Chapter 6 #2
Melly knew Jeff had identified several weak points in the camp’s perimeter where the three of them could slip out and with the APC’s and the team close at hand to provide covering fire they could manage a short dash to the safety of the vehicles.
After that it would be a high speed race to get away before the camp’s forces could be scrambled to chase them and Jeff was sure the APC’s could win any battle which ensued if they couldn’t outrun the pursuers.
He didn’t think the General would expend much effort to capture or kill them, arguing he had no idea of their true purpose in entering Glastine and would be just as glad to see them gone.
“He doesn’t patrol the area, he doesn’t send out scavenging parties, he stays pretty much inside the boundaries of Glastine,” Jeff had said.
“From what Cody has observed the only traffic are these once a month truck runs to the research facility, which we now know are carrying people and bringing back supplies.”
Cody had been tasked with figuring out how to extend the range of his drones, since they’d been unable to follow the trucks to wherever their destination might be, far to the north.
Melly kept busy, seeing a wide variety of patients, including several having side effects from taking various illicit feelgoods. She and Tamsyn worked well together and it was soothing to lose herself in the routine of providing medical care. It was too busy to get away for lunch.
Dr. Sharpton requested to meet with her right at closing.
She and Tamsyn had been about to leave but the doctor was adamant he had to talk to her now so she sent Tamsyn on her way and followed him to his office.
As they walked, she heard movement in one of the exam rooms. The doors were all closed, which was unusual for this time of day but it wasn’t important enough to make a fuss over.
If there was someone waiting for Dr. Sharpton it wasn’t her problem.
“Have a seat,” he invited with rare cordiality as he allowed her to precede him into the office.
When he closed the door and crossed to his desk, Melly forced herself to take a deep breath and try to relax.
Being in the empty medical building and in his office made her unaccountably tense.
She wished she’d asked Tamsyn to wait for her.
Playing with the data cube he’d been so happy about in the morning, Dr. Sharpton gave her a smile. “You’ve done good work here, Dr. Jericho. Very fortunate for me you arrived when you did.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Now you’ve been given a rare opportunity to make an even greater contribution,” he said.
“I’m sorry?” Confused, she sat on the edge of her chair and tried to figure out where this was going.
“You’ve been requested by the research facility.” He spun the data cube on its point and the play of colors was mesmerizing.
“The one up north?” Thinking this might be the opportunity Jeff was looking for to learn more about the place, she slid back into the chair and put on an air of being intrigued “What would I be doing?”
“Oh, you’ll be involved in key research I’m sure. Integral to the success.” He shot her a glance and all her instincts went on the alert. Biting his lip as if to keep from laughing, he was full of repressed glee over a private joke.
“All a bit vague,” she said to buy time unnerved by the way the man was acting. “I’d need more details and of course I’ll have to talk to my husband about us relocating.”
“He wasn’t requested. Yet. Just you.”
“Flattering but obviously I’m not going anywhere without Jeff.” She rose. “I’ll talk to him about it tonight and perhaps we can meet with you together tomorrow to discuss the offer.”
“Sit down, Dr. Jericho. You mistake me—this isn’t an offer. It’s a demand, a command performance in effect and you will be going. Tonight.” His voice was flat, ugly. “Special transport has been arranged. They want to get their hands on you right away.”
Melly retreated, stumbling into the chair and quickly circling it, moving toward the door. “I’m leaving now.”
The door opened, causing her to gasp and retreat. Captain Briskinn came in and she saw several men in the hallway behind him. If Melly had had any hopes about getting help from him, they were quashed as he raised a stunner and shot her at pointblank range.
Jeff—!
In her mind it was a scream but as she fell to the floor, Briskinn catching her at the last second, Melly was afraid she hadn’t managed to transmit over the subaural com.
Her mind was fuzzy from the stun blast and she had no control over her body.
Dr. Sharpton left the desk as Briskinn deposited her in the chair, her limbs flopping uselessly and he had a medinject in his hand.
“This will ensure she’s out for the duration of the trip. Fewer problems that way,” he said as he pressed the tip to her arm. “I don’t think the researchers want her stunned more than necessary but they have approved the use of this drug.”
Warmth flooded her body and Melly could feel herself drifting away.
Her terror and desperation were still there in her mind but she was spiraling into a black hole and there was nothing she could do to save herself from whatever these people had in mind.
Her last conscious thought was of Jeff and the conviction he’d find her and save her somehow. He loved her.