Author's note - This story was inspired by the real life events of six
women who have gone missing in one geographical area of Ireland in the last
few years
Summery: - Jordan and Liz meet for the first time while investigating the mysterious disappearances of 6 women while hitchhiking. Their investigation leads them to the activities of a religious cult.
Content – Violence, Action, Drama
Rating – R
Time Frame – This story takes place after The Flight of Francis Jeffries in the third season.
Spoilers – Speaking in Tongues
Disclaimer: - First Wave Title and characters are the copyright of First Wave Productions and Pearson TV. Cade Foster, Crazy Eddie, Jordan Radcliffe, Mabus and The Gua are the property of Chris Brancato, Larry Sugar and Francis Ford Coppola. Elizabeth Baker, Aisling O Meara (pronounced Ashling O Mara), Jacob, Wendy as well as the plot belongs to me. (irish – March 2002)
The Ferry Crossing
1.1 Prologue
Aisling O Meara was a very attractive young woman from Ireland. She was in her 20's and was working in the United States for the summer to earn money for college back home. She was visiting a cousin in West Virginia for the weekend but had missed the train back to Ohio where she was working. She decided to hitch. She had been warned not to hitch but figured she would be all right.
Aisling stood at the side of the road waiting for the next car to come along. It had been more than half an hour since the last car had passed. It was getting dark and it had turned a bit cold. She decided to walk on to keep warm.
She saw a car coming in the distance and waved it down.
"Hi little lady. Can I give you ride somewhere," the driver said to Aisling.
"Please," replied Aisling and got into the passenger seat of the car.
"Where are you headed?" asked the driver.
"I'm going to Trenton," replied Aisling.
"You are from Ireland," the driver said.
"Yeah," replied Aisling.
"How long are you here for?" asked the driver.
"Just the summer," Aisling replied. There was something about this driver that gave her the creeps. She sat in silence as the driver spoke about how much he wanted to visit Ireland. She watched the road as it passed but noticed that he wasn't taking the exit towards Trenton.
"You missed the exit," Aisling said.
The Driver said nothing but drove on.
"You missed the Trenton exit," Aisling repeated but still the driver said nothing. Aisling started to feel very afraid.
"Let me out," exclaimed Aisling
"Let me out," she said again punching the driver in the arm. The driver turned to look at Aisling, his face flashing alien.
Aisling screamed and tried to get out of the car but the driver had the doors locked. He placed his hand on her face and mouth and she blacked out.
********
"2 The disappearance of 6 young women along the same road in West Virginia in the last five years might not come as a shock to some people. It's generally dangerous for women to hitch hike in this country and people are warned not to do it. I admit I would have overlooked the story had it not been for a quatrain by Nostradamus. Quatrain 76, Century 11: -
"The Ferry Crossing leads to peril for those who travel along it, the deepness of the valley holds shadows behind hence the Twice Blessed Man must attempt deliverance"
Eddie believes the Ferry Crossing relates to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia where a battle in the Civil War was fought and lost. If he's right Harper's Ferry is about to have another battle on its hands.
3
Jordan and I have gone to Harper's Ferry to start a preliminary investigation into the missing women".
Jordan Radcliffe looked around the small town hidden in the valley of West Virginia.
"Foster, if Eddie's right about this then we will have solved the biggest mystery ever," she said as she got out of the car.
Cade got out the other side of the car and looked around. He spotted an inconspicuous white van across the street.
"I see you've taken precautions," he said putting on his sunglasses.
"They're our best surveillance unit. I trained them myself," Jordan replied. The tone of her voice suggested she was once again boasting about her organisation.
Cade heard the tone in her voice and smiled to himself. If it weren't for Jordan and the Raven Nation he would still be alone in the fight against the Gua.
"So 6 young women have disappeared along the same stretch of road over the last few years and people still don't realise how dangerous hitching is," Jordan said as she pored over a map of the area as she sat on the bed of the motel room.
"Sometimes it's the only way to travel," replied Cade.
"So the latest one to disappear, Aisling O Meara was supposed to meet up with her cousin and never made it," Jordan said looking at the spread of papers in front of her.
"Yeah. Eddie said she was on visa for the summer. She was due to return home in two weeks," replied Cade.
"Do you think she wanted to stay in the country and pretended to disappear so she could?" asked Jordan.
"It's possible but I think we should keep an open mind," replied Cade.
"We don't even know if the Gua are involved in the disappearances or for what reason. It may be just some psycho on the loose…" sighed Jordan.
"There's a quatrain connected to it so it must have something to do with the Gua," Cade said.
A couple of hours later Jordan and Cade were sitting in the surveillance van with her unit.
The surveillance unit had parked out of sight alongside the highway. Jordan was looking through binoculars at the road. She spotted a black car further down the highway on the other side.
"Hey, Check this out," She said giving Cade the binoculars. He looked through and saw a figure getting out of the car and staring up and down the road. He couldn't make out if it was a man and woman.
"What do we do?" asked Cade as he watched the person kneel down beside the roadside and then stand up.
"I say let's take him out from here," Jordan said indicating the high powered rifle by her side.
"No if we do that we won't find out what happened to the missing women," replied Cade.
"He's Gua, Foster," replied Jordan fiercely.
"We don't know that," Cade said trying to be rational with her.
"Ok this is what we do. The guys can go down there and knock him out. Then we can take him back to the trailer and question him," Jordan said. Cade didn't seem to have a say in this plan as he watched her give instructions to her crew. He took up the binoculars again and watched as the two men went down the road. He watched as they grabbed the person from behind and threw a hood over the person. They put the person into the car and drove back to the van.
The two men carried the person into the van. Jordan and Cade had their weapons ready as the hood was pulled off. Cade gasped in astonishment when he saw who it was.
Elizabeth Baker shook her head in pain.
"Liz, What the hell…?" he exclaimed.
"What the hell is going on here?" demanded Liz as she rubbed her head and looked at Cade and Jordan standing in front of her. "Put those damn guns down." Liz exclaimed pushing the guns out of her face.
"What are you doing here?" Cade asked helping her to her feet.
"I could ask the same thing," replied Liz.
"Who is this?" asked Jordan now puzzled at the turn of events.
"Jordan I want you to meet a good friend of mine, Elizabeth Baker. Liz this is Jordan Radcliffe head of the Raven Nation," Cade said introducing the two women to each other.
The two girls didn't say anything but just stared at each other.
"Why are you here?" asked Cade.
"I'm investigating Aisling O Meara'a disappearance," she replied still rubbing the back of her head.
"Why would you do that?" asked Jordan.
"Her father contacted the paper shortly after she disappeared. What does this have to do with the Gua?"
"Dunno. What have you found out?" asked Cade.
"Wait a minute. How do we really know that this is really Liz?" Jordan asked suddenly. "She could be a Gua spy."
"No I'm not," Liz said in irritation.
"Jordan. It's Liz," replied Cade.
"We don't know that. How long is it since you've seen her?" asked Jordan taking out her small penknife.
"I am not Gua!" exclaimed Liz in anger. "Put the damn knife away."
"Jordan put away the knife," Cade told Jordan who merely looked at him in annoyance but put the knife away.
"Sorry," Cade said to Liz.
"Sorry! Is that all you can say?" replied Liz.
"What have you found out about the girl's disappearance?" asked Jordan.
"Why should I tell you?" replied Liz taking a dislike to Jordan.
Cade sighed knowing that the first meeting between Liz and Jordan was always going to be difficult.
"We can work on the investigation together," Cade replied.
Jordan looked at Cade and then at Liz.
"If we work with her there are some rules," Jordan said taking an equal dislike to Elizabeth.
"What are these rules?" laughed Liz.
"1. I'm in charge. 2. We share information. 3…."
"3. Why don't you do all the work yourself?" Liz said in irritation.
"Shut up," Jordan replied.
"Ladies. We are trying to stop the Gua from invading the planet. Remember? These are my rules. 1. I'm in charge. 2. We work together as a team which includes sharing all information," Cade said much to the annoyance of Liz and Jordan.
"What have you found out?" he asked Liz.
"Not a lot, really. 6 women have disappeared along this stretch of road in the last few years…"
"We know that much," snapped Jordan.
"What I was going to say was that there is a connection between these 6 women," replied Liz.
"Really? Eddie never found anything," replied Cade.
"I only discovered the connection when I spoke to Aisling's cousin this morning," replied Liz.
"Aisling and the other women attended South-Western University. Aisling was doing a course there for the summer. The others attended at different times throughout the years. Aisling's cousin couldn't remember the name of the course though." Liz continued.
"I'll get Eddie to go through the registration database to see if there is more to this," Cade said grabbing his cell phone and dialling the trailer.
"So was it really that bad?" Eddie laughed after listening to Cade's description of Jordan and Liz meeting.
"Eddie. You know when two cats fight?!" Cade asked.
"Yeah," Eddie laughed.
"It was worse than that. I thought I was going to have to step in and referee," replied Cade with a small grin to himself.
"Man. I had a feeling Liz and Jordan wouldn't get along," Eddie replied watching as his computer searched the registration database.
"Yeah well unfortunately those two are going to have to learn to work together," replied Cade watching as Liz jumped out of the van. She looked back at the door and shook her head.
"Foster. The database is still searching. I should be in Harper's Ferry in about an hour and a half," Eddie said.
"Ok. Talk to you later," replied Cade hanging up the phone. He walked over to Liz who was getting into her car. She looked at him.
"I don't know where you found that woman, Cade, but she is the rudest, obnoxious woman I have met," Liz said.
"She's an ally, Liz. Thanks to her we have an army," he replied.
"Thanks to her money you mean," Liz said. They both looked over at Jordan who came out of the van. Jordan stood looking at Liz and Cade for a couple of minutes.
"And what's with her hair colour?" Liz continued.
"Liz if you are going to help us on this case please do but I need the two of you to be able to work together," Cade said in annoyance.
"It's not just me," replied Liz. "I have an interview to do. I'll call you later," Liz started her engine and drove off. Cade walked over to Jordan.
"One thing for sure she's not a real blonde," Jordan said. Cade sighed in frustration.
"I said this to Liz and I am going to say it to you. We need to work together to solve this case. We're fighting the Gua not each other."
"No one is more committed to fighting those bastards than me," replied Jordan.
"Good," replied Cade getting into the car. Jordan stared at him in annoyance for a minute and got in beside him. They drove to the location where they were meeting Eddie.
