Group X: Sub Rosa
Chapter 4
6 years ago…
TEX HQ
Vortex62’s office
9:41 PM
Tex sat across from his two best operatives, trying to craft the words to tell them. For the past two weeks they had been constantly pleading their case. He told them that he needed time to contemplate their case and to see it’s merits. He had reached a decision and had called them before him.
He folded his hands in front of him. “You both know what’s at stake here. I can not allow anyone else to risk their life on this unproven technology. Not even you two. I’m sorry, but my final decision is no. You both have to accept reality and cherish the time that is left.”
“Cassie deserves this,” pleaded delly once more, desperation in her voice. “Look at her! She was out in the field no more than a month ago… and now… she just stays in the lab.” The anger in her voice wouldn’t be contained any longer. “That’s not living! What if she gets hurt in the lab? The result will be the same as in the field… she won’t be able to heal!”
“Won’t you even give us a chance?” Alex added in a neutral voice, holding onto his wife’s hands hoping to calm her down. “Only the two of us. That’s it. We’re willing to risk our lives for her. We’ll do anything for her.”
Tex folded his hands in front of him. “No, and that’s final. Nothing you two can say or do can alter my decision.”
Slamming the door shut
On Cassie’s last opportunity
Tears falling
Voice giving out
Hope disappearing
“But, she’s only got two years left… we could slide and find a cure… please Tex… let us try,” delly tried to compose herself.
Standing his ground, Tex replied, “It's not the quantity of time you have with her. It's the quality of time, delly. We just made a breakthrough, but we lost two lives. They slid, but their burnt bodies were the ones that returned. I’m not risking anyone else.”
“That’s so cold, Tex.” Alex pulled delly close to him as she broke down. “We believed in you. You made us a promise and now…” Turning his attention to his wife, disappointment in his heart.
“You tell her that!”
“That’s my final decision. I’ll tell her myself. Now, let’s go see her.”
“Dammit, couldn’t you have picked a better time than now? Ryan’s coming home.” Anger filled Alex’s voice.
“That’s why I waited till now to tell her. She needs his support now more than ever.”
“You mean you already decided? That’s not fair,” complained delly, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“Life’s not fair, honey. He’s made up his mind and there’s nothing we can do to change it. Let’s go see your sister.”
TEX Labs
Cassie’s office
10:26 PM
“Daddy’s coming home!” announced Cassie as she came into her office. It had been two weeks since she’d seen him last. “Don’t look at me like that. He’s not going to be late this time. Besides, he knows that I have you if he doesn’t show up.”
She grabbed her snow white teddy bear with a blue ribbon around its neck. “What’s the matter? He hasn’t called so you’re worried. Don’t worry, he’s going to call real soon. I can feel it.”
“Cassie, I’m taking off for the night. You best go home too,” Slidemaster stuck his head into the open doorway.
She waved enthusiastically. “Good night. Have a great weekend!”
“I will. Take care of yourself. Bye!” He smiled then disappeared as quietly as he appeared.
“Bye!”
Cassie held onto the side of her desk as she felt a wave of nausea hit her, dropping the teddy bear onto the floor. Closing her eyes, she whispered a prayer, hoping that her health wasn’t deteriorating faster once again. She felt to her left and found her chair. Maneuvering it close to her, she sat down, resigned to the fact that she would face her mortality sooner than later.
“This isn’t fair. All my dreams… our dreams Ryan… won’t come true… the family we wanted… it’s not fair.” Cassie choked back the bitter tears. “What I would do to have another chance… it’s not fair.”
The telephone rang several times, freeing Cassie from her depressed mood.
“Sweetheart, it’s me. I’ll be there in ten minutes. Happy first anniversary!”
A smile formed on her face from ear to ear as she heard his voice. “I’m sending out a retrieval team if you’re late.”
Shared laughter. Shared dreams. Shared heartache.
“I’ve missed you, Cassie. Are you feeling okay?”
Cassie sighed. “No, I’m not doing too good right now. I felt dizzy a minute ago. I’m scared Ryan. Please hurry.”
Cassie turned around when she heard two knocks on her office door. She saw delly, Tex and Alex standing at her door.
“Sis, is that Ryan?”
