Wormholes and Wanderlust

Chapter 3: Prisoner

The low hum of the VTOL's engines droned on as the craft flew through the midnight air. It was well past two in the morning, and the five members of Kappa Squad had endured a long journey to reach the crash site. The flight from the base had been lengthy, and by the time they had apprehended Grant, several hours had passed. Now, as they made their way back, the exhaustion of their unusual day had caught up with them, and the anthros were fast asleep. Yet, as they dozed, they had no idea the extraordinary events that had transpired in the life of the lone human they had encountered. 

Grant's perspective...

I felt a sharp pain in my wrist, but it quickly gave way to the throbbing agony in my shoulder where a bullet was lodged. My eyes slowly fluttered open, and I gritted my teeth, wincing from the pain. I drew a sharp breath through clenched teeth. My arm felt restricted by a tightly wrapped bandage. I could see out the corner of my eye some blood had oozed through its fibers, but at least I was alive.

My surroundings slowly came into focus, and I realized I was strapped into a seat inside what appeared to be a military aircraft. My right wrist was handcuffed to a nearby railing above me, and the restraints were cutting off circulation, causing a tingling sensation in my hand. I glanced around and soon realized that it hadn't been a dream. On the opposite side of the cabin, five creatures were asleep, strapped into seats. They were the ones who had nearly killed me, and their appearance was both familiar and alien.

These beings' overall forms seemed humanoid, but beyond that, they were anything but human. I couldn't help but stare at them, completely bewildered by their presence. I shook my head in disbelief; this had to be a dream, there was no other explanation. But the pain in my shoulder said otherwise. I knew dreams could never feel this real. 

Scanning the quiet interior of the vehicle, I noticed that one of the creatures had taken my pack. The one that resembled a fox held onto it tightly as she slept. Just as I thought they were all asleep, I heard a sudden voice to my left.

"Don't try anything, human," the voice warned. It belonged to one of them who resembled a serpent, a cobra to be precise. It was hard to make out her features in the dim lighting, but I could see that she had pale pink scales. She quietly studied me, and all I could do was tremble in silence.

Several minutes dragged on as she continued to observe me. Her unwavering gaze made me feel increasingly intimidated. I couldn't forget that they had been moments away from executing me in that laundry room. It was clear that these creatures were some sort of military force. Questions swirled in my mind. Had I somehow ended up on an alien planet, and was this their response to my presence? Could this be Proxima Centauri b?

I quickly scolded myself for such thoughts. It didn't make any sense. If this were Proxima Centauri b, why would the life forms here resemble those on Earth? Even more perplexing, why would they speak my language? The situation was a puzzle with missing pieces, and my head throbbed with confusion and fear.

"If I were you," the cobra hissed, her voice low and dripping with a mix of resentment and confusion, "I'd get some sleep while you still can." Her glare bore into me, and I could subtly see her pupils contract into menacing slits.

I hesitated, my voice quivering ever so slightly, as I responded, "Is that friendly advice, or something else?" Her silence hung heavily in the air before she turned away, leaning against the wall next to her seat and closing her eyes. I sighed heavily, heeding her suggestion and trying to get some rest. But sleep eluded me, and my mind raced with thoughts of what awaited me at their base. They had been prepared to kill me, yet something had changed their minds.

I opened my eyes, surveying the room in the dim light. My right wrist remained firmly restricted above me by the handcuff. Uncertain of how much time remained before we reached our destination, I knew I couldn't afford to find out what fate awaited me there. I had to find a way to escape. With my left hand, I felt around my person, wincing as pain shot through my injured shoulder. Silently, I unbuckled the seatbelt and stood, finally allowing my right shoulder to relax from its uncomfortable position above me. My gaze shifted to the five creatures; they were all still asleep.