Page 18 of Heart’s Prisoner

There was a hint of uncertainty in that theory and Lana herself didn't know what he meant by it.

"Sound theories," Lana said, forcing her expression blank. She wouldn't admit how true some of them were. "Maybe more will come to light the next time we meet."

Xerus grunted, turning back toward her. "Yes, we shall see."

Chapter Five

After her first couple of days, Lana started to fall into a simple but effective routine. At night she worked on new methods to reach Xerus, organizing her notes, and writing journals about the sessions she had. She knew Cole recorded everything but she wanted to have her own personal take on the situation, in her own words.

She didn't see Xerus every day for several reasons. Some days Cole wished her to work with other biologists on studying the different assets in the facility. But deep down Lana knew it was to give her time away from the devilish alien. Cole didn't want her exposed to him too often in fear she would lose her mind and leave as the others had. She couldn't blame him for that and, in a way, she knew it was for the best. Because, when she did see Xerus, she was never sure what sort of day they were going to have.

Some days went better than others. On the good days, Xerus would cater to her whims, if barely. Allowing her to ask him simple, non-invasive questions by showing him basic objects as images displayed on the window. His answers were always vague but sometimes she was able to gauge what he did and didn't know. The more she showed him the more she suspected he had at least some modern tech of his own though different than a human's. She still couldn't decipher what his home was like; if it was even on planet 421. But she stuck to her theories that it was someplace dark and someplace warm.

Eventually, Xerus ran out of patience with her "amusing little picture game" and refused to do any more.

"I tire of these meaningless questions," he had hissed. "If I have to look at one more of your damnable images and play guessing game one more time, I might claw my eyes out."

This was their fifth session together. As much as she had expected him to cut her short, she was at least surprised and grateful that she had gotten any answers out of him at all even if they revealed almost nothing.

With that method out the window, Lana had to weigh out other options to get through to him.

She planned out these few options on his worst days; when Lana dared not go to him at all. His moods were always ever-changing and, though most session days he was in a decent enough mood (His usual cranky demeanor calming briefly when they talked), some days he would go into the blackest temper imaginable, one that she couldn't even quell. She would watch him on the monitors on these particular days, sit and watch in terrified, tight-lipped silence as the intelligent being she had been talking to for several days turned into a savage beast before her very eyes.

Like a monster on a rampage, he roared and snarled, his tail whipping around, slamming into the walls. He clawed and ripped and bit at anything and everything, leaving marks she hadn't noticed before over every surface.

It was when he began to attack the window and received an electric shock from hitting it so hard that she sprung from her chair and implored Cole to let her see him.

"I'm sorry, Lana, but it isn't safe for you to go near him right now." Cold had said, shaking his head.

"But maybe I can calm him if just a little."

"I don't think he's even there right now. It's best to just let the storm pass on its own."

"But he might hurt himself," Lana had nearly shouted.

"He will recover," Cole had said calmly.

Fuming, Lana had no choice but to return to her lab desk and watch helplessly. By the door to Xerus' unit, Officer Torrence and his band of guards kept close with guns drawn, laughing and joking as they watched Xerus rage.

"Fuckin animal, ya think it needs a muzzle to shut that thing up," one of the guards had said, wheezing. "Look at it go." He started to mimic Xerus, making shrieking noises and crouching low as if ready to pounce.

The others had laughed, all except for Officer Torrence whose lip only curled up slightly, and Lana was a breath away from snapping at them to be quiet.

Eventually, the storm did pass and Lana was safe enough to go back into unit three. When she did, she did so with extra caution.

"Will you play a game with me?" She asked Xerus after sitting quietly for a long moment just to observe him and gauge his emotions. She was beginning to learn some of his body language which helped her better understand his moods, more so than watching his face.

Xerus paced slowly alongside the window, his tail barely moving, his body upright. He was calm. For now. His eyes traveled over to her. "You are fond of games aren't you?"

Lana shrugged and Xerus looked away and exhaled a long breath. "Well seeing as I'm filled with nothing but free time. I'll indulge you. But it better not involve any more images."

Lana smirked. "Promise it won't be anything like that." She opened an app on her tablet and used the controls to have the game be displayed on the window between them. Xerus gazed at the checkerboard with the little figurines on either side with a blank stare.

"It's called Chess," Lana said. She explained the mechanics of the game to him and showed him how to move the pieces on the board. Using the controls for the window, Lana was able to allow the alien to move his pawns on his side of the glass.

"Seems simple enough," he said.

They played a couple of games as a sort of tutorial and Lana was pleased with how quickly he picked it up, asking very few questions. He seemed entertained enough by the game, at least for now.

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