Terra Nova - Things Lost in the Fire ch25 [Skye/Lucas]
Title: Things Lost in the Fire
Fandom: Terra Nova
Ship: Skye/Lucas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: bad language, sexual situations, AU
Chapter: 25/?
Summary: AU story. Skye meets a strange man at Snakehead Falls and ends up falling in love. But can happiness built on anonymity last, when the world around them is on fire?
Author's Note: Still trying my best to speed things along, but the characters won't let me! The next one should be quicker paced though ;)
Things Lost in the Fire
25. No Light
Another morning broke, failing to bring any hope with its first light. Skye shifted beneath her blanket, dreaming of Lucas, that haunting encounter by the Falls. Those memories never truly left her, never truly became tainted by their later actions. How would things be if she hadn't approached him so fearlessly, if she hadn't given into the temptation of his presence? Skye couldn't imagine such a world in a dream, nor awake.
Lucas had changed because of that encounter, and without it to influence him he would've taken a different road, she was certain. Without being forced to see things through her eyes, he would've extracted his revenge by now, sated his hunger for his father's pain. Skye doubted Lucas would've turned against his employers willingly, had she not been there to be threatened.
And still she was weak. She suffered terrible doubts.
For two days now, she'd been locked in this cell without visitors, without a word from Taylor. He had isolated her completely, refused to answer her calls. This time it didn't hurt her - she'd come to expect such behavior from the Taylors, seeing how attached they were to silence, to denial - yet she felt confined, angry. She was a Sixer now, one of the enemies, and she didn't even deny it. To Skye the wellbeing of the camp was important, just as the safety of Terra Nova was. But Terra Nova was no longer her home.
How strange that the short separation had merely showed her how distanced she'd been from this community to begin with. Secrets weren't kept by keeping close friends. Her double life needed the distance to work, needed the time and unfamiliarity to support her lies.
The first few hours she'd been enraged. Yelling, banging on the bars, trying to get their attention. She had calmed down eventually, realizing this had been their intent from the start. Washington might've told Taylor about her arrival, but he didn't see her as the adoptive daughter anymore, just as he probably didn't see Lucas as his son either. Taylor didn't come running to her; he kept his distance, hoping to weaken her before the unavoidable interrogations.
Taylor probably thought she was the weak link now, the one who would give away the plan, the location of the camp, everything he could possibly ask.
She let him think that, sank into silence, resting listlessly on her bed and escaping to the depths of her mind. For two days she had time to think. And her rest here was uninterrupted, rejuvenating. The nightmares of her previous nights were dissipated here; she felt safe, as crazy as that was.
Lucas had left again, been torn her bloodied arms, before she could talk to him about the darkness inside, that easily annoyed lump that pressed her chest; How easy it had been to pull the trigger and end Curran's life, a man who had been her friend. The pain of Hicks' death was still fresh on her mind, the rage at Morris' tactics unyielding even in the face of his death. Skye had looked at the body on the ground, wondered how it looked as if Morris was still smiling as she stared down at him from the heights. That expression on his face, glee perhaps, had remained with her even to this day.
She knew Morris had had spies in Terra Nova, that those people would probably be very interested in her presence here. Yet no one had come, or made an effort to contact her. For a moment there, Skye had wondered whether it had all been a ruse: just a ploy in the mind of a sick man to get them to doubt one another. Then she'd realized it wasn't a risk worth taking. The others had sought to find out the identity of the spies, and she believed they would return with this information, return to the portal only to be ambushed by Taylor.
The chill of the cell offered her no warmth. She squirmed beneath the blanket, unable to get a good position. The pleasant dream was invaded by fear. Suddenly the soldiers were everywhere, grabbing onto her and Lucas, forcing them down on their knees. Gunshots made her jump in her sleep, startle awake almost violently. Within seconds the dream ended, and she was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding onto her necklace, the one Hicks had given her.
It calmed her down some once she realized it was just some sort of a rehearsal going on outside. Skye reached for the water bottle on the floor and took a long gulp. She then examined her hand, made sure the splint was still in place. It seemed sound, even if traces of blood were all over her bandaged hand. Skye had expected Taylor to send in Elizabeth, but apparently medical assistance wasn't necessary for Sixers. She didn't mind the splint though; it was a small price for the pleasure of slugging Morris.
With a deep breath, she rose to her feet, stretching her sore muscles and moving a bit in the confined space. Time was running out; Eventually Lucas would come back, his recovery would advance to the point of their return, and they would blow Hope Plaza in their wake. Her job had been to convince Taylor of their intentions, but she had misread him. Now that the conflict had ascended to the next level, his main priority was Terra Nova. Neither Lucas nor Skye mattered if they were a threat to the colony.
Skye cleaned her face with the little water she had left, and sat on her bed again, leaning against the wall. Time passed by excruciatingly slow here.
Sometime later she was finally greeted by a guest. It was Guzman, Tasha's father.
"Taylor will see you now, Skye," he said calmly, peering at her through the bars. Skye returned his gaze lifelessly, and dragged herself to the door next, turning around and surrendering her wrists for the handcuffs.
"We're not going to put on handcuffs," Guzman said, surprising Skye for once. "Just come quietly, and don't make trouble. That way we can walk freely," he advised, sounding almost fatherly.
She nodded at him, still unable to find words for the occasion. A part of her wanted to ask about Tasha, and another wanted to be oblivious to her feelings. No matter what, she would be a Sixer whore in some corner of the colony and a murderer in another, so it was better not to think about it. Skye allowed Guzman to escort her down the narrow corridor of the cellblock.
They walked for a short while, ending up in the isolation room. It felt good to be able to stretch your arms and legs, even if it was just for awhile. Guzman showed her inside and told her to wait for Taylor there, exiting almost immediately himself. Skye didn't hold her breath. She slid down the wall, as her feet slowly gave in after awhile, and she ended up sitting on the corner, waiting.
Of course she knew what this room was for, what they had done to Boylan here. Interrogation for un-cooperative prisoners, that's what the room was for. Constant noise that prevented sleep, starvation, pain, shocks, basically Taylor had a variety of torture methods available. Would he use them on her, it was still a bit muddy in her head. Maybe just the fear of being tortured would enough to get her to talk in his mind.
