Amanda Ashley (25 page)

He glanced at the alien. They couldn't keep him strapped to that table forever. They'd have to find a place to house him, some place close at hand so his blood would be readily available, some way to regulate the amount of sunlight he received, a way to keep him docile without inflicting any permanent physical damage.

The alien's eyes opened, and Barrett wondered what the creature was thinking. It was an intelligent species. He would be wise to remember that at all times.

Barrett took a deep breath, feeling a surge of power flow through him. Soon, he would have everything he had ever dreamed of: wealth, fame, power, his name in the record books alongside Curie and Salk.

Soon, he would have answers to the questions that had plagued scientists for centuries.

Soon, he would hold the power of life and death in his hands.

Alex waited until Barrett left the room and then, knowing it was futile, he tugged against the straps that imprisoned him. He had to get out of here, had to get Kara out of here before it was too late.

He glared at the heavy straps that bound his wrists, at the iron bands that crossed his chest, remembering how Barrett and Kelsey had talked over him as if he were a piece of furniture, as if he couldn't speak or think. It was humiliating, degrading, to know that Barrett considered him less than human simply because he came from another planet.

Insufferable creature! If only he weren't so weak,
he'd rip the leather straps apart, and then he'd rip Barrett and Kelsey to shreds. If only . . .

Muttering an oath, he closed his eyes. There was no time for anger or thoughts of revenge, not now. It was time to rest, to gather his strength for the battle to come.

Barrett was prompt. He showed up in Alexander's room with his two accomplices at seven sharp. It didn't escape Alex's notice that Kelsey and Handeland were both carrying weapons. Kelsey favored a .357 Magnum, while Handeland carried a Luger.

“So,” Barrett said, getting right to the point. “Let's get to it, shall we?”

“I'm ready when you are.”

“The way I understand it, I'm to tell you something the woman can't possibly know, and you're going to send it to her telepathically. Is that right?”

Alex nodded.

Barrett grunted softly. “Something she couldn't possibly know.” He stroked his jaw thoughtfully. “My mother's maiden name is Dagdiggian. My favorite color is yellow. And I have eighty-five dollars in my wallet. Three twenties, two tens, and five
ones. Tell her that.” Barrett opened the door. “I'll be waiting in her room. Kelsey, Handeland, keep an eye on him.”

“Right, doc.”

Kara?

Alex? What's wrong?

Nothing. I don't have time to explain. Barrett's coming to your room. Be careful while he's there. I don't want him to know that you can communicate with me. I've told him I can control your mind, that I can make you forget everything that's happened.

Can you?

Yes. Listen to me. He should be there any time.

He just came in.

All right.

He's asking me questions. What should I do?

Answer him. His mother's maiden name is Dagdiggian. His favorite color is yellow, and he's carrying eighty-five dollars in his wallet. Three twenties, two tens, and five ones.

A few minutes later, the doctor returned to Alex's room.

“Impressive,” Barrett remarked. “Very impressive.”

“Now will you let her go?”

“It doesn't prove anything except that you can plant thoughts in her mind. How will I know you've erased everything from her memory?”

“You'll know. She won't know who you are. She won't remember anything that happened after the accident.”

“I don't know.”

“Don't listen to him,” Handeland said. “There's too much at stake here. If you don't have the balls to take care of the girl, I'll do it.”

“Shut up,” Barrett snapped. “I'm making the decisions here, and don't you forget it.”

“He's right,” Kelsey said. “All the alien has to do is tell the girl to pretend she doesn't remember anything. There's no way to prove he's done it.”

“Of course there is, you idiot! Another dose of pentobarbital will tell me what I need to know.” Barrett jerked a thumb toward the door. “Go on, you two, get out of here.”

Kelsey and Handeland exchanged glances.

“Here, you might need this,” Handeland said. He handed his Luger to Barrett. “Let's go, Nate.”

“I'm comin',” Kelsey replied. “Holler if you need us.”

“I didn't think you could do it,” Barrett remarked. “I want to know more about this mind link. If I gave your blood to Kelsey, would you be able to communicate with him in the same way?”

“I don't know. I've never given my blood to anyone but Kara.” The lie rolled easily off his tongue.

“I see.” Barrett drummed his fingers on the cart beside the table as he pondered the possibilities of mind control. “What other tricks have you got up your sleeve?”

“A few.”

“Tell me.”

“Not until you let her go.”

“Are you in love with her?”

“What if I am?”

Barrett shrugged. “It poses some interesting questions. Is it possible for you to mate with our species?”

“Let her go.”

Barrett swore. “I can make you talk, you know.
A dose of sodium pentobarbital can be very persuasive.”

“And I can be very stubborn.”

“You mean the drug won't work?”

“I don't know what the effect would be. Could be fatal. Could alter my blood chemistry in some way. Who knows?”

“There are tests . . .”

“Tests take time. Let her go, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I give you my word.”

“Your word?” Barrett sneered. “What makes you think I'd take your word?”

“My people have mastered space travel. We've banished war from our planet. There's very little sickness. The average life span of my people is a hundred and twenty-five years. We're not savages, doctor. We're not sub-human. We're not animals. My word is as good as yours.” He grinned wryly. “Better, no doubt. Were you on my planet, you would be considered vastly inferior.”

“But I'm not on your world. You're on mine. And I mean to take advantage of everything you know.”

Alex took a deep breath, held it for stretched seconds before he released it. “Then let her go.”

“Answer me one thing. Is it possible for you to procreate with our people?”

“No.”

Barrett grinned. “You're lying. I think, before I turn her loose, we'll find out.”

“No! It could be dangerous to Kara. I won't put her life in danger.”

But Barrett wasn't listening. “Consider the possibilities,” he said, pacing the floor. “A half-alien baby. Think of the research, the chance to study an alien life form from infancy, to raise it as my own.”

