Above the Quarry
Authors Note: This is the first story I've written in years, bear with me as I'm rusty
Alicia Washington grabbed another root and kicked the toes of her boots into the mossy rocks as she ascended the steep slope of the mountain just above the quarry that had been captured by the Sixers over a year before. Behind her was Malcolm Wallace, already showing signs of exhaustion and they had another five hundred feet to their destination, a small plateau with flowers and shrubs needed for medicine. She tried to convince Malcom to let his best fit scientist go in his stead, but he became almost hysterical in front of the commander until with a smirk, Taylor told him he could go.
Behind Malcolm were two more scientists, carrying large packs to gather much needed plants. They were two strong, young men recruited to do the physical aspects of research work. Wash wouldn't mind having them in her unit for their muscled presence, but knew all fit men weren't cut out to be soldiers. They were followed by two of her strongest men, another scientist, and to the rear keeping an eye on the quarry was Reynolds, Maddy Shannon's young suitor. Everyone had a backpack except her. Her job was to keep them safe and get everyone home. They left the colony before light on the pretense that it would take over a day to reach the collection site. With a spy in camp, Taylor had resorted to deception with everyone except a loyal few. They were only a few hours from Terra Nova, but wanted to send Mira as far away as possible for this mission if she were inclined to mischief. Wash was sure the spy informed her by now.
Her first glimpse showed the quarry was devoid of Sixers and given the civilians in her group, Washington was more than happy even though she worried what they may be up to leaving the quarry empty and unguarded. She counted out twenty steps and paused. She could only go as fast as the weak link and he was starting to annoy her. Her strict warning of absolutely no talking kept Malcolm moaning to himself. Finally, after a couple hours they summited the last mossy rocks, careful to keep falling stones to a minimum just incase a Sixer was out of sight, but watching. Washington was sure their nemesis had the quarry under unmanned surveillance, with advanced equipment when not present. Although never found, she also suspected they camped in the vicinity also.
Making sure all were out of site of the quarry, Washington instructed the soldiers to post on each side of the scientists and instructed Reynolds to lie on his stomach at the edge of the plateau and watch for any movement from below.
Malcolm dropped ungraciously to the grass, still shaking from overused muscles, grateful his assistants were competent. Under his hand signals, he instructed them to bring all different samples to him before packing or discarding. Soon he was absorbed in the gathering of old and new un-catalogued flora leaving Washington to do nothing but wait until he was finished. She sat a little above the group, out of the way and let her mind wander back to two days before.
"It's, about twenty clicks from here, one and a half days, if it doesn't rain," Taylor addressed a room full of soldiers and scientist. "We found a patch of plants Dr. Wallace and Dr. Shannon can formulate into pain killer and antibiotics. And I don't need to tell everyone how important getting the raw materials are," he continued to scan the faces, accessing the team his capable second, Washington, would put together. "Mira will probably find out that a group is OTG, but the exact location is known to only a few of us." He hoped he could trust all those in the room, but wouldn't put terra's on it. He continued with a more detailed description of what those going would expect for terrain. Also the quarry, the destination was only ten clicks, but if word got to Mira they were going that close to her captured territory, they wouldn't be able to protect their own. He made no secret that the party was going twice the distance it actually was and spread it around the colony through his soldiers as he told them the trip wasn't secret.
"We can take the rovers to the base of the cliffs, hide them then climb on foot about fifteen hundred feet at a steep angle," Taylor didn't miss the slight raised eyebrow of his second and wondered if she noticed his purposeful notation. "We'll take four scientist, in good shape and four soldiers. Those chosen will be ready to travel day after tomorrow. Dismissed." He watched the shuffle out of command center until his second stood quietly waiting his orders, or thoughts as he wasn't often without one or both.
"What's on your mind, Wash?"
"Sir, WE?"
He chuckled and sank behind his desk, "Wouldn't mind going OTG on this trip, Wash. A good hike, new terrain, you know me." He tried to win a spot on the team with a toothy smile.
