Chapter 20 Meet the Family

David

July 21st, 2017

3:38 AM

Canyon County, Idaho

Local Residence

After the enemy helicopter was down for the count and my team and I left the barn, I decided to enter the house on the homestead with the team on my orders to check for survivors. When I bring the team in to form up by the front door, I notice a little plaque on the wall that reads: MARSH. I knew that name from somewhere, but this wasn't the time for familiarity.

I stand next to the door on one side with my rifle ready and Logos behind me while Cayce, Kristine, and Flint stand on the other. Ready kick the door open. Cayce kicks the front door and checks the perimeter inside. The perimeter is clear and the rest of us enter. The first room we enter is a living room with a couch and a TV set. I order the team to split and check other areas of the house.

"Foley, Prescott, check the dining room and kitchen," I ordered. "Wheeler, Logos, check upstairs."

As soon as the team splits, I poke around the living room to see family pictures and crucifixes hung on the wall. Whoever lived here was probably another Catholic family and maybe part of the church group in town like the last pair of civilians we found. Not only that, but one of the faces in one of the family pictures looked uncanny. The picture was a portrait of a man, woman, and three girls. One of the girls in the portrait had a face I knew anywhere back in my Blackwell days. My nerves were beginning to tingle.

I overhear Cayce and Kristine shouting "clear" as soon as they've secured their post. Before I could say anything to myself about what I'd seen, Cayce informs me that there's no one to be found on the bottom floor of this house.

"Area secure, Commander," said Cayce. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Corporal," I said. "Stay down here with Kristine. I'm going upstairs."

I knew my gut was telling me another old Blackwell attendee was living here. Maybe I could confirm my feelings on the top floor where Flint and Logos were searching. As soon as I was upstairs, Logos and Flint shout "clear" from the rooms they secured. They come out of the rooms they searched in and rejoin me.

"Perimeter secure, David," said Logos.

"Area secure, Commander," said Flint. "There's no one home."

"How many rooms did you find?" I asked my sergeant and private.

"Four bedrooms and a bathroom," said Logos. "Why?"

"I'm gonna take a look around up here. I might know someone who lives here."

Flint and Logos return to Cayce and Kristine downstairs and I search the bedrooms for clues. I search one bedroom with a king-sized bed and it must be where the man and woman used to sleep. I search two other bedrooms that looked to be made for two out of the three girls living in this house, but nothing I knew of can confirm anything. Until I checked the last bedroom that at last confirmed what I suspected.

The first clue I see is a picture of the three girls from the portrait downstairs. A younger girl with long hair who was smiling, an older girl with glasses holding an ice cream cone, and the oldest of the bunch who lit my eyes with familiarity. The next clue I find is a picture of the familiar girl in a graduation gown and cap. Standing next to Max Caulfield and Warren Graham and smiling with them. That clue the one-hundred percent confirms who lives here is a High School diploma plaque. One that reads:

BLACKWELL ACADEMY

ARCADIA BAY – OREGON

This Certifies that

Kate Beverly Marsh

Has satisfactorily completed the Course of Study prescribed for Graduation and is therefore entitled to this

DIPLOMA

May 29th, 2014

Principal: Raymond Wells

"Kate?" I thought.

"Commander, you coming down here or what?!" Cayce shouted from downstairs.

"I'm coming down!" I shout back.

If this war hadn't made the universe small enough already, it wasn't just Kate Marsh who lived here. It was her family as well. Its been four years since I stalked Kate over the Vortex Club and her superstitious innocent that occurred once at that one Vortex party and not once did I ever apologize for it. If she and her family were still alive, I owe her that much to keep it that way. I raced downstairs quickly to inform the team.

I race down the stairs and regroup with Cayce and the others. They all see an urgent look in my eye.

"Something wrong, David?" Kristine asked.

"I know who lives here," I said.

"Who?" Cayce asked.

"A girl named Kate Marsh and her family. They're from Arcadia Bay. I know Kate from Blackwell."

"Oh, for the love of-"

"Not the time, Cayce! We have to find them. They could still be alive if they are."

"Why is it always Blackwell, David?! No offense, but you seem really desperate to be always saving ex-Blackwell shits for someone with an unpopular reputation for that school."

"I didn't request your opinion, Cayce! I'm your commander and we save Kate and family on my orders."

"With respect, David, let's be real. There's no one in this house and whoever was didn't get to finish their food on the table and probably left for the church or something."

"I hate to interrupt your catfight, Commander," said Flint. "But I think I found something."

The four of us turn to Flint and see a little handle he had found on the floor. A handle that looked like it opens something to somewhere beneath us.