"So did you get anything?" Cade asked Eddie.
"Well apart from an ear bashing from Liz. I got nada," replied Eddie looking at his friend who was sitting in his usual spot beside the computer.
"Thos two will have to learn how to get along," Cade said glumly.
The computer beeped all of a sudden. Eddie looked at it and scrolled down the screen.
"What have you got?" Jordan asked coming into the trailer.
"Well, well, well. Liz was right. All six women were enrolled on the same class though at different times. Wait a minute. Look at this. The class they were taking was part of a cultural studies course. But look what the class was," exclaimed Eddie pointing to the screen.
"The nature and religion of cults," Cade said reading of the screen. He looked thoughtful for a minute. "That's the connection. Maybe the girls were kidnapped by a cult."
"I'll search the database for anything of that nature in the area," Eddie said typing some words into the computer.
"Ok," replied Cade and sat down as he waited for the computer to come up with a match. He didn't have to wait long. The computer beeped after 3 minutes.
"What have we got, Eddie?" he asked before Eddie had a chance to look at the screen.
"Patience, my friend," Eddie said looking at the screen. "Bingo, you were right, Foster. There's a group that call themselves The Family."
"The Family? The Family of what and whom?" asked Jordan.
"Well their belief is that they will be taken to a better place when they die," explained Eddie.
"And let me guess. Aliens will take them to a better place," Cade said thinking of a previous experiment where he encountered an alien experiment involving a cult.
"You got it," Eddie said. "Do you think this is the same experiment or something different?"
"What does the quatrain say?" asked Cade.
"Well this line is quite interesting, "the deepness of the valley holds shadows behind." The "shadows" reference must refer to the cult."
"Where are they based?" asked Jordan.
"Well the address here is 4536 Ferry road," replied Eddie. Suddenly the door opened. All three looked around and saw Liz.
"Hey you guys I got a lead," she said.
"So do we," replied Jordan.
"Oh and what's yours?" asked Liz.
"You tell us," replied Jordan going out the door. Liz looked at Cade and Eddie and then followed her out. The two men could hear them getting into another argument.
Cade rolled his eyes when he heard Jordan tell Liz to shut up.
"Do you have to be such a bitch all the time?" replied Liz.
Cade got up and went out. The two women were standing in front of each other and they both looked like they were about to hit each other.
"I am tired of listening to you to bitch at each other all the time."
Jordan looked at Cade. "If she didn't whinge all the time…"
"I'm not whinging…" interrupted Liz.
"You are both behaving like a couple of schoolgirls. Eddie and I are still searching the net for more information on this group. We are going to send the both of you to do some surveillance. This might get you both working as a team. We're also going to have you both wired up so we know what is going on" he said pushing the two women into the trailer.
A half an hour later Liz and Jordan were sitting in Liz's car across the road from an abandoned warehouse. They were both wearing a wire and it could be turned on if the need arose.
"This is a waste of time," Liz said. "There's nothing here"
"Do you have to complain all the time?" asked Jordan pushing her red hair out of her eyes.
"Jordan, I know that we're never going to get along but we might as well work as team," Liz said.
"Why do you do this?" asked Jordan.
"What?"
"You are a journalist. Don't you have anything better to do with your time?"
"Jordan. Those bastards have ruined our lives. Cade lost his wife, I lost my father and you lost your family. If we don't do something they will continue to destroy the lives of other people." Liz said looking at Jordan.
"Did you get on with your father?"
Liz looked out the car window.
"No. I hated my father. He was never around when I needed him. I blamed him for my mother's illness and death. Blamed him for sending me to live with my uncle. Blamed him for sending me to boarding school. He didn't want me to go into journalism at all and refused to support me through College. That was the final straw and I didn't speak to him for 6 years after that. Then a week before he died he got in contact and apologised. My only regret was that I wasn't able to forgive him before he died. That's why I am involved in this."
"Do you feel guilty for not being able to say it to him when he was alive."
"Yeah," Liz replied sadly.
"Did you see where the camera is?" asked Jordan.
"In the back seat,"
Jordan reached over to the back seat to get the camera and knocked the transmission switch of the wire without realising it.
Eddie and Cade were sitting in the trailer searching the database when they heard the sound of the wire being turned on.
"I feel so bloated" they heard Jordan say. "I must be getting my period or something"
"Oh God PMS drives me mad every month. I need to buy two sizes of everything the water retention is so bad." Liz replied.
Eddie and Cade looked at each other puzzled.
"What are they talking about?" asked Eddie
"Eddie, if you don't know by now I think it is too late to teach you" replied Cade.
"I know about that. Why are they talking about it?"
"Girl Talk, Eddie. When girls get together they like to talk about that kind of stuff. At least they are not arguing."
Cade and Eddie continued to search the net trying to ignore the conversation between the two women.
"So you and Foster were close once," asked Jordan. Cade looked up at the mention of his name over the receiver.
"Hmm," replied Liz.
"What happened?" asked Jordan.
"It wasn't the right time for us. He was still in too much pain over what happened to Hannah."
"What about now?" asked Jordan.
"Now we have a comfortable friendship. But it's weird we were lovers before we came friends."
"So tell me about this guy you are dating,"
Liz smiled. "Nick. It is like I have been waiting for him all my life. I love him. I want to spend all my time with him. The rest of my life."
"Really. He must be good in the sack," replied Jordan.
Liz giggled. Eddie and Cade stopped what they were doing and listened.
"When I am with him I just want to rip his clothes off and make mad passionate love to him." Eddie and Cade looked at each other.
"I don't think they know they have the transmitter switched on," Cade said.
"Really. He's good then," replied Jordan. The two girls started to laugh.
"So what about Cade then?" asked Jordan. Cade looked at Eddie who looked like he was going to choke from a fit of laughter.
"What about him?" asked Liz.
"Don't go all shy on me Elizabeth. You are blushing. Come on. Tell me. I won't tell anyone"
"Lets just say… that when Nostradamus predicted him as the Twice Blessed Man maybe it wasn't just to save the planet."
Eddie broke into such a fit of laughter as Cade sat there in stunned silence blushing very red. He could hear Liz and Jordan giggling. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"Oh No!" he could hear Jordan exclaim.
"What?" asked Liz.
"The transmitter must have been switched on accidentally."
"What!"
"The transmitter was on."
"Are you serious. How much did they hear?" asked Liz
"Probably all of it," said Jordan.
"Oh God no. This can't be happening" Liz exclaimed in shock.
"There isn't happening here. We have to go back to the trailer," Jordan laughed looking at her watch.
"Jordan, I am not going back to the trailer."
"Liz, they probably didn't even hear it."
"Most likely that they did," replied Liz.
Jordan looked out the window and spotted someone walking out of the building they had been watching.
"You think that's our guy?" she asked.
"Well there's no harm in finding out," replied Liz as Jordan started the engine and began to follow the person in the car. They drove deeper into the mountains and the road became more dangerous. There was a high cliff with trees on one side and a sheer drop to the river on the other side as the road twisted and turned at every bend.
"How far is this place?" Jordan asked but her question was answered when the car in front took a turn in the road and drove for a few more minutes and then stopped outside a house. Surrounding the house was barbed wire fencing and two security guards posted at a large gate. Jordan took out a pair of binoculars and put them up to her eyes. She noted several buildings inside the complex and some people walking around. Liz and Jordan watched the man got out of his car and spoke to the security guards. The man got back into the car as the gates opened and he drove through.
"What are we going to do?" asked Liz taking the binoculars from Jordan.
"Try and get in there," replied Jordan. She took out her cell and dialled Cade's cell phone.
Eddie was still teasing Cade about what they heard when the phone rang. Cade answered it.
"Foster, we found the compound. It's deep in the mountains," Jordan explained.
"Ok hang on there and wait till I get out there," Cade said.
"No I think we should go in there now. The sooner we find out what is going on the sooner we can shut down the cult," replied Jordan.
"Ok. But be careful and keep in touch," Cade said with a sigh.
"We will," Jordan replied and hung up the phone.
"So what's the plan?" asked Eddie.
"They are going in," replied Cade.
"That could be dangerous, Foster," Eddie said looking at Cade.
"I know. I'm going into the town to ask some questions about this group," Cade said. Cade grabbed his gun and a wallet from a drawer beside Eddie's computer, then opened the trailer door and went outside.
Cade drove into the small town and went into a small diner. The waitress smiled when she saw him.
"Excuse me. I was wondering of I could ask you some questions," Cade said flashing a fake private detective's badge at her.
"Sure, sweetie. Anything for you," the waitress smiled.
"I'm investigating the disappearance of several young women over the last several years and my investigation has uncovered a religious group in the mountains. I was wondering if you knew anything about it," Cade said taking a coffee that the waitress had poured for him.
"Oh yeah. I've heard of that group. They are pretty harmless. They come into town once a month for some supplies but I've heard they are self sufficient," replied the waitress.
"Do you know how they recruit?" asked Cade.
"They leave flyers around, hold seminars in Charleston, stuff like that. Here's one copy," the waitress said pulling a leaflet from the notice board of the diner. Cade looked at it. There were photographs of men and women smiling and laughing. They all wore grey clothing. The men were wearing grey tops and the women wore grey pinafore dresses with scarves covering their heads.
"Find inner peace and happiness with the Family," Cade read. He put the flyer in his pocket, thanked the waitress and went outside. He was taking his cell phone out when he noticed a bus pulling up outside the waitress. There were about ten men and women on the bus and they were all wearing the clothes that the people in the flyer were wearing.
"Excuse me," Cade said walking over to the bus. The women looked scared as Cade came over and all scurried over to the grocery store. The men stared at Cade when he showed them his fake ID.
"I'm investigating the disappearance of several young women. I wonder if you could help," Cade said.
"In what way?" asked one man. He was in his 50's, had grey hair that was thinning on top.
"Could you tell me who's in charge?" asked Cade as he put away his ID.
"Our Supreme Leader is Subam. We follow his principles," replied the man.
"Could I meet with him?" asked Cade taking off his sunglasses.
"Oh No. We never see Subam. He is someplace else," the man said.
"Where?" asked Cade.
"We don't know,"
"Who is in charge at the compound?" asked Cade.
"That would be Jacob," answered the man.
"Could I meet him then?" Cade asked.
"You would have to arrange a meeting," one of the other men said.
"I'd like to arrange a meeting," replied Cade.
