Chapter Thirty-Six
Julia looked around at her females. Sixty had tried for the wire but only twenty-two had made it out of the facility with her and Ana. It was unthinkable that only this small group had survived. Her gaze swept lingeringly over her woman smiling reassuring as she caught each of their eyes. The others just had to be all right. Especially Susie.
Just before Julia jumped from the wire into the minefield, her last sight of Susie had been Groper clubbing her with his baton and using his tazer to try and move her out of his way. She blinked back the tears. Susie had always been there to share her hopes and her dreams. Even when she'd still been in the tank in The Labs she only had to move her eyes to be able to see her. She had to be all right.
Her body was hurting so much that she now felt light headed and sick. She hadn't really healed from the beating she'd taken two nights ago when they'd first tried to take Baby off her. With the new agony of her leg and her injured shoulder, plus the worry of what was happening to her females still back at the facility, it was almost more than she could bear.
Swallowing her mounting anguish she glanced down at Baby. She'd never, ever slept as deeply or for as long as this before. Her small body just felt so wrong. That was the biggest worry of all. Taking great care not to jiggle her she moved Baby sideways on her shoulder so she could peer at her little face. Her tiny mouth usually pursed so cutely when she slept was slack and her body was still so droopy and limp.
Pushing down her fear her eyes went to the front of the bird where she could see the back of the chairs she knew hid Baby's 'genetic contributor' from her view. He'd said Baby was only like this because of the drugs they'd given her and as long as she didn't juggle her she'd be all right. He must be pretty smart since he was the one who was driving, so if he said it then, it was likely true. It had to be true.
Burying her face in Baby's blanket she let the tears slide down her cheeks. She didn't want her females to see her weak and frightened like this when they needed her strong. But what if he wasn't smart? What if he was wrong and Baby wasn't all right. She tried to push the unthinkable from her mind like she did all the other thoughts that she didn't want in her head, but it wouldn't go away.
What if Baby died? She clutched her closer trying to still her shaking shoulders as she cried quietly against her little back. It was bad enough that Susie and the rest of her females might be dead but she just wouldn't want to live anymore if anything happened to Baby.
Kerry, Mary and Angie's babies had died on the truck before they'd even got there. So these drugs that they had given Baby could easily kill her like they'd killed them.
She could feel the women on either side of her move closer pressing their bodies against hers in comfort. Fighting back her distress and worry she choked down her tears and raised her head sitting upright. Crying would help no one and seeing her cry would only make her females even more afraid than they already were.
Sitting on the seat opposite Anderson watched Julia anxiously examine her baby. He once again felt the welling of rage he'd experienced when the initial urgency of removing the babies from the truck had passed. What sort of sick fucks took babies off their mothers drugged them and then tried to sell them.
His eyes moved to the front of the bird to where the three little corpses were laid out. Julia's head came up and her eyes fixed on his. The sort of sick fucks who wore the same uniform as he did, his supposed peers and fellow soldiers. He wanted to say something to her. But what the hell did you say to a woman who probably saw him as no different from the bastards who'd stolen her baby, drugged it and then tried to kill her when she'd gone after it.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you and all your babies back at that Facility," he said his all encompassing glance including the women who sat along side Julia. I promise you that you're free now." And the people who should have been defending your freedom will be doing their jobs from now on.
Andersonhadn't really expected the women to respond and they didn't surprise him. When he'd heard Max tell Alec that a civilian doctor was coming and bringing her whole team with her. He'd been really adverse to the idea of involving civilians. He knew Quinny had hoped to keep this action under wraps until everybody had been debriefed and they had a plan as to where to proceed from there. Had they not already been in the thick of the battle at the time he would have insisted Alec leave the civilians out of it. However that had been before he'd boarded the truck and seen the plight of these babies. Just as well I didn't interfere.
"Once we get back to the facility there'll be a specialist doctor and an intensive care unit arriving to check your babies out for you," he said, his eyes moving from Julia to her baby." He didn't give a fuck who knew about this now. The priority was these babies. If he had to fly the whole staff of every hospital in Seattle here, he would if it would prevent another baby's death.
Pushing down her unease Julia stared right through him. If they were free then why was this ordinary here? When Ana had shared her dream of living free, it had been about all of them being able to live in the outside world without interference from humans. How could they be free if these ordinary soldiers were here?
Her unsettled glance moved over the big mean looking one with the shaved head who was sitting in the corner by the door. He even looked like Groper. She started in surprise when her glance moved onto the younger one. Ana was not only talking to him, but she seemed pleased to see him and was actually smiling. Ana never spoke to ordinary guards. She ignored them like the ordinary filth she'd said they were when she'd taught them the ways to fight them that had enabled even her most pregnant female to defend herself.
When Ana had first arrived at Quintella Julia and the rest of the women had been astounded to discover that not only were there more of their own kind living on the outside, but their babies genetic contributors were real live males whom Ana had actually known before they'd all been killed when Manticore burned down.
That was why Ana had been really sad when she'd first arrived at Quintella because her mate and all her pack had been killed in that fire. At first she'd spent most of her time trying to provoke the guards to kill her. Julia and her females had all had to work really hard to keep her alive.
When they'd finally taken her to be impregnated Ana been even more upset. She'd tried even harder to get the guards to kill her, saying she wasn't helping them to make any more slaves. If Julia hadn't agreed to trade with Groper that last time when Ana snapped two of his soldiers necks, he would have sent her down the block as a disciplinary problem. Her baby would have been extracted and she would have been terminated. Quickly she blanked the thought of trade with Groper from her mind. If she didn't let it in her head it couldn't hurt her.
