Terra Nova - Things Lost in the Fire ch26 [Skye/Lucas]
Title: Things Lost in the Fire
Fandom: Terra Nova
Ship: Skye/Lucas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: bad language, sexual situations, AU
Chapter: 26/?
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: Only a few chapters left of this one, and I'm glad. I've been writing this for over three months now, so really, it feels good to end it.
Things Lost in the Fire
26. King's Gambit
Lucas eyed his tainted reflection in the elevator's reflective wall. He'd opened the top buttons of his shirt, loosened his tie, and rolled the sleeves of his shirt up a moment ago. His suit jacket hung over his arm and his uninjured hand was hidden in his pocket, whilst the injured hand was still covered by a glove. The details were muddled on his reflection; the wall didn't betray his expression, or the way his eyes kept glancing at the screen that displayed the floor they were currently in. It was a long way down from the penthouse of the skyscraper, and the descent felt like eternity now.
The two men by his each side observed him, appearing non-threatening, yet absorbing every detail with an analytical eye. Each was tall and broad-shouldered, clad in a neat suit that showed they weren't party guests but didn't specify their purpose either. Lucas knew the type though: hired help for special needs. These men probably knew how to make men disappear after spilling their secrets in desperate attempts to avoid their fate. These men were here to make sure he stayed put like a good pet, not a valued asset.
He hadn't given up the calculations yet; it was the reason he was still alive. Lucas knew they had been asking about them from the others, searched for a copy that would've spared them effort of getting back in his good graces, but Lucas had made sure none existed. There was still the issue of the copy in Terra Nova, but he was certain the Company didn't know about it yet.
They reached the ground floor finally, and all three exited the elevator in a controlled manner. Lucas received his overcoat and rebreather from the lobby, as well as other personal belongings (he was certain they had searched through these items thoroughly while he'd attended the party and found nothing of interest). The two men also received their overcoats and followed Lucas outside, where the air was thin and murky and worked as slow poison to anyone who dared to breathe it freely.
Lucas stopped one of the men from waving down a taxi, pointing at the approaching car instead. He had a ride already, and it was here right on schedule. The car slid in front of them, stopping at the desired spot. The second bodyguard opened Lucas the door to the backseat, and followed him once he was there. The first man settled to sit in the front seat.
"Mr. Taylor," a voice called from the front seat. Lucas met with the gaze of the driver through the rear-view mirror, and nodded with acceptance as he stared into Perkins' eyes.
"My hospital suite, please," Lucas requested, staring outside through the darkened windows. The people walking outside like wraiths dragged themselves onwards, dreaming of a lucky chance, of winning the lottery. He felt like a villain to take this chance from them forever. Alas, it was unavoidable now.
Perkins drove off, joining the traffic just as expected. Lucas fixed his position on the backseat, reaching for the hidden weapon between the door and the seat. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary, even as Perkins drove the car with only hand on the wheel, and grasped a gun in his other hand. He glanced at Lucas through the mirror again, seeking the signs of approval, a confirmation that he had found the gun.
"Did you enjoy the evening, ?" Perkins asked, failing to gain eye contact. His voice sounded light, harmless, even if his intent was anything but. He changed lanes, driving along in the hectic traffic peacefully.
Lucas gained hold of the gun seconds after, and he turned to look at Perkins through the mirror now. "It was a very fruitful evening. I believe we have laid ground for a wonderful future," he then commented, sounding perfectly normal up until the moment he turned to the man beside him and aimed the gun at his side, pulling the trigger instantly.
Perkins didn't move noticeably as he brought the gun over his stomach and fired it at the man beside him. The silencers were on, only muffled noises marked this silent execution. Lucas fired a couple of times more to ensure the man beside him was dead. Perkins settled for the one shot; he could see the man beside him grow limp and lean onwards as if passed out from the corner of his eye.
The illusion of calmness broke as Lucas pushed himself to the middle seat and checked the pulse of the man he'd shot. He didn't feel anything beneath his fingers, and when he looked at the man's face, he quickly confirmed he was dead.
"Is everything in order?" Lucas asked with worry. He glanced at the time that showed in the front panel of the car. It was quarter past midnight by now.
"Carter called in to say they got Mira's kid. Six have infiltrated the Plaza already, two are watching the container," Perkins gave an update calmly, placing the gun in the holster that rested by his side.
"Are they using lethal force?"
"Yes."
It should've bothered him, yet it didn't. He wondered if his father had justified his feud with the Sixers the same way - killing them mercilessly, because they had made their choice. His voice faltered a bit with the next question. "Did you contact the camp?"
The thought of Skye still helped hold him together: The thought that maybe they could live together without enemies, without danger.
"There was no way to do that with a secure line," Perkins spoke softly, sounding a bit regretful, almost apologizing.
So there was no way of knowing what waited them at the other end? Lucas settled for what he could get. If they were gunned down at the portal, so be it. They had tried at least. According to Skye that was all that mattered.
Taylor still lingered with the decision to increase the volume of the noise. This was nothing, this was a mere annoyance. If he wanted to torture her, he'd need to do something much worse. But he couldn't quite go there.
It had been easy with Boylan; rage had clouded his mind and driven him into acting. It'd been easy to torture the enemy in war ravaged countries, knowing their crimes, hearing the cries of their victims. But Skye was another matter. She was just a kid, nineteen years old, soon to be twenty, and her only crime had been to act in an impossible situation.
Her betrayal stung of course, he was just a man after all. His reason couldn't paint her as the enemy no matter what she wore, or said, or didn't say. He could reason with her shooting Curran, with her helping Lucas, even with her providing Intel to the Sixers to aid her mother. But it was too much to ask for him to trust her after everything. She'd taken everything he'd given her, spat it back in his face, and then asked for more.
In three years he'd come to love her like a daughter, and in just three weeks she'd done her best to hurt him in a way only his son had succeeded before.
