Paradise 21-B
By Raven

Minotaur cursed the fog.  They used the concealing mist to 
hide their travel from island to island to ship, but it 
made travel unpleasant.  He paced the small boat, stopping 
occasionally to kick Darkraven's latest lover.

"They don't like it if we deliver them damaged," Lobo 
reminded his fellow Enforcer.

"Say he resisted us," Minotaur said, kicking Peter again.

"Your hoof marks are a bit distinctive," rumbled Rhino from 
his seat in the middle of the boat.  Rhino did not like 
traveling by boat.  Deep water made Rhino very nervous.  
Rhino could not swim and with the thick plates of natural 
armor on his body he would sink very fast.

Minotaur glared, kicked Peter again, and continued pacing.

Gene ground his teeth into his gag.  If he ever got loose, 
he was turning Minotaur into barbecue.  But the chains 
bound him, he could not create his wings with his hands 
bound behind his back, and the gag blocked him from 
breathing fire.  He was helpless.  And Gene Simmons did not 
like to feel helpless.

Peter lay on the boat deck and prayed Darkraven was okay.  
She had looked pretty bad when he was carried away.  But 
Samantha was there.  Surely Samantha would help her.  He 
continued to hope and pray, not expecting any rescue since 
no one knew where they were and where they were going.  And 
he tried not to think of the row of markers on the 
hillside.  

The boat ground against something.

Rhino shot to his feet.

"It's just the beach," Lobo laughed.  "We're out of here 
now."

"About damn time," Rhino rumbled, jumping over into the 
shallow water and splashing to dry land.

"Hey!"  Lobo threw a rope to Rhino.  "Pull us closer to 
shore.  I'm not getting soaked if I don't have to."  Rhino 
grumbled but complied.

"Piglet said there were people in the forbidden places," 
Minotaur said to his Enforcer co-leader.  "Search.  See 
what they are doing.  Capture at least one alive but we 
don't need all.  You can do whatever you want with the 
extras."

"You want us to save any females for you?"  Lobo asked.

Minotaur smiled.  "If they're cute.  And not too much 
trouble."  He touched the slashes on his shoulder and 
flinched.  Damn Darkraven.  Why did the little bitch keep 
fighting him?  "We'll share them."

"You can have my share of the bitches."  Lobo was content 
with his mate.  He did not understand why Minotaur kept 
adding to his harem.  Once you found the right bitch, you 
stayed with her; and Bianca was perfect for him.

"Just be sure to have someone for Dr. X to question," 
Minotaur reminded.  "And find out what the strangers are 
doing here.  Contact the one named Angel.  You know how to 
spot her?"

Lobo nodded.  "I know her looks and her scent.  I'll find 
her."

"Good.  We can handle these two now."

The boat pulled up onto the beach.  Lobo took a running 
leap and landed on dry sand.  Two other Enforcers joined 
him, and Rhino tossed the rope back to Minotaur.

Minotaur coiled the rope in the bow as Kong reversed the 
engine and backed the boat away from the northern-most 
island.  The apeman spun the wheel and aimed it out to the 
deep ocean, watching the locator to guide him to Ship X.

Gene and Peter looked at each other.  Two versus two.  They 
would have no better odds.  

Minotaur paced past Peter.  He stopped and aimed a kick.

Peter grabbed the hoofed foot and rolled.  Minotaur fell 
with a bellow.  Peter swung his bound legs around, 
delivering a kick to the side of the bullman's head and 
kept kicking.

Kong left the wheel, reaching for Peter to pull him away 
from the Enforcer.  Which was when Gene nailed Kong in the 
chest with a strong double-legged kick.

Kong disappeared overboard.

Minotaur smashed the flat of his hand against Peter's face, 
knocking the smaller man half unconscious and back onto 
Gene.  Minotaur scrambled across the deck and grabbed a 
pole.  "Kong!  Kong!"

Silence.

"Damn you."  Minotaur felt the red rage rising inside.  
"Damn you!"  He pounded the bound prisoners until the pole 
broke.  Standing over them breathing heavily, he waited for 
them to stir, to moan, to give him an excuse to begin the 
punishment again.  But they only lay on the deck and bled.

"KONG!"  He screamed into the mist.

Something bumped against the side of the boat.

"Kong," Minotaur said with relief.  He leaned over the 
railing.

An arm floated in the water, the fingers curled slightly.  

