Season Two: Episode Ten (A More Perfect Union)
They argued back and forth, attempting to angrily get each of their points across. The effort was useless; no one was going to this fight. Just above the rest of the 2nd Mass was corralled by soldiers with guns. This was between General Bressler, Arthur Manchester, and Tom Mason. Tom refused to go with the general; he refused to agree with the declaration of Marshall Law. "Lock 'em up, get them inside!" Bressler ordered, turning and leaving as if they weren't worth his time. Ericka was roughly pushed to the metal cage like the others, causing it to rattle. She shrugged off the fighter's hands on her shoulders. All of a sudden, an alarm sounded; stunning everyone. One of the soldiers shouted about a security breach. They headed up to see what the fuss was about. There was a group of Skitters that had entered the underground fortress. There were a bunch of them. As soon as Tom spotted the red-eyed Skitter, he knew it was the Rebels. Guns were aimed at the creatures. Civilian men, women, and children stood back, frightened. They trembled behind the group of soldiers.
"Stop…we're not here to hurt anyone." a familiar voice declared, rising from the clump of Skitters. Ericka grinned, knowing exactly who the voice belonged too. No one lowered their weapons as the previously harnessed fifteen-year-old boy stepped further away from the group. Shock and joy registered on the Masons' faces, as well as Ericka's. They were so glad to see Ben, to see that he was alive. Tom sped up to his son, enveloping him into a bear hug. Hal was too stunned to even move, but Matt wasn't. He ran over to his brother. He was just thrilled to see that he was here with them. "General, lower your weapons." Tom told the man with hair as white as snow hidden behind a camouflage hat. Ericka took a few steps forward, gazing back amongst the crowd. She found her half-sister standing near the back with her two friends. Her hazel eyes studied Ericka as she moved to Ben.
Kathleen was horrified; she hated the aliens and anything to do with them. Ericka hugged her boyfriend with a smile. She didn't know why he was back, just that he was. Firm hands holding the guns stayed steady, ready to shoot if necessary. Ben's right hand rested on Matt's shoulder, while his other arm slung around Ericka's shoulders. The room went quiet as Tom stood in front of the three protectively.
Anne rushed past a few people, standing by his side. Lourdes joined them, and then Captain Weaver followed in their footsteps. Next it was Hal, pushing past some of the fighters with Maggie to join their family. They were standing in front of the Skitters, blocking shots for the soldiers.
"Sir?"
"Hold your fire." said General Bressler, gritting his teeth.
…
The entire way to the meeting room, Ericka held Ben's hand. Once they got inside, however, she let go. He took his place beside the Skitter as the others filled in the unpainted room. Maps and strategies could be found around the room commonly known as the 'War Room'.
"We'll begin if that's ok." Ben said. He waited a second or two for any objections, but when he received none; they started. His spikes began to glow blue as the Rebel leader took control over him. Ericka waited in the back with Maggie and Hal. The three of them felt out of place in the room with military officials. "It is good to see you again, Professor." Ben announced. It was his voice, but not his words. Ericka was reminded of when the Overlord took control over Ben in the mental ward when they were staying at the hospital. She remembered how useless she felt, seeing him under the creature's control. "I'm sorry that our last meeting had to end so badly." replied Tom. "No one is to blame except perhaps our mutual enemy." he told him. Ericka didn't pay attention to them when they started to get down to business. The Overlord was vulnerable and was important to the Eshpeni's war strategies. This would be their chance to at least cripple their defenses. When it was over, she was one of the first out of the door. Of course he's leaving, she thought bitterly. Ericka wanted him to stay; she wanted him to be here with her. So, this time, out of anger; she didn't bother to say goodbye. He briefly glanced back behind him, watching her fade.
Ericka turned the corner, bumping into a furious Kathleen. "Watch where you're going, Skitter-lover." she snarled. Slightly confused, Ericka raised an eyebrow. Sensing her confusion from Kathleen's sudden attitude change, the younger Preston sister continued, "I can't believe you're siding with those monsters! And your boyfriend is one of those freaks."
"The Skitters were being controlled, Kathleen, they didn't have a choice. Now, they're helping us win the war. Think about it really hard and you'll find that it's not stupid to side with them. And Ben isn't a freak just because he has spikes on his back." she explained. Ericka brushed past her, ignoring the ice-cold glare being sent her way. "You may not like or agree with my choices, but don't EVER lecture me on them." Ericka shouted over her shoulder as she left her sister.
Kathleen was a lot like most of the people in Charleston; an alien was an alien and they deserved to die, along with anyone who sided with them.
…
"The world doesn't work that way anymore." Ben spoke truthfully. The cold night's air nipped at their noses. Their breath could be seen forming in the air near their mouths. "What about Ericka?" Hal asked, concerned for both his brother and Ericka. She was a younger sister to him, he looked out for her. "What about her?" Ben asked. Avoiding eye contact, he stared at the view to his left. "She loves you, I know you know that." he paused, looking for the right words to say. Ben knew that she loved him and he loved her too. He couldn't go back to her though, he belonged her. "You know it wasn't that long ago we were fighting side-by-side. Made quite a team, remember?"
