"I'm scared, Xerus," she said, trying to keep her composure.

  "I am here. Nothing will get to you."

  Lana hugged his neck. "I know. But the others. What can we do?"

  Xerus placed Lana back onto the ground. Finding herself in one of the bedrooms, Xerus led her into the bathroom adjacent, one with a large shower room.

  "Come let me warm you, you are so cold and I need to clean."

  Lana didn't fight or argue as Xerus turned on the shower using the controls by the wall. The water cascaded down from the ceiling overhead, hot rain on to black marble. Xerus slipped off Lana's clothes along with his own and, with one arm around her waist, he brought her with him into the steaming room.

  If his plan was to ease her mind or at least distract her, it worked. Hot water poured onto her head and down her back, drenching her quickly. He held her tightly against him, his hand splayed firmly across her back. Lana curled into him, her tears melding with the spraying water.

  "What can we do, Xerus?" Lana repeated more calmly after a moment.

  Xerus brushed his hand down her spine. "I could kill them."

  Lana closed her eyes. It was what she had had in mind for him before, only then she had been too afraid to ask.

  "You could try. I had thought of the idea before. But I don't think I could bear the thought of possibly losing you again," Lana admitted.

  Xerus snorted. "They are no threat."

  Lana turned her head up to meet his gaze. "They are. I know you are well trained in combat and are more powerful. But they have something you don't. Numbers. And advance weapons that they could use with their eyes closed. They are one of the military's most trained men. A few might not be anything but there are at least two dozen of them. And I have seen the kind of weapons they are packing." Lana shook her head. "We can't risk it because I...my people need you."

  Xerus' eyes bore deep into hers and Lana held his gaze. "If something happened, the others would be stuck. I would be left defenseless, unable to help," she said softly. She reached up and kissed his neck, trailing her lips upward, moving across his jaw. Xerus closed his eyes, groaning. He backed her against one of the walls, placing his arm against the black marble, leaning his body forward, sheltering her. She continued to kiss him gently, tasting droplets of water.

  Xerus hissed. "I cannot avoid them forever."

  "I know," Lana said between kisses. Then a thought lit up her mind. "I think I have an idea." She looked up at him. "We should send the uninfected straight to the docks right away. Though they can't leave until it is safe, it is better to have them all in one place, away from Galger's team. As soon as everyone is out, we keep Galger and his men from following. They either comply to set their weapons aside and be tied up or they remain and...we continue with the initial plan."

  Xerus' eyes narrowed. "We set off the bombs."

  Lana nodded.

  "I would rather they were dead, but I assume your kind would wish them to face some sort of trial for their actions?"

  "It would be the right thing," Lana said wearily. She had made sure the Scibot recorded all movement within the base so that every action was filed away into the main system. And every hour it sent those files into cloud storage which would be easy to access. Everyone would know once they got out and Galger and his men could face punishment for their crimes.

  Xerus grumbled but didn't argue. "Very well. I assume then you will use the cargo elevators to get the rest of the people up to the docks?"

  Lana's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

  "I have seen the maps. I know the supply routes are the only ones capable of going from each level to the docks without having to stop at the city sector first. I was planning to use it myself when I first studied the map on level twelve."

  "Ah, so that was the information you stole from the bot. I should have guessed..."

  Xerus' mouth widened and he shrugged.

  "Yes, that's the plan," Lana continued. "Right now there are a few waiting up on the docks now. Place the bombs then shepard those hiding or in saferooms and send them up. Galger and his team have been sticking to level three as their home base so we will go there last. Once it is highly unlikely that there is anyone left on those levels, we can just place the bombs and nothing more." Lana gripped Xerus and kissed his shoulder with excitement, her anger and fear subsiding temporarily. "It could work."

  "I'll go back to the lower levels and get to the uninfected first that were left. Then make my way up once more," Xerus said. He pressed against her, nuzzling the side of her head. "It shouldn't be difficult. And quick. Once they see me, they will run faster than they ever have in their lives."