By reason she was a terrorist and a liar. By his heart she was confused girl in love with a mirage his son had created to woo her with. In no reality were the words she spoke real. It was too good to be true. A brilliant strategy from Lucas though: to send her to beg for safe passage.
"You're wasting time," Skye commented, holding her head high even through this ordeal. "If you really want your precious answers, you'll need to do better than this."
Taylor didn't have a witty come back for her, he couldn't even squash her rebellion with a stern look. So he chatted with her instead, motioning for them to stop the noise for now. It ended a few seconds later, causing Skye's tense shoulders to relax, as if she hadn't even realized how much the sound had affected her.
"No one's come for you," he said softly, offering her a small tissue to wipe the sweat from her face. She took it and used it to clean herself. He could see she wasn't surprised by his announcement, drew his own conclusions from it.
"Are they all in 2149, meeting with the bosses?" he asked her, sounding almost sympathetic.
Skye hesitated, not knowing how much she ought to keep to herself. He was standing in front of her again, after abandoning her here for most of the day. She didn't know the time, but she assumed it had to be night-time by now. He'd left her in here for countless hours to be softened by the noise, perhaps expecting her to be more helpful at this late hour.
"Only a handful," she replied eventually, seeing no reason to lie.
"Because they will bring reinforcements, I suppose?" Taylor speculated. His comment drew another sour look of disappointment from her.
"So who got left behind? Carter?" he asked, observing her reactions closely. No matter how hard she tried to veil her body language, Skye was tired and in a constant state of unease. He could see his guess had been wrong.
"Mira?" Taylor said with surprise, frowning at the thought. "I'd have thought she'd jump at a chance to get back to her daughter," he then said. "I suppose that was a lie as well."
Skye's head snapped at the charge, her eyes drilled into his. "She wanted nothing more," she said, eager to defend the woman. "But she couldn't go, not with her injury."
Taylor was surprised to realize Skye's reverie for the woman. Mira was a harsh person, someone who knew when pleasantries weren't needed. He couldn't imagine these two growing close, yet it was evident they had.
"You should understand, as a fellow parent," Skye continued, pointing the attention to Taylor again. "She excluded herself so her child would have the best chance to be saved. I imagine you would've done the same for Lucas upon a time."
Memories flooded Taylor. He remembered the scrawny boy, covered in dirt and blood, refusing to let go of his father's hand. He remembered the guilt that had chained him for not choosing Ayani. He remembered the countless times he'd sat by the kitchen table, drink in hand, gun in another. He'd made sure Lucas wouldn't be there to see those moments, that he could live his teens without seeing his father's weakness, his guilt.
In retrospect maybe that had been his failing.
Skye saw something in Taylor's stoic front, a crack in his armor. "Maybe that's why you won't torture me," she said, understanding it now. "You don't stop being a parent just because your child lets you down."
Taylor faced her scanning gaze bravely, that earlier sign of weakness gone already. "Terra Nova is my first priority over any one person," he told her. "Hell will freeze before I let anyone, even my son, destroy what we've built here."
And they were back in square one. Taylor drew a long breath to calm himself.
"Your mother keeps asking about you," he then said. "I don't know what to tell her."
"Tell her the truth," she simply answered.
"The truth would break her heart," he countered with a frown, unable to understand how she could this comfortable with her choices. He kept trying to leave the door open for her, and she kept trying to push it closed instead. "Is that what you want?" Taylor asked her.
But Skye had already told Deborah everything, already made peace with her mother. "Don't turn it into a sacrifice," she whispered, shaking her head. "I told her everything when I left her. She wanted me to do so. But I didn't go to Lucas for her; I went to Lucas for me."
And it dawned on her that Taylor didn't have words for this situation even now. Asking him to explain it to Deborah, or anyone else for the matter, would've only led to further confusion. He couldn't explain, because he could not understand.
"I think he hates you because he feels you abandoned him," she dared to say aloud. "He's not an easy person to love by any means, but underneath his façade he's just lonely. And I think he hurt you, because he felt that he couldn't get you to love him."
Taylor listened to her insights, feeling the stung of her accusation. Had he abandoned his son? He had tried to give Lucas a life worth living, opened doors for him, helped cope with his mistakes. He had wanted something better for his son, and so he had made sure his son didn't know his own nightmares. Had Lucas seen it as abandonment? Had he really thought he didn't love his son?
"None of that matters anymore," he settled to remark. "Terra Nova won't pay for my mistakes."
Skye wanted to scream aloud.
"The man that came from the future, Morris. He showed Lucas the true face of the men he was dealing with," Skye claimed, desperation sneaking into her voice. "And Lucas realized he'd been wrong. He realized he cares for the Sixers, that they're his family. And you know what? They're my family too."
Taylor wanted to interrupt her, but she wouldn't let him. "Yes, they're my family. Because they didn't need to take me in, give me shelter, laugh with me, cry with me, defend me… and yet they did all that. These murderers and thieves, as you call them, gave me a chance."
Taylor hadn't really considered it before. And suddenly he thought about Mira running to the rescue whenever a single Sixer was in danger. She'd always come for them.
"So where are they now?" he asked with a grave voice, feeling sad for Skye for having such faith only to be disappointed.
"I came here willingly," Skye replied. "If you had taken me, they would've come."
And she believed every word. Had they really embraced her so? Impressed her this thoroughly?
An announcement ended the moment, Washington's voice calling to Taylor through the intercom.
"Sir, we have activity at the portal," she called.
Oxygen hurt Skye's lungs suddenly. Was it already time? No! It couldn't be! She needed more time!
She turned her disturbed eyes at Taylor, who marked her distress clearly. He realized then she hadn't known about any schedules. Lucas was coming now, and he needed to act.
Skye rose to her feet, grabbing Taylor's hand. "Please," she pleaded eyes wide. "If you ever loved me, don't use lethal force. Give him a chance," she begged.
