Rescue and Retribution

A week after meeting her half-sister, Carrie stood outside the Allston household and stared up at the third story window where the Handmaid Ofandy resides. It was through the Martha network did she learn about Ofandy's due date, which was approaching very quickly. She needed to get her and the baby out tonight before it's too late.

She entered through the front door with little to no effort as she silently levitated an inch above the floor so no sound would be heard. Her cloak floated around her, giving her an angelic-ghost like appearance as she made her way to the third floor. She arrived at the door the Handmaid was behind before she quietly opened it. There, lying on the bed was Ofandy at full term and in deep sleep. In the dim light of the crescent moon illuminating through the window, she saw dried tear tracks on her cheeks along with dark hand shaped bruises on her arms. A crystal clear sign of abuse.

She glided across the room towards the sleeping girl and knelt beside her. She stroked the girl's hand with a gentle motherly touch and whispered, "Wake up. Wake up young one." Her quiet voice was like a gentle breeze as she coaxed her from slumber. The Handmaid blearily opened her eyes to the white mask staring at her. A scream almost escaped her, but Carrie was quick enough to gently cover her mouth before any sound alerted the household. She placed a finger to her own lips and 'shushed', telling her to be quiet before the Handmaid calmed down.

Carrie removed her hand from the girl's mouth. "Forgive me for startling you. I'm-"

"The Saint in the White Mask." The girl gasped out, her voice barely above a whisper as her eyes filled with tears of awe and joy.

Carrie laughed quietly, "That I am. Can you tell me your real name?"

"Kelsey. My name is Kelsey." She introduced herself as she took Carrie's hand and clasped it between hers. "I always hoped that you'd come for me. I prayed every night for you to get my baby out of here." She bowed her head until her crown touched their joined hands and sobbed. "You came here. You really came here."

Carrie embraced the crying girl and gently ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm here now. I'm here for both of you." She pulled away and laid her hand on Kelsey's protruding belly, sensing the child sleeping peacefully inside. But upon closer inspection, she saw the umbilical cord wrapped loosely and dangerously close to the baby's neck. Closing her eyes, she carefully reached inside and disentangle the cord until it was safely away from the baby's throat.

She opened her eyes to meet Kelsey's concerned gaze and said, "It's a girl."

Kelsey's eyes widened in fear which Carrie quickly consoled, "Don't worry, I'll get you both out of here. She won't grow up a slave." She reached inside her cloak and pulled out a long thick jacket for the girl. "It's best you two stay warm now. It's bloody cold outside." Kelsey gratefully pulled on the jacket before she went after her shoes and quickly put them on.

"Is there anything else you need to take with you?" Carrie asked as she glanced outside the window, specifically in the direction of where the getaway car was hiding.

"No, there's nothing for me here." Kelsey bitterly answered as she covered her bruises with the sleeves.

"Good, cause we're leaving now." Carrie said as she held Kelsey's hand and guided her out of her room, being careful not to make any sound. They were silent as they made their way to the second floor, close to where the Commander and his Wife were sleeping. Just as they were about to step off the last staircase, a shiver ran down Carrie's spine. She stopped and listened to everything around her, from Kelsey's breathing, the unborn child's heartbeat, the Commander's snores...and the approaching cars outside the house.

"Saint? What's wrong?" Kelsey worriedly asked the suddenly quiet telekinetic.

Carrie urged her to sit down as she quietly made her way to the closest window. Peeking through the blinds, she saw two black cars with tinted windows roll up in front of the house. Her stomach dropped at the thought of having to fight her way out of the house and risk Kelsey's safety. The doors slid open and out walked a familiar face Carrie never expected to see so soon. She sighed in both relief and exasperation as she moved away from the window and sat beside Kelsey on the stairs and wrapped an arm around her.

"Saint White?" Kelsey asked as Carrie embraced her protectively, her white cloak surrounding them both.

"Don't be afraid. Help came, but not the from the one I expected." Carrie whispered as she faintly heard multiple footsteps approach the front door.

"What do you mean?"

