The Vigilante & The Dragon - Book 1 of the Guardians Saga [COMPLETED]

Helluva First Date Ch. 12.1

"It looks, well, like a cross between a dragon and a human." She watched for his reaction. "How does it act? Is it intelligent?"

"I don't know. He keeps it sedated all the time." His tone soured.

"Oh, the poor thing." Alex let her anger trickle out in the form of tears. "Where did he capture it? What if it thinks and has feelings? How can it have a chance to defend itself?"

"I know. Dr. Hermann is hiding something." The hatred in Robert's voice exploded and surprised her. "I bet that creature is intelligent and that's why he won't let it regain full consciousness before he dissects it to complete his research paper. He's MRI'd it from head to toe and taken tissue samples from all over. But a living creature is priceless to prove his point. Soit must be intelligent and will either die of dehydration or he'll sacrifice it"

"If it's intelligent, we should rescue it." Alex reached out to hold his hand, but her intentions were far from pure. She would jolt his nervous system with a full charge. "You're smart. You seem like a hero to me."

I don't know any human males but bastards and I'm a wholesale witch, but I save my friends. Let's see what you do.

"Really? Hermann thinks I'm a minimum wage slave moron so he rants around me."

"Look how smart you were to figure out that being is intelligent," Alex said in her first sincere tone of the night. "You're no murderer. You'll help me do the right thing."

I hope.

"You're right. We'll rescue it," Robert said.

To her surprise, he snatched his hand away and punched a dizzy array of buttons. Alex noticed with chagrin that he touched none of the three that she had chosen earlier.

"If that thing is intelligent, it deserves more than dying in our lab. It should be allowed to regain consciousness, show us if it can communicate. Even if it can't, it should be preserved in a zoo. Not dissected." Robert fit his ID card into a glowing slot on the panel and turned it.

A door clicked open to the right of the panel. Alex was through it and inside the cage before he could say another word. She bent over her fallen friend, cradled Cale's head, and stroked his short muzzle.

"Oh, no." This time her tears were for grief. "I'm getting you out of here." Alex tried unsuccessfully to haul him up, but even as the smallest brother he was still tall and packed with muscles.

"Let me help." Robert reached down and together they lifted Cale to his feet.

They looped his arms around their shoulders. To Alex's concern, Cale didn't arouse.

"Is he all right?" she asked.

"Only sedated. C'mon, before I change my mind, pop a hernia, or both."

They struggled out of the room. Alex's initial gratitude turned to aggravation as she stumbled under Cale's weight. If it weren't for Robert, she could fly Cale home.

"I'll lose my job over this. They'll arrest me."

"Courage, Robert. You're doing the right thing. Besides, you're in too deep now."

They passed through the lab's main door into the hallway.

"I guess."

Alex rejected the thought of blasting him and flying off with Cale. Robert would be blamed and she didn't want him to suffer for helping them.

I have to get rid of him, though.

"We'll go out the back and I'll bring my car around," Robert said.