Page 21 of Heart’s Prisoner

She voiced her concerns with Nicole. Meeting her this time at one of the fancy bars in the city sector per Lana's request.

"I 'm beginning to feel like a joke," Lana said, taking a sip of her vodka tonic.

"You can't say that. It's only been two weeks," Nicole said. "You can't know that they don't care about what you're trying to do. We do have you here for a very important reason, Lana. It's just that everyone's caught up in their own work is all."

Lana peered down at her glass, swirling the contents. "It's just...I thought their whole goal was to convert these beings. But I feel like just some odd side project. Even when I'm helping the others, I don't get what they are trying to find."

"There are many things they are trying to discover. These projects take time," Nicole said.

"Or maybe they are so sure I'm going to fail. That I'll give up just like the others had, so they don't want to bet all their chips on me," Lana said.

"You've been doing great work, Lana." Nicole's eyes were sympathetic.

Lana laughed. "I'm not so sure. Getting anything out of your uncle is one thing. It's frustrating, sure. But it doesn't compare to..."

Nicole looked at her squarely. "Asset X is giving you a hard time."

Lana pursed her lips and nodded. "No surprise, I know, but..." Lana shook her head. "It's like when I feel like I'm so close to getting through, Xerus surprises me and then I feel like I've gotten nowhere."

"But you have made it so far, Lana. Cole mentioned you've gotten the alien to open up more in that last few days then most of the other behaviorists did in their whole time working with him."

Lana shrugged. "I might not make him as angry as the others did. And for some reason, he finds me amusing. But it's like he's toying with me. And he won't take my questions seriously, always giving some cryptic response." Lana crossed her arms and watched the people around the bar. "And now I think I made a big mistake in making any sort of deal with him..."

"What deal?" Nicole asked, looking a little concerned.

Lana gave her an apologetic glance. "I..." Lana sighed. "I was trying a new method to get him to tell me...well anything really. We play these games and if I win he has to answer my questions honestly, and if he wins..."

Nicole's eyebrows rose. "Yes?"

"Well he can either ask me any question–which he, of course, hasn't–or he can ask me for a favor."

When Nicole gave her an even more concerned look, Lana put up her hands in defense. "Nothing that would put anyone in danger or compromise the facility, I promise. Anyways...I won a few times, but once he got a knack for the game, well..."

Nicole frowned. "How many favors do you owe him, Lana?"

Lana looked down as if embarrassed. "More than I'd care to admit. And I won't go into detail about what they are."

She could see Nicole wanted to know but was polite enough not to push her on it and Lana was thankful. After the first day of their games, for every one match Lana was able to win, Xerus one at least three. The favors had started innocent enough at first. He learned quickly that being stubborn just for the sake of it wasn't any reason he couldn't use her offer to his advantage. Sure she wouldn't free him obviously. But why reject the chance to have someone under your thumb?

And he certainly took the chance every time he got. There was even a point when Lana truly believed he was only making up favors just for fun, or maybe just to rile her up.

Some involved bringing him food–he didn't want any of the others to do it. It had to be either her or a Scibot. Since the Scibot wasn't made to do the sort of task, she had to coax one of the engineers to reprogram it. Xerus only wanted cooked meat and only the finest parts (thighs were especially good for some reason).

Other strange favors were to have her brighten the lights on her side of the room, to have her sit closer to the window, to have her clean the window (that one she was sure was just for a laugh) and to give him a lock of her hair because he was 'curious at how it felt'.

Cole allowed these small favors at least, seeing them as naturally harmless. Even the use of the Scibot he authorized, seeing it more a benefit now that he didn't have to force anyone but Lana to go inside Asset X's unit.

When Xerus started asking serious favors, like turning off the lights for a brief time, that's when they were forced to draw the line.

And once he knew he couldn't get much farther with any more requests while he was in his cell, he began to think up favors to give her when he was out. At some point she had to catch him something called adrednat(whatever the hell that was), had to prepare some special dish for him calledVala, and even had to assist bathing him once he was free, polishing his horns and filing his nails; grooming him like some kind of servant.

Lana took another sip of her drink then set it aside, rubbing her forehead. "Honestly, I would have stopped the games way sooner," she said to Nicole. "But every time I got at least one victory and was rewarded with some kind of answer, I couldn't stop myself from trying for another."

Nicole gave her a sad smile. "Did you find out anything at least?"

Lana looked around making sure no one was in hearing distance. "Not much but some things, yes. I know now he was a highly ranked soldier of a special class and he was the leader of his team, fighting a war that had been spanning many years. When I tried to ask who his enemy was, however, he only replied with 'They are all around.' He was tasked with one mission and that was to destroy."

Nicole straightened in her chair, looking tense. "You think...it's to destroy us?"

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