Movement from the Compy shifting slightly on the table drew my attention. It now had three straps holding it in place, ignoring the tail. The sedation had clearly started to wear off as they blinked, bright yellow eyes landing on me.

Poor guy. Maybe I'd get them free if they promised not to attack. They weren't really high enough level to do much damage to me even if they did attack, it would just slow me down.

At least thinking about it I distracted myself from thinking about the dust.

Then a familiar presence headed toward me from the direction of the exit. It snapped me back to the present. I stood deep inside the camp, shocked about what happened instead of acting, and I needed to get the fuck out of here before anything else went wrong.

Yet, my mind went back to the computer screen.

Test subject number 143. Scans submitted. Add DNA sample.

Building clone profile.

I couldn't leave information about myself behind. First, I needed to blow up whatever I could. Her lab couldn't remain standing, and that information needed to be destroyed.

The door snapped open as Kabi appeared, looking concerned. His eyes landed on me with a frown. The fresh blood splattered across his bright blue chest drew my attention. The runes underneath shimmered in the bright lab light.

"We need to go. it's time," he said with emphasis, eyes darting to the dinosaur on the table. "What is that…?"

His voice warmed some of the cold inside my chest, and I felt like I could plan.

"It's from my world…" I muttered. Even though it wasn't the complete truth, it was close enough. "I'm almost done here."

I dashed back through the open doorway into her lab, moving as fast as I could. That data needed to be destroyed. All of her work needed to be destroyed, but at least this would be a start.

Kabi glanced after me, but I focused on the desk as a starting point.

"I need to destroy the lab. It will set them back ages on this planet."

"Just hurry!" Kabi glanced back toward the door, stepping closer to the dinosaur. "If I release you, will you attack?"

I ignored his conversation with the Compy, and focused on my new mission.

"One step at a time," I whispered to myself. The tablet she used I snagged into my inventory, but the screens built into the desks I couldn't carry. With a manic grin I attached an explosive crystal to the top middle of the screen. I hoped it would take out everything else around it.

A second went to the tube filled with bright green liquid. Something inside it grew bigger, becoming more and more humanoid. I would have sworn it hadn't been there before, but it grew visibly larger as I watched. The next went to the workstation where she'd headed to test my blood.

Lastly, I needed to check out the cages. Something small hid inside the largest cage toward the back, but I couldn't tell what.

Before I could reach it, something wrong tickled the edge of my senses, causing me to twist back toward the doorway to where Kabi rested.

Must move faster.

Yet, I found myself seconds too late. The storage room door snapped open, and Hed stepped out, rubbing the back of his head.

[Hed-bound, Forger, Level 51, Prey, Unknown, OFFENDER.]

"You!" he roared at me, though his eyes flickered over to Kabi, who had unbound most of the Compy.

The Compy growled at the blue orange man, flashing very sharp teeth.

"There's more of you!"

I lunged at him, hoping to knock him out again, but he slipped in front of the last door I hadn't explored. It snapped open, and he launched himself down the hallway, screaming. I moved to race after him, but Kabi's hand landed on my shoulder.

The sound echoed through the metal building.

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"You can't hurt him, he's too low level!"

His warning didn't make sense, but I didn't have time to respond as more yelling came from Hed as he sprinted away from us.

"Intruders!"

Well, fuck!

"Time to leave," growled Kabi, letting go of my shoulder, then breaking the last binding of the Compy. "They held off to let me try and get you out before you get hit in the crossfire."

I appreciated that.

The Compy launched itself off the table, but didn't head for the right door. Instead, they crossed in front of me, racing for the lab. It slowed us both down, and I barely kept my footing as my boots spread dust all over the room.

There she goes. What was left of her.

Kabi shoved me in front of him, but then he was suddenly thrown back across the room into the metal wall, denting it loudly.

He didn't get back up.

"What do we have here?" asked a cold voice, sending a shiver up my spine. The lights in the room flared even brighter as a figure stepped right next to me, where Kabi had been moments before.

[An OFFENDER has been detected in your area with a bounty. You have been given a temporary boost to stats and abilities.]