She cradled her bandaged arm on her lap, thinking of Lucas' promise to make everything right. He was keeping his end somewhere far away, in another timeline, whereas she was caught here, making the same mistakes. Could she still rely on Taylor after everything?
She heard steps in the distance, and looked up to find the Commander standing in front of her. The door was closed in the distance, and his eyes were harsh.
"How are you holding up Skye?" Taylor asked her tentatively. There was worry in his expression, genuine concern for her wellbeing.
And then, "Whose blood is that on you?"
Finally a question she could answer. Skye smiled at him weakly, realizing only now how utterly tired she was. The events that had taken place recently had exhausted her thoroughly, and the danger just wouldn't end!
"Mostly Lucas," she replied, observing Taylor's reaction to her words. He was iron, nothing readable on his face.
"Is he alive?" Taylor questioned next, still standing whilst Skye sat.
"He wanted to negotiate a new deal between his employer and the Sixers. That man declined his offer and stabbed him through his hand. We managed to stop the bleeding, get the wound cauterized, but it was bad. Carter had to carry him through the portal in hopes of getting him to a hospital," she told him, reliving those horrible moments.
"I thought the calculations were lost," Taylor spoke aloud.
Perhaps he was musing more to himself than her. She answered him though, "No, they were always in his head."
"I'm sorry you had to live through that," he apologized. But Skye suspected he was referring to the Curran incident as well, seeing how the deal with Morris really wasn't his fault.
"It was never going to be easy with him. I could tell he was damaged from the first time we met," Skye explained, sounding softer now. She could see Lucas face by the water, as he explained about his family, about being alone. She remembered how much she'd wanted to tell him things would be alright.
Then she was looking straight at him, her former Commander, her second father. "He didn't run from me. He went to 2149 to cut all bonds with his employer, to bring everyone's families," she confirmed, thinking Taylor had the wrong idea about his son.
And Taylor raised a surprised brow in response. "That's why you're here? To convince me that Lucas wants peace?" he questioned, disbelievingly.
"I'm asking you to give your son the benefit of the doubt, before you shoot him on sight at that portal," she responded. Her heart was bare in front of him, no lies or secrets emerged from its depths. It was honesty reflected all over Skye's face. She may have looked older (a completely different person altogether), yet this was her truthful face.
He remembered what it had felt like to know she had lied countless times with that same face, showing no signs of weakness or hesitation. Taylor knew better than to let his emotions override reason this time. Lucas would say the same thing to him, beg theatrically on his knees for forgiveness, and then stab him in the back when the opportunity arrived. He didn't really know Skye at all. He saw how quickly she had adapted into the Sixer community, how quickly her loyalties had changed, how quickly she'd come to love his son. Taylor didn't have a constant for her, not even her mother had had a real effect on her.
"Lucas is coming to attack us, Skye," Taylor said patiently, repeating the same mantra he'd argued about for days now. No one else knew his son; some had claimed that since no one was injured at the portal when it had been breached meant that the Sixers could have a peaceful intent. He didn't believe it for a second!
"I'm sorry you can't see that," he continued, drawing another deep breath. There was pity in his eyes: pity for the young woman who'd fallen in love with his deranged son and still believed his lies.
"He can't forgive you yet, but he's trying to fix at least some of his mistakes," Skye claimed, turning her eyes from Taylor. She couldn't stand looking at his judgmental face. "You should give him a chance, you might get surprised."
"Might isn't good enough, Skye. With him the odds aren't good at all…," he recalled the painful times he'd tried to reach for his son and been rejected. He thought of the favors he'd done (getting the assault charges dropped, securing him an apartment, mentioning his name around…) and how Lucas had seen each as some kind of vote of distrust. Pain sneaked into his expression.
Lucas needed to be captured, his army disbanded. In the end Terra Nova was all that mattered.
Skye could hear it in his voice: the denial, the hurt. It was useless to try and convince him this way. It was useless to expect Lucas to behave rationally with his father. It was useless to ask his father to take the first step after so many failed attempts. She pressed her head in defeat, biting her lip nervously.
"Then I suppose we have nothing else to talk about," she concluded.
Taylor didn't agree with her on that one though.
"Tell me where the Sixer camp is, Skye," Taylor demanded, finding more confidence in his voice now that the topic was less personal.
Skye didn't look at Taylor, just stared at her hands resting in her lap. "I'm not giving away the location of their home," she said.
"Skye, you need to tell me where they are," Taylor asked again, this time sounding a bit more aggressive.
"They have children there," she frowned ominously, as if seeing the effect the sound of approaching troops would have on them.
"They are murderers and thieves. They are the very people, who starved your mother and held her hostage," Taylor hissed, seeking for a way to get under her skin.
"Terrible deeds yes, but it's as you said, desperate times demand desperate measures," she countered, shooting him with a hostile look. The memory of his words, concerning his choice to trust Curran, was still fresh on her mind.
"Do a thousand civilians deserve to die, so that they can mine this land?" he asked her, crossing his arms across his chest. Skye wasn't impressed with his audacity.
"You would save only a thousand from the millions that suffer in the future?"
Her question hung between them, forcing him to remember what it had been like: The smog, the thin air, the crowdedness, the lack of anything green. Of course he knew he couldn't save them all. Little by little Terra Nova had grown and given home for more and more people. But it could never be them all.
"You could come back, Skye," he told her then, sounding sincere, speaking this unspoken wish aloud.
She clenched her teeth, finding a part of herself that yearned for it. She'd settled in to the Sixer camp, in their strange customs and lives, yet her mother was still here and she missed these people every now and then. Of course the price of her readmission would be giving up the Sixers, giving up Lucas.
"I'm not telling you," she settled to remark.
Taylor exhaled visibly and looked elsewhere for awhile, shaking his head a bit. A silence stayed with them for nearly a minute.
"You're going to tell me, Skye. You'll tell me where the camp is, when Lucas is coming back, and what kind of an attack force he's bringing with him," Taylor listed before he walked away.
"You'll have to torture me!" she yelled after him, sounding willful but tired.
He didn't respond, and the door was shut after him.
Five minutes after the noise began. It wasn't loud enough to drown everything in its path - more likely it was intended to be a nuisance at this point - but it was there nevertheless. Skye laid herself on the floor, placing her head over her hand and closed her eyes.
She would change his mind. With some time, she would change his mind.
