Page 29 of Heart’s Prisoner

"The bot went to put in his food and found the transfer box jammed. It put its hand in to fix it and Xerus...he got to it. The engineers were able to shut the bot down remotely but Xerus had the bot crushed against the box for three minutes, who knows what information he got." Cole shook his head.

Lana raised her brows. "Are you honestly telling me he was somehow able to hack it?"

"See for yourself," said Dahlia beside them. Lana went over to the monitor as Dahlia brought up the footage.

Xerus was pacing as usual. It was rare they ever caught him sleeping and it usually looked more like meditation than sleep. The Scibot entered the room carrying a boxed tray. It set the tray down on the table and took up a plate of cooked meat and sliced mango, carrying it over to the transfer box. Xerus watched it intently, creeping beside the glass. When the bot opened the box, it slid out halfway but no more. The bot pulled at it several times in a repetitive movement but the box was stuck and would neither open more or close. Pausing to think over the issue, the bot placed the tray down then went back to the box and, without hesitation, slipped its hand inside. Xerus moved closer to the box as the Scibot rifled through it, reminding Lana of a cat stalking its prey. She watched in horrified fascination as Xerus slipped his tail through the slim opening made by the jam and whipped his tail out to encircle it around the bot's throat. Quick as a snake, Xerus wrenched his tail back and the bot slammed into the wall, being crushed instantly against the box. It struggled pitifully, not programmed to react quickly to such an attack.

Xerus moved swiftly then. Lifting the bot up, he twisted his arm through the opening and, though the bot blocked their view to see it, Lana could tell he was playing with the computer on the bot's chest, his head bent low into the box so he could see. For three whole minutes she watched the bot shaking and seizing, like a fly entrapped by a spider. Sparks flew and the bot went limp. Just as Xerus wrenched his hand out and released the bot, six armored soldiers with guns entered the room. There was some yelling and one soldier dragged the bot away. They tried to order Xerus back against the wall and he hissed at them, mocking them. Torrence was there giving commands. He took out a device that looked similar to Lana's ISpad. He went through several controls and the window began to brighten. Electric currents rippled and danced along the glass and the lights flickered. Xerus stood in the center of his cell and moved back a step as the current struck him. He roared but didn't move away. He hardly moved at all.

A soldier was ordered to fix the box. He moved toward it, his eyes never leaving the alien. He fumbled through it and took out the bot's dismembered hand. Working fast, he rifled through it some more until a piece of bone was discovered. Xerus lunged at the box and Torrence immediately amped up the electrical defense to its max, causing Xerus to stumble and freeze. Xerus bared his fangs and the soldier by the box jumped and nearly fell back at the alien's closeness. Xerus' tail whipped around, slamming against the glass. The electricity hit him continuously but, as painful as it must have been, he didn't yield.

The lights went out completely and the only light was the electric currents in Xerus' cell. Like lightning, they flashed and struck everywhere until they eventually stopped and the lights came back on to reveal an unconscious alien on the cell floor.

Soldiers moved around, one carrying the bot, the others assessing the damage. Only Torrence stared down at the alien, not so much to make sure he was okay Lana was sure, but that he was out for real. When he deemed it safe, he ordered the others to leave. The video ended there.

Lana watched it all in stunned silence. When the video stopped, her eyes scanned back over to the table with the Scibot and the shard of bone.

"Where did he get it? The bone?" Lana asked softly.

"Where do you think?" Dr. Yanlin replied, crossing his arms, his face red. "It was in his food. A cooked ribeye. Someone didn't think to check it." His eyes purposefully looked to her but she ignored his criticizing gaze.

"Do we know what data he might have gotten from the bot?" Lana asked.

"We aren't totally sure as of yet," said Cole, "but engineers will be scanning the bot here shortly trying to work it out."

Lana's gaze flicked up to the monitor above, watching Xerus intently. "I want to talk to him," she said and looked back down at Cole. "Let me talk to him."

Cole leaned against the table. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Dr. Hart."

Lana went over to the computer connected to the intercom and opened the controls to each room.

"Lana..."

She selected unit three's and tried to access the speakers but an alert popped up saying she wasn't authorized. She hit her fist against the desk in frustration.

"You can't do that, Ms. Hart." A voice yelled out to her, echoing around the lab. Lana looked up and saw Torrence emerge from the entrance to the facility. Accompanied by two other guards, he approached the central lab, looking squarely at her, his gun drawn. "Why don't you back away from the computer now. You don't have permission to access the controls."

Stunned, Lana straightened, turning her body toward him. "I have every right to speak to my patia–"

"Not in this situation you don't." Torrence kept moving toward her till he was standing inches away from her. Lana backed up a step. Her eyes shot over to Dr. Yanlin and Dahlia who said nothing, then to Cole who merely watched.

Lana's eyes turned back to Torrence, her jaw clenching. "I have to assess that he is okay."

"He will be just fine." Torrence brought up his gun and, using the handle, touched the side of her arm, gently pushing her away from the computer. "Why don't you go back to your room, eh? It'll be safer that way."

Lana stepped aside and looked to Cole, but Torrence blocked her view.

"Are you ordering me out, Officer Torrence?" Lana asked through clenched teeth.

"That I am." Torrence nodded to one of his men who came forward. "Donny here will escort you back."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she didn't move until the guard put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped back. "Don't..." She snapped. She put up her hands and began to walk. "Cole, please I just need to see him."

"I think it's best if you take a few days off, Dr. Hart. For your health," Cole said.

The guard touched Lana's back to keep her moving forward. Lana turned and took one last look up at unit three's feed. Xerus still hadn't moved.

"He could be really hurt," Lana pleaded.

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