Rebel.
AN: This is a birthday story for LemonSupreme. Hoping you had a wonderful day, Lemon, and wishing you and your loved ones the very, very best for the year to come and always. Sending you a big hug and lots of love, cheers, Magpie.
Prologue
The blackout didn't happen in 2012, although the DoD did try to use the Nanotech weapon developed by Rachael and Ben Matheson. The weapon failed, killing most of the Nanotech project team in their base in Colorado although the Matheson's escaped and continued their work.
Gradually though, small wars became bigger ones and the planet was dragged through endless and escalating conflict. From the early 20's, rationing and conscription became part of daily existence but somehow life went on.
For Charlie Matheson, being a DoD sponsored science major in Colorado was as good as it got. She had her family, enough food and access to tech that others could only dream of. Then, almost overnight, everything changed. Suddenly she was a fugitive and on the run. There was only one place she could go, only one person who might still be on her side.
…
Denver, Colorado, 2027.
Charlie had known for some time that her scientist parents were working on a weapon for the DoD. She also knew that they'd spent the last fifteen years perfecting it. She didn't know then what the weapon was, only that it involved some kind of nanotech and it had meant money for life-saving medical treatment for Danny and a fully paid scholarship for her.
But when she accidentally stumbled onto what it was her mom and dad were working on, she understood enough about the tech to be terrified.
She confronted them but was told that the danger was all in her head. She tried to warn people through her student blog but her posts were summarily deleted, her student visa revoked. Then her access to the net was blocked and her ID blacklisted.
Suddenly her friends were afraid to talk to her, to be seen with her. Even Danny started looking at her as though she was crazy. Then her mom tried to have her committed, saying it was for her own good.
Like crap.
And when the black van with the eye in a triangle decals pulled up in front of the house, she ran.
….
Somewhere on the outskirts of Chicago, three days later.
The moon was full and the long, tree lined street lit almost as bright as day. Charlie waited in the deep shadow of the street tree outside the small, single story bungalow that Miles called home when he wasn't away on active duty and checked one more time that the coast was clear. Satisfied, she opened the gate and padded quickly up the cracked, weedy path, ducking into the even deeper shadow of the brick porch, glad for once that Miles hadn't taken her advice and put in a sensor light.
Kneeling by the entrance, she tilted a sad looking prickly pear in its concrete pot and retrieved the spare house key from the little hollow underneath.
She took a moment to grieve… because If things were different it would've been much more fun to climb in through a window and do battle with Miles' latest booby traps for the unwary but right now she was too tired and hungry after hitchhiking halfway across the map to do battle with anything.
She stood up and blew out a breath. Miles had said she was welcome anytime, especially when things got bad at home between her and her mom. But bad didn't exactly cover it this time. This time it was an E.L.E.
Something like relief wafted through her like a cool breeze and she felt a weight lift from her chest. She'd be safe here for a while. After the big bust up between Miles and her dad after he found out that Miles had been fucking her mom, Chicago was the last place anyone would expect her to go and her uncle Miles the last person they'd expect her to go to. And right now she needed to be somewhere no one would think to look for her while she worked out what to do next, and who to tell.
Her lips twisted in a sort of smile. This time they couldn't pretend she was crazy and try to put her away. This time she had proof.
She shouldered her backpack and the messenger bag containing her laptop, two of her mom's notebooks and the pendant shaped external drive she'd found in her dad's desk. Then she headed up to the front door, letting herself in after one more glance back at the empty road. It looked like the men in black SVU's hadn't managed to track her here, not yet anyway.
Maybe she could get some sleep.
….
Bass Monroe grinned and yawned, stretching as he strolled into the kitchen, phone in hand. His bronzed, naked and hard muscled body gleamed in the warm light of the solar lamps and his dark blond curls were sleep and sweat tangled. He ran a hand through the curls then down over the scruff that had almost become a beard during his time off, then poured himself a drink from the bottle on the table, setting his phone up so he could see hands free.
He tossed the drink back, put the glass down and poured another, then leaned back against the heavy oak slab, eyes intent on the screen, a hand drifting down to play with his rapidly hardening cock. His fingers brushed tight, velvety skin and lightly aching balls, stroking harder, longer, thumb pressing hard along his shaft as he took in the vid and the blatant invitation in the scrawled handwriting scattered with lipstick kisses that accompanied it.