“Your own guinea pig, you mean. Dammit, Barrett, we had a deal!”

“We had nothing.”

Anger surged through Alex as he envisioned the kind of life his child would have. Years of testing, of never having a normal life, never knowing who its real parents were. Barrett would either keep the child locked away, a secret from the rest of the world, or he would exploit the child like some kind of freak.

Rage added strength to his limbs. With a feral cry, Alex yanked against the straps that held him. The one on his right wrist broke with a loud snap.

Barrett whirled around, the gun at the ready. “Kelsey! Handeland! Get in here!”

With a cry of triumph, Alex jerked his left hand free. Taking a double-handed grip on the iron band across his chest, he gave a mighty heave, but the strap held.

A roar of frustration rose in his throat as Kelsey and Handeland burst into the room.

“Hold him!” Barrett shouted.

Setting the gun aside, Barrett grabbed a syringe from the cart and plunged the needle into a vein in the alien's left arm.

With a strangled cry of rage, the alien went suddenly limp.

“Damn, that was close.” Barrett sagged against the wall, amazed by the creature's strength. “Kelsey, he's getting too strong. See that he gets more sun.” he said. “Joe, replace those straps with thicker ones.”

“What set him off?” Kelsey asked.

Barrett shook his head. “I told him I was going to conduct a new experiment.”

“Yeah? What kind of experiment?”

“I want to find out if it's possible for his species to impregnate ours. I thought he'd be pleased at the prospect of a little extracurricular activity.”

Joe snorted. “He's a fool if he's not. She's quite a looker.”

“Forget it, Handeland. She's not for you.”

“Can't blame a guy for dreamin'. I'm gonna get some coffee. You want some?”

Barrett nodded absently. An alien baby. A new source of blood. Perhaps a way to improve the human race. The possibilities were endless and fascinating.

An hour later, the leather straps on the alien's wrists and ankles had been replaced with bands of tempered steel. As an additional precaution, Barrett secured a thick leather strap over the alien's neck so he couldn't lift his head.

“That should hold him,” he said. “I want you to make some modifications in here.”

“What kind of modifications?”

“We can't expect the alien to mate while he's strapped to a table. I want you to make me a good strong collar for his neck and a chain that would hold an elephant, and another collar and chain for his ankle. And something solid to bolt them to. And I want a bed. Something comfortable. And I want it all stat.”

“Right, doc. Anything else?”

“No, I think that's all for tonight.”

“Sure you don't want candles and champagne, too?” Kelsey asked with a smirk.

“Just do as your told.”

“Right. Joe, give me a hand.”

With a last glance at the alien, Barrett turned out the light and left the room.

Tomorrow should prove to be a most interesting day.

Alex shook his head. “It won't work.”

“Why not?”

“The sun.”

Barrett shook his head. “I think you're lying.”

“You've seen how it weakens me. I can't . . . perform during the day.”

Barrett frowned. Did he dare let the alien mate at night?

Alex closed his eyes against the sun's heat, wondering if he would ever be free again. He tried to conjure up an image of the cavern in Eagle Flats, the blessed coolness to be found within the thick rock walls, the ageless serenity of the mountains. And, in a moment of utter depression, he wished for death, an end to captivity, to pain.

“I'm going to give you one chance,” Barrett remarked. “I've ascertained that the woman is at peak fertility. You will mate with her tonight. If you refuse, if you try to escape, she'll be dead tomorrow. Do we understand each other? Look at me!”

Alex opened his eyes and met Barrett's cold brown gaze. “I understand.”

“I'll bring her to you at dusk.”

“You gonna watch?”

A faint flush crept up the doctor's neck. “No. I'll examine her in the morning. If you've failed to do your duty, I'll give her to Handeland.”

“You're a miserable excuse for a human being.”

“Perhaps. But I shall soon be a very wealthy man.”

“Yes, but will you be able to sleep at night?”

“Quite well, I assure you. You had better get
some rest now. You'll need your strength.”

As soon as Barrett left the room, Alex opened his mind. He heard Kara's thoughts almost immediately.

Alex. I've been so worried. What's going on?

Barrett wants a child.

What?

He wants us to mate so he can have the child.

No, I won't do it.

I'm afraid you don't have any choice in the matter.

What do you mean? You're not going to . . . to . . .

Rape you? No. But if I don't do what he wants, he's threatened to kill you tomorrow morning.

He couldn't see her face, but he could almost feel the blood drain from her face.
He means it, Kara.

She heard his voice, but couldn't focus. A baby. If she got pregnant, she'd have to stay here for nine months, and then Barrett would take the child. It was a reprieve of sorts, but at what cost? The thought of going through childbirth, then having her child taken away from her by a monster like Barrett, made death at the doctor's hands seem almost welcome.

Kara?

I'm scared, Alex.

I know. Is there anything in your room that could be used as a weapon?

No. Not even a butter knife.

It was what he had expected, but he was disappointed just the same.
It's okay. Try not to worry. . . .

You should try to get some rest, Alex. You sound awful.

Kara . . . I love you.

I love you. . . .

He broke the connection, and she felt its loss
keenly. It had been days since she had seen him. No matter what happened tomorrow, at least they would be together again tonight.

She clung to that thought as the hours passed. Tonight she would see Alex.

Kara's heart was pounding like a jackhammer as Handeland led her down a narrow hallway, up a short flight of stairs, and into the room with the skylight.

Her gaze darted around the room. The metal table was gone and a double bed stood in its place. Alex sat on the edge of the mattress, a sheet drawn over his lap. She stared at the heavy iron collar around his neck, at the thick chain fastened to the bed's iron frame. A similar collar and chain, fastened to an enormous bolt in the concrete floor next to the bed, circled his left ankle.