Orphans Beloved: "Beth Rhymes With Death…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…
Part XI…
Central Canada…
"I don't know how to thank you." Earnest, rather good, Midwest Canadian accent. "I could have been stuck out there on the road for days." Beaming smile to the young, dark-haired woman seated in back of the minivan with her…The young husband driving.
"It's so awful…" the woman shook head. "He tracked you down and actually tried to kill you? That's unbelievable."
"He's just insane. I'd no idea when I met him, you know how it goes sometimes. He seemed wonderful, this…That…Paul. But maybe it was the post-trauma thing. He was a soldier and killed many peoples…People." Helena sighed. "It has an effect. I sees…See it in my police work all the time. There was this one serial killer I and my partner, Art, were tracking down. God, was she a psychotic, yes…Yeah. But it stems from the abuse in childhood."
"I get that." The woman nodded. "I work in early childhood development…That kind of abuse certainly can leave terrible scars."
"Though good family and loving sisters…When one gets away from the abusive ones…The abusers, that can help, don't you thinks? Think?" Helena, a bit anxiously. "I mean I want to hope that crazy one can be helped, in time. We got her locked up, natch. Arthur is a great detective." She beamed. "Though this 'Helena' was very clever."
"But this guy…The boyfriend…" the young husband spoke up, looking back. "You think he won't come after you in Toronto?"
"He might…" Helena sighed. "But I was foolish to run like this…That…I should have just called in my partner and the fellas to deal. Locked him up and maybe given him the rubbers hose. But I still hoped I could reason with him…I did love him, you know." She teared slightly.
"Though that's all over now…Natch." Casual wave.
"Good." The woman patted her hand. "You have to think about your child and yourself now. Let the police…Well, the other police…" she smiled. "Deal with this creep, soon as we get in cell range again."
"Worst of it is, my ses…Sister…Sarah was kinda gone on him too, you know? I actually think he slept with her, the rats-bastard. Though Sarah is too refined type to wish to discuss it." Solemn nod. "She is very proper girl, my ses…Sis."
"Oh, my…" the woman blinked.
"I don't blame Sarah…The snake Paul is very charming and very hot in the body. He took advantage." nod. "But she has seen the light and we are fine."
"Wow." The husband nodded. "Real soap-opera there." Smile. "Not forgetting you really were in danger there."
"Oh, no…You are right. Was just like soap-opera. Like when Victor on 'Young and Restless' was going to kill that girl…?" she began eagerly.
"You mean a couple of seasons ago? Wasn't that great?" the husband, equally eagerly.
"Oh, yes…I love Victor, he is so despicable villain guy." Helena, happily settling in.
"Say, Beth…" the woman offered her phone. "I think we've got a signal if you want to call."
"Thanks…" Helena took phone, jerking as the dart the woman fired struck her in the thigh. The van pulled over.
"Hold her!" the man commanded, turning back and unbuckling hurriedly.
"Godsdamnyou…!" Helena raged, trying to rise.
"Helena, you'll only harm your…" the woman was tossed back but immediately took a fighting crouch.
"Military guys, again…Eh?" Helena, wobbly now. "I will kill you first, both…" she passed out.
"Ok…" the woman sighed, brushing hair back, moving to shove Helena in her seat and set her head back. "Lets get her in…And…"
Stark Helena theme playing as Helena suddenly grabbed her by the throat…
"Stop!" she addressed the man, shaking the woman and pointing the dart gun she'd grabbed. He paused. "I have been drugged many times, lady." She hissed. "You really should've checked my bloods work regards dosage. And you both were good, but really…You should have waited another hundred miles. Nice couple in minivan driving round up here for nature scenery was just bit convenients, you know?"
…..
"So what we have is…" Art continued, eyeing the whiteboard on which were listed a rather meager list of facts. Donnie and Felix attempting to seem attentive under Ally's glare…Cosima pondering the board. "She left a canister of her frozen eggs. But no note, no indication…"
"She's either left to protect the other girls or she had something to take care of in her past." Donnie noted. "I'd say follow her trail back. She's sure to be somewhere along there."
Felix, slightly bemused. If you'd told me we were really going to try here…
"Very good, Donnie." Ally beamed.
"It's what you'd do." He shrugged.
"Good enough…" Art nodded. "I agree."
"Yeah…" Cosima agreed. "It makes sense… But…" sigh. "That trail's sure to be pretty long."
"Well, we can bypass the fish farm at least…"Felix noted. "They are out of the picture at least."
….
Cut to shot of ruins of the Johannesen ranch.
"We got the children out in time and most of the family…" the slight brown midwife/nurse manager of the Johannesen nursery eyed a grim-faced Bonnie Johnannesen as they stood in coats eyeing the wreckage.
"Helena…" Bonnie…Harsh rasp. "We should have killed her once the eggs were fertile and used our own brood mares."
Several puzzled if rather dim young women newly arrived with Bonnie looking on…
Brood…?
"She talkin' about horse ranching?" one noted to her companion. "Is that the job? Cause I don't know horse ranchin'."
"We're daughters of Christ…Or somethin'." the other hissed. "I think they wants we should sleep with her husband."
"I'm so sorry Bonnie." The midwife shook her head at the ruins. "Hendrik couldn't be saved…He…" she paused.
"Yes?" Grim look.
"He may have been dead already, from the wounds we saw when we recovered the body. I don't think the fire killed him."
"No. She did." Bonnie, calmly. "And the Lord will have no mercy on her and hers for this crime. The Abomination must be wiped from the Earth in Hendrik's name."
