Acidalia XVII
By Amanda D.

Reynolds Quarantine facility 35 minutes after Brady’s release:

Dr. Paula Stanley sat behind the desk in the isolation wing of the facility drumming her fingers. Before she set Brady free and supplied the former commander a uniform, the doctor had dismissed the entire staff in the wing. It was her hope that with no witness’ to actually see her letting the Major out of her cell it would give her some measure of deniability once Hutchinson’s body was discovered. Not that she would need it once she was back in charge of the facilities security personnel. With Hutchinson out of the way no one would dare question her again.

Now she sat and waited, impatiently for the Majors return. She had her bait set already in Brady’s cell waiting. As she waited for the Major to finish with whatever she needed the hour to do, Dr. Stanley poured over inmate records and found one that was a very close resemblance to Thomas Logan. The Doctor had that unfortunate escorted down to the isolation ward and then placed her in the Major’s cell. Paula’s hope was that it had been long enough since she’d seen Logan that she could get Brady back in there before he discovered her ruse and whatever happen to the girl in there with her after the deception was discovered, well you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a loud ringing alarm. She looked up as the red lights embedded in the ceiling began to flash off and on. “What the hell..” she thought as she reached for the desk phone. She quickly punched up the security office.

“This is Dr. Stanley” she yelled before the person on the other end could identify themselves. “What’s all this racket about?” It was hard to make herself heard over the noise.

“It’s the fire alarm Director.” The nameless voice answered. “Lieutenant Hutchinson, or someone using her ID has been opening every cell on the dentation floors then pulled the alarm on the subbasement floor two according to the facility logs. Security cameras caught the individual but so far we’ve not been able to identify who’s been using Hutchison’s ID but, I can tell you for a fact, it’s not the Lieutenant.”

“Shit.” Paula thought with dawning horror. “Do you know where this person is now?” She demanded.

“Once the fire alarm was activated each floor went into automatic lock down. She should still be on that floor. We have teams headed there as well as to the other floors. Right now, there are inmates everywhere except in their cells where they belong. It’s going to take us a long while to sort this mess. To make matters worse, no one seems to be able to get a hold of the Lieutenant.”

Paula was trying to process everything she’d just been told when an alert showed up on the computer screen in front of her. She lowered her glasses to read but before she could put eyes on it, she saw a handful of inmates in the ward begin to emerge from their cells. She glanced down again and saw the fire protocols list glowing on the screen with cell door release highlighted in yellow.

Looking back up she yelled as loud as she could over the din. “Everyone, get back in your cells. There’s no fire. It’s a false alarm!”

A very tall blonde with missing front teeth that Paula vaguely remembered being called Ford smiled in her direction sending a chill down her spine. Ford as she recalled had to be isolated because she had a penchant for mutilating those in her cells by biting them over and over again. She’d done it to so many other inmates the staff were forced to pull Ford’s front teeth out. That, however, only forced the new woman to be more inventive in her methods of satisfying her needs to bite. Finally, after a grisly scene which ended with a pair of inmates each losing all the fingers on one hand to her, it became clear she had to be moved to isolation for everyone safety. Now, for the first time in months, she was out of her cell and free to roam.

“I said get back in your cells!” Stanley demanded.

“What if we don’t want to?” Ford asked smiling showing Paula her missing teeth, as several of the others nodded in agreement. It was plain to the Doctor that Ford knew who she was.

“Then I’ll call security and they will put you back in there.” Paula told them trying to hide the ball of fear growing in her ample belly.

“Why isn’t there any security here now?” Ford asked taking a step closer. “Shouldn’t they be here already? Never seen the ward this empty before. Wonder why that is.” She stopped and cocked her head to the side. Then she pointed at the alarm embedded in the ceiling.” I’m bettin they have something else going on. So go ahead doc, call em. I’ll wait right here, no problem, cause I think your bluffin.”

Even though there was plenty of room between the two of them, Paula took an unconscious step backward. Her large rear end bumped the desk behind her, and she silently cursed herself for the show of weakness. At the same time, it gave her a better view of what was under the counter of the desk. Laying there was one of the taser rods security used on uncooperative prisoners.

As she stepped forward hastily and grabbed it up. Brandishing it for all to see, she told the assembled detainees “Stay where you are. I’m warning you. I don’t want to but I’m not afraid to use this on any of you.”

Several of the ward patients laughed.

“You can barely hold that thing steady your hands are shakin so hard doctor.” Ford yelled back as she took another step in Paula’s direction.
After a moment she took yet another, seemingly not the least bit put off by the director’s threat.

Stanley stood there immobilized by fear. The rod had no projectiles to shoot at Ford or any of the others. It worked more like a cattle prod, needing to make contact with whatever you wanted to use it on in order to stun them.

The doctor watched them helplessly, as the group cautiously advancing on her position. They looked around at each other and at her fear filled eyes and laughed.

“Look at her.” A short red-haired detainee named Trinity said as she laughed to no one in particular. “She’s about to piss her own pants.”
The doctor could feel the time for action was running low. If she waited much longer, they’d have the desk surrounded and there would be no escape, taser rod or no.

Scared as she was, the doctor realized taking action was now or she was a dead woman. Keeping her eyes glued on the ever-increasing number of those that would mean to do her harm, she slipped out from behind the desk, using the wards outer wall to guard her back. She held the rod as a barrier between her and the encroaching detainees but, her hand was shaking badly. Still, she held it best as she manage while the other frantically searched the wall behind her for the manual door release switch.

“And just where do you think you’re going fatso?” Ford hollered. “We didn’t say you could leave. That would spoil our fun.”

“Stay…stay back” Paula stuttered as she continued to grope the wall looking for the button.

“Oh, your gonna have to make us.” Trinity replied with a sinister grin. “We’ve all be stuck in here for a really long time thanks to people like you and that cunt Hutchison. I think it’s high time for a little pay back don’t you Ford?”

“Couldn’t agree more.” The toothless blonde replied.

Dr. Stanley did her best to ignore their taunts. She desperately fought against a rising panic in her chest as she frantically groped for the door release control. Hope of escape dwindled with each passing second until finally her fingers found purchase on the other edge of the raise round button. Nearly hysterical with fear she mashed the button and the door to her left began to swing open.
She didn’t have any time to even look back when another of the inmates, whose name she didn’t know, lunged at her. There was no time to think, Stanley just thrust the rod out in her attacker’s direction. By nothing other than sheer luck the metal tip made contact sending the thousand volts though the new woman’s body.

The impact knocked the taser from her hand send it crashing to the floor. Taking no time to even look at where I landed the doctor turned and ran though the half open door into the chaos outside the ward. The director didn’t look back as she fled the wing and was swallowed by the mob.

The hallway was filled with detainee’s wandering and yelling at the top of their lungs trying to be heard as the fire alarm klaxon continued unabated. The noise only added to the mass confusion. Paula, who’d only taken a few steps at this point, looked around at everyone trying to decipher if any of the isolation patients had managed to follow her though and into the hallway. She couldn’t tell one face from the other as the mass of humanity swirled and flowed around her.

A hand touched her shoulder and she nearly let out a screech. From behind her she barely heard a male voice ask “Director? What are you doing here ma’am? We need to get you out of here right away!”

Paula was pulled around by one of a pair of nameless security guards. Before she could say a word, they were dragging her down the hallway using their batons to clear the way. The pair bashed their way along the hall with no regard for who they were hitting or what damage they were doing as they dragged her y the arm toward the elevator bank.

******
Brady:

She sat crouched in the stairway looking and listening for any pursuit. She knew by now they’d have identified her as not being Hutchinson but so far no one had come looking.

“So far so good.” The Major mumbled to herself as she started to strip out of the military uniform Stanley had given her. The echo’s from inside the detainee floors echoed off the grey cinder block walls and metal steps creating a strange effect of making it feel as if she was surrounded by ghosts. If not for the constant clanging of the fire alarm she might have even come to believe it.

The last thing she’d done before exiting the first floor was grab an inmate’s jumpsuit. For the next part of her plan, she needed to blend into the chaos she’d created. As she changed, she savored the noise, knowing it would make add to the confusion. This was going to be her opportunity to get rid of both Logan and Stanley if she moved quickly. As she zipped the front of the orange jumpsuit, she began running down the stairway.

Hitting the first subbasement landing she opened the door and took a quick look around. This was the security floor. All the guards and other military personnel were quartered on this floor, so she needed to be cautious. From the doorway she couldn’t see anyone. She warily pushed the door open.

The Major looked left then right and saw no one.

“Excellent.” She said to no one as she made her way deliberately toward the security control room. As she got closer, she could see it was a hive of activity with people manning every conceivable monitor and shouting into phones as well as each other.

The Major smiled at seeing everyone preoccupied. Turning she made her way back towards the stairwell and using Hutchison’s ID she unlocked all the doors on each floor leading to it then ducked back in the way she’d come.

From inside she could hear the floors above and below filling with angry female voices as the prisoners discovered the means of escape, she’d just provided. She waited for the stairway to fill with orange suited bodies then pushed her way down to the infirmary level.

*******
Stanley:

The guards got her to the elevator bank just as the stairway doors burst open and new flood of prisoners poured into the hall. The elevator doors opened, and the pair pushed the doctor through then jammed the door close button. Her guardians held their guns at the ready as they waited impatiently for the doors. As they finally slid closed the noise from the alarm diminished to the point where Paula could hear.

Looking at her rescuers she said humbly “Thank you. Both of you.”

The taller of the two nodded at her while the other stuck a key into the security override slot.

“We know there’s no fire. Why hasn’t anyone cut the alarm yet?” she asked.

“I don’t know ma’am.” The one by the door replied.

“Do you have a radio? Can you call the control center and have them kill it?” Paula asked getting her director voice back. The pair just looked at each other.

