Well, I hope the last chapter was enjoyable,
And thanks for all the reviews so far in this story, this story is approaching the end now, after more than three years, and now finally it is soon finished, just a few more chapters…
And thanks to doctor Anthony that has stuck with me helping me proof reading and such all this time.
It was early evening and darkness had started settling over the colony and the surrounding jungle.
Weaver was scratching arm as this rash he had was getting worse and worse by the hour.
He hated this place, all the bugs, all the diseases they spread, the humidity, everything about Terra Nova was god awful and he couldn't wait to get back to 2149 and start spending his cut of the money from this venture.
As Dr Shannon came over to give him something for the rash, he asked "How can you stand being here. This place is a death trap?"
Elizabeth didn't say a word as she injected him and immediately Weaver felt something was wrong. Elizabeth said "I just injected you with a slow working neurotoxin that will dissolve your nerves from the inside out. If you don't do what I say, you will die in about three hours. I have the antidote here. And something that makes the neurotoxin to kill you in only 10 minutes."
Elizabeth held both vials as she said "Only I know which one is which."
Weaver asked "What do you need me to do?"
Elizabeth explained "Free my husband and Kono Lao from the brig. Take Alicia with you, if anyone asks say you're taking her to visit Kono. DO this and I'll give you the antidote"
Weaver nodded and got up to do as instructed. As he entered the brig, Kono said "What happened to you. Run into something that gave you Chicken Pox out there?" As Alicia entered, Kono were confused but as Weaver freed them, they knew Elizabeth had to have been behind this. Alicia kissed Kono as he said "I'll live." Weaver produced a bag containing pistols and led them out of the brig, Kono straightened up despite the pain in at least two of his ribs,
"C'mon, let's go get Jimmyboy." He said and they quickly exited…
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An hour earlier.
Not far from the northern wall section not far from the edge of the jungle surrounding the colony, Taylor and a squad of his soldiers were waiting, it was getting dark and the sun was slowly setting on the horizon, it would soon be dark and that was good as they had planned to launch a rescue op.
He had been in contact not too many hours ago with Reynolds's squad that they had found Shannon – or more likely Shannon had found them and given them quite a scare, Ben had reported on his progress and of Guzman's activity which had made Nathaniel truly hopeful for the first time since the fall of the colony.
They had agreed that Ben were to sneak in alone and make contact with whatever was left of Jim Shannon's resistance, while Nathaniel would stage a diversionary assault on the wall section they were facing.
Though, all of this had been from an as of yet unknown source, except for the diversionary assault and Ben being there, every bit of info had come from someone inside the colony probably this second spy that seemed as if not being on the side of the Phoenix Group.
But which side?
He had posted scouts well enough so that just in case this was a setup him and his soldiers would at least be somewhat better prepared for it.
Specialist Diana Shackleford had together with Master Sergeant Cronkite managed to fix up a sonic mortar using some of the equipment they had taken from the enemy.
The young woman had been one of those female soldiers that apparently had been having themselves some sort of wager about Warrant Officer Shannon, what exactly the wager was about Nathaniel didn't know about though he had his suspicions.
"Brilliant with weapons though." He thought, as she had always been regarded somewhat of a gun-nut – even by redneck standards,
Nathaniel remembered when he had checked her file that her parents owned a weapons store and that her father had been in the US Army engineers.
Then his com beeped,
"Taylor here." He whispered, as there was no wind and they didn't want to risk any sound carried to unwanted ears.
"Reynolds here, we're in position, Warrant Officer Shannon just snuck into the colony sir." Came Corporal Mark Reynolds's voice,
"Good son', now you just stay put there and cover our flank and make sure that the Shannons' get out safely, over." Taylor ordered,
"Yes sir, over." Came the reply, Nathaniel could hear the anxiousness in the young man's voice.
The poor kid had been worrying about his girlfriend and her family no doubt.
"Taylor, over and out." He cut the com, even though their coms were coded that didn't mean that the Phoenix Group might just have someone listening in and who may just put two and two together.