Lucas surveyed the event with cool detachment as he moved through the crowds, mingling. The pain medication was blocking the pain for now, but it prevented him from drinking, which was a shame because there was champagne everywhere. He'd shaven his face (with some assistance eventually) and dressed in the rental suit Sebastian had acquired for him. Sebastian had also been quick to offer him some stimulants (because he looked so weary still), but Lucas had rejected those.
He wore a glove on his injured hand, covering the bandages from prying eyes. The first few hours of the event Sebastian had paraded him around like a hero, making sure he was the limelight constantly. Lucas was their sales pitch - the man who'd returned from Terra Nova, the man who'd concurred time. The products differed from customer to customer, ranging from minerals to food, from water to exotic species, from plant life to luxurious trips into the wild. The Company had everything imaginable for sale through some subsidiary. And there was a lot of interest.
His face was strained from all the smiling, from the false interest he had to display. And he would tell them all stories of his time in the wild, surviving nature, when such jungles had been cut down for nearly a hundred years in this timeline. All of his listeners would be fascinated with the details, entranced by these tales. The only pleasure Lucas received from this experience, was the knowledge that none of these people would get what they wanted.
Of course there were sad fates in the middle of the greedy as well. Each time Lucas heard about a person or people he would helping with his invention, he could feel his heart bleed. Before he would've taken such compliments and praise as an ego boost, but now they just saddened him. Deep down he still wondered if the future should be saved. If the resources they could've mined would've saved the world. It was sad to know all these people would remember him as the man who closed the gates to Paradise at a later time.
In the end he was as selfish as any of them. The one who controlled the past, controlled the future, and he was in the way of that. It was either death by the Company's hands or salvation by cutting them off from the past. Morris had shown him the true face of these people, these men who signed off lives with their pens. Even Sebastian, who basked in glory and praise now, had undoubtedly been surprised that Lucas had made it back to 2149 in one piece.
The sales event was huge, and Sebastian was quick to claim it a success. Contracts were drawn in the small rooms through-out the evening, men in tuxes and women in cocktail dresses vanished with beautiful (paid) escorts into the upstairs all the time only to reappear some time later, and food and wine was wasted at every chance. Lucas felt disgust at watching the waste continue through-out the evening. He remembered how impressed he had been at the impressionable age of twenty when they had brought him to such an event, showing him the merits of working with them. He recalled feeling distaste over the flocking escorts, but relishing their company anyway.
"Why the glove?" some of the braver specimen would ask with intrigue.
"Life in the jungle isn't entirely without its dangers," Lucas would respond with a smirk.
"Why you're the most interesting scientist I've ever met, like modern… ummm… what was he called? Indiana Jones!" Someone would utter a half-hearted compliment.
"He was an Archeologist, I believe," Lucas would mention without much amusement.
At some point his would get tired in these uncomfortable shoes, and Lucas would retire to a comfy divan, until he would get dragged back into the heart of the noise and obnoxious crowds by Sebastian. And so they played on and on for hours...
Lucas retired at one point to one of the small rooms, closing the door behind him, hoping Sebastian would leave him alone for a minute. This spin near the customers was supposed to last an hour tops, but somehow Sebastian had made him dance all night to his tune so far. The doctor had been against it, warning them both against Lucas being on his feet too much and especially against drinking alcohol. Of course Sebastian had made it his business to subtly mention that their employers wanted to get to Terra Nova as quickly as possible and were unsatisfied with Lucas' long recovery. It had been enough to push Lucas up from his bed early to convince them otherwise.
Now he was certain he'd served his purpose here. Lucas reached for his communicator in his pocket, having noticed signs of life some minutes earlier. He established connection with the others quickly.
"Lucas here. What's your progress?" he asked impatiently, hoping for anything to get him away from this torturous event.
"Window of opportunity open, boss. Should we take it?" Carter asked, sounding hopeful for once.
The announcement took Lucas by surprise. He hadn't expected it to happen so soon, least of all tonight.
"Is everything prepped?" He needed to make sure.
"Extraction needed for you and number eleven. Everything else is in order," someone else confirmed.
A pregnant pause landed between them, as Lucas reconsidered everything he'd learned.
"We do it tonight," he then confirmed and shut off his communicator in fear of being caught with it.
They had been gathering supplies, finding the people on that list, making preparations with the Company and the Phoenix Group back in Hope Plaza. The Plaza was full of the Company's supplies now; everyone was just waiting for the final pieces to fall in place, so access was granted to all of the Sixers in their group. The Company didn't expect a double cross, seeing how helpful everyone was being.
The sound of the door creaking behind him startled Lucas a bit, but he relaxed when he saw that it was just Sebastian. You could see the way the alcohol had blurred Sebastian's inhibitions, how his tie hung loose, the traces of lipstick on his jaw, the way he didn't eye Lucas evaluating at all, but embraced Lucas with warmth.
"Come on Golden Boy," Sebastian chuckled and motioned Lucas towards the crowds again. "I have yet more audience for you."
He was holding a champagne glass in his hand and his hair was disheveled. For once, Lucas let his guard down a bit in front of this man.
"I have served for hours here, Sebastian. Now the pain is too much. I need to retire for the evening," he explained, getting a frown in response from the slightly older man. Lucas made a face at his disbelief. "It's not like I'm a housewife vetoing sex for a headache. Honestly, the injury is painful."
"Fine then!" Sebastian waved Lucas down with disappointment. "You're missing the party of the century Taylor, but whatever!"
His coordination seemed poor, and Lucas pondered how much exactly this man had already drunk tonight. The contemplation didn't last long though. Lucas straightened himself and fixed his appearance a bit, making his way towards the door. He took a good look at Sebastian when he passed the man by, trying to reminiscence why his face had been so terrifying in the jungle. Now as he looked at the man, he saw but a fool, dancing madly to the Company's tune.
A bit of regret surfaced, as Lucas realized he was condemning this man to death as well. It passed quickly, when Sebastian patted Lucas on the back, whilst giggling drunkenly, "Don't worry, Taylor, I'll have the security escort you back to your room."
Lucas stopped a bit. "I'm sure I can manage on my own," he noted with an icy tone.
"Nonsense!" Sebastian resisted, his speech turning more and more into a drunken slur. "You're our top asset, you need babysitters."
He then stepped outside the small room, whistling loudly. "Ahoy!" he yelled, gaining the attention of the nearest security person.
