Finders Keepers
"You know, I could give you anything your heart desires if you come to the future with me," his hand touched her knee ever so gently. "You need a friend here. My soldiers talk about how beautiful you are, and I might have a hard time controlling them, if you know what I mean."
Still nothing, no reaction from her. Every day he approached her bound form drawn like a moth to the light, unable to go a day without looking on her beauty. He had studied her while preparing for the conquest of Terra Nova; her tactics, strengths, weaknesses. Truth be told she had more of one than the other. His desiring her started in the viewing room of his employers private military training center. The way she moved, her long legs and tight butt caused more than one right handed fantasy. Back in the colony, fear of colonial retaliation kept his imaginations of conquering this dark haired lieutenant dormant, but they were no long in the colony, but the badlands. Dark orbs glaring at him lost most of its intimidation with her hands safely shackled to the cot. After Lucas shot her, they had her shackled, knowing she was still dangerous.
Mira quietly entered, listened to his pathetic pass and broke out laughing, "I wouldn't go back to that open sewer if my daughter were here. She left nothing in the future. Give up command to become a pampered pet? Get lost Hooper." He left them alone with a glare for her untimely intrusion.
"You know, Lucas will have to conquer the colony again and have the portal repaired or you're going nowhere," the lieutenant reasoned.
"That's why we have you. Taylor will give in when Lucas parades you in front of the gate, showing you to still be alive. He won't let you get shot again. You weren't as careful as you thought."
"Not sure I'm tracking."
"We scouted the entire colony when we came through with the sixth. Caught the Commander going into the wrong home late at night, more than once."
"Are we talking about the same man who watched his wife tortured and killed in front of his eyes. He was outside the gate when I got shot. Did you hear of him try to rescue me? Don't confuse sex with duty."
"Lucas wants to see you," she was yarded to her feet.
"What passes for a medic got one bullet. I need you to find the other. I trust your skills, Wash. I die, you get passed around until you die," Lucas had that charming Taylor smile, but with the coldest glacier eyes she'd ever seen.
"Want to stay awake and monitor for yourself that I don't slip and cut your throat?"
"Mira will watch you, so no."
Gathered in the kaki colored medical tent with the less experienced medic and several Sixers, she sedated, then dug under his collar bone at the opening of Skye's first bullet. The medic butchered the entrance so she had to cut deeply and inserted a finger until she found the path of the bullet. It had hit a bone and traveled several inches along its length, coming to a halt about half and inch from his juglar. She ran a finger towards his neck, pushing until with a few careful pokes in a circle, took the scalpel and made an incision at the juncture of his neck, drawing a gasp from the medic and weapons from everyone else. They relaxed when she fished the bullet out. Without a word she dropped it on a tray, motioned to the medic to sew him up and left, wiping her bloody hands on a towel.
Under the watchful eyes of milling soldiers, she went directly to the tent she shared with Mira, lay on her cot waiting for the restraining band. Mira followed her in, "Need anything?"
"Get back to my old life. You've been here three years, Mira. Hope Plaza's no more. They don't have your kid anymore. She's been shipped to a work house."
"I have to try. You didn't ask Lucas how he got shot."
"I recognized the bullet."
"You think Commander Taylor will really let you die again, especially if he is forced to watch?"
"We have an agreement," she lied, "and arrangement. You don't see a wedding ring do you?"
"Lucas made the portal go both ways once. I have to believe he'll do it again," she attached the bands around the wrist to the front. The other end tethered to the frame of the cot.
They stayed put for another week allowing Lucas to recover. Towards the end of the week a bored Hooper got his nose broke. It was a fairly warm afternoon, storm clouds a rumor on the radar. Making sure Mira was on a reconnaissance trip, Hooper slipped quietly into the small tent. A little afternoon delight when she didn't have her protector. His usual approach and casual touch. Letting a hand wander to cup and squeeze her firm breast, his other reached for the button on her black tight fitting pants. He never saw the heel of her boot slam into his nose, just the excruciating pain and blood pouring down his shirt. With speed none of his boys could ever match, she flipped a leg over his head, smashing it to the mattress. Her other booted heel slammed with lightning speed and force, leaving his nose flattened and gushing. He stumbled into the sunlight, to the snickers of his men. Lucas wasn't so jubilant. He was ordered to stay away from her.
