Acidalia XXIII

By Amanda D.

Previously: Dr Sam Greyson was kidnapped by Yvonne Logan and her group. During the kidnapping Thomas and Yvonne met for the first time since she was sent to quarantine. The meeting was brief and Yvonne left the scene with Sam in the car. Little do they know that Becket gave Sam her ankle monitor and the Sister's, with the help of SGT Russov, are using it to track the group down. Meanwhile Ellie is on a mission of her own.

Tuesday Oct 6:

90 minutes ago:

Ellie:

The government issue dark blue Chevy Suburban pulled up in front of the seedy looking, dilapidated red brick building. From the façade it looked like no one had inhabited it in at least half a decade. The pair of small store fronts at sidewalk level with their grime covered large plate glass display windows gave the place a gap-toothed look with one of them smashed and the other three cracked but mostly intact.

Hanging over the remains of rust covered metallic doors were the skeletal remains of a, what she supposed at one time were canvas awnings, now reduced to simple aluminum rods with scraps of material hanging from them. The sidewalk in front was covered in grime and filth so badly that the curb stones appeared dark as volcanic rock.

Kara Charles took in the scene with a look of utter disgust plastered to her face. She looked over the shoulder and asked, “Are you sure this is the right place?”

“According to Mr. Harkin this is the address.” Ellie replied.

“They really have a clinic in there?” Joan Ashford asked.

“That’s what he says.” Ellie replied. “The entrance is down the alley way we just passed.”

“Well, if it’s there, they picked the perfect disguise.” Ashford noted.
“
I’d never have guessed this place is up for anything more than demolition.” Charles agreed. “So, what’s the plan Ms. Wolf?”

“Ellie, please.” She replied in annoyance. She couldn’t count how many times she’d told the military attachment to call her by her first name and yet they still refused. It was really starting to annoy her. She wondered if maybe she needed to ask Russov to order them too.

When neither of her escorts said anything, she went on. “The plan is we go knock on the door and see what happens.”

“Not much of a plan.” Charles commented.

“Do you have a more comprehensive one Corporal?” Ellie asked.

“I think you should stay here in the car with Ashford while I go scope the situation out. If it seems safe enough, I will radio her and you two can follow.” Charles answered.

Ellie shook her head. “I have an even better idea. How about you two wait here and I’ll go say hi by myself rather than looking like a military invasion.” She had all but begged for the two to wear civilian clothes, but Russov insisted they both wear their army fatigues.

“I can’t allow that Ms. Wolf.” Kara replied.

“I don’t answer to you Corporal.” Ellie reminded them.

“No, ma’am, you don’t but you did agree to allow us to do our job. Letting you go into an unknown, possibly hostile environment by yourself isn’t holding up your end of the bargain.” Corporal Charles chastised.

Ellie let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine then you come with me, and Joan can wait here in the car. How’s that sound for a plan?”

Kara sighed to herself. She’d seen Ellie beat down almost everyone that argued with her, but this was the first time she’d experienced it herself. She now understood why Sargent Russov had compared it to beating your head off a brick wall. “Fine. Ashford you wait here with the radio on. I’ll call you if there’s trouble.”

“Yes Corporal.”

Charles opened the door and hoped out. Much as Ellie hated all the pomp and circumstance, she knew better than to jump right out. The military people insisted on “checking out the perimeter” before letting her leave the vehicle.

Once Kara was satisfied it was relatively safe, she knocked on the back door where Ellie sat and allowed her to exit the vehicle.

The pair walked back around the left side of the building and peered down the trash strewn alley way. The stink of it was enough to make Ellie think twice about the idea walking down there. “It’s probably rat infested, and god only knows what kind of bugs there might be.” She thought queasily.

Charles looked over at her. “Are you ok?” she asked noticing how green Ellie was becoming.

“The smell.” Ellie replied, not wanting to mention her phobia.

“MMM ya. Good stuff huh?” Kara said sarcastically. “After you Ms. Wolf.”

“Ya, thanks.” Holding her breath, Ellie took a cautious step forward silently regretting wearing open toe shoes.

“Glad I wore my boots now.” The Corporal taunted.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Maybe I should have had Joan come with me.”

“Trust me, she’d be even worse.” Kara said with a laugh.

Ellie smiled and nodded but chose not to reply. Instead, she concentrated on where to place her foot.

After what seemed like an age of watchful foot placement on Ellie’s part, the pair came to the end of the alleyway. A large brick wall faced them, the rear of the building on the next block Ellie assumed. To the left was another wall, this one stone, lined with dumpsters. On their right in the very back corner was a grey painted metal door, recessed several inches into the brick siding. From the street you wouldn’t have been able to tell it was there. Elie was impressed with how far they’d gone to hide themselves and how effectively they’d done it.

“Perhaps if we’d been cleverer the warehouse never would have been found.” She thought.

She pointed at the door. “I guess that’s what we’re looking for.” She told Charles while she carefully stepped over to the alcove. Looking up she spotted a small camera embedded at the top of the door frame. Putting on her best smile, she looked up into it and waved then rapped on the metal door.

She stepped back from it and waited. For a long time nothing happened. She looked over at Corporal Charles who shrugged. “Are you sure this is the right place?”

“Not anymore.” Ellie admitted. She knocked on it as hard as her knuckles would allow a second time.

This time she could hear something make a soft bang behind it. Encouraged she called out, “Hello?”

The door opened with the loud squeal of rusted hinges. A giant of a woman stood in the newly empty frame. She was at least as tall as Wendy had been with skin so dark it was almost mahogany and muscles that looked like she bench press a Toyota. Over the behemoths shoulders cascades braids that reached down past the swell of her breasts and down to the middle of her back. Her face was screwed into a deep frown. It was obvious she was less than pleased with being disturbed.

In an amazingly musical voice that belied her massive size the giantess gruffly asked, “What do you want?”

“Hello.” Ellie replied stepping forward and extending her hand. “My name is Ellie Wolf. I’m here to see Dr Turner.”

“Never heard of her.” The giant new woman replied then growled. “Now go away before I make you.”

“I think you know exactly who I’m talking about.” Ellie told her as. She went with her instinct and stood her ground not wanting the giantess to think she was afraid. She didn’t look but Ellie could sense Charles tensing as the muscular woman took a step toward her.

“Ya? Why do you say that?” she asked standing just afoot or so away.

Ellie, being short as she was had to look almost straight up to make eye contact with eh downward looking face. “Because I never mentioned it was a she I was looking for.”

Behind her Charles laughed out loud. Ellie rolled her eyes. The last thing she needed was someone else to antagonize the situation.

“Something funny blondie?” the dark-skinned woman asked looking over at the corporal.

“Ya. You. You’re fricken hilarious.” Kara replied. The woman stood in place glaring at the corporal. Charles laughed even harder. “Sweetie, you need to work on that death stare. I don’t think it’s as effective as you think it is.” Her voice was filled with condensation.

The hulking new woman stepped away from Ellie and started towards Charles. “You’re not gonna think it’s so funny in a minute!” She said angrily.

“Harriot!” a voice from inside yelled.

The large dark-skinned woman turned back and looked at the entrance. Standing there was a middle aged fair skinned woman with short brown hair wearing a white cotton coat over her black dress slacks and beige blouse. It was easy to see the stress lines on her face as she scowled.

“How many times have I told you to stop being such a bully? You’re far too big to be starting fights with people! Do you really want to kill someone? Cause you can you know. Wouldn’t take more than one or two punches to do it! Is that what you want?” she chastised.

“But Doc…”

“No. No buts. You know the rules. Get inside we will discuss this is further detail later.”

The giantess dropped her head and in a small child sounding voice replied, “Yes ma’am.”

Turning to the strangers the woman asked, “Neither of you look like you’re sick so you’re not here for treatment. That begs the question, why are you here then? I don’t have a lot of time for shenanigans so please get to the point of your visit and then go.”

Ellie was impressed with her fearlessness and smiled. “Actually, if you’re who I think you are I’m here to offer you something. My name is Ellie Wolf. Behind me in the fatigues is Corporal Kara Charles.” Elli said pointing at the Kara. “I assume you’re Dr. Laura Turner?”
T
he woman looked stunned. “How…how do you know my name?”

“Let’s just say we have people that are in the know about just about everything.” Ellie explained. “We’re just here to talk Dr. Turner. We’re kind of exposed out here though, may we come in?

Turner looked them over. She seemed to Ellie to be considering her options. Ellie noticed her eyes constantly fliting to the corporal’s weapon. The leader of the Sisters inwardly groaned the last thing she wanted was to intimidate her way in. If things were going to work out the doctor was going to have to come with them willingly not out of fear.

Finally, Turner said, “You can come in but I’m afraid we don’t allow weapons inside. Your military friend there is going to have to leave her gun somewhere or wait out here until we’re finished.”

“Ms. Wolf doesn’t go anywhere without me.” Charles told the doctor.

“Or, in that case you can both just leave then. It’s not like we asked you to come bother us.” Turner told them then turned to go back inside where Harriot waited just inside the doorway.

Ellie threw her hands up in the air and said “Dr. Turner, wait! Corporal Charles will get into trouble with CO (commanding officer) if she just leaves her gun sitting around where someone can pick it up. Can she turn it over to one of your people for safe keeping while we speak?”

Turner turned back and looked at Ellie, then back at the building. “Harriot, you wait out here with the soldier’s weapons.”

“But doctor I don’t wanna wait out there…”

“I don’t want to hear it!” Turner said sternly. “You’re already in enough trouble as is. Do you want to add to it by whining?”

“No ma’am.” She replied sulkily. She looked over at Kara and said, “I’ll hold your gun for you.”

Kara shot Ellie a look that questioned her sanity. “I’m not so sure…”

“Jesus F’n Christ! Either give her your gun or wait out here corporal, I really don’t give a shit at this point but I’m going inside to talk to Dr. Turner!” Ellie said angrily as she started walking towards the open door. She’d had enough of the ducking and fucking. That along with the stink of the ally way was causing her to quickly lose patience with the entire situation.

“Fuck. Fine.” She took off her gun belt and handed it to Harriot. “I want that back in exactly the same shape it’s in now.”

“Don’t worry. Harriot knows better than to play with guns.” Turner reassured her. The look the Corporal returned showed she was anything but reassured.

The three of them walked inside and immediately Ellie was struck by an all too familiar scent of sickness. It reminded her of how the ward at the warehouse smelled on warm days.

“I’m sorry for Harriot’s behavior. She’s too young to understand what kind of damage she’s capable of causing.” Turner explained as they descended into the building’s basement.

“How old is she?” Chares asked curiously.

“She’s eight. The virus gave her some truly remarkable physical attributes, including aging her body to full maturity in less than a week. It was incredibly painful for her even though we did the best we could to keep her comfortable. Being so young she has come to see me as something of a mother figure I suppose.” She stopped speaking for a moment, then finished with, “Despite all the problems it’s caused the Acidalia virus truly a miracle of nature.”

“Eight?” Ellie questioned. “Wow. We had someone with a mutation similar to hers with us, but she was fully mature before the transition.”

Turner nodded as the came to the bottom of the stairs. She stopped, turned back and asked. “Your friend, companion, whatever, was de aged?”

“Yes, she was a male in her mid-30’s. Once the virus finished with her, she was reverted to the physical age of about 12 or 13 years old.” Ellie told the doctor.

“Amazing. I’d love to get some blood and tissue samples of someone like that and compare them to Hillary’s.” Turner replied excitedly. “Just to warn you both, the ventilation in here is very poor. It can get overwhelming until you adjust to the smell. Sorry in advance.”

She pushed the door open and, true to her words, the smell from inside was nearly overwhelming. Kara wretched loudly and Ellie pinched her nose. Both of the new woman turned a decided shade of green but managed to keep the gorge that threatened to rise up out of both of them down.

“Everything I promised you and more huh?” Turner said apologetically.

Ellie surveyed the room they were in. Everywhere there was space there was a bed with a patient on it. Perhaps twenty, in transition, virus victims in all. The stink of sickness, sweat and human waste permeated every nook and cranny.

“You take care of all these people on your own?” Kara asked. She had never personally seen so many virus victims in such a small, confined area before. It was incredible to think one person cared for them all.

“No. There are two others that help me, but they are bunked down at the moment. We run three ten-hour shifts to allow the others to rest a bit between.” Turner turned to look at the pair and spread her arms out as she turned in a quick circle then went on. “There you go, that’s the grand tour, now tell me, Miss Wolf, why are you and your escort here?”

“Well doctor, I’m here to offer you some help. I’m with the Sisters of Acidalia…”

“The terrorist group? You blew up a bunch of testing centers and clinics, yes?” Turner asked surprised.

Ellie snorted. “The government’s representation of what we do is somewhat distorted as you can probably imagine. What we actually do is very much similar to what you’re doing here. We try to give medical help and emotional support to those going through the transition. Our goal is to simply give them an option that avoids government quarantine.”

Turner nodded noncommittedly. “That’s all well and good but what does it have to do with me?”

“We have a facility that’s far larger, cleaner than yours. Ours, due to agreements with certain parties, is shielded from interference by the authorities. We freely recruit men from the area and give them shelter during their transitions. We have a medical staff of three doctors who are incredibly over worked, and we’d like you and your staff to join us.” Ellie explained.

Dr. Turner nodded. Ellie could see she was thinking the offer over. “Well least she’s considering it so that’s a good first step anyhow.” She thought.
“That’s a very intriguing offer Miss Wolf..”
“Please call me Ellie.”

