Chapter 5: New Arrivals
Hawkins, Indiana, USA
June 29th, 1985
12 hours earlier…
"Haha this is the end for you Kuzuri, surrender now or die!"
"As long as I draw breath Yashida, I will never stop fighting, ever!"
Those were the words Gabriela awoke to. She opened her eyes, looked up from her bed, and saw, once her vision was cleared from the blurriness of being awoken, Laura watching the TV. Laura was watching… some kind of black and white movie about Japanese warriors. Samurais if she remembered correctly.
"Mija," Laura turned her head to look at her," what at are you watching?"
"The Silver Samurai." she replied. She returned to watching the movie, being very invested in it.
For a few moments, Gabriela watched the movie with her while Laura provided her with short comments. Some of them were childish observations.
"Hehe, they talk funny." she giggled at the badly dubbed English spoken between the two characters, something she did only when she was alone and only with Gabriela. She never spoke around strangers.
And… and some comments she provided were… not so childish.
"Stab through the neck, soft armor." she stated, no doubt remembering her training they gave at that place. One of many attempts to turn her into a weapon.
Gabriela eventually decided to get out of bed and into the bathroom, ignoring two men on the TV, one being in silver armor (the titular Silver Samurai) and the other a feral man, who looked like a wild animal. If the clothes were more thorn off, he would look like a vagrant from Juárez. And thinking of Juárez made her think…
Gabriela entered the bathroom, closed the door, took off her pajamas, put them on the side, and entered the shower. She turned on valves in the shower and let the hot water engulf her. It was not bad, for a motel.
It's been nearly a month ever since they managed to escape from Transigen and its hired thugs in El Paso. It took her and Laura about an hour to get to the car shop where Gabriela managed to procure a getaway vehicle, a slightly battered small blue Fiat, which they used to get out of El Paso. After two hours of driving, the entire drive being silent and nerve-racking with the possibility of both of them being found, she finally managed to find a spot for hiding, right behind, ironically, the same enormous billboard ad for a new Coca-Cola. The difference was that this one was more grounded which presented an opportunity to hide a small car, its giant shadow, and the blackness of the night providing cover.
The same billboard under which Laura slaughtered the Reavers, the mercenaries under the employ of Transigen. The same billboard where Gabriela and her fellow nurses… hermanas fought together for the last time.
Gabriela put her face under the showerhead so the water can wash away the incoming tears. That night, the moment after she turned off the engine, the reality of the event that happened just two hours of ago hitting her, hitting her very, very hard. She broke down and wept, for her hermanas who she will never see again. For the children who lost their lives in that hell. Children who would never see the light of day shine upon their faces.
Gabriela turned off the shower and stepped out. She used the towel to clean herself and then she put her regular clothes on and faced the mirror.
If Laura wasn't there with her that night, Gabriela would… well, Gabriela wouldn't know what to do.
She picked up her green toothbrush, one for her and a yellow one for Laura, put on some toothpaste, and started to wash her teeth.
Laura was there for her that night. She hugged Gabriela, who hugged her back, and was also crying, although quietly for years in that cursed place taught her if she cried, she would be punished. Gabriela offered comfort whenever she could, but those moments were rare.
She finished washing her teeth as she picked up a small water cup, poured the water, put the water in her mouth, gargled, and then spat it out. For a motel, it was a nice bathroom. She returned to the bedroom and saw Laura who was still watching the TV and was still in her pajamas.
"Laura, mija," Laura turned her attention on her," vamos, lávate los dientes."
Laura grumbled but nevertheless complied, got up from her bed, and entered the bathroom.
Gabriela observed the room the motel has given them. It was, in comparison to the other motels they had been through, quite decent.
They couldn't always stay in a motel. Surely, with Transigen looking all over for their… 'missing property' Gabriela thought angrily as she knows that's how they viewed Laura, they would look everywhere.
Always small towns, no big cities.
Hawkins looked like one of those small, harmless towns they saw many times during their journey. Gabriela didn't know how it looked during the day, for the cover of the night offered more sense of safety rather than day. And they will not stay here any longer than an hour. They would grab something to eat, and as soon as possible they will leave.
Because, if her calculations were right, there was a ten-hour drive from here to Canada.
Why Canada?
Canada was one of the few countries in North America that Transigen did not have the license to operate. As in matter of fact, she read from the various newspapers and the various documents they stole from Transigen that night was that there was a small group of lawyers from all over the world preparing an international lawsuit against Transigen in secret. As in matter of fact, Gabriela has managed to get in contact with one of the lawyers, Sarah Kinney, in order to arrange a safe passage at the US-Canada border.
It presented a perfect opportunity and a perfect place to hide Laura in plain sight and allow her to live out a normal life.
In the open, free, and not in a cage, trapped. Not to be used as some patent with numbers, as Rice used to remind her.
Thinking about that "man" made her blood boil. She wanted to give the lawyers in Canada the documents they stole from them, to make them all pay for what they did. For the lives, they have taken and destroyed.
However, that would also mean they would have to learn about Laura, and what she was. Reveal her existence to them and, by large, the world. Reveal what she can do and what is she capable of, because what she can do is just… something you simply must see with your own eyes.
That part Gabriela will leave for Laura to decide because God knows she didn't have much choice on how to live her own life.
Gabriela looked over at the table at the side where they put all their stuff, with their normal clothes laid out on the chairs, just blue denim jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts with hoodies, sneakers, and spare undergarments, most of which they bought in local thrift shops and changed once pear a week. All this so they couldn't be properly identified.
Two backpacks, a small blue one for Laura and a medium red for her, keys of their small blue Fiat, a wallet that contained a forged ID and a driver's license for Gabriela, and a small amount of cash (with a bigger amount in the file folder, US and Canadian dollar), a motel room key they were given, and a red rubber ball for stress relief, used by Laura for bouncing when she was bored.
And, of course, inside the backpacks were several documents from Transigen and a small video camera with several cassettes of incriminating footage. For documents, she was 100% sure to give to the lawyers but not so for the video footage.
Well, some of them, the ones that did not have Laura in them.
The only thing that was missing was a small revolver which is currently hidden in a secret compartment of their blue Fiat. In a case… if things get ugly.
The bathroom door opened, and Gabriela glanced at the Laura who emerged from them.
She looked happier and healthier since the last month when they managed to escape, her former pale skin gaining some color, her long black hair brushed as well as gaining some weight, even though she was still skinny looking. One would never suspect that she was born and raised in a secret underground facility. And was somehow still strong enough to fight and kill a full-grown man.
Although, two things that remained the same were… for one those piercing dark green eyes, which sometimes would look at you as if they could see your very soul.
And for two… there was that number that was tattooed on her left wrist, 023. Laura always wore the hoodie, so its long sleeves covered the tattoo on her wrist. The summer weather didn't bother her at all.
When they managed to find a decent motel room for the first time, Gabriela took it to herself to show Laura how to take care of herself. Not take care as in survival in the wild or fighting (she had no trouble with that part) but more on how to take it easy.
Always in defense mood, always on edge, Laura was prepared for fight or flight at any given moment. Usually, it would be useful for spotting those who would seek them harm, but Gabriela was pleased by the fact that during their travel that almost never happened.
Although there was that incident at the gas station when they pulled over the first time to refill their car and Laura, who was hungry and wanted some chips and then opened the chip bag in the gas station and eat it, flipped over the gas attendant who confronted her over that with ease. Gabriela gave the poor man 200$ and an apology. She was thankful that Laura didn't show her claws or otherwise that would be a disaster.
However, that is not all.
Laura also had nightmares from that place and would sometimes wake in the middle of the night with a blood-curdling scream, all her claws extended, ready to fight to the death. Gabriela was always there for her, hugging her and stroking her hair as well as whispering comforting words to soothe her soul and her mind. And some tissues to clean up the blood from her knuckles, and sometimes her feet, caused by popping out those damn bone claws.
She often wondered how on Earth did Laura develop them. The super healing itself was an amazing thing. And yet, that day when it came for her daily check-up on Laura, she was shocked to discover this eight-year-old girl standing in the middle of her… cell… with bone claws protruding from her knuckles and her feet. Confused, shocked, and terrified at this new development.
A development that was a start of… those tests. Oh, they did perform tests but the kinds you would expect in a regular hospital.
What came after were inhuman procedures that led to the premature death of every child in the facility… except for Laura.
Which led to another problem.
Laura barely took care of herself in terms of hygiene or sleep, with the bad men pursuing them and Laura fearing that they will catch her one day and throw her back in the cage being the main factor. Sometimes, at night, she would stay awake so that the tiredness would push the nightmares aside for some time. Gabriela managed to convince her that it was alright to take a rest after a long day or that taking a shower wasn't all that bad. She made progress in that part.
And as for the other… well, there was also a fact that sometimes she behaves and eats like an animal and has almost no table manners whatsoever. That was something Gabriela was still working on. At least she uses the knife and the fork correctly.
The said little animal went to sit back on the bed and continued to watch the samurai movie.
"Laura, mija?"
"Si?"
"Once the movie is over, get dressed. Nosotras tendremos algo de comer y- "
"-continúa nuestro viaje. Entiendo." she replied, not taking her eyes off the TV screen.
"It is a beautiful day mija, don't you agree?"
Laura simply hummed in the agreement, watching with interest as they passed the streets of Downtown Hawkins in their small blue Fiat. The town itself was a typical American small town, just like every other American small town they went through in the past month.
It was routine Laura got used to. Always small towns, no big cities, find a motel if possible, and if not sleep on the side of the road, stay for one day at most, restock on food and gas and move on. At first, she was always on high alert but relaxed (slightly) as the time went on by Gabriela's request to take it easy. Laura took small naps here and there to ease her mind.
However, she did not take it easy. When they arrive in Canada, when they settle themselves somewhere far away, then she will take it easy.
She was still on high alert, remembering the training she received at that place. Not only relying on her eyes, which by the way allow her to see in the dark, but also on her other senses. For example, in the facility, the smell was, ever since her birth, always the same. Reeking of sterile cleanliness on the wall tiles and the floor and of those… tools.
She clenched her hands and took a deep breath to calm herself down from that horrid memory.
"Laura, está todo bien?" Gabriela asked her kindly, observing her with concern.
Laura nodded, unclenched her hands, and continued her town gazing.
The world on the outside, however, was vastly different. Back then when they entered the streets of El Paso, when the adrenaline wore off from the chase, the multitude of smells, sounds and sights nearly overwhelmed her.
This, this was the world on the outside.
Laura wanted to see more of it, but the need to find a getaway vehicle, and to start their journey outweighed the need for exploration.
The downtown was empty for reasons unknown to her. Well, not completely empty. She did see a young woman earlier in a white polka dot dress running down the street carrying something, probably food, in her arms.
Even so, usually, in the places like these, it was always full of people.
Laura lowered the car window, listened, and sniffed the air to get a feel of the town.
