Chapter 5

Paige stared at the food the guards had placed by the door to her cage with disgust. The tray was filled with what she could only describe as pig slop, the color similar to the pale, glistening skin of a grub worm.

Ugh.

She would never look at oatmeal the same way again.

Her mother hadn't roused when the men had entered the holding room to deliver their meal, not even when the Species women growled as their food was pushed through a slot at the base of the door to their cages. The guards had made sure all their enclosures were secured before they left the room.

Paige glanced back at her mother.

By the end of the second song, Natasha had released her hold and curled on the floor with a hand placed over Paige's foot. Even in sleep, her mother refused to break their connection. Although the warmth of her hand was comforting, Paige couldn't stop replaying the sound of her cries in her head. Something had broken inside Natasha, or perhaps she'd never really been whole since the night Norah was murdered and the role of surrogate mother was thrust onto her. It would explain the distance she'd begun to keep from Paige when she had entered high school.

As if preparing for the moment when their ties would be severed by the truth.

Unable to reach out to her sleeping form with the restraints still in place, Paige traced light fingers over Natasha's hand, her touch outlining the path of a vein. Dr. Malcolm had said they didn't share a single genetic marker, yet despite the evidence in their blood Natasha had claimed her as her daughter. Like Norah, she'd protected Paige by using deception as her shield.

In her own way, Natasha had taken her birth mother's role as a knight.

The childish thought filled her with warmth, and for the moment chased away the uncomfortable chill in the room. Still, it couldn't keep the pangs of hunger from drawing her eyes back to the disgusting food. Placed beside it, the metal sheen of a small container made her pause. Paige lifted her mother's hand from her foot with care, then walked up to the tray and picked up the canteen. Please let it be clean water, she thought, twisting the cap with some difficulty.

"Drink with caution, little human," a deep, feminine voice said from behind her. "If there is a strange smell inside, throw it out. It wouldn't be the first time the guards drug a female and take her away for their own amusement."

Paige turned to the speaker with surprise. The Species woman with the white strip of hair tilted her head, as if awaiting for her directions to be followed without question. She sat with her back to the bars, her half-eaten tray of seared meat beside her. Caught off guard by this unexpected offer of solidarity, Paige brought her nose to the canteen's opening and sniffed.

"Well?"

Paige frowned. "I can't smell anything."

"She is human," the other Species woman called out with displeasure. She sat on her cot, a tray of food resting on her lap. Sparing Paige an irritated glance, she shook her head and returned to her meal. "Do not speak to the enemy, 11. If she cannot even scent if her water is contaminated, then what use does she have for that little nub on her face? Let the retched guards take her away."

Bewildered by her hostile words, Paige stared at the canteen with longing but thought it best not to drink it. Before she could place it back on the floor, she sensed movement to her right and gasped when the more tolerant Species stood before her. She reached out a hand to Paige, her yellow eyes on the canteen.

"Let me smell it for you."

Paige took a hesitant step back. The woman was tall, rather imposing, and the moment she'd spoken had revealed the sharp canines of a carnivore. She held her athletic frame with a natural grace, derived from the altered genetics in her blood. It reminded Paige of the way a predator remained unmoving, yet observant in captivity at a zoo as the world admired its beauty from a safe distance. A quick glance at her mother assured her their voices hadn't disturbed her sleep, but without her council she felt as vulnerable as prey in their presence.

"I will not harm you," the Species crooned in a soft voice, as if sensing her fear. "I give you my word, little one. Your throat is dry, is it not?"

Paige nodded, the prospect of soothing her parched throat too tempting to resist. Besides, her eyes did not appear unkind. Stepping forward, she placed the canteen in the woman's hand, noticing the slight sharpness of her nails as she brought it to her nose and sniffed. Seconds passed, then the Species smiled and nodded once.

"It is pure."

Relieved, Paige waited for the woman to hand the canteen back to her. Instead, she shot her hand out and flicked a sharp nail to the middle of her restraints, snapping the plastic and releasing her at last from their hold. Paige gaped at the New Species, her heart in her throat as she lost her footing and her rear hit the floor with a soft thump. The woman crouched and held out the canteen to her, amusement clear in her cat-like eyes.

"Drink."

Paige snatched the offering and glowered at the woman, her temper flaring from the fright she'd given her. "A little warning next time, okay? You scared me half to death. I thought you wanted to rip my guts out."

"I gave you my word I would not harm you."

"You believed 11 was using deceit to gain your trust," the other Species accused, her eyes narrowed at Paige. "We have honor, human. We speak the truth and do not make a lie of our promises like your kind."

Paige opened her mouth to retort, but snapped it closed when she caught sight of the plastic restraints on the floor. A wave of shame settled over her. Taking a long drink from the canteen, she felt the cool water run down her abused throat and she sighed with relief. The sensation had a calming effect on her. She placed the cap back on the canteen and offered the Species woman an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you. Thank you for releasing me." Paige lifted the canteen. "And for the water. Um, you are called…11?"

