Scarlett's eyes darted around and she caught sight of a building off to her right. Standing on shaky legs she made her way towards it.
Frank's Auto Body was thankfully empty and unlocked. Scarlett entered by the service bay, found a dirty, large work shirt belonging to someone named Zeke. Throwing it on she found a phone and dialed a number and her gut twisted as the ringtone repeated in her ear.
"General Hawk?"
"Hawk? It's me"
A long pause..."Is this some kind of sick joke?"The tone was in a quiet growl, but she tried again. "Hawk I'm serious, I'm at Frank's Auto Body in Bountiful, Utah. Have Mainframe hack the cameras." She waited and listened as she heard Hawk order Mainframe to hack the cameras. She heard the moment the cameras locked on her..."Jesus Christ it's really her! Scarlett? Stay where you are, we are coming to get you. Just...don't move"
He hung up and she sank to the floor and hugged her knees to her chest, shaking in fear. As soon as she heard the sound of the chopper she made her way outside. As she approached she saw BeachHead and Lifeline exit the chopper. As soon as they saw her they both stopped dead in their tracks and just stared.
The rocks under her bare feet caused her to stumble and she fell to her knees sobbing, "Help me...please!" This jarred BeachHead forward and he picked her up in his arms to carry her to the chopper. "It's okay Red, we got you. Let's get you home."
About an hour later Hawk entered the sickbay to see Lifeline staring at the figure in observation. "How is she?"
"Freaked out, scared and confused, like we all are." Lifeline turned to show him the computer screen. "I was hoping her physical exam would give us some answers but it only gave us more questions." He showed photos of a few small scars. "These were two fatal gunshot wounds and where her legs were crushed three days ago, now all perfectly healed." He switched to another photo of a handprint that looked like a raised angry burn. "This was made by a large male hand. And then there is the tattoo," he showed the photo of the star surrounded by the circle of flame. "This wasn't there during her physical exam last week, so if it was new it should still be healing, but it is just THERE, like it's been there for years."
Hawk ran a hand down his face, "What the Hell is going on?"
Lifeline switched over to another file. "I gave her X-rays and that's when it got really weird." Hawk stared at him, "Like it wasn't weird already?" Lifeline shook his head, "Not compared to this." The first set of X-rays appeared on the screen showing strange symbols on the bones. Hawk leaned closer, "What the Hell is all that?!" Lifeline leaned back a bit. It took some research but they are Enochian. It was published in journals of a 16th century seer. In laymen's terms, it's the language of angels. And she has these symbols on every. Bone. In. Her. Body." He punctuated each word by switching to another slide showing every section of her skeleton with those same symbols. Hawk looked back at him. "Down to the smallest metacarpal."
"And she can't explain any of this?" Lifeline shook his head. "Says she has no memory of anything besides dying three days ago and waking up in a field today." Hawk straightened and heading for the door to the observation room. He stepped through and any suspicions he had about her dissipated as soon as he saw her.
Scarlett sat on the hospital gurney. Knees drawn up to her chest where she hugged them to her. She looked very small , like a child traumatized by a particularly awful night terror. Her eyes shot to his and the best description he could think of was that she looked haunted. "Hawk. I don't know what happened, how I'm here, anything...I swear!" He sat down, "It's okay Scarlett, I believe you. You don't remember anything?" "I've been wracking my mind trying to think. But all I recall are flashes of light, pain and being pulled up...besides that? Nothing." In a small voice she added, "Why me?" "What do you mean?" She shook her head, "We have lost so many good people over the years, what makes me different? Why do I get to cheat death?" Hawk stood up. "First of all, you will stop with that Survivor!s guilt bullshit immediately. We will get to the bottom of this, somehow." She nodded, "I know someone who may be able to tell us something, it's a long shot but it is all I can think of. What do we tell the others?"
"I think for the time being we keep this under wraps. Until we know that this isn't...temporary." Scarlett nodded quietly, why have her miraculously return from the dead if she is just going to drop dead again in a few days.
"So who is this person you think may help?"
--
"Singer Auto Salvage."
"Uncle Bobby? It's me, Shana. Can I talk to you?"
She explained everything that happened to her Uncle, listening as he muttered something about 'kicking someone'a feathery ass' while she described her experience. "I take it you have a good idea what is going on with me?"
He sighed, "Yeah I do, but it's a conversation we need to have in person. Can you meet me at a hotel?"
She looked at Hawk, who inclined his head. As far as the US Government knows you're dead, not like you can go AWOL."
"Yes that's fine Bobby. Does the Motel 6 on Route 15 work?"
"That's fine, see you there."