“Oh, for Christ’s sakes. Give here.” She demanded holding her hand out for the radio. The taller guard handed her his.
Grabbing it with an air of inpatients the fat woman yelled into it “This is director Stanley!”

“Yes director?” a distant sounding voice said though a hiss of static.

“We know there is no fire. Why hasn’t the alarm been killed?” She demanded.

“We’ve been locked out by whoever’s using Lieutenant Hutchinson’s Id, Director. Only you can override the fire system at this time and until now we haven’t been able to contact you.”

“Shit.” Paula said out loud. To the guards she said, “Take me to the security office and let’s see if we can quiet things down a bit.”

“Yes ma’am.” The one by the door said and pushed the floor button.

**********
The maternity ward:

Thomas heard the alarms sounding out in the general infirmary. There were none in the maternity ward itself because it wasn’t supposed to exist, but the fire alarm was loud enough to be heard even with the heavy doors closed. Curious, she got up off her bed and poked her head though the flimsy curtain that separated hers from the next. The small room was over filled with pregnant new women looking around at each other asking if anyone knew what was going on.

“Everyone, stay put” Thomas told them, “I’ll go see what’s going on out there.”

Gently pushing her way through the small crowd, the enhanced new woman made her way to the ward door. Stepping though, the alarm was so loud she needed to cover her overly sensitive ears. Acidalia had been quietly turning her into the ultimate predator of late with not only enhanced strength and agility but also increased vision and hearing sensitivity. The latter two abilities having just come on in the last couple of weeks proving that, at least in her case, Acidalia induced mutations were an ongoing process.

The extra enhancements, as interesting as they made her world now, were as much a curse as a gift. One that she’d gladly give up if it meant seeing her wife and children one more time.

Being able to see well in minimal light was great for not stubbing your toes on the way to the bathroom but not so great when the lights were all on and everything felt too bright. Add that to being able to clearly hear a whispered conversation from across the room and things were becoming more socially uncomfortable by the day. She felt like an intruder even though there was no fault on her.

Out in the general infirmary the alarm bells were so loud to her she was forced to stay in place covering her ears until they adjusted to the sound.

Off to the left by what passed for an administration desk stood doctor's. Lisa Benatar and Robi Goings. Seeing them, Logan made her way over to the pair.

“Any idea what’s going on?” She shouted over the din.

“No clue.” Benatar answered. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of the security office, but no one is answering.”

Robi added” I tried the director’s office, but no one there has a clue where the cow is.”

Thomas nodded. “I’m going to go look and see what’s going on outside. Maybe the security guards know what's going on.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? You’re not exactly popular with the guards. We don’t need you getting shot or anything.” Benatar replied.

“Better I go look than someone slower.” Tomas said with a shrug.

“I suppose your right there. I’ll keep trying to get answers from someone while you’re gone.” Lisa said.

“I’ll go with Thomas.” Robi told the pair.

Benatar nodded but Logan said, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea Robi. Might not be safe.”

“Thomas, Lisa, I’m a doctor if there really is a fire or some kind of emergency and there’s anyone out there that needs attention, I’m the one best suited to give it to them.”

“Can’t argue with that one Doc.” Logan replied. “But if you’re going to come, I want you to stay right on my hip the whole way until we know what’s going on. That’s not debatable. You’re barely recovered from what Brady did to you.”

Robi sketched a salute. “Yes, Sir miss Logan ma’am” She giggled. “Let me grab a medical bag and we’re off.”

Thomas smiled despite herself. “Gender confusion is the rule here not the exception.” The new woman thought.

After a few moments wait, Robi was ready. Medical bag in hand, the pair made their way across the crowded infirmary floor. Thomas paused at the door, reaching out a hand, she pushed Robi gently against the bland concrete wall behind her. Robi complied and stood where directed.
Hole she waited there for the all clear signal, Dr. Goings felt something touch her back and let out a yelp. She and Thomas turned at the same time to see Paka standing behind Robi.

“No Paka” Robi told the little mouse. “You need to stay here.

Paka shook her head no.

Thomas sighed at the pair. “Paka, you have to stay. We don’t know what’s going out there.”

Again, Paka shook her head no. Then she pointed at herself and Thomas and then at Robi and nodded yes.

Getting her meaning Thomas said “But I don’t need any help protecting Robi. You need to wait here.”

For the third time Paka shook her head no and stamped her foot for emphasis.

This time it was Robi’s turn to sigh. “Fine. You can come but stay close and you do what Thomas says, understand?”

Paka shook her head enthusiastically yes.

“Fine.” Thomas agreed reluctantly and turned back to the door.

Pushing it open she and the others stepped out into the mad house of the corridor. The noise was incredible with people milling about everywhere shouting and pushing. Thomas’ hearing was instantly overwhelmed to a degree she’d never experienced before having spent most of the last few weeks in the relative quiet of the maternity ward.

As Robi watched as her protector reached to cover her ears and then bent over from the shock other senses. The doctor knew instantly they were in deep trouble. She reached out and grabbed Thomas by the back of her tank top and tried to pull her back though the infirmary door, but it was to no avail.

The new woman continued to lower down to one knee as she tried to get a handle on the sensory input. The other prisoners in the hallway bumped up against her, jostling her about. Thomas just knelt there helpless, unable to remove her hand from her hears.

Robi and Paka moved around her and tried to stand as a small barrier between the overwhelmed new woman and the milling crowd, but it was to no avail. There were simply too many people in the hall for the two of them to adequately shield Thomas’ position.

“Come on Thomas, just breath.” The new woman told herself as she tried to push the rising panic down. “You got this. Just breath and adapt.”
Thomas did her best to follow her own advice and slowly over time the noise began to gain some kind of perspective as her senses began to adapt. Feeling she might be steady enough; Thomas slowly came back to her feet. She looked back at her two companions apologetically.

“Are you going to be ok?” Robi shouted.

“I think so.” Thomas shouted back. “This place is a mad house. The alarm must have opened every cell in the wing.”

Bodies and faces continued to swirl around the three of them. Security was nowhere to be found. Robi turned in a tight circle noting the door to the isolation ward was wide open. She reached out and tugged on Thomas’ sleeve.

The new woman had to lean in close to hear the doctor above the racket. “That’s where they’ve been keeping Brady.” She was told while Robi pointed at the open doors at the end of the corridor.

Thomas began to push her way toward the open doors.

Paka scooted around and stood in front of her friend shaking her head violently no. Thomas kept moving forward so the smaller new woman pushed against her.

“I have to get in there Paka. If he’s free there’s going to be a ton of trouble for everyone!” Thomas demanded.

Paka stood her ground and shook her head no once again. Then she pointed at Robi and Thomas and herself. Thomas didn’t want to understand what the little mouse wanted. All she could think of was finding Brady in the isolation ward.

***********
Dr. Stanley:

The elevator slid at the security floor. Paula and one of the guards stepped out soon as the door opened while the other keyed the elevator locking it so no one else could call it then quickly caught up to the others.

The control center stood in the middle of the massive barracks room. Paula badged in and the automatic door slid silently to the side.

“Who’s in command here?” she demanded soon as she crossed the threshold.

“I am ma’am. Sargent Robertson.” A tall dark haired women with her hair in a thick braid said from in front of a consol.

Paula stepped over to where Roberson stood then asked, “What’s our situation Sargent? Do you have eyes on whoever’s been using the Lieutenant badge?”

“No ma’am. She slipped into the stairwell after unlocking the doors to it for every floor. There are just to many of our inmates roaming everywhere for the camera’s to be much help to us.”

“Exactly as you planed you son of a bitch.” Paula though cursing Brady. “What do I need to do to disable the alarms?”

Roberson point to a panel on the desk to her left. “I need you to badge into that console over there director. It will ask for your password to confirm it’s you. One you enter it then we’ll have control back.”

Paula turned and gabbed a chair to sit on then slid in front of terminal. She waved her badge over the reader then waited for the second screen to pop up. Soon as it did, she typed her password in all the while thinking “I’m going to kill Brady for this. That bitch has made me look bad for the last time. Soon as we find her.”

Before she could stand up the fire alarm ceased. “Thank god for silence.” She said to no one in particular.

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement.

“What’s the plan now Sargent?” The Director asked. “How ae we going to retake control?”

“First thing we need to do is lock Hutchison’s badge out of the system so whoever has it can’t use it anymore. After that we need to find the
Lieutenant. She must have been taken prisoner somewhere in the facility by whoever that’s using her badge.”

Paula nodded. “And what about getting the prisoners back into their cells?”

“That’s going to take time director. We’ll have to start with isolating everyone to whatever floor they are on. Then taking our whole team floor by floor and pushing them back into the cells. We can sort who belongs where after we secure the whole facility.”

“I want the isolation ward and the infirmary floor taken first. Leave the stairways unlocked and force them up until they get above the administration floor. Then they will have nowhere else to go but back into their cells. Use whatever force necessary.” Paula told Roberson.

Robertson looked at her and asked “Lethal force? I don’t think the Lieutenant would want that.”

“Hutchinson isn’t here to have any input Sargent. Even if she was, I’m the director of this facility so you will follow my orders, or I will find someone that will and replace you with that person. Do you understand?” Stanley told him defiantly.

Robertson nodded. She turned away from Paula and began to issue orders over the radio.

**************

Brady stood by the stairwell door looking down the corridor at the mass of humanity on the infirmary floor. She’d seen the door to it opening and someone one step out a minute ago. It looked like it might be Logan but from the distance and all the people it was hard to tell for sure.
She waited and watched the one she thought might be her bitter rival disappeared from view seconds after stepping out.

“Well Craig old boy” She thought to herself. “Are you going to wait here all day or go find her?”

With that she started winding her way through the crowd. Keeping the infirmary door to her left as she worked her way down the opposite wall.
Her knife was palmed in her right hand with the blade resting against her forearm. As she got closer, she saw Logan on her knee covering her ears. The Major’s adversary appeared to be having some kind of issue.

