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

Helluva First Date Ch. 12.1

In Robert's car, Alex contemplated blasting him unconscious once they were past security. Inside the complex, Alex was glad that she hadn't, for she would have needed help locating Dr. Hermann's lab. They wandered through the lowest level.

"Ooo, what's in there?" Alex squealed like a schoolgirl and clapped her hands.

Alex slipped out of Robert's grip and stood on tiptoe to peer in the tiny glass window inset the armored door. The room beyond was so huge that she couldn't see all the way around it.

"That's Professor Hermann's lab," he said without enthusiasm.

Alex knew that she had hit the jackpot. "You said he was your boss, so this must be your lab." She batted her eyelashes, pursed her lips in a seductive manner, and asked sweetly, "May we go in?"

"This is where I promised to take you." Robert drew an ID card from his pocket with obvious reluctance. "Don't touch anything. We're taking a peek, remember."

"Just a teensy weensy peek." Alex batted her eyelashes again.

How do women keep fake ones on? This eyelash glue must be like Bondo.

He punched in a code and inserted the card. Alex almost pushed him over the second the door opened.

"You promised not to touch anything," he warned as she rushed past.

"It's sooooo big! You must be important to have such a big lab. Show me around, please." Alex twirled so that her dress lifted and showed off her fit legs.

"This is the centrifuge where we spin the blood."

"Oh, very interesting. What else?" Alex scanned the room.

"This is the microscope to examine the blood samples."

"A microscope, nice." Alex rolled her eyes but remembered herself and plastered on a sweet smile.

"This is the gas chromatograph." Robert gestured to the bulky, white machine occupying the entire corner.

"I see." Alex's gaze lit on a large darkened glass panel. Before he could protest, she ran over and peered through the glass. "What's this?"

Robert tried to stop her as she hit a switch marked with a light bulb. The panel lit up, revealing the room beyond and its unconscious occupant. Alex's heart leapt as she recognized Cale and bit her lip to keep from crying his name.

"What is it?" Her voice trembled from rage and she fisted her hands.

"Don't worry, it can't hurt you. That's what I told you about." Robert patted her shoulder, tone and motion both condescending.

Alex almost slugged him, his saccharine tone fueling her rage. "What is it?" she asked again with a smile, rehearsing punching him in her mind. "You were right. It is like my pet lizards when I was a child."

Robert can see through Cale's disguise. That makes him one of the bad guys. He's no ally.

"That's Dr. Hermann's secret project."

She caught the bitterness in his voice, but filed it away for future use as she looked over the control panel. There were too many control buttons to figure out the open button.

"It's some new species. Dr. Hermann says it's unique and will make him a big name in zoological circles. Says it has inspired all the stories of dragons through history. I don't know if he's more obsessed with the fame in academic circles or the lust of being right. He typifies the mad professor type." Robert shook his head, either in disbelief or sadness or both.