A/N: Many Apologies for the late update..life got in the way :-P.. Thank you for the reviews and support! Please Enjoy!
"We said two weeks you barely lasted one and what did you accomplish by it? The deputy is under stronger security measures than before. How do you plan on her executing her and slipping away with ease now her residence is under lock down?" The soldier asked Caetano and the man who got them into this mess.
"We were wasting time lying low and the guards can be easy taken care of with this" he said as he motioned to Caetano who placed a sonic pistol on the table. The meek woman at the table looked at the gun her eyes went wide.
"Where did you get that?" she asked.
"Boylan of course, on a low setting it is enough to incapacitate the guards, anyone who gets in the way. It will also help with the 'Dr Wallace' issue since you all outvoted me on his punishment and said he couldn't be harmed" he said rolling his eyes. Caetano had sweet talked Boylan into giving her the weapon for a price of course but she said it was for her safety as she had been married to a sixer and felt the killer would be after her.
"The colony requires his knowledge and expertise thus he has been given immunity" The older woman said haughtily as she despised guns and the man who placed it on the table.
"So I've adapted the plan. We knock him and the guards out and then the woman so I can finish her off" he said as he brandished his knife again and started playing with it.
"No, we will cease all trials and executions until further notice. We will study her properly and learn her weaknesses and the security layout and nut out a proper plan" The soldier said.
"Perhaps we should just not kil- execute her. No one seems to mind that we are getting rid of the Sixers but look at the protection Taylor has provided for this one woman" The meek woman said.
"No, she is breeding. It's best to kill her before that filth is salvageable" The older woman said.
"A baby is not filth" The meek woman said.
"Yet it is a complication" The soldier conceded.
"It is an advantage she's more vulnerable in her current state which means we should use it to our advantage" the man with the knife said.
"What are your thoughts Caetano?" the soldier asked Caetano who had been quiet for most of the conversation.
"Evan" Taylor said surprised to see Alicia's brother standing at his front door in the morning of a work day.
"Taylor, I was hoping Alicia would be home" Evan said as he saw Taylor was holding Ava with one arm and holding a bottle milk for Ava who made noises of protest. Taylor turned and used his back to prop the door as he held the bottle of milk so Ava could drink. The baby girl started guzzling the bottle of milk like a champion. Something about Taylor in that moment appeared soft and paternal in comparison to his usual hard ass military image.
"Kate has taken her to the gym, I'm looking after the twins. If you want I can call her back" Taylor said to Evan as he noticed that he was disappointed that Alicia wasn't here.
"No, it's ok I wanted to talk with you next. If you have the time" Evan said.
"Of course. Come in, can I offer you something to drink?" Taylor asked as Evan walked into the house.
"Coffee would be great but I can get it, why don't you sit down and finish up with Ava. Do you want one too?" Evan asked, Taylor gave a nod and moved to the dining table taking his usual seat at the head of the table.
"Sure" Taylor said grateful to not have to juggle Ava and coffee pot.
"Your girls are growing fast" Evan remarked.
"Yes, too quickly in my opinion. Alicia finds it oddly amusing that the girls have different colour hair and eyes though" Taylor said with a smile as it was true, Ava had dark brown hair and blue eyes while Ella had reddish brown hair and brown eyes but they both had the same skin tone and still the same facial features but then they were still babies they had a lot more growing and changing to go. Taylor placed the empty bottle of milk on the table and adjusted Ava so she was lying her head on his shoulder and rubbed her back to gently to burp her.
"But you're not here to talk about the kids. So out with it Evan, what did you want to talk about?" Taylor asked Evan.
"It's a tall order but I was hoping you and Alicia might be able to look after Sean and Olivia a couple a nights a week so I can finish the repairs on the terminus sooner rather than later" Evan said as he poured out two cups of coffee and brought them to the table.
"Why the rush with the repairs? You told me it would take years for the future rebuild and restart the program" Taylor said before taking a swig of his coffee. Evan sat down at the table to Taylor's left and gave a reluctant sigh.
"Your son is a piece of work and I really want to cut down my visiting hours by half if not more. That's my reason for the rush" Evan said not bothering to mince his words or be polite.
"I can understand that" Taylor said as he had watched and listened to the recordings of Evan's visits. He was amazed Evan hadn't asked this sooner.
