Rebel

Chapter Thrity Five

    She hardly glanced back when I caught up to her, but she led me through an elaborate tunnel system and into a dark and dingy room. It had a bed covered in wax paper and Dr. Hall was standing next to it, scribbling on a clipboard.

"I've brought the girl doctor." The lady said, coming to a stop in the doorway. She shoved me inside, and I growled at her in response.

"Thank you, Assistant General Mark." Dr. Hall said, not looking up from her clipboard, "I'll return her to you after I'm done."

The assistant general nodded and turned back around, marching through the halls. I would've watched her go the whole way, but then Dr. Hall shut the door and turned to face me.

"What in Braneve am I doing here?" I asked, starting to despise this sling for preventing me from crossing my arms.

"Your profile states that with your abilities you will do best in the hunting or defense groups. Both of which require a special tracking device to be implanted in your skin. You're here to get that."

"Hold up." I said, starting to feel freaked out, "What!?"

"It is standard protocol." Dr. Hall explained lazily, "If you expect us to allow you to be here you are gonna have to follow the rules."

I glared at her, "You're a group called the rebellion and you require me to follow your strict set of rules?"

"We're the rebellion against Dr. Cathleen Morsie. That doesn't mean we don't have law and order. Now hold still." Dr. Hall walked over to a counter and emerged holding a long syringe. I scowled at her and backed up against the wall.

"No way." I growled, "There is absolutely no way that I'll let you inject that mystery liquid into me. Nope. No way, no how."

"It's not a mystery liquid." Dr. Hall said, "It's a position locator, and it is standard protocol; everyone has to get it. Now hold still or this will hurt a lot more than it will have to."

"Nope." I said, trying to slide away from her, but she was blocking the door, "Nopety, nope, nope. Nay, nill, nada. Get away from me you freako, I don't want to get it." Despite my protesting, Dr. Hall continued to walk towards me, the syringe gleaming in the soft light, "I said, I don't want to get it! Can you even hear me? No!"

"It's fine, it's not gonna hurt you or anything." Dr. Hall sounded agitated, but there was a gleam in her eye. She was enjoying herself.

"I don't trust you." I said, starting to panic, "Get away from me right now or I'm talking to the manager."

"She ordered this." Dr. Hall said, reaching forward and trying to grab my arm, "Now hold still."

"No!" I yelled, and then I went into combat mode. I aimed a punch right onto her jaw, then ducked and shifted into the first animal to come to my mind. A squirrel. The only problem was, I was tangled in the sling. Apparently the magic only worked for special Morsie-manufactured clothing. I yelped and struggled to get myself free, but my arm felt like it was on fire and I couldn't see a thing.

"Ah! Did you really just shift into a creature, Miss Cordell?" Came the voice of Dr. Hall, "You're a fool. Shift back into a human and life will be much easier for you."

I tried to yell something snarky and witty back, but it just came out as "Ssshreeeeeeeek!" I clawed hopelessly at the sling. I could hear heavy footsteps pounding their way towards me. I was about to give up when one of my paws hit something. A hole! I clawed it bigger as fast as I could and jumped onto a counter just as Dr. Hall's hands slammed down on the sling.

Haha, Loser! Is what I tried to say, but instead I said, "Skirt squreek shrew!"

Dr. Hall scowled and stood back up slowly. She looked kind of insane. "You're just making it worse for yourself." She growled, "When Pen hears about this..." her scowl melted into a grin, "...you're gonna be in big trouble."

She lunged at me again, but I managed to jump out of the way before her hands slammed onto the counter. I landed gracefully on some cabinets on the wall, or at least I would've, if my arm wasn't still screaming in pain. I actually yelped and face planted into the wood.

Ow. I thought, doing my best to push myself back onto my feet, I'm gonna feel that in the morning.

"Cordell," Dr. Hall hissed, pushing herself away from the counter, "Come here right this instant. You are breaking the protocol and will be arrested if you don't get your furry butt down here now."

I stuck my tongue out at her, got a running start, and leaped for the door. This time I shifted back into a human before I landed, and managed to land on my feet with a small "Oof."

I didn't give it a second thought, I just ran as fast as I could down the hall. I could hear Dr. Hall's feet pounding behind me, and my arm really wasn't happy, but I kept running.

"Stop her!" Dr. Hall screeched.

Catch me if you can, Bighead. I thought to myself. I am gonna go find the others and then we are getting outta--

I turned a corner and ran head on into a girl. I hissed and jumped back, rubbing my head and grumbling to myself.

"Oh my stars, I'm so sorry." She said, clutching a stack of books to her chest. I have no idea how she managed to hold onto them, but I had no time to think about it.

"Doesn't matter." I said quickly, stepping around her, "Gotta go." I made it two steps before I ran into someone else.

"I don't think so." It was a man. He looked terribly strong and had a scowl permanently plastered on his face. I blinked up at him, spun on my heel, and ran straight into another guard.

"Screw you all." I muttered, just as the guard grabbed me and pinned my arms to my side. I tried to struggle out of his grip, but my left arm didn't like that plan.

"Nice try." I heard Dr. Hall say from behind the guard holding me, "But you can't escape the Rebellion. We always know."

I was about to retort that saying that wasn't very comforting, but then I felt a prick in my right arm. From where I felt it came a numbness that quickly spread. I hissed and looked over to see Dr. Hall sneering at me holding an empty syringe.

"That wuv nuh... nuh nissss...." I managed to hiss, before my consciousness slipped and I collapsed onto the guard.