Page 25 of Tracking the Alpha (Project Therianthrope #1)

Chapter Sixteen

Tanis roused slowly and groggily to find herself lying under a bright light.

She turned her head and blinked, startled to find herself in what appeared to be an industrial-type kitchen.

Stainless-steel counters, large stainless-steel doors to either a walk-in freezer or fridge, wire shelving holding bulk-sized cans.

When she tried to sit up, she discovered she couldn’t, as she’d been bound in place. The strap around her chest had no wiggle, which led to sudden panic as well as ineffectual thrashing.

“Should have hit her harder,” grumbled Major Stevens.

Tanis whipped her gaze to the other side and spotted the major, his military jacket missing for once, with his sleeves rolled to his elbows.

“What are you doing? Untie me at once,” Tanis demanded even as she recalled his threats back in the forest. Was this how it ended? Fed to his Dr. Moreau-nian creations?

“As if I’d forgive your treachery. In cahoots with the enemy, and as if it weren’t bad enough you helped him get inside, Brittany says she smelled him all over you.” His nose wrinkled. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised a backwoods injun would fuck a dirty dog.”

Her breath sucked in, not only at the racial slur but the fact he knew what happened between her and Barrett the night before. “He is going to kill you.”

“Doubtful. You see, once you admitted to him being inside, I made a call to the general so he could lay a trap for Patient 73. Did you know he actually made it inside the facility, all the way to B5 where he used to live? Foolish dog thought he could free them all.” The major’s lips twisted in amusement. “He’s since learned otherwise.”

“What have you done to him?”

“Me, nothing. The general, though, he activated our safety measure and put the entire floor to sleep. All it took was the press of a button and poof.” Stevens exploded his hands. “The gas would have knocked him out in seconds.”

“You didn’t kill him?”

“Why would we do that after all the trouble we went through trying to capture him? After all, he is still one of our greater successes. A prime example of the possibilities when the protocol is properly applied.”

“Success,” Tanis snorted. “I don’t think he’d agree.”

“A good thing his opinion doesn’t matter. Guess I should thank you, after all, for helping us recover him. I was quite ready to say fuck it and put a bullet in his brain, but the general stayed my hand, preferring to observe 73’s potential.”

“His name is Barrett.”

“Not anymore. He is the property of the government.”

Tanis strained at the strap over her chest. “Since you admit I helped you capture him, shouldn’t I be rewarded?”

The major chuckled. “As if that was ever going to happen. Even if you didn’t know too much, you were never leaving here alive.”

“Afraid the world will condemn your actions?” Tanis accused.

“The small-minded might, hence the secrecy for the moment.”

“What are you going to do to me?” She couldn’t help but remember what he’d said to her in the woods just before Brittany knocked her out. Something about her being meat.

“The problem with creating apex predators is they’re always hungry, and will those picky bastards eat the easy-to-get and inexpensive slop that is chock full of nutrition?

No. They want meat. And lots of it. Which gets expensive.

” The major grabbed a knife from a wooden block.

“A good thing they don’t mind where their protein comes from so long as it’s fresh. ”

Tanis didn’t want to beg or blubber, but by all the holy spirits she didn’t believe in, was he seriously going to chop her into pieces and feed her to his experiments?

“Major, the elevator is on the move.” Brittany suddenly spoke, and Tanis stiffened. She’d not even realized the woman who’d tricked her had been nearby.

The major frowned. “Go see who requested it.”

“What if it’s Barrett?”

“Impossible. Davidson activated the gas as soon as they disembarked on the fifth. Barrett and that weasel Wendell will be out cold for at least the next four hours. Plenty of time for me to finish up with the huntress while the remnants of it dissipate. Once we’ve fed the beasts, then we’ll head to B5and put 73 back in his cell. ”

“Are you sure he’s asleep? The canisters were running low last I heard and haven’t been replenished,” Brittany interjected.

“What do you mean they weren’t replenished?” Stevens blustered.

“Did you forget the guys you sent to pick up the refills never returned?”

“Yes, I forgot,” growled the major. “But there should have still been enough to put him to sleep.”

“Looks like you’re right, sir.” Brittany looked away from the table holding Tanis. “False alarm. Elevator went to B6.”

“I wonder what Davidson wants down there,” the major mused aloud.

