Cellular...

Really Erica could understand if non took her seriously, but Baxter knew, she knew and most the others knew that her biological insights and knowledge of mutant and alien and even the creature Baxter created that he had shown her on the first day was beyond any of their own, perhaps Baxter would vouch for her knowledge and ensure her request to speak to the japs was seen to.

After all it would be the 'profitable' thing to do. A small grimace as the word flitted through her mind. But... but it also sparked an idea... Though more of a shadow of an idea as for most the past she was focused.

The trio managed to take Raphael through the facilities main hall from the yard and to the holding cells.

Erica ignoring her companions save for being mindful to remind them to remain out of reach so as not to get hurt. All three of them with their own task ignored the alarm though Erica personally found it irritating and hoped soon it would be shut the heck up! She'd hate to have to work on Raph with that blaring in their ears.

The 'holding cells'. A large white walled room that had the same sort of look as a barn, the floor plan was open a small 'work space in the center of four large 'cells' two on either side both with the same ... zoo like feel. Each cell had a face of bars facing towards the work station, a wheeled tray like 'cot' for sleeping to the right side and heavy automatic doors. Each cell had a small wall in the back which would lead to a bowl of a toilet and beyond it a shower - well really a short spout sticking out of the wall over a floor that dipped and had a small drain. As barn like wide and roomy there was no way around the fact it was a prison.

The three of them were no where near strong enough to shift the very large turtle, especially as he was - to Erica's dismay growing weaker - his blood lose was obviously in the danger zone. So Erica sent one of the two to retrieve a portable hydraulic pulley puller. And normally she'd have never touched Raph without asking but right now was not the time for pleasantries and so her small hands began to move over him slipping between bars removing his odd collection of gear as her fellow scientist went to retrieve his 'cells' cot for him to be shifted onto. Erica did not know if he was out of it yet or not so... just hummed. It was not strictly a tune -but maybe he would know it was for him as his cloths and leather pieces came off.. as much she could, anything she could not tug off would be gathered once he was on the cot for treatment. Once the other scientist was back with the pulleypuller Erica hoped Leatherhead was waiting at the pin pointed location and she could make like she was going to gather what they needed to treat the immense turtle man to gather what she needed from her best friend.

Though she loathed to leave Raph's side.

Surfacing into a low tunnel Leatherhead had to belly slid his way several long meters to the exit. He pokes just eyes out of the opening. A quiet side strip. No people. A fence to one side and he could see the top of a vehicle there... a land drover or humvee? maybe.

He climbs out of the exit giving himself a shake, though it was pointless there was a thick layer of mud about. He sighs and remained belly down a few steps before righting himself and going to the door way seating himself on his tail and retrieving his mobile from its spot sending Erica a text to let her know he was there and waiting.

Erica had just reached her hands through those freaking bars again sliding fingers along plastron to Raphael's leather strap toga trying to find the loop to undo it. Fingers had traced edges finding the middle and sliding down meeting the smoothed with wear and time leather before her phone buzzed emitting a deep rumble.

It was LH.

He was here.

She stops and looks at the other two. "I know what we need to complete this - uh just don't move him." and fingers tapping against him she was pulling back and backing up, hurrying away.

She hurries to the fire exit door and steps out, there was her great hulking friend and his smile, slipping off the back pack and giving it to her. "Thank you Jaws..." She smiles tiptoeing to kiss his long jaw. "be careful going home, I'd like to stay longer but Raph is in trouble..." She apologizes and offers a light scratch to his spot before smiling and heading back inside to make a dash for the supplies and head back to Raph.

Leatherhead rumbled in joy at the light contact, he was not insulted she had to leave so quickly and once gone he tucks his phone back away and heads back to the storm drain un awares of the tracks left in the mud.

Though it could rain again and they be washed away.

Closing the door behind her Erica scraped her boots on the flat mat and then hurried away. Still she did leave a few tracks of her own before vanishing. And five minutes later arms loaded with gear and a backpack that had not been there before on her back she rejoins the two scientists and Raph. "I'm back." for him not for their benefit.