"He is very busy," replied the first man. Before Cade could ask anything else the women came back with some paper grocery bags. They looked at Cade with curiosity but the men ushered them onto the bus. One of the women came back out with a flyer and handed it to him. One of the men told her to get back on the bus. She looked back at Cade as she boarded the bus. Cade thought he saw fear in her eyes. The bus drove off. Cade stood looking at it for a couple of minutes. He then looked down at the flyer and saw something hand-written on it. It read, "Please help me."
Jordan and Liz walked over to the security guards at the gate of the compound. Jordan had unbuttoned two buttons on her shirt so she showed some cleavage. Liz had tied her shirt ends together so her midriff was showing.
"Ladies," smiled one of the security guards who looked to be in his 60's. The other security guard was a lot younger and had his hair cut military style scowled but didn't say anything.
"Hi boys," Jordan said pushing her red hair back.
"What are you two big boys doing out in this heat," smiled Liz playing with the younger guard's tie.
"Stopping people like you getting in," replied the younger guard.
"What's in there?" asked Jordan.
"The Family," replied the older guard.
"Whose Family?" asked Jordan.
"We can't answer that," scowled the younger guard.
"Why not?" Liz asked.
"Ladies we are going to have to ask you to leave," another voice said. Jordan and Liz turned and saw a man standing at the gate. He was tanned and looked to be in his 50's and was wearing one of the grey tops the men in the town were wearing. A grey hood covered his dark black hair.
"And who are you?" Jordan asked with a smile.
"I'm Jacob. I'm in charge here," replied Jacob with a smile that showed brilliant white teeth.
"Well maybe you can help us, Jacob," Liz said taking out her press card and showing in to him through the fence. Jacob took the card and looked at it.
"We don't talk to the media," he said.
"But…" Jordan started to say but suddenly felt like she was going to throw up. She swayed on her feet and then fell to the ground.
"Jordan?" Liz said kneeling down beside Jordan. She saw a tranquilliser dart in her neck. She gasped as she looked up at Jacob who merely smiled and nodded to the two guards. Suddenly Liz felt nauseous and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. The two guards picked the two women up and carried them into the compound.
"Foster, Just be careful," warned Eddie after Cade had called him to tell him that he was going to follow the bus.
"I will. Have you heard from the girls yet?" asked Cade keeping an eye on the bus as it stopped at a gas station.
"Not yet," replied Eddie getting up and looking out the door of the trailer.
"I haven't either since they called to say they were going to the compound," replied Cade. "I hope nothing is wrong."
"They can look after themselves," Eddie said. He was back sitting on his computer. He had typed the word Mabus and Subam on it. "Hey Foster. This supreme leader up cloud cuckoo land…"
"What about it?" asked Cade starting the engine as the bus started to move.
"Subam is Mabus spelt backwards. I think Mabus is the Supreme Leader of the Family," said Eddie opening a can of Jolt.
"Wouldn't surprise me," replied Cade. "He's probably trying to convert people to the great Gua cause."
"Maybe he's brainwashing his flock to support him when the Gua do invade," said Eddie.
"Maybe," replied Cade. "I'll call you later."
"Ok bye," Eddie said expecting to hear the dial tone of the phone.
"Bye," replied Cade.
"You didn't hang up," Eddie said with a grin.
"What?" asked Cade feeling somewhat puzzled.
"You didn't hang up," repeated Eddie.
"Neither did you," replied Cade suddenly realising what Eddie was on about. He smiled to himself.
"You hang up," Eddie said.
"No you hang up," replied Cade. Suddenly Cade heard the dial tone of the phone. Eddie sat in the trailer laughing to himself as he took a swig of the Jolt cola.
"We identified the two women. The blonde one is Elizabeth Baker from The Ohio Chronicle. The red head is Jordan Radcliffe. She is the heir to Radcliffe Enterprises. Her brother was Daniel Radcliffe. He was Subject 23 in the same experiment as Subject 117, Cade Foster," Jacob said standing in front of a large TV screen. He was looking at a large chamber with smoke swirling around the inside of it.
"Jordan Radcliffe is the leader of the Raven Nation. The resistance group determined to stop our invasion plans. Subject 117 inspired them. Our prophecies say that this man and woman will stop the invasion," a disembodied voice said. "Elizabeth Baker is also an ally of Subject 117."
"What would you like us to do, sir?" Jacob asked.
"Kill them," replied Mabus. "No wait. Question them."
"Yes sir," replied Jacob trying not to balk when the disfigured features of the Gua Head came into view.
"I'm sure the two ladies are in communication with Subject 117 so anticipate a visit by him as well. How are the plans going for the ceremony?" Mabus asked.
"In progress, sir. We should be ready by day after next," replied Jacob.
"Good. Make sure the ceremony has no problems," ordered Mabus.
"Yes sir. Oh… and sir. Have you chosen yet?" asked Jacob.
"Not yet Jacob," replied Mabus and with that the TV screen went black.
Jordan opened her eyes. She had one hell of headache. She felt like she had spent the whole day drinking the day before. She sat up and immediately felt nauseous. She looked around in confusion. She was in a small dark room. The smell of excrement or something else was in the air which probably contributed to the sick feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach. There was one small window over the bed that she had been lying on. But the window was so filthy it would probably be impossible to see out of. As her eyes got use to the dark she could make out other things in the room. She scrambled up and started to bang on the door and yell. She wondered where Liz was.
Liz woke up as well. She held her head as it throbbed with pain. She still had the nauseous feeling in her stomach. She felt the contents of her stomach come up and she immediately rolled over and vomited on the floor. She lay on her back for a couple of minutes trying to fight off another vomiting attack. Her head swam as she tried to focus her eyes on her surroundings. She could hear someone yelling and making noises somewhere. It felt like it was coming from inside her head. She closed her eyes again.
Cade followed the bus at a discreet distance. He drove past the bus as it drove into the compound. He didn't see Liz's car and wondered where they were. Cade parked a couple of miles up the road, took his Blackhawks bag from the trunk and walked back towards the gate into the compound. He noticed that barbed wire fencing surrounded it and there were two lookout towers at both ends of the camp. He took out a pair of binoculars and saw that two guards were posted in each tower. Each had a machine gun. He saw several small buildings and there was one big building in the middle of the camp which looked like the meeting hall. A bell tower stood beside this building. He noticed few people walking around and those that were carried machine guns. He took out his cell phone and dialled Jordan's number but there was no answer. He tried Liz's number and got no answer on her cell phone either.
"Where the hell are they?" he said to himself as he pressed the button on his cell that rang directly to the trailer. Eddie answered on the second ring with a brisk "Yeah."
"Eddie, you heard from Liz and Jordan yet?" Cade asked keeping a watchful eye on the camp.
"No," replied Eddie. He was playing a computer game online.
"There is no answer from either of them and there is so sign of the car," explained Cade.
"Maybe they killed each other," chuckled Eddie laughing to himself at his own joke.
"I'll call you later," Cade said hanging up the phone.
Cade took out some wire cutters from his bag and started to clip the barbed wire from the ground up. He stopped halfway up and put the wire cutters in the bag. He took his gun out of his bag and put some bullets in the chamber. He put the gun down the back of his jeans, picked up the bag and climbed through the fence.
Liz opened her eyes again. Her head still hurt and the sickness in her stomach was still there but not as bad. Her eyes focussed on the room and she looked around to take in her surroundings. She sat up and gingerly got down from the wooden plinth that served for a bed. A small stream of light came through a filthy skylight. She could see a bit of blue sky through the window. She walked over to the door and tried to open it. The doorknob came off in her hand. She started to bang on the door but to no avail. No one came.
Cade sneaked stealthily around the camp. Suddenly he heard the bell in the bell tower ringing. He hid behind one of the outhouses as he watched as men and women filed from the other buildings and into the meeting hall. He ran over to the meeting hall and peered in a window. He could hear the people singing some songs and watched as several young women were brought before the congregation. He noticed that some of them were swaying as if they had been drugged. He stepped back and bumped into something. He turned and he was looking into the eyes of one of the security guards. The guard raised the butt of his machine gun and swung it at Cade. Cade slumped to the ground unconscious.
Jordan had stopped her yelling and banging. She was sitting on the wooden bench with her knees up and her hand on her head. Suddenly she heard the door open and she looked up. A young girl who appeared to be no more than 18 came in with a tray of food.
"I want to see the person in charge," Jordan demanded. The girl seemed surprised that Jordan had spoken. Jordan stared at the girl and took in the long straggly fair hair and the haunted look in her eyes.
"Are you being kept here against your will?" Jordan asked. The girl looked towards the door with a look of fear. It was then that Jordan saw the guard for the first time.
"You can't keep me here," she shouted at the guard who grabbed the young girl's arm and pulled her out of the room. The door was locked. Jordan went over to the door and kicked it in frustration. She sat on the bench again and looked down at the tray of food. It didn't look very appetising to her. There was a plate of some greyish meat swimming in juices of the same colour. She picked up the plate and threw it at the wall.
Liz was standing on the wooden bench trying to reach the skylight when she heard the door open. She jumped down and stood against the wall opposite the wall. The young girl came in and left the tray of food on the floor. The girl saw the mess of vomit beside the bed. She went wordlessly out of the room and brought in a mop and bucket.
"I'll do that," Liz said taking the mop from the girl but the girl wouldn't let her take the mop. The girl kept her head bowed as she cleaned up the mess.
"I can help you if you can help me," Liz whispered to her. The girl looked fearfully at the guard but didn't say anything.
"Can you help me get out of here?" whispered Liz. The girl nodded.
"No talking to the prisoner," ordered the guard. The girl finished what she was doing and left the room silently. Liz looked down at the tray of food and lost her appetite.
"How are our guests?" Jacob asked the guard who had accompanied the young girl.
"Not happy but they played into Wendy's little trick," replied the guard.
"Wendy is one of out best," replied Jacob. He was looking at a computer print out. "I see we have another guest as well."
"Yes sir. Subject 117 was captured a little while ago and is currently undergoing the procedure," replied the Guard.
"Good," said Jacob. "Mabus is hoping the ceremony will go to plan. It should make him happy that we have captured three of the human resistance."
"Yes sir," replied the guard and left the room as Jacob took a remote control and pointed it at a darkened window. A screen went up and Jacob watched as Cade struggled to get free from restraints that held him to a white table. Several white electrodes were attached to his chest and temples monitoring his vital signs. Clear fluid flowed from an IV directly into his veins. What looked like a helmet with strobe lights inside it hung over Cade's head. Cade lifted his head and stared directly at Jacob through the window.
