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V: Sins of the Present

Terminus: Containment Facilities

Oct-18th, 2034, 22:42

The Doctor

It would've been quite an understatement for one to say that Adrian had a history of running from his problems. Granted, his problems tended to be fifteen to eighteen-foot long serpents, armed with hypodermic fangs, razor-sharp claws, a bad attitude, and a muscular tail that could render any human into a sputtering meat piñata, and those were considered the ‘small’ ones that were allowed into the public sphere.

Early on into Occupation, the Elders discarded the largely obsolete Thin Man design in favor of a more tried-and-true shock trooper role. After all, there was no need to hide in the shadows anymore, at least for a standing army, which now found itself holding vast swathes of human territory. It also helped that a ‘volunteer’ arm soon rose from the ashes to shore up any initial manpower limitations that the newly adopted Advent faced. Furthermore, Adrian was pretty sure that he'd seen a study somewhere, which ranked common phobias and had the fear of snakes listed only under that of public speaking and heights. It was just his luck that he was afraid of all three and not necessarily in that order.

Nevertheless, the Elders weren’t stupid, for they knew that the remnants of the Resistance would one day garner enough strength to once again contend for the crown that was Earth. After the fall of XCOM, Blacksites were erected within the span of weeks and plans drawn up for the continued refinement and experimentation of any and all lifeforms under the Advent banner, including the recently unveiled Viper race.

The Ethereals had always been fascinated with terrestrial predators, such that anything they could deconstruct and reuse towards furthering their dark agenda, the better. This often meant that larger, aggressive, and more genetically diverse animals fell more readily into their favor and were transported in droves to the edges of the world, to create ones that may as well have spawned from within it.

Luckily, most of the monstrosities that were born out of the first decade of Occupation never saw the light of day. Instead, their genetic material was cataloged and their bodies recycled. However, several fringe-type subspecies were created to assist in the containment of the Lost, which had become a rather inconvenient thorn in the Elders' side. Fewer assumed the infiltration roles of old and served as a failsafe, should the puppet nations ever grow a backbone and rebel against their new masters. Fewer still were born to one day serve as the Elders' vanguard and placed under stasis, should the feared cataclysm come to fruition before they completed their objective. Of course, this was all conjecture to Adrian, at least until he assumed his final role within Advent, where he learned just how far the Elders would go when it came to creating the perfect killing machine.

Nevertheless, the doctor’s mind was now focused on a more pressing matter.

Never one to excel in the art of cardio (stubby legs and poor balance), Adrian had been unable to flee from his pursuers back then and he was beginning to come to terms with the fact that he was unlikely to do so now. Regardless, he still found himself attempting to run from the largest viper that he'd ever seen, and he'd seen a lot of them.

While the doctor refused to look back, his mind now relayed images of its gaping maw hung open in anticipation for its next meal. Those oversized zeppelins, which could suffocate a damn wildebeest, were likely filled to the brim with a neurotoxin that would soon course through his veins and spell his demise. That is, if his notes on the subspecies were to be believed. He had no intention in determining firsthand as to whether this one was capable of adjusting the acidity of its poison, however, past studies said yes. Regardless, he wagered that those massive fangs would outright pierce his neck and cut straight through to his heart before any venom could take effect. Again, it was just his luck that the almighty maker had chosen to smite him under literal tons of angry snake.

As Adrian crossed the threshold of the stone archway, he felt a slick appendage wrap around his lower leg and force him to the ground. The man had lasted a whole five seconds before he'd fallen into the viper’s clutches—a new record all things considered. Finally determined to fight back, he grabbed onto a chunk of loose paver along the walkway and drove it as hard as he could into his fleshy shackles. A sharp whine came as a response and his leg was freed from the inhumanly long tongue.

Back on his feet, the doctor dashed across the threshold and towards freedom, however, his victory was short-lived as his feet left solid ground and he tumbled down the gradient from which he had first originated. He let out a series of grunts and pained exclamations until his body eventually struck an upheaved root and rolled into the shallow brook. Now covered in fresh cuts and bruises, Adrian’s body gave out as he drove his hands into the water to dull the pain. He had once again been defeated by his own clumsiness; perhaps he truly was more mouse than man.

Gutlessness, cowardice, brokenness.

Tired of running.

Tired of hiding.

Tired of being alone.

He was suddenly just so damn tired.

