The man’s face turned pale, realizing what Tiger was saying. The likelihood that this insubordinate soldier could kill him before his men gunned the insolent bastard down was highly unlikely. Still … the bastard seemed quite confident.
“I guess we’ll see, won’t we?” the officer countered, although his voice now lacked some of the bravado. Uncertainty had crept in. “The rest of you! Shoot this man down! And his little dog too!”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary, Colonel,” another voice interjected into the dark cavernous area. Tiger and Ruff turned to see a group of men dressed in white lab coats had entered the micro-environment. At the head of the group, a tall, balding man calmly took in Tiger and the creature.
“Doctor, this is not your concern,” the colonel growled. “This is a security matter. As such, I have jurisdiction.”
“It was a security matter,” the good doctor digressed. “You seemed to have neutralized the …” He studied the dead creature with disapproval, “oh-so-obvious threat.” Tiger could almost see the biting sarcasm dripping from the man’s lips, the scientist envisioning the massacre. The creature probably never knew what hit it, never even knew what had happened. More than likely, it’d been grazing on some alien world and maybe curiosity had gotten the best of it. The pretty lights …
The scientist shook his head disapprovingly at the captain. “I’m sure it put up a helluva fight!”
“My orders are to protect this world from whatever comes through that … thing!”
“No … your orders are to protect this world from any threats that come through the wormhole, Colonel. They are not carte blanche to exterminate with extreme prejudice all life forms.”
“Better safe than sorry!”
“Well, you’re not killing that specimen. That soldier is right. For once, humanity shall rule the day. I want that creature corralled and sent to the labs to be examined.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea!” The officer in black’s face grew red, his blood pressure rising. He was a thick man with close-cropped gray hair. His eyes were angry, but tired, and betrayed the stress he was under. He had a thick torso that indicated a once muscular build that was slowly giving in to age and gravity.
“Duly noted,” the doctor shrugged. “Now, if you would, please send for a mobile containment unit and have this specimen loaded up.”
“I will have to protest this action to my superiors.”
“I’m sure you will. In the meantime, this is my facility. I’m the chief researcher here, and you’re simply in charge of base security. I know we have to clarify this quite often and to be honest, it’s getting redundant, Colonel. I think I shall protest that to my superiors. So, do as you’re told and get that thing in a cage and back to my lab. If not, we can see about having you transferred to pirate interdiction duty out in the Belt. I can assure you … your adversaries there will be shooting back.”
Even in the darkness, Tiger could see the man’s face turn an even darker shade of red. No soldier liked to be dressed down by a fucking civilian, especially not in front of his men. This scientist had balls, but he’d better watch his back. The Authority was nothing but a nest of vipers.
The good doctor seemed to sense the same menacing vibes. Whether it was sincere or not, he quickly added, “Would a ‘please’ help at all?”
The black-uniformed Guardsman said nothing, just clenched his jaw tightly and stormed off, parting the group of other scientists like Moses and the Red Sea. All of them seemed eager to get out of his way and not impede his progress.
The doctor looked to Tiger. “As you were, Trooper.”
Dee was beside him, his hand on his arm. “Ok, let’s move. We’re getting out of here. Now!”
Ruff leaned in and whispered, “Yes, please, while we can!”
Tiger’s gaze was still locked on the doctor. With troopers milling around about him, the scientist gave him a barely discernible nod in the darkened area. An indication of understanding, a message sent.
Not everyone left in this world was an uncaring, cold-blooded, paranoid killer.
Tiger raised his right hand and touched his first two black-gloved fingers to his temple in subtle salute.
Message received.
***
Lulah’s front door disappeared in a cloud of smoke. A split second later, the concussion from the explosion knocked her back into the kitchen counter. The boom deafened her, and she thought her eardrums had been blown out. An eerie silence filled that strange void that came afterward when time seemed to stand still suddenly and seconds became hours.
Smoke and dust filled the foyer. She could see Tex’s cowboy boots protruding from the thick, murky cloud. The boots of the man who’d just fucked her with that huge cock. Now, they lay still, and she could tell by their position he was face down on the floor. She wondered if he was ok, but deep down, she feared the worst. She also had more pressing concerns.
She hadn’t even realized she was screaming for Blake and Brittain. It had been a mother’s reflex. Laying on the floor, bruised and battered in a t-shirt and cum-stained panties, it had been her first instinct.
Two black-clad figures appeared out of the smoke, wearing black masks that completely concealed their entire faces. Eyes. Noses. Mouths. Armed with sinister-looking rifles held at the firing position, they looked like demons emerging from the gates of Hell. One pointed his gun down into the smoke where Tex lay. The other pointed his weapon at her. The barrel looked huge as she looked up into it.
He was shouting at her, but it was like someone had turned the volume down on life. She could barely hear him. He seemed angry, and she couldn’t understand why.
“Shut up, lady!” She thought she heard him say.
Had she said anything? She couldn’t remember.
“Shut up and get on your face! Down! Face do—”
He
