Chapter 9: I Am The Fire
December 7th, 2013 - 0400 (4:00 am)
When Tom stepped onto the Nathan James several hours later, he was immediately enveloped in warm arms. He sighed, relaxing, and let himself return Rachel's embrace. He knew his crew was watching them, but he was beginning to not care. They had survived so much, had worked so hard to get where they were. He was in love with this woman, and he wasn't prepared to fight it any longer.
"You're late," she accused, pulling back. Though she was glaring at him, he could see the worry in her eyes.
"I apologize," he said, and then grinned. "We got distracted. Mr. Thorwald's operation is even more impressive than he claimed." He paused, considering, and then asked, "How quickly can you make 300 doses of the cure?"
Rachel looked positively shocked. "There are three hundred people there?"
There were more than that, Tom thought grimly. There were hundreds of thousands headed toward Olympia, but he knew that she wouldn't be able to create that many doses that fast.
He knew she was going to be broken when she had to watch people die because they simply couldn't manufacture that many doses with their limited supplies.
It made him even more determined to capture the lab, to give her all of the supplies she could possibly want.
"Men, women, children - they have an entire city underground," he confirmed. "We met some of them. They've been looking for people in the city who are healthy, quarantining them outside of the camp for a period of time, and then bringing them in if they don't show symptoms."
He turned to Mike and Jeter, who had just appeared on the deck of the boat. "He has a full set of blueprinted for Avocet, as well as an infiltration point. We're going to provide the manpower, take out the power plant, and then capture the base and the lab."
Mike blinked. He had hoped, sure, that Thorwald was going to be an ally, but this was beyond his expectations.
"And you're sure we can trust him?"
"Let's go inside to talk," Tom said. "We saw plenty enough proof to believe that Thorwald is one of the good guys. We have to take Avocet down."
Rachel looked intrigued, and reached out to clasp Tom's hand in hers as they began walking inside toward the conference room.
"You're OK?" she asked in a whisper, glancing over him to make sure there were no visible injuries.
"I'm fine," he said, squeezing her hand tightly before letting it drop. "Do you want to sit in on the planning, or work on making more doses of the cure?"
Rachel bit her lip, considering. "I made over a hundred while you were away. It turns out nervous energy is good for something. But if there are over 300 people needing the vaccine, I should probably get back to work," she decided.
Tom nodded. "I will fill you in on the plan later, I promise."
Rachel reached up to kiss him quickly on the cheek before squeezing his hand once more and heading in the direction of her lab.
Mike fell into step beside Tom, and nudged him gently on the arm.
"It isn't like that, huh?"
Tom rolled his eyes. "It wasn't at the time. It is now."
Mike nodded, grinning at his friend. He was happy for Tom. Most people weren't fortunate enough to find love like he and Darien had, and he had been lucky enough to have found it twice. Because anyone with eyes could see that Tom was in love with the scientist.
"Good for you," he said simply, and Tom relaxed, realizing that his friend wasn't going to give him shit for his new relationship.
He should have expected this, after they had pretty much silently agreed to let Danny and Kara be after the trials. 80% of the world was dead and the other 20% was suffering. There was a time and place for military regulations, but in the middle of the greatest plague the world had ever seen was not it.
Mike opened the door to the stateroom and gestured for Tom, Danny, and Jeter to enter ahead of him before he closed the door, latching it behind them.
"All right," he said, settling himself into a chair at the head of the table. "Let's make a plan."
Tom nodded and laid out the blueprints he had gotten from Thorwald.
"Right now, we're planning on taking out the power plant and infiltrating the base at the same time, so we're going to need two teams. The power plant team will gain entrance by hiding in the trucks."
He had to pause to explain what he meant by the trucks, and when he was done, both Mike and Jeter looked both sick and infuriated.
"Danny's team will take the power plant," he continued. "They should have the element of surprise, and from what Thorwald could determine, and from what we saw, the power plant runs with a skeleton crew."
Which made sense, he supposed, since everyone who entered the power plant was already dead.
"They'll take out the guards on the first floor. If they use silencers, they should be able to take them out without anyone else in the plant knowing. Then they will move upward to destroy the switchboard. Once power to the base is taken offline, the second team - Thorwald and I - will blow the basement floor and infiltrate."
Tom paused here, frowning.
"We learned something else from Thorwald. The woman in charge - her name is Amy Granderson."
Everyone who hadn't been on the recon team reacted with surprise, as Tom knew they would.
"As in...?" Mike asked, trailing off.
"As in Alisha's mother, yes."
"Well fuck," Mike said, scrubbing a hand over his eyes. "Does she know?"
Tom shook his head. "And I don't know how to tell her, or even if we should."
The room was silent for a moment. A problem for later, Tom thought, and continued pushing onward with the plan.
"We will need a larger team for infiltrating the base. We have two goals once inside - capture the lab, so that we can transport everything here to the Nathan James, and taking out Granderson and her men. We need to make sure that we destroy their hold on Baltimore completely. Thorwald has agreed to move his people into the compound once we have been able to vaccinate them all. He will take over a position of temporary leadership in the town, and work on distributing the cure once we teach his team how to make it. We'll leave him with enough supplies to work on vaccinating the town, and check in with his team every few months."
