THE TIME: Eight months later
Part 1--
There was a baby crying down the hall. A very sleepy father gets up to tend to his child. It's five in the morning, and dad's not too keen on being up quite this early, but mom needs her sleep.
David walked into his twin sons' bedroom. Johnny was crying, and Sammy was awake, too, but quiet. In the middle of it were Niki and Kimber, trying to shush baby Johnny into going back to sleep before Mama and Daddy woke up.
David just watched as Niki, then Kimber, tried to play mommy.
"Johnny, you have to go back to sleep," Kimber was saying. "Mama and Daddy need to be awake and alert later. Sammy's sleeping; you should, too."
"Sammy's not sleeping, Kimber," Niki said. "He's awake, but he's quiet."
"You think Johnny's wet or hungry or somethin', Niki?" Kimber asked her sister.
"I'm not checking his diaper!" Niki said.
"But if he's wet or messy, he won't go back to sleep, Niki," Kimber said. "Remember what the baby nurse said?"
"Yeah, I do, Kimber, but I'm not checking his diaper."
David could take no more. He was smiling broadly in the darkness, then said,
"I'll check Johnny's diapers, Niki. Why don't you and your sister go back to bed?"
He startled both of his daughters, and Johnny was still whimpering. Sammy was cooing, oblivious to his brother's dilemma.
"Yes, Daddy," both girls said as they ran back down the hall to their room.
When they were gone, David checked his younger son's diaper and he was, indeed, messy.
"So this is why you woke up, isn't it John Michael?" David said as he removed the baby's wet sleeper, changed his diaper, and put on a dry, clean sleeper. Johnny seemed relieved and started making happy baby sounds. Meanwhile, his twin, Sammy, has fallen back to sleep.
David picked up Johnny and rocked him back to sleep. He carefully laid the baby back in his crib, pulled up the side, and went to go check on Sammy.
The older twin was wet, too, David discovered. However, Sammy could somehow sleep through wet diapers.
David changed his older son's diaper and clothing and placed him in the crib with his brother so David could change the sheets. Sammy could sleep through all that, but his sheets always needed to be changed.
Once everything and everyone were back in their or his proper place, David went back to bed.
"Everything okay with the boys, David?" Jordan asked sleepily.
"They were wet, Sammy's sheets needed changing, and our oldest daughter won't get near them if they have dirty diapers," David said.
"What was Niki doing in there, anyway?"
"Both girls were in there, trying to calm Johnny down," David said, chuckling. "Kimber told Niki that Johnny wouldn't sleep with a messy diaper, and Niki pretty much refused to check and see if he was wet."
"They're only three, David," Jordan said, laughing softly at the scene playing out in her head of what must have gone on in the boys' bedroom.
"They shouldn't try to take on that role," David said. "Sammy and Johnny aren't dolls. They're babies."
"Seeing how the girls treat their dolls, maybe they shouldn't try to play mama with their brothers," said Jordan.
She snuggled up against David. He put his arms around her and held her body close to his.
"There's been a lot of changes in the family dynamic in the last few months, hasn't there?" David asked.
"Well, besides us, Jeremiah and Jasmine had their little girl; Joe and Tracy are expecting a second child; Nik and KateLynn expecting their third," Jordan said. "The only thing that hasn't happened is Julia and Ryan coming to us to say they're expecting, too."
"You're kind of relieved at that, Jordan," David said; "Don't lie."
"I was more taken by surprise that they eloped," Jordan said. "Then chose Thanksgiving dinner to tell us they got married in July."
"There were a lot of people who were speechless, that's for damn sure," David said.
"I thought Morbus was going to have a heart attack!" Jordan said. "He clearly was not expecting to hear that his daughter had gotten hitched."
"What's he going to do when she gets pregnant?" asked David.
"I don't even want to contemplate that right now," Jordan said, yawning. "I just want to go back to sleep."
---------
A similar scene was playing out in the Donovan household, with Jasmine rocking two month old Adriana in a rocking chair she received as a shower gift from the five "BlackOps Girls".
