Page 46 of Monstrous Rampage
Then aloud, I tried again. “Rekt.”
“I suppose we don’t have a choice, though I’m not sure what the SPTD could do that our medic can’t.” He sighed, his fingers tightening on my shoulder, his fingers drumming against my skin. Like I was a fucking desk. An object. “It’s not ideal to bring him into this sterilized area in case of mrion contamination. Compute probability we are able to detect mrion contamination in the SPTD.”
“Based on Draco Sirius Command’s current standard operating procedures, we are able to identify mrion contamination with ninety-nine percent accuracy.”
“Scan the SPTD again and then get him up here.” Snyder shook my shoulder, rattling the shards inside my head. As if my being ill was a personal affront. “I suppose we don’t have any other choice.”
REKT
:Medical emergency,:the ship’s computer announced on the network.:All available agents report to Holly’s cabin. Repeat, medical emergency.:
I shouldn’t have heard it down here in the hold, but because Snyder’s controllers hadn’t thought to disconnect me, I still had full access.
Leaping to my feet, I rushed to the cell door, pounding my fists against the tungsten when it didn’t open.:I’m medical staff!:I roared on the ship’s grid.:Let me assist!:
:Access her scans but don’t provide solutions,:Syko ordered on our private grid, calm and cool despite whatever medical emergency our mate might be experiencing.:Make them get you and bring you to her.:
Irrationally, his controlled alpha demeanor pissed me off. How dare the unstable dynos remain calm when our mate was in danger?:Accessing now.:
Holly’s scans made me grind my teeth with fury. Her body was failing. Her organs were beginning to shut down. Death was imminent if we didn’t quickly stabilize her.:We may not have time for them to come get me.:
A wall of blistering black fire rolled over me through our private grid, but his mental voice remained fully composed.:We’ll do her no good if we’re dead. She needs us at our best. Run through all contingencies and be prepared to leap into action. The mrions are helping her suggest she needs you.:
Standing here helpless while our mate died was the hardest thing I could ever imagine doing. They were already trying the basic solutions, and none of them were working. What was the core issue?
Something they were missing. Then the alpha’s words echoed in my head.“She needs us at our best.”
Not just our best. She needs us. Her mates.
They’d taken her away from us, and her body started to shut down.
:The agent is coming to release you,:Syko said.:I know it doesn’t make sense, but you need to go at a normal pace. Be clinical. Precise. Cold if you can manage it. If you’re overly possessive or emotional, they’ll be more concerned and remove you as soon as she’s out of danger.:
A tremor shook my body. Clinical I could do. Precise was written into my DNA. But cold? To our mate? I wasn’t sure I could pull that off.
:Once she’s on the grid, she’ll understand. Snyder has something planned with one of the dyni on ice. Why are they pumping him with clomiphene, epinephrine, and gonadotropin?:
Fury rippled through me. If I wasn’t surrounded by tungsten, I would have shifted to my beast.:They’re trying to bring him into rut. They’ll counteract the testosterone inhibitors.:
I’d thought the wave of black fire I’d felt from Syko was intense but that was nothing compared to the pulverizing pressure I now felt on the grid. He turned into a supermassive black hole.:Stabilize her. Then we get the fuck out of here. I need you to buy as much time as possible, though don’t fuck around with her safety and wellbeing.:
:Never, and getting the fuck out sounds good to me.:The door to my cell slid up with impossible slowness, reminding me to stay calm and cool.
“SPTD, your presence is requested in the medical laboratory,” the silver agent said in a pleasant voice.
I closed my eyes for a moment, deliberately dumping all my thoughts. Wiping my frontal cortex, just in case they were looking. “Acknowledged.”
“Please wait while I scan you for mrion contamination.”
I clenched my jaws, biting back an impatient curse, while the agent connected an implement for a cursory search.
“No contamination detected. Please proceed to the medical laboratory.”
The agent melted back into the tungsten floor. Fighting myself every step of the way, I walked—not ran—to the waiting lift. I performed basic breathing exercises to calm my mind in those few seconds and then disembarked in a new level. The hallway was bathed in red light and silent flashing sirens, automatically increasing my urgency. Yet I made myself walk steadily down the short hallway into the circular laboratory, though I extended both implements, ready for action, with a full list of tests prioritized on standby.
My mate lay on an exam table. Fully naked and exposed to the chill of the room. Her pale, wan face was clammy with sweat, her hair damp and lackluster. At a glance, I could tell she’d lost more weight despite my warning to Snyder.
The medic agent dumped a summary to me on the network.
