THE TITAN EXPERIMENT

CHAPTER 30 - Full Disclosure (Phoenix)

"No one's sticking me with anything," Luna said, a hand on her hip and a defiant glare. "I hate needles. And besides that, why should I trust someone who resorts to murder as a tactic?"

"I didn't kill anyone," Admiral Jax replied.

"But your robots did."

"They're SEALs."

"But you gave the order."

The admiral remained stoic. "You have a valid point, but it won't get you out of this."

"Exactly what is this?" Callisto chimed in. "I don't know what kind of sick games you guys are playing, but you can count me out."

"I'm afraid," the admiral said, his expression calloused and unwavering, "once you walked through door number two, your decision was final. Now that you're here, we move on to the next step."

"We never had a choice," Phoenix replied. "It was do or die, and you know it."

Dr. Fairhaven wrapped her fingers around his bicep and squeezed. "Maybe we should at least hear what she has to say? They dragged us all this way; we might as well see why."

Phoenix glared at her. "Give me one good reason."

"The admiral said she had a story to tell. Aren't you the least bit curious to find out why they kidnapped us? There has to be a legitimate reason why they brought us here. I mean, look at this place. This isn't a back alley somewhere. This facility is serious business. I say we give her a chance to talk."

He searched Dr. Fairhaven's eyes for a reason to go along with her. She seemed intense, like she was afraid of something, but also amazed, like she was in awe. "Okay. So, we'll listen to her. I guess there's no harm in that... You can ease up on the arm. It's the only one I've got."

"Oh, sorry." The longer she gripped his bicep, the more her fingernails dug into his skin.

"Now that's the most reasonable thing I've heard," the admiral said. "Besides, no one is getting stuck with anything. Thanks to Dr. Lawson, we've converted the serum to gas form. All you have to do is breathe. Once we had it perfected as a liquid, it was easy to put it into a more flexible package... for a variety of reasons." He nodded calmly. The tension in the underground courtyard had eased a fraction. "Dr. Lawson, the floor is yours. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to." He swiveled on his heels and headed down a corridor beyond the elevator, disappearing around a curve in the hall.

Dr. Lawson cleared her throat. Her eyes brightened. They had an intense quality about them. Penetrating. Disarming. "If everyone will follow me... this way."

She walked toward the lab area in the middle of the courtyard, her heels clicking on the marble floor, sounding louder in the expansive underground chamber. "This is where we'll begin. You may not realize it, but the project founders value and covet each of you based on your abilities. All of you will receive specialized care. Every step of the way, experts will monitor your progress. The admiral will leave nothing to chance."

Phoenix followed Dr. Lawson to a glass door. He watched her like a hawk, his gaze tracking her every move. She placed her palm on a scanner imbedded in the exterior wall. He observed as the light around her hand turned red and then flashed green, accepting her print. A second later, the passage opened, and they entered, the door sliding closed behind them, sealing with a hiss of air.

"What about this story of yours?" Phoenix asked, once again trying to settle his beating heart. None of this felt right. With all they'd been through, he wondered what might happen next. Nevertheless, he silenced his nervous thoughts with the same fortitude that helped him become a pilot. "I'd like to hear your story before we agree to anything."