A wall of crimson scales soon rose against his flank and his escape was closed off as a clawed hand descended from on high. The doctor tilted his gaze skyward as his body left the ground and followed suit, stopping only to gaze into a pair of blood moons, which eclipsed the world around him.

The man closed his eyes and accepted his fate.

He was so close to the end, to his nightingale and her beautiful, mourning song. As a single tear ran down his bloodied cheek, the tremors and memory returned in full force.

“I’m coming home, Adeline…” Adrian whispered through shaky breaths.

His defeat was met with a damp sensation, which soon rhythmically tickled the left side of his face. He opened an eye to investigate but was immediately blinded by the large, forked appendage, which glided across the salt trail that had come to litter his dirty face. It would appear that his past efforts to disable it were ultimately in vain. After he received a thorough washdown, the tongue receded into its maw and the creature’s eyes dilated as if an unspoken fog had lifted. The viper responded to his tremors with a massive quake of its own.

The flinch set in motion an air of awkwardness as man and monster stared into the other’s eyes, each unsure of how to proceed given the strange turn of events. The man sniffled and broke eye contact. He directed his gaze downward, only to be rewarded with an intense sense of vertigo and a secondary shot of dread. Adrian was forced to seek refuge in the eyes of his handler, which retracted its fangs and tugged the edges of its mouth into a smile, well...to the extent that its alien body would allow it. However, much to the creature’s apparent dejection, Adrian’s body responded to the warm gesture with further tremors.

The viper let out a distressed coo before it drove Adrian right into its lower chest, holding him close as it slithered back towards the courtyard. The body heat that it gave off was immense—endothermic by design it would seem. Well, at least his notes had been correct on that account. Its soft belly scales were also coated in a liquid film, which was probably from the water basin. Regardless, these new insights intrigued Doctor Fairchild.

Nevertheless, Adrian forced his mind back to the task at hand—imminent escape—and tried to gauge what was happening, but between his latest episode, the celestial bodies that orbited next to his head, and his inability to gain any form of leverage over the wide torso before him, he was left to count scales and hope that his bumpy ride would be a short one. Thankfully it was as the viper leaned under the stone archway and gently released the doctor back onto the walkway, practically where the chase had originally begun. The snake was in the middle of stretching back to its monolithic size when the pair were greeted by a distressed Rooker, who looked as though he had also gone for a swim and was currently wearing each shoe on the wrong foot.

“Da—darn it, Adrian. What were you thinking! For a man who grew up under Advent occupation, you’d think that you could listen to a single set of commands…” The pilot silently fumed before he turned and pointed an accusatory finger at the viper.

“What in the world was that all about, Rose? Didn’t I teach you to be better than this? I’m sure that you can imagine my horror when I learned what had happened upon returning to Terminus. Of course, I didn’t believe them and spent the better part of this evening defending you from what I thought was unwarranted slander, hate, and disdain. But coming back to witness this firsthand?!”

The viper’s regal stance deflated in an instant as it positioned more of its tail across the courtyard. Its wide shoulders slumped and its large, five-fingered hands trembled as they came forward to make sweeping motions—no signs—through the air.

[I’m sorry, Rooker. I wasn’t myself. Angry and disoriented. Scent was masked. Eyesight poor. Thought that the man was doctor. I tried to scare him away but realized my mistake too late.]

The broken message came through as the viper’s eyes fell to an inconsequential spot on the ground.

“I don’t understand, Rose. Which doctor? Can you please describe them to me?”

The hands once again danced through the air as the creature held its slouched posture, unable to hold the pilot’s gaze despite dwarfing him by a significant margin. It appeared as though David had Goliath right where he wanted him.

[The portly one. Mean. Always smelled like onions.]

“Doctor Simons? Please tell me what happened here.”

The viper was now the one shaking like a leaf, except when its body quaked, the whole room felt it.

[N-no. You'll hate me like all of the other humans. Wanted the pain to finally stop. Struck out into the darkness. Heard a loud noise followed by shouting. Scared and tried to hide.]

The alien tried to back itself into one of the outermost recesses of the courtyard, covering its clawed hands behind its back as if their presence would be enough to spark ire. However, the viper only succeeded in slamming the back of its head against one of the taller archways, which buckled as though it were made of Styrofoam and showered stones across its armored body. The creature left the exchange without a scratch, but as its immense hood tucked into its body, it felt miserable all the same.

The pilot sighed and walked up to one of the viper’s great coils, which stood nearly at shoulder height. Rooker then hoisted himself up before turning to Adrian.

