Moments later, Crater stopped before the fire exit, curious.
Pushing open the heavy door, he stepped outside, his eyes searching for some sign of their fleeing dove. A glance down proved his guess correct when he spied a set of tracks leading into the field beyond.
"Franklin!" he called over his shoulder, spitting a wad of tobacco into the snow as he narrowed his eyes to scan the dark field for Casina. "She's heading out back. Won't get far though cuz she ain't wearin' any clothes.
Why don't you go back and get a hypo and meet me out there. It shouldn't take long to find her. And bring a flashlight!"
"Good idea," Frank answered, relief in his voice.
"Catch up with you in a bit."
Crater lingered long enough to watch Franklin head off towards the lab. He braced the door open with a nearby rock, one kept aside for just such a purpose, then stepped off the stoop into a gale of brisk wind.
He grimaced and shook his head at Casina's stupidity. Wishing he had put on a warm coat, he struggled to follow her trail since the raging wind had erased most of her footprints.
But it didn't take long for him to stumble upon her about a quarter mile from the building. It was a wonder he'd found her at all, considering the now whiteout conditions all around them.
"Hey, bitch!" he spat, angry at having to be outside, when he came upon her slight form crumpled in the snow. Casina, heedless of the stinging sleet and wind at her back and against her bare skin, was trying to warm her frozen feet.
"Thought you'd get away from us, didn't you? Just how far did you expect to get before we found you?"
Realizing her flight had been for naught, Casina brushed aside her tears of defeat and failure and stammered through numb lips, "I s-sure don't want t-to st-stay with you p-people. I don't th-think I can st-stand anym-more of your k-kind hospitality." She shrugged away the large hand squeezing her shoulder and focused her attention on her benumbed feet.
"Is that a fact?" Crater drawled with thick sarcasm before pulling her roughly to a standing position. "Well, sweetie, it would have been interesting to see how you'd manage to climb over the electric fence surrounding this place."
"Crater! Find her yet? I've got the stuff!"
"Over here, Frank! Hurry up, will ya!"
Crater peered through the swirling snow, at the dot of light moving towards them. Franklin, following the sound of Lester's gritty baritone, sauntered up to them, grinning as he shined a light into their crinkled faces.
"Stupid flashlight conked out when I was halfway out here, so I had to go back and get more batteries. Want to be sure I hit the right vein."
"Well focus it here, will ya," Lester directed. He grabbed Casina firmly and pulled her arm straight, turning it palm up.
"I can't stand bein' out in this frickin' storm. Gimme the damn needle."
"Oh, no. I'll do it. You just hold her still." Franklin flicked his light over Casina's shivering, sweating form, recognizing her need for a fix, but deliberately prolonged her silent agony.
He made a lengthy charade of pulling a wrapped handkerchief from his pocket and unrolling it across his palm.
Then he slowly sorted out its doleful contents one by one: cotton, a prepared syringe, and a small alcohol packet. "Here," he said, handing Crater the flashlight.
"Now, lay her down."
Crater gave her a rough shove, as he impatiently kicked her legs out from under her, ignoring her grunt of pain when she hit the ground.
Kneeling beside her, he put a firm hand to her chest, shoved the flashlight under his elbow, then yanked her arm out.
"All right," he said. "Make it snappy. My toes are gettin' numb."
"Keep your shirt on. This won't take long."
Moving to one knee, Franklin prepped Casina's arm then took the syringe from the unrolled handkerchief, its ends flapping wildly in the wind.
Just as he made to plunge the needle into Casina's arm, he suddenly jerked back on it, dropping it into the snow.
"Now what'd you go and do that for?" Crater blustered, shifting his gaze from the syringe to Franklin, who was staring past him with sagging jaw.
Following the direction of his gaze with the flashlight, Crater gaped in astonishment and released his grip on Casina, whose befuddled form now lay in near-hypothermic shock.
Overcome with fear at the sight presented them, the startled orderlies grasped one another for balance and stood up.
"Now what do you want?" Crater demanded, straightening. "Don't you know this is private property? And how the hell'd you get inside the fence?"
"Yeah," Franklin said in as brave a voice as he could muster.
"Lookit," Crater dared threateningly. "If you're wondering what it is we're doing here, it ain't none of your damned business! So, I'd advise you to get the hell out of here before I decide t—"
But those were their last...and final...words.
Warm, humane hands gently held Casina as a lukewarm liquid caressed her stinging members.
Too insensible to comprehend or care what was happening to her, she shivered uncontrollably as unfamiliar voices faded in and out around her, vaguely penetrating her subconscious.
Strong hands handled her, but she was physically unable to ward them off. She felt herself rising and falling simultaneously.
It was a confusing feeling, one that made her dizzy and warm all at the same time.
Still, the liquid caressing her felt so good, and the hypothermic needles of pain were slowly subsiding to a more tolerable state.
Later she was to recall a sharp pain in her head and then at her wrist that made her cry out. Feverish, she struck out blindly as a strange steaming drink was then poured carefully, yet insistently down her throat. She made a feeble effort at resistance but soon felt herself falling again, falling until she was no longer aware of anything.
She awoke to a brightly lit room. Lifting a hand against the light, she blinked, taking a moment to adjust her eyes.
She glanced at the sparse furnishings, then slowly sat up when she observed the large round port hole on the wall beside her, spaced about a foot from the bunk.
Slowly she pulled herself up by the ledge to peer out the thick glass.
A strangled gasp tore from her lips as she took in the view.
Biting back a curse, she curled an angry fist against the glass, her stomach knotting in agitation.
"No. No!" she groaned as she observed the wondrous, intricate patterns of glistening stars, whirling spheres, and mysterious orbs suspended seemingly motionless outside the port hole. "This can't be happening!" Faith, was she in outer space...on a...a...spaceship?
She fell back onto the bunk and threw a forearm over her face.
God, she pleaded silently. Let this be nothing more than a bad dream. Frightened, heartfelt sobs overtook her, as tears sprang forth and streamed down her face.
She pounded the padded bunk in fury, wondering what was to become of her now. "Please, God, no..." she murmured. After all she had been through and now...this.