The French Girl
Chapter 10:
TS-19 Part Two
-O-
Breakfast was awkward; no other way to put it. Everybody seen Shane had a bruise on his face but nobody was brave enough to ask him what had happened. Annie and Daryl were acting weird around each other. And then just to top it off, Lori was stirring shit up; AGAIN.
"Doctor," Dale said as Jenner entered the room, going towards the coffee machine. Dale sat beside Andrea. "I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing—"
"But you're going to do it anyway?" Jenner asked.
Andrea spoke up, "We didn't come here for the eggs."
Antoinette rolled her eyes at the thought of this girl treating Jenner like shit. Shane glanced over at Lori longingly who looked down to eat her eggs. Hoe can't deal with shit no more with her play toy so she leaves him out to dry? Bitch that she is! Annie thought.
-O-
Jenner brought them back to the computer room, making Annie nervous. She was sticking beside T-Dog since she was still feeling weird since this morning with Daryl. T didn't mean at all and actually looked happy to be hanging out with her. "Think something's up?" T asked her.
Annie nodded. "I don't trust 'em."
"Why?" T asked.
"Gut feeling…." She said simply.
"Give me a playback of TS-19."
T-Dog and Annie looked over when they heard Jenner's voice to VI. "Playback of TS-19," VI said.
Jenner faced them as VI got the computer screen ready for them. "Few people ever got the chance to see this… very few." Jenner said as the screen showed a face. It was the brain of somebody, Annie was sure and it scared her.
"Is that a brain?" Carl asked, looking over at Jenner for answers.
Annie looked at him, before moving over to him and then playfully flicking him in the head. "Sure looks like it, petit."
Lori looked pissed but Carl laughed softly at her. Jenner nodded, telling them that it was in fact, a brain. "Not that is matters in the end," Jenner said shortly after complaining the brain. "Take us in for E.I.V."
"Enhanced internal view," VI said.
Annie watched as the camera moved and you could see the brain clearer. She caught sight of Daryl watching the screen, his arms flexing a little as he crossed his arms over his chest. She felt hot in her belly but pushed it aside. They watched the screen carefully, surprised as it showed many little things and then Jenner explained what was going on. It made sense.
"What are those lights?" Shane asked.
"It's a person's life," Jenner said as Carol looked over with curious eyes. "Experiences, memories— it's everything. Somewhere in that organic wiring, all those rippled lights, is you— the thing that makes you unique; and human."
Daryl spoke up, watching the screen. "You don't make sense ever?"
Jenner kept going, "Those are synapses, electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says does or thinks from the moment of birth— to the moment of death."
Annie stared with wide eyes. The way he spoke sounded like…like he cared about this person… She looked over at him and her eyes found Daryl who was looking at her.
"Death? That's what this is, a vigil?" Rick jumped in.
"Yes." Jenner said, "Or rather…a playback of the vigil."
"This person died?" Andrea asked. "Who?"
Antoinette moved closer feeling Daryl's eyes following her. "Was…was this vigil somebody close with you, Doctor?" Annie asked, watching the doctor carefully.
Jenner looked down as he closed his eyes. "Test subject 19…..someone who was bitten and infected….And volunteered to have us record the process." He explained. "VI, scan forward to the first event."
VI did as told and they watched the brain's blueness begin to change a little. "What is that?" Glenn asked.
Jenner went on explaining it but Annie got it. "Is…is this what happens when we're bit? Que?" she whispered. "Did…did the person suffer?"
Jenner sighed softly as he looked at her. "Yes…the brain shuts down and then the major organs. And then…. Death." He explained, looking down as he sighed. "Everything you ever were or ever will be…gone."
"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia asked.
Annie frowned as she clinched her hand tightly, closing her eyes as she tried to hold back her tears. This happened to Pierre…he suffered…my brother… She thought as she clinched herself close, trying to block out the thoughts and memories of her brother.
"Yes," Carol said softly to Sophia.
"She lost somebody two days ago," Lori said as Jenner looked at Annie with pity. "Her brother…."
"I lost somebody too." Jenner admitted to the group as he went closer to Annie.
