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    Buederson and two lab assistants are hiding in a large supply closet. Dr. Buederson stands near the door, his ear pressed against the wall. The female assistant is seated on an upside down mop bucket. She sits with her legs pressed firmly together, and bites nervously on a thumbnail. Her male counterpart paces back and forth, fear turning his face into a white mask.


    “I think I hear someone coming,” Dr. Buederson says, moving quietly away from the door.


    The scientist joins his young companions at the center of the closet. The pacing lab assistant peers grimly at his superior.


    “Do you think…It’s one of them? The uh…” the male assistant whispers.


    He uses his hand to make a gesture like a UFO floating through space. Buederson shakes his head negatively.


    “I don’t know,” the dream researcher softly responds. “I don’t think so, Jack. Footsteps are too light. But I don’t think it’s a guard either. No sound of boots. I think we should stay where we are. Once they call for reinforcements and lift the lockdown…Then, we can go.”


    “How long will that be?” the female assistant says in a squeaky whisper. “We don’t have any food. And I have to pee.”


    “Use the bucket, Sarah!” Jack hisses in the young woman’s direction. “And for god’s sake…Keep your voice down. This area isn’t soundproof. That’s why we can hear whoever’s out there.”


    “I’m not using a bucket, Jack!” Sarah hisses back. “Not when there is a perfectly functioning bathroom a few feet down the hall. Why did we have to hide in here anyway?”


    “Because it was the safest location,” Dr. Buederson whispers hoarsely. “Now hush…Both of you. Whoever’s out there could be right outside the door.”


    Dr. Buederson’s words have hardly left his mouth before a spray of rifle fire damages the door to the supply closet. Jack is hit in the stomach by a stray bullet, and goes down screaming. The lab assistant holds his middle and rolls from side to side on the floor. Sarah jumps up from the bucket and lets out a loud scream. The blood seeping from Jack’s body pools near her feet and she takes a backward step. Buederson, whose body was shielding Sarah, has been struck in the arm. He grabs Sarah and tries to throw her to the floor.


    “Get down!” Buederson yells.


    Another hail of bullets and Dr. Buederson is hit in the back. The researcher’s mouth falls open in agony as a bullet severs his spine and exits through his ribcage. He stretches out a hand to Sarah, and then falls face first on the floor. Sarah’s eyes widen as a foot kicks the rectangular arrangement of holes made in the closet door. Someone desperately wants in. But not for the sake of safety.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The rectangle of metal falls to the floor and Sarah’s blood freezes in her veins. The face staring back at her belongs to Dr. Wessinger’s favorite felon. Norris.


    The guy had always given her the creeps. Even before Wessinger had announced her plans to use him as an instrument of assault and torture. With his beady eyes and steroid-induced muscles, the guy looks every bit like a villain from a Fantastic Four comic. Had he known they were hiding in here? Or had he heard her voice? Either way, his intentions cannot be good.


    “Hey there, beautiful!?” Felon Norris crows. “I thought I heard your voice.”


    Staring down at Jack’s expired body, Sarah suddenly regrets their useless argument. Why hadn’t she just used the bucket? Sarah reaches down and grabs two bottles of cleaner. She waves them threateningly.


    “Don’t you dare come in here!” Sarah yells. “I…I’ll pummel you! I’ll burn your skin off with whatever I find in here!”


    “No, you won’t!” Norris says with a sarcastic smirk.


    The felon raises his rifle and shoots Sarah’s left hand. Sarah screams and drops the bottle in her other hand. She cradles what remains of her left hand against her chest, blood already soaking through the front of her blouse. Norris shoots off the keypad on the wall and the closet door slides open. The enormous man strolls into the closet and grips the shocked female assistant’s hair in a beefy hand.


    “I told you…You wouldn’t do it!” Norris sneers. “Now, we’re gonna play the same game I played with Dr. Boyd. I’m gonna strap you in the dead doctor’s machine and we’re gonna have a peep into your ittle wittle dreams. Then, we’re gonna do a little Shakespeare. You fight me…And I’ll make you wish you didn’t.”


    Sarah is close to losing unconsciousness, from shock and loss of blood. She shakes her head energetically and peers up at the angry prisoner.


    “Okay? Good.” Norris says. “Let’s go.”


    Felon Norris yanks Sarah forward and out of the supply closet. Blood drips from her hand, onto the floor, as he drags her along by her hair. Approaching a nearby lift, Norris slams Sarah against a wall and wags a finger in her face.


    “Don’t try anything!” Norris growls, leaning his weapon against the wall and pressing a button on the keypad.


    A flash of bluish light fills the corridor. Norris’ hand and forearm are blown clean off. The giant ooman looks down at his severed arm as it writhes on the floor, nerves still sending signals to the hand that it is pressing buttons. Norris whirls on Sarah, believing she has done something. That is when Mau-Nis materializes.


    His usual gun arm no longer operable, Norris turns and attempts to level his rifle with the other arm. He is much too slow. Mau-Nis pulls back his one good arm and hurls his combistick at felon Norris. The weapon pierces Norris through his open mouth, exiting through the back of his skull. Before the felon can process what has happened, Mau-Nis is upon him. The command leader ejects his arm blade and cuts felon Norris in two. The top half of Norris’ body falls one direction, and the bottom half falls in another.


    Mau-Nis retracts his arm blade, but does not smile. He stares at the ooman female leaning against the wall. She is completely soaked in her own blood and mumbles softly—very near delirium. Mau-Nis once again retrieves the aerosol spray from the compartment on his leg. He goes to the ooman and guides her to the floor. Spraying two small sprays into her nostrils, he watches as her breathing calms. She will be asleep for several hours. Maybe even as long as it takes for them to blow the facility. If she lives at all.