1941539114 (S) by Jeremy Robinson Page A

an act of war, and we will respond accordingly.”
    Cole nodded to Maigo, looking a little annoyed. “I was talking about her. If she causes any trouble, use the Leshiy.”
    The big Russian paled, but managed a fervent “Yes, sir.”
    Cole turned to face someone none of them could see, saying, “Leave Boston be. Focus on Japan.” Then he flickered and was gone.
    Brice cleared his throat and turned to Kozlov. “We’ll just be a minute. Then I’ll need a few men to carry her out.”
    Kozlov sneered at Brice, who apparently wasn’t normally in a position to boss the big Russian around. “The men are deployed around the island. It will take time to—”
    “She’s been sedated,” Brice said. “We need to transport her to the doorway at the center of the rings and allow her to make physical contact. It’s the only way we can get inside.”
    Maigo didn’t feel tired at all, and felt certain Brice’s words were really meant for her. But was it a trick?
    Brice took her wrist in his hand, the multiple handcuffs clanging against the rail. It took all her will power to not react to his touch. “She’s nearly ready,” Brice said, monitoring her pulse. “Four men, please. She’s heavier than she looks.”
    Kozlov grunted and turned toward the exit. It was as close to a ‘yes, sir,’ as Brice was going to get. When the door closed, Brice leaned in close to her. “Where are the rest of you? Are they on the island? In the X-35?”
    “You’re trying to trick me,” Maigo said.
    Brice shook his head, but it looked something more like a manic twitch. He looked genuinely nervous.
    “The injection was saline,” he said. “You got my photo? The stone. The symbol?”
    “That was you? Why?”
    “We’re born, sort of, with the same body. The same knowledge. But not the memories. Not the experience. We’re not all identical where it matters.”
    He rapid-fire tapped his head, and then his heart. “We’re not all insane, though I will admit we are genetically predisposed to greed and ambition. But some of us are not part of all this by choice. I sent you the image because I have seen what GOD does with alien DNA. They justify it because of what’s coming. Fire with fire. Monsters with monsters. But there is a point when we become the monsters, when we lose our humanity, when it becomes not worth the cost of saving it.”
    “So helping me is you saving your humanity?” Maigo asked.
    “You can understand that,” he said. “Can’t you?”
    She glared at him for a moment and then said, “Yes.”
    “I can set you free,” he said. “Give you a head start. But once they know you’re missing, you’re on your own.” He pulled a key from his pocket and reached for the first pair of handcuffs.
    Maigo lifted her arms, feeling a moment of resistance before the chain links stretched and snapped. She reached down and tore through the polyester straps like they were duct tape. Once they were loose enough, she pulled her legs up, breaking the cuffs around her ankles, and then yanking them off, as well as the ones on her wrists. She swung herself around on the table and hopped onto her bare feet. “I can handle myself.”
    Brice staggered back and caught himself on a counter. “I-I can see that.”
    Maigo looked down at her black bra and underwear. “Clothes?”
    “Uhh.”
    “Nevermind.” Maigo said. The cold wouldn’t bother her much, and the white lab clothes Brice wore would stand out even more than her slightly tan skin. “What’s a Leshiy?”
    “Russian folklore. The ‘one in the woods.’ The name was chosen to...intimidate our comrades, but it is somewhat appropriate, given the creature’s tendencies. It—”
    Maigo’s attention snapped to the door. There were footsteps outside. Someone was coming. “This is for your own good,” she said quickly, and then snatched Brice’s throat in her hand.
    The door opened and Kozlov stepped inside. “If we are to—” The big man froze for a moment when he saw