The two guards collapsed soundlessly as the gas hit them. Their weapons clattered a little as they struck the floor, but no one was close enough to notice. With a quick backward glance, Sandoval stepped carefully over the unconscious men and into the elevator.
The church above was nearly empty. Only the most devoted—or most troubled—remained to seek solace this late into the night. Silently, Sandoval made his way out of the concealed elevator and into the main church. He was almost at the doors when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. Instinctively he lashed out with an elbow, missed, and spun to deliver another blow. This time his fist made contact. His attacker let go and stumbled back, giving Sandoval a clear view of his face in the dim light.
"Major Kincaid," hissed Sandoval. "You were instructed not to leave headquarters."
"So were you," gasped Liam. He rubbed his ribs gingerly as he straightened up. "I assume you're on your way up to the mothership."
"I'm not leaving Ryan in the hands of the Taelons."
"I know," said Liam. "I'm going to help you."
"Why?" demanded Sandoval.
"Because I know what the Taelons are capable of. And I don't think anyone, least of all a child, deserves to be subject to that."
"And you think you can be of use."
"It'll be easier if you have someone to watch your back, Sandoval. Someone the Taelons aren't looking for, who won't immediately be recognized as Resistance. And I know my way around the mothership."
"Assuming it's the same here."
"It is," said Liam confidently. "I had Augur pull the layout."
"That's very convenient," said Sandoval coldly. "There's just one problem. I don't trust you, Major. I don't trust that you're not working for the Taelons. I don't trust you to watch my back. And I don't trust you near my son."
"Then escort me back inside," said Liam. "Of course, once you do, you'll probably have trouble getting out again and Ryan will be left helpless on the mothership."
"You know I won't do that," said Sandoval. He drew his gun. "But I could kill you here."
"And draw all sorts of attention to the location of the Resistance Headquarters? I don't think you'll do that either."
"You'd be amazed by what I'm willing to do for my son, Major," said Sandoval ominously.
"Like trust a stranger? You might be able to pull this off alone, Sandoval, but your chances are much better with help. How are you going to get off the mothership once you find your son? This is intended as a trap. They'll be watching Ryan. They'll be watching the portals. They might let you on the ship, but I can almost guarantee you'll never make it off again."
"And what do you suggest?"
"Take me with you. I'll distract the guards at the portal while you find Ryan. Then we'll steal a shuttle to get away. They know you're not a pilot, so the shuttles won't be heavily guarded. With a little luck, we'll make it. And the Resistance will gain a new piece of Taelon technology, which might hold off Doors' wrath a little once he finds out what we've done."
Sandoval considered him thoughtfully, and then lowered his gun. "All right, Major. But I'm warning you, if I find out that you are a Taelon agent, I will find a way to kill you before they capture me."
"I know," said Liam calmly.
"Then let's go."
Getting onto the ship proved surprisingly easy. Only two Volunteers were posted at the portal, and neither of them was looking in the right direction when it activated.
"Careless," commented Sandoval as he once again stepped over an unconscious body.
"Very," agreed Liam. The two men fell silent as they slipped past the portal into the corridor beyond.
"I don't suppose you know where we're going?" asked Liam in a low voice.
Sandoval shook his head. "Your friend Augur wasn't that specific. We'll just have to look around until we see something suspicious."
"Hell of a plan, Sandoval."
"Do you have a better idea, Major?"
Liam started to reply, then held up his hand as a distant sound caught his attention. A moment later he and Sandoval both ducked pack into the portal room as two Taelons walked past, speaking lyrical Eunoia.
"Could you understand them?" asked Sandoval when they were past.
"We need to get to deck six," said Liam quietly. He didn't add what else he'd learned from the snippet of conversation he'd overheard. One thing at a time, he thought. He just hoped Sandoval didn't decide to take out the whole ship when he found out that they'd done to his son.
Sandoval nodded in acknowledgement and led the way down the corridor. The two men moved swiftly across decks and through the ship, avoiding detection with skill—or luck—bordering on the miraculous, until they hit the deck they were looking for.