"There's no point in struggling 117. Just co-operate and it will be over soon," Jacob said into a microphone.
"What are you doing," Cade said in a slurred voice as the drug started to take affect.
"Conversion to our principles so we will have no problems invading this weak little planet," replied Jacob.
"I'll never convert to the Gua principle," hissed Cade. He was starting to feel a little light headed as the drug moved through his bloodstream to his brain and other organs.
Jacob laughed. "The great Subject 117 in not so great now tied up like a wild animal," he scoffed.
"What happened to the women who disappeared?" asked Cade trying to lift his head but a feeling of heaviness in his head prevented him.
"They were converted," replied Jacob.
"Are Jordan and Liz here?" asked Cade.
"Yes. They will be undergoing conversion later and then sent before Mabus to make his choice," said Jacob watching the monitor.
"What choice?" asked Cade.
"Mabus can choose a mate from the human species to stand by his side when we invade. To show you pathetic humans that we have the power to overcome," replied Jacob.
"You will find out that we will overcome the Gua," said Cade trying to fight off the affects of the drug but he was losing that fight and lost consciousness on the table. Jacob watched as two empiricists came into the room. He nodded to them and left them to get to work.
The two empiricists placed the helmet on Cade's head and pushed some buttons on the monitor. The lights inside the helmet started to pulsate and images started to flash into Cade's mind.
"I can fight this," Cade said over and over in his mind until it became a mantra. He tried to block the images that were flashing at lightening speed. A collection of different images came into his mind. From his childhood, through to his thief days to when he was married to Hannah and finally images of the Gua were flashed into his brain. Over the images a voice was saying repeatedly "The Gua are here to help us. They are our saviours. We accept the Gua principles and allow them to govern us."
"How is the process going?" one of the empiricists said.
"Well his will power is strong," replied the other empiricists looking at some readouts from the computer.
"It's his remarkable will power that makes him so unique," replied the first empiricist.
"Well we can break his will power and he will surrender to Mabus," said the second empiricist making some adjustments to the computer which controlled the helmet.
Wendy came back into Jordan's room and looked at the remains of the meal against the wall.
"You have to keep your strength up," Wendy said as she cleaned up the mess.
Jordan looked out the door and saw there was no guard there.
"I need to find my friends. Do you know where they are?" Jordan asked.
"I can't say," replied Wendy.
"Please I need you help. If you don't help the human race faces very serious danger," Jordan said.
Wendy sighed and turned to look at Jordan. "The woman is held in a cell in this block. The man is undergoing the conversion process at the moment."
"Conversion Process?" asked Jordan with a note of anxiety in her voice.
"Everyone who enters The Family undergoes the conversion process," explained Wendy.
"Conversion to what?" asked Jordan.
"The Family's principles," replied Wendy.
"The Gua's principles, you mean," Jordan said in disgust.
"I can help you but you need to do what I tell you," Wendy said looking toward the door.
"Ok," replied Jordan.
"The Ceremony will be held tomorrow. Our leader will be selecting a mate. You will be taken for conversion this evening. The guards change every 12 hours. You will have to save your friends during the changing of the guards otherwise it will be too late," replied Wendy.
"What about you?" asked Jordan.
Wendy seemed surprised at the question but didn't answer it. "I'll come back in a few hours." Wendy picked up the tray and left the room without saying anything else. Jordan paced the cell for lack of anything else to do.
Cade opened his eyes. He was lying on a bed in what looked to be a hospital ward. His head ached and he struggled to remember what happened to him. The door opened and Jacob came in wearing a while coat and carrying a clipboard. He looked at the clipboard and then the file that was placed at the end of the bed.
"Do you remember what happened?" Jacob asked shining a small torch into Cade's eyes.
Cade tried to sit up but couldn't. "Don't try to move. You have been through a lot," Jacob said to him.
"What happened?" Cade asked.
"You don't remember?" Jacob asked taking Cade's pulse.
"No. I don't remember anything. I don't even remember my name. Where am I?" Cade said getting visibly upset.
"We found you by the side of the road. You had no identification on you. It may have been a hit and run. You are with The Family now. We'll take care of you," replied Jacob.
"The Family?" asked Cade looking at the man standing beside him.
"We can fill your needs. That's all you need to know about us," replied Jacob.
"Did you contact the police to see if I was missing?" asked Cade.
"Just rest now," Jacob said avoiding the question. Cade watched as Jacob left the room. He tried to get up but his limbs seemed unable to move and he fell back in the bed. He struggled to remember what happened to him but to no avail.
Jordan heard the lock of her cell door open and looked up to see Wendy standing there.
"You have to hurry," Wendy said. "They will know you are missing soon." Wendy ushered her down the dark corridor to some steps. They went down the steps and came to another door. Wendy took out a set of keys and opened the door to Liz's cell. Liz was sitting on the bench and looked up in surprise when she saw Wendy and Jordan at the door to the cell.
"Come on. We have to go," Jordan said grabbing her arm.
"About time too," Liz said running out the door.
"We have to find Cade. Apparently he's been through the conversion process," Jordan explained as the three women ran through the dark corridors.
"What about the missing women?" Liz said Wendy.
"They are here and have been through the process. They are preparing for the ceremony tomorrow," Wendy said as they came to a door to the outside.
"What ceremony?" asked Liz.
"Our leader will choose a mate to stand by him," replied Wendy. She looked out the door and saw that there no one around. She pointed to a building across the compound.
"Your friend is over there. In the infirmary," Wendy pointed. "There's a vehicle waiting a few miles down the road."
"What about the you and the other women?" Liz asked again.
"We'll get out when the time is right," replied Wendy. She looked out the door again and reached under her dress and took out a small handgun and handed it to Jordan.
"Go now. Good luck," Wendy said.
"Thank you," Liz said giving the girl a hug. Liz and Jordan ran across the compound to the infirmary. They crept slowly around the building and found a small window.
Jordan went through the window first and helped Liz through. Holding the small gun in her hand Jordan looked around a corner. Seeing no one in the hallway she beckoned Liz and they both walked down the corridor with every sense on alert. They came to a window to a room. Looking in they saw Cade lying in a bed. Jordan opened the door and went in.
"Cade we have to go," Jordan said. Cade looked at her blankly.
"Cade. Come on," exclaimed Jordan grabbing his clothes and handing them to him.
"Who are you?" Cade asked with confusion.
"What have they done to you?" Jordan said in disgust. It never ceased to amaze her what the Gua would do to win. "It's me. Jordan." She helped Cade out of the bed.
"Jordan?" Cade said looking totally lost.
"We'll fill you in later," Jordan said helping him with his clothes.
"They helped me," Cade said.
"The only thing they did is screw with your mind, Cade," Jordan said pushing him out the door.
"I don't remember anything other than waking up like this," Cade said following Liz and Jordan.
"They brainwashed you Cade," Liz said looking back at him.
"For what reason?" asked Cade. They reached a side door out of the building when they heard someone say "Not so fast." The three turned around and saw Jacob and Wendy standing behind them with guns. Three guards appeared at the door with guns. Cade, Jordan and Liz looked at each other in dismay.
"Wendy!" exclaimed Jordan.
"I know. You thought I was on your side," replied Wendy with a smile.
"Were you brainwashed by these people as well?" asked Jordan.
"No. I am one," replied Wendy.
"You led us to a trap," said Liz.
"Enough small talk. You are going to be our ultimate gift to our leader tomorrow," Jacob said.
"The hell we are!" exclaimed Jordan as Jacob took the gun from her.
"Just co-operate and it will be less painful," Jacob said as the guards grabbed Jordan, Liz and Cade. Cade struggled with the guard until the guard lost his grip. Cade punched him in the face and the guard lost his balance and fell to the ground. He grabbed the guard's gun and pulled the trigger. Wendy turned her gun on Jacob and watched as he dissolved. The other two guards holding Liz and Jordan pulled their guns out but they were too late. Cade and Wendy had pulled the trigger on them and the aliens dissolved.
"Are you all right Cade?" Jordan asked.
"Yeah. My memory is a bit like Swiss cheese but I know who and what the Gua are," replied Cade.
"Let's get the rest of the people out of here," Jordan said.
"Thank you," Liz said to Wendy.
"I am Gua but I don't agree with what Mabus wants," Wendy said.
"Where can we find the missing women?" Cade asked.
Wendy sighed and then said, "They are transferred out of here a little while ago. I didn't even know that was going to happen until Jacob told me a few minutes ago."
"Do you know where?" asked Cade.
"No. I'm sorry. I guess there was a contingency plan for a time like this," replied Wendy.
Suddenly a large noise made the four jump. They went out the door and saw that the meeting hall was on fire. Several other fires had started around the compound as well.
"Jacob must have planted a bomb," Wendy said. "We have to go now."
"Are there any other people in those buildings?" asked Cade watching as the fires took hold of the buildings
"There might have been but it's too late," replied Jordan.
"It's not too late!" exclaimed Cade running toward one of the buildings. Jordan ran after him and tried to stop him from going into the building. "It's too late," repeated Jordan as Cade watched the building burn to the ground. He turned and walked towards the gate with his head bowed. It always saddened him when he couldn't save innocent people from the Gua. Liz and Jordan thanked Wendy. Wendy told them that she was going to do anything in her power to stop the Gua from invading.
"I just wanted to say thanks and it was great working with you," Jordan said to Liz. Liz smiled and they shook hands as they got to the car.
"Does this mean that you two are going to get along?" asked Cade as he stood at the car.
"Well…" Liz started and the three laughed as they drove to the trailer.
"In some ways this mission was both a success and a failure. I look upon failure as a learning experience for the journey ahead. Even if we didn't find the missing women we gained some knowledge of Mabus's plan and I live in the hope that they will be found. I also live in hope that we will succeed against the Gua."
Eddie looked at the three as they walked into the trailer.
"Everything all right?" he asked.
"Fine," replied Liz as Cade gave him the run down of what happened in the compound.
"There is the matter of an overheard conversation," Eddie said grinning as he looked at Cade and Liz. He and Jordan burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
Liz and Cade looked embarrassed. Jordan and Eddie got up and left the trailer leaving the other two looking very uncomfortable.
"Cade, I'm sorry. It was inappropriate," Liz said.