“Yeah. He’s going to be here in ten minutes.” Cassie wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Honey, I can hear your sister. Tell her to stay with you in the meantime. I don’t want you to be alone right now. I’ve got to go. I love you.”
“I love you too. Bye.” She listened to the dial tone for a second before putting it down.
“Cassie, how are you doing?” asked Tex as he picked up the teddy bear and handed it to her.
“Not good. I got dizzy again.”
“Little sister you got to rest.” delly knelt beside Cassie. “Cassie, please, rest. You shouldn’t be pushing yourself like this.”
Cassie sensed something wrong from her sister. “What’s the matter?”
“We’re all worried about you Cassie.”
“Wait a minute. Is there something wrong with Ryan? What aren’t you telling me?” begged Cassie as delly began to sob. Alex pulled delly up and tried to comfort her.
Tex looked at Cassie’s eyes. “I’m sorry Cassie. I’m denying their request to slide to other worlds to find you a cure. Too many have lost their lives already on this experimental technology. I’ll put all the resources we have to find you a cure. Cherish the time you have left, Cassie.”
“Thank you Tex.” Shock registering on Cassie’s face. “I understand.”
“I’m exercising another option.” Tex turned around and saw delly’s gun pointed at him.
Tex calmly ordered, “Alex, take your wife in custody so she can cool down.”
Cassie snapped out of it and stood up. “Sis, put that down. I said put that down! Think!”
Alex drew his gun and pointed it at Tex. “We don’t take orders from you anymore.”
“That’s a Rat boy for you,” remarked Tex as Cassie stepped in front of him, blocking their aim.
“Get out of the way, little sister. Tex is going to get that timer for us. We are going to find you a cure, Cassie. Now move!”
“This isn’t worth my life! You never think things through, big sister! THINK! Remember what Tex has done for us?” Cassie closed her eyes as another wave hit her.
delly caught her as she crumbled to the floor. “I’ve got you little sister. I’m always thinking about you.” Pulling Cassie to her feet and leaning her against her right hip, urging her, “Come on, Cassie. I’ll be strong for both of us.”
Cassie nodded weakly. “You always are.” She saw the gun in her sister’s left hand trained on Tex. “You shouldn’t do this. I’m not worth this.”
“You heard her. MOVE TEX!” Alex pushed him forward with his right hand.
“You both heard Cassie. She doesn’t want this.” Tex with his hands in the air walked into the hallway, followed by Alex then delly and Cassie.
“Do you see Cassie now, Tex? Remember she was just in the field… and now look at her! You’re killing her! This is her only chance,” retorted delly, bitterness in her voice.
Tex searched the empty hallways for help, but remembered that he had relaxed security and given everyone time off. Now he was regretting that decision.
Tex stalled for time, hoping she would calm down and come to her senses. “delly, you’re the one that’s killing her now. She still has time, but you’re not helping. You’re making her fight when she doesn’t have the strength. I’m disappointed in you.”
The truth cut through delly’s heart once again. Another part of her died now. She had no words to express her feelings, but Cassie felt them and was overwhelmed. Cassie pushed her sister away from her, breaking the bond between them, her own heart devastated by their betrayal.
“I walk alone now.” Cassie moved toward the wall, using it as her support as she followed Tex and Alex. Her research section wasn’t far from their destination, but she was hoping to run into someone to help her stop her sister.
The coldness of Cassie’s words stopped delly in her tracks, shredding her heart into pieces.
You will never walk alone little sister. Never. I will always be with you.
Alex pushed Tex into the room holding the timer. The far wall looked like one found in bank safe deposits with several small locked slots for easy and secure access.
“Open the safe and give it to me.” Alex looked back to check on delly and Cassie, his gun still trained on Tex’s head.
Tex complied as he entered his access number. “Alex, you’re condemning Cassie to death. We’ll try another way to cure her.”
“Tex, we don’t have time to find a cure for her. She’s dying.”
Cassie staggered through the doorway. “Alex, please, stop this. Please for me. Please for your brother. Please stop. Ryan will be here soon. Please.”
Alex ignored her presence, focused on the task on hand. “Ryan doesn’t know about this, Cassie.”
