Chapter 9 Badges

"Jasper! Jasper, can you hear me? For pete sakes. Why is he so slow. There you are. Do you know why the burlap sheets are off from these two cages?" asked Hopkins.

Scientist jasper rounded the corner quickly. Hopkins was looking over at both animals. She noticed the three of them all sleeping, or so it appeared that way. Jasper shook his head no as moved closer to hopkins.

"I have no idea. Maybe their movements caused them to shake down the sheets. All I know is I had soldier erickson climb up there and place them securely on top. He assured me they were set." replied Jasper.

Hopkins was growing bored with jaspers voice.

"Fine. I believe you. Have the soldier, whatever his name is, cover them back up. Tell him good luck this time with the animals being inside now. Hope the bear doesn't eat him." said Hopkins, laughing at her own joke.

Scientist jasper left her at once to find soldier erickson. Zarda in his mind was happy to hear the soldier would be placing the sheets back on. This would be a great opportunity to talk to him, but the nagging reminder that delilah had made, very, clear. Was that soldier, erickson would sabotage the mission. Zarda kept his mind calculated. There had to be a way to get delilah into Severance. Badges. That word popped up often in his brain. The only way inside the facility, were with badges. Badges are the key. That was it! Zarda knew his next move. Hopkins moved closer to zarda's cage. She stared at him with a blank look. Osborn peered over at her, glaring at the lion oddly.

"I'm going to break you today. Sleep while you can. The scientists are getting your examination room prepared. I'll be back to collect you soon." She sneered.

Osborn closed his eyes to avoid contact with hopkins. He felt worried for his new friend zarda. He knew he was in deep trouble. The two of them listened as her heel clicks disappeared. Osborn's eyes opened and looked over at zarda.

"Hey mate. I don't know what you did, but she's never spoken to anyone as she just did to you. I'm worried about ya." said Osborn.

Zarda looked back. He shook his head yes.

"She believes I'm the cure. Yesterday, or was it this morning? I can't tell anymore, I pissed her off. It seems I'm her boyfriends' killer. She seeks for vengeance. I just happen to be the target." He replied.

Soon, more footsteps returned. It was soldier erickson with a ladder. He looked into the cages at both beasts. He was already shaking before he even climbed the ladder. Zarda sat maleena up against the back wall. He crawled his way over to the front. Looking with a frightful intensity into the man's eyes.

"Hello piss pants. You come to visit me. I'm actually glad to see you again." said Zarda.

Erickson ignored the lion the best he could. He went on with his duties. Setting up the tall metal ladder between the two cages. He grabbed for the first sheet and slowly climbed up to the highest rung. Zarda could see him shaking and smell his fear wofting off strongly. Zarda reached out and grabbed his leg. The soldier freaked out and almost fell backwards.

"Please. Oh, god. Please don't eat me." He said frantically.

Zarda just laughed, and osborn joined him.

"Listen, I'm not going to eat you. I am in need of something of yours." He replied.

Erickson stopped whimpering and looked down into zarda's eyes.

"What is it that you could possibly need from me? asked Erickson.

Zarda released his leg, held out his hand palm facing flat up.

"I need your badge." said Zarda.

Erickson didn't comprehend.

"I can't do that. If I give you my badge, they'll ship me out. I've already got too many marks against me as is. Losing badges is one of the top things on the do not do list. I'm sorry I won't give it to you." Erickson replied.

Zarda had a feeling that he would refuse. Zarda closed his hand and reached out to grab ericksons leg again. He squeezed tighter than before.

Erickson screamed. "You said you wouldn't eat me." He cried.

"I did promise you that, and I won't eat you, but my friend osborn never promised you he wouldn't. He looks hungry too. Goodbye piss pants." replied Zarda.

He shoved the soldier over into osborn's cage.

"Don't kill him osborn, I need his badge." said

Zarda.

The soldier screamed as he fell i to the bears cage. Osborn reached out his huge arms and placed erickson into a choke hold. He squeezed tight, until the soldier blacked out. Osborn reached out to ericksons waist and snatched off his badge. He looked at the strange object. Turning the flat badge over and over again. Osborn tossed it over to zarda.

"I don't see the big hype, mate. Here you go." Said the bear.

"Thanks friend. I won't forget you when I go to escape." Zarda said.

Osborn was glad to help. He let erickson drop to the ground and pushed back against his cage. Zarda pushed the ladder over and pushed back next to maleena. She had woken up from all the noise. Watching with wide eyes. She turned to look at zarda.

"What just happened? Why is there a ladder on a soldier? What and who is that in the cage over there? " she asked.

"I just got our ticket out of here, from that soldier. That creature, you referred to in the cage over there, is a bear. His name is osborn. He's friendly. " Replied Zarda.

Osborn was waving and saying hello to maleena, while zarda was talking. She nodded her head up and down. She looked over to the bear and waved back.

"Hello, I'm maleena. A hyena, not a lion." She replied.

Everyone froze, they could hear more footsteps approaching. Zarda shoved the badge under the straw bedding. He pointed to maleena where he hid it, just in case he didn't return. Hopkins rounded the corner with scientist jasper, eugene, cyrus, and delilah. Zarda noticed her face looked sad. Delilah appeared to have been crying. Her focus stayed on the ground, and her arms were crossed over her chest. Her body language was awkward. Hopkins approached zarda's lock. She placed a master key inside and popped it open with ease. Opening the cage door, she swung it open and stepped aside. Hopkins paused and looked over at soldier erickson laying between the cages on the ground. She noticed the ladder was on top of him. She was furious and annoyed altogether. Rolling her eyes she went on with her plans.

"I have had enough of this oaf. When he wakes up, someone needs to escort him to the boat docks. His time here is over." said Hopkins.

"Don't you want to know what happened to him?" asked Eugene.

"Isn't it obvious. He fell off the ladder doing a simple job. I almost had hoped the bear would have eaten him. That would have been a better scenario ." She replied.

As hungry as osborn was, he had run that thought through his mind, but for zarda's sake he didn't.

"Zarda, we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way. Which do you prefer?" she asked.

Zarda understood what she wanted. He crawled out and stood straight up. His back cracked as he stood to full height. It felt good to be out of the cage. Osborn could finally see just how big the lion truly was. He was impressed.

"Jasper, cyrus please place the cuffs on zarda's hands. Don't worry, this is just for safety precautions." Said Hopkins.

She watched as they listens to her demands.

"Okay, let's go. Walk with us. Any trouble from you and the scientists, can zap you where you stand and do the test immediately." She warned.

"That won't be necessary. Just take me where I need to go and let's get this over with." replied Zarda.

Hopkins smiled in content.

"Very well." She replied.