Chapter 59
59
D r. Charles poured himself another drink. She was back, and he wanted this little meeting to go smoothly. But even he needed something to brace himself with. The creature he’d aligned himself with was more than a little interested in the Muirarans, and though he’d thought to cage her, he could get more of what he wanted working with the thing. What she was, she hadn’t fully disclosed, despite the time they’d spent together. But one thing was clear, she hated Muirarans, and that was something they had in common.
Okay, hate was a strong word. He loved the one he’d had in his possession and couldn’t wait to get his hands on him again. He could study his prize for years, so long as he could keep him alive for that long.
“You’re late.”
Dr. Charles jumped, almost spilling his drink. “ You are early.” He faced the cloaked figure.
A scaly bony hand reached out and pointed at him. “You let him escape.”
He cringed. Her voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Rough, raspy, and at times, almost squeaky. “There was a situation.”
She approached, tossing back the hood of her cloak, exposing her hair and features. Her skin was almost reptilian, her face a cross between something humanoid and a lizard. Her eyes were surprisingly human-looking though. And her long hair was white with wide swaths of black. She was hunched, as if someone bent her and she couldn’t straighten up. She had a mouth full of pointed teeth and a wicked smile he learned was always a bad sign for him. She was wearing it now, and he did his best not to cringe. He needed her technology and by golly, he was going to do whatever it took to get it.
“You are a fool, Dr. Charles,” she hissed at him.
He heaved a sigh. “And what have I done to displease you this time, Lida?” He clasped his hands behind his back and waited for her venomous reply.
“You had him!” She made a fist and hit the table, cracking it.
He sighed again. “Try to refrain from breaking my furniture, hmm? It’s not in the budget to replace any.”
She sneered at him. “What happened?”
He went to a chair while sipping his drink and sat. “While you were off galivanting to who knows where, we captured him. My prize from Hawaii.”
“Yes, then you lost him,” she sneered. “But you also captured another.”
“True, but unfortunately, she got away as well.”
“She?!”
“Yes, a female.”
“Muiraran?”
“No, human. But a most curious one.” He sipped his brandy, wishing he’d poured a bigger drink.
The creature Lida paced to the other side of the meeting room and back. “How did he react to this human?”
“One could say he was quite taken with her if his actions were any indicator.”
Lida let out a wail. “No!”
Dr. Charles’ eyebrows shot to the ceiling, and he eyed the brandy decanter on the other side of the room. “No?” he managed to say calmly.
She closed the distance between them and stood before his chair. “You worthless insect. What have you done? What have you kept from me?”
Unable to help it, Dr. Charles waved a hand in front of his face. Her breath was rancid. “I captured my prize. To do so I needed some bait. He seemed rather interested in protecting the young lady whilst she was being harassed by a group of human males.”
“You had footage that showed him leaping across a street! You never told me why!” She spun away, seething. “You will pay for this!”
“Yes, yes, and you’ll see that I’m skinned alive and fed to that monstrous pet of yours. Where is it, hmm? I’ve yet to see it.” He rose from his chair, crossed the room and poured himself another drink. “Now stop fussing and help me recapture him. I take it there are other portals we can use?”
Her eyes narrowed. “He did not escape alone, did he?”
He made a show of looking at the ceiling, just to irritate her. Must be the brandy making him brave. “No. He did not.” He took a generous swig.
“ They rescued him,” she went on, ignoring the fact he was guzzling the booze at this point. “Cursed Time Masters.”
He dropped the glass, and it shattered on the cement floor. “Time Masters?!”
She turned to him. “Of course, you incompetent fool! How else did you think he escaped? And they took the female too. That’s not good.”
Dr. Charles side-stepped the mess. “Why not?”
She sneered at him. “They will cultivate the bond if there is one. I am running out of time!”
He studied her a moment. He’d not seen her this upset before. “Time for what?”
“This is your fault!” She launched herself at him, tackling him to the floor, pinning him, one scaly hand around his throat.
“I… I don’t…” he choked out. “… know what y-you’re talking about.”
She raised her other arm, letting the loose sleeve fall back to reveal the dreaded weapon she always wore on her forearm. With the flick of her wrist, it whirred to life, and she loosened her hold on his neck. “Talk.”
He swallowed hard. The weapon was alien of course and some sort of laser. It was also pointed right at him. He’d seen what she could do with it, and he’d tried to get his hands on it several times, but to no avail. She’d killed all the men he’d tasked with stealing it and blew up a building besides. “If your people wish to subjugate the Muirarans, then you’re going to have to be a little nicer to me.”
She hissed at him. “Did your men follow? Do you know where he is?!”
“W-we have a good idea. They’re close. Brooklyn. We captured the female there.”
She sat back. She was shorter than he was with a lithe build, yet weighed a ton. “Female,” she spat then bared her teeth. “I want her dead.”
