Page 54 of Stalker
I press myself against the wall, holding my breath as Ross drags Prova past. My stealth field flickers but holds. The door clicks shut behind them with an ominous finality.
The keypad glows red - locked. My hands shake as I pull out the data sniffer. Just like in Programming 201, except now someone's life depends on my hacking skills.
"Come on, come on." The device cycles through possible combinations. Each second feels like an eternity.
A muffled thud comes from inside the room. My jaw clenches. Hold on, Prova.
The keypad flashes green. I slip inside, keeping close to the wall.
Ross looms over Prova, who's been thrown onto a plush bed. Her chains rattle as she tries to twist away. His meaty hands grip her jaw, forcing it open.
"Let's see you spit on me now." His face is red with rage, spittle flying as he speaks. He shoves a white hand towel between her sharp teeth.
Prova's golden eyes blaze with defiance even as tears streak down her scales. She tries to shake free, but the chains binding her arms leave her helpless.
The wrench feels cold and heavy in my hands as I raise it above my head. One good swing is all it will take. Just like fixing the hydroponic systems in engineering class.
Except this time, I'm not fixing equipment. I'm about to crack open a man's skull.
My hands don't shake anymore.
The wrench connects with a wet thud. Ross staggers, blood spraying across the silk bedspread. His hands fly to the back of his head, coming away crimson.
His scream pierces my ears as he whirls to face me. The stealth field flickers and dies, revealing my presence. His eyes go wide with recognition.
"You..." Blood trickles down his neck. "Daniels's daughter?"
The wrench feels right in my grip. Natural. Like it belongs there. Ross stumbles back, hands raised.
"Wait, please-"
I see Prova's tears on her scales. Hear the way he laughed about "breaking" her. The wrench swings again, catching him across the face. Bone crunches. More blood sprays.
He goes down. I follow, bringing the wrench down again and again. Each impact sends shockwaves up my arms. My shoulders burn. Still I swing.
For Prova. For all the others he's hurt. For everyone who ever suffered at the hands of men like him.
A muffled sound finally penetrates my rage. Prova watches me with those fierce golden eyes, still gagged with the white towel.
My arms drop. The wrench clatters to the floor, leaving red smears on the carpet. I stumble over to her, fingers trembling as I pull the towel from her mouth.
She works her jaw for a moment, then grins, showing sharp teeth. "I think you missed a spot."
A sharp knock at the door makes my heart skip. Blood roars in my ears as I grab the silk blanket from the bed, throwing it over Ross's crumpled form. My fingers find the image inducer controls on my belt, and Captain Ross's face overlays my own like a digital mask.
"Voice pattern alpha," I whisper to my collar. The modulation software kicks in just as another knock echoes through the room.
"Come!" The words emerge in Ross's gruff baritone, dripping with annoyance.
The door slides open. One of Father's Grolgath thugs fills the frame, beady eyes scanning the room. "Everything okay, Captain? We heard..."
"I'm fine," I snap in Ross's voice, channeling his earlier arrogance. "As you can see, I've already broken my little plaything."
Prova catches on instantly. She crawls across the floor on her knees, chains jingling, and presses her head against my leg like a beaten dog. Her whimper sounds pathetic, completely unlike the fierce warrior who spat in my father's face.
I have to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. She's laying it on thick - trembling, making little mewling sounds. But the Grolgath's expression shifts from suspicion to understanding.
"Very good, sir." He nods approvingly. "Commander Daniels will be pleased."