"We did..."
…
Her mind drifted to the dead bodies of the de-harnessed children and Rebel Skitters as she was loading up her gun. She wondered who did it. Maybe someone ordered a group of soldiers? Ericka was getting ready to go on the mission with the 2nd Mass. The general said this mission was suicide. She cracked a grin, didn't he know suicide missions are the 2nd Mass' forte? Maggie eyed her suspiciously. "What are you grinning about?" the dirty-blonde questioned. "Just that the 2nd Mass is totally badass." she replied, slinging the weapon over her shoulder. All of their missions were dangerous, this was nothing new. She got into one of the many vehicles they were taking, ready to go on their 'danger' mission.
…
She didn't like tight spaces, but she definitely wasn't claustrophobic. Ericka's flashlight guided over the cave walls as they set up the device to blow the cave wall in. They backed up and waited for the explosion. Something in her gut warned her to turn around. Their guns were poised, ready for any action. She went to the left with Tom and his crew, getting ready to set the charges. This had to be quick; they didn't have time to waste. Ericka started to set one of the charges like Dai showed her earlier. They all should've known something would go wrong; something ALWAYS goes wrong. The charge was almost set and ready to go when everything went to hell. "Skitters!" Ben screamed, warning the others. They appeared from everywhere it seemed; crawling from the walls and other openings. Gunfire sounded throughout the entire structure as they tried to defend themselves from the six-legged, arachnid like aliens. She turned, aiming her gun. Ericka shot off the leg of a Skitter, rising to her feet and finishing it off with a shot to the head. Helping her friends, she tried to take out as many as possible. There seemed to be an endless flow of Skitters. Where they were coming from she didn't know, but she did know that they were losing this fight.
Fits and screams of rage could also be heard amongst the gunfire. "No, Dai!" someone shouted. When she turned her back, she saw Dai's limp body lying near the wall. Screaming in shock and terror as a Skitter picked her up; Ericka writhed in its clutches. Ben spun around and fired, hitting the creature in its back. It backed up, tossing Ericka to the ground. She looked up in time to see Ben kill it with two headshots. She tensed when she tried to sit up, her back aching from its sudden contact with the ground. The last thing she saw was her friends being captured before everything faded to black.
…
"Dad, don't listen to her! She's just trying to_" he was cut off by a slimy alien-type rope wrapped around his mouth. "That'll be enough, Ben." Karen said hastily.
Ericka looked around for a way out as Karen carried on her conversation with Tom. There was no way out of this. The Overlord suddenly appeared, making Ericka lose all focus on escaping. When she heard Karen say, "You're not going to die, Tom", she knew what was coming. Karen wasn't going to kill them (yet), she would torture them. She shook her head, No, there has to be a way out. They should've had a back-up plan. Ericka was startled when she electrocuted Tom with some sort of stick. Hal shouted for her to stop. Karen's attention went to him. She sauntered over and kissed him. Maggie screamed at her, but was silenced when something slithered over her mouth. Hal seemed to be knocked out after the kiss.
She couldn't watch the torture anymore. She didn't want to see her family hurt by Karen. "Stop, Karen. I'll tell you whatever you want."
Ericka hadn't even noticed the voice was her own until Karen smiled at her. She looked satisfied, as if she had won. Eyes widened in shock, especially Ben. No one them thought she would give away information. "I knew one of you would give in, though, I didn't expect it to be you, Ericka." she said confidently, striding towards her. Karen and Ericka never liked one another. There was animosity between them even before she tricked Ben and choked her back at the hospital. Karen was a traitor for siding with the Eshpeni. "I'm full of surprises." Ericka replied dryly. She wasn't amused with Karen's antics, she was annoyed. And more than anything, Ericka wanted her dead.
"How did you get in here?" questioned the traitorous blonde. Though she wanted to kill Karen for everything she's done, Ericka was in no position to do so. So, she thought it would be fun to play her games. "We followed the breadcrumbs." replied Ericka with a smirk. The glorious smile that Karen was wearing faded. Her 'master' didn't seem amused. "Wow, you're an idiot, Karen. You really thought I would sell out my entire race? I guess that's just the blonde in you." Ericka retorted. She was trying to get under Karen's skin and by the look on her face, it was working. She continued, "I'd ask Hal if you were always this dense, but he's a little preoccupied. You must be one bad kisser."
Karen electrocuted her with the alien stick. Ericka's scream echoed out in the building. Ben could see the pain in her eyes. After a few minutes, Karen stopped. She quickly caught her breath and continued taunting her. "I think I struck a nerve. You know, I figured out why you become the fish-head's secretary."
"Why is that?" asked Karen with a low growl. None of them understood why Karen didn't muffle out her nonsense like she had to Maggie and Ben.
"You couldn't shoot worth a crap. You think you're so smart, so intelligent. Figure this one out, Karen. Your 'master' is using you. Do you think you're important to that…E.T.? You're a pawn and apparently not a good one."
