Regina's Recall
Notes
I do not own any of the characters in this story. The story is very much based on the film total recall but with my own twist. Just an idea that came to me one night and thought I would give it a go. It's a little bit different from normal swanqueen fanfics so please be kind. Any comments and improvements are welcome. Much love.
Story
At the end of the 21st Century a global chemical war left the planet almost inhabitable. Living space on earth became limited and is now the earths most valuable resource. Only two territories remain habitable. The UFB (united federation of Britain) and Storybrooke, known to some as the colony. Storybrooke is the smaller of the two areas and is positioned on the other side of the planet to the UFB. It is heavily populated, mainly with working class citizens who cannot afford to live in the luxury of the UFB territory. Everyday workers from Storybrooke travel through the planets core on the only transport possible. The Fall. The fall is a tunnel bored through the centre of the earth that connects the two territories together. A gravity elevator that takes around 17 minutes to get from one territory to the other via the fall. 17 minutes where anything can happen.
"Regina! Come on Regina wake up"
What's going on?
Glass began to shatter around her and the sound of an alarm began to pound into her skull. As she lifted her head off the cold tiled floor she was met by a stabbing pain in the side of her chest and a dull ache at the front of her head. Her nails began to dig into the floor, clawing at the titles trying to help her sit up. The pain was becoming more and more intense with every movement she made. As she propped herself up against what looked like an overturned table, her hand immediately moved towards her head. Blood began to drip down her cold fingers. She winced as she tried to wipe the cut clean with her hand but all she did was make it worse, now causing the blood to ooze down her neck.
Her head was a mess. Lights began flashing erratically around her, blinding her from any details she tried to pick out in the room. Her legs felt weak and she could feel her body telling her to sit but clearly this wasn't an option. She couldn't stay here, stuck to the floor, doomed to die. She could see more pools of blood seeping through her ripped jeans and black t-shirt.
Suddenly her eyes became fixed on the only thing she could see. A black figure striding around the room purposefully. The figure was coming closer and closer. All Regina wanted to do was scream but nothing was coming out. The figure was now right in front of her and had bent down to her level.
"Regina, we have only got 10 seconds before that alarm brings an entire squad down here and a load of trouble with it, we have gotta go"
It was a woman.
Regina began squinting, trying to make out any details of this woman face. All she could see were a pair of deep emerald eyes staring into hers. To her surprise, these eyes made her feel safe, they seemed to stare into her soul and cause her to feel a range of emotions that Regina had never felt before. This woman wasn't trying to kill her, she was trying to help her. But before Regina had a chance to fully process everything she had just learnt, a gun was being trust firmly into the palm of her hand. Without even thinking, her body began to load the handgun quickly.
How did she do that? She had never held a gun in her life.
"lets go" the woman said, helping her to her feet and dragging her towards the nearest door. The woman was clearly strong as her arms looped around her waist, easily manoeuvring her through the door and into the dark corridor. Suddenly Regina realised where she was.
"A Hospital" she muttered under her breath, her vision now becoming clearer and clearer. She gripped her right hand firmly onto the handgun and moved away from the strangers arms. She could stand. Hell, she could walk, the adrenaline must be kicking in.
As she reached the door she stood to the right side and the other woman stood to the left. She pointed the handgun out in front of her and then slowly peered around the corner. The corridor was clear apart from what appeared to be two dead doctors pressed up against the wall covered in blood.
"Its clear" she said and the stranger gave her a quick nod. Then suddenly Regina's legs began to move without her even thinking. She began to run, sprint even down the dully lit corridor, a few odd flashes of white light breaking up her vision.
"REGINA WATCH OUT"
Bullets began to wiz past her, only just missing her torso and head. Suddenly her body was being engulfed by strong arms once more and she was being pulled into another room. Her body was being cocooned by a warm, strong body, protecting her from whatever was in the corridor.
"Are you hit?"
