Page 14 of Heart’s Prisoner

As they moved through the units the aliens turned increasingly more intimidating. She encountered the pack of raptor-like creatures with blue skin and red eyes who were contained in their individual cells, none facing each other and separated by thick, soundproof steel. "It's to make sure they can't properly communicate with each other," one lab tech had said. Because once communication was established they'd work together to find a way out and hunt every living thing they saw.

The last unit she visited held what everyone on level twelve considered to be the second most dangerous asset (though whether it was an actual close second to Xerus was still yet to be determined). One mishap had proven its placement when it had been put under for testing only to wake up and make a meal of a pair of the unfortunate lab workers trying to move it. It was a nasty looking specimen for sure. With mangled fur on its back and two long, hooked claws for hands. What unnerved her was that its face was like a spider`s with eight pupilless eyes and a pair of pincers on either side of its mouth. It had four arms and two short tails, one white and one red. Lana was convinced it had to be some Lazris experiment gone bad, but the other scientists assured her that it wasn't and had been found in one of the caves on the same world where Asset X had been discovered.

It had even built a web on the ceiling of its unit and was currently curled up in a corner, watching her. Lana shuddered as she looked at Asset T and wondered which disturbed her more, the spider above or the devil next door.

***

Lana went through every door in the facility except for the un-numbered one. When she inquired about it, Cole mentioned it was merely a separate lab for testing bacteria and viral diseases and that she needn't worry about stepping foot into that part of the facility. She'd yet to see anyone entering or exiting but could guess they'd have to wear proper gear like hazmat suits and safety masks, either of which she didn't care to put on just to walk around and take a look-see.

She'd seen enough and was ready to get back into unit three. Even if her heart was starting to pound faster at the idea.

"Well, Dr. Hart, I believe your patient is impatient to see you," Cole said as he leaned against the corner of his desk.

Lana found that hard to believe. Cole laughed when her expression gave away her feelings.

"You find that unlikely, but I think he is curious about you." Cole shrugged. "You're not like the others after all. And you gave off a much more effective first impression than you think." Cole pointed up to the ceiling, up at the monitor showing an image of Xerus' room looking down on it from above. Lana saw the alien crouching at the back of the room, crushing himself into the corner as best he could to hide a part of himself from the camera that he somehow knew was watching him from one end. His head, however, was not hidden and it was turned toward the window as if he was watching for something. Or waiting.

"A subtle but still noticeable change from the usual pacing back and forth. Or sitting and staring at the wall." Cole's mouth turned up slightly. "Haven't seen this much interest in the window since we first brought him."

"And what makes you think that has to do with me?" Lana asked.

"Well." Cole moved off the desk to stand beside her, placing his hands in his pockets. "He has rarely moved from that spot since you left."

***

The door rose slowly. Lana clutched her tablet, her knuckles going white. She ignored Officer Torrence beside her with his handgun drawn, his black stare cutting into her, making her uneasy. He didn't so much as nod at her when she said hello, chewing his gum and glaring at her as he yelled at his subordinate to open door three. As soon as the door was level, Lana walked on down the hallway without looking back.

She heard the door closing behind her as she came to the sliding door at the end which opened instantly as she approached. She entered the room and the smell of coffee hit her just like before. Still, there was no cup or pot. She stood in the middle of the room, breathing in the scent and realized it wasn't entirely like the smell of coffee but only very similar. There was an offness to it that she couldn't place but for some reason reminded her of a fresh cup of that wonderful black liquid.

"Come to try again, Doctor?"

Lana turned her head toward the window and saw a massive shadow before her, just behind the milky screen. She drew closer to it and hesitated only a beat before tapping on her ISpad and lifting the screen.

Xerus looked down at her, this time not looking entirely annoyed or pissed off. Lana had to quickly remind herself not to hold her breath as she quickly inhaled at the sight of him, her heart doing a little flip. She told herself the fear would lessen and she would get used to him. Eventually.

"Hello, Xerus," she responded as calmly as possible. She even braved a little smile. She caught his eyes briefly but found she couldn't hold them. Instead, she looked behind him and around the room, noticing a small dip in one corner with a drain. On the other side, stuck to the wall, was a raised bed. On the bed were the remains of a barely touched slab of meat.

Xerus watched her looking around. Seeing her eyeing the meat, he went over and picked it up. "Care for some?" He took four steps with his long stride, slinking over to the opposite side of the room beside the window. From there Lana noticed a transfer box, crafted to send items between her room and his without the possibility of him being able to grab her. Xerus wrenched the thing open and flung the meat inside then slammed the thing shut with such force she flinched at the loud bang. The stench of meat wafted into her room and Lana had to keep herself from gagging.

"What? Don't like it? Pity." Xerus shrugged and moved away from the box. " I assumed humans thought it a pleasant enough meal if they considered I'd care to eat it also."

Lana wiped a hand over her mouth. "No. We prefer our meat cooked."

If Xerus had eyebrows she imagined he'd be raising them. "I see. And I, being a mere beast of some sort to you, must rightly like it still bleeding."

"I don't think you are a beast."

Xerus laughed at that. "Yes, you do." He paced slowly alongside the window, his eyes never leaving her. They flickered over her face. "You say you don't, but everything about you tells me otherwise." He stopped and cocked his head. "The racing of your heart. The erratic breathing." His eyes swept over her body. "The tension in your form. Like you are about to bolt at my slightest movement. A small, tremblingMimnii".

Lana didn't care for the sound of that. Though the translator didn't pick up the word she had a feeling it wasn't something she cared to be compared to. Likely equal to something like a mouse or maybe a child.

"I am a beast to you because I am not like you," he continued. " I figured it was because humans were xenophobic but its more than that. I look like something from your homeworld. Something that might have preyed on you or something you feared".

Lana wasn't sure how to respond to that. But from her silence, he could guess enough that it was true. Though lizards weren't known to exactly prey on humans, some were deadly and feared, as were mythical beasts, to which Xerus could have resembled.

"I'm sorry. I will tell the others to give you something else to eat," was all Lana could think to say.

Xerus gave her an odd look, maybe something close to confusion. Then he snorted and turned away, his tail flicking back and forth.

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