"A handle?" Logos thought. "What's that just doing sticking out of the floor for?"

"I don't know," said Flint. "But it could be a door to a basement or something. Made out of these floorboards. It's pretty well hidden."

"Step aside," I said.

I walk over to the handle and grab onto it to pull the basement door open. And like that, the door opens to steps that would take us down the cellar. I make hand gestures for the team to stay silent and move in. I take point down the cellar and as soon as we're almost down the steps, a blast of a bullet goes off. Nearly taking my head off as it missed and put a hole in the wall next to me with a loud bang and then a click. I aim jerk my head in the direction the shot fired and aim my rifle and flash at a man in a preacher outfit and pump rifle.

"Drop it!" The man shouted. "Not another step!"

"Hey, we're not ConDef!" I warned the man with the gun. "We're Chrysalis! We're friendly!"

"Hey, don't shoot!" Kristine intervened. "We're Chrysalis! We're here to help!"

"Richard, put that gun down!" A woman in the dark cellar barked.

The five of us withdraw our weapons an expression of good faith as we gradually walk down the steps. The man named Richard withdrew his weapon in return.

"By the lord," said Richard. "Chrysalis rescue workers in our cellar."

I shine my gun's light over the family hidden in the cellar and who I see is who I predicted. Not only do I see the Marshes all curled over against a corner of the wall, but I see the prodigal daughter herself. Dressed differently than she did at Blackwell and her hair styled more differentiated than before as well. Standing between her two sisters and her mother.

"David?" Kate said in surprise. "Is – is that really you?"

"You know this man, Kate?" Richard asked.

Kate approached me slowly. I approached her slowly. Should I be nervous to see her or ecstatic to be? Either way, our jaws are dropped and Kate unreluctantly hugs me like we were lifelong soul mates. Then she smiles. Proud of an ex-Blackwell cop who once misjudged her whereabouts for coming for her and family. I send back a light smile for her as her head compacts against my chest and our arms caress one another.

"I'll take yes for an answer," said Richard.

"Good to see you too, Kate," I said. "Didn't think I'd be saying this, but it's good to see you too. Alive and well."

"Kate, you know him?" One of Kate's sisters asked.

"Of course, I do," replied Kate. "This is David Madsen from Blackwell. And now he's in a Chrysalis uniform. Once a soldier, always a soldier it seems."

"I've been getting that a lot," I said.

"This is the David from Blackwell?" The woman in the room asked. Who had to be Richard's wife and Kate's mother. "This is a surprise."

"I expect nothing more from a man who harassed my daughter turned Chrysalis trooper," said Richard.

"Dad, please," said Kate. "He's not like that anymore."

"It's nice to meet the family for a change. I caught your name was Richard?" I asked Kate's father.

"I am Richard," he replied. "This my wife Mary. And my two younger daughters Laura and Lynn. And you've met Kate. Forgive my manners, but Kate has told us stories about what happened between you and her at Blackwell. But that's all in the past now. How did a Chrysalis team like yourselves find us anyway?"

"My private found a handle sticking out in the middle of your living room floor and poof here you are," I replied. "Plus, I found things your daughter's room that signified she lived here. Kate's room specifically. And I saw a portrait of the whole family in the living room."

"And here I thought we've seen the last of Blackwell," said Cayce. "At this rate, we'll never see the end of the irony."

"Manners, Cayce," said Kristine.

"Apologies, Kris."

"So where do we go from here?" Richard asked. "You must have an idea how we're getting out of this."

"In fact, Richard," I said. "We do. I'll radio HQ for another pickup. Valor, I think we'll make this our last stop for civilians. We've pretty much secured the entirety of the Canyon residence already. We need to get to that church on the double before ConDef does. That's where we ride with this family to drop them off with the refugees."

"Wait, there are refugees at the church?!" Mary wondered. "And ConDef's coming there too! Why weren't we told this!"

"That's classified, ma'am," I replied. "The ConDef part anyway. HQ has been radioing civilians to go there for mandatory evac, but ConDef has jammed them. You're you'll all be hearing this from us."

"Well, god damn me in hell," said Richard. "We're part of the church group there and I'm their preacher. Those refugees need me! If I'd known about that ages ago, I sure hope I haven't sinned for my neglect."

"Dad's right," said Kate. "I'm his assistant there. I've already sinned for my actions at the Vortex party years ago. I won't let my family afford another sinner."

"I agree," said Mary. "You should take us with you. We belong there."

"Noted," I said.

"By the way, Mr. Madsen," said Richard.

"Please, sir. Call me Commander Madsen. Or David. With respect."

