FENN DRAX
I sit against the chamber wall, staring at the naked body of the alpha lying on the table whose name I don’t even know. My senses are working at full capacity, and I see an additional layer of information over his body, his organs, blood vessels, bones, and tendons.
Of course I lied to the doctor. I told him it was the method I used on betas so he wouldn’t force me into a physical act.
So I have to deliver.
I reach into the alpha’s dormant gonads and focus on stimulating them.
In the past, I never had to do anything like that. Automatic impregnation is part of my other nature.
Dr. Lomax and Dr. Lee figured out flawlessly that what I really am wants to trigger pregnancy in everyone I have sex with. But since my second side operates completely beyond my control, now I concentrate hard to do this consciously, activating the glands.
If I succeed, Dr. Lomax will have his damned results and maybe finally close this topic, making them understand that this kind of effect can’t be achieved through the methods available to science, because all of this is fucking magic.
I’m already done with experiments anyway, and even if those two million dollars disappear, so be it. I won't betray Marlow for the two mil. There's no price on that.
Besides, I still have two healthy hands I can use to earn money; I simply won't compromise my integrity for gold.
My only hope is that if I satisfy Dr. Lomax’ scientific curiosity, he won’t send me back to prison.
I hear his voice through the speaker.
"I’m seeing a significant increase in blood flow to his gonads. How long can you keep it activated?"
"I don’t know. I don’t measure my intercourse times, but I can guess that if it’s repeated a few times, the gonads are ready to produce an ovum."
"Okay, so we’ll repeat this in two days since that was your arrangement in the previous facility. We’ll see if anything has actually changed."
Then he turns to the alpha.
"Jordi, I encourage you to have intercourse with your partner. If anything is going to happen, this is the moment."
Jordi nods.
Dr. Lomax has a vertical wrinkle on his forehead and determination in his eyes. He desperately wants visible, tangible, scientific proof that what I’m doing is not reproducible, magical, and thus he can absolve himself of responsibility for the program’s failure.
As he ends, a high-pitched screeching sound resonates in my ear.
I realize the doctor probably failed to turn off the microphone. He most likely lifted his finger too early.
Because the chamber is soundproof, I normally shouldn’t hear any of his conversations, but now I do.
Dr. Lomax seems to be super absorbed in reading something on the screen, suddenly he snaps his head up and makes a phone call, speaking in a lowered, but angry voice.
"You son of a bitch, I risked so much for you!"
Oh, wow. Strong start. I feel like something interesting might happen, so I quickly take out my phone, but do so so that Jordi doesn’t notice and start recording.
"You won't believe what I just spotted on Malden Pharmaceuticals' news page!
Blue Lowen squeezed just about everything humanly possible out of his version of the Alpha Activation program.
The hormone that triggers preheat, lyxin, has just been added to the official list of compounds produced under Malden's license!
But you know what's even better? They're recommending it not for alphas, but for… omegas!"
A moment of silence.
"No, Flanegin! You still don't get it. Blue Lowen had pretty damn good scientific instincts.
The second Drax signed off from the program, instead of stubbornly pushing ahead with those goddamn alpha fertility studies, Blue simply applied the hormone where it actually has a chance of working: with omegas who experience infrequent or weak heats.
And fuck, it makes sense! Meanwhile, we're still tangled up in this damned Alpha Activation program that has no future whatsoever!
Drax, from what I see now with my own eyes, activates those damn gonads through some kind of telekinesis or other magic, not some lab-measurable hormone or pheromone! "
Another stretch of silence. Lomax's breathing is fast and ragged.
"Yeah, damn it, I let you talk me into taking over this program, and the idiots on the Welrun board let you convince them that the research data you stole from Blue Lowen actually had a future.
Turns out it does, just in a completely different direction, while we've been pouring a fortune into something that was never going to work! "
Another minute of silence. Apparently, the person on the other end is offering an intense defense, while Doctor Lomax pants furiously.
"Stop it, Flanegin. Spare me. I'm already pushing them to approve a new program, and I've secured preliminary funding, because we need to abandon this sinking ship as fast as possible and jump to the next one!"
Another angry huff.
"Fine. You can explain yourself to the board. I'm going to get proof that whatever Drax is doing is simply a separate ability and can't be replicated! I need to save my own ass. You do whatever the hell you want!"
