had a lover, children...a family. All this time wasted because of these cruel, sick people who think it’s their right to play god with the lives of others. The reality of my situation fully hits me, but instead of retreating, I build up mental barriers. I’m not letting this bastard win an easy fight.
Chapter Ten
Aykeetan
We hike through the area until we finally reach the building my mate is in. Initial intel looks correct. The place seems abandoned for the most part.
I spot two guards on the north end by a gate that leads into a flat parking area. The lighting is low, but it works in our favor. It’s amusing to see how their tactics to lay low are the same ones that allow us to infiltrate them with ease.
Rasheed decides the best strategy is to use the back entrance to sneak our way in. The plan is to disarm everyone naturally. No evidence of any advanced equipment. Fine by me. As a hunter, I only use knives. It’s fair and leaves a skilled hunter with pride after a good kill.
We climb over the fence one by one, generating little sound as possible as we deviously enter their base. If this is what humans call security, they wouldn’t last long on my home world.
Vashawn, one of Rasheed’s technicians, goes to the door and applies a device against it. Within several minimas, the door unlocks, and we race inside with stealth. He disables the camera feeds so our presence can’t be located with ease.
He will wait for us outside with his partner to clear any problems should they arise. It’s a smart plan. Cornered prey may be dangerous, but if we become cornered ourselves, we risk much more than our lives.
I memorized the layout from the scans Vashawn took from earlier. Going in completely blind was not an option for me. There are several floors that we will need to clear as we don’t know which one my mate is on. I can feel that she’s closer now and the pulse in my hearts is rapid and painless.
Our plan is to start on the highest level and work our way down. I’m shocked at the level of laziness of these humans. There's not a single staircase in the entire building. Should something happen, people would become trapped on a floor with no way to safety. It’s unbelievable.
Locating their elevator takes no time at all. We break into small teams and we each take one of the upper levels. With a description of my mate and a picture taken from her home, the fifteen male rescue team knows exactly what to look for.
We haven’t run into anyone as of yet, but just as we reach the top floor, an alarm blares through their comm system.
“We need to hurry, they know something is up,” one of the males say.
“Each group split up as you clear a floor,” Rasheed commands. “Keep your comms open and meet topside in fifteen.”
Just as the teams are about to split up, I’ve already wandered off on my own. I'm not part of Rasheed’s crew, so as far as I’m concerned, I can do as I please. I paid him well to bring me to my mate and his help with this rescue mission is a bonus. His kind, the Vo’Sharitah, don’t take kindly to the mistreatment of women.
I rush down several corridors and clear a few rooms, noticing a lot of civilians here. What in the heck is going on? It’s taking longer than I’d like it to find my mate and it’s causing anger to brew inside me.
Several humans in uniform, with outdated weaponry attached to their hip, swarm me from all sides.
“You think you can take me as you are?” I taunt the six humans advancing in on me.
The one in front spits, but misses as I duck out of the way, and swing my first into his face, knocking him to the ground. Two of the human men who try to flank me quietly while I was preoccupied fail as I snatch their weapon from their hips and smash it against one guard’s stomach. The human bellows out in pain. I throw the weapon into the other’s head.
Crack!
The sound is sick, and blood trickles from his face, before the third one passes out. This is way too easy; these pathetic males couldn’t protect a female from an insect if they wanted to.
Something pierces my back and causes me to spin around. One of the males has his weapon raised, pointing directly at me.
“Cease, or I’ll fire again.” The weapon makes a clicking sound. Sweat pours off his brow and down onto his face.
He’s afraid.
The other two humans have caught up. They too have their weapons drawn on me. I snarl as I reach for the closest two.
Bang! Bang!
They’ve shot their weapons, but their aim is poor. I dodge the projectiles and watch them pierce the last human, killing him instantly.
I grab the last two humans with speed and knock them together repeatedly like a youngling who claps their hands in happiness. The smell of excitement fills the room as final two humans pass out.