She could now make out the woman's face, her own personal saviour. She had beautiful thick blonde curls and plump red lips. Her emerald eyes locking onto Regina's brown. Her body was thin but muscular. Regina could feel her toned arms even through the woman's black leather jacket.
"Regina are you hit?" she asked again this time more worry filling her voice.
Were they close? Just listening to the woman's tone of voice answered that question for her. They clearly weren't just acquaintances.
"I'm fine" she said, feeling the blonde release her from their warm embrace.
"Okay good, right Regina I need you to try and smash that window over there" she pointed to the small window at the back of the room. It looked tough.
"Once you break that, there should be a ladder running down the side of the wall, climb out and climb down it" the blonde instructed.
They had been forced into what looked like a doctor's office. Unfortunately for them the window was their only way of escaping. Closing the door and shooting the electrical lock, the stranger then began walking over to the window and began to help Regina smash through.
Suddenly the pair heard a loud crash behind them.
A large police robot had smashed the small window on the office door and was now bringing its gun up to point through the window. The robot was a mixture of black and white, its face mostly black. Its body was clearly heavily armoured and its movement were quick and precise.
Suddenly Regina began to feel something inside of her, it felt almost like a fire had been lit in her soul. It began to spread freely throughout her body and a wave of confidence began to flow through her veins.
"GO NOW" she shouted at the woman standing next to her, who beginning to step through the window.
"No no no, this isn't happening, we are in the wrong office" the stranger began to say as she hung out of the window. As Regina looked down she saw it. The ladder was not where it was supposed to be. Instead it was two floors below them.
"Shit" the stranger said still hanging there, her legs swinging in the wind.
"grab my hand, will have to find another way" Regina said linking fingers with the blonde and connecting their palms together. She began to pull as hard a she could, trying to help the blonde back over the window ledge.
BANG
A bullet flew through the air and struck Regina's and the stranger hand, flying cleanly through the pairs linked palms, breaking any contact they once had.
"Hold on" Regina yelled, now linking their bloody, sweaty hands back together. She didn't know what to do. The blondes hand was slipping and she now had 3 police robots bashing down the door.
Why weren't they shooting? She was a sitting target.
Suddenly everything began to slow down. Her blood began to boil and her new found confidence began to take over again. With her free hand she pointed her loaded handgun at the door and began shooting at the robots. Much to her dismay, the bullets began to ricochet off, only leaving small dents in their heavily armoured bodies. As she heard the empty click of her gun, her heart sunk. Was this really how her life was about to end.
Then suddenly a new gun was being forced through the small window. A gun that Regina did recognise but the stranger clearly did.
"No" the stranger screamed.
Suddenly a flash of blue and white light filled the room and Regina suddenly felt her body being squeezed together. She looked down and saw that her body was now wrapped tightly in what appeared to be blue and white magnetic lights. The lights were hot and sharp, almost like a tazer but it consumed her whole body instead, wrapping its way around every inch of her small figure, constricting her like a snake squeezing its prey to death. Air began to leave her lungs but didn't return. She was being strangled, subdued even. She could feel her mind beginning to cloud and here vision becoming blurred. The suddenly her legs began to rise in the air.
"Take her" a male voice sounded from outside the door,his voice harsh and strict. This caused the robot to increase the magnetical pull on its gun to max.
Regina couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't hold on. Her whole body was being forcefully ripped away from the only person she trusted in that moment.
"Let go" she managed to breath out to the stranger. It was clear she wasn't going to make it out if this and there was no point her getting caught as well. If she let go she could possibly survive the fall or grab onto the ladder as she fell.
"I will find you, I will always find you" the stranger said and then she let go, plummeting down the side of the building.
Regina's ears were now being filled by the piercing scream of the stranger falling to the floor. But she didn't have long to think about it. Suddenly her body was being flung backwards at a colossal speed towards the office door. She felt her back smash into the frame of the door, bits of broken glass digging into her back, finding any piece of exposed skin to bury into. Her head flew backwards and smacked firmly against the door. Now all she saw was black.