That night a returning Mira went to a bandaged Hooper and Lucas, "Hooper, you dumb shit. I heard you tried to play with someone whose feet are more lethal than your gun. What'd you do with her this time Lucas?"
Lucas looked surprised and snarled at Hooper, "Hooper, if you had any value to my father, I'd tie you up. Did you loosen her bands for your little fun, or did she get your knife while you were distracted?"
"No, it's here."
"Mira, find out how she got loose." He looked back to Hooper, "Well you caused this; you and your men bring her back. I want her in her own bed by morning." He kicked the dirt in rage as he stomped off.
"She must have palmed this while taking the bullet out," Mira dropped a scalpel blade into Lucas' palm.
Two days later Lucas screamed at Hooper in front of his men, "She's on foot. She can't last in this desert without water. You can't find a footprint?"
"I'm a soldier, not a tracker. Ask Mira, she can't find her either and she can track," he deflected.
"She came from Taylor's elite commando unit. They were noted for stealth. I think we need to assume she's got a two day head start back to Terra Nova," Mira gave her opinion and didn't underestimate her opponent. The recent rain would have now obliterated any tracks.
"I agree with Mira, she was trained by my father," Lucas climbed slowly due to his wounds on top of a rover. "Listen up. I want the Lieutenant back. We need her. She's my ticket to the eye. When my father sees she isn't dead, he'll do anything to get her back. With her dead, I would have to sneak in. Security was tight with just the Sixers. We won't get in now. However, I will give her to the man who captures her, alive. And, well if more than one captures her, enjoy. I will kill anyone who kills her. Alive men. Go," he waived them off.
Mira was talking to her men when Lucas climbed down, "Lucas, my men don't want your offer. If we don't get back, we're going to have to make peace with your father. He won't show mercy to anyone defiling her. We'll hunt for her, but for our prize, we'll determine."
"Mom, did you talk to Dr. Wallace?" Maddy passed the salad.
"I did. He was quite impressed with your scores."
"I'm going on the next trip OTG with him. He said to enter me in the doctorate program, I need to be field tested. We're leaving in a couple days. I wish we would wait until spring. A storm is coming in and it's supposed to be rainy and cold."
"It'll be fun. I found out I'm on the list to go," Mark Reynolds dropped that bomb on her parents. He and Skye had been invited to dinner.
"Only you would think camping in the cold and wet is fun," Maddy figured it might not be so bad after all.
"Who's in command of this trip?" Jim was going to talk to the leader about this situation, and also Taylor.
"The Commander," Skye volunteered.
"I'm talking to him after we eat," Jim was adamant.
"I don't think tonight is so good, Mr. Shannon," Skye didn't offer why.
"He'll have to make time. I didn't see much of him today. He was hiding out someplace," the Commander's scarceness just dawned on Jim.
"He was in the garage all day working on his rover," Josh added. "I saw you talk to him, Skye. What'd he say to get a nice big hug from you," he teased.
Skye smiled, "He seemed to need one."
"What'd he show you? He showed you something around his neck and you hugged him," Josh prodded.
Again Skye gave him a vague smile, "Can we drop it, okay?"
"No."
"Josh," his father cut in. "So the Commander is going with Malcolm. He didn't say anything to me. I'm not going to sleep until we talk, sorry Skye."
"Look, the Commander's having a hard day, can this wait until tomorrow?" Skye resorted to pleading.
"What's going on, Skye?" Elizabeth's quiet tone demanded.
"Today was Lieutenant Washington's birthday; she would have been thirty seven," the table went silent.
"I invited him to join us and he said he was busy." Elizabeth felt awful she didn't probe, "He shouldn't be alone. Is there something we can do?"
"He always spent her birthday doing something with just her. It was the closest they ever came to a date."
Skye remembered this day in the past where both would usually be OTG all day and come back well after dark. She once was out late and saw the Commander and Washington return and he escorted her home, went in behind her and the lights were turned off. She kept that knowledge to herself. Today the Commander showed her an engagement ring now worn with his tags. Today he was going to propose. Feeling his loss and pain, a hug was all she could offer. She remembered how much it hurt to lose her father and the willingness to go to any length to save her mother.
