Chapter 50

United States Naval Base
Recruit Training Center
On the shores of Lake Michigan
Great Lakes, IL
Building #1105
Day #34

Kira

They had floated for a very long time, long enough for some people to even doze off. But they all woke up when the boat stopped, then was pushed up against a dock on the far side. After much business which included unlocking the wheels of the wagon the 'engines' started up again and with a series of bumps they were once again underway. And once again Kitta squirmed her way out from under her cloak to see. "Don't you ever sleep?" Kira asked, teasingly.

"I can't sleep!" Kitta protested. "There's a whole new world to look at!"

They drove down dark roads for a while, and then passed an open space with a well-lit, very grand building on the far side. "Ooo, what's that?" Kitta asked.

"I have no idea." Kira replied.

More driving, more emergency cars with their lights going, another long turn onto another wide, fast road, and then another long turn off of it. More buildings, bigger ones, and more turns and nothing looked familiar anymore. Kitta had slumped against her, and might have even started falling asleep, but... "Kira, I want to go home."

"You are home." Kira told her, tucking her in closer. "Wherever the Missionaries are that's your home; you were all excited a little bit ago, why do you want to go home now?"

"Because I hafta go to the bathroom!"

Uh oh. "Hopefully we'll be stopping soon."

They did stop soon. They stopped in front of a large brick building, three stories tall, that was well lit and had lots and lots of people in those funny suits and masks around. As soon as they stopped Reka pushed her way to the back of the wagon, climbed over the gate, dropped to the ground and gave a loud, sharp whistle, "Everyone down and to me!"

"What if we're not supposed to get out now?" Someone asked.

Giles turned toward the voice as he and Andrew worked to lower the back of the wagon. "You tell her that."

By the time they hit the pavement Kitta was squirming. Kira turned to the nearest man in a suit and mask and pointed down to the little girl just as she crossed her legs. He took one look and pointed toward the building. Some things were universal.

More men in suits were motioning them to follow. As they had before they formed into a flock of ducks, red-cloaked Guardians on the outside. Kira tried for that but she had to stick close to Andrew, her charge, and Kitta would not leave her. They were guided into the building and then to a set of stairs up. At every turn Kira stopped at someone in a mask and pointed to the squirming Kitta, but they were just pointed along the path.

Finally they were being led into a large, brightly lit room, lighting that gave Kira the shivers. But she couldn't stop to consider, Kitta was jumping up and down with need. Another person in a mask, and another point down, but this one led them to another short hall that could be entered from inside the room. Down that hall Kira found two large bathrooms, one on either side, with toilets and sinks that looked familiar enough. "Found the bathrooms!" She called to everyone as Kitta positively ran for one of the toilets. They were each in a separate little metal box like a horse stall, so more than one person could go at a time and still have privacy. Kira used one herself as a line began to form. Once that was done she had time to step back and consider. This room, perhaps these rooms, was very much like the Cages, all clean and concrete and tile, with lots of metal and a drain in the floor. But they were all here together, so it wasn't and she wasn't alone. But at the same time….she touched the coin around her neck and considered, what would Spencer suggest I look for first? What worried him the most? It wasn't the tile, or the metal, or anything like that it was…. Kira looked up at the corners of the room. Sure enough there were two cameras up there, watching them. "No!" She said, a flare of anger lighting her.

"What is it?" Merina asked, spotting the anger on her face.

Kira pointed at the cameras. "They're watching us!" She spit out. "At the toilet, and…" She looked at the end of the room. "…while we bathe. It's….it's…"

"Shhh. Breathe, dear. Just breathe." Merina said, mildly. "They're observing us. They have been this entire time, like we observe the patients in the yellow wing. I saw some on the way here, taking notes. We're new to them and they're curious."

"Then why don't they just come talk to us instead of staring at us like some sick, twisted…" Every memory of her time in prison kept trying to crowd back. For a moment she was inexplicably terrified that they had all seen what had happened to her. They knew somehow.

Merina stepped close without touching and projected an attitude of calm. "I'm sure they will, given time. But for now I suggest that we communicate that we are willing to work with them but there are limits." She considered the camera for a moment. "Alfdis! Kitta!" The other Guardian and the young girl came over. "Does anyone have a skaut they are willing to part with? I need two." She asked the women in the room. Two were quickly presented to her. She folded them into the traditional triangle and then knotted them for a very small head. "Okay Kitta, Kira and Alfdis are going to lift you up and then I want you to slide this skaut over that thing up there so that the point hangs well over the glass, can you do that?" The little girl nodded. Alfdis and Kira each took one of her legs and on three lifted so she could reach. A moment later and the first camera was seeing nothing but cloth.

"I'll go tell the men to do the same." Merina said and left them to the work. A few moments later the other camera was covered as well.

That done Kira, Kitta and Alfdis poked around the far end of the room. "Do you think these are for bathing?" Alfdis asked when she stepped into one of the larger metal stalls. It was sectioned off with a sort of a waxed cloth, with a metal bench on one side, and a nozzle coming out of the wall on the other, with a knob underneath.

"I don't know." Kira replied. She stepped out of the way of the water, if it was going to come out of that nozzle, and turned the knob. Sure enough, water came out, falling like a sharp rainfall.

Kitta stuck her hand in. "Ugh, it's cold!"

The knob was marked from blue to red. Kira turned it to the red side. In a moment the water started to steam. "There we go."

Alfdis sighed. "Oh good, I could use one. But later, let's go check out the rest of the place."

The three of them headed back to the main room, which was large and brightly lit as the cages had been, with two bed bunks along each side and tables at the end by the door. At least this place has windows, Kira thought. Alfdis wandered off to find her charge while Kira went to find Andrew. He was toward the back of the room, with one of the little boys up on his shoulders, covering another camera. "They're everywhere." She muttered darkly.

"Yes, but we're not going to be performing for them." Andrew told her. "That's the last one." He put the boy back on his feet. "Go find your Momma. The bad news is that we're locked in."