An angry crack echoes through the room as Lomax slams the phone down.
Wow.
So it looks like Blue Lowen’s research results were stolen by some Flanegin guy and sold to Welrun as the basis for their program, probably for a solid sum, but it turned out to be a dead end.
Go figure.
I can only hope Dr. Lomax’s bad mood won’t make him throw me under the bus and send me back to that damn prison as completely useless.
Still, there’s something worse.
I was supposed to meet Marlow for the trip, and I’m already several hours late.
With frustration tearing through my entire nervous system, I just wait for Dr. Lomax to give us his attention.
For a few minutes he walks around the lab seemingly aimlessly, his face tense and his eyes furious, then he goes to the chamber exit and presses the button to open it.
"You’re free. Next session in two days. Both of you better show up."
We step out in silence.
The alpha gets dressed; he looks rather restless. His cock is still fully hard; exposure to my pheromones in this tiny room must have done its job. He’s flushed red, and his pupils are dilated. I assume whoever he’s paired with is in for several hours of intense fucking now.
But it doesn't concern me.
I head for the exit. I move quickly through the corridors, but why am I even rushing?
Marlow won’t be standing outside my door waiting after all these hours.
I’m not officially allowed in the promenade area, but I still have to apologize, tell him what happened.
I turn uncertainly toward the AA sector, but before I actually cross the threshold, I notice Caspian and Tobias, two betas working in the participants’ section.
Caspian is crying hard, sobbing uncontrollably.
They both freeze when they see me. They obviously know who I am; I’ve seen them in the corridors before.
"If you’re looking for Marlow, he’s not here anymore," Caspian says with trembling lips, tears rolling down his cheeks like translucent pearls.
I inhale sharply because there’s something strange in the air, an unusual scent, at least unusual for a beta. But I ignore it for now.
"I don’t understand. What do you mean? Did Marlow go to Rainbow Spring?"
"Why Rainbow Spring? Marlow and Rupert left about an hour ago for Franklin Airport. Marlow is pregnant. It’s Rupert’s child. They both walked away from the program and don’t plan to come back." Caspian says the last words in a strained voice.
Tobias adds bitterly,
"Marlow really played you… you probably thought you were the only one he was fucking with, right?"
As I hear his words, I feel like some demon from underground has drawn a line beneath my feet and an abyss is opening up beneath it, belching hellish fire. I feel like I’m about to pass out. I stagger and lean against the wall, struggling for breath.
"No, no, no…"
"Believe me, I know how it feels. Rupert, Juan, and I—" he trails off. "We had something good. Something that made us really happy."
Suddenly, a wave of intense emotion hits me. Everything we talked about, everything I promised Marlow… I can’t give up, not ever. I need to get out, now.
"You’d better go see Dr. Lee. You smell like vanilla; you’re pregnant," I blurt out, though I don’t care at all, because everything I care about is heading right now toward Franklin.
My decision locks in within a fraction of a second. The only chance at happiness I’ve ever had is slipping away from me.
Marlow, my Marlow, my beautiful auburn furball!
I close my eyes and see his gentle, always slightly sad face, rarely smiling, and I feel his hands sliding across my face as he whispers, "You deserve everything good, Fenn…"
No, I can’t lose him.
Not a chance. The only person who ever showed me tenderness; I can’t have him taken away from my life.
That precious treasure, that one rare feeling that seemed to connect us, growing, beautiful, strong. I won’t let it disappear, even if I have to die fighting for it.
Frowning, I turn away, leaving shocked Caspian and Tobias in the hallway, heading straight for the exit.
I reach the ground floor and pass the receptionist, determination fueling me.
The beta stares at me with wide eyes.
I move toward the entrance booth and immediately see one of the alphas stepping outside at the sight of me.
"Hey, I’ve got direct orders from Dr. Lomax to stop you here. You’re not allowed to leave the facility for the next two weeks!"
"Get out of my way!" I hiss.
I simply have to catch Marlow. I’m not going to let my life fall apart any more than it already has!
I try to get past him, but then he pulls out a taser.
"Don’t move or I’ll stun you!" The second alpha steps out as well. They’re older men, probably pushing sixty, but still fully committed to their role as security.
They block the gate with their bodies, and it’s locked.
"Not another step. Turn back, Drax! Dr. Lomax needs you for two more weeks, then you can go wherever you want. Return to your cell!"