"He's probably still in the shop. He was tearing a starter out of one of the transport trucks when I left," Josh remembered.
"I'm taking him a plate of food," Elizabeth figured it was the least they could do.
The shop was brightly lit inside, a stark contrast to dark exterior. The outside lights were turned off leaving a black path for the Shannon's entrance, and hopefully free of objects. They found the Commander setting a pulled starter from yet another vehicle on the work bench.
"Missed you at supper, Taylor," Jim set a plate of food on the bench.
"Thank you, Elizabeth," he managed a smile, but sadness still prevailed in his eyes. The elder Shannon's came alone, leaving the young adults to play games and keep an eye on Zoe.
"Why thank her, I brought it," Jim tried to lighten him a little.
It worked and he smiled, "It's the thought that counts. She thought and you were just the pack mule."
"You're getting to know me too well," Jim chuckled.
"You're in the way," he motioned them back. As soon as they moved a sizzle came from the starter. Taylor ran his scanner over it, "Dead," he motioned to the dark.
Malcolm came in from the night a few moments later.
"This one's dead also, Malcolm." He looked at the Shannon's inquiring looks, "We're reprograming all the starters and Malcolm built a chip killer to kill the starters on our stolen vehicles and the one's that came with the other army. I'm reprograming our vehicles before we leave. They won't have the new codes and Malcolm pass protected ours. What was your range this time?" He looked at Malcolm.
"Hundred yards."
"A good range, set the sights accordingly."
"That was the last different starter, wasn't it Commander?" Malcolm was sure they had the various starters covered.
"Yep."
"How many of these do you want?" Malcolm held up the handheld device.
Taylor contemplated a moment, "No fewer than ten. I want each of our patrols to have one incase they encounter unfriendlies. We're done for the night, and thanks for the company."
"I'm a lousy substitute. Goodnight all," Malcolm disappeared into the inky night where any moon was hidden between thick clouds.
"Skye mentioned it was Wash's birthday today," Elizabeth commented and they watched him pull the chip from the starter Malcolm disabled and pop a new one in and check for power.
Taking the starter to the Phoenix vehicle he set it under the hood. He hadn't spoken and they were worried they crossed some line and shared a concerned glance.
"We always took the day off," a gruff tone from under the hood. "This is the first time I've worked this day in years. Keeping busy today was the only way I knew how to get through it." Taylor made a few last turns with his wrench and closed the hood.
"I'm glad Malcolm was here," Elizabeth was still fond of Malcolm.
"He wasn't as good of kisser," Taylor joked as he pulled the cover off the plate of food.
"I remember him being pretty good," she grinned at her husband.
"I'm changing the subject. Besides I never got a kiss out of Wash so we're not even," he scowled at his wife. "Maddy says you're leading Malcolm's scientific excursion yourself?"
"We're headed north towards the badlands. Malcolm's science team found mineral deposits a few years back. Now we need to mine them. Since Maddy's specialty seems to be physical science versus life science, Malcolm will train her to be eventually head of that department. We're also taking Everett Reilly, Corporal Reilly's son. He wants to be a doctor. Have you met him?" He the question to Elizabeth.
"I met him for his physical. He told me he wants to be a doctor. I figured that would change as he's still young. What is he, twelve?"
"A brilliant twelve year old. Malcolm calls him his adopted progeny. The kid's years ahead of his class, so Malcolm's taking over his education. He'll be turned over to you when he's older. I'm leaving his mother here. I don't need worried mother's hovering over these kids," he smiled at Elizabeth.
"Oh we're worried alright," Elizabeth shot a glance at Jim. "You're taking Reynolds?"
"We may encounter resistance. I need my best and taking my sharpshooters. Besides the forecast is cold and wet." He couldn't keep a broad grin off, "As Sargent, he will be kept busy and away from the students and scientist. He doesn't know it yet, so don't tell him. I have to have some fun with my soldiers, especially those in love."
"Can you give us a hint of his duties," Jim wanted details, the harder the better.
"I'm leaving you in charge with Reilly as your second." He stopped for another bite, "Reynolds is the only officer outside of me going. He'll get a taste of command and being in charge of a dozen privates. I'm instructing them to be as dumb and quarrelsome as possible. Test his metal. That boy'll be ran seven ways from Sunday." He had both parents smiling.