“Ellie then. That’s a very interesting offer but I honestly have no idea who you are and who you really represent so I’m going to have to decline.”

“I understand your trepidation doctor; it’s not like we could call and make an appointment with you.” She said with a laugh. “In your situation I’d have the exact same kind of reaction. That said, however, I would like to invite you to come see our facility, to see that we are exactly who I explained. At time of your convenience of course.”

“Yeah? That would be great, but I’m sure you’re well aware since, as you said, your people know everything, I don’t go out. Those in charge don’t take kindly to doctors that don’t tow the party line and try to help those who are infected and not just shove them into a quarantine.”

Turner explained. “Last one I knew that openly bucked the system wound up being carried away in body bag. That’s not a fate I care to share.”

“I thought that might be an objection, so I brought along a message from someone you know from your time at City Hospital during the initial part of the outbreak.”

“Wait, City? What makes you think I worked at City Hospital?” she asked in a voice edged with fear.

“Relax doctor.” Ellie told her, sensing her change in attitude. The woman’s eyes had grown wide as saucers. It seemed Ellie may have overplayed her hand by bringing up her former place of employment. She sighed to herself and decided to push forward. The worst thing that would happen is they’d leave empty-handed.

She pushed on. “We’re here because we desperately need your help. We have someone in our group that is familiar with your efforts at the hospital during the initial stage of the outbreak, that’s all. She made a message for you in case you needed extra convincing that our goals are the same.”

She sighed and ran a nervous hand through her hair, then asked “And w..who might that be?” Turner’s eyes kept darting around looking at her patients. There were a couple of others off in the corner that stopped looking at the sick and started staring at the three of them.

Elli could sense that things were going south quickly and added, “It’s a video recording. Corporal the tablet if you please?”

Kara dug into her jacket and pulled out a small table from one of the pockets inside then handed it to Ellie.

“Thank you.” She said. Then to the doctor she asked, “May I?”

“By all means.” Turner’s scared as she was, she needed to know who it was that knew the truth and how much of it they were aware of. She’d thought she covered her tracks well enough that that link to her past would be long since dead and forever buried. Lives had been sacrificed in helping her escape. The guilt was tough enough to deal with. If it had all been in vain, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to live with herself.
Ellie set the tablet on a table and pulled out the kickstand. Once it was set, she brought up the video and pushed play. After a brief moment the face of Mia Blue appeared on the screen. Turner gasped as she began to speak.

“Director Batson, it’s so good to hear you managed to avoid quarantine. I was told by Jordon that after being infected they’d placed you at Dillon long ago. I had feared you’d been killed in the attack on that facility some weeks ago. As you can see from this recording, I was removed from my position with the CDC by the same man. It seems we’re both refugees from the government. Since my release from military employ, I’ve been given sanctuary by Miss Wolf and her group. They also managed to arrange the release of Sam Greyson and we’ve been working together on trying to find a cure for the virus.” The recording told her.

Turner gasped. How long had it been since anyone had used her real name? No one since she’d gone into hiding these last months at least. To hear it again turned her blood to ice in her veins and filled her heart with fear. She quietly cursed herself for not covering her tracks more carefully. If this group could find her, she was surely far more visible than she realized.

The recording went on. “I’ve been told you now go by your deceased wife’s name. That bit of identity theft was very smart on your part. It gives you a claim to legitimacy most others don’t get to have.” There was a moment of silence as Mia on the screen shuffled a few papers around. “I’m here to extend an offer for you to join us in helping not only tend to the sick but search for a cure to the virus. Sam and I, alongside and physician named Roberta Goings desperately need your help and from what I understand you could use ours as well. I ask only that you consider Ellie’s offer to join our cause. Thank you and God speed to you.”

The screen went blank. Turner looked at it for a long time and then turned to Ellie. “That’s on hell of a convincing argument you presented.” She told Ellie still shell shocked. “And Sam Greyson is with you too? How did she ever get out of Greyson labs? Last I knew they had her locked up tight in the containment lab there.”

“We can be very convincing when we need to.” Ellie said with a small laugh as she remembered the negotiation with Col. Jordon at the time.

“Tell me doctor, how did you manage to avoid going to Dillon?”

“It’s a long story.” Turner replied. Her voice was tinged with sadness and regret. “Not one I’m anxious to rehash right this minute.”

“I understand. Perhaps another time then.”

“Perhaps.” She agreed and was silent for several moments as she considered the offer. A bigger, cleaner facility would greatly increase the odds of her patients surviving the transformation the virus induced. More doctor to share the burden with would be a god send. She looked around the cramped stinking room. She needed to do better by the people that entrusted themselves to her care. This would be the opportunity to do it. The others would surely see the advantages of joining. If it was what Ellie and Dr. Blue claimed.

“I have to admit I’m more curious than ever about your facility, but we are also severely understaffed here. Even with a guarantee of safety I can’t leave the others here alone while I go galivanting off God knows where to look at your group has going.”

“We thought that might be an issue so one of our doctors, Dr. Goings, Robi, has agreed to come and help you out while you’re at our facility.”
“Goings?” she questioned. The name sounded familiar and after a minute she asked again. “Robi? Would she have gone by Robert Goings before?”

“Yes, formerly. Roberta now. I wasn’t aware you know her, him.”

“I remember working with Bob for a brief time. He was a resident at City for a couple years. He, excuse me, she, was a tremendous doctor. You’re lucky to have him, err, her.” Turner said with a small laugh.

“MMM, yes. Gender confusion is the rule these days, not the exception.” Ellie replied with a laugh. “So, doctor, what do you think? Worth a few hours of your time to come see if our claims are legitimate?”

“Yes. I suppose I owe it to everyone here, doctors and patients to see your place for myself.” It was obvious to Ellie and Charles that she was still very concerned about being uncovered but at least she was being agreeable.

“That’s a start at least.” Ellie thought.

“When?”
“How about we come back On Thursday? Say about 1pm?”

“Yes, that works.” Turner replied.

“Excellent. We will see you then.” Elie replied excitedly. Looking back at Charles and pointing back at the stairs she asked, “Corporal, shall we?”

Kara nodded. “After you Ms. Wolf.”

Once they were back outside and Charles had collected her gun and an apology from young Harriot the pair threaded their way up the alleyway. Arriving back at the Suburban Ellie pulled out her cell phone. Ignoring the message indicator she dialed the Sisters compound.
Robi picked up the ringing phone and answered with “Hello?”

“Robi? It’s Ellie. We met with Dr. Turner and it’s a go for two days from now at one.” Ellie blurted out.

“Oh my god El! Where have you been? Everyone’s been trying to contact you.”
“
As I said I was visiting Dr. Turner. I had my phone off. What’s the matter?”

“Sam’s been kidnapped!” Robi all but shouted into the phone.

“What? Sam? Taken? When? By who?” Ellie asked in stunned confusion. The pair of soldier’s ears perked up and looked at Ellie questioningly. She put her index finger up to shush them so she could hear Robi.

“She was taken about an hour ago from the park up the street. Nicole, Thomas, Russov and Becket are off following the car they took her in!!”

“Following? How?”

“Apparently Becket gave her that ankle bracelet Russov’s had her wearing. They’re using that to track the car.” Robi told her. The anxiety she was suffering from was obvious in her voice.

“Smart thinking on her part.” Ellie agreed. “They are following the kidnappers then?”

“Yes. Russov has a tracker of some kind. A military thing. Said they can track it by satellite of need be.”

“Good. Good. Elie replied as she absorbed the situation. “Are you going to be ok?”

“Yeah, I’m just worried about her.” Robi admitted. “I don’t know if I can handle another loss so soon after the others.”

“Yes. I hear that.” Ellie replied grimly. Losing Wendy and Paka on the same day was hard enough and now possibly Sam too. It was too horrible to contemplate. Pushing her fears aside she told Robi, “Ok I have Kara and Joan with me. Let me fill them in and call Nicole. I’ll get back to you soon.” Ellie hung up and let out along breath.

“What’s happened?” Kara asked.

“Someone kidnapped Sam.” Elie told her in a voice full of disbelief. “Apparently Becket slipped Sam her ankle monitor before she was taken. Russov is using that to track them. They are on the road.”

“Fuck!” Charles growled angrily. “I fucking knew something like this was going to happen. Russov’s going to hang me off a yard arm for letting her go. Fuck!”

“Calm down Corporal. We can worry about who’s to blame for what later. Right now, we need to get her before anything happens. Let me call Nicole.”

**************************
Now:

The San Bernardino house:

Flint watched through the large bay window that faced the quiet tree lined, suburban street as the Pathfinder pulled up in from if the house. He observed Yvonne climbing out of the rear passenger’s door. She stretched for a moment then leaned back in and appeared to be pulling on something. A moment later Dr. Sam Greyson appeared on the curb next to her. Flint shook his head in disbelief. The inventor of the bug was here, in the flesh. They had actually captured her. Never in his wildest dreams did he think they’d really pull it off but there she was.

Out on the street Yvonne gripped her by the upper arm and pulled the reluctant doctor up the walkway. Greyson’s eyes wandered over the front of the house as Yvonne led her up the walk. She seemed cooperative enough in his estimation but the look of consternation on Yvonne’s face told a different story. He heard them on the wooden front porch and turned just as the door opened.

“Well, well, as I live and breathe, Doctor Greyson, welcome.” He said sarcastically.

Sam shot him a cross look in return but opted to say nothing.

A ghost of a smile creased Yvonne’s lips as she asked, “Where do you want her?”

Flint looked around. “I guess in the basement for now, until we figure out what we’re going to do with her anyhow.”

Ben, who’d come in behind Yvonne, nodded at Flint. He took the doctor by the other arm and led her away down the short hall.

“Has she said anything?” Flint asked Yvonne.

“Nothing of consequence.” Yvonne replied distractedly.

“Something wrong? “Flint asked her. It was obvious her mind was a million miles away. “I mean beyond the usual?”

“We need to talk.” She told him.

“Ok, shoot.”

“No, not here. Outside. Alone.” She told him. She reached out and took his hand, then led him down the hall into the kitchen and out the back door. He followed without resistance or question.

Once outside she sat in the two-seater swing. She patted the seat next to her in which he sat then he asked again, “What’s going on?”

She looked down at her shoes but said nothing. Flint put a gentle finger under her chin lifting her head. He saw tears running down her cheeks.
“What’s wrong babe?” he asked tenderly. She didn’t answer but pulled him in for a tight hug. Her body shook as he held her.

After several minutes and the flow of tears dried up she finally said, “Thomas is alive.”

“Thomas? Your husband Thomas?” he asked confused.

“Yes.” She said as the sobbing resumed. “H..he, well she now I guess, was there with Stevens. At the park. Before we left, they showed up. Someone must have called them at some point while we were on the move. At…at first, I didn’t recognize…cause she looks so different but.. I could tell by the eyes. It…it’s him. And he’s with them.”

“Wow!” was all he could think to say. He hugged her closely. “You left him, sorry her, there?”

“I…I didn’t know what else to do. We had Greyson in the car already and Ben was screaming at me to get in…and Brian was hurt….so I did and… I..i don’t know Mike. I didn’t know what to do. I was so sure he was dead and now…”

He sighed. “I wish I knew what to tell you. You can take the car and go back and find him any time you like. I’ll even go with you if you want..”

“I know. And I will. But after we deal with Greyson.”

“Are you sure you want to wait?”

“I need to see this through. I was there when Hillary killed Wayne. I want to see Greyson laying in a pool of her own blood just the same. Maybe then I can think about what to do about Thomas, but I need the closure first.”

“Ok babe. Whatever you think is best. I’m here for you.”

“I know. I’m sorry about the fight. Sorry for the distance I’ve put between us. I think maybe you were right. We should have taken the girls and left that night and never come back.”

“But then you’d never have seen Thomas.”

“Yeah, not sure that would have been such a bad thing.” She said quietly. He hugged her again.

*******************
Ben deposited Sam roughly on the dirty cement floor. He grabbed her left hand while whipping out a set of handcuffs. He locked one around her wrist and the other around the largish gas pipe the rose from the floor behind her.

“Sit there and keep your yap shut til we come back to get you.” He told her.

“Go fuck yourself.” Sam spat.

He leaned down and grabbed her by the chin, squeezing hard enough t make her wince. “I told you to keep your yap shut you fucking cunt!” He let go and stood up with a satisfied smirk on his face.

She looked up at him. She snorted deeply and spat a wad of phlegm at him, hitting his shirt mid-chest. “And I said go fuck yourself!” she told him defiantly.

“Why you little cunt.” he said menacingly as he raised a hand at her.

She looked up at him fearlessly. Scared as she was, she refused to be cowed. If this was her end she wasn’t going to sit and meekly wait. “What? What are you going to do? Beat me up some? Would that make you feel like a big enough man? Kicking the shit out of a chained-up woman get you off? Or are you going to somehow kill me more than once? Fuck you! And fuck the rest of you too!”

He looked down at her and laughed. “You got balls doc, well, not anymore, but I respect that. Gonna meet your end on your feet. Good for you. Not going to change the result but good for you.” He continued to laugh as he climbed the stairs.

As the door slammed shut Sam thought, “Well, I don’t know what it counts for, but you have his respect anyhow.” She looked around the dank, mostly dark basement. “Now what are you going to do?”

On that question she had no answer. She reached int her pocket with her free hand and fondled the ankle bracelet at the same time thinking “Come on Becket. If ever there was a time for the cavalry to arrive it’s now.”