"By the way, Commander Madsen, sorry for almost shooting you a minute ago. I'll be damned if I have sinned for taking an innocent life. And God bless you for saving this family. Lord be praised."

I shook my head and radioed HQ for one last pickup for locals. Richard gathered his wife and three children, including Kate, and takes them all upstairs out of the cellar. Kate had also taken a rabbit in a cage with her too. Didn't know she had a pet to care of and I couldn't guarantee they'd allow pets on the Oregon's sanctuary. Cayce, Logos, and Flint walk out with them. Before Kristine and I go up after them, Kristine herself pauses me for something severe to tell me.

"Permission to speak to you in private, Commander," said Kristine.

"Permission granted, Lieutenant," I said. "Why are we speaking privately."

Kristine gulped. Making sure everyone was out and up the stairs before speaking with an anxious frown. Then she spoke.

"David, there's something I have to tell you," she began. "Something I wanted to tell you long ago with the right opportunity. Something I needed to tell you when the time was right."

"I'm listening," I said.

"Just so I'm clear, no one can know about this. If anyone ever knew about it, there's no telling what they'll do to me."

"Spit it out, Lieutenant. That's an order."

My lieutenant cleared her throat. By the look of her edgy face, I knew I wasn't going to like this. But I have the right to know regardless.

"You are aware of the Herd of Whales according to Chrysalis intel, right?" She asked.

"What about it?" I asked.

"Joanna Prescott, she's my aunt. She was Nathan's aunt too. She's helping Elias Alkaline lead ConDef for their cause. And she's also the leader of the Herd of Whales too. It's been a secret hermetic society to my family for generations. As well as many other powerful families like mine in the generations to come. And worst of all…I'm one of them."

Kristine rolled up the sleeve of her Chrysalis uniform to unveil her shocking secret. A burn mark shaped as a Whale-like creature had been showing on her arm. Making her a member of the Herd of Whales. And a traitor of Chrysalis. My brows were and my jaw was dropped. My face was in disbelief of a herd symbol burnt on her arm. It looked like it had been on her arm for years since the burn appeared to have healed. Kristine shut her eyes and bit her lip in guilt.

"No," I said.

"David, I know what you're going to say," said Kristine.

"This – this is not true."

I shield my face. Feeling betrayed by my med officer.

"David, it's not what you think-"

"You've been keeping secrets from me, Kristine! You've been keeping secrets from the team! You lied to me! You lied to us! You're one of those animals! This makes you a FUCKING traitor!"

I slap Kristine in the face so hard in betrayal. As much as I hate to hit women, she deserves it.

"You LIED to us all!" I thunder. "I – I shoulda known better than to let Cage let you be in our unit! And think I'd think I'd trust another Prescott?!"

"Keep your voice down!" Kristine snapped. Rubbing off the sting on her check from me slap. The traitorous lieutenant sighed. "The thing is, every man and women heir to the herd becomes when they're eighteen. Years ago, I was enlisted as a member on my eighteenth birthday. Years later, Nathan was enlisted too before his death. My parents were members before me too. The society actually ordered the quantum terrorist attacks like Triple 4. And after that, Seattle, San Francisco, Cambridge, everything. With all due respect, Commander, I solemnly swear on the lives of what's left of my family, excluding my aunt, I would never betray Chrysalis! I'm not one of them anymore even with this mark on my arm. My mother and I were stripped from the herd years ago after Triple 4. Please, David, don't tell anyone about this! I'm not like my dad, brother, aunt, or whoever. You know me better than this. Just please, as your Lieutenant, don't tell them."

I sighed and shook my head. Last time I trusted a Prescott, he nearly shot my step-daughter to death and worked with a photographic psycho. The other time I trusted a Prescott, orchestrated a shooting that plotted to kill my stepdaughter's girlfriend and threatened to cut my stepdaughter's throat in her sleep. My first impressions with Kristine thus far hadn't been as bad as Nathan's nor Sean's. It was terrible enough she had turned traitor, do I dare as a commanding officer and Cage's second in command cover for her? Or do I tell my team the truth in front of Kate's family? Without thinking twice, I scratch my head and made a decision I had to live with.

"You listen to me, Kris," I said. "And you listen well. My lips are sealed, but if anything at all occurs to this team because I covered for a woman who had committed a capital crime against Chrysalis, the consequences are on you."

"I'll be prepared to deal with the consequences anytime, David," said Kristine. "You can count on that."

"You two plan on joining us, David?" Cayce asked from upstairs.

I jump for a moment. Jerking my head behind me to see Cayce standing by the basement hatch on top of the steps. I act natural and play it cool.

"Kristine gave permission to have a private conversation," I replied. "I granted her permission."