She smiled and slid back up the hallway a few paces, positioning herself to come in from behind. She slid into the center of the crowd and waited. Not long after that Logan stood back up, whatever was wrong with her seemed to have let up somewhat. She was on her feet but not steady.

The Major flipped the knife in her hand exposing the blade and began to push forward. This was going to be the chance she’d been waiting for all these weeks. With mere steps to go she accidently looked eyes with Robi Going and saw the recognition on the doctor’s face. She grinned at her and pushed more forcefully though the last few bodies between her and her target.

*******
Robi had been trying to convince Thomas to give up getting to the isolation ward when she spotted Brady in the crowd right behind them.
Her eyes grew wide as she saw a smile spread across the Majors face. She looked up at Thomas and shouted just as the alarms around them died “Thomas! Behind you! It’s Brady!” She screamed while pointing.

The sudden absence of the alarms left the new woman dazed for a moment. Thomas simply looked at Robi uncomprehendingly for one extra second trying to put what she’s said together.

“Brady? What? Where?” She stuttered in confusion as she began to scan the crowd.

It all hit home as she felt a knife sliding into her kidney. She howled in pain as it poked her again and again causing her to step forward. A fourth strike penetrated her back but not as deeply.

********
Brady hit her four times in the back before missing with the fifth strike. She watched as Thomas turned to face her holding onto her bleeding back. The Major smiled and stepped forward. “Nice to see you again Thomas.” She said confidently and plunged the knife into the injured new woman’s stomach. Brady’s strategy was to stab as many times as she could before Thomas could recover, with that in mind she knife sunk deep each time. Her adversary seemed to be helping her by leaning further forward with each strike.

Brady could feel Logan starting to lose strength and prepared to press her advantage and strike higher when a voice came out of nowhere.

“Brrrraaddyyyyy!!” Paka yelled suddenly finding her long unused voice. She saw the new woman look in her direction.
With an evil grin spread across the Majors face as she recognized who’d spoken. “Hi Bob.” She said casually as she stabbed at Logan again.

*********
Thomas felt the knife sink deep into her belly over and over again. She felt helpless to stop it. Even with her attacker directly in front of her she couldn’t figure out how to defend herself. She tried to push the smaller woman way but each time her hands slid ineffectually off the Major. She could feel the blood draining from her with each passing second.

Then as suddenly as it began the attack stopped. Thomas staggered backwards into Robi nearly knocking them both down.

*******
Bob Parker, the onetime head of KLTR’s news division, now known only as Paka stared at the cause of everything that had happened to her since the outbreak. Major Brady looked a lot different now but there was no doubt in Bob’s mind who it was. The memories of being assaulted in San Quinton prison, raped for hours at Brandy’s insistence, left for dead in a cell here in Reynolds, the hours of torture she’d been put though at the hands of Dr. Stanley all bubbled up at once.

The little mouse as Bob had come to be known as in his time since his transformation, reached inside his jump suit and found the metal hook she’d hidden in there since being removed from Logan’s original cell after killing a pair of would be bullies with it.

She watched as Brady stabbed Thomas again, the entire scene seemed to be moving in ultra-slow motion now as she yanked and yanked until finally the hook pulled free. Once the lethal object was in her hand she leapt at Logan’s attacker pushing Brady backwards away from her target and into the crowd of new women.

The two landed sprawled out on the floor, both weapons clattered across the grey tile as the crowd around them skittered back from the fight. They looked at each other a moment then scrambled after their respective weapons. To Paka’s dismay Brady was just a bit faster and recovered the knife first. The Major brandished it at Paka.

The new woman bent to get the hook off the floor as Brady slashed her across the side, ripping her coverall and cutting the flesh beneath.
Paka grabbed her side feeling blood between her fingers.

“To bad Bobby boy” Brady taunted. “Looks like you lose again buddy.”

Paka for the second time today found her voice long enough to say, “Fuck you.”

She could feel the wound on her side starting to knit already as she advanced on the Major hook in hand. Brady obviously didn’t know how fast she could heal, or she would have pressed her advantage.

That sat fine with Paka. She swung the hook wildly in Brady’s direction. The Major easily voided the blow and stabbed her again in the back of the shoulder.

Paka howled in pain as she was driven to one knee. She turned her head to see Brady standing waiting, taunting her.

“Come Bob is the best you got? All this time you’ve been here thinking about getting me back and this is it? I tell you Bobby; this is pretty pathetic so far.”

“Then finish me if this is so easy for you.” Paka growled taunting the Major.

“Gladly buddy.” The Major replied as she advanced with a wide smile on her face.

That over confidence turned out to be her undoing as before Brady took two steps the injured new woman sprang to her feet. Paka lunged at her tormentor, catching her off guard for the second time in as many minutes. They fell against the crowd surrounding them and slid to the floor, this time it ended with Paka on top. She reared back without hesitation and punched Brady in the face with everything she could muster.

The Majors head smacked hard off the tile floor, her eyes rolling back from the impact. With Brady stunned, the little mouse straddled the chest of cause of all her torment. The little mouse looked down at her dazed opponent for a moment, savoring what was to come next, remembering in blistering detail all the trauma she’d been put through. Then without another pause she plunged the hook deep into the side of Brady’s neck, then yanked upward with all her might.

*******
Brady landed abruptly on the floor from the unexpected counterattack. She tried with all her might to push her attacker off but was rocked by a solid punch to the face. The impact of the punch left her dazed. She looked up at the woman Bob Parker had become brandishing the metal hook as the tip glistened in the light. Understand what was at stake she tried to bring a hand up to defend herself, but her arms wouldn’t respond. A second later she felt the sharp pain of the tip being stuck into her neck. An instant later it was yanked back taking most of her throat with it.

The Major gaged and coughed as her own blood began to drown her. There was very little pain. The new woman watched with a strange detachment as a piece of meat that used to be part of her throat slid off the end of the hook and plopped down onto her face. It felt warm and gross laying on her skin. The Major weakly tried to wipe it off but her strength was gone.

Her last thought as she died was, “Never would have thought you had it in you Bobby.”

*************
Paka sat astride the Major holding the hook high in the air as pieces of the meat of Brady throat dripped off it, watching her adversary bleed. The gurgling sounds of Brady drowning in her own blood were almost orgasmic. She stared intently into the Majors eyes, savoring every moment as the light left them and blood pooled around her knees.

“Fuck you.” She muttered as Brady’s chest fell for the last time. From behind her she heard a voice.

“Paka. Thomas is hurt badly. I need your help to get her back into the infirmary.” Robi called to her.

Paka turned her head to look and saw Robi struggling to get Logan to her feel. Thomas was holding her belly like she thought something might start falling out. Paka turned and looked down at Brady one more time and hit the dead new woman one more time in the throat with the hook, leaving it there as she stood up. With one last look down she spit on the Major’s corpse, then went to help her friends.

The two women managed to get Thomas upright, then supported her best they could as the trio moved toward the infirmary door. In front of them, the assemblage of bodies parted like Red Sea did for Moses.

Half way down the hall a male voice shouted “Everyone back to your cells. This is your only warning. If you do not comply we’ve been authorized to use lethal force?”

Robi shouted “I’m one of the doctors. I’ve got someone injured here. Can you help me get her to the infirmary please?”

A pair of guards broke off from gathering the escapee’s and came over to where Robi and Paka stood holding the injured Thomas Logan. The two bio suited men grabbed her by the arms and legs and lifted her best they could. Thomas let out a scream that would have woken the dead as her body was twisted and bent while being carried. Paka did her best to hold pressure on Logans front side stab wounds as Robi led the way back to the infirmary.

She pushed her way through the door and shouted, “I need a stretcher over here!”

Dr. Benatar came running behind the two orderlies pushing the stretcher across the floor. She arrived just as they lay Thomas on it.

“What happened?” She asked.

Multiple stab wounds to the lower torso. Front and rear. Looks like the knife might have punctures at least on kidney in the back and her lower abdomen is in just as bad a shape. We need to get her into surgery right now.” Robi told her.
Benatar pulled open the top of Thomas’ singlet and looked at the wounds. The blood was dark red which meant the wounds were deep indeed. She felt her way across the new woman’s abdomen, checking each wound for any internal organs poking though when a dark spot appeared in her crotch area.

“Shit! Everyone out of the way! She screamed.

“Robi, OR two right now!” Benatar yelled as she began to push the stretcher.

*************
Dr. Stanley:

Paula sat staring at the grainy black and white security feed of the fight. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It seemed somehow Brady had gotten the drop on Logan and injured the enhanced new woman seriously enough that she needed to be helped back to the infirmary. What happened after that with Brady winding up laying in a pool of her own blood was less relevant to the doctor.

Her only thoughts after seeing Thomas carried back into the medical area was the baby.

“I need to get to the infirmary right way Sargent!” Paula told Roberson as she waddled off to the command center door at full speed.

“Director there’s no way to get you there. Look at the monitors. It a mad house down there.” Roberson shout back.

“Not my problem Sargent.” She hollered back as she pushed the call button for the elevator.

“Director the elevators are locked down.” Roberson said catching up.

“Unlock them then.” The doctor demanded.

“We can’t. If I unlock this one for you then I unlock all of them and we have no way to control were the detainee’s go. We need to maintain the security protocols if we want to put an end to the riot, director.”

“Fine I’ll take the stairs then.” Paula told her unadmonished. “Just give me a couple of your people and we’ll be off.”

“Director…” Robertson started to say.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m the director which means what I say goes. Now give me a couple of your people to help me get there and then do your thing with the inmates. Shoot every single one of them for all I care.”

Robertson threw her hands up into the air in surrender. “Fine, you want to commit suicide who am I to stop you. Chevon, Feinstein, grab a couple of rifles and some riot gear and take the director to the infirmary.”

“But Sargent..” Feinstein began to say pointing at the monitor.