Five are completely incapacitated and one is dead, but I’ve followed Captain Rasheed’s orders, leaving no evidence of “aliens” behind.
Onward I go, continuing my search. Something tangible hits my palette. I inhale the air deeply and I recognize the scent. Jane, my mate. I roar and speed towards her location.
Voices come through on the comm, requesting status and giving orders. I ignore them. My mate is close by.
My back begins to itch from the wounds on my back. I almost stop to scratch, but I disregard the sensation. It can be dealt with later; Jane needs me more now.
A guard is stationed in front of a room, his eyes sweeping back and forth until he spots me. He raises his weapon, but before he can fire, I’ve hefted him in the air and over my back onto the floor. He passes out.
A man comes plummeting out of a room and when he sees me, he tries to dash out of the way, but I grab him and toss him down the hallway. He was heading in the direction anyways; I just gave him a boost. I smile when I detect the metallic scent of his blood in the air. I’ll be back for him.
I burst into the lab and scent my mate. She’s in here somewhere. My eyes land on another door which leads into a smaller adjacent room. When I enter, I’m seething.
Someone has tied down my mate to an examination table. Her hands, and legs are fully strapped, allowing her no movement, and she’s barely able to move her head to see her surroundings.
“Who would dare do this to you Jane?” I roar, but I’m given no response.
The man who ran out of the room pops into my mind. Somehow, deep down, I know it was him and my body thrums with agitation that I’ve let him slip through my grasp.
I’m conflicted. The need to end the vile human is so overpowering, but I cannot leave my mate frightened and strapped down like a rabid, lab animal. They will pay for this disgusting treatment she’s received. If I must rip them limb to limb myself, I will gladly do so.
I bolt over to her and undo all the contraptions keeping her in place. I pick her up into my arms and hold her against my chest, like when I rescued her from the wood beast. She struggles against me; I don’t think she realizes it’s me. She slaps and kicks me repeatedly, but I barely feel a thing. My hearts thunders in my chest, and I worry if she’s alright. I need her to be alright.
“Jane, my heart. I’m here and I’m never letting you go. Everything will be alright” I coo to her while thrashes and incoherent words disappear.
“Aykeetan? Oh my go
d! I’d hoped you would come for me. For a while there I was so scared. They kept injecting me with stuff and my mind was jumbled. I tried to fight them, but they were too strong for me. I don’t know what I was going to do.”
“It’s ok now. I have you.” She sighs, and I can feel the physical tension leave her body as she places her arms around my neck.
“Why did you leave me? If you didn’t leave me, I would have been safe. He abducted me and brought me here. I found out so many horrible things. The others, you need to recuse the other men and women.” Her eyes widen as she peers up at me.
My hearts ache in my chest. This female has been through so much. I need to get her out of here immediately.
My comm unit beeps. “Aykeetan? Where the vrakk you been? We are at the meetup point. Did you find her?”
“Yes, I’m on my way now, but she's concerned about the others.”
“Don’t worry about that now, you need to get out of there. Now. We will deal with that soon.”
I look down at my mate. Her hair is tickling my chin; her breath is slow and even. I think she’s fallen asleep. She must have been exhausted.
I exit back to the main corridor.
“Vrakk,” I growl, and Jane stirs in my arms. The repulsive human that I threw down the hall is long gone, leaving behind a splotchy trail of blood. I inhale deeply, committing the pungent scent to memory.
I force my way through the building, carving my way back to the elevator. The floor has been fully cleared and I don’t run into any trouble as I make our exit. With my mate in my arms, I eventually make it back out to the meeting point.
“Took you long enough,” Rasheed grunts. “Let’s go.”
I note I’m not the only one with a human woman in my arms. The tech, Vashawn, has one as well. He spots me glancing at him and growls back fiercely. My head nods in understanding before looking away. He is protective of her just like I am of my mate. As long as her needs are tended to, it’s none of my business.
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