The safe opened, revealing its treasure. Tex stared at the modified TV remote control before pulling it out of it’s protective case. “This is the prototype. Please reconsider.”
“Give me the timer Tex.” delly appeared in the doorway. “Cassie we’re doing this for you. Ryan would have never gone along with us. That’s why we didn’t tell him.”
Tex turned around, holding the prize in his hands. “You don’t know what you’re doing. Here take it!” Tex shoved it into her face.
“I know exactly what I’m doing.” She snatched it from his grasp. “Tex, I’ve got to do this. No hard feelings.”
Cassie stepped in the way before delly could fire. “You can’t do this. There’s got to be another way.”
“What a trooper,” Tex muttered, looking at Alex to control the situation.
Alex’s expression told him that they were the ones now in charge.
“There's nothing left. I'd do anything for you, little sister. Alex and I sold our souls to the devil for you. You're worth both our lives."
"Nothing is worth both of your lives. Not even mine." Cassie took two steps back toward Tex, allowing him to move to her right and making it more difficult for Alex to get a clearer shot at him.
delly was undeterred by Cassie’s valiant effort. "I'd do anything for you… even die for you. Alex would do the same for Ryan. Get out of the way, little sister."
Alex nodded in agreement as he moved to the right. "This is the only option. There's someone else offering what you need. We have to take it. Tex, there’s no one here except us. No one can help you now."
Cassie followed Alex’s track while moving back away from her sister. “Please think… I don’t want this to be the last memory I have of you big sister.”
Tex saw an opening and dove under a desk. He started firing at them, not to kill, but to slow their escape.
delly grabbed Cassie and pulled her into the hallway for safety. "Tex, you owe her your life!"
Alex provided cover as the three of them took off down the hallway. As they rounded the corner, Alex took Cassie into his arms and delly covered them as Tex followed and returned fire.
Tex fired two shots then activated the emergency quarantine protocols on a nearby touch screen. “You can’t get out of here! Give up! We can help you Cassie!”
“Cassie, are you okay!” delly asked as she fired at Tex, trying to stop him from activating the doors.
“Please stop running,” she begged as she felt more nauseous. “Ryan, where are you?”
delly muttered a curse as she ran out of bullets. “Dammit! Flux you idiot!”
“Next time, check your ammo before you do something stupid as this.”
Alex threw his gun in the direction of delly. She caught it and continued firing as she heard Tex stop behind the corner.
“You’re the idiots here.” Hearing a loud hiss, Cassie opened her eyes and looked around. “Alex, stop!”
Alex skidded to a stop, almost dropping her. “What!”
“He’s securing the area. We’re never going to make it now.”
delly caught up with them. “Move! We got to get out of here!”
Metal doors began their descent in the hallway behind him and in front catching the trio in the middle.
Tex hit the intercom. “Security to Research Lab 2! Security to Research Lab 2!”
delly fired once again as she saw Tex ducking his head around the corner. “How do we get out of here Cassie!” She turned to her sister in desperation.
Tex ducked in time as the bullets barely grazed the top of his head. “Rats caught in a trap.” Tex saw an opening and fired three shots.
“All three of us won’t make it under that door,” reasoned Alex as he motioned forward. “There’s not enough time to reach...”
Alex groaned in agony, dumping Cassie onto the floor. She cried in pain as her head connected with the floor.
“ALEX!” delly spun around and fired three shots at Tex’s position then ran to their position.
“Cassie, are you okay?” Alex grimaced in pain as he saw blood streaming down his left calf. He saw the doors already half way down. He searched frantically for a place to provide cover. He saw an open door five feet down on the left side.
delly reached her sister and checked her head. “Cassie, I’m so sorry. Talk to me.”
“It hurts… please stop,” she begged as she saw the hallway getting darker.
Alex pointed to the open doorway as he struggled to get up. “Over there!”
delly shook her sister. “Cassie, stay with me. Don’t fall asleep.”
“GIVE UP! THERE’S NO WHERE TO RUN!” commanded Tex as he saw Blinker rounding the corner behind him.
Alex grabbed Cassie and with delly’s help, limped to the door.
“What’s going on?” asked Blinker as he saw the doors closing.