"Mr. Taylor needs a ride home. And I think he needs a ride as well, if you know what I mean? Five years in the jungle without a woman can get you kind of… wound tight." Sebastian winked at his audience, supporting a huge grin. He found his own jokes quite clever.
Lucas proceeded to walk away from Sebastian, noticing how his inhibitions had made an exit. The pathetic fool was now speaking everything that was on his mind. Under normal circumstances he didn't tolerate fools who paraded themselves, but this time there were more pressing matters at hand. He couldn't afford to make a scene by saying goodbye to Sebastian properly.
Lucas reached the elevators and found himself surrounded by two security persons, both tall and intimidating men. They then made their way into the elevator together.
Carter approached the apartment by sneaking, followed closely by Ludmila. Everyone else was already at work by transporting supplies at the portal. Only Perkins had the assignment to secure Lucas. They had agreed to smuggle the civilians into Hope Plaza by sticking them into a container. The Sixers would carry the needed supplies, and infiltrate the security detail of Hope Plaza (which was provided the Company naturally) at midnight to secure the portal.
The hardest part had been purchasing the explosives, and keeping this activity off-radar. Luckily some of them still had their old contacts in 2149. They now had enough explosives to blow up Hope Plaza off the face of the city for good.
Timing was the key to their plans however. The preparations had been near-complete for a day now, but Lucas had wanted to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. The window of opportunity was tonight; most of the Phoenix Group soldiers were on leave, the top brass of the Company was hosting their sales event and supplies were driven to Hope Plaza almost every hour. Containers full of weapons, technology, vehicles, clothing, etc. was being loaded into the storage. With the next pilgrimage months away no one was looking at the Plaza, which was why the Company had been able to bribe its way to the portal.
All they needed now was a little girl and their leader, who was under constant supervision.
Gladly Sienna wasn't being watched that carefully. Carter had had a chance to examine the security for days now, and after his visit, he'd concluded that the main problem was getting into the building - beyond that the Company hadn't secured her much. The sitter undoubtedly kept a close watch on her, and she had her drivers taking her everywhere, but it wasn't like she was under constant supervision from armed troops.
The two reached the door, each stepping on separate sides, clad in identical combat boots and cargo pants with leather jackets. Ludmila had long jet black hair that reached herback, thick lashes and a cruel smirk. Her complexion was pale. She supported an overgrown, messy fringe on her forehead and had a toned body. An immigrant girl without a future before the Company had given her a chance. Now she was just trying to get her family back together.
Carter gave her a wordless signal, and she nodded, grasping her gun between her hands. He then knocked on the door lightly and stepped into view for the peephole, knowing the sitter wouldn't otherwise open the door. A moment passed, and then he heard the locks being opened on the other side. A tired and unprofessional blonde appeared into the doorway, and she shot Carter with a displeased glance.
"Mr. Carter! You cannot come in here unannounced!" she exclaimed, trying to appeal to his sense of etiquette. Too bad for her, he didn't have it.
Ludmila stepped from behind the door, pressing a gun at the sitter's forehead. It froze her completely. Fear spread across each limb and body part, while she gazed into Ludmila's dark eyes, realizing that this assailant wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger if it was called for.
"Apologies," Carter mumbled as he pushed past the sitter into the apartment and then pressed a small cloth against her nose. She fainted quickly into Carter's arms, and the two thieves in the night pressed into the apartment and closed the door behind them.
Carter passed the unconscious woman into Ludmila's arms, making his way to the bedroom where Sienna was at. Ludmila began dragging the sitter towards the other bedroom. She pushed the door open, when she realized there was a half-dressed man in the bed, clearly waiting for the sitter. One glimpse at him showed her muscles, training, and trouble. She had a half-formed thought about him being one of the drivers for Sienna, which would make his dealings with the sitter quite unprofessional.
Ludmila tossed the sitter aside, and reached for her gun, but got jumped by the man, as he charged at her. Suddenly they were both on the floor, trying to reach the gun he'd thrown out of her hand.
"Carter!" Ludmila roared as the man gained upper hand due to his size. She felt his fingers digging into her hair, clawing at her scalp and yelped in pain a moment later. She then kneed him to the groin, sunk her teeth in his neck, drawing blood. He flinched enough for her to push him off, and roll over him.
As Carter got into the room she was already punching the man senseless. Carter joined in by knocking him unconscious with the nearest object in sight, a Plex lying on the table. He broke it of course, but couldn't care less. Ludmila stopped hitting the unconscious man, and was left panting for a few seconds. Carter extended his hand for his partner to help her back on her feet, and examined the dark bruise on her face once she was standing.
"Go get the kid," she groaned, and grimaced at the pain that was only now beginning to flood her senses. Carter didn't need to be persuaded; he set off towards Sienna's room again, while Ludmila dragged the two unconscious guardians away from the door and closed it behind her to keep them out of sight.
Carter opened the bedroom door carefully, calling for the girl. "Sienna? It's time to go," he said softly, putting his hands in view, as the light in the corridor lit him, to show he was unarmed.
Something moved beneath the covers, and then she appeared into view. She looked barely awake with her half-closed eyes and messy hair. When she noticed Carter though, her demeanor changed.
"Is it time to go see mom?" she asked hopefully, surprisingly unmoved by Carter's sudden reappearance. He realized she must've been half-asleep. Perhaps the panic would kick in later?
"Yes dear, it's time," he moved in front of her bed, kneeling down. "Help me pack a few things you need. We need to be quick," he explained.
Once again her reactions surprised him. Carter was prepared to drug her, to take out kicking and screaming, yet her calmness was unexpected. Sienna rose from her bed, kicking the covers aside eagerly, and running to the cabinets. She began taking out clothes, of which he only agreed to pick up some, before she moved onto toys, surprisingly picking only one of them, a dinosaur.
Carter put everything inside the back pack he'd brought with him. He remembered he'd let Mira explain the details carefully: everything from medications to other necessary items. Once Sienna was done, he picked up her rebreather from the table and took her hand, pulling her towards the door.
Upon realizing she was still moving slow and groggy, he stopped and picked her up, lifting her over his arm. They were met by Ludmila in the corridor, and Carter could feel Sienna's grip around his neck tighten at the sight of the unfamiliar woman.
"That's Ludmila, she's really nice. She's my partner," he whispered, unable to completely wash away her doubts. Ludmila didn't mind, she winked at the girl before they headed for the door in unison.