“Adrian, please come here; Rose means you no harm. She is quite the gentle giant once you really get the chance to know her.”

When the doctor stood in defiant opposition, Rooker scowled and turned to climb the rest of the way until he reached the viper’s wide, humanlike hips. From there he reached around the creature’s abdomen, unable to join his fingers on the other side in his best attempt at a hug given the size disparity.

“Rose, I’m sorry that I overreacted. But let’s make one thing absolutely clear: I will never hate you,” the man stated resolutely. “We can talk about this later once you’ve had time to rest, but I need you to stay strong for me.”

One of the viper’s hands came forward and sandwiched the pilot between two walls of scales. Rooker responded with a grunt and lost his footing. He was released alongside a monumental wince and a tremor that rocked the viper’s body. The pilot’s face was immediately full of concern as he looked down at where he had found his footing. Sure enough, the other man's right shoe—well right foot—currently rested on an aggravated wound, in which the viper’s entire epidermis and a thin layer of the dermis were stripped away. Based on the jagged contours, the wound was intentional and likely went against the creature’s wishes. It was clear that Rooker drew the same conclusions as he turned his gaze skyward to address the viper.

“Rose, please slither over to the water basin and wait for me there, okay?” His voice was uncharacteristically calm, given the situation and its point of origin. “I need to talk with my friend Adrian here for a few minutes. I promise that I won’t be long,” Rooker finished as he carefully returned his feet to the earth, he gave the coils next to him an encouraging pat afterwards.

The viper turned to look over its chest as another tremor traveled the length of its body. The tip of its sinuous tail came forward and eventually found its way around one of the pilot’s legs. The clawed hands hovered into his field of view.

[Please don’t leave, Rooker. I need comfort and afraid to be alone…again.]

Rooker couldn’t help but smirk at the notion. “I’m not leaving this containment facility, Rose. Please do as I’ve asked.”

The great sail nodded in understanding as the serpent released the pilot with a gentle squeeze. The viper then made its way towards the water basin and appeared to take extra care not to inadvertently knock anything else over while in transit. As it reached its destination, the viper wound itself up and positioned its back against a series of red and white coils, where it adopted a submissive posture as it waited for further instructions.

The pilot let out another sigh before he took the time to adjust his footwear and address Adrian privately. “What in the hell was that, Adrian? I leave you alone for five minutes and you’re already off making trouble for me. Rose is frightened enough as it is over this entire situation. I don’t need you crying uncle until we’ve gotten our facts straight,” the man fervently whispered after he corrected his posture. His worried face turned back to check on his viper, which was now rubbing one of its forearms in a self-pacifying gesture.

Adrian found a sliver of courage as he finally regained control of his body.

“Are you serious, Rooker; that viper chases me and you’re acting like it’s my fault?! Are you blind to the evidence that's been sitting next to that fallen pillar this entire time?” Adrian turned to point out his previous hiding place. “I washed congealed blood off of my hands right before the alien caught up to me! That thing killed someone and you don’t even bat an eye!” he murmured back, although the doctor neglected to suppress his voice to the same extent that the pilot had.

Consequently, the viper caught wind of the hurled insults, slumped even further into its coils, and appeared to be fighting back tears as it rubbed its forearm with greater resolve, which further cemented the fact that it was even alien to its reptilian designation.

One of Rooker’s eyes twitched before he locked Adrian’s closest arm into a vice grip and dragged him slowly across the courtyard in the direction of the viper.

“Lieutenant Rooker, what in the actual fu—" The doctor attempted to break free and cuss out the pilot, but he was quickly silenced by the other man’s hand. Rooker leaned in to make sure that the viper was unable to hear his burgeoning response.

“Don’t you dare use those kinds of words around my Rose!” The pilot’s voice seethed with vitriol. “Furthermore, you will start referring to her by Rose—her given name—and not like some unfeeling object that you can simply walk over without remorse.” His grip tightened further. “Now…you can either help me tend to her wound or you can shut that ugly mouth of yours until we are somewhere more private so that I can remove you as a distraction. Am I understood?”

“Fine.” Adrian conceded and figured that if he placated Rooker into carting him away from the courtyard, maybe he wouldn’t have to spend another minute around his new tormentor. After all, he and vipers mixed as well as oil and water.

“Good.”