The feline nodded, then she swept her hand to her companion. "That one with the sharp tongue is 619."

The other Species growled, but did not offer to join their conversation again.

Paige absorbed that for a moment. How impersonal, to be known as just a number. And sad. In less than an hour, she'd discovered her birth parents were murdered when she was a child, but Natasha had at least kept something precious that had been given to her when she was born—her name.

Yet, Mercile had taken that from them without remorse.

Placing the canteen on the floor, Paige wiped her right hand on her pant leg and held it out. "It's a pleasure to meet you, 11. My name is Paige."

11 stared at the offered hand in puzzlement.

"It's called a handshake," Paige said, scooting closer to the cage. "I offer you my right hand, and you take it in yours, then we shake it a few times."

"What is the purpose of that?"

Paige thought about that a moment, choosing her words with care. "I guess…we shake hands to convey trust. Respect. It's to show we are equals and that I offer you friendship."

"Friendship?" 11 said, grasping Paige's hand with caution. When she shook it, the gesture was hesitant and awkward but she was mindful of her strength.

"Yes, friendship." Paige noticed how small her hand appeared clasped with the Species'. And, while 11 did not release her hold right away, the warmth she felt was reassuring. She smiled and pointed at her companion. "You and 619 are friends. She looks out for you, and you'd do the same for her. It's probably why she's so crabby—she's protecting you. You share a strong bond, am I right?"

11 nodded.

"Then, she's your best friend," Paige concluded. "You're lucky. Having one is very special. It means she'll always be someone you can count on, no matter what."

Glancing back at 619, the feline cocked her head as if seeing her ill-tempered companion in a new light. The other stared back, her lips curled to reveal her fangs at them.

"Do not look at me that way, 11. The humans will see it as weakness and use it against you. Have you forgotten why the cage beside yours was empty before the human was thrown in there?" Then, 619 directed her glare to Paige. "You are too soft, human. The male they threatened you with allows his animal nature to dominate. He is…different. I have never smelled anything like him before. There is a savagery in him that make even the failures Mercile keeps appear almost tame. You will not survive him, so do not offer 11 this 'friendship'. Growing attached to you will only cause her pain when you are dead."

"Not if the NSO finds us first before that happens." Paige pried her hand from 11's and rubbed the gooseflesh on her arms when she stood. The reminder of her impending date with the unstable Species spiked her fear, but she couldn't lose hope. Not yet. There was something she needed for them to understand. Taking a breath, she stared at their befuddled faces. "The NSO stands for 'New Species Organization.' New Species are what your people called themselves after they were freed six years ago from Mercile." She paused, allowing that information to sink in. Both seemed to have paled a bit, but neither said a word. "You have a leader who represents your people. His name is Justice North. I read somewhere the test subjects that were freed threw away the number Mercile gave them, and took a real name in its place. All of the New Species live in Homeland and Reservation, two large plots of land protected by high walls. They took control of their lives, and Mercile was shut down for the horrible things they did to them. They are wanted by the police now, hunted for their crimes. Do you know what that means?"

Both shook their heads.

"It means there are people—your kind and mine—who will stop at nothing to find you and my mom." Paige glanced back at Natasha, before returning their gaze. "I didn't know she worked for the NSO until today, but I'll bet they're looking for her as we speak. If I don't make it out alive, I wanted both of you to at least know that there is a life for you outside of these cages."

11 stared wide-eyed at Paige, her pupils dilated. She jumped to her feet and stepped back, as if she'd been struck by her words.

"Lies," 619 snarled, the sound not unlike that of an enraged dog. "You give us false hope, human."

"She's giving you a reason to keep fighting, pup," Natasha's voice rang out with authority. All three turned to find her sitting on the concrete floor, her back resting against the cot, as she ran a hand through her hair.

"Mom!" Paige said, relieved to see her finally awake. "How do you feel?"

"Like I lost my shit," Natasha replied, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees, her eyes still a bit puffy from crying. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Paige shook her head. "Don't be. I get it—all of it, okay? But we can talk about that later..." She stepped to the side, so the Species women had a clear view of her mother. "This won't work unless they trust you, Mom. Tell them something they will believe."

Natasha studied the women as they regarded her back with suspicion, and her eyes sharpened at once with purpose.

"Alright, listen up, ladies. Let's play a game. Stop me if you can scent a lie. My commanding officer is Tim Oberto. He leads the NSO human task force, but we all answer to Justice North. Your leader—" Natasha directed her attention to 11. "—is a feline breed. Perhaps you may have heard of 152? My intel tells me you two were reared at the main testing facility in northern California, the same as him before you were transferred. Dr. Crawford made sure to provide us your missing case files as proof of your existence. How am I doing so far?"

"Truth," 11 whispered, awed.

"Or a skilled liar," 619 sneered.