***********
Upstairs:

The couple were sitting on the swing that hung off the roof beans of the back porch when Carol spotted them from across the back yard. She and Maria had been off galivanting around the neighborhood seeing what kind of trouble they could get into. On a bet they’d decided to race home. Maria took the street while Carol raced through the backyards. The final step being scaling the six-foot tall fence that surrounded the back of the house. Upon landing she’d seen the two of them sitting together for the first time in over a week.

A seed of hope that things might be getting settled between her pseudo-parents began to bloom as she hurried across the uncut grass. The silly grin on her face grew into a broad smile as she climbed the small set of steps leading from the backyard. Not far behind her, coming around the left side corner of the house Maria shrieked excitedly.

“I beat your ass.” Carol told her best friend.

“Fuck you, you did bitch. I been waiting out front for five minutes for your slow ass.” Maria retorted with a laugh. Then she turned to the couple and excitedly added, “Oh my god you two are back speaking to each other?”

The teenaged new woman turned back and said “Jeeze bitch, show so decorum, will ya?” she shouted with a giggle.

Maria laughed and flipped her best friend off. Flint and Yvonne laughed and shook their heads. Carol hopped up the last step, landing right in front of the couple. She brought her hand up under her chin grinned at them. “So whatcha’s doin?” She asked, trying to sound as street punk as possible.

“We’re sitting here quietly talking. Or we were until we were interrupted anyhow.” Yvonne said with a smile, sticking her tongue out at Carol at the end.

Maria finally arrived at Carol’s side and asked, “So you guys are back talkin then?”

“Looks like it huh? Flint added with a grin. “What have you two been up to?”

“Oh, just stuff.” Carol said vaguely.

Yvonne smiled to herself. “She acts more and more like a teenager every day.”

“So, what are you two taking about?” Maria asked impatiently.

The pair hesitated. They hadn’t discussed what to tell the kids yet. Flint looked at Yvonne who returned it with a subtle nod. Shrugging to himself Flint decided it was best to just tear off the band aid and said, “We were actually discussing what to do with our guest.”

“What guest?” Carol asked confused.

“We acquired a friend of yours this morning, Carol. “Yvonne said. “Dr. Greyson.”

Carol looked stunned. “Greyson? Sam Greyson? She’s here? How?”

“We got lucky and caught her out in public.” Yvonne told her. “She at a park with the baby and a couple of the Sisters I’ve never heard of before. Kayla and Ben spotted her and the rest of us converged.”

“Who?” Maria asked.

“The cunt that invented the fucking bug.” Carol replied in a voice edged with anger. It was obvious to everyone that she was becoming agitated. “What are you going to do with her?”

“We were just discussing that.” Yvonne.

“She’s a high value target. The people that supply us with funding might not approve of us taking her.” Flint told her. “If they find out it could wind up being very bad for us. We need to decide what we’re going to do and do it soon before anyone else can intervene.”

Carol nodded. “Let me kill the bitch.” She demanded. “Decision made. Problem solved. The people that might not like it can do whatever to me after. I just need to see her dead then I don’t give a shit what else happens.”

“I wish it was that simple.” Flint told her.

Carol shrugged and pushed past them into the house, shouting over her shoulder. “Let me show you how easy it is!”

“Fuck!” Maria and Flint said in unison as he struggled to get out from under Yvonne. “Come on move. Let me up.” He complained.
Yvonne shook her head and reluctantly slipped off his lap. He stood and looked down at her. “What’s wrong with you?”

“She’s not wrong, you know. We should just let her get her revenge and we can all be done with this.” She told him. Flint opened his mouth to say something then stopped.

Maria looked at the two of them. “What’s wrong with you two. You can’t let her kill someone!” She ran off into the house after her best friend without waiting to hear their response.

********************
Sam heard the door at the top of the steps slam open, then a moment after the sound of sneakers running down the steps.

“Now what?” the thought then looked up too see Carol in a short red summer dress and sneakers standing in front of her.
“Look what the cat dragged in!” Carol said sarcastically.

She stopped right I front of where Sam was seated and stood looking down at her menacingly. It was obvious by her stance she was trying to decide what kind of revenge to take on the hapless doctor. For a moment Sam wondered if she was going to simply start stomping on her.

Pushing her fear aside, “Nice to see you again too Carol.” Sam replied calmly. “How have you been getting on?”

“Is it? I bet your super excited to see me!” Carol’s voice was dripping with venom. “Oh, I’ve been great since you all abandoned me!”

Despite the whiny quality of her reply Sam understood the danger she was in. Carol hated her like no one else. She held her a killing grudge and was now in position to carry out that wish. Deciding not to provoke the situation further, Sam nodded but declined to say more on the subject.

Carol glared at the doctor waiting for a reply. She was waiting for the final excuse. The one thing Sam could do to completely justify her deepest desire. The doctor could feel the hatred radiating off her fellow new woman. Long moments of silence ticked off the clock, on the floor above another pair of running shoes scurrying across the hallway floor could be heard.

The odds of Sam surviving the next few moments were declining with every slap of a sneaker on the floor above. Finally she decided to just get it over with.

“So now what? You have me where you always wanted me. I’m cuffed to a pipe and defenseless. Is this where you take your revenge?” She asked trying to sound less afraid than she felt.

Carol nodded. “Ya I think so.” She turned and looked around. Spotting a long-handled spade type shovel next to the oil tank in the corner, she stepped over and picked it up. The handle was some kind of pine with a steel blade at the end. She swung it blade out once and found the weight to be to clumsy for her size. Flipping it over and holding it by the metal end was much easier to manage.

The terror in her heart grew by leaps and bounds as Sam watched her practice swings. She swallowed hard, trying to crush down her fear. The doctor closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer. She didn’t want to die in this dingy basement, but things were looking exceedingly bleak at the moment.

“Dear god, I’ve done so many things wrong, and I don’t deserve your mercy. All I ask is that is whatever’s coming I live the next few minutes well.” She silently prayed.

Sam opened her eyes just in time to see the shovel handle being swung at her. She tried to raise her free hand to block it but was too slow. Pain rang through her skull as the wood connected with the left side of it is just above her ear. She grunted as stars shot across her vision.

Carol smiled at the sound of the wooden handle connecting with Sam’s skull. She reared back and swung again, crashing it right across the top of Sam’s head. Sam howled in pain and slumped down further as conscious began to leave her. Carol watched her for a long moment; a smile of satisfaction spread across her face as she noticed a bead of blood run down the doctor’s forehead.

How long had she dreamed of this? She wasn’t sure but here it was, and she planned to enjoy it for as long as she could make it last. All that mattered now was seeing Greyson suffer. Her need for revenge for her lost life was about to be fulfilled.

As she lifted the shovel again and pulled back for a third strike something grabbed the end of her weapon. She turned to see Maria standing there holding the metal spade with two hands.

“What the fuck are you doing? Fuckin bitch! Let go!” Carol demanded as she pulled furiously on the handle trying to free it.

“No!” Maria shouted back. “What the fucks wrong with you! You can’t just sit here and beat her to death with a shovel handle!” She gave a hard yank and freed the handle from Carol’s grip.

“What the fuck!” Carol screamed. Why can’t I beat her to death? It’s what she deserves! She fuckin destroyed my life! You of all people should know what she did to me!”

“What did she do? And what’s so bad about this life you got now huh?” Maria yelled back. What would you be doing with your life right now if there was no bug and you were still you?”

The question caused Carol to stop and just stare at her best friend. It looked as if it was a question she’d never considered.

“You always bitch about the bug fucking your life up but look where you are.” Maria chastised. “You got the bestest best friend ever in the world now, me. We got a family with Mike and Yvonne. What the fuck is so bad about where you are now? You told me before you had nothing but your job in the old life. No parents, no wife, no kids, nothing! Now you got at least three people that fucking love you bitch! What the fuck? Aren’t we enough? You gotta go and kill the person that gave you all this?” Maria panted as she finished speaking.

Carol looked at her in stunned silence. Maria’s words cut her deeply. Of course, she loved Maria and their little family unit. She’d never felt so at home with any group of people in her life, but the demons of her life stolen still cried out for revenge. She looked down at Sam who hung limply by her wrist. The steadily running bead of blood was dripping off the tip of her nose and into her lap.

“You gotta make up your own mind bitch. Are ya gonna live in the past or live for the future?” Maria told her angrily as she shoved the shovel back into Carols hands. “The choice is yours.”

Maria turned and started walking back the stairs. Much as she loved Carol, she couldn’t be here for this if she was going to kill the doctor. From behind she heard her best friend sobbing. Before she made it to the foot of the stairs the sound of the shovel blade hitting the floor rang out. Maria swallowed hard and turned back to see what happened.

Carol was standing there next to Sam crying. The shovel she’d been beating the doctor with was on the floor next to her feet.

“Come on baby. Come give Maria a hug.” She coaxed.

Carol took a hesitant step, then ran to her best friends are. They hugged each other fiercely. “I love you, bitch.” Carol told her through the tears.

“I love you too hunny.” Maria said as she looked over Carols shoulder at Sam.

The doctor raised her head and looked at the girls. Her eyes were glassy, and it was hard to focus but she was still alive. “Score one for me. Dunno who that other girl is but I owe her my life.” She thought disjointedly. The blood from her head ran into her eye. The world swam as she wiped it away listlessly wondering what was next.

From upstairs the three of them heard a loud crash. “What the fuck was that?” Maria asked no one in particular. They could hear voices shouting but couldn’t make out what was being said.

“Sounds like trouble.” Carol said.

“Trouble is our middle name these days.” Maria said with a nervous giggle. “Shall we go, and see?”

Carol walked over to where the shovel lay. She bent over and picked it up. “Yep.” Was her only response.

***************************
10 minutes ago:

The white van pulled over to the curb on the tree lined street. Just ahead of them was a black Cadillac Escalade with its rear hatch up. There was a man standing behind it. He turned his head as they arrived and Nicole instantly recognized him, it was Harkin. He was looking at some kind of screen he had set up just inside the rear cargo area.

Nicole looked back over her shoulder from the front seat at Russov and asked, “What’s he doing here?”

“Logistical support.” Was the Sargent’s only reply as she yanked the sliding door open.

Nicole looked over at Thomas in the passenger seat who shrugged. Then she looked back at Becket in the rear who shook her head. It was obvious neither of them had any idea he was going to be here either.

Russov was already on her feet, Having gathered up her crutched and was heading towards the SUV. With a roll of Nicole’s eyes, the three of the piled out and followed the Sargent to the back of Harkins truck. As they approached, they heard her ask, “What am I looking at here?”

“It’s an arial drone shot. I was able to commandeer one out of Edwards. It’s been orbiting up there for the last four-five minutes. I linked up to it when I got here.” He replied pointing at the screen, “This is an arial view of the house they’re in. It the yellow one, three up on the right with the big oak tree.” He looked up and pointed at it then continued. “They brought Greyson inside there twenty-five minutes ago. She was escorted by a man and a woman. He explained as he rewound recording so the others could see.

Thomas watched with wide eyes. She recognized the woman as her wife and the guy as the one that was driving the SUV she hopped into. “Yvonne, what have you gotten yourself into woman?” she asked no one in particular.

“She appears to be unharmed.” Russov observed. The others all nodded.

Harkin switched back to the live view then continued. He pointed at the lower quadrant of the screen, “As you can see two of them are on the back porch at the moment talking.”

“How many do we think are in there?” Russov asked as they all continued to watch the screen.

“From what I’ve been able to gather there could be as many as a dozen inside.” He told them. On the screen two smaller females ran up the back stairs withing a few seconds of each other.

“Kids?” Becket asked as she pointed.

‘Ya, looks like.” Russov replied. “We’ll have to be careful of them.” The three enhanced new woman nodded.

“So, what’s the plan?” Thomas asked, starting to get impatient. In her opinion, every second they delayed put Sam’s life into greater jeopardy. They’d waited to long before going in against Manning's men and it cost Paka her life. She was determined the same wouldn’t happen to Dr. Greyson.

Plus, Yvonne was in there. It was her on the back porch, Thomas was sure of it. The uncertainty of what that meant made the new woman jumpy. She felt if she didn’t get into action soon, she was going to explode.

Nicole, perhaps sensing her lover’s inner turmoil, put a reassuring hand on Thomas’ shoulder and squeezed gently. Thomas flashed her a quick smile then looked back at the screen.

Russov looked closely at the video feed. The pair on the back porch looked like they were talking to the two girls. The overhead angle wasn’t ideal, but it was just low enough to the horizon that you could see under the roof a little bit. She drummed her fingers on the floor of the cargo area as she considered. The reconnaissance was spotty, but Harkin knew who was in there and generally how well armed they would be. That gave them the advantage, a small one but it was better than nothing with the odds of twelve to three.

Or was it four? She looked at Harkin. “Are you going in with them?”

“I’d prefer they’re not alerted to my presence until after it’s over.” He replied. If things went tits up, Carlyle was going to string him up by his balls. He needed to sit back and be clean up duty if the Sisters failed so going in with the first wave was out for now.

“Ok then.” She sighed. “Becket, you and Thomas are going in the front. Nicole, you attack from the rear. You’ll need to take the two out on the porch out quickly before..”

“I’m going in the back, alone.” Thomas told her.

“Thomas, we don’t have time…”

“No, we don’t that’s why I’m taking the back. That’s my wife back there.” She said pointing at the screen. The one of the two girls was being very animated and then suddenly ran inside the house. The other jumped up and down twice then followed the first. The man had gotten up too while Yvonne remained seated.

