"I don't know how many years had been sunk into their experiments, but their life's work is all gone. Except for me. They need to get me back to try and recoup some of that knowledge. To map my DNA and find out why I worked and others didn't. I can't let that happen."
Lake is silent as he tries to process all of this. He looks into her eyes and sees sincerity. Doubts swirl through his mind like a hurricane. She sees this.
"It sounds absolutely insane doesn't it?"
He nods. A strange look fills her eyes, a mixture of sorrow and anger.
"Nobody believed it. I never even told my family what was done to me."
"How did they get you," Lake asks.
"I was on an overseas deployment training mission and got hurt falling off a vehicle. They took me to a local hospital for treatment. The doctor said I needed to stay for observation. As soon as my superiors left, they sedated me, and I woke up in agonizing pain. It was like I was on fire from the inside out. When the pain finally stopped, I realized that I was locked up. I demanded to know what was going on. The scientists told me that my unit was told that I had died from undiscovered internal bleeding. That I no longer existed and that nobody would be looking for me. They said they were recreating me, improving me. What they did was play God and make me into a freak. They didn't realize how strong I was or how resourceful."
Lake watches as she speaks and sees her reliving every agonizing moment in her mind. He has no idea what they did, and as unbelievable as it sounded, he believed her.
"How do they try to catch you," he asks.
"Any way they can," she relies wearily. "They've tried mercenaries, traps, everything. They have friends in high places and have got them to look for me by pretending there are warrants out for my arrest. Obviously they have someone in the government who is in their pocket. I'm surprised they haven't arrived yet."
"They are arranging to come get you," Lake blurted out. "They demanded that we hand you over. Rhodes stalled them saying that they'd have to come here to pick you up themselves."
"What? Why would he do that," Reilly asks bewildered.
"Because LT and I asked him to stall them," Lake says. "He doesn't want to repay your saving me by turning you over without the facts. He told them they'd have to arrange their own transport, set flight plans, and basically set up all the red tape he could think of."
"Why would you guys stand up for me," she asks.