Taylor didn't say anything as he headed off after tearing his arm from her grip. He walked away with a grim expression. He was heading off to war, a final showdown between father and son. The portal would be the stage for their reunion and goodbye.
Tears streamed down her face as she buried her face in her hands and waited. It was all out of in her hands now.
No one looked twice at the truck that drove into the cargo area once their plates were checked at the gate. Ludmila adjusted her cap to make sure her face was obscured by most camera angles, but Perkins looked onwards without such fear. He scanned for guards that weren't one of theirs, spotting them one by one, marking each position in his memory.
She parked the truck at the designated spot, and seconds later the crane grabbed the container they were hauling, and pulled it off the truck to begin transporting to the correct area. They had fiddled with the papers, made sure it was put as close to the portal as possible. Perkins gave his female companion a look, facing her dark eyes. They rose from the truck in unison afterwards, waving at the guards, asking for directions to the break room. No one paid much attention.
Once in the corridor they were met by two others. With one swipe of a card, the lock on the door jammed, effectively closing the doors behind them. Ludmila tossed her cap and pulled out her gun discreetly.
"Carter and Lucas are in the container with the civilians," she explained to the others.
"Stannis and Ellis are set to close off the doors to the Plaza, but we'll need Lucas to operate the portal," one of the others, man by the name of Crowley, explained as they walked down the corridor.
"The container will be dropped to the front row by the portal, but the run through the bridge will leave them exposed. Dyson found a sniper's perch, so he'll cover them, but there's no guarantee he'll get back himself," Crowley spoke again.
Perkins was leading them down the corridor. Their paste was quick, the sound of their combat boots might've been alarming, but no one else approached the Plaza through here. It was a maintenance route mostly unused. They had learned about it via a contact that used it to smuggle extras to the Plaza during pilgrimages.
Meanwhile the container was transported to the Plaza, where the Portal Hall was full of containers already. The Company had been busy preparing the invasion. Lucas leaned against the wall inside, squatted next to Carter and the little girl, who wouldn't let go of him. With them the container was carrying over twenty civilians of all ages.
Lucas glanced at his watch in the darkness. It was five to two am. This was the dead hour of the night. He prayed that all of their preparations had been enough. You couldn't see the faces of others in the dark, but he could hear them all right: whimpers, sighs, nervous movement, and whispered questions. But Mira's kid was silent by Carter, which surprised Lucas. The whole time he'd seen the two of them, the little girl had been squeezing Carter's hand. Her grip hadn't faltered even once.
Then their descent began, the crane had found the correct spot and was lowering them to it. Lucas braced himself, hoping the civilians wouldn't get jumpy now. This was the hard part; the part where a single mistake would get them all caught and ruin the chance of reunion for good. He felt hot and cold at the same time. His good hand held the gun firmly. The pain in his injured hand had subsided after he'd taken his last medicate for the night. Lucas hadn't felt this focused in days.
The container met with the ground with a thump, and the crane let go of them. Everyone stopped breathing for a moment in anticipation as Lucas begged for them to keep quiet. The plan was simple; the others would open the container once the route was clear: the doors jammed, the guards killed or otherwise disabled and they had their window.
He seemed to wait forever though; seconds stretched on and turned into minutes until he could hear steps outside. Lucas inched closer to the door, pointing his gun at it, making sure he'd get the first shot if it wasn't an ally greeting them at the other end. The lock begun to turn on the door, the gears inside made a distinct sound as they fell into place, and the door opened. Lucas' hands didn't shake as he held his gun pointed, ready for anything.
Relief washed over him as the face of Crowley appeared into view. He smirked at his boss, whispering, "All clear."
Lucas turned to Carter, who was finally visible to him again, bathing in the light that the door let in. "Keep them inside, until we give the signal," he advised.
Carter nodded at him, and Lucas set off through the door. Perkins and Ludmila entered the container after him, each carrying a light stick. They searched for the bomb; it still needed to be planted, so they could cover their tracks and destroy Hope Plaza in their wake. Lucas let them be, and headed towards the secondary contol panel near the start of the bridge. Breaking into the Control Room was too dangerous, but he knew he could hack the panel right here and force the portal open that way.
Crowley stood by him as he started his work, pulling out a Plex from his back pack, and connecting it to the panel. He fed the panel a virus that spread quickly, isolating it from the rest of the system, making it believe that the commands it received came from the Control Room instead of Lucas' Plex. Crowley scanned their surroundings, wiping the sweat on his forehead to the sleeve of his jacket.
He was in his thirties, a former military man, who'd become a soldier of fortune. Crowley spotted Dyson in the distance, keeping an eye on things below through the sight of his rifle. The others had taken cover by the containers, and were watching the various entrances they had jammed. Perkins worked with Kunis, making sure there were no alarms or disturbances in the Plaza that could alert their presence to their former employers.
Lucas worked as fast as he could, bypassing security, setting the perimeters of the portal in order for it to function properly. He checked everything thrice, before opening the connection to the portal on the other side. In seconds the portal began to power up. It was the beginning of the end, and it set off the warning announcement that sounded in the entire premise.
"THE PORTAL HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. THE GATEWAY WILL OPEN IN T-MINUS TWO MINUTES."
Lucas turned to Crowley, having anticipated this. "Get everyone ready!" he roared, knowing it was no use to avoid making noise now. Everyone knew they were in here, and the place would be flooded with security soon.
Crowley ran to the container, forcing the door open fully now. "Time to go!" he yelled and waved at the civilians to get on their feet and up. Carter rose first, pulling the little girl in his wake.
In the sidelines Ludmila was setting the bomb. She smiled faintly as the launch keys were finally in place and the countdown began. She'd given them four minutes, which was generous according to Perkins, but one couldn't be too careful. The clock began to tick down, but she closed it from prying eyes, putting a lid on the controls. Then she proceeded to plant several smaller charges all over, sticking them to the containers, hoping they would provide enough cover for the Sixers to run. Once done, she tossed Crowley the remote with a wink and walked to Perkins, joining him and Kunis, prepared to give cover fire.