It was only when females from Manticore had started to appear at Quintella and had told Ana that not everyone had been killed that she'd stopped wanting to die, and started to hope that some of her unit might still be alive.
It had been such a relief when she'd started to want to live. Not just because they wanted to keep hearing all the amazing stories she would tell them about her wonderful life growing up with her pack either, but also because even though she hadn't been made in the Labs like them they'd accepted her as one of their and grown to love her.
The very best thing about it was that once Ana had found out her unit might be alive she'd started to talk about escaping and what they would do when they were free. It was Ana who had given them the faith to believe there was a better life out there.
That was the beginning of the hope that one day they would be able to look after their babies the way they instinctively wanted to but the ordinary bastards at the facility wouldn't let them. Talking and dreaming and planning what they'd do when they escaped had been so exciting. More importantly for the first time Julia had words, promises and dreams she could use to give her females hope and keep them wanting to live.
By using the promise of the wonderful life Ana had told them they would have once they escaped Julia had managed to stop her females from killing their babies and themselves. Up until two days ago there hadn't been one suicide in Quintella for over twelve months.
There had been a further spate of suicides when the guards had first tried to take their babies, but once she'd found out what was happening and had devised their escape plan it had given her females hope again and the suicides had stopped. Julia's gaze went to the pilot's chair that except for his shoulder hid Tav from her view.
Ana had told them so many stories about the exciting and brave things she'd done with her unit. Julia had listened especially hard to the stories about Tav. She had been so pleased that Baby's genetic contributor had been such a good strong alpha. She'd even been a little sorry that Baby hadn't been a boy so she could have given her the name he no longer needed since he was probably dead. Just like Susie and the other women had given their babies the names Ana had said their 'genetic contributors' had used before they'd been killed.
Now a lot of her females with male babies would have to give their babies names back since their genetic contributors were also probably not dead and would still need them. Susie will hate that. She loves her baby's name.
Julia's eyes lingered on the back of Tav's chair. Ana had told them all that transgenic males were nothing like the cruel, nasty ordinary bastards who ran the facility. She'd said they protected females and babies instead of hurting them like the guards. But Baby's genetic contributor wasn't any different from ordinary males. He wasn't kind. He was mean and hateful just like the guards.
He'd even said an innocent little baby who he didn't even know wasn't 'proper.' When she was so. Baby had so been born in the proper and right way and not in the Labs like her and her females. Baby was just like him, and Ana and all the other transgenics from Manticore. The only difference was that she had a transgenic mother instead of a human mother. What wasn't 'proper' about that? Angrily she glared at Tav's chair. I'll snap his neck if he says she isn't proper again.
Her eyes swung to Alec when she sensed him looking at her. I don't like him either. He's just as mean. He treats me like I'm stupid. Once I get more books to read I'll know as much as him. More even. Frowning her eyes went back to Tav's chair. Once we really get free, the first thing I'll do is get a book on how to drive one of these bird things. Ana will know where to get a book like that.
Alec's tentative smile faded under her angry glare. What the fuck was her problem. He'd been watching as her eyes had roamed the room. She was definitely the alpha here, and a strong one, he realized as her eyes glowed into his and she stared him down aggressively.
Calmly he returned her gaze.
More alpha than me she accepted with the quick equanimity of her kind, letting the light of challenge fade from her eyes before looking haughtily away. So alpha he didn't even need to engage with me to prove it.
Alec studied her with amusement. She might be simple minded but she'd extracted herself from that challenge with more dignity than many males who'd challenged him. What a handful she'd be if she had all her wits about her. Thank god females were Max's responsibility and she'd be there to sort her out once they got to the Facility.
His eyes touched on the baby's dark head again. He'd been sitting here fighting an almost over whelming urge to lean over and see that she was still breathing. He knew what it was. It was the same possessive, protectiveness he felt for the rest of his pack. That baby had Tav's scent on her and that made her his niece. He suppressed his resigned sigh. Fat chance of Tav's instinct to protect her not kicking in if his already had.
He raised his eyebrow in understanding when almost on que Tav's agitated, voice sounded in his earpiece. "Alec will you check that the baby with my scent on it is still alright?"
"Yeah Tav. I'm doing it now." His eyes holding Julia's Alec leaned over to peer at the baby.
Surprised Julia drew back. Her hand immediately going to shield Baby from him.
Realizing her gesture had been instinctive Alec smiled reassuring. "I just want to see she's still okay."
Julia moved her hand from where it hovered protectively over Baby's head. Even though she knew he was no threat she couldn't help tensing when his long finger touched Baby's cheek.
Her cheek was warm but what the hell did that mean. FrowningAlec sat back in his seat his eyes meeting Julia's again.
If this had been an injured soldier he would have immediately known what was required, but these babies were so small and defenceless. He was really at a complete loss as to what to do for them. Even Anderson who had baby experience didn't really know. At least he'd been able to give them the basics to keep them alive until they could get them proper medical help.
"Alec?" Tav's edgy voice prompted impatiently.
"She's not woken up yet but she seems to be fine Tav."
"Bring her up her so I can see her?" he demanded tersely.
Yeah, like this female is going to let me do that Alec thought smiling artlessly at Julia, who having heard his part of the conversation was now glowering suspiciously at him.
"Would you like to go and sit up the front next to the pilot for a while?" Alec asked her hopefully. Since she was simple-minded that might appeal to her.
Her eyes narrowed and her scowl deepened.
"We should be back at the Facility very shortly. If we go upfront we can see what's happening before we land," he added hoping that concern for what was happening to her females might encourage her.
"I'll carry her for you," he quickly offered realizing when she swayed to her feet that the bullet wound Dex had temporarily dressed wasn't her only injury.