"You can?" Evan asked and then he gave a nod as he realised Taylor would have been watching the circuit feed. "You know everything he has said to me. watching my meetings?" Evan asked shaking his head as he realised that Taylor couldn't keep his nose out of anything.
"It's my job and I wanted to be prepared for this eventuality where you came to either myself or Alicia" Taylor said.
"Of course." Evan drawled somewhat darkly as he hated how intrusive Taylor's 'protective' measures felt.
"Look, I'm not proud of my son. He is not the man I wanted him to be and it is in part my fault. I'm not going to get into the details as it is none of your business but I will say I did warn you" Taylor told Evan.
"Yeah when you said mind games and shock tactics I didn't think I'd be signing up to hear about everything he did to Kate or what that Ellyas guy did to him and how this makes his personal views about the human psyche" Evan said.
"Or about your sister and her past with Ellyas" Taylor added as Lucas talked a lot about Ellyas and what the man had told Lucas about Alicia. Somehow his son had this way of wrapping Kate into the patterns of the conversation about how Ellyas and Kate were one of the same and he was the naieve victim.
"That too but I'd rather talk about that with Alicia not you. No offence" Evan said as he knew how much Taylor didn't like to be kept out of things in regards to his sister.
"Your sister doesn't talk about it" Taylor said.
"You mean you don't want her to talk about it" Evan countered.
"No, your sister doesn't talk about with anyone. Something she has in common with Kate. It wasn't an easy time for your sister she wrote a report on the events and attended psych review but that's it. As fair as she's concerned it's in the past and doesn't wish to discuss it. So I honour her wishes" Taylor told Evan as he knew Alicia didn't like talking about that time in her life and he didn't force her. She eventually opened up on her own but had said she never wanted to talk about it again. He knew she wouldn't talk about it with Evan so felt it better to stretch the truth so Evan felt like it wasn't just him out in the cold.
"But-" Evan started except Taylor cut him off.
"You ever wonder why Alicia and Kate are incredibly close to the point they are like sisters?" Taylor asked Evan.
"Because they are both soldiers who share similiar interests?" Evan offered with a shrug.
"That's part of it. The other part is that they understand one another on a level you or I can't even begin to imagine. I look at Kate sometimes and I see the Alicia I met for the first time all those years ago. The only difference was that I stepped in as favour to a friend to help straighten your sister's head back out and salvage her military career. I made her into the exceptional soldier she was and she turned into the person she wanted to be."
"But Kate?" Evan asked, it was something that had him curious as he preferred not to think of Kate's past life and the person she had to be to be able to do the things Lucas told him.
"Kate is different" Taylor told Evan.
"Yeah Lucas told me that she was a cold blooded and calculating killer just like Ellyas. That what we see and know of her is just a façade-"
"It's not an act. She is the woman you know and yes she can be calculating and cold when she has to be but then you can say that of Alicia, myself or any other person who has been trained to do so. Don't go trying to make something black or white when it's clearly grey" Taylor said as shifted Ava into a more comfortable position in his arms and looked at Evan sternly as he hated philosophical discussions and discussions about moral responsibilty and ethics.
"I wasn't-"
"Yes you were. Evan you've always been a pacifist and you're entitled to your beliefs but don't project your beliefs of what is right and wrong on people like Kate and myself. We are the necessary 'evil' that allows you to maintain your moral high ground. Kate brought you and your kids here. You lived with her for months, she helps take care of your kids. She saved Alicia's life and countless others by shouldering responsibilities that shouldn't have been hers to begin with. So just take a moment to think about that then tell me what Lucas told you about her and she did over 100 years in our past has context on who she is now? Think about that and imagine if Alicia had the same history as Kate, would you judge Alicia so harshly?" Taylor asked Evan.
Evan opened his mouth to speak but stopped as he heard Alicia and Kate chatting outside the house. A second later the door opened women walked in and stopped in their tracks as they sensed the tension in the room.
"Oh hello guys, are we disturbing you?" Kate asked as looked to Alicia and then at the men.
"No, we're good. I have to head back to work anyway" Evan said as he downed some of his coffee forgetting it was incredibly hot he made a face as the liquid scorched down his throat.
"Oh ok, is everything Alright?" Alicia asked as her brother was acting incredibly awkward. She dropped her gym bag and moved to the dining table with Kate and took a seat next to Taylor opposite her brother.