"It was girl talk. Forget it," he said and the two left the trailer.
The End
Summery: - Jordan and Liz meet for the first time while investigating the mysterious disappearances of 6 women while hitchhiking. Their investigation leads them to the activities of a religious cult.
Content – Violence, Action, Drama
Rating – R
Time Frame – This story takes place after The Flight of Francis Jeffries in the third season.
Spoilers – Speaking in Tongues
Disclaimer: - First Wave Title and characters are the copyright of First Wave Productions and Pearson TV. Cade Foster, Crazy Eddie, Jordan Radcliffe, Mabus and The Gua are the property of Chris Brancato, Larry Sugar and Francis Ford Coppola. Elizabeth Baker, Aisling O Meara (pronounced Ashling O Mara), Jacob, Wendy as well as the plot belongs to me. (irish – March 2002)
The Ferry Crossing
1.1 Prologue
Aisling O Meara was a very attractive young woman from Ireland. She was in her 20's and was working in the United States for the summer to earn money for college back home. She was visiting a cousin in West Virginia for the weekend but had missed the train back to Ohio where she was working. She decided to hitch. She had been warned not to hitch but figured she would be all right.
Aisling stood at the side of the road waiting for the next car to come along. It had been more than half an hour since the last car had passed. It was getting dark and it had turned a bit cold. She decided to walk on to keep warm.
She saw a car coming in the distance and waved it down.
"Hi little lady. Can I give you ride somewhere," the driver said to Aisling.
"Please," replied Aisling and got into the passenger seat of the car.
"Where are you headed?" asked the driver.
"I'm going to Trenton," replied Aisling.
"You are from Ireland," the driver said.
"Yeah," replied Aisling.
"How long are you here for?" asked the driver.
"Just the summer," Aisling replied. There was something about this driver that gave her the creeps. She sat in silence as the driver spoke about how much he wanted to visit Ireland. She watched the road as it passed but noticed that he wasn't taking the exit towards Trenton.
"You missed the exit," Aisling said.
The Driver said nothing but drove on.
"You missed the Trenton exit," Aisling repeated but still the driver said nothing. Aisling started to feel very afraid.
"Let me out," exclaimed Aisling
"Let me out," she said again punching the driver in the arm. The driver turned to look at Aisling, his face flashing alien.
Aisling screamed and tried to get out of the car but the driver had the doors locked. He placed his hand on her face and mouth and she blacked out.
********
"2 The disappearance of 6 young women along the same road in West Virginia in the last five years might not come as a shock to some people. It's generally dangerous for women to hitch hike in this country and people are warned not to do it. I admit I would have overlooked the story had it not been for a quatrain by Nostradamus. Quatrain 76, Century 11: -
"The Ferry Crossing leads to peril for those who travel along it, the deepness of the valley holds shadows behind hence the Twice Blessed Man must attempt deliverance"
Eddie believes the Ferry Crossing relates to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia where a battle in the Civil War was fought and lost. If he's right Harper's Ferry is about to have another battle on its hands.
3
Jordan and I have gone to Harper's Ferry to start a preliminary investigation into the missing women".
Jordan Radcliffe looked around the small town hidden in the valley of West Virginia.
"Foster, if Eddie's right about this then we will have solved the biggest mystery ever," she said as she got out of the car.
Cade got out the other side of the car and looked around. He spotted an inconspicuous white van across the street.
"I see you've taken precautions," he said putting on his sunglasses.
"They're our best surveillance unit. I trained them myself," Jordan replied. The tone of her voice suggested she was once again boasting about her organisation.
Cade heard the tone in her voice and smiled to himself. If it weren't for Jordan and the Raven Nation he would still be alone in the fight against the Gua.
"So 6 young women have disappeared along the same stretch of road over the last few years and people still don't realise how dangerous hitching is," Jordan said as she pored over a map of the area as she sat on the bed of the motel room.
"Sometimes it's the only way to travel," replied Cade.
"So the latest one to disappear, Aisling O Meara was supposed to meet up with her cousin and never made it," Jordan said looking at the spread of papers in front of her.
"Yeah. Eddie said she was on visa for the summer. She was due to return home in two weeks," replied Cade.
"Do you think she wanted to stay in the country and pretended to disappear so she could?" asked Jordan.
"It's possible but I think we should keep an open mind," replied Cade.
"We don't even know if the Gua are involved in the disappearances or for what reason. It may be just some psycho on the loose…" sighed Jordan.
"There's a quatrain connected to it so it must have something to do with the Gua," Cade said.
A couple of hours later Jordan and Cade were sitting in the surveillance van with her unit.
The surveillance unit had parked out of sight alongside the highway. Jordan was looking through binoculars at the road. She spotted a black car further down the highway on the other side.
"Hey, Check this out," She said giving Cade the binoculars. He looked through and saw a figure getting out of the car and staring up and down the road. He couldn't make out if it was a man and woman.
"What do we do?" asked Cade as he watched the person kneel down beside the roadside and then stand up.
"I say let's take him out from here," Jordan said indicating the high powered rifle by her side.
"No if we do that we won't find out what happened to the missing women," replied Cade.
"He's Gua, Foster," replied Jordan fiercely.
"We don't know that," Cade said trying to be rational with her.
"Ok this is what we do. The guys can go down there and knock him out. Then we can take him back to the trailer and question him," Jordan said. Cade didn't seem to have a say in this plan as he watched her give instructions to her crew. He took up the binoculars again and watched as the two men went down the road. He watched as they grabbed the person from behind and threw a hood over the person. They put the person into the car and drove back to the van.
The two men carried the person into the van. Jordan and Cade had their weapons ready as the hood was pulled off. Cade gasped in astonishment when he saw who it was.
Elizabeth Baker shook her head in pain.
"Liz, What the hell…?" he exclaimed.
"What the hell is going on here?" demanded Liz as she rubbed her head and looked at Cade and Jordan standing in front of her. "Put those damn guns down." Liz exclaimed pushing the guns out of her face.
"What are you doing here?" Cade asked helping her to her feet.
"I could ask the same thing," replied Liz.
"Who is this?" asked Jordan now puzzled at the turn of events.
"Jordan I want you to meet a good friend of mine, Elizabeth Baker. Liz this is Jordan Radcliffe head of the Raven Nation," Cade said introducing the two women to each other.
The two girls didn't say anything but just stared at each other.
"Why are you here?" asked Cade.
"I'm investigating Aisling O Meara'a disappearance," she replied still rubbing the back of her head.
"Why would you do that?" asked Jordan.
"Her father contacted the paper shortly after she disappeared. What does this have to do with the Gua?"
"Dunno. What have you found out?" asked Cade.
"Wait a minute. How do we really know that this is really Liz?" Jordan asked suddenly. "She could be a Gua spy."
"No I'm not," Liz said in irritation.
"Jordan. It's Liz," replied Cade.
"We don't know that. How long is it since you've seen her?" asked Jordan taking out her small penknife.
"I am not Gua!" exclaimed Liz in anger. "Put the damn knife away."
"Jordan put away the knife," Cade told Jordan who merely looked at him in annoyance but put the knife away.
"Sorry," Cade said to Liz.
"Sorry! Is that all you can say?" replied Liz.
"What have you found out about the girl's disappearance?" asked Jordan.
"Why should I tell you?" replied Liz taking a dislike to Jordan.
Cade sighed knowing that the first meeting between Liz and Jordan was always going to be difficult.
"We can work on the investigation together," Cade replied.
Jordan looked at Cade and then at Liz.
"If we work with her there are some rules," Jordan said taking an equal dislike to Elizabeth.
"What are these rules?" laughed Liz.
"1. I'm in charge. 2. We share information. 3…."
"3. Why don't you do all the work yourself?" Liz said in irritation.
"Shut up," Jordan replied.
"Ladies. We are trying to stop the Gua from invading the planet. Remember? These are my rules. 1. I'm in charge. 2. We work together as a team which includes sharing all information," Cade said much to the annoyance of Liz and Jordan.
"What have you found out?" he asked Liz.
"Not a lot, really. 6 women have disappeared along this stretch of road in the last few years…"
"We know that much," snapped Jordan.
"What I was going to say was that there is a connection between these 6 women," replied Liz.
"Really? Eddie never found anything," replied Cade.
"I only discovered the connection when I spoke to Aisling's cousin this morning," replied Liz.
"Aisling and the other women attended South-Western University. Aisling was doing a course there for the summer. The others attended at different times throughout the years. Aisling's cousin couldn't remember the name of the course though." Liz continued.
"I'll get Eddie to go through the registration database to see if there is more to this," Cade said grabbing his cell phone and dialling the trailer.
"So was it really that bad?" Eddie laughed after listening to Cade's description of Jordan and Liz meeting.
"Eddie. You know when two cats fight?!" Cade asked.
"Yeah," Eddie laughed.
"It was worse than that. I thought I was going to have to step in and referee," replied Cade with a small grin to himself.
"Man. I had a feeling Liz and Jordan wouldn't get along," Eddie replied watching as his computer searched the registration database.
"Yeah well unfortunately those two are going to have to learn to work together," replied Cade watching as Liz jumped out of the van. She looked back at the door and shook her head.
"Foster. The database is still searching. I should be in Harper's Ferry in about an hour and a half," Eddie said.
"Ok. Talk to you later," replied Cade hanging up the phone. He walked over to Liz who was getting into her car. She looked at him.
"I don't know where you found that woman, Cade, but she is the rudest, obnoxious woman I have met," Liz said.
"She's an ally, Liz. Thanks to her we have an army," he replied.
"Thanks to her money you mean," Liz said. They both looked over at Jordan who came out of the van. Jordan stood looking at Liz and Cade for a couple of minutes.
"And what's with her hair colour?" Liz continued.
"Liz if you are going to help us on this case please do but I need the two of you to be able to work together," Cade said in annoyance.
"It's not just me," replied Liz. "I have an interview to do. I'll call you later," Liz started her engine and drove off. Cade walked over to Jordan.
"One thing for sure she's not a real blonde," Jordan said. Cade sighed in frustration.
"I said this to Liz and I am going to say it to you. We need to work together to solve this case. We're fighting the Gua not each other."
"No one is more committed to fighting those bastards than me," replied Jordan.
"Good," replied Cade getting into the car. Jordan stared at him in annoyance for a minute and got in beside him. They drove to the location where they were meeting Eddie.
"So did you get anything?" Cade asked Eddie.