"No. I will carry her. But thank you," she added regally as she preceded him to the front.
Sliding into the seat next to Anderson Alec gestured her forward when she stopped and hovered uncertainly behind the two front seats.
Ignoring her as she sat gingerly on the edge of the seat next to him Tav's eyes went straight to the baby.
"What happened to her forehead? That wasn't there before," he demanded accusingly when he saw the scratch on the side of the baby's face." I knew she wasn't fit to look after a baby.
"What?" Julia gasped in shocked panic almost forgetting not to jiggle Baby as she hastily held her out in front of her to see what other awful thing had happened.
"What?" she wailed in panic her eyes avidly running over Baby.
"There. That scratch."
Julia's shoulders sagged in relief, realizing he'd got her in a panic for nothing.
"Don't be ridiculous," she bit out scathingly. Her finger smoothed soothingly over the tiny little scratch Baby must have made on her own face before they'd drugged her.
"Baby's scratch themselves like this all the time," she told him in perfect imitation of his own patronising voice when he'd told her not to jiggle Baby.
That baby had been out of his sight for less than an hour and already that incompetent female had managed to damage her. I would have noticed if that injury had been on her face before. It wasn't serious he knew that, but that wasn't the point. She was a very small baby and she shouldn't have any injuries at all.
Reassured there was nothing else wrong with Baby Julia sat forward on the edge of her seat her fascinated gaze drawn to the window and her first glimpse of the outside world now spread magically out in front of her.
So many trees. So much green. "It's so cool. I knew it would be like this," she breathed in awe. I'm definitely learning how to drive one of these.
"Yeah," Tav replied inattentively his attention still on the baby. She didn't look all right to him. She should definitely be awake by now. What the hell did Alec know about babies anyway? His hasn't even been born yet.
"Anderson, he demanded curtly as if he was talking to a Junior Officer.
"What?" Anderson barked from behind him.
"Is this baby all right?"
Standing up Anderson peered over the back of the seat. "No, it fucking isn't Tav. It's been kidnapped and drugged when it should be home safe and sound with its mother. But it's alive and as long as we keep it upright, warm and keep stimulating it to breath like she is," he jerked his head to Julia who was patting Baby's back. "Then it should be okay until we can get the paediatrician to check it out."
"She," Tav corrected impatiently, his snort of dissatisfaction his only other comment on Anderson's wholly unsatisfactory answer.
He still had that uncomfortable feeling of agitated, anxious worry that he usually only ever had when his pack was under threat. However having the baby and that weird mother of hers here where he could at least see them was definitely making him feel calmer.
Julia watched Tav's hands move over the complicated array of instruments in fascination. He must be very smart if he knows about all of those.
Sitting back in her chair her admiring eyes alternated between Tav still ignoring her, and her view of the landscape through the birds curved window. He's definitely really smart she thought as he fiddled with the dials on the thing she knew was a course-plotting device. She'd read all about navigation in a really interesting book on maritime map reading Susie had stolen from one of the guards.
"I suppose you've read a lot of books?" she said admiringly into the lengthy silence.
"What?" Tav asked unable to keep his exasperation and impatience from registering in his voice as he rolled his eyes at this further evidence of her oddness. What the hell did how many books I've read have to do with anything?
"Put your harness on," he snapped, suddenly noticing she wasn't wearing it. How dopey is she. That was one of the first things you learnt it basic training. Always wear your safety harness in a working bird. No one with all her facilities would forget that sort of thing especially when she was holding a baby.
"Fuck you," she spat back. He was so mean. She'd only been curious as to how many books he'd had to read to learn all the things he obviously knew.
What the hell? He'd only asked her to put her harness on. When all she appeared to be doing was scowling at him he slammed the bird into autopilot. Impatiently grabbing her harness he tried to bundle her into it as best he could without actually touching her.
"Get off me you bastard," she shouted in panic, slapping furiously at his hands as she tried to manoeuvre herself and baby out from the straps he'd tangled her up in.
His sudden flare of rage took him by surprise. The baby had to be safe. "Listen you stupid female," he ground out, trying to retain his hold on the harness when she elbowed him hard in the stomach.
"Tav!"
Alec's hard authoritative bark penetrated his anger, stilling his hands and bringing him to his senses. Quickly he let go of her harness and sat back in his seat. What the fuck was he doing wrestling with this infuriating bitch.
Julia her sore shoulder now a raging agony quickly untangled herself and Baby and got hastily out of her seat. Only to find the other one, Alec, now blocking her exit. Clutching Baby she tried to calm herself down so they wouldn't get the scent of her distress and know she was afraid.
Alec had only got up to give her his seat intending to take hers beside Tav. Now not only could he smell her fear but also all his senses were telling him how agitated and frightened her females were becoming behind him.
He'd never had transgenic females afraid of him and before and he didn't like it.
"We're here to help you. You're free now. We aren't going to hurt you or make any of you do anything you don't want. Tav wanted you to put the harness on because its standard safety procedure in a bird. Just like the thing we had around your waist when you were sitting in the back with the rest of your females. But instead of explaining why he wanted you to wear it he behaved like a complete dick head. I'm sorry."
"He doesn't touch me." She might still have a lot to learn about things in the outside ordinary world but her instincts had never let her down. She knew by how wrong his touching her had felt that he shouldn't have done it without her consent. She may not have met any other transgenic males yet but she knew she was right.
"No he doesn't. If he does that again he'll answer to me. His scent is on you because of the baby, but you're not his pack. It's confusing for us," he shrugged, not really expecting that she'd understand given what he'd seen of her childlike naivety.
