These chapters look so much longer on my word processor *sigh*. Oh well. Working… working… working. And damn, I start school on the sixth so I don't know how updates will go to be honest.
Historical Archive: August 5th 1979 Ian McCormick marries Isla Strauss. Their daughter Mina is born the following year.
"Okay, I say to start, we go back to the building Malikai and I were squatting in and search the area for any sign of them," Natasha said. Everyone was sitting comfortably as possible, grouped around in the storage unit.
"So this is it?" Ronnie asked. "We're really doing this?"
"We have to," Natasha said. "To rescue Malikai."
"And I'm not letting that monster live any longer," Valarie stated, anger seeping in through every word.
"We're risking our lives here," Nikki said, uneasy. "Something could happen."
"I think we know that all too well that someone could lose their life trying to stop him," Nick said. Nobody was letting anyone forget it. Just exactly what was at stake here.
"We'll be careful," Rochelle said. "We'll know what we're up against. We'll have a plan."
"Which is?" Nikki asked.
"Salt and burn!" Xeno shouted, jumping up in excitement.
"We get him down, incapacitate him. And we roast him like a Thanksgiving turkey," Nick said, flicking open his cigarette lighter to emphasize his point.
"That's barbaric," Ronnie said.
"He doesn't deserve anything less than barbaric," Valarie said, grinding her teeth together. In her lap, her fists clenched. Noticing this, Nick reached over laying one of his hands on top of hers. Over the years he'd felt the need to get closer to her. Hell, he'd been married to her once! Part of him wanted to try again, but he feared the wrath he would receive if he brought it up again.
"I wanna go as soon as possible," Ellis said. "I want him dead."
"Then we go," Nick said, voice ringing with finality. "We find him and we end this. And we start tonight."
A groan resonated from within the plain cotton sheets. Johann rolled over onto his back. Cool air wafted over his bare chest. He reached over onto the nightstand beside him, grabbing his glasses. As he lowered them onto his face the world came into focus. Turning his head, he focused on the redhead beside him. Her body was bare save for the sheet covering her, hiding the essentials from his view.
He and Stefanie had been under the care of the government for the past year since they had run into the convoy. They were part of the search party looking for survivors. He did it to help others and to stay with Stef, and even though she stated she had the same virtuous reasons, he knew deep inside that she was hoping to find her friends and family again.
Carefully he reached over to brush some stray hairs from her face. Soon. He knew they would find the others soon.
Natasha kicked at the dusty floor. Everyone was practically tearing the place apart looking for any sign of where Malikai went. Where McCormick and that woman had taken him.
"So it was just McCormick that took him right?" Chuck said, lifting up one end of a couch. She had no idea why he was looking under there. It wasn't like Malikai was the remote, hiding between the cushions.
"There was someone else with him, a woman in black," Natasha said. "She had a mask, I couldn't see her face."
Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing.
"You didn't mention him having a partner," Nikki said.
"I was a little pre-occupied." Natasha threw back. She was frustrated. They had no leads and it angered her. She threw her hands in the air and turned around, ready to punch a wall in her anger. Her mood swings seemed to get worse these days. In her haste she bumped into a small desk. Natasha took a double take. This was the room they'd been squatting in. The television on the desk hadn't been there before. Further inspection revealed there was a brand new looking VHS tape sitting atop it, the television itself hooked up an independent power supply.
"Guys!" she yelled, drawing everyone into the room. She snatched up the tape, holding up for them to see as they all piled in. "I think he left us a clue."
Without a second thought she turned on the tv. It emitted a loud high pitched whine as the speakers accustomed themselves to being in use again. Natasha fumbled with the tape, making sure to insert the right side in first. Her stomach curled in on itself, threatening to make her sick with anticipation. She sat back, desperate for some sort of information on Malikais whereabouts.
The image that showed on the screen almost made her sick.
Malikai was handcuffed to a steam pipe[1]. Next to him was the woman that had restrained him earlier, in her hand what appeared to be a scalpel caught the light, causing it to gleam in a menacing manner. McCormick moved himself into view, an almost apologetic look on his face. Just five minutes with him and anyone could tell he was anything but.
"So sorry to spring this on you," he said, his voice sending chills throughout the room. "but you have something I want, and I appear to have something you want."
He paused for a second, letting his words sink in. Just what he was about to offer.
"So, either you come and we have a little chat," he continued. "Or…"
He then waved his hand a little, as if to cue something. Without hesitation, the woman took the scalpel and dug it straight into Malikais arm. He yelled outright until he yells turned to desperate screams as the scalpel was pulled down, tearing his arm open.
"You make yourself open to negotiation or the boy dies," He said sternly. Then out of nowhere, his expression softened. "Oh and uh Ellis. I left you a little present, I hope there are no hard feelings between us all right? I'd like us to be …friends. Just check the desk drawer."
The television set resembled a polar bear in a snowstorm as the tape cut off, leaving them with nothing but that fuzzy noise to listen to. None of them seemed to want to move.
"Well… well. Will someone open that desk drawer?" Nikki said, sounding a little annoyed.
Ellis hesitated slightly before stepping forward and yanking open. His back stiffened, a sharp intake of breath was heard. Everyone watched from behind him as he shakily reached in for whatever it was. He pulled it out and turned slightly, holding out whatever it was. He looked at everyone, eyes watery, holding out what was unmistakably Zoeys jacket. The fabric was dirty and looked like it been through some rough treatment, obviously not faring well from the fall.
"He's taunting us," Valarie said.
"More like openin' old wounds," Ellis said, a lump forming in his throat. "How is any of this supposed to help?"
"Check the pockets," Nick said bluntly.
"What?" Ellis said. "I'm not gonna go through the-"
Annoyed Nick stood up and went forward, reaching into to each small jacket pocket. In one hand he produced a scrap of paper, folded in half. Without a second thought he unfolded it, reading out loud what it said.
"It begins at Millhaven," Nick read out loud, voice laced with confusion. "The fuck is Millhaven?"
"I know what that is!" Louis said, jumping up out of his seat. "That's where the military took us instead of the Echo Safezone."
"Looks like we're goin back," Francis said.
It looked like all kinds of old memories were being brought back up tonight.
My brain…. It's dead. I'm trying, but oh god I don't want to rush myself like I always seem to do. Ideas are much appreciated. Like…. Really appreciated.
[1] Man I love steam.