Prologue
Prologue
Near Albany, Georgia, USA
19 June 2023 • 05:47 p.m.
Jessie
“Damn,” I murmured quietly to myself as I walked along the dimly lit corridor. I had the feeling that I was on the wrong level. I had worked for Dexter Medical Industries (DMI) only a week and still didn’t know my way around this big building. I was told to clean level U3, or at least I thought the guy who gave me the order had said level U3. Or had it been U2?
My thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like the roar of some wild animal. Did they hold research animals here on this level? Maybe I was on the wrong level after all. I knew that DMI did a lot of research, so it was likely that they had some animals for testing. I didn’t like the idea of testing on helpless animals, but I needed this job. I had been looking for a job since February and spent all my savings merely on survival since my mom kicked me out. When I saw the ad in the newspaper that DMI was looking for a cleaner, I immediately applied for the job. I didn’t have much hope of actually getting hired, but I made it in. I couldn’t afford to be picky. So even if the idea of research animals didn’t sit well with me, I had to get over it.
Another roar echoed through the level, sending a chill down my spine. What kind of animal was that? I thought they would use guinea pigs, monkeys, or dogs for tests, but this had sounded like something much bigger. Wilder. A predator. Another chill crept over my skin. I had never heard anything like it. Not quite a cat, but not a bear either. I continued down the hallway with a really bad feeling.
I shouldn’t be here. It’s the wrong level. But the guy said U3. I am certain. I’m only supposed to clean offices. There are no offices here. Maybe around the corner? I thought, stopping at a junction.
“Left or right?” I asked myself aloud.
I decided to go right. I had only taken a few steps before I heard a low growl and the rattling of chains. Chains? I gulped. What animal was so dangerous that it needed to be chained?
This is a really bad idea, Jessie. There are no offices here. Don’t be stupid. Turn around. Get out of here! I paused for a second. I would like to know what kind of animal they’re holding here.
No! Curiosity killed the cat, remember? GET OUT!
Despite my bad feeling, I continued, setting one foot in front of the other. The corridor ahead of me was lined on both sides with barred cells. It was like walking into a prison.
I took another few steps to see if I could get a peek of what kind of creature they were keeping here. I came to a stop and stiffened. From what I could tell, only one cell was occupied. Inside was an animal secured to the wall with large chains. Except it wasn’t an animal. It was a man.
No! Not just a man. This creature was not completely human, even if it looked human at first glance. He had a big, muscular build, but when he turned his face into the light I could see large canine teeth and eyes that resembled those of a large cat. They even seemed to glow a little in the dim light.
His black hair hung in heavy waves that fell to his waist. The shape of his head was unusual. His forehead was higher than a human’s, and his skull pointed slightly in the back. The man – or the creature – had an otherworldly attraction about him. Rage and hatred were embedded in his features. Not surprising for someone who had been chained and locked up for God knows how long. I wondered why he was held here and if there were others like him.
“I’m warning you,” he suddenly said with a growl. “I will break your neck if you try to take any more blood.”
I was taken aback by the sound of his voice. He did not look like the type to make empty threats.
“I - I am not here to hurt you. I - I didn’t know...” I tried to say more, but my words would not come out.
He studied me. His nostrils flared like an animal picking up the scent of its prey. I should have been more afraid, but I could not help but be drawn to this fascinating creature. I took a step closer and saw that his eyes were an amber color with pupils that slit up the middle.
“Why are you here?” he demanded. “You are working for them, but I have never seen you down here.”
“I - I am a cleaner,” I answered, pointing to my cart with the cleaning supplies. “I came here - I - I thought that-”
“You thought that you wanted to take a look at an Alien Breed. I understand,” he said scornfully.
“Alien Breed?” I asked breathlessly.
I began to wonder what exactly DMI was doing here. Experimenting with humans? But this man wasn’t human. What was he? Alien Breed! Did that mean he was an alien? A hybrid? I shook my head.
“HUMAN!” he growled and bared his teeth. “I hate humans. You created us only to t*****e us. But don’t worry. The time will come when we will be free. I will find you, human! And I will break your pretty little neck!”