"Now what?" asked Liam, nodding towards the barricade manned by Volunteers around the corner. "This is the only way through."
"No doubt that's intentional," said Sandoval grimly. "We need a distraction." He pulled a grenade off of his belt.
"Wait," said Liam. He looked around and spotted a terminal. Sandoval followed curiously.
"You won't be able to access…" he began as Liam waved his hand across it. Liam tapped a couple of buttons; the terminal lit up and requested instructions. Liam looked up with a brief grin.
"Little trick I picked up from Auger," he said. He began entering commands rapidly. "I'm going to trigger an alarm elsewhere on the deck. That should get rid of most of the Volunteers. We can take care of whoever's left. Non-fatally if possible."
"Your concern is misplaced, Major," said Sandoval coolly. "Everyone on board this ship works for the Taelons."
"So did you at one time," observed Liam. "Most of them don't know the full extent of the Taelons' activities on Earth. They're just kids, doing their job. They shouldn't have to die for it."
"Death is part of war."
"Yeah, but they didn't volunteer for a war, Agent Sandoval. Let's go."
The alarm had apparently been effective; the barricade was nearly abandoned.
"Got any knockout gas?" whispered Liam.
"No."
"I guess we do it the old fashioned way, then." He pasted on his most disarming smile and strolled around the corner. "Excuse me, I seem to be lost."
The two remaining Volunteers spun to face him, weapons ready. "You're not supposed to be here," said one sharply.
Liam held up his hands reassuringly and stepped closer. "I know, I know, they told us not to wander. But I really, really needed…" he dropped his voice at the end of last sentence and leaned in closer to one of the Volunteers. Startled, the man lowered his weapon a little. As he did, Liam grabbed his shoulders and drove a knee into his stomach. The other Volunteer swung her weapon around, but Sandoval was already behind her. A minute later, both Volunteers were out cold.
"Nicely done, Major," said Sandoval approvingly. "Where did you get your training?"
"Long story," said Liam, glancing down at the Volunteers. "I had a couple of good teachers. We need to go before the rest figure out the alarm was false and return."
Sandoval nodded in agreement and started to walk forward, but stumbled as his vision momentarily turned black.
"Are you all right?" asked Liam with concern.
"Fine," said Sandoval curtly. "I took a hit before I knocked her out. Let's go." The two men fell into step and hurried down the corridor.
"So why'd you refuse to get a CVI?" asked Liam.
"Why do you want to know?" asked Sandoval.
"That seems to be where you and the Sandoval in my dimension diverged. He got the CVI, you didn't. I guess I'm curious about what led to the difference."
"Ryan," said Sandoval simply.
"You were worried about what the motivational imperative would cause you to do to your son?"
"I didn't know about the MI then. The Taelons didn't see fit to inform us about that aspect. What they did tell us is that there were risks. I would have been among the first group of humans implanted; they weren't entirely sure how the human brain would respond to the CVI. I would have accepted the risk for myself, but Ryan was barely a year old at the time. I didn't want him growing up without a father."
"So that's the difference," said Liam softly. "Ryan doesn't exist in my dimension."
"Your Sandoval has no children?"
Liam hesitated. "No. He's not really the parental type."
"I can't imagine life without him."
"I hope you won't have to," said Liam.
Deathly silence pervaded the section of the ship where Ryan was being held. There were no guards or Volunteers visible here; apparently they hadn't been expected to get this far. As they watched from a safe distance, a single Taelon left Ryan's cell and walked in the opposite direction. They took the opportunity to move closer. When he caught sight of his son, Sandoval gasped. Ryan lay strapped to a bed with tubes in both arms. The boy was unconscious and very frail looking. Sandoval rushed forward and pulled the child into his arms, heedless of his safety. Liam cast a careful glance around and followed.
"What have they done to him?" raged Sandoval quietly. In his arms, Ryan stirred a little and woke. Jet black eyes emphasized the unnatural paleness of his skin.
"Daddy?" he murmured weakly.
