5th Column Comics: Gaia #9
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“Is it viable?” Lillian asks me as I insert a portable spectrometer into the solution, numbers and figures revolving on the screen like a miniature whirlwind. I don’t answer, mostly because I’m waiting for my own. I look over my shoulder at Stallion and remember why I found him so attractive when we were working on the same team. I’m so engrossed with my staring that I almost miss the formula popping up on screen, the monitor displaying an exact isomer of the chemicals I found in my blood only a week or two ago.
“It looks promising.” I state quietly, my words causing Lillian to glance over at Lex giving me the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. A few movements of a nitrogen atom and an extra molecule of hydrogen and the formula is ruined, I never planned at giving these people such a powerful weapon, Lex and his cronies are just a means to punish Xiphos for their betrayal of me. “The sample is viable bit until we synthesise a specimen from the formula we have no idea if it’ll have the desired effect.”
“Lex won’t like that; he wants the formula working now.” Lillian tells me, a slight hint of fear in her voice. I’ve seen it before when I was working in Colombia for the World Health Organisation. Whilst there I met a local nurse, as smart as she was beautiful but ruled by fear of her husband, a man with links to the FARC. Every time I saw her she was supporting a new bruise, a new broken bone but the same old tears. Despite pleas from me and several others she was found broken and bleeding in a plague pit, accused of betraying her husband. And while I made sure he got what he deserved I’ll be dammed if I see Lillian suffer the same fate at the hands of her son.
“Then tell him what he wants to know.” I tell her before putting what I hope is a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We both know that science can’t be rushed.” Lillian looks at my hand suspiciously before stalking off towards Lex and his cronies. As she does I close up the portable lab and grab the equipment from the table and start heading towards the exit. My escape doesn’t go unnoticed as I watch Lillian sprint after me, eventually catching up with me just before I can get out the door.
“Where are you going? This isn’t over” She hisses at me, her words obviously a bridge to Lex’s fury.
“Alex isn’t going to pay.” I state as I look back at Lex and Stallion, the two men sizing each other up. “This is going to get ugly and we all know fragile lab equipment doesn’t mix well with violence and gunfire.”
“You seem to be overestimating the mercenary Terra.” Lillian tells me as she tries to force me back into the building.
“Trust me Lillian I am not, even if Alex manages to do this without a hitch there will be damage. Are you willing to risk damage to what we came for?” I ask, the concern on my face hammering my point home to Lillian with the subtlety of a battering ram. Without looking back the pair of us erupt from the warehouse heading for the vehicles parked in the abandoned lot. Passing Lillian the lab case I stop for a moment and look back at the warehouse, my eyes focusing on the bald woman sitting cross legged on the roof before flashing her a thumbs up as all hell breaks out inside. Turning I slip into the passenger seat of Lex’s Jeep.
“Lex has the keys.” Lillian states as she slams her hand against the steering wheel. Rolling my eyes I get out the car and grab the case, sprinting as fast as I can with Lillian hot on my heels as the warehouse behind us collapses.
**
Groaning the man pulled himself free of the rubble that was pinning him and shook the debris off of himself as he spotted Bone’s arm sticking out from a pile of rebar next to a dome of collapsed masonry. Walking up to the pile he knocked twice and watched as the debris exploded outwards as the Loup Garou emerged snarling, spittle leaking down his chin. Beside him Bone emerged, his arms and back covered in bladed serrations ready for round two against the mercenaries.
“Where’s Kira?” I ask, fake concern evident in my voice although it’s enough to fool my men into thinking I care.
“I have her scent.” The Loup Garou snarls as he hunkers down onto all fours, nose pressed to the ground as he stalks around the former footprint of the warehouse. “There.” He growls as Bone rushes over and starts digging under my supervising glare.
“Looks like she’s out cold.” Bone sniffs as he brings Kira’s body out from the hole.
“What about the specimen case?” I ask the Loup, my attention switching to the absence of my mother.