The transport cage was in motion and all of this shuffling about was not helping the onset of vertigo. Raphael's stomach lurched, a combination of the movement and the effects of blood loss. If he did 'toss his cookies' he could only hope that one of those ass-hats would be close enough to be doused with the nastiness. But no such luck. It seemed after witnessing what happened to their fellow friend, and then their boss man, they would heed Erica's warning and steer clear of the cage.


Given the size of the cage and the fact that he had spears protruding from his body and an arrow in his neck, getting even remotely comfortable wasn't happening. His eyes fluttered beneath the pull, body desiring nothing to shut down, to reserve whatever energy possible since the life was literally pouring out of him. He finally went down on his uninjured side, breathing labored and raspy, slight gurgling from the blood rattling in his throat. He tried to focus on Erica as she worked at removing his gear, not having the energy to protest, even if he wanted to. He could have easily hurt her if he so desired, but in the short amount of time he had known her, the girl had made an impact on him.


The scientists didn't seem to acknowledge it as anything more than  the beast's blood loss taking its toll on him. At this rate, he would probably be dead soon. And maybe.. maybe it was for the best, seeing how dangerous he was. There was still much that could be learned through dissection, but they knew Baxter's orders were clear. Save him for the pending programs.



Then Erica left with the promise to return shortly. Still, the absence seemed to trigger his anxiety. The only tinge of comfort and hope.. gone. And would they allow her to return? Breathing became heavier and he once again tried to stand, thrusting his weight time and time again against the unforgiving bars. The remaining scientists became panicked. What was the protocol if this beast escaped? They had never dealt with anything so massive. And that cage was only designed for transport. They were supposed to be moving him onto the cot, but right not that wasn't even an option.


Fortunately Erica soon returned just as the last of his energy was spent, his hopeless and pleading gaze fixating on her as he crumbled, struggling to catch his breath....


The two scientists, still taken aback by the outburst remained distant, confused, but awaiting Erica's next orders. Funny how they didn't seem to mind taking instructions from a mere intern.

Oh god! The look in those golden eyes!

How many times since the first time earlier that now previous day had she told him those eyes were unique and beautiful? And here he was pleading with her through them, her own caught and held by them as she makes her way over handing things to the others as she past. "please prepare the dental cement for his plastron and carapace," she told one, it would take time to prepare it and it would keep one scientist busy, "you please come closer and hand me instruments as I ask for them, we won't have time to remove him from this cage before ... I'll go in and do it." 

He would be okay. She placed the back pack and the heavy bulky tool bag she had grabbed along with the first aid kit onto the cot from the cell opening each flat as she could so the other could see everything, there was also an oxygen tank she had been pulling along and mask she had dragged along and - she grabbed alcoholic wipes and unzipped the side of the dress she's worn yanking it off and ripping open the swab patches as she dropped to hands and knees beside the cage, the dress went under him as he was crumpling, this would provide them a 'rug' to pull him out by later when stable enough to move. The wipes she began to run over her hands and wrists up to her elbows, no time to be shy. Her modesty mattered so little to her in comparison.

The bars spaced to hold him were wide enough for her to slip in, head first, twisting her shoulders then squishing her breasts and ass. Here she guided Raph down the rest of the way, her voice which may have been mistaken for just a low soothing croon to the others, meant for him alone, "Not a lot of room, but we'll make do, trust me now... relax... try to slow your breaths..." it was cramped, her back would be against the bars, but she had enough arm room to work on him.  She guided the massive turtle further onto his uninjured side, at an angle, guiding a leg with one of her's to provide prop for his form his arms out so she had access to veins, his head to the curve her hip and thigh would provide, her legs shifting, one along his plastron careful not to upset that goddamned spear the other half bent uncomfortably around carapace. The position was awkward, but it allowed her full range over the injuries and with his head where it was would help open his air way as much as possible and allow him to cough, or puke if he had to and not drown in it on her. 

And minimal as it would be her position also allow her body heat to offer a little warmth to him, as much bare skin contact as she could given their space. 

