Two women stood in the wine isle of a grocery in San Francisco, the shorter brunette almost drooling at the sight of all the choices.
"It's her 18th, not her 21st. Please, don't buy too much Rebecca." Claire looked over at the smaller woman, chuckling at the wine section, pulling down at least 3 bottles.
"We've at least got to show her a good time, I mean hell, she's been locked up, and experimented on for what? Six years now? I'd want a drink too!" Rebecca replied, only getting the finest wine. She could afford it now, as she was the top RN at her local hospital, she was living quite comfortably and planned to let Sherry Birkin live at her house for as long as she wanted.
Claire and Rebecca became like older sisters to the girl as she grew up; they visited her quite frequently. After Rebecca retired from STARS Chris introduced her to Claire. They both grew close to one another quite quickly, became best friends, and soon shared everything with one another. Claire suggested she meet the little girl, and help be a mentor to Sherry. Rebecca eagerly accepted this as she always loved kids, and couldn't imagine what it was like being Sherry Birkin. Growing up around delirious parents, obsessed with their jobs, eventually killing themselves because of it. She didn't want to fight like Jill and Chris did, but she'd be damned if she didn't help out in one way or another… mostly contributing to charity, and being a listening ear for anyone who went through something similar to her.
"So… You sure they promised her release on her 18th right?" Rebecca said, looking over at Claire, the young redhead looking down a bit, rubbing her chin.
"Well… it'd be illegal otherwise no?" She said, her head tilted. Rebecca began to show her frustration.
"They better… otherwise, I think you know what we should do." Rebecca whispered to Claire, and Claire's eyes widened.
"We'd be arrested on site! Are you insane?" Claire questioned Rebecca.
"Am I insane? Claire… That's Sherry in there, do you want her to live her whole goddamn life in a cell, being tested on and never being able to live a normal teenage life? I know you care about her just as much as I do… I'm willing to go to jail for this girl." Rebecca's jaws clenched with a serious face.
"I… I guess you're right. If they don't let her out today, I… I'll help you." Claire replied with a low voice, they didn't want anyone hearing them. Rebecca had changed over the years, become more hardened, bitter, and didn't care as much about the law as she used to. Although she was a nurse, she had a few piercings, and plenty of tattoos. She also dyed her hair black, making her innocent look she used to have, fade away completely.
Rebecca smirked, grabbed a pack of cigarettes and checked out of the grocery. Claire getting on her motorcycle, and Rebecca getting into her car. They had a plan that wasn't exactly fool proof, but they both knew they'd take their chances, no matter the odds.
Meanwhile in Sherry's cell…
"Those are the last of the experiments for the day darling, since it is your birthday I thought we would all go easy on you. Your friends will be here to celebrate shortly. Better rest up." Simmons said, shutting the cell door and locking it. Sherry cried quietly in the corner of her cell. She had never lived a normal life, and wanted to know what the outside world had! She had enough of the testing, the pain, and the heartache.
There was a knock on her cell, it was Rebecca, smiling a bit, but also looking more serious than she ever had.
"Rebecca, come in!" Sherry said, eager to see her friend she hadn't seen in a month.
"Hey…" was all Rebecca could manage to say with a feigned smile, shutting the door behind her.
"Where's Claire?" Sherry asked, "and why are you acting so weird?"
"I.. Uh, it's nothing, Claire will be here in an hour. Happy Birthday Sherry… I brought your favorites." Rebecca said, pulling out her ipod and docking station to play music. Sherry smiled, and grabbed Rebecca's hand, then embraced the older girl.
"Rebecca…" Sherry sniffled. "You always remember to bring my favorite things, I miss you every time you go… I don't… I don't want you to go this time. I wish I could get out of here, with you and Claire." Sherry's eyes met Rebecca's, both of which had tears in them.
"You will get out of here tonight Sherry, I can promise you that. With or without… me." Rebecca's arms wrapped around Sherry, who was now taller than her and fully grown. She had become a beautiful young woman and Rebecca wasn't about to let her hide away in the shadows being some FBI experiment for the rest of her life.
Suddenly Rebecca's phone rang; it was Claire on the other end. Rebecca simply nodded and looked over at Sherry, then hung up.
"Sherry… Were about to get out of here, you and me okay? Claire is waiting near the front of the facility. I need you to know something first though… if anything happens to me I want you to know I'll always care about you, no matter where I am." Tears streamed down Rebecca's face, but she choked them back and grabbed the girl's hand.
"I won't let you die Rebecca, you and Claire, you're all I have. I love you…" Sherry whispered into Rebecca's ear, then suddenly they heard gunfire. Rebecca grabbed her gun, then gave Sherry one of her own.