“If someone has to take her out to save Sam it should be me.”

Russov let out a long breath. “Fine. Nicole and Becket in the front. Logan in the back. I want you to each take a half dozen stun grenades, flash bangs. In the front I want Becket to take lead. Get that door pen and get a pair of stun grenades in before the can react. Nicole, be ready, it’s going to be really loud. I don’t need those over sensitive ears of yours putting you out of the fight before it starts.”

The tall red head nodded.

“Logan your through the back. Hit those two in back with a stun grenade when you hear the front do going in. And watch those ears of yours too.”

Thomas nodded.

“Remember ladies this is rescue mission first and foremost. Take out targets as needed but a stunned kidnapper is just as good as dead one.” Russov reminded them. “We might want to question someone after this is all over.”

“Also, my little drone has armaments if this goes haywire can strafe the house with 20mm ammunition as a last resort. The call sign will be hell fire. Hear that and you need to get your asses on the ground.” Harkin added.

They all nodded.

“Ok let’s get this how on the road.” Russov told them.

A minute later each had grabbed the munitions Russov instructed.

Nicole turned to Becket with a stun grenade in hand and asked, “How's this work?”

“Push the little pin in the center til it clicks. Toss it and five seconds later boom!”

“Simple enough.” Nicole replied.

“Yep. Even a dopey fucker like me can do it.” Becket replied with a grin.

Nicole reached over and pulled Thomas close for a kiss once they were all prepared. “Be safe and come back to me.” She told her lover.

“You do the same babe. I love you.” Thomas replied.

********
They reached the house and hid behind the large oak tree at the property’s edge while Thomas made her way around back. Much t everyone’s surprise there was no one watching the property from the street side. The front porch was deserted and no one could be seen at any of the front facing windows.

“They must have known we’d be after them.” Nicole said to Becket.

“You’d think but apparently not. Maybe they don’t know about the ankle monitor.” Katie replied with a shrug.

Nicole nodded in return and decided it was best not to question good luck at this point. She felt slightly ridiculous. She wasn’t a soldier but here she was for the second time in a week waiting to attack an enemy position. She couldn’t help but marvel for a moment as to how much her life had changed since the outbreak.

After several more heart beats passed by the walkie talkie on Beckets belt chirped. That was the go signal and go they did.
With Becket in the lead the pair ran up the front walkway with guns drawn. They made it to the porch without incident. Becket held up three fingers and counted down one at a time. When she hit zero, she nodded, and Nicole gave the red painted wooden front door a mighty stomp. The thing flew off its hinges and landed halfway down the hall. She stepped back as Becket pitched the pair of stun grenades through the entrance way.

Out behind the house, Thomas heard the explosion and leapt over the back fence. Yvonne and whoever she was with got up and turned and looked into the house through the back door.

With their backs to her, Thomas covered the distance across the backyard in three long strides. She leapt up onto the porch tackling the man before he had any idea what was happening. Their momentum carried him face first into the swing, smashing his face off the seat. The wood cracked with the impact and the guy went limp under her.

With him down she rolled off drawing her gun and wound up on her back looking up at the barrel of Yvonne's gun even as she pointed her 9mm back at her wife. They stared at each other for a long moment before speaking.

“Thomas?” Yvonne asked stunned. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I might ask you the same thing.” Thomas replied. “What do you think honey, want to stop pointing guns at each other?”

Yvonne looked hesitant for a moment and that was all Thomas needed. Before her wife could even think of reacting, Thomas was on her feet twisting her arm up behind her back causing her to drop the gun in one swift move. With childlike ease she dropped Yvonne to the floor with a quick sweep of her leg. She then stepped over the prone body, grabbed her wrist and zip tied her by the arm to the railing next to the stairs.

“Stay there and stay down til I get back!” she ordered as she advanced into the back of the house.

In the front hallway Becket was shooting at someone at the top of the staircase that led to the second floor. Nicole had ducked behind the living room wall and was exchanging fire with someone Thomas couldn’t see from her vantage point just inside the kitchen door. Outside Yvonne was yelling something she couldn’t make out over the racket.

She edged her way cautiously into the kitchen, looking first left then right. It was deserted. The living room entrance was along the wall to her right. Thomas ducked into it coming behind the tall dark-skinned man that was half hidden behind the end of a long couch, shooting at her lover.

Moving quickly, she struck him from behind with a measure punch to the back of his head. She lifted the stunned man off the ground by the back of his shirt with one arm, turned and slammed him off the floor hard enough to rattle his teeth. That seemed to take the fight out of him.
She flashed Nicole a quick thumbs up as she kicked his gun away.

Back in the hallway Becket leapt up the steps four at a time, shooting as he did until she could see over the edge of the second floor. She grabbed two stun grenades and tossed one to the right and the other to the left, then ducked. They went off with a loud boom withing seconds of each other. The return fire she’d been under stopped and the silence was refilled by groans coming from either end of the second-floor landing.

She leapt up and over the railing and stepped into the room to her right first. One the floor was a man and a woman both in a fetal position holding their ears with their eyes squeezed tight. She leaned over and tossed their guns to the side then knelt down and strapped their wrists together with tywrap cuffs. Then dragged them both a couple steps and pinned them to the foot of the bed rail with another.

Getting up she did the same to the black skinned bald man in the other second floor room.

Nicole cautiously crept her way down the main hallway. There was one more closed door off to her left. With her enhanced hearing she could hear a woman groaning from behind it and below. She got in position and took a peak back at the doorway Thomas had gone through. Her lover was nowhere to be seen.

Taking a deep breath she reached for the knob. Just as she started to pull at the door it burst open. Her balance lost, she stumbled back a step lightly bouncing off the opposite wall. As she stepped forward again a long-handled shovel blade came swinging at her from inside the doorway. Unprepared for the assault Nicole was unable to dodge, and the metal end clanged off her head. Nicole fell backwards a second time in as many seconds, losing her weapon as she fell.

Stunned by the blow, she kept her head down, shaking it as she tried to clear the cobwebs. On the floor in front of her appeared a small pair of colorful girl’s sneakers. Nicole looked up to see Carol holding her pistol aimed right at her.

“Carol?” she asked confused. Before another word could come out the young new woman pulled the trigger.

Thomas poked her head back into the hall just in time to see Carol shoot Nicole. Nooo!!” she screamed. Without thinking she dove at her lover’s attacker. She grabbed the young girl by the front of her overalls and tossed her out of the way. The small body slammed against the opposite wall with bone jarring force. A dent was evident in the plaster as Carols limp body slid down to the floor into a crumpled heap.

Thomas paid her no attention as she looked down at the red head. There was blood everywhere puddled beneath her. “No… no. no..” she kept repeating as she looked for the wound. She found it just above Nicole’s left breast. A large hole through which blood was freely flowing.

Behind her Maria stood at the top of the stairs in a state of shock. The young girl looked back down the steps at Sam laying there with her head bleeding. The girl didn’t know what to do or who to help first. She took a hesitant step forward and announced, “I’m just going to check in Carol.”

Without looking back Thomas nodded as she tried applying pressure on the bullet wound. Maria stepped over Thomas’ outstretched leg and kneeled down at her best friend’s side.

From behind the scene, the back door burst open. Yvonne stood in the threshold, a cut plastic strap dangle off her right wrist with her gun drawn aimed at the back of Thomas’s head. “Get your hands up Thomas!” she ordered.

Logan looked back over her shoulder at her wife. “Yvonne! Help me! She’s been shot!” Thomas wailed.

“Fuck.” Yvonne cursed as she tucked the gun int her waist band. She crouched down next to the woman that used to be he husband. “Let me in there.”

Thomas stood up and let Yvonne have Nicole. She turned and looked at Maria, tending to Carol. “Is she ok?”

Maria looked up with tears streaking down her cheeks. “I don’t know! She won’t wake up!”

“Let me see her.” Becket said as she turned the corner from the stairway.

Maria got up and the soldier kneeled next to the injured girl. Becket closed her eyes and gently probed the small body. She felt a bulge at the base of the child’s neck that shouldn’t be there. She gently pressed on the spot and concentrated.

As she worked behind her, Thomas could feel something coming off Becket in waves. There were no words to describe the sensation, but it was very similar to when she’d shown Logan how to reach out when they were looking for Paka.

After a few seconds Becket looked at Maria. “She’s got a broken neck but there doesn’t seem to be any nerve damage. She should be ok long as we don’t move her. Just hunker down next to her in case she wakes up.”

The private grabbed her radio and spoke into it. “Sargent, we need EMS here asap! We have one child with a broken neck and Stevens has been shot. Not sure of her condition yet. I need the trauma kit from the van!”

“Roger on EMS. Harkin is enroute with the trauma kit. Any word on Greyson?”

“Negative. Not put eyes on her yet.” Becket replied. “Situation is secure at the moment.”

Maria tugged her sleeve. “She’s in the basement. She as a gash on her head. Carol hit her with the shovel handle a couple times.”

Becket keyed the radio again. “We have Greyson in the basement. Bleeding from a head wound.”
“Roger that.” Russov replied.

Becket looked over at Nicole. Yvonne was still over the top of the red head pushing on her wounded chest. “What’s her condition?”

“Not fucking good!” Yvonne told her breathlessly. “I can’t stop the bleeding.”

Thomas stood over and watched her wife as she tried to save her lover. Tears streamed from her eyes. Not since she’s woken up at Reynolds to find out she’d been impregnated against her will had she felt so helpless. Far in the distance the sound of sirens reached her sensitive ears. She looked at the ever-growing puddle of blood beneath Nicole and said a silent prayer.

“Let me in there.” Becket told Yvonne. She got up and stood next to Thomas. Without thinking the new woman took her wife’s hand and squeezed.

Becket hunkered down next to Nicole. The wound was truly terrible. A 9mm gunshot at close range did a lot of damage no matter who you were. Luckily it hadn’t passed all the way through and there was only one wound to deal with. She put her hands over the hole and squeezed as hard as was reasonable, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Despite her efforts to staunch the flow, blood continued to seep from between her fingers.

Nicole moaned. Her eyes opened to half-mast. In a voice that was barely a whisper she said, “T…Thomas?”

Logan let go of Yvonne’s hand and dropped to her knees. She took up Nicole's hand. “Ya babe. I’m here.”

The red head coughed. Blood bubbled between her lips and ran down the corner of her mouth. “I…I love you….” She whispered as her eyes slipped closed.

“Oh fuck!” Becket shouted. “Help me! We’re losing her! Shit, shit, shit! Where the fuck is Harkin with that trauma kit!”
Thomas felt Nicole's grip on her hand go limp. She reached down and gently shook her lover. There was no response. “I…I think it’s too late.” She told Becket through tear-streaked eyes.

Becket put her fingers onto the side of the redhead’s neck to feel for a pulse. “Fuck!” she cursed as she registered no throb beneath them. She grabbed at her wrist and tried again but the result was the same.

“Fuck you, Nicole! You’re not doing this to us! Not after Paka and Wendy!” Becket shouted at the limp body.

“Katie” Thomas said as she reached for her arm to puller her off her lover’s prone body.

Becket swatted her hand away. “No! I’m not going to let this happen again!” The private lifted up and pressed her hands over Nicoles’ wound and pushed down on it. As small amount of leftover blood bubbled up between her fingers. She closed her eyes and concentrated, reaching out with her ability to sense other enhanced women, looking for some part of Nicole to hang onto.

Several fruitless seconds ticked off the clock before she found a small ember. Becket pushed herself even harder clinging to it, using her ability to fan them. In her mind she willed Nicole to live. She cursed and pushed while the others gathered round to watch fascinated.

Thomas felt wave after wave flowing off the private. She turned and looked at the others to see if they felt it too, but none seemed to notice. They sat there transfixed by Becket efforts. Thomas dropped to one knee next to Becket and put her hands on the soldier’s back. Without having a clue what she was doing, Thomas tried to reinforce Katie’s power with her own.

Becket felt Thomas’s abilities flowing into her and directed them at the injured redhead. The tiny spark of life she’d felt began to grow. Katie could almost see them in her mind as she directed whatever energy she could into Nicole’s body. It felt to both new women that time was stopped as the concentrated and pushed every iota of energy they could into their compatriot’s body.

Suddenly Nicole gasped and her eyes popped open. She blinked twice and coughed. Blood splattered on her face and her clothes. Her eyes slid back closed after another second, but her chest was rising and falling regularly.

“Oh my god! Nicole!” Thomas cried out. She looked at Becket, who looked terribly wasted. “How?”

Katie gave her a wan smile. “I have no idea.” She gazed down at the injured new woman as she panted, then added, “Don’t tell Russov about this.”

Never in her life had Katie felt so tired, all she wanted to do was curl up in a little ball and sleep for a week. Beside her Nicole coughed up another small splatter of blood. It wasn’t a good sign, but she was alive and that’s all that mattered for the moment.
Thomas wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of her lover’s mouth as she cradled her head. She kissed Nicole’s forehead. “Just rest babe. I got you.”

Thomas saw Yvonne on her knee’s tending to Carol. The poor thing was still unconscious but considering her injuries it was probably for the best. The gun she’d shot Nicole with laying on the floor next to her.

“Carol hunny. Talk to me baby, show momma you’re ok.” Yvonne pleaded.

Beside her was Maria leaned over and laying a blanket over her best friend’s limp body. “Come on bitch, don’t die on me.” She begged with tear-filled eyes.

“How is she?” Thomas asked.