"Really, pup? Have you allowed Mercile to dull your senses after all these years locked up in a cage?" Natasha tsked, her index finger moving from side to side as if reprimanding an impertinent child. "I was told the canine breeds far outclassed all the others when it came to scents. They're the best trackers, and are far more reliable than a lie detector. It'd be a shame if their reputation suffered, no thanks to a stubborn female and her pride."

619 pushed the trey to the floor, the remnants of her meal forgotten, as she stalked closer to the bars of her cage and gripped them with force. Paige shifted her feet in uncomfortable silence, but she took 11's cue and leaned against the bars closest to the wall of her cage and allowed the women their space.

"My name is 619," she snarled. "I am canine. Do not call me pup."

"Then stop behaving like one and accept the truth," Natasha retorted, rising to her feet. She crossed her arms over her chest and grinned. "Besides, my mentor often called me 'pup' when I misbehaved during training. It's a family thing, an endearment. We could snarl and snap at each other for hours, but in the end it's just us against them. I am not your enemy, 619. I'll fight until my last breath so that you and the Species trapped here can know freedom. That is a promise."

The canine Species narrowed her eyes at Natasha, the tension in the room palpable, but some of the anger seeped out of her the longer she held the NSO officer's gaze.

"Truth," 619 whispered, dropping her eyes.

Paige and 11 shared a relieved smile. 619 was indeed a stubborn female, but her reluctance to accept even a sliver of trust was understandable. Growing up in perpetual despair since the moment of her birth, Paige could see how she'd learned to guard her heart well over the years with her barbed personality.

"We don't have much time," Natasha said. "I need information. Places like these underestimate how much their prisoners can pick up from simple observation. We have an advantage, though. They consider you no better than animals."

"How is that an advantage?" 11 asked.

"They do and say things without taking notice of you," Natasha replied. "A conversation meant to be private could be easily heard with your keen ears. Scents can linger on their skin and clothing, leaving clues that could pinpoint our location. You know the guards, the technicians, their routines. You would remember who has shown you kindness and who has been the most cruel. These are all weapons in our arsenal. Mercile has kept you locked and ignorant of the world, but it's this mindset they have over you that could tilt the scales in our favor."

By mutual agreement, they remained standing. The Species women leaned against their cages, their attention riveted on Natasha. They appeared both guarded and expectant, a feeling Paige shared alongside them. Her mother had far more experience working and living with New Species, along with years of training as an undercover agent.

She was in her element.

"We got as much information from Crawford before I was assigned to this mission," Natasha continued, pacing her cage as she spoke. "The case files we acquired weren't substantial, but by his account Malcolm has currently imprisoned in this facility— seven New Species?"

"Six," 11 said. She closed her eyes, but no one could miss the pain and sadness laced in the tone of her voice. "Four males and us. We lost 43 to the pit about a month ago. The smallest female in the facility."

"The Pit?"

"The male guard, Dougal, calls it his Games." 619's face contorted in anger. "He beats the males into an aggressive state, then they are thrown into the pit—a square space surrounded by metal walls with electric wire used as a ceiling, where the guards watch them from above. They keep a female chained close by to entice the males' bloodlust and encourage them to fight for dominance. Sometimes, they inject them with drugs to push their rage if they refuse to participate. The games entertain the guards. It is a sport to them. During the last one, 43 was caught between the two males and did not survive."

"Shit," Natasha said, horrified. "They're using females as bait?"

619 nodded. "We are the prize, too."

11 cast her eyes to the side. "The guards enjoy observing that as much as the violence between our males."

Paige stared at the Species women, a quiet rage building inside her.

Bait.

Prize.

Mercile had allowed depraved men to reduce their creations to cheap entertainment. Paige reached out and took 11's hand, offering her the only comfort she could. The female blinked, perhaps surprised by the gesture, then her eyes widened when she saw tears slide down her cheeks. 11 was a gentle soul, untouched by hatred. Despite suffering at the hands of humans for years, she had shown Paige kindness and trust. She could not imagine her being tied down and helpless, but this was the harsh reality of the life of a test subject.

They did what was necessary to survive.

"Luctor et emergo," Paige murmured. She'd often gazed upon the foreign words Professor Walters had arranged an artist to wood-burn onto the podium for his students, yet she'd never felt the strength in their meaning until that moment. No matter what, they couldn't give up the fight others had survived over the years against Mercile. Wiping the tears with the back of her hand, she pushed back her shoulders and repeated the words with more conviction.

"Luctor et emergo—'I struggle and overcome.'"

She chanted those words as a silent prayer, for it wouldn't be long before that belief was tested in the face of a beast with a craving for violence and blood.


Author's Note ~ Heeeellloo, fellow readers! Okay, I know I promised some of you this CH. was going to finally introduce X-013 in all his magnificence and splendor, but alas 11 and 619 have a role to play in this story, and I couldn't stop my creative monster from giving them a bit of the lime light. Tell me what you think of them! And, for all those clamoring for some badass Species male with a bit of a violent streak, no worries! He's up on the next CH. Scout's honor, lol.