“Madeline, I’m sorry. Please, of course I would never hurt you, don’t be silly. I may have bristled, but no, not you, I would not have resorted to that with you. You are like family to me. We are in this together, you have to believe that.” Ayala placed her hands on Madeline’s shoulders and felt the tension flow out as Madeline relaxed, the unexpected fear going from her.

“But please also know that I do not intend to wait for one moment more for this test to run its course. Do not let the scientist in you forget what we are facing here. We were given these designs by an alien agent. Possibly the only person risking more than we are, and for much less reward. He would not have given us some halfhearted design. I am going to take that drug today. I am going to take it right now, and then we are going to make a batch for me to take with me. This thing starts now. Whether you want it to or not.”

Madeline’s fear subsided to be replaced with resignation. She was not foolish enough to think she could stop this woman from getting what she wanted. How did Ayala do that? She seemed so …. nice … but then she had this beast inside her. What must she have seen to make her capable of such inherent violence?

Ayala waited, but it was clear she would not wait for long. Madeline relented and lifted a rack of vials from one shelf and walked over to a large, empty metal table. A rack of powered syringes was mounted on one side tethered to a gas tank under the table.

Madeline opened the valve on the tank and the lines running to the syringe guns pressurized. She then unwrapped a clean needle tip from a box to one side and picked up one of the guns, clipping the needle prick to its mounting on the front of the gun. As she loaded one of the vials into the top of the vicious-looking device, Ayala rolled up her sleeve and came to stand by her friend.

They looked at each other. Madeline looked into the resolute older woman’s eyes and warned, “Umm, not your arm.”

Ayala’s eyebrow rose.

“I need muscle.” said Madeline, “Your shoulder would do, but your backside would be best.”

Ayala smiled wryly and turned, unbuttoning her pants. She was not modest so she simply dropped her trousers and underwear to the floor and hiked up her sweater, bending over the table to expose her rump.

Madeline was a little shocked at the sudden exposure of flesh; most people pulled down one side of the pants just enough to allow access, but she soldiered on. “This will hurt a little.” she said.

“I’m sure.” said Ayala, knowing that after she had bullied Madeline into giving her the dose the other woman probably wasn’t going to be gentle.