Immediately she knew that there was something different in Hawkins.
With the small Americans town like these, the smell was almost always the same. The hills, the woods, and the local farmlands provided the scent of an earthy and crispy smell, with, of course, the scent of animals that lived nearby, while the suburbs and towns center smelled of petrol from the cars, food from the shops and the bakery and of course, various scents from the people who lived there. Some were pleasant, like the smell of freshly baked bread from the bakeries or flowers from the floral shop, while others could be repulsive, like the scent of people who sweat too much or manure on the farms.
It was like that in Hawkins, the smell of the woods, the farmlands and people was still there. However, there were two major differences.
One was that there was some kind of… putrid and stale scent in the air. It was faint but Laura could sense it, nevertheless.
And the second one was… somehow… oddly familiar. A kind of scent she would sense, could only sense on her brothers and sisters.
But… that was just impossible. Her brothers and sisters were… dead and that was it. The thought of her deceased brothers and sisters made her sad. And then angry when she bitterly remembered who was responsible for their deaths. One day, she swore on the night she escaped, she will make them pay.
"Mija," Gabriela asked her again, "are you sure that you are alright?"
Laura faced her.
"You are making a face as if you smelled something foul. Qué es?" Gabriela knew about her abilities and what she could do.
"Es la ciudad, es... huele raro." she stated, not knowing how to explain it.
Gabriela nodded. "Don't worry Laura, we will drive for a few hours, find a motel, spend one night, and then tomorrow", she smiled at Laura," we will enter into Canada."
Laura returned the smile. That was something she was looking forward to.
They were close, close to life were which they deserved. A life of freedom.
Both occupants of the small blue Fiat, unfortunately, did not spot a casually dressed man who was sitting on the bench eating a hot dog while on his day off. A man who just started to work for the company called Transigen as a security guard (read: undercover mercenary). The man who saw both these individuals and, with widened eyes, recognized them.
The man got up, dropped his hot dog, and immediately ran to his parked car, which was a few blocks away, opened the door, and picked up his military issue walkie-talkie.
"Command, this is Parker. Do you copy? I repeat, do you copy?" he asked urgently after getting a hold of himself, taking in long breaths. After a few moments, they answered him.
"This is Command. What's the problem Parker?" a professional, but nevertheless a bored voice asked him.
"I spotted the missing target. I repeat. Twenty-Three has been spotted here in Hawkins!" he replied back, tense. How the hell was she here? Of all the places?
"Parker," this time the voice was serious," are you sure it's her?"
"Yeah, I'm sure! She's with that woman too, the nurse. Listen, get me Pierce and Doctor Rice on the line! Now!"
'It is truly a beautiful day' thought Gabriela as they drove through the countryside of Hawkins, the vast green fields on a sunny day showing a gorgeous landscape.
They were currently heading in the direction of Fort Wayne, where they'll fix their slightly battered small blue Fiat (really, they only need to fix the headlights), spend the night at a local motel (the usual), and tomorrow drive to Detroit, where they will cross the US-Canadian border and head to Toronto.
One day. Just one more day and all of this will be finally over.
First, they will meet with Sarah Kinney to provide evidence against Transigen. Then, when that's settled, they will find a place in some small Canadian town or somewhere in the outskirts of the city and will start to build a life for themselves. They had enough money to last for a few weeks, and as for a job… well, Gabriela will manage it somehow. She has proven herself to be resourceful in the past month, and before.
The uphill road ahead of them was empty, which allowed Gabriela to observe Laura for a few moments.
She was currently napping, probably so she can kill some time. These kinds of long driving were always a bit boring and exhausting so it didn't hurt sometimes to stop after an hour or two on the side of the road for a five-minute break.
If you didn't know Laura, you would probably think she was unaware of her surroundings and was just carelessly sleeping. However, Gabriela knew Laura, and she knew for a fact how she could sense a threat and was capable of instantly waking up and facing the said threat in a microsecond. Courtesy of her enhanced hearing and smell. And the training she received.
Gabriela turned her attention to the uphill road because just as they reached the top, her inner thoughts were interrupted by a big, red eight-wheeler truck.
HOOOOOONK
"Dios mio!"
SNIKT
Startled, Gabriela nearly swerved the Fiat into a ditch when the said truck passed them by. Poor Laura was up in a moment, franticly checking her surroundings for danger, turning her head in every direction, looking for a threat. Two claws on each of her hands were out in the open. A little bit of blood poured out of them as always when they were unleashed.
Gabriela stopped the car, quickly opened the car window, and hollered an enraged "Cabrón!" at the truck driver. She then addressed an alarmed Laura.
"It's alright mijita, it's alright, it was just some cabrón who obviously doesn't know how to drive," she explained soothingly to agitated Laura to calm her down. That was another thing with Laura. She wasn't… fond of sudden noises.
Laura tersely nodded, not at all pleased by this abrupt awakening. She withdrew her claws with a soft snikt, closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Gabriela gave her some tissues to clean up the blood.
After a few seconds of simmering down, Laura opened her eyes and faced the road. Her eyes widened as she pointed her finger at something.
"Look." she said.
Gabriela regarded the direction of what was Laura's finger pointing at and caught the sight of… are those horses?
Yes, there were horses on the road, four of them in fact, one white, one black, and two brown, and every single one of them had a bridle with reins. On the side of the road, Gabriela spotted a blue pick-up truck with a large horse trailer attached to it and people (probably a family by the looks of it) who were desperately trying to get the agitated horses back to the trailer.
Gabriela stepped on the brakes and slowed down the car to a stop. Both watched, as they could now see clearly, a family trying to draw the attention of agitated horses and lead them back.
All of this was probably because of that damn truck.
"We should help them."
Gabriela frowned and turned her head to the side to stare at Laura who studied the scene with a contemplative look in her eyes.
"Mija, I know you want to help but someone will come along."
"Someone has come along." She replied, as Laura suddenly unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door, and jumped out of the car.
"Laura, wait!"
Gabriela herself quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the car.
"Dios mío, esa chica no tiene control alguno de sus impulsos." she muttered to herself as she went to chase down Laura.
Gabriela saw Laura as she ran over to one of the horses, the black one that was nearest to them. Gabriela was about to call her over… but then she stopped as she saw what was happening.
The horses were already in a state of agitation but seeing Laura pushed them into a state of alarm and panic. They rose on their hind legs and whinnied in fear, and the people, now Gabriela could see it was two black men and a woman (father, mother, and their son) stopped and huddled together with the father in the front standing protectively, not daring to approach the frightened animals.
Nevertheless, Laura just stood there, unflinching, staring at the frightened black horse that was in front of her, just several meters of open space between them. The black horse stopped standing on its hind legs and stared back at Laura, while the other three horses also stopped standing and started watching the little girl and black horse in the staring contest. The family, and Gabriela, did the same.
Slowly, Laura started to approach the black horse, without the hint of fear, while maintaining eye contact. Gradually, step by step, she proceeded to approach the black horse, ignoring it when it started to stomp his front feet in an obvious attempt to warn and scare Laura off.
As if that would scare her off.
"What the hell?"
"Language Nathan!"
Gabriela ignored the family's hushed confusion. Her gaze was solely fixed on Laura.
Now the space between the two was somewhere between 3 meters of space. Laura stopped. Then, slowly, she raised her hand. And again, commenced approaching the black horse.
This time the horse stood still, not making any sounds, not even moving a muscle as Laura finally stood before him face to face.
Then, Laura cautiously put her hand on the horse's face.
For a few tense seconds, they stood like that, a child and a horse, having a staring contest in the middle of the road.
Eventually, Gabriela could see how the black horse relaxed and was at last at peace. Laura gently grabbed reins and steered the horse to the horse trailer. Amazingly, the other three horses who observed this encounter followed suit.
Gabriela never saw anything like that. Oh, she knew for a fact how animals, mostly dogs, would be agitated whenever Laura passed, their animal sixth sense warning them that Laura was some kind of… predator.
Still, this… this is something completely different. Laura assured an animal, and the rest of the herd, that she was not dangerous. That she was someone who could be completely trusted.
Even after knowing Laura for years, even after seeing what she can do and what was she capable of, Laura still found a way to surprise her.
The family of three was also amazed by the said sight.
"Nathan," the father said to his son, snapping out of his stunned observation," grab Cindy and Duster, I got Lex and Porthos."
The father and the son broke out of their amazed stupor and went to grab the horse by their reins, both taking two each and ushering them inside the large horse trailer.
Gabriela also broke out of her stupor.
"Laura!"
She ran over to Laura, who was watching the horses being ushered by two men. Then she faced Gabriela.
"Mija," she said sternly as she crouched down to Laura's level and grabbed her by the shoulders," nunca vuelvas a correr así. Podrías haber sido-"
"Está bien." Laura stopped her, saying in a quiet tone," Estoy bien."
Gabriela hugged her. Laura hugged her back.
"Oh, mi hija. "
"Good afternoon."
Gabriela looked over as the middle-aged woman approached the two. She was wearing a white shirt, blue jeans, and a small, white, crystal crucifix.
Gabriella stood and put her arms around Laura's shoulder.
"Good afternoon." She replied.
"I simply… why I just have no words, what your daughter did was nothing short of a miracle. Thank you." she said, clearly amazed how Laura manage to do what she did.
The words "your daughter" touched Gabriela's heart. She felt greatly appreciated by them. She could tell that Laura was smiling as well.
"Well, my family owns a ranch, so we are no stranger to horses." Gabriela explained, a lie, of course, Gabriela's family never owned a ranch, much less a hectare of land, but they were content with what they had.
The woman nodded in understanding. "I'm Kathryn by the way, Kathryn Munson." She introduced herself and extended her hand to Gabriela.
Gabriela shook it.
"Nice to meet you, I'm… Vanessa, Vanessa Santos. And this is my daughter… Claudia."
Gabriela did not dare to say her real name or Laura's. She knew it was an unnecessary precaution and felt bad for lying, because even though this woman in front of her and her family seemed like a good people, Gabriela wasn't about to risk everything by making a slip of revealing their identity, not after everything they been through.
"Well, nice to meet the both of you." Kathryn smiled.
Gabriela smiled back. Then she looked at the horse trailer and frowned.
"How did this happen?" she asked, pointing her finger at the trailer, even though she probably knew the answer already.
Kathryn this time had an angry look on her face.
"It was that dreadful eight-wheeler truck that passed us by, didn't even give us a warning, just came out of nowhere like some kinda ghost and nearly drove us off the road. Gave us and the horses a heart attack."
Gabriela's look mirrored that of Kathryn.
"Ah, same thing with us. We were about to reach the top of the uphill road," she pointed at the said top," while my L-Claudia was having a nap when that idiot behind the wheel appeared out of nowhere as well. I nearly swerved the car in the ditch."
