The tip of the cigarette flared red. The woman closed her eyes as she put the lighter back in her pocket, some small ecstasy on her face as she took t...he cigarette out of her mouth an exhaled, letting the smoke billow out, her whole body relaxing in an almost post-coital fashion. She opened her eyes again, looking slantwise at Naira."You know, I help people quit these things for a living." The irony of it all," Naira mused as her eyes traced the glowing tip, memories of post finals soirees with. Nothing she was gone.CHAPTER 3 The General stomped back into the lab, it was empty now save for the body of the tech. His men had lined up the remaining staff in the restroom. Peter Crawley was nursing his arm now in a sling the unit medic having popped it back in. ?Make sure we take everything, then destroy everything, no survivors.? Cursed the General ?What about her?? offered Crawley, gesturing at a defiant Dr Baxter sitting with the other staff.?Take her; we will probably need her now we. I tried to fix my dress the best that I could. I still didn’t have any panties on, but I found a nice pair of black stockings and I quickly put them on. At least my legs would be warm. I did a quick check on myself in the mirror then left the ladies room. Damon was still not looking in my direction when I reappeared in the storefront so I didn’t say anything else to him and just left.Outside, as I walked towards Norman’s car my stomach began to feel a bit queasy. I was still terrified of this. High walls with a tall red gate concealed a two story house with a balcony overlooking a long driveway. I began to muse about how that driveway must have been the scene of many a game of hide and seek, or war, or whatever odd games kids concoct to kill time. The midnight air was chilly and I began to grow impatient. Faint hints of muddled baselines and melodies made its way from the nearby clubs and bars to mix with the sound of cicadas singing to the rustling of the leaves. My phone rang and.