Chapter 10

Over the next few weeks things begin to settle down a little. Patrols reported in less and less encounters with the Scourge. Recon teams reported the same. It seemed the Scourge was pulling back. The red fungus that covers the trees and other plants seem to even vanish, leaving behind incredibly healthy plants.

General Eisley took it as a warning where as many of the others a victory. But the woman is not fooled. Though she is young, she is far more experienced than her years. A handful of others, like Gunnar, agree with her assessment and make sure to keep their subordinates on their toes.

“Ah, Gunnar,” Eisley says, noticing the man standing at the door. “Please come in.”

“You have something that I needed to hear?” the man says as he walks in.

“I’ll let Zak do the talking,” the young woman says. “You’ll want to take a seat.”

“I took another look at those blood samples after you described some of the behavior you have been noticing,” Zak says.

“And?” Gunnar asks, still remaining standing.

“And it seems that I have found some very important information,” Zak continues. “Something in her blood that shows she may be an enemy and not know it.”

Gunnar’s face darkens at the news. He doesn’t want to believe any of it. “What about the other blood samples?”

“I’ve gone over all of them,” Zak says, frowning at the man. “I’ve ran each sample through at least three times. All of them show minor changes, but nothing that warrants this.”

“So she could control them after all,” Gunnar remarks.

“Not quite,” corrects the doctor. “It didn’t allow her to control the fungus as much as it allowed her to be manipulated.”

“What do you mean by that?” Gunnar asks, growing angry.

“It means that the process was a work in process,” Zak explains, remaining calm. “It was perfected in her and so it only works in her. There is a foreign object growing inside her.”

“What are you saying, doctor?” Gunnar asks.

“It seems the respite we are receiving is because the Scourge has something else planned,” Eisley interjects. “They have something far more sinister than we can even begin to dream up.”

Gunnar’s mind races as he tries to process it all. There has to be some way to save her. I know what Eisley is going to suggest next. “What about the signal?” he asks suddenly, as if a light bulb has just gone on.

“What about it?” the general asks.

“If we disrupt the signal, jam it somehow, then she’ll be fine and...” the man says, starting to pace a little. “ ... maybe we can get in and kill the queen and end this whole fucking war.”

“It may work,” the doctor says, sounding hopeful.

“She is going to have to be contained until we find a way to do so.” Eisley shares the man’s pain, but she does have a base full people that need to stay protected.

“Then let me be the one to bring her in,” he says, looking intently at her.

The general sighs and says a moment later, “Alight. But be discreet and don’t give her any idea of what you’re doing. We don’t know how far this has gone yet.”

Audra tosses and turns in the bed. Sweat glistens on her skin, stains the sheets. She has had the same dream for months now. And over the last few weeks it has seemed to only have increased in occurrence and intensity. She feels like she is part of the dream, as if she is actually participating in it. It seems so real, feels so real. In her mind, it just has to be real.

Her eyes snap open suddenly. The dream is gone. She is in Gunnar’s room, which has practically become hers as well. She is suddenly aware of two soldiers standing outside the room. Strangely, she can sense their feelings, their emotions. Something about me ... She focuses in on this strange, new feeling. They can’t allow me to leave...

“They see me as the enemy now,” she says aloud. “So be it.” She slides off the bed and over to the door, the sheet falling from her naked body to the floor as she does so. Why don’t you open the door for me?

One of the soldiers abruptly turns and slides a keycard through the reader. “What the hell are you doing?” the other asks, caught completely off guard. He reaches over and grabs his partner. “Are you crazy, disobeying orders?”

The door disengages. Audra opens it to look at both the men. Both look back at her, their expressions blank. Remove your clothes.

She smiles as the men set to work at stripping off their clothing. She doesn’t know how or why, but she likes it. She feels a push inside her to do this, and she welcomes it. She feels in control, like everything—the whole, entire world—revolves around her.

Within moments the men stand naked, their sudden desire for Audra robbing them of their modesty. She regards them critically and is impressed. Like Gunnar, they are fit and well-muscled as any soldier should be. They stand around her as she inspects them, their minds totally under her control.

Audra is also not immune to her own arousal. She knows that to delay mean she is at risk of being caught for whatever it is they have planned for her. But as she looks at the men’s rapidly hardening cock, she cannot draw herself away. She moves a hand over one of the soldier’s chest, enjoying the feel of his muscles beneath her fingers. The men cannot restrain themselves anymore either. They move in close to her, their own hands seeking her warm skin. They move their hands all over her firm skin, sweeping over her back, her neck and her belly before moving to her taut ass and ample breasts. With two sets of hands exploring her body, Audra’s arousal rises quickly.