Page 53 of Heart’s Prisoner

"Asset X. He's gone."

Chapter Seventeen

Lana walked into level twelve uncertain if she was awake or dreaming. She didn't take Dahlia for a liar but still, she had to see for herself. Galger, Torrence, and their team of men all congregated around unit three's door which was now wide open. Speaking in hurried voices, they seemed to be waiting outside the entrance, Galger's face red, while Torrence's was bright with anticipation.

Lana looked up at the monitors and saw several workers inside Xerus' unit, stepping in and out of his cell which now lay empty. As soon as she made it into the lab, Dr. Yanlin and several lab techs walked out of unit three pushing a large roller table. As the guards backed away, Lana could see a huge shape on the steel slab covered by a sheet. A spiny tail was held up carefully with a metal pole by one of the techs.

As the guards watched, some of them instinctively held up their guns. They encircled around the lab as the table was pushed into the center, placing it next to a shelf of medical equipment.

Lana felt her feet move toward the table as if she couldn't control her body. Only when a gentle hand gripped her shoulder did she stop moving.

When she gazed around, she saw Dahlia standing beside her. The woman's mouth turned up in a sad smile.

Lana licked her lips, her throat dry. "How?" she croaked.

"They aren't sure," Dahlia replied. "Torrence noticed on the feed the asset going to lie down as if to sleep. His vitals were all fine, he just looked like he was sleeping. He had been like that for several hours. Then suddenly his vitals flatlined. We thought at first there was a glitch in the system. Took a couple more hours to convince Torrence and the others that he wasn't breathing. I called you when they went in to retrieve the body. I'm sorry, Dr. Hart."

All Lana could seem to do was nod her head. Dahlia patted her on the shoulder and left her alone. Lana watched as Dr. Yanlin and the techs situated the alien's body then went their separate ways, logging on to computers to begin their reports. As Lana took a step toward the table, she could see the guards closing in.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Dr. Hart," Torrence said nearby. "Thing might be dangerous to touch. And you're only supposed to be here to pack your things."

"Officer Torrence, perhaps allowing her to see the asset wouldn't be so wrong," Dahlia said.

"It's okay, Dahlia," Lana heard herself say. "I'll just...start getting my things." Lana forced herself away and went for her office desk. Torrence watched her carefully as she began to close out her computer, transferring all necessary files and credentials. When his gaze finally left hers, she turned to watch him instead.

She pretended to gather her things for nearly an hour before a tech requested Torrence's assistance in dealing with one of the specimens in unit two. And by assistance, they meant 'shock therapy' as one of the assets likely wasn't complying. When Torrence and his men were out of sight, as were most of the other staff, Lana rose from her chair and slipped around her desk. She made her way over to the table until she was standing beside it.

For a moment all she could do was stand there. It still seemed so unreal. Still so hard to believe. When only hours ago she feared he would escape. Now, here Xerus was.

'He had escaped in a way', Lana thought. But something seemed wrong. Very wrong. Her eyes flickered up toward Torrence's desk and she couldn't help wondering if he had cut Xerus' life short. Perhaps gassed his cell or drained it of oxygen. If she could just access the video feed on her computer she could see Xerus' last moments. But that just wasn't going to happen.

Instead, Lana lifted her hand and carefully peeled away the sheet covering him.

Seeing him so close, and with no glass between them, was surreal. In the bright, albeit yellowish, light of the lab, she got a good look at his glistening, deep red scales and his dark purple horns. She let the cover slip from her hands to rest on Xerus' chest. Glancing around, and seeing no one watching her, Lana gently placed her hand on Xerus' chest. Her heart leaped at the first raw contact. His body was still warm, though not by much. His skin was hard yet smooth. She waited a moment, then lowered her head toward his face. She remained in that position for some time until she was truly convinced she felt no rise or fall of his chest or the slightest whisper of breath. She took her hand from his chest and encircled her own throat. She stared at him, wondering if she stared long enough would his eyes open. And if they did, would she be relieved or horrified.

With shaky fingers, she touched the side of Xerus' face and tears once again started to fall.

"Why, Xerus, oh god," she whispered. Her hands cupped his jaw and her fingers traced his mouth. "This didn't have to happen. Why couldn't you trust me?" Her tears hit his face as she lowered her head to his. Her vision swam. She clutched his face tighter and, before anyone could see, she dared kiss him. Likely dangerous as it was, Lana didn't think much of it nor care. This was her goodbye. She lifted her head and released her hands from him. As she straightened, she quickly placed the cover back over his face.

Wiping away the tears, she went to turn away when a glint caught her eye. Beside the table, on a small desk, was the bracelet she had given Xerus and the lock of her hair. She thought about taking them but decided against it. Walking back to her desk, Lana shut down her computer and gathered her things then left the facility, this time she assumed for good.

***

Back in her room, Lana began to pack her things. There was a ship leaving the base tomorrow morning and she figured she should be on it. There was nothing left here to do so there was no longer a reason to stay.

Except the problem was she couldn't seem to get herself moving fast enough. Half the time she was folding and refolding clothes and the other half she was staring into space. She checked her email several times but all she found were daily announcements, dates for a sporting event, and some unimportant news about the oil strikes off of TL40. She thought about taking a trip up to the city sector and just walking around for a few hours to get her mind off of everything, but she couldn't bring herself to go outside either.

It had been so long since she'd felt like this. So completely lost and uncertain. She thought about her father and what he used to say while they sailed on his boat.

The sea may be vast and frightening but there's always a way back to land somehow. You just have to choose a direction and just go, Lana.

And here she was lost at sea. And her father wasn't here to guide her. She had started one direction but now was hesitant to continue. She could leave Lazris and stay with her aunt on one of the civilian worlds until she got back on her feet or maybe even return to her original base. But none of those felt right.

One ill logic her father forgot to mention was that the land you found might not be the one you wanted to end up on.

So Lana continued to pack but with no real purpose. She thought about what would have happened if everything had gone right instead of wrong. If Xerus had passed the test. If he hadn't betrayed her. It would have taken a lot more time probably but she was willing to bet she would have gotten the chance to go in the cell and interact with him. He would have demanded she complete the favors she had promised and she would have done what she could even if it drove her crazy.

A soft ping signaled a message on her computer. When Lana went to check it she saw it was from Jacob.

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