"Well apart from an ear bashing from Liz. I got nada," replied Eddie looking at his friend who was sitting in his usual spot beside the computer.
"Thos two will have to learn how to get along," Cade said glumly.
The computer beeped all of a sudden. Eddie looked at it and scrolled down the screen.
"What have you got?" Jordan asked coming into the trailer.
"Well, well, well. Liz was right. All six women were enrolled on the same class though at different times. Wait a minute. Look at this. The class they were taking was part of a cultural studies course. But look what the class was," exclaimed Eddie pointing to the screen.
"The nature and religion of cults," Cade said reading of the screen. He looked thoughtful for a minute. "That's the connection. Maybe the girls were kidnapped by a cult."
"I'll search the database for anything of that nature in the area," Eddie said typing some words into the computer.
"Ok," replied Cade and sat down as he waited for the computer to come up with a match. He didn't have to wait long. The computer beeped after 3 minutes.
"What have we got, Eddie?" he asked before Eddie had a chance to look at the screen.
"Patience, my friend," Eddie said looking at the screen. "Bingo, you were right, Foster. There's a group that call themselves The Family."
"The Family? The Family of what and whom?" asked Jordan.
"Well their belief is that they will be taken to a better place when they die," explained Eddie.
"And let me guess. Aliens will take them to a better place," Cade said thinking of a previous experiment where he encountered an alien experiment involving a cult.
"You got it," Eddie said. "Do you think this is the same experiment or something different?"
"What does the quatrain say?" asked Cade.
"Well this line is quite interesting, "the deepness of the valley holds shadows behind." The "shadows" reference must refer to the cult."
"Where are they based?" asked Jordan.
"Well the address here is 4536 Ferry road," replied Eddie. Suddenly the door opened. All three looked around and saw Liz.
"Hey you guys I got a lead," she said.
"So do we," replied Jordan.
"Oh and what's yours?" asked Liz.
"You tell us," replied Jordan going out the door. Liz looked at Cade and Eddie and then followed her out. The two men could hear them getting into another argument.
Cade rolled his eyes when he heard Jordan tell Liz to shut up.
"Do you have to be such a bitch all the time?" replied Liz.
Cade got up and went out. The two women were standing in front of each other and they both looked like they were about to hit each other.
"I am tired of listening to you to bitch at each other all the time."
Jordan looked at Cade. "If she didn't whinge all the time…"
"I'm not whinging…" interrupted Liz.
"You are both behaving like a couple of schoolgirls. Eddie and I are still searching the net for more information on this group. We are going to send the both of you to do some surveillance. This might get you both working as a team. We're also going to have you both wired up so we know what is going on" he said pushing the two women into the trailer.
A half an hour later Liz and Jordan were sitting in Liz's car across the road from an abandoned warehouse. They were both wearing a wire and it could be turned on if the need arose.
"This is a waste of time," Liz said. "There's nothing here"
"Do you have to complain all the time?" asked Jordan pushing her red hair out of her eyes.
"Jordan, I know that we're never going to get along but we might as well work as team," Liz said.
"Why do you do this?" asked Jordan.
"What?"
"You are a journalist. Don't you have anything better to do with your time?"
"Jordan. Those bastards have ruined our lives. Cade lost his wife, I lost my father and you lost your family. If we don't do something they will continue to destroy the lives of other people." Liz said looking at Jordan.
"Did you get on with your father?"
Liz looked out the car window.
"No. I hated my father. He was never around when I needed him. I blamed him for my mother's illness and death. Blamed him for sending me to live with my uncle. Blamed him for sending me to boarding school. He didn't want me to go into journalism at all and refused to support me through College. That was the final straw and I didn't speak to him for 6 years after that. Then a week before he died he got in contact and apologised. My only regret was that I wasn't able to forgive him before he died. That's why I am involved in this."
"Do you feel guilty for not being able to say it to him when he was alive."
"Yeah," Liz replied sadly.
"Did you see where the camera is?" asked Jordan.
"In the back seat,"
Jordan reached over to the back seat to get the camera and knocked the transmission switch of the wire without realising it.
Eddie and Cade were sitting in the trailer searching the database when they heard the sound of the wire being turned on.
"I feel so bloated" they heard Jordan say. "I must be getting my period or something"
"Oh God PMS drives me mad every month. I need to buy two sizes of everything the water retention is so bad." Liz replied.
Eddie and Cade looked at each other puzzled.
"What are they talking about?" asked Eddie
"Eddie, if you don't know by now I think it is too late to teach you" replied Cade.
"I know about that. Why are they talking about it?"
"Girl Talk, Eddie. When girls get together they like to talk about that kind of stuff. At least they are not arguing."
Cade and Eddie continued to search the net trying to ignore the conversation between the two women.
"So you and Foster were close once," asked Jordan. Cade looked up at the mention of his name over the receiver.
"Hmm," replied Liz.
"What happened?" asked Jordan.
"It wasn't the right time for us. He was still in too much pain over what happened to Hannah."
"What about now?" asked Jordan.
"Now we have a comfortable friendship. But it's weird we were lovers before we came friends."
"So tell me about this guy you are dating,"
Liz smiled. "Nick. It is like I have been waiting for him all my life. I love him. I want to spend all my time with him. The rest of my life."
"Really. He must be good in the sack," replied Jordan.
Liz giggled. Eddie and Cade stopped what they were doing and listened.
"When I am with him I just want to rip his clothes off and make mad passionate love to him." Eddie and Cade looked at each other.
"I don't think they know they have the transmitter switched on," Cade said.
"Really. He's good then," replied Jordan. The two girls started to laugh.
"So what about Cade then?" asked Jordan. Cade looked at Eddie who looked like he was going to choke from a fit of laughter.
"What about him?" asked Liz.
"Don't go all shy on me Elizabeth. You are blushing. Come on. Tell me. I won't tell anyone"
"Lets just say… that when Nostradamus predicted him as the Twice Blessed Man maybe it wasn't just to save the planet."
Eddie broke into such a fit of laughter as Cade sat there in stunned silence blushing very red. He could hear Liz and Jordan giggling. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"Oh No!" he could hear Jordan exclaim.
"What?" asked Liz.
"The transmitter must have been switched on accidentally."
"What!"
"The transmitter was on."
"Are you serious. How much did they hear?" asked Liz
"Probably all of it," said Jordan.
"Oh God no. This can't be happening" Liz exclaimed in shock.
"There isn't happening here. We have to go back to the trailer," Jordan laughed looking at her watch.
"Jordan, I am not going back to the trailer."
"Liz, they probably didn't even hear it."
"Most likely that they did," replied Liz.
Jordan looked out the window and spotted someone walking out of the building they had been watching.
"You think that's our guy?" she asked.
"Well there's no harm in finding out," replied Liz as Jordan started the engine and began to follow the person in the car. They drove deeper into the mountains and the road became more dangerous. There was a high cliff with trees on one side and a sheer drop to the river on the other side as the road twisted and turned at every bend.
"How far is this place?" Jordan asked but her question was answered when the car in front took a turn in the road and drove for a few more minutes and then stopped outside a house. Surrounding the house was barbed wire fencing and two security guards posted at a large gate. Jordan took out a pair of binoculars and put them up to her eyes. She noted several buildings inside the complex and some people walking around. Liz and Jordan watched the man got out of his car and spoke to the security guards. The man got back into the car as the gates opened and he drove through.
"What are we going to do?" asked Liz taking the binoculars from Jordan.
"Try and get in there," replied Jordan. She took out her cell and dialled Cade's cell phone.
Eddie was still teasing Cade about what they heard when the phone rang. Cade answered it.
"Foster, we found the compound. It's deep in the mountains," Jordan explained.
"Ok hang on there and wait till I get out there," Cade said.
"No I think we should go in there now. The sooner we find out what is going on the sooner we can shut down the cult," replied Jordan.
"Ok. But be careful and keep in touch," Cade said with a sigh.
"We will," Jordan replied and hung up the phone.
"So what's the plan?" asked Eddie.
"They are going in," replied Cade.
"That could be dangerous, Foster," Eddie said looking at Cade.
"I know. I'm going into the town to ask some questions about this group," Cade said. Cade grabbed his gun and a wallet from a drawer beside Eddie's computer, then opened the trailer door and went outside.
Cade drove into the small town and went into a small diner. The waitress smiled when she saw him.
"Excuse me. I was wondering of I could ask you some questions," Cade said flashing a fake private detective's badge at her.
"Sure, sweetie. Anything for you," the waitress smiled.
"I'm investigating the disappearance of several young women over the last several years and my investigation has uncovered a religious group in the mountains. I was wondering if you knew anything about it," Cade said taking a coffee that the waitress had poured for him.
"Oh yeah. I've heard of that group. They are pretty harmless. They come into town once a month for some supplies but I've heard they are self sufficient," replied the waitress.
"Do you know how they recruit?" asked Cade.
"They leave flyers around, hold seminars in Charleston, stuff like that. Here's one copy," the waitress said pulling a leaflet from the notice board of the diner. Cade looked at it. There were photographs of men and women smiling and laughing. They all wore grey clothing. The men were wearing grey tops and the women wore grey pinafore dresses with scarves covering their heads.
"Find inner peace and happiness with the Family," Cade read. He put the flyer in his pocket, thanked the waitress and went outside. He was taking his cell phone out when he noticed a bus pulling up outside the waitress. There were about ten men and women on the bus and they were all wearing the clothes that the people in the flyer were wearing.
"Excuse me," Cade said walking over to the bus. The women looked scared as Cade came over and all scurried over to the grocery store. The men stared at Cade when he showed them his fake ID.
"I'm investigating the disappearance of several young women. I wonder if you could help," Cade said.
"In what way?" asked one man. He was in his 50's, had grey hair that was thinning on top.
"Could you tell me who's in charge?" asked Cade as he put away his ID.
"Our Supreme Leader is Subam. We follow his principles," replied the man.
"Could I meet with him?" asked Cade taking off his sunglasses.
"Oh No. We never see Subam. He is someplace else," the man said.
"Where?" asked Cade.
"We don't know,"
"Who is in charge at the compound?" asked Cade.
"That would be Jacob," answered the man.
"Could I meet him then?" Cade asked.
"You would have to arrange a meeting," one of the other men said.
"I'd like to arrange a meeting," replied Cade.
