I had a little free time over the Thanksgiving to think about the next part in the Man on the Inside series. Here's a rough preview. ^_^

Louis groped around in the almost darkness, his hand rubbing furiously against the shuddering pink insides of Will’s stomach. Sand grated in his throat, he had been screaming for so long.

“William! William! Wake up! Will!” He pushed his hand against the stomach wall, trying to get a reaction. The younger agent’s heartbeat was thick and fast in Louis’s ears. He didn’t know what a heart attack sounded like, but he feared he was hearing one now.

With one hand he re-tuned the sonic hearing on his SkySprecht. Through thudding flesh, he heard an authoritative female voice and the rattle of a gurney.

“Empty the ER now. I’ll be there in thirty seconds. Cetz, you’d better get some gloves on.”

“Rachel?” he whispered in hope.

The shuddering came to a stop as the gurney braked in the ER. Now he could hear Rachel and Cetz, working back and forth. He was going to be okay. There were back at the Watch Two base. But how the hell was he going to get out of here?

Rachel’s voice seemed closer. “Louis, if you can hear me, grab on and hold tight.”

“Grab what?” he muttered.

Suddenly, Will’s breath hitched; a gurgling sound echoing from his throat.

“Cetz, hold him down,” said Rachel.

“Can’t you sedated him?” asked Cetz.

“Can’t you guys hurry the hell up!” shouted Louis, not caring that neither of them could hear him.

A light burst forth from the esophageal opening, making his eyes ache. It was a tiny light on a slick black pipe, and a loop of wire attached. A gastro camera. The stomach walls glistened, looking like a dripping pink cave.

“The hell…” Then he realized what Rachel wanted him to do. He put his foot through the loop like a stirrup and locked his arms best he could around the pipe. His left arm burned and pinched, numb in the fingers. But he held on tight.

The tube inched towards the stomach entrance, enclosing Louis’s arms in warm, tight flesh. Crushing, suffocating, slick. Louis was reminded again of his nightmare of being swallowed by wet bed sheets, except this time he couldn’t wake up. He heard Will’s breath hitch again, choking as the walls tightened and quivered. The young agent’s body arched, as if protesting the removal of his partner from inside him.

Rachel cursed. “Hold him!”

“I’m trying!”

The enormity of the situation started to dawn on Louis. If something went wrong, if he got caught in Will’s throat or slipped down the wrong tube, they could both die.

“God William, please stop moving!”

Despite having a death grip on the gastro tube, the suffocating walls of the esophagus were making him slip down and wrench his left arm.

“Rachel, hurry up!”

Will’s body jerked up again. Louis’s grip was weakening.


And that's all I got so far. This is a flashback scene from the first story that you might recognize. I'll see if the first chapter can be posted first thing next year, but I can't make any promises. A lot of projects have to be finished before I can tackle this full on.

Meanwhile, look around, read a bit, have fun, and please comment! ^_^