“Still breathing no thanks to you!” Maria sobbed.

“I..I’m sorry. She shot Nicole and I just lost my mind.”

“Sorry? Fucking sorry? Look at her! She’s just a fucking kid! And you almost put her through that wall!” Maria screamed while pointing at the pronounced dent in the plaster directly above where Carol lay.

Yvonne reached over and put a hand on the crying girl. “It as an accident Maria. Thomas didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“Thomas? You know the big cunt?” she asked.

“Ya, he, umm sorry, she is my husband.”

“What?” Maria exclaimed, confused.

“I’ll explain later, right now we need to take care of Carol.” Yvonne looked down the hallway at the still open back door and wondered where Flint was. Thomas had tackled him on her way in. His face had been pretty mashed in, but he was breathing. That was all that had mattered at the time but now she wondered how badly he was hurt.

Before she could consider Flint's health any further at the front door a male voice shouted “NSA! Everyone stay where you are!”

They all turned and looked, seeing a crowd of helmeted body armor wearing agents pushing their way through the entrance led by Harkin. Guns were drawn; faces covered with masks to help protect against infection. All shouting instructions at everyone they saw so no one could really make out what they were supposed to do to keep from being shot.

Harkin pushed his way past a pair and stepped over to Thomas. “Is she ok?” he asked pointing at Nicole and handing the trauma kit to Becket.

Becket dug through the kit, pulled out a large wad of gauze and pressed it to Nicole's still seeping wound.

“She needs an ambulance. That little girl over there needs one too.”

“Ya, our EMS is on the way. It will be here shortly.” He explained. “We have a special at Edwards Airforce Base hospital to take them too. No worries about quarantine.”

She nodded.

“Where’s Greyson?” he asked.

“She’s still in the basement.” Becket replied. The kid says she has a head injury.”

“Anyone been down there?”

“No not yet. We were kind of busy up here.” She relied tiredly. “This was a cluster fuck of poor planning!”
“
We can discuss that later. I’m going to go look in on Dr. Greyson.” Harkin told her getting up. He spotted the open cellar door and headed down the stairs. It was dark and took his eyes a moment to adjust. Over to his right he heard a soft moan. Turning in that direction he carefully followed the sound in the gloom.

On the floor Sam looked up through dazed eyes and spotted the tall shadow headed in her direction. “Please, no more.” She begged.

“Dr. Greyson?” Harkin asked. “Everything’s ok. The house has been secured. I’m here to take you upstairs. Are you hurt?”

“Ju…Just me head.” She slurred. “I’m handcuffed to this pole too.” She rattled the cuff against the metal for emphasis.

Harkin looked at the cuffs. They were standard issue like every policeman carried. While he fished his pockets for a key he spoke into his walkie talkie. “Greyson is secured. Looks like she’s going to need stitches. Probably has a concussion too. Going to be bringing her up in a minute.”

“Roger that.” Russov replied. She let out a sigh of relief. At least Sam was still alive. The Sargent shivered thinking about what Carlyle would have done to both of them if the doctor had been killed. She didn’t know what place Sam had in the VP’s plans, but he was adamant she was kept safe. If you worked for him, it was best to keep in his good graces. She’d seen what happened to those who weren’t as vigilant.

Harkin put the radio on his belt and went about unlocking Sam from the pipe. Once she was free, he helped her to her feet. He held her as she swooned for a moment. “Gonna be ok Doc?”

“Ya. I think. Little bit dizzy.” She told him.

“Looks like you took a good beating.” He said in commiseration.

“Hit me with a shovel. Twice.”
“Ouch. You’re lucky they didn’t go for a third by the looks of things.”

“Yes. I guess. I don’t know.” She said confused. She looked at his face and realized she had no idea who this man was, but he seemed to know her. “Can we just get out of here?”

“Working on that as we speak.”

As they reached the top stairs Harkin heard a large ruckus coming from the room across the hallway. He pushed the cellar door open, bumping into one of the med techs with it. To his left the emergency medical serviced had arrived and were tending to the wounded. The cramped hallway was a mad house of activity.

Across the hall one of his men was wrestling with Yvonne Logan. She was yelling at the top of her lungs, “Let me go you mother fuckers. Carol needs me!”

She pulled an arm free of one of the agents and tried to pull him back towards the hallway. The NSA agent, who was easily a hundred pounds heavier was yanked forward a step before he pulled back and using the arm he still held, swung her down onto the floor. Yvonne landed face first and the agent put a knee on her back while he slipped a cuff on one arm.

“Hey! Go easy on her!” Thomas bellowed from the doorway.

Harkin called out to her, “Loga! Help me with the doc? I’ll take care of that.” He pointed at Yvonne as he spoke.

Thomas turned to see Sam being held up by Harkin. “Ya, I got her. Tell your boys to watch their step though.” She told him angrily.

Looking at the man pinning Yvonne to the floor Harkin said, “I’ll take care of this one. Why don’t you go help the others secure the rest of the house. The agent nodded and stood leaving Yvonne free with one cuff hanging from her wrist.

Harkin offered a hand to Yvonne and pulled her up. “Take a seat on the couch and stay there!” he demanded. “They’re taking care of the kid, she’ll be alright.”

Yvonne nodded. Behind Harkin a pair of agents dragged Flint passed the entrance. He looked to be only semi-conscious. His face was a mess from the impact with the swings seat.

“Michael!” she yelled but Flint was already passed the threshold. She had no idea if he heard her or not. To Harkin she asked, “Where are you taking him?”

“If I were you, I’d worry more about what’s going to happen to you and forget you ever knew him.” He told her menacingly.

“What are you going to do with me then? Since that’s supposed to be what I’m worried about.” She replied cockily. “I know who you are, Mr. Harkin. I know about your whole network, from Hillary Marko to Philip Bastion to this place, here. My mouth might start running of its own accord if bad things were to happen to those I care about.”

“Ya I’m sure you have a whole chest full of secrets that you could spill. However, all actions have consequences and while you might think you know the scoop, truth is you don’t really know as much as you think. The people I work for, and you work for, wouldn’t take kindly to being outted publicly. They are in a position to make your life short as well as extremely miserable if you decide to go out on your own.”

He watched the uncomfortable look on her face as she considered what he said. “So, are we done threatening each other now?”

She nodded.

“Good. Now since we understand each other. I’m going to trust you to stay put. I’ll be back to collect you in a bit.” She nodded again and Harkin walked out and headed down the hallway.

Things were clearing up in the hall. Nicole was being lifted up on a stretcher while Thomas held her hand. The redhead issued a small moan as the rolling bed locked into place and then was silent

Logan still couldn’t believe that between her energies and Becket’s they’d somehow revived her. It was the most incredible and exhausting thing she’d ever done. Was this power always in her or was it part of some kind of ongoing mutation? She had no answers but was anxious to talk to Becket about the experience when the opportunity arose.

In the meantime, she held her unconscious lover’s hand and thanked god for Nicole being alive. Every rise and fall of her chest felt like a miracle. Thomas had never been religious but today made her wonder if Ellie was right, God really was on their side.
She peaked into the living room thought the front entrance to it. Her wife was sitting on the couch at the end of the room watching the medics attend Carol. Yvonne being alive was going to complicate things but that was a worry for another day.

Against the other wall Carol lay on a hard plastic backboard with a brace securely around her neck. Thomas also prayed for her quick recovery from her injuries and cursed herself for being the cause of them. When she saw Nicole being shot, she simply panicked and now a child had been severely hurt. That was something she was going to have to live with and could never allow to happen again.

The truth of it all came crashing down on her at once as she watched the young girl being lifted onto a waiting stretcher. Since discovering her enhancements she’d always found it kind of cool to be so strong and fast. Those abilities are what caused her so much pain in quarantine and were what eventually enabled her to survive her time at Reynolds.

That arrogance, she now saw, led to a certain nonchalance about the possible harm she could do. From here on she was going to always watch her step when it came to the use of her abilities.

As resolute as she was on that subject there was a small, but growing, piece of her that reveled in the use of them. She could feel it niggling at her even as she promised herself to be more careful. That feeling had never been there until they’d escaped Reynolds. Somehow being out in the world with room to move had awakened it inside her. It was how she imagined an animal feels once freed from a cage. Now that it was there it was going to take constant internal monitoring to keep it at bay.

One of the medics came over and grabbed the handle on Nicole's stretcher and began to wheel her out. “Where are you talking her?” Thomas asked coming back to reality.

“Edwards.” The masked man replied as he pulled a little harder to get the stretcher rolling. Like Thomas, Nicole was considerably heavier then she looked.

“That Airforce base? Why there?”

“Orders.” Was all he said back.

“Who’s orders? And why there? Our facility is much closer and fully capable of taking care of her. I think she’d be far better off there rather than some military facility.”

He stopped pulling on the stretcher and let the handle drop. “Look lady, my orders say to take all the injured to the hospital at Edwards, so that’s where we’re going. If you got a problem with it take it up with someone else.” He reached down to grab the handle again.

“Who is the someone else that gave you those orders?” she asked.

“Look, I’m just doing my job here. Your friend needs medical attention, can I please just put her in the ambulance?” he asked trying to be reasonable.

For Thomas the idea of Nicole falling into the government hands was unthinkable. There was no way she could let that happen after all the suffering she’d gone through. She looked at then medic and shook her head no. She’d die before she let Nicole go through anything like that.
“Ma’am, I really don’t have time for this shit.” He said angrily. The med tech grabbed the handle and tried to push his way past the tall beauty. It was in that instance Thomas lost her patience with the whole situation.

She reached out and grabbed him by the tactical vest and lift him high with one arm, knocking his head against the ceiling. She yelled as she held him aloft, “I said you’re not taking her there!”

The rest of the government agents all came to their feet and started hollering for Thomas to let him go. Guns were drawn and threats that fell on deaf ears were made. Logan shook the hapless medic like a rag doll.

Yvonne got up on the couch to see what the commotion was about and saw the spectacle of the woman that was once her husband and was amazed. She’s seen the aftereffects of what Thomas had done to Carol but not the act itself. Seeing her full power on display like this left her feeling an odd combination of awe and dread.

“My god babe. What did they do to you?” she wondered to herself as she watched the scene unfold.

Becket pushed her way through the crowd of men and put hand on the angry new woman’s shoulder. “Logan, let him go.” She said calmly but firmly.

Thomas looked down at the shorter Private. “What are you going to do if I don’t?”

Katie was quiet for a moment, the replied, “I don’t know, ask you to put him down again I guess.”

Thomas blinked and started laughing. Becket smiled back. The brown-haired beauty set the medic down, shaking her head. She looked at him as he straightened himself out. “You’re still not taking her.” She warned.

Smartly he put his hands up and took a step back. “Hey, no problem, Xena. My mother didn’t raise a dummy. She’s all yours.”

“Don’t run away. I’m still going to need you and your ambulance.” Thomas told him.

“Wait, what?”

“You heard me. We’re taking her to our facility then you can have it back. I need you to do whatever she needs til we get there.”

The medic looked over at one of the others in the hall. The other masked doctor nodded. The man sighed. “Ok, I’m all yours, I guess.”

“Good. Thank you. Sorry for bouncing your head off the ceiling.” Logan apologized awkwardly. “Are you ok?”

“Ya. No worries. I’ll live.”

“Thomas.” Yvonne called from behind her. “Carol is a virus victim too.”

She nodded. “So? She shot Nicole, she has whatever the government is going to do to her coming.”

“Thomas she’s a kid. You can’t do that to her.” Yvonne pleaded. “I need you to look after her. Maria too.”

“You’re not coming?”

“I don’t think they are going to let me.” Yvonne replied. She lifted her one cuffed wrist for all to see and pointed to the agents filling the hallway.
The new woman nodded and sighed. “Fine. Hope that ambulance is a double wide cause it’s going to be a full house.” She looked around.

“Where’s Sam?”

“She’s out front. Harkin has one of the doctors was looking at her head wound.” Becket replied.

“Good, grab her too and let’s get them out of here.”

Katie nodded. “Time to go folks. You two with the kid, follow us in the other ambulance.”

********************
Outside Harkin caught up with the two agents that were half dragging Flint along at the bottom of the porch stairs. He tapped the one on the right on the shoulder to get his attention. The agent jerked around suddenly reaching for his firearm as he did.

Harkin put his hands up and stepped back saying, “Hey, hey, slow down soldier. It’s just me.”

The agent looked at him and relied with “Sorry sir. You caught me off guard.”

“Ya no problem. Been a rough day.” Harkin reassure him. The day had turned cloudy but remained very humid. Harking looked around for a moment then was struck by an idea.

“I’m the black Escalade” he told the agent while pointing at the truck. “Put him in the back of it. Make sure he’s secure and leave the windows up. I’ll deal with him myself in a while.”

“Yes sir.”

He turned back to see Logan and Becket carting Nicole out on her stretcher. Behind him were two of the med techs carrying the backboard with Carol’s still unconscious body on it.

“Everything all set with them?” he inquired.

“We’re taking them to the compound in San Francisco.” Becket told him.

“I thought we agreed they were going to the hospital at Edwards. We have special accommodation set up for them already there. They’re expecting them.”

“No. You agreed they were going there. We never did. I’m not leaving any virus victim in the hands of the government or the military ever again.” Thomas told him.

“Wait, wait, wait. They need to go to Edwards that was the deal.” Harkin told them stepping in their way and blocking the sidewalk. He was in no mood to debate with them over this. The people he answered too wanted them at the Ari Force base and that’s where he was going to send them regardless of what Logan and Becket wanted. He half considered puling his gun and just shooting the pair of enhanced women if they gave him any more shit over it.

