Page 31 of The Alien's Private Redemption

He'd always been certain that aspirations of wings were a fantasy the monster had long since talked himself into. There had always been the possibility that others of his kind had them but the closest he'd ever managed had been two very sad, very weak featherless chicken wings. A grotesque mutation which had not survived his next skin shed.

If Ae-cha and her people had records of it being possible…

What's wrong?Angela asked him.

She was leaning against his chest, her eyes closed, and he realized her exhaustion wasn't entirely an act. While she'd been woken from a sound sleep by the sudden certainty that they were under attack, she hadn't truly gotten enough sleep yet.

More questions than answers,he told her.And more mysteries than I expected.

How many mysteries did you expect?

He sent her a mental shrug.None, actually. I expected most of this to be fairly straight forward.

What changed?

Nothing,he answered. I just hadn't met you yet. When I did, I had to change my assessment of the situation.

It was an answer designed to reassure her and it had the benefit of being the truth. He hadn't had an accurate picture of what he was walking into when he volunteered to help. His decision to volunteer wouldn't have changed but he might have been better prepared.

Assuming one could be prepared for a surprise as big as his Bond with Angela.

I'd argue that I'm not a mystery,she sent.But I'm not convinced I'd be telling the truth right now.

He could hear the uncertainty in her mind and pulled her closer to his chest.

"What I'd like to know," Ae-cha said into the awkward silence that had descended on the room, "is how anybody knew that Private McBride was at that particular facility."

"What do you mean?" Zoric asked.

"I mean that was a secure, top secret facility," Ae-cha replied. "Hidden from every map I'm aware of. If we were really about to be under attack because they knew Private McBride was there, then how did they find out? And findit?"

Dr. Phillips shot Angela a frown. "Can they track her? With whatever you're finding in her brain?"

"No," Zoric denied at the same time Ae-cha said "Maybe."

"You can't track someone without a Bond," Zoric said. "Creating a connection without a true Bond in place limits the distance and accuracy."

"But they could triangulate her position? If they were close enough when she started moving, they could move in that direction," Dr. Phillips said.

"Across the entire world?" Zoric responded shortly. He really didn't want to dwell on the possibility and tried to move it along quickly. "Possible but not feasible. Not really."

"But possible," Ae-cha said. "And we don't know who or what put the triggers in her brain. We don't know how dedicated they were to keeping her under control and what, exactly, they're trying to keep her from revealing. They may have a very real reason to keep her from being able to talk."

"If that's true, it's a serious security problem," Angela said. "Even if it's just being able to find my location."

"And if it's not just being able to find your location?" Dr. Phillips asked. "What are they able to find out from what you know? We already know you're willing to do what they tell you to do-"

"That's not fair," Ae-cha protested. "She wasn't given a choice."

"There's always a choice," Dr. Phillips spat back.

Ae-cha struck in a blur of speed, her scales rippling with barely contained rage. Her hand wrapped around the woman's neck and she propelled her bodily into the wall behind her. The doctor's eyes widened in fear and shock before her hands came up to pull at Ae-cha's wrist. The acrid scent of her fear filled the small room, making Zoric's scales bristle. Through their Bond, he felt Angela's mix of vindication and horror, her military training warring with her emotional response.

Slowly, Dr. Phillips' hands fell away and her face went slack. The artificial scent of her perfume took on a sour note that made Angela's enhanced senses recoil.

"Oh, there you are, little fishy," Ae-cha said, her voice low and satisfied. The predatory satisfaction in her tone made the hair on the back of Angela's neck stand up.

She let go and Dr. Phillips slumped forward. Ae-cha wrapped her arms around her to catch her and helped her back to the chair.

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