Holly
Dr. Holly thought she'd been sent here to help research and document new creatures.
Not be the one who revealed enough of their existence that they were no being turned into weapons, with no freedom.
She rushed down the hallway, elbowing past two scientists in a heated argument.
"Hey!" they shouted in unison.
"Sorry!" She called back. She didn't have time to formally apologize. In a few moments, the field commander of Project Glass Eye would announce the official end to their expedition.
And then she'd be sent home, before she had a chance to stop it.
I still have time. If I can't convince him….
I'll just have to take the more important parts of my research and leave on my own.
With Jeremy, of course.
Sliding her key card into the reader slot, she entered the door before it finished opening, entering in on Commander Wheeler's meeting with Dr. Howard Masters, the director of the U.S.C.M.
Wheeler raised his head, upturning an eyebrow. "Yes, Ms. Holly?"
Holly collected her thoughts, straightening her back. "Sir. I'd like to request we cancel the um, 'augmentation' program."
Dr. Howard shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, his gaze flicking between both Wheeler and Holly, watching as the conversation unfolded.
No wonder his kids ran away, he's creepy. She thought with a shudder.
"And why is that?" Wheeler asked, not actually sounding particularly interested.
"Well," She huffed. "For the first part, my studies and further exploration into the continent have proven these, these, dragons, actually have sentience." She began pulling a ziploc bag out of her trench coat. "I have photographic proof, too. They've built villages, have their own social interactions, battle formations, hell, even a monarchy, which I've only been able to process through the usage of a high Arcturance Reach scope."
The commander readjusted his glasses, frowning. "Dr. Holly, you weren't supposed to enter that far inland. We specifically told you to stay within a twenty mile radius. And did you say a high Arcturance Reach scope? Those are reserved for scouting troops only, not field researchers."
Holly grumbled. "Sir, I was trying to bring my research to the full extent. Things weren't adding up, such as them wearing jewelry, as well as them standing in places for long moments at a time as if having conversation, which is true! We can't do this, it'd be inhumane!" She said, raising her voice.
Howard finally exited his silence. "Miss...Holly, right? In case you haven't noticed, we are at war, in this present day. We can't afford to lose it either."
Does he know both sides can't afford losing?
"We need more power," he said, grinning and clenching his hand into a fist dramatically. "For instance, back on Earth, the Spanish-American war was a testing time both for Spain's control over Texas and the further along future states, such as New Mexico. Now, this mode of transportation had been used in warfare many a time before, but never have I read of so many men charging into battle on horseback than in America's late 1700's to the 1800's, when American and Spanish settlers, as well as the 'native' peoples of the continent, all charged to do battle with each other in horseback, but never did they catalog the amounts of casualties their mounts encountered. Because the American side won the war, nobody cared." He said, finishing with a sip of his glass, filled with coke and ice cubes.
"What I'm saying," He continued. "Is at the end of it all, do the casualties really matter? Nobody hardly ever respects the dead, save the ones that knew and loved them. At the end of it all, who's going to miss a species nobody can prove exists?"
She shivered.
He's a maniac.
"But they have thoughts of their own! They have families! Friends! Jobs, places they relax to get away from the stress of their life during, oh, did I mention, a WAR. We need to leave them alone, before we make things worse!" She protested.
Howard sighed, pressing a button embedded in the table. "Security, I'd like to issue protocol fourteen on Dr. Holly Neru, she has overstepped her boundaries for the last time."
Panic filled her lungs.
Protocol 14! That's something I read in Jeremy's manual. That's a...death sentence. I have to get out of here, now.
She chuckled nervously. "Uh, haa… I'm gonna go now."
Holly squeezed through the door before it closed again, hurrying back down the hallway and taking a left, into the evidence research lab.
Alright. I have my father's .32 in my desk, I can handle a couple of soldiers, right?
Holly gathered up the two USB sticks that contained her research, shoving both of them in her pockets. She walked around the side of the desk, opening the drawer and pulling out a Smith & Wesson .32 caliber personal defense revolver, strapping the holster under her arm.
Just as she made it to the window, about to jump out, the door to her lab opened.
"Doctor Holly! Under the order of the director, you have been marked for death! Cease your fleeing, and it will be short!"
She glared back defiantly. "Never!" and then leapt out the window, literally feeling the wind from the bullets missing her.
She winced when her feet hit the ground, the impact sending small traces of pain up her legs as she ran toward an occupied four-wheeler.
"Sorry." She muttered, coming to a stop in front of the vehicle.
The driver looked up at her. "For what?"
She swung her gun at him, catching him in the temple and sending him off the quad.
"That."
Woah, that was awesome. This gun is awesome. I'm awesome. I can't believe I'm doing this!
Holly threw her leg over the side of the quad.
She revved the engine, then sped up the hill, grinning as the sirens began to echo from the research station.
Now to figure out what to do next.