"Yes it is confusing. I feel it to," she answered truthfully her fear starting to fade. This one maybe wasn't so bad. At least he knew how to behave unlike that mean bastard Tav. He was also a strong alpha so if he said that Tav would answer to him if he treated her with disrespect again she instinctively believed him.
"I have other women back at Quintella who will also carry the scent of packs they do not belong to. Are all your males going to behave like him? She challenged, gesturing disdainfully in Tav's direction.
Hastily revising his opinion of her Alec shook his head emphatically. "I'll do my best to ensure my males behave themselves, while we sort out… this confusion," he hesitated over the last words faltering under her keen regard. All his senses were screaming that what had just happened here was only the beginning of the problems they'd face once they got back to that facility.
"I'd like to tell you it won't happen again but I can't guarantee that. My males like Tav are going to think the babies who carry their scents belong to them, just like your females do. That is the way of it," he added, not really expecting that if she'd been raised outside of Manticore she'd understand what he meant when he used that phase, but there was no better way he knew to describe what their instincts dictated as their reality.
Julia stared back at him with dread in her heart. Her head had been so full of worry about Baby she hadn't been thinking. Of course his males would feel like that. Involuntarily her arms tightened on Baby the hair on the back of her neck standing to attention as she resisted the urge to look over her shoulder at Baby's 'genetic contributor.'
"That is the way of it," she agreed finally, there being nothing else she could do but agree. She held Alec's gaze for a long moment before she sat down in the seat he'd vacated beside Anderson.
Moving as far away from the ordinary as was possible Julia leaned forward to see how his harness worked. Anderson watched as she awkwardly and painfully manoeuvred to get it on while trying to hold the baby at the same time. Stifling his own urge to help her his eyes went to Alec who already had his hands around the baby. Waiting until she'd nodded her consent Alec lifted Baby away while she fastened the harness.
"Thank you, she said taking Baby back and settling as comfortably back in her seat as her aching body would allow. She hadn't slept for two days and all she wanted was to be somewhere safe and warm with Baby. Somewhere she didn't have to worry about anything but letting her body repair. She didn't want to be sat here with these strangers. She closed her tired eyes her heart sick with worry. Being free wasn't supposed to feel like this.
Turning away once she'd settled herself in her seat Alec threw himself into the chair beside Tav. Scowling his displeasure he fixed his gaze on Tav's profile.
Tav tried to ignore him. He was sorry he'd upset her, he hadn't meant to, but his feelings were just so fucked up at the moment and everything she did and said just rubbed him the wrong way. It was all right for Alec to sit there frowning. When his baby arrived it would belong to him, just like Max did, and it would be born safe and protected within their pack.
His situation was totally different. He'd had nothing whatsoever to do with that baby's conception and its mother, who he didn't even know, considered him nothing more than a fucking 'genetic contributor.' Not only that she was slow witted. What sort of care could she provide for a child?
He shifted uncomfortably. Alec hardly ever got pissed of with him but he was making no attempt to hide the fact he was now. Lets see how he feels if he finds he's got a baby down there, to a female he doesn't even want to fuck, let alone protect. As soon as the thought hit his head he was sorry. The last thing he wanted was for Alec or any of the males in his pack to be feeling this mix of powerlessness, rage, worry and panic he'd been feeling since he'd first scented that baby.
He knew that his behaviour with Julia wasn't helping things and that he owed her an apology. He should never have put his hands on her like that, but how the hell did he know she didn't know what a harness was for. If she was that slow that she couldn't even remember basic survival skills how the hell had she survived Manticore.
One of the reasons Alec was such a good alpha was that even though he didn't hesitate to let you know when you'd fucked up, he never condemned you for it, or told you what to do about it. Turning sideways he meet Alec's steady regard.
"Yeah, I know. I'll fix it once we land," he sighed in resignation.
Sitting there worrying Julia's heart was now so heavy with fear that it felt tight and wrong in her chest. How many more ' dead genetic contributors' were alive and waiting back at Quintella? She'd counted six of these birds. If they had as many in each of them as this one did then that meant over a hundred males who would not only be claiming back the names her females had taken and used in error, but who might also be trying to take their babies as well. How will I protect them all? How will I even protect Baby? I haven't learned enough yet.
Despairingly she fought to hold her shoulders still and stem the stream of tears now poring down her cheeks. At least sitting up front here her females couldn't see her crying like this. Crying was so useless it never made anything right, it never brought anyone back the guards had killed, or healed anyone they'd forced to trade with them. No matter that it was useless she just couldn't seem to stop her tears. Her shoulders shaking, hugging Baby she stared in despair at the back of the seat in front of her. I really am as stupid as these males think I am.
Her females deserved a much better alpha than she'd ever be. If she'd just traded with Groper all those times he'd wanted to she could have had lots more books. Then maybe she would have learnt what she needed to know to protect her females, instead of having nothing for them but this huge lump of fear and her useless tears. I just can't let them down.
Tav's guilty eyes met Alec's when he got the scent of her fear and her tears. When he turned his head slightly he could see between the seats to where she sat behind Alec, hunched over the baby as she tried to disguise the fact she was crying. Ashamed now as well as guilty the familiar anxiety that he'd been feeling since he'd discovered that baby existed was now overwhelming. Not knowing what the hell he should do he gestured agitatedly for Alec to do something.
Alec scowled at him. This wasn't just ordinary crying, he could literally feel her despair and he knew that whatever had caused it was directly down to them. Down to Tav he thought grimly. Sometimes he can be such a little prick and then just expect me to fix it for him. How the hell am I supposed to do that? She needs her own pack not me.