Minotaur stumbled back from the railing.  "Kong," he 
whispered.  He closed his eyes and a shiver traveled his 
body.  "Sharks.  Damn sharks."  He stumbled to the wheel, 
pausing enroute to deliver one more kick to the now 
unconscious Peter.

*	*	*	*	*

The Beast feasted on torn flesh, and savored the fear of 
the one in the boat above.  Fresh blood was good, but fear, 
fear was a sweet spice.

*	*	*	*	*
"Did you have to almost kill them?"  Dr. Xavier said in 
disgust.

"They killed Kong," Minotaur said angrily.  "And hurt me.  
I was alone in the boat.  I had to make sure they could not 
escape."

"Two bound prisoners," Xavier scolded.  "How could they 
hurt you?  I can tell from the blood that you beat them 
AFTER they were helpless.  There will be no reward for this 
capture.  Not when you deliver them almost dead."

"They were not helpless," Minotaur insisted.  "They were 
bound when they killed Kong."

Xavier chuckled.  "So two bound prisoners were able to kill 
Kong and almost take you?  It appears these bloodlines are 
superior to yours."

Minotaur ground his teeth together and promised himself the 
enjoyable sight of the death of Darkraven's lover.

"Where are the other Enforcers?"  Xavier asked as he 
watched the crew carry the limp bodies across the deck.

"Investigating the forbidden areas," Minotaur answered.  
"Piglet reported strangers there.  Lobo and the others will 
capture any strangers and bring some to you for 
questioning."

Xavier nodded.  "Piglet is useful.  Did he say how many 
were there?"

Minotaur snorted.  "That coward?  He said he had to kill 
one, although I doubt he did any more than squeal and run 
from it.  But he said there were more down there in the 
underground areas."

Xavier nodded.  "And what did he charge for this 
information?"

"A box of yellow sticks," Minotaur lied.  It had been half 
a box of rounds but if he could not get paid for delivering 
these two he would get a profit another way.

Xavier doubted that price but was not going to argue over a 
box of Twinkies.  "I'll have the quartermaster pay you when 
you leave."

"And our regular pay," Minotaur reminded.

"Of course."

Minotaur looked at the doorway where the two bound 
prisoners had disappeared.  "I would like to observe 
again."

"Won't the other Enforcers need you?"

Minotaur shook his head.  "They are only going against 
strangers.  Strangers are no danger to us."

Xavier headed to the doorway.  "Let's go get started then."

*	*	*	*	*

Gene woke to find metal bands holding him securely to a 
laboratory table.  Strange devices lined the room.  People 
in white lab coats were huddled around another table, 
blocking his view.

"Enjoy your last hours of life," a voice rumbled beside 
him.

Gene turned his head.  "Well if it ain't Bessy the 
milkcow."

Minotaur scowled.  "You killed Kong."

"Too bad we didn't turn you into a Big Mac," Gene answered.

"A what?"

A chuckle made both turn.

"I never thought I'd see a specimen like you," Xavier 
admitted with a pleased smile.  He let his eyes run down 
Gene's naked body.  "We thought Samantha unable to infect 
others.  In all the years of watching the islands we never 
saw her create a second generation of her mutation by any 
means."

"Who are you, where am I, and what is going on here?"  Gene 
demanded.

"My name is not important."  Xavier patted Gene's arm, 
feeling the hard muscles under the soft scales.  "Nice.  
Nice."

"I'd like to know what name to put on your tombstone," Gene 
said.

"I'm afraid neither you nor Darkraven's secondary will be 
leaving here alive," Xavier said, kneading Gene's ribs.  
"Good musculature."

"You're the bunch that's been killing Darkraven's lovers," 
Gene said through gritted teeth as anger and pain from the 
doctor's probing made him have to fight to control his 
emotions.  "Why?"

"I guess there's no harm in telling you," Xavier agreed, 
grateful for someone different to talk to.  "You may call 
me Dr. X.  This ship is a research vessel, researching what 
Dr. Moreau created on these islands."

"Moreau."  It took a moment for it to click.  "That's 
fiction!"

"Fiction based on fact," Xavier answered.  "The descendant 
of the doctor that book was based on continued the 
research.  And succeeded as you can see."  He motioned to 
Minotaur, to Gene, and across the room.

