Chapter 21

Chigs took shallow breaths, his chest restrained by the dark mesh of the Syndicorp armor as he and Emmy made their way down another empty hallway. But the tight armor wasn't the only reason he was uncomfortable. Not only was he taking Emmy toward danger, he couldn't help thinking this place felt familiar. How often had he patrolled halls such as these during his time with Syndicorp, never thinking of what might be going on behind closed doors?

Though a murmur of voices sometimes reached them through the ducts overhead, the hallways remained empty. He lagged a few steps behind Emmy, alert to potential enemies at their rear. Hopefully, anyone spotting them on the security cameras wouldn't take a second look at a guard and a researcher taking a stroll together. He could've scrambled the hall cameras with an ionic pulse, but then it would be obvious something was going on.

He gripped the guard's pulse rifle tighter, glaring at yet another door as they approached. His nerves felt like cables about to snap. They'd been leaving the doors alone, minimizing their chance of encountering personnel as they looked for an elevator to reach the mainframe in the basement. Once they'd hacked in to give Doug access to the security systems so a team from the Icarus could come back him up, he'd feel much better.

Sounds of muttering voices and beeping medical equipment grew louder as they approached a four-way intersection where signs pointed the way toward Research, Administration, Hospitality, and Security. Emmy glanced at him with uncertainty, and he tilted his head toward Security, knowing guard stations were always located near elevators.

She kept moving, the natural sway of her hips slightly distracting, and Chigs was glad his faceplate hid his gaze as a pair of lab assistants in Syndicorp uniforms exited a doorway to their left. Emmy nodded politely as she passed them, drawing an appreciative glance from one man before he resumed his murmured conversation. Chigs's momentary possessiveness was quickly replaced by approval for his mate, so confident and alluring.

They neared a long observation window, and Emmy's steps faltered as she looked inside. An unfamiliar sensation jabbed him through the connection of their mate bond; regret? She turned her attention straight ahead and continued walking, shoulders now stiff.

He reached the window and peered inside, where several human doctors in Syndicorp uniforms stood around an examination table. The test subject on the table was naked, revealing gleaming copper skin. Chigs's hearts thrummed in his chest. A denaidan female.

His hands ached on the stock of the rifle. How he yearned to blast his way straight through the glass and teach those Syndicorp scum a lesson. Instead, he turned his focus back to Emmy, who was rounding the corner of another intersection. Once the team from the Icarus was on its way, they'd come back for the woman. He hurried on with the taste of bile rising in his throat.

Rounding the corner, he saw a cluster of people emerging from an elevator. They disbursed in either direction, focused on their tasks. Emmy stepped through the elevator doors without even glancing in his direction. Uminaq. He'd let himself get too caught up in thoughts of revenge. Protecting Emmy was his priority. He increased his stride, catching the doors with one gloved fist just as they began to slide closed. He stepped inside to find Emmy smiling at a wiry lab tech with ruddy cheeks.

"I haven't seen you around here before," the tech said with a hopeful gleam in his eye. "Which project are you assigned to?"

"Oh, just some cross-departmental assistance," Emmy replied. "For the move."

"Oh, sure, the move." The man looked disappointed. "I'm on the translational genetics team, so I'm stuck here a while longer."

"Translational genetics?" Emmy asked with what sounded like genuine interest. "That sounds fascinating. I'd love to hear more."

"Really?" He beamed. "How about over dinner tonight?"

Emmy toyed with a lock of hair, looking at the man coyly. "Dinner sounds great."

Chigs narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on the pulse rifle and sweat coating his skin beneath the armor. He knew this was a ruse, but did she have to make it seem so real?

The man's grin broadened, and he thrust a hand toward Emmy. "Wow, okay. My name's Albie."

"Call me Em." She clasped his outstretched hand and leaned closer as if sharing a secret. "Hey, I just got here and have to admit I'm a bit turned around. Can you direct me to the mainframe?"

Why was she asking about the mainframe? Doug already told them it was in the basement. Chigs glanced at the elevator controls and saw that there was no basement level listed. Oh. Chigs's appreciation of her strategy ramped up another notch. He'd never have considered asking someone for directions.

"The mainframe?" Albie tilted his head. "Why?"

Emmy rolled her eyes. "The doors in our sector are acting up. Something to do with the security system routing. So frustrating."

"Oh, man, I feel you." Albie rolled his eyes, too. He was still gripping Emmy's hand like a child holding a piece of candy. Chigs was glad his faceplate covered his expression as the man continued, "Especially with so many test subjects out of cryo. I was locked out of the computer for several hours yesterday during active observation."