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Xerus didn't have to go far down to find survivors. Based on the Scibot's readings, there was no one alive on any of the levels from eleven to ten. Just bodies. Some half-eaten by creatures lurking in the dark, others killed mysteriously in ways Lana didn't want to think about. Likely from those infected and hostile. Weeding out the weak. Lana had done her best to avoid looking or thinking about them when Xerus had been setting his bombs, but now it was all she could focus on and it made her stomach twist.

  There was no one left on nine either as they had fled their units so Xerus made his way down to eight where, based on the data, there were a few hiding. Once he found them, Xerus made sure none were infected then drove the group out of the room they had blockaded and, with a little fear mongering, shepherded them into the warehouse, to the cargo elevator. They took it up and Xerus too made his way to the next level. He found the people he had left on seven and did the same with them as he did with those on eight. Their screams and cries of terror echoed through Lana's headset but she remained still and calm, knowing they were in no real danger. They had no way of knowing Xerus was helping them.

  As he led them through the rooms, one did find an ounce of courage and took out his gun to fire toward Xerus. The alien dodged, the bullet barely missing his head, and quickly disarmed him. The man stumbled and fell then ran to catch up with the others.

  "Seci nix vi shaaves," Xerus muttered. Something about humans being so ungrateful.

  "They don't know you are trying to help," Lana reminded him.

  "Still, it would be nice not to be shot at," Xerus sneered.

  "I know, I'm sorry. Level six there is a group in the saferoom. They likely won't have guns."

  Xerus hissed. "We shall see."

  Lana's lips tightened, her heart pounding as she centered all her focus on the screen. She was nervous for him and for the others. Even if Xerus got them to run in the right direction toward the cargo elevator, there could still be other specimens or infected hiding, ready to attack.

  Once those on seven were out, Xerus made his way through the debris-filled passages of the medical bay until he came up beside the saferoom door. He opened his jaws wide then shut his mouth as if setting it in a specific manner, his head bowed. He backed away to stand underneath an unlit corner, his eyes piercing the dark. He cleared his throat then lifted his tail to knock soundly on the door.

  Minutes passed and there was no answer. Xerus went to knock again when a voice broke the silence.

  "W-who's there?"

  "This is Officer Galger. Me and my crew are looking for survivors." Xerus sounded exactly like him, giving Lana goosebumps. She would remind him never to use that voice while they were together. "The base is clear and safe and you can come out now."

  There was another long pause. "We haven't heard anything. We were told we had to wait until we heard from the master officers and generals that the lockdown was lifted."

  "Due to new safety measures they cannot contact you in the usual manner," Xerus said without hesitation. "They assigned us to get those in the saferooms out. If you open the door and make for the cargo elevator and take it up to the docks there will be a ship ready."

  A short pause and then, "Why are we taking the cargo elevator? Why not take us through to the city sector?"

  Lana was grateful to see Xerus keeping his patience. "We want to get you out as quickly and as safely as possible and the main elevators are not in working order," Xerus said, making up excuses as he went. " Are you ready to comply?"

  There was a murmur of noise on the other end as if they were arguing, then a clear voice said, "Okay, we are opening up."

  Xerus backed farther into the shadows as the door slid open. Heads poked out looking all around.

  "Nobody’s there! Quick, close the door!" someone shouted within. As a man in a doctor's uniform went to press the button, Xerus revealed himself and strode into the room.

  "Holy fuck!" someone yelled and the others screamed. Lana winced as she saw dozens scramble out of the room, Xerus having to block a few from running the wrong direction causing them to shrink back in terror.

  It took a few attempts to get them to move the right way and lead them toward the level six warehouse. Once inside, Xerus trapped them within. He got them to flee into the cargo elevator then he stopped and grew still once they huddled inside.

