The chopper landed in what looked like a huge grass field, surrounded by a chain link fence which was laid out from the length of maybe four football fields. There were man made shacks and huts set around, and a large metal platform in the center.
Everything looked so strange in the darkness.
John, who was flying the chopper landed it and everyone sat around...not really doing anything for a few seconds.
"Are you gonna be okay to walk" Sara asked.
Ana nodded, and then looked down at her blood caked hands and for the first time, in what seemed forever smiled.
"Could I at least clean the dirt off my face, I look awful."
Sara, John and McDermott all smiled.
"You look fine darling, like a little mud angel." John said, his voice that sounded Jamaican,smooth and calming to Ana's ears, she smiled back.
Sara then gave her what was left of the water and Ana used part of her shirt which wasn't dusty...and scrubbed her face as hard as she could...much like she used to do to Hunter during his bath.
When she finnished, she knew it wasn't good enough, her face still felt sore, but at least now she felt as if she would breath.
They then all got out together, Ana tried to best to act as if she didn't want help...she was about to meet new people, a new group, she wanted to show them she wasn't weak...at least Sara knew that now.
They all walked together, then Ana heard low groans and spun around looking out into the pitch darkness.
"What was that" she asked, her voice half cracked.
"Nothing to worry about, there locked out on the other side."
Sara then sighed and walked with the others, her sides were starting to burn.
They all walked on the platform, and lowerd their guns on their shoulders, Sara told Ana this was the only way into the bunker.
They then started to lower, at first Ana didn't think her legs could take it...but they slowly started down, the loud beeping filling her ears.
Once they lowered, everyone walked off the playform, and it started to raise back up into the dark night, it gave Ana a strange uneasy feeling as she watched it.
Down there, bright lights were strung all along the rock shaped walls, it was freezing to.
Ana stood with the others, as they all started to walk forward, their shoes clicking on the hard cold floor below them.
As they walked, the tiny hairs on Ana's arms stood up...she never felt so cold in her life.
They then reached what looked like a hallway, the walls were stone white.
They walked towards a door and opened it, leading into an even bigger room, the size of the lower level of Crossroads alone, stone ceiling, rock walls...it looked as if it served as the mess hall.
On the further side of the huge room, maps and charts were stuck up to one of the walls, large tables and chairs were spread about, as a small group of people sat around...talking among themselfs and drinking coffee.
Once the door shut behind them everyone turned.
"We found someone." Sara said, almost as if she felt proud saying it out loud.
Somone on the further side of the room dropped a cup and it smashed on the floor...everyone looked at Ana, she felt as if she was in the spot light.
"Holy fuck." One of them men said...and they walked forward towards them.
Once they got close enough, Ana saw there were seven soldiers in all, and two men in white lab coats, one older then the other.
Everyone looked shocked as they stood there.
"This is Ana, we found her going west in one of the marsh fields, her whole team was dead...they were holding her hostage."
No one said anything...their mouths were still open, still shocked.
Then one man spoke up, in his late fifties, gray beard and low key eyes.
"Well...I'm Major Cooper, I'm in charge of this team...Mrs."
"Powell...Ana Powell." Ana said in a low voice.
Copper seemed uneasy, as if he never spoke to a girl before.
"Well...Ana, you don't mind me calling you Ana"
"No I don't."
"Well Ana, your a sight for sore eyes...we had our team looking for anyone else twice a week for the past...God knows."
Ana looked at him, she still felt sick.
Copper then cleared his throat.
"Well...you look pretty broken up, are you okay"
"I'm fine sir." Ana said in a low voice, she tasted blood.
"Well...those cuts look pretty deep, I'll get someone to look you over...are you hungry"
In all rights Ana should of been hungry, but she felt to sick to eat and shook her head.
"I'll then get someone to take care of you right away..."
He then reached over and took her limp hand, he had a strong grip, but seemed nice enough.
A smile then spread across his tried face.
"This really means a lot to us, your the first people we all laid eyes on since this whole thing started."
Ana then gave a soft smile back, she knew these people were gonna be all right.
"Well before Sara gets you a change of clothes and lets you wash up...let me introduce to the team."
He pointed to the table of soldiers , all men in their late twenties, mid thirties. Dressed in their uinforms, stubby faces and set looks on each one of them...jokers almost.
"This is Pvt. Johnson, Pvt. Torrez, Pvt. Miller, Pvt. Rickles, and Capt. Rhodes...my right armed man."
All of the men still looked shocked seeing Ana standing there, she notcied they were all looking at her tits, but at this point Ana didn't care...she was with people.
The man named Rhodes gave Ana a look, for the first time since she met everyone he looked her in the eye.
He was in his thirties, mid height, dark jet black hair and a set look on his face...tougher then the others.
He stood up and placed his riffle on the table and kept looking at her.
"This is Ted Fisher, and Dr. Logan."
Ted Fisher looked nice enough, he was one with the white lab coats, and Ana knew under those thick glasses he was a nice enough looking guy.
The other one was older, his white lab coat was splashed in dark blood stains...his glasses looked old and falling apart. But had a smile on.
"Hey..." Ana said in a low voice.
Everyone nodded, Rhodes and Steel gave each other the eye.
"Come on, Ana...lets take a look at those cuts." Sara tugged on her arm.
Ana then, almost in a dream state, went with Sara and walked out of the room.
"I know it's a strange looking group...half of them are pricks, but most of us are okay." Sara tried to say with a smile.
Sara showed her around, where the complex was, the sleeping quarters were...also the labs and storage.
She then led her into a lab and sat her down on a table, she left for a while and returned with some clothes.
"I think your about my size, tell me if they don't fit."
Ana thanked her and then took off her clothes with help from Sara.
Sara patched her up as good as she could and told her she was gonna take it easy until she healed all the way.
Ana thanked her and then Sara led her to the showers where Ana washed all that dirt and rape off her.
When she finnished she dressed and felt ten times better, she tied up her hair and saw her hands shaking.
Sara looked at her and then patted her arm, she told her it was all over, and she was gonna be all right.
Sara knew she was trying to make her feel better...but the truth was, she was scared, for herself and her son...wherever he was right now.
The two of them sat together for a while by themselfs, Sara told Ana how thankful she was that she found another woman...the place wasn't that bad, but she must of known where she was coming from.
They talked, about how they reached there...and how they had been able to stay alive for so long.
Sara was a doctor, and the goverment sent them all down here when it first started, trying to find why this had happened, and why?
She talked about the men, how the most of them were dipshits, but some were okay.
She talked about how they lost four men so far...and how she was starting to get cabin fever.
Ana only talked a little, how she was a nurse...about Crossroads and their plan...very little about Michael, and then about the island...she then told Sara since she could trust her about her son Hunter.
She told Sara about how they left the island, and for all she knew they were dead.
She talked very little...because the truth was, she was scared.
Sara then smiled again and led her to her room, simple enough...but Ana needed rest.
Sara said she would come in and see her in a few hours, Ana thanked her and shut the door.
Was she really here?
Why wasn't she going to find Hunter?
Had this really all happened.
She was to tried and hurt to think anymore...she slid into the thin bed and closed her eyes...praying that this once again was all an awful nightmare.