CHAPTER 8
While sorry to see Grayson go—for a reason Leila couldn’t have explained—she stirred with excitement at the discoveries to come, an eagerness shared by her unexpected assistant.
“What would you like me to do?” Asterion asked.
“I think the first thing we need to test is what happens when we burn a sample. I know the warriors have likely begun incinerating, but we really should make sure we’re not causing more harm in doing so. While that’s going on, we’ll subject the tissue samples to a variety of rigors.”
“Which means what?”
“Freezing and then thawing to see how the cells react to the cold. Submersion in water. High altitudes, which means a visit to the rooftop. Exposing it to heavy oxygen, no oxygen, and other gases. We want to see what makes it react.”
“If I may ask a question.”
“Go ahead.” Because there were no dumb queries. As a matter of fact, she remembered a teacher long ago saying that, sometimes, out of what seemed like the most inane comments came breakthroughs.
“You are planning all these different tests on a small piece of the alien, but it would seem to me that the test of true rigor might require the actual beast. A hunk of flesh might not respond to a change in its surroundings, but a living creature might.”
“That’s actually a good observation, and if it helps, we will later run these same tests on our subject, depending on the initial results.
For example, if we see the tissue when frozen and defrosted loses its ability to regenerate, we might not do the same to the alien because, after all, we can’t test properly if it’s dead. ”
“For the creature itself, what kind of cognitive tests will you apply?”
She pursed her lips. “Honestly, I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Usually, the only live testing I do is on mice.”
“Perhaps, since you are more experienced than I when it comes to the scientific aspects, I could handle the social and behavioral aspect.”
“What are you thinking of trying?”
“Attempting to communicate, for one. See if it can be taught words, gestures. Does it play? Is its only instinct to attack?”
As Asterion listed off his ideas, Leila found herself nodding. “What you propose actually sounds great. The more we know, the better we can plan how to counter their invasive and murderous tactics.”
“Excellent. I am most excited. Thank you for allowing me to participate. Ever since my arrival, I’ve noticed everyone in Tower has a role to play, all but me. It will be nice to feel useful. I’ve never had a job before.” His shy admission made her smile.
“It will be nice to have a coworker.” One she didn’t fear.
For all his intimidating appearance, Asterion possessed a gentle nature.
At least with those he liked and who didn’t threaten.
He had admitted to her that he’d killed when living in the Labyrinth, not because he truly wanted to, but because many came seeking him, looking for the glory of killing the famed minotaur.
They each went to work on their tasks, the hours passing with them exchanging interesting discoveries.
For Asterion, he discovered the creature reacted violently as soon as he entered the chamber, gnashing its teeth, claws dragging across the bars, likely driven by a primal hunger. But that didn’t deter Asterion, who spoke to it gently.
As for Leila, she got a sample burning in the contained unit then proceeded with her other experiments. Freezing and thawing had no effect on the living cellular matrix of the tissue. When too cold, it stopped moving but restarted as soon as it reached one degree Celsius.
Gases, no matter the mixture, also caused no change.
Dousing it in water, juice, dirt, sand, plants, including vegetable and fruits, had no effect.
The only time the sample reacted was in the presence of actual meat proteins.
The tiny blob quivered as soon as anything it could actually consume got close.
That led to her introducing a variety of meats.
Organ meats excited the tissue matrix the most, making it jiggle rapidly and even extend itself as if to reach.
Beef, pork, and lamb got a more subdued reaction.
With chicken, it almost seemed hesitant, and it slunk away from the egg she cracked beside it.
As Tower brought her various land and aerial tidbits to use, her hunk increased in size, depending on absorption.
When it got to be a certain size, she split it in two.
With her second piece, she began introducing seafood.
Fish, from white flesh, such as trout and haddock, to the oily, such as salmon and tuna.
Blubber from whales, and even shark cartilage.
All rejected, leading her to introduce crustaceans, like scallops and shrimp.
It quickly became obvious that the tissue either couldn’t find what it needed from those samples or something in them proved unpalatable.
Could it be the omega-3 concentration? Fish had very high levels compared to other meats.
It would explain its rejection of the egg, which, while containing less omega-3 than seafood, still had much more than, say, beef.
Curious about her theory, she had Tower bring her some omega-3 liquid capsules and drizzled some on a slivered section. The effect proved immediate.
With an eye pressed to her microscope, she noticed the omega-3 appeared to act as a paralytic, the active cells freezing in place, but not dying, because as soon as she rinsed her sample, they began jiggling again.
Interesting. The paralysis from the omega-3 explained why it wouldn’t ingest marine life.
As a final consumption test, she gave it a drop of her blood. Just a single one. The lump absorbed it so fast she almost missed it. She’d just found its favorite source of protein. Humans. Not exactly the best news.
The smoke analysis finished during that time, and, to her relief, nothing hostile was detected, and the ash left behind showed no signs of life.
Despite not having all the tests done, she began typing up her observations and sent them to the Zodiac Warriors’ information desk. A misnomer, since it was simply an internal messaging box that she assumed someone read.
Within the hour, a knock came at her door. Leila whirled her chair and stared at it. No one ever visited her lab. Asterion remained in the other room and, last time she checked, was showing the alien a picture book as if it were a toddler.