Not knowing what to do Anderson stared at her shaking shoulders. He didn't really understand what had triggered this. She'd seemed fine a minute ago when she'd been talking to Alec. He knew that touching her was out of the question and realistically he didn't think that anything he had to say would mean anything to her, but he had to do something. This level of distress just couldn't be ignored.
Relieved when his eyes met Alec's through the gap in the seats and he realized he knew what was going on Anderson jerked his head in Julia's direction gesturing that Alec needed to do something. He glared his narrow eyed displeasure when a scowling Alec shook his head emphatically, got hastily out of his seat and disappeared into the belly of the bird.
Impassively Alec met Tav's quick strained grin of relief when he came back with Ana in tow.
Julia scented Ana before she squeezed herself into the seat beside her. Just having her body pressed in familiar comfort against hers was instantly calming.
Ana had been really surprised when Alec had told her Julia was crying. She knew she was worried about Baby but it still seemed odd that she should pick now that they had actually escaped and were really free to break down. In the fourteen months she'd known Julia she'd hardly ever seen her cry, despite a level of hardship and abuse in Quintella that surpassed even Manticore. And she'd certainly never seen her displaying this level of despair.
Ana had known when she'd first heard Tanner's voice through his bird's loud speakers that whatever her unit's situation it had to be better than hers or else they wouldn't have come for her. She knew that no matter what their orders they would have found a way around them if it had meant taking her back to a worse situation. When Todd had filled her in on everything that had happened to them all since they'd escaped from Manticore it had almost been to incredible to believe.
"We're free Julia, just like we planned. Our babies will all be okay and we'll be able to look after them properly from now on. They'll be safe. "We really are free," she repeated feeling her own tears of relief and unable to keep the excitement from her voice.
"No more Groper. No more guards. No more Labs. We're going to be able to live with no ordinary interference just like we dreamed. My entire unit is alive and living in Seattle and they're taking us back with them to a place called TC. Its right in the middle of an ordinary city but only transgenics live there and we're going to live there with them. We really have been liberated," she reiterated, as much for her own benefit as Julia's. The more I say it the more real it seems.
"We'll be able to go wherever we like. Do whatever we liked. We'll be able to get as many books as your females can read," she rushed on excitedly.
"All the books we can read," Julia repeated her eyes huge. There can't be that many books in the world.
"Yes. Even as fast as you read them. All the books you can read!" Ana repeated jubilantly.
"We'll be living in the ordinary world and able to do whatever we like?" Julia clarified her fear momentarily forgotten in the wonder of it all. "But what about him?" she whispered, reality asserting itself when her eye caught Anderson quietly watching them. "Why are these ordinaries here if we're free?"
"The two younger ones are Howl and Danny and we served with them in Tranzistran. Remember I told you about that. And the Officer is Danny's father. I don't know him but Todd said he's helping us. Ana turned her solemn regard on Anderson. "All ordinaries aren't bad," she whispered, repeating what Todd had said when she'd voiced the same unease about Anderson that Julia just had. "Besides he's Danny's father and Danny's a lot like a transgen male anyway," she shrugged dismissing Anderson and turning back to Julia.
High praise indeed Anderson thought with amusement. He'd always known that he would like Ana. He'd spent a week in an African field hospital while he'd waited for Danny to get well enough to travel, just listening to his delirious retelling of the stories she'd told him, while she was trying to give him something to focus on other than dying. Just hearing those stories had given Anderson the feeling that he knew her.
Listening to her joy and excitement at the thought of being free. Something that he and everybody else in this country took for granted as their right was humbling. The fact that she'd regarded being able to look after her baby in safety with the same wonder, as if it were a privilege was incredibly sobering. He'd joined the army to protect his county and its citizens right to these very things. Yet the very organization he'd joined, that was supposedly dedicated to protecting those freedoms had so far been the instrument of transgenic oppression and suffering. Well no more.
Julia's gaze gravitated to Tav whose shoulder and profile she could see through the gap in the seats. "They're going to want our babies aren't they Ana?" she whispered her intense gaze on Ana's still happily smiling face.
Her elation fading Ana's eyes went straight to hers. For all Julia's naivety about the things in the ordinary world that she'd yet to learn, she had the alpha's true instinct for threat
"Yeah," Ana croaked, through the lump of apprehension suddenly back in her throat. She'd been sitting beside Todd for the last twenty minutes trying to get up the courage to tell him about her baby. The child who'd been made without either his knowledge or his consent from a sample stolen from him. Todd's instincts would lay claim to her baby just like all the rest of the 'genetic contributors' instincts would lay claim to the babies that carried their scents. That is the way of it.
At least she and Todd belonged to the same pack so the immediate issue he would have of needing to be there to protect his own scent wouldn't be so major, but for Tav and the others who's children wouldn't even be under their eye, let alone their protection she knew what a huge problem that would be for them given their instincts.
Impulsively she leaned forward and squeezed Tav's arm. Other than a brief hug before the bird took off she hadn't had a chance to talk to him yet.
The wide sweet grin he flashed over his shoulder reminded her just how much she'd missed him.
Watching them for some reason made Julia feel a bit easier. Ana liked and trusted him so that must mean something.
"Nobody is taking our babies Ana. No one," she whispered fiercely when Ana turned back to her.
Ana didn't really know what to say to her. If only it were as simple as that.
"They won't try and take them off us Julia. Their instinct will be to protect the baby's not harm them. What I think will happen is that once they get over their shock." And their anger."Most of them will try and integrate our females into their packs. If our women don't want that then there will be problems." The real nightmare will be for mated males and their mates.