“Hold on Becket.” Thomas told her. She let go of the stretcher and in less time than it took to blink your eye she was in Harkin’s face. She poked him in the chest with her index finger hard enough that the breath was driven out of him. Without thinking, he took a step backwards, rubbing the spot.

“I said we are taking them to San Francisco!” She said menacingly as she stood looking down at him. Harkin wasn’t short by any stretch, but Thomas stood half a head taller. “I don’t give a fuck what you want or where you want them to go. They are not under your supervision; they’re under mine. Understand me?”

He looked up at the angry new woman meeting her eyes as she once again considered using his gun. If there weren’t plans for all the enhanced Sisters already, he’d have taken his chances and started firing away. Instead, he swallowed his annoyance deep and told her, “Umm, yeah. Sure thing. San Fran it is. Whatever you want. Are we done now?”

“I want Yvonne released into our custody too. At least until the young one regains consciousness.”

Harkin balked. “Absolutely not. She and Flint and the rest of the fucked up big time grabbing Greyson like they did. The people I work for are very upset with them. I can’t let her go no matter what you threaten me with. Trust me whatever you can do is nothing compared to what they’d do to me.”

She stopped and considered his words for a minute. “So, you knew they were watching us?”

“What? No. I had no idea they were staking your place out.”

“But you just said that people are upset at them, so someone knew they were out to get her, and you never said anything?”

“No, Thomas. None of us knew that they were actively pursuing the doc.” He told her. “Yes, I knew they wanted to get their hands on Dr. Greyson, but they were told to leave her be. They then went out on their own and nearly fucked the whole thing up by grabbing her.”

Thomas wasn’t sure how much of what he said she believed. It seemed to her lies just flowed out of him no matter what the subject.

Next to her one of the medics coughed. She looked over at him and asked. “Will Nicole be ok for a few more minutes?”

“I guess.” He replied shrugging his shoulders. “Considering her injury I’m not sure how she’s even still alive. She has a gunshot wound to the chest that’s not near any vital organs, but it’s obviously caused a massive bleed based on the blood in there.” He threw a thumb back in the direction of the house as he explained. “Best guess it sheared an artery in there somewhere, possibly the aortic based on position. While somehow the bleeding has stopped for the most part, she’s still in critical condition from the blood loss. So, I’m going to go with, things are not great inside there. Despite appearing to stable at the moment, the sooner we get her to a medical facility the better.”

Thomas nodded. “Fine. Get that Maria kid and let’s roll.” Then to Harkin she said, “I’ll be wanting to talk to Yvonne so make sure she doesn’t disappear down some deep dark hole.

“I will do my best.”

“It’s you I’m going to blame if it doesn’t work out. Just saying.”

“Understood.”

**********************
After the pair of ambulances departed Harkin went back inside and let out a deep breath. “What a fucking cluster fuck of a day.” He thought. Turning to his right he entered the living room and saw Yvonne sitting quietly on the couch where he’d left her.

“Well at least something has gone right today. Glad you stayed put. I would have been pissed if I had to go looking for you.” He told her.

“Where’s my husband?” was all she said in return.

“Thomas is off transporting their injured to their facility in San Francisco. I have no idea how I’m going to explain that one.” He let out along breath and ran his hand through his hair. Then to Yvonne he added. “Don’t worry, I promised her that you two would be able to talk at some point.”

Yvonne nodded. “So, I take it that you’re not planning to take me out back to the woodshed and shoot me then?”

“Nope. Not part the plan as of yet anyhow. Your boyfriend on the other hand, him I can’t make any promises for.”

“Mike? Why? What did he do more than any of the rest of us?”

“He was in charge. He knew the orders were hands off of Dr. Greyson and still he had you people surveilling her.” Harkin explained. “Then to make it even worse he was going to allow you all to take her out of play. Which was stupid on his part. Leaving her alone was all that was asked of you people. You could do whatever then fuck else you wanted and there would be no repercussions. But that wasn’t enough. You had to go and fuck everything up. So, now, not only are the Sisters well aware that there are people actively looking to do harm to Greyson, but they also know they are somehow affiliated with the people financing them. What a cluster fuck.”

Yvonne nodded.

“I don’t know what the plan for her, but hands off means hands off. Flint’s pissed off a lot of powerful people with this stunt. I’m sure whatever they have planned for him is going to be very unpleasant.” Harkin shook his head over the waste.

“Greyson deserves everything we were going to do to her, and more. You know it too. I can see it in your eyes. Yet she’s going to live and we’re going to be punished. We should have just killed her at the park and been done with it.” Yvonne spat angrily.

“Maybe. Our opinions of the doc don’t matter though.” He told her. “Come on. Get up and turn around with your hands behind your back.”
Yvonne stood up and dusted herself off then did as he instructed. She felt the cold metal encircle her wrists then click tight. She looked down at the floor as he read her rights all the time thinking the last thing they would ever give her was a lawyer.

When that was over, he guided her down the hallway and out to the street. The nearest transport vehicle was several spots down the road behind where the ambulances had vacated their spots. He held her arm loosely as he led her to the vehicle that would bring her to whatever hellhole they were planning to drop her into.

Yvonne let him guide her without resistance. She walked along looking at the street as if she was taking in her last view of the world without bars or walls. She happened to be looking when they passed Harkin’s black Escalade when she spotted Flint in the back seat.

The side of his head was pressed against the passenger’s side rear window. It was smeared with greasy sweat, and it was obvious the man was panting. Yonne yanked her arm free of Harkin’s grip and went to the car.

“Michael!” She shouted frantically. Inside Flint turned his head a bit, his glassy eyes rolled up a bit as he looked at her.
Yvonne looked back at Harkin. “How long has he been in there sealed up like that?”

It was a warm, very humid cloudy day with the temperature in the mid 70’s. Even without direct sunlight the inside the car it must have been well over ninety degrees.

“What doesn’t matter?” Harkin said dismissively as he grabbed her arm and pulled her way from the car roughly. “I already told you he’s as good as dead. Better for him to die of heat stroke in there than what’s in store for him.”

Yvonne Tried to pull away again, but Harkin held tight, dragging her along.

“Michael!” she called out. “Hang on baby. I’ll find you somehow! Don’t give up hope!” She yelled her love’s name again before being stuffed into the back of another waiting SUV. Soon as she was strapped in it sped off.

Harkin turned back and looked at his truck, trying to decide what was next. This cell was fucked. They were all on their way to spending whatever time Carlyle decided they had left behind bars, except Flint. He hadn’t got final word on his fate, but he knew it wasn’t going to be anything as easy as life behind bars. Harkin almost felt sorry for the big man, he’d been a good soldier and tremendous leader, it was sort of a shame it came to this.

“Choices have consequences and he made his.” He thought with a sigh as he walked back into the house to see what was left to take care of while he waited to hear where he was taking Flint.

*****************
The ambulance:

The ride back to the Sisters complex was about an hour on a normal day. With the incredibly light traffic today Thomas was sure they’d make it in forty-five flat, or better. It scared her on some deep level to see society grinding to a halt like this. It was as if the world was ending in slow motion.

It was a fear you could see etched in the face of everyone you met during any given day but was rarely spoken of. Almost as if to give voice to it would somehow make it more real. By keeping silent allowed you to pretend it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.
Becket was in the other front seat playing copilot with a road map in hand. Thomas wasn’t familiar with this part of the state and was in constant need of a navigator.

Meanwhile the medic they’d drafted was in the back, tending to Nicole and Sam. Both seemed reasonably stable at the moment. Sam was awake but her speech was slurred, and her eyes remained unfocused. It was obvious to all she had a concussion.
Nicole was still unconscious. She hadn’t uttered a single word since being on the floor of the house. Her chest rose and fell steadily however, and the med tech assured both of the new women that was the best sign of all.

Carol, along with her friend, were in the second ambulance that was following them to the compound. It seemed reasonable to keep Sam and Carol separated considering what had happened in the basement.

Reaching behind her seat, Thomas closed the little door separating the driver’s compartment from the medical area giving them a bit of privacy.

“So, let me ask you, what do you think we did to Nicole back there?” she asked Katie as the pulled up onto the on ramp of the highway.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean she was dead or pretty darn close to it and she’s not anymore. That was us, right? We somehow fixed her?”

“I think so.”

“Well how? What did we do?”

Becket sat quietly for a bit mulling it over. She was exhausted but exhilarated at the same time. The effort it took to save Nicole had been immense. She felt not just tired but exhausted, almost bone weary with exhaustion. At the same time, though she was filled with wonder over what they’d done. On one hand all she wanted was to sleep but at the same time she couldn’t stop tossing it over in her mind. How was it possible? She didn’t have the slightest idea, but they’d done it somehow.

“I really don’t know Thomas.” She replied. “I’ve been thinking about it this whole time and I don’t understand any of it. All I can say is it felt like I found a small spark of her still in there when I reached out, something I didn’t feel at all when we tried it with Paka. I’ve never felt anything like it before. It was like I could feel her, I don’t know, soul? Spirit? Life force maybe? Not sure what words to use to describe it but it was amazing. It was like I could touch her very essence.”

“I felt her there too. Just barely. But it doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it doesn’t. I can tell you though, without your help, I don’t think she’d be alive. Whatever it was you added it’s what made the difference. Maybe we just found whatever controls her healing ability and touched it, pushed it, amped it up somehow. Kind of kicked it into overdrive or something, I don’t know.”

Thomas drove on in silence for a bit as she chewed it over. For something that shouldn’t have been possible the explanation, as convoluted as it was, made as much sense as anything else. The important thing was Nicole was alive so maybe the how’s and why’s of it didn’t matter. However, it kept niggling at her.
“
I think maybe your right. We somehow helped her healing factor kick in or sustained it somehow. By the time she was in the ambulance her wound had been only trickling blood, like a razor cut before you put something over it.”

“It’s as good an explanation as any.” Katie replied in a subdued voice. She let out a long yawn. She couldn’t ever remember being so tired since going through her transformation. Whatever they’d done it had taken a tremendous amount of energy out of her. It certainly wasn’t anything she’d be signing up to do again in the immediate future, if ever.

“One thing I know for sure is we can’t let Russov find out what we did. She’d have us both shipped off to that Greyson place in a heartbeat. Being a lab rat for that creepy Dr. Ryan guy is not high on my life’s agenda.”

“Greyson? Greyson labs? The place Sam owned?”

“I have no idea. I didn’t know Sam had a lab. Though it kind of makes sense since she had to create the bug somewhere and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t on her kitchen counter.” She giggled at the mental picture.

“They experiment on people there?”

“So we were told. You see, I was, and still kind of am, a fuck up at FT. Rawlings. I didn’t want to be there and so didn’t want to be a soldier. I wanted nothing to do with any of that shit. I’d finally gotten a life after being infected and resented the hell out of it being taken away from me. So, I caused trouble, as much as I could for anyone that I felt like that. I got especially bad when I realized no one there could take me. There were a few that scared me but for some reason I was baddest ass on the block there. They had plenty of more skilled fighters there but no matter who it was challenging me, I always won.” Katie explained somberly. There was no arrogance in her voice, just the tone of someone resigned to the truth.

She yawned again before going on, “I was far from the only screw up there. Most of the other drafted girls resented being imprisoned there and would tweak the drill sergeants in little ways here and there, just to have their presence registered. Us major pains in their collective ass got called to a meeting one morning. In there we were introduced to that Dr. Ryan guy who was on a video monitor, and we were told that if we didn’t shape up, we’d be sent to that Greyson place to be used as lab rats. To show us how serious they were they took a small handful of girls with them when they left.”

“No shit.”

“Nope no shit. So, with that as our only other option, the rest of us got our attitudes in tune with what the army was looking for right quick. Far as I know no one else got sent away after that. If Russov finds out though, she would definitely send us there.”

“Ya that wouldn’t happen.” Thomas told her definitively. “Even if she had the authority to send me away, which she doesn’t, it wouldn’t happen.”

“Not being in the army doesn’t mean you’re immune to her having you shipped out Thomas, I hate to break the bad news to you. That bitch is ruthless. She does not give a shit about anything except what she’s been ordered to do.” Katie said in a commiserating voice.

“Ya? They better send everyone they have, including you. They will never get me into another government run facility again! I’d happily die first.”

“Another?” Katie asked surprised.

“Keep it to yourself?”

“Sure. I got no love for the rest of them.” She laughed.

“Paka, Robi, Linda and I were all incarcerated at Reynolds.”

“Sounds ominous but I have to admit, I don’t know what Reynolds is.”

Thomas looked at her surprised. “Never heard of it?”

“I’m not from around here. I’m from Texas via Nebraska. I haven’t had a lot of time to see the local sights. Russov keeps me on a tight leash.” She twirled her ankle monitor around her finger for emphasis.

“I see.” Thomas replied then went on. “It was one of the first federal quarantines that they opened here in the bay area, was a real hell hole. The military allowed a variety of psychos to oversee the place. In a lot of ways what you said about that Dr. Ryan guy, he sounds a lot like Dr. Stanley at Reynolds. I was with the first group of new women they incarcerated there, under a monster named Brady. He was pure military, no finesse at all. He’d punch you right in the mouth and smile at you. That was at least even ground. You knew where you stood. Stanley was insidious one. That fucking cunt found all sorts of novel ways to fuck with and torture those imprisoned there.” Thomas paused for a moment trying to decide how deep into it she wanted to go. Robi had told her that talking about it could be cathartic.