"Yeah, everything is fine. I wanted to put in some overtime and was asking Taylor if you and he would mind looking after the kids for me. Only two or three nights a week" Evan said as he watched Kate take a seat next to him. He felt incredibly awkward for talking about her a few moments ago and thinking about what Lucas had told him about her.
"I said it would be fine" Taylor answered before Alicia could assure her brother.
"Of course and if they become too much we'll just bounce them over to Kate and Malcolm" Alicia joked. Kate smiled at the comment and shook her head at Alicia.
"We'll take the twins and you can take Evan's kids. Malcolm needs more baby training not ankle biter training" Kate said with a smile.
"Only Malcolm?" Alicia asked sceptically as she felt Kate needed a good dose of a reality check that she was going to have her own baby in a few months. Sure she no longer referred to the baby as a 'parasite' but she wasn't exactly registering she was pregnant either. It was more like she was going through the motions.
"I'm a natural remember? It comes from years of being single and having people around married with babies. So how was everyone else's morning?" Kate asked in a jovial manner.
"I think I might be able to finish the repairs on the terminus sooner if I work longer hours and possibly steal your husband for a few late nights" Evan said.
"It's up to Malcolm I'm not his keeper but what's with the rush?" Kate asked him.
"I would sleep better at night knowing that fracture is secure and closed. I should be off" Evan answered as he finished his cup of coffee.
"Ok-" Taylor stopped as his comm. beeped on the table. He picked it up and pressed the answer button. "Taylor here, go ahead" he said.
"It's Malcolm I have those results you wanted" Malcolm's voice came over the comm. line.
"Ok, be at the command centre in ten" Taylor said he pocketed his comm. and looked to Alicia who already had her hands out ready to take Ava.
"You'll be home for dinner?" Alicia asked as he handed a sleeping Ava over to her and placed the towel he had on his shoulder over hers.
"Yes" he said before giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "Kate, I'll see you later" he said as he got up from his chair and left the house with evan who said his farewells.
"Annika Dresner" Malcolm said as he answered Taylor's question. Malcolm had called Jim and Taylor to the main laboratory to give them the results of the blood tests.
"Another sixer dead. I'll inform Mira" Jim said as he was about to turn on his feet but stopped when Malcolm held up his hands in a 'stop' motion before lowering them and retaking his seat at the lab table they were standing by.
"Mira already knows" Malcolm said, the two men looked at him. "She came by earlier and told me that the woman was missing and heard about the incident at my house felt they were connected. Apparently she was right" Malcolm said in a matter of factorial manner, he was empathetic to Mira's loss but he was glad the blood had been washed off his windows and the broken window replaced as he found it unsettling having the message written on the back windows of his house.
"There has to some way of catching this woman besides setting up a trap that could endanger Kate" Taylor said voicing his frustrations as he wanted the killer caught. Jim's face lit up like he was having an epiphany.
"Or that's exactly what we do. We should get Kate here I have an idea" Jim said to them. Malcolm looked confused while Taylor was curious.
"I'm sorry but did you become unbalanced during our time apart? Cause that is the most ridiculous hair brain scheme I've ever heard" Kate told Jim immediately after he told her his idea and asked her opinion. Taylor had called her to the Command centre where Jim informed her his hair brain idea of plan. Well he thought it was genius but Kate thought it was incredibly dangerous and stupid she wasn't going to hide her opinion either.
"No I'm being serious" Jim said looking slightly put out by Kate's lack of enthusiasm but then she wasn't alone as Malcolm looked at him like he had grown a second head and that head was winking and blowing kisses at him.
"Let me get this straight, you want to make it easier for this woman whoever she is to get into my house and murder me?" Kate asked him in a sarcastic manner as Jim had suggested that Taylor's men create a gap in the shift change over and make the soldiers less than diligent in their duties while Malcolm worked late at night leaving little windows of opportunity for the killer to come into her home and attack Kate while she was alone and supposedly 'unarmed'.
"That's oversimplifying it but yes. Though it will be a trap to catch her not kill her or have her kill you" Jim told her.
"Oh ok and who or what is going to trap her? Because I will put the woman down before she has a chance at me" Kate told him darkly.
"Taylor and his soldiers across the road will trap her after you press a panic button and take cover." Jim answered
"That's the plan? What if I'm a sleep and she comes in?" Kate asked.
