The barrel of the large weapon was being held by the very same burly man who had stopped Hudson at the activist meeting only a few night ago. The irony that the man had made the upgrade to such a powerful weapon and Hudson was still armless wasn't lost on the Marine. Hudson raised his hands in surrender.
"In here." the large man called outside of the office too the skinny Claude entered the room, his own smaller firearm raised in front of him. Claude headed over to where Genna and Hudson were standing in silence, he even gave a cocky nod to Hudson in recognition, all the Marine wanted to give the activist in return was a violent head-butt to the bridge of his nose; the harsh reminder of the glistening weapon put him in his place. "Don't even think about it, Private." Claude told him, as he passed by the two humans. Knowing that he had the security of the other man at his back Claude felt he could wander over to the enclosure and spend some time looking at the beautiful creatures trapped within. He smiled as two of the large Xenos returned to stare out of the glass, their tails lashing in agitation.
Claude put his free hand on the reinforced glass and spoke to the monsters within. "Don't worry my beauties, we'll get you out, aren't they beautiful Ajay?" Claude looked over his shoulder to the man who had the shotgun trained on the researcher.
The same sickening feeling that had swept across him during his first meeting with Claude returned. Hudson took a small step the to slim framed man, "Look Claude, these things aren't what you think..." the Marine tried to reason, but he was cut off by a raised hand. The activist leader didn't want to hear what he had to say, Hudson already knew that, he wasn't expecting to hear Genna backing him up so quickly.
"Hudson is right," She started to speak to Claude, "Whatever you think these animals are, they are nothing like what you are imagining." She tried to tell him, speaking softly, hoping that if she remained calm and controlled in her voice, she would be heard and their message would get through.
"Shut up!" spat Claude towards the researcher, repeating the line again as he stormed over to her and harshly backhanded her. Genna clung to the side of her desk, her hand moving to the side of her jaw. Hudson made to move towards the violent activist, but was once again greeted by the wrong end of the weapon. "Cool it!" Claude warned the ex-Marine, who was reduced to glaring at the other man.
Hudson moved to place a hand on Genna's shoulder, "You alrigh'?" he asked quietly as Claude headed over to the burly man at the office door. Genna nodded back to Hudson, but he could clearly see the sting on her face and the prickle of tears in her eyes to the cheap blow that Claude had given her. The resentment on her face absolute.
"Bring them." Claude ordered Ajay as he headed out of the room. The burly man motioned his weapons barrel to the door and the two did as they were being told. They both kept a silent vigil as they were walked to the lab area, the entrance to the Xenomorph enclosure. Gathered outside the door were a bunch of other researchers, most of whom had been put into a kneeling position on the floor in submission. Abruptly the sirens of warning and flashing lights stopped. A couple of the researchers looked to one another in confusion, their hopes of a rescue from an outside source dashed. Another couple of men brought two more people over and forced them into the kneeling position before the door. One of the people was Meg, Hudson avoided her gaze, not wanting to look into her questioning and pleading eyes. Much like the rest of the researchers and workers here, she was frightened and confused as to how a course of action could happen to such a prestigious place as Weyland-Yutani.
Hudson resisted as much as he dared as he too was forced to kneel on the cold tiled floor of the research lab. Pulling himeself from the large man's grip as the other tried to grip his scarred arm. Leaving Genna the only one left standing of the researchers, she looked small standing up on her own, and Hudson could see the look of concern and vulnerability on her face. These were standard scare tactics that a terrorist group would employ when they wanted something from someone, and Hudson already knew what they would want from her. Access codes.
"Are you going to let us do this the easy way?" Claude tormented the woman as he approached her, stepping over one of her co-workers. He moved closer to the door where a light banging could be heard from the other side. The Xenomorphs knowing something strange was going on on the human side of the door we're showing signs of renewed excitement. The aggitation of the creatures within the complex only matched with Claudes as Genna shook her head to his question.
"You won't get anything off me." he told the activist with full defiance in her voice. Her resentment for the man who'd hit her so violently only mere moments ago unwavering in her voice. Claude looked to Ajay and nodded his head.
"I wanted to avoid violence." the activist told Genna; stalking over to where she stood, but Genna just laughed. For a man that didn't want to cause violence; he was certainly hurting a lot of people. The laugh came out short and sharp. A single, 'Ha.' Before she was suddenly silenced again by the sound of a thundering gunshot. The boom rang out around the laboratory like a never ending echo. Genna whipped around to see who had been massacred due to her defiance. A cheek ran down her cheek for the loss of life of her co-worked, the scream and sobbing from Meg did little to comfort her; should couldn't look into their frightened eyes for they matched her own. The researchers seemed to huddle together to comfort one another for their loss. The isolation for her actions only bolstered Genna's resistance. They couldn't get the Xenomorphs free. It seemed as though someone didn't agree with her determination.
"They'll kill us all!" One of the researchers pleaded with her; another one got to his feet and rushed towards the doors control panel; rapidly punching in the access number. His shaking fingers failing him.
Genna screamed at him, telling him to stop. Hudson too was on his feet, his shoulder barged into the man; wrestling him to the ground. His assault didn't last long, as the burly operative pulled him off the downed man and pushed him away forcing the gun in his face yet again. The Marine however was prepared for the repetition of the action and the hand nearest the offered weapon to push the barrel to the side out of his face as it fired. Hudson could feel the heat searing from the end of the weapon; how all the shot missed him was nothing short of a minor miracle. The heel of his hand moved forwards to underneath the man's jaw and upon hearing a sickening crunch; finally Hudson gave thanks for all those bar brawls he'd been in over the recent years. Turning into the blow Hudson's elbow made connection to the activists stomach with had him doubled over; winded. It gave Hudson valuable seconds to wrench the shotgun from the stunned mans fingers and turn it on Claude.
To little to late. The distraction of the fight had the researcher punching in the final numbers of the code for the door. Genna had been trying to get him to stop, but to no prevail. Claude pushed the two of them aside as the white doors of the Xenomorphs confined opened. His arms outstretched as though he were greeting a long lost relative.
Hudson raised the weapon and waited for whatever hell he had left behind on LV426 to break loose, despite his gut instinct to turn on his heels and flee.