Carrie sighed as she felt the same malicious vengeance come closer. "Because this one is quite violent and unreasonable towards Gilead." The moment she finished that sentence, the house shook as a blast was heard downstairs, no doubt from the door being destroyed. The commotion woke the whole house as the soldiers marched up the stairs and kicked down the master bedroom door. Screams were heard from the Wife and pained grunts and shouts from the Commander who fought back before he was subdued and dragged out with a crying Mrs. Allston who was pulled out of the room by her hair. After a few moments of silence, the Commander's bloodcurdling screams echoed throughout the house before it became quiet once again.

Carrie waited a few more minutes to make sure they were done before she pulled Kelsey to her feet. They traveled to the last staircase with Carrie keeping Kelsey behind her incase of an attack. As they approached the bottom of the stairs, Carrie gasped at the blood trail smeared across the living room to the front door.

They both turned at the sound of muffled crying to see Mrs. Allston face down on the floor with her mouth gagged and her hands and feet tied behind her back. But what drew their attention was the woman in the black leather trench coat with a red belt sitting in an arm chair with her feet propped up on the Wife's back as she leisurely cleaned the blood off her carving knife.

"Wrath of God." The Saint greeted her sister lounging in the chair.

"I was wondering when you were gonna come down." Wrath stated as she inspected her blade, checking to see if there was still blood left on her weapon. She didn't even turn to face them.

Carrie kept Kelsey behind her as she stepped into the living room, making sure she didn't step in the blood. "You knew I was here."

Wrath smirked as she sheathed her knife. "I had a feeling you'd come for the Handmaid when I heard approaching due date. So I thought I'd get rid of some obstacles for you just in case." she said as she glanced at the frightened girl behind the Saint.

"I appreciate your concern. But I have to ask, what happened to the Commander?" Carrie asked as her eyes took in the puddle of blood on the white carpet.

"He's alive." Wrath smirked sadistically, "But he is quite sad right now." Her fingers tapped on a small wooden box on the table beside her, its surface covered in bloody fingerprints. "In here is his favorite toy. He cried when I took it away from him." Carrie immediately felt queasy at what her sister no doubt committed but dared not to comment for fear she may lose her lunch the moment she opened her mouth.

After swallowing her saliva and calming her stomach, she spoke again, "Not to seem rude. Now that you've done away with the Commander, what other reason do you have to be here?"

"Oh, the usual, justice, payback, however you like to call it." Wrath shrugged, "I wanted to see the look on this abusive hag's face when she sees her last chance at motherhood walk out the door." She grinned maliciously at Mrs. Allston as she dug the heel of her boot into her back, eliciting a pained cry from the Wife.

Carrie turned to the Wife who stared up at the Saint pleadingly. Wrath glanced at Kelsey behind her as she shielded her pregnant belly from the woman's view.

"Your name is Kelsey, correct?" Wrath asked the girl who was hesitant but nodded in confirmation.

"My sources tell me that the Commander and his Wife kept hurting you for no apparent reason except for sickening lust and hateful jealousy. Is this true?" Wrath asked sympathetically as she watched the frightened girl's eyes glance at Mrs. Allston before she shrank away at the sight of her.

"Yes."

Wrath smiled comfortingly at Kelsey. "That's all I need to know." She removed her shoe from Mrs. Allston's back then took out the riding crop she had attached to her hip then struck the older woman across the back with it. She screamed through the gag at the burning pain that flared through her back and screamed louder at the second strike.

Carrie covered Kelsey's eyes and ears at what Wrath viciously did to the Wife. A gleeful manic smile displayed on Wrath's face at the agony caused in the older woman as red streaks decorated the back of her blue nightgown. When Kelsey trembled in her arms, Carrie decided to put a stop to Wrath's violence. "That is enough already!"

Wrath paused mid-strike then turned to her audience where one buried her face in the other's chest. Carrie shook her head, "That's enough."

"No, it is not." Wrath never broke eye contact with her sister as she knelt beside the Wife and pulled her to her knees by her hair. Tears and blood were all over her face as she sobbed into the gag. "This is only an introduction to the real hell she will endure until Gilead is destroyed." Wrath's grip on the woman's hair tightened as she hissed into her ear, "The old bitch wasn't sorry for what she did to Kelsey and all the Handmaids before her. She showed not one ounce of remorse for her actions and she's gonna pay for it with her blood and body. See how she likes it."