During this conversation, Laura detached herself from Gabriela's hands and went over to the trailer. She climbed up and started to pet one of the horses, all four of them now in the trailer, the same black horse she calmed down.
The father and the son now shut the huge trailer's doors and went over to the two women.
"Vanessa, this is my husband William and my son Nathan." Kathryn introduced them. Both smiled and nodded, William, tipping his hat and Nathan giving a little wave with his hand.
"William, Nathan this is Vanessa Santos and her daughter Claudia."
"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." William approached her and they shook hands. Same with Nathan. "What your daughter did was," he looked over at Laura who was petting the horse amazed then back at her," … well I've seen professional horse riders and cowboys failing to do what she did. We appreciate the help."
"Yeah, man," Nathan agreed, impressed as well, "that was like the coolest thing I ever saw!". He glanced at Laura as well in wonder.
"As a matter of fact, Vanessa's family own a ranch." Kathryn explained, then faced Gabriela, "Oh, by the way, where are you folks from?"
Gabriela also had a cover story for that as well.
"El Paso," she stated, "We started a road trip about a month ago, to visit our distant family relatives in the North."
"The North?" William asked.
"Canada, near Toronto."
"Ah."
"You know what," Kathryn said," I was wondering if we could at least give the two of you a decent meal, to show our appreciation? It's the least we can do. We don't live far from here."
At the mention of the words "decent meal", Laura swiftly looked over at the group (a little one, always with the food), jumped off the trailer, and started to approach them.
Though it was a kind and generous offer Gabriela had to decline.
"Oh, no, thank you very much, but were just about to- "
Her words were cut off when Nathan gasped and pointed his finger over Gabriela's shoulder.
"Look!"
Everyone turned around, and with a jolted shock Gabriela realized the reason for the pointing was because there was smoke rising from the hood of their small blue Fiat.
No.
"Oh, mierda!"
Gabriela ran over to the car and popped the hood of the car open. Smoke covered her eyes as she coughed and stepped back from the car.
Why, why now?
Laura and the Munsons ran over to the car as well.
"Wow," exclaimed William, and then he coughed from the smoke he accidentally inhaled," this one need to get the mechanic, stat."
Just why?
"Hey, Vanessa, are you okay?" asked a concerned Kathryn.
Gabriela nodded stiffly, as she put one hand on her forehead and the other on her hip. She couldn't believe it. Hoping the car, the damned thing, would last one more day until they reached Fort Wayne was all for nothing. Gabriela couldn't-
She felt someone grab her by the hand softly, and Gabriela looked down and saw Laura checking her with concern in her eyes. She smiled. Gabriela smiled back.
"Look," stated William, "I can get this car to the mechanic, it's no problem for me ma'am."
"Yeah," agreed Nathan," plus, I know a guy. I can convince him to give you a discount."
Gabriela snapped her head in attention towards the family that was offering them help.
"Really, there's no need- "
"Look, as I said, we don't live far from here." Kathryn repeated. "William and Nathan will transport the horses back to our farm and then tow your car downtown so it can be repaired. You two can even stay the night. We have plenty of room. What do you say?"
Gabriela sighed and considered the deal internally. She looked down and stared at Laura, asking her a silent question.
Are you okay with this?
Laura smiled and confirmed with a nod of her head.
Oh well. One more day couldn't hurt.
Gabriela smiled back and then addressed the family.
"That sounds pretty good. Very well, we accept your offer. Let us grab our backpacks from the car."
And secretly retrieve a gun from the hidden compartment.
When they arrived at the Munson's farm, the man called William and the teenage boy called Nathan, immediately unloaded the horses from their trailers, into the stables and went on the way to tow their small blue Fiat to the mechanic. Laura learned that the name of the black horse, the one she assured that she was not a threat, was Porthos, the brown ones were Cindy and Duster, and the white one was named Lex.
Laura also observed the farm of the family that took them in for the night.
It was nothing special at first glance. Laura has seen several farms in the past month. The pattern was almost the same. There was a two-story house, a stable for the horses, a silo for the grain, and of course a fenced circle (paddock it's called) which was once again for the horses. She could also see behind the house there was a large cornfield that led to a forest that was behind them with a tractor standing nearby.
The difference was that now they were staying at one.
Still, it was a nice change from motels or sleeping in the car.
Lots of trees spread across the farm.
Perfect place for an ambush and plenty of routes for an escape.
Laura sighed, mentally.
Laura wished she could stop doing that. Always analyzing the environment… and the people. She knew the Munsons weren't a threat, she already assessed them. And yet she couldn't help it. The training she received was…ingrained in her.
Laura once again sniffed the air to get the feel of the place, and once again it was the same. A smell of farm animals, the smell of corn from the field, the smell of rusted metal coming from the tractor (it was old), the woods, and the plants from the forest… and again that putrid and stale scent in the air that was now a little bit stronger. Stronger than the second, somewhat, familiar scent which she couldn't sense anymore.
'Hawkins is … strange.' She thought.
"This is quite the place you got here." Gabriela remarked.
"It ain't much, to be honest, but it's home," Kathryn replied, observing the whole farm with fondness. Although there was a mixture of worry on her face. Unlike most people, Laura could see it clearly.
She glanced at Laura and took in the look on her face.
"It's everything alright sweetheart?" she asked with concern.
Laura liked the way she was called sweetheart. She nodded.
"Are sure? You look like you smelled something foul. Thought I wouldn't blame you."
"Why?" asked Gabriela.
Kathryn hesitated.
"Well," she responded after a few beats," last year, somewhere eight to nine months ago, something strange started to happen with the crops and the plants all around Hawkins."
Laura was confused, as well as Gabriela.
"It began first with McCorkle and Wright with their pumpkin patches. Then the Bullocks, Hess. For some reason, their crops, as well as the trees and the plants in the nearby area, started to… well started to rot."
"Rot?" repeated a confused Gabriela.
"Yeah, all those farms were around Jordan Lake. Those poor people lost their profit from those lost crops for the winter. And eventually, we did find out why."
Laura and Gabriela waited.
"It was because of some kind of toxic leak that came from Hawkins National Laboratory." Kathryn explained.
At the word Laboratory, Laura felt a cold chill down her spine, despite the fact it was a warm sunny day. She had no doubt that Gabriela felt the same.
Bad memories.
"Hawkins National Laboratory?" repeated Gabriela who, to Kathryn didn't look troubled, she hid that very well, but to Laura she did.
"Yes. Their building was somewhere in Southern Hawkins, working for the Department of Energy." Kathryn continued. "It was horrible. Two people tragically died because of it. One of them was a teenage girl, Barbara Holland. She and Nathan went to the same class." Kathryn now looked sad.
All of them were quiet now, absorbing this sudden dark information.
"So, what happened next?" Gabriela inquired further.
"Eventually, someone discovered that they were behind it and that they also tried to cover it up. Somehow, they managed to get this information to the press. A month after that, they shut the place down."
"Dear God." Gabriella murmured.
"Indeed." Kathryn agreed. "Good riddance I say. Now come on, let me give a short tour and show you where will spend the night." She opened the door and let them in.
The two-story house itself was a cozy one. It had as one would expect a living room, dining room, kitchen. The bedrooms and the bathroom were probably upstairs as she could see the stairs leading up. There were also family pictures everywhere, as well as Christin crucifixes, clear evidence that this family was a religious one. One of the pictures showed a younger-looking William in a military uniform. Gabriela noticed this as well.
"Your husband, he served in the military?" Gabriela asked.
"Yes, he was drafted and deployed in Vietnam, just two months before Nathan was born." Kathryn's voice was a proud one. "He served his country, served two tours, and in the end that was enough. And I thank the Lord for that." She took a crucifix necklace and kissed it.
Sometimes Laura saw Gabriela do the same thing with her small golden crucifix.
"So, Claudia," Kathryn asked, addressing Laura (ah yes, to her she was Claudia for now) with a smile," what do you think of our place?"
Laura just smiled at the question and nodded.
"You don't talk much, do you now?" Katheryn was still smiling.
"I must apologize in her name; Claudia is just very shy around strangers." Gabriela put one hand on Laura's shoulder as a sign of support.
"That quiet alright Vanessa," Kathryn waved her hand, not bothered at all," I hope you two will have a fine time staying over at our house. Now let's get upstairs. There is a room I think would fit you perfectly."
Laura had to agree. She was hoping they will have a fine time staying over. This was definitely way better than a motel.
"Are you sure it's Twenty-Three?" inquired a cold voice over the walkie-talkie.
"Yes Doctor Rice, it was her alright. And with that woman too. They were driving in a small blue Fiat.
"We have been searching for them for a whole month. Nothing. And now they just appear in Hawkins out of nowhere?!" exclaimed a bewildered Pierce.
"Do you have their current location?" Doctor Rice asked, ignoring his younger head of security.
"Negative. However, I- "
Parker stopped, because he saw the same small blue Fiat once again, this time being towed by a blue pickup truck.
"Hang on, I see their car."
"Wait, what?"
"Do you see Twenty-Three or the woman?"
"Negative, it's being towed by a blue pickup truck. A middle-aged man and a teenager are in it. No Twenty-Three or the woman. The Fiat probably broke down."
Silence. Then…
"Listen up Parker, and you listen very well." Pierce was now addressing him, his voice stern and commanding. "Follow that pickup truck, they are probably driving it to a mechanic, and get the license plate number so we can find out who are those two 'couse probably they have the girl and the woman with them. You got that Parker?"
"Yes sir, I understand, I'm on it."
Kathryn showed them the guest bedroom in which they will spend the night. It wasn't anything big or special, but the room was more than enough for Laura and her. There were two beds, which Kathryn explained that sometimes her cousins from Oakland would stay over for the summer but not until early August, a rocking chair, a closet, and a dresser. It looked way better than every single motel they stayed in across America.
Laura was currently using the bathroom which was in the hallway that was near William and Kathryn's bedroom and Nathan's bedroom.
Their backpacks were currently on the bed (and the gun was safely hidden). It will be a simple night. They'll have dinner, go sleep, wake up and have breakfast, go to the mechanic to pay for the repairs, pick up their repaired car and then they will be on their way. The one-day delay did frustrate her because they were so close to Canada.
But hey, beggars can't be choosers as the saying goes and they were lucky they managed to find help in a form of the Munson family.
Gabriela was deeply thankful. To God, to the universe, that even after everything she saw, there were still good people on this earth.
Even though the information about Hawkins National laboratory and its responsibility for the toxic leak did disturb her.
At least it was shut down.
She heard the toilet water flush. Laura emerged from the bathroom into the hallway and entered the guest bedroom.
"So mija, it seems you have the way with horses huh?" Gabriela questioned teasingly.
Laura had a sheepish smile on her face.
"How did you do it?" Gabriela asked, now intrigued. In all her years of knowing Laura, and during their one-month journey, she had never shown the ability to calm down an animal.
