Chapter Thirty-Seven Faith

Recoiling from the intimidating figure, Faith found herself at a loss for words.

"Well, well. Ms. Hanlon." The chancellor's voice dripped with sarcasm. "What an unexpected pleasure."

Faith bit back a reply. Unexpected was not the word. They were both well aware that Danforth was here to gloat. She had made them wait to begin the experiment so she could be here to witness it.

"Nothing to say? No clever response?" Danforth took a step towards her. "My, my! We are quiet tonight."

Faith dropped her gaze. Refusing to give Danforth the satisfaction, she concentrated on breathing in and out. But the chancellor was determined to provoke her.

"Thought you could get the better of me, did you?" The voice was oily, hatred hissing from her every pore. "Thought you'd outwit me, make me look a fool in front of my people?"

Still, Faith stayed quiet. Frustrated, Danforth took another step. She was only a pace away now, and coming closer.

"You won't get away with it. Not now that I have you here." The final step brought Danforth close enough that Faith could feel her breath on her cheek. "My original subject, back where she belongs."

Faith tensed as Danforth circled her.

"We know what we're doing now. How the drugs work. Properly."

The plosive sound propelled a fleck of saliva out of Danforth's mouth. Faith fought the urge to move away as Danforth continued her rant.

"Dear little Sophia showed us how the drugs combined just to create the perfect storm. A pregnancy, borne of woman alone." Danforth moved away, entranced by her narrative. "A pity she was too weak to withstand the rigours of the pregnancy. But, no matter. She is gone, and now we have you."

Hatred seethed through Faith. She raised her eyes, meeting Danforth's gaze for the first time. The sardonic smile she received told her Danforth had won a point in their battle. She knew she had gotten to Faith, wounded her the way she wanted.

"With you it will be so much sweeter." Danforth returned to Faith's side, sizing her up. "You're a much stronger specimen." She took hold of Faith's arm, her fingers circling it. "I feel your pregnancy will progress much more successfully."

She squeezed the flesh so hard, Faith cried out. Danforth's grin told her all she needed to know: the chancellor wanted to hurt her. Faith was part of the machine which had put Danforth's plans in jeopardy, and for that she wanted Faith to pay.

Danforth's eyes glittered. There was something manic about her, something Faith hadn't witnessed before. A desperation to complete her mission, no matter the cost. As the chancellor leaned closer, Faith dropped her eyes, fighting the urge to recoil in disgust.

"Well, you're mine. Think Madeleine can help you now? The drudge she planted here? He's long gone." Danforth took hold of Faith's chin, forcing her to meet her gaze. "All the protest marches in the world won't make a difference when I hold the first baby born of woman alone. The Bellator women will worship me for what I've achieved." She leaned close, whispering the poisonous words in Faith's ear. "And you'll always know that you were the one who made my greatest triumph possible."

There was a sound at the door. Letting go of Faith, she took a step back.

"Chancellor." Sanders stood in the doorway. "I didn't know you'd arrived. I would have–" Her eyes narrowed as she spotted Faith. "What are you doing in here?"

"I…" Faith searched for an excuse, fear surging through her veins.

"Never mind." The doctor turned to Danforth. "Let's get you back into bed."

Danforth stepped back into the lobby. "High time we got started, I think."

Before Faith could react, Sanders had grasped hold of her arm. Faith struggled, but the doctor was stronger than she'd anticipated. And, as she was hauled out of the office, she saw Danforth was flanked by no fewer than three of her guards.

"It's really best if you just come quietly," Sanders muttered.

The situation was hopeless, but desperation lent her strength. Kicking out with her right foot, Faith managed to set Sanders off balance.

"You little–" the doctor cried out in pain.

Faith whirled around, her eyes searching the space for a way out. But Sanders was right. There wasn't one. Panting, she met Danforth's calculating gaze.

"Face it." The chancellor was enjoying Faith's struggle. "There's nowhere for you to go."

The guards leapt forward, grasping her arms. Within seconds, she had been lifted up and was being carried to the bed. Once in it, she found herself being pinned down while Sanders unlocked one of the drug cabinets. Faith gritted her teeth and squirmed, but the guards were too strong.

And then Sanders was looming over her, a syringe in hand.

"You'll just feel a tiny scratch." She smiled benignly. "And then, you won't feel much of anything. Not for a while, anyway."

Drumming her heels against the bed, Faith struggled to escape the vice-like grip of the guards.

Danforth stepped into view behind the doctor. For the first time since her entrance, her face was tense. "Keep her still!" she hissed. "We can't afford for anything to go wrong."

The guards tightened their hold. Faith gave up, wincing as Sanders pushed the needle into the delicate skin at the crook of her elbow. Her face devoid of emotion, she pressed down the plunger, emptying the syringe completely. Faith's gaze moved to Danforth, who was still peering over the doctor's shoulder. In contrast, her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Faith's eyes moved to the camera in the corner of the room. Surely, the Resistance would try to rescue her. They had to know what was happening to her by now.

Danforth's eyes followed. "Don't think your Resistance friends will come and get you." She leaned closer, her breath hot on Faith's cheek. "I've had that camera feed cut. Don't want anyone being able to interfere with our experiment this time."

As the sedative began to take hold, Faith could do nothing but stare up into Danforth's eyes.

"With any luck," the chancellor murmured, "when you wake up, you'll be pregnant." She turned to Sanders, who was pushing buttons on one of the dreaded machines. "You and I will go down in the herstory books for this."

The world around Faith began to fade. She fought to stay conscious, to keep her eyes focused on the ceiling above, the guards who'd imprisoned her, the triumphant expression on Danforth's face. But, in the end, the room began to spin and her eyes flickered closed.

Her last thoughts were of Noah.