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MCBRID SEARCHED THE BUILDING until he found Louis and Charlie. They were on Level One cleaning the mess left over from breakfast. The chef was also fond of the two young Guards and often gave them jobs that were tedious but safe.
“I need your help moving the male to the other cell.”
“It’s happening?” asked Louis, his solemn brown eyes worried.
“Yes. He should finish his transformation within a day or so.”
“Fersia?” asked Charlie.
There was no reason to sugarcoat the truth. Charlie knew what happened on Level Five. “Not yet, but soon she’ll either die or change. I need the male in the other section of the cage when he wakes. If he emerges and she’s still like she is...”
Charlie nodded, his hands trembling at his sides.
“It’s okay. The male is still catatonic.” He patted Charlie’s shoulder. “But we need to do this before he’s not.”
The two Guards went to the storage room and then met McBrid in the lab. They’d grabbed another cot and blankets. He started to tell them that Araneas didn’t use blankets but there was truly no point. Having a few blankets in the cage wouldn’t hurt anything.
He helped them set up the cot on the other side of the cage from Fersia. “Put him here.”
The Guards walked stiff legged toward the still form on the floor. The male’s seizures had stopped. It wouldn’t be long now.
Louis grabbed Jocko under the arms. “I got him. You keep watch.” The Guard shifted the body upward until he cradled the male Servant against his chest.
“He isn’t heavy?” McBrid grabbed the syringes from the table. Louis was strong but Jocko hadn’t been that little.
“No,” said Louis. “He’s really light just like...” He hurried to the cot and placed Jocko on the mattress before backing away.
Aranea18 had been oddly light and apparently this weight change happened when they still looked like the host species. He placed the syringes on the cot and sat on the bed, running a damp rag over the male’s torso. This would be his last bath. The cloth snagged on something. He looked closer. There was new hair sprouting all over the body. The shorter pieces were hard, probably to break through the dermis, but although the longer strands looked bristly, they were soft, just like the hair on Aranea18. The water turned a rusty color as he rinsed the rag. The growth of hair had come with a price. There were pinpricks of blood spattered across the male’s face and body. “You’ll feel better soon. I promise.” He picked up the empty syringe and withdrew a sample of blood.
Jocko’s eyes opened and McBrid almost dropped the syringe. The irises were gone, replaced by a black lens. There were markings on his forehead and face—concave little areas where the new eyes would appear. His instincts screamed for him to run, but the male wasn’t dangerous yet. He slipped the blood sample into his pocket and grabbed the serum and Jocko’s arm.
“No.” Jocko’s voice was whisper soft as he fought to keep his arm near his body.
McBrid’s hand shook as he struggled, trying to stretch out the male’s limb.
“No.” Jocko opened his mouth and hissed his displeasure.
This was no longer a Servant’s mouth with teeth and fangs. It was a gaping, black hole, but red, angry indentations on the side of his face pulsed with the male’s fury. The fangs would break through the surface soon. He couldn’t be here when that happened. He plunged the needle into the young male’s hip. Jocko screeched, a high pitched sound that made McBrid want to cover his ears.
“Get out of there, sir.” Louis hovered near the cage door, the scent of fear overpowering the room.
Jocko convulsed, foam trickling from his wide, empty mouth. McBrid staggered backward. Something large and heavy touched his shoulder and he jumped, spinning around. Louis tightened his grip, pulling McBrid outside the enclosure and slamming the door closed.
“What’s the matter?” whispered Fersia. “Is Jocko alright?” She was trying to lean up on the bed but her arms shook from her slight weight.
“He-he’s sick.” McBrid’s heart raced. The transformations were always terrifying and amazing. “Rest. He’ll be better tomorrow. I promise.”
She glanced at the Guards and him. It was clear she no longer believed his promises but she was too weak to do anything. She dropped back onto the bed.
“Sir,” Charlie hovered near the door. “Do you need anything else?”
The two Guards wanted to leave and he didn’t blame them. He wanted to leave too, but he had work to do. “I need you to check on my other projects and let me know if there are any issues–any sick, injured or dead.” He hated putting them in charge of his other experiments but he had no choice. He needed to stay here.
“O-okay,” said Louis.
Charlie just stared at him, his eyes wide.
“Be very careful with the Phasmatodeas.” At Charlie’s confused look he added, “The Brush-Men. They’re fast and some are very small. Make sure none escape.” Damn Scottsmoor had taken the Guards who were used to working with the Brush-Men with him when he’d been reassigned, leaving McBrid with a new experiment and untrained Guards.
“Yes, sir.” Louis’ voice was more confident but his eyes were still frightened.
“Get Laddie, Jorge or Scar to help you.” Those Guards were older and had been working here for years. “Then you can quit for the day, but stay close. I may need help later.” His eyes darted to Fersia. He’d have to go inside the cage to feed her. The glass divider would protect him but he hated being that close to an Aranea especially the new ones. They were always extremely hungry.