Despite his apparent resignation, Rooker continued to drag Adrian across the courtyard until they once again stood before the colossus, which had since formed a multi-layered, circular wall of scales, which towered high above their heads—the viper’s upper torso was buried somewhere deep within. Rooker placed his free hand on the layer closest to the ground.

“Rose, I need you to stay out of your coils for me. You and I both know that your body is far more resilient than that of a human's, but I’m not taking any chances in case that wound festers.”

The pilot’s request was met with silence. He appeared to silently kick himself before continuing.

“That wasn’t a suggestion, Rose. I know that you can hear me in there.” Rooker gave the armored fortress another series of taps. “Please come out where we can see you.”

The bottom two layers of coils shifted and birthed a striped snout and set of scaled hands, which supported the viper as it leaned more of its upper body out in order to acknowledge the grappled pair. Its red eyes held Adrian’s only briefly before both sets faltered, one found refuge with the ground, while the other sought shelter with their caretaker.

In response, Rooker let go of Adrian’s arm and placed a heavy hand on his left shoulder—a warning that the man was to remain where they now stood. Seconds later, the pilot let go and turned his attention to focus solely on the viper before him. Even at this level, the creature had to lower its long neck to hold his gaze.

“I’m gone for one week and this is the result?”

Rooker gave an apologetic grin before he stretched both of his arms across the viper’s upper jawline, massaging the finer scales before finally pulling the plated mass into his chest. Both man and beast closed their eyes and appeared to take comfort in the other’s presence.

How could Rooker be so hospitable to such a monster? The major was ultimately correct in his earlier assumption and this viper likely belonged to a subspecies that had been created for the sole purpose of war. However, up to this point, the viper hadn’t shown the same animalistic behavior, at least if one ignored his earlier bit of cardio, that he was accustomed to back in New Providence.

The sign language was something else and it appeared that his classes at university hadn't entirely gone to waste, but what was its end game? It couldn’t seriously enjoy Rooker’s company? The subspecies wasn’t created to think that way and empathy was never considered in the equation. That is…unless the doctor currently stood before a one-of-a-kind reject. A genetic anomaly that somehow escaped assimilation before its facility’s untimely destruction at the hands of an underground resistance cell. Considering that the viper clearly carried far more human genetic markers than what would be considered acceptable, this was probably the case. Of course, final confirmation would require him to decipher its genetic code firsthand, which was something that Adrian had zero interest in doing.

It made sense, yet it didn’t make sense. How in the world was something like this allowed to escape under the watchful eye of the Elders? Cold cases didn’t stay cold for very long when it came to Advent. A decade was a long time to lie in hibernation, and the Ethereals were not known for their capricious nature. They would pay handsomely for the creature’s genetic code, despite its readily apparent imperfections.

Adrian figured that their shared moment had gone on for far too long, so he cleared his throat to get their attention. Immediately, both viper and man turned to stare daggers at him, which caused the doctor to risk a cautionary step backward and out of harm's way. Rooker nuzzled the bridge of the viper’s snout before he released it from his grasp—the hood fluttered as it rode out the resulting tide.

“That’ll fix you up girl. Now, let me see that beautiful smile of yours.”

The viper silently nodded before it pushed off of its scaled foundation and gave them its best impression of Old Faithful as it sprouted towards the sky, where it positioned its upper torso into the viper equivalent of a sitting position against its makeshift throne. The edges of the viper’s mouth framed that of a wide smile as it appraised its subjects from on high. However, its quick movements appeared to irritate the wound on its hip, causing the creature to close one eye and produce an unbecoming whine.

Concern once again found its way onto Rooker’s face, who returned a hand onto his shoulder. The man then leaned in to whisper into Adrian’s ear.

“I’ll forgive you for those past verbal blunders if you help me attend to Rose’s wound. She’s not in any danger, but I don’t intend to leave it in the same condition that we’ve found it. I’ll be sure to have a word with the medical professional responsible once I find the time; this nonsense ends today. So…are you with or against us, Adrian?”

What kind of question was that? The man had no intention of interacting with the viper on any level other than perhaps to acknowledge its overbearing presence. Yes, it seemed harmless at the moment, but was Rooker really not going to address what had occurred in the holding cell just a few hours prior? It was likely misplaced empathy that clouded his vision and made him unable to see that the viper’s human qualities were as fake as everything else in this room. A wicked beast lived just under the surface and he would have no association with it.

