The entire street, everyone was frozen, looking up at the sky. A bright white light surround them. Erica searched their faces but there wasn't one soul who wasn't affected, and then she saw Jack. She tried to wake him, but he wouldn't respond. Erica held onto Jack tightly as the light continued to shine down on everyone from Anna's ship. She felt so alone and helpless. She didn't know why she wasn't affected, but if Anna could Bliss humans then what chance did she have of stopping them now. Closing her eyes, she thought about Tyler when he was younger, running to her open arms through a field of wheat on her grandfather's property. His first bike ride, strapped tightly to Joe as they rode around the block. That was what she was fighting for. Hobbes was gone, Ryan hadn't made contact yet and Tyler was up on the ship with no intention of coming home. As much as she hated the idea of working with the government, and more to the point a group of people who hadn't earned her trust, she knew she had no choice. If she had to take orders from somebody else she would, even if it was just for the time been. Get Tyler home, save the planet and settle down somewhere well away from the city. "Jack?" she tried to wake him, "Jack can you hear me?" She stroked his chin and rested her head on his shoulder, "I need you with me on this one Jack."
"Erica?" It took several minutes before Jack responded.
"I'm here Jack."
"What happened?"
"You were blissed."
"What. I didn't think that was possible."
"Apparently it is." Erica took his hand and looked around. Others were starting to move as well, "Come on. I need to introduce you to someone." Jack didn't respond. He let Erica take his hand and followed as she led him back inside and to the chamber leading to the underground headquarters. The internal emergency staircase led to a small room with a single door which opened up to reveal an elevator access hatch. Erica waited for the doors to open then stepped inside. Jack hesitated, looking the military guard up and down as he stood at attention, gun slung over his shoulder.
"What is all of this Erica?"
"Remember my boss Paul and my partner Chris at the Bureau?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well earlier tonight they took me to meet this guy Lars."
"Took you? You mean kidnapped you?" Erica said nothing but he could sense he was right.
"They have been working against the V's longer than we have. Nations worldwide have come together to share their technology and to find a way to defeat the V's once and for all."
"And you trust them?"
"No. Not yet anyway, but they may be just what we need to get Tyler back." Jack didn't argue, but as the doors opened they revealed just how large the underground movement had become. Jack wasn't so sure that this was a good idea.
"Erica?" Paul greeted her. "Why have you brought him here?"
"Paul, Chris you remember Father Jack Landry. We're allies."
"Allies?" they didn't understand.
"You can trust him. I promise." Erica knew she was asking a lot of them.
"So you were fighting the V's at the same time you were protecting them?"
"Trippy huh." She smiled. Jack hadn't seen her smile in a while. It was nice to see.
"Erica. I think you are going to fit right in around here. Any other secrets we should know about?"
"No. Not yet anyway." She grinned. "Why don't you show Jack around." She informed Paul, "And I'll tell you what we know so far." Chris led Erica over to a desk where they swapped notes and made plans, while Jack got the royal tour. Maybe they weren't alone after all.
Found:Erica found it unnerving how easily so found it liaising with project Ares as Jack tried to get in contact with Ryan and Chad. They still weren't answering their phones and she held grave fears for both of them. He noticed that Erica was careful not to tell them about Chad, Ryan, Hobbes or any of their other associates. She obviously didn't trust them completely just yet. He tried one last number. It rang three times, and Jack felt his heart sink, why wasn't he answering? Then "Hello."
"Oh my god. Syd is that you?" Communications had been down and Jack had to be careful about how and when he contacted the others. Obviously they had Erica under surveillance. She didn't know how much they knew, but she had told him that it was more than she was comfortable with.
"My god. What happened to you guys? I waited for you guys and when you didn't show."
"I know look. I can't tell you where I am just yet but Erica and I are safe. I need you to keep trying to contact everyone else. I'll give you a call when it safe to talk."
"Listen. Joshua called."
"What?"
"Ryan's dead Jack, immolated."
"And Lisa? Diana?"
"Diana was killed. Lisa has been imprisoned and Anna has a clone walking around in her place. You have to warn Erica."