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Ben ran as silently as he could through the darkening shadows around the houses, making his way towards the brig beneath the Command Centre, but first he placed some charges at what he identified as a munitions depo belonging to the Phoenix Group and then went on his way, careful to avoid any patrol as to not have anyone sounding the alarm.
As he got to the Command Centre area, he moved in the shadows and then stopped as a pair of mercenaries walked by on patrol.
Ben went to the same ventilation grating he'd used once before and carefully crawled inside the cramped ventilation drum.
He crawled until he came to the exit of the drum and listened as he could hear voices…
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At the house that had been Commander Taylor's but now Lucas used it.
Skye stood in the shower for several minutes as she tried to forget what just happened. She knew she needed to get rid of his stench after what happened and was horrified at what occurred.
Meanwhile Lucas left the house with a sick smile of his face as he started to whistle.
…
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…
Tashaya was in the lab looking over her research when she decided to check on the tracking equipment. As she looked over it, Tashaya saw something was wrong, the equipment had been tampered with.
It now gave false info from a few hours ago to reveal the device had been deactivated and this ruse was done by whoever sabotaged it to cover their tracks.
Tashaya was impressed by whomever had done this, she'd have them show her how they did it before dying painfully and slowly as she watched on with a smile on her face.
But she also realised that until she had rebooted the equipment – a job that would take hours at the least – she would not be able to keep track on Ben Shannon.
She instead pulled up her specialized plexpad and ordered the three units she had sent out into the jungle to return and protect the colony.
These three men had once been soldiers that had died in combat but unlike the subjects of the more advanced Project Darkstar, these Unisols had no memory of who they once were and was little more than reanimated corpses – true they had the capacity for thought and were able to make decisions in the field but was in no way considered as more than robots as they had to be programmed for major tasks –.
With the remaining units on their way with the other forces and simply too far away…
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Kono and Alicia followed after Weaver down into the holding cell area they were immediately stopped by two Phoenix Group guards,
"Halt." One of them said and both readied their weapons,
But when they saw Weaver they seemed to relax, they didn't seem to recognize Kono or Alicia as they had donned Phoenix uniforms that they requisitioned earlier when Weaver and Alicia busted Kono out.
"Oh, Mister Weaver, what are you doing here?" One of them then said,
"We're here to see the prisoner, Jim Shannon." Weaver replied as steadily as he could despite the numbing fear that gnawed at his insides,
The guard shook his head slowly.
"I'm sorry Mister Weaver but Doctor Taylor has ordered that no one but him or Colonel Hooper are allowed to see the cop." He said,
"We have orders from Lucas Taylor to bring the prisoner to him." Kono lied, trying to hide the fact that he had to be at least partially supported by Alicia,
They both stood behind Weaver and did their best to look as inconspicuous as they possibly could – without it showing –.
"I don't know man, maybe we should contact Doc Taylor on the com." The other guard said unsurely.
"Be my guest, but I'll be sure to wash my hands of it considering the good doctor has been in a really shitty mood recently." Kono noted which made both guards gulp loudly,
Lucas Taylor's mood swings were known to be potentially violent, by now word was out that anyone that displeased Lucas would be sent on OTG patrol to try and hunt down Commander Taylor, and those patrols had been suffering losses due to ambushes – NOT to mention that Psycho-Rambo that had so far singlehandedly butchered at least two full squads, so, most of the Phoenix Group mercs were seriously scared of going OTG…
And all this was not even taking the hostile wildlife into account… Not to mention Doctor Radcliff…
"Alright, you can go and get him but I'll be calling Hooper on the com and get confirmation meanwhile." The first guard said, not knowing about the sabotage of the com system earlier…
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…
Jim looked up as the door to his cell opened and Weaver entered followed by Alicia and Kono, both armed with pistols.
Weaver freed Jim as he asked "What's going on?"
Kono smiled before he said "Jailbreak. " Kono gave Jim an extra pistol as he asked "How bad did they hurt you Jimmyboy?"