Frankly, Adrian wished that this viper would succumb to oblivion like the rest of its kind. After what they did to his nightingale, and after what they did to him; Rooker was on his own. Despite his best efforts, the imprinted memory surfaced and the pendulum swung back, taking the man for another unsolicited ride.

The visage of his ghost suddenly took form: a black mask decorated in blue scales. Its haunting gaze drilled into the very depths of his subconsciousness. It knew which memories to pull, which experiences to expunge, and which nerve endings to fire. It looked for any signs of her and made sure to hold ransom anything that it could as it read through his mind like an open book.

“Adrian.”

It dredged through his frequent visits to the Royal Albert Hall in an attempt to bear witness to her angelic voice, the happenstance that was their first date on a moonlit terrace on the East End, and their eventual wedding night in what used to be the outskirts of Bavaria.

“Adrian!”

The happiest moments in his life were laid bare and taken from him without remorse, and all he could do was stare into the emptiness that was those tinted, azure eyes—

“ADRIAN!”

The doctor re-entered consciousness with a start and found himself staring straight down the muzzle of another viper, which let out a distressed coo and washed his skin with its warm breath. The man was driven into an instant panic as he felt the sharp indents of a clawed hand support his weight. He pushed against the scaled mitt with all of his might in a feeble attempt to escape his ghost. Eventually, the viper humored Adrian as his foundation transformed into air and he fell backward onto his ass, where he was immediately reminded of his earlier injuries.

“G-get that oversized animal away from me. I will have no part in this madness, so take me away this very instant!” The doctor lashed out as he backed his way towards what he defined to be a safe distance.

This earned him his first pout and another blast of air before the viper added further distance between the two and its crimson eyes narrowed. Clawed hands once again came forward and expressed its risen disdain for Adrian’s peculiar antics.

[I’m not an ‘animal’ human. Was just trying to comfort you, but efforts clearly in vain. Also, you wouldn’t like it if I called you a tiny ape.]

Despite the rebuke, the viper returned to its self-pacifying gesture as if the act of lashing out gave it anxiety. As for Rooker, disappointment riddled his face as he silently gauged their respected reactions to Adrian’s outburst.

“If that is your wish…so be it,” the pilot stated and looked up to the reptile.

“Sorry Rose, I’m afraid that it’s going to be a little longer until we can address that wound of yours. It would appear that my friend here has chosen to make this night all about himself. Please submerge your tail up to the waist while I get him situated in the observation wing.” With that, Rooker set off down the leftmost walkway, failing to relay that his fellow man should follow behind him.

Adrian gave one final glance at the viper, which rewarded him with another unilateral expression before he scurried to catch up to his warden. His primal instincts kicked in and he felt the snake sample him like a piece of meat from a distance as he continued his way towards the outer edge of the facility. It appeared as though he had just made his first enemy in Terminus.

Frankly, the doctor couldn’t care less. This meant that the viper would hopefully keep its distance and leave him alone until he left the containment facilities for good. With luck, after the first day, he’d convince Captain Fahlström to get him into contact with Doctor Hoffman and actually leverage his credentials to get him out of this mess. The major would have to listen to reason eventually. And as far as he was concerned, he was done with anything associated with vipers.

The Pilot

Rooker was mad. No, he was utterly furious. He had risked life and limb over the last week to extract Adrian from New Providence and to the relative safety that was Terminus.

But what was his reward?

Another pencil-necked, holier-than-thou, chucklefuck, who saw fit to verbally abuse Rose without hesitation. She had zero control over her point of origin and the resulting fallout that was her genetic code. To think that a man who worked so close to vipers for that long could be so apathetic to these emotional beings. Yes, the pilot had once fallen prey to his own prejudices, but he quickly learned the error of his ways through meeting her.

How could he have been so blind to the signs?

To have put faith in another man in the hopes that he could see her plight.

How could he have been so careless in his execution?

To have finally found someone capable of freeing Rose from her bonds.

How could he have been so fucking stupid?!

Rooker found himself almost painfully gripping the metal railing in front of him as he waited for the doctor to skitter his way to him. Said walkway followed the leftmost ridgeline of the containment facility and upward towards the oblong observation wing situated inside the rockface. Just like everything in this place, it was built on conceptions of deception, manipulation, and ultimately torture. Rooker didn’t even want to think about what sick, twisted experiments that the old-world scientists performed on the lost souls, which once called this place home. He hated this place and felt guilty for having to continually leave her alone in it.