He blinked a few times. “Dead? Oh no. If my guess is right, he fancies her. If I manage to recapture them both, I could have a mated pair…”
“I. Want. Her. DEAD!”
He gulped at the murderous look in her eyes. “Or not.” His eyes darted around the room. There were no weapons nearby, and she still had him pinned. Time to placate the beast. “We could always see how he does if offered another female. Maybe they’ll breed.”
She arched what was left of an eyebrow at him. Hmmm, did she molt or shed her skin like a snake? Lida bent to him, a smile on her face! Uh-oh . “Yes, another female. And I have one in mind.” She smiled wickedly and slapped him across the face.
His head snapped to the side, and he could feel the blood oozing from the wounds her claws left. That was no doubt going to leave a few scars. “Portals…”
“Ah yes, your precious portals. Tell me Dr. Charles. Have you managed to find any more?”
“Yes.” He slowly turned his head to face her. “But as you’re not playing nice, I’m not sure if I should tell you where.”
She bent her face to his. “You like courting death, don’t you?”
“I’ve had three brandies.”
She eyed the decanter on the sideboard and rolled her eyes. “Lucky for you, I need you and your men.” She got up and stepped over him. “We must recapture him.”
“And the female?”
“Capture her too so I can play.” She turned around. “And he can watch.”
Dr. Charles staggered to his feet. “Why do I get the feeling you know this Muiraran? Is he an ambassador of some sort? Have you and your people dealt with him before?” He took a few cautious steps toward her. “Who is he?”
Lida turned to him with that all-too-familiar wicked smile. “He is mine!” She stormed toward the door, swiping him across the ribs with a clawed hand as she did. His clothes ripped, as did the flesh beneath. “Find him. Capture him. And bring him to me, or I’ll be forced to take care of this myself!”
Dr. Charles put a hand to his ribs and sank to his knees. No sooner than he did, a guard ran into the room. “Sir! Are you okay?”
“Do I look bloody okay?! Get a medic!”
The guard made to leave.
“Wait!”
“Sir?”
“Hand me the brandy!”
“Oh, yes sir, your wounds!” He grabbed the decanter, pulled the stopper off, and splashed some on to the claw marks on his face.
“Gahhhhhhhhh!”
“Shall I put some on your ribs, sir?”
“GET OUT!”
The guard blanched. “Do you still wish me to get a medic, sir?”
“Gah! I’m surrounded by imbeciles!”
The guard paled this time and started for the door.
“Leave the decanter!” Dr. Charles snapped.
The guard handed it to him and ran from the room.
Dr. Charles took a fortifying swig. “I’m going to kill that scaled witch!” He shook with rage. “I never should have gotten in league with her in the first place.” He shook his head, disgusted with himself. “Mine, what does she mean, mine? What is she going to do with my prize?” His eyes widened. “Oh my…” He took another swig of brandy. “Oh my, my, my!” He laughed, which soon turned into a cackle. “So, she fancies him for herself. Then that means…”
He climbed to his feet, set the decanter down, and pulled up his shirt to check his wounds. “Oh, that’s nasty.” He eyed the brandy and heaved a sigh. Who knew where her hands had been?
Dr. Charles reached for the booze, sucked in a breath, and doused the deep claw marks with the amber liquid. He set his jaw and hissed in pain, crying out once. Several medics ran into the room and began to tend him. He let them do their job and smiled to himself. Lida was Muiraran. She had to be. Yet, she said the Muirarans had no portal technology. So where did she get it? Who gave it to her? And why was she so… changed? She didn’t look anything like a Muiraran. Was she a hybrid of some kind?
Dr. Charles frowned. He could be wrong, and her claim that she was a scout for her kind was true. She’d told him terrible tales of her so-called race and the damage they could inflict. He didn’t want to find out firsthand. It was hard enough trying to save the human race. Now he had to protect it from hers and eradicate the Muiraran threat as well. Which was also why he was playing nice. He wasn’t about to let anyone get their hands on Lida’s portal technology. But this new revelation changed things.
“I’ll get what I want then kill her. That’s simple enough.”
“What was that, Dr. Charles?” one of the medics asked, followed by, “Can you make it to the medical center? If not, I can have a stretcher brought.”
“I can walk.” He got to his feet and winced, his mind whirring with ideas. “I need to find all the portals first.”
“Dr. Charles?”
“I’m talking to myself, don’t mind me. Let’s go.” They headed for the medical center, or in this case, room. All the while he plotted how to recapture his prize and use him as leverage to get what he wanted out of his associate. Then he could continue with his work and all would be well again.
He smiled as he and the medics entered the room, and he plopped onto one of the examination tables. His meeting didn’t go so badly after all, and he’d have a few battle scars to show off later.
“Tell me, is Mr. Vance still in the bunker?” he asked no one in particular.
“Yes, sir,” the head medic said.
“Fetch him. We have some plans to make.” He winced again. “And someone bring me a pot of tea!” It was a safer drink by far.