"It's all right, Ryan," he said reassuringly. "We're going to get you out of here. You're going to be fine." Ryan's eyes flickered anxiously to Liam. Sandoval caught the expression.
"It's okay. This is my friend, Major Kincaid."
"Liam."
"Liam," repeated Sandoval. "He's going to help us. You'll be safe soon, Ryan. Go back to sleep now." The child nodded trustingly and closed his eyes. Sandoval looked up at Liam, his fury now transparent. "They'll pay for this," he spat fiercely.
"Later," said Liam firmly. He moved closer to the bed and carefully pulled the needles from Ryan's arms. As Sandoval unstrapped his son, Liam looked around the small room. He managed to scavenge a blanket, which Sandoval gently wrapped the child in before lifting him up, frightened by the weightlessness of his burden. He couldn't have lost that much weight in a few hours, he told himself.
Liam stuck his head out of the door and scanned the corridor. "There's no one in sight," he said. "Let's go."
They left the room and began to retrace their route.
"They must have found the Volunteers at the barricade by now," said Liam. "They'll be waiting for us."
"They should have already sent someone for us," said Sandoval.
"Unless they have something else planned."
"You think they have a trap waiting."
"It makes sense," said Liam.
"Then we'd better not get caught."
"Good plan. A little short on specifics, though."
"We'll work it out when we get there."
They reached the barricade quickly, aided by the eerie emptiness of the corridors. Pulling out some binoculars, Liam scrutinized the area from a distance.
"I don't remember seeing you with those when you arrived, Major."
Liam smirked. "I liberated a few things from the Resistance," he said. "There's about twenty Volunteers ahead. No sign of what they're planning, though."
"I don't think we'll be able to lure them away with another false alarm," said Sandoval. "Any other brilliant ideas, Major? Or are you willing to use force this time?" He nodded towards the explosives he still carried on his belt.
"It can't be that easy," said Liam. "They have to be expecting that kind of violence. They'll be prepared for it."
"What do you suggest, then?"
"I don't know. There's too many for me to lure them all away by myself."
"That wouldn't help anyway," said Sandoval pointedly. "We need you to pilot the shuttle."
"Then we need to find another way to the shuttle bay."
"You already said this is the only way."
"The only way the ship's designers planned, yeah. So I guess we'll have to make our own path." Liam reached out and grabbed the grenade off Sandoval's belt. He pulled the pin, counted, and threw it down the corridor in the direction they had come from. Dimly he heard yelling behind him as the Volunteers responded to the explosion, but he and Sandoval were already running through the newly created opening, carrying Ryan with them. Behind them, the ship healed the gap in its wall, leaving the Volunteers frustrated on the other side.
"We have to get to the shuttles," said Liam. Liam took the lead, as they raced down the corridors. It was obvious that all hopes of a stealthy escape were gone; their presence had been clearly announced. They were going to have to rely on speed and surprise instead.
Liam was concentrating so hard on possible pursuit from behind he didn't notice the figure ahead until it was too late. He crashed headlong into the Taelon, knocking him to the floor. Sandoval skidded to a stop behind them and reached with one hand for his gun while supporting his son with the other.
"No!" yelled Liam as he saw who he had knocked down. He rose to his knees, blocking Sandoval's shot. "Keep going! I'll meet you in the shuttle bay."
Sandoval stared for a moment, then reluctantly let go of his gun and resumed running. Liam stood up and turned around, offering a hand to the Taelon still sprawled on the floor. Uncertainly, the Taelon accepted Liam's help and rose to his feet, staring down at their hands as if puzzled by something.
"Da'an," said Liam quietly. The Companion looked up at him, confused, and let go of Liam's hand.
"Have we met?" he asked.
"Not in this universe," said Liam. He looked down the corridor where Sandoval was almost out of sight. "I have to go."
Da'an looked at him reflectively. "Good luck," he said. "Give my regards to Agent Sandoval, and tell him…tell him that I would have intervened had I known." Liam backed away, then turned and began to chase after Sandoval and Ryan.
He caught up to them just outside of the shuttle bay.