What came next, no one was expecting. Karen raised the torture-stick to electrocute her. Ericka's hands gripped the slithery ropes to steady herself. In one swift movement, she brought her foot up to Karen's face. Shocked, the girl stumbled backwards from the blow. Shouting in a fit of rage, she poked her with the stick. Ericka screamed until her throat burned and her eyes grew heavy. Karen eventually moved away from the girl and unto Dan. The torture was almost over, leaving Anne remaining. "Is he enjoying watching you torture us?" questioned Tom, referring to the silent Overlord a few feet behind her.
"He doesn't care anymore about you as you would care about a mosquito buzzing around your face, Tom. You're just an irritant to him." she explained. Ericka could hardly keep her eyes open. Ben attempted to shout at her, but his begs were muffled out. Seeming to notice this, Anne spoke up. "Ericka! Stay awake." she ordered. Her beautiful blue eyes remained closed and she nodded. Karen paused in front of Anne. "I was hoping to avoid this."
Her head was fuzzy. She only caught half of what was being between the others. Next thing she knew, she was on the concrete floor. Ben was helping her sit up. The Rebel Skitters was attacking the other Skitters. The members of the 2nd Mass couldn't help but feel grateful for their alien allies. He helped her to her feet as the Skitters flew crazily around the room, springing off the walls. The Red-Eye Skitter was violently flung to ground after it attacked the Overlord. Tom noticed the stick Karen had been holding moments ago. He quickly picked it up and profusely beat the Overlord to death.
"It's not over, Tom! You'll never win, never!" shouted Karen before she made her escape, climbing up the walls. It was over for now, though. The Rebel Skitters helped the 2nd Mass win the fight. The Overlord was dead. It wasn't a complete win, though. Red-Eye, the leader of the rebels, was dying.
Ben ran to its side and Ericka followed. He wanted to get help, but the creature refused. He was communicating with it when his friends and family surrounded them. "I understand." Ben said, upset. Rashly, Ericka leaned over to wherever the alien's ear was. She whispered something to him. Wondering what she was saying, they stared at her. It looked over at Ericka, then to Tom. The Skitter reached out and Tom held its hand as the alien died. "Keep the fight going…" he trailed off as the alien spoke through him, relaying its dying words to the humans. She knew Ben was upset. Though it was strange, Ben formed a bond with Red-Eye. For a few seconds, they stood in silence.
"We have to go." He added, looking at another Skitter.
…
They marched down the enormous halls, leading into the underground hideout of Charleston. They weren't expected to come back alive, but they did. Although they had won, it cost them something. Dai was dead as well as the leader of the skitter rebellion. Was anyone safe, wondered Ericka. Soldiers ran over to them, but they kept walking; the general was amongst them. "Mission accomplished, sir!" Captain Weaver shouted in his gruff voice. "Alright, get these people some food. In fact, get them any damn thing they want!" the general ordered. The crowd that had seemingly followed roared with cheers of triumph and loud clapping.
Hanna practically tackled Ericka, who almost fell over. She was still sort of dizzy from being zapped by Karen. It was a happy reunion. Ericka promised Hanna that they would have a girl's night with some nail polish and boy-talk. The girls invited Jeanne to come too. She happily accepted to join them. Tonight would probably be their last night in Charleston; this wasn't really the 2nd Mass' place. Her thoughts drifted to Kathleen. Would she come with the 2nd Mass? Did she even want her half-sister to come with them?
…
Walking hand-in-hand with Ben, Ericka couldn't help but smile. There were several reasons why she was so happy; they beat and killed the Overlord, Anne was pregnant, and for the most part, Hal was going to be ok. But none of them were the main reason for her happiness at the moment. The reason she was so happy was because her boyfriend was staying in Charleston. "So…, I believed you promised me a first date?" she reminded him. He let out a small laugh and stopped. Ben wrapped his arms around her waist as she snaked hers around his shoulders. "Really?" Ben questioned with a playful smile and an eyebrow rose. He was enjoying teasing her. "Ok, how does a moonlit picnic sound?" he asked. She decided to tease him back. "Sorry, I'm busy. I still have to whoop the Mason boys' butts at Monopoly and then the girls and I are going have a GNO." she explained. They snickered quietly to themselves. Closing their eyes, they leaned in until their lips touched. When they parted, their breath was taken away by one another.
…
It took only a few minutes to set up the game. Regrettably, it was only the three of them. Just as Matt rolled the dice, the walls shook with a great ferocity and the sirens started. They stood, frightened by the sudden movement. The three of them were clueless as to what was happening. "There's no way that's an earthquake!" Ben shouted over the noise. Running towards the exit, they noticed the sky. Lightning illuminated the clouds of black as thunder roared. There was a piercing noise that made them cover their ears. When it was over, shuttles appeared. One-by-one, they landed precisely on the ground. Ericka gasped in horror as the one nearest to them opened. The crowd of people backed away from it, not knowing if it was a threat or not. Another alien was revealed, one they had never witnessed. The wind blew all around them, howling like a wolf. "You can't be serious." Ericka said with an annoyed and frustrated tone.