Without answering him, Tex slid underneath the closing door and opened fire, hoping to hit delly as she hid behind one of the oxygen tanks in the room. She ducked in time and returned a few more shots.
“TEX! The door!” Blinker got onto the floor and looked for Tex.
Tex fired three more times. “Shit!” Tex covered his head as the shots flew overhead.
He saw Blinker’s hands and grabbed hold of them, with barely enough room to get under the door. “Pull me under!”
Tex was pulled to safety as an explosion hit the now closed door. Debris fell from the ceiling as the lights went out in the hallway. The emergency generators kicked in a second later, bathing the area in it’s harsh red light.
Through temporarily deafened ears, Tex and Blinker barely heard “Cassie, where are you? Cassie, are you hurt? Sweetheart, where are you?”
Tex and Blinker saw Ryan standing several feet in front of them. “Are you two okay?”
Tex looked at the door that was holding for the moment then back at him. “Ryan… I don’t know how to tell you…”
Ryan rushed to their side. “Where’s Cassie? Is someone hurt behind that door? What?”
“Ryan… listen to me… Alex and delly took Cassie…” Words couldn’t explain the sorrow Tex felt so he just pointed to the door.
Ryan turned to Blinker wanting an explanation. “Cassie?”
Blinker looked at the ground, unable to answer him.
“I told them no… and now all three of them are dead.”
Ryan lunged for Tex and began to strangle him. “YOU DID THIS! YOU KILLED THEM ALL!”
“Let me…” gasped Tex as he tried to pry his hands from his throat.
Blinker made a grab at Ryan, but Ryan pushed his hands away, intent only on justice.
Temporalflux arrived on the scene, still wiping the sleep from his eyes. “What the…”
Pouncing on Ryan, Tf put him in a headlock. “Ryan let go!”
“Stop! Ryan!” Blinker pulled at Ryan’s hands as he saw Tex starting to lose consciousness.
Ryan released him and put his hands up in the air. “I give.”
Blinker checked on Tex. “Boss, you okay?”
“Yeah,” gasped Tex after he took deep breaths.
“Are you going to stop now?” asked Tf as he slightly loosened his grip.
Ryan nodded yes, still glaring at Tex.
Tf let him go, but didn’t move far from him.
“Murderer!” cried Ryan. “You killed my entire family! Cassie! Cassie!”
He took off before Tex could explain to him what had happened.
Tex sighed as went to the door. “Let him go… he’ll need time to…” Something caught his eye at the right side and he bent down to take a closer look.
Tf checked the door. “Blinker, what happened here?”
“Beats me. I just got here right before you did. Boss, what are you looking at?”
“I want all their files erased. Do you understand? Everything! No one talks about them. They don’t exist.”
“What do you mean Tex?” questioned Blinker as he tried to see what Tex had found.
“Exactly as I said. Tf make sure the armory inventory is accounted for. I want to know where they got their weapons. Anyone mentions their names, they will be asked to leave. Do it!”
Tf and Blinker nodded and left Tex to mourn alone. They had other matters to tend to.
“She didn’t even know that it was a fake…”
Holding Alex’s wedding band, Tex sat down, his back to the door and wept.
Chapter 5
Four months later….
Unknown location
12:19 PMTf and Tex warily reached the destination after hours of evasion. The message was short and to the point. “She needs to see you now.”
“Pray we’re in time,” Tf muttered as he turned the corner.
“Are you sure we aren’t being set up?” Tex asked as he scanned behind them.
“Tex, you heard that message. Do you think we’d be here now if you thought it was a trap?”
“Anything’s possible. It’s been months since the last contact.”
Tf looked in the rearview mirror. “No one’s following us.”
“It never should have come to this.”
“You should have thought of that before.” Tf bit his tongue before speaking what he really thought of the situation.
Sighing in regret, “If I were to do it again, I would have done the it exactly the same way.”
Tf stopped the car, ignoring his comment. “We’re here.” He compared the address to the one on the paper. “This is the place.”
After scanning the area for several seconds, the two got out and hurried to the door.
“It’s already open,” whispered Tex. “We’re expected.”
Both scanned the area once again before Tex pushed open the door and went inside.