Cutting through the plastic band was done in one swipe thanks to the razor blade she palmed litterly while laying the bullet on the table. She made sure enough gruesome tissue was pulled around the bullet to hold the attention of everyone covering her slight of hand movement while withdrawing from the table. She punched a scapel blade under her skin leaving fingers free to appear her hands were empty. All she had to do was get out of sight with her bleeding palm wrapped in the towel. Luckily, as she removed the blade from her palm, her blood wasn't discerned from Lucas's. Grabbing a towel on her way out, a pretense was made of cleaning herself off. Playing with the towel, pretending to be cleaning the blood from her hands while applying pressure to a sore left palm, she waited for Mira to catch up.
Her hand had almost healed when Hooper gave her an opportunity to escape. Grabbing a Phoenix military issue parka and canteen from the tent, she peeked out. Nobody was in sight as she booked to the rear of the first vehicle and dove underneath a transport truck. Crawling under the rear axles, she snuggled up against the rear tires and scoped her next move. Having memorized the layout on her infrequent trips to relieve herself she knew the best way to exit. Maybe four hours before Mira would return. Acting as bored as possible, she got Mira to confess a reconnaissance trip further into the desert and she wouldn't be back until after dark.
Crawling under the trucks was slow going, but luckily nobody was watching un-started objects. Evening mess was serving soon and the soldiers congregated at the other end of camp still talking about Hooper. Outside Mira and Hooper, she was left alone. Lucas had joined them a few days prior, having holed up until he was strong enough for the six hundred clik trip into the badlands. She wasn't sure how long ago he shot her, but she'd been conscious for three weeks after what she was sure a week of a semi-conscious state. Crawling on her stomach to the end of the last vehicle, what now?
I remember, we were in the Sahara. Had been airlifted outside a sheik's compound. He held Western Pac hostages. We had to infiltrate without leaving any sign. Taylor ordered all commandos to remove their boots and wrap their feet and shuffle in uneven gates. No boot tracks, just wind blown marks. Okay, Taylor, let me make you proud once again.
Taking off her lightweight charcoal jacket, she removed her boots. One foot wrapped, left foot for planting. She quickly wrapped her parka around the other, her right and dominant gate foot to be the sweeper with the heavier garment. With the sleeves free to make a random pattern, she made a break into setting sun. Looking back after a couple hundred sprints, she noted her plan worked. Running with one foot directly front of the other was hard, but nobody was following. She scuttled non-stop for an hour. Reaching a rock pile, sat to catch her breath and pulled her boots back on. Shaking out her lightweight jacket, she saw a large hole in the middle of the back. Burying it in the sand, she took off carrying the heavier coat. It was dusk, almost dark, but she had to keep moving and rest during the day. The setting sun was blood red, a forecast for rain she hoped as the steady pace ate up click after click. Rain would make finding her more difficult.
Years of survival training built in a strong sense of direction advancing her south with each step. The half moon and bright stars illuminated the outline of larger shapes. As she ran, each object was scrutinized for movement. It felt good to run again after so many inactive weeks. She always was a distance runner. She could run the entire perimeter of Terra Nova and once a week did just that. Sometimes she talked Nathaniel into joining her. It always turned into a race at the end. They were both competitive by nature and it was anyone's guess who would reach the main gate first, usually within feet of the other. Word would spread they were nearing the gate and colonist nearby would congregate, and terra's were always seen exchanging hands. Since he won as much as her, their finishes were always exciting.
She ran into the morning, glad for the cool winter month. Still, she would have to hole up to avoid the biobinocs and their hundred clik range. Without food, making the edge of the desert would be hard. Daylight and warmth brought insects up for the day, and an unfortunate scorpion became her first victim. Smashing it with her boot, she scooped it into her mouth, pulling the stinger off with a quick bite to the tail. Three more scorpions and she found refuge in the hollow of a sand dune. For the first time since Lucas shot her, she felt safe, surrounded by Nyco's, the only carnivorous dinosaurs who braved the desert.