His tongue flickered out to wet suddenly dry lips…
Miles didn't get sexting, thought it was a cop out. But hell, this chick was sweet twenty two and girls that age didn't talk on the phone, not even when they were special ops.
Too bad she was out of town.
He sent her back a little vid of his dick dancing, blowing it's load and wearing one of the lipstick smiles just to show his appreciation then lifted his glass and drained half of it, enjoying the whisky burn in his throat. Miles somehow always had a supply of the stuff, even these days. The grin faded. It was the first time in a long while that his brother had gone on tour without him. They worked together, watched each other's backs and took care of their unit. That's how it was, how it was supposed to be.
It was how they made sure both of them survived.
He rotated his left shoulder, there was only a twinge, a distant echo of pain. The bullet wound was almost healed but they'd kept him stateside for the duration anyway, fuck it.
He tensed, alert, eyes flaring wide as the sound of a door closing echoed down the hall. Then reached down and quietly flipped the phone closed.
Someone was here and Miles wasn't due back from Parris Island till tomorrow.
…..
Charlie closed the door, flipped the lock and tossed the key on the hall stand. Then she frowned, looking around, her heart pounding. There was a light coming from the kitchen at the end of the hall but she knew Miles was away.
She was already turning, hand reaching for the doorknob when it occurred to her that maybe Miles had left the light on deliberately? She put her bags down, slipped her knife from its ankle sheath then walked softly down the hall towards the kitchen, blade ready in her hand.
She stopped at the door and looked in. Nothing.
She let out the breath she'd been holding, relaxing her grip on the knife just a little. Then saw the bottle and the half empty glass on the table.
The lights went out.
Before she could do anything else, she was pulled into the room and a long, bare arm slid around her waist holding her arms against her ribs. At the same time a hand clamped across her mouth and she was yanked back against what felt like a wall of warm, hard, very obviously male flesh. Then a long, strong leg wrapped around hers in some kind of martial arts hold and she couldn't move at all.
She panicked, nerveless fingers dropping the knife, instinct sending her straight into fight mode, struggling, kicking, trying to bite, trying to hit out with the back of her head, not able to think, to plan anything, just trying to get away, to get free.
Nothing she did made any difference. It was like trying to move a brick wall. Then her head hit his shoulder, hard, and he gasped, so she did it again, and again.
'Stop moving.' The voice was loud in her ear, and familiar, very familiar. 'I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to.'
The darkness was like a cloak, it surrounded her, made everything hazy, strange. She was finding it hard to breathe, body still ready to fight death. Or worse, even though she knew for sure now that this man wasn't a threat.
Bass took his hand away from the girl's mouth and his fingers circled her throat, the grip gentle but very firm, making sure she didn't do anything stupid. The fingers of his other hand brushed her breast, and he pulled them back, his voice puzzled now. 'Who are you? Did Miles invite you?'
She slumped against him, adrenalin and relief making her heart pound and head swim. 'Bass, It's me. Charlie.'
He let go abruptly and stepped back, flipping the lights on with one hand but keeping hold of her arm with the other, blinking in the sudden light. 'Charlie?' Then he saw her face. 'What's happened?'
She stared, unable to stop herself looking at all of him because he was amazing. Tall, blond, cut like a camera's dream and very…well…just very… Even through the haze of shock, hunger, exhaustion and shock her fearless Bass loving hormones were bouncing around like a pack of little, eager terriers spotting a rabbit at the door, her skin tingling where she'd been pressed up against him, against his...
She swallowed, tearing her eyes away although they didn't want to go. 'Um… Miles said I could come here if I needed a bed… I mean if I needed a place to sleep?' Damn it, she was stammering like some kid. She cleared her throat and started again. 'I just need somewhere to stay for a couple of days, ok?'
He blinked, then recovered. 'Sure, no problem...' He tipped his head towards the hall, 'Miles isn't back till tomorrow so you can take his room, for tonight anyway, we can sort it out later. I only got here today too, came down to take him fishing.' Then he stopped talking, mouth still open, hands moving in a kind of fan shape in front of his groin. 'Shit. I'm naked. Miles is gonna kill me.'
