Chapter 15: Escape
Back in his office, the General sat down behind his desk and studied Tracker.
”So. Tell me about your … Antoinette.”
Tracker’s mind had been racing all during the walk to the office. He knew the General was going to question him about ‘Nette, about her abilities, and about how she got here. He would have to build a plausible story without giving away her shapechanging and phasing abilities. He would have to play on the General’s prejudices and make her appear inferior - a dangerous game. Now he said, with an appearance of calm, “There isn’t much to say, sir. She’s foreign, from France. I’m alien, a genetically-engineered fox. At that base, we were both looked down on and avoided except when we could be of use. She was lonely, I guess. We spent a lot of time together and I guess she fell in love with me. I have to admit I fell to liking her, too.”
The General nodded almost imperceptibly. “What are her abilities?”
”She heals very rapidly, as you’ve noticed. So they tend to send her into dangerous places as a scout, figuring that anything that doesn’t kill her immediately will give her a chance to report back.”
The General waited a moment, then shook his head. “What else, Redd? Accelerated healing alone isn’t enough to get you into a FORCE unit.”
Tracker hesitated, then said, reluctantly, “The human males … wanted to sleep with her.”
The General leaned back, a mocking smile on his face. “That, I can believe. From what I saw, she is well-qualified for that job. So, Redd. You’re shacking the camp whore!”
Tracker hunched his shoulders. “No-one else would have anything to do with me.”
”Well, I’m sure we can put her to use here in that capacity.”
”No!” Tracker burst out. “She’s mine! I’ll do anything you like, General, but don’t take her away from me.”
The General nodded magnanimously. “As long as you behave yourself and work hard, Redd, I’ll grant you exclusive use of her. Except for the times I may want her for myself.”
”Okay, General,” he said reluctantly. If you ever touch her, General, I swear I will kill you, right then and there, he thought. A surge of rage filled him. He could feel his ears going back into combat position and he struggled to force them into the submissive pose, trying to mask the signs of his fury.
The General smiled, gratified by the signs of Tracker’s impotent anger, and leaned forward again, elbows on the desk. “And how did she find you, way out here, Redd?”
”Well,” Tracker said, hesitating. “I … Oh, what’s the use! Apparently she had developed a location sense. It was very limited, focused only on me because I didn’t just want her for…. When you recovered me, she came after me. I don’t she would have told them and they wouldn’t have cared enough to do anything if she had, so I suppose she hitch-hiked all the way here. She doesn’t know how to drive.”
The General nodded. “Okay. That explains her condition when she arrived, and why it took her so long to get here. What else can she do?”
Tracker shook his head. “Nothing else that I know of, General.”
The General leaned forward. “I intend to broaden the scope of the Plan, Redd, to include her ability to locate you. That could be very useful. I will discover any other abilities she may have. If I do discover she has abilities you haven’t told me about, I will first have her tortured until she wishes she were dead, then I will stake her out spreadeagled in the middle of the parade ground and have every man on this base take a turn at her, while you watch it all.”
He looked at Tracker through narrowed eyes. “Are you sure there is nothing else you should tell me?”
Tracker shook his head, ears flat to his skull, terror for her overriding his hatred of the General. If he made one mistake, she would suffer for it! “I’ve told you everything, General,” he said, breath hissing through his teeth. The scent of his agitation filled the room. “If she develops any other abilities, I will tell you immediately!”
The General studied him for another moment, then nodded. He smiled with arrogant pride and waved his hand. “Very well, Redd. See that you do. Dismissed.”
Tracker left, every muscle quivering with tension. It looked like he had succeeded in satisfying the General and buying Antoinette some time. But they would have to get out of here soon, preferably before dawn. He headed for the jungle gym and spent hours working off his rage and fear as his mind raced, making and discarding plan after plan.
At last, his guards took him back to his cell. After eating, he lay down. Hours later, he fell asleep.