TBC
Fandom: Terra Nova
Ship: Skye/Lucas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: bad language, sexual situations, AU
Chapter: 25/?
Summary: AU story. Skye meets a strange man at Snakehead Falls and ends up falling in love. But can happiness built on anonymity last, when the world around them is on fire?
Author's Note: Still trying my best to speed things along, but the characters won't let me! The next one should be quicker paced though ;)
Things Lost in the Fire
25. No Light
Another morning broke, failing to bring any hope with its first light. Skye shifted beneath her blanket, dreaming of Lucas, that haunting encounter by the Falls. Those memories never truly left her, never truly became tainted by their later actions. How would things be if she hadn't approached him so fearlessly, if she hadn't given into the temptation of his presence? Skye couldn't imagine such a world in a dream, nor awake.
Lucas had changed because of that encounter, and without it to influence him he would've taken a different road, she was certain. Without being forced to see things through her eyes, he would've extracted his revenge by now, sated his hunger for his father's pain. Skye doubted Lucas would've turned against his employers willingly, had she not been there to be threatened.
And still she was weak. She suffered terrible doubts.
For two days now, she'd been locked in this cell without visitors, without a word from Taylor. He had isolated her completely, refused to answer her calls. This time it didn't hurt her - she'd come to expect such behavior from the Taylors, seeing how attached they were to silence, to denial - yet she felt confined, angry. She was a Sixer now, one of the enemies, and she didn't even deny it. To Skye the wellbeing of the camp was important, just as the safety of Terra Nova was. But Terra Nova was no longer her home.
How strange that the short separation had merely showed her how distanced she'd been from this community to begin with. Secrets weren't kept by keeping close friends. Her double life needed the distance to work, needed the time and unfamiliarity to support her lies.
The first few hours she'd been enraged. Yelling, banging on the bars, trying to get their attention. She had calmed down eventually, realizing this had been their intent from the start. Washington might've told Taylor about her arrival, but he didn't see her as the adoptive daughter anymore, just as he probably didn't see Lucas as his son either. Taylor didn't come running to her; he kept his distance, hoping to weaken her before the unavoidable interrogations.
Taylor probably thought she was the weak link now, the one who would give away the plan, the location of the camp, everything he could possibly ask.
She let him think that, sank into silence, resting listlessly on her bed and escaping to the depths of her mind. For two days she had time to think. And her rest here was uninterrupted, rejuvenating. The nightmares of her previous nights were dissipated here; she felt safe, as crazy as that was.
Lucas had left again, been torn her bloodied arms, before she could talk to him about the darkness inside, that easily annoyed lump that pressed her chest; How easy it had been to pull the trigger and end Curran's life, a man who had been her friend. The pain of Hicks' death was still fresh on her mind, the rage at Morris' tactics unyielding even in the face of his death. Skye had looked at the body on the ground, wondered how it looked as if Morris was still smiling as she stared down at him from the heights. That expression on his face, glee perhaps, had remained with her even to this day.
She knew Morris had had spies in Terra Nova, that those people would probably be very interested in her presence here. Yet no one had come, or made an effort to contact her. For a moment there, Skye had wondered whether it had all been a ruse: just a ploy in the mind of a sick man to get them to doubt one another. Then she'd realized it wasn't a risk worth taking. The others had sought to find out the identity of the spies, and she believed they would return with this information, return to the portal only to be ambushed by Taylor.
The chill of the cell offered her no warmth. She squirmed beneath the blanket, unable to get a good position. The pleasant dream was invaded by fear. Suddenly the soldiers were everywhere, grabbing onto her and Lucas, forcing them down on their knees. Gunshots made her jump in her sleep, startle awake almost violently. Within seconds the dream ended, and she was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding onto her necklace, the one Hicks had given her.
It calmed her down some once she realized it was just some sort of a rehearsal going on outside. Skye reached for the water bottle on the floor and took a long gulp. She then examined her hand, made sure the splint was still in place. It seemed sound, even if traces of blood were all over her bandaged hand. Skye had expected Taylor to send in Elizabeth, but apparently medical assistance wasn't necessary for Sixers. She didn't mind the splint though; it was a small price for the pleasure of slugging Morris.
With a deep breath, she rose to her feet, stretching her sore muscles and moving a bit in the confined space. Time was running out; Eventually Lucas would come back, his recovery would advance to the point of their return, and they would blow Hope Plaza in their wake. Her job had been to convince Taylor of their intentions, but she had misread him. Now that the conflict had ascended to the next level, his main priority was Terra Nova. Neither Lucas nor Skye mattered if they were a threat to the colony.
Skye cleaned her face with the little water she had left, and sat on her bed again, leaning against the wall. Time passed by excruciatingly slow here.
Sometime later she was finally greeted by a guest. It was Guzman, Tasha's father.
"Taylor will see you now, Skye," he said calmly, peering at her through the bars. Skye returned his gaze lifelessly, and dragged herself to the door next, turning around and surrendering her wrists for the handcuffs.
"We're not going to put on handcuffs," Guzman said, surprising Skye for once. "Just come quietly, and don't make trouble. That way we can walk freely," he advised, sounding almost fatherly.
She nodded at him, still unable to find words for the occasion. A part of her wanted to ask about Tasha, and another wanted to be oblivious to her feelings. No matter what, she would be a Sixer whore in some corner of the colony and a murderer in another, so it was better not to think about it. Skye allowed Guzman to escort her down the narrow corridor of the cellblock.
They walked for a short while, ending up in the isolation room. It felt good to be able to stretch your arms and legs, even if it was just for awhile. Guzman showed her inside and told her to wait for Taylor there, exiting almost immediately himself. Skye didn't hold her breath. She slid down the wall, as her feet slowly gave in after awhile, and she ended up sitting on the corner, waiting.
Of course she knew what this room was for, what they had done to Boylan here. Interrogation for un-cooperative prisoners, that's what the room was for. Constant noise that prevented sleep, starvation, pain, shocks, basically Taylor had a variety of torture methods available. Would he use them on her, it was still a bit muddy in her head. Maybe just the fear of being tortured would enough to get her to talk in his mind.
She cradled her bandaged arm on her lap, thinking of Lucas' promise to make everything right. He was keeping his end somewhere far away, in another timeline, whereas she was caught here, making the same mistakes. Could she still rely on Taylor after everything?
