Chapter Three
Howlyn was in a suprisingly good mood - for him that is. His eyes glittered with an unconcealed excitement as he remembered the 'dream'. She had resisted him and that had been expected, but in the end, she had not. That she had responded to him, wanted him, filled him with an unaccustomed joy.
"Howlyn." Sandoval's voice came through the communications terminal.
Sandoval. Howlyn's lips compressed into a straight line. He would be glad when it was time to dispose of the human. Useful he was, but to a point. Howlyn knew that he would betray them to his own interests eventually.
"What is it.." Howlyn replied shortly.
"I just wanted to inform you that we've been able to replicate the formula for mass producing the hybrid chambers."
"Well done, Sandoval. " Howlyn said. "Your persistance in our cause will be well rewarded."
"I only seek revenge, Howlyn. Nothing more."
"How soon will production start? I do not want the chambers to be in one location lest we have a repeat of what occurred last time."
"Immediately." Sandoval said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "We have taken precautions as to the various locations of the chambers, and of course we have the cooperation of the CEO's."
"Hybrids, yes.." Howlyn smirked. "And more will become as we are. Soon there will be too many of them in power for the humans to fight and this ship will cease to be my prison."
"That is only a matter of time, Howlyn." Sandoval said. "Just do not forget that it was I who helped to make it possible."
"I would never forget, Sandoval." Howlyn said. "Resume your duties." He cut off the transmission and turned away.
Soon..so very soon, all would be under his control and the Atavus would reign.
****
"There." Renee said, looking over Street's shoulder at the computer screen. "Caitlyn Chambler, CEO of Aeris Biotechics."
"She was just appointed what - a month ago?" Street asked.
"Yes, as a result of company reorganization.." Renee stared intently at the screen. "There's been a lot of those as of late."
"Got that right." Street took her eyes off the screen for a moment. "Too many to be coincidental."
"Damn them.." Renee muttered.
"We'll get them." Street glanced at Renee. She knew her partner was frustrated by their lack of progress in defeating the Atavus and their growing number of Human-Atavus hybrids. For each step they took forward, they were pushed back two more.
"You got that right." Renee said. "One way or the other."
****
It had been a most unproductive day for Renee. Her lead at Aeris Biotechnics had come to a dead end. There was nothing there to indicate that they were doing anything but normal routine company functions. Street had found nothing - even her hacking into the rabbit warren of files that Aeris had revealed nothing - not even the smallest of clues. But Renee knew there had to be something, her gut instinct told her that. Aeris was only one of many companies that could be used in the manufacture of hybrid chambers. The formula that Zack Winslow had formulated - surely there would be another who could come up with the same equation as he had, and would have no qualms over using it for the Atavus. No, not all humans posessed loyalty - Sandoval was a prime example of that.
She sipped her drink as she eyed the patrons at Flat Earth. Same crowd as there usually was. How many were human and how many were hybrid, she wondered. Tiredly she closed her eyes. God, she was tired of fighting an enemy that seemed unbeatable. In trying to find their weakness, she had released a psychopathic killer in the world and had killed a young man who had been trying to fight against his Atavus demon.
Guilt. Such terrible guilt. If she and the others ever defeated the Atavus, she would still have this guilt over her head. She opened her eyes and sighed, wishing that Boone were here. At least he had offered a brief comfort from the storms that seemed to surround her at every turn. She had not wanted him to go - a weakness she was sure - but she understood.
God, she was tired of understanding..
Renee finished her drink and debated whether to go back to her apartment or to go back and do some more research. No, she decided. Tonight she would just go back to her apartment. Maybe - maybe she'd get drunk. Yeah, like she had that option. Always she had to be on guard, ever vigilant. She wonderered if the day would ever come where she could just breathe easily without fearing something would happen.
****
Renee lounged on her couch in her darkened apartment, trying not to really think about anything in particular. Her window was partly open to allow the cooling breeze into the room. Stupid in these times but she didn't care at the moment. She would shut it before she went to sleep.
