Taste of Cyn

Containing Malice – Second Scene Of The First Chapter

By Cynthia Sax on January 11, 2021

I’m sharing scenes from the first chapter of Containing Malice as we wait for its release of on February 2nd.

You can read the first scene from the first chapter of Containing Malice here:

http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=7818

This week I’m sharing the second scene of that first chapter.

***

“You touched her.” Picton, one of the guards, smirked at her. He stood in front of C589632’s chamber.

Nelson, one of his cronies, was positioned against the far wall. He acted as though he had heard, had seen, nothing.

“You’re going to die, Medic.” Picton’s tone was gleeful. “But not before you’re forced to decommission your favorite.”

A chill skittered down Illona’s spine. “I’m not decommissioning anyone.”

That was a process reserved for cyborgs, the half organic, half mechanic beings designed by the Humanoid Alliance to fight their many wars. During decommissioning, the manufactured warriors were dissected for functional parts while they were conscious. No pain inhibitors were utilized. It was a slow and torturous death.

“And I don’t have favorites.” She accessed the control panel by the chamber’s door. “They’re machines.”

That was the Humanoid Alliance view. She was a medic, was well aware cyborgs had human-like brains, as well as processors, were capable of independent thought and fierce emotions.

They also had the ability to form tight friendships, which was how they were being controlled. If C589632—Malice—ignored orders, Valor, his E Model friend, was tortured and threatened with decommissioning. That was, she suspected, the only reason the C Model hadn’t escaped.

And it was why she had to free both of them at the same time…if she, with Medic Febris’ assistance, could accomplish that feat. Neither of the cyborgs would leave without the other.

“You didn’t hear the news.” The malevolent gleam in Picton’s eyes told Illona that news wouldn’t be good. “They’re ending the cyborg program. Some mad being has been targeting all the labs containing them, blowing the structures to shit.” His laugh held no humor. “The Humanoid Alliance aren’t taking the risk of keeping the machines. Your favorite has ten planet rotations, fifteen at the most, left, and then he’ll be replacement parts, his pretty face carved into pieces. By you.” He laughed again. “I can’t wait to see that.”

Illona wanted to dismiss the male’s words as the maniacal ramblings of a being who had been stationed in the remote lab for too long a duration.

But she had heard the same rumors about an unknown force blowing up labs that contained cyborgs. That had strengthened her resolve to liberate her patients before she died.

She would help a few more beings…if that was possible.

Picton would prevent that from happening if he knew about her plans. The male inflicted pain whenever he had the occasion to do that.

His previous planet rotation activities proved that to be true.

“The logs say you entered the chamber during the rest cycle.” She frowned at the control panel.

The guard would have brutalized Malice during that visit. He hated the cyborg, took every opportunity he was given to hurt the male.

Normally, she wouldn’t say anything. There was nothing she could do or say that would stop the abuse permanently, and mentioning it often made it worse. But to free Malice and Valor, she had to push Picton to take extreme action, to seek revenge against her.

“The machine became agitated.” The guard shrugged. “I had to calm it down.”

That was bovine shit. “The next time you have to calm it down during a rest cycle, contact me.” She met the guard’s gaze. “Either I’m present, or there will be a notification on your file. Do you understand me?”

The male narrowed his eyes at her. “I understand.”

The more notifications a being had on his or her file, the higher the likelihood they would be unknowingly experimented upon. Picton had survived as long as he had by not being caught.

She didn’t have much power, but she did have ability to put him in peril. And threatening to do so would prompt Picton to seek to eliminate her…permanently.

That could save the cyborg she had grown to care too much about. She maintained her serene expression, hiding her emotions from view. “Has the chamber been prepared?”

“The portable medic station has been locked in place. The machine has been stunned and strapped to the horizontal support.” Picton caressed the handle of his reprimand stick, his torture tool of choice. “It resisted that process.”

Fuck. The male had beaten Malice…likely after the cyborg had been restrained.

“Then you can take your break.” She opened the door to the chamber.

“You’ll take a stick to the head. Soon.” The guard said that under his breath as the door closed behind her.

If he had said the words louder, she’d have the proof she needed to write him up for that also. But Picton knew the system, knew his voice had been too soft for the monitoring equipment to register.

Reporting a being without proof deleted one notification from the accused’s file and added a notification to the accuser’s file. Illona wouldn’t survive a harsher experiment, and she needed the extra planet rotations. She had beings to save.

The male strapped to the horizontal support was one of those beings.

He wouldn’t appreciate her sacrifice.

***

Read the next scene (available January 18th) here: http://tasteofcyn.com/?p=7822

***

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Containing Malice

This tormented cyborg craves vengeance…and her.

***

Malice, a C Model cyborg, has spent his long lifespan enslaved by the Humanoid Alliance. His cruel manufacturers have hurt him in all the ways a male could be hurt.

His enemy has now added a new weapon to their arsenal—a tiny human medic with soft hands and a delectable scent. She experiments on him multiple times a shift, delivering pain…and frustration.

He wants her. He also seeks retribution.

Once Malice frees himself, he plans to achieve both of his goals, taking Medic Illona captive and ending her research…permanently.

Illona is as much a prisoner as the cyborgs she experiments on. Since her arrival at the Human Alliance’s secret laboratory, she has carefully, stealthily, crafted a plot to free her test subjects. To conceal her covert activities, the medic has been forced to harm beings rather than heal them.

The being she has damaged the most is also the cyborg she fiercely desires— Malice, a huge, gray-skinned, blue-eyed C Model with massive hands and a voice deeper than space. He hates her, has good reason to do so, and, when he’s freed, there’s a high probability he’ll kill her.

Illona will take that risk to ensure he survives.

***

Containing Malice is a STANDALONE enemies-to-lovers Cyborg SciFi Romance set in a dark, gritty, sometimes-violent universe.

It is the first of five core stories in the Rebel Cyborgs Series.

Book 1: Containing Malice
Book 2: Under Strain
Book 3: Baring Grudge
Book 4: B Free
Book 5: Seizing Power

Pre-order Today:

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LK4CWHS

Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08LK4CWHS

Amazon AUS:

https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B08LK4CWHS