My mouth dropped open. I wanted to argue some more, but the thought of being tossed over those broad shoulders actually made my insides flutter a little. No. I had to stay focused. This man was a murderer. Who knew what else he was capable of?
He seemed satisfied with my speechlessness and turned to resume his march. Wordlessly, I followed, my mind racing. What was he doing on this research vessel? I slowed my pace, allowing him to get ahead of me. I didn’t know what to make of the man, and I wasn’t sure if I was safer with him or without.
Suddenly, alarms blared overhead, and flashing lights filled the hallway, leaving me momentarily disoriented. I covered my ears again and ducked my head, trying to ward off the piercing wail of the sirens. Behind me, I heard shouts and the sound of boots filling the hallway, and I spared a look over my shoulder.
Shit. Now they were onto us. I felt a sting in my leg and looked down to discover a dart protruding from the back of my thigh. Ahead, the stranger who’d freed me was pulling away, and I realized that I had stopped moving, frozen between him and the onslaught of Patrol personnel coming straight at me. I wanted to run, but I couldn’t get my legs to move. Fear washed over me in heavy waves, and I felt like I was drowning. My head was spinning, and my legs were heavy, and now I was out of breath.
“Don’t leave me!” I screamed, desperately clawing at the dart to get it out.
Something slammed into me from behind, and I was scooped up. I toppled sideways, the whole world spinning and making me nauseated. I realized a moment later that the stranger had come for me, stopping only long enough to hoist me over his shoulders before whirling to get away from the men in the lab coats. He fired a warning shot at the approaching aliens, but it flew high and missed them.
I bounced painfully with each step, but there was no slowing down. We made it to the workroom, and I looked for the other women, most of whom were already freed and huddling near the doors. There were two other strangers I didn’t recognize. Those must be his friends. There was too much commotion and screaming for me to focus on anything.
“Incoming!” my rescuer bellowed into the room, plowing through the desks and knocking them askew as he made his way toward the door.
“Get them out of here!” his friend called back.
Everything was happening so fast, all I could do was squeeze my eyes shut and wait for deliverance. But I felt my consciousness dwindling and everything went dark.