She smiled back, mimicking his facial expression, a move she came to learn he hated, "I plan on leading this trip. Maybe I'll get lucky, and run into Mira." Her smile morphed into a grimace and glint of the promise of revenge in her dark eyes.
"I hope you don't see her, or any of her people. We don't need that kind of trouble this trip. Try to avoid getting too close to the quarry."
"Backing down so easy, Sir?", Washington wasn't sure of her easy victory. What Taylor wants, Taylor usually gets.
He grew sober and stared at the skull through the clear glass for a moment before meeting her calm gaze and expressionless countenance. "Wash, when I was at the falls the other day, I saw more drawings. These look different. I think Lucas getting close to making the portal go both ways."
Her lips thinned and she nodded. "One of us needs to be here at all times until what happens, happens."
Taylor nodded, stood and closed the distance rapidly to invade her space, something he rarely did in the light of day when anyone could interrupt. His quick, smooth movements caused her dark eyes to widen even more. "Sir?" as she now looked up into his cobalt eyes. He never breached her space in daylight or with an open door.
"Wash," he lowered his voice in case the soldiers guarding the door were in hearing range. "When we came here years ago, I wanted a new start," he placed his hands on her shoulders and gave a squeeze, looking into her dark eyes, "not only for Lucas, but us, after I convinced you to come with me." His grip tightened and he tried to impart his feelings with his not so subtle clutch. "You could be a commander of your own unit, but you've stayed with me. I was selfish, not considering that you might want to do something else. I just always figured you'd be there, always, watching my back like you've done for so long. I still don't want to let you OTG for any length of time, especially that close to the Sixers and now with something else on the horizon."
"Nathaniel," Alicia Washington's hands came to rest on his sides, the warmth and solid muscles confirmed the decision she made to herself years ago to stand by this man, once again to be right for her heart, "You gave me a choice to come with you…..well not exactly a choice, more like an order." She liked to kid him about his insistence she be right behind him. "We've talked about us, but something always gets in the way. Once again this isn't the time for this talk." Wash let one of her rare smiles let him know it was okay, at least for now.
"I don't like this, Wash," He moved even closer. "I'm doing what I'd bust one of my soldiers for, a public display," his arms wrapped around her back drawing her to him. "I just don't want you hurt, by Mira or Lucas or…."
Wash cut him off, "I believe I've demonstrated over the years in various ways, I can take care of myself."
"It's your reputation also."
"And yours."
He nodded settling his forehead against hers. "I hate myself for sneaking around when I want to shout from the balcony that I love you."
"We established years ago that for me to remain under you, no pun intended," as he chuckled, "no one could know. It's worked, not perfect, but I'd rather be here than leading an army when I'm not sure who the good guys in the future are any more." Wash with a last hug disengaged from his arms reluctantly and put an acceptable amount of space between them.
"It's just never the right time for us," Taylor spoke softly. "That's got to change soon. People are talking."
"Sir, they've always talked."
"After Mira roughed you up and I threatened her, the folks took that as a sign I took it personally, which I did, but…" Nathaniel spread his hands in a helpless gesture, words fading into a sigh.
Guzman took that moment to enter, not breaking stride or showing his knowledge of their relationship.
"Dismissed Lieutenant." With that Commander Taylor turned his complete attention to another trusted friend.
Washington stirred as Malcolm scurried over with a bright smile. "Lieutenant, I believe we have enough. Hope we get some useful medicine from all these samples, but next time I'll let others do the leg work. Honestly, I don't know how you do it, Wash." At her raised eyebrow he continued, "You made that climb look easy." Malcolm was secretly infatuated with that dark haired beauty, but sensed her non-interest in nothing more than friendship. Story of his life with certain dark haired women.
"It was easy, Malcolm." Her straight face covered her secret amusement of his assessment.
