“A few hours,” Junic said. “Some species don’t take long to gestate. Congratulations. Very soon, you will be a mother to a very healthy and happy baby boy.”
 
 A boy…
 
 I wondered if he would look like his father. I wondered if Trayem would even learn he had a son.
 
 I needed to make sure he knew.
 
 “Doctor?” I said. “Can I tell you something?”
 
 “Sure,” Junic said. “What is it?”
 
 “It’s… of a personal nature.”
 
 She stepped forward and leaned in close so her ear was in front of my mouth.
 
 I used the opportunity to slip my hand in her pocket and wrap my hand around the needle device.
 
 “Sleep tight,” I said.
 
 Junic’s eyes alighted with surprise as I jammed the device in her neck. She bolted backward from the shock. She slapped a hand to where the needle had bitten her.
 
 “Catch her!” I yelled. “She’s going to fall!”
 
 I couldn’t care less if she collapsed to the floor but the guards reacted out of instinct and bent down to catch her.
 
 I dodged between them with the injector device in my outstretched hand and slammed it in shifter girl’s hand as she reached for me.
 
 She hissed through her teeth.
 
 I slipped past her.
 
 Meatball head was on her other side. I didn’t need to worry about him. He was too distant to reach me.
 
 I checked over my shoulder as I barreled for the door. There was no one in front of me. The others were still reacting to the breakout.
 
 I was going to escape! I was going to get out of there!
 
 Another pair of strong arms scooped me up and wrapped around me, holding me tight in their strong embrace.
 
 I made to bring the injector gun around to jam in his face but never got that far.
 
 I just stared.
 
 “Trayem?”
 
 His expression was blank and hard to read as he bundled me up and carried me back toward the padded room.
 
 “No!” I screamed. “Trayem! No! Don’t do this! Trayem! No!”
 
 6
 
 TRAYEM
 
 The fist struck me in the face with such force I thought my eye was going to explode.
 
 I welcomed it.
 
 I deserved it.