.......And Then There Was Two.............  Part II
by Dot

Sean awoke on a cot in a strange doorless room. He looked around him; this was his lab at USC right down to the photo on his desk of his mom and little sister.
    “Where am I?” He rubbed a painful spot behind his head
    “Ouch.” Standing he noticed a crescent shaped window placed quite high on the silvery shimmering wall.
Dragging his chair to a spot under it he climbed on and looked out.
    “Oh my God,” The view while beautiful took more then his breath away as he realized that indeed the beautiful blue sphere he was seeing was Earth.
Sliding down into the chair he put his head in his hands trying to reason what had happened and why he was here.
An opening appeared the seamless wall with a soft swish.
Sean jumped to his feet ready to charge the figure standing there.
    “I would not try that Dr. Lazarius”, before him stood an impeccably dressed man of Asian heritage. Although there was marked physical difference between him and Sean his demeanor was one of incredible self-confidence.
    “If you would have a seat again Doctor someone will examine your injury”
The smooth cultured voice betrayed not the least bit of worry that Sean would attack it’s owner.
As Sean sank back into the chair, the man motioned with his hand at someone standing outside the room.
With that motion Sean noticed the object fastened to his captor’s wrist, a Taelon implanted Skrill.
When he raised his eyes, the dark brown and seemingly pupiless eyes of the man were locked on to his.
A medical technician entered the room and swiftly examined the raised bump on Sean’s head, using a med-scanner he determined there was no lasting damage and changing the frequency sent a burst unseen energy into the injured spot, instantly relieving the pain.
The man stepped further into the room, his movements controlled yet graceful, the coiled energy of a big cat evident in the small lean frame.
    “You can make this easy on yourself or not the choice is yours.”
He picked up the photo of Sean’s Mother and sister, looked at it and carefully placed it back down. “Of course compliance Dr. Lazarius has its rewards as does resistance” one well-shaped eyebrow arched upward as he looked to see if Sean had caught the unspoken threat.
    “And what am I complying with?” Sean stood and moved to stand opposite him, taking the photo and turning it away from this strange mans gaze. A fleeting smile was all the answer he would receive as Zo’or the leader of the Taelon Synod swept into the room. “You will be working here as a guest of the Synod, perfecting your brain mapping research from theory into reality!” “This is hardly a research facility, and do most of your Guest arrive unconscious?” Sean drew himself up to his full height staring straight into the unblinking inhumanly blue eyes of the Taelon leader. Zo’or made a graceful movement of dismissal with his right hand, “Be that as it may, you have at your disposal the full use of our Taelon facilities and as many assistants as you may require.”
Sean continued to lock eyes with Zo’or his own icy blue ones not betraying the sinking feeling of dismay that now spread through him.
With the Taelon equivalent of a smirk Zo'or replied: “Do not confuse our generosity with weakness Dr. Lazarius, You WILL continue your work here as we have requested or face the consequences!”
Turning to leave, he stopped and looked at the dark Asian man who had not moved a muscle during the entire exchange. “Agent Sandoval will see to it that everything here and Zo’or glanced at the light of the planet reflected through the window, elsewhere, goes, as it should.” With that as a last word the Taelon swept out of the room, followed by Agent Sandoval, the wall closing again seamlessly. Sean clasped the precious photo to his breast, worried about any encounter between his family and
the cold-eyed Agent Sandoval. He would need an ally but where, would he find one on this ship?