  "P-please," one of them begged. Xerus closed his eyes and sniffed the air.

  "Xerus? What's wrong?" Lana asked nervously.

  Xerus opened his lids and narrowed his eyes on a pair of labcoats in the corner of the room. He growled and lunged for them, dragging them out of the elevator. "They are infected."

  Before Lana could make a sound, Xerus snapped their necks quickly, their bodies falling to the ground. Lana gasped but kept silent though her stomach heaved and her mouth dried and she feared she might become sick. Xerus moved toward the rest of the group, now a whimpering bundle on the ground. He closed his eyes again then nodded. "The rest are safe." He moved away from the elevator and closed the doors.

  Lana slumped in her chair and closed her eyes, trying to remain calm. The two had been infected and nothing could be done. She just had to be thankful the others were okay.

  "I'm going to set more bombs on six then we will move forward," Xerus said sharply. He swung around the bag that had been resting at his back and made his way through the rooms to place his bombs.

  Lana licked her lips and swallowed. "Alright," she said softly. Seeing Xerus kill the two men so swiftly and without thought scared her and reminded her what he was capable of. Silently she thanked whoever that Xerus had taken a liking to her and that she had never gotten the parasite.

  As Xerus set his bombs, Lana brought up the data screen of the entire base. The numbers were so low it made her heart drop. Only a few hundred were left. Either some had found their way out–somehow making it to the docks–or many hadn't made it, succumbing to any number of threats. The level three saferoom had one of the largest populations inside and they were taken out in a matter of minutes by Galger's team. The largest population now was on level one and it was only a matter of time before the soldiers made their way up to finish the job.

  Rubbing her forehead, Lana accessed the rest of the remaining data from the levels that were left. There was one remaining saferoom on level five along with a few readings of people in another room close by. Level three had activity but she knew it was only Galger and his men. Level four there was only her and level two was mostly empty save for a few guards protecting the food supply. Then there was level one with its several hundred or so.

  "One last saferoom, Xerus, and then it's on to the top," Lana said. "There are people also in one of the rooms but they might be from Galger's team so be careful.

  Xerus placed his last remaining bomb for six then headed for five. Lana checked the feeds to see for herself who was huddling in one of the rooms outside the saferoom on five. She flipped through the video until she found the room. To her surprise, it wasn't a group of Galger's soldiers as she feared. The group huddled together in a circle out in the open. They didn't have guns at their sides or any other weapons. They sat at the center with a bunch of equipment and what looked to be Scibots that were partially disassembled around them. The bots' wires spewed over the ground like a field of metal encompassing the group. Lana's eyes narrowed looking at them. Why were they just sitting there? And what were they doing with the bots? Were they too looking for parts? Lana hadn't seen anyone lurking around there before but perhaps they had come while she had slept or when she had been focused on helping Xerus. "There is another group," Lana said. "It isn't Galger's team."

  Xerus grunted. He made his way into five and went for the saferoom first. As Lana switched over to watch him, she could see the saferoom was already unlocked even though the door was closed. Lana frowned and Xerus hesitated. He slipped over to the side of the door, readying himself. With his tail, he pressed the button and the door slid open. Lana braced herself.

  The people inside had been sitting far from the door. When they saw Xerus they shot up and screamed. As they ran from him, Lana noticed some were badly injured. One person didn't even move from the room, clearly unconscious or dead.

  Xerus checked the body then moved on after the group, indicating to Lana that the individual was indeed gone. Something bad had happened in the room and she feared one or more of them must have been infected.

  The group was slow as so many were injured, making it easier for Xerus to catch up and keep them together. Once he got them to the cargo bay and into another elevator, he searched them over and, to Lana's shock, found none that were infected. As the elevator doors closed, Xerus went back for the last group.

  'Maybe they are from the saferoom', Lana thought as she went back to the video of the room with the group huddled in the center. 'Maybe they were kicked out for attacking the others.' "Be careful, Xerus, these ones might be trouble," Lana said aloud.