“I’m glad you both made it.” A weary voice came from their left.
Both turned their attention to their friend, seated on the couch. He was in bad shape, weary from exhaustion and worry.
“Come on. She’s waiting.” He said while getting up. “You two are a sight for my sore eyes.”
“We thought you were dead! How are you doing?” inquired Tex as he hugged Ryan like a family member.
“Not as bad as her.”
Tf looked around the room for signs of danger, but found none. “You should have contacted us earlier.”
“We were being watched.”
Tex let go of Ryan and looked into his eyes. “How much time do we have?”
“The window will be open for an hour. Let’s not waste it.”
Ryan led them down a darkened hallway to their left. “I had to turn down the lights because it was hurting her eyes.”
Ryan pushed open the bedroom door. “Honey, they’re here.”
Her tiny form was near the right edge of the bed, lying on her side. Her back was facing the door.
Ryan crept softly to her side. “Sweetheart,” placing his hand gently on her shoulder to wake her. “Tex and Tf are here. Wake up honey, we have visitors.”
Ryan beckoned them to approach. “Honey, they came a long way and they’re here now.”
Cassie sighed, blinking her exhausted eyes open.
“Tex, Tf are you really here?” a soft voice asked.
Tex pulled a chair next to her bed. “Yes, Cassie. We’re both here.”
“Cassie, sorry we’re late, but we were being followed,” explained Tf as he stood next to her bed.
“Let her rest every few minutes. She’s been trying to conserve her strength.” Ryan sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her forehead. “This seems to help her focus.”
Watching Tex and Tf
Her eyes weary for rest
Gone was the hope
The spark of life
In it’s place
Grim reality
Quiet acceptance
A memory to haunt them
To the end of their days
“Thank you for coming.” Closing her eyes, she weakly offered her left hand to Tex.
“We wouldn’t have missed this chance for anything.” Tex gently held her hand.
Placing his hand, palmside down on her stomach, she opened her eyes and stared straight into Tex’s eyes. “Do you feel that?”
Tex felt several strong taps against his hand then looked at Ryan for confirmation. Ryan’s eyes told him ‘Yes.’
“Cassie, you’re pregnant?” A stunned Tf announced bittersweetly.
“A son… a son I’ll never hold… a son I’ll never see grow up… a son that will never be born.”
The bitterness and finality in her voice unnerved all in the room to the core.
“Cassie, there’s always hope,” Ryan replied wiping the tears from her cheek.
“Cut the crap. You know that I hate that.” Her voice suddenly strong and forceful. Her eyes blazed with fury as she glared at Tex.
“Cassie, I’ve been doing everything I can since…” Tex didn’t know the words to explain what he was feeling.
Cassie shot back. “Remember you told me to cherish the time I have left? Now, you cherish this memory of me.”
Cassie closed her eyes as another wave of pain took hold of her. She began to shake and groan in agony once again. Tex took his hand off her as Ryan took her into his arms, trying to comfort her and ease the pain.
“Give her something,” ordered Tex, getting up and scanning the room.
“Where’s the pain medication, Ryan?” Tf ran to a set of drawers across the room.
“She doesn’t take any,” Ryan whispered. “She said that she doesn’t want to hurt the baby.”
Tf abruptly stopped his searching. “What do you mean? She’s in pain all the time? She needs something.”
“Ryan, we have the best doctors back home. Come back with us.”
“No. She decided and I agreed with her. NO MEDICATIONS. She hasn’t been this lucid since last week.”
Cradling her close
Feeling her pain subside
Her cries lessening
Wiping her tears from her cheeks
Wiping his own tears away, “She lost our little girl last week.”
Tf and Tex glanced at each other, not knowing how to reply to this new tragedy. Silence they both agreed.
“She has at the most one more week… maybe less. The doctor told us that the best rate of survival was to choose between the children. She said no and so did I. The doctor insisted, but Cassie became incensed at the idea. Let’s just say that we had to find a doctor that still had a head. Her doctor visits her four times a day to check on her and the baby. When the baby’s ready… she’ll do a C section. Cassie will never live through the procedure, but our son will. This is what she wants.”
“I want to talk to Tf alone,” a whisper ordered.