Nearly a decade and he hadn’t even scratched the surface in terms of freeing her. In fact, broken promises had become all too commonplace in this tropical wasteland.

The pilot needed to find a release and soon, yet Rooker doubted that it would come before he would have to tend to her wound. He shook the unwanted thought of equating her to inconvenient baggage out of his mind. Rose deserved a better caretaker in her life, she deserved a better life period. However, life tended to pull the wool over your eyes as soon as you thought that you had finally caught a break. Doctor Adrian Fairchild was to be that break, and he’d be damned if he would allow the doctor’s knowledge to slip through his fingertips without a fight.

The doctor finally reached the top of the staircase, and given his shortness of breath, looked completely out of it—not to mention the myriad of scratches and bruises that now covered his face. He hadn’t graduated to a full-on blueberry yet but was showing promise. Adrian’s emerald eyes looked up and waited for a response. Rooker figured that a light poke could aid in disarming the other man’s thoughts.

“Damn doctor, you look like you picked a fight with a woodchipper and lost.”

“Very funny, Rooker. Try having to outrun a viper sometime in your life and see what happens.”

If only the little doctor knew...

“I find that learning from other people's experiences is a great way to avoid ending up in such situations, even if the original occurrence didn’t involve much forethought. On second glance, you did take quite the beating, from one of the most docile souls in Terminus I might add.”

Perhaps he was overreacting and the strange doctor could be convinced with time. He just needed more exposure to Rose and her gentle mannerisms.

However, Adrian only scoffed at his last remark.

“Believe me when I say this, Rooker: you’re wasting your time with that viper. If it attacked once, it will likely do so again but with an even higher body count. I’ve seen what they are capable of firsthand; better to put the thing down while you still hold the reins.”

Rooker squirmed at the suggestion. How dare this man come into his domain and make those kinds of insinuations about Rose. Yes, she had chased him in error, but she was clearly in pain, unfocused, and not thinking rationally. Anyone who’s worked with vipers for an extended period of time should've been able to see those signs clear as day. Furthermore, given the earlier events of the night, Rooker couldn’t fault her for trying to defend her home. A quiet and deceptive home but a home nonetheless.

At that moment, it took all of his willpower to not outright hurl the doctor over the ledge and watch his insufferable body collide with the uncaring ground below. As the pilot released himself from his anchor point, he decided that perhaps a change of tactics was in order. He had tried the carrot, which was proving to only exacerbate the situation, so perhaps it was time to employ the stick.

“Your concerns are duly noted, doctor. However, Rose is far from the monster that you make her out to be.”

The doctor opened his mouth in an effort to debate the matter further but Rooker shut down his attempt immediately by continuing his line of thought, in his own effort to derail the uncomfortable tangent and speed things along. “She has a gentle heart, I hope that you'll be able to see that one day. Regardless, let’s see if we can get you some medical provisions before I turn you in for the night. I already have a bed picked out for you, so I’ll show you your temporary living area before we get that all sorted out.”

The doctor’s hardened expression softened somewhat by Rooker’s purposeful use of the word ‘temporary,’ as if he found comfort in the fact that he’d soon be rid of this place and its inhabitants. The reaction left a bitter taste in Rooker’s mouth as he was forced to bite his own tongue in an effort to contain his mounting rage.

The pilot soon led the doctor through a metal door, which was hidden away inside a rocky alcove. Through which, the pair entered the large observation wing, which had been transformed into a glorified bachelor pad. Worn oriental rugs and shag carpets littered the cement floor, improvised copper wire lights hung from the ceiling, and a mismatch of dressers, bookshelves, and workbenches were pushed against the walls, which were decorated with a variety of Resistance posters and cutaway aircraft schematics. XCOM’s old Skyranger, Advent’s signature cargo freighter, dropship, and even some of the original UFO designs were displayed in one form or another.

A large wooden table filled the center of the room and supported a wide assortment of cardboard boxes filled with various knickknacks and other old-world treasures. Cassettes, DVDs, books, and so forth—all marked accordingly. A projector—currently in a state of repair—and portable screen were found not too far off. The closest wall was covered in ballistic weaponry, ranging from compact pistols to heavy-barreled, anti-material rifles. Stacked ammo crates and segmented totes topped with clips, magazines, along with stray casings and bullets lined the bottom quarter of the wall. Powder and primers were stored in a climate-controlled room close by.