"I need you to focus, aim for their heads. Even if you've known them for years, I don't care. You want freedom? You're gonna have to kill for it." Rebecca looked at Sherry, then kicked open the door, opening fire. "Run Sherry! Find Claire and get out of here!" She exclaimed, firing at the agents and following behind.
Claire had run her motorcycle into the facility, killing two guards, she then began to open fire. Shortly after, she heard firing from the other side of the building, hoping and praying Sherry and Rebecca were okay. Suddenly, she saw Sherry running towards her, shooting a gun like a pro. Claire didn't have time to notice, but Sherry had mastered at least 50 different martial arts with the moves she had. Twisting Agent's necks, breaking them with her thighs, using lots of kicks and punches. Sherry was more equipped to kill than Rebecca or Claire combined.
"Get on!" Claire screamed as Sherry grabbed onto Claire and the bike, and they rode off quickly. "Where's Rebecca?!" Claire screamed over the thunderous motorcycle engine.
"I… I lost track of her! There were so many Agents…" Sherry's sobs were felt against Claire's back, who began to sob a bit herself. Rebecca was her best friend, she couldn't lose her, not yet.
Both of the women heard loud screeching noises behind them, and the roaring of an engine. Claire looked behind her to see what the noise was, it was Rebecca in her 68' red mustang, dodging the agents and speeding up behind them. Claire smiled instantly.
"It's Rebecca, she's okay! We'll have to find a way to shake these Agents off us though!" Claire yelled, and felt Sherry hug her tight, making Claire smile and calm down knowing the younger woman was calm as well.
"You're not gonna kill me assholes!" Rebecca yelled, and threw out a grenade, making the Agent's cars behind her explode. She and Claire somehow lost the Agents in the smoke. "Haha! Hell yeah." Rebecca began talking to herself a bit, then turned on her music. She and Claire exchanged looks on the road, smiling. They finally saved Sherry and got her out of the hell she was enduring. Hopefully it would remain that way.
Once the three women arrived at Rebecca's home, Claire rushed over to her and embraced her.
"I thought you were dead, god… I've never been so happy and scared in my entire life until now." Claire's eyes filled with tears as she looked down at the shorter woman, who was half smiling.
"I'm glad I made it out, I'd like to enjoy a little bit of Sherry's new freedom. Although… this isn't exactly what I had in mind. We better go inside quickly, get supplies and go elsewhere." Rebecca replied, walking inside quickly with the other two women.
Claire looked over at Sherry, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. Sherry was calmer than Claire and Rebecca, and smiling. She was enjoying the very simple and small things in life, looking at Rebecca's television, and then looking outside at the beautiful skyline view from the town home. They were all wanted, but Sherry was just happy to be out of the small cell she lived most of her teenage life in. Rebecca didn't even know, but Claire had the perfect hideout in mind.
"Sherry…" Claire looked over at the younger woman, catching her attention. "After your parents died… you immediately inherited their home. I know where it is, and if we hide out there for long enough I think maybe, just maybe we can get out of this country, change our names, and you can finally have the life you've always wanted." Claire said, smiling warmly, but still nervous. They needed to get out of there quickly, and Rebecca was grabbing everything she could.
"Wow… I remember mother telling me about the home, I guess I thought by now the government would've snagged that as well." Sherry replied, "Are you sure they haven't Claire?" She asked, looking around the house, tapping her foot on the hard wood floor nervously.
"I'm positive, drove by there a few months ago… Place is empty and a bit creepy." Rebecca interjected, throwing Claire a bag full of supplies.
"How the hell?... When?" Claire questioned Rebecca, the house wasn't exactly close to them, as the location was in Colorado.
"What can I say? I've kind of been planning this for months. Now let's get out of here. I have plenty of gasoline, should hold out till Nevada at least… Maybe we can go gambling while were at it." Rebecca said, sarcasm oozing out at her last comment. Rebecca had, in a way, adopted the same personality as the man who saved her life years ago, Billy Coen.
They met briefly in a coffee shop a few years back, and Rebecca learned of Billy's family; his wife, and two beautiful children. They remained friends, and she now knew what it was like to be wanted, and on the run. She had no time to think about name changes yet though and grabbed her medic bag, supplies, and leather jacket, swiftly putting it on as she breezed by the two women, who followed suit.
They all headed out, laying low until they got into Rebecca's car. Claire looked at her motorcycle and frowned. She knew it was just a thing, but it was quite sentimental to her. Chris bought it for her for Christmas, a beautiful pink harley.
"Don't worry, I'm sure Chris will take care of it… we'll get in touch with him soon." Rebecca said, hopping into her car and starting it. The other two women got in as well, and they rode off, not knowing what to expect, but hoping for the best.