"Yes…I'm sure." Nod.
"Grace."
"Not a sign, Bonnie. But she wasn't killed here."
"She's in league with the Devil. I should have known she bore the mark of Satan, from the woman who mothered her. She was pure sin, though she took Hendrik in when he was at MIT and subject to the temptations of the flesh. Well…" Bonnie, stone-faced calm. "They will both burn. And all with them, down to their foul offspring. Boys!" she turned to face the young men of the ranch who had clustered by the partly intact barn.
"Mother Bonnie…Ma'am…Mother…" several of the men stepped forward.
"We must get moved to the other home. And then…We must deal with Satan's daughter and her godless sisters. Go on, all of you!"
"Hey…" The most attentive of the new "brood mares" looked at Bonnie from where she and the others waited. "Where are we going now? What's up with this shit?" she waved a hand. "Hey!" she glared as Bonnie struck her.
"Silence! Get in the truck with the others…"
"I'm not goin' anywhere with you, you crazy bitch…" the girl began.
"There's no place for such talk here and no time to correct it in you. God have mercy on your soul." Bonnie, solemnly, shooting the girl who crumpled.
"Jesus!" "Arh!" two of the four girls screamd, the others too dim and too stunned to register much at once.
"Quiet, the rest of you! Or you'll all wind up like this foul-mouthed tramp here! Leroy, you and Chester throw her body into the barn. Douse it well in gasoline. Henry? Take the mares to the truck. Don't spare the rod if the whores give you trouble!" harsh glare at the surviving girls.
I thought we were all brides of Christ…One of the new girls noted as the tall, gangly Leroy, sporting cowboy hat, grabbed at the body, pulling it back…Henry waving them to follow him back to the truck specified.
"Get them all into the trucks…And then burn what's left, purge it from God's eye…" Bonnie turned, a few tears dripping, hastily and angrily. "Your bones will follow, demon whore!" she cried. "You…Your twin…The other poor copies…The little demon from Hell your twin spawned! God sees all! And we are His instruments!"
…..
Ice cream parlor, downtown Toronto.
"You know you're only getting' this cause Cal here…Has never had Toronto ice cream…You know that." Sarah eyed Kira firmly. "And no more on the sprinkles…" she gave stern look, Kira reluctantly putting spoon back into the container. Cal lifting the tray with their three ice cream sundaes.
"You should've said she wasn't your mom…" he grinned. "Then I'd've never known how much sprinkles you can get."
"Please…" Sarah, mocking frowning as they walked to a table. "She's had enough exposure to Rachel's insane Ayn Rand pov…We don't need her learning lessons like that."
Kira giggling…
"You think it's fun, oi?" Sarah grinned.
"Yeah…" Kira beamed.
They took seats…
"This is nice…" Kira noted.
"Yeah…It is…" Sarah agreed, eyeing Cal who gave wry smile.
"Nailing me for that child support big time, aren't you, you grifter?"
"The whole scheme…" Sarah agreed, smiling.
"Well then…Yes." He eyed her. "In answer to your previous question…And I think you know what I mean."
"I do…" Sarah, nodding…Tearing… "Cal…"
"Come on, it's not just that it's another level of protection for Kira…I'm actually getting to like the little snow leopard. And I think she likes me." He looked at Kira. Raising eyebrows in exaggerated manner.
"Yeah." Kira, careful nod.
"Cal…You know I want to…So much…" Sarah began…Putting trembling hand on his arm.
"Then do it. Say thanks and it's a match."
"I'm just…" she wiped eyes, shaking head. "I'm so afraid…Until we know everything is safe…"
"That'll never be, Sarah." He eyed her sternly. "Even if Dyad shuts down and everyone there goes to jail…It's never gonna be…Safe. We have to take what we can get. Now. Here. And yeah, I do love you." Smile. "And you'll finally get your hands on everything…"
She grinned.
"Do I do the knees? I have bad knees…" he sighed. "Kira?"
"Knees…" she nodded.
"Ok, then." He rose, then knelt, solemn look up. "Miss Sarah Manning…"
"Sarah Gabrielle Manning…" Kira corrected sternly. He nodding solemnly…
"Right…Miss Sarah Gabrielle Manning…Would you, please…Let me get off my aching knees and do me the honor…?"
"Yes…Oh, God…" Sarah grabbed at him…Hugging. "Oh, God…Forgive me…Forgive me. Yes! Yes!"
"Wait a mo…I have a ring…" he fumbled at pocket.
She looking round…
"What?" he stared.
"There's no one…" she eyed him…Looking at the open ring box.
"Sorry." he paused. "Did you want to wait till we got to Mrs. S'."
"No…No…" she put up a hand, tears running. "I was just scared to death six people from Dyad, Topside, the Proleithians, other clones, the military…Would all come out and …Ruin…" she sobbed…He rising to embrace her.
Kira beaming…
…..
"Yes?" Art held his phone as he frowned at the whiteboard…And at Donnie now giggling with Felix, Ally having gone to fetch soda from the kitchenette.
"Arthur? This is Helena. So sorry to bother you but could you come get me?"
He stared at the phone…Then at the text screen also buzzing…
"Art: This is Beth."
Oh…Beth, staring at her phone…Weeping…
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean toI had to. Art, it is Beth." The message forming…
He blinked at the phone…
"Arthur? Is you busy? I can call back. But must be soon." Helena's voice.
"Arthur?" Fee stared… "You ok?"
…
…