Chromium

Chapter 16.2

First draft

The stasis pods started opening one after the other, filling the room with a cloud of vapor. Then Dia heard it. A shriek. Adopting a shooter's stance and holding the gun in both hands, she raised it as she started backing away. Unfortunately, they were everywhere, their scaled feet grating on the metal floor. Then one of them, probably the leader of the pack, roared and all the others stopped moving. Dia stilled, her whole body trembling as she resisted the impulse to respond to the challenge. This monster was bigger than the last she'd defeated, at least ten feet tall, his knotty body a mass of scars and bone excrescences. 

Dia was having a hard time restraining her other self from taking over when Gibson said, "Beautiful, aren't they?" His voice sounded oddly wistful. "Granted, they lack finesse, but they more than make up for that with brute strength."

"Gibson...what have you done?" Dia asked, staring in horrified disbelief at the creatures crowding around her. "What are those things?"

"Failed experiments." Gibson said offhandedly as if it wasn't a big deal. "They are inherently defective, driven by pure instinct, but they can become useful tools in the right hands. You'll find out soon enough."

Right on cue, the biggest of them came forward, hissing and using its long forked tongue like a whip as it made its way through the crowd. Then it opened its mouth and roared at her, its jagged crest trembling as an ominous, fluorescent green light went through its body like electricity.

"I'd take up the challenge if I were you." Gibson warned her. "They can be very...territorial."

Gibson was still talking when the monster started moving. It dashed with preternatural speed, closing the gap between them in a matter of seconds. Dia had just enough time to land a couple of shots, which were completely absorbed by the monster's chitinous hide, before it was on her. Then it leaped forward like a howling, enraged tempest of death. She flung herself to one side in a desperate dive, narrowly avoiding a death blow, but its claws still found their target. They ripped through her clothes, drawing agonizing lines across her side but above all, they woke her up. 

This time Dia didn't even try to keep her other self at bay. Instead, she willingly gave up control, unleashing her against it. It worked. Every time she landed a blow, her bloodlust increased, and power rose in her. While she was in the passenger seat, Dia felt what she felt, savored every second of the fight, relishing the taste of its blood. She couldn't help it. It was intoxicating: sweet and exotic - alien. Dia watched herself twirl around the lizard's back, her claws finding no resistance as she slashed through its scales. Gibson's lab rat moved quickly, its fist like a huge mallet as it turned around, but she wasn't there anymore. The lizard growled out in frustration.  This went on for a while. Dia - or rather, she - kept dancing around, poking the lizard, while it had no way to retaliate.

After a while, Dia realized something was wrong. She kept landing blows, but her opponent was still in one piece, though it looked a little worse for wear.

It's almost like...

Dia lost her train of thought when it lunged at her again, and she ducked, effortless avoiding the blow. The lizard had left itself wide open to counterattack but she didn't press her advantage. Instead, she clicked her tongue and looked at it mockingly. At that point, it became obvious that she was just playing with it.

But even though Dia knew she was deliberately avoiding its vitals, she wasn't sure she cared at the moment. Every time she landed a blow, she laughed, enjoying to see it suffer. They both did. When she decided she had enough fun, Dia's mouth twisted into a crooked grin.