A sudden longing swept over her and she wished that Boone was here right now to chase away her fear and her lonliness. She always hid it so well because she was too busy trying to save others from the Atavus invasion that she didn't have time to dwell upon it. But it was in the quiet of the night when she was alone with her thoughts that it would hit her like a ton of bricks.
~God, you are being so stupid, Renee..~ She downed the drink that she had in her hand and placed the glass back on the end table with a clink.
"Renee?" A familar voice cut into her thoughts.
"Boone?" Her eyes widened as she saw a figure outside her window.
"Yeah." She heard the window open further and she could make out Boone's familar form in the dim light that came through the window.
"Hey.." She smiled as she got up to greet him, wrapping her arms around him.
"Hey yourself." Boone smiled down at her as Renee leaned against him. She smiled and reached up to run her fingers through his hair.
"So glad you're back." Renee murmured. Boone smiled at her and then without a word, kissed her gently. Renee sighed. This was what she needed - his arms around her. Just to feel - safe - if only for a little while. For a moment, Renee swayed with Boone, their kiss intensifying. Her eyes were closed and she felt at peace. When they drew away, Renee's eyes opened and then they widened in shock.
"Howlyn!"
Where Boone had been a moment ago, there stood Howlyn, his arms securely around Renee's waist. He laughed softly, his eyes dancing with delight.
"In the flesh.." He said lowly as he rested her forehead upon hers.
"This - can't be happening." Renee twisted in Howlyn's grasp.
"But it is." Howlyn whispered against her lips. "You want me."
"I do NOT!" Renee spat angrily.
"You want to stop fighting? Is that it, Renee? Then do so." One of Howlyn's hands grazed her hip and Renee flinched, feeling the Atavus' fingertips against her skin. Teasingly they rested just above her underwear, and Renee felt horribly exposed in just that and a loose fitting t-shirt.
"H - how do you know that?" Renee shivered. Dear god, could Atavus read minds too?
Howlyn smirked. "I know you, Renee Palmer. I know your mind and how weary you feel." His voice seemed to take on a hypnotic quality.
"I am not - weary." Renee felt as if all her energy were draining away. She couldn't pull away from him even though she wanted to.
"You are, Renee. I admire your fortitude but the time has come to surrender yourself to me." Renee felt herself sinking against softness and knew that quite inexplicably, she was on the couch with Howlyn on top of her.
"I will never surrender." Renee looked up into Howlyn's eyes, which glittered with triumph.
"But you want to - don't you? Admit it and perhaps I'll let you go - this time."
"Go to hell!" Renee yelled and at last the lethargy that had held her in thrall broke and she started fighting him.
Howlyn growled lowly in his throat and Renee knew that her struggles were only fueling his desire.
"Fight me!" Howlyn laughed. "Fight me and then we shall discuss the terms of your surrender to me!"
"You son of a bitch!" Renee slapped his face and Howlyn grabbed her wrists painfully, his eyes blazing down into hers.
"I shall enjoy your surrender, Renee Palmer - just as you surely will!" Howlyn pressed her down onto the cushions and Renee tried to bite him, but missed because Howlyn was so much quicker.
He laughed. "See? You ARE like me!"
"No!" Renee looked desperate.
"Willing to do anything to achieve your goals..." He said lowly, pulling back her wrists. "Flinging yourself into the enemy's keep time and time again - fearless like an Atavus!"
"I - hate - you." Renee snarled back.
"You hate what you feel for me, Renee Palmer!" Howlyn pulled her upwards by the wrists painfully. "Admit it and set yourself free!"
"NO!" Renee yelled. "I will not betray my world!"
"You mean you won't betray yourself.." Howlyn smirked. He abruptly let her go and then before Renee could do anything further, he was gone as if he had never been.
Renee sat up, still feeling Howlyn's touch on her. Her body ached and her mind was reeling as she looked around the room. The window was partially open and she ran up to close and lock it quickly. Biting her lip, she went back to the couch and cried.
It was the sunlight that shined through her living room window that finally awakened her.