She heard steps in the distance, and looked up to find the Commander standing in front of her. The door was closed in the distance, and his eyes were harsh.
"How are you holding up Skye?" Taylor asked her tentatively. There was worry in his expression, genuine concern for her wellbeing.
And then, "Whose blood is that on you?"
Finally a question she could answer. Skye smiled at him weakly, realizing only now how utterly tired she was. The events that had taken place recently had exhausted her thoroughly, and the danger just wouldn't end!
"Mostly Lucas," she replied, observing Taylor's reaction to her words. He was iron, nothing readable on his face.
"Is he alive?" Taylor questioned next, still standing whilst Skye sat.
"He wanted to negotiate a new deal between his employer and the Sixers. That man declined his offer and stabbed him through his hand. We managed to stop the bleeding, get the wound cauterized, but it was bad. Carter had to carry him through the portal in hopes of getting him to a hospital," she told him, reliving those horrible moments.
"I thought the calculations were lost," Taylor spoke aloud.
Perhaps he was musing more to himself than her. She answered him though, "No, they were always in his head."
"I'm sorry you had to live through that," he apologized. But Skye suspected he was referring to the Curran incident as well, seeing how the deal with Morris really wasn't his fault.
"It was never going to be easy with him. I could tell he was damaged from the first time we met," Skye explained, sounding softer now. She could see Lucas face by the water, as he explained about his family, about being alone. She remembered how much she'd wanted to tell him things would be alright.
Then she was looking straight at him, her former Commander, her second father. "He didn't run from me. He went to 2149 to cut all bonds with his employer, to bring everyone's families," she confirmed, thinking Taylor had the wrong idea about his son.
And Taylor raised a surprised brow in response. "That's why you're here? To convince me that Lucas wants peace?" he questioned, disbelievingly.
"I'm asking you to give your son the benefit of the doubt, before you shoot him on sight at that portal," she responded. Her heart was bare in front of him, no lies or secrets emerged from its depths. It was honesty reflected all over Skye's face. She may have looked older (a completely different person altogether), yet this was her truthful face.
He remembered what it had felt like to know she had lied countless times with that same face, showing no signs of weakness or hesitation. Taylor knew better than to let his emotions override reason this time. Lucas would say the same thing to him, beg theatrically on his knees for forgiveness, and then stab him in the back when the opportunity arrived. He didn't really know Skye at all. He saw how quickly she had adapted into the Sixer community, how quickly her loyalties had changed, how quickly she'd come to love his son. Taylor didn't have a constant for her, not even her mother had had a real effect on her.
"Lucas is coming to attack us, Skye," Taylor said patiently, repeating the same mantra he'd argued about for days now. No one else knew his son; some had claimed that since no one was injured at the portal when it had been breached meant that the Sixers could have a peaceful intent. He didn't believe it for a second!
"I'm sorry you can't see that," he continued, drawing another deep breath. There was pity in his eyes: pity for the young woman who'd fallen in love with his deranged son and still believed his lies.
"He can't forgive you yet, but he's trying to fix at least some of his mistakes," Skye claimed, turning her eyes from Taylor. She couldn't stand looking at his judgmental face. "You should give him a chance, you might get surprised."
"Might isn't good enough, Skye. With him the odds aren't good at all…," he recalled the painful times he'd tried to reach for his son and been rejected. He thought of the favors he'd done (getting the assault charges dropped, securing him an apartment, mentioning his name around…) and how Lucas had seen each as some kind of vote of distrust. Pain sneaked into his expression.
Lucas needed to be captured, his army disbanded. In the end Terra Nova was all that mattered.
Skye could hear it in his voice: the denial, the hurt. It was useless to try and convince him this way. It was useless to expect Lucas to behave rationally with his father. It was useless to ask his father to take the first step after so many failed attempts. She pressed her head in defeat, biting her lip nervously.
"Then I suppose we have nothing else to talk about," she concluded.
Taylor didn't agree with her on that one though.
"Tell me where the Sixer camp is, Skye," Taylor demanded, finding more confidence in his voice now that the topic was less personal.
Skye didn't look at Taylor, just stared at her hands resting in her lap. "I'm not giving away the location of their home," she said.
"Skye, you need to tell me where they are," Taylor asked again, this time sounding a bit more aggressive.
"They have children there," she frowned ominously, as if seeing the effect the sound of approaching troops would have on them.
"They are murderers and thieves. They are the very people, who starved your mother and held her hostage," Taylor hissed, seeking for a way to get under her skin.
"Terrible deeds yes, but it's as you said, desperate times demand desperate measures," she countered, shooting him with a hostile look. The memory of his words, concerning his choice to trust Curran, was still fresh on her mind.
"Do a thousand civilians deserve to die, so that they can mine this land?" he asked her, crossing his arms across his chest. Skye wasn't impressed with his audacity.
"You would save only a thousand from the millions that suffer in the future?"
Her question hung between them, forcing him to remember what it had been like: The smog, the thin air, the crowdedness, the lack of anything green. Of course he knew he couldn't save them all. Little by little Terra Nova had grown and given home for more and more people. But it could never be them all.
"You could come back, Skye," he told her then, sounding sincere, speaking this unspoken wish aloud.
She clenched her teeth, finding a part of herself that yearned for it. She'd settled in to the Sixer camp, in their strange customs and lives, yet her mother was still here and she missed these people every now and then. Of course the price of her readmission would be giving up the Sixers, giving up Lucas.
"I'm not telling you," she settled to remark.
Taylor exhaled visibly and looked elsewhere for awhile, shaking his head a bit. A silence stayed with them for nearly a minute.
"You're going to tell me, Skye. You'll tell me where the camp is, when Lucas is coming back, and what kind of an attack force he's bringing with him," Taylor listed before he walked away.
"You'll have to torture me!" she yelled after him, sounding willful but tired.
He didn't respond, and the door was shut after him.
Five minutes after the noise began. It wasn't loud enough to drown everything in its path - more likely it was intended to be a nuisance at this point - but it was there nevertheless. Skye laid herself on the floor, placing her head over her hand and closed her eyes.
She would change his mind. With some time, she would change his mind.
