Slither - Edward Lee [74]
'Yes, it is. But not if we're disclosed." The major wagged his finger at the corporal. 'Play back from the moment she reentered the building."
The corporal hit some buttons, and next they were watching the slender woman in the one-piece swimsuit unlocking the door and walking in.
Draped across an ink pen was a worm.
'1 guess I can't argue with that," the major remarked. "That's definitely one of ours."
"Yes, sir, it is. And they had samples of the ova as well. The ones last night probably weren't big enough to examine closely-not with the field equipment they have on hand, but-"
The sample she just took in there is fairly mature.'
"Yes, sir..
Silence stood with them in the room. Then the major said, if they know about the worm, then they may know about us."
"I don't think so, sir," the sergeant said. "I think they're just zoological scientists on a field excursion. They discovered our subject by accident, and at this point they have no reason to believe it's part of a genetic experiment. If they knew about us, they would have notified some authority."
"You're right." The major was thinking. "And that's our good luck. Turn on the jammers so they can't call out. We can't take any chances-the experiment's gone too well so far. We're going to be leaving soon."
The sergeant nodded. "I'm confident that everyone on the island will be infected by the time we leave."
"I agree, but we only have a few more maturation tests to do in the meantime. Keep an eye on them, and confirm infection." He looked the sergeant dead in the eye. "If you can't confirm one hundred percent infection within twenty-four hours, I want you to go out there and kill whoever's left."
The sergeant and the corporal looked at each other.
The major turned at the door. "I realize that may sound like an unorthodox measure, but it's all in the interests of the mission's ultimate success. Will that be a problem, Sergeant?"
"No, sir. No problem at all."
(III)
"I thought you were going for another swim with Annabelle," Nora posed when Loren ducked into the head shack.
"Yeah, but not till later in the afternoon." He walked in, then looked enthused. "Wow, where'd you get that?"
"Your pretentious blond friend almost stepped on it in the shower earlier."
"Hey, just because I worship her body doesn't mean she's my friend."
.You a betting man?"
"Sure."
"Okay, I'll bet you that before this shoot is over, she's putting overt moves on you."
"You're high," Loren said. "And I'll tell you something. I'm pretty sure she and Lieutenant Trent have something going on."
Nora laughed at the worktable. "You're so perceptive, Loren. What a bright light you are."
"Why do I detect unremitting sarcasm?"
"She and Trent have been doing the naked pretzel since the first night."
The surety of her words stunned him. "Really?"
"Yeah, and she wants to make Trent jealous-she loves games. She has no identity unless she's the center of male attention. That's why she'll be coming on heavy to you soon. Accept it. And don't be a dope. Don't feed her atrocious ego and utter lack of character by responding like a -horny mutt."
Loren's head rose in an arrogant pose. "Hey, just because I'm a few years younger than you doesn't mean that you know more about human romantic behavior."
"No, but the fact that I'm a woman does. I'm betting that she puts hard moves on you and you fall like a house of cards. You'll be absolutely convinced that she's crazy about you. Too chicken to bet?"
"You're on," he said, grinning. "Loser buys dinner at the winner's choice of restaurants."
Nora shook on it. "Now let's stop yacking about that ultraboobed peabrain and take -a look at this."
Loren sat down at the worktable, eyeing the footand-a-half-long worm. "You killed it?"
"No, it was already dead from the seepage at the bottom of the shower stall. Trent sprays it down with bug spray every day since we found those first motile ova." She slid the