Free Frozen Flora (The Gene Thief Series Book 2 - Short Story) by Jason Cole Page B

dissipating, and a mutual understanding between them began to grow. She maintained eye contact, and there was a connection between them that she couldn't understand, but she also couldn't deny.
    The onlookers continued to gawk and stare. Both amazed at how she was able to connect with the dog and frightened. Half of them were probably in the process of calling animal control to have the scared dog taken away, only to live inside a cage until his allotted time would be up.
    Finally, the dog made it to its feet, walked over to her, and sat down. She stroked his big broad head, and he hesitantly licked her.
    Kira knew time was of the essence. In order to get out of here with this dog, she needed to pull the wool back over their eyes. Those annoying little sheep.
    "Sorry about that everyone, sometimes he gets out, and isn’t so friendly to strangers. We had some bad experiences."
    She pet him some more and began to walk, hoping that he would follow, and act like he belonged to her. In reality, she knew that she belonged to him just as much as he did to her. If she were to take this dog, she would need to be ready to handle him being dependent on her. This was something she had never done before, and something she had never dreamed of doing.
    She felt like she should go home and spiffy up the apartment before she brought him into it.
    Then, she smiled and laughed at herself. He's just a dog, she reminded herself. He's just a dog.

Chapter 2
     
    They successfully made it back to their apartment without attracting any unwanted attention. When she entered, Kira was reminded of just how small the place was. It was just right for her, but barely enough for the two of them, especially considering that he weighed as much as her. Food. She needed food for him. And water. And toys.
    Holy shit, what did I get myself into?
    First things first. She brought him into the shower and started running water over him. Like a scared little baby, his ears retracted back, and he surrendered. The dog behaved, and Kira practiced compassion. So far, so good.
    Just as she was roughing him up with a towel to dry them both off, they were interrupted by a beeping. His big head perked up, he was on full alert. Obviously he wasn’t used to the sound like she was, but soon enough, he would get used to it, too. It only meant one thing: her next mission had arrived.
    She walked over to the projector and started to review the statistics of the new mission. Danger level: 6.3. She nodded, in approval and excitement. She wasn't always interested in higher danger levels, but, once in a while, they proved to be intriguing and adventurous. Hopefully, this time would not require salvation by vine.
    There is a plant being grown and worshipped in a remote corner of the Antarctic. Heavily guarded by warriors willing to go to any extent to protect it, you will need to extract a gene and get out. It is rumored that this plant is responsible for the indigenous people still being alive. Preliminary reports have shown an inimitable propensity to relieve pain completely. The tribe is located in the middle of nowhere, no technology in sight, and they rely on instinct to survive. Be nimble and be invisible.
    Holy shit.
    All she could think about was frigid weather, snow, and more numb body parts. She was glad the feeling had finally returned to her feet after hanging upside down by that vine, but now it was all about to go numb again.
    Initially, this sounded like a corporate mission. There would probably be some big monetary payout with very little personal fulfillment. Definitely not her favorite type.
    After she had finished reading the details about the mission, she heard that whimper again. The dog was still in the tub with a towel draped over him. She had forgotten all about him. Was this fair to him?
    There was no way to know for sure, but something inside her told her that he would rather be in her apartment than in the park. There was a lot they could learn from each