Regina's eyes flashed open and her body woke up with a jolt.
"Not again" she thought to herself as she rubbed the back of her head trying to calm her nerves that had now consumed her body. She was sitting up in bed, her thick duvet now only covering her legs. She could feel her hands shaking and her smooth, toned stomach was now covered in a thick layer of cold sweat. She spun her body around and looked at the clock on her bedside table.
4:30am
Two more hours and then she had to be up for work. Great.
Suddenly the other side of the bed began to move and a rough hand was then placed on the small of her back, a warm thumb rubbing small circles into her soft skin.
"Another bad dream?"
She nodded her head and then brought her palms up to her face, covering any sign of emotion she was feeling in that moment. She began to take deep breaths into her hands trying to calm her still racing heart.
"Do you want to talk about it?" the smooth English accent filling her ears.
"There's nothing to talk about Robin" she said trying to move away from his touch. She really didn't want to be touched right now, she just wanted to be on her own. "Just go back to sleep" she said.
But Robin wasn't going to back down that easily.
"Regina, was it the same dream?" he said rubbing his eyes ,freeing them from their tired state. He then moved his fingers through his hair, slicking back any lose ends.
Regina took a deep breath.
"I'm trapped, being chased, can't get away and then I wake up" she said climbing out of bed and walking into the bathroom. Her eyes began scanning the room for an empty glass. Her mouth was bone dry and her head was pounding. It felt similar to a bad hangover.
She filled the empty glass up with fresh cold water and began to take large sips. It felt bliss, the smooth, crisp water flowing down the back of her throat removing some of the dryness that had been lingering there for several hours.
"So it's just you and nobody else?" Robin asked, the duvet now tucked around his waist, his toned arms and stomach now on display.
Regina took an even bigger gulp of water at this question. Should she tell Robin about the blonde woman? If she did, would he freak out? Would he be jealous of a women Regina isn't sure even exists?
"No, it's just me" she said, her hands now resting on the edge of the sink. She looked up into the mirror hanging above the sink. Her eyes looked red and she had dark circles underneath them, luckily it was nothing that a bit of makeup couldn't fix. Her eyes then moved down towards the circular scar on the palm of her hand. She couldn't remember how she go this, her mother had told her it was from a freak accident when she was a child but she still couldn't put a memory to the scar.
"Regina" a small, tentative voice flowed through into the bathroom from the bedroom.
"Is it me?" Robin asked, his voice sounded upset.
"What are you talking about Robin?" Regina said taking another sip of water.
"I don't know, you're alone, you can't get away. Do I make you feel trapped?" he said looking at her from the bed with his piercing blue eyes.
"No, no, no Robin" Regina said, crawling back onto the bed and holding his hand in hers.
"I know this isn't what you had in mind" Robin said, gesturing to the small bedroom and small apartment the pair now lived in. They had recently moved into this apartment as they had had to downsize from their house in the UFB because Robin had lost his job and they couldn't live off Regina's wage alone.
"What… you mean this castle" Regina said, giving him a quick smirk.
"But who gets everything they fantasise about right?" he said pulling Regina in for a warm embrace.
"At least I've got you "
His lips grazed smoothly over hers and then he placed his nose neatly against hers.
BLEEP BLEEP
Regina quickly broke the intimate moment and lunged for her phone that was resting on the bedside cabinet.
"Shit" she said, reading the message that had lit up her screen.
"what is it?" Robin asked, his hand resting on her arm.
"Another bombing in the UFB, I am going to have to go, there calling all emergency personnel to go up top " she said placing a quick kiss on his cheek and then rushing over towards her wardrobe. She pulled out a fresh pair of underwear and her paramedic uniform. Quickly she shimmied out of her old underwear and put on the new black set dropping her old, sweaty pair into the laundry basket. She then threw on her paramedic uniform quickly.