Mike looked thoughtful, and Tom noticed, so he urged him to speak.
"It sounds like... it sounds like Baltimore could become a home base. Wouldn't it make more sense to leave Dr. Scott and her team there to continue making the cure in the lab, instead of dismantling the lab to bring it aboard the Nathan James?"
He knew that Tom was not going to like his suggestion, and he was correct. He could see the man's jaw clench, and his eyes flash as he took a deep, calming breath in.
Tom had had the same thought not less than an hour ago. But the thing was, he was selfish, and he didn't think he could leave Rachel behind while he and the Nathan James continued their mission of distributing the cure throughout the world.
"The ship is still the safest place for her and the cure," he said evenly. "We don't know what could happen in Baltimore once we leave."
The room was silent, and Tom knew that some were questioning his judgement, questioning if he was acting from logic or his feelings. He didn't give them the chance to air any concerns. He continued talking.
"It's not negotiable. The Nathan James is the safest place for her and Dr. Tophet to continue their work. We will bring aboard anything they may need for their continued work on the cure. We will leave behind all of the information that Mr. Thorwald and his team will need to make and distribute the cure on their own. They will take lead in Baltimore for the time being."
Mike nodded. He knew that there was some logic in what Tom was saying, even if the driving factor behind keeping Dr. Scott on board was personal. It would be impossible for the Nathan James to make it back to Baltimore in time to help anyone if something were to go wrong, especially if they were halfway across the world.
"Now," Tom continued. "Any questions about the plan? If not, we'll gather our teams and go over the plan with them."
No one raised any objections, so Tom nodded.
"All right then. We need to address the crew."
December 7th, 2013 - 0600 (6:00 am)
Tom stood on the bridge, steeling himself for what he was about to do. With a deep breath, he reached out and flipped open the little metal door that held the intercom device. He clicked it on, and began speaking.
Throughout the entire ship, people paused what they were doing to listen.
Rachel, in her lab, looked up and smiled as the voice of their Captain came through the speaker.
"Good morning, Nathan James. This is your Captain speaking. Several of you noticed the R.H.I.B leaving the ship last night, and I am here to keep you up to date on what is happening. Last night at 2100 hours we received a distress call from Baltimore. A man named Andrew Thorwald was requesting assistance. He informed us that a supposed 'safe zone', Olympia, was in fact a cover for an operation that was murdering hundred of people and using their bodies to create power for a base of operations in the heart of Baltimore."
Tom paused and looked around the bridge, noticing the looks of shock and horror on the faces of his crew. His eyes met Alisha Granderson's for a brief moment before he made himself look away and continue.
"A small recon team went ashore last night to meet with Mr. Thorwald and confirm what he said. Olympia is indeed what he claimed it to be, and we know that we have to stop them. Today at 11 hundred hours, we will be sending two teams ashore to help stop the atrocities that are happening in Olympia. We will be capturing the base in Baltimore, and hopefully installing Mr. Thorwald in a position of leadership over the town. Because of Dr. Scott's hard work to create a cure, we will also be vaccinating anyone we come across. Our mission is two fold - we are going to stop the evil happening in Baltimore, and we are going to be bringing the lab in Baltimore aboard the ship so that Dr. Scott and her team can continue making the cure in safety."
Tom paused, unsure how to continue. He knew the mission was a dangerous one, but he also knew that this was their mission now, despite the danger.
"We will keep you updated as the mission progresses. Expect to stay docked near Baltimore for the next twelve or so hours. Those left on the ship will be given explicit instructions to get to safety should anything go wrong. For those of you remaining, your goal is simple: make sure the cure, and everyone left aboard this ship, stays safe no matter what. That is all for now."
Tom clicked the speaker off, and sighed deeply as he replaced the hand set.
He was not looking forward to what was coming next.
He turned around to see his crew all standing at attention. He felt his heart constrict. These people were his family, and he would do anything to keep them safe.
"At ease," he said, and the crew saluted before returning to their jobs. Tom walked forward, stopping in front of the Officer of the Deck, Alisha Granderson.
"Can we speak?" he asked, and she nodded, following him across the bridge into a quiet corner where he could speak privately to her.
Less than two minutes later, her found himself with an arm full of heartbroken soldier.
He sighed, casting his eyes upward. He hated this. He hated that he had to tell someone that their mother was alive, watch her eyes light up with hope, and then reveal what he knew - that her mother was an evil tyrant who was killing hundreds of thousands of people to help power her agenda.
When was this nightmare going to end?
December 7th, 2013 - 0900 (9:00 am)
Two hours later, Tom found himself entering Rachel's lab. Again, she was hard at work at her desk, working on synthesizing and bottling as many doses of the cure as she could. He knocked on the door to make sure he didn't startle her, and when she looked up, she smiled at him.