Howlyn was in a suprisingly good mood - for him that is. His eyes glittered with an unconcealed excitement as he remembered the 'dream'. She had resisted him and that had been expected, but in the end, she had not. That she had responded to him, wanted him, filled him with an unaccustomed joy.
"Howlyn." Sandoval's voice came through the communications terminal.
Sandoval. Howlyn's lips compressed into a straight line. He would be glad when it was time to dispose of the human. Useful he was, but to a point. Howlyn knew that he would betray them to his own interests eventually.
"What is it.." Howlyn replied shortly.
"I just wanted to inform you that we've been able to replicate the formula for mass producing the hybrid chambers."
"Well done, Sandoval. " Howlyn said. "Your persistance in our cause will be well rewarded."
"I only seek revenge, Howlyn. Nothing more."
"How soon will production start? I do not want the chambers to be in one location lest we have a repeat of what occurred last time."
"Immediately." Sandoval said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "We have taken precautions as to the various locations of the chambers, and of course we have the cooperation of the CEO's."
"Hybrids, yes.." Howlyn smirked. "And more will become as we are. Soon there will be too many of them in power for the humans to fight and this ship will cease to be my prison."
"That is only a matter of time, Howlyn." Sandoval said. "Just do not forget that it was I who helped to make it possible."
"I would never forget, Sandoval." Howlyn said. "Resume your duties." He cut off the transmission and turned away.
Soon..so very soon, all would be under his control and the Atavus would reign.
****
"There." Renee said, looking over Street's shoulder at the computer screen. "Caitlyn Chambler, CEO of Aeris Biotechics."
"She was just appointed what - a month ago?" Street asked.
"Yes, as a result of company reorganization.." Renee stared intently at the screen. "There's been a lot of those as of late."
"Got that right." Street took her eyes off the screen for a moment. "Too many to be coincidental."
"Damn them.." Renee muttered.
"We'll get them." Street glanced at Renee. She knew her partner was frustrated by their lack of progress in defeating the Atavus and their growing number of Human-Atavus hybrids. For each step they took forward, they were pushed back two more.
"You got that right." Renee said. "One way or the other."
****
It had been a most unproductive day for Renee. Her lead at Aeris Biotechnics had come to a dead end. There was nothing there to indicate that they were doing anything but normal routine company functions. Street had found nothing - even her hacking into the rabbit warren of files that Aeris had revealed nothing - not even the smallest of clues. But Renee knew there had to be something, her gut instinct told her that. Aeris was only one of many companies that could be used in the manufacture of hybrid chambers. The formula that Zack Winslow had formulated - surely there would be another who could come up with the same equation as he had, and would have no qualms over using it for the Atavus. No, not all humans posessed loyalty - Sandoval was a prime example of that.
She sipped her drink as she eyed the patrons at Flat Earth. Same crowd as there usually was. How many were human and how many were hybrid, she wondered. Tiredly she closed her eyes. God, she was tired of fighting an enemy that seemed unbeatable. In trying to find their weakness, she had released a psychopathic killer in the world and had killed a young man who had been trying to fight against his Atavus demon.
Guilt. Such terrible guilt. If she and the others ever defeated the Atavus, she would still have this guilt over her head. She opened her eyes and sighed, wishing that Boone were here. At least he had offered a brief comfort from the storms that seemed to surround her at every turn. She had not wanted him to go - a weakness she was sure - but she understood.
God, she was tired of understanding..
Renee finished her drink and debated whether to go back to her apartment or to go back and do some more research. No, she decided. Tonight she would just go back to her apartment. Maybe - maybe she'd get drunk. Yeah, like she had that option. Always she had to be on guard, ever vigilant. She wonderered if the day would ever come where she could just breathe easily without fearing something would happen.
****
Renee lounged on her couch in her darkened apartment, trying not to really think about anything in particular. Her window was partly open to allow the cooling breeze into the room. Stupid in these times but she didn't care at the moment. She would shut it before she went to sleep.
