Hope was unbelievably healthy considering she'd survived the Morbo. Viper was yet again amazed by his little mate.
Viper wanted to stay in bed for days. He hated that he had to return to work. Hope didn't mind joining him, but if she wasn't up to it, he would've moved everything into their little pod.
"What are you working on?" Hope asked as she peaked at the screen.
Although the language implant did a lot, it didn't translate written language.
"Reading the scientists' report on your blood work. They are stumped. I'm also trying to come up with something to say at the mourning for my sire this evening."
"I'm so sorry Viper." Hope kissed him softly.
"I miss him, but my mother is beside herself with sorrow." Viper just shook his head. "She refuses to have a formal public ceremony. This was all she'd allow."
"Then don't force her. Let her have a bit to come to terms with this. Would you mind if I said a few words? I really liked your dad."
"It would be an honor."
"Hey, I just had an idea. Why don't you let Tara look at my blood work. Maybe she can identify the cells the scientists are stumped by."
"Good idea. If it is something common to humans she might easily recognize it."
The idea that this immunity might be common among humans gave Viper a thrill.
Canebrake knocked on the open office door.
Viper tried not to be aggravated by the interruption but the male was no doubt here to tell him he still had no luck in locating the Purist leader, Wyvern or the traitors that abducted Hope. How the Purist traitors evaded them was maddening. Viper couldn't wait for Ophidian to be entirely healed.
"Don't tell me, I don't want to hear it." Viper growled.
"Sorry Viper Rex" Canebrake replied.
It was so strange to hear his sire's title. He hadn't expected to take on the mantle of leadership for quite some time.
Beep, beep, Viper's private comm-unit alerted.
"Go ahead Boaz." Viper said into the unit on his wrist.
"Sire I need you in security we've finally teased out the breach in security. I wanted you to be the first to review the findings." Boaz relayed.
Viper's new brother, Cody was gifted. Between him and Boaz they'd sifted through the data till they teased out the information someone thought to erase.
It still amazed Viper how Cody had excelled with Anguis technology with little effort since human technology was several centuries behind them. Then again there were those few people in all cultures that were leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. Cody seemed to be one of them.
"You mind if I look for something online while you go deal with that?" Hope asked "I know of a poem I'd like to read tonight."
Viper nodded and switched the tablet keyboard to English and hooked into the human database for her.
"Canebrake watch over my lovely subeo, I'll just be down the hall." Viper kissed Hope's head. "Be back in a few."
"Of course Viper Rex"
As Viper walked down the corridor, he was almost ecstatic. He felt one step closer towards solving several problems.
Hope
Hope searched until she located the W. H. Auden poem, 'Stop all the clocks', then printed it. She wanted to recite this at her parents' funeral but was too broken up to do it.
Canebrake stiffly walked to the door, shut it and engaged the lock.
As Hope looked at his face, she was suddenly reminded of that fateful day in the underground lab.
"You were the one who let the creature out." She said accusingly as she recalled Canebrake messing with the access panel near the beast cell.
"You were supposed to die not our Rex!" Canebrake growled menacingly. "It is an abomination to have one of your kind as our Regina!"
Hope stood up swiftly and backed away from him.
"Viper's going to find out down the hall that you're behind all this isn't he?"
It was a terrible realization since it meant Canebrake had nothing to lose. He'd already tried to kill her once.
"Yes but not before I do one last task for my people."
With those words Canebrake lunged at Hope tackling her to the floor. Hope struggled beneath his great weight as his hands circled her neck. Her free hands clawed at Canebrake's eyes but he only chuckled. It was a demented sound as his fingers tightened on her throat.
Hope remembered the dagger she placed in her pocket intending to put it back on after wrestling with Viper earlier. She strained to reach it as stars started to dance before her eyes. His sneering face was so close to hers.
"This time I won't fail!" Canebrake insisted.
Hope pulled out the blade. These Purists thought humans were so weak. He was going to learn today!
With every ounce of her strength, Hope brought the knife down, shoving it deep into his neck, at the base of his skull. The sickening crunch told her she'd succeeded.