14 Years Later - 2033
Hospital in Salt Lake City – Firefly Garrison
Marlene was sitting on a cot inside a makeshift tent on the grounds of the hospital her militia had commandeered, when the tent flap opened briefly, revealing a small shaft of spring sunlight as one of her soldiers entered.
"Orders, sir?" the soldiers voice intoned. A female voice.
Marlene looked on her. Normally she'd had a cascade of blonde hair around her shoulders, at least in the years previous when they first met, but now it was swept back with a ponytail under a knit cap with military jacket and gear. Her outfit she knew was bristling with a personalized arsenal of she didn't know how many sharp objects, including probably the pin holding her disheveled hair in place. Her features were hidden behind a black knit scarf bearing the same Firefly sigil as the one on her black armband.
"Package has been delivered. Ellie's back with us," Marlene said.
Sarah pulled down her mask to reveal a fraction of relief. "Good to know. It's been a hard year for all the men who sacrificed their time for this cause. My brigade is in the barracks, I'll set them up to receive the smuggler and Ellie can stay with—"
"They've already made contact with them. I sent your team to lookout from the roof, and Ethan is taking point on the ground. He'll receive them first," Marlene stated with finality.
Sarah was a little taken aback. "Sir, all due respect given, was it or was it not my team that found Ellie and her friend Riley after they escaped that mall all those months back? Discovered Ellie was immune? Reported it back to you, and protected her until we brought her to you—"
"Sarah this is not open for discussion," Marlene stated again, this time with a note of finality to her voice. "Don;'t think I am not grateful for all you've done for me. Especially this year. With all the men and women we've lost along the way, we are extremely close to finding a cure for all the madness… and we can rebuild the human race."
Sarah swallowed. "Grateful, huh? You knew. You knew before I did that they were on their way here, and you promised me protection detail as soon as they reached the rendezvous, a few friendly faces for Ellie, so she wouldn't feel as if she were in foreign territory-"
"Watch your tone, soldier," Marlene growled.
Sarah wasn't having it, continuing "-If she saw my face, if she saw the faces of any of our brigade then maybe she wouldn't have felt so afraid and alone. I know what that's like, Marlene! I know what it's like to be alone, afraid and lied to. So, I want to know one thing: who'd you hire to smuggle the kid out?"
Marlene sat back on her cot. She then took a deep breath and looked at Sarah. "Dismissed."
Sarah set her jaw. "Why him? Why did you send Ethan instead of Alec or myself? You know Ethan's unstable and trigger happy. I demoted him 6 months ago for—"
"You. Are. Dismissed." Marlene said, louder. "You and your brigade members are off-duty and regular detail until further notice. That'll be all. I want a rotating crew on guard duty patrolling the rooftops tonight, and two of you patrolling the basement until the sun comes up. Is that clear?"
Sarah looked down.
Marlene got up in Sarah's face. Both women were locked in a death stare, but Sarah conceded first. Marlene was a tough bitch, but Sarah had to respect her leadership and authority.
"I said is that clear, soldier?" Marlen said through grit teeth, losing her patience a bit.
Sarah, eventually, conceded, setting her jaw again. "As crystal, sir."
Marlene nodded and slowly sat down on her cot, taking a deep breath. "I sent Ethan because he's a loyal soldier. And he doesn't question my orders as often as you. Sarah don't get me wrong, you're one of my best and brightest. But lately….the world out there and all your mission's seemd to make you soft in the face of all this. We survive by any means necessary, that is what Fireflies do. What we do, we do for humanity."
Sarah turned to leave. Her back was turned to Marlene, after uttering one final phrase before stepping out and away into the parking lot of the hospital.
"What about your humanity….Queen Firefly?"
Marlene sighed deeply, then closed her eyes. Somehow she knew she would get little sleep tonight.
But in the morning, they would al see this as a milestone in human history.
She was sure of it.
Sarah walked across the lot, her group of men gathered around an old Humvee that had been riddled with bullet hits, holes, mud and had, frankly seen better days. There was Hiroshi, the oldest of them, at least 47 years old, whose tall frame and quiet, soothing demeanor was one of the few lights in the darkness of existence. His Firefly codename was Katana. He nodded in her direction as she passed him. Then there was Becca, her lieutenant, same age as she was, 32, with a shock of combed over reddish hair on one side of her head, as the other side was shaven clean and tattooed with an array of crosses bearing the tombs of clickers she'd killed. And she'd claimed many, as she'd proudly gone on to say before. Her codename was Deserter, as she'd been former US Army.
