Page 38 of The Alien's Major Dilemma

Soft voices, carrying half conversations, went with different types of footsteps. The soft hum of some kind of ventilation was so pervasive, she wasn't sure if she was actually hearing it at first. It created just enough noise that she couldn't make out actual words when people were talking outside her door and she wondered if there was a duct into the room or if it was outside in the hall.

Every effort she made to move sent her muscles into paroxysms of pain so Marissa laid on her bed very quietly and listened.

Time moved strangely with no way to see how many hours or minutes had passed, though Cooper seemed to check in regularly. Her body wanted her to sleep but she couldn't. Everytime she started to drift, her mind would remind her about the enemies outside her door, and she would strain to hear what the voices were saying.

I can feel your fatigue,Cooper whispered into her mind.

I want to sleep,she admitted.But I can't. Not yet.

Rest. I will keep them occupied and wake you when they leave here.

What if someone else comes in?

I've got the watch,he told her.

She believed him. She wasn't sure how or why but she trusted him to do what he said he would do. When the welcome wave of sleep washed over her, she could feel him holding her and keeping her safe.

Marissa, you need to wake up.

Cooper's voice in her head roused her from a dream about the loudest and most off tempo drum line she'd ever encountered. The noise followed her into the waking world and she realized it wasn't drums she was hearing, it was the rhythmic thump of far-off timed explosives.

Her first reaction was a grin before rolling off the cot she'd been sleeping on. It was a struggle to push herself to her feet but the knowledge of what was coming kept her moving. Every muscle in her body protested and she knew she was going to pay for it later but Major Ozark had a mission and a duty.

They've left here and I think some of them are on their way to you, Cooper warned her.They're not happy about the explosions.

They're going to be less happy about what comes next, Marissa said, her teeth bared in something resembling a smile.

A check of the door confirmed it was locked and she started looking around the room. The only light was the small patch coming in the door but she didn't need more than that to see that the only thing in there was the cot she'd been sleeping on.

She expected it to be an alien design and was surprised to discover it was the same cot that could be found at outdoor stores all over the world. It folded down to be more compact and was notorious for the corners not fitting together completely.

A quick check along the edges found a seam that wasn't welded together so she sat and braced her foot against one leg and pulled on the side. It came apart with a screech and a pop and the rest of the corners let go without the tension holding it all together. She slid the square aluminum tube out of the fabric sheath holding it and tested its weight.

It was far from an ideal weapon but she felt better being armed.

As the sound of suppressed weapons got closer, Marissa had a thought and reached out to Cooper.

You need to look human, she told him.

That's going to be a problem, he said and she could hear some of the strain in his voice. Some of the pain he'd been hiding leaked through and she understood what he'd been going through while she'd been resting and recovering.

Try to not look like a combatant.Marissa did her best to send him an image of what he needed to do and what would happen when their rescuers got to them.

She could hear people rushing past her door and she gripped the metal pole while she waited to see who would open her door first. The gunfire was slowing down enough that she could make out the groupings of four shots as they got closer.

Shouted instructions to get down were followed by screeching pleas for mercy that Marissa couldn't help but take some sense of satisfaction in. She could just make out someone shouting her name and "over there" before something hit the door.

Certain it was her rescue and not one of her captors, Marissa dropped the bar and laid down with her hands covering her head where they could see her as soon as they opened the door. Shehoped they'd kick it in but on the off chance they had to blow it open, she wanted to minimize her chances of getting hit with shrapnel.

A few more solid thumps had the door bursting open with bits of the door frame flying into the room.

"Major Ozark?" one of the men asked.

Marissa lifted her hands and raised her head to answer. "I'm here."

They rushed into the room and she felt a knot in her chest loosen when she recognized them. Sergeant Burke pulled her into a sitting position while Major Lafferty started asking her questions and the medic checked her for injuries.

"What's your name?"

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