“Okay.”

Polanitis lowered his chin to study her features more closely. “You think you’re fooling me? You should see how pale you’ve become.” He turned his head and punched the number zero then four on the phone. He held the receiver between them so they were both able to hear.

“This is Mickie at Security.”

“It’s Polanitis. I want number 710 immediately pulled from his current drug trials. We’ll use him in an exercise tonight as a runner to test that new mind-altering drug. It should be amusing to watch him being hunted to death. One of the doctors has been riding my ass to hand over a subject for the test. Take 710 to the exterior compound and secure him in a holding cell there.”

“Yes sir,” Mickie snapped.

Her heart pounded as her boss jerked her around to face the window. A new security team walked outside. They spoke to some of the men attacking 710 and the beating stopped. The second team grabbed the chains that were secured to 710’s wrists and ankles, using the six-foot length to keep him between them and stay out of his reach. They dragged him away from the building. The only thing located in that direction was a concrete structure where she’d heard they had cremated some bodies when their drug experiments had killed the subjects. It was also rumored they did top-secret testing there, which she couldn’t get anyone to talk about. The few employees who knew what went down out there had dubbed it “hell”.

“Watch him for the last time,” Polanitis whispered next to her ear. “Want to wave goodbye? Oh, that’s right. He can’t see you behind the tinted glass.”

He really planned to kill 710. Panic and horror battled inside her. Anger won as seconds ticked by. Polanitis had a god complex and his cruelty made her want to claw his eyes out.

She spun, glaring up at him. “You’re a son of a bitch. Why are you doing this? You don’t need to have a test subject murdered. You could just as easily have them hunt an animal if you need to see their skills as trackers. It’s not cost effective to waste a prime subject. It’s just malicious.”

He pushed his chest against hers. Jeanie backed up but the desk prevented her from breaking the contact when he leaned forward to trap her against the unforgiving wood. His gaze narrowed and locked with hers.

“710 is an animal. This has nothing to do with how good their senses are. The new drug we’re going to dose him with will hopefully make him homicidal to his own kind. We need a defense against those bastards’ crazy supporters who are putting everyone here in jeopardy with their rants about these animals deserving human rights. We’ve all had to look over our shoulders since Mercile went down. I refuse to have this place shut down the same way they were. It’s brilliant to turn them on each other. They can waste all their resources fighting each other instead of trying to prevent us from finishing our work. Imagine dosing one of these animals up and dropping it off at Homeland. They’d welcome it right through the gates, never suspecting they’re about to die.”

She was horrified. It was a brilliant plan in a sick, twisted way if the drug worked. They planned to use the captured Species to kill the free ones. The NSO arrested people like Polanitis when they were discovered. Her goal was to help them do that. She shuddered. I need to warn them!

“I want something from you and you want 710 to live. I think we can compromise.”

A sick feeling settled in her stomach. “On what?”

“Let’s not play games. You try to hide it but you’re too soft. I knew it the moment I met you.” His tone became harsh. “I’ll keep him from even getting hurt, for as long as you do what I say. He lives if you play ball.”

“What do you want me to do?” She had no idea why he’d blackmail her. She didn’t have any money or a high-priority job that denied his access to any information she could obtain. She collected samples from the subjects and took them to the lab. Her clearance didn’t even allow her to know what they tested for or why, or the results.

He backed up, his gaze shrewd as he assessed her body. “You’re in good health, young and not married. I checked your file and you live alone.”

She didn’t like him scrutinizing her personal life or her body but he’d taken a specific interest in her. “So?”

“We weren’t able to gain access to many of the females after Mercile came under fire. The few we were able to transport before they were hit just aren’t enough for what we need to do our work.”

This conversation isn’t going anywhere good. Her heart raced, terrified he’d suggest the articles she’d read about in the news. Mercile was rumored to have forced the New Species to undergo breeding experiments. Of course, if it were with 710, it wouldn’t be a nightmare for her. He wouldn’t be abused anymore if he was paired up with her and she’d get to spend more time with him. The whole concept of having sex with him wasn’t unpleasant but the conditions would be wretched. They’d be watched on monitors, doctors digging into every aspect of what happened between them.

Polanitis cleared his throat. “There is a drug we’re working on for an outside party and we need an employee to get involved with the project.”

Part of her was disappointed. “What kind of drug?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Jeanie didn’t agree. “What outside party?”

“That’s none of your business. All you need to know is someone is paying us a lot of money to specifically modify a drug Mercile Industries invented for use on the male test subjects. Now they want a version of it that targets regular women. We can’t be sure it will work without a live trial.”

She tried to make sense of his words. “Someone hired Drackwood to alter a drug for use on humans? One that was specifically designed only to be used on New Species? Which drug? I thought all the research done on them was to benefit humans.” That’s the stupid reason they always give to explain the horrible shit they do to those poor people. It didn’t make sense.

“Never call them that.” He gripped her arms and shook her. “They are test subjects. Don’t let me ever hear you utter those words again. They are lab animals and nothing more.”

Fear silenced her objections about how he viewed the New Species. The only drugs they were testing on New Species were for advanced healing from traumatic injuries but a few of the doctors had some projects she didn’t have access to. Those were the ones that frightened her the most. They couldn’t be good if they were that highly classified.

“You just volunteered to be our trial subject.”

She shook her head, horrified. “No.”

“I’m not asking.” He gave her another brutal shake. “I will keep your favorite pet alive if you comply.” His features hardened as his lips twisted into an ugly sneer. “Not that you have a choice. It’s just that we discussed what would happen if you disappeared. The last thing we need is a police investigation.”

Bile rose as the implications sank in. “What do you mean by that?”

“It means we have to allow you to go home so your neighbors don’t report you missing. You will show up at work every day and never tell anyone what is being done to you.” He released her arms and grabbed her throat, leaning in enough to glare into her eyes. “You can be killed at any time. Remember that. You run, you will be found.” He spun her around until she was forced to stare out the window. “And he’ll die. I’ll personally gut the son of a bitch and make it as painful as possible. He’d suffer for hours before his death.”

The door to her office opened and for a split second, Jeanie had hope that she’d be saved. Dr. Brask entered, closing the door behind him. His gloved hand rose, the syringe gripped between fingers and thumb easy to spot.

“Did she agree?”

“I didn’t ask,” Polanitis snorted. “Give her the shot.”

Jeanie wanted to scream but the grip on her throat tightened until she couldn’t breathe. Her boss abruptly shoved her down, his weight coming over her back until she was crushed between him and the desk.