“Could be Dr. Levy paying a visit,” Brittany opined.

“Dr. Levy hasn’t been to that level in months. Says he has no interest in being reminded of the failures.”

“Don’t know why you even keep them. Some of them are downright creepy,” Brittany stated.

“Because they might still serve a use. Hence why we keep them fed just enough to keep them alive.”

“Speaking of feeding, why bother cutting her up? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just toss her in a cell and be done with it? Less mess and noise that way, if you ask me.”

“I didn’t ask you.” The major paused with the knife poised over Tanis’ chest. “And if you won’t shut your fucking trap, you might end up in pieces, too.”

“Don’t you threaten me. We had a deal,” Brittany snapped.

“A deal that specifically states you are to be obedient if you wish to retain the freedom I’ve granted. But apparently, you miss your old cell because you can’t listen to a simple request to shut the fuck up.” The major yelled the last few words, brandishing the knife he’d grabbed.

“I can see why Davidson thinks you’ve outlived your use.” Brittany chose to double down with her attitude.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Stevens snarled.

“It means that the general, whose ass you’re so fond of licking, thinks you’re an idiot.”

“When did you talk to him?” Suddenly, the major didn’t look or sound so confident.

“Right after you briefed me on today’s mission.” Brittany entered Tanis’ line of sight with bared teeth that were a little large for her mouth—and pointy. “The general gave me a direct order, one I am excited to complete. Kill the major and feed him to the failures on B6.”

Stevens adjusted his grip on the knife. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Brittany taunted, taking a step toward him. She might wear human skin and a plain gray tracksuit, but menace oozed. “If I’m lying, then why do I have security access for B6?”

“Stand down, soldier,” barked Stevens.

“No can do, Major. See, the general ranks above you, and being a good little soldier, I’m bound to obey my superior officer. And that’s not you!” Brittany shouted as she lunged, fingers extended, but more frightening, the way claws suddenly extended.

“Fuck off, you bitch,” the major huffed. Metal clattered as objects went scattering. Tanis couldn’t actually see the fight, merely hear the sounds of it.

Banging. Sharp gasps. Thumps. Even an animalistic snarl.

When sudden silence fell, Tanis had no way of knowing who’d won until a body landed atop her, wide-eyed and staring in death.

A maniacally grinning Brittany leaned over and put herself in Tanis’ line of sight.

“Now that he’s gone, time for the next part of my orders. Dispose of the bodies.”

“You don’t have to kill me.” Tanis made a futile attempt.

“I wasn’t going to. Like I said, I’m not into listening to the screaming or dealing with the blood.

Besides, nothing like the entertainment of tossing someone to Patient 39.

Watching him stalk and take apart his meals is so entertaining.

The last hunter I fed to him actually crawled and begged for mercy.

Thirty-nine tore out his spine with a single grab. ”

Tanis tried to not let fear invade, but her voice wasn’t quite steady as she said, “Why do you obey these assholes? Why not escape?”

“To go where? To be what, a simple civilian?” Brittany uttered a husky laugh. “No thanks. I’m the general’s right paw, his executioner. It’s a great gig. Now, enough yapping. There are some hungry monsters that will be excited to have some fresh meat.”

The table squeaked slightly as Brittany rolled it to the elevator. “Time to test out my new authorization.” She stared at the scanner until it beeped. “Looks like we need to wait until whoever was on sixth gets off and frees up our ride down to the basement.”

Tanis’ despair thickened as she watched the blinking numbers rise from B6 to M for main. It paused there for only a few seconds before arriving at their floor. The doors whooshed open, and the metal bed got rolled in.

“Next stop, monster central,” Brittany sang before giggling.

Tanis tried to not panic even as it seemed appropriate. Tied down, as well as smothered by a dead body, on her way to be fed to a feral creature by a psycho.

Could things get any worse?

She couldn’t help but watch with dread as they descended.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Ding . The doors slid open to Brittany’s lilting, “Last stop, everybody out.”

The first thing Tanis noticed? The smell. It permeated the space, the distinct rot of death mixed with the coppery tang of blood. Overlaying all of that, something bestial, primitive, and rank. The kind of stench that horror movies were made out of.

Brittany heaved the major off Tanis, the loss of weight barely a relief because she knew she’d be next.