“Sweetheart, how are you feeling now?” Ryan looked into her face, moving the wet strands of hair from her face.
“Better.” She smiled for the first time in months.
He grinned at her. “You know how much I hate being lied to.”
“Match made in heaven.” She giggled, the first time in weeks.
Turning her attention to Tex. “I wanted to go home and you promised me that. You broke that promise.”
“Cassie, I’m still trying to make that happen.” Tex tried to craft the words the best he could, knowing that it would be almost impossible for him to do.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Tex.” Cassie replied, the bitterness gone from her voice.
“There’s one promise that I haven’t broken yet.” Tex said hopefully. “Ryan, let’s leave them alone. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Is that okay with you honey?” He saw her nod and placed her gently on her right side once again. “I’ll be right outside with Tex. Tf just yell if she needs anything.”
“Will do Ryan.” Tf sat down in the chair.
“Tf let her rest first. Give her time to recover.”
Tf nodded at Ryan as he closed the door.
“The baby’s here,” she offered her hand to him, closing her eyes.
Placing his palm on her stomach, he felt the strong kicks. “Congratulations Cassie.” He watched her breathing, waiting for her strength to return.
Ryan closed the door with a sigh.
“Ryan, why didn’t you contact us earlier?” Tex stood next to the desk, shaking in anger.
“Tex, I’m not going to argue with you.” Green eyes turned on him. “This is your fault. This is your decision. She was going to tell me she was pregnant on our anniversary, but you know how that went.”
“I know you’re bitter, but I had to do what I thought was right.” Tex countered, sitting next to his friend.
“So if you knew she was pregnant, would you have changed your mind?” he questioned looking at their bedroom.
Tf shifted his position on the chair. “Cassie, I’ve tried to get Tex to change his mind.”
“I know.” She opened her eyes. “Remember your promise to me?”
“Yes, I do, Cassie. I intend to keep it.”
“Promise me that you’ll visit me on my birthday.” She stared to the left of Tf.
“I promise,” Tf said with hope, knowing that her birthday was four months away. “What is it?” Tf followed her gaze to the corner bookcase.
“I want the one that my parents gave to me,” she replied eyeing a new teddy bear. “I was going to give it to our daughter. This one was the one Ryan bought me. We were going to give it to our son. The children need their teddy bears.”
The sorrow in her voice made Tf turn away to wipe the tears in his eyes.
“Cassie… you and Ryan… deserve a family.” Tf couldn’t control his voice from breaking.
“You’re a good friend Tf. You’re there through the good times and the bad.”
“Cassie, you and Ryan have to come with us now,” coaxed Tf. “Think of the baby.”
“I always think about them. The little ones deserve a life. One day we’ll all be together. One day…” She closed her eyes as she felt another round start again.
“Is it the baby?” Tf looked at the door. “Cassie, are you okay?”
“Go now! She knows you and Tex are here. delly knows… run! Alex can’t control her now. Please go… please,” she begged through her pain.
“No, not without all of you coming back with us.”
“Tf, she’s changed… please…” Cassie looked at the door. “Go. There’s still time left.”
Tex looked at Ryan. “No, I wouldn’t have changed my mind.”
Ryan clenched and opened his fists several times, trying to quell the anger within him.
“Ryan, I wasn’t going to risk anyone else’s life on unproven and unsafe technology. So no, I wouldn’t have changed my mind.”
“She calls for the dead. Do you know hard it is to tell her that her Mom and Dad aren’t coming to visit the babies because they had died years ago? DO YOU!” Ryan stood up and walked to the other end of the room.
“Ryan, I can’t undo the past, but I can change the future. Bring Cassie and we’ll take you back now.”
Ryan couldn’t contain his anger much longer. “Tex, the older ones always take care of the younger ones. That’s what delly and Alex are doing right now.” He pointed to the bedroom, his voice rising. “They’re risking their lives for us this second. Who knows if they’re coming back this time. They almost didn’t make it the last time. They are Cassie and the baby’s only hope.”
Tex was undeterred. “Come back with us now. We can help her and the baby.”
Ryan’s expression turned into alarm. “Tex, you and Tf have got to get out of here now! They’re on their way!”