“I know.” Was Roberson’s reply. “Do the best you can.”

“Yes Sargent.” the two said in unison, snapping a salute.

Robertson saluted back. The pair started heading for the weapons locker. The Sargent grabbed Chevon by the arm whispering. “Don’t get yourselves killed over this dumb cunt.”

Chevon nodded and smiled then walked off after Feinstein.

The two suited up and several minutes later the three of them were looking through the small window embedded in the stairway door. It was so packed with bodies that there was hardly room to move.

Feinstein looked at Chevon seriously and told him “This is going to be a bitch. Stick tight to me and the doc. Set the trigger for single shot unless we get cornered then go to full auto. You have extra ammo?”

Chevon nodded.

“Good. Doctor, try to stay between us. If you get separated just stop and we will come to you.”
Paula nodded.

“Ok. Here goes nothing.” Feinstein said grimly as he pushed the door open.

The landing was even more packed than it looked from the window as Paula’s escorts pushed and shoved their way onto the landing with her following just a step behind. It was only the presence of the guns her two escorts were toting that cleared them enough space to get to the stairs. Upon seeing the weapons, the new women moved out of the way best they could, giving the three just enough space to make it to the stairs.

Once they began the decent, Paula and her escorts were bumped and jostled on each and every step. At one point it looked like the director was going to be pushed over the railing by the weight of humanity on the opposite wall causing one of her guards to fire a shot into the ceiling. It was a grave miscalculation on the part of Chevon. While it momentarily cleared them the room they needed to get Paula upright again it also caused a panicked stampede from above and below that threatened to sweep them away seconds later. Not knowing where the gun fire came from the detainee’s trampled and crushed each other in both directions in desperate attempts to get away from it. It was mass chaos as the tide of humanity swept the three of them down the stairs.

After what seemed like a lifetime of being bumped jostled and pushed, they finally made it to the bottom floor and emerged tentatively into the infirmary wing hallway.

There was no other word to describe what was going on other than riot. The inmates were fighting with the small and massively outnumbered security force that was trying to get the hallway cleared. They fought with each other as well. Everywhere there were people screaming.

Along the walls were the injured. They were curled into tight little balls to avoid being trampled underfoot or they were trying to help one of the others.

In the middle of the floor were the dead. It as difficult to tell which group held more members. The security force it seemed hadn’t been big on curtailing the use of ammunition it seemed, but considering the numbers, who could blame them.

For the first time Paula began to question the wisdom of this particular decision. The security detail was surrounded. They stood back to back fighting an impossible battle with batons having already exhausted their ammunition. The bodies of their victims were everywhere and still the torrent of new women assailing them seemed never ending.

“Director” the guard named Firestein said grabbing her arm pulling her attention away from the carnage. “I need you to stay right between the two of us. Hug Chevon’s ass. When he moves you move When he stops, you stop. Keep your head down at all times. It’s a fucking mad house in here. Just focus on his and my voices. Understand?”

Paula nodded.

Feinstein looked at his partner. Chevon took a deep breath, then sighed loudly and nodded that he was ready.

“On the count of three then.” Feinstein said with resignation.

Feinstein counted and the three of them were off. It took everything her guards had to keep the inmates off her. They were afraid of hitting their own people, so their guns weren’t of much use. Instead, they used the butts of their rifles to hit anyone that go to close and still they were being beaten to a pulp.

Slowly but surely, they made their way towards the infirmary door. The weight of the crowd pressed against them with every step, crushing them against the corridor’s inner wall. The did this best to step over and around the wounded laying at their feet. It was a futile attempt as there were just too many bodies. The three were constantly slipping and tripping. It was only the sheer weight of the mob that kept them upright.

Hitting the floor was a slow form of suicide as the wounded were finding out.

As they came even with the surrounded security force the pair of soldiers threw extra clips of ammo to their compatriots. Several were caught, most were deflected by those encompassing the besieged team clattering off the floor as they landed. The surrounded security force fought to reload their rifles as the mob pressed ever more tightly against them. Three would fight as the rest loaded then they’d switch off until everyone had at least one fresh cartridge of bullets ready.

Once the trivet was past their position the hallway became filled with the roar of gun fire as the security team fired in the direction of the stairway. Blood and gore flew in every direction. Screams filled the air mixing with the smell of cordite like some kind of grotesque salad of human suffering. Detainee’s who had done nothing more than get sick were mowed down like so much wheat at harvest. Despite the mayhem and death, still more new women flowed into the hall from the stairway.

Dr. Stanley made the mistake of looking back over her shoulder at the carnage. Six feet to her left she spotted Ford. The cannibalistic new woman looked beaten and dazed as she tried to make her way out for the mob. The soldier nearest to her turned and opened fire on Ford, tearing her body apart. She would never bite another inmate again. The horror of the situation rooted her in place until Chevon literally pushed her through the open infirmary door.

Once inside Paula needed a moment to gather herself. She shook her head violently side to side trying to erase the image of seeing Ford cut in half by high caliber bullets. The pair of security guards held her upright each by an arm until she could stand on her own again.

Once she had her bearings the director puled free of their grip and charged the desk without as much as a thank you to the two that had risked their lives getting her there.

“Where is Thomas Logan? She demanded.

“They were patching her up in operation room two last I knew.” The masked desk attendant with long black curly hair told her.

Without another word the director turned and started off. “You can’t go in there.” someone shouted from behind her.

“I’m the director dear. I can do whatever I please.” Paula called back over her shoulder.

The surgical suit was at the very end of the hallway. It wasn’t exactly hospital quality but considering there were no actual surgeons imprisoned at Reynolds, at least not any that were allowed to use their skills, the lower standard of the facility didn’t really matter. Dr’s Benatar and Goings did their best to patch up the injured but if you were in need of major surgery you were pretty much shit out of luck.

Thankfully for Thomas she healed more rapidly than most. Even though her injuries were extensive she was laying on the surgical table being stitched by Dr. Goings while Benatar checked her blood pressure.

Dr. Stanley over heard what the doctor was saying as she approached. “Lacerated liver and kidneys. The uterus is…”

“What’s happened to her uterus?” Stanley broke in. There better not be any harm to the baby!”

Paula’s was so focused on the status of the pregnancy she hadn’t bothered to check what state the would-be mother was in.

The pair of doctors turned to see who was there.

“Director, you can’t be here right now.” Robi told her.

“Don’t tell me where I can and can’t be Dr. Goings. I want to know what’s happened to the fetus.” Paula again demanded.

From behind the doctors a shaky voice replied angrily “It aborted.”

Paula stopped dead in her tracks and whispered. “Thomas?”

The new woman sat up on the gurney. Her face was ghostly pale from blood loss, but her eyes burned with furry and hatred. Before Paula could even think to move the new woman was up on her feet and grabbing her by the lab cat lapels.

“Thomas your stitches!” Dr Benatar yelled.

Logan paid the doctor no mind as she screamed in the directors face. “You! You did this to us! You did all of this!” The enhance new woman shook with rage as she pushed the fat doctor back until her back was against wall.

“You impregnated me against my will and now my child is dead because of you!” She screamed.

“It..it was Brady n…no..not me?” Paula squealed as a wet stain spread across the cotch of her pants.

“And who set that monster free?“ Thomas asked as she shook the director.

“I…I..I..I don….” Paula stuttered.

“Save it!” Logan demanded. “We all know it was you. Who else would do something so stupid? What happened to Hutchinson? What’s happening out there right now, all the death is all your fault you fat fucking pig!” She bounced the directors body off the wall so hard Paula saw stars. “I told you what would happen if I ever saw you in here again. Didn’t I?”

In a daze Stanley replied. “Y…yes… but ..but…please….”

Thomas grabbed Dr. Stanley by the throat and lifted her until her feet wee dangling off the floor. The fat woman gurgled and chokes as Logan let her hand there for a moment and then with her strength starting to wane, she gave a good squeeze and crushed Stanley's wind pipe. With no remorse, Logan dropped her to the floor and watched her tormentor strangle. She smiled as the doctors fat fingers clawed fruitlessly at her throat as her skin began to turn blue. She stood there watching with great satisfaction until the directors body stopped twitching and was still.
Thomas turned and looked at the pair of doctors. It was hard to read their faces, but the new woman felt vindicated in a way she hadn’t felt since before the outbreak. She almost didn’t recognize the feeling of being happy. It had been so long since she felt it outside a dream. She again looked at the faces of what had become two of her closest friends in the facility and tried to decipher what they were thinking.

Shrugging she simply told them “Sorry for the mess.”

That seemed to break the spell. Dr Benatar rushed over to the crumpled heap that was the directors body and checked for signs of life.

“Shit Thomas, she dead. You killed her.” The doctor confirmed.

“Yes.” Was the only reply she could come up with as she relished the feeling.

The doctor stood up and pushed Thomas furiously. “Yes? Is that all you can say? You killed the director! Now what are we going to do?”

Thomas stepped back considering for a moment before replying. “Now? Now we hide her body and take her ID and gather up everyone we can, and we get the fuck out of this shit hole.” Thomas was amazed at how calm she felt.

She’d never purposely taken a life before. Even all those weeks ago when she had Brady’s life in her hand’s she’d chosen to let him live. She had always considered it the worst possible sin a person could commit and expected to be crushed by guilt. This feeling of absolute serenity was so foreign to her she couldn’t help but roll it over in her mind. She examined it from every angle trying to understand. It wasn’t like anything she’d ever experienced before, even in her life as Yvonne’s husband.

It was a kind of deep down peace that she felt in her very soul. It bothered her on one level that she could feel this good over causing a death, even though the one that died had tortured her physically and mentally at every opportunity. Perhaps that was the reason she felt so at peace she decided.

The sound of Robi’s anger filed voice brought her out of her self-examination.

“Great. So, we’re just going to gather up twelve pregnant women and anyone else that wants to come and waltz out in the middle of a riot?”