Lucas placed the Plex over the Control Panel and watched as the gate powered up, lighting like a Christmas tree. It was quite beautiful really, hauntingly so. For a moment he just stared in trance, thinking how this moment was nothing like he'd imagined all those years ago. But it felt right, this was right. And that was all that mattered.
"THE GATEWAY WILL OPEN IN T-MINUS ONE MINUTE."
People gathered behind him at the base of the bridge, but he prevented anyone from going further. No one should approach the portal while it powered up; it wasn't that safe. Somewhere in the hall the doors were being banged as the security was trying to get in. Lucas exchanged looks with Carter.
"You go in first," Carter said to both Crowley and Lucas. It was better that at least some of them would pave the way for the civilians as there was no knowing who was there to greet them.
Lucas nodded, glancing at the little girl by Carter. He then returned his eyes to Carter, beckoning him to let go of the child if he really intended to go in last. Carter loosened his grip on Sienna in response, but she grabbed him in desperation, unwilling to let go. Panic visited the little girl's eyes, and she shook her head almost violently at him, refusing to be put in the middle of the civilians. Carter surrendered then, knowing he couldn't force her.
"INTRUDERS, YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AN UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE PORTAL. SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY," a strict voice announced through the speakers, succeeding only in making the Sixers smirk in unison.
"Now that's desperate," Crowley chuckled at his comrades.
"THE GATEWAY WILL OPEN IN T-MINUS TEN SECONDS."
Lucas turned at the portal, seeing it in full light for the first time since he'd passed through over five years ago. They looked as it lit, and created a bright light at the center. A loud bang rang through the hall, and everyone either turned from the blinding light or shielded their eyes. By the time they could look back, they saw the portal open, a window of uncertainty leading straight to the past.
"Come on! It's time to run!" Lucas shouted at the civilians and turned to the portal himself. He then started running. They had two minutes. Crowley was yelling at them behind him, urging them to run, for parents to pull their kids, for everyone to hurry.
Lucas ran up the bridge and towards the light, the fog at the center of the gate. He heard noises behind him, but he wouldn't let himself stop. There was no time. He ran, and his muscles began to ache, his body to wail after a week of being bedridden, but he forced himself onwards. Gunfire sounded in the distance, but stopping meant becoming a target, so he carried on. It was the only way.
Crowley yelled at the civilians, herding them onwards as they followed Lucas towards the portal. Shots were being fired behind them, but so far the Sixers were able to return fire, suppress the approach. He just prayed it would enough.
Once the last civilian was on the bridge, Carter set in motion, pulling Sienna in his wake. He quickly realized that she couldn't keep up, and upon hearing the first gunshot, he acted against his sense, relying on his instinct instead; He stopped to pick her up.
The pain came unexpectedly, sharply. He found himself gasping, but didn't stop to think about it. He grabbed her in his arms and ran. His entire body shook, her tiny arms clutched him, and he could hear her whimpering. Sienna's head rested on his shoulder, and she could see what was happening all over. The Sixers that followed them were caught bullet rain, unable to advance as the security troops pushed onwards. She watched, unable to look away.
Lucas reached the portal, and turned against his basic sense. They had broken through, he realized in horror. Only he, Carter and Crowley were with the civilians.
"Blow it!" he yelled to Crowley, waving his hand to gain the man's attention. "Blow it!"
Carter felt the paralysis spread. His body was feeling heavier and heavier, which was why he nearly fell over when the loud bang sounded behind him. He forced himself onwards, even as he heard Sienna cry in joy over his shoulder. The girl saw the bright lights, the small explosions ravaging the containers around them, spreading smoke, death and confusion amidst the security, providing the others a much needed window.
Perkins was the first to move, he pulled Kunis into running beside him. Ludmila followed next, joined by the others, and finally Dyson, who had abandoned his rifle. No one was providing cover now, but the smoke gave them some measure of safety, and the explosions had ravaged the troops that had entered. The security proceeded with care through the smoke, not seeing what they were shooting at. Stray bullets still flew, but they didn't know yet that no one was there to provide cover fire anymore.
Lucas flashed a relieved smile, and turned then, noticing a few others had reached the portal. They all looked up to him insecurely, not knowing what was happening.
"Time to go!" he yelled, before he took one final inhale and pushed himself through the fog, vanishing from this timeline forever. Others followed him, each finding less and less time to hesitate as the bullets began to follow them again.
By the time Carter was there, the other civilians had gone through. He'd slowed towards the end, the pain tearing at him. His breathing turned labored, his body shaking. But he smiled once they got there, and whispered, "Almost there, Princess."
Sienna turned her gaze, eyes widening at the sight of the portal, before he pushed them through with his last strength.
Bullets riddled Ludmila's back, each digging into her vest with force. None penetrated, but she could feel them push the air out of her lungs, crack a few ribs. Her steps faltered and she nearly fell, but Perkins caught her shoulder, pulled her in his wake for the last few meters to the portal. Dyson was the last to stand on the doorway, also hit in the vest with a few bullets. He saw the explosion, the big one, when it finally went off, and smiled while he jumped into the portal.
Fire filled Hope Plaza seconds later, drowning everything in its path. The Portal collapsed in the heat, the fog disappeared, and within a moment there was nothing left.
On the other side, Lucas emerged, fumbling through the portal, barely standing. He gasped, pain overriding everything, sending him spinning. He heard noise, but couldn't process. His legs betrayed him, gave out, leaving him kneeled on the ground. But his arms still worked; he pointed the gun at the source of the noise, trying his best to stay alert.
"Drop the gun or we'll shoot!"
His eyesight blurred, and then it was sharp again, but too late. He felt the shockwave smash into his body, and knock him down on the ground. Everything dimmed, cries sounding in the distance. Lucas blacked out only seconds before the Terra Nova troops gathered around him, guns pointed at his unconscious body.