A sudden longing swept over her and she wished that Boone was here right now to chase away her fear and her lonliness. She always hid it so well because she was too busy trying to save others from the Atavus invasion that she didn't have time to dwell upon it. But it was in the quiet of the night when she was alone with her thoughts that it would hit her like a ton of bricks.
~God, you are being so stupid, Renee..~ She downed the drink that she had in her hand and placed the glass back on the end table with a clink.
"Renee?" A familar voice cut into her thoughts.
"Boone?" Her eyes widened as she saw a figure outside her window.
"Yeah." She heard the window open further and she could make out Boone's familar form in the dim light that came through the window.
"Hey.." She smiled as she got up to greet him, wrapping her arms around him.
"Hey yourself." Boone smiled down at her as Renee leaned against him. She smiled and reached up to run her fingers through his hair.
"So glad you're back." Renee murmured. Boone smiled at her and then without a word, kissed her gently. Renee sighed. This was what she needed - his arms around her. Just to feel - safe - if only for a little while. For a moment, Renee swayed with Boone, their kiss intensifying. Her eyes were closed and she felt at peace. When they drew away, Renee's eyes opened and then they widened in shock.
"Howlyn!"
Where Boone had been a moment ago, there stood Howlyn, his arms securely around Renee's waist. He laughed softly, his eyes dancing with delight.
"In the flesh.." He said lowly as he rested her forehead upon hers.
"This - can't be happening." Renee twisted in Howlyn's grasp.
"But it is." Howlyn whispered against her lips. "You want me."
"I do NOT!" Renee spat angrily.
"You want to stop fighting? Is that it, Renee? Then do so." One of Howlyn's hands grazed her hip and Renee flinched, feeling the Atavus' fingertips against her skin. Teasingly they rested just above her underwear, and Renee felt horribly exposed in just that and a loose fitting t-shirt.
"H - how do you know that?" Renee shivered. Dear god, could Atavus read minds too?
Howlyn smirked. "I know you, Renee Palmer. I know your mind and how weary you feel." His voice seemed to take on a hypnotic quality.
"I am not - weary." Renee felt as if all her energy were draining away. She couldn't pull away from him even though she wanted to.
"You are, Renee. I admire your fortitude but the time has come to surrender yourself to me." Renee felt herself sinking against softness and knew that quite inexplicably, she was on the couch with Howlyn on top of her.
"I will never surrender." Renee looked up into Howlyn's eyes, which glittered with triumph.
"But you want to - don't you? Admit it and perhaps I'll let you go - this time."
"Go to hell!" Renee yelled and at last the lethargy that had held her in thrall broke and she started fighting him.
Howlyn growled lowly in his throat and Renee knew that her struggles were only fueling his desire.
"Fight me!" Howlyn laughed. "Fight me and then we shall discuss the terms of your surrender to me!"
"You son of a bitch!" Renee slapped his face and Howlyn grabbed her wrists painfully, his eyes blazing down into hers.
"I shall enjoy your surrender, Renee Palmer - just as you surely will!" Howlyn pressed her down onto the cushions and Renee tried to bite him, but missed because Howlyn was so much quicker.
He laughed. "See? You ARE like me!"
"No!" Renee looked desperate.
"Willing to do anything to achieve your goals..." He said lowly, pulling back her wrists. "Flinging yourself into the enemy's keep time and time again - fearless like an Atavus!"
"I - hate - you." Renee snarled back.
"You hate what you feel for me, Renee Palmer!" Howlyn pulled her upwards by the wrists painfully. "Admit it and set yourself free!"
"NO!" Renee yelled. "I will not betray my world!"
"You mean you won't betray yourself.." Howlyn smirked. He abruptly let her go and then before Renee could do anything further, he was gone as if he had never been.
Renee sat up, still feeling Howlyn's touch on her. Her body ached and her mind was reeling as she looked around the room. The window was partially open and she ran up to close and lock it quickly. Biting her lip, she went back to the couch and cried.
It was the sunlight that shined through her living room window that finally awakened her.