Jim said "Some bruises, a black eye, shocked me repeatedly with a taser. You?"
Kono said "a few broken ribs. Black eye, badly beaten, forced to go without sleep. Aside from that I'm alright. Let's get out of here, and you're coming with us Weaver, no doubt, the commander will have questions for you regarding your employers back in 2149."
"What?!" Weaver squeaked as he kept scratching himself,
"What's going on with you?" Kono asked Weaver.
"Doctor Shannon gave me some neurotoxin that will kill me horribly, which is why I'm cooperating but you can't mean serious about dragging me out there to that hellhole outside!?" Weaver replied while scratching himself as the itch was getting worse.
Kono doubted that Elisabeth would do such a thing but couldn't help smiling at the wimp's discomfort.
"Well, let's get out of here anyway." Kono said and they left the cell, but just as they exited the door and walked passed the guards in the darkly lit corridor…
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…
The Phoenix guards looked on as Weaver and the others walked by, they were used to that Weaver always looked uneasy but when Kono walked passed they noticed…
"Hey, but haven't I seen you two before?" One of the guards asked incredulously.
"We just arrived yesterday, considering the losses you've been taking from that Taylor guy." Kono lied.
The guard that had been asking the question first nodded and then looked at Alicia,
"Wait a minute!" He raised his voice and quickly grabbed the cap that had partially obscured Alicia's face and tore it off of her.
Both guards now immediately recognized her.
"What the F…" The guard that had taken the cap didn't have time to say anymore,
Alicia extended her fist very fast into his face and he fell backwards
"That's it, freeze!" The remaining guard said raising his weapon.
Kono contemplated the risk of quickdraw his gun but then noticed how the grating behind the remaining guard was opening.
"Drop the fucking weapons now!" The guard shouted and Kono slowly unholstered his sonic pistol,
"This is the brig, command do you copy?" The guard desperately tried his com.
He started backing up towards the alarm button on the wall when a pair of hands grabbed around his head and the last thing he ever heard was the sound of his cervical vertebra breaking with a large *crack* as Ben Shannon swiftly twisted his head around…
Ben let the body drop to the floor and looked at the others, there was the slightest of smirks on his lips, that didn't fully reach his steel grey eyes.
"Hi guys, missed me?" He said calmly as if he had just returned from taking a piss…
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Earlier…
At Ben's house Maddy had to go through yet another date with this horrible man that didn't seem able to stop undressing her with his gaze,
She shivered involuntarily as she sat at the table opposite Nicholas Smythe who smiled at her, that smile that made her uncomfortable.
"What's the matter my dear, you have hardly touched your food?" Nicholas asked.
"I seemed to have lost my appetite, being condemned as a breeding stock for the future master race kinda dose that to ya." She answered snidely using slang on purpose as she had noticed Nicholas and Doctor Radcliff seemed to dislike it.
Nicholas frowned a bit,
"Why do you have to keep that up precious?" He asked calmly though there was an undertone of annoyance in his voice,
"Keep what up?" Maddy replied with barely kept back defiance,
Nicholas simply sighed impatiently,
Then there was an explosion coming from the outside and the lights went out.
As alarms went off, with more sounds of battle coming from somewhere outside.
Nicholas rose quickly and got his gear and his com and called the command centre.
"Status?" He asked and then listened for a few seconds and nodded his face serious.
"Yes, I shall be right there Major." He said and then turned to Maddy that had also risen from her seat, he admired her for a few moments – dressed in a really nice white dress with flower pattern –
He gently caressed her cheek but she shied away…
He smiled almost menacingly at her, admiring her defiance for a bit,
"This is probably just some hothead getting a bright idea. Well, goodnight my precious and don't wander outside." He said and the turned and walked out of the house closing the door behind him.
Maddy was left alone and worried as well as scared. That man made her skin crawl, she sat down on the couch and covered her face with her hands trying to think of her family and of Mark…
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As Ben went off to his house to get Maddy, Kono and Alicia with Weaver in tow snuck through the now dark streets of Terra Nova until they got to the house.