TBC
Fandom: Terra Nova
Ship: Skye/Lucas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: bad language, sexual situations, AU
Chapter: 26/?
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: Only a few chapters left of this one, and I'm glad. I've been writing this for over three months now, so really, it feels good to end it.
Things Lost in the Fire
26. King's Gambit
Lucas eyed his tainted reflection in the elevator's reflective wall. He'd opened the top buttons of his shirt, loosened his tie, and rolled the sleeves of his shirt up a moment ago. His suit jacket hung over his arm and his uninjured hand was hidden in his pocket, whilst the injured hand was still covered by a glove. The details were muddled on his reflection; the wall didn't betray his expression, or the way his eyes kept glancing at the screen that displayed the floor they were currently in. It was a long way down from the penthouse of the skyscraper, and the descent felt like eternity now.
The two men by his each side observed him, appearing non-threatening, yet absorbing every detail with an analytical eye. Each was tall and broad-shouldered, clad in a neat suit that showed they weren't party guests but didn't specify their purpose either. Lucas knew the type though: hired help for special needs. These men probably knew how to make men disappear after spilling their secrets in desperate attempts to avoid their fate. These men were here to make sure he stayed put like a good pet, not a valued asset.
He hadn't given up the calculations yet; it was the reason he was still alive. Lucas knew they had been asking about them from the others, searched for a copy that would've spared them effort of getting back in his good graces, but Lucas had made sure none existed. There was still the issue of the copy in Terra Nova, but he was certain the Company didn't know about it yet.
They reached the ground floor finally, and all three exited the elevator in a controlled manner. Lucas received his overcoat and rebreather from the lobby, as well as other personal belongings (he was certain they had searched through these items thoroughly while he'd attended the party and found nothing of interest). The two men also received their overcoats and followed Lucas outside, where the air was thin and murky and worked as slow poison to anyone who dared to breathe it freely.
Lucas stopped one of the men from waving down a taxi, pointing at the approaching car instead. He had a ride already, and it was here right on schedule. The car slid in front of them, stopping at the desired spot. The second bodyguard opened Lucas the door to the backseat, and followed him once he was there. The first man settled to sit in the front seat.
"Mr. Taylor," a voice called from the front seat. Lucas met with the gaze of the driver through the rear-view mirror, and nodded with acceptance as he stared into Perkins' eyes.
"My hospital suite, please," Lucas requested, staring outside through the darkened windows. The people walking outside like wraiths dragged themselves onwards, dreaming of a lucky chance, of winning the lottery. He felt like a villain to take this chance from them forever. Alas, it was unavoidable now.
Perkins drove off, joining the traffic just as expected. Lucas fixed his position on the backseat, reaching for the hidden weapon between the door and the seat. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary, even as Perkins drove the car with only hand on the wheel, and grasped a gun in his other hand. He glanced at Lucas through the mirror again, seeking the signs of approval, a confirmation that he had found the gun.
"Did you enjoy the evening, ?" Perkins asked, failing to gain eye contact. His voice sounded light, harmless, even if his intent was anything but. He changed lanes, driving along in the hectic traffic peacefully.
Lucas gained hold of the gun seconds after, and he turned to look at Perkins through the mirror now. "It was a very fruitful evening. I believe we have laid ground for a wonderful future," he then commented, sounding perfectly normal up until the moment he turned to the man beside him and aimed the gun at his side, pulling the trigger instantly.
Perkins didn't move noticeably as he brought the gun over his stomach and fired it at the man beside him. The silencers were on, only muffled noises marked this silent execution. Lucas fired a couple of times more to ensure the man beside him was dead. Perkins settled for the one shot; he could see the man beside him grow limp and lean onwards as if passed out from the corner of his eye.
The illusion of calmness broke as Lucas pushed himself to the middle seat and checked the pulse of the man he'd shot. He didn't feel anything beneath his fingers, and when he looked at the man's face, he quickly confirmed he was dead.
"Is everything in order?" Lucas asked with worry. He glanced at the time that showed in the front panel of the car. It was quarter past midnight by now.
"Carter called in to say they got Mira's kid. Six have infiltrated the Plaza already, two are watching the container," Perkins gave an update calmly, placing the gun in the holster that rested by his side.
"Are they using lethal force?"
"Yes."
It should've bothered him, yet it didn't. He wondered if his father had justified his feud with the Sixers the same way - killing them mercilessly, because they had made their choice. His voice faltered a bit with the next question. "Did you contact the camp?"
The thought of Skye still helped hold him together: The thought that maybe they could live together without enemies, without danger.
"There was no way to do that with a secure line," Perkins spoke softly, sounding a bit regretful, almost apologizing.
So there was no way of knowing what waited them at the other end? Lucas settled for what he could get. If they were gunned down at the portal, so be it. They had tried at least. According to Skye that was all that mattered.
Taylor still lingered with the decision to increase the volume of the noise. This was nothing, this was a mere annoyance. If he wanted to torture her, he'd need to do something much worse. But he couldn't quite go there.
It had been easy with Boylan; rage had clouded his mind and driven him into acting. It'd been easy to torture the enemy in war ravaged countries, knowing their crimes, hearing the cries of their victims. But Skye was another matter. She was just a kid, nineteen years old, soon to be twenty, and her only crime had been to act in an impossible situation.
Her betrayal stung of course, he was just a man after all. His reason couldn't paint her as the enemy no matter what she wore, or said, or didn't say. He could reason with her shooting Curran, with her helping Lucas, even with her providing Intel to the Sixers to aid her mother. But it was too much to ask for him to trust her after everything. She'd taken everything he'd given her, spat it back in his face, and then asked for more.
In three years he'd come to love her like a daughter, and in just three weeks she'd done her best to hurt him in a way only his son had succeeded before.