"You'd be in my pack with me," Ana ventured carefully.
Julia met her gaze steadily "I will think on it," she said warily. She hadn't thought about this either. Ana's first pack was all still alive. If she wanted to be back with them that would mean she would no longer be a part of her females. Which meant that she and her women would have no one to help them learn about the ordinary world. In her dreams of freedom Ana had always been there to help them.
Despite their whispering Tav was close enough to hear what was being said. He'd been so off balance and not really thinking straight since he'd found out about that baby that he hadn't really thought about what happened next. Ana's suggestion that Julia join their pack had taken him by surprise, but really it was the most sensible solution. It was the only solution.
He knew this anxious feeling of agitation he'd had since he'd found the baby was because he was worried. More than worried he grudgingly acknowledged, he was totally strung out and would be until the doctors had given that baby a clean bill of health. His need to have her where he could see she was okay was almost compulsive. Once again looking over his shoulder to see if she had woken up yet he swallowed his disappointment when he saw she hadn't.
Wincing as she tried to ease Baby's weight off her sore shoulder Julia shifted in her seat her eyes meeting Tav's when he raised them from where he was staring at Baby again.
It's not her fault he rationalised in an attempt to suppress his immediate irritation when she returned his strained attempt at a smile with a blank faced stare. Who does she think she is anyway? She should be grateful he was prepared to take her into his pack and not sound so reluctant. As if she had a choice? That baby belonged to him as much as it did to her and it had a right to be raised by the alpha pack. Not some obscure, junior unit who couldn't hope to protect it like he could. Turning quickly back he guided the bird upwards and over the crest of the hill until he could see the Facility once again laid out in front of them.
"Fuck," its burning Alec."
"Yeah, but it looks like only the one building and they seem to have it under control." As they flew closer they could see streams of water being played on the flames and a trickle of soldiers assisting people from the building. Like Tav Alec's eyes were now on their other five birds positioned neatly within the compounds perimeter fence.
Tearing his eyes off the scattering of body bags neatly lined up in front of each of the stationary birds Tav lined his bird up to land in the spot that had obviously been left for them. He exchanged glances with Alec. There were already four body bags in front of the space. As he bought the bird down Tav felt the cold finger of fear down his spine as he fought the almost overwhelming urge to once again turn and see if the baby was still alive.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alec waited for Tav to finish in the cockpit before he opened the doors that Steve had closed for the women's safety while they'd been in the air.
The scent of their fear was overwhelming now, much stronger than we'd they'd boarded the bird. Coming back here was obviously even more frightening than the strangeness of the bird had been.
They all now had slings made from pieces of fabric tied around their necks and waists securing their babies to their bodies leaving their hands free to defend themselves. Alec watched Ana relieve Todd of his sidearm while the rest of the women unconsciously ordered themselves into battle formation as per their alpha ranking. That Ana lined up behind Julia instead of with their males was interesting. Not just because of her unconscious allegiance to them but also because Ana had been Kat's second. Julia must rank as high as Kat he realized with surprise.
Julia nodded encouragement to her three women now holding the dead babies for return to their mothers. Squaring her shoulders she concentrated on clearing everything from her mind but the focus she would need to handle what awaited them. Her glance moved to Ana standing beside her and then appreciatively down to the gun that she'd seen her casually remove from her baby's genetic contributors belt. Let's see what Groper and his bastards can do to us now we have that.
Shrugging into his Kevlar Tav came forward and Alec opened the doors. Julia tried to move forward under the assumption that as always she'd be in the front line defending her women. To her shock she found herself held back by the press of male bodies now in front of her.
On his way forward Tav paused and shoved his M16 at Julia. Still bewildered that she wasn't going to be anywhere but in the back line of this battle formation, for a moment Julia didn't realize he was offering it to her. Quickly collecting herself she took it.
Her hesitation before taking the gun gave Tav pause and his eyes met hers. When she worked the mechanism like she knew what she was doing, reassured, he moved quickly past her into the doorway of the bird.
He's given me his gun. Julia hefted its welcome weight in her hand. She'd always covetously watched the way the guards in the towers had handled these guns. Dreaming about how well she'd be able to protect her females if she could just get hold of one of them. These guns were so special that not even the guards had them. Only the real soldiers in the towers were ever issued them. Not knowing what to make of it, but already revising her opinion of Tav as one of the meanest male's she'd ever met, Julia waited in patience silence for him to move out of the birds doorway.
Their bodies blocking the doorway Mark, Tav and Rueben waited for Alec to give the all clear. They knew that Tanner was still finding pockets of resistance as the units searched through the Facility, so it paid to be vigilant. Moving out of the doorway so the women could disembark they followed Alec around the bird and into the compound.
Tav rounded the corner as Tanner crossed the compound. He exchanged uneasy glances with Steve when stopping abruptly Tanner automatically saluted not only Alec but also Anderson. They'd known he was strung out when he'd interrupted air traffic three times over the last hour demanding to know where the hell his support unit was when he'd already been told their ETA. For Tanner to salute Alec let along Anderson was a sobering indication of just how off balance he was.
Julia's glance touched briefly on the body bags before moving over the tall dark haired soldier now saluting Alec. Where is Groper? He's here I can smell his stink.
Her cold eyes quickly located him and his men. They were kneeling on the concrete with their knees spread apart and their fingers laced behind their heads. The scent of their fear was even more unpleasant than their usual stink. Her mind full of her last sight of Groper as he'd clubbed Susie. Not even noticing Tav and Steve now on either side of her, blank with rage she headed for him.