Gene looked across the room.  The people had stepped away 
and he could now see the other table.  Peter lay strapped 
on it, tubes attached to various parts of his body.  A 
heart monitor maintained a quiet regular beat.  Machines 
hummed.  Red fluid pumped through tubes and disappeared 
into machines.

"What are you doing to Peter?"  Gene demanded.

"Is that his name?"  Xavier asked.

"That is Peter Criss," Gene said angrily.  "I am Gene 
Simmons.  We are not laboratory rats for you to take apart.  
You are going to disconnect him from whatever torture 
device you have hooked up to him and you are going to let 
us go or I'll burn every one of you to a crisp."

"Oh really?"  Xavier asked in amusement.  "And how will you 
do that?"

Gene grinned and breathed a small wisp of fire.  Or tried 
to.  Because nothing happened.

Xavier laughed at his look of astonishment.  "You don't 
think I would be so foolish as to remove your gag without 
also seeing to it you cannot use that fire you gained from 
Samantha.  I drained the glands that produce the liquids 
that mix when you exhale.  You're out of lighter fluid."  
He patted Gene on the arm.  "And those bands can hold even 
Minotaur.  You won't be breaking them.  I have Moreau's 
notes.  I know what animals he combined to create a dragon.  
I know exactly what source DNA was used for every single 
Changer and Changed on the islands, and what it takes to 
hold them.  You aren't going anywhere."

One of the technicians approached.  "The exchange is 
progressing normally with the Darkraven secondary.  Shall 
we start on this one?"

"No," Xavier ordered.  "I want to see how long it takes for 
him to change back normally."

"Yes, Doctor.  All the routine testing?"

Xavier nodded.  "Work up the Darkraven secondary first.  We 
have days to do the Samantha secondary.  But if there's not 
anything new on the Darkraven I want him processed and 
finished in time for Minotaur to take care of the remains 
today."  He smiled as he saw the pleased grin on Minotaur's 
face.  It was so easy to please the bullman.

"You're going to kill him.  Why?"  Gene demanded.

"I'm going to kill you both," Xavier answered calmly.  "For 
science.  For the advancement of mankind.  We're draining 
the blood from the Darkraven secondary and replacing it 
with human blood substitute.  We can time his change and 
chart if there is anything abnormal in it in comparison to 
the other subjects.  We are running tests on samples of all 
his bodily fluids and tissues to see if the mutation is 
within the observed parameters.  If he has nothing outside 
the previously observed results, we'll terminate him and 
dispose of the remains.  Usually we toss them overboard and 
let our sharks handle it for us but Minotaur appears to 
like to attend to Darkraven's secondaries personally."

Minotaur was shivering slightly at the mention of sharks, 
remembering Kong's arm tapping against the boat.

"Why exchange blood?"  Gene asked.  "Just to force a 
change?"

"No.  We need the elements she transferred into him for our 
research.  We don't need him.  With her blood we can run 
tests and try to determine why some of Moreau's creations 
can force their changes on adult humans through blood 
transfers."

Gene scowled.  "What?"

Xavier enjoyed explaining things.  "Some of Moreau's 
creations appear to have an odd mutation.  They can with 
their blood turn a normal human into a second generation of 
their own mutation.  Darkraven.  The cat Changer who is 
keeping company with a member of your group.  Samantha.  
Several others.  If we can discover the secret of how they 
do it, we can make a serum that will make anyone into one 
of Moreau's creations.  So we protect the islands and do 
our research, hoping to discover the secret to their DNA."

"These are people!"  Gene spat.  "You have no right to do 
this."

Xavier chuckled.  "We are outside the jurisdiction of any 
country," he informed Gene.  "No one knows this place 
exists.  And no one knows you and your castaways survived 
that terrible explosion on your cruise ship."

Gene lay for several seconds looking up at the smiling 
doctor.  "You sabotaged the ship so we'd be left here.  You 
deliberately marooned us on these islands."

Xavier knew this specimen would be dead in a few days.  And 
it got boring talking to the same people day after day.  
"There was never anything wrong with the ship.  The crew 
that remained with the ship was all our people.  They 
diverted the ship here, left you, returned to the course 
they were supposed to be on, and then destroyed the ship.  
The searches are all hundreds of miles from here.  You are 
all officially dead.  But in your case, that will be 
accurate in a few more days.  Once we know how long 
Samantha's mutation will stay active without a steady 
supply of her blood to maintain it."

"What is it about her blood that does it?"  Gene asked.

