Chapter 25
"Erica." Paul announced unemotionally as she entered the Project Ares control room again. She tried to imagine how they would take the knowledge of Lisa's existence, but she didn't see that conversation ending well. Grabbing a donut from the cart she walked casually to her station.
"Morning, anything interesting happen while I was gone?" She asked warming up her screen and placing her jacket on the back of her chair.
"As a matter of fact, yes." Chris showed her the overnight data file he had printed. "Intel picked this anomaly up at around 2am. Someone or something landed just out of the grid and has been making its way towards the city."
"It's almost like it's not sure where it's going, gathering intel of its own." Erica thought about it for a moment. "Oh my god!" She exclaimed concerned, "It's tracking, it's a tracker."
"A what?" Chris asked concerned by the look on her face.
"It's a soldier, basically a lethal sniffer dog. It lives to track down its target and annihilate it and anything or anyone who gets in its way."
"You've seen one of these before?" Paul asked.
"No, but I was warned about them." She lied not wanting to give too much away, "There's no way of stopping them."
"And Anna has sent one down here… well that's just great." Paul panicked.
"Question is; who is the target?" Chris continued thinking aloud more calmly. Erica froze for a moment, was it her? Was it Lisa? Either way it was going to lead straight to her and the fifth column.
"I want to know everywhere this thing goes, anyone it comes into contact with. Indeed eyes and ears on this thing people and I need it yesterday." Paul ordered the nearby officers.
"You think it's coming for me?" Erica asked Paul as two well armed guards moved into position closer to her.
"You don't?" He looked at her questioningly, "You escaped Anna, she has to be pissed about that."
"That was weeks ago." Erica scoffed at him.
"Humour me." Chris smiled, "At least let us use you as bait."
"Now how is a girl expected to refuse an offer like that?" She smiled as she wondered how she was going to stop them from following her home.
"Is everything ready for tonight?" Sarah asked as Hobbes dropped off some more supplies at the cabin.
"Jack has organised a small group of resistance fighters, they will start their protest just after 5pm."
"What would you like us to do?"
"I want you to be there, watch her reaction. If Lisa hesitates in any way, if she shows any sign of empathy for the lizards you know what to do." Hobbes instructed her in no uncertain terms.
"Does Erica know about this little plan of yours?" Sarah asked noting that he had omitted given her a role in all of this.
"What do you think?" Hobbes grinned, he knew there would be hell to pay but she was too stubborn for her own good.
"Got it. Mum's the word."
4.36pm Hobbes noted on his watch, he needed to get moving. Erica was still at the table, going over the Intel data on Anna's blue energy stations. Everything was right on track, she had told him earlier. In just over 6 weeks everything would be in place and they would be able to end Anna and her takeover of Earth.
"What did Chris and Paul have to say today?" Hobbes asked as he checked his watch again.
"They picked up a shuttle landing out in the woods, I think a tracker has landed."
"A what?" Hobbes raised his voice dumbfounded, "And you're only telling us this now?"
"It's under control. Chris and Paul have surveillance everywhere and we know what to look for. They won't have a chance."
"Well in the meantime you're not going anywhere alone. You're the head of the fifth column, we can't risk it."
"Already way ahead of you on that one." Erica smiled, "Don't worry. I'm not taking any chances." She assured him.
"Good." He smiled at her, not completely reassured. "I have to go out and get a few supplies. Promise me you'll stay here."
"I have some work to catch up on anyway."
"Syd should be back soon." He looked at her one last time before leaving, her head already buried in the computer she let out a deep breath and started typing. He had never been to war before with so much to lose and truth be told he didn't know if he was up to the challenge.
"Erica" she heard someone whisper in the distance. "Erica" it echoed again as she felt something hard and cold against her forehead and the smell of coffee as someone placed helping hands around her shoulders and pulled her backwards.
"What time is it?" she asked dazed as the coffee cup was placed into her hand and she tried to take a sip.
"Ah it's 7.30" Syd said as he turned off the flickering computer monitor.
"Damn it." Springing to attention Erica sculled the rest of her coffee, grabbed her leather jacket and headed for the door.
"Hobbes said not to leave you alone."
"I'm going straight to the bunker. I'll be fine." She promised him as she slammed the door behind her in a hurry.
Déjà vu she thought to herself as her stomach rumbled and her hand reached out to grab the three tonight on the top of the food cart.
"You know Erica." Chris hesitated, "I normally make it a rule not to tell women what they should and shouldn't do with their bodies, but you need to cut out the fatty foods and start getting back into shape."
"What are you saying Chris?" She played dumb as she pulled her shirt down lower over her belly.
"Just that I haven't seen you like this, since Joe left and you and you're a friend and I hate seeing you do this to yourself again."
"You are a dear friend, and maybe I have been overdoing things since I stopped drinking. I promise as soon as this is all over I will make getting back into shape my number one priority."
"No hard feelings?" Chris hoped aloud.
"None." She promised.
"Great, you're here." Paul interrupted as he came upon them quickly with a folder in hand.
"Good morning to you too Paul." She teased him.
"No time for that." He said with his usual lack of tact, "We got an alert ten minutes ago. I want you two to go and check it out."
"What alert?" Erica asked taking the file.
"Possible V activity. Strange reports of a fast moving man, two left dead in an alley. Not much to go on, the witness was a bit hysterical. She what you can find."