Jasmine and Jeremiah had fallen in love instantly with their daughter from the moment she was born on Valentine's day. They had everything in place for their daughter save for one thing.
Her name.
Her parents couldn't agree on names to save themselves. Even as the baby's due date of February tenth came and went, Jeremiah and Jasmine couldn't decide what to name their daughter.
The day before the baby finally arrived, Jasmine received word from her mother that Jasmine's favorite aunt, Adriana, had passed away suddenly.
"Jere..." Jasmine had began; "Can we name the baby after my aunt?"
"I suppose we could," Jeremiah had said. "I liked your Aunt Adriana. I wish I could have gotten to know her better."
"You don't mind?" Jasmine asked.
"Not at all," Jeremiah said. "It's a beautiful name. What are we going to give her as a middle name?"
"How about Antonia? Like Danica's middle name. Start a tradition or something?"
"Adriana Antonia..." Jeremiah said. "I like it! So that's what it will be. Now if Miss Adriana Antonia would just make up her mind and arrive..."
And the next day, after fifteen hours of labor, she did.
Jasmine looked down at the now sleeping baby in her arms, and felt incredibly blessed. Aunt Adriana would be pleased.
----------
The President of the Republic hated her guts.
And she didn't care.
Jayme was still not used to the idea that she was a wealthy woman. Even after she paid off the three mortgages on her mother's house, donated a large sum to the church her father led for thirty-three years, and had the House of Hope rebuilt, Jayme still couldn't believe everything she now had control of.
The previous October, Jayme's daughter came into the world about three weeks early. She was healthy, had big brown eyes and an easy smile that people fall in love with. Jayden adored her, and helped his mother with the baby every chance he could.
Jayme remembered the visit she got from Jonah Bastrup, her family's lawyer, after Neil's will had been read. The first thing out of his mouth, after telling her that Neil had left everything he owned to her, was the question Jayme knew was coming;
"Neil Hope's the father of your unborn child, isn't he?"
Jayme hung her head slightly, saying, "Yes, Jonah, he is."
"He has to be admired for wanting to take care of his child," Bastrup said.
"He didn't know about the baby before he died," Jayme said. "I never got a chance to tell him."
"I see," said Bastrup. "You're going to need a financial planner, Jayme. Someone you can trust to take care of all the things you've inherited."
"I don't know anyone like that, Jonah," Jayme protested. "I've always lived paycheck to paycheck. I wouldn't even know what to do with that kind of money."
"Mr. Hope's lawyer offered to look into that for you," Bastrup said. "Apparently Mr. Hope had someone in place already. I'll be happy to be your representative in any negotiations."
"I don't know what to do," Jayme said. "If what you're telling me is so, I've just gone from a nearly poor secretary to set for life in a matter of hours. I'm a bit overwhelmed."
Once Jayme understood just what she had inherited from Neil's estate, she knew that the right thing to do was to help others. So she arranged to pay off her mother's mortgages, make donations to causes she believed in, and invest the rest. When Cassandra arrived, Jayme had college funds set up for her and Jayden. Jayme lived off the earnings that her new investments, and the ones that Neil had before his death that were transfered over to her, provided.
But her children were all that really mattered to her. Jayme still lived her life like she had before her inheritance; she still volunteered in the church, she still went to work as a secretary in another law firm, she still budgetted every penny she received; now, there were just more pennies.
Somehow, news of her windfall was kept under wraps. Jayme feared that Jayden's father would find out and want to get back into her life. Neil had apparently arranged that no publicity would surround his generosity. Jayme had total sole control over the Neil Douglas Hope Memorial Trust. Jayme's name didn't appear on any public documents. Just the lawyer's name who read the will.
And, no one knew that Neil was Cassandra's father, except Jonah Bastrup. Neil's name did not appear on Cassandra's birth certificate. Instead, in the space reserved for the father's name, it said simply "deceased".
No one needed to know. Jayme knew, and she'd tell her daughter at the appropriate time. But that time was many years from now.
----------
Jack Coltrane's life went from bad to worse.