Xavier shrugged.  "We're not sure.  Once a person is 
infected, the altered DNA merges with their genetic code 
but something else is needed for the DNA to be active.  
We've even found some who were infected with several 
strains, but only one may become the active strain.  Once 
activated the mutated DNA removes all other mutated DNA 
from the person's system and permanently seals itself in.  
But something has to keep the changes active.  There are 
some unique enzymes in Darkraven's blood that we suspect 
sustains the mutation in her secondaries.  Darkraven's 
dietary limits make it almost certain she'll infect anyone 
she's with for any length of time, which has made her an 
ideal subject.  Plus her mutation is one we have several 
clients interested in.  And Minotaur is always willing to 
help collect the secondaries for us.  We are right now 
testing your blood to see if similar enzymes are present in 
your blood."

"Make sure you let me know how I did on my tests," Gene 
said.  "And don't forget the pregnancy test.  Maybe I'm 
carrying Samantha's baby."

Xavier chuckled, enjoying the conversation.  He patted 
Gene's shoulder.  "If that's true we might keep you around 
until it's large enough to remove for dissection.  Maybe 
put the two of you on your own island and just borrow you 
every few months.  I'm sure you wouldn't want to carry a 
baby to full term.  And think of the fun you'll have making 
specimens for us."

Gene snarled, "There's no word for people like you.  And 
there's no pit deep and dark enough to be a fitting hole to 
seal you away in."

Peter stirred fitfully on the table.

"Ah."  Xavier turned.  "Hold onto that thought.  We'll 
continue this conversation later.  This is always 
fascinating to watch."

Peter suddenly convulsed.  His body arced against the bonds 
as fire burned between his shoulder blades.  He thrashed 
around on the table, beating against the bands holding him, 
fighting captivity as his own body rebelled against him.  
His muscles contracted in spasms that felt like they would 
shatter his bones.  His gut twisted in agony.  His heart 
beat so fast he thought it would explode.  Pain was a beast 
devouring him and all he wanted was an end to it all, even 
if the end was death.

"What are you doing to him?"  Gene demanded, fighting 
against his own bonds.

"I am doing nothing," Xavier answered.  "Without her blood 
his body is rejecting the changes.  We will see if he 
survives it."

"You bastards," Gene swore angrily.  "You filthy bastards."

Minotaur stood chuckling.

"I'm going to kill you," Gene promised.  "Somehow, someway, 
I'm killing every single one of you."

Gene saw Peter give one last convulsive shudder and then 
lie still.  He closed his eyes.  He had come looking for 
Peter and found him only to be forced to watch him die.  He 
felt tears form and refused to let them show.  He would not 
give these bastards the satisfaction.  He concentrated on 
the steady beep of the monitor and refused to let the...

He opened his eyes and looked at the monitor.

A steady heart rhythm ran across the screen over Peter's 
table.

Gene collapsed back onto the table.  Peter was alive.  
Peter was still alive.

Xavier walked across the room and grabbed the edge of a 
batwing.  Holding on tightly, he yanked.  The wing 
separated off cleanly.  "We'll let him rest.  Changing 
always weakens the subject."  Xavier walked back over, 
examining the root and the soft membrane between bony 
supports.  "The usual structure.  Always the same.  A nice 
stable mutation.  Better than some.  But the unstable ones 
died in the early years, before we found the islands.  Only 
the strong survive here now."

Gene turned away.  "You know, you'd probably have gotten 
along great with the concentration camp doctors."

Xavier tossed the wing in a corner.  "Amateurs.  They 
deserved to be executed."

"So now what do you do with us?"  Gene asked.

Xavier shrugged.  "Wait for his tests to come back to 
decide if we need to keep him longer or if Minotaur can 
have him.  Wait for you to initiate change back on your 
own.  Since neither is likely to occur in the next few 
hours, I am going to my cabin and do some reading.  I will 
return later and we can resume our talk then."  He left the 
room.

"I'll ask for them to wait until I return before they feed 
you to the sharks," Minotaur chuckled.  "You don't die 
quickly you know.  You feel them eating you alive.  Like 
Kong died.  I'll enjoy watching you die."  He left the room 
laughing.

Gene closed his eyes.  His dream cruise had turned into his 
worst nightmare.  His friends.  His loyal fans.  Marooned 
on a set of islands at the mercy of a madman.  And he was 
helpless to do anything.