“Gone.” He answers. “There is a faint trail leading away from the warehouse but another scent is masking it. It smells like rancid vinegar and there is something else, a pain that won’t go…ARGH.” Before he can finish he collapses screaming as the debris shifts, vents of foul smelling steam erupting from the ground.
“What is going on?” I ask as a fist strikes me from behind. Turning I see Stallion standing there bloodied and bruised but still ready for a fight. Lashing out I catch his blow and full him forward only to miss the revolver in his other hand, a shot ringing out and smashing apart on my hardened hide. And while it merely stings it is enough to give him an advantage as he pulls himself away, only for bone to come rushing in towards him. Before he can reach his target however an arrow flies up from the ground, the head stabbing into his back.
Spinning round snarling the arrow head explodes outwards shrapnel stabbing into his back and burrowing into his flesh. Looking down I see something move underneath me before the earth cracks beneath me and something foul smelling and massive bursts from the ground. Before I can even react Stallion is running at me like a rugby forward, his bulk smashing into me as the second assailant turns towards the Loup Garou, vinegar smelling fluid leaking from his mouth.
“So you had more men waiting in the wings ready to pounce.” I ask Stallion as he punches me in the face only to be kicked off.
“Those two aren’t with me!” He snarls as a bald woman emerges behind Bone, a compound bow slung across her back. Sensing this Bone reacts, thrusting his arms backwards only for cracks to appear across his blades. As they reach their target they shatter and she retaliates wrapping her bow around Bone’s neck and pulling back, the reinforced draw string cutting into his flesh.
“Are you ready to listen Mr Eisenhardt, Mr Stallion?” The woman asks as I hear a click and look over to see a massive insectile creature holding the Loup Garou down whilst foul smelling saliva drips from its mandibles.
“What do you want?!” I snap aggressively, hoping that a hostile nature will get a reaction from the two attackers. It doesn’t but on the plus side I see Kira stir and know that soon the odds will be back in my favour.
“What do you know about Terra?” The bald woman asks. “Do you know where she is now? What she is doing, what she plans to steal from you?”
“I’m listening!” I snarl before flashing a look at Stallion, the elite mercenary taking the break in combat to catch his breath and look at his wounds, possibly weigh up if it was worth continuing the battle. “Tell me what you know.”
**
Ducking inside the ivy covered maisonette that I first met Lex in I place the case down on a table and watch Lillian sit down on a sofa. Coughing twice I join her and look glumly down at the case my mind thinking about something more then the contents. Hopefully Siwang and Clive have intervened in the pointless brawl back at the Iron Circle and have pointed Lex in the direction I want him to be pointed.
“We should start synthesis.” Lillian tells me snapping me out of my thoughts.
“It can wait a bit. I need to talk to you about something.” I state nervously, pouring on the innocence in my voice and composure. “When I was born I wasn’t right, my mother was terrified of me for reasons she never told me. Her solution was to lock me in a caravan with a pile of books and the occasional meal posted under the door. I wasn’t allowed to go out and play…” I stop and collapse into a coughing fit, an actual genuine reaction rather then put on for pity.
“Is there a point to this?” Lillian asks, her coldness desperately trying to mask a tiny ember of pity.
“How did you raise Alex?” I ask.
“Like any mother, with a fair but loving hand. I wish I could say that something of me has rubbed off on him but…ah I don’t know.” Lillian sighs as she sniffs slightly. “I will admit that sometimes I’m afraid of what he has become.
“Then come with me, I always wanted a mother who would care for me and you want a child who won’t kill you in your sleep. Please for your own…” Before I can finish a cough interrupts me. Turning Lillian and I look to the door and see Lex silhouetted there.
“So this is what you’re trying to steal from me!” Lex roars. “If I didn’t need you I would kill you!” He snaps as I flash a brief half smile as Bone and Kira push past Lex and grab me by the arms. “Take her to the lab.” Lex orders before coughing twice. “If you ever want to leave here again you’d better do this right or I’ll make sure that your death lasts for weeks!!”
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