"Ma'am, Sixers." The low voice of Sergeant Reynolds carried across the narrow expanse causing Washington to move without making a sound. Malcolm had looked to Reynolds when he spoke and back to an empty spot. That always unnerved him.
After a quick hand motion for everyone to get down, Washington slipped to a higher spot where she could observe the entire area. Two rovers entered the quarry and about ten workers disembarked with tools for breaking rock. Another rover took a place near the opening and sun roof slid open and the turret gun was manned by a dark skinned man in armor. The screech of a pre-historic bird over their heads caused the gunner to fix his sites on their spot. Nobody moved or breathed until finally he spotted the bird about thirty feet to their right and above them. They were afraid he would take a shot, but fearing Mira's wrath for wasting ammo kept the gun silent. With a final squint, he turned back to scouring the lower trees, causing a sigh of relief for the eight in hiding.
Lieutenant Washington silently motioned everyone to keep low and gather around her at the back of the rocky precipice. In a barely audible whisper, she instructed everyone to sit and not move. She motioned Sergeant Reynolds to follow her and they worked back to an advantage point. With the sun beginning its decent to the west and her head almost touching Mark's, she whispered, "We're far enough away so as not to draw attention as we leave. With the dense covering on the slope, we should be fine as long as nobody slips. We figured they could be in the quarry when this was planned."
Mark motioned below, "Looks like the Sixers are setting up for the night." They watched portable lights being positioned near the workers.
Wash nodded, not happy with this unwanted turn. "You take the party down, carefully, and quietly as possible. Remember, move as a group and stop as a group. Constant movement might draw attention." Reynolds nodded, once again reviewing in his mind his Lieutenant's detailed instructions to her chosen group.
Jim Shannon bounced up the command steps and entered the open door. He'd been on Terra Nova long enough to figure that particular 'open' door meant an open invitation without knocking. Commander Taylor looked up from his pad, "What can I do for you, Shannon?" He looked like he could use a break.
"Well," Shannon looked around and saw they were alone. "My wife told me to invite you for supper." Taylor smiled and gauged Shannon's face. Jim's open smile told him that the invitation was from them both. Shannon continued, "Some fresh fish came in today and Elizabeth wrangled your favorite recipe from Wash."
At that, Taylor laughed and said, "I'll have to try it out then. See if Wash really knows how to fix my favorite fish."
"Good, I have a bottle hid away….from the kids."
Taylor laughed again as he locked up his pads and they walked leisurely to Shannon's home talking amicably about their day. "Don't be surprised if Maddy tries to pry information about Mark from you. She worries when he's OTG."
Nathaniel slapped Shannon on the shoulder, "Nothing I'm not used to. Skye was here earlier. Seems like she's trying to get information for Maddy to make points with your boy Josh. At least that's what I assumed from her ramblings." Taylor grinned as Jim sighed.
"I'm caught between wishing they were too young for all this and wishing they were grown and out of my house," drew another chuckle from Nathaniel.
"So Commander, I'm getting up close and personal," Elizabeth Shannon handed him a plate of desert. They had moved to the front porch to take in the evening air before the chill would drive them back in. "I hear rumors about you and Lieutenant Washington and see a fondness between you. Tell me, is she more than a friend?"
Jim Shannon screwed his eyes shut and peaked through one with his face scrunched up. "Ah, you don't have to answer that, Sir."
Taylor laughed at his expression. "We're very close, have to be. We spend all our time together" proud of his deflection.
"You spend all your time with her, and don't want to be….more?" Elizabeth wasn't put off that easily. The older kids had taken off for the evening, Josh to work and Maddy to wander the colony, waiting for Mark, and Zoe was playing in her room. Elizabeth knew she might not get another chance soon to find out what she was sure she already knew. "I feel like I'm seeing mixed signals. Sometimes you can't stop looking at each other and at other time you seem to all but ignore each other." She kept probing.
