Skulldruggery- Chapter Three-Dangerous times and Dangerous minds
After the stimulant was administered directly to his heart, Joshua gasped as his lungs filled with air. He opened his eyes to find a smiling Marcus standing between two medics he didn't recognize.
"Welcome Back," Marcus smirked. "Unfortunately we must manipulate your memories in order to convince Anna that you were brain washed by the fifth column. Your memories will be fragmented, and you will not be able to identify who your co-conspirators were.. We must move quickly. I'm afraid the scan will be unpleasant."
"I wouldn't expect anything less of you, Marcus," Joshua spat out between clinched teeth. So Anna wants to torture me before she immolates me, is that it? Or am I to be skinned alive like the others?"
"The other Fifth Column members on this ship have surreptitiously been placed aboard other mother ships. The terrorist activity has been contained to this ship alone. They each have their assignments to complete. I have no more time. I have to go to Anna. She has just learned of her eggs destruction, and she is not taking it well."
Joshua gave a bitter laugh. "One victory for the Fifth Column."
"Not so, if Anna is uncontrolled. We will talk later. Start the procedure."
"I'm not through, Marcus! At least give me the dignity of saying my peace!"
Marcus glanced back over his shoulder.
"There is no time."
He looked at the medics. "Begin the procedure."
Joshua steeled himself for the pain. When he began screaming, the female medic injected him with some sort of pain block/ sedative.
"Wh-Why?" He managed to say. "Why make it easier for me?"
She leaned over whispered in his ear, "Because John May has some old friends who wish to offer their help."
Joshua was thoroughly confused, as he felt himself slip into unconsciousness.
Joshua, Erica, and Hobbes, slipped out of St. Josephine's, and into her car. The church was no longer a viable place for them to meet. Jack had taken a public stance against the visitors during his homily, knowing that he would no longer be welcome there, once he had said his peace. Now the remaining Fifth Column members had to find a new home base.
"Jack and I can go to my place, Hobbes," Erica stated. "but that won't work for you with Ty in the house."
"It's high time you clued that boy into what is happening, Erica. Things have changed, and we need to discuss what happened tonight. Not to mention, we need to find a permanent meeting place where we can ease in the new recruits from the church They have to be brought in very carefully."
"I agree with you, Hobbes, on both accounts. As far as Ty goes, I don't know if he will believe me without Lisa to confirm what I tell him."
"The lizard princess?"
Jack frowned. "Do you have to call her that? She is certainly not Anna."
Hobbes gave him a cheeky grin. "No, but she is a lizard."
"That may be Hobbes, but she was the reason for my success tonight in terminating Anna's eggs. She and Joshua, who died in the effort."
Hobbes looked at Erica with interest. "So what did exactly happened up there?"
Erica shook her head.
"All I'm going to say until we have a secure location and a chance to explore our options is that Lisa has decided whose side she's on, and it's ours. She played her role to perfection. Anna doesn't have a clue."
Jack swallowed nervously. "We don't know what's going on up there; how many Fifth Column were lost. We don't even know what's happening with Ryan. We have to figure out away to contact Lisa."
"No!" Erica almost shouted. "We have to let her make the first move, or we could compromise her position. If Anna was willing to have her beaten just to gain public support, what do you think she will do if she learns Lisa has turned against her? We wait. Tyler will probably hear from her later tonight or tomorrow."
"Hobbes, I'm dropping you off in the alley next to your place, Jack you're going home with me."
"Not..(gasp) before (gasp) you (gasp) take (gasp) me (gasp) to the emergency room (gasp), Can't (gasp) breathe (gasp).
Erica and Hobbes both looked at Jack in alarm. His lips were turning blue. She stepped on the gas, while Hobbes slipped down in the back seat.