"He is very busy," replied the first man. Before Cade could ask anything else the women came back with some paper grocery bags. They looked at Cade with curiosity but the men ushered them onto the bus. One of the women came back out with a flyer and handed it to him. One of the men told her to get back on the bus. She looked back at Cade as she boarded the bus. Cade thought he saw fear in her eyes. The bus drove off. Cade stood looking at it for a couple of minutes. He then looked down at the flyer and saw something hand-written on it. It read, "Please help me."
Jordan and Liz walked over to the security guards at the gate of the compound. Jordan had unbuttoned two buttons on her shirt so she showed some cleavage. Liz had tied her shirt ends together so her midriff was showing.
"Ladies," smiled one of the security guards who looked to be in his 60's. The other security guard was a lot younger and had his hair cut military style scowled but didn't say anything.
"Hi boys," Jordan said pushing her red hair back.
"What are you two big boys doing out in this heat," smiled Liz playing with the younger guard's tie.
"Stopping people like you getting in," replied the younger guard.
"What's in there?" asked Jordan.
"The Family," replied the older guard.
"Whose Family?" asked Jordan.
"We can't answer that," scowled the younger guard.
"Why not?" Liz asked.
"Ladies we are going to have to ask you to leave," another voice said. Jordan and Liz turned and saw a man standing at the gate. He was tanned and looked to be in his 50's and was wearing one of the grey tops the men in the town were wearing. A grey hood covered his dark black hair.
"And who are you?" Jordan asked with a smile.
"I'm Jacob. I'm in charge here," replied Jacob with a smile that showed brilliant white teeth.
"Well maybe you can help us, Jacob," Liz said taking out her press card and showing in to him through the fence. Jacob took the card and looked at it.
"We don't talk to the media," he said.
"But…" Jordan started to say but suddenly felt like she was going to throw up. She swayed on her feet and then fell to the ground.
"Jordan?" Liz said kneeling down beside Jordan. She saw a tranquilliser dart in her neck. She gasped as she looked up at Jacob who merely smiled and nodded to the two guards. Suddenly Liz felt nauseous and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. The two guards picked the two women up and carried them into the compound.
"Foster, Just be careful," warned Eddie after Cade had called him to tell him that he was going to follow the bus.
"I will. Have you heard from the girls yet?" asked Cade keeping an eye on the bus as it stopped at a gas station.
"Not yet," replied Eddie getting up and looking out the door of the trailer.
"I haven't either since they called to say they were going to the compound," replied Cade. "I hope nothing is wrong."
"They can look after themselves," Eddie said. He was back sitting on his computer. He had typed the word Mabus and Subam on it. "Hey Foster. This supreme leader up cloud cuckoo land…"
"What about it?" asked Cade starting the engine as the bus started to move.
"Subam is Mabus spelt backwards. I think Mabus is the Supreme Leader of the Family," said Eddie opening a can of Jolt.
"Wouldn't surprise me," replied Cade. "He's probably trying to convert people to the great Gua cause."
"Maybe he's brainwashing his flock to support him when the Gua do invade," said Eddie.
"Maybe," replied Cade. "I'll call you later."
"Ok bye," Eddie said expecting to hear the dial tone of the phone.
"Bye," replied Cade.
"You didn't hang up," Eddie said with a grin.
"What?" asked Cade feeling somewhat puzzled.
"You didn't hang up," repeated Eddie.
"Neither did you," replied Cade suddenly realising what Eddie was on about. He smiled to himself.
"You hang up," Eddie said.
"No you hang up," replied Cade. Suddenly Cade heard the dial tone of the phone. Eddie sat in the trailer laughing to himself as he took a swig of the Jolt cola.
"We identified the two women. The blonde one is Elizabeth Baker from The Ohio Chronicle. The red head is Jordan Radcliffe. She is the heir to Radcliffe Enterprises. Her brother was Daniel Radcliffe. He was Subject 23 in the same experiment as Subject 117, Cade Foster," Jacob said standing in front of a large TV screen. He was looking at a large chamber with smoke swirling around the inside of it.
"Jordan Radcliffe is the leader of the Raven Nation. The resistance group determined to stop our invasion plans. Subject 117 inspired them. Our prophecies say that this man and woman will stop the invasion," a disembodied voice said. "Elizabeth Baker is also an ally of Subject 117."
"What would you like us to do, sir?" Jacob asked.
"Kill them," replied Mabus. "No wait. Question them."
"Yes sir," replied Jacob trying not to balk when the disfigured features of the Gua Head came into view.
"I'm sure the two ladies are in communication with Subject 117 so anticipate a visit by him as well. How are the plans going for the ceremony?" Mabus asked.
"In progress, sir. We should be ready by day after next," replied Jacob.
"Good. Make sure the ceremony has no problems," ordered Mabus.
"Yes sir. Oh… and sir. Have you chosen yet?" asked Jacob.
"Not yet Jacob," replied Mabus and with that the TV screen went black.
Jordan opened her eyes. She had one hell of headache. She felt like she had spent the whole day drinking the day before. She sat up and immediately felt nauseous. She looked around in confusion. She was in a small dark room. The smell of excrement or something else was in the air which probably contributed to the sick feeling she felt in the pit of her stomach. There was one small window over the bed that she had been lying on. But the window was so filthy it would probably be impossible to see out of. As her eyes got use to the dark she could make out other things in the room. She scrambled up and started to bang on the door and yell. She wondered where Liz was.
Liz woke up as well. She held her head as it throbbed with pain. She still had the nauseous feeling in her stomach. She felt the contents of her stomach come up and she immediately rolled over and vomited on the floor. She lay on her back for a couple of minutes trying to fight off another vomiting attack. Her head swam as she tried to focus her eyes on her surroundings. She could hear someone yelling and making noises somewhere. It felt like it was coming from inside her head. She closed her eyes again.
Cade followed the bus at a discreet distance. He drove past the bus as it drove into the compound. He didn't see Liz's car and wondered where they were. Cade parked a couple of miles up the road, took his Blackhawks bag from the trunk and walked back towards the gate into the compound. He noticed that barbed wire fencing surrounded it and there were two lookout towers at both ends of the camp. He took out a pair of binoculars and saw that two guards were posted in each tower. Each had a machine gun. He saw several small buildings and there was one big building in the middle of the camp which looked like the meeting hall. A bell tower stood beside this building. He noticed few people walking around and those that were carried machine guns. He took out his cell phone and dialled Jordan's number but there was no answer. He tried Liz's number and got no answer on her cell phone either.
"Where the hell are they?" he said to himself as he pressed the button on his cell that rang directly to the trailer. Eddie answered on the second ring with a brisk "Yeah."
"Eddie, you heard from Liz and Jordan yet?" Cade asked keeping a watchful eye on the camp.
"No," replied Eddie. He was playing a computer game online.
"There is no answer from either of them and there is so sign of the car," explained Cade.
"Maybe they killed each other," chuckled Eddie laughing to himself at his own joke.
"I'll call you later," Cade said hanging up the phone.
Cade took out some wire cutters from his bag and started to clip the barbed wire from the ground up. He stopped halfway up and put the wire cutters in the bag. He took his gun out of his bag and put some bullets in the chamber. He put the gun down the back of his jeans, picked up the bag and climbed through the fence.
Liz opened her eyes again. Her head still hurt and the sickness in her stomach was still there but not as bad. Her eyes focussed on the room and she looked around to take in her surroundings. She sat up and gingerly got down from the wooden plinth that served for a bed. A small stream of light came through a filthy skylight. She could see a bit of blue sky through the window. She walked over to the door and tried to open it. The doorknob came off in her hand. She started to bang on the door but to no avail. No one came.
Cade sneaked stealthily around the camp. Suddenly he heard the bell in the bell tower ringing. He hid behind one of the outhouses as he watched as men and women filed from the other buildings and into the meeting hall. He ran over to the meeting hall and peered in a window. He could hear the people singing some songs and watched as several young women were brought before the congregation. He noticed that some of them were swaying as if they had been drugged. He stepped back and bumped into something. He turned and he was looking into the eyes of one of the security guards. The guard raised the butt of his machine gun and swung it at Cade. Cade slumped to the ground unconscious.
Jordan had stopped her yelling and banging. She was sitting on the wooden bench with her knees up and her hand on her head. Suddenly she heard the door open and she looked up. A young girl who appeared to be no more than 18 came in with a tray of food.
"I want to see the person in charge," Jordan demanded. The girl seemed surprised that Jordan had spoken. Jordan stared at the girl and took in the long straggly fair hair and the haunted look in her eyes.
"Are you being kept here against your will?" Jordan asked. The girl looked towards the door with a look of fear. It was then that Jordan saw the guard for the first time.
"You can't keep me here," she shouted at the guard who grabbed the young girl's arm and pulled her out of the room. The door was locked. Jordan went over to the door and kicked it in frustration. She sat on the bench again and looked down at the tray of food. It didn't look very appetising to her. There was a plate of some greyish meat swimming in juices of the same colour. She picked up the plate and threw it at the wall.
Liz was standing on the wooden bench trying to reach the skylight when she heard the door open. She jumped down and stood against the wall opposite the wall. The young girl came in and left the tray of food on the floor. The girl saw the mess of vomit beside the bed. She went wordlessly out of the room and brought in a mop and bucket.
"I'll do that," Liz said taking the mop from the girl but the girl wouldn't let her take the mop. The girl kept her head bowed as she cleaned up the mess.
"I can help you if you can help me," Liz whispered to her. The girl looked fearfully at the guard but didn't say anything.
"Can you help me get out of here?" whispered Liz. The girl nodded.
"No talking to the prisoner," ordered the guard. The girl finished what she was doing and left the room silently. Liz looked down at the tray of food and lost her appetite.
"How are our guests?" Jacob asked the guard who had accompanied the young girl.
"Not happy but they played into Wendy's little trick," replied the guard.
"Wendy is one of out best," replied Jacob. He was looking at a computer print out. "I see we have another guest as well."
"Yes sir. Subject 117 was captured a little while ago and is currently undergoing the procedure," replied the Guard.
"Good," said Jacob. "Mabus is hoping the ceremony will go to plan. It should make him happy that we have captured three of the human resistance."
"Yes sir," replied the guard and left the room as Jacob took a remote control and pointed it at a darkened window. A screen went up and Jacob watched as Cade struggled to get free from restraints that held him to a white table. Several white electrodes were attached to his chest and temples monitoring his vital signs. Clear fluid flowed from an IV directly into his veins. What looked like a helmet with strobe lights inside it hung over Cade's head. Cade lifted his head and stared directly at Jacob through the window.