[Dilom, The Hybridizer, Forger, Level 136, Predator, Unknown, OFFENDER.]

Kabi's presence remained on my radar, so he still lived. Yet, I didn't dare glance away from the being now in front of me.

"Ah, Catherine's little project. It seems she was right, and you came to us." His bright blue eyes traveled over me, resting on the knife in my hand and the bracelet wrapped around my wrist. His long white hair was pulled back, but fresh blood splattered on his lab coat interrupted the perfect image.

"What perfect timing, a little project of mine has come back as well. The two of you will be quite useful, and you brought a little friend." He motioned to where he'd thrown Kabi.

I launched myself toward the door, but he only chuckled as he blocked my way.

"Hed's little injury made it clear I need to be careful around you. Still, so young, but what will you grow into…" His fingers snapped around my upper arm, his fingers like rock. "You have two choices: come with me nicely, or I'll kill your friend."

Growling from the laboratory caused him to turn in that direction.

The Compy barely stood inside the doorway, with something small near her single foot.

A hand slammed into the side of my head, making everything go fuzzy. I fought the blackness and drained my healing crystal, using the soothing energy to fix my vision. Yet, I let myself slump to the ground.

"You come along quietly, or I'll do away with your hatchling. We can always try another breeding round."

The growling cut off immediately, and I didn't blame the dinosaur.

More footsteps entered the room.

"You get the blue one into the cage, along with the beasts." A cold hand wrapped around my wrist, then he dragged me across the gross floor. "I swear, I need better help," he muttered to himself.

The hallway floor wasn't as bad as the other one. I cracked an eye to study everything as best I could without giving away my ruse. We passed a closed door, and a lot of blank hallway. Eventually, the very end of the hallway opened up into another room. More of the cold storage tubes filled the space, with the green liquid inside. These held more humanoids.

Dilom slowed down next to each of them.

"These are almost ready for awakening. Two more days and our companions will be back in action. Make sure to prep the recovery bays. I want everything to be perfect. These last couple of days are the most important."

"Yes, sir," came from Hed.

I counted them as we passed. Ten bodies in the tubes, and if I believed him, ten Forgers that we'd already killed back into action.

They were cloning themselves and cheating death.

I couldn't even conceive of it. The tube in her lab came to mind, and the sudden appearance of something growing in it.

Did that mean Catherine wasn't dead?

I must have made a sound as Dilom suddenly stared at me.

"Aren't they a thing of beauty?" he asked with a soft smile. "My cloning work has changed everything. Now, nothing will stop us. Not even the damned system and its rules."

My eyes grew wide, and I didn't know what to say. His presence pressed down on me.

"Don't worry, your profile will be complete before you know it, and we'll get to see if your mother's studies are worthwhile."

I tried to jerk my hand free, but his fingers didn't budge an inch.

He chuckled before continuing on his way into the next room. This white room practically glowed, and everything appeared clean.

Hed stood next to an open cage that the Compy dragged itself into, using its tail almost like a foot before slumping to the ground inside the door. Kabi rested inside on the floor, and Dilom flung me in that direction.

I stumbled over the dinosaur, who growled in pain before my palms hit the clean floor. The cage slammed shut behind us.

"Prep the table, I need to get a clean coat." Dilom's voice floated into the space, but I ignored it as I rolled over into a sitting position.

Kabi lay on his side, but his even breathing made it clear he was okay; he only needed time to wake. Bright yellow eyes peered at me from the Compy. Yet, something moved near her side.

Two tiny bright eyes stared at me.

[Baby Compy, Level 10, Prey, Candy.]

It stood smaller than the ones I'd fought before, even though they were the same level. It must have something to do with the fact that it said Baby. Then again, it was also already level ten.

Strange.

"Pst."

I jerked my head up to the cage next to ours, and my eyes landed on someone who shouldn't be here.

[Manee, Blade Dancer, Level 152, Predator, Unknown.]

Her eyes flickered to Kabi's form, but she didn't speak. Instead, she glared at me like this was my fault.

No one else stood in the cage with her, and I couldn't help myself.

"Where's Havi?" I asked as quietly as possible.

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