Mirielle became very ill around Christmas with an upper respiratory infection. She was hospitalized for several weeks when her doctors said Jack could take her home. She'd need specialized care, and Jack was willing to do anything to help his Miri feel better.
The night before Mirielle's release, Jack was called to the hospital. Mirielle had taken a turn for the worse, and wasn't expected to make it. The infection had spread to other parts of her body, and her organs were attempting to shut down.
Jack was in her room when she went into respiratory arrest. The nurses and doctors came into see if Mirielle could be resuscitated.
They were having trouble, and a doctor turned to Jack and said,
"Captain Coltrane, there is nothing more we can do for your wife other than hook her up to a machine."
"She would not want to live like that," Jack had said. "Why wasn't the Do Not Resuscitate order not followed? Why are you trying to resuscitate her?"
"That's our job, Captain Coltrane," the doctor stammered.
"If there is no hope in saving her," Jack said, knowing that Mirielle would have done the same thing for him, "then let the Good Lord take her home."
"So you're asking me to allow your wife to die?"
At that point, Jack had lost it. "Yes, please allow my wife to die with dignity, Doctor," he said angrily. "You said yourself that there's nothing more you can do except hook her up to a machine, and she would not want that."
The doctor got the point. "As you wish," he said.
Jack sat with Mirielle, talking to her. "It's okay, Miri," he said; "you can go. I'll be okay. Thank you for loving me, my dearest. You're the only one I've ever loved since we were fifteen years old. I know I'm not an easy man to live with, but you gave me all the reasons why I love you so much. Go on home, Mirielle. I'll be there soon."
The monitor measuring her breathing and heartbeat then flatlined. Jack kissed Mirielle's forehead and walked out of the room as medical personnel entered.
----------
Two months after burying her, Jack still felt alone.
He'd gone back to work, and at first, his heart wasn't in it. Life without his Miri was torture, it was pointless, it was lonely.
Then he got a call from Carl Parks, the Committee Chairman. Parks offered his condolences on behalf of the Committee and the President.
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman," Jack said. "Please give my regards to Madame President."
"You know there are still orders to arrest Draiman and three of his assassins," Parks said. "They've skated by long enough. I want Julia Terranova in custody by the end of the month. Then we'll work on the others. I don't care how you get that little bitch, just get her."
"Yes, Mr. Chairman," Jack said. "I was just working on that when you called."
"Let me know when she's in custody, Captain," Parks said. "We have plans for her."
I'll bet you do, Jack thought. I have plans for her as well, and you'll just have to wait.
"Yes, sir," was all Jack said.
As soon as he was off the phone with the Chairman, Jack called up one of his platoon leaders.
"Arrest Julia Terranova, and anyone else who is with her. You have thirty-six hours to get her in custody," he barked.
Jack felt like his old self, ordering people around. Soon, he would have the most dangerous female assassin in the country under his thumb.
He looked forward to punishing her himself.
Fate, however, had other plans.
----------
Part 2--
When Noah was released from the hospital on the compound after spending most of the summer there, he was moved into a safe house. To his astonishment, it was furnished, and everything he'd need was already in place.
I don't deserve this, he thought, looking around his new home. Why is David being so kind to me?
But it was good to call somewhere other than a prison cell or a hospital room home.
His shoulder was healing, the gunshot wound was healed, and he really had no place to go. He didn't even know how he'd start looking for his wife and children. Even if was only to tell them he was still alive, he wanted to at least have that closure.
He needed to let that wait, because he wanted to be completely healthy before he started such a quest.
Noah still had physical therapy for his shoulder, and was seeing a specialist in Chicago for post traumatic issues.
It was on one of these trips into the Chicago Sector where his worst fears would come true.
The New Army would find him and send him back to prison.
It was a beautiful late April day, and Noah was driving into the city for his bi-weekly appointment. He decided that after his appointment, he'd go to a place on the South Side and have lunch and relive a couple of old memories.
He never made it.
His appointment went well, but as Noah was walking to his car afterwards, he was approached by two New Army soldiers.
"Steve Kmak, you'll need to come with us," one of the soldiers said.
"I'm sorry," Noah said; "You have the wrong guy."
