“What? What is it?”
He turned on his stool to face her. “I’m afraid that you are entirely unsuitable.”
“Unsuitable for what?”
He ignored her. “Such a pity. I had hoped that your DNA would be compatible. But you’d never survive transition. Ah, well.” He slapped his hands on his knees and stood. “Lee, take her back to the brig. As soon as the other platoons return, she’s all yours.”
He turned back toward his machine. As far as he was concerned, she no longer existed.
For the first time Lee’s face held expression. Hunger.
RAIN KNEW EXACTLY WHAT that hunger in Lee’s eyes meant. And while she could deal with having to spread her legs for Lee if it meant survival, on a Marine base it was doubtful he’d be alone. Gang rape by a platoon of Marines was not something she was sure she could survive.
As Lee led her toward the door, one meaty fist gripping her upper arm, Rain noticed one of the drawers along the counter stood open. Inside were several pre-filled syringes, their needles neatly capped. She had no idea what was in them, but they were better than nothing.
Fortunately, the drawer was the one closest to the door. She had one shot at this. Just one.
She stumbled, sinking her weight into the big Marine. His grip loosened and she staggered away as though trying to escape. With Lee focused on grabbing her and Dr. Barnes studiously ignoring them, Rain was able to snake her hand into the drawer and grab one of the syringes. She slid it quickly into her pocket just as Lee got a good grip on her arm and yanked her toward the door. She was definitely going to have a bruise.
He marched her quickly back down the hall, Thing One and Thing Two hot on their heels. This time they didn’t bother trying to confuse her. Lee just hauled her ass straight for the brig.
A few steps away from her cell door Lee spoke for the first time. His voice was low and scratchy as though he hardly used it. “Doc said she’s ours.”
Thing One immediately began removing his belt. Lee turned around and smacked him alongside the head. “After the others return. We’re still on duty. I get her first.” He threw Rain into the cell so hard she crashed into the opposite wall. Then he slammed the door.
Rain scrambled to her feet and hauled ass back to the window. She was just in time to see Lee and Thing Two disappear from view. They’d left Thing One guarding her door. Excellent.
She might just have half a chance against one Marine. She was smarter and she was armed. Sort of. But she couldn’t wait long. The other platoons were due back any minute. Once they returned, she was fucked. Literally.
A quick glance around the cell revealed nothing useful. Rain’s brain worked furiously. She had one shot at this, so she really hoped Thing One was as dumb and desperate as he looked.
After casting a quick look at the window to make sure Thing One wasn’t watching, she laid down on the floor and curled herself into a ball. She took the syringe out of her pocket and removed the cap, then hid it against her body, careful not to prick herself. No telling what the fluid inside would do to her. For all she knew it was harmless.
Then she let out a scream.
Thing One came charging in to the sight of her rolling around on the floor, writhing in agony. He hesitated.
“Help me,” she gasped. Then let out another shriek. “I think Barnes did something to me. I think I’m dying.” She moaned and thrashed some more before letting her body go limp as though she’d passed out.
Thing One knelt on the floor beside her, panic written across his face. As he leaned down to check on her she sat up and stabbed him in the neck with the needle, plunging the fluid into his veins.
He gaped at her, his eyes going wide before he crashed to the floor like a dead tree. For a moment she stared at him in shock. Then she pressed her ear to his chest. His heart was still thumping away, but the Marine was definitely out for the count.
“Shit. What was in that thing?” Rain stumbled to her feet. She had no time to worry about Thing One, nor did she care. She had to get the hell out of Dodge while she still could.
She darted out into the hall. It was still empty. She made straight for the locker room as fast as she could, only stopping to peer around corners so she wouldn’t walk right into a returning platoon.
Unfortunately, there was someone else already in the locker room.
“What the fuck? Hey, what are you doing here? Who the hell are you?”
Rain didn’t recognize the Marine who came storming out of the showers buck-naked. All she knew was she had to shut him up. Quick.
She gave him a big smile and walked straight at him, sashaying her hips like she’d seen some of the women at Sanctuary do when they were trying to get a man’s attention. The Marine hesitated, obviously unused to smiling women in his locker room. Then with one quick movement she planted her booted foot right in his groin.
He doubled over with a grunt and she slammed her knee up into his face. Something crunched against her kneecap and a spurt of blood sprayed across her pants. Just what she needed, more stains.
With the Marine curled up in a fetal ball on the floor, Rain hauled herself up on top the lockers and hoisted herself into the air duct. This time she pulled the grate up behind her and screwed the nuts back down. Since the Marine hadn’t seen where she’d gone, it would hopefully take them a while to figure it out.
She scurried back down the duct toward her entry point. There was only one problem: The
