Page 42 of Aliens Love Curves
His eyes glaze over, and the monster who tortured so many pilots finally dies.
Stryker pulls me into his arms, his tail wrapping around me protectively. I sink into his embrace, shaking now that the adrenaline fades.
"I'm sorry," I whisper against his chest. "The serum... I couldn't fight it faster."
"Shh." He strokes my hair. "You fought perfectly. You're safe now. We both are."
Enforcement teams flood the facility, securing evidence and freeing the pilots in the pods. Medical personnel begin treatment protocols. Someone asks us questions, but Stryker waves them away.
"Tomorrow," he says firmly. "She needs rest."
As he leads me out of the nightmare laboratory, I lean heavily against him. "Did we do it? Did we save them all?"
His tail squeezes gently. "We did. Every pilot will get treatment, every piece of evidence is documented. Quickening Gliders is finished."
"Good." Exhaustion hits me like a physical wave. "Take me home?"
He presses a kiss to my temple. "Always."
Above ground, Ova's three moons shine down on a changed world. The race feels like a distant dream, the serum's control a fading nightmare.
What remains is this: Stryker's arms around me, his heart beating strong against my cheek, and the promise of tomorrow.
We won. We survived. We're free.
Together.
Chapter 20 - Stryker
The medical facility looks different in daylight. Enforcement teams have stripped away Harlan's sophisticated equipment, revealing the sterile bones of what was once a torture chamber. I stand at the observation window, watching medical staff tend to the recovering pilots. My tail twitches each time I recognize a face from those missing persons files.
"Their neural patterns are stabilizing," Chief Medical Officer Linx says beside me. "The reversal process is slow, but effective."
I watch as Kira Vex – no longer twisted by experiments – takes her first unassisted steps. Her family surrounds her, tears flowing freely. Other families crowd similar scenes throughout the ward. Relief and horror mix in equal measure as they reconcile with loved ones they'd thought lost forever.
"And Casey?" I try to keep my voice neutral, professional. Fail completely.
Linx's expression softens. "The control serum is completely out of her system. No lasting effects detected. She's stronger than any of us expected."
"She usually is." Pride warms my voice.
Movement at the door draws my attention. Casey enters, still in her Enforcement uniform, looking tired but determined. My tail reaches for her before I can stop it – a tell that makes Linx smile knowingly.
"The military connection files are ready for review," Casey says, coming to stand beside me. Her shoulder brushes mine, grounding us both. "You'll want to see this."
The evidence room is crowded with Enforcement analysts when we arrive. Holographic displays show a web of connectionsspreading across sectors. At the centre: Harlan's smiling corporate photo, now marked with a red "deceased" stamp.
"It goes deeper than we thought," Casey explains, pulling up financial records. "He wasn't just creating enhanced pilots for profit. He was developing weapons for at least three different military organizations."
The displays shift, showing coded communications, bank transfers, genetic research data. My claws extend involuntarily as I read the details of what they'd planned for Casey.
"The enhanced pilots were just the beginning," she continues. "They wanted to create soldiers who could interface directly with battle cruisers. Human consciousness merged with warship systems."
"Using unwilling test subjects." My tail wraps around her waist protectively. "Using you."
She leans into me slightly. "They failed. We stopped them."
"Thanks to you." Chief Zara enters, her presence commanding immediate attention. "The evidence you've gathered will shut down similar operations across three sectors. The military connections alone..." She shakes her head. "The political fallout will be astronomical."