Rooker didn’t stop to gauge the doctor’s reaction to his humble abode, instead, he quietly continued his way to the opposite end of the room, which featured living quarters and the adjacent observation room, which housed a series of tilted windows that would look out into the centralized courtyard and accompanied water basin, should their large metal shutters be opened. He made sure to stand in front of the doorway to his private quarters and placed a hand along the vertical graduated marks that lined the wooden doorway. He would prevent the other man from seeing what lay within—a hard lesson would be learned before those secrets could be revealed.

Adrian finished his appraisal of the cluttered area before falling in line next to the pilot, who motioned with his free hand to the vacant observation room with a twin-sized bed tucked along the inner wall. Paper airplanes, snowflakes, and other origami shapes hung from strings, several of which had telltale punctures dotting their delicate surfaces. A wardrobe and large shelf that was filled with an assortment of books lined the far wall, which contained countless drawings shaded in crayon—the largest of which had a human and smaller serpent holding hands, both wore wide smiles and had hearts above their heads. The floor was padded in foam and children's toys were tucked neatly into bins near the doorway.

The doctor wasted no time filing into his temporary living quarters, his eyes were immediately drawn to the large drawing before they fell to a flowery bedspread and then back to Rooker.

“Surely there is somewhere else for me to sleep? This is hardly posh and quite inappropriate given my credentials,” Adrian complained.

“The living conditions will do for now. Besides, you seem to be the right size. Now, it appears as though the captain failed to requisition you another change of clothes. I’m a bit stockier than you are but not much taller, so I’ll loan you some of mine. You can store your dirty set in that wardrobe once we get that blood washed out. Also, I assume that that egghead of yours can piece together how a bathtub and overhead facet works? I had one wiped up in the other room once Rose and I were placed into this facility permanently.”

Rooker pointed to a door nearest the wardrobe before he used a key from his key-ring to open the observation shutters, revealing the courtyard and basin below. It appeared that Rose was in the process of submerging and preening herself, so he had to hurry things along.

“It’s a Jack and Jill set-up, but my side is locked. There's also a first-aid kit in the medicine cabinet but take only what you need. Now, go get yourself straightened up while I get the room situated for you.”

The doctor hesitated and seemed ready to further protest his living conditions.

“Adrian…those weren’t suggestions, the more time you spend dragging your feet, the less time you’ll have for yourself to decompress after the long journey.”

The doctor sighed before turning back to the drawing. “Fine, but that picture needs to come down. The room is an eyesore as it is. Also, I don’t want to be staring at that damn thing all night, so we’re going to need those shutters closed again.”

“No Adrian, that picture stays exactly where it is. It’s Rose’s favorite and she put a lot of effort into it, along with everything else in this room for that matter, so paws off unless you ask for permission first,” Rooker warned.

“Am I to be your pet now as well? What the hell is wrong with you, Rooker, raising a viper like a human child? No wonder it acts the way it does. This is a non-negotiable, I can’t rightfully sleep if I have to stare at either snake.”

With that, the doctor made his way towards the drawing, he managed to grab onto one of its dainty edges before Rooker intercepted his hand and closest shoulder.

“Let go of that drawing right fucking now, Adrian! I show you hospitality and you come into our home and think that you have the run of the place.” The pilot’s voice dripped with venom as he positioned his head closer to the other man’s neck. “Now release your grasp or there will be hell to pay.”

“Y-you don’t understand, Rooker. I can’t look at it, otherwise—”

“Say ‘it’ again, asshole! Go on, say ‘it’ one more fucking time! Her name is Rose, ROSE, and I’ll be damned if I let you—”

The other man’s eyes dilated and he seemed to zone out, it was as if some outside force had suddenly taken control of him. With it came violent shudders that started at his core and traveled outwards towards his limbs. One limb, in particular, gave an inhuman quake and was followed closely by the shredding of paper, which traveled across the colorful drawing and came to separate man from alien.

Rooker’s heart gave out, but the feeling didn’t last as rage consumed him and he forced the other man to let go of the ruined artwork. The pilot then pivoted on his heels, kicking the doctor's feet out from underneath him. Adrian slammed directly into the tilted windows and the offending arm was tightly locked behind his back. The man grunted in pain and seemed to recover from his episode as Rooker leaned in to address the soon-to-be-dead man.

“Rooker, what is the meaning of—"

“ENOUGH. You will only speak when you're told to do so, you've just lost that privilege!”