She was struggling not to laugh out loud. His face was a picture of horror, embarrassment with a little bit of actual fear thrown in. 'He'll only know if we tell him.' But it had been such a crappy few days that she wanted to throw her arms round him and thank him for making things a bit better. She gasped as a stream of red hot lava streaked from her head through her belly and curled her toes at the thought of that.
Luckily, he didn't seem to notice.
'I'm sorry, Charlie. I was in bed and the phone rang, I came out to have a drink...' He reached out for one of the tea towels hanging on hooks above the bench, draping one around his hips, lips curved in rueful grin, 'wasn't expecting visitors.'
Charlie grinned back. The towel didn't hide much, and she had an excellent memory. 'Don't worry about it.' She made sure to keep her eyes above sea-level though. The Bass Monroe she knew was brash and confident, never at a loss. She'd never seen him embarrassed and it was delicious. 'I've been a grown up for a while, remember?' She brushed past him, bumping a smooth, tanned shoulder just because she could, her hands itching to do more like they always did when she saw him. Damn his moral standards…
She went to the cupboard, pulled out a glass and poured herself a good measure of whisky, tossing it back before pouring another. It went the same way. Then she took a breath, amazed at how much better she felt just seeing him, being with him. 'Is there anything to eat?'
Bass pulled out a chair and sat, one muscular arm draped over the chair next to him, the other hand reaching for the bottle, pouring another for them both. 'Roast chicken in the fridge, bread too.' He leaned forward, 'so what've you got yourself into?'
'Can't tell you, I don't want to get you into trouble, I just need a couple of days to work things out and then I'll go.' Her mouth watering at the thought of food, Charlie opened the fridge, pulled out the chicken and half a loaf of rye bread then paused, her voice an awed whisper. 'You've got cheese. And chocolate?'
Bass shrugged. 'Military privileges. You can have them.' His was tapping the table with restless fingers. 'Charlie, answer the question. What the fuck is happening?'
She piled the wedge of cheese and the chocolate block on top of the bread and chicken, put the whole lot on the table and started eating, talking with her mouth full, 'I found out something bad, really bad. Now I've been blacklisted and my mom is trying to make out I'm crazy. I had to get out of there.'
The fingers stopped tapping, and his eyes narrowed, lips tight. 'Ok… that sounds cold even for your mom, but why the hell would they blacklist you? They don't usually do that unless you're convicted of a…' He sat forward, 'Charlie, you are family. If you're in trouble then I'll help out and Miles will too.' He reached out and tore off a chicken leg, biting a chunk off with strong, white teeth and licking the juices off his lips. 'It can't be that bad, can it?'
She stared at him, eyes very serious although it was hard to concentrate with him sitting there like some Greek statue come to life. 'Yes. It can.'
He stared back, chicken leg hanging in the air. 'Ok. So what's so bad you had to go underground?'
She dropped her eyes to her plate and kept eating, pausing only to toss back her whiskey. Then she stopped, wiped her mouth and sighed. 'I'll show you if you like, but don't say I didn't warn you.'
He hadn't moved. Then he nodded, put the chicken leg down and stood up, holding his tea towel in place. 'Then I guess I'd better get some clothes on.' Then he walked away, calling back over his shoulder. 'Back in a minute.'
She watched him go, food and whiskey forgotten because the tea towel only covered the front of him and he had a perfectly muscled back that sloped down to a beautifully twinkling vee above an equally perfect, tight, bunching ass. Damn. She couldn't help making a little, helpless sound as she watched his long, strong and lightly golden fuzzed legs taking him away.
She'd loved Bass Monroe for as long as she could remember and It was just too fucking bad that the first time she had him all to herself without Miles around to cramp her style he'd probably have to arrest her or do whatever Marines did to civilian fugitives who were planning to commit treason.
Damn.
…..
Charlie had everything ready on the table. She'd also turned the vid screen on to a news channel, put the ceiling fan on full and had a frozen meal heating in the microwave. Then she found one of her favourite LP's from Miles' huge collection of vintage discs, put it on the antique player and had it turned up to eleven.
