Hatched

Chapter Thirty-Four

July 3rd, 2021

1900 hours

Lynne Ellis was furious; in fact, anger didn't even begin to describe the loathing she harbored for the meddlesome troupe of investigators that were busy poking their overly inquisitive noses in her business.

Her usually tight, slicked bun was now haphazard, hair frizzing out around her livid face like a dark halo, framing her crazy eyes as she glared menacingly at Dr. Urskin.

"I don't think I heard you correctly." She hissed through gritted teeth. "Repeat that, and go slowly this time, so you can explain to me how you allowed such an egregious breach of security."

The doctor was trembling, crouching in the corner of Lynne's office like a frightened rodent. His terrified eyes darted around helplessly, and his tongue flicked out nervously to wet his lips before speaking.

"I told you, the system registered a person entering the secure area behind the main pump room." Urskin spoke lowly, tentatively, afraid of her reaction.

Lynne huffed and blew out an irate breath of air, grinding her teeth in agitation. "You mean, besides yourself?" She clarified, grasping the edges of her desk in attempt to maintain her composure.

"Y-yes," the Doctor stammered, holding up a placating hand, "b-but perhaps it was you?"

Lynne chuckled, a low, ominous sound that echoed in the metal room. "Me?"

"Y-yes."

"Well," Ellis slapped the desk roughly, glaring eyes boring holes into the sniveling, petulant man "when did this happen?"

"The n-night of the b-ball." Urskin piped helpfully, though it only served to enrage her further.

"The night of the-" She struggled to contain her anger, bringing a trembling hand to her aching temples "where was I the night of the banquet, doctor?" A sickly sweet, forced smile crept up the corners of her lips, cheeks pulling in a clownish grin.

His face fell. "Oh..."

"I was at the banquet, you incompetent piece of dog shit!" She bellowed, crossing the room in three strides, heels resounding on the floor. "Who the hell got into my restricted area?"

Her arm whipped out, nails wrapping around his in a vice like grip, his face pinching in pain.

"I-I don't know!" He gasped, his arm twisted uncomfortably in her grasp. "It was too d-dark to see!"

Lynne's face blazed red, eyes flashing dangerously. "You better find out, or it's your sorry ass I'm feeding to them next time!"

Urskin gasped as she released his arm and stormed back to her desk. She noticed he cradled it gingerly with his other hand and scoffed under her breath.

"It looked like a woman's physique." His hopeful tone reached her ears, more like the incessant pinging of a shrill whistle than a human voice. She felt like her verves were raw and exposed, reactive to even the least obnoxious of irritants.

"What woman?" Ellis spat, glaring up at him with narrowed eyes.

"I can answer that." A boyish, smug reply made her whip her head up so quickly it cricked, sending a shooting pain down her back. She winced, observing the intruder as he snuck into the office.

He was young, boyish even, with a roundish, freckled face and lightly tanned skin. His sandy hair stuck up in wayward tufts, like he'd been on the beach all day, and she could tell by his stance as he leaned against her doorframe that he held an air of defiance, a thirst to prove his worth.