"I… I looked him in the eyes. Showed him I wasn't a threat. Porthos understood." she answered, referring to the black horse.
Gabriela nodded, impressed by the child's newly shown skill.
"Well, what do you think?" she asked her, arms spread wide.
Laura observed the room.
"It looks… nice. Normal."
She walked over to the window.
"Es así como se siente la vida?" she quietly asked.
Gabriela nodded her head slowly. "Sí ... sí mija, así es como se siente. Personas que se aman y se aprecian unas a otras." She answered.
Laura turned to face her with a thoughtful look on her face.
"Podemos ... podemos tener algo como esto en Canadá?" she asked.
Gabriela thought long and hard for an answer. She nodded back.
"Si. Construiremos una vida para nosotros dos. Una vida que tú, hija mía, mereces más."
Now Laura was grinning from ear to ear and went over to hug Gabriela. Gabriela herself was grinning and hugged her back.
"Estoy deseando que llegue."
"Yo también, mija, yo también.
They broke their hug and Gabriela took one more look at her.
This child… this child is her life. Her heart. And she will ensure that she lives out her life in peace and happiness.
Laura's ears perked and once again went over to the window. Gabriela joined her as they both observed a blue pickup truck approaching the farm.
"Looks like they already towed the car to the mechanic. Now come, let's see if they need some help around here."
Even though they insisted that there was no need for help, Laura and Gabriela were not deterred from it.
Gabriela went over to Kathryn to help with the dinner for tonight, while Laura did smaller, menial things: fetching water, bringing tools, and helping William and Nathan to calm the horses when the time came for cleaning their hooves and grooming them.
She was currently standing on the porch, having a moment of… what was it that Gabriela called it?
Ah, self-reflection.
Laura has decided that she liked horses. She liked the way there were treated and how they looked. Magnificent, strong animals that were admired for their elegance and strength. She saw them many times over during their journey and was delighted to finally get near one.
Laura also liked helping people, liked the way the Munson family lived their lives on the farm. There were no cold men in lab coats poking her or treating her like she was an animal or a science experiment. There were no enclosed places, cells, where she couldn't see the green of nature or the blue sky or feel the warmth of sunlight.
This is what life feels like.
Laura wished they could stay a bit longer. She knew they had to continue their journey to Canada, but there was no shame in… ha, taking it easy after a while, as Gabriela told her.
She hoped when things settle down, that she would be able to visit the Munson family again. They were a picture of a true family.
Laura hoped for, wished for that kind of family. People who love and cherish each other. As matter of fact, she already has that. With Gabriela.
"Laura, mija."
Laura turned around as Gabriela hovered at the front door of the house.
"Dinner would be ready around 10 minutes."
Laura nodded and went back to help in any way she could. The sun was beginning to descent, its orange hues illuminating the last moments of the day.
It would be a perfect day… if it weren't for that rotten scent in the air.
"You sure it's them, the Munsons?" Pierce asked Parker.
"Yes sir, they have a farm north of Hawkins. They said their names were Vanessa and Claudia Santos, but obviously, those are fake names." Parker answered him.
Getting the license plate and the information was easy. Just one friendly conversation was all it took. And some 20 bucks on the side.
"Hmmm…very well. Now listen. I'm sending you back up, a dozen men, and the necessary equipment. You'll be in charge Parker." Pierce explained.
"M-Me? With all due respect sir, why not you? And why only a dozen men? Shouldn't-"
"The why is Parker," Pierce interrupted him, impatience evident in his voice, "is because 1: I got things here that need supervision. Even though I would love to personally take charge, I'm needed elsewhere. And 2: We didn't expect the girl to show up here of all places. I can only spare ten because they are also needed here. I called for backup from the nearby facilities, but they will arrive tomorrow."
Silence followed as Parker mulled over this information. He was once again addressed by Pierce.
"…You know the drill. Capture the target. Eliminate the witnesses. Leave no evidence."
"Yes sir."
"You know… this is your chance to prove yourself, Parker. A chance for a promotion. A chance for a higher paycheck. And more. Don't you disappoint me Parker. Or else."
Parker silently gulped. Failure was not an option. "…Yes sir. I understand. I won't let you down."
The Munson family and the "Santos" family all sat around a table covered with food, heads bowed as Nathan Munson said grace.
"We thank you, Lord, for this food... and we also thank you, Lord, for sending our new friends, the Santos to our aid today. Amen."
"Amen." Everyone, that is everyone except Laura, repeated. They all dig in.
Tonight's dinner looked appetizing. There was meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn, and green sprouts, all spread across the table. The food looked so tasteful and delicious and of course Laura went to grab some mashed potatoes from the bowl with her bare hands.
The Munsons stopped and watched while Gabriela sighed loudly.
"Claudia." She said in a stern tone of voice, addressing her, using the fake name.
For a moment Laura didn't listen, just ate the food with her bare hands. Then she stopped, remembered her fake name for tonight, and looked around at the others, all of whom smiled at her as she stopped her display of poor table manners. Gabriela gave her a napkin, and then a fork.
"There's plenty more if you want." Kathryn stated kindly.
Laura smiled, wiped her face clean, and went over to grab a bowl containing corn. Of course, dumping large amounts of it on her plate.
"Claudia." Gabriela repeated.
Laura signed and gave the bowl to Gabriela who put it back on the table. She addressed Kathryn.
"Thank you, she's fine." She replied and went back to her dinner.
After a few seconds, Gabriela gave her compliments.
"This is delicious Kathryn, it's so good."
"Thank you, Vanessa." Kathryn was pleased by this compliment.
"So, how come you two are going to Canada?" William asked her.
Time for the cover story. Gabriela was planning to use it for the border patrol; however, a little practice did no harm.
"We're heading over to the town of Port Hope, east of Toronto, to visit my sister… Sarah and her family."
"Oh, really?" Kathryn asked. "All of the way from El Paso to Canada?"
"How come you didn't take a plane?" Nathan inquired.
"It's more fun that way. You get to see the countryside and meet the people who live in it." Gabriela replied, smiling at them. "Besides, I am not a big fan of planes, and neither is L-Claudia."
Laura, who was thankfully using a knife and fork the right way, agreed with an affirmative nod.
"I see. So, Vanessa, what do you do for a living? Do you work on your family's ranch? Kathryn eventually inquired, smiling.
"No, actually I work as a nurse in the El Pasos Children's Hospital." She answered, ignoring a painful pang in her heart.
Words like "nurse" and "hospital" reminded her of her hermanas and the time she spent working in Transigen's secret facility disguised as a hospital.
"Oh really? And what about your husband?" Kathryn asked further.
"Oh. I-" Gabriela did not expect that question, but she had a cover story for that one as well.
"Kathryn." William warned, probably sensing Gabriela's discomfort.
"What? It's a natural thing to ask." Kathryn justified.
"No, no it's okay." Gabriela waved it off." Um… Claudia's father is no longer in the picture."
"No longer in the picture?" Nathan was confused.
Gabriela glance at Laura, who was staring at her curiously, wondering what she will say.
"Divorced." Gabriela answered.
Kathryn's smile dropped.
"Oh."
Laura cocked her head as if to say, Really? That's the story you choose to go with? She could see the amusement in her eyes.
William gave his wife a look that said, See? That's why you don't ask stuff like that!
"So, this trip, it's like a vacation?" Nathan asked, no doubt to steer the conversation to a more friendly subject.
Gabriela thought about it for a moment.
"I suppose in a way, it is a vacation. Long overdue in my opinion."
"Well, that sounds lovely." Kathryn, regaining her smile and voicing her opinion." I've been trying to get Will here to take a vacation for years now."
"Uh-huh, and if we go out traipsing around the country, who's gonna take care of this place?" William replied, looking skeptical.
"We can always rely on our neighbors."
"But what if we can't?" Nathan added in a sudden change in his mood and his tone. He was now more interested in picking at the green sprouts on his plate rather than eating them.
Laura was shoveling hers in her mouth like a rabid animal. At least she wasn't making a mess.
"Nathan…" Kathryn scolded him.
"C'mon Mom. You know how it's like. I mean Dad is going to the meeting tonight because of it." Nathan added.
Gabriela was confused. "What meeting?"
The Munson family were now looking at each other. Discomfort radiated from them like radio signals. Gabriela and Laura watched them intently, waiting for an explanation. Laura even stopped shoveling food in her mouth.
"Look," William started, putting his silverware, and clasping his hands together, "a few months ago, a shopping mall called Starcourt opened here in Hawkins."
"Everyone here in Hawkins was excited. Everyone except the local businesses." Kathryn continued.
"How come?" Gabriela asked, now curious.
"Well, if you been driving through the downtown, you also noticed how empty it was. It's like it sucked all the life and the people from it," she explained.
"Hence the reason after we're finished with our dinner I will go to a meeting tonight at the city hall because it's not just the local businesses that are affected." William stated.
"Because now they started buying farms and properties around Hawkins." Nathan added, looking angry.
"Who?" Gabriela was confused.
"The company that build Starcourt," William explained." Transigen."
For Gabriela time stopped, and her stomach dropped. She felt cold and has felt chills down her spine. She was sure that her face drained of all color.
It was thanks to her self-control, her experience as a nurse being helpful in that regard, that prevented her from dropping her fork in shock. Laura next to her went rigid, without a doubt feeling the same way as she did. She swallowed her food in a loud gulp.
"Is everything alright?" Kathryn asked, watching them with concern. William and Nathan, who no longer had an angry look on his face, mirrored her.
"Oh, no, no, everything is quite alright!" Gabriela smiled, to show that on the outside she was fine, perfectly fine.
On the inside, however, she was anything but fine. How, how could they be here? She read the documents, searched the files, there wasn't anything about Hawkins or this Starcourt!
Then Gabriela had a sudden flashback, back when she was working for Transigen in Juarez. She remembered how… she overheard Dr. Rice saying to his fellow doctor that he used to operate in a facility somewhere in Midwest America a long time.
Could it… could be that this Hawkins National Laboratory and Rice were connected?
If they were… Good God.
She needed to speak with Laura after dinner, in private naturally.
Speaking of Laura, she was now eating her dinner in a slower manner, no doubt processing this revelation. Gabriela did the same thing.
"Are you sure you are okay?" William asked.
"Of course. So anyway, what will this meeting be about? I mean I know what it is about, but I'm curious about what will you do?" Gabriela asked, trying to keep the attention away from her and Laura.
"Well, probably they will organize a protest in front of Mayors Kline office, but I think there should be some kind of compromise between the locals and Starcourt- "William started but was interrupted by Nathan.
"Yeah, like hell they will- "
"Nathan, language young man!" Kathryn warned in a stern tone of voice.
"Son," William added, mirroring Kathryn's tone, looking at Nathan" I know you are angry and frustrated. Believe me, your mother and I are also angry and frustrated that this big company is complicating things for us and the rest of Hawkins. However, allowing yourself to be controlled by anger is not good for you."