“Now is the best and probably only time we’ll ever get, Robi. If we wait until they quell things we’ll all be locked down tight. Now is the perfect time to try an escape.” Thomas replied. “I’m best suited, so I’ll take the lead. We’ll use Paka to scout ahead once we’re off the floor.”

“You’re best suited?” Robi asked angrily. “You’re barely stitched together. As a matter of fact get your ass over here and let me check them.
You’ll be lucky if you didn’t tear a hole in yourself moving that like.”

“I’m fine Robi. I heal fast.”

“You stupid ass, you do heal fast but you’re not Paka! So, get your ass on the gurney and let me check, god damn it!” Robi demanded.
Thomas smiled at her. “You Warren is a lucky man.”

Robi nodded as her patient took a seat. She looked over the recently stitched wounds. None of the stitches had torn. She sighed with relief.

“Looks like you’ll live.”

“Good to know. Now we need to get down to business. Where are we going to hide her body?”

Benatar answered first. “The morgue, where else? We don’t care what they find after we’re gone. So leave the fat fuck in one of the trays and stuff her in the fridge and put her on the creation schedule. Treat her the way she’s treated so many.”

The other two nodded.

“Ok, then help me load her in there and then we’ll get going.” Logan told them.

“No Thomas.” Robi said. “We will take care of the directors body. You sit and rest. Don’t need to be ripping yourself open lifting her again. You were lucky the first time. If we really are going to try and escape, we need you in the best shape you can be.”

***********
Greyson labs 10 minutes earlier:

“Yes sir, Mr. President. I completely agree. Letting a dangerous terrorist like Elijah Wolf go free to roam the roadways of our nation is completely unacceptable. I appreciate your involvement on this matter.” Col Jordon said into the telephone receiver. “I appreciate your suppor….”

Jordon’s secretary, unable to get the Colonels attention any other way broke into the conversation unexpectedly. “I’m sorry to interrupt you sir but there’s an emergency call from Reynolds holding on line two.” She said apologetically.

“Well Colonel, you better take that call.” President Fuller told him. “We can finish this conversation at another time.”

“Yes sir. Thank you again.” Jordon said but the line had already been cut. The Colonel sighed in exasperation wondering what kind of “emergency” Dr. Stanley was having that would get his secretary to interrupt a call from the president.

He punched up the line and said, “Jordon here.”

“Colonel Jordon. This is Sargent Robertson at Reynolds sir. We have a level five emergency here sir. Lieutenant Hutchinson is missing, and Director Stanley is currently making her way to the infirmary against my recommendation.”

“What’s the situation Robertson?” Jordon asked not really wanting to her the answer.

“Someone got ahold of the Lieutenant’s Id badge sir. They used it to open the cells on every floor of the facility sir. We currently have somewhere around five thousand of our detainee’s roaming the facility. All attempts at locking them down have failed thus far. The only secure floors are security and administration. Our people are vastly outnumbered, even with weapons, sir, there are just too many targets. We are being overrun. We need additional support ASAP Colonel.”

Jordon went pale. “Every cell?”

“Yes sir, far as we can tell at least.” Robertson replied.

“Jesus.” Was all Jordon could think to say. His mind reeled. He knew the facility had fewer security personnel than was recommended but it had been sealed uptight for so long it had never occurred to him that more would be needed. He cursed himself for allowing Paula Stanley to betray his trust again.

“Colonel? Are you still there, sir?”
Jordon shook his head. “Yes Roberson I’m here. I can have additional troops there in forty five minutes. Can you hold out that long?”

“We will do our best Colonel.” Roberson replied.

“If need be pull back all you people to guard the exits if containment becomes impossible. No matter what else happens Sargent we cannot let any of the detainee’s get outside the facility. That would be disastrous.”

“Yes sir. I understand sir.”

“Do whatever is necessary, Sargent. Help is on the way.” Jordon told her as he hung up the phone and began to dial.

***********
Reynolds Infirmary now:

While the doctors had been disposing of Stanley's body, Thomas found Paka and the pair busied themselves with getting everyone in the maternity ward as ready to travel as they could. With several of the expectant mothers were under constant sedation there wasn’t anything that could be done for them beyond shutting down the sedative iv’s. The handful of them that were up and aware pitched in with getting each other ready. Thankfully no one was much further than the first trimester and could all move with relative ease.

After minimal preparations were made the mobile mothers were all moved into the general infirmary. All the mothers to be, were enhanced to one degree or another. Thomas was reluctant to put them at risk, but there was just no way to get around she was going to need their help. She said a silent prayer to God for the children they carried safety, then gather them around to spell out the situation.

“So that’s the situation. I’ve lost my child today, so I don’t blame any of you that are reluctant to help for fear of losing yours.” She told them after explaining.

All the assembled pregnant new women nodded their heads. The very tall dark skinned one named Kris spoke on their behalf. “None of us asked for these children we carry Thomas, but I’ll be damned if my kids going to be raised in this place. I’d rather risk his or her life trying to get them to a better place than sit by the side and wait to be recaptured. We’re with you.”

Thomas smiled. “Thank you.” She looked over her shoulder and saw Robi and Dr. Benatar heading their way. “There’s the medical staff, looks like we’re ready to go. It’s a mad house out there. The eight of us are going to be the tip of the spear. We need to get to the stair way and get to the administration floor. If we can get there we’ll head for the loading dock Robi says in behind the intake area on the south side of the building. Anyone that wants to come along is welcome. The more of us there are the better the chance we’ll make it so grab anyone willing and bring them along for the ride. Hopefully we can find Loren along the way and she can help us with security. If not Robi has an ace in the hole.”

Everyone nodded including the doctors.

“That sounds like a good plan Thomas with one little exception. “Dr. Benatar said. “I’m not going.”

Robi grabbed her by the arm. “What do you mean you’re not going?”

Paka shook her head violently no.

“There are too many wounded here for me to leave. Someone who actually cares about them needs to be here to attend to their wounds and injuries. I can’t leave them to those animals.” She explained. “Like Thomas I’ve been here since the beginning. Unlike her I have no one out there to get back too. The women in here need me.”

“Lisa..” Thomas started.

“No. My decision is made.” She said sternly. “Now get your asses out of here before they figure out how to lock us all down.”

Robi looked at the woman who had become more than just a mentor to her in her time at Reynolds with a tear in her eye. “Once we’re out I’m going to get this place shut down if it’s the last thing I do. You just hang on til then.”

“I will do my best. It’s been a pleasure to know you Robi.” Benatar said with tears rolling down her cheeks as well. The pair hugged.

Paka grabbed the doctor and hugged her for all she was worth.

“You take care little mouse.” Benatar said with a tear in her eye.

“Th..thank you.” Paka said. Her newly rediscovered voice cracking as she spoke.

Then Thomas hugged her too. “We will be back for you. I swear.”

“I know you will.” She replied. “Now go before there’s nowhere to go.”

With no further encouragement needed Thomas opened the infirmary door.

The carnage out in the hall was even worse than before, though there were far fewer new women milling around. The soldiers bullets had created a scene that looked straight out of a horror movie. There were bodies and parts of bodies everywhere. Blood was splattered so thick that it looked like someone had been trying to repaint the place in red. In the center of the hall stood three security guards all holding automatic rifles of some kind. They all looked shell shocked as the poked at the bodies around them. Whether it was to check for survivors to save or finish off was anyone’s guess. Beyond them near the stairway entrance stood a huddled group of new women, a fourth from their number was holding her gun over them. There was pitifully few of them holding each other and crying. Everyone else looked to be dead.

“Haven’t you done enough to us?” One of the shouted at the guard as he menaced them with his rifle. “Didn’t you kill enough of us already?”

The guard covering the group declined to comment. Instead, he knocked the protestor in the side of the head with the butt of his rifle.

“Anyone else got something to say?” he asked menacingly.

One of the soldiers in the nearer group turned just in time to see the new arrivals as they emerged from the infirmary and shouted. “All of you!
On your knee’s right now or we’ll open fire!” The soldier raised her weapon at them.

“What the fuck did you do?” Kris shouted back as she took in the mass of slaughtered detainees. “All these people? You killed everyone? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Don’t fuck with me on this!” The soldier replied angrily. “On your knee’s now!”

“These were innocent unarmed civilians you mother fuckers! How fucking dare you!” Kris screamed again with every increasing fury in her words. Her arms were out at her sides as she turned in circles pointing at the dead bodies strewn throughout the corridor.
The pregnant new woman took a step forward. Thomas reached out and stop her, but the soldier fired before she could grab her. An instant later Kris crumpled to the floor a large section of her back suddenly gone missing.

“I fucking warned you!” The soldier screamed sounding more scared than in command. “Get on your fucking knee’s now! All of you!”

“Everyone, do as they say.” Thomas told the group, biting back her anger as she lowered to her knee’s. he couldn’t stop looking at the dead woman’s body as blood leaked from the obscenely large wound.

The others followed suit. Soon as they were all settled a pair of the guards made their way towards them. Thomas pulled her eyes from Kris’ dead body and watch them approach. Scrutinizing them as the moved in cautiously, a look of uncertainty obvious in their eyes. Th predator in her came alive as Thomas smiled to herself and waited patiently until one was within reach.

“You’re the leader?” the tall well-built man asked though his respirator.

She gazed up at him with his gun vaguely pointed in her direction. Thomas nodded in reply.

The guard looked down at her and the others. He recognized them all as being part of the directors special project.

“What are you doing out here? This is no place for pregnant….” He started to ask.

Before he could finish his question Logan reached out and grabbed the muzzle of the gun, twisting it violently out of the guards hands. With the weapon freed, she sprang to her feet before any of the could react and swung it like a club. The stock of the gun bashed him in the side of the head with a loud crack like a baseball bat nearly decapitating Kris’ murder. What was left of him collapsed onto the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

With speed the rest could barely comprehend, Thomas spun the gun around and shot the second guard in the head. Her body collapsed as her brains exited the back of her skull. From the corner of her eye, Logan could see the remaining two raising their weapons. The enhanced new woman spun ready to fire at the nearest but by then the others from her group we’re up and ready to pounce. Instead se took aim at the one by the stair way and shot him instead.