Nathaniel looked at the Shannon's. In the short time he'd come to know them, he felt friendship and trust. His gut instinct told him that these were good people. "We've been together for almost eighteen years, longer than I was with my wife." He decided to share more of his and Wash's combined past with them. "I recruited her to my elite commando unit in '32. She was fresh off her first skirmish in the Congo. She was awarded for her fighting, saving fellow soldiers and after the battle, while others rested, she sewed several up. And that was her first action. Word got around fast about her. I knew I wanted someone like her in my unit. You should see her service record, it's impressive."
Neither Shannon missed the change in his voice and the softness that overtook his battle hardened face as he talked about his favorite subject.
Taylor continued, "She rose through the ranks fast, always had to be best. A natural leader, she has those young soldiers following her anywhere, just look at Reynolds." They all smiled at the memories of watching their young friend interact with the tough Lieutenant.
"I made sure Wash was my second when she obtained her rating. She had all the units trying to steal her. My son, Lucas," the Shannon's shared a glance at the infrequent mention of Taylor's missing son, "used to follow Wash as she made her rounds when he was younger. She would give an order and he would echo whatever she said. The soldiers had no choice but to follow 'their' orders. He had a major crush on her. I don't think he would have come here if she hadn't also asked him to." Taylor's thoughts made him go quiet.
"After Somalia, Lucas hated the military and me in particular. He cooled towards Wash, but she could still talk to him whereas I couldn't. I promised Wash a new start for all of us if she would come with me. The truth is I was starting to think maybe we could make something together, but taming this place has taken time, something always in the way. She won't wait forever." Taylor was staring into the dark on that last confession.
"Maybe she shouldn't have to wait, Commander," the soft voice of Elizabeth Shannon brought him back and he smiled at her.
"You saw what Mira did to her. Mira would love to get her hands on something I care about. I can't allow that to happen." He stiffened as Guzman appeared in a rush to them.
"Sir, sorry to interrupt, but radio silence has been broken."
"What happened?" Taylor had a sinking feeling. Why couldn't an OTG be boring for once.
"Lieutenant Washington said CODE GREEN, CODE GREEN then repeated it once and then radio silence, Sir."
A very somber Commander Taylor stood, "Understood, let's go." He turned to Elizabeth, "Thank you for one of my favorite dishes. Tell Wash when you see her, she got the recipe down perfect. I'm going to steal your husband with your permission," he smiled at her nod.
She watched the three men hurry off and hoped Maddy would be home soon and had a sinking feeling code green was very bad.
Washington wanted to get her party off the mountain before dark. She was sure the sixers wouldn't be using heat sensor eye lenses in daylight and hadn't seen the guard even pull his out after his initial look in their direction through his scope. She took the spot Reynolds had vacated as he instructed the people to quietly make their way back down the steep slope. Washington was the only one with a rifle, leaving the other soldiers, laden with heavy packs, side arms to protect the un-armed scientists. Reynolds and Malcolm went over the edge together, with Mark staying close to his special charge. As a unit, twenty paces stop, wait and check the quarry, then twenty more paces. It was slow going and dark was falling fast. Reynolds was worried about his superior having to descend in the dark. Also, he knew the Sixers would be switching to night vision and they would be open targets even through the brush as their body heat would make them plainly visible. Malcolm's left foot slipped and he grabbed brush twigs with both hands, sliding a few feet before stopping. Mark's head swiveled swiftly to the quarry, scanning. The Sixers hadn't noticed. He caught up to Malcolm.
"You okay?"
"Getting tired," Malcom whispered back. "Do you think the Lieutenant will be able to catch up?" Malcolm was worried for his friend, even though she was a highly trained survivalist.
"Let me worry about her. Move," Mark urged him on again.
They were about a third of the way down when Washington saw the guard pull out his night vision headset and put it on.