"So far, so good," he said. "Now we just have to hope they hold off until I can prep a shuttle."
"I'm afraid that isn't going to happen," said a soft, achingly familiar lilt. Liam's breath caught in his throat at the sound. It was a possibility he hadn't considered, even with all the other differences here. But of course, it made sense.
Siobhan Beckett stepped out from behind one of the shuttles, skrill carefully aimed. "None of you are going anywhere, except to Zo'or." She walked around them, placing herself between them and the exit, and pulled out a global. "They're in the shuttle bay. I need reinforcements here now."
"I'll stay, but let my son go," pleaded Sandoval.
"That's not my decision," said Beckett.
Liam took a step forward. "Look at him. Look at what they've done to him. He's a child, Agent Beckett. He doesn't deserve this."
"You should be concerned about yourself," she said. "Zo'or will have some questions for you."
"You joined the military to protect the children of Ireland," said Liam. "To make the world safe for your own children, when you had them. You chose to serve the Taelons because you felt it was your duty, because they brought peace. Look at what they're doing! How you can justify serving a race that would treat children like this? They aren't helping children; they're using them."
Beckett's expression wavered for a moment. "We've never met. How do you know so much about me?" she demanded.
"Let him go," said Liam persuasively. "Keep Sandoval, keep me if you need to. Fulfill your duty to the Taelons. But don't use that duty as an excuse to allow them to harm this child."
Two Volunteers appeared behind in the doorway. Beckett allowed an impassive mask to slip over her features.
"Take them all into custody," she ordered.
"No!" yelled Sandoval. He turned towards the Volunteers and pulled out his gun. One of the Volunteers responded by raising his arm, skrill aimed directly at Sandoval. Instinctively Liam stepped in front of Sandoval and Ryan, raising his hands as he did. As the Volunteer fired, he felt his shaqarava flare, forming a shield to catch the blast. He stood braced for the next shot, but it never came. As the light from his shaqarava faded, he saw the two Volunteers sprawled on the ground. Behind them stood William Boone, staring.
"My god," said Boone softly. "What did the Taelons do to you?"
Liam looked down at his hands, still lit by a brilliant, swirling light, as if a miniature galaxy were embedded in each palm. The light shrank and disappeared as he flexed his fingers. He lifted his head, seeing the wide-eyed astonishment on Beckett's face, and shock tempered by compassion on Boone's.
"Thanks for the help, Commander," he said. As if that broke a spell, Beckett raised her arm again to attack. Boone caught it before she could fire and restrained the agent. She struggled halfheartedly for a moment, then stood quiescent, still shocked by what she had seen and by the unexpected betrayal.
"Get them out of here," said Boone. "I'll take care of things here."
"How can you do this?" asked Beckett, twisting to look at him. "You're an implant."
"Then I must be working for the benefit of the Commonality," said Boone. He looked towards Liam. "You'll have to take her with you. We'll sort it out later. Watch out for the skrill." His lips curled into a wry smile. "Although that's apparently less of a problem for you than for most."
"Yeah," said Liam. He prepped one of the shuttles as quickly as he could, then gestured for Sandoval to board it. Sandoval said nothing about what he had seen, only cast a guarded look in Liam's direction as he climbed into shuttle, staggering a little under the weight of his son. As Sandoval and Ryan settled into their seat, Liam walked over to Boone.
"Doors is furious," said Boone.
"I didn't expect otherwise."
Boone nodded. "I want the full story later."
"You'll have it," promised Liam. He added, "It's not what you think."
"Should be an interesting tale," said Beckett. "It's not every day that you see a human catch a skrill blast and survive."
Liam looked at her, savouring—just for an instant—the feeling of seeing his mother alive again. Even if she would just as soon shoot him as talk to him right now.
"You'd better go," said Boone. Liam reached out and took Beckett's arm, gently guiding her towards the shuttle. Boone kept his skrill targeted on her until they were safely inside. Liam secured her to the one of the passenger seats, then took his place in the pilot's position. Boone watched silently from the bay as the shuttle lifted off and safely exited the ship.