Storm clouds gathered westward over the ocean, an ominous warning that went unheeded. Taylor was taking his personal rover and would transport Malcolm who had loaded it to look like his old loaded down version. Taylor cringed, but said nothing when Malcolm assured him it would be unloaded at camp. Any trip OTG now required a military presence. Maddy and Everett followed in the transport driven by Reynolds. It carried equipment. Two more scientist caught rides with military transports. Three more transports mixed between the Commander and the rear making a convoy of five vehicles.
It seemed like half the colony turned out for the first major OTG trip. A very sober Commander checked for himself the readiness of the vehicles while remembering. Last time she took care of the troops and equipment. Last time, she followed him to his rover. Last time he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her goodbye like so many of his soldiers did with loved ones. What he wouldn't give for one more last time.
He had a surprise request the day before. Josh Shannon came and asked to be part of the away team. Claiming he could help with the heavy work and wanted to see that part of the country. Taylor suspected there was more to it, but told him to pack for colder weather. He was riding in the military transport at the rear. He questioned Jim about his son. The father only stated it would be good for the boy after leaving in the dark on the run the last time.
Eight in the morning they left. He saw the citizens staring like he wouldn't return again this time. He had no words of comfort. Shannon would do good, but he wasn't her. Malcolm spent most of the time looking out the window, a silent traveling companion. Malcolm too remembered last time he had to leave the security of the fence. He quietly wondered how long it would take to get back to normal, or if such a thing existed anymore.
Making camp that night, Taylor, Malcolm and the other civilians gathered close to a camp fire the soldiers built. He heard Reynolds tell a private not to put his rifle in the dirt and smiled at Malcolm, who returned it. On the way he filled Malcolm in on his plans for Reynolds. During the night a cold drizzle and fog moved in.
"Here's your list," Malcolm handed a minipad to Maddy and Everett. Go in separate directions and bring back as many samples as you can by noon. It was cold and still drizzling, but the budding scientists were having fun doing the field projects Malcolm arranged for them. Each had a soldier assigned to them to help carry their treasures and of course provide protection. The Commander set patrols further out, scouting for Carno's and marauding Phoenix or Sixers.
"Commander, can I go with you today?"
Josh Shannon was true to word and been a great help in loading the heavy silver ore for two days. He once commented on the weight and Malcolm explained this ore was mixed with lead which would be extracted for bullets and other essentials.
"Strap your gun on," was his way of saying yes.
Taylor scouted in a new direction. Where precious metal was found, more was waiting.
"Can I ask you a question, Commander?"
Now we're getting to why boy Shannon wanted to come, Taylor spoke, "Shoot."
"How do you get over having someone you love die?"
Tough one, fighting past the lump, he replied, "You don't." He saw the young man look into his lap playing with his fingers, "You'll learn as you get older, good and bad happens for a lifetime. For you, find another young woman and love her well. I understand Skye likes you."
"I like her, but feel like I'm betraying Kara. It's too soon."
"You have a choice, close yourself off from the here and now and hold onto the past or put Kara into a special place in your heart and move on."
"Did Lieutenant Washington have anyone who loved her like I did Kara?"
He caught Josh's glance before looking ahead again, "Me."
"Oh, I didn't know."
She made the trees in a fast two and a half days skirting a family of Brachiosaurus and putting cover between them and her pursuers. Her canteen had been empty since mid-day the day before and her throat was too parched to eat and she was getting lightheaded. Her reserves were almost gone, the sight of trees in the distance kept her focused and moving. Finding large banana type leaves covered in dew, provided moisture as her tongue scooped the water into a steady trickle down her parched throat and into her canteen. Food now topped her list again.
Passing up a small Komodo, she found fruit hanging above her head just out of reach, known to be edible, but bitter. It wasn't harvested for the colony. Hunger pangs overcame fussiness. Kicking around under the tree, a half rotten orb rolled into sight. Eating fast and hoping it stayed down, she moved further into the trees. She estimated the distance she covered through the badlands was close to a hundred cliks, an impossible feat for the normal person, but motivation and conditioning on top of a strong will to survive pushed her to the max. Now the speed would be reduced, having to maneuver around fallen trees and thorny brush. Another day and it was cold and wet. The parka helped, but a fire would dry her out. Not risking one, she opted for a hollow log that night. Luck held as she cut across a road was cut the next day. From the old tracks it was probably the route used by the fleeing army. Once again the pace picked up to a steady jog away from the badlands and towards home.