The three of them moved with such uncanny speed and agility remaining guard never had the chance to get a shot off before being taken out. One of the three lifted him high above her head. In one quick motion she twisted her body and drove the helpless soldier head first into the tile floor with a sickening crunch. She stood up and howled with rage as the guards body lay on the floor looking more like a broken doll than a human being.

As the last guard fell an alarm began to sound followed by a disembodied voice announcing “All security personnel to the infirmary floor. All security personnel to the infirmary floor right now!!”

“Looks like we’re on candid camera.” Robi told the small group as she pointed at the multiple camera’s embedded in the ceiling.

Thomas nodded. “And we’re going to have company. Get the door before they lock us in!” She yelled to the slender brown haired new woman named Sandy standing over the guard nearest the stairway.

The new woman spun and grabbed the door handle and yanked it open just as the locks were trying to engage. She turned and gave the rest of the group a big thumbs up.

Thomas turned to Robi and told her. “Thank God. I didn’t want to have to use the sow’s id already.”

Robi nodded back at her. “We’re going to need it to get out of the stairway.”

“No, we won’t. The locks are only designed to keep people out not to stop someone inside getting out.” The mother to be named Raven told them. She was small, thin and pale from lack of sunlight, like they all were, with luxurious long straight black hair so dark it resembled the feathers of her namesake.

“And you know that how?” Paka asked suspiciously.
“I worked in admittance before I got infected.” She replied. “I screwed up and that fat cunt brought me down here an infected me on purpose for some so called experiment. When I turned out to be a super woman like you all she kept experimenting on me.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah. We all got sob stories in this place.”

“That we do.” Logan said. Then she shouted to be heard over the din of the alarm. “Now we need those camera’s taken out. Sandy, see how many of them down there want to come with us.”

“Do we? Won’t it be just as east to track us by what camera’s go out as it will be if they can see us?” Paka asked.

“Maybe but they won’t be able see what we are doing.” Thomas replied. “Come on their going to be here any second.”

**********
The security command center:

The phone on the desk had been ringing off the hook for the last five minutes as Robertson watched the scene on the infirmary floor play out. She slammed her fist angrily into the desk as her people were cut down like they weren’t even there by the enhanced new women. The sight filler her with a helpless, impotent kind of rage that she had to fight down before she could answer whoever was calling.

Finally, she picked up the receiver. “Robertson here.”

“This is Colonel Jordon, Robertson! What the hell’s going on there? I’ve been calling for the last five minutes looking for a sit rep!” the voice on the other end said angrily.

“My apologies sir, we’ve been busy.”

Mollified, Jordon replied. “Yes I imagine you have. What’s the situation?”

Robertson swallowed hard then told him. “We had the infirmary floor secured until a few minutes ago my team was overrun by a group of Dr.

Stanley enhanced women. The team is a total loss. We tried to lock the floor down, but they were too fast and managed to get to the stairway door before the lock engaged.”

“Enhanced? There aren’t supposed to be any enhanced there Sargent.” Jordon told her.

“Yes sir, I know but they are down there taking out my security feed as we speak. Looks like that Thomas Logan is with them. I recognize her from the Major Brady incident. She’s too tough for my people to deal with on their own.”

“Logan? God damn it! The stupid bitch assured me she’d been disposed of!” The Colonel growled. “Where the hell is Stanley?”

“I don’t know Colonel. Against my recommendation, she went into the infirmary with two guards about half an hour ago. The security team came out not long after delivering her, but she has yet to reemerge. We’ve called down there several times, but no one is answering.”

“Hutchinson reported in yet?”

“No sir, we still haven’t been able to locate the Lieutenant.”

“God damn that woman!” Jordon cursed. “Robertson you cannot let any of those enhanced women get out. I don’t care what needs to be done on your end. Even if it costs your people’s lives! Do you understand?”

“Yes Colonel. We’ll do our best.” She told him understanding the underlying message that if any did escape it was going to be Robertson’s head the got served up on a platter.

“Get it done Sargent.” Jordon ordered, hanging up on his end.

The Colonel sighed and looked at the phone. He knew what he had to do next but dreaded the idea.

“That god damned stupid fat fucking bitch! I knew she was lying to me.” He thought angrily. “Fuck!”

The Colonel looked at the phone again. He picked it up and angrily stabbed at the number pad. He drummed his fingers on the desk as he waited for it to be answered.

“This is Hobson.”

“This is Colonel Jordon at Greyson. Reynolds is a total loss. Repeat total loss. Contingency Gamma is now in effect. Verification code three, alpha, sierra, four, Charlie.” Jordon said grimly.

After a moment’s hesitation the reply came. “Yes sir Colonel. Contingency Gamma verified.”

***************
Reynolds:

Bullets rained down from the floors above as the new women ducked for what little cover there was to be found in the stairwell. The group had barely made it to the first landing before the sound of the guards could be heard above them. There had been no warning, no chance for them to surrender, just the shuffling of feet and echo of voices before the sound of automatic rifle fire accompanied by flying lead filed the air. They’d lost a quarter of their number in the first twenty seconds as everyone dove for whatever shelter they could find.

“Guess they don’t want us getting out huh?” Robi asked sarcastically as she pressed herself against the outer wall using the metal stairs as a flimsy shield.

“Doesn’t seem like.” Thomas replied with a suppressed smile.

She loved Robi for her absolute refusal to be ruffled by the situation they found themselves in. The doctor had changed a lot since her encounter with Brady. She was tougher now for sure, but Thomas missed the light hearted innocence she exuded when she’d first arrived.

“What’s the plan now?” one of the others asked.

Thomas shrugged. “Shoot back I guess.” The enhanced new woman shouldered her rifle and aimed as bullets flew by her. With her newly acquired visual acuity she could almost see the bullets as the whizzed by her head. Additionally it made it easier for her to spot the soldiers above and combined with her already impressive reflexes she started pick them off one by one.

Those above apparently weren’t aware that the would- be escapees were armed. Cries of surprise and orders to take cover were easy enough for Thomas’ enhanced hearing to pick over the report of the rifles.

“Keep firing.” She yelled over the racket. “Keep moving up the stairs. We need to get everyone to the next landing.”

One by one the new women climbed the stairs as bullets from both groups flew through the air. Some were hit and lay where they were felled but most made it to the second subbasement landing relatively unscathed.

“Do we have enough bullets to get us to the third floor?” Paka asked as they help the last of their ever shrinking group step onto the landing.

They could see Sandy laying face down three steps below where they stood with a large hole where her lungs would normally have sat.

“Probably not.” Thomas replied grimly. “We’re losing to many as is.”

She was still amazed to hear Paka speaking. “If we survive this you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

“Be happy to tell you as much as I remember, if we make it.” The little mouse replied.

“We need a better plan than shoot back and hope for the best.” Robi added.

“We need to lure them to us.” Thomas told them. “Anyone know what’s on this floor?”

“It’s more detention cells as far as I know.” Robi replied looking at Raven who shook her head in agreement.

“Get that door opened.” Logan told the former administration employee. To everyone else she yelled. “This is where we get off folks. Once that doors open get in there.”

Raven yanked the door open. The group of now fifteen dove though it as more bullets rained down from above. Thomas and the rest of the armed women returned fire, covering the rest as best they could, then followed them through, slamming the heavy metal door shut behind them.

“Now what?” Linda the third of the expectant mothers asked.

“I assume they have the elevators on lock down, but we have the cow’s id still. We might as well see if we can use it to call the elevators before they disable it.” Logan said with a shrug.

The great escape wasn’t going nearly as well as she’d hoped. They’d already suffered too many casualties for her taste, and she knew more would be coming. Much as it pained her acknowledge those facts, what other options were left? She seriously doubted they’d be allowed to surrender at this point. Most likely they’d be shot where the stood if they tried. They had no other choice other than keep pushing forward until they were all dead or the survivors got out.

The worst part for her was that they were so close to getting out she could taste it. Their little band just needed something to break their way.

Robi led the way down the dimly lit corridor to the elevator bank. All but Raven and another of the new women followed, they stayed and covered the door they’d came in. The pair started looking around for anything that could find to jam up the door, eventually stumbling upon a pair of screw drivers that Raven used her strength to jamb tween the frame and door effectively sealing it shut.

There was lots of noise and banging around coming from the stairway side. It was obvious to everyone that they didn’t have every long before they guards would come barging in and the great escape would come to a screeching halt.
Robi searched the elevator panel for some kind of badge reader but didn’t see any. With a shrug the doctor tried the call button and instantly the down arrow arrival chime sounded scaring the hell out of everyone. Those with weapons brought them up just as the doors began to slide open.

“Fire!” Thomas screamed.

The detainees nearest the door dove out of the way as the others began shooting even before it slid all the way open to reveal another squad of guards. The soldiers never inside got a shot off as they all went down in a hail of bullets. Mere seconds after it began the battle was over.
Thomas stood shaking as she looked into the car unblinkingly at the carnage inside.

Paka shouted, “The door!” breaking the spell as it began to slide closed.

One of the women nearest to it shot her hand out, bouncing it back. Thomas leaned in and pulled one of the bodies out to block it.

“Get them out of there!” She yelled at the rest pointing at the rest of the dead bodies inside.
“
Logan we’re going to have company very soon!” The one guarding the door with Raven yelled.
“
Move!” Thomas pushed her way into the elevator and grabbed two bodies by the arm and dragged them out behind her. From her left she heard a loud bang. She turned and looked that way apprehensively, then sighed with relief as she saw it was still standing. It had a large dent in the center of it.

