Page 46 of Heart’s Prisoner

It didn't matter anyway. She would see Cole later today and would be sure to give him her exact thoughts. For now, her main focus was on Xerus.

When she finally made it down to the lab, the generals were already there looking over some of the less problematic specimens and general experimentations being done throughout the facility. Her eyes instinctively flew up towards the monitors where she saw Xerus standing with his back turned away from the camera. He didn't move. Even his tail lay still on the ground.

"Good luck today, Dr. Hart."

Lana looked down and saw one of the lab tech's, Sara, smiling at her. Lana reluctantly smiled back, giving her a slight nod. As the girl passed her, Lana saw Galger nearby with Torrence and his group of men, readying themselves for when the generals assessed the higher risk assets. Galger's eyes met hers and he gave her a wink. Lana looked away and immediately went to her work desk and slunk down in her chair.

She pretended to work on her reports but, in truth, she was too distracted–too on edge–to concentrate. Her eyes kept flipping up to Xerus who still hadn't moved from his spot. Rubbing her temples, she went back to the work on her computer, trying to ignore the eyes of the guards.

The day dragged as she watched the generals pass by a few times. Jacob smiled at her once, then turned away to focus on the massive tank of coral specimens before him as one of the biologists talked through their examinations. At one point Lana had to leave to take a walk and calm her nerves. Cole was nowhere to be seen and that worried her a lot. When she returned, he was still not there and she was very close to contacting Nicole again to figure out what was happening.

"I don't know anything," Dr. Yanlin said when she tried to ask him. "I'm too busy now to worry about it. Why don't you call him."

"I've tried," Lana said. "Don't you think it's a little crazy though that he wouldn't be here for this?"

Dr. Yanlin turned his nose up at her. "He likely isn't feeling well and had to call off. Shouldn't you be worrying about other things, Dr. Hart."

"Then shouldn't we know about it?" Lana said, ignoring his comment.

Dr. Yanlin shrugged and stepped around her, going back to his task. Lana put her arms up in defeat. The generals were assessing the last unit before the test and were almost done. Lana made her rounds, checking on Xerus yet again. He still was motionless. She frowned as she watched him, but tried to think nothing of it. He was likely meditating, that was all.

When the door to unit four finally opened and the generals, along with Galger and his team, stepped out, Lana could see the tight grimaces of General Vearez and General Williams, the look of excited curiosity in General Holk, and the solemn look of General Hartin as they re-entered the lab. They just had their first–and likely last–encounter with Asset T.

"Thank you, gentlemen, for your time," Dahlia said as she followed close behind them, the door beginning to slide shut behind her. "I will send you all the records and data on Asset T as soon as possible just as you asked, General Holk."

"Yes, thank you, Dr. Gray. Fascinating, seriously fascinating," General Holk replied, shaking her hand.

"Sure. If you have a hard-on for giant spiders," General Vearez said. The generals laughed as did Galger and his men.

"And I'd like a sample of that venom you've acquired as well, Doctor," General Williams said. "Grotesque as it is, at least it might contain something useful in that."

Dahlia bowed her head. "Will do, sir."

"Good job in there." He shook her hand as well and the others followed suit, congratulating her on her work. Dahlia grinned, her eyes bright and proud.

As they took a small break to ready themselves for the final assessment, Lana gathered her ISpad and waited as patiently as she could, watching Galger and his team prepare to enter the unit. Their guns locked and loaded. Torrence gave Galger permission to use the window's electro-defense system in case of an emergency as he would be observing from the lab.

A hand fell on her shoulder and Lana jumped.

"You look tense." Jacob gave Lana a smirk.

Lana let out a deep breath. "Yes."

Jacob placed his hands behind his back, taking a military stance. "You got this, Lana. Just relax."

God, she wished she could. She gave him a tight smile and he patted her on the back. "Let's do this."

Once the generals and Galger's team were ready, Torrence opened the door to unit three. Clutching her workpad tight, Lana followed close behind as they made their way inside.

The room was dark as usual and someone had turned the cell's lights back to red. The milky screen rippled as sparks of electricity jumped across the glass.

"Did someone spill burnt coffee in here or what?" General Williams asked.

"That's just the asset's pheromones, General," said Lana behind them.

They looked at her curiously. General William's and Vearez's lips tightened and brows furrowed. "It smells awful," General Vereaz said, crinkling his nose. "It stings my nose." He took out a Kleenex from his pocket and wiped his forehead and his neck. The others seemed to be sweating as well, their faces glistening. And it wasn't because the room was hot. Far from it. All of the men shifted uncomfortably on their feet and cleared their throats. Galger and his team looked on edge, their fingers trigger ready.

Lana, on the other hand, felt perfectly calm. In fact, the scent smelled lovely to her, like freshly brewed coffee. She eventually learned that the scent was coming from Xerus when she concluded that no one had been going into his unit to make or drink coffee. He hadn't really given her a reason as to why he was secreting the pheromones, only that it had varying purposes.

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