A third, younger than them by a few years, in his late twenties, was Deck, short for Declan. Their demolitions expert. He had a wad of gum in his mouth as he lay lackadaisically on the hood of the Humvee, chewing and popping a wad of bubble gum.
As she passed them, she noticed she didn't see Alec, her second-in-command.
She stopped short and asked took in her temamates and friends. "Raider?" she asked, referring to Alec's callsign.
Hiroshi, pointed with his dagger to the tent, a few yards away from the vehicle they were all gathered around. "Shaving" he said with a heavy Japanese accent and a gravelly low voice.
Sarah nodded, regarding whether or not she could face him with the news. She stared at the tent for a few moments before taking a deep breath. "Bad news, guys," she sighed.
She addressed them with the info she got from Marlene. Reactions were mixed, but she could tell they were pissed, disappointed, a little miffed, or stoic. Technically, Hiroshi was the stoic one, he just nodded his head, being accepting of the truth, as he always was, no matter how ugly.
Declan jumped off the vehicle in a huff. "Where the fuck is Ethan! I'll kick his goddamned ass—"
Becca held him back with a hand to his chest. "Take it down a notch, big guy. Marlene says he's the one, we can't argue. We're already in deep enough waters with her as it is!"
Declan glared at her. "Talking about the potshot he took at our team in the mess hall? If he hadn't have opened his fucking mouth about you guys, I wouldn't have had to shut it for him!"
"And that's why we've been demoted to guard duty, you damn hot head!" Becca stared him down.
Hiroshi and Sarah stepped between them breaking it up with Sarah glaring at Declan. Despite his anger, Declan wilted like a flower under Sarah's steel hard gaze. "Deck?" she said angrily.
"Yes, sir?" the young Firefly said with a shaky breath, looking straight ahead.
"Are you decent?"
He hesitated. "Um….yes, sir. Just angry about the situation, sir."
Sarah wasn't letting him go that easy as she continued her death stare. "Save your anger for some other time, because I have less than no time for it right now. Are we clear, soldier?"
Declan swallowed. "Y-yes, sir. Clear as crystal, sir. Won't happen again, sir."
"Good," Sarah said. Her voice softened. "At ease, Deck."
He took a deep breath and took a few steps back to join his team.
She took them all in with her eyes. Her crew, her unit. Her friends. Ever since her uncle had left the Firefly cause, she'd thought she'd been alone. But she hadn't. They'd all been there for her.
In a way…they were her family. All looking out for each other. And their fellow soldiers. Lately morale was low with most of the militia as they'd lost most of the convoy getting from Boston to Salt Lake.
Eventually, Marlene's convoy joined up with Sarah's small command, and over the year had proven themselves a valuble, if a bit more rough and tumble than the usual Firefly ranks. The rest had obeyed Marlene like she was some kind of goddess. But Sarah, over the years had learned better. She'd seen the folly of Marlene's mistakes and even though the two women hadn't known each other well, the day her Uncle Tommy left to go towards Jackson with his brigade, was nearly the day she thought she lost everyone she'd ever be close to again.
"Yes," Sarah said. "we're on guard duty. But I need to hook up with Raider. He'll give you your posts. Don't abandon those posts no matter what happens."
Becca nodded. "Marlene's twitchy, Cap. I don't trust her lately. Thing with the kid being immune—"
"It's bullshit," Declan said. "Becca's right, much as I hate to admit it. Cap, when we saved Ellie and her friend from that mall a year ago…..well….I had a little sister who got bit and I had to be the one to…"
Sarah put a hand on the young man;s shoulder and looked up at him sympathetically. "Deck, I know. I'm, not sure what Marlene plans to do with Ellie, but I'm sure she'll be safer with us than with some rucksack smuggler from god knows where."
Hiroshi spoke up next. "A smuggler who kept her safe for almost a full year. I was checking the comms. They are on their way. Ethan was….quite violent. The smuggler is unconscious. And Ellie…nearly drowned."
Sarah sighed. "Shit…..fucking Ethan, man."
They stood for a moment. Sarah walked forward into the tent where Raider was shaving.
Declan watcher her go. "Guys, I don't like this. Not one bit. Just got this sinking feeling, and you know I'm never wrong."
