Chapter Thirteen:
Winter walked out of the tent. He tucked his hands into his pocket as he thought about what Ben had said to him. He found Dilys waiting for him. Winter looked down at his feet knowing that he couldn't go back to her. He turned his back and walked away from her. He bumped head first into a man wearing a dark blue uniform jacket with white and blue stripes on the arm. Winter looked up. "Oh I'm sorry." he got down low. He gave the Chief Master a submissive look. "Stand boy." he ordered. Winter got back up. "On this base halfbreeds are treated with respect. I don't do that submission bullshit around here." he gruffed. Winter nodded. "Yes sir." The Chief Master put his hand on Winter's shoulder. "I'm Chief Master Aidan." Winter smiled. "I'm Winter." He shook the Chief Master's hand. Aidan smiled kindly at Winter. "I'm heading up to meet with the Welsh Secretary of Defense would you like to join me?" Winter straighten up. "Sure." Aidan put his hand on the boy's shoulder again. He escorted him to a building in the middle of the base. There were other people in the room all standing behind their chairs. "Gentlemen." he addressed. They all look at him. "Go ahead and take your seats. We've got a lot to discuss." They all sat down. Winter sat by Aidan. "As you guys know PontyPandy was leveled by a nuclear bomb that was launched by an old Air Force base. While we don't have a clue as to who launched it we are aware of an even greater threat." The screen next to them flickered to drone footage of Ero fleets appearing in different countries. "We have an alien menace on our hands. According to recent information brought to us by our Plague Squad Rookie, they can be defeated by normal military means. The problem is that we can't bring our fighters close to those vessels without having countless squads wiped out." The crowd was silent. "How about launching nukes at them?" suggested Winter. Aidan looked at him. "Granted it won't kill them but it should be enough to bring them down." Aidan smiled. "That could work. Their ships have our comm links jammed too so that will help an awful lot."
The screen flickered next to them. It flickered to Buck Douglas. "Good evening gentlemen." he cooed. "I heard you guys are having a little issue so I'm here to help with that." he put both of his hands together. "I happen to have a very special kind of weapon in my possession. Yes, yes I know I'm well aware of the weapon ownership laws here in Wales but when it comes to keeping the commonwealth alive, I'm not going to care." He stepped back to reveal a suitcase sitting behind him. He opened up the suitcase pulling out a vial with extreme caution. "Behold Element 511. This element changes the human genes and makes them stronger. It also brings back the dead." Aidan's eyes narrowed. "What are you playing at Douglas?" he asked. "How about we use this element to make your soldiers stronger and then some?" Aidan leaned back in his chair. "You mean bring back the dead?" Buck smiled. "Bingo! Perhaps the military hasn't broken you after all." he sneered. Aidan shook his head. "On ethical grounds I can't allow that to happen." Buck laughed. "Oh really? Then how come you're killing innocent people?" Buck put the vile away. "Besides your not the man I have to talk to about what's ethical and not ethical. Your secretary of defense is the man I have to talk to." Aidan growled. Buck turned his attention to the Secretary. "Now this is a once and a lifetime offer." The Secretary sighed. He looked at Aidan. "I don't see what choice we have." He looked back at Buck. "go ahead and start the project but I want reports saying that this element works." Buck smiles. "Pleasure doing business with you." the screen flickered back to the map. Aidan stared at the SOD. "are you mad? You just made a deal with the devil!" he sighed. "I'm sorry Aidan I don't see what choice we have. This maybe our only shot at finally taking down this bastards." Aidan stormed out of the building. He refused to have any part in it.
Winter followed after him. Aidan went up to his own men. He was talking to them about everything that went on in the meeting. "I will have no part in it. You guys are humans not science experiments." they nodded. Winter smiled. He walked away from them. Sam woke up feeling Annu next to him. He held her tight against him. In the weeks they've been together he felt close to her. He heard someone walk into his tent. "Oh sorry Sam." murmured Arnold. Sam sat up. He yawned. "It's okay Arnold. What seems to be the problem?" Arnold sat down next to him. "I've got news from Elvis. Him and Penny's son are doing okay." Arnold pulled out things wrapped in foil. "I brought you guys food." Sam noticed something was off. "What's going on Arnold?" he asked. Arnold motioned for him to be quiet as a soldier walked past their tent. Arnold lowered his voice. "They're coming after Annu. I've got a bag ready for you guys in my tent with enough supplies to last until you get to Finley's house." Sam paled. He looked down at Annu who was sleeping peacefully still. "Ellie and I have a plan for getting you guys out of here. Marcelo is going to go with you guys as well." He quickly ducked out of Sam's tent. Sam lifted up Annu putting her on his back under his jacket. He ducked out of his tent following Arnold away from the others. Arnold lead Sam to a hole in the fence. Ellie was watching behind them. Sam lowered Annu into her arms. He then hopped down next to them. Marcelo was waiting for him. He was decked out in his gear. "Alright let's get going." Marcelo motioned for Sam to follow him. "Good luck." whispered Arnold. Sam nodded. "Please be careful. Let me brother know what happened." he whispered as he took off after Marcelo. Sam kept Annu close to him as the both of them walked further and further into the jungle.