"And I was gonna make you breakfast this morning" Robin said, his eyes fixed on his wife's beautiful body. "looks like its going to have to be dinner instead" he said giving her a cheeky wink. All Regina could do was smile. Her phone bleep again.
"I'm coming, I'm coming" she said tying up her shoe laces as Robin turned on the TV.
"50 people killed and 120 injured in terror attack against the UFB, the bomb went off just after all the people had boarded" Robin read as he starred at the pictures of the destroyed train and listened to the ambulance sirens on the TV.
"All signs of the terrorist attack point to the leaders of The Resistance, David Noland and Mary Margret Blanchard" The TV boomed. "The people of Storybrooke deserve equality, The Fall enslaves us all. Chancellor Gold reassured the people of both colony's that the pair will be caught and punished for their crimes".
"Fucking Resistance" Robin muttered "they are just destroying everybody lives" he moaned
Regina looked up at the TV. This was the third bombing in 6 months, why were the resistance doing this, killing innocent people over a petty war with the UFB council.
"I'll see you later honey, oh and please, promise me you won't go to the UFB today or use the fall, it's dangerous over there and I don't want you getting hurt"
Robin nodded his head and then watched as his wife ran down the stairs and out the door into the cold morning air. Slumping back into bed, Robin began to drift off to sleep again.
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Quick Regina made her way through the busy morning streets of Storybrooke. The rain was pouring and soaking her already dirty uniform. Annoyingly she had forgotten to pick up and umbrella on her way out this morning so she would have to deal with getting wet. The morning 5:00am train boomed above her head and stopped as she watched the morning crowd pack the train full even after the event in the UFB. Across the side of the train, a virtual advertisement was taking place. Images of beaches and sexy women littered the side of the train. Suddenly the advertisement began to speak.
"Going somewhere? No? Well don't let that stop you. That fantasy that remains forever out of reach, well not anymore, at Rekall, well provide you with a complete set of memories all your own. Rekall… we can remember it for you"
Regina was entranced. Should she really be taking an interest in something like this? Quickly she snapped out of her trance and began walking towards The Fall station.
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"All passengers please report to you designated gates. This is the final boarding call for the 5:15 departure"
The announcement filled Regina's ears as she lined up waiting for her pass to be checked and cleared before she got onto the fall. As she looked around, all she could see were police robots roaming the station looking for anything that looked out of line. She understood why but this time the station was littered with them. Suddenly she heard shouting.
"Wake up to the truth, Chancellor Gold is counting on your complacency, don't let them ship you across the Earth like cattle, David and Mary Margret will free us"
The man who was shouting was soon detained and was being dragged away by armed police officers and 1 robot. Behind him a wall full of graffiti was present. It read "David and Mary Margret = Truth"
Suddenly Regina felt a presence next to her.
"Hey Sis, you look like shit"
Regina knew that voice.
"Thanks Zelena" she said smiling at her sister "I actually feel like shit so no offense taken"
Zelena handed Regina a small coffee cup and winked.
"Thanks" Regina said bumping their cups together and then walking forwards towards the pass booth.
As the pairs passes were checked and cleared, they began to board the fall along with hundreds of other people.
"So how come you look so shit then sis, normally you're the height of sophistication" Zelena chuckled taking a quick swig of her coffee.
"I just didn't sleep very well that's all and then getting up at 4:30 to attend a large scale bombing really doesn't do wonders for your complexion". Regina said back as they queued for their fall booth.
"Welcome to the fall, its now 5:14 am, travel time to the United Federation of Britain is 17 minutes. Dropping in 60 seconds" the tannoy announced.
As the pair sat down in their usual seats Regina began thinking.
"Has it ever occurred to you that we always sit in these seats" she said to a slightly confused looking Zelena. "why do we do it?" She questioned, Zelena's confused face only growing.
"I don't know" Zelena replied " These are seats, we have butts, it seems like the most logical thing to do"
This causes Regina to let out a little smirk as well as a standard eye roll.
"But don't you get bored of following the same routine" Regina quizzed. "day after day we do the same thing, drink the same coffee, sit in the same seats and never question it".