Bass came back, dressed in worn jeans and tee and sat down across from her. His eyes were very blue as he took everything in, a blond eyebrow lifting a little. 'Highway to hell? Good choice.'
At least that's what she thought he said, it was a bit hard to tell. She nodded anyway and turned the volume down a little, 'Yeah…'
He leaned forward, 'Ok, so what's the big reveal?'
Serious now, she held the pendant up. 'This is what my parents have been working on for almost twenty years.' She turned it on and the lights went off. So did everything else. Although the music slowed to a strange moaning dirge before stopping altogether.
After that it was very quiet in the kitchen, and very dark. The street light about half a mile along the road had gone out too, which fitted with what she'd learned about the pendant's range. It was pretty late though and she doubted anyone would notice.
Bass cleared his throat, 'ok. You've got my attention.'
She flicked the pendant off and everything came back on again, the music slurring into the next track...
'How does it do that?' He nodded towards the pendant.
She held it out so he could see it, 'My folks have been working with nanotech for decades now, and my dad apparently came up with these for personal use.' She pulled the cover off and showed him the connector. 'There are bigger versions with much wider range.'
He frowned. 'You mean they've weaponised it?'
She nodded, 'I think the DoD are planning to use my parent's technology to cut off the power supply to countries they want to control.' She picked up one of her mom's notebooks. 'But according to my mom there's still a problem with containment of the effect and if something goes wrong like it did before, it's possible that the power will go off everywhere. Even here. Maybe permanently.' She sucked in a breath, 'or we'll all catch on fire like the lab did in 2012.'
Bass stared, his face pale under the lights. 'Show me again.'
She did.
He blinked, looked at the pendant, then up at her. 'I can see why they blacklisted you, Charlie,' He looked worried, 'and you're right. It's that bad.'
She nodded, she'd known the risk if she told him. 'Yeah. I understand. Just give me two minutes and I'm gone.' She started gathering up her things.
He held up a hand, 'Charlie, stop. Like I said, you're family. We'll think of something.'
His phone pinged and he flipped the cover, glancing at her before answering. 'It's Miles.'
Charlie shook her head. 'Don't tell him I'm here, not over the phone.'
He nodded, then took the call. 'Miles. Where are you?'
Charlie heard a voice but couldn't quite catch what Miles said, he sounded upset though.
Bass frowned, glanced at her again and put a finger up to his lips. 'No, I'm not alright, you're scaring me Miles. Slow down…. No I haven't heard squat from her.' He frowned harder. 'Why do you want me to fill the bath?' He listened again, puzzled. 'What do you mean it's all gonna turn off? What's gonna turn off?' His eyes widened as the voice on the other end got louder. 'Ok, ok, I'll take care of it. Take it easy. I'll get in some supplies and wait for you here, and yeah, if I do see Charlie I'll tell her that her dad loves her and that he's sorry.'
Charlie felt the colour fade from her cheeks, 'it's happening, isn't it? When?'
Bass flipped the phone shut and she jumped. 'He doesn't know, but soon according to what Ben said. The crazy fuckers. But Miles knows you're here.' He flashed her a glance. 'It's ok, I used code. There's a recall to base but not for our unit, not yet anyway, so he's driving here as fast as he can. If the power does go out like Ben said, he'll find some other way, but he wants us to lay in some supplies just in case and wait for him here.'
She sat up straight, heart pounding, mouth gone dry but strangely comforted knowing Miles was on his way. He and Bass were two of the most capable men she knew. Maybe they'd have a chance of doing something about all of this, maybe... 'Ok, how far away is he?'
Before he could answer the lights flickered, the fan slowed and the music slurred to an incoherent crawl...
'Did you do that?' He sounded cautiously hopeful.
She shook her head. 'No.'
Then everything went off. The lights, the music, the fan. Everything.
Then outside and overhead there was the sudden there and gone shadow of something big flashing across the moon, then a whoomph and deafening, grinding crash somewhere nearby and a huge explosion ripped a bright, writhing, orange hole in the dark.
Somewhere, someone screamed.
….
AN: Thanks so much for reading. I hope you liked it. All the best *lifts glass in a toast*, cheers, Magpie.