“Battering ram, lovely.” Thomas thought quietly as she dropped the two she’d been dragging. Turning back, she saw the elevator was empty.
“Everyone in! As many as we can fit!” She began pushing the small crowd from behind as the door to the stairway gave way.

“Shit Thomas!” Raven screamed as the door burst in ward. The new women each managed to get off a couple shots, taking out two of their attackers before being struck down themselves.

With the return fire temporarily abated, the guards began o pour into the hallway through the open stairway door firing at anything and everything. All around Thomas body after body suddenly dropped like so many puppets with their strings cut.

Logan grabbed the one she was pushing from behind and tossed her into the elevator. The blonde woman hit the back wall of the car with a hard thud but seemed to have survived. Logan took a half second to look around for other survivors as bullets pinged off every surface. To her tremendous dismay there was nothing but bodies everywhere her eyes landed.
“Fuck …fuck..fuck!” She thought as she launched herself at the waiting elevator door. She felt the burn as a bullet grazed across the outside of her upper arm.

Soon as she landed Paka jammed the door close button and silently begged the doors to close faster.

***************
Robertson watched the entire series unfold in multiview thanks to the numerous security cameras embedded in the hallway ceiling and cursed herself for not warning her team in the elevator in time. She watched in horror as they were mowed down, then cheered moments later when the stairway team finally broke the door down and began cutting down the detainees responsible for the massacre. Most were cut down, but a handful had made it into the car itself giving them momentary shelter. She picked up the radio next her and keyed it just as the elevator doors slid shut.

The Sargent dropped the radio and called out across the room. “We have them trapped! Shut down the elevators!” She felt a moment of elation and triumph before it was interrupted.

“We can’t.” The voice behind her was filled with dread. “They have the override key.”

Robertson turned pale. “Fuck!” she swore. “Fuck it turn them off anyway maybe they won’t realize until after our people get them out of there.”

“Yes Sargent!”

************
Robi jammed her finger at the first-floor button, but nothing happened. She jammed it again and still nothing. Paka shot her a perplexed look she barely caught before the lights went out in the car.

“What the fuck now? Linda, the blonde that had been tossed into the elevator asked. The bullet holes in the door were and uncomfortable reminder of how little protection they’d provide.

“Shit! They must have shut us out!” Robi growled in frustration.

“Shit… shit.. shit…” Thomas roared angrily as she pounded the side of the car with her fist angrily.

Then she remembered. “Robi! Try that key that was hanging there!”

Robi felt around the controls until she found the key. She turned it to the right, nothing happened. She sighed and tried it to the left next and just as suddenly as it had gone off the elevator sprang back to life. She let out a victorious whoop and jammed the button again. Finally, the car began to rise.

********
Security control center:

Robertson watched on the elevator rise on the status panel and cursed silently. There was only one play left for her team. She grabbed the radio and ordered all remaining team members to the administration floor knowing it was the only way out of the facility.

With the elevator being used by the detainee’s and no other key handy to the guards in front of the door they would have to take the stairs.

She cursed herself for over committing her people to a single objective. She had been so sure she had them cornered and now until what was left of her force made it up eight flights of stairs there was nothing but a single locked door between them and their freedom.

Those that remained rushed to the stairway. Hollow echoes of boots on steel steps echoed up and down the concrete enclosure as they double-timed it up the stairs.

**********
Elevator:

“They have to know where we’re going.” Thomas told the pitiful few new women in the elevator with her. Paka and Robi along with the other three that were left nodded.

“When the doors open everyone stand to the side. No one in the middle and be ready to fire.” She added as the car slide to a stop.

A moment later the doors slid open giving them a view of an empty painted orange elevator alcove. Paka cautiously stuck her head out and looked side to side. To her great surprise the floor was deserted. Giving the rest of the group a thumbs up they quickly clattered out of the car.

Thomas grabbed the key as she exited. They could all hear the clamor from the stairway behind them.

“Let’s move people.” Thomas ordered. That way though those doors! Hurry.”

The five survivors rounded the alcove corner into the main office space just as the first security guards came bursting breathlessly through the door. Thomas and the other turned and opened fire catching the first couple to come around the corner. The rest stayed back behind the wall waiting for the shooting to stop.

The detainees turned and ran, firing short bursts back in the direction of the elevators as they did. There was nothing for cover in the open area they ran though just a few desks separated by flimsy cubicle dividers that burst into pieces every time a bullet struck one. Along the outer wall’s were more sturdy looking offices but hiding in one of those was akin to giving up since there was only one way in and out.

“The warehouse is that way. I think anyhow” Robi shouted, wishing Raven had made it this far to confirm. She pointed towards a junction point about thirty feet across the carpeted floor.

As they went to make the corner a bullet found its way home and the short fair skinned brunette named Reece stumbled forward three steps and falling to the floor. There was no time to check on her. The remaining four plunged headlong and took a sharp left down the short hallway that ended in set of interlocked double doors. They were of course locked. Paka peered though the wire encased widow at the warehouse beyond.

Without waiting to confirm with any of the others Robi pulled their ace in the hole out and swiped the director’s id over the pad. The lock clicked free, and they hurriedly pushed their way through the doors. The sound of more gun fire was once again uncomfortably close behind them. Thomas turned and pushed the door closed. She sighed with a momentary relief as she heard the lock reengage.

“Where’s the exit? That locks not going to hold them long.” She asked.

Linda pointed at the three roll up doors far end of the warehouse. “It’s over there I’d bet.

Despite the stress Thomas smirked. “No one likes a smart ass you know.”

Linda stuck her tongue out in response.

Thomas could hardly believe her eyes. Finally, the goal was in sight. A loud crash on the other side of the door that shook the grey painted cinderblock wall brought her quickly back the reality of the situation.

“Fuck! Move your asses!” Thomas roared as she pushed Robi from behind. The door to their rear squealed loudly as something on the other side hit it again.

The four of them ran like the devil was on their heels. The one hundred feet they had to cross felt more like one hundred thousand miles as they fled across the concrete floor. Every step they took, each was sure would be their last as the squeal of the tortured metal door bounced off the cavernous walls of the warehouse.

Finally, after what felt like a thousand years, they reached the closest roll up door. Thomas pushed on the regular sized door in the middle of it but it only flexed out and bounced back into shape.

“Of course, it’s locked.” She thought ruefully. “Fuck you God. You’re not keeping us here anymore! I’m done with this shit!”

She backed up a step and gave the normal sized door a mighty stomping kick sending it flying off its hinges and pout into the lot beyond. She looked over her shoulder and was amazed to see that somehow the door at the other end of the warehouse was holding up. She grabbed the other and bolted through the opening into the first sunlight Thomas had seen since the start of the epidemic.

The sky was cloudless and brilliant blue. The sun shone high in the sky. It had been so long since Thomas had seen it, she was struck still by the ae of its majesty. Her enhanced senses came alive as the colors and sounds of the outside world flooded them. She was momentarily struck dumb by the wonder of it all.

Robi tugged on her sleeve. “This is no time for sightseeing babe. We need to get the hell out of here before the door gives way.
The driveway was a small cul-de-sac for trucks to turn around in. A simple chain link fence with razor wire woven along the high point sat atop the weathered four-foot-tall concrete wall that surrounded the area. Beyond that was a small field that led to a thickly wooded area beyond.

Thomas bolted ahead of the rest, covering the twenty feet in three strides. The feeling of her body moving the way it was meant to was intoxicating. Without thinking about it she gripped two sets of the chain link and tore the metal links apart. From inside the building, they heard the warehouse door finally giving way.

“Let’s go ladies!” She urged.

They pushed through the hole fast as they could manage expecting at any second bullets to start flying by again. They could hear the loud voice of the guards as they rushed for the tree line.

The group was twenty feet away from it when the building behind them exploded in a ball of fire. The shock wave lifted them off the ground and flung them through the air where they all landed with hard thud.

Robi looked back over her shoulder. “Oh my God.” was all she could think to say.

The heat from the fire was incredible, baking their skin where they lay. Thomas turned over to look back also seeing the conflagration but barely had time to register the horror before debris started raining down. A large chunk of concrete, about the size of a medicine ball landed three feet to her left. Had it hit anyone, they’d have been dead.

“The trees!” She shouted jumping to her feet. “Find cover!”

The four of them scrambled to their feet and dashed for the tree line, keeping one eye on the sky above as they did. Everywhere around them chunks of building crashed into the ground with loud thumps. Small stones pelted them from behind and above like a monsoon of gravel within an ever-expanding cloud of dust.

The rain of small objects abated by ninety percent once they made it into the woods, with the treetops and branches taking most of the pounding. They all stopped and fell to the ground gasping for air, choking on the dust. The smell of smoke filled their noses causing the to choke even more.

They could barely make out the sound of jets overhead and moving away from them over the roar of the flames. Paka just happened to look up at the right moment to see a stealth bomber off in the distance climbing into the cloud cover.

Robi stood up right and gazed back the way they’d come. The air was thick with smoke and dust that obscured the shape of everything around her, however the flames shown though the like sun overpowering a morning fog. The heat from the inferno was amazing. Whatever ordinance that had been used was meant to make sure there were no survivors.

The doctor gasped and whispered “Oh dear God, Lisa…” as a tear ran down her cheek.

“Oh my god!” Paka exclaimed as she watched the conflagration. “All those people. They fucking killed them! Everyone!”

The four survivors hugged each other as they watched in stunned silence as off in the distance Reynolds burned. None of them had truly understood how far the government would go to keep any of them from getting out. Now it was woefully clear how seriously containment was to those in charge. It emphasized how serious their situation was. If they were ever discovered they’d be hunted to the ends of the earth.

“We can’t stay here.” Robi told them as the sound of approaching helicopters reached their ears over the flames.

“Does anyone even know where we are?” Thomas asked looking around.