"Okay, so why do we switch it up" and without another word Zelena got up and moved across the other side of the booth and into another set of seats.
"Please make sure all personal belongings are stored below your seat before departure" the tannoy boomed again.
"How's this? Zelena said, smiling at her sister from the opposite side of the booth. "Oh yeah, this seat is real nice sis, I think we've been doing it all wrong" she teased as she watched Regina hurry over to her. The pod was becoming full now and Regina didn't fancy sitting next to a complete stranger. She placed her butt into the chair and looked at her sister.
"You're a complete bitch, you know that right? She teased.
"That's why you love me" Zelena Quipped back.
Slowly the safety restraints began to lower down from the top of their seats, trapping their body's into place but leaving their arms and legs free.
"The Fall dropping in four, three, two, one….have a nice day" the tannoy lady said and then suddenly the fall began to drop. Regina always hated the initial drop; it made her stomach flip, almost like she was on a rollercoaster. She had been riding the fall for years but still not got used to the drop. As she looked at the information screen she saw that it was not raining in the UFB. Thank god for that. They were due to arrive at the UFB at 5:32, luckily just before rush hour. She watched the screen as the news began to fill the screen.
"Despite talks between Chancellor Gold and Storybrookes governor, the chancellor announced that he'll be stopping all humanitarian aid to Storybrooke in the light of this morning's bombing"
Then chancellor Golds face popped up on the screen.
"As much as I want to focus our efforts on cleaning up Storybrooke/the colony, todays terrorist attack means that funding will have to go to bolstering our synthetic federal police force. The protection of our citizens will always come first"
"Great, more robocops" Zelena said, snapping Regina out of her news trance. She placed the book she had found on her seat and been half reading down on her knees and looked at her sister.
"Its for everyone's safety Zelena" she said
"Yes I know, but those synthetic's just give me the creeps".
Regina just shook her head and picked the book back up.
"Now approaching the core" the tannoy echoed around the pod. "Please preapare for gravity reversal"
Suddenly The Fall began to slow and spin. Regina could feel herself moving backwards in her seat. It kept moving until she was upside down, her legs dangling above her. She let go of the book and it began to float in the air, gravity becoming no existent. A bright red glow began to fill the pod full of light and fire from the falls engines began to appear at the sides of the window. Regina loved this view. It always reminded her of a beautiful sunset.
As the Fall picked up speed, racing through the earth's core at incredible speed Regina began thinking about the job she had to do. What was she going to find when they got to the UFB? How many people was she going to have to try and save?
"Gravity reversal deactivating"
Slowly Regina's seat began to rotate again, bringing her back to her normal seated position.
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The fall finally arrived at the UFB, clipping into place and clearing everyone for departure.
As Regina and Zelena made their way to the security departure gate with everyone else, they noticed an extremely large amount of police robots covering the ground.
"Security elevated to level three, please remain in scanners until cleared"
"Omg how long is this going to take, we are here to help save people's lives not wait in queues all day" Zelena grumbled. Regina just rolled her eyes.
"Identification documents must be ready to present to a security officer before entering the screening area"
"Okay, I'm not waiting any longer…. hey you". Zelena said pointing at one of the security officers. "do you think you can hurry this along, me and my sis here have people's lives to save" she said quickly flashing her paramedic badge at the guard.
He studied it carefully and then look at Regina's.
"Right this way" he said removing them from the line and ushering them forwards towards the security booth.
"He's HOT" Zelena mouthed towards her sister. Regina just shook her head and laughed.
"Right sis, I'm going to have to love you and leave you" Zelena said as they made their way out of the station. "I've been assigned to the hospital instead of the train scene so I better go" she rubbed her sisters cheek with her thumb. "Stay safe little sis" she said waving and running off into the crowd of people.
"Love you Ze" Regina whispered before also walking into the crowd of people and heading towards the crime scene.
"Lets go save lives"