The fear in his eyes turned to terror when he saw them approaching. "I always looked after you girls. You know I got a special spot for you and Susie. I was just doing my job," he grovelled his terrified eyes moving between Tav and Todd's grim faces.
Without even breaking her stride Julia smashed her foot as hard as she could into his groin.
"I saw you trying to club Susie's baby you gutless bastard." she spat in disgust. Her rage calming she watched him writhe on the ground clutching his gentiles.
Mezo who'd been guarding them was still leaning casually on his gun. "We aren't really supposed to damage them too much until they been debriefed," he explained his apologetic eyes on Julia. "But you go ahead if it makes you feel better, honey," he added. Frowning when he remembered what he'd been told about this fucker he kicked Groper again himself.
"Just don't kill him. Shane will do that for ya anyway. He's got the reserve on that gutless fucker on account of we think it was this particular bastard who tried to kill his daughter and her mother."
"Susie's alive," Julia gasped knowing that since Shane was the name of the genetic contributor of Susie's twins it had to be her this male was talking about. "Her baby?" she asked fear in her heart. It was bad enough Susie's son was still unconscious from the drugs they'd given him it would be too cruel if her daughter was injured as well.
"She ain't so good but she did a good job of protecting the baby. It's fine," Mezo explained his interested eyes going beyond her to the group of her females across the compound now picking up guns from the pile of confiscated weapons. He watched Todd awkwardly take the baby Ana was handing him.
"Todd's in for a surprise," he commented. Watching Ana head across the compound to Reagan who'd just appeared with her baby. He nodded in the affirmative when Tav's glance met his.
Fuck, not Todd too.
"That your's," Mezo added jerking his head in Julia and the baby's direction. Tav didn't bother to confirm what Mezo's nose had already told him.
"I ain't got one," he added.
For a bizarre minute Tav thought he sounded almost regretful.
Julia frowned when she caught his scent. She couldn't remember his name because Kathy had a female baby but if he hadn't found the baby carrying his scent it meant that Kathy was missing. How many more?
"There's a female baby here who carries your scent. Her mother is Kathy. She was badly injured two days ago when they first tried to take our babies so she wasn't in the compound with us her bab…"
"What? Do you mean me? My scent?" Mezo interrupted curtly, looking around to locate anyone else she might be talking to.
"Yes you," Julia clarified. Find Kathy and you find the baby with your scent. Groper was still lying on the ground at her feet clutching his gentiles and doing his best to stifle his moans and not be noticed.
"He'll know where she is," she added nudging Groper contemptuously with her foot.
At first Mezo had been a little bit jealous when Shane had found the baby carrying his scent. I must have been insane. Trying to still his sudden panic he hauled Groper to his feet. If this bastard has touched my kid I'll slice him up piece by piece and make him eat himself.
There's absolutely no reason I can't make use of these males and their instincts to help my females. Smiling coldly her eyes held Gropers before dropping to the urine now running over his shoe and forming a puddle beside his foot. Now you know how Susie felt when you were trying to hurt her baby. You bastard.
Turning away she couldn't help her small smile of satisfaction when she heard Groper's howl of pain. She made her way back across the compound to the rest of her females. Julia grinned her approval when she saw they were now all carrying the special guns. Just like her they'd all avidly watched the guards with these guns and like her they all knew how they operated.
Ana hurried back with her baby. "My babies been drugged to," she moaned anxiously. "They must have done it before they decided they had to many babies."
Caught up in her worry she didn't even notice Todd when he stopped behind her. At the same time that Tav who was now staring at her in slack jawed shock closed his mouth with a snap Ana got the scent of testosterone. Squaring her shoulders she turned to face a furious Todd.
"So!" she snapped belligerently. Attack was often the best way form of defence with Todd. Even when he was in the right he would always back off because of his reluctance to fight with females.
"What the fuck do you mean? So!" he snapped back equally as belligerently. "You've had nearly an hour to tell me about him. What the hell do you think you're playing at?" He could have died before I even knew he existed.
He wasn't reluctant this time she thought uncomfortable under his hard eyed glare. He never ever spoke to her or looked at her like this. He was usually always so easygoing and hard to rile. In fact he was generally so placid and predictable he was boring. I haven't done anything wrong it's not my fault they picked his genetic material.
"Just because they used a little bit of your DNA doesn't mean anything."
"They haven't just used my a little bit of my DNA," he shot back angrily. That baby isn't cloned. He's a blend of my scent and yours. They used my fucking sperm. That baby is mine," he all but shouted.
"Fuck off Todd. He has absolutely nothing to do with you. " I had him on my own without any help from you. He came out of my body not yours. Do you know what it feels like to birth a baby? No you fucking don't," she yelled into his face. "He's mine," she insisted belligerently.
"He came out of my body too. "Where the fuck do you think they got the sperm to make him from? Shall I tell you just what they had to do to us to get those fucking samples?" Narrowed eyed and beside himself with fury he agitatedly shifted Shane's baby to his other shoulder.
"Yeah right," she sneered. "Like any of you would object to making those sort of deposits." As soon as it was out of her mouth she could have cut her tongue out. Fuck no. Now look what he made me say.
In the absolute silence that now surrounded her she caught Steve's blank expression before he turned wordlessly and walked away. Steve had resisted body sampling so hard that he'd nearly been killed on two occasions before Manticore had decided to only sample males when they were injured and unable to resist.
The last thing she wanted to do was upset Steve or anyone else. Shifting uncomfortably under the closed faced regard of the males now clustered around Todd. Her anger now mixed with shame she rounded furiously on him. It's all his fault. How fucking dare he be like this? I didn't put his fucking sperm in me.