By reason she was a terrorist and a liar. By his heart she was confused girl in love with a mirage his son had created to woo her with. In no reality were the words she spoke real. It was too good to be true. A brilliant strategy from Lucas though: to send her to beg for safe passage.
"You're wasting time," Skye commented, holding her head high even through this ordeal. "If you really want your precious answers, you'll need to do better than this."
Taylor didn't have a witty come back for her, he couldn't even squash her rebellion with a stern look. So he chatted with her instead, motioning for them to stop the noise for now. It ended a few seconds later, causing Skye's tense shoulders to relax, as if she hadn't even realized how much the sound had affected her.
"No one's come for you," he said softly, offering her a small tissue to wipe the sweat from her face. She took it and used it to clean herself. He could see she wasn't surprised by his announcement, drew his own conclusions from it.
"Are they all in 2149, meeting with the bosses?" he asked her, sounding almost sympathetic.
Skye hesitated, not knowing how much she ought to keep to herself. He was standing in front of her again, after abandoning her here for most of the day. She didn't know the time, but she assumed it had to be night-time by now. He'd left her in here for countless hours to be softened by the noise, perhaps expecting her to be more helpful at this late hour.
"Only a handful," she replied eventually, seeing no reason to lie.
"Because they will bring reinforcements, I suppose?" Taylor speculated. His comment drew another sour look of disappointment from her.
"So who got left behind? Carter?" he asked, observing her reactions closely. No matter how hard she tried to veil her body language, Skye was tired and in a constant state of unease. He could see his guess had been wrong.
"Mira?" Taylor said with surprise, frowning at the thought. "I'd have thought she'd jump at a chance to get back to her daughter," he then said. "I suppose that was a lie as well."
Skye's head snapped at the charge, her eyes drilled into his. "She wanted nothing more," she said, eager to defend the woman. "But she couldn't go, not with her injury."
Taylor was surprised to realize Skye's reverie for the woman. Mira was a harsh person, someone who knew when pleasantries weren't needed. He couldn't imagine these two growing close, yet it was evident they had.
"You should understand, as a fellow parent," Skye continued, pointing the attention to Taylor again. "She excluded herself so her child would have the best chance to be saved. I imagine you would've done the same for Lucas upon a time."
Memories flooded Taylor. He remembered the scrawny boy, covered in dirt and blood, refusing to let go of his father's hand. He remembered the guilt that had chained him for not choosing Ayani. He remembered the countless times he'd sat by the kitchen table, drink in hand, gun in another. He'd made sure Lucas wouldn't be there to see those moments, that he could live his teens without seeing his father's weakness, his guilt.
In retrospect maybe that had been his failing.
Skye saw something in Taylor's stoic front, a crack in his armor. "Maybe that's why you won't torture me," she said, understanding it now. "You don't stop being a parent just because your child lets you down."
Taylor faced her scanning gaze bravely, that earlier sign of weakness gone already. "Terra Nova is my first priority over any one person," he told her. "Hell will freeze before I let anyone, even my son, destroy what we've built here."
And they were back in square one. Taylor drew a long breath to calm himself.
"Your mother keeps asking about you," he then said. "I don't know what to tell her."
"Tell her the truth," she simply answered.
"The truth would break her heart," he countered with a frown, unable to understand how she could this comfortable with her choices. He kept trying to leave the door open for her, and she kept trying to push it closed instead. "Is that what you want?" Taylor asked her.
But Skye had already told Deborah everything, already made peace with her mother. "Don't turn it into a sacrifice," she whispered, shaking her head. "I told her everything when I left her. She wanted me to do so. But I didn't go to Lucas for her; I went to Lucas for me."
And it dawned on her that Taylor didn't have words for this situation even now. Asking him to explain it to Deborah, or anyone else for the matter, would've only led to further confusion. He couldn't explain, because he could not understand.
"I think he hates you because he feels you abandoned him," she dared to say aloud. "He's not an easy person to love by any means, but underneath his façade he's just lonely. And I think he hurt you, because he felt that he couldn't get you to love him."
Taylor listened to her insights, feeling the stung of her accusation. Had he abandoned his son? He had tried to give Lucas a life worth living, opened doors for him, helped cope with his mistakes. He had wanted something better for his son, and so he had made sure his son didn't know his own nightmares. Had Lucas seen it as abandonment? Had he really thought he didn't love his son?
"None of that matters anymore," he settled to remark. "Terra Nova won't pay for my mistakes."
Skye wanted to scream aloud.
"The man that came from the future, Morris. He showed Lucas the true face of the men he was dealing with," Skye claimed, desperation sneaking into her voice. "And Lucas realized he'd been wrong. He realized he cares for the Sixers, that they're his family. And you know what? They're my family too."
Taylor wanted to interrupt her, but she wouldn't let him. "Yes, they're my family. Because they didn't need to take me in, give me shelter, laugh with me, cry with me, defend me… and yet they did all that. These murderers and thieves, as you call them, gave me a chance."
Taylor hadn't really considered it before. And suddenly he thought about Mira running to the rescue whenever a single Sixer was in danger. She'd always come for them.
"So where are they now?" he asked with a grave voice, feeling sad for Skye for having such faith only to be disappointed.
"I came here willingly," Skye replied. "If you had taken me, they would've come."
And she believed every word. Had they really embraced her so? Impressed her this thoroughly?
An announcement ended the moment, Washington's voice calling to Taylor through the intercom.
"Sir, we have activity at the portal," she called.
Oxygen hurt Skye's lungs suddenly. Was it already time? No! It couldn't be! She needed more time!
She turned her disturbed eyes at Taylor, who marked her distress clearly. He realized then she hadn't known about any schedules. Lucas was coming now, and he needed to act.
Skye rose to her feet, grabbing Taylor's hand. "Please," she pleaded eyes wide. "If you ever loved me, don't use lethal force. Give him a chance," she begged.
Taylor didn't say anything as he headed off after tearing his arm from her grip. He walked away with a grim expression. He was heading off to war, a final showdown between father and son. The portal would be the stage for their reunion and goodbye.