Lucas surveyed the event with cool detachment as he moved through the crowds, mingling. The pain medication was blocking the pain for now, but it prevented him from drinking, which was a shame because there was champagne everywhere. He'd shaven his face (with some assistance eventually) and dressed in the rental suit Sebastian had acquired for him. Sebastian had also been quick to offer him some stimulants (because he looked so weary still), but Lucas had rejected those.
He wore a glove on his injured hand, covering the bandages from prying eyes. The first few hours of the event Sebastian had paraded him around like a hero, making sure he was the limelight constantly. Lucas was their sales pitch - the man who'd returned from Terra Nova, the man who'd concurred time. The products differed from customer to customer, ranging from minerals to food, from water to exotic species, from plant life to luxurious trips into the wild. The Company had everything imaginable for sale through some subsidiary. And there was a lot of interest.
His face was strained from all the smiling, from the false interest he had to display. And he would tell them all stories of his time in the wild, surviving nature, when such jungles had been cut down for nearly a hundred years in this timeline. All of his listeners would be fascinated with the details, entranced by these tales. The only pleasure Lucas received from this experience, was the knowledge that none of these people would get what they wanted.
Of course there were sad fates in the middle of the greedy as well. Each time Lucas heard about a person or people he would helping with his invention, he could feel his heart bleed. Before he would've taken such compliments and praise as an ego boost, but now they just saddened him. Deep down he still wondered if the future should be saved. If the resources they could've mined would've saved the world. It was sad to know all these people would remember him as the man who closed the gates to Paradise at a later time.
In the end he was as selfish as any of them. The one who controlled the past, controlled the future, and he was in the way of that. It was either death by the Company's hands or salvation by cutting them off from the past. Morris had shown him the true face of these people, these men who signed off lives with their pens. Even Sebastian, who basked in glory and praise now, had undoubtedly been surprised that Lucas had made it back to 2149 in one piece.
The sales event was huge, and Sebastian was quick to claim it a success. Contracts were drawn in the small rooms through-out the evening, men in tuxes and women in cocktail dresses vanished with beautiful (paid) escorts into the upstairs all the time only to reappear some time later, and food and wine was wasted at every chance. Lucas felt disgust at watching the waste continue through-out the evening. He remembered how impressed he had been at the impressionable age of twenty when they had brought him to such an event, showing him the merits of working with them. He recalled feeling distaste over the flocking escorts, but relishing their company anyway.
"Why the glove?" some of the braver specimen would ask with intrigue.
"Life in the jungle isn't entirely without its dangers," Lucas would respond with a smirk.
"Why you're the most interesting scientist I've ever met, like modern… ummm… what was he called? Indiana Jones!" Someone would utter a half-hearted compliment.
"He was an Archeologist, I believe," Lucas would mention without much amusement.
At some point his would get tired in these uncomfortable shoes, and Lucas would retire to a comfy divan, until he would get dragged back into the heart of the noise and obnoxious crowds by Sebastian. And so they played on and on for hours...
Lucas retired at one point to one of the small rooms, closing the door behind him, hoping Sebastian would leave him alone for a minute. This spin near the customers was supposed to last an hour tops, but somehow Sebastian had made him dance all night to his tune so far. The doctor had been against it, warning them both against Lucas being on his feet too much and especially against drinking alcohol. Of course Sebastian had made it his business to subtly mention that their employers wanted to get to Terra Nova as quickly as possible and were unsatisfied with Lucas' long recovery. It had been enough to push Lucas up from his bed early to convince them otherwise.
Now he was certain he'd served his purpose here. Lucas reached for his communicator in his pocket, having noticed signs of life some minutes earlier. He established connection with the others quickly.
"Lucas here. What's your progress?" he asked impatiently, hoping for anything to get him away from this torturous event.
"Window of opportunity open, boss. Should we take it?" Carter asked, sounding hopeful for once.
The announcement took Lucas by surprise. He hadn't expected it to happen so soon, least of all tonight.
"Is everything prepped?" He needed to make sure.
"Extraction needed for you and number eleven. Everything else is in order," someone else confirmed.
A pregnant pause landed between them, as Lucas reconsidered everything he'd learned.
"We do it tonight," he then confirmed and shut off his communicator in fear of being caught with it.
They had been gathering supplies, finding the people on that list, making preparations with the Company and the Phoenix Group back in Hope Plaza. The Plaza was full of the Company's supplies now; everyone was just waiting for the final pieces to fall in place, so access was granted to all of the Sixers in their group. The Company didn't expect a double cross, seeing how helpful everyone was being.
The sound of the door creaking behind him startled Lucas a bit, but he relaxed when he saw that it was just Sebastian. You could see the way the alcohol had blurred Sebastian's inhibitions, how his tie hung loose, the traces of lipstick on his jaw, the way he didn't eye Lucas evaluating at all, but embraced Lucas with warmth.
"Come on Golden Boy," Sebastian chuckled and motioned Lucas towards the crowds again. "I have yet more audience for you."
He was holding a champagne glass in his hand and his hair was disheveled. For once, Lucas let his guard down a bit in front of this man.
"I have served for hours here, Sebastian. Now the pain is too much. I need to retire for the evening," he explained, getting a frown in response from the slightly older man. Lucas made a face at his disbelief. "It's not like I'm a housewife vetoing sex for a headache. Honestly, the injury is painful."
"Fine then!" Sebastian waved Lucas down with disappointment. "You're missing the party of the century Taylor, but whatever!"
His coordination seemed poor, and Lucas pondered how much exactly this man had already drunk tonight. The contemplation didn't last long though. Lucas straightened himself and fixed his appearance a bit, making his way towards the door. He took a good look at Sebastian when he passed the man by, trying to reminiscence why his face had been so terrifying in the jungle. Now as he looked at the man, he saw but a fool, dancing madly to the Company's tune.
A bit of regret surfaced, as Lucas realized he was condemning this man to death as well. It passed quickly, when Sebastian patted Lucas on the back, whilst giggling drunkenly, "Don't worry, Taylor, I'll have the security escort you back to your room."
Lucas stopped a bit. "I'm sure I can manage on my own," he noted with an icy tone.
"Nonsense!" Sebastian resisted, his speech turning more and more into a drunken slur. "You're our top asset, you need babysitters."
He then stepped outside the small room, whistling loudly. "Ahoy!" he yelled, gaining the attention of the nearest security person.