“You said an hour!”
“No time to explain. Alex can’t stop her now. She knows you’re here. She’s not going to stop until you’re dead. Get in the bedroom now and get Tf!” Ryan grabbed his arm and shoved him toward the room.
Tex tried fighting him to no avail. “It ends here. Now.”
Ryan pushed Tex into the bedroom. “Get out of here! Hurry!”
“No!”
Cassie and Tf saw Tex being shoved through the bedroom door by Ryan. “Get out of here! Hurry!”
“No,” replied a defiant Tex. “All of us are leaving here together and that includes delly and Alex.”
“She can’t be reasoned with. Please…” urged Cassie, feeling delly’s fury rising inside her. “I can’t stop her this time.”
“Let me try,” Tf offered, knowing delly’s reaction.
Ryan rushed to her side, seeing her in pain once again. “Shhh… sweetheart… you have to calm down for the baby.”
“Tex, please go… for me and the baby… please now…” She couldn’t stand the pain much longer without passing out. “Please…”
“Tex, take off. I’ll stay and see if she’ll talk to me.” Tf watched the front door.
“NO!”
Present Day….
TEX HQ
Infirmary
3:20 AM
Tex woke up with a start. “NO!”
“Whoa, Tex, you’re alright. It’s only a dream… everything’s okay now,” said a startled SweetOne as she gently held him by his unhurt shoulder.
Tex scanned the room. “Where am I? I thought I was somewhere else. Last thing I remember was… owww…” The pain in his shoulder forced him to lay back down. He looked to his hurt shoulder and gritted his teeth. “Yeah, that’s what I remembered.”
“Tex, the Good Doctor said it was a clean shot. The best that she’s seen.” SweetOne remarked trying to get his mind off the pain.
“It hurts as bad as a bad shot.”
He gritted his teeth once again, trying to force the image of Cassie from his thoughts. He had done it before, but the pain was making it impossible. Her image haunted him over the years and now it hit him again as hard as that time.
“Do you want something for the pain?” SweetOne offered, getting up from her chair. “You lost so much blood, we thought we were going to lose you again.”
“It’ll take more than this to stop me from doing my job.” The pain compounded with the ghosts of the past made it difficult to think clearly.
“Tex, calm down. Everything’s being taken care of… please rest. I’ll call the doctor.”
“SweetOne, I need to think clearly. I don’t want any more drugs right now.”
“Tex, you’re in pain. You need something now.”
“I said no. Now, how long have I been here?”
SweetOne checked her watch. “For almost six hours now. Recall’s going to be here in a few minutes to check on you. Tex you have to rest. We can’t lose you now. We almost lost you twice.”
Tex was perplexed. “What do you mean twice?”
SweetOne whispered, “There was another attempt on your life when you were being transported here. Blinker was driving the ambulance and I was riding along with 2 EMTs. As we pulled away from the scene, someone opened fire on the ambulance. I covered you as the bullets flew. I’ve got a little scratch on my left shoulder, but I’ll be okay.”
“What do you mean little scratch!” Tex was livid. “That’s it, you’re going to cancel all your public appearances indefinitely.”
“Tex we can’t do that.” SweetOne zipped down her sweatshirt, revealing a black tank top. She pointed to the small bandage on her shoulder. “I’m fine Tex. Ask the good doctor.”
“Don’t think I won’t, SweetOne. Are you sure you’re okay? That’s twice in one day for you getting shot at. Are you really okay?”
Zippering up so not to catch a cold, SweetOne answered, “Yes, I am. Tired… yes. Angry… very. But yes, I’ll be fine. We’ve got a lead, Tex.”
Tex gritted his teeth once again, this time in anger. “SweetOne, there is no ‘we.’ You can’t be involved in any operations.”
“Tex, now isn’t the time to pull this crap on me. I’m involved no matter what you say. And by the way, you’re welcome.”
“I’m sorry SweetOne… thank you. I just don’t want anymore civilians hurt.”
“I think it’s too late for that. That GX plane that we forced down was a family on vacation. The mother was threatening everyone since her little girl was frightened by the experience. The father was calling everyone ‘incompetent yahoos.’ Poor girl, she lost her purple polar bear when an overzealous operative ripped it open to search it. Apparently, the transponders were switched. We lost them again.”