"That must've been annoying," Emmy said. "How many subjects are you working with?"

"Sixteen. Though it's touch and go with one of them."

"That's too bad," Emmy said, her tone laced with sadness. "So, can you tell me where to find the mainframe?"

"It's in the basement," Albie said. "But the elevator doesn't go all the way down. There's a separate stairwell next to the elevator. Some sort of security measure."

Emmy sighed. "Stairs? Ugh. Why do they have to make everything so hard?"

Albie chuckled. "Tell me about it. But don't worry, I can show you the way."

"Oh, that's so kind of you!" Emmy disentangled her hand from his. "But I don't want to impose on your time."

"Nonsense!" Albie put a hand on Emmy's lower back as if preparing to escort her. "It's no trouble at all. Consider it my small act of rebellion against the higher-ups and their ridiculous floor plans."

Emmy laughed and put a hand on Albie's arm, pulling away gracefully. "I appreciate the offer, Albie, but I'm sure you have important work to attend to. I don't want you to get in trouble with your supervisor."

The doors slid open. Albie scratched the back of his neck, looking at the elevator panel where the button for the lower floor remained lit. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He stepped partially out of the elevator before turning to look at Emmy one last time. "So, I'll see you in the mess hall at six, then?"

"I look forward to it," Emmy said, giving him a flirty little wave.

Flushing, he backed the rest of the way out, letting the doors slide closed. Emmy released a breath, staring at the doors as the elevator continued downward. "Chigs, I need to get something off my chest."

He nodded, disliking the growing sensation of distance in their mate bond. She hadn't actually liked that Albie fellow, had she? "Of course."

She bit her lip, still not looking at him. "That woman we saw, the denaidan… I'm worried you're going to regret bonding with me."

Relief flooded Chigs. "Anaq! Don't scare me like that. I thought you were going to tell me you were attracted to that tech."

"Albie?" She gave him a weak smile. "Not my type. But he said there are at least sixteen test subjects here. One of them could be your true mate."

He reached out and stroked her cheek. "You are my unqu akhala. Never doubt that, Emmy. I will never regret our bond."

She nodded, but her eyes remained full of doubt. "I suppose we'll see."

Before he could offer more reassurance, the elevator emitted a soft chime, and the doors whooshed open. The time for personal matters would have to wait.

Chigs stepped out first, looking up and down an empty hallway with his ionic senses on high alert. The thrum of what felt like heavy machinery pulsed through the floor against the soles of his boots. He moved forward, seeking the door to the stairwell and found it easily, unguarded and unlocked.

With a quick glance toward Emmy, he opened it and led the way downward. The stairs ended in a long narrow hallway lined with unmarked metal doors, each one flanked by a glowing blue security panel.

"I thought Albie meant there'd be actual security guards," Emmy whispered.

Chigs shrugged. "Maybe he was trying to scare you into thinking you needed him."

Emmy looked around nervously. "Maybe. Which one leads to the mainframe, do you think?"

Moving down the hall, Chigs paused before each door, listening for the telltale thrum of an energy core. He found it at the fifth door, the unmistakable throb like a heartbeat against his ionic senses.

"Here," he said.

Emmy pressed her hand to the door lock. Much to their relief, the door slid open, revealing a tech sitting at a console in the center of the room, staring at security images spread across several monitors. Pale white light flashed like a blinking monster from an immense energy generator in the center of the room.

The tech looked up as Chigs entered. "What?—"

Chigs didn't wait for him to finish, rushing forward and breaking his neck with one quick snap. He glanced around the massive room, searching for more Syndicorp personnel. Finding none, he gestured for Emmy to enter.

Emmy stopped just inside the doorway, staring at the dead tech. "Did you really need to kill him? We could've tried making up a story about the malfunctioning doors."

"We can't take chances. Everyone in this facility is a potential threat."

She sighed. "I suppose. But I also remember being one of these people, unaware the project I was working on was causing others harm."

Chigs pressed his lips together, recalling his thoughts from earlier about patrolling halls like these, too. "I understand, but there's too much at stake." He let his gaze roam the various consoles. "Do you have Doug's chip? You need to disable the defense network."

She dug in her pocket and retrieved the chip. "Give me a few minutes."

While she worked on giving Doug access to the security system, Chigs watched the door. His muscles grew more tense with every passing second. If they were caught now, fighting their way out of the basement would be impossible.

"Okay, got it," Emmy said.

Just as the room plunged into blackness.