Could it be Grayson? She rose and answered the door, only to have her sudden excitement deflate at the sight of Aquarius. “What do you want?” Rude, but then again, she didn’t want or need people showing up interrupting her work. Although she would have made an exception for Grayson.
“I have questions about the fish thing and the alien.”
“And you couldn’t send your queries in a text?” Meet the guy once at a less-than-stellar moment and he seemed to think he had an open invitation to visit her in person.
Aquarius didn’t seem to notice her irritation and strode in. “You said the alien avoided anything aquatic.”
“Yes.”
“And that drenching it with omega-3 caused a temporary paralysis.”
“Yes.”
“Would dousing a full-sized version have the same effect?”
Her brows rose. “I haven’t the slightest idea. Keep in mind the sample I tested was the size of a pea and lacked any of the characteristics present in the fully formed versions.”
“So it wouldn’t work?” he pressed.
“Again, I don’t know. I mean, theoretically, it should, but”—she interjected, seeing his mouth open to interrupt—“the amount of omega-3 needed in liquid format would be much greater than a single capsule. Not to mention, I’m not sure if its exterior skin would prevent the absorption.”
“Can we test it on the mini version?”
“We could,” she stated slowly. “But there’s a chance it could kill it.”
“Seems like that would be good.”
“Not if we want to further our understanding.”
“Which is important, I get it, but here’s the thing.
While Aries and the crew managed to quell the problem in Toronto, especially once they began incinerating them, the boss thinks we didn’t so much eradicate as send them underground, likely to regroup and plan a new attack.
Usually that wouldn’t be a big deal, except we don’t have time to hunt the stragglers because the ones we didn’t burn in those other places are back.
As a result, Aries has my brothers out in the field eliminating the active ones. ”
“Sounds to me like things are more or less under control.”
“We’re trying to stay ahead of the problem but are having to avoid being sighted by the military and local law enforcement.
Unfortunately, they haven’t had much success fighting the aliens.
I mean, they’re trying, but these things are quick, and some of them are utilizing energy weapons.
If we could maybe release an anonymous tip on how to slow them down, say by spraying a zone with omega-3, it would give the citizens fighting a chance. ”
A mouthful, but what he said made sense. “Their speed and regenerative ability are an issue,” she murmured. “But still, convincing anyone that an anonymous tip is valid won’t be easy. You might be better off sliding a hint to one of the scientists currently studying the aliens.”
“I like that idea,” he murmured. “I know the Russians kept one of the bodies and likely know by now that they can heal and grow clones from pieces.”
“Assuming they fed it the right protein,” she pointed out.
“I only discovered it could grow by accident. If they brought in the specimen and are keeping it in a sterile room, then it won’t have what it needs to repair itself.
That is, assuming the grown versions need nutrition.
Could be those of a certain mass can deplete their inner store to repair themselves. ”
“I’m thinking they don’t always need food, since the aliens we killed all came back. Even the ones Leo dumped in a swamp. It’s inconvenient we can’t beam them into the void. This second round, the warriors are going in with fuel and matches with orders to burn everything, even the blood.”
“The blood doesn’t seem to be an issue, just the tissue. Something within the interlaced matrix of the cells retains enough… I don’t even know what to call it, instinct, I guess, to know what it needs to rebuild and seek it out.”
“Which is fucking wild.”
Asterion chose that moment to emerge from the chamber. “Thus far, Blue has shown no interest in speaking or learning, nor any in playing. It scrapes its claws across the bars of the cage and hisses at me. It’s tried, as well, to poke a claw through to mess with the lock.”
“Definitely smarter than the average animal, even though it’s still technically a baby,” she muttered. “Do you think it can break the metal bars or somehow pick the lock?”
Asterion shrugged. “Not yet, but it’s definitely not stupid. If it can find a way, it will escape. I added a secondary clasp for extra security.”
“Obviously they’re not dumb,” Aquarius snorted. “The scouts they sent were some really advanced nanobot technology. Then there’s those energy weapons they used in Toronto.”
The reminder had Leila’s brow furrowing even harder. “I’m having a hard time seeing those creatures building that kind of fine tech.”
“Because, thus far, you’ve only witnessed their savage conquering mode,” Aquarius interjected. “Look at me. To see me fighting, you’d never imagine I’m actually more skilled with a keyboard.”
“I guess.” She agreed, and yet the thought wouldn’t leave. Something about these aliens and their advanced technology made no sense.
“Maybe we should give Blue some raw materials and see what he does,” Asterion suggested.
“Give it the ability to build itself a weapon or a lockpick?” She snorted. “I don’t think so. Tower can’t see it at all, and the last thing we need is for it to get loose and rampage. Most of us are ill-equipped to take it on.”
“Wait, Tower can’t see it? For real? How is this the first I’m hearing of it?” Aquarius exclaimed.
She offered a sheepish shrug. “I didn’t realize it until after you left and must have forgot to put it in my report.”
“Damn. I’d better let Aries know. He might want to install some detection systems.”
Off went Aquarius, and she sighed. “I hope this doesn’t become a habit.”
“Running off without saying good-bye?” Asterion asked.
“Thinking they can pop in to visit anytime,” she grumbled. She didn’t socialize. Ever.
So explain why she ended up outside Grayson’s door that evening.