Specimen(63)

I see tears in the corners of her eyes, and I want to reach out to brush them away, but I can’t lift my arm. The footsteps reach us, and nine uniformed soldiers with Isaac leading them come around the trees. He jogs to my side and drops to one knee.

“Sten?”

“He’s alive,” Riley says, “but in bad shape. I need to get him back to the facility now.”

“I’ve got him.” Isaac rolls me to my back and slips his arms under my legs and shoulders. He lifts me easily and starts off through the woods.

“Air support is on the way,” one of the other soldiers calls out.

Riley follows behind. She has to run to keep up with Isaac’s strides.

“I thought I lost you both,” Isaac says quickly and out of everyone else’s range. “Where the fuck have you been?”

Captured. Tortured.

I can’t form the words. Isaac nods slowly as if he understands despite my lack of explanation.

“Well, you smell like shit.” He chuckles. “When was the last time you showered?”

He grins at me, but I can’t manage to smile back. I try to shrug my shoulders, and my mind wanders back to the cramped box of ice water.

“Bath.” I can only grunt. The word feels like disobedience. I stare up at him, willing him to comprehend as the memories flow through my head.

Isaac’s eyes darken with understanding.

“You’ll have to tell me all about it.” He shifts my weight in his arms. “Then we’ll find them and tear them to fucking shreds.”

I nod once. My head is swimming again. I keep my eyes on Riley, not wanting her out of my sight as Isaac carries me to the edge of a road. I hear the whirring of helicopter blades before I succumb yet again to darkness.

*****

Bright lights, white walls. The scene is familiar and feels like home. I’m being rolled through the hallways of the Mills medical center with Riley on one side of the gurney and Isaac on the other. I hear Dr. Rahul’s voice, telling Isaac he needs to return to his lab.

“I want to stay with him!”

“Not now,” Dr. Rahul says. “Let Dr. Grace get him stable, and then you’ll be able to see him. There’s nothing you can do for him now.”

“I could be there for him,” Isaac mumbles before he and his doctor disappear from my view.

I black out briefly, coming to inside a room full of medical equipment. Everyone around me wears scrubs, and their faces are covered with masks. I recognize Riley and Dr. McCall, but I don’t know who the others are. I close my eyes and listen to the voices, unable to distinguish between most of them.

“Where did you find him?”

“Three kilometers west of Haprin. As soon as the homing beacon activated, the guys on the wall contacted us.”

“Any idea where he’s been?”

“None. But look at the scarring. He’s been through the wringer.”

“Tortured?”

“Undoubtedly. Bastards.”

“That’s the way they are.”

“There is definite damage to the implants. See this mark? It’s from an interface chip.”

“This has Spat written all over it.”

“Do you think he managed to hack in?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Get an IV together.” Riley’s voice rises above the others. “We can’t wait for the injections to spread through the muscle. We need to get TST into his bloodstream immediately.”

“How is he even still alive?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Riley says. “Another hour and I don’t think he would have survived.”

“We got lucky.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with luck.” Dr. McCall’s shrill voice is full of grit. “They returned him to us with intent. We need armed guards around him at all times. If Spat has had access to him, he could be compromised. We may need to wipe his implants out completely.”

“Can you let me get him stable first?” Riley snaps at Dr. McCall. “In fact, I want you out of here. You can read my report later.”

“At what point did you get promoted above me? Do you think he escaped after all this time? They put him right in our path, and if you fix him up, there is no telling what kind of damage he’ll do!”

“Enough!” Captain Mills steps between the two of them. “Go on; get out of here. You aren’t helping matters at the moment.”

I hear Dr. McCall’s retreating steps and open my eyes. Captain Mills stands next to Riley as they both look me over. Other doctors and nurses gather around, monitoring my vitals and prepping me for surgery.

What are they going to do?

My heart pounds and my breaths come in short, staccato gasps. One of the nurses places her hand on my forehead as a mask is placed over my nose and mouth. Air is forced into my lungs, slowing my breathing and clouding my mind.