“I don’t under—Arghh!” Rooker violently twisted the other man's arm before he grabbed onto the back of Adrian's head and forced him to look out at the viper currently situated in the basin.

Rose was still in the process of preening. However, judging by her body language, she was becoming anxious about the fact that Rooker had been away for an uncomfortably long time. She stopped to shift her body in their direction and started to give in to her nervous tic. He had worked so hard to break that habit, but this fucking degenerate had the gall to drive her back into it.

As the doctor’s eyes fell onto the viper, his body began to shake again. Realization seemed to hit the other man like a freight train.

“Nononono. Please just let me go! I-I didn’t mean anything by it. If I see a viper, my mind conjures up images—"

Adrian winced as he was silenced by additional pressure being applied to his arm. He had finally understood that he was no longer in control of the situation.

“You think that you’re the first one to waltz in here and try to take something from us? I’m honestly uncertain as to how many times a person has claimed to want to help Rose, only to subsequently destroy her self-confidence,” Rooker began his tirade.

“However, I am certain of one thing: they’ve all fallen into one of three categories. They either hate without having lost or project their anger onto something that they do not understand; they see her as an object to be picked apart for personal gain and prestige, or they can’t even stand to look her in the eye out of fear for what she might do to them should they ever let their guard down. So, that only leads me to ask you one very simple question...”

The pilot leaned in to whisper into one of Adrian’s ears, making sure to hold both of their gazes on the viper below them.

“...which category do you fall into, Doctor Adrian Fairchild?” He was no longer hiding the fury in his voice.

“I-I don’t understand—”

“Anger, greed, or fear—which category?!”

His outburst was met with silence as the doctor tried to tear his eyes away from Rose and turn to face Rooker.

“NO. Don’t look at me, you'll just lie to my face all night long. You look at hers and you answer the damn question!”

Rooker shifted his weight and grabbed the other side of the man’s face, prying his eyelids open in an effort to force him to look at his viper, who tilted her head and stared up into the observation wing.

“WHICH ONE IS IT, ASSHOLE?!” Rooker roared.

The doctor’s tremors had reached their apex as a single word finally bled through Adrian’s mouth:

“F-fear…”

With that, the doctor reached with a shaky hand into the confines of his shirt, bringing forth that damned wooden container of his. He brought it close to his heart and seemed to let the tremors take control as his body gave out. Rooker allowed the other man to collapse onto the padded floor where he assumed a fetal position. Tears streamed down the doctor’s face as he continued to rub the box with a thumb.

The pilot wasn’t finished yet, as he stepped over to the doctor’s broken body and tried to take the wooden container from Adrian’s grasp. However, the doctor somehow managed to keep it locked in an iron grip. Rooker forced the body to comply with a sharp kick to the chest. He then proceeded to rip the wooden container out of Adrian’s trembling hands.

Rooker brought the worn object to eye level. It held simple carvings in the shape of hearts and a burnt A&A insignia could barely be made out on its lower surface. His counterpart had since closed his eyes and was mumbling the same dubious phrase over and over again—some name that Rooker was entirely unfamiliar with. The pilot gave one last glance outside at the viper, who continued her nervous gesture and seemingly locked onto him with her crimson eyes. He saw pain and sadness in them and refused to allow anyone else the opportunity to hurt her.

The pilot made his decision and stepped out of view, onto the hardened floors of the other room. He had intended to use force to subdue the doctor but not in this manner. However, Adrian had it coming and it was too late to turn back now. He wasn't doing this for himself, he was doing it for Rose.

“How can a man with your talents be so against helping that which you’ve created? I tried to warn you, Adrian, I really did. Yet, it seems that my earlier advice has truly fallen on deaf ears. Trust is hard-won and quickly lost out here, and you've just lost everything.”

With that, Rooker let go of the wooden container and allowed gravity to take over. As it kissed the earth, one of its corners splintered and slid behind one of the workbenches. The resulting inertia caused the damaged box to rebound and find solace on the soft padding. Afterwards, Rooker slammed the wooden door and began to close the outside shutters but not before he took the tattered drawing with him, along with a worn book from the nearby shelf.

Before the shutters reached their final resting place and the doctor’s world fell into complete darkness, he managed to crawl his way back to the safety of his wooden container. It was now worse for wear but still a functioning whole. He clutched it as close to his heart as he could before his tremors returned and the dark memory caused him to relapse once again.