"There's no point in struggling 117. Just co-operate and it will be over soon," Jacob said into a microphone.
"What are you doing," Cade said in a slurred voice as the drug started to take affect.
"Conversion to our principles so we will have no problems invading this weak little planet," replied Jacob.
"I'll never convert to the Gua principle," hissed Cade. He was starting to feel a little light headed as the drug moved through his bloodstream to his brain and other organs.
Jacob laughed. "The great Subject 117 in not so great now tied up like a wild animal," he scoffed.
"What happened to the women who disappeared?" asked Cade trying to lift his head but a feeling of heaviness in his head prevented him.
"They were converted," replied Jacob.
"Are Jordan and Liz here?" asked Cade.
"Yes. They will be undergoing conversion later and then sent before Mabus to make his choice," said Jacob watching the monitor.
"What choice?" asked Cade.
"Mabus can choose a mate from the human species to stand by his side when we invade. To show you pathetic humans that we have the power to overcome," replied Jacob.
"You will find out that we will overcome the Gua," said Cade trying to fight off the affects of the drug but he was losing that fight and lost consciousness on the table. Jacob watched as two empiricists came into the room. He nodded to them and left them to get to work.
The two empiricists placed the helmet on Cade's head and pushed some buttons on the monitor. The lights inside the helmet started to pulsate and images started to flash into Cade's mind.
"I can fight this," Cade said over and over in his mind until it became a mantra. He tried to block the images that were flashing at lightening speed. A collection of different images came into his mind. From his childhood, through to his thief days to when he was married to Hannah and finally images of the Gua were flashed into his brain. Over the images a voice was saying repeatedly "The Gua are here to help us. They are our saviours. We accept the Gua principles and allow them to govern us."
"How is the process going?" one of the empiricists said.
"Well his will power is strong," replied the other empiricists looking at some readouts from the computer.
"It's his remarkable will power that makes him so unique," replied the first empiricist.
"Well we can break his will power and he will surrender to Mabus," said the second empiricist making some adjustments to the computer which controlled the helmet.
Wendy came back into Jordan's room and looked at the remains of the meal against the wall.
"You have to keep your strength up," Wendy said as she cleaned up the mess.
Jordan looked out the door and saw there was no guard there.
"I need to find my friends. Do you know where they are?" Jordan asked.
"I can't say," replied Wendy.
"Please I need you help. If you don't help the human race faces very serious danger," Jordan said.
Wendy sighed and turned to look at Jordan. "The woman is held in a cell in this block. The man is undergoing the conversion process at the moment."
"Conversion Process?" asked Jordan with a note of anxiety in her voice.
"Everyone who enters The Family undergoes the conversion process," explained Wendy.
"Conversion to what?" asked Jordan.
"The Family's principles," replied Wendy.
"The Gua's principles, you mean," Jordan said in disgust.
"I can help you but you need to do what I tell you," Wendy said looking toward the door.
"Ok," replied Jordan.
"The Ceremony will be held tomorrow. Our leader will be selecting a mate. You will be taken for conversion this evening. The guards change every 12 hours. You will have to save your friends during the changing of the guards otherwise it will be too late," replied Wendy.
"What about you?" asked Jordan.
Wendy seemed surprised at the question but didn't answer it. "I'll come back in a few hours." Wendy picked up the tray and left the room without saying anything else. Jordan paced the cell for lack of anything else to do.
Cade opened his eyes. He was lying on a bed in what looked to be a hospital ward. His head ached and he struggled to remember what happened to him. The door opened and Jacob came in wearing a while coat and carrying a clipboard. He looked at the clipboard and then the file that was placed at the end of the bed.
"Do you remember what happened?" Jacob asked shining a small torch into Cade's eyes.
Cade tried to sit up but couldn't. "Don't try to move. You have been through a lot," Jacob said to him.
"What happened?" Cade asked.
"You don't remember?" Jacob asked taking Cade's pulse.
"No. I don't remember anything. I don't even remember my name. Where am I?" Cade said getting visibly upset.
"We found you by the side of the road. You had no identification on you. It may have been a hit and run. You are with The Family now. We'll take care of you," replied Jacob.
"The Family?" asked Cade looking at the man standing beside him.
"We can fill your needs. That's all you need to know about us," replied Jacob.
"Did you contact the police to see if I was missing?" asked Cade.
"Just rest now," Jacob said avoiding the question. Cade watched as Jacob left the room. He tried to get up but his limbs seemed unable to move and he fell back in the bed. He struggled to remember what happened to him but to no avail.
Jordan heard the lock of her cell door open and looked up to see Wendy standing there.
"You have to hurry," Wendy said. "They will know you are missing soon." Wendy ushered her down the dark corridor to some steps. They went down the steps and came to another door. Wendy took out a set of keys and opened the door to Liz's cell. Liz was sitting on the bench and looked up in surprise when she saw Wendy and Jordan at the door to the cell.
"Come on. We have to go," Jordan said grabbing her arm.
"About time too," Liz said running out the door.
"We have to find Cade. Apparently he's been through the conversion process," Jordan explained as the three women ran through the dark corridors.
"What about the missing women?" Liz said Wendy.
"They are here and have been through the process. They are preparing for the ceremony tomorrow," Wendy said as they came to a door to the outside.
"What ceremony?" asked Liz.
"Our leader will choose a mate to stand by him," replied Wendy. She looked out the door and saw that there no one around. She pointed to a building across the compound.
"Your friend is over there. In the infirmary," Wendy pointed. "There's a vehicle waiting a few miles down the road."
"What about the you and the other women?" Liz asked again.
"We'll get out when the time is right," replied Wendy. She looked out the door again and reached under her dress and took out a small handgun and handed it to Jordan.
"Go now. Good luck," Wendy said.
"Thank you," Liz said giving the girl a hug. Liz and Jordan ran across the compound to the infirmary. They crept slowly around the building and found a small window.
Jordan went through the window first and helped Liz through. Holding the small gun in her hand Jordan looked around a corner. Seeing no one in the hallway she beckoned Liz and they both walked down the corridor with every sense on alert. They came to a window to a room. Looking in they saw Cade lying in a bed. Jordan opened the door and went in.
"Cade we have to go," Jordan said. Cade looked at her blankly.
"Cade. Come on," exclaimed Jordan grabbing his clothes and handing them to him.
"Who are you?" Cade asked with confusion.
"What have they done to you?" Jordan said in disgust. It never ceased to amaze her what the Gua would do to win. "It's me. Jordan." She helped Cade out of the bed.
"Jordan?" Cade said looking totally lost.
"We'll fill you in later," Jordan said helping him with his clothes.
"They helped me," Cade said.
"The only thing they did is screw with your mind, Cade," Jordan said pushing him out the door.
"I don't remember anything other than waking up like this," Cade said following Liz and Jordan.
"They brainwashed you Cade," Liz said looking back at him.
"For what reason?" asked Cade. They reached a side door out of the building when they heard someone say "Not so fast." The three turned around and saw Jacob and Wendy standing behind them with guns. Three guards appeared at the door with guns. Cade, Jordan and Liz looked at each other in dismay.
"Wendy!" exclaimed Jordan.
"I know. You thought I was on your side," replied Wendy with a smile.
"Were you brainwashed by these people as well?" asked Jordan.
"No. I am one," replied Wendy.
"You led us to a trap," said Liz.
"Enough small talk. You are going to be our ultimate gift to our leader tomorrow," Jacob said.
"The hell we are!" exclaimed Jordan as Jacob took the gun from her.
"Just co-operate and it will be less painful," Jacob said as the guards grabbed Jordan, Liz and Cade. Cade struggled with the guard until the guard lost his grip. Cade punched him in the face and the guard lost his balance and fell to the ground. He grabbed the guard's gun and pulled the trigger. Wendy turned her gun on Jacob and watched as he dissolved. The other two guards holding Liz and Jordan pulled their guns out but they were too late. Cade and Wendy had pulled the trigger on them and the aliens dissolved.
"Are you all right Cade?" Jordan asked.
"Yeah. My memory is a bit like Swiss cheese but I know who and what the Gua are," replied Cade.
"Let's get the rest of the people out of here," Jordan said.
"Thank you," Liz said to Wendy.
"I am Gua but I don't agree with what Mabus wants," Wendy said.
"Where can we find the missing women?" Cade asked.
Wendy sighed and then said, "They are transferred out of here a little while ago. I didn't even know that was going to happen until Jacob told me a few minutes ago."
"Do you know where?" asked Cade.
"No. I'm sorry. I guess there was a contingency plan for a time like this," replied Wendy.
Suddenly a large noise made the four jump. They went out the door and saw that the meeting hall was on fire. Several other fires had started around the compound as well.
"Jacob must have planted a bomb," Wendy said. "We have to go now."
"Are there any other people in those buildings?" asked Cade watching as the fires took hold of the buildings
"There might have been but it's too late," replied Jordan.
"It's not too late!" exclaimed Cade running toward one of the buildings. Jordan ran after him and tried to stop him from going into the building. "It's too late," repeated Jordan as Cade watched the building burn to the ground. He turned and walked towards the gate with his head bowed. It always saddened him when he couldn't save innocent people from the Gua. Liz and Jordan thanked Wendy. Wendy told them that she was going to do anything in her power to stop the Gua from invading.
"I just wanted to say thanks and it was great working with you," Jordan said to Liz. Liz smiled and they shook hands as they got to the car.
"Does this mean that you two are going to get along?" asked Cade as he stood at the car.
"Well…" Liz started and the three laughed as they drove to the trailer.
"In some ways this mission was both a success and a failure. I look upon failure as a learning experience for the journey ahead. Even if we didn't find the missing women we gained some knowledge of Mabus's plan and I live in the hope that they will be found. I also live in hope that we will succeed against the Gua."
Eddie looked at the three as they walked into the trailer.
"Everything all right?" he asked.
"Fine," replied Liz as Cade gave him the run down of what happened in the compound.
"There is the matter of an overheard conversation," Eddie said grinning as he looked at Cade and Liz. He and Jordan burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.
Liz and Cade looked embarrassed. Jordan and Eddie got up and left the trailer leaving the other two looking very uncomfortable.
"Cade, I'm sorry. It was inappropriate," Liz said.
"It was girl talk. Forget it," he said and the two left the trailer.
The End