Page 50 of The Alien's Major Dilemma

"What do you mean?"

"Well, just think what it would mean for your career if you claimed they hurt you but the only samples I collect belong to a 'misunderstanding'?"

If she'd had hackles, Marissa would have raised them. As it was, a flush of anger roared through her so intense that she was surprised at how restrained her response was.

"Please do the kit," she said, her voice clipped. "I wasn't raped but I would very much like to follow procedure for this."

"Are you sure? I'd hate to get your young man in trouble."

"Actually," Marissa said. "I've changed my mind. Go get the Base Commander and one of the nurses. I'm uncomfortable with your behavior."

"I'll do the kit if you insist," the doctor said. "There's no need to get angry about it. Kinda odd insisting on it if you're also going to say you weren't raped. Might make people think he forced you to say that. I understand some of these aliens can be like that."

Marissa, where are you?Cooper asked suddenly.

She'd been trying to give him privacy for his own debrief and he hadn't been more than a comforting presence in the back of her mind for hers.

I'm in medical,she answered.

Who's in there with you?

Just the doctor.

Get out. Get to where there are more people.

The urgency in his voice had her off the table and on her feet. "On second thought, I'll go get the Base Commander myself. I'm done here."

She pushed past the doctor, only to find that the door to medical had been locked. It wasn't much of a lock but it slowedher down and Doctor Johnson grabbed her arm and turned her around, only to slam her back into the door.

The doctor grabbed Marissa by the throat and smacked the back of her head against the door again, making her ears ring and her eyes see stars.

"You don't have to do that," the Doctor said, her eyes strangely intense. "I'll follow procedure. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were doing. How this might affect your career. You might pass the psych eval but nobody is going to trust someone who marries their rapist."

Her hand squeezed and Marissa felt something try to slither into her mind as her breath was cut off and her head began to buzz.

Then Cooper was there, a cool barrier around her mind, and she could think enough to fight back. Seconds later, the doctor was on the ground clutching her broken arm and Marissa was out the door, running towards her mate.

She rounded a corner and jumped into his arms before anybody else registered she was there.

"I've got you," he said into her hair while she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Boss, you're bleeding," one of his guards said.

Marissa looked up and realized her vision wasn't great just as the light announced her headache. She hid her face against Cooper's neck.

"Concussion," she said, trying to project her voice and keep her head from splitting open. "Doc attacked me."

Her explanation was met by the sound of running boots and someone making a call for MP's. Cooper followed behind at a more sedate pace.

"'m sorry," she mumbled against his neck. "I can walk."

"No, you cannot," he corrected her. "Even if you're capable of it, I won't allow it."

When they got back to the room Marissa had bolted out of, the Base Commander was already there, along with a couple military police and a nurse.

"Major Ozark," the Commander said. "Why are you bleeding?"

"I don't know what came over me," Doctor Johnson exclaimed. "It's like something else was controlling my body. I've never done anything like that before!"

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