“We are about 10 miles outside the city. San Quinton is that way. Normally you can see the tops of the guard towers just over the top of the trees right over that way.” Paka said pointing in the general direction. The group of them shielded their eyes and tried to see what she was talking about, but the dust and smoke prevented them for making much out. “The prison is north of the city so that means San Francisco is over in that direction.” facing more deeply into the woods.

“If we can make it that far without getting caught, do we know anyone in the city that can help us?” Linda asked.

“I do. If they are still there.” Robi told them. “We need to get to a pay phone and find something less conspicuous to wear.”

They all looked down at their grimy torn jumpsuits.

“Don’t think this is what all the fashionable people are wearing these days?” Thomas asked sarcastically.

“I’m thinking not but, we’re never going to get to find out if we don’t move our asses.” Robi replied.

The four of them headed off into the woods in a generally southern direction. As they walked more helicopters could be heard over head coming in from the east. Sirens from the road from fire trucks helped keep them moving in the right direction. They waked in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

After about ten minutes they came to the fence that marked the outer limit of the facility campus. This one was much taller than the one around the driveway and again covered along the top with barbed wire.

“That looks like fun.” Paka said pointing up at the loops along the top.

“With our luck it’s probably electrified too.” Linda added.

“Only one way to find out.” Thomas told them. She picked out a good-sized stick and threw it sideways into the fence then ducked down expecting a showered of sparks. When none came, they all breathed a sigh of relief

"I guess they never planned on anyone being able to escape." Thomas said as she walked up to it and grabs two sets of links.

“Here, let me help you with that this time.” Linda told her.

The pair if enhanced women each grabbed onto a section of fence near to each other and pulled with all they had until the metal links gave way.

As they went through the gap one at time Robi told them, “Were going to need to put that back best we can, or they will know someone survived.”

“They’ll find it eventually if they do a perimeter search.” Paka said.

“Until I reach my people, we need every second of their ignorance we can get.”

With that said Thomas and Linda tugged the two sections back together. Thomas did her best to twist some of the broken links back though the unbroken ones to hold it together. The craftsmanship left much to be desired, but she supposed it was better than nothing.

They began trudging through the woods again. All around them signs of civilization began to appear after about a mile or so.

Thomas turned to Paka as they walked. “It’s so strange to hear you talk after all this time.”

“Strange to me too. I guess killing that mother fucker was all the therapy I needed to find it again.”

“Seems so. Can I ask what happened to you?” Logan asked. The others moved closer to hear the story.

“You’ve been incarcerated for too long, so you don’t know the story. I was the news director at KLTR tv when Wanda Maximov was killed.”

“I remember that.” Robi chimed in. “It was just as the epidemic was starting up. No one had even heard the word Acidalia at that point. That’s the murder they’ve pinned on Warren.”

“You know Warren Quinlan?” Paka asked.

“I do. With luck he’ll still be with the group I’m hoping to contact.” Robi replied trying not to sound too hopeful.

“Hmm.” Paka replied. “Anyway, the army shot her as she was going on air to give the first report on the virus. The government didn’t want it getting out at that point and someone got trigger happy and live on tv she was shot. The army was desperate cover it up they did unthinkable things to get my people to confess to whatever story they were trying to concoct about terrorist attacking the station.”

“I was taken to San Quinton and left at the tender mercies of Brady.” The new woman said as a tear ran down her cheek. “He tortured me trying to make me agree. I figured I was dead either way, so I refused to cooperate. He had me stripped naked and tied to a chair for god knows how long and finally he came in with a prisoner in tow and told me if I didn’t confess that he’d give me to them. I spat on him and the next thing I remember was waking up in the cell with you, Thomas and Jo watching over me. I honestly didn’t remember anything when I woke up that day. Didn’t know how to speak anymore. When I said the bastard in the hallway though, it all came back to me.”

“I guess that explains why you were so beat up when they dumped you in there with us.” Thomas told her. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“Well, I got the mother fucker back, didn’t I? He’ll never hurt anyone ever again.” Paka said with no small amount of satisfaction.

“No, he won’t.” Robi agreed shuddering as she remembered her own time with the Major. “None of them will. At least not there, though I’m sure they have a million more places they can choose from.”

They all shook their heads in agreement.

“How about you Linda, what’s your story?” Robi asked.

The stout pale skinned new woman shook her head and began. “I’m from Seattle. I was a cop. I caught the virus when I was trying to help revive an infected junkie that had overdosed. I had no idea at the time any of this was even possible, no one did. The next day I felt sick, sicker than I’d ever been in my life. So the following day I went to the hospital, where of course I tested positive for the virus that hardly anyone had heard of. For a while after I recovered, we all lived on the fourth floor of the hospital. Until they opened up a quarantine in Tacoma that is.

Everyone on living in the facility was loaded on busses and taken there except me. I’d done my best to hide my differences from the staff but I guess someone found out because I was sent to Reynolds instead. Just wish I’d gotten my hands on Dr. Stanley before the place went boom. I owe that bitch. Would have liked to get a hold of her before left.”

“She’s dead. Logan killer her.” Robi told her.

Linda looked at Thomas. “Is that true? Did you kill her?”

Thomas nodded.

Linda stopped, grabbed Thomas and hugged her. “Thank you. Wish it had been me, but that bitch needed to go. Good on you for getting her.”

Thomas didn’t really know what to say. She’d never been thanked for killing anyone before. It brought home just how bad things were at Reynolds. She’s always been so wrapped up in what was going on with her little war with Stanley and Brady that she never really considered that there might be others with just a big an ax to grind with one or both of them.

They walked the rest of the way in relative silence. Considering how close they were getting to the city the traffic noise was far more quiet than Logan would have expected. It made her wonder if it was Sunday afternoon. She laughed at herself, how long had it been since she even considered what day of the week it was. What time of day for that matter? In Reynolds time held no meaning, now that she was back out in the world again, she was going to need to get used to it once more.

After about thirty more minutes they came to the back side of a shopping center. They cautiously made their way to the front corner of the building and peered around. The place looked mostly abandoned with only a handful of cars spread out through the lot.

“What they hell?” Thomas asked. She looked over at Paka who just shrugged.

“What’s wrong Thomas?” Robi asked.

“Where is everyone?” She asked.

“Home. Hiding. In quarantine. Any of the above. Things were getting really bad before they stuffed me in with you three. Looks like things haven’t improved any since.

“All this is because if Acidalia?” Paka asked with equal wonder.

“That and stupid government policy that has everyone scared to death of catching it.” She replied sadly. “Oh, over there. A phone.” Robi pointed in the direction of the supermarket entrance.

She started around the corner the others following close behind. She shook her and turned back to them. “It would probably be somewhat less conspicuous if only one woman in an orange jumpsuit were strolling along the shops instead of four.”

“Oh, jeeze, Ya. I guess huh?” Linda replied with a laugh. The three of them scurried back around the corner and waited.

Robi turned and walked as quickly as decorum would allow. She noticed one or two people giving her the once over but none of them grabbed
for the cell phones at least. After what seemed like hours of travel, she reached the pay phone and zero for the operator.

*************
Evanston Wyoming 6:18pm:

Ellie sat on the lone chair in the second-floor hotel room the Mia had rented them. As a group they all knew it was time to fly the coop but yesterday had been such an emotional roller coaster they needed a day for rest and time to regroup before deciding what was next.

With their new funding and protection from the law there seemed to be little reason to continue their trek to Nebraska. Harkin had even promised her soldiers from the fort to help protect whatever operation the sisters decided to set up. She longed to return to their mission in
San Francisco. To set up a new base of operations and continue to help those who wished to evade government quarantine. They were after all back to having two doctors to oversee the medical needs. All they needed now was a place and a plan.

The ringing of her phone brought her back to the present. Looking down she didn’t recognize the number the area code was San Francisco.

“Hello?” She answered cautiously.

“This is the Pacific bell operator. Will you except the charges from Roberta Goings?”

“Robi?” She thought stunned.

“Yes. Yes I’ll accept them.” She all but shouted into the phone.

The operator clicked off and Robi said “El? Is that you?”

“Oh my God! Robi! Where are you? How?” the leader of the Sisters asked with excitement in her voice.

“Robi?” Nicole could be heard asking in the background.

“I’m at a shopping plaza in Larkspur. I need help El. Can you come get us?”

“Shit Robi, we’re in Wyoming.”

“What the hell are you doing there?” Robi asked.

“It’s a long story. Look hang up and call me back in five minutes. I might be able to get you somewhere safe for a few days until we can get back there.”

“Ok but there’s four of us.”

“Ok. Call me right back. And Robi, I’m so glad your safe.” Ellie clicked the phone off and held a finger up to all the questioning faces in the room. She got up and found the card on the table by the window. Picking it up she dialed.

“Mr. Harkin? Yes, fine thank you. I was wondering if you could take care of some of my people in Larkspur. Get them safe transport and a place to stay for a few days?”

***********
KLTR TV 11pm news:

“In other news, authorities investigating the fire at the Reynolds Quarantine facility earlier today have blamed it on a faulty gas line that was installed during the construction of the facility. They went on to say it was only luck that spared the lives of those housed there.

“It’s a minor miracle that no one was killed when the fire started in one of the subbasements and the explosion was under and wing that was still under construction. Commendations for the quick action of the inhouse security team to get everyone out safely. If it weren’t for them and their quick actions to evacuate the facility, who knows what kind of disaster this would have been.”

“The spokesperson went on to say that there was never a threat to the health and safety on the detainee’s or the public at large. All residents have been accounted for and safely rehoused in other facilities throughout the state while evaluation of the damage is being conducted.”
“In other news…

*********
Confirmed cases: 5300 less than counted before
Actual cases: 146, 231,478
End Part XVII (The great escape)
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end …(Semisonic Closing time)

I hope you enjoyed this installment of my TG dystopia. As always please leave a comment.
Thank you as always for your time and attention.
Amanda