“I don’t understand,” I whispered. “There are more like you? How many?”
“Don’t act innocent and clueless. Did they send you to try to earn my trust? So that I would breed with you?”
“B-breed?” I stuttered, shocked.
“You should let them know that I am not that easily fooled. I will snap your neck like I did the other women they brought into my cell.”
“I - I really had no idea. I didn’t know,” I tried to explain. “Whatever it is they are doing to you here is horrible and inhumane. You must believe me that not all humans are like - like that.”
“That makes no difference!” His menacing growl startled me.
“P-please,” I stammered as he advanced forward as far as his chains allowed.
I swallowed hard. His enormous physique was intimidating enough, but his long canines made him look even more threatening. My heart hammered in my chest. His nostrils flared again, and he closed his eyes for a moment before he opened them abruptly and stared at me intensely.
“You smell good,” he said hoarsely. “They chose well. Your sweet scent - I could have fallen for it. But I didn’t.” He breathed my scent in again and growled softly. “I could imagine breeding with you first instead of killing you on the spot.”
His words did strange things to me. This man – this creature – frightened me, and I knew shouldn’t get too close to him. And yet, the things he had said triggered a different kind of tingle in my body. I couldn’t help but wonder how his muscles would feel under my palms. Or worse, what he hid under those sweatpants. They were his only clothing. Was he like a human man down there? I swallowed nervously as my gaze froze at his midsection. Oh yeah! He obviously had the equipment and he seemed very interested. I felt hot and afraid at the same time.
“My body might want you, human,” he snarled, interrupting my disturbing thoughts. “But it doesn’t mean that I don’t detest you. I would breed with you, but I would still kill you afterwards! Do you really want to die for them?”
“I - I am so sorry,” I whispered, desperately pondering what to do.
What was happening here was not right. I could not just turn my back and ignore what I had seen. I got my cell phone out and took a few pictures of the man in front of me. He growled and bared his teeth, but I wasn’t deterred. He was chained and behind bars. He could not harm me.
“I know you have no reason to trust me, but I will find a way to get you out of here. I promise!”
I turned away from the cage and hastily left the man-creature. His angry roar followed me, and I ran faster. I had to get out of here. At the end of the corridor I stopped to catch my breath and calm myself. Nobody could know that I had been here and had seen the man in the cell. I couldn’t look upset when I exited the elevator on the ground level. I had to get out of the building and give the photos to the press. I feared that DMI would try to cover things up if I went to the police. Who knew if they had the cops on their payroll? It was also possible that the government was involved in this. Most of the drugs that DMI produced were used for the military. It was more than likely that the government knew about the experiments.
The press it was. But first I had to get out without raising any suspicion. After I had calmed down a bit, I pressed the button for the elevator and waited. I startled a bit when the doors whooshed open. I took a deep breath, got in, and pushed the button for the ground level. My heart pounded as I went to Adam Wright’s office and knocked.
“Yes?” he answered from within.
I entered the office and tried my best to look ill. I was probably pale enough after the shock of seeing that man-creature. And I certainly felt weak in the stomach. No, it wasn’t that difficult to feign illness.
“Adam,” I said as my boss looked up from his files. “I am not feeling well. Can I go home?”
Adam looked at his watch.
“You only have half an hour left anyway,” he said and motioned toward the door. “Go and get some rest. Give me a call tomorrow morning if you are still sick so I can find somebody to cover for you.”
“ I will. Thank you,” I said
“Get well soon,” he said more to his paperwork than to me.
I nodded and left the office. Relieved, I closed the door behind me and hurried to the locker room to get my things.
Just get out of here, I thought, hoping nobody would notice my anxiety before I was safe in my car. I wouldn’t go home. I would go straight to the press and find a way to lay low for a while. It was possible that they would try to shut me up. My imagination came up with a lot of disturbing scenarios, and I wasn’t all that sure anymore if I should risk telling someone what I had seen.
But then I thought of that man in the cell and the others like him that might be down there. This wasn’t right. I had to do something. Sooner or later somebody would find out that I had been down there. Surely someone would see me on the cameras. They would know that I had found something out. Only by making it public did I have any chance of getting out of this in one piece.