Mrs. Allston trembled at what this demonic woman meant before the gag was pulled down. "No. No, please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please. Please, forgive me, have mercy." She sobbed pathetically as she pleaded to the Wrath of God to spare her that kind of torment.

"That's hilarious, because I'm pretty sure all your Handmaids begged you and your husband for the same thing." Wrath stated as she gave Mrs. Allston a sharp tug to look at Kelsey who watched with fearful yet fascinated eyes. "Now, I do believe you owe Kelsey an apology. Go on, say it." Wrath ordered the Wife.

Mrs. Allston looked at her Handmaid, the girl she abused out of jealous rage for having her husband's baby and her only hope for motherhood. Her hateful actions led her to this, no one to blame but herself. "I'm so sorry Ofandy-" She screamed when the riding crop hit the back of her legs as Wrath hissed into her ear, "That's not her name you stupid bitch!"

Mrs. Allston gasped at the stinging pain in her body as she struggled to speak, "I'm sorry Kelsey."

"For?" Wrath threateningly touched her bloodied back with the riding crop.

"For everything. For the Ceremony, for forcing you to become pregnant, for hurting you physically and emotionally out of petty jealousy, for not stopping my husband. I'm so sorry." Mrs. Allston sobbed as she apologized over and over to Kelsey who watched her tormenter reduced to a pitiful sobbing mess.

Kelsey shook her head at this disgusting woman as she held her unborn baby protectively. "You're only sorry that you got caught." She said as she backed away from the woman. "What you and the Commander did to me will never be forgiven. The only consolation I will ever have out of this hell is the child inside me." She looked down and rubbed her belly affectionately despite the circumstances that created it. "This child may not have been what I planned, but she is the only good thing that ever gave me comfort here." She looked up with newfound courage and determination and vowed, "After today, I will never think about you again. I will never let you have my daughter."

Mrs. Allston shook her head, "No. Please, don't take my baby girl. Please!" she begged as she tried to move closer to the child inside Kelsey but was kept immobile by a firm tug to her hair.

Carrie moved between them and kept Kelsey out of Mrs. Allston's sight. "She's not your baby, she never was. Not yours, not the Commander's, not Gilead's. This child won't even know your name." Carrie said as she stared at the delusional woman with pity. Even if she was a Wife, she was as much a slave to Gilead as all the women in the nation. Glancing at Wrath, she saw nothing but twisted satisfaction at the Wife's cries and begging to have her baby. This was only the beginning of this woman's torment, one she would never wish upon her enemies no matter how vile.

"Please." Mrs. Allston begged the Saint to save her, to show her some mercy from whatever fate Wrath had planned for her.

Carrie glanced at Kelsey and weighed her options, the pregnant woman or the one who will be subjected to Purgatory's vengeance. She shook her head then turned to the Wife. "I'm sorry Mrs. Allston, I can't save you. This child's safety must come first." At hearing those words, the Wife began to cry hysterically as Wrath gagged her again, only tighter just to muffle her screams.

"Wrath of God." The Saint addressed her sister with a firm voice, "If you intend to enact your punishments upon Mrs. Allston, can you wait until after we're gone? We don't want to cause anymore stress on the mother or her baby."

Wrath glanced at the heavily pregnant girl who watched their interactions with a tense expression as she held her belly protectively. "Of course. I'm only here for the Allstons." Wrath humbly conceded to her sister's request, not wishing for anymore harm to come to Kelsey or her child.

"Thank you." Carrie nodded her head as she escorted Kelsey out of the house, carful not to step in or slip on the blood smeared floor.

"Until we meet again dear sister." She heard Wrath call out as they exited the house. They passed Purgatory soldiers who wore faceless masks and waited for their leader to join them. Pained moans were heard inside one of the cars, no doubt from the Commander. The moment they got inside the getaway car, Kelsey asked, "That's your sister?" Her face held disbelief and astonishment at the idea of the Wrath of God and the Holy Saint in the White Mask being related.

"Yeah, we have a complicated relationship." Carrie admitted as she drove them to the Canadian border.

That was the first time she witnessed her half-sister's sadistic vengeance upon a Gileadean.

It felt good getting this chapter out. You can see the contrast in how the two sisters handle their objectives. I also wanted you to catch a real glimpse of what Rachel/Wrath is capable of. Thank you and have a nice day.