That arrow came out first, her hands working fast to patch him to stop further bleeding. "bite me if you need to in pain." she tells him apologetic because as for now she could not give him anything to ease the pain he was no doubt in as she worked, stitching, swabbing, clearing...

Once Bonesteel was gone and the alarm off and the girl placed back in her room, Baxter went to see what Erica was doing with the turtle.

I do not appreciate your attitude back there. He told Erica as he came in the room the door closing behind him.

Don't forget, you are just an intern.

Bax kept his disstence this time from the turtle and watched Erica work. Though he was upset by her bossyness he couldn't deny that she knew what she was doing.

After he's fixed up, we're putting him in a more secure location. A glass chamber. Like an aquarium! he'l feel right at home. I already have my cooks making a fine dish of algae, meal worms and some supplements.

She meant for him to sleep. She meant for Raphael to find it in the warmth of her body, her voices tuneless yet melodious humming and the way it resonating deep. She would have to depart for some time - but she would be back. And it dawned on her she may very well pretty much be living here whilst he was a captive.

Adding the finishing buffing to smooth the enamel and polishing it then finally adding a drip for the blood he would need. She could not hook the bag line itself up in the cage but as soon as he was asleep and they could move him she would ensure it was done.

Once the catheter was in place though and she had pushed the rest of the tools and spears from the cage she bends to check his face to see if he was truly and deeply in the restorative sought of sleep he would deep.

And now - the immediate critical danger having passed she could enjoy the way his weight felt against her and the slightly pebblish yet at the same time smooth feel of his skin and that same sensation that had pervaded her on the couch many hours ago of...

belonging.

Raphael fought desperately to stay awake, but the fatigue earned from his ordeal was making it impossible. Not to mention, that lovely, lulling humming and the combined warmth that her body provided- as small as she was, seemed to resonate and envelope him. Seconds ticked on and he lost the struggle, eyes finally sliding closed with no sign of reopening any time soon, nuzzled comfortably against her and one hand finding hers the moment one was idle. He would be spared of the pending transport, lost in the warmth and the bliss of sleep....

"Erica..." one of the assistants called...

It sounded like it came through a radio that was playing underwater, the sound ebbed and flowed and seemed fuzzy.

"Erica..." and a prodding sensation...

And Erica blinked - not understanding for several long moments what was going on.

"You went to sleep... he seems stable enough now - we should move him, it's been hours..." the man explained seeing the sleep confusion on the girls face. They had cleaned up the blood in this space and packed most of the stuff into boxes, and then bored played with a deck of cards until deciding time had ran too long and it was time for the girl to come out of the cage and the turtle to be placed away.

Time catching up with her and momentarily horrified she had gone to sleep - and yet unable to deny even those short hours had done wonders, and it had felt so natural to sleep so curled up with Raph... so she just held the great turtle a moment longer, snugged him small hand inside his large one. "Rest well Raphael... I'll be back." She whispers nuzzling the ear hole before beginning the process of extricating herself from him, gently so as not to drop his head or wake him.

Careful to slip out between the bars and -

at first staggering about slightly as pins and needles in her sleeping legs stung, painfully for a while, subsiding as her numb ass grew feeling back in it once more and she could feel where she had slept against the bars pressed to her back, she would bruise... but seeing Raph sleeping so deep and recovering made it worth it.

And then recalling and realizing she could not help transport him in her undies - finally blushed at the thought of being so undressed and rushed over to the wall to grab a white suit and step into it, doing it up. "Okay lets... get him away - I'll come back for the mess and clean it up." She sighs... she was exhausted and really wanted nothing better in that moment than to crawl back into his cage - curl back up beside him and sleep.

As it was not happening any time soon though Erica instead focused on getting him to his 'aquarium' and once inside they used the pulleypuller upon the dress stuck underneath him to pulls the big turtle onto the 'cot' here. Erica rigging up the blood for him and rubbing his snout gently a last time before stepping away.

Hurrying off to clean up, hide the stash of LH blood in her office - along with the spears and arrow and the toolkit - which had an hack saw in it for using on those cruel things.

Then to a radiation shower to wash and ponder what to wear for this... do... well maybe the lost and found box would have something?