"Mr. Taylor needs a ride home. And I think he needs a ride as well, if you know what I mean? Five years in the jungle without a woman can get you kind of… wound tight." Sebastian winked at his audience, supporting a huge grin. He found his own jokes quite clever.
Lucas proceeded to walk away from Sebastian, noticing how his inhibitions had made an exit. The pathetic fool was now speaking everything that was on his mind. Under normal circumstances he didn't tolerate fools who paraded themselves, but this time there were more pressing matters at hand. He couldn't afford to make a scene by saying goodbye to Sebastian properly.
Lucas reached the elevators and found himself surrounded by two security persons, both tall and intimidating men. They then made their way into the elevator together.
Carter approached the apartment by sneaking, followed closely by Ludmila. Everyone else was already at work by transporting supplies at the portal. Only Perkins had the assignment to secure Lucas. They had agreed to smuggle the civilians into Hope Plaza by sticking them into a container. The Sixers would carry the needed supplies, and infiltrate the security detail of Hope Plaza (which was provided the Company naturally) at midnight to secure the portal.
The hardest part had been purchasing the explosives, and keeping this activity off-radar. Luckily some of them still had their old contacts in 2149. They now had enough explosives to blow up Hope Plaza off the face of the city for good.
Timing was the key to their plans however. The preparations had been near-complete for a day now, but Lucas had wanted to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. The window of opportunity was tonight; most of the Phoenix Group soldiers were on leave, the top brass of the Company was hosting their sales event and supplies were driven to Hope Plaza almost every hour. Containers full of weapons, technology, vehicles, clothing, etc. was being loaded into the storage. With the next pilgrimage months away no one was looking at the Plaza, which was why the Company had been able to bribe its way to the portal.
All they needed now was a little girl and their leader, who was under constant supervision.
Gladly Sienna wasn't being watched that carefully. Carter had had a chance to examine the security for days now, and after his visit, he'd concluded that the main problem was getting into the building - beyond that the Company hadn't secured her much. The sitter undoubtedly kept a close watch on her, and she had her drivers taking her everywhere, but it wasn't like she was under constant supervision from armed troops.
The two reached the door, each stepping on separate sides, clad in identical combat boots and cargo pants with leather jackets. Ludmila had long jet black hair that reached herback, thick lashes and a cruel smirk. Her complexion was pale. She supported an overgrown, messy fringe on her forehead and had a toned body. An immigrant girl without a future before the Company had given her a chance. Now she was just trying to get her family back together.
Carter gave her a wordless signal, and she nodded, grasping her gun between her hands. He then knocked on the door lightly and stepped into view for the peephole, knowing the sitter wouldn't otherwise open the door. A moment passed, and then he heard the locks being opened on the other side. A tired and unprofessional blonde appeared into the doorway, and she shot Carter with a displeased glance.
"Mr. Carter! You cannot come in here unannounced!" she exclaimed, trying to appeal to his sense of etiquette. Too bad for her, he didn't have it.
Ludmila stepped from behind the door, pressing a gun at the sitter's forehead. It froze her completely. Fear spread across each limb and body part, while she gazed into Ludmila's dark eyes, realizing that this assailant wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger if it was called for.
"Apologies," Carter mumbled as he pushed past the sitter into the apartment and then pressed a small cloth against her nose. She fainted quickly into Carter's arms, and the two thieves in the night pressed into the apartment and closed the door behind them.
Carter passed the unconscious woman into Ludmila's arms, making his way to the bedroom where Sienna was at. Ludmila began dragging the sitter towards the other bedroom. She pushed the door open, when she realized there was a half-dressed man in the bed, clearly waiting for the sitter. One glimpse at him showed her muscles, training, and trouble. She had a half-formed thought about him being one of the drivers for Sienna, which would make his dealings with the sitter quite unprofessional.
Ludmila tossed the sitter aside, and reached for her gun, but got jumped by the man, as he charged at her. Suddenly they were both on the floor, trying to reach the gun he'd thrown out of her hand.
"Carter!" Ludmila roared as the man gained upper hand due to his size. She felt his fingers digging into her hair, clawing at her scalp and yelped in pain a moment later. She then kneed him to the groin, sunk her teeth in his neck, drawing blood. He flinched enough for her to push him off, and roll over him.
As Carter got into the room she was already punching the man senseless. Carter joined in by knocking him unconscious with the nearest object in sight, a Plex lying on the table. He broke it of course, but couldn't care less. Ludmila stopped hitting the unconscious man, and was left panting for a few seconds. Carter extended his hand for his partner to help her back on her feet, and examined the dark bruise on her face once she was standing.
"Go get the kid," she groaned, and grimaced at the pain that was only now beginning to flood her senses. Carter didn't need to be persuaded; he set off towards Sienna's room again, while Ludmila dragged the two unconscious guardians away from the door and closed it behind her to keep them out of sight.
Carter opened the bedroom door carefully, calling for the girl. "Sienna? It's time to go," he said softly, putting his hands in view, as the light in the corridor lit him, to show he was unarmed.
Something moved beneath the covers, and then she appeared into view. She looked barely awake with her half-closed eyes and messy hair. When she noticed Carter though, her demeanor changed.
"Is it time to go see mom?" she asked hopefully, surprisingly unmoved by Carter's sudden reappearance. He realized she must've been half-asleep. Perhaps the panic would kick in later?
"Yes dear, it's time," he moved in front of her bed, kneeling down. "Help me pack a few things you need. We need to be quick," he explained.
Once again her reactions surprised him. Carter was prepared to drug her, to take out kicking and screaming, yet her calmness was unexpected. Sienna rose from her bed, kicking the covers aside eagerly, and running to the cabinets. She began taking out clothes, of which he only agreed to pick up some, before she moved onto toys, surprisingly picking only one of them, a dinosaur.
Carter put everything inside the back pack he'd brought with him. He remembered he'd let Mira explain the details carefully: everything from medications to other necessary items. Once Sienna was done, he picked up her rebreather from the table and took her hand, pulling her towards the door.
Upon realizing she was still moving slow and groggy, he stopped and picked her up, lifting her over his arm. They were met by Ludmila in the corridor, and Carter could feel Sienna's grip around his neck tighten at the sight of the unfamiliar woman.
"That's Ludmila, she's really nice. She's my partner," he whispered, unable to completely wash away her doubts. Ludmila didn't mind, she winked at the girl before they headed for the door in unison.
TBC