Nathan was silent, mulling over while Gabriela and Laura observed the conversation.
"And what if that doesn't work?" Nathan asked.
"Then we will find another way. We'll manage. We'll adapt." William answered sagely.
"The Lord will provide." Kathryn added in a wise tone of voice.
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm still waiting for Him to provide me with a new thresher. "William added in a joking tone of manner.
Nathan now a little bit relaxed added.
"You know, if things get tough, I could drop out of school."
"Okay, let's not go that far." Kathryn warned him again but in an affectionate manner.
Friendly laughter echoed around the table and with it, the tension left it.
Well, for the Munsons. Not so much so for Gabriela and Laura.
A mile away from the Munson farm, three black military SUVs parked themselves on the side of the road.
Opening the door, eleven men, mercenaries working for a company called Transigen, freshly recruited for the Reavers, stood outside and started to gear up.
'This is it thought Parker as he prepared himself mentally. He does this right; an opportunity presents itself. An opportunity for a promotion. An opportunity to prove himself.
And of course, a position of influence within Transigen. Who knows? Maybe one day he'll take over as the head of the Reavers.
However, first, they needed to extract the target.
He knew what the target could do, what was she capable of. She could heal which was the reason they wanted her so badly. And also, she had… what little claws?
Still, in the end, she was just a little girl.
What harm could she do?
Right after they finished their dinner, William left in his pickup truck to participate in the meeting.
"I'll be back in an hour." he told them." I sure hope that Jim is there tonight with us."
"Who's Jim?" Gabriela asked.
"Jim Hopper. He's the chief of police around here. We used to serve together in Vietnam. It would be a good thing to have him on our side for this."
After that explanation, he left.
Gabriela, Kathryn, and Nathan went to clear up the table from plates, glasses, and leftover food while Laura went upstairs. She knew that Gabriela was glancing at her while helping with the clean-up.
Laura ascended the stairs, went to the guest bedroom door, opened it, entered, and then shut the door behind her.
Standing in the center of the bedroom, Laura allowed herself to shed the calm façade she maintained after that revelation at the dinner.
How? How was it possible that those monsters were here at all? In Hawkins?
She knew about the papers that Gabriela and the rest of the nurses stole, the same nurses who were now probably… definitely dead. Gabriela read them over and over at some nights in a motel whenever she thought that Laura was sleeping.
Nothing ever mentioned they were here. How? How?
Laura paced around the bedroom in an agitated manner, furious at the fact that those pendejos are here in the first place. She kept glancing at the door, expecting any minute for Gabriela to appear.
Laura stopped and then pulled the left sleeve of her red hoodie. The numbers 023 on her left wrist stared right back at her, ingrained on her skin.
She wanted those numbers to be gone. She wanted the memories, the nightmares, to be gone. To be over.
Laura wasn't sure if Gabriela knew or not, but sometimes, in the middle of the night, whenever they would spend the night in a motel, she would go to the bathroom, lock herself in, and sit there, pulling her sleeve, and staring at those numbers.
Staring and staring, and then wondering, deciding if she should simply-
SNIKT
-cut them up. Peel them off like fruit.
Her healing powers would restore the skin in just a second. She tested before herself many times. By herself and by those… bastardos.
If she did that, then the numbers, 023 would no longer stare at her, she would no longer have nightmares.
…Right?
Right now, she was doing the same thing. Gazing at the numbers with her right-hand claws extended. Thinking if she should do it or not.
If Gabriela found out-
Knock knock
Laura quickly retracted her right-hand claws and dropped her left hand to wipe the blood on her denim jeans. She looked up.
"Mija?" It was Gabriela.
Gabriela opened the door.
"Estás bien?" she asked.
Laura shook her head.
"Transigen." Laura replied, voice full of contempt.
Gabriela sighed, entered the bedroom, and closed the door. "I know mija. I do not know how or why of all places are they here nor why did they build a mall?" she said, a mixture of confusion and nervousness.
"What now?" Laura asked.
Gabriela was thinking hard, trying to make sense of this situation.
"For now, we stay here for the night, and then… tomorrow, as quick as possible, we leave. We get our car back and continue our journey. But we do not stop at Fort Wayne." Gabriela explained and over her red backpack to retrieve a map of Indiana, which they purchased in a gift shop when they entered Indiana. They did the same thing with other states.
Gabriela unfolded the map and lay it on the bed and examined it. Laura stood next to her.
"We will stop at," she murmured," here." She pointed her finger at the place called Huntington.
"We spend the night there. And after that, we go to Detroit. That is… hm, podrían ser alrededor de… three hours of driving. We contact Miss Kinney when we get there. And then- "
"Canada." Laura finished for her.
"Si." Gabriela confirmed.
Gabriela folded the map again and returned it to her red backpack.
"Mija." Gabriela now stared at Laura. She crouched now and put her hands on her shoulder." We are so close now. It is important for me, and for you, to not lose hope. Those bastardos probably don't know we are here at all."
Laura doubted that.
"And I know you doubt that." Gabriela knew her well. "But we stay here for now, and I know you're having a wonderful time."
Despite the situation, Laura smirked.
Gabriela hugged her and Laura returned it.
"Toda va a estar bien, mija." Gabriela whispered in her ear, to assure her. "Te prometo."
Laura felt… not happy, but hallway happy. She didn't know what would she do without Gabriela.
Thinking of Gabriela in front of her, took her back in time when she was… residing in that place, when she felt like she would be trapped there all her life, used as nothing more than a tool. Gabriela was the one who gave her hope. She was with her whenever she could then.
Especially when her brothers and sisters… when they were one by one-
And then, with lightning speed, the thought came back to her many hours ago when they were driving to Downtown of Hawkins when she felt ...
"Tengo algo más que decirte." Gabriela pulled away from their hug and looked at her. "Cuando conducíamos hacia el centro, olí ese olor podrido en el aire, el que nos habló Kathryn, el Laboratorio."
"Si. Qué hay de eso?" Gabriela asked her.
"Eso ... eso no fue lo único que olí." Laura explained. "Había ... otro olor ... el mismo olor que solo podía oler en mis hermanos y hermanas."
Shock registered on Gabriela's face.
"Are… are you sure?"
Laura nodded firmly.
"I'll…I'll try to ask Kathryn. See what she knows about Transigen and Hawkins National Laboratory."
After their change of plans, Gabriela descended downstairs to check if Kathryn needed some help with anything. And then subtly ask her about Transigen. And that laboratory. And Starcourt as well.
She sighed.
After spending a day and a good portion of the night with the Munson family, Gabriela had an ideal picture for her future with Laura.
This is what life look like, people who love and cherish one another.
And it is a life they will build in Canada. Gabriela will make sure of it.
She approached the living room, looked around, but no sign of Kathryn. She went to the main front door, opened it, and stepped on the porch.
A full moon emerged tonight, its light illuminating the night and the farm. She could hear crickets buzzing in the distance. The horses were out in the open in a fenced circle, let by William before he left so they can enjoy the open space before returning to their stables.
"Ah, there you are." She said when she saw Kathryn standing her left, gazing in the distance, looking over the farm, holding in her hand her silver crucifix. Kathryn glanced at her." I was looking everywhere for you."
"Oh, my apologies. I was just… thinking about…" once again she gazed into the distance.
"…Yes?"
"About William. And Nathan. And what of our lives here on the farm. This is our home, but I got a feeling that sometimes…"
"That sometimes it could just all disappear at any moment." Gabriela finished for her. She leaned at the pillar of the porch. "I understand. Sometimes… I think the same way… about Claudia." Gabriela felt a distaste for the usage of fake names. However, when it comes to Laura's safety… she will not risk it.
Kathryn understood.
"Life here in Hawkins used to be so peaceful, you know. Just your boring small town in Indiana. And now…"
Gabriela was now watching Kathryn, observing her.
"Now things have changed." Gabriela stated the obvious.
Kathryn nodded in agreement.
Now was the time for questions.
"Tell me, about Transigen, buying properties around Hawkins, did they also try to buy your farm?"
Kathryn scowled.
"About a week ago, a man in a suit, an expensive-looking suit I might add, introduced himself as a representative of Transigen and came to our farm offering to buy it from us. We said no." Kathryn explained.
"You weren't interested in an offer. Sounds like he was offering a lot of money. Right?"
"Right."
Gabriela's curiosity piqued.
"Why didn't you take it?" she asked.
"Because this is our home, our life and we will not allow some big corporation to drive us out of our land." Kathryn answered, her eyes blazing with steely determination. "When we said no, he got angry. He tried not to act like he wasn't, but I could see in his eyes."
Gabriela shook her head. Sounds like someone who would work for Transigen.
Then a thought came to here.
"You don't think," Kathryn looked at her," today, on the road. That truck." Kathryn nodded," What if it was intentional?"
Kathryn frowned. "With everything that has been happening as of late, I wouldn't be surprised."
Neither would Gabriela.
"And yet, I don't get it." Kathryn continued. "From what I know, Transigen is a pharmaceutical company. Why on earth would they open a mall, in Hawkins of all places?" she wondered.
Gabriela had part of an idea of what they were doing here, something wrong, but eventually, she answered.
"What all big companies are interested in," Kathryn looked at her," money." She made a hand gesture of rubbing her fingers.
"True, true." Kathryn agreed.
After a moment of silence, Gabriela continued.
"I have also been meaning to ask you… this Hawkins National Laboratory… was there any more problem with them before the "toxic leak" happened?"
"Well…" Kathryn was hesitant, in the same manner, today when they arrived on the farm," a year before that a boy by the name of Will Byers disappeared."
"Disappeared"? Gabriela repeated.
"Yes. He was found a week later. Apparently, he got lost in the woods."
Gabriela frowned in confusion.
"A local boy… got lost in the woods?"
"Yes. I meet him a few times. I know his mother, Joyce Byers. Went a few times over to their place. That boy does not strike me as someone who would get lost in a forest, especially a local." Kathryn's voice was full of doubt.
Gabriela doubted that as well.
"And yet," she continued," that not the strangest part of the story."
"It's not?" Gabriela was intrigued.
"Not, it's not. Apparently, many people spotted a little girl with a shaved head walking around Hawkins. Surely, people's imagination started playing with their heads because they were saying such ridiculous things such as that she is a Russian spy or that she is some kinda psychic."
"Psychic?" Gabriela repeated. An unconformable sensation started to develop in her stomach.
It couldn't be possible. It is impossible.
Kathryn nodded.
"Yes. Maurice, who works at the Bradleys Big Buy supermarket, he's a friend of William by the way, said that a little girl with shaved head shattered the glass door of the supermarket with her mind."
"With her mind?" Gabriela again repeated. The unconformable sensation now spread over her whole body.
Oh. Oh, but it is possible.
"I know right. It's crazy."
Gabriela nodded numbly. Yes. It was crazy.