She sighed before continuing. “At first when we arrived it was just neglect and lack of caring about any of us, They treated us like we were hardened criminals convicted of serious crimes instead of angry and confused people who’d been thorough a massively life changing event. Brady, sic fuck that he was, had little hidden cameras in all the cells and would watch us. Of course we didn’t know that at the time.”
When they discovered I was enhanced, after overpopulating the cell we were in with a group of real assholes who always wanted to fight for a sleeping space.”

“No way. They really did that?”

“They did. I knocked the shit out them too. That’s when everyone went hey, what’s up with that?”

“MMM. Can imagine they were a bit surprised.”

“I was too.” Thomas replied with a shiver. “Anyway they found out and went about torturing me in all sorts of novel ways in the name of seeing what the limits of my abilities were. I managed to get Brady eventually and gave him a dose of my blood.”

“Your blood?”

“Ya they screwed up and didn’t administer enough of the sedative they gave me to keep me in line while he’d work me over. I laid there waiting for the right moment and when I came, I beat the shit out of him, pinned his ass down and cut open my arm and let the blood drip into his mouth.”

Becket laughed. “That’s fucked up. Sounds like no less than he deserved.”
“
It was the worst thing for him I could come up with at the time.”

“A little turn about.”

Yep. So once brady was infected and out of the way they put Dr. Stanley in charge. That fat cunt she was even more fucked in the head than Brady was. Worse she was a medical doctor so she put it off like she was really running experiments that might help in the future. She took a bunch of us enhanced women and impregnated us through artificial insemination, thus Linda’s condition. I lost mine in the escape.” A tear leaked from the corner of her eye which she absently wiped away.

“Linda was impregnated there?”

“Yep. She never told you?”

“No.”

“Well I’d keep it to myself then until she decides to tell you on her own.”

“No doubts but…fuck.” Becket said without anger. The private felt a tinge of embarrassment at all the complaining she’d done about the treatment at the hands of the army. It was nothing compared to what Linda and Thomas went though. “Jesus. I thought I had it bad. Feel kind of like an ass now.”

“We all have a sob story these days. No one that has the virus hasn’t been through some kind of shit or another.”

“True enough.”

“I agree not telling your boss is probably the best route.” Thomas said in agreement with the original thought. “She’s kind of a snake that one huh?”

“Russov?”

“Yeah.”

“No, she’s just career military. She was in before she got infected. She believes in the military lifestyle one hundred percent. Whatever orders she’s been given, she’ll carry out to the letter.” Katie looked over her shoulder though the window separating the driver’s compartment to make sur ethe door was still closed before she went on. “You guys really need to keep an eye on her. I don’t know what her real orders are but she’s not here for your best interests if you get my meaning.”

Thomas nodded. “I kind of got that vibe but thank you for confirming it.”

Becket nodded. “Just thought you should know.” She turned her head and went back to looking out the side window. As the trees and houses blew by she quietly wondered just whose side she was really on.

**************
9:15pm PDT:

Greyson Labs:

The phone was ranging in the isolation lab’s office. Sheila Cochrane looked over her shoulder at it with a look of annoyance on her face. She had been trying all afternoon to analyze the tissue samples she collected earlier from Eugene and every time she thought she was getting somewhere there was something interrupting her. This morning it had been Dr. Ryan in a frenzy over Lt. Colonel Zoe’s appearance. Then it was the faulty anesthesia line she’d run for the poor man as the medical laser cut tiny pieces of him off. Now it was the god damned phone.

She glanced at every corner only to find the rest of the staff and deserted her. With a loud sigh she pushed herself back from the microscope station and trudged over to the office. Without even a pretense of pleasantries she answered, “Isolation lab!”

“Ahh yes, Dr Cochrane,” Director Zoe replied. “Glad I caught you. Dr Ryan and I are busy going over some things up here and I just received word that we have a new test subject on the way in. Can you take two orderlies and meet the car at the loading dock?”

Shelia shook her head in disbelief. “Friggen men!” she thought in exasperation. She swallowed hard and pushed her irritation down and replied in an even voice, “I’m kind of in the middle of something right at this moment.”

“I understand doctor. I wouldn’t ask if there were someone else that I trusted to handle this situation.” Zoe explained patiently.

She rolled her eyes at the false flattery. “Thank you, director, I appreciate your confidence in me. When do you need me to meet them?”

“The transport is waiting for access to the campus at the guard station as we speak. Soon as you tell me you’re on the way they will be too.”

“Can you give me ten minutes to finish up what I’m in the middle of?”

“Of course, whatever you need. They can wait if you need more time.”

“No ten minutes should be fine.”

“Excellent. Thank you doctor.” Zoe said to her as he hung up.

****************
Fifteen minutes later Sheila found herself waiting on the loading dock with a pair of so-called orderlies that looks more like professional wrestlers than they did medical assistants. She hugged herself against the chill of the early October evening air. The strangest summer I human history was quickly fading away to hopefully, if they could finally make some progress on finding a vaccine, a much quieter fall.

After a few moments a SUV or pickup truck, judging by the height of the headlights, of some kind pulled up the driveway. She shielded her eyes from the oncoming lights as it moved along the road. “Look at this asshole with his high beams on.” She said to the pair of orderlies who only grunted in response.

She felt a bit of disquiet over it, it seemed like this would be the perfect way to start some kind of assault on the place and yet her companions seemed completely uninterested. She couldn’t decide if they were just supremely confident in their ability to deal with anything that might go down or just bored out of their minds.

“Serve us right it was an attack on the place with the attitude of these two.” She thought to herself.

Despite her fears, what turned out to be a dark-colored Escalade pulled up to a smooth stop. Out of the driver’s side popped a rather good looking but disheveled man with a day’s growth of beard. She, followed by the orderlies, walked down the steps to meet up with him.

Soon as she was within reach, he stuck his hand out. “Names Harkin. Pleased to meet you.” He said with a sly grin.

“Dr. Cochrane.” She told him shaking his hand. “You have someone for me?”

Yeah, in the back. Don’t mind his condition. He’s had a bit of a rough day.” Harkin explained with a small laugh as he opened the rear door.
Mike Flint would have flopped out onto the pavement if not for the seat belt holding him in place. Sheila stepped over and gave him a quick once over examination. As she looked him over, Sheila pulled a small notebook out of her pocket, jotting a few notes into it.

The red headed man was obviously dehydrated; there were bruises covering his face, his nose was definitely broken, and his eyes were glassy and unfocused.

She looked at Harkin with a cocked eyebrow. “Rough day? Looks like he was playing tackling dummy for the 49ers.” She took a light from her pocket and shined it into his blood shot eye. When to didn’t dilate properly, she made a note on her pad to have him checked for a possible concussion.

“Is he immune? Is that why he’s here?” she asked.

Harkin laughed. “I have no fucking clue doc. He’s been having relations with an infected female, and he has hasn’t changed so maybe? I was just told to drop him off here and you and your people would deal with him.”

She nodded and made another note on her pad. When she was finished, she told one of the orderlies, “We’re going to need a stretcher for him. Go grab it. I’ll wait here with Mr. Harkin.”

The tall bald, dark-skinned man nodded at the order. He turned and walked back inside.

A few minutes later he reappeared calling for his partner to help him with the door. The pair rolled the gurney down the loading ramp and put it next to the Escalade. The pair reached into the vehicle, undoing the seat belt. The poor guy inside nearly fell onto the pavement as they struggled to control his limp body.

Finally one of the hooked him under the armpit and dragged him out onto the pavement where his partner grabbed the man’s feet and the pair lifted him on to the waiting cart.
"Bring him to isolation. I’ll be along in a minute.” She instructed.

“Isn’t this where it all started? Where Greyson invited then bug.” Harkin asked. He knew the answer already, but he found Sheila attractive and didn’t want her to leave yet.

“So, you’re not just an errand boy, you’ve got some security clearance. How nice.” She replied. He was really good looking. She could barely keep from staring. After being stuck in the facility with so many nerdy types it was a bit refreshing to interact with someone that came across as a bit of a bad boy. “

Yep, this is the place. Now we work to try and stuff the genie back into the bottle.”

“How’s that going?” he asked legitimately curious. His boss was using the emergency as an excuse to boot a sitting president out of office and cancel elections as soon as that was done. Harkin wondered what would happen those plans if they succeeded in finding a cure before it all went down.

“That’s classified.” She told him.

Harkin nodded, understanding the answer hidden in her non-answer. “That well huh?”

She shot him an are you serious kind of look and shook her head.

“Yep, I dunno nuffin. Got it.” He replied with a smirk. She flashed him a quick smile but said nothing. The two stood there in silence for another minute before he added, “Well, I guess he’s in good hands so I should get my ass out of here.”

“Was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Harkin.” She didn’t really want to go but there was no legitimate reason she could think of to delay going back inside.

“Just Harkin. Or Kevin. Mister sounds like my dad should be standing behind me.” He ginned then asked, “Can I see your little note pad a sec?”

“My note? Umm. Sure.” She hesitated a second then handed it to him.

“I promise no harm with come to it.” Harkin told her as he scribbled something on a clean sheet of paper and handed it back to her. “My number. In case you ever get a day off and want to go day drinking or something.”

She looked it over and smiled. She ripped the sheet off and stuck it in her coat pocket. “Never know.” She said with a smile. “Have a good night, mister…umm..I mean, Harkin.” She rolled her eyes at herself for being so flustered.

“Good night, Doc. Was nice to meet you.” He hopped back in the Escalade and started heading off. Before he got too far away, he stole a quick glance in the rear view and caught her standing there watching as he pulled away. “Gotcha!” he said to himself with a smile. “Yep. See you real soon Doc.”

****************
Half an hour later Dr. Ryan came walking into the isolation lab. In the far corner he spotted Shiela talking to another female doctor, he remembered being called Dr. Love. Love was new to the facility and Ryan didn’t know much about her beyond all the commendations she came with.

Dr. Love was one of the USAMRID doctors, a captain by rank. The rank always made him think of the superhero Captain America, except he thought, in this case it would be Captain Love. He smiled to himself thinking it sounded like the title of a porno.

The doctor stood almost nearly as tall as the famed Marvel character, a bit over six feet tall. Ryan had a thing for tall women. He noticed that even in her uniform it was easy to tell she was in tremendous physical shape. The way her shirt stretched a bit across the back of her shoulders was a sure sign of how much muscle was under there.

On top of that she had short chestnut brown hair and matching, penetrating eyes, high cheek bones and a mouth set which could be best described as resting bitch face. He thought she had quite the intriguing look about her. Ryan made a mental note to get to know her a bit better.

“So ya, I tell you that was sexy man.” Sheila told the other doctor.

“Damn, girl, I wish I had been there too. We could have tag teamed him. If ya know what I mean.” Love replied with a laugh.

The pair heard the door opening and looked over to see Ryan entering the room. As he started in their direction Sheila quietly whispered “shh. Here he comes.”

Dr. Love nodded. “No worries sweetie. We’ll finish this up later.”

“Ladies', what do we have going on here?” Ryan asked as he approached the pair.

“Hi Jackson.” Dr. Cochrane said with a small smile. “We were just discussing Mr. Flint in there.” She pointed at the prone man in the isolation lab. “He’s our new arrival.”

Ryan looked over at Flint. Even at a distance and through the thick glass it was obvious he’ has the shit beat out of him. “Jesus! He looks like he went ten rounds with Tyson.”

“Yep, the guy that dropped him off said he’s had a rough day.”

“Rough indeed.” Ryan agreed, nodding. “Have his results come in yet?”

Sheila looked at the clock. “Couple more minutes and it will be soup.” She replied, stealing a line from the old Campbells soup commercials and snickering. The other two just stared at her like they had no idea what she was talking about. She sighed and laughed to herself, “Nerds.”

“I need to get back to my lab.” Dr. Love told the pair. She didn’t know why but every time she as near Ryan she felt distinctly uncomfortable. It was almost as if she could feel his eyes moving over her at every encounter. It was very disquieting and made her feel like his every thought was dipped lightly in slime. Now those feeling were again creeping up her spine so it was time to beat a hasty exit.

“Ok. Thanks for coming down and taking a look for me Doreen.” Sheila told her as she gave the other doctor a hug.

“Any time babe. You got my number.” She said with a grin. Then to Ryan she nodded and said, “Doctor.” As she walked by.

Ryan turned his head and watched her from behind as she left. Then turning back to Cochrane he said, “I don’t think she likes me much.”

“She never said a word about you to me one way or the other. I’d bet it’s just a case of she just doesn’t know you, Jack.”

“You two seem every cozy though.” She could hear the resentment in his voice.

Sheila nodded. Before he’ could ask any more questions, the egg timer went off. “Saved by the bell.” She thought and then said to him, “Looks like our new guest’s test results are in.”

“An egg timer to remind you?” he questioned with an arched eyebrow

“It’s all we had.” She told him with a shrug. She lifted the tube of blood out of the holder and dropped a bit on a slide, which she then put under the nearest microscope. After fiddling with it for several seconds she nodded told Ryan, “He shows all the markers. Looks like we have immune patient number three.”

She thought for a moment then went on, “You know, Jack, it’s only been a couple weeks that we’ve been looking for immunes and we have three already. Kind of makes you wonder if immunity might not be as uncommon as we originally thought.”

He considered her words. “You may be right, or we could have just gotten lucky. Time will tell.”

“Mmm, yes.” She said distractedly. “Anyway, we now have a third patient.”