"With Quincy, Rios, and Bertrise, we've managed another 100 doses!" she said excitedly. "I think before we leave we can produce another 100. We won't quite have 300 doses, but they will all continue working while I'm ashore, and should be able to keep up the current pace of production."
Tom smiled at her excitement, walking over and kissing her on the forehead as she leaned against him.
"You're amazing," he simply said, and her cheeks colored as she pulled back and finished the dose she was working on. She added it to the others, and then turned to face her Captain.
"What's the plan?" she asked, and Tom began filling her in. She would be with the team that was infiltrating the base, as she would be needed when they got to the lab.
"You will be in full gear," Tom cautioned. "We're taking no chances with your life."
Rachel nodded, and then said, "Will I be needed immediately?"
Tom cocked his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Rachel steeled herself for what she was about to say, knowing that he wouldn't like it.
"I won't be any use while you and your men are securing the base," she said. "In fact, I think I would be a distraction. I would simply be something else for you to worry about while trying to take down anyone inside the base."
Tom frowned. "Did you change your mind? Do you want to stay on the ship?"
Rachel shook her head.
"No. I want to take the cure to the streets of Baltimore while you're securing the lab. We have almost 200 doses in all, and I would like to begin curing as many people as possible. If what you said over the intercom was true, then there are hundreds upon hundreds of people looking for hope in that city, and I can help them."
Tom was internally at war with himself.
He hated the idea of her being with them when they took the base, but he loathed the idea of her being on the streets without him.
"No," he said simply. "You're coming with me. With my team."
Rachel stood her ground, resolute.
"Tom," she said, and she could see in his eyes that he was torn. She reached up, pressing her palm to his cheek. "You know it's the right thing to do."
He shook his head, swallowing around the lump in his throat. "No," he said again, although she could tell this time that he was close to giving in. She brushed her fingers over his cheek, smiling gently up at him.
"I will take guards with me. I will be careful. I will still wear a bullet proof vest. But you know I'm right. I will be a liability to the infiltration team. I might as well do some good while I am waiting."
Tom wanted to remain steadfast and tell her that there was no chance in hell that he was letting her onto the streets by herself in a town crawling with sick people, not to mention those who worked for Amy Granderson.
But he knew he couldn't.
He was the Captain, yes, but he knew that if he started making unilateral decisions for Rachel, especially when she was right, that he would lose her. He couldn't control her, and he didn't want to. He wanted her safe, yes, but not at the expense of her independence.
"Promise me you'll be careful," he croaked, his voice breaking as he gathered her into his arms. Rachel nodded against his chest, returning his embrace.
"I will. I swear. I will take whoever you want me to with me, to keep me safe." She sniffled, hadn't realized she had begun crying. "Thank you. Thank you for trusting me. I can do some good here."
Tom nodded, squeezing her tighter.
"I always trust you," he said simply. "I want you to take Tex." He knew without a single doubt that the man would sacrifice himself in an instant for Rachel. He trusted Tex with her life.
"You need him on your team," Rachel began to argue, but Tom pulled back and held up a hand.
"You said you would take whoever I wanted you to," he reminded her. "I want you to take Tex."
Rachel gave in with a sigh. She wanted Tex with Tom because she knew they made a great team and had each other's backs, but if taking the man with her would help calm Tom's nerves, she would.
"Fine. And Tex will have a radio. As soon as you're done clearing the building, I need to get in there to inventory their lab and figure out what we need to take back with us."
"Deal," Tom agreed, and then pulled her forward again. "Now stop negotiating and let me hold you for a minute, you frustrating woman," he grumbled.
Rachel laughed and acquiesced easily. This was something she would happily give in to.
December 7th, 2013 - 1100 (11:00 am)
Tom wanted nothing more than to grab Rachel and force her back on the ship, or at least take her with him, where he could keep an eye on her. Instead, they were standing on the shore beside the R.H.I.B, waiting on the second group of soldiers to arrive, and Tex and Rachel were preparing to head off on their own to the streets of Baltimore.
"Tex," he began, and Tex grinned, cutting him off.
"Don't worry your pretty little head, commodore. I will protect her with my life," Tex assured him. "You have a job to do. Trust me to keep your scientist safe, and focus on your part of this mission."
"Please," Rachel added. "Do not get yourself hurt because you're worried about me. I won't forgive you for that."
Tom found himself smiling slightly. And then, not caring what the others surrounding them thought, he leaned forward and cupped Rachel's chin in his palm. He looked into her eyes, and then leaned down, gently kissing her on the lips.
"You'd better come back to me," he said, and she smiled.
"I will. I promise I will do everything within my power to come back."
With one final look, she turned and began walking away from him. Tex waved, grinning widely, and turned to follow the scientist down the road.
"See you later, Cap!" he called, and Tom ran a hand through his hair.
Be safe, he thought toward Rachel's retreating back. Then, he turned toward the soldiers behind him.
"All right. Now let's go save some lives," he ordered, and the men and women who had happily followed him on this mission cheered.