"You're really going to sleep?" Jim asked her.
"I'll do my best not to but it's not like I have full control of my body anymore" Kate told him as she folded her arms across her chest.
"We'll take extra precautions and it's just that we need for it to appear as though you're an easy target" Jim said, Kate didn't want to point out how so many things could wrong with his plan like how all the killer had to do was shoot her in the head or a well placed shot to the torso and she'd be dead within the time Taylor and his soldiers took to get to her house. Or that she might accidentally press the panic button while in flagrante with Malcolm and give a nice show to an unwanted audience.
"How stupid-" Kate stopped for a moment to calm herself and then reworded her words "How long do you think it will take for this woman to fall for this plan?" Kate asked Jim.
"I don't know but it's worth a try at least we'll have the house tricked out with more guns to make you comfortable and like I said we are only giving the woman an opening to get into your house during the shift changes. It might not even work and she may not appear at all" Jim said.
"I don't know the message was pretty clear written in capital letters and with human blood" Kate drawled sarcastically as she moved to the guest chair at Taylor's desk and down. She ran her hands over her face.
"It's risky but I think it's worth a try" Jim said Kate leaned back in the chair and looked to Taylor.
"Taylor, what do you think?" Kate asked as Taylor had been quiet through the meeting.
"I think it's worth a try but if you and Malcolm aren't comfortable with it then we won't do it." Taylor said. Kate looked to Malcolm who ran a hand over his mouth showing no signs of an opinion as he looked back at her.
"It's your decision" he told Kate.
"No it's our decision. It's our home, and you could end up as collateral damage in this. It wouldn't be the first time" Kate said to him.
"As far as I understand it I'll be 'working late' to make you vulnerable to attack. So I won't be at the house for majority of this plan" Malcolm remarked distastefully as he didn't like the plan at all. He picked up the second chair near Kate's and placed it facing her and took a seat infront of her. He took her hands in his and looked at them for a moment before looking at her. "I don't like the plan, it's a hatchet job. Dangerous with too many holes in it"
"Thanks Malcolm" Jim said dryly.
"But if it works this could be over within a week or two not months of looking over our shoulders and worrying but the risk of all this going south weighs on you as you're the target. If you don't want this then we won't do this. Anyway I'd prefer we didn't as I don't like working late" he said to her making her smile.
"It's official I'm pregnant" Kate said to Malcolm as she heard him coming back to the bedroom from the bathroom. She looked down marvelling that somehow in the space of two weeks her bloated stomach had turned into a pregnant bump. The bump had truly snuck up on her as she found that she couldn't wear many of her clothes as she was trying to downplay her pregnancy. So the layered tunic top and skinny jeans she had been planning to wear were out as her pants wouldn't do up and the tunic didn't really flatter her now rounded belly.
"It's been official for quite awhile say about 18 weeks and 5 days but really who's counting?" Malcolm asked amused as he came into the bedroom already dressed in his work clothes. He only had to put on his boots and he'd be out the door instead he leaned against the door frame and looked at Kate who was vainly trying to do up her jeans. He looked as exhausted as she did as they ran on less than 6 hours sleep a night for the past two weeks.
"Well apparently you are" Kate grumbled as she gave up and pulled off her jeans before folding them up and putting them back in the drawer. She paused for a moment as the baby moved inside her. It was a disconcerting feeling but in some ways comforting as it reaffirmed how real the baby was and her life.
She had felt the baby move before just bubbles every now and then for the last couple of weeks but she always assumed she was hungry or ate something that didn't entirely agree with her. Apparently it wasn't disagreeable stomach but an overactive baby growing inside her as the bubbles turned into a rolling movement which was incredibly nauseating.
"Are you feeling ok?" Malcolm asked as he moved to Kate's side and pressed a hand to her forehead to feel her temperature as she had paled slightly.
"I feel like I'm on a never ending Dodonpa roller coaster ride. How can two relatively calm people make such a hyperactive baby. It's your fault" Kate grumbled.
"My fault?" Malcolm asked amused and confused to why she would feel that way.
"You knocked me up with your brand 11 secret herbs and spices. So you had him/her last clearly it's your fault now make it stop" Kate said with a sigh, Malcolm pursed his lips trying not to smile as she just gave him the opening he needed to do what he had been dying to do for weeks. He knelt down in front of her and lifted her tunic up and placed his hands gently on her stomach.
