Time Doesn't Always Run Straight
Reset
Part 4
Sorry guys for yet another long delay, things have just been crazy. This was going to be posted about a month ago but before I got a chance to finish it I got a job offer. Which was fantastic but I had just over a weeks notice and it is located about 2 and half hours from where I was living. So I had very limited time to pack up my belongings, find accommodation and move, while also preparing for a new job. And then things got hectic. Lots of planning, marking and meetings. But school holidays are only 3 weeks away, so that's a positive. The next chapter should be up soonish, hopefully no more than a month. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting this story, especially those reviewing and encouraging me to continue, thank you so much.
Owen sits at the workstations while Tosh brings him a cup of coffee.
"You think Jestine is going to be ok?" She asks as she hands it to him.
"It's Jestine. She says she's done it hundreds of times before." Owen tries to comfort Tosh.
Tosh nods but doesn't seem convinced. "You and Martha are getting on well." Tosh changes the topic.
"Yeah, you know me – Mr Sociable."
Tosh gives a snort. "Since when."
"I try." Owen pokes his tongue out.
"You must have a lot in common, both doctors." Tosh comments.
"But no match for you." Owen retorts. "Anyway she's only interested in work."
"Really, and how do you know that?" Tosh jokily challenges Owen.
"Even if I weren't with you, I wouldn't be trying anything." Owen admits. "I think Jack would have my kneecaps."
This causes Tosh to laugh as she turns to her workstation.
"Jestine is smart, she knows how to stay alive." Owen smiles over at Tosh.
"Still I'll be glad when this case is over, it's been one bad thing after another." Tosh returns to her work.
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Jestine is lying on the bed in one of PHARM's bedrooms. She looks at her borrowed watch before getting up and leaving the room quietly.
She slips into the corridor as Owen and Tosh watch. She reaches the first intersection and continues. She glances down the stairs as Owen types: BE CAREFUL.
Jestine sees the emergency exit door and starts down the stairs. Jack joins Tosh and Owen.
Jestine reaches the floor below and continues through the hallways.
She reaches the door to ADMINISTRATION. She notes the security pad on the wall upon trying it but finding it locked.
"Tosh can you get us past this?" Owen asks.
"Easy peasy." Tosh answers as she types: LOOK CLOSER. "She just needs to get the lenses to within the EPR field." Tosh explains as she runs the program to unlock the door. Jestine punches in the code as it appears.
She hears heavy footsteps approaching as she types in the first number, a 4. Jestine waits a moment as more numbers appear: 1-0-4.
Jestine punches them in as the footsteps get closer. Out of the corner of her eye, Jestine can see the light from the flashlight on the walls at the end of the hallway. The final number finally appears, a 0. Jestine quickly enters the last number and slips inside Administration. She hears the security guard appear at the end of the hallway as the door closes.
Everyone waits, breathing a sigh of relief when the security guard leaves.
Jestine goes to the desk and tries the computer. The menu reads:
ACCOUNTS
ADMIN
BACKUP FILES
CLINICAL TRIALS
CORE SECURITY
EFFECTIVE DATA
ELA PENDING
LOG FILES
MANAGEMENT
Jestine clicks and a log in pop-up appears. "This would be quicker with my Vortex Manipulator." She mutters. It had been decided that it would have been too much of a risk for Jestine to wear it in to PHARM. It not only looked suspicious but also contained information on countless aliens and Jack certainly didn't want Copley to get his hands on it.
"She can hack it, can't she?" Owen asks.
"They have some of the most advance systems in the world." Tosh answers. "Jestine doesn't have that skill level. It'll take time to talk her through the steps to break in."
"We don't have time. I want her out of that office." Jack demands as Gwen joins them.
"If I can get her to give me remote control of the computer." Tosh explains as she types: GO TO NETWORK.
Jestine does as instructed. "FIREWALL" is the next instruction then "PROXY CONNECTIONS" once that was completed. Tosh continues to instruct Jestine until the compute beeps and Jestine clicks ENTER on the login.
"I have control." Tosh both types and says aloud.
Jestine releases the mouse and allows Tosh to do her thing.
Images of the parasite appears on her monitor.
"The life cycle of the parasite. They call it the Mayfly." Jestine reads the monitor.
"Wow. We've never seen a species like that before." Gwen comments.
"It's beautiful." Tosh adds in awe.
It's lethal." Owen comments bitterly.
"But what is Copley doing with them?" Jack asks. "Jestine, now we've got control, we can download all of this and go through it here. Get out of there pronto." Jack orders through the comm.
Jestine nods and heads to the door. She checks the hallway. She enters once it appears to be clear.
Gwen sits at her workstation going through the information. "Tosh do you have that code-breaker software?"
"I'm sending the patch through now." Tosh replies as her fingers fly across her keyboard.
"Thank you." Gwen goes through the menu, clicking on CLINICAL TRIALS and then COVERT. Various tries are listed along with the names and photos of the SUBJECTS.
Jestine makes her way through the complex, back up the steps. She arrives at the emergency doors, stopping to check that they are clear.
Suddenly she hears Plummer's voice, "Break out in Zone A. All patrols to Zone A immediately."
Alarms blare and red lights flash as the team look on nervously.
"Break out in Zone A. Break out in Zone A. All patrols proceed with extreme caution. The escaped creature is extremely dangerous." Plummer continues.
Jestine looks through the window and sees security guards rushing past the window below.
"GET TO SAFETY." Jack types as the guards split up into two groups and head off in different directions. Jestine heads back towards the stairs. Midway she stops and goes to a nearby window, opening it and jumping out.
"What is she doing?" Jack demands as they watch Jestine land on the ground.
"Jack? I've got the list of the clinical trials subjects here." Gwen calls to Jack.
"Not now." He tells her as he furiously types for Jestine to return to her room at PHARM. Jestine continues on without heading his warning.
"But what does Executive Action mean?" Gwen asks, reading it from the bottom of the page.
"What?" Jack demands as he drags his eyes from the monitor showing Jestine.
Gwen indicates to the spot on the page; EXECUTIVE ACTION:BD.
"Bring up information on BD." Jack orders. "And get Jestine back to her room." He calls out to Tosh.
"She isn't listening." Tosh replies as they watch Jestine continue along the path to the side of the building.
"She is going to get herself killed." Owen mutters.
"What does Executive Action mean?" Owen repeats Gwen's question as she pulls up the information.
"Assassin." Jack replies as he reads through Billy Davis's details. "The PHARM are running their own hit man, which is kind of unusual for a medical research facility."
"Wait a minute, there's a name here that we haven't seen before." Gwen points out. "Elin Morgan? She hasn't been reported missing or dead."
"She soon will be. Ianto, Gwen go grab her now." Jack orders before turning back to the screen that showed Jestine's progress.
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All around Jestine, alarms blare. She ignores them, continuing along the path until she is stopped by a wire gate and key pad lock. She pulls out her gun to shoot it before hearing approaching footsteps. Flashlights can be seen around the bend. Jestine quickly ducks behind a nearby bush as guards approach.
"We're at section 12 - find it before it gets any further." One of the guards instructs.
"Down here, lads. Come on. Accessing Section 12 now, boss." Another guards replies.
A group of security guards approach the gate with the lead guard swiping a key card through the security pad. The gates open.
Plummer can be heard from the guards radios. "Do not attempt to approach the creature, is that understood. Stun and sedate only, the creature is highly dangerous."
"Understood. Come on, keep moving!" The guard replies as the rest hurry through the gate.
Jestine slips through moments before the gate swings shut.
"What the hell is she doing?" Owen asks as he and Jack watch Jestine's actions from the screen. "If PHARM have their own hit man, God knows what they're capable of."
"Yeah, and I put her in there." Jack replies, his guilt weighing heavily.
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Jestine is running inside the gated complex. She ducks behind some trash bins, pausing to get her bearings. A growl and click emits from behind her. She turns around to a blinding flash.
"Shit!" Owen curses as they lose Jestine's signal.
"What was that?" Jack demands.
"Radiation surge?" Owen suggests. "We've lost her signal."
Jestine is on her knees on the ground. She hisses in pain before removing the contact lenses.
She hears the creature growl again. She turns to face it, her hand reaching for her gun. A fully mature Mayfly turns the corner. It's as big as Jestine. It heads towards her. Jestine slowly backs away from it, scuttling behind the trash bins as guards turn the corner behind the Mayfly.
"There it is! Call patrol. Creature located. Zone A, section 12." One of the guards reports.
The Mayfly fleas past Jestine and appears to enter the building. Jestine fires at the guards, knowing it would have been moments before they would have found her. One guard goes down as the others duck for cover, their weapons out. Another falls before their colleague hits Jestine. The tranquilizer hits her in the neck. She manages to fire off another shot before falling to the ground.
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Tosh quickly types at her keyboard. "I can't get her back." Tosh admits.
"We have to get her out of there." Owen growls in frustration. While Jestine was an adult and able to take care of herself, Owen couldn't help and feel some responsibility for her.
"That place is swamped in security. If we try and steam in, we'll be putting her at risk!" Tosh shares Owen's guilt but someone must be the voice of reason.
"We can't leave her there can we?" Owen hates not being able to do anything.
"If I can't get her signal back in thirty minutes, then we think of alternatives." Tosh tries to soothe Owen.
"Anything could be happening to her in there." Owen moans.
"Jestine can handle herself. She's been in worse situations than this." Jack adds, his voice strained.
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Jestine is restrained onto the exam table. Her wrists are bound straight away from her body. She spits towards the guard standing near-by. He steps back but otherwise does not respond. Aaron Copley walks in. Jestine lets out a string of angry words, unrecognisable to the other occupants of the room.
"Release me now!" She demands.
Aaron Copley indicates for the guard to leave as he and Plummer approach Jestine.
"I'm here as a clinical volunteer. You can't treat me like this!" Jestine hisses at them.
"You lied to us, Samantha." Copley ignores Jestine's complaints.
"Can I just explain?" Jestine tries as Copley takes off his jacket and puts on his lab coat. "I got bored in that room. I went for a walk and some creature attacked me. Then your dogs assaulted me."
Copley snorts. "You killed three of my "dogs," I don't believe the damsel in distress story for a moment."
"You look stupid enough." Jestine sneers back.
"Enough." Copley demands of Jestine. "Torchwood certainly hasn't done enough to deserve this amount of loyalty. Jack Harkness has treated you in a criminally irresponsible way."
"I don't know who you are talking about." Jestine knows the game is up but is determined to give them as little information as possible.
"Don't bother. This is not an interrogation. Torchwood is irrelevant to us, not even a nuisance." Copley informs her. "In fact, they've done us quite a favour putting you in here." He sits down on the stool next to the table. He eyes Jestine up and down like she is some kind of prize. "We've analysed your test results, you really are something special."
Copley puts an image up on the monitor. "Do you know what lymphocytes are, Samantha?" He asks Jestine.
"No, why would I care?" Jestine glares at him.
Copley tuts. "Our education system is failing our youth. Except you aren't from here."
"So I lied, I'm not Welsh." Jestine admits. "How can you tell from my limpcites?"
"Lymphocytes are kind of white blood cell, part of the immune system." Copley explains as Plummer opens a thick metal case.
"Your lymphocytes are really quite extraordinary." Plummer tells Jestine.
"We've never seen anything like them before, not in a human being. Aliens are a different matter." Copley continues as Plummer takes out an IV bag with pink liquid.
"Your lymphocytes are much more advance than normally found in humans. Along with every other cell in your body." Plummer explains.
"Advance, how?" Jestine decides keeping them talking was the best plan. Escape without her weapons would be too risky, she just had to hope that the team were on their way.
"More efficient." Copley answers. "Your immune system appears to be resistant to all known pathogens. We injected your blood with arsenic, it took 10x the normal amount for them to die."
"You lot are crazy. Let me out of here." Jestine struggles in her bonds, hoping to buy the team enough time.
Plummer hangs the IV bag with RESET, ignoring Jestine's outburst.
"We've dealt with aliens before, but never anything as exotic as you. Not only do you seem to have travelled in time and space but you come from a future evolutionary point than us. Tell me who you are." He sits down on the stool. "Where are you from? How is it possible?"
"This is complete madness." Jestine continues her struggle as Plummer takes out the IV tubing and puts it together.
"Fine. If that's the way you want to play it. It doesn't matter, you have the uniquely effective immune system, which is exactly what we need. We're developing a drug that's going to change the world Sam. You're proof that it succeeds. And the reason." Copley smiles slimily at Jestine. "Incurable cancers, AIDS- all the scourges of the human race wiped out. A revolution in medicine and social welfare. Except it's still imperfect." Plummer inserts the IV tube into the bag. "I'd like to know what your funky lymphatic system makes of those imperfections."
"Get that away from me." Jestine yells. "I am not taking that!"
Plummer inserts the tubing into Jestine's prepped arm, unconcerned by Jestine's protests.
"But you volunteered." Copley smirks as Plummer squeezes the IV bag and the drip starts.
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"Well there goes that plan." Owen mutters darkly.
They had brought Billy in to help them get into Pharm. Unfortunately he had become another victim for Pharm. Owen was still a little shaken up at the thought it could have been him or Martha, had any of the larva from Marie gotten into their systems.
"We still need to get into Pharm. We can't just leave Jestine there alone." Jack glares at Owen. There had been no word from her since they had lost transmission and Jack was getting more and more worried as time wore on.
"We'll think of something. We all want Jestine out of there." Ianto tries to comfort Jack.
"We need to come up with something soon or we might be retreating her body." Jack hisses before storming to his office.
"What's got his knickers twisted in a knot?" Owen grumbles. "We're trying our best."
"He blames himself for Jestine being in there and feels responsible for her." Ianto explains. "We're all feeling the stress on this case. The sooner it is over, the better."
"Couldn't agree more." Owen asserts as he exits to the showers to remove the insides of Billy from his person.
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Plummer and Copley watch Jestine. Her eyes are closed as she twitches. Her body is covered in sweat. Two IV bags of RESET hang on the IV stand, both nearly empty.
"I've given her twice the critical does." Plummer informs Copley.
"So, Mayfly larvae are incubating?" Copley asks.
Plummer replies uncertainly. "Are you sure about this? Her immune system's clearly reacting. There's obviously quite a fight going on inside of her." Plummer removes an empty IV bag off the stand.
"Keep your nerve. We're making history." Copley coolly informs Plummer.
Hope you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you thought. One more chapter of Reset to go, which should be up relatively soon.