situation seeped out through his pores. He’d had curry last night. The pungent sweet-spicy aroma filled the room.
“The LY’s are sectioned off into a secure wing. This is an old style asylum, right back from the Bedlam-type days of treatment.”
Despite herself, she shuddered. Just the word conjured up images of patients strapped to beds, screaming in pain as they were subjected to electric shock treatment. They’d tried that on camp, very early on, under the premise that the electrical current could subdue the intense desires the Bloods, in particular, suffered.
Antonia had ripped the pads loose and threatened to shove them, and the machine, where the sun didn’t shine. She hadn’t been asked to “participate” in any further electric shock trials. In fact, she hadn’t been asked to participate in trials at all since. Go figure.
“Okay, so we’re assuming that no civilians are at risk?” She swung her monochrome-gaze around to encompass both Fitzgerald and the sergeant with all the answers.
Fitzgerald shook his head, his finger busily click-clicking on the pen. “You know what they say about assume…”
Antonia’s expression deadened. If the next words out of his mouth were “it makes an ass out of you and me” she was not only going to ram that fucking pen up his ass but the entire map as well. Without lube.
Fitzgerald dropped his gaze and cleared his throat. “We can’t assume anything. Not at this stage. All we know is we can’t establish contact with an LY16 holding facility. I have authorization for a clean-up operation. We’re about to start activating the RAs. Major, you’ll be leading the operation.”
She nodded. Since they’d dragged her out of bed at WTF o’clock, she’d assumed she’d be leading the operation. It wasn’t her first clean-up, and she doubted it would be her last.
“The RAs aren’t active yet? I’m assuming we’re headed out by road?” She tapped the map idly. The hospital wasn’t too far from the camp. A couple of hours hard drive and they’d be there.
Fitzgerald nodded and slipped his pen into his pocket. “Yes, air suppression teams are already in the air. Orders to shoot anything on foot and maintain a cordon around the hospital. Follow me. We’ll head to the activation area. I think you’ll want to see this.”
“Of course, sir.”
She hid her surprise and followed him without argument. This was new. Even as team commander she’d never been invited through to the activation area before, and as a Blood it was normally off limits to her, as were the Lycan labs. A feeling of unease filled her as she filed after them like a good little soldier. Whatever this was, it couldn’t be good.
The sense of something wrong increased on the short walk through the maze that made the Operations building and had built into a fine crescendo as they entered the RA labs. By the time Fitzgerald opened the door to an observation room and gestured at her to precede him inside, not only had the hackles on the back of her neck risen, but the skin underneath was actively trying to crawl away as well.
What am I missing? What game is Fitzgerald playing now?
The room appeared empty, tables and chairs pushed against the wall behind the door. As always, she gave it a cursory glance before she stepped over the threshold. The look was a holdover from being human—these days, her enhanced senses told her the room was empty.
Like a moth drawn to the flame, she approached the window down the opposite side of the room. One-way glass, it didn’t show the normal view of acrid desert outside. Instead she saw a darkened room below. For the people crowding in behind her, all of them human, it would have been impenetrable darkness. Not for a nocturnal creature. Her eyes had adapted to take advantage of the small amount of available light. Pupils dilating, the room below came into view. It was painted in shades of gray and black thanks to the darkness,
“The LY’s are sectioned off into a secure wing. This is an old style asylum, right back from the Bedlam-type days of treatment.”
Despite herself, she shuddered. Just the word conjured up images of patients strapped to beds, screaming in pain as they were subjected to electric shock treatment. They’d tried that on camp, very early on, under the premise that the electrical current could subdue the intense desires the Bloods, in particular, suffered.
Antonia had ripped the pads loose and threatened to shove them, and the machine, where the sun didn’t shine. She hadn’t been asked to “participate” in any further electric shock trials. In fact, she hadn’t been asked to participate in trials at all since. Go figure.
“Okay, so we’re assuming that no civilians are at risk?” She swung her monochrome-gaze around to encompass both Fitzgerald and the sergeant with all the answers.
Fitzgerald shook his head, his finger busily click-clicking on the pen. “You know what they say about assume…”
Antonia’s expression deadened. If the next words out of his mouth were “it makes an ass out of you and me” she was not only going to ram that fucking pen up his ass but the entire map as well. Without lube.
Fitzgerald dropped his gaze and cleared his throat. “We can’t assume anything. Not at this stage. All we know is we can’t establish contact with an LY16 holding facility. I have authorization for a clean-up operation. We’re about to start activating the RAs. Major, you’ll be leading the operation.”
She nodded. Since they’d dragged her out of bed at WTF o’clock, she’d assumed she’d be leading the operation. It wasn’t her first clean-up, and she doubted it would be her last.
“The RAs aren’t active yet? I’m assuming we’re headed out by road?” She tapped the map idly. The hospital wasn’t too far from the camp. A couple of hours hard drive and they’d be there.
Fitzgerald nodded and slipped his pen into his pocket. “Yes, air suppression teams are already in the air. Orders to shoot anything on foot and maintain a cordon around the hospital. Follow me. We’ll head to the activation area. I think you’ll want to see this.”
“Of course, sir.”
She hid her surprise and followed him without argument. This was new. Even as team commander she’d never been invited through to the activation area before, and as a Blood it was normally off limits to her, as were the Lycan labs. A feeling of unease filled her as she filed after them like a good little soldier. Whatever this was, it couldn’t be good.
The sense of something wrong increased on the short walk through the maze that made the Operations building and had built into a fine crescendo as they entered the RA labs. By the time Fitzgerald opened the door to an observation room and gestured at her to precede him inside, not only had the hackles on the back of her neck risen, but the skin underneath was actively trying to crawl away as well.
What am I missing? What game is Fitzgerald playing now?
The room appeared empty, tables and chairs pushed against the wall behind the door. As always, she gave it a cursory glance before she stepped over the threshold. The look was a holdover from being human—these days, her enhanced senses told her the room was empty.
Like a moth drawn to the flame, she approached the window down the opposite side of the room. One-way glass, it didn’t show the normal view of acrid desert outside. Instead she saw a darkened room below. For the people crowding in behind her, all of them human, it would have been impenetrable darkness. Not for a nocturnal creature. Her eyes had adapted to take advantage of the small amount of available light. Pupils dilating, the room below came into view. It was painted in shades of gray and black thanks to the darkness,
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