Chapter Twenty Two

Her fingers traced along the healing skin just below her rib cage; her son was beginning to stretch her belly. It was going to be a race between her son growing and her side healing. And no one would let her do anything; Nathaniel was the worst.

Almost a month had passed and she was allowed to do little more than move between the bed, the bathroom and the couch. Other than her husband and Elisabeth she hadn't seen anyone else. She refused to admit how much her body ached.

When someone knocked on the front door she glanced towards the back where Nathaniel argued via comm with the science division. She was moving rather slowly, but she was moving; and got the door herself.

Storme stood on the step, surprised she stepped back and that was all it took for the woman have an arm around her. The woman had been busy as her family had returned with the last of their harvest and turned straight to putting in a new one across the river. "What has happened to you?"

"It was necessary." And she didn't want to explain it, she was happy to have a visitor.

"Your son is necessary." Alicia flinched slightly as the woman's hand pressed to her side. "Can you feel him moving?"

"Sometimes." The flutters she felt were there and then gone so fast.

"Let me." Before she could protest the woman guided her back to the couch; the woman easily rucked up her tank top.

The old woman glared at the healing incision on her side before shifting her palm along her front. As Alicia fought the urge to squirm Storme pressed a hand just below her belly button and rested it there. "You must put a poultice on this, and when your babe comes I will keep cool cloths pressed to it; the skin will hold."

"Thank you Storme. I promise it was worth the risk; for me and for the colony." She knew better than to try and explain the details.

"Feel that." The woman's hand shifted as Alicia felt the fluttering deep in her belly again. "That is your baby."

Alicia shifted her hand to join Storme's. "Seems strange in a few months he will be in my arms."

Suddenly a shout went up and Alicia pushed to her feet, Sixers were in the woods; Storme stayed close as she headed to the gate. Alicia pushed her to the side and followed as Reynolds unit jogged past, slinging a variety of weapons over their shoulders; they would take up position along the fence.

The soldiers knew their task, and she watched as Nathaniel crossed the plaza with Shannon on his heels. For a moment her eyes locked with her husband's and Alicia knew he wasn't pleased to see her in the street. She ignored him and went to lean against the fence, her eyes caught a glimpse of a face she knew in the trees, sliding the pistol from her thigh holster; it wasn't a sonic so she would wait until she had a clear shot.

A hand pressed to her shoulder and Alicia turned to find Storme still at her side. Taking the pistol from her other side she handed it to the woman. "If we start shooting, don't hesitate."

She knew Storme was no stranger to fighting, the woman would hold her own. "Who are they?"

"Sixers, and they aren't our friends." Her eyes scanned the trees, trying to catch another glimpse to confirm what she saw; and then raised her voice. "It's Carter."

They hadn't seen him in a long time and she had no idea what he was up to. The gate remained firmly in place as the Sixers fanned out along their perimeter. Without the sonic mines the only way they had to drive them back was the weapons in their hands. The Sixers had only the width of the outer gate to use for attack but the treeline began just beyond the stone wall; they were using that for cover.

"Carter." Nathaniel raised his voice. "Show yourself or we shoot."

When no one appeared the gate raised five feet and soldiers poured through it; advancing to the other wall. She caught her husband's steely glare and held her position within the fence; she knew better than to test him on this.

…

He said nothing as his wife stood by the fence, her pistol between the rails and eyes scanning the width of the gate. Their eyes met for a moment before he stepped through that gate, and he knew they both wanted her to be in step with him; but she remained in place.

Striding out to the gate he joined the unit, nodding to their scouts to climb the inside of the wall and lay along the top; a strategy Alicia had outlined and trained soldiers to. In less than two minutes they had eyes on top of the wall and seventeen targets marked.

"Carter, last chance." Nathaniel called out, he had eyes on one of them but he had no idea what they wanted. No one stepped from the woods, he nodded to his men. "Let's find them."

As the unit fanned out the Sixers scattered giving them a chase that he wasn't sure hadn't been the intention all along. They disappeared quickly but he recognized some, they had previously stood with Mira; since the division. And they happened to catch two of them.

"Put them in the brig." He ordered as they entered the colony again.

Nathaniel paused at the fence where his wife still stood, eyes looking outward with as much focus as the guards on the tower. "What was that?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. Some of them were with Mira last time we saw her; they didn't put up much of a fight." Her frown matched what he was thinking; something wasn't right here. "Let me deal with it Alicia."

She wasn't impressed but she nodded. "I'll go and check on the Seagoers."

Nathaniel watched her walk away, her hand rubbing her side as she went with Storme at her side. At least the woman who seemed to view his wife as a daughter would stay close and watch over her. She should be at home on bed rest, but he would leave that fight for Elisabeth Shannon to have with her. Nathaniel turned back to the Command Center, he had Sixers to deal with.