"I think we have the right guy," the other soldier said. "You need to come with us now."
"And if I refuse?"
"We'll take you by force, if that's what it takes," the first soldier said. "So you either come with us peacefully, or we can make a scene."
"I'll come with you," Noah said; "But I'm not who you think I am."
"Oh, come off it," the second soldier said; "We know you've been using the name Noah Paul. We have the right man."
Noah felt he had no choice but to accompany the soldiers. He knew he couldn't fight them because of his shoulder, but he hoped he could convince someone to let him go back to the compound.
He'd get a little unexpected help from a rather familiar source.
----------
"Who's ready to go to the zoo?" asked Julia.
"Me, me!" both of her sisters cried at once.
"Okay, so the three of us will go to the zoo. Do you want to go to the science museum, too?"
"I do!" Kimber said. "I like the science museum."
"Niki," asked Julia, "is that okay with you?"
"Yes, Julia," Niki said. "I like the science museum, too. But I like the zoo better."
"You ladies have fun in the big city," David said, kneeling to give his daughters a hug. "Do what Julia tells you, and stay out of trouble."
"Yes, Daddy," they both said.
"Can we bring Johnny and Sammy something back from the zoo?" Kimber asked.
Jordan had walked into the living room with both the boys, and handed Sammy over to David.
"Nothing too big, or anything small enough to swallow," Jordan said, answering Kimber's question.
"Okay, Mama," Kimber said, running over to where Jordan sat with Johnny on her lap and gave both of them a hug. Johnny pulled on one of Kimber's hair ribbons, untying the bow.
Kimber looked devastated, and her baby brother laughed at his clever trick.
"It's not funny, Johnny!" she said.
"He doesn't know better," Julia said, fixing Kimber's hair bow. "There, all fixed."
"Can we go now?" asked Niki impatiently.
"Yes, Niki, we can," Julia said. "Let's go get in the car."
The girls ran out to the driveway, where Julia's car waited.
The trip to the zoo was Julia's birthday gift to her sisters for their third birthday. She had gotten passes for both the zoo and the science museum, and decided to let the girls choose which place they wanted to go. Julia figured that they'd want to go to both. So that was the plan.
Jordan and David watched as Julia and the girls drove out of the driveway and onto the main road out of the compound.
Neither of them realized what would happen to all three of them by the time they were expected home. It would become the most difficult event in the Draiman's relationship. It would strengthen their bond, and make David more determined than ever to end the war.
Even if he had to do it alone.
----------
Noah was fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. At the time, the cell was empty. By the end of the day, he'd have company.
He knew that his fingerprints would definitely identify him as Steve Kmak, but Noah also knew that to him, at least, Steve Kmak was dead. He hadn't been that man in fifteen years.
He climbed into a top bunk and laid there, staring at the ceiling that was about three feet above his head. God only knew what these New Army bastards had in store for him. He'd had nearly a year of freedom, and delivered important information to the cause. If I have to go back, at least I accomplished something good while I was out here, he thought.
----------
Julia had to return her sisters to their parents before it got dark. Kimber was already showing signs of being tired after their trip to the science museum. Niki wouldn't be far behind.
They were headed out of the science museum to go home when a soldier stopped them and asked Julia for a form of identification. Julia got out her driver's license and handed it to the soldier. She knew what was coming, but she didn't want to freak out her sisters.
"Miss Terranova, we have orders to arrest you," the soldier said.
"What about my sisters?" Julia asked. "Can I call someone to come get them if you're going to arrest me?"
"When we get to the prison, we'll see about that," the soldier said.
"Where are we going, Julia?" asked Kimber, realizing that Julia was in trouble.
"We're going to go talk to some people about getting you two home," Julia said.
"Are we in trouble, Julia?" asked Niki with fear in her voice.
"I am," Julia said. "You two aren't." At least I hope not, Julia thought.
Julia knew she couldn't fight the soldier with her sisters there. Nor could she have them run to safety. They didn't know the city like she did. Julia felt like she was trapped.