Jim was immediately accosted by two very relieved girls.
"Dad, you're home!" Zoe cried out in tears of happiness and hugged her father, and…
"Uncle Jim!" Terra squeaked, over the weeks since she had been living in the same room as Zoe, the two girls had become quite good friends both happy to have a cousin and Terra especially as she had learned that not all families treated their children the way her mother and grandfather did to her.
Kono stared gobsmacked at Terra…
"Uncle Jim?" He queried in confusion,
"Looong story Uncle Kono." Josh said as he was coming out from his with a backpack and placed it in front of the couch in the living area where Elisabeth had prepared similar backpacks for the rest of the family as well as Kono and Alicia.
Elisabeth who had also hugged her husband managed to pry herself from him and explained,
"Why am I always the one to be told last of these things?" Kono complained as Elisabeth was checking on Jim's injuries, Alicia petted him on the head condescendingly.
"Excuse me, but can I get the antidote now before I die from this poison?" Weaver whined while he was scratching himself annoyedly.
Elisabeth turned to him with an almost pitying expression and gave him a shot,
"How long before the neurotoxin is neutralised?" Weaver then asked and Elisabeth barely managed to restrain herself from laughing,
"What neurotoxin?" She asked while going back to check on Jim and Kono to make sure they had no lasting ills from the treatment they had received.
Weaver stared at her, "Wh… You were bluffing?" He blabbed almost accusingly.
"There's no neurotoxin Mister Weaver. You are a highly suggestible hypochondriac, I suggest you see a doctor about that." She stated and mere moments later Weaver fell down on to the smaller couch where he had sat down and fell asleep from the strong sedative Elisabeth had given him.
"We could have taken him with us as a prisoner." Kono lamented,
"We'll be hard pressed to try and sneak out of here even without lugging him around with us." Josh noted.
"Well, we have Ben that could easily carry him." Kono pointed out.
Josh, Elisabeth, Zoe and Terra looked up at the mentioning of the name,
"Ben's here?" Elisabeth asked.
"Yeah, and he's not alone, he said that Taylor is just outside in the jungle waiting to spring a diversionary attack of some kind." Kono explained.
"But where is he now?" Josh blurted out.
"He was going to cause another diversion and get Maddy, he said we'd know when it happens." Alicia said.
As if to mark her words they could all hear an explosion from somewhere in the colony and after that what sounded like sonic grenades impacting…
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…
As Maddy was getting ready for bed as it was way past curfew, not that she had much time to even visit her family thanks to Doctor Radcliff examining her and putting her through sometimes boring IQ tests and Smythe's dates that she also had to endure as part of her promise.
She had been stalling ever since Elisabeth had told her that Taylor and Ben was working to liberate them all.
But she was getting worried that she may have to go further.
She was interrupted in her thoughts by a barely noticeable pair thumps from outside the door, Smythe always put a pair of guards to make sure she would be undisturbed.
Then the door opened and whatever low she had been feeling her hopes shot up like a rocket when she saw her Father/uncle walking inside.
Maddy flung herself at him and hugged him,
Ben returned the hug as he noticed her shivering from all the unshed tears. He wanted almost nothing more than to find and kill Smythe as there was literally nothing protecting that child molesting freak anymore.
"It's okay Sweetpea." He whispered.
After a few moments after having checked she was physically alright.
"Alright Sweetpea, we're getting out of here right now." He said and smiled slightly at her.
"But, they still have Uncle Kono and Dad in prison?" Maddy noted,
"Not anymore, they should be heading out already and we need to hurry." Ben explained.
Maddy didn't need to be told again and quickly got on clothes that was better suited for the jungle and also made sure to take Ben's fiddle which had at one point belonged to her great grandfather Caleb Shannon.
"Maddy, maybe you should leave that here." Ben pointed out but Maddy shook her head.
