Chapter 5
Cassia
“Dr. Marcus, can you give me a full report on what kind of creatures have been created?” I kept pace as I walked with her, the others finding solace in their quarters. I was the only one who deemed meeting them important.
“Rowena, please,” she said at first, her expression blank. “We’re in very close quarters. We might as well be friendly. It’s all right if I call you Cassia?”
Nodding, I could tell she was holding back, had seen the despondent look in her eyes while she was examining us.
She’d offered nothing in the way of explanation or results, merely allowing us to get dressed.
Blood had been drawn, our bodies scanned and heartrates checked.
There’d been other tests that I hadn’t been able to identify, but nothing invasive.
She’d written a few notes, but otherwise offered nothing.
“Do these monsters outside the compound have anything to do with your scientific experiments?”
This time, she flashed a glance in my direction and I was able to notice the tic crawling up from her lip to her cheek. Nervous. She was nervous as hell. The secrets within the entire crew were layered and my guess would be they started with the government.
“Of course not. They are creatures from this world. We didn’t know they existed when we arrived and are working to eradicate them.” Her statement was well practiced, polished but stilted. She’d been warned what to say. I noticed an odd expression on her face.
“Is something wrong?”
She stopped briefly, glancing at both sides of the corridor before inching closer. “Did something happen to you when you were lost in the snow?”
“What do you mean?”
“I detected… I detected sexual activity recently.”
Shuddering, I bit my lip to keep from reacting. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The beasts out there. Did they take you?”
“No. I was lost.”
She lifted her head, studying my eyes. “The creatures who live on this planet are dangerous. They are also possessive. Whatever happened while you were lost, they will come for you.”
The words filtered into my mind. I had no idea what to say to her.
“I won’t tell anyone, but be very careful, Cassia. Just promise me that you will be.”
She turned and started walking. There were dark secrets and lies occurring in this place. My instinct told me that Kevin had an entirely different operation going on that we’d been led to believe. Jesus.
I didn’t pepper her with any additional questions as we continued our path, moving in a slight downward slope.
Whoever had designed and built the compound had carved out portions of the surface.
The same creepy crawlies floated around my muscles, constricting my airflow.
The dim LED lighting added to the eerie atmosphere and the entire area was decidedly cooler, bordering on frigid.
I heard what could only be described as muffled howls, the anguished tone ringing in my ears. Shivering, I stopped, tipping my head to listen. “What is that?”
“Some of the samples haven’t responded well to various vaccines. Nothing more.”
Why was she lying to me? She had to know that I would find out every detail. That was my job.
Rowena finally stopped just outside a set of double steel doors, an electronic panel located just to the left. She waved her hand across the thick plastic, her handprint highlighted in green just seconds before the door slid open.
I started to push past her, but a firm hand was placed on my shoulder. “What you’re going to see may shock you, but I assure you that they are well taken care of and will be set free when testing is completed. This wasn’t my choice, Cassia. If I’d known what we were facing…” Her words trailed off.
She continued to lie, a trait that seemed predominant.
I also gathered she had no idea of the work I’d performed on Earth.
Dr. Forrester must have kept my position secret.
Another anomaly. It was time to break the veil of secrecy, at least to a certain point.
“You must have a controlled area in order to have accurate data produced. I’m fully versed in all scientific methods, Dr. Forrester providing several journals. I know what to expect.”
Her eyebrow lifted when she heard his name, another round of anger in her eyes.
The man was hated by so many both in and out of the industry.
“Very well.” The first room was a typical control site, computers and other equipment filling the space.
There was another set of double doors and she wasted no time before unlocking them and allowing entrance.
Her deep exhale was a telling statement.
She was afraid.
Rowena was correct in that my first reaction was horror.
The rooms were all equal in size, large enough to accommodate what could be called living quarters, but to me, the glass-enclosed areas were nothing but cages.
Prisons. The first three were empty, but as we continued walking, hairs on the back of my neck stood up.
I didn’t expect what crossed my peripheral vision. My hackles were raised instantly.
But a few answers had been provided. Lying bastards.
“My God. What have you done? This isn’t just about infusing human DNA to make a faster, stronger, more adaptable human being.
All the rumors are true. You’re using the existing creatures with…
” I couldn’t even finish the sentence, the shock so great.
How could I not have known any of this given my work with Dr. Forrester?
We would never be allowed back on Earth.
Never. If any of this got out to the people on Earth, they would be mortified. Or would they? My stomach lurched.
“We did what was necessary in order to survive, Cassia,” she answered more in passing. “I don’t know what the government thought by bringing you or the others here so soon. It was a mistake. We’re not ready. These… beings aren’t finished transforming yet. There are so many additional tests to run.”
Two of the samples were of the same species as the creatures in the cave and one entirely human in appearance.
They were all large in stature, standing well over six and a half feet tall.
All three were gorgeous, rugged in every fashion, wide shoulders and rock-hard muscles screaming of power and strength.
Every aspect of their physique was roughhewn, leaving my panties damp and my nipples aching.
I swallowed hard, blinking in order to maintain some kind of composure.
I flashed back to the Viking-like man in the snow.
Coincidences I didn’t believe in. “You spliced human DNA with various creatures, beasts from these clans. Just admit it. Did you abduct them? Is that why those creatures in the snow were so fucking pissed off?” I was shocked, disgusted at the realization.
This wasn’t what these scientists were supposed to do.
Or was it?
Dr. Forrester had touted creating an extraordinary human species. What if he meant the perfect slave? Oh. My. God. That made perfect sense. Alter their DNA, allowing for full control of their mental faculties and emotional state. They could be programmed to follow orders and nothing more.
Rowena hesitated, glancing toward the door. She didn’t like this any more than I did.
“Answer me! This isn’t about making certain humans can survive under the harsh conditions of this world.
This is about finding and morphing together human DNA and whatever kind of creatures live and thrive on this planet.
New evolution. Playing God. And I take it the creatures are pissed off as hell about being… used. They seek revenge.”
“Please, listen to me,” Rowena whispered, her voice anguished.
All the color had drained from her face.
“As Dr. Fields mentioned, there was another species living here when we arrived, but our intention wasn’t to interact with them in any manner.
Our initial work was difficult as well as time consuming and we had extensive failures.
Complications. Then some of the human volunteers supplied to us were killed.
Jesus. I shouldn’t be telling you this.”
“You will tell me everything or so help me God, I will report this! We have a damn news reporter here, for God’s sake.
What do you think he’s going to tell the people on Earth?
” I snapped at her, unfettered by whatever consequences could follow.
Recoiling, I realized I should keep my accusations and fears to myself.
Maybe they really believed they were going to blindside us.
Or maybe we were mere fodder for social media in order to shut them up for a few additional weeks. Death and damnation. My premonition was accurate.
“Don’t threaten me, Dr. Bloom. You haven’t lived here for almost twenty long months.
You have no idea what it’s like. We had no choice or millions of dollars would have been lost, our chances for survival abysmal.
There were three survivors from the accident and one died shortly thereafter.
We had to make compromises. And Dr. Fields is… He refuses to compromise.”
Something didn’t ring true. I knew for certainty that at least four shuttles had set off for Earth Two, all comprised of volunteers.
A cold shiver trickled down my spine. I could also sense that Rowena and Kevin had been close, perhaps lovers.
And she’d been scorned. I would use this to my advantage if necessary.
Laughing, I glanced toward the creatures.
They were very attentive. Two were obviously from the clan Kevin mentioned.
The human’s appearance had been altered in ways I found difficulty describing.
He was much larger, his features more pronounced, eyes that burned into my very soul.
“By abducting members from a dangerous clan. Perfect.”