Chapter 13

"New Girl"

July 2nd 1988

Brian sat with the female subject long after Burkin and the others had left. He watched over her as she slept. Closing his eyes, he remembered a song that he sang to his little sister when she'd had bad dreams. Looking at the female subject, he knew that she needed someone to help her sleep, but he would be damned to hell if he was going to risk getting caught singing a lullaby to a test subject. It wasn't because he was callous, or because it was embarrassing, but because if someone caught him singing to her, it would raise suspicions, and that was something he could not afford to happen.

The familiar sound of metal grinding against metal echoed around the room as the door opened, and Brian looked to see who it was.

Sherrie Burkin looked cautiously around the doorframe before entering, "Are you okay, Uncle Brian?"

"Yeah, Sherrie. I'm okay," Brian said sleepily.

Sherrie bit her lower lip nervously before walking over to Brian and giving him a hug, "It stinks in here."

Brian laughed, picked Sherrie up, and tossed her over his shoulder as though she were a sack of potato's causing her to giggle uncontrollably as he headed out of the room.

Once outside, Brian sat Sherrie down, "Now run along squirt, I got work to do."

As Sherrie ran off, Brian headed down the long hallway towards the holding rooms where the other test subjects lived.

"Good evening," Brian pleasantly greeted the test subject as he walked through her door.

"It's night?" was all she asked.

Brian checked his watch, "Yeah, it's after midnight. What's your name?"

"Faith Craft," she told him.

Brian looked at her quizzically and cocked his head to the right, "Faith?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"That's not something we have a whole lot of in this place. How long have you been here?"

"They brought me in yesterday," Faith told him.

Brian pulled a chair close to where she was and sat on it, ready to write on the clipboard that he held, "Are you allergic to anything?"

Faith shook her head.

"Do drugs?" Brian asked while scribbling on the clipboard.

"Not since I found out I was pregnant," Faith told him and rubbed her swollen belly almost protectively.

Brian looked at her stomach, noticing it for the first time, "Congratulations. For far along is it?"

"Five months. She's due in November," Faith said and smiled, "Are you a doctor?"

"Yes, I'm an MD."

"How long am I going to be here?"

"Probably not too long," Brian said, then looked at her, "Have you been given an injection yet?"

"No. Why?"

Brian leaned back and looked out of the door, then got up to close it, "If you tell anyone what I'm going to tell you, I will deny it and you and your baby will spend the rest of your lives down here."

Faith looked horrified, but nodded.

Brian let out a heavy sigh, "If someone comes to give you a shot while I'm gone, kick him in his nuts and break the needle. Do what ever you have to do to keep the needle out of your arm. You understand me?"

"Yes," Faith squeaked.

Brian nodded and left the room. Outside, he saw Jay on his way to the cafeteria, "Jay, I want you to watch over Mrs. Craft here, okay?"

Jay nodded, "Okay. What're you up to?"

"Let me just say, that Kate ain't going to be the only one to leave. I ain't gonna let them use an expectant mother as a test subject. Make sure that no one but me goes in to see her."

"Is she going to vanish?" Jay asked with a lop-sided smirk.

"Right out of the state," Brian said and headed down the hall to the computer room.