Zombie Soap 2: Conspiracy

Twenty-Seven

Taylor: Part III

The time passed way too fast, and before Taylor knew it, the hour neared eleven.

"Oh, crap, it's late," he said, springing out of his chair. "I'm supposed to be somewhere in the morning."

"Hot date?" Rivera asked with a smirk.

Taylor snickered. "Well, I think my boyfriend is hot, but no. Benson wants me to see him since I never actually went through the psychological and aptitude testing."

Rivera lifted an eyebrow, watching him with a bemused quirk of her lip. "Why do all the beautiful men have to be gay? And Benson? Ew. He's a creep."

"I'm pansexual, not gay," he corrected, fighting the urge to plant his hand on his hip. Somehow, he didn't think that would help his argument. "Now Diego? He's flaming, hot, and doesn't share, sorry."

Rivera giggled. "That's too bad. You really are gorgeous."

Was it burning up in that room? No, it was just Taylor, and not in a sexy way. It wasn't that he considered himself ugly, but he didn't think much about his appeal to others. He preferred an emotional connection. And if his girlfriend or boyfriend happened to be physically attractive, it was a bonus, but not a requirement. Looks weren't important.

Clearing his throat, he returned to her second statement. "I don't really know him, but he cornered me. And he gave me this job, so I'm going to play along and see if I can find out more about a friend of mine."

Scowling, she clenched her fists in her lap. Fire blazed across her narrowed eyes, and her nostrils flared. "That's a dangerous game to play. He has too much power, and reports about unwanted sexual advances seem to go unnoticed here. I don't trust him."

"Did he hurt you?" he blurted, mentally kicking himself for being so insensitive.

She shook her head. "No, thank God. His demeanor changed when my pregnancy came up. But all the females complain about him. I've seen him trailing one of the scientists, and she didn't look happy."

Hm, he'd have to ask Monica about this. Taylor had been disconnected from everyone since their arrival, and unlike his friends, he hadn't had an opportunity to observe the staff here.

"I know," he sighed, "but he sent my best friend away, and I need answers." Answers he wouldn't receive from his father.

She shook her head and sighed, casting him a sympathetic gaze. "Hm. I can't imagine why anyone would be sent outside. Benson likes control; I think he gets off on it."

Taylor cleared his throat and shifted his weight on his other foot. "Erm, he... my friend... we had a misunderstanding, and he punched me. Then he was expelled before I could say or do anything."

Rivera's eyes widened. "That was you? Jesus, I was in the promenade when that happened. With the way he beat the shit out of you, I almost thought you'd slept with his girlfriend or something."

Well, no, he and Monica actually never made it that far when they'd dated. They'd been content with their casual relationship; there was always food, sometimes they watched movies and cuddled, or they sent playful texts, but neither had been interested in anything more. She didn't question it, and neither had he.

Taylor swallowed hard before taking a deep breath and holding it. Then, he released it and said, "We lost a member of our group when we arrived, and--"

A voice came over the radio again, cutting off his words. "Beta two, come in, over."