Annie opened her eyes to look at him. "TS-19…was that the person…?" Jenner nodded.
"Scan to the second event!" Jenner ordered VI who responded. He went on explaining how the dead get back up and Lori looked shocked upon seeing the brain getting reddish color back.
She stared at the screen, "It restarts the brain?" Lori asked.
"No, just the brain stem," Jenner said. "Basically, it gets them up and moving."
"But they're not alive?" Rick said, sounding more like a question.
"You tell me." Jenner said.
Annie watched the screen with pain in her heart. Before long, as the brain body began to move, there was a line through it causing many to jump but not Annie who knew what happened. "You shot the patient…. Didn't you?"
Jenner of course, nodded. He watched the screen for a few moments. Annie felt sick to her stomach, now fully understanding why they had to shoot the geeks in the head. Daryl caught her eye; he was chewing his thumb nail watching the screen. With her heart racing, her eyes met Daryl's. At some point, he would need to shoot her in the head to end it before she became one of those things or she would have to for him.
His eyes looked unsure and she felt unsure. She watched him for a long time before she looked away, feeling ashamed.
-O-
Everything happened so quickly, it was no surprise when Antoinette blinked, she was facing shit. It was like everything had fallen apart. The doors were locked, they were getting out.
She had always thought in the end, it'd be the walkers. She buried her face into her arms as she curled up with herself. There were wails of pain, and she thought of Pierre…
Don't give up lil' sis; do what I couldn't. Survive. Be the person this group needs. Please don't give up Annie….
Her head snapped up to look at Jenner who looked relieved to see the clock ticking down to zero. I won't Pierre, I'll survive. I'll survive for you. I'll always remember you big brother.
Antoinette got to her feet a little shaky but she knew what she had to do. Shane and Daryl were banging on the door with two axes. She stepped forward, hearing the wails getting louder.
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"
Antoinette heard Rick's voice as she looked blankly at him. She looked at each of the group's faces. Jacqui looked ready to go much like Andrea. Carl and Sophia were terrified. She could see the pain and sorrow written on Carol's and Lori's faces for their children. It wasn't fair.
She stepped forward, looking at Jenner with pain in her eyes. "Let us go… you have to, we…we need the chance to live…I made a promise to my brother…." She explained with a weak voice as she stared. "It was heaven being here for the moment being, but our chances are as good as you give us. If you keep us here to die, you're murdering us and that isn't fair. Please."
With her eyes pleading into his, Jenner finally gave in. He unlocked the doors. "I'll give you a chance but the last doors are locked…" He said quietly.
"Get your stuff everybody!" Rick yelled out.
Everybody was running to get their stuff. Jacqui and Andrea stayed unmoving. Annie thought of staying, but then thought of her brother and rushed off to get her stuff. She stuffed her bag with food she could get a hold of in the kitchen and then bolted.
I'll live. I'll survive. I am a survivor.
The group got out, Dale staying behind if Andrea was. She felt bad for the old man but kept going. She had made a promise and was going to keep it.
Somehow, unknowingly, Rick had a grandee and threw it. She covered her eyes and winced. Somehow, Daryl was there. She met his eyes before getting up. "We have to go," she whispered.
"I know, so get yer ass movin'."
The group got out.
She ran as fast as she could, throwing her shit in the truck Daryl had. Even though Shane would want to abandon the truck, they still used it. They took off in hopes of surviving. Daryl drove with Antoinette beside him.
Up Next: What Lies Ahead; the group must survive. Daryl and Antoinette must get past them sleeping together in order to be what the group needs.
Hey guys, I'm so sorry about the wait, I couldn't help it! I had plans to write it on Monday, get it up but then there was so much stuff going on; helping out at my church, babysitting and then went to the movies with my boyfriend to see The Fault In Our Stars. Then Tuesday was Canada Day and I hung out with my family. Each day I've been busy this week so I couldn't really write... however, here's the chapter eh? And I don't know if I should break the seasons up in my story series. Should I? Tell me so I can know! Love you ALLLLLL SOOOOOOO much! 3 3 3