Becca smirked and hit him playfully on the shoulder. "Stop being a fucking downer, kid. Ellie's immune for sure. But you bet your ass after Ethan fucks up, we'll be back on active duty. Protection details not action packed, but…gotta admit, we've known Ellie when she rolled with Marlene for a while. Kids got balls for 14."
"Truly," Hiroshi said simply.
"Fuck yeah," Declan smirked. "She beat me at poker three times."
"She rides a horse better than I can," Becca noted with admiration in her voice.
"She has an aptitude for bladed weapons, certainly," Hiroshi intoned, stroking his chin.
They all stood, watching the sun set over the horizon.
Declan spoke again. "You know that bad feeling I got? Maybe it's nothing, I don't know. Tell ya one thing, though. Ethan's not good with kids. Ellie is not gonna dig him at all. Fuckin' pansy assed puppet for Marlene. Hope he gets shot and we take his place."
No one said anything after that.
Alec Trevor wiped his face with a damp cloth as he looked in the small cracked and dirtied piece fo reflective material that was a piece of a larger mirror once. He regarded his stubble, which had minutes ago been almost a full bushy beard. He caught sight of Sarah in the rearview.
She was standing right behind him.
He scoffed. "Sneaky, Cap. You were always the only one who could get the drop on me."
Sarah didn't smile back, so he turned around. He wasn't wearing any of his gear besides his cargo pants. He had a lean athletic body. A body that he had honed over the years from intensive workouts with the rest of his team mates. Sarah was a few years younger than he was, but he had taught her a lot, and vice versa. Over time they had become close friends.
"What is it?" he asked.
"No protection detail. Ellie's already here, they're taking her up now," Sarah relayed to him reluctantly, closing the flap to the tent.
He scoffed again. "Ethan."
Sarah nodded. "Marlene's pet enforcer. A bit of a jerk ,and then some. I nearly beamed with pride after Declan broke his nose weeks ago in the mess."
Alec smirked and stepped closer to her. "Beamed? You?"
"Captain or not," she replied, "I have my moments."
"Deck's right about Ethan, guys an asshole," Alec said. "How'd they take it?"
"Like the champs we know they are," Sarah sighed.
Alec nodded, but regarded her. "And you?"
Sarah sighed and stepped past him, to sit on the cot. "Everybody in the camp's on edge. Not just our group. Marlene's keeping everyone in the dark, regarding this…..clandestine op."
"You mean Ellie," Alec said.
Sarah nodded and looked down at the ground. "Alec…I have this sinking feeling. It only gets worse the more Marlene keeps silent. Declan feels it too, and despite the number of times his gut's gotten us into some deep scrapes….well…"
Alec sighed and walked over to the cot, putting a hand on her back. "Well, when your team is running aground of a nest of clickers inside a Boston mall, and you got two kids trapped in there…extraction seemed like the best option, and since we were the only team on duty that night…we were the ones that got her abck to Marlene, and back to safety. Or whatever counts for relative safety in times like these. You can't feel bad about that, boss."
Sarah took her Firefly pendant ion her hand and played with it. "I don't, it's just….this feels…..wrong, somehow. I don't trust it. Or her."
He nodded. "Tough situation. Follow orders, or….don't."
"if we don't," she sighed, "it's basically desertion."
"Militarty personell do it all the time," Alec said.
Sarah gave him a quizzical look. "Desert?"
"I'm not saying that? Did I say that?"
"You implied."
"Implied is better than saying, but it's not saying."
"Okay, whoa, hold on," Sarah replied as she got up from the cot. "what if I'm wrong?"
Alec walked over to her and took her gently by the shoulders. "All the time I've known you, you've almost never been wrong."
Sarah smirked. "Almost."
"Remember? When you said some people couldn't be redeemed…"
Sarah shook her head solemnly. "That….it wasn't you I was referring to, Alec."
Alec looked down and sighed. "I'm sorry, Sarah, I shouldn't have brought up him—"
"No, it's okay….really," she said.
Both were silent in the tent. Then Alec took her hand and picked up her chin.
Sarah leaned her head forward and kissed his lips.
Alec rested his forehead on hers and she put her arms around the small of his back as he held her.
"Teams waiting for orders outside," she whispered.
"They can handle five more minutes," Alec intoned back.
She was about to object, but her scout trip to the city outskirts with the rest of the team had taken her 24 hours. 24 hours away from him. The man who always had her back, her second in command. The man who over time, she had grown to love.
