Chained in the Lab

Alarm

Henry

A couple of weeks later the upright wind tunnel was complete. Zauriel spoke about nothing else for days. He even kept his wings out between testing sessions. Which meant he was basically shirtless every time Henry saw him. Not that Henry was complaining about the view. 

Dr. Taylor wandered past Henry's security desk one afternoon with his typical clipboard and an overstuffed file folder tucked under his arm. He was muttering to himself, a sure sign that experiments were going in exciting new directions. Or he'd lost the key to his office.

Henry waved at the scientist. "Hey, Doc. Any interesting test results?"

Dr. Taylor looked up from the clipboard he'd been scribbling on as he walked. "Oh, Henry. I didn't realize you were there."

He looked around mild confusion on his face. It wasn't so much that he hadn't noticed Henry as he hadn't noticed which hallway he was in. Had he intended to visit Zar?

"No problem. Just curious how the wind tunnel thing is working out," Henry said.

"As it happens it's working wonderfully. Thank you for your advice, by the way." Dr. Taylor plopped the folder on Henry's desk and pulled out several detailed sketches of Zar's wings, with sketched airflow lines over them. "Zauriel's wings are incredibly maneuverable. And I think he's truly enjoying this phase of testing. The aeronautics division is hoping I'll loan him to them for some simulations, or at least send by videos."

"He'd probably enjoy that," Henry said. "I mean, more time to fly, right?"

"I think so, too. I was on my way to discuss it with him. Unless he's... occupied?" Dr. Taylor's cheeks flushed.

Henry glanced at a list of personnel jokingly titled, "Class Hamster", Zar's feeding schedule. "Nah, should be just him."

"Good, good, I don't want to inconvenience him. Especially after my blunder with the sleep feeding issue..."

"Blunder?" Henry asked.

"I didn't realize how much of a procubus' energy needs are met by feeding during REM sleep. As there's typically no one asleep in the labs at night, well. It limited his options."

"I wouldn't call it a blunder so much as an oversight," Henry said.

"Still, caring for him is my job..." Dr. Taylor sighed. "Oh. Another thing, about the testing. One of my research assistants wondered whether Zauriel might be able to support another person in flight. He's not sure within the confines of the air tunnel but stated a willingness to experiment. Tell me, Mr. Cartwell, are you acrophobic?"

"Me? Nah. Why?"

Before Dr. Taylor could answer, a strident tone sounded from the panel next to Henry's left elbow. He looked down to see a red light he's never seen activate.

"That's the alarm for Zauriel's manacles," Dr. Taylor yelped, dropping the clipboard and turning to run down the hallway.

Henry bounced to his feet and vaulted the security desk, easily keeping pace with the frantic scientist. The alarm would only sound if Zauriel snapped one of the manacles. Why would Zar break his cuffs? Was something on fire? Was he hurt?

The door to Zar's room was closed and locked, with a little blinking "Privacy" message showing on the keypad. The scientist hesitated at the door, obviously unsure if he should burst in with the privacy request active.

Henry had no such qualms. Zar knew what breaking the manacles would do, which meant he'd done it on purpose to get help. Henry keyed in the code and unclasped the strap over his gun and then slammed the door open. If he was wrong he'd just be embarrassed later.

He wasn't wrong.

A half dozen strange men stood in a tight circle around Zauriel, who crouched in a ball on the floor of his room. Henry drew his sidearm and aimed it straight for the heart of the nearest man, clicking off the safety as he did so. No one was scheduled to be in here; Zar would've mentioned a book club or gaming meeting. That, plus the fact that one of the men was cradling a bloodied wrist, told Henry all he needed to know.

"What's going on in here?" Dr. Taylor demanded.

Henry shifted so that he stood between the men and the scientist. He didn't want to risk one of them taking Dr. Taylor hostage. It was bad enough he couldn't get Zar out of there yet.

"We were just having some fun," one of the men declared. "Enjoying a job perk, you know?"

"Only the little slut went all crazy on us!" said the man with the bleeding wrist.

Henry was fairly certain that the marks on his wrist would exactly match Zar's fangs. Good on him.

"If Zauriel attacked you, he must have had good reason," Dr. Taylor insisted.

"You okay there, Zar?" Henry asked, not taking his eyes off of Zar's attackers. He wanted to scoop his friend up in his arms and pull him close, but he couldn't risk it until these beasts were attended to. He'd like to just shoot them. Underhill that's what he'd have done, and been applauded for acting quickly and saving the Champions the trouble of it. But here, you couldn't just execute people even if you caught them in the midst of their crimes. There had to be a trial.

Zar's back tensed, and it took several seconds for him to speak.

"I am not hurt," Zar's voice came out softly. Slowly he uncurled to a sitting position. There was a bruise already forming on his cheek, and red marks lined his collar. Likely one of them had yanked on it.

"Get away from him," Dr. Taylor ordered. "All of you, out of here! Now. Line up by that wall so we can deal with you."

He looked at Henry. "Take care of Zauriel? Please?"

"Doc, maybe you'd better..."

Zauriel shrunk away from the scientist as the men filed out, grumbling and glaring. Henry hated to leave the scientist to deal with them but it was obvious that right at the moment Zar needed a friend, not a contractor.

Henry handed the scientist his gun.

"You can shoot?" he asked.

"I... uh, I did a little target practice back in college but..."

"Safety's off. They move wrong, you shoot and do not hesitate. Got me? I'm gonna radio Johann, get him down here to help you sort this all out."

"Thank you, Henry," Dr. Taylor said, taking the gun. His hands shook, but then he looked at Zar and his grip steadied.

The scientist left, closing the door behind him. Henry grabbed his radio and paged Johann.

"Boss, need you down here outside Zar's room," Henry said. "There's been an incident. Dr. Taylor needs immediate backup. Bring someone you trust."

"What's going on?" Johann asked.

"Someone attacked Zar." Henry paused. "Six perpetrators. I'm with him, Doc's alone with them outside. Has my gun."

"Heading down. Take care of Zauriel. Good call arming the doc."

"Acknowledged." Henry pocketed the radio and crouched in front of Zauriel.

"Hey, buddy," Henry softened his voice and reached out one hand towards his friend.

For a long, terrible moment Zar just stared up at him with wide, wounded eyes.

Then all at once, he rushed forward to cling to Henry's chest, sobbing. Henry wrapped his arms around him and held him tight.