Tears streamed down her face as she buried her face in her hands and waited. It was all out of in her hands now.
No one looked twice at the truck that drove into the cargo area once their plates were checked at the gate. Ludmila adjusted her cap to make sure her face was obscured by most camera angles, but Perkins looked onwards without such fear. He scanned for guards that weren't one of theirs, spotting them one by one, marking each position in his memory.
She parked the truck at the designated spot, and seconds later the crane grabbed the container they were hauling, and pulled it off the truck to begin transporting to the correct area. They had fiddled with the papers, made sure it was put as close to the portal as possible. Perkins gave his female companion a look, facing her dark eyes. They rose from the truck in unison afterwards, waving at the guards, asking for directions to the break room. No one paid much attention.
Once in the corridor they were met by two others. With one swipe of a card, the lock on the door jammed, effectively closing the doors behind them. Ludmila tossed her cap and pulled out her gun discreetly.
"Carter and Lucas are in the container with the civilians," she explained to the others.
"Stannis and Ellis are set to close off the doors to the Plaza, but we'll need Lucas to operate the portal," one of the others, man by the name of Crowley, explained as they walked down the corridor.
"The container will be dropped to the front row by the portal, but the run through the bridge will leave them exposed. Dyson found a sniper's perch, so he'll cover them, but there's no guarantee he'll get back himself," Crowley spoke again.
Perkins was leading them down the corridor. Their paste was quick, the sound of their combat boots might've been alarming, but no one else approached the Plaza through here. It was a maintenance route mostly unused. They had learned about it via a contact that used it to smuggle extras to the Plaza during pilgrimages.
Meanwhile the container was transported to the Plaza, where the Portal Hall was full of containers already. The Company had been busy preparing the invasion. Lucas leaned against the wall inside, squatted next to Carter and the little girl, who wouldn't let go of him. With them the container was carrying over twenty civilians of all ages.
Lucas glanced at his watch in the darkness. It was five to two am. This was the dead hour of the night. He prayed that all of their preparations had been enough. You couldn't see the faces of others in the dark, but he could hear them all right: whimpers, sighs, nervous movement, and whispered questions. But Mira's kid was silent by Carter, which surprised Lucas. The whole time he'd seen the two of them, the little girl had been squeezing Carter's hand. Her grip hadn't faltered even once.
Then their descent began, the crane had found the correct spot and was lowering them to it. Lucas braced himself, hoping the civilians wouldn't get jumpy now. This was the hard part; the part where a single mistake would get them all caught and ruin the chance of reunion for good. He felt hot and cold at the same time. His good hand held the gun firmly. The pain in his injured hand had subsided after he'd taken his last medicate for the night. Lucas hadn't felt this focused in days.
The container met with the ground with a thump, and the crane let go of them. Everyone stopped breathing for a moment in anticipation as Lucas begged for them to keep quiet. The plan was simple; the others would open the container once the route was clear: the doors jammed, the guards killed or otherwise disabled and they had their window.
He seemed to wait forever though; seconds stretched on and turned into minutes until he could hear steps outside. Lucas inched closer to the door, pointing his gun at it, making sure he'd get the first shot if it wasn't an ally greeting them at the other end. The lock begun to turn on the door, the gears inside made a distinct sound as they fell into place, and the door opened. Lucas' hands didn't shake as he held his gun pointed, ready for anything.
Relief washed over him as the face of Crowley appeared into view. He smirked at his boss, whispering, "All clear."
Lucas turned to Carter, who was finally visible to him again, bathing in the light that the door let in. "Keep them inside, until we give the signal," he advised.
Carter nodded at him, and Lucas set off through the door. Perkins and Ludmila entered the container after him, each carrying a light stick. They searched for the bomb; it still needed to be planted, so they could cover their tracks and destroy Hope Plaza in their wake. Lucas let them be, and headed towards the secondary contol panel near the start of the bridge. Breaking into the Control Room was too dangerous, but he knew he could hack the panel right here and force the portal open that way.
Crowley stood by him as he started his work, pulling out a Plex from his back pack, and connecting it to the panel. He fed the panel a virus that spread quickly, isolating it from the rest of the system, making it believe that the commands it received came from the Control Room instead of Lucas' Plex. Crowley scanned their surroundings, wiping the sweat on his forehead to the sleeve of his jacket.
He was in his thirties, a former military man, who'd become a soldier of fortune. Crowley spotted Dyson in the distance, keeping an eye on things below through the sight of his rifle. The others had taken cover by the containers, and were watching the various entrances they had jammed. Perkins worked with Kunis, making sure there were no alarms or disturbances in the Plaza that could alert their presence to their former employers.
Lucas worked as fast as he could, bypassing security, setting the perimeters of the portal in order for it to function properly. He checked everything thrice, before opening the connection to the portal on the other side. In seconds the portal began to power up. It was the beginning of the end, and it set off the warning announcement that sounded in the entire premise.
"THE PORTAL HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. THE GATEWAY WILL OPEN IN T-MINUS TWO MINUTES."
Lucas turned to Crowley, having anticipated this. "Get everyone ready!" he roared, knowing it was no use to avoid making noise now. Everyone knew they were in here, and the place would be flooded with security soon.
Crowley ran to the container, forcing the door open fully now. "Time to go!" he yelled and waved at the civilians to get on their feet and up. Carter rose first, pulling the little girl in his wake.
In the sidelines Ludmila was setting the bomb. She smiled faintly as the launch keys were finally in place and the countdown began. She'd given them four minutes, which was generous according to Perkins, but one couldn't be too careful. The clock began to tick down, but she closed it from prying eyes, putting a lid on the controls. Then she proceeded to plant several smaller charges all over, sticking them to the containers, hoping they would provide enough cover for the Sixers to run. Once done, she tossed Crowley the remote with a wink and walked to Perkins, joining him and Kunis, prepared to give cover fire.