There was a child. Here in Hawkins. That was like Laura. A little girl with abilities, special abilities.
Gabriela started to put two and two together. There is no way. This... this cannot be a huge coincidence.
A little girl with a shaved head. Who was probably from the Hawkins National Laboratory?
Is she still here?
"And what of the… the laboratory? What happened with them? I mean, you did tell me they were shut down, but is there more?" she inquired. She needed to know what happened.
"Well besides their former building being abandoned and now serving as a ghost story for the kids and the teenagers around here… nothing much. The staff moved away and to my knowledge, they no longer work here." Kathryn said.
"And what of this… girl with the shaved head?"
Kathryn shrugged.
"Other than that thing with the Big Buy incident, nobody saw her again. Actually, one woman, a mother, did say she saw her around her house last October, but that's it."
Gabriela nodded stiffly.
"Vanessa? Are you okay?" it took a second for Gabriela to realize she was being addressed by her fake name. Kathryn was gazing at her with concern.
"Oh, yes." She answered." Yes, I am okay. I am alright. I just need to go to the bathroom."
Kathryn blinked. "Yes, of course. No problem, go if you have to."
Gabriela nodded her head stiffly. "Will you excuse me."
Gabriela left the porch, entered the house, got upstairs, in the hallway, and entered the bathroom. She lowered the toilet seat and sat on it.
All this. This town. Hawkins. It cannot be.
Nevertheless, it is.
Dios mio.
Everything. Everything adds up. A secretive laboratory, a missing child, a child with abilities.
Though she didn't know all the details regarding the whole thing, one thing was a fact in which Gabriela was sure of it.
The same thing they did to those children, God's children, in Juarez, in Mexico, was the same thing they did here. In Hawkins. Different organizations but still the same monsters.
Should Laura know?
Gabriela considered lying to her. Laura will be intrigued by this information, especially by the mysterious girl with the shaved head, and she will go looking for her because Laura will not allow another of her siblings to lost in the world-
No.
Laura must know of this. No secrets will be kept from her.
Didn't Gabriela organize an escape with her fellow nurses for her? Traveled across an entire country to get to a sanctuary well she will be safe. Saved her from a fate far worse than death.
Wasn't Gabriela willing to kill for her? To die for her?
Laura looked up at her. She was after all her mother in every way but blood.
Once again, she will leave for Laura to decide. Will they stay or leave Hawkins?
…Where is that child anyway?
During their stay at the Munson farm, Laura explored it when she wasn't helping William or Nathan.
One of the things that piqued her interest was a nearby tree that had a small swinging seat, made simply of a wood board and rope, that was perfect for her.
Swinging back and forth, Laura thought it was fun. For about five minutes. She looked around and decided to make it a bit interesting by swinging back and forth with more force. And when the swing reached forth way up high, as much it allowed it, Laura used the momentum to jump off it, perform a double summersault, and land in perfect knee pose.
She smirked at the memory as she walked in an observative manner in the hall upstairs.
Pictures were everywhere, and in every single one of them was a member of a Munson family, either just one or all three. While the downstairs pictures were more formal looking, the ones upstairs were personal.
Laura stopped to gaze at one picture on the wall. It was a younger version of William and Kathryn. William wore a fancy suit while Kathryn wore a beautiful white dress.
They look so happy together.
Laura wished she could have a future like that. Like the Munsons. To be happy.
This is what life feels like.
Laura then heard a muffled singing, coming from the room to her right.
"Sweet dreams are made of this"
Intrigued, she approached the door and opened it.
"Who am I do disagree"
By looks of it, it was Nathans's bedroom. Nathan himself was laying on the bed with his eyes closed, holding a small square-like machine with wires attached to it and with earbuds on his ears. He was singing along with the machine, murmuring in quiet tones.
"I've traveled the world and the seven seas"
A Walkman. That's the name the people who had it on them called it. She could see them sometimes on the streets when they were traveling. Kids, teenagers, people who ran (jogging it is called), wore them, listening to the music of their choice in private.
"Everybody's lookin' for something"
To a regular human being, the music and the words would be muffled, and you couldn't hear a thing.
"Some of them want to use you"
Laura could perfectly hear every single word.
"Some of them want to get used by you"
The room was covered in posters, either for rodeos or for movies.
"Some of them want to-"
The music suddenly stopped, and Laura turned around to see a startled Nathan gazing at her.
"Oh, I didn't see you there," Nathan said as he pulled the earbuds from his ears.
Laura was a bit miffed. She rather liked the song.
Nathan noticed this.
"Do you want to listen?" he offered the earbuds to hear.
Laura considered it for a moment then nodded.
She stepped over to Nathan and put the earbuds in her ears.
"It is called "Sweet Dreams" by a band called Eurythmics. They're great."
He hit play on the Walkman and the song continued its rhythmic beat.
"Some of them want to abuse you"
True.
"Some of them want to be abused"
She frowned.
Not true.
She took off the earbuds.
"Not a fan huh?" Nathan asked.
Laura shook her head. She looked around the room. It was a typical teenage boys' bedroom. Various posters adorned the wall, either for a movie or rodeo competition. At his desk, she saw several trophies put on display.
"Those two are for breakaway roping." He pointed at them, explaining. "Those for barrel racing. And the last two for pole bending. But all second or third place. I'm not so good at it."
"You are good with horses."
Nathan's eyebrows shot up to his hairline in surprise. He did not expect Laura to talk. This was the first time Laura spoke to anyone besides Gabriela.
"Well," he said once he recovered from his small shock," that's not a problem. I like horses and they like me. I can see you do as well." She blushed at the compliment. "It's just… I just don't like competitions. But it makes Mom and Dad happy, so there's that."
It makes his Mom and Dad happy. Because he loves them.
Laura understood. She loved Gabriela. Gabriela was her mother. Mamá.
"Do you… have anything else?" she asked.
"Anything else?" he repeated, confused.
Laura pointed at the Walkman.
"Oh, I actually have." He got up from his bed and went over to his desk, pulled the side drawer. Laura could see several cassettes.
Nathan rummaged through the drawer for a few seconds, deciding which song to pick.
"Here." He picked one up. "This is one of my favorites."
He removed "Sweet Dreams" cassette and put the new one in the Walkman. He gave it to Laura.
"It is called "I want to break free" by Queen. It was released last year. The music video is weird, but the song is great.
Laura put the earbuds on and hit play.
Slow music started then a beat.
"I want to break free"
"I want to break free
"I want to break free from your lies"
Oh. This song she liked.
"You're so self-satisfied I don't need you"
"I've got to break free"
"God knows, God knows I want to break free"
She really liked this song.
"I've fallen in love
"I've fallen in love for the first time"
Laura felt herself being absorbed by the song.
Laura was so absorbed by the song, so focused on it that she failed to hear a group of men slowly and stealthily approaching the Munson farm. Eleven of them, wearing military tactical gear with silencers on their guns, sidearm guns, and powerful tranquilizer darts on their hips, and a restrainment collar-suit, made specifically for the target.
The leader signaled the other to stop. A hundred feet of distance between them and the house in which the target resided. He picked up a walkie-talkie.
"Sir, we are in position." He whispered. "We-"
The leader stopped.
"What is it, Parker?"
"Sir, I see a blue pick-up truck approaching the farm. The same one I saw earlier today. One man is inside it. William Munson."
"Hmm, wait until he leaves the vehicle. Then commence the operation. Kill everyone except the girl."
"Yes sir."
After Gabriela checked where Laura was, she was relieved to find her close by. Through the crack of the door of Nathan's bedroom, she could see Laura listening to music from a Walkman, head bobbing with the rhythm of the music.
"Cool right?" Nathan asked, smiling in her direction.
Laura smiled back.
"Cool." She repeated.
Gabriela was once again shocked by Laura. She never spoke to strangers.
Then again, they never stayed the night at other people's places.
'She is taking my advice. To take it easy.' Gabriela thought with a smile on her face.
Deciding to tell Laura later the new information she acquired when is just the two of them alone, Gabriela went downstairs once again to speak to Kathryn, this time for a friendly talk, not inquisitive talk.
She just approached the open front door when she heard a sound of a car entering the farm. William, who returned from the town meeting regarding Starcourt.
'Transigen.' she thought with distaste.
Gabriela stepped on the porch and saw William shutting the blue pickup truck and exiting the vehicle.
Laura paused the music and looked at Nathan.
"Can I… can I keep this for tonight?" she asked slowly.
Nathan smiled.
"Sure. As in matter of fact, not only for tonight, but you can also keep it for the future."
She glanced at him, confused.
"I got a spare." He replied as he went to the side drawer on his bed and pulled out another Walkman. "I'll give you tomorrow more songs before you leave."
She grinned ear to ear.
"Gracias." She replied. "Good night."
"Good night." He said as he went over to put the earbuds off his spare Walkman and put the music back on.
Laura left the bedroom into the hallway and entered their own guest bedroom. She was pleased. This seems like a good way to end the night. Laying on the bed and listening to music.
She pulled, from a pocket of her jeans, a wrinkled photograph.
In it were Gabriela, back when she was a nurse in that place, along with her, Jonah, Gideon, Rebecca, Delilah and Rictor.
Back when… back when they were alive…
Laura's eyes watered. She wiped the oncoming tears with the sleeve of her red hoodie.
Tonight… tonight she was having a good night. In a long time. At peace. She just wanted to listen to that song again and be at peace.
And just as she's about to put the earbuds on, she heard a sound.
A sound of a car approaching and clicking sound.
The same clicking sound she heard when she was-
No.
Laura rushed to the window to see a blue pickup truck stopping in the front of the house and William getting out of it.
There, in the darkness, she saw-
"So, how did it go?" Kathryn, who was on her left, asked William as he approached them. He smiled.
"Well, it didn't go as I hoped it will be, but I think- "
William didn't get to finish his sentence when he suddenly stopped, and his face constricted in agony.
"William?" Kathryn asked, her voice tense as Gabriela saw a small red forming on his torso.
Blood. He's been shot.
Gabriela's face paled and she felt cold.
No! It-
The second shot hits William and he falls face-first on the ground.
Dead.
"WILLIAM!" Kathryn screamed in anguish and shock. Then she was shot in the stomach and fell on Gabriela's arms.
As soon as she saw William falling over-
Dead.
"WILLIAM!" she heard Kathryn scream and then a muffled shot hit her.
"NO!" Gabriela shouted as she dragged Kathryn inside the house and closed the door.
Muffled gunfire started to spray all over the house.
Gabriela gently and quickly dropped Kathryn on the floor and pushed a nearby small dresser to block the door.
No.
"DAD!" Nathan screamed from his bedroom.
No.
Then another muffled shot.
A sound of a body dropping. A sound from Nathans-
No.
Laura didn't hesitate. She ran out of the guest bedroom and rushed into Nathans's bedroom. Muffled gunfire started to spray the house. She heard it loud as if-
To her horror she saw Nathan lying on his back on the floor, clutching his throat.