They got into a truck and rode to the prison in a town called North Chicago. The prison was on a former Navy base called Great Lakes. Julia knew that this was one of the prisons her mother had been in. It was the one where Julia was born nearly eighteen years before, and the one from where she was rescued by Morbus.
They arrived at the prison gate and the truck was allowed to enter. The soldier then got out and let Julia, Niki and Kimber out from the back. They walked into a huge room with a long desk at one end. The soldier walked the three of them to the desk to talk to the clerk.
The clerk started with Julia.
"Julia Rachel Terranova, date of birth 10 June, 2000. Correct?"
"Yes, that's correct," Julia replied.
"You're aware of the charges against you, correct?"
"I am," Julia said, "but please don't read them in front of my sisters."
The clerk looked at the two very frightened little girls with Julia. He then asked their names. They both looked at Julia for guidence, and said, "It's okay, you can tell him your names."
"How about you first," the clerk said, pointing at Kimber.
"Kimber..." she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
"And you," he said, pointing at Niki.
"Niki."
"How old are you girls?"
"They just turned three," Julia said, seeing Kimber's eyes fill with tears and spill out onto her cheeks. Niki soon did the same. To say they were scared was an understatement. "We were in town because I gave them a trip to the zoo and the science museum as a birthday gift."
"Well, I'm sorry that the day got ruined," the clerk said, emotionless. Julia wanted to slap the man.
"Can I call their parents so they can go home?" asked Julia, knowing what the answer would be.
"No, Miss Terranova, you cannot. All three of you will be staying with us for a while."
"Now wait a damned minute!" Julia said, standing. "You're going to keep little children as prisoners? They're three years old!"
"They were with you, Miss Terranova," the clerk said, "so they stay with you."
He then turned to a guard and said,
"Take Miss Terranova and her sisters to the processing room, then to the holding cell until we figure out what to do with them."
The guard turned to Julia and the twins and said, "Come with me, please."
They followed silently as they went to the processing room. Only Julia was fingerprinted and photographed. Niki and Kimber sat in a nearby chair as Julia was asked questions.
"I want to go home, Niki," Kimber whispered.
"Me, too," Niki replied.
After the clerks in the processing room were done talking to Julia, a female guard took them to a holding cell. Julia then repeated her question to allow her to call her parents to have someone get the twins. The female guard told her that she'd have to check.
"We've never had little kids here before," the guard said. "I don't know what the procedure would be."
Julia estimated the guard was about a year to two years older than herself. How can she work here, knowing what happens in places like this? she asked herself.
"You'll have to wait here until I get some information," the guard said. "I'll find something for you guys to eat, since the dinner service has already run this evening."
Julia thanked her as the guard pulled the gate shut. She, Niki and Kimber sat on a nearby cot.
"Julia?" Niki asked.
"Yes, Niki?"
"I'm scared."
"I am, too," Julia said, "but more for you and Kimber than I am for myself."
"Are we ever going to see Mama and Daddy and the baby boys again?" asked Kimber, who had been sobbing into Julia's shoulder.
"I hope so," Julia said. "I hope that someone will let you two go home."
"What about you?" asked Kimber.
"It's more important that you and and Niki go home than it is for me," Julia said.
"I don't want to leave you here," Niki said.
"I'll stay if it means you and Kimber get to go home."
Julia knew it would be a long wait.
----------
Noah was awakened by voices. Female voices. Little girls voices. He turned over in his cot and got the shock of his life.
My God! he thought as he recognized the new inhabitants of the holding cell, it's Julia, and David's twin girls! What the fuck are they doing here?!
Noah felt himself grow angry. Little girls should not be in a place like this, he fumed internally. I'd break out of here and take them all with me if I could.
Instead, he got down from his cot and made himself known.
"I don't know what you three have done to warrant being in this place," Noah said, "but it's not right."
"Noah!" Julia said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I escaped from prison about a year ago, and they just caught up with me after my therapy appointment in Chicago this afternoon," Noah said. "I guess they're going to send me back to the maximum security place I escaped from."
"But you're still hurt, aren't you?" asked Julia.
"Technically, yes," Noah said. "My appointment today was for Post Traumatic Stress issues."