Lucas placed the Plex over the Control Panel and watched as the gate powered up, lighting like a Christmas tree. It was quite beautiful really, hauntingly so. For a moment he just stared in trance, thinking how this moment was nothing like he'd imagined all those years ago. But it felt right, this was right. And that was all that mattered.
"THE GATEWAY WILL OPEN IN T-MINUS ONE MINUTE."
People gathered behind him at the base of the bridge, but he prevented anyone from going further. No one should approach the portal while it powered up; it wasn't that safe. Somewhere in the hall the doors were being banged as the security was trying to get in. Lucas exchanged looks with Carter.
"You go in first," Carter said to both Crowley and Lucas. It was better that at least some of them would pave the way for the civilians as there was no knowing who was there to greet them.
Lucas nodded, glancing at the little girl by Carter. He then returned his eyes to Carter, beckoning him to let go of the child if he really intended to go in last. Carter loosened his grip on Sienna in response, but she grabbed him in desperation, unwilling to let go. Panic visited the little girl's eyes, and she shook her head almost violently at him, refusing to be put in the middle of the civilians. Carter surrendered then, knowing he couldn't force her.
"INTRUDERS, YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AN UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE PORTAL. SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY," a strict voice announced through the speakers, succeeding only in making the Sixers smirk in unison.
"Now that's desperate," Crowley chuckled at his comrades.
"THE GATEWAY WILL OPEN IN T-MINUS TEN SECONDS."
Lucas turned at the portal, seeing it in full light for the first time since he'd passed through over five years ago. They looked as it lit, and created a bright light at the center. A loud bang rang through the hall, and everyone either turned from the blinding light or shielded their eyes. By the time they could look back, they saw the portal open, a window of uncertainty leading straight to the past.
"Come on! It's time to run!" Lucas shouted at the civilians and turned to the portal himself. He then started running. They had two minutes. Crowley was yelling at them behind him, urging them to run, for parents to pull their kids, for everyone to hurry.
Lucas ran up the bridge and towards the light, the fog at the center of the gate. He heard noises behind him, but he wouldn't let himself stop. There was no time. He ran, and his muscles began to ache, his body to wail after a week of being bedridden, but he forced himself onwards. Gunfire sounded in the distance, but stopping meant becoming a target, so he carried on. It was the only way.
Crowley yelled at the civilians, herding them onwards as they followed Lucas towards the portal. Shots were being fired behind them, but so far the Sixers were able to return fire, suppress the approach. He just prayed it would enough.
Once the last civilian was on the bridge, Carter set in motion, pulling Sienna in his wake. He quickly realized that she couldn't keep up, and upon hearing the first gunshot, he acted against his sense, relying on his instinct instead; He stopped to pick her up.
The pain came unexpectedly, sharply. He found himself gasping, but didn't stop to think about it. He grabbed her in his arms and ran. His entire body shook, her tiny arms clutched him, and he could hear her whimpering. Sienna's head rested on his shoulder, and she could see what was happening all over. The Sixers that followed them were caught bullet rain, unable to advance as the security troops pushed onwards. She watched, unable to look away.
Lucas reached the portal, and turned against his basic sense. They had broken through, he realized in horror. Only he, Carter and Crowley were with the civilians.
"Blow it!" he yelled to Crowley, waving his hand to gain the man's attention. "Blow it!"
Carter felt the paralysis spread. His body was feeling heavier and heavier, which was why he nearly fell over when the loud bang sounded behind him. He forced himself onwards, even as he heard Sienna cry in joy over his shoulder. The girl saw the bright lights, the small explosions ravaging the containers around them, spreading smoke, death and confusion amidst the security, providing the others a much needed window.
Perkins was the first to move, he pulled Kunis into running beside him. Ludmila followed next, joined by the others, and finally Dyson, who had abandoned his rifle. No one was providing cover now, but the smoke gave them some measure of safety, and the explosions had ravaged the troops that had entered. The security proceeded with care through the smoke, not seeing what they were shooting at. Stray bullets still flew, but they didn't know yet that no one was there to provide cover fire anymore.
Lucas flashed a relieved smile, and turned then, noticing a few others had reached the portal. They all looked up to him insecurely, not knowing what was happening.
"Time to go!" he yelled, before he took one final inhale and pushed himself through the fog, vanishing from this timeline forever. Others followed him, each finding less and less time to hesitate as the bullets began to follow them again.
By the time Carter was there, the other civilians had gone through. He'd slowed towards the end, the pain tearing at him. His breathing turned labored, his body shaking. But he smiled once they got there, and whispered, "Almost there, Princess."
Sienna turned her gaze, eyes widening at the sight of the portal, before he pushed them through with his last strength.
Bullets riddled Ludmila's back, each digging into her vest with force. None penetrated, but she could feel them push the air out of her lungs, crack a few ribs. Her steps faltered and she nearly fell, but Perkins caught her shoulder, pulled her in his wake for the last few meters to the portal. Dyson was the last to stand on the doorway, also hit in the vest with a few bullets. He saw the explosion, the big one, when it finally went off, and smiled while he jumped into the portal.
Fire filled Hope Plaza seconds later, drowning everything in its path. The Portal collapsed in the heat, the fog disappeared, and within a moment there was nothing left.
On the other side, Lucas emerged, fumbling through the portal, barely standing. He gasped, pain overriding everything, sending him spinning. He heard noise, but couldn't process. His legs betrayed him, gave out, leaving him kneeled on the ground. But his arms still worked; he pointed the gun at the source of the noise, trying his best to stay alert.
"Drop the gun or we'll shoot!"
His eyesight blurred, and then it was sharp again, but too late. He felt the shockwave smash into his body, and knock him down on the ground. Everything dimmed, cries sounding in the distance. Lucas blacked out only seconds before the Terra Nova troops gathered around him, guns pointed at his unconscious body.
TBC