"Good Morning child of mine, I'd really appreciate it if you stop rolling around in there you're making your mother ill. You hear me in there?" Malcolm asked to her stomach in a stern and mocking tone. "Yeah, I'm talking to you in there. It's time to calm down, you can move all you want but take it easy" he said as he could no longer keep the smile off his face as he looked up at Kate.
"How do you know he or she can understand English?" Kate asked Malcolm with raised eyebrows.
"He or She is at least ¾ British. Anyway it's about hearing our voices and calming down, the words are superfluous. So is it working?" Malcolm asked Kate as he rubbed her stomach in a calming manner. She looked away as she gave a look like she was doing an internal check up before she gave a nod.
"It appears so. Thank you" Kate said as the baby settled within her and her nausea subsided.
"So you'll allow me to talk to our child more often?" Malcolm asked slightly excited and apprehensively as he had been withholding on his urge to talk to the baby because he wasn't sure how Kate would react.
"I wasn't stopping you before but no baby talk or goofy voices and getting gooey like it's a cute puppy dog in there" Kate told him. Malcolm smiled at her.
"We've seen the holographic scans and they don't lie. It's definitely human in there" He said before he placed a kiss on her protruding stomach and got back to his feet to stand in front of her. Kate closed the space between them and dropped her head onto his chest relaxing into his arms as he wrapped them around her.
"That's lucky. Now sadly I have to put my clothes on" Kate said as she reluctantly stepped out of his arms and pulled on a pair of yoga leggings with a roll down top and changed her tunic for a slightly fitted shirt dress. Malcolm moved in close behind her and placed his hands on top of hers before she had the chance to button the front up.
He moved his hands over hers and then under the shirt travelling down and over her swollen belly. She leaned her back against his chest. He placed a couple of soft kisses on the side of her neck making her sigh in pleasure.
"Mmm don't start something you aren't going to finish" Kate murmured to him as he traced his fingers over her swollen abdomen.
"I do have a meeting to get to" he said with a disappointed sigh as he'd rather spend the morning in bed with Kate. But he had called the meeting to talk about the lab time distribution and to listen to his staff on their progress, all before he settled in for another long day with Evan so they could finally finish repairs on the Terminus. It's what they had been doing for two weeks he and Evan were nearly finished with the repairs of the terminus since Malcolm had dedicated his days and most of his nights to helping Evan finish up the project since Jim's plans hinged on him being out of the way.
"You know if we weren't following Jim's plan I'd think you were having it off with Evan and making plans to run off with him" Kate said as she turned to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She wore a teasing smile as Malcolm laughed as he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist again.
"Trust me I've no interest in men or any other women. I'm all yours" he said before they kissed briefly then Kate pulled back with a smile.
"Good I don't like sharing. Now I have to get ready. I'm supposed to go to the gym with Alicia in the next 20 minutes. So if you will release me?" Kate asked him, he looked to contemplate her request before acquiescing and releasing her.
"Sure though you will have to change your shirt" he told her not moving away. She looked up at him with a quizzical expression.
"Why?" she asked him, he moved his hands to the front of her shirt to show her that it wouldn't close due to the increase in her bust. "Seriously? I know I'm bigger but this is ridiculous when do I stop growing?" Kate asked in an exasperated tone as she dropped her head back for moment. Malcolm chuckled at her frustration and the fact she had tried to wear the same shirt last week and it didn't fit then but he didn't see the point in calling her on it.
"I don't know but I'm enjoying it, why don't you wear that navy dress you have" he offered with an amused smile on his lips.
"Of course you are enjoying yourself. What guy doesn't like a well rounded ass and a nice set of boobs" Kate said in a teasing tone to him as she turned around and stripped out of the shirt and tights before pulling out the dress he had suggested. It would definitely fit as it was a loose maxi tank swing dress.
"I feel this is one of those moments where there is no right answer" he said as he took the dress from her hands and tossed it over the reading chair they had the room. Kate raised an eyebrow at him "However there is a right course of action" he told her.
"Oh? And this course of action that you speak of can be completed in less than 3 minutes so you're not late for your staff meeting?" Kate asked him. He narrowed his eyes in thought at her.
"I'll just be late, perks of being the boss" he told her.