"You don't need to be here any more than they do," Julia said, indicating her sleeping sisters on the cot behind her. "I would gladly give up my freedom temporarily if it meant you and my sisters could leave."
"You barely know me, Julia," said Noah. "Why would you do that for me?"
"Because my mom suffers from Post Traumatic Stress issues, too, and I can't even imagine what's going to go through her mind when she hears that the three of us are here," Julia said. "I just want my sisters to be back with Mom and David, and you need to be getting therapy. You're not going to get anything here!"
"I appreciate the offer Julia," Noah said. "If there's a way I could ever repay you..."
"Just get my sisters home."
----------
The guard knocked on Jack's door. "Enter!" he barked.
He looked up and saw the young female guard standing before him. "Yes, Karly, what can I do for you today?" he asked.
"Sir, we have Julia Terranova in the holding cell," she began.
"But there's a problem?" asked Jack.
"She has two little girls with her. They're her sisters, and they're three years old. Ms. Terranova want to know if she could call someone to come get them."
"When I issued the order to arrest Julia Terranova and anyone who was with her," Jack said, "I did not mean her little sisters. Who brought them in?"
"Dennison did, sir," Karly said. "The processing clerk told Ms. Terranova that it was too bad that her sisters had to be here with her, and that all of them would be here a while."
"I know I can be a heartless, thoughtless man," Jack said. "But those girls belong with their parents, not in this facility. Their father is David Draiman, and as much as I'd like to see him behind bars, it will NOT be at the expense of his daughters."
"Yes, sir," Karly said. "How shall we proceed in reuniting them with their parents?"
"Let me think about it and I'll have an answer for your superior in the morning," Jack said.
"Yes, sir," said Karly, and she took her leave.
After the guard was gone, Jack said aloud,
"Julia stays. Her sisters go home. I have no issue with little girls who are probably scared out of their minds. Miri would kill me if I went home and told her I arrested three year old twin girls today..."
He stopped, realizing that Miri wasn't at home.
"Oh, God..." Jack sobbed.
----------
"Holy fucking GOD!" Dan said angrily.
"What is it, brother?" Mike asked.
"Julia was picked up by the New Army outside the science museum this afternoon! And the twins were with her!"
John entered the room after he heard Dan's outburst, but before he could ask what it was about, Dan turned to him and barked,
"Get David in here! NOW!"
John left to get David out of a meeting with Morbus and Miranda Cooper.
"David, Dan wants you in his office now," John said. "I don't know what it's about, but if it meant interrupting your meeting, I apologize to both of you," John turned and said to Morbus and Miranda.
David was already on the phone. "Danny what is so fucking important that it can't wait til I'm done with this meeting with Morbus and Director Cooper?"
The answer David got shook him to his core. His hand shook as he hung up the phone.
"David? What is it?" Morbus asked.
"Let's all go to Dan's office," David said, not even bothering to hide the fear in his voice.
Once in Dan's office, and told of what had happened, David sat down hard in a nearby chair. He buried his head in his hands and started what Morbus and Miranda immediately recognized as a prayer. In Hebrew.
"What the plan on getting them out?" Morbus asked gruffly. "Julia can take care of herself, but the little ones can't. Is there anything at all being done, Dan?"
"I just got this info not five minutes before you guys came in here," Dan said. "I don't know of any plans right now."
"That prison," Morbus began, "is the one Julia was born in. The one I rescued her from when she was just hours old. The man who's in charge is known as Black Jack Coltrane. He's an evil son of a bitch!"
"They have Noah there, too," Mike said, interrupting Morbus' rant; "He was arrested on the southside after leaving his therapy appointment this morning."
"They're probably not even in the same part of the building," Dan said.
"David? You still with us, brother?" asked John.
"I have to go home and tell Jordan all three of her daughters are in jail..." he said emotionally. "I don't know if I can do it."
"David, you have to find a way," Miranda said. "You need to be strong for her, and for your girls. Be the man I know you are. Your daughters are depending on you."