"I'm Cloud's mate and this baby is his and mine." Even before the sound of her voice had faded she knew how absurd that sounded and that made her all the angrier.
Beside himself with fury Todd glared at her. "Cloud is dead and even if he wasn't that would still be my scent on that baby. He has everything to do with me. Whether you like it or not I'm his father. Not Cloud. If you'd wanted one with him you should have picked him as the fucking sperm donor."
"Don't be fucking ridiculous Todd. Don't you think I would have, if they'd given me the choice? I would never ever have picked you," she yelled oblivious to the shocked silence.
"Yeah well you got me whether you wanted it or not. Believe me, given the choice I wouldn't have picked you either," he lied the pain in his heart throbbing. She sure as hell couldn't make it any plainer what she thinks of me.
"I'm his father not Cloud," he repeated not just for her benefit but because he needed to hear it again himself. I haven't done anything wrong here. It's not my fault that baby carries my scent. But he does and he belongs to me.
Tav had listened in shock. This was Todd who to his knowledge had never shouted at any female let alone Ana, and here he was so angry that he was not only shouting at her but he was excreting testosterone like he was going into battle.
Everything Todd had said struck a cord and crystallized what his subconscious and his instincts had been grappling with since he'd first scented his baby. He was her father. He had a daughter. It didn't matter how she'd been conceived. She was still his. He was as much a father as Alec was going to be when his son was born. And he was going to look after his daughter properly just like Alec will look after his son. He wasn't going to dismissed as just a 'genetic contributor.' That baby was his.
His edgy gaze moved from the baby to Julia. But how much of a chance did he have of being taken seriously if even Ana who'd gown up with Todd felt that not only didn't his child belong to him, but his feelings didn't seem to count for anything either.
What chance do I have with this odd female? No wonder she'd been so cagey when Ana had suggested she join his pack. His feeling of panic returning in full force he was glowering thunderously when Julia's bewildered eyes strayed to his.
Why is he angry with me? Her big round eyes moved hastily off Tav's angry face and back to and Ana and Todd. She didn't understand any of this. She hated shouting. It upset her nearly as much as it upset Baby. And what was that scary smell coming off that male. Even though she didn't recognise the odour her instincts recognised the threat.
None of what Ana was saying made any sense either. She had been so pleased when her baby had been born and she knew that he had this male Todd as his genetic contributor. She'd said that if he was still alive he would have made a really good protector for a child because he was always kind to females and babies. Now she'd not only changed her mind about him but it seemed like she didn't even like him anymore.
"Its lucky all the baby's are asleep. They hate yelling. When the guards yelled at us it always made them cry?" Julia inserted quietly into a pause in the hostilities.
What? Shifting instinctively closer to Julia whose hand Tav now noticed was curved protectively over the babies ears his narrowed eyes fixed censoriously on Todd.
"Yeah, that's right," Alec, agreed, coming up behind Julia. "When Max gets upset our baby reacts even though he's still in the womb. Once he's born his senses will be even more attuned to what we're feeling and doing. These babies will be waking up soon. You're all going to have to think about how you behave around them. If there's any more of this shit then you'll be answering to an alpha council. Both male and female," he added for good measure.
Alec had only just arrived back from sorting Tanner out and he hadn't heard all that had been said, but he knew Todd. For him to be shouting at Ana there would have had to have been extreme provocation.
"Any male who has any issue or grievance with any of these females about these babies, deals through me. That includes Ana, Todd. If any male shouts around them again he'll go straight into lockdown until I can ship him back to TC. I don't give a fuck who he is, or what pack he belongs too. Do I make myself clear?
When the rumble of assent had died down Alec turned to Tav. "Pass that message around to all the unit leaders Tav. You're taking over from Tanner for the next couple of hours. The alpha pack is to report to Steve in the northwest corner. The rest of you go about your business," he ordered the large crowd of males still clustered around Todd.
Julia had decided she definitely liked this male alpha. He not only knew how to control his males he was wise and kind.
"I need to see my females now?"
"Yeah, were going…"
"Alec I can't leave the baby, until I know she's all right?" Tav interjected in agitation.
"Yes you can Tav. You know she'll be safe with me. I won't let her out of my sight. Her mother has work to do and so do you. There's still a lot of the facility unexplored and there are still females trapped or in hiding. I've relieved Tanner of duty to give him a chance to sort himself out. He had a baby boy here. The baby and his mother were both shot in the compound. When Tanner found them the baby was still alive. It isn't now," Alec explained.
"Eli's also just given me a message from Regan. He's got something he wants Steve to see. Steve is the first propriety. Go with him before you do anything else. I'll be along as soon as Max and the rest of the support units arrive."
If Regan hadn't asked for Steve over the air but had sent Eli with a message then it must be because they didn't want Kat to hear. Fuck no! Not Steve too. It will kill Kat.
Alec's eyes reflected the same concern he was feeling. Tav nodded his agreement his eyes going straight to the baby's dark head.
Waiting impatiently for Alec Julia was surprised and a little disconcerted to find Tav suddenly standing in front of her.
"I'm sorry about grabbing you in the bird and upsetting you," he said, his voice low so only she could hear.
Holding her eyes he pulled Baby's blanket aside leant down and kissed her on her little head. Julia looked down on his bent head in shock. When he stepped back and met her eyes again she knew he'd just laid claim to Baby.
She stared back at him calmly. Ana had been right. These males were definitely different from ordinary males. How different remained to be seen but in the mean time she trusted that Alec would and could control them.
She met his gaze steadily before placing her own kiss next to his on Baby's head.
Unsure as to whether she'd just acknowledged his claim or thrown down the gauntlet Tav uneasily watched her departing back.
TBC