Julia started crying. She had to do something. She had to get to Nung. She banged her head against the tube again but it just wouldn't nudge. She glanced at Wilkins and could see him trying his damnedest to break his restraints.
It was no good.
The creatures didn't even seem remotely concerned about them escaping.
The machine seemed finished with the velociraptor. It moved back and away, blood still trickling from the arm that had gutted the dinosaur.
Julia could see the bright red staining the floor. She spotted a small drain in the floor that was drawing the blood away from the operating table.
The creatures moved over to Nung. One of them prodded him in the chest and then looked at his comrade. Again, unspoken communication passed between them.
They moved to Nung's head. They put their hands on him. Nung jerked his head from side to side, desperate to get away from them, but he could do nothing. He looked at Julia. She could see his eyes begged and pleaded.
She couldn't do anything!
Was this what had happened to everyone else? Were Darren and Havel and Vikorksy already dead? Or worse? Were they some bizarre offshoot concoction developed by these aliens? Were they part human and part dinosaur? Or were they something much worse.
The creatures moved the machine closer to Nung. They didn't even seem concerned about the co-mingling of blood. They made no attempt to clean off the machine at all.
This time though, they operated the machine by hand. Julia could see now that the machine seemed to have some type of cutting device. It sprang to life.
She could imagine the sound it must have made. Something like the high-pitched whine of a dentist's drill.
Nung screamed. Or at least, it looked like he was. Julia couldn't hear a thing inside the tube.
The machine came closer.
The blade bit into Nung's skin by his clavicle. Blood spurted again. The blade moved further down.
Julia vomited in the tube.
Nung's eyes rolled back white. He'd passed out? Or was he dead already?
That didn't make sense.
Julia fought to catch her breath, wheezing and retching. No, they'd killed the dinosaur. But they'd keep Nung alive. Wouldn't they? If they were crossbreeding or otherwise doing something to co-mingle the two species, they'd need one of them alive.
Wouldn't they?
She prayed they would.
But would it be worse for Nung if he did live as some sort of bizarre half-and-half?
Would he be better off dead?
She shut her eyes again, unable to watch the scene unfolding in front of her any longer. In her mind, she could hear him screaming. She could feel the incredible fear. She could feel the bite of the blade as it cut into his flesh.
Was this how she would die? Was this how they would all die?
She kept her eyes closed and thought about the one chance they had left.
Mick!
He had to be somewhere.
What would he have done once he came back and found them all gone? He'd assume they'd been taken. So that would mean he'd come looking for them. Wouldn't it?
He would if he was truly on their side and not on someone else's agenda. Julia didn't know what to think anymore. All she wanted to do was go home.
Which was when the door to the chamber slid open.
And Kendall walked into it.
Smiling.
He waved at Julia and Wilkins.
Julia passed out again.
22
'You know, it's very hard for me to have any degree of confidence in someone as a leader when they continually lose consciousness at shocking moments.'
The snide tone to his voice made Julia wince. She kept her eyes closed, praying that she could stay in the darkness. If she just blocked everything out she could almost convince herself that she was anywhere else.
Anywhere but where she really was.
'Open your eyes, Julia.'
It was hard to resist the command. Something tugged at her mind. Forced her to respond.
She opened them.
She was strapped down to a gray metal slab.
Naked.
Nung's body was nowhere to be seen.
'What did you do with him?'
Kendall smiled. 'Nung? Oh I think he's recovering nicely right now. He had himself quite an adventure here earlier. I think you saw some of it before you passed out. Pity you didn't have the stomach to see the entire operation.'
'Is he…dead?'
Kendall leaned back. 'Good heavens, no. He's far too important to kill off.' He shrugged. 'Now the staff of research station Frederick, the ones missing when we first arrived, well they weren't all that important. They were used for other experiments. Tragically, none of them seemed able to withstand the demands on their pathetic bodies.'
'You killed them?'
'Not me. I had very little to do with their demise.'
Julia frowned. 'Who are you, Kendall?'
He smirked. 'I must say you look simply ravishing without a stitch of clothing on. If you weren't required for so delicate an operation, I might ask our esteemed hosts to allow me a little time to indulge in the fruits of your luscious little body.'
'I'd sooner die than let you touch me.'
Kendall smirked. 'As if you have any control over the situation. Trust me, I can do whatever I wish with you.' He ran his hands over her body about two inches above the surface of her skin.
Julia felt like a live wire was being dragged across her. Her skin tingled. She struggled against it, but felt her nipples harden.
Her legs snapped open.
'No!'
Kendall leaned back. The tingling sensations died and Julia closed her legs.
'Pretty interesting stuff, huh?'
'How did you do that?'
'It was a gift of sorts from our hosts. Sort of a quid pro quo. I gave them something and they gave me something in return.'
'Mental powers?'
'Seemed fitting since that's how they communicate with each other. If I was going to work with them, I had to be able to do the same things they could. Although I suspect they held a few skills back from me. I can't say as