"Shit," she muttered aloud. They weren't supposed to still be here this late. Malcolm had slowed them down too much. Washington got ready and moved her rifle into position for a sniper shot at the guard. She saw him scan the hill, stop, zoom in on her party. Her rifle spoke and he slumped over with a head shot, dead before his body settled. There was a great commotion as the miners ran for their rovers, both for cover and weapons. Washington laid down a general pattern and hit several, none fatally. Within seconds return fire echoed against the mountain.
Reynolds yelled for everyone to discard the packs and throw them off the mountain, "We'll grab them on the way to the rovers." He yelled to the men below him. "Throw the packs out as far as you can then slide for it. Keep moving, don't become a sitting target."
Malcolm took that moment to let out a scream as his leg took a random hit from below. Reynolds was upon him almost immediately assessing the situation while returning a few volleys of his own towards the Sixers rovers. He ripped Malcolm's sleeve off with adrenaline pumping, making the shirt rip like tissue paper. He helped Malcolm off with his pack and gave it a toss over the heads of the rapidly sliding people. He told Malcolm, "You and I are going down as one. I'm wrapping my arms around you and we are going off this mountain. It's going to hurt, but we can't stop."
"Just get me out of here alive, Reynolds." Malcolm was roughly rolled over and Reynolds wrapped his muscular arms tightly, grabbing Malcolm's belt and then he started sliding as bullets rained around them. Several times they rolled, but Reynolds grip never broke and soon they came to a stop at the bottom where the scientists were reaching for them while soldiers provided cover.
Reynolds broke radio silence, "We're down Lieutenant, ready for you."
Wash paused and could see additional vehicles rushing towards the quarry, lights bouncing on the rough trail through the trees. It was take a chance getting shot on the way down or be stuck on the mountain. It was almost dark and she couldn't see the bottom, just gun fire all around her people and more in her direction. She keyed her radio, "Get the scientist to the rovers. Grab any packs you can. I'm coming."
Wash let loose one more volley towards the quarry rovers and jumped off the mountain. She felt her ankle buckle as it tangled in a root. She kicked free and started the fasted slide she could remember. With bullets hitting all around her and the rough ground and foliage tearing at her skin and clothes, she made it to the bottom still clutching her rifle. She knew she couldn't walk as the ankle was throbbing in her tightly laced up military issue boots. She heard rovers coming and hoped they were from her side. Rifle ready she waited. Within seconds a rover slid to a stop and the door was thrown open to reveal Reynolds driving. She hopped on one foot to the passenger side.
"Anyone hurt?" she asked as she settled, almost getting dislodged as Reynolds sharply pivoted the rover and they outran a hail of rifle bullets. Lucky for them there was an embankment preventing the Sixer's rovers from following.
Malcom spoke from the rear, "I took a slight hit Lieutenant, nothing to worry about." He tried to be brave, but was starting to go into shock.
"Don't stop Reynolds," Washington barked as she slid out of her seat to crouch beside Malcolm. It was just the three of them crowded together with most of the packs stuffed around them, while the other rover was full of people and in the lead. Washington asked Reynolds to hand her the medical kit and started cleaning Malcom's wound, ripping his canvas pants with ease.
"How bad you hurt, Ma'am?" Reynolds called to the back. Malcolm eyed her looking for signs of bleeding. She looked injured all over and covered with dirt and scratches and a couple deeper cuts graced her neck and jaw.
She smiled at Malcolm's perusal, "I rolled my ankle. Just enough to keep me out of morning rounds for a week." Malcolm smiled back and let out a moan as Washington sprayed antibiotics into his wound. She moved a pack to the front seat to make a place for her and reached for the radio.
"I need to report, Reynolds, how many hurt in the other vehicle?"
"None Lieutenant. Just cuts and scrapes like we have," Reynolds concentrated on pushing his rover a little faster, eating the dust of the front vehicle.
Washington nodded and switched the channel. "Terra Nova, this is Washington. Code Green, Code Green." She waited five seconds and repeated the code. She sat the radio down to wait the five hour trip back home.