  When Xerus got to the entrance of the room, he hesitated a second to look inside. The group of men were bent over themselves, silent, with their eyes turned to the ground. They didn't even notice Xerus' presence as he stepped into the room. Xerus gazed at the disfigured bots and the wires on the ground curiously. As he slipped farther in, one of the men saw him. The man cried out and gestured to the others who saw the large alien and turned ashen. They screamed and did everything Lana expected them to do. Everything except run.

  "Why aren't they moving?" Lana said, watching as the men cowered away and shouted curses but didn't attempt to flee. "Xerus...why aren't they–"

  Then she saw and knew. They didn't run because they couldn't. They were chained to the floor.

  Lana's heart jolted. "Oh my god, Xerus, get out of there!"

  The Scibots turned on simultaneously and violent sparks of electricity shot down the wires into the floor. The room ignited. Electricity flashed through the room like a lightning storm, bathing the area in a brilliant white. The men died instantly, their bodies seizing then going limp. Xerus bent forward, letting out an ear-shattering roar.

  Lana winced but kept the headset on her. "No," she cried. "Xerus!"

  Sparks flew and the bots started going up in flames. When the electricity finally sizzled out, Xerus fell to the ground, unmoving.

  "Xerus!" Lana called to him but he didn't respond. Panic spread through her body. She continued to call out to him because it was all that she could do.

  Xerus didn't move no matter how much she pleaded. All she could do was sit and stare at the screen with horror, thinking he was dead. Her throat tightened, it was becoming hard to breathe.

  "Xerus, please get up. Please!"

  There was nothing.

  A moment later a group of men stepped into the room, guns drawn, aimed right at Xerus. Lana couldn't make out what they were saying and she realized it was because Xerus’ headset was fried. He wouldn't have heard her anyway. Wide-eyed and cold as ice, Lana watched Galger's men enter the room. Galger and Torrence entered last.

  They talked for a moment as Galger ordered his men to tie Xerus up, binding him with thick chains. Helpless, Lana watched as they stood over Xerus' body and wrapped his tail around him so that his spikes dug into his abdomen, using his own body against him. They cut the bag of bombs from his neck and, as they tied his tail to him and secured the binds, they took the ends of each chain and dragged Xerus from the room.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  "Just remain calm, Lana. Don't panic. You can't lose control now," Lana said to herself as she paced the room, repeating the words over and over. But her voice cracked and her body shook because inside her head all she could think about was what they were going to do with her alien. Who risked his life and put aside part of his mission to help her save others. It was her fault. And now he was going to be...

  Lana leaped for the Scibot's screen and switched through the feeds until she got to level three. Her breath quickened and her throat tightened as she searched the rooms. A tiny cry ripped from her throat as she found the team entering their hub with Xerus, dragging him over to the back wall and hooking his chains to a set of self-made handles, taken from spare metal parts and welded to the ground. Lana cursed herself. She should have been watching Galger and his team closer. She had every opportunity to observe them but she had been too busy with helping Xerus to take heed of what they had been doing. They knew Xerus was one of the last of the specimens left and had been planning all along to trap him. If she hadn't had him go out and look for others he might have avoided them entirely. Tears stung her eyes as she now watched Xerus being tied to the ground and wall. One of the soldiers then came forward and roughly slipped a sizable black cloth over Xerus' face to blind him.

  They wouldn't have done all this if they thought he was dead so at least she had the small relief of knowing he must be alive only unconscious. It did little to ease her. Because deep down a horrible dread filled her. She had a very bad feeling she knew what they were planning.

  Torrence and Galger talked among themselves, Torrence's face twisted with annoyance though he nodded his head, forced to comply with Galger's orders. The men drew away from Xerus, leaving him to hang. They seemed to be taking a moment to collect themselves, watching Xerus intently, waiting for him to wake up.

 

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