"I will. And Syd…."
"Yeah!"
"Stay safe ok. Don't go anywhere until you hear from me"
"You too." Jack felt relieved that Syd was all right. After all he was still just a kid. He decided not to tell Erica just yet, not until they were alone.
"Was the mating successful?" Anna asked Joshua as Lisa's clone lay on the table, just six days after their encounter.
"It was. Lisa is pregnant."
"Good. My breeding plans are well underway. When her children are born, they will be the first in a long line of our kind and the first step in annihilating the human species."
"Yes, My Queen."
"When will they hatch?"
"As requested we have accelerated up their gestation time. Once they are in the breeding pool, it should only be a matter of four to five weeks."
"You have done well Joshua. You will be rewarded."
"Thank you, my Queen." Joshua said, bowing his head.
Joshua felt torn. He couldn't let Lisa's eggs be born. But if he destroyed them Anna would be aware that Fifth Column was back on the ship. For now, he had to let Lisa's pregnancy take its course. Lisa removed herself from the table and left the room at Anna's side, leaving Joshua alone. He quickly pulled up the image of Lisa in her cell and checked that she was all right. She'd been down there too long. He had to find a way to get her out and soon.
*****"What we have to do is take out Anna's Mothership. Without that, the other ships will back down." Erica insisted as they sat around the table looking at plans and discussing their options.
"We don't know that." Paul was a stubborn man.
"They are reptiles. Cut off the head…" Erica tried to convince him,
"And the body will die." Chris agreed, "But how? Anna has eyes everywhere."
"So do I." Lars reminded her.
"Speaking of, when are we going to meet your new boss?" Chris asked Erica eagerly.
"All in good time. No sense putting all of our eggs in one basket."
"Anyone would think you don't trust us."
"I don't." Erica smiled.
"Good to know." It was good working with Chris again, but they had been staring at the latest batch of data for almost five hours and she was getting tired. She rubbed her neck and stretched her back.
"Do you want some coffee?" Chris asked as he stood up out of his chair.
"I'd love some, thanks." Erica took over at the keyboard and kept scrolling through while Chris was gone. "Damn it." She cursed.
"What's wrong?" He asked, handing her a cup of coffee and taking a seat beside her.
"We've been working on this for almost two weeks now and nothing."
"Don't feel bad. Some of us have been down here for years."
"Anna has blissed the world three times now. If we don't stop her soon…"
"Have you heard from Tyler yet?"
"No. Anna's probably mind washed him to forget I ever existed."
"He's a good kid Erica. He'll find his way back home."
"I wish I could believe that."
"Jack."
"Erica."
"Any luck?"
"No. We're still no closer to figuring out way to take out Anna's ship. What about you?"
"I was able to gather a small group of parishioners. We are held up in a warehouse nearby."
"The church of Jack." Erica smiled.
"For now. But soon we will be one with God again."
"I hope you are right Father." She said respectfully. "Have you heard from Syd?"
"He says his close to a break through. I hope his right."
"I know what you mean."
"It's all changing out there Erica. The streets are like ghost towns, people keep going missing. More and more woman everyday. It's starting to resemble more of a warzone instead of New York."
"Anna must be moving on with her breeding plans."
"Jack." Paul interrupted them. "What do you have for us today?"
"Word on the street is that six more woman have gone missing, all aged 20 to 25."
"And what is Fifth Column doing about all of this?"
"At the moment. They are working just as hard as you are to find a solution."
"Well if they do, let us know."
"I'll be sure to remember that."
"Listen Jack." Erica said, grabbing his elbow and leading him away for the others for a private conversation, "I'm getting worried. We haven't heard from Chad in almost ten days and he hasn't made any broadcasts since then either."
"I know. I fear something terrible has happened to him."
"Try and make some noise? Demand to speak to him, that you will talk only with him."
"Do you think it will work?"
"It's worth a shot. What have we got to lose?"
"All right. I'm on it."
"And Jack" She added, holding his hand tight. "Be careful."
"I'm not going anywhere Erica. I promise."