"The mercenaries have been burning the belongings of the other Terra Nova soldiers out of spite, and when Smythe finds out I'm missing he'll destroy it." Maddy blurted, Smythe had wanted to destroy both the fiddle and the Brand of Arms with Ben's medals but Maddy had managed to stop him by giving it to Terra for safe keeping telling her baby sister never to leave it out of sight.
Ben sighed,
"Alright, but we have to move." He stated and quietly and speedily they left the house through the backdoor where Maddy saw one of the guards lying unconscious on the ground as she could see him breathing, she knew Ben was capable of killing them but guessed that he didn't because of her…
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As Lucas after the big explosion had ordered the mercs to search the colony he had gone to the Shannon house first and found Weaver knocked out on a small couch.
"Idiot!" He growled as they searched the house and it was obvious that the Shannon family had fled, they had found the prison guards that had been guarding Lao unconscious and bereft of their uniforms.
The guards that had been guarding Jim Shannon was left in a more gruesome state.
Lucas had suspected that the latter must have been because of this Ben Shannon judging by the bloody imagery that more reminded him of those old slasher movies that had been outlawed in 2066.
"Doctor Taylor sir." One of the soldiers with him said as he seemed to be listening to his com in his earpiece.
"What?!" Lucas growled impatiently.
"There's an attack on the Northern gate. We've all been ordered there to prevent the gate from falling." The soldier said.
Lucas was furious.
"NO, tell those idiots that it is probably a diversion!" Lucas yelled as he hurried out of the house towards the northern section of the colony.
"Tell Hooper to order a search of the northern fences of the colony as well as the southern." He ordered.
But too late, some guards had stumbled upon and seen how some people ran into the jungle and when they had tried to follow had been fired upon from the jungle with a sonic grenade launcher.
Lucas even heard the sonic explosions...
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Kono and Alicia led Josh, Elizabeth, Zoe and Terra through the colony with Jim following close behind, ensuring they weren't spotted as they made their way to the perimeter wall where Taylor and his men were waiting for them.
They quickly ran to the perimeter when Taylor's men caused the distraction by opening fire on Phoenix Group troops and got to where a second squad of Taylor's men were, with Mark among them.
"Where's Warrant Officer Shannon and Maddy?" Mark blurted worried that they might have been caught.
"Ben went to get Maddy." Kono panted out of breath.
All they had to do now was wait for Ben and Maddy.
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…
When they got to the fence near the northern gate the diversionary attack had largely quieted down and Ben could see some Phoenix group mercenaries checking the area.
Ben concentrated his vision and realised the others must have made it through as there was a lot of commotion and shouting, he could see this Lucas Taylor guy shouting to some soldiers.
"Maddy, our primary escape route has been blocked." Ben noted.
"What are we gonna do now?" Maddy whispered.
"We're gonna have to climb from over here instead." Ben whispered back while pointing to a more remote area of the fence.
"I'll never be able to climb as fast as you Ben." Maddy said anxiously but Ben simply smiles slightly at her,
"Don't worry, you'll have to do something you haven't done since you were little." He said.
"What exactly?" Maddy replied incredulously.
"How'd you feel about a piggyback ride Sweetpea?" Ben said and winked.
Using his endearment for her Maddy knew what he was thinking and she could always trust him.
She quickly slung her backpack with the fiddle on her back and then climbed up on Ben's back.
After making sure Maddy was holding on tightly, Ben measured the distance and started to jog and then when he was about ten metres from the fence he ran and then when he was just over two metres from the fence he took a jump and landed less than half way up and started climbing fast with Maddy holding on for dear life as now she was worried about the height on the other side as she wondered if they was going to climb down but as Ben reached over the top of the fence she realised what he was thinking and held on very tightly over his shoulders, and just as Ben stood crouching on the top she closed her eyes shut.
By now they could hear people shouting coming their way.
Ben jumped and Maddy squeaked…
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That was chapter 51 finally.
Please review and tell me what you thought of it.
