Page 68 of Heart’s Prisoner

"Oh, yea, we know about Asset X," Galger said. "Don't worry he is top on our list. Tricky fucker has to show up sometime...ah, sorry, maybe you didn't know he was back up and kickin..."

Lana looked up at him wide-eyed. Oh, god. Of course, they were going after him too.

"Yes, I know he's alive," Lana said.

"Of course you do," Torrence mumbled.

Lana gave him a nasty look. "But no, it's not about him."

Galger arched a brow. "Oh?"

Lana looked to Nicole. "Tell them."

Nicole gazed up at them nervously, her voice soft at first then growing bolder. She told them of Spectre and Dr. Kingsley and the others being exposed. Lana watched their expression carefully as she explained. Galger's face twisted with annoyance while Torrence looked strangely calm.

"Fuck me," Galger said. "So that's what happened?" He eyed Torrence. "Looks like we have a change of plans."

"I wouldn't credit this story right away," Torrence said.

"Nicole was working with Cole to study the parasite, Torrence," Lana said through gritted teeth. "She knew better than anyone. Or would you rather go looking for Dr. Kingsley yourself and ask him? Except you know he was the one who let the specimens out. And Dr. Kinglsey wouldn't do that, not unless he wasn't right in the head."

"Enough," Torrence snapped. "We will discuss it then. Right now we have an important job to do." He looked to Galger who rose to stand beside him. "They can stay for now until we figure out what to do with them. But they need to go eventually. If this parasite is really a thing they may even be a risk."

Lana leaped to her feet and Galger put up his hand to stop her. "Alright, Alright. Let's settle down then. You two clean yourselves up, have a nice meal, and rest and we should be back in no time."

"Galger, you put your men at risk by going out there," Lana said.

Galger patted the large gun strapped to his shoulder. "I think we are just fine." He winked. "Oh, and if we see Asset X, we will be sure to tell him you said hello. Before we blow him to bits." He laughed.

Lana shook her head, paling. "You don't know what he is capable of," she whispered. Her heart surged at the thought of the two meeting and the aftereffects.

Galger only smirked at her then turned away. Torrence gave her one last cold look before following him.

***

Lana was just settling down with Nicole after eating a few hard protein bars washed down with cold water when Galger, Torrence, and several of their team were heading out for their hunt. Only four others volunteered to stay behind. Lana watched them wearily as they sat in a group nearby, unloading and reloading guns. They whispered to each other, a few glancing in their direction.

She was exhausted. But fear of the monsters outside (and maybe the few inside) kept her from getting much sleep. Nicole shifted beside her, moaning. Lana wrapped an arm around her and closed her eyes.

She must have somehow fallen asleep after all because she woke up to the sound of footsteps and low voices. When she opened her eyes to the blurry scene, she saw men taking positions at the entrance she and Nicole had come from.

"What's happening?" Lana asked as she sat up slowly. Nicole didn't stir.

"Something is outside," one of them said. A man with dark green eyes and military cut hair like the others. They drew up their guns while the green-eyed man moved to the Scibot and brought up the feed. "Not seeing anything from the outside cameras yet," he said.

The others waited, barely moving. Lana gazed up at the ceiling, at the large pipes cutting across the roof. There was the usual quiet, then she heard it, a dull scuttering up in the walls. She leaped up, doing a three-sixty, her heart hammering.

Was it Xerus? Had he found her again?

The men pointed their guns toward the noise as the shifting sound cut across one wall to the other. Something was in the walls.

Lana checked the vents and saw they had been plugged up by the men save for a small hole cut to let some air through. She stared at them, her body tensing, ready to run.

The noise went off a few more times then quieted. They waited for what felt like forever before the men dropped their guns and Lana relaxed. She went over and checked on Nicole. Her eyes were wide open as she stared at nothing.

"You okay?" Lana asked.

Nicole's eyes swiveled toward her but didn't seem to see her. "Tired," she whispered.

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