"I'll see if I can get Hiroshi to go stealth around where Ethan's stationed if it'll make you happy," Alec said.
"Okay, but just make sure he doesn't see you," Sarah replied.
They kissed for another minute or two before Sarah looked up at him. "You debrief them first. Send them to their posts. Be back here in an hour."
"Why?" he asked.
"So I can debrief you," she said with a playful smirk.
"Oh, yes, ma'am," he saluted her with a mischievous look on his face.
He left the tent then but not before putting on a shirt, greeting his comrades and getting their gear to go patrol.
Within 45 minutes, the compound was dark, security was as tight as it could be around the entire hospital. Hiroshi was walking the halls, nodding to the other men stationed at the other patrols. He overheard a conversation on the fifth floor the infirmary.
"Welcome to the Fireflies." It was Marlene's voice. "Sorry about the-they didn't know who you were."
She was definitely referring to Ethan. So the smuggler was awake. He listened to the entire conversation…then it took a turn for the worse.
Apparently, the smuggler had not liked what he had heard. Neither did Hiroshi. It concerned an operation that could possibly save the lives of every infected person on the planet.
He knew who they were referring to.
Marlene….Joel….and Ellie!
He remembered those names as he snuck past every guard in order to get back to Sarah's and Alec's tent.
Sarah was just leaving the cot she and Alec had just shared some "cooperative maneuvers" in, as he called it. She had gotten her breath back and was putting on her gear and shoes, as was Alex, when in almost perfect timing, Hiroshi came rushing back to their camp.
"Cap," he said urgently. "They have Ellie. It is not good. They're going to harvest her organs for a cure!"
Alec and Sarah looked at eachother for only a split second, then her radio squawked.
"Alpha team report! All stations on high alert! Hostile on premises! He's headed for the infirmary. All stations high alert!"
Sarah picked up. "alpha team en route. Sit tight til we get there with backup, boys. That's an order. Do not fire unless fired upon!"
The next thing she head was the soldiers….and then panicked fires and gunshots.
Sarah looked at alec, who looked at Hiroshi. All three dartred out of the tent and were jogging to the motorcade.
"Hiroshi, did you get the name of the smuggler?" Alec asked.
"His name is Miller. Joel Miller," he said.
Sarah stopped in her tracks.
Alec and Hiroshi stopped and looked at her midstride.
"Holy shit," she said. A panicked look spread across her face, but then was replaced by another expression.
Hiroshi was a bit confused. "Do you know who he is, Captain?"
Sarah grit her teeth, set her jaw and looked in another direction. "Alert Becca and Deck. Tell them to abort their posts, and meet me as soon as they can in the basement. Parking lot. She'll be there to stop them."
Alec was skeptical. "How do you know?"
Sarah looked at them. "Hiro, get the job done! Go! Go, both of you, right now! GO! If you have to fire on our own, do it!"
Hiro was stunned by the order, but he trusted his Captain, and ran off to complete his mission.
Alec raced with Sarah to the car park complex. "You know this smuggler, don't you?"
Sarah ducked behind a hummer with Alec behind as a spotlight swept overhead.
"Alec….his name is Joel Miller. He's my father. And he's the only one standing between Ellie and Marlene."
Now it was Alec's turn to be stunned. "Your father?!"
Sarah was already checking the rooftops for Becca and Declan, then she spotted Declan flashing his light down, signaling he got the message. She and Alec looked up at the soldiers manning the spotlights. Suddenly, they weren't sweeping acros the lot anymore and Alec surmised with a rueful grin that Becca and Deck had already put them into a permanent state of sleep.
"I thought you hated him."
Sarah brought out her pistol, cocking the hammer back.
"I thought I did, too," she said solemnly.
Alec put his hand on her cheek.
Sarah clutched his fingers in hers. "You ready for this?"
"Not in the least, baby," he smirked.
She chuckled and kissed him, pulling him close.
"I'll buy you some time. Keep away who I can," he said quickly. "Come back alive."
She nodded and he watched her sneak away.
He positioned his rifle and scope to sight out any hostile Fireflies.
It wasn't the kind of night he was expecting. But then again, he wasn't too up for a lot of quiet nightsin life to begin with.
We live through this, I pop the question. Hope she says yes.
He made his vow, and then put a bullet in one of the guardsmen making his way inside. The guardsmen never reached the door.