“Dammit.”
Recall knocked at the door, opening it slightly.
“SweetOne, is Tex awake yet?”
“I’m awake. Give me a report and make it snappy,” Tex replied, urgency in his voice.
A smiling Recall entered the room. “Captain Picard, you have the bridge.”
“Number One, I trust that you didn’t hurt my baby too much. Remember the last time?” quipped a playful Tex.
“No sir. And how does the Captain feel or should I ask the Counselor here?” Recall winked at SweetOne.
“I’d be lying if I said that I felt good.” Tex looked at Recall from top to bottom. “Maple Leaf sweatshirt? You know that’s not standard uniform issue.”
SweetOne stifled a chuckle. “Sorry, sir.”
Recall looked down at his sweatshirt, pulling at the center. “It’s clean, isn’t it? I guess you’re feeling better. Deanna… er SweetOne, you need to get some sleep. Sleep Data… sleep.”
“Hey, that’s my line!” Tex laughed for a couple a seconds before the pain made it hard for him once again. “You heard him, Counselor… get to bed. That’s an order.”
“Well, well… I see you’re finally awake,” remarked the Good Doctor, standing in the doorway. The others weren’t paying attention to her entrance for once.
“Oh Beverly! I’m doing better. Requesting a return to duty,” begged Tex with a twinkle in his eye.
“I feel your pain, Captain,” commented SweetOne, caught in the amusing moment. It had been a long time since they all indulged in a little fantasy time.
“That’s Doctor Crusher to you, Captain,” she replied in jest.
“Doc Quinn, when will Tex get out of here?” asked SweetOne, hating to break the playful atmosphere.
She eyed Tex who now had the puppy dog look. “That’s up to you, but I want you to stay the night.”
“But of course, my dear. Thank you for pulling me through once again.”
“And you SweetOne, how are you doing? Need anything for that wound?” Doc Quinn concentrated her attention on her.
SweetOne was caught off guard. “Not yet... but in a little bit. It’ll knock me out again.”
Tex’s raised his voice once again. “SweetOne… you told me it was a scratch.”
Recall was listening intently to the mission already in progress and ignored the glares and sighs from the others.
“Tex, it’s a scratch compared to yours. You both will be okay. Remember to rest when you have time. I know you don’t have the time Tex, but I’ll be back shortly to give you something for the pain that you say you aren’t having.” Doc Quinn smiled as she closed the door. “With a very big syringe.”
Recall heard over his earpiece. “Pick him up, he’s headed to the lobby.”
Tex turned his attention to Recall. “Now then Recall, what’s the status of… Hey, what’s going on?”
“Hopefully, we’ll soon have answers. We were lucky at the Ivory Towers, if you call that lucky… that part of the building was being renovated, but we lost TM and SQ21… their remains were found a few minutes ago.”
A moment of silence
For fallen comrades
Adding more grief
To the already long list
So many lives lost
Because of one decision
Is pride worth all these souls?
Recall gave Tex the extra comm unit so he could listen in. “Tex, you have to hear this.”
Tex took the earpiece and listened to the comm traffic. He hoped that this time they would succeed.
“What’s going on?” SweetOne asked, between clenched teeth. She tried to pull her medication bottle from her pocket but it fell from her grasp. She gasped in pain as she tried to bend over.
Tex heard her over the comm traffic. “SweetOne! Okay, that’s it. Get some rest now!”
“If you can get that for me, I’ll be glad to. I can’t stand it anymore.” She closed her eyes, hoping the pain would soon fade.
Recall spied the bottle near him and opened it up. “How many do you need?”
She held out her hand. “Two. I’ll be fine in a few minutes.” As soon as she felt them in her hand, she shoved them quickly into her mouth without waiting for the water Recall was pouring for her.
“SweetOne, you need to rest too,” urged Recall as he watched her rocking back and forth to ease the pain. “I’ll see if there’s an empty room close by.”
“No, this chair is okay.”
Tex glanced at Recall and silently asked him to move her to a bed when she was sleepy. He acknowledged his request with a blink before going back to listening to his earpiece.
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