"Thank you, Miranda," David said, regaining his composure. "You're right. I have to be the one who takes charge. But, you understand, those girls mean everything to me. If anything happened to them, or to Julia, I could never forgive myself. It could literally kill Jordan. I must be strong, because Jordan depends on me."
----------
The guard, Karly, brought sandwiches and drinks to Julia and the twins.
"I'm sorry, this is all I could wrangle up on short notice," said Karly. "I know it's not much..."
"It's something, and we appreciate your efforts," Julia said. "Were you able to find out if my sisters can go home?"
"I spoke with the captain in charge," Karly said; "He wasn't happy to find out that your sisters were here. He told me that he would personally look into finding a way to get them home. He just lost his wife a couple of months ago, and just came back to work three weeks ago. He's usually not this nice."
"When would this happen?" asked Julia. "Tomorrow?"
"At the earliest, Ms. Terranova," Karly said.
"We'll have to make the best of it, then," Julia said.
Just then, Kimber woke up, and found she was still in the scary room with the bars. "Julia..."
"I'm here, Kimber," Julia said.
"I'm hungry."
"The guard brought us some sandwiches," Julia said. "Wake up Niki so we can eat."
"Niki..." Kimber said, shaking her sister's arm, "wake up. Julia says we have sandwiches."
Niki woke up, and wanted to go home.
"They're cute," Karly said. "My little girl is a year old, and I can't imagine her spending any time here. I don't even like it sometimes."
"Thanks for trying to help us," Julia said; "Hopefully they'll be on their way home tomorrow. I know my mom and stepfather are probably freaking out because we're late getting home. I'm the one that the New Army wants, not them."
"My superior will have an answer for you in the morning," Karly said. "I hope it's good news."
"You and me both," Julia said.
"Thank you for the sandwiches," Niki said.
"You're welcome," Karly said.
The guard then left. Julia told her sisters that whatever was in the sandwiches, they had to eat. "It was very nice of the guard to bring us these sandwiches and the milk, so we should be thankful for that," she said.
They opened the wrappers of the sandwiches and they were peanut butter and jelly, which the girls liked. Julia wasn't crazy about it, but she would eat it.
"Noah, would you like part of my sandwich?" Julia asked.
Noah reappeared from his bunk. "No, thanks, Julia. I've eaten," he said; "but thank you for offering."
He sat down on the bunk to the left of where Julia and the twins sat. Kimber recognized him.
"Hi, Mr. Noah," she said softly.
"Hello," Noah replied. "I forget which one you are."
"I'm Kimber, silly!"
Noah laughed. "Of course you are! And your sister is Niki."
"Yeah," Niki said.
To Julia, he asked,
"You guys going to be okay? I'll sleep down here tonight if you want."
"I wouldn't mind if you did, Noah," Julia said. "I just want the girls to be okay."
"I'll keep watch," Noah offered.
"Sounds like a good idea," Julia said. "We can do two or three hour shifts."
"I'll take the first one so you can sleep," said Noah. "I've been sleeping off and on since I've been here, so I'm not really tired. Just bored."
"Okay," said Julia, "but let me know if you need to sleep so I can do a watch."
"Deal," Noah said.
----------
Jack walked through the grounds until he got to the house that had been designated as the warden's home. He'd been living on the grounds of the prison since Mirielle died, because he couldn't bear to go back to the house out in town. Too many memories there for Jack to process.
He was still pissed off about the fact that one of his men virtually arrested two little girls that day. Julia Terranova is one thing, her little sisters are another. He decided that the three year olds would go home the following morning with a guard. The guard was not to arrest whoever it was who came to pick them up. There would be plenty of time for that later.
He opened the door to the warden's house and walked inside. He hated it there. But it didn't have Mirielle's memory haunting him.
Instead, he thought about Julia Terranova and the things he wanted to do to her before he told the Committee he had her. What they planned to do was much worse than what he had in mind.
He would be surprised by Julia's response to his requests.
----------
Jordan took the news of Julia's arrest and the twins predicament pretty well, David thought.
"I'd give myself up in a minute if it meant that the girls came home safe," David told his wife.
"David, we've known for a while that Julia