The Lab

The only clothing that was clean were the outfits the dancers in the cages wore. Lois covered the essentials with a thong and a top she could have flossed with, neon-pink bits of ribbon that tied at the sides for easy access and removal. On top of that she managed to find somebody's extra pair of white gym socks and the cut-down remains of a t-shirt that left the bottom of her breasts exposed. Maria was dressed much the same, though instead of a t-shirt she had managed to find a pair of daisy dukes.

Lois had seen worse sights than the barmaid squeezing her ass into the cut-off jean shorts, and noted with approval that the bottom of her cheeks hung out the back.

Maria led Lois along a back corridor; doors led off to offices, storage closets, a breakroom. A large man with a bald head, black glasses, and an earpiece stood in front of a door at the end of it, a heavy pistol visible in a shoulder holster—the lack of concealment alone let Lois know they were close to something big.

He raised one eyebrow as they passed, but Maria ignored him and led Lois around the corner, down the hallway to the fire door and the stairs.

The reporter marveled at the cool air on her skin. She felt more exposed in the thong than she did when she was naked in the dressing room with Maria. Her heart was pounding in her chest as they went down the stairs, unsupported tits threatening to jiggle right out of their tops. Whether it was the adrenalin or the **** or both, she didn't care who saw her right then, felt almost invincible and strong...a bit, she imagined, like Superman must feel all the time.

The door at the bottom of the stairs had another biometric keypad. Maria bit her lip as she tapped in a code, and the door thunked as it opened. Lois stepped through...and was immediately hit by the antiseptic, sad smell of hospitals and emergency rooms.

The room was large, and open, but partitioned off into separate spaces but hanging curtains, gaily abstract printed things. There were five of them, facing her, each with its own light fixture, hospital bed, and arrays of surrounding medical equipment. Four of the beds were occupied, while the fifth, the one on the end at Lois' left, was empty.

It took her a moment to recognize that the things in the beds had once been human.

"That's far enough, Lane." A familiar voice said from behind her.