Ryan rubbed his hands together. “Excellent. See to it he’s properly dealt with tonight. We will begin a few of the standard tests in the morning, skin, organ samples and the like.”

She nodded “I will get it taken care of.”

“Great.” Ryan told her. Then he stepped a bit closer and put his arm around her waist. She fought down theurge to recoil with all her might and instead smiled at him. She mentally chastised herself for the reaction.

“Better knock that shit off girlfriend.” She thought grimly.

“Want to meet up for a drink in my apartment when you’re done?” He asked with a lecherous grin plastered to his face.

Without hesitation she put on her best smile then replied, “I’m sorry but not tonight, Jack. I’ve been at this all day, and I’m exhausted. Maybe tomorrow?”

“Sure thing. No rush. Not like any of us going anywhere.” He smiled at her and touched her cheek. “See you down here in the morning then to start with Mr. Flint’s testing? Say about 9:30?”

“9:30 it is. I will see you then.” She told him then kissed his cheek for good measure. That seemed to satisfy the doctor, and he turned and walked out.

Sheila sighed deeply again, looking at Flint strapped to his gurney. “Poor bastard.” She thought. “Got no idea what you’re in for. Such a waste.” She picked up the phone and called down to the nurse’s station and told them to send someone to put him with the other two.

After hanging up she leaned back in her chair and stared at Flint through the observation window, thinking. She wasn’t so sure about what it was they were doing anymore. Was any of it worth the toll it was taking on her soul. She wanted more than anything to find a cure for the virus and the army wasn’t going to let any of them off with anything less. Colonel Zoe had been very clear on that.

After a bit she got up and grabbed her lab coat wondering if Doreen was still around somewhere. She could really use a friend.

*******************
KLTR 11pm News:

"Good evening, San Francisco. This is KLTR News the late addition. I’m Clark Bruce.” The anchor told the audience.

“And I’m Wayne Kent.” The other anchorman announced.

Bruce went on, “Tonight top story is the fallout in Washington after it was announced that upon the recommendations of Senators George’s committee investigating President Fullers handling of the Acidalia crisis, that the full House of Representative will vote in the morning on articles of impeachment for the president.”

Kent picked it up. “According to sources all up and down Capitol Hill there are more than enough votes to carry the measure, and it expected to pass by a comfortable margin. Once that happens it will be on to the Senate to schedule hearings before a full vote can occur.”

“With Democrats holding majority in both houses and Fuller being a republican the White House has been describing this action as a purely partisan measure. It’s meant to push Senator George’s “floundering campaign” as a spokesperson put it, forward.” Bruce read.

“In a quote press secretary Lia Holiday issued today, “This administration will cooperate fully as the vote works its way through the House, however we feel this is blatant measure on the opposition party’s part to discredit a sitting president with just over a month to go before the November 4th elections.” Kent told the audience.

“Senator George’s office put out a statement shortly after the vote was agreed to be taken up saying. “This investigation has been an ongoing movement since the begging of the outbreak. Through testimony from many associated with the administration as well as several public miscalculations, we feel the only step left available to us is to move forward with impeachment. The vote will happen, unless of course president Fuller agrees to step down on his own. That would avoid the division this kind of trial in the senate will create during a time when we need to be coming together as a nation.”

Kent went on, “In other national news the Secretary of Defense Blake, announced that in conjunction the Secretary of State’s office the blockade of all US ports has finally come to an end. All American shipping lanes within out two-hundred-mile territorial limit have been cleared for travel and shipping. Blake went out of his way to congratulate Secretary Constantine for her efforts in restoring peace to our waters.”

“The Secretary was quoted as specifically saying, It was a tremendous effort of the part of Secretary Constantine that brought the Chinese to the table and through tremendous effort on her part, eventually got them to agree to pull back to international waters and allow the resumption of oil shipments from our pipeline in Alaska to the refineries in the Gulf of Mexico.”

“With the freeing of our shipping lanes the administration estimates crude oil will start arriving at the refineries with the next seven to ten days. This will surely help relieve the skyrocketing prices at the pump. Here in California the average price of a gallon of gasoline is around $10.50 according to AAA. A staggeringly high price to be sure.”

“In international news.” Bruce began. “The path to all-out war on the European continent took another step towards becoming a fact as the German Air force, in accordance with NATO treaty requirements began bombing Russian positions inside the Polish boarders early this morning local time. According to reports on the ground at least one Russian tank division was destroyed on a highway just outside the town of Pruszkow in the attack.”

“The Russian president issued a statement after the attack condemning Germany’s and NATO’s actions. The quote read, what is going on in Poland is an internal Soviet matter as we strive to recover land that was wrongfully taken from us with the ending of the cold war. Outside interference in this matter will not be tolerated. This is the rest of Europe’s one warning, stay behind your boarders and out of Poland and Belarus. Any further actions taken inside Soviet territory will be met with equal force retaliation inside your own borders. Stay tuned for further updates as this dangerous and highly volatile situation continues to develop.”

“In local news,” Kent continued. “A sleepy street in San Bernardino became a scene of mass confusion as a sea of government agents descended on a house located at 873 Declaration dr. Residents we spoke to reported hearing several rounds of gun fire during the raid and at least two ambulances were spotted leaving the scene in the aftermath.”

“A spokesperson for the ATF (Alcohol, Tabaco and Firearms enforcement) said, This house behind us was the subject of a raid after a month’s long investigation into domestic terrorism in the local area. The group living in the house is believed to be responsible for a recent attack in the Mojave Desert near the Nevada boarder last week of three quarantine busses on their way to the Reno facility among many other incidents since the outbreak.”

******************
Wednesday October 7th 1:45pm EDT:

The White House:

Fuller sat in the subterranean conference room in the deepest subbasement of the White House seething. Across from him sat the Senate minority leader Charles Gibson and House minority Whip Chevis Rolle’. The three had been arguing loudly of the upcoming impeachment vote scheduled in the House of Representatives coming in the following morning. Despite being the leader of the party things were not going well for the president.

“You mean to tell me even my own party is throwing me under the bus, Chevis?”

“I’m sorry sir, but yes. It’s the only way we see through to regaining the trust of the American people.” He drawled in his Arkansas accent.
Before Fuller could reply, Gibson chimed in. “Mr. President, while we, personally, remain loyal to you and your commitment to our country, the party feels it would be best of you stepped aside and it was VP Carlyle that ran at the top of the ticket next month.”

“Step aside? For Carlyle? You’re out of your fucking minds if you think I’m going to give it all over to that little weasel!” Fuller fumed. “He couldn’t even make it through the primaries when he ran in 2000 for Christ’s sake! How is he supposed to win the general with no time to get his name out there?”

“Mr. President…”
“No! God damn it no! This is fucking bullshit, and you both fucking know it! You all followed my lead and voted for every measure we put forward. And now you come saying fuck you Bob we’re kicking you to the curb?”

“Mr. President!” Gibson said angrily. “It doesn’t matter what’s gone on until point sir! The poles say you are unelectable. The American people don’t believe in you, sir! There are no two ways about it. If we are to survive the party has to distance itself from you publicly so that we have even the slimmest of chances to win in November. Surely you can see what a disaster this has become for yourself, sir. Davis Carlyle may not be the ideal candidate, but he is the only one we have at this point.”

“Mr. President it’s not about loyalty to any one person it’s about loyalty to the party. If we have any hope of remaining relevant, never mind in control of the government, just relevant, sir, we need to part ways. It’s just the way it is. The policies we thought would lead us through this crisis re deeply unpopular with the American people.” Rolle’ told him. “I’m sorry this got dumped on you Bob, but here it is, and we need to deal with it best as we can for everyone.”

“I can make it hard on you. All of you. Don’t think for a second I won’t if you push me into the corner!” Fuller threatened.

“We know you can Mr. President. Just as you know we have the goods on you too, sir. The thing no one ever mentions about the theory of mutually assured destruction is that everyone winds up dead in the end. Is that really what we want? Do you want to destroy the party and turn the country over to the libs?” Gibson asked trying to take tempers down a notch with a little bit of reason.
“No. Of course not. God only knows what Edwards would do if he were in control. He’d probably set all the virus victim free for Christ’s sake and then where would we be?”

“Exactly our point.” Rolle’ replied. “Bob, no one says you get no say moving forward. All we’re saying is we need to publicly distance ourselves for the good of the party. I know it sucks for you. If there were another way to play it, we would be playing that angle but, there simply isn’t any longer.”

Fuller sighed deeply. He couldn’t help but feel betrayed, and by his own people no less. He knew he’d done what he thought was best for the American people. He was sure the public understood the reasons behind his actions. It frustrated him to no end that these cowards were too worried about their own electability to let things play out.

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and stood up. “Get out!” he demanded angrily.

“Mr. President..” Gibbons started to protest.

“Get the fuck out!” Fuller demanded again. “Get the fuck out or I’ll have the secret service escort you out!” The two looked at each other for a moment then stood up.

“Mr. President this doesn’t change anything sir.” Rolle’ told him.

“Fuck you!” Fuller told him. “Get out of here you fucking cowards. You disgust me.”

As the pair walked out of the conference room Fuller slumped back into his chair. “That could have gone better.” He said to himself with a small sarcasm filled chuckle. “Fucking Davis Carlyle for president. Who’d have ever seen that coming? The little weasel probably planned this whole thing out himself.”

The question now was what the president was going to do about it.

****************
The VP’s office 4pm EDT:

“Mr. Carlyle, Secretary Blake in on line one for you.” The voice on the intercom told him.

Vice President Davis Carlyle, God how he loved how that sounded. In a short amount of time, he’d be getting his next promotion to the top office in the nation if all continued to go to plan. Thing certainly seemed to be headed in the right direction.

The House of Representatives announcement this morning of the impeachment vote, would save him a lot of explanation if it went as expected. Regardless all the pieces were in place and Fullers days were down to single digits. There was only one small issue he had left to take up, thus the call to Blakes office earlier which was just now being returned.

“Thank Gladys.” He replied as he clicked the line number. “Blake?” he asked as he answered.

“Yes Davis. I received a message you called down. What can I do for you Mr. Vice President?”

Davis smiled at the deferment. He was going to love being the president. “I saw the NNN (national news network) report on the ending of blockade.” He began.

“Yes, it’s excellent news, isn’t it? Just in time for the vote tomorrow too. Looks like we’ll be starting with a clean slate on that one.” Blake replied, obviously pleased with himself.

“I’m not nearly as impressed as you are with the report.” Carlyle informed him.

“Why what was wrong with it?”

“You gave that cunt Joanne way too much credit. Public credit. We can’t have that, Blake. We can’t have that at all.” Davis told him sternly.

Blake rolled his eyes. “Too much credit? She deserves far more than we gave her. We’d be stuck in the exact same spot if not for her, if I’m honest. What’s your problem?”

“My problem is she’s a problem that we need to be discrediting and downplaying her at every opportunity not pumping up in the public!” Carlyle all but shouted into the phone.

“Look Davis” Blake replied angrily. “I’m sorry she kicked you in the balls, but you deserved it! What the fuck were you thinking pulling that shit with her? She’s exactly the type of ally we need to pull this off as smoothly as possible and you go and threaten her? Jesus! Thank God she’s kept her mouth shut about it or you’d and by association me, be fucked. That kind of thing is all the reason Fuller would need to dump you, if he found out, election dammed. Then where would we be?”

“We’d be exactly where we are now! Nothing can stop this now. Not her. Not Fuller. Not you, no one! Now thanks to you we need to keep her after the transition of power, the public will expect someone so persuasive to be retained. You’ve made a national hero out of her for fucks sake!” Carlyle’s face was flushed with rage as he shouted into the phone.

“I wasn’t aware she was going to be relived of her position.” Blake replied flatly. He hated these conversations with Carlyle. Yes, taking advantage of the virus had been Davis’s idea but at times like this it seemed he planned more to be the king than the next president.

“Well now you know, and you went and fucked it all up!” the VP bellowed.

“I fucked it up?” Blake replied disbelievingly. “I think you’re forgetting who the fuck your talking to Carlyle. Without me your little plan is sunk. Whether they vote to impeach or not you still need me to keep the military in line while we transition power. I’d watch my fucking step if I were you, you son of a bitch!”

“Are you threatening me Secretary Blake?”

“No Mr. Vice President. I’m not threatening you. I’m explaining the facts of fucking life to you. None of this happens unless we are all on the same page. That means you don’t call me bitching about Joanne getting credit for work she did, and I don’t tell you that the military needs to be handled. We work in concert and push this forward until we achieve the goal, we’ve been working so hard to see come to fruition these last months.”

Davis stared into space as he fumed. “This isn’t the end of this!”

“Yes, Davis, it is. Don’t ever fucking call me for something this fucking stupid again.” Blake told him and dropped the phone back on its hook. “Asshole!”

Carlyle was about to launch into another offensive when he heard the phone click. He pulled the receiver away from his ear and just stared at it, as if trying to burn a hole through it with his eyes.

“Who the fuck did Blake think he is hanging up on me?” he wondered angrily. He dropped the phone back on the hook then in a fit of rage piked the whole thing up and pitched it against the far wall. “You haven’t heard the last of this one Blake. By this time next week, I’ll be in charge, and you’ll see who’s the one getting fucked!”

********************
Confirmed cases: 127,652,289

Actual cases: 180,367,843

End part XXIII

As always, than you for taking thee time to read my little TG dystopian tale. Hope you enjoyed. Please leave a comment.
Love Amanda