Showdown, Chapter 11
(Here They Come)
A day passed and then another. The weather cleared. Sam and Claire, with help from everyone, patched the fuel tank. Everyone caught up on their sleep. Weapons were cleaned and ammo redistributed. Stan was better, the bullets that hit him having missed anything vital. There were emergency survival rations aboard the VTOL and a few unspoiled can goods left in the ship's galley. A butane stove was conjured up from a lifeboat so the generally tasteless food was at least hot. Then, in the middle of the ocean in a world gone mad, everyone started to get bored.
Searching the ship again passed some of the time. They went through all the cargo holds, the cabins and the workspaces.
"Sometimes there's a lot of good stuff in abandoned or zombie haunted ships," Stan pointed out the evening of the second day when they assembled to eat together. "Our friends in the floating communities have found that out. As much as possible when a ship is located anywhere near them by satellite, yes usually pirated Umbrella ones but still a few US Government ones that Alaskan Air Defense Command can access, we let them know. The Coast Guard people try to search and salvage any that are near us at home. And other communities do that as well. That Georgia barrier islands refuge that Jill and Angie tried to make it to and Jennie considered has got a couple which have helped them to reestablish a toehold on the mainland."
Emily had sat up when Jennie's name was mentioned. Her memory had shown some signs of returning with bits and pieces of unconnected scenes coming to her. There had been a few of her as a child and more with a mixed group of adults who seemed very close to her. By far the majority of those glimpses into her past had involved the blonde woman who was sitting beside her.
When the group returned to checking every corner of the ship Emily had deftly separated herself and the other woman from the others, having had a brief heartfelt conversation with Christina beforehand. After checking the storage containers in a compartment she sat down on one and looked at Jennie.
"It's time for us to talk. I need help. I need to know if the things I'm starting about me to recall are real or not.
Jennie took a deep breath. "Okay. Go ahead."
"Be honest."
"I promise."
"What is my last name?"
"Prentiss."
"And yours?"
"Gartman."
"I noticed that when I picked up a pistol that I seem to be very familiar with a firearm. Why is that?"
"You were a Supervisory Special Agent of the FBI."
The discussion went on. Jennie told her about the BAU and her transfer down to Texas and the joint task force they were on together. Emily was a skilled interrogator and although Jennie was well aware of that she was happy to get to reveal some of the details about their shared time together. They sat on the container together, legs swinging and comfortable until Emily released the bolt out of the blue.
"We were lovers weren't we?"
Jennie nearly fell off the crate. Her mouth hung open as she groped for words.
"You promised to be honest," Emily said sternly although there was a twinkle in her expressive eyes.
"Yes, we were."
"I thought so." It was Emily's turn to hesitate. "I feel something around you, something special. But I need to take things slow; I need for those feeling to grow back to where I feel certain that they were before. Can you deal with that?"
"Emily Prentiss I thought I had lost you forever." Jennie went on to explain the circumstances of her disappearance, Jennie's belief she was dead and how Umbrella must have somehow kidnapped her. "I'm just so happy to have you back. Memory or not you are the same woman. We fell in love once before. I think we can do it again."
The conversation, at least on that subject ended there. But sharp-eyed Christina smiled later on when she noticed the pair was holding hands as they walked the deck.
"Hey everyone," Jill poked her head out of the VTOL where it had been her turn to keep radio watch. "I just heard from Morganna and Dwayne. There in range and should be here in a few hours."
The group cheered, except for Alice who was standing near the bow shading her eyes.
"What is it hon?" asked Carlos, always alerted when his wife stiffened as she did now.
"We're not going to have a few hours. Look!"
The group assembled rapidly as the tiny specks Alice's enhanced vision had spotted grew closer.
"Shit."
"Here we go again."
In Alaska alarm bells were ringing at the Air Defense Command. A uniformed Air National Guard officer was barking orders while trying to simultaneously listen to a radio broadcast and contact someone on a different frequency.
"Bill Henderson?" When the mayor of the small town answered in the affirmative he went on. "Tony Jablonsky at Air Defense. We're picking up an inbound flight of aircraft from Japan. In addition there's a message being broadcasted from the same origin. Let me patch it in to you."
"Go ahead." The officer nodded to a tech and everyone listened.
"Alice Abernathy," a rage filled voice erupted from the speaker, "you dared to attack me, to attack Umbrella. Now you will pay for it. It has taken days to recover from your sneak attack but now you will feel my vengeance. And not just you but your pathetic little homes will feel my wrath as well." The message went on to repeat again and again until it was shut off.
"Sounds like he's pissed," commented Bill in a steady voice.
"Yeah that was my thought as well," replied Tony. "Bill I have a call in to State Headquarters and the Adjutant General. At the speed they're going I figure we have no more than thirty minutes at most before those aircraft reach you."
"Mikey just came running in the door Tony to bring me the same information. I'm sounding the warning siren here. I don't KNOW the voice but I m sure it's Chairman Wesker of Umbrella. I'm surprised they didn't try to sneak in like they did last time."
"Judging from the tone of voice in that broadcast I don't think stealth was on his mind. Besides we've tightened our surveillance considerably in the last couple of days. Speaking of that thanks Mikey."
"You're welcome Colonel," replied the young computer wiz who s near frantic activities over the last few days had included helping the Guard tighten its computer security and its search abilities.
"Tony we have to go. A lot to do and not much time to do it in."
"Okay Bill. I'm waiting for authorization for the response I have in mind. Take care and keep your head down."
The last bit echoed in an empty room. Mikey was running hard for Christina's house and Bill was headed for the heavy weapons armory, keys in hand and the majority of the adult residents of the town in hot pursuit. Most of them carried weapons snatched up the moment the alarm sounded.
When the siren had gone off the five teenaged girls in Christina's house had been sitting in a circle practicing. The five some who had been casual friends before were now BFF's one and all. Eliza, Marian and Sally had been amazed to learn about Angie's telepathic abilities and then astounded to discover that she and K-Mart had learned to communicate mentally. One and all they had determined to find a way for all of them to share Angie's talent one on one.
The three of them had almost immediately learned how to receive Angie's thoughts. At first it had been in the order of a broadcast but after practice the girls were able to receive thoughts one on one with Angie. Then came the harder part, mental transmissions between the other four without Angie facilitating.
Not surprisingly it was K-Mart who was first able to mind talk to another of the other three and that was with Marian, who was a little older and along with Sally had experienced Angie's powers first hand on the California coast. Sally followed and then one surprise morning Eliza did as well. They were still working on the latter three communicating with each other but it improved each time.
That circle though had been trying to find a way for them to boost Angie's telekinetic powers. The idea had again been K-Mart's.
"My mom can do incredible things with her mind," the teen had reasoned. "She can put up a shield that deflected flame and even bullets. She can affect other inanimate objects, like computer chips and other things, cause explosions. She says it's because of the way her body bonded with the T-Virus. Well, if she can then Angie might be able to do the same things and we can help her."
When Mikey gasped the news to the teens all thoughts of telekinetic powers and such were abandoned. The groups grabbed their own weapons; pistols and shotguns for the most part and hurried to collect the three younger children. When they left the house they saw Mister Henderson waving them in the direction of the surrounding woods, where they could also see the other community members taking cover and preparing for action. Knowing where a recently constructed bunker for children was they ran to it. The smaller ones were tucked inside and the girls spread out along the top and readied their weapons to defend themselves and the others. In what seemed like no time at all the drone of incoming aircraft engines filled the air.
"Shit," muttered K-Mart, secure in the knowledge that for once her mom and dad couldn't hear her.
"Shit," rang out four responses.
Perhaps Alice really DID hear her daughter. Maybe she just felt it. Regardless she felt a chill as she ran towards the captured Umbrella aircraft, arriving in time to hear the broadcast. Unlike those in Alaska she was perfectly familiar with Albert Wesker's voice. Her blood ran cold. She grabbed the radio tuned to their own frequency and called frantically for Mikey. Meanwhile Claire was on yet a third set telling Morganna and Dwayne what was happening and advising them to stay away.
"Mikey! Please answer!" Alice was nearly yelling by the time the computer tech answered.
"We're aware Alice and taking measures. The kids are safe for now. If everything goes right Umbrella is going to be the one getting surprised. The main effort is coming for you. Take cover and get your heads down and hold them off as long as you can."
Alice had to be satisfied with that. She gasped the news to the other anxious parents and everyone took cover, readying their weapons.
"Wish we had some Stingers," commented Carlos.
"Wishes and horses and all that," retuned Chris.
Christina, Jennie and Emily had got Stan to a covered location and prepared themselves. As the Umbrella strike force closed in on them Emily leaned over and kissed Jennie.
"I don't remember much but I remember that I love you."
With surgical precision Jennie fed the belt into the light machine gun she had positioned herself behind. "You better believe I want you to repeat that when this is all over."
And now the group waited. But they didn't have to wait for long.
(To be continued)