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Chapter 14
"Where is she?" Tex asked Tom, he walked into the man's office without even bothering to knock. Tom looked up from the paperwork at his desk as saw Tex was pissed off. Something he had expected and was prepared for. He waved the temp secretary that worked for him to leave and the door closed behind them.
"I assume you're talking about Rachel." Tom said.
"She's not dead. But you put on a pretty show and claimed the remains which apparently have been cremated and waiting for the funeral." Tex said in a tone that warned Tom not to lie to him. He leaned on the desk and looked at Tom with no nonsense look. Tom put down his paperwork and leaned back in his chair up at Tex. He knew he didn't have to tell the man anything but he felt he owed him as the rift between them was partially his fault. After everything they had survived and what Tex had sacrificed he deserved to know.
"This doesn't leave this room." He said in a low voice. "The President wanted her taken to a undisclosed location where she would safe while we deal with the Immunes. Once the threat is gone, she'll be able to come back-"
"Then what is the bullshit about her dying?" Tex asked him, he was simmering with anger not just at being left out of the loop but for Rachel as it sounded like she had been packed up and sent away without being consulted by the high handed President Michener. He understood the reasons but he felt it was redundant to hide her when they couldn't tell who the Immune soldiers were which meant she would be hidden away indefinitely.
"To help keep her safe. I just want to keep her safe and it's easier when the world thinks she's dead." Tom told him.
"Can I talk to her?" Tex asked, he wanted- no needed to hear her voice to know that she was ok, that she understood what was going on and if she wasn't happy to try and get her out. his original plan was to offer a room at his house until she got back on her feet. He knew it was too much to ask they become more than friends but he wanted to take care of her and help support her.
"No, none of us can but I promise you, she's being well taken care of-"
Larrin heard Tex shout presumably at the Captain as she sat outside in the waiting area to the Captain's office. The secretary who'd been there earlier disappeared after closing the door. Presumably to get a cup of coffee or whatever. The woman seemed pretty useless given Tex had run roughshod over her when she was supposed to be the gatekeeper to the Captain or Admiral. Well the door still said Captain but who knew.
Larrin twiddled her thumbs as the shouting quietened down which made her wonder what they were shouting about. The walls were thick enough that one couldn't really decipher what was being said only the tone, the rest was muffled. She heard footfalls from the hallway and assumed the secretary was back but instead Dr Milowsky breezed in the outer office area where she was sitting. She straightened her posture as she remembered him briefly from the night of the shooting.
"Ah, I wouldn't go in there." Larrin warned the man, he had been about to open the door but his hand stopped at the handle as he turned and frowned at her.
"Why not?" he asked her.
"Captain is in a meeting." she told him, she felt uncomfortable as he looked her over sizing her up by the state of her old and worn clothes and her birkenstock sandals. He obviously didn't remember her as there was no flash of recognition in his eyes.
"With whom? he's supposed to be meeting with me." Milowsky said indignantly.
"Last minute emergency meeting." Larrin offered as she wasn't going to advertise whatever beef Tex had with the Captain to the man.
"Have we met?" he asked her.
"Inaugural ball, I'm Larrin Taylor. Wolf's sister." she said prompting his memory and it worked as he gave a nod finally remembering her. Judging by how he looked to her legs then back at her face made her think her face wasn't the most memorable part of their introduction which made her immediately dislike him in the moment.
"You impressed Dr Scott, if I remember rightly." he said pointing at her.
"Yeah." Larrin said.
"Such a horrible waste of life and genius." he said looking saddened for a moment by the loss of Dr Scott. Larrin felt gutted by the woman's death but kept it to herself as her sense of loss was more selfish as she had lost a great opportunity to work with one of someone she admired greatly. She hadn't really known Rachel long enough to grieve her as a person so to pretend to do so now just felt wrong.
"Yeah," Larrin said in agreement. "It just doesn't make sense for her to die like that. It wasn't-"
"I'm sorry but you're not a doctor." Milowsky asked cutting her off as he looked insulted by her questioning the coroner's report. Larrin had seen it when Tex requested it but she felt confused by what she had seen though she kept it to herself at the time but she thought maybe Dr Milowsky could explain it for her. She had the education just not the practical experience. But his tone grated on her as he looked at her like she was an airhead.
"I hold three degrees. I was working towards my MD and PhD. Dr Scott hired me to be her assistant while she continued to study the virus and the progress of the cure in hot zones. I also think I'd know a fatal injury given I've spent the last six months on this continent which is more like a war zone than a first world country." Larrin snapped at him as she hated his patronising manner.
"I'm sure, but I hope this isn't you telling me that you're more qualified than Dr Scott's physicians." Milowsky told her, in that tone that said 'you're a kid, go back to playground and mess around on the monkey bars while the real adults worked.
"Of course not, I just find it odd that they didn't pick up on the-" Larrin started but Milowsky cut her off a gain with a dismissive shake of his head.
"It may be odd to you but people die all the time from the most innocuous of injuries, mistakes are made, things are missed. Sometimes the best doctors and machines don't catch the problem until the patient has died. Something you'll learn if you ever become a doctor." Milowsky told her in a slow manner like he was talking to a child. It irked her how he stressed 'if' like it would never happen.
"Well, we'll see. Dr Scott had given me a job-" Larrin started again only to stop as Milowsky gave a laugh at her words.
"I hope you're not angling to get a job out of me because I already have a team of fully qualified and experienced Doctors. Even if I was looking for undergrads, I'd want them to have a better attitude." Dr Milowsky told her.
"I bet you'd want them to be American as well." Larrin said snidely, Milowsky looked ready to refute her claim when the door opened and Tex stalked out just as angry as when he went in.
"Let's go Larrin." Tex said to her motioning for her to follow.
"Gladly." Larrin said as she rose from her chair and walked with Tex.
"Was it me or was that really easy?" Miller asked Wolf as they were given keys to a new SUV that had a full tank of petrol and a couple jerry cans filled with petrol. The Captain had basically patted them on the back and gave them permission to leave. Not that they needed it to but they didn't feel right leaving without informing the Captain or Master Chief.
But it was startling how easy it was to get permission to go and have all their requests for transportation, fuel and weapons.
They managed to run into Alisha who was happy to join their party up North. She had planned on going solo but actually looked relieved to have company. But they had to wait until after the state funeral for Dr Scott. It was already a given they would stay and pay their respects to the woman who had saved them all.
It was a shock to learn the doctor had died after finally being able to come, to being able to distribute the cure only to have the creator of the cure be gunned down and die. It wasn't fair, and the immune soldier who they assumed to had shot her before coming after them had hung himself in his cell. It seemed like there was no justice as the man killed himself before they could get any useful information from him.
"A little but then we're heroes in St Louis so I figure they feel they owe or something." Wolf offered as explanation. He didn't care as long as they got what they needed and given they weren't greedy it all balanced out in his books.
"I don't know, I just can't believe Dr Scott is gone." Miller said with a shake of his head.
"I know," Wolf agreed as he was in shock himself. He couldn't believe that an Immune had slipped through the hotel with a weapon completely undetected to shoot one of their own.
"I mean, you were there. Did it look that bad?" Miller asked him referring to seeing Dr Scott after she was shot. Wolf gave a shake of his head because by the time he'd rocked up, all he saw was the Doctor on the floor. She had still been breathing but it was hard for him to make any real assessment about her condition.
"I can't really recall mate. Just that she was shot in the chest but she was alive when they took her to the hospital. She was fine yesterday when we guarded her." Wolf said at which Miller nodded. He just couldn't help but feel something was incredibly off about it all but frankly it was above his pay grade.
Kara felt like she were in some kind of surreal dream as she and Kathleen drove to the closest mall finding it completely normal and busy with people. Kara was glad she had asked the boys to pool in their cash. She knew with the Banking system in St Louis actually functioning that it'd be just a matter of time before they'd all eventually be paid and have access to their own accounts again but for now it was all about what they had in their back pockets.
Miller was broke bar three dollars and one cent but in his defence he'd lost his money to Tex who was surprising flush with cash that he'd won from poker games and bets on the ship. Wolf was a waste of time too as he only had Australian money left in his wallet. Danny had about $20 dollars to his wallet.
Either way, Kara made budget and was on a mission with Kat as her partner. They were getting clothes and more food. Luckily most shops were having decent sales to keep money coming into the shop and products out. It worked well for them as the women all needed at least a couple changes of clothes and closed top shoes for Larrin.
"I think Larrin is about my size, though taller and no pregnant belly." Kara said as they sifted through the sale racks. In their mission they'd forgotten key information like Larrin's shoe and clothing sizes. They'd given up the idea of guessing Larrin's shoe size and decided to make clothes and other sundries the priority.
"Yeah." Kat said a little unsure as she tried not to offend Kara. She really liked the woman, shopping with her reminded her of times with her mom except Kara felt more like an older sister she never had.
"How about this for Larrin?" Kara asked holding up a top to show Kat wearing a smile. It was a navy blue t-shirt with white block writing that said 'Snappy Little Number' on it.
It was hard to judge what type of clothes the Australian woman would wear especially colours so they just bought a couple of shirts, a few t-shirts and sweaters so far only because Kara was too indecisive in guessing what Larrin's inseam was to get her jeans. Thankfully the shop clerk helped them out but it was still fun to be out with Kat. To be shopping like all the mess of the past few months were just a bad nightmare.
Kat smiled at the t-shirt knowing it was more of a joke than serious purchase but it definitely was something that spoke of Larrin's personality to her.
"I think we should get it. It's on sale and it's pretty cute for a t-shirt. I can see her liking it." Kara said talking them into the purchase.
"Ok." Kat said in agreement.
"You ok?" Kara asked as she couldn't help but be concerned as Kat was fairly quiet this morning.
"My Mom and I used to go shopping like this. Make a whole day of it." Kat said with a smile as she reminisced.
"I'm sorry, she's not with us. I would have liked to meet her." Kara said to her with a smile.
"Did Dad talk about her?" Kat asked.
"Some," Kara lied with a smile to comfort the girl. Tex didn't reveal much about his life to the crew so finding out he had a daughter was a shocker but a good one. "There wasn't a lot spare time on the Nathan James for small talk. Just the mission but he always said good things about you and her. He's so proud of you. All he talked about was getting back to you guys." Kara offered wanting to comfort the girl because she knew Tex loved his daughter, the fact he didn't talk about her meant nothing except that he was a private person.
"I miss her." Kat confessed.
"Well, I'm here and happy to listen to some good memories you want to share." Kara told her sincerely. Kat gave a nod accepting the offer but frankly wasn't ready to take her up on it yet.
"I think we should get Larrin a skirt." Kat said changing the topic.
"I don't think she likes skirts." Kara argued as she remembered how uncomfortable Larrin was in her dress the night of the inaugural ball.
"What about a dress? She could wear it on a date with Miller. Like this one." Kat said as she pulled out cream floral shirt dress in a soft chiffon with a mandarin collar.
"He'd have to ask her out on one first." Kara told her with an amused smile.