His bleeding throat. He was shot.
"NATHAN!" she screams, runs to his side, and kneels beside him.
"No no no no no!" she repeated. She held his throat in one hand and lifted his head with another, in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. Nathan looked at her, trying to say something, but couldn't because he was shot in the throat.
"Nghgjng- "
"Don't talk, you are shot!" her vision blurs. She is crying. She knows there is no saving him.
"You-you will be alright," Laura said in a soothing tone, trying to at least comfort the teenage boy," everything will be- "
Nathan no longer tried to talk because she saw the life slowly leaving him, reflected in his eyes, which were leaking tears.
And then, Nathan… exhaled his last breath. He ... passed away.
Dead.
"NOOO!" Laura screamed.
Gabriela heard Laura scream from upstairs. A scream of anguish.
Gabriela turned to face Kathryn. She was lying on the floor, clutching her stomach. A pool of blood formed around her.
"No no no no no no!" Gabriela begged as she kneeled by Kathryn's side and held her. Blood started to leak out of her mouth.
"Nagh-Na- "she tried to say but started to choke on the blood.
"Kathryn! Kathryn! Stay with me!" Gabriela said desperately. Her vision blurred. "Don't talk- "
Kathryn's hand grabbed her face.
"I-, I" she tried to say… only to exhale her last breath.
She was gone.
Dead.
"No, no," she whispered, tears leaking from her eyes," Kathryn…"
Several windows were shot, their glass flying all over the house. Bullet holes started to form all over as well.
Gabriela put her head down.
Transigen. They found them.
She lowered her head and began crawling on the floor, trying to find a cover. She turned her head in the direction of the muffled fire and shouted with hatred…
"You monsters, they had nothing to do with you!"
The muffled gunfire stopped.
She realized that now they are approaching the house.
Laura heard muffled gunfire and saw the window glass of the bedroom with a bullet hole on it. Then more bullets flew through them and broke the glass.
Transigen.
Those monsters will PAY!
She turned to face Nathan still face, his eyes still open. Laura closed them and then put his body on the floor.
He didn't deserve to die.
"I'm sorry." She whispered an apology.
Bullet holes started to form on the walls.
Laura didn't care about them.
The only thing that mattered now was revenge.
The muffled gunfire stopped.
"Move in." she heard them speaking.
Laura's state of mind and body shifted.
She turned her head to the shattered window, sniffed the air, and focused hearing to find how many enemies are there.
How many does she needs to kill.
There were eleven of them. Reavers. Young. New.
"You monsters, they had nothing to do with you!" a scream of hatred.
That was Gabriela.
She needed to go downstairs. Now!
Rushing from Nathans bedroom back to their own, picking up their backpacks (the evidence) Laura then went back to the stair leading down and jumped down. She landed on her feet, the extra weight of the backpacks giving her no problem.
Laura looked up and saw… Kathryn… dead… pool of blood around her.
"No," she whispered. Then she snarled in rage.
She heard the horses outside panicking.
"What the hell?"
"Ignore them, we must retrieve the target!
They were around ten meters from the house. They were surrounding it.
She needed to act quickly.
The cornfields. Behind it was a deep forest. Thick. Can provide cover for an escape. They must go there at once.
Laura saw Gabriela taking cover behind the kitchen and a plan started to form in her head.
They locked eyes with each other. Gabriela was about to say something but then Laura put her finger on the lips in a sign of keeping quiet.
"La luz." she whispered. "Apágalo."
Gabriela nodded and managed to reach the switch for the kitchen lights while Laura switched the lights in the hallway and the living room. There was a bloody handprint left there on it.
Kathryn's blood.
Five meters.
"Come." Laura waved to Gabriela who quickly crawled over to her.
"Laura- "
"Nathan… is dead." she stated, interrupting her.
Gabriela's face dropped.
"Go behind. In the cornfields. The forest. Wait there." Laura said in a hushed tone. She handed Gabriela the backpacks.
Both took the moment to stare at their hands which were covered in blood. Laura growled. Gabriela gazed at her with concern.
"But mija, what about- "
"I will kill them." Gabriela was shocked. "Los mataré a todos."
Laura knew the way she said those words sounded disturbing coming out of her, but she didn't care. The Munsons were dead. Murdered. William… Kathryn… Nathan…
She looked at hers and Gabriela's hands. Both were covered in blood.
They. Must. Pay.
SNIKT
Parker led his men, stepping closer and closer to the two-story house. They ignored the corpse of William Munson, ignored the agitated stomping of horses.
He could see the light lit upstairs, but downstairs… dark. He swore internally. He should have given orders to surround the house.
Parker signals the men to stop. He gave his orders.
"Bernhardt, Melendy, O'Connor, Leyuer, go behind the house and enter from the back. Roberts, Fitzgerald, wait outside. If things get hot, call for immediate backup. The rest of you, follow me."
With affirmative "Yes, sir." the four left to go behind, with two staying behind them to monitor the situation, while the rest followed Parker.
Five of them stepped on the porch. Parker stood on the right side of the front door, and McClain, one of his men, stood on the left.
Turning on the flashlights on their rifles with silencers on them, Parker tries to open the front door, but they would hardly budge.
"Shit," he figured out, he could see through the glass of the front door that a small dresser was put in the front to block them. Hah, hardly.
With McClain's help, they pushed the front door and entered the house.
The first thing he noticed was the deceased woman, Kathryn Munson, laying on her back, a pool of blood surrounding her. Low lit light came from upstairs. Did they hide there?
It could be a trap; Parker could feel it.
"Matthews, McClain, Hammond, you three go upstairs," Parker whispered.
The three Reavers went to go upstairs in a slow, cautious manner. Just as they approached the stairs, the remaining four that were sent to go behind appeared at the back door of the house.
The rest looked around.
No woman, no target.
Where are they?
The three men ascended the stair when all of a sudden, outside, a furious screech rang out.
They all turned in the direction of it as they could hear a furious shout, a sound of a blade cutting… someone.
Then, a sort of gargle, as if someone were choking. Parker heard Robert's voice shout in panic "Hey, stop-" and then a scream. A scream of someone who was hurt very badly.
Shit.
"Everybody out!" shouted Parker, his orders carrying throughout the house.
As soon as Parker left the front door he saw the horses, who were stomping in a panic the entire time, were now free. The paddock fenced doors were open. They ran off, far away from the farm, into the night.
But that was not the sight that shocked him.
It that was the sight of Roberts and Fitzgerald laying on the ground near a tree. Roberts was clutching his face, screaming in pain, while Fitzgerald clutched his throat. Both men had blood leaking through their fingers.
Jesus Christ.
"What the fuck?!" exclaimed one of his men, no doubt the rest of them were terrified by the sight.
"My eyes, my eyes, that little bitch slashed off my eyes!" cried out Roberts, thrashing on the ground.
How… how the fuck?
They all approached them to see if they can help them in any way.
Crouching down, Parker could see Fitzgerald's finger trying to point at something, but the problem was he couldn't point appropriately because his hand was moving in every direction.
He couldn't speak because when he did try to speak blood left his mouth.
"Shit Fitzgerald hang on!" O'Connor tried to reassure him.
"Roberts," ordered a disturbed Parker," st-stop thrashing around! Do you know- "
"No, I don't fucking know where that bitch is, I'm blind, Jesus fucking Christ!" Roberts screamed, still clutching his face.
BANG BANG
What the fuck? Gunshots!?
It was that woman!
"AARGH! I'm hit!" shouted McClain, clutching his left arm.
Everyone turned around at the direction of the gunfire, their rifles pointed at the source.
She was in the fucking cornfield-
BANG BANG
A shot to the head ended McClain. He dropped with a thud.
"Take cover!" Parker yelled.
The remaining Reavers ran in all directions trying to find the said cover only to be interrupted by a screech of the target falling from the tree, her bone claws extended for an attack.
Matthews was the first one to go down.
The target fell right on top of him, her claws piercing his throat, his blood spurting all over her face.
Then she used Matthews's falling body as a springboard and launched herself at Hammond.
Hammond didn't even get to fire a shot as a right-hand claw of the target pierced his head and he fell down, dead, with the target standing on his body.
Fear and panic overtook Parker's body. They did not tell him she could do that! He quickly picked up his walkie-talkie.
"Command, this is Parker, I need backup!" he shouted as the remaining Reavers, six of them, five down already (what the fuck!), finally opened fire at the target, "I repeat, need immediate backup!"
The girl rolled away from Hammonds's body, got on her feet, and ran to the blue pickup truck that was nearby, and jumped over it while evading gunfire.
Roberts was still screaming. "Get that bitch!"
"Bernhardt! Prepare the tranquilizers, for fuck sake!" Parker shouted the order.
BANG BANG
"And fuck you too!" Parker screamed as he aimed his rifle at the source of the gunshots, at the cornfield, and unloaded a wave of bullets.
He heard a scream. Haha, he shot her!
No Gabriela!
Laura was currently taking cover behind the blue pickup truck formerly owned by the Munson's, crouching down as mercenaries shoot at it.
Why didn't you run away as I asked of you!
She growled when she heard that bastard laugh.
He will be the last one to die. Slowly.
Quickly, she got up on her feet and ran to the house while evading gunfire. Something whizzed past her ear as she jumped on the fence of the front porch and then in a crouched position, launched herself at the window, breaking in a process.
She had several cuts from it, mainly of her face, which quickly healed.
"Damn it Bertnhardt, how the fuck could you miss!?"
She ignored them for she had a plan.
Kill them as quickly as possible and return to Gabriela swiftly.
They will never leave this house alive.
"Quick! Get inside! And stick together!"
Laura ran for the stairs, jumping, crossing two steps per jump.
She scanned the hallway, thinking of a way to dispatch the bastards. She saw the guest bedroom door wide open and its window still intact. Probably the only window that was intact in the whole house.
An idea came to here.
Hearing the armed men entering the house in a rushed manner, she ran to the bedroom, she saw from the corner of her eyes Nathans cor-
Don't think about him now. Focus.
Entering, she scanned the bedroom and picked up a small lamp that was on the side drawer of the bed. She threw it at the window, breaking it in the process.
The shards flew all over the bedroom and, most importantly on the roof of the house. The sound of the breaking alerted the bastards. And the son of a bitch screaming outside.
Just as planned.
"Hey, s-sh-she's upstairs!" he hollered.
Quickly, she crouched and hid under the bed, and waited.
The sounds of footsteps grew closer and closer until they entered the guest bedroom.
"Shit!" cursed the one who gave orders, the one who will die slowly. "She escaped through the window! Everyone out! Now!"
She must be fast. Faster before they can react.
Just as the last man left the bedroom, Laura left her hiding place, got up on her feet, and went for an attack. Perfectly formed in a line. In a hallway with little room to maneuver their big bodies and big guns.
Perfect for her.
BANG
"What the- "
SNIKT
They didn't have the time to process the gunshot, because Laura used her right-hand claw to stab the last man in the line through the knee, and then, when he crouched down due to the pain, she quickly, with her left-hand claws, stabbed him in the throat, two bone claws piercing the skin and the veins.
The man didn't even get a chance to scream in pain.
Five down. Six to go.
Already, they were turning around to see what was happening, just in time to see Laura detract her claws, grab the rifle of their fallen comrade, point it in their direction, and pull the trigger.
With a muffled bang, a bullet hit the man next in line right between the eyes.
Six down. Five to go.
Laura let go of the rifle and went for the sidearms of the falling man.
Pulling the gun out of the holster, she clutched it with both hands, aimed it, and got a clear shot just when the body fell and the bastard, third in line, already aimed his rifle at her.
She could, in a microsecond, see the fear in his eyes as his hands trembled.
Both pulled the trigger at the same time.
Bang
BANG
He shot her in the shoulder. It barely affected her.
She shot him in the groin. It affected him greatly.
AAARGH! MY BALLS!"
Just as he bends over to clutch his privates, a clear shot of the fourth man in line was revealed, and with it another shot.
BANG
This bullet found his mark at the man's throat, right at the Adam's apple. He drops dead.
Seven down. Four to go.
"MY BALLS!"
"Fall back! FALL BACK!"
Ah, panic. And fear.
Good.
She dropped the gun and unleashed her claws.
SNIKT
A singular bone claw erupted from Laura's left foot, through her sneaker, and with a precision which was ingrained in her, lifted it and stabbed the screaming one with blown up testicles in the eye.
Eight down. Three to go.
Pulling the foot bone clawback, Laura rushed forward and used the momentum of the collapsing body in front of her to launch herself and the next bastard.
SNIKT
With a screech and her hand claws extended, she stabs him in the chest.
Nine down. Two to-
"AAARGH!"
Oh. Still alive, huh?
No problem.
Laura continues her attack as she stabs the man repeatedly in the face.
She was so consumed by her vengeful fury that she failed to notice the last of the two remaining men pointing their rifles at her and taking the shoot.
Bullets riddling her body, the pain she experienced caused her to cease her rampage on the now-deceased man-
Nine down. Two to go.
- and to fall on the floor on her back. They moved in. The leader gave orders to the last man.
"Quick! While she's down! Restrain her while I- "
BANG
"AAARGH, what the fuck!"
"Mantente alejado de ella!"
Gabriela!
The leader was on half crouching, holding his bleeding thigh.
The last bastard, who was still standing turned around to face a new threat… which was all the distraction Laura needed.
Retracting her hand claws, and putting her hand backward, over her head, Laura performed a kick up jump and-
SNIKT
-performed an imitation of a kick with her left leg, using her foot claw to stab the man in the calf.
"UUURGHH!"
She immediately withdrew her foot claw and watched in indifference as the hired thug imitated the leader in front of him, who tried in vain to lift his rifle. To shoot her.
Laura didn't care.
SNIKT
Calmly, she approached the man and stabbed him in the back with the left-hand claws. The man roars in pain and shot himself upwards. With the left claws still in him, Laura then used her right-hand claws to stab him in the back of the neck, while simultaneously pulling out the left claws and then using them to stab him at the side of the neck.
His annoying screams stopped immediately.
Laura then pulled out her claws from the neck and in one swift motion… decapitated the man.
Blood erupted from the stump of the body, spraying the wall and the ceiling and her, as the head fell with a thud, followed by the headless body.
Ten down.
One to go.
The leader watched her with horror in his eyes as he finally lifted his rifle with his trembling hand, the one which didn't clutch his wounded thigh, to shoot her.
"St-st-stay away!"
Ah, begging.
She was aware, oh so much aware how she looked. She probably resembled a demon from a nightmare, covered in all that blood.
Good.
Laura slowly approached the trembling, pathetic excuse of a man with her claws extended. Bullets started to pop out of her body and drop on the floor, the wounds healing themselves instantly.
"Stay away! Stay away!" he cried out, obviously disturbed by the sight.
She was one meter in front of him.
"Stay- "
Before he got a chance to finally pull the trigger, not that it would do anything, Laura cut the rifle, right in the middle.
The sniveling coward watched in disbelief as his rifle fell apart, leaving him defenseless.
"Ple-please, have mercy!" he begged.
Laura looked at him, deep into his pathetic, tears-filled eyes.
Mercy.
Mercy?
"Mercy?" she repeated mockingly. The man froze in fear, a new wave of terror washing over him.
"Mercy." she growled. "Here is your mercy."
With a yell, Laura kicked him in the torso. Before he got a chance to get up, she jumped on him with her feet, stomping his stomach. He screamed in pain.
And then… with her own scream and all her strength… she stabbed him...right in the heart.
He gasped as her right-hand claws penetrated the so-called armor he wore, cutting right through it.
Laura slowly pulled out her claws, never breaking eye contact with him, watching as his face contorted in agony, mouth open but no sound coming out of it.
"Mercy." She snarled and had a great pleasure of seeing this… nobody begging and choking on his blood.
A voice called her out.
"L-Laura…"
She looked up and saw Gabriela, standing at the end of the hallway, right next to the stairs.
Gabriela was breathing harshly, one hand clutching her side and another holding her small revolver.
Both locked eyes.
She could see… in her eyes… fear.
"Parker?" their heads snapped in the direction of the walkie-talkie, the one that belonged to the leader that was choking on the ground. It was a few inches away from him on his right. "Parker, do you copy?"
Laura knew that voice. Oh, she knew it well.
"Parker" attempted in vain to pick it up, but Laura beat him to it. With her left foot, she dragged the walkie-talkie towards her.
Laura stared at it.
"Parker! Answer me damn it!"
She growled.
Silence.
"Oh, shit- "
With a scream, she lifted her left foot and again, with all her might stomped on it, destroying it in the process.
When she pulled her foot, smoke came out of it.
Breathing harshly, Laura closed her eyes and tried to focus.
She heard the last man chock his last breath.
Eleven down.
All dead.
"Laura."
Laura looked up and once again locked eyes with Gabriela. There was no fear in her eyes anymore.
She was glad. Laura didn't want Gabriela to be afraid of her.
"Ven niña. Vamos a salir de aquí." Gabriela said urgently, putting the gun in her pocket and holding out her remaining hand.
Laura's eyes widened when she realized that Gabriela was injured.
"Mamá!" she said in a worried tone, rushing towards her, avoiding the corpses.
"Tu ... tu eres ..." Laura grabbed her hand and watched as blood dripped through her fingers.
"No te preocupes cariño, estaré bien. No golpearon ningún órgano, solo la piel. Ahora ven, ven, tenemos que irnos. Vendrán pronto." Gabriela replied soothingly.
Together they went downstairs. Before they went behind to go outside, at the back of the house, Gabriela stopped, and Laura stopped with her.
Both were now watching, in deep sadness and sorrow, Kathryn… deceased… on the ground.
"Lo siento… lo siento mucho." Gabriela apologized; her voice thick as she breathed in. She was weeping. Laura wept with her.
"Come mija, we must go." Gabriela said after a few seconds.
Both left the house, leaving the former occupants and its intruders behind.
Gabriela led Laura to the front of the cornfield; at the place where she hid the backpacks. She ignored how Laura looked, covered in all that blood.
"El que estaba gritando afuera. Qué tal…?" Laura asked about the man that was screaming outside, clutching his face because Laura blinded him.
She took care of him.
"No te preocupes por él. Está muerto. Le disparé". Gabriela explained.
They arrived at the spot, picking up their backpacks.
"Rápido, al bosque." Laura stated.
"Si." Gabriela agreed.
Gabriela took Laura's hand, blood-stained all over her. Together they ran through the cornfield.
It shouldn't be so difficult to run through the cornfield and after that through the forest but the pain at her side affected her.
Nevertheless, they moved onwards, arriving at the edge of the forest.
The full moon's light did not shine through the pitch, black darkness of the forest.
Breathing harshly Gabriela addressed Laura.
"Está ... está demasiado oscuro, tenemos que- "
"Yo te guiaré." Laura declared firmly.
Laura was the one who took the lead.
Ah, yes how stupid of me, she could see perfectly in the dark.
They ran through the forest with Laura leading the way. Gabriela could barely see anything in the darkness. She could see the outlines of the trees and their branches but that's about it.
Laura had no such problem.
They went downhill for a while, then uphill, left, left, right and then left. And then Laura stopped.
"What is it mija?" Gabriela asked her.
Laura sniffed the air and then let out a growl. Something was wrong.
"Qué es-"
"Algo huele mal. Es en esa dirección."
Gabriela could see Laura because she was very close to her. She was pointing in the direction of their left.
"Vayamos a la derecha." Laura stated as she started to drag Gabriela to their right.
They ran, their breaths becoming heavy and harsh, especially Gabriela.
Laura must have heard her because she slowed down a bit so Gabriela could at least catch her breath.
Eventually, the forest cleared up a bit, allowing Gabriela to see more clearly. She saw a road and the next clearing of the forest in front of it.
They stopped for a moment to catch their breath, well Gabriela did, Laura didn't have that much need for it.
"Vamanos, mama!" Laura urged her.
Despite the pain, despite all the horrible things that have happened, Gabriela smiled.
They emerged from the forest, running across the road. They were in such a hurry that they didn't even notice the light until it was too late.
SCREEEEEECH
The car, a blue Camaro, screeched to a halt. Right in front of them.
Gabriela and Laura were both standing, breathing harshly, not taking their eyes off the Camaro.
They could see the driver, a young man, a teenager by the look of it with a blonde, curly hair. He too was taking in deep breaths. Then he looked up and saw them.
His face scrunched up in anger.
He got out of his car.
"What the hell lady, are you crazy, I could h- "he started and then stopped when he took in their appearance.
Gabriela was aware of how they looked, her holding her bloodied side and Laura covered in blood.
Suddenly on their right, there was a flash of light which turned into an orange hue.
Both, Gabriela and Laura, turned their heads in direction of the light.
It was… fire… they… they burned down the farm.
And with it…
Gabriela felt tears welling up in her eyes as she let out tearful sobs. Laura too was weeping.
Once again, they were addressed by the young man.
His anger was gone, replaced by confusion.
"Just who the hell are you?"
Well, that's it for the 5. chapter, the longest one yet, nearly 18K words. Now for the notes.
1. Laura is in this story much more talkative, and willing to join on some activities because spending time with Gabriela would teach her some self-restraint and to open up a bit.
2. I will in the future include some more details about Laura's time in the facility, as well as the training she received there.
3. And finally, if you want me to post an additional translation, regarding their conversations in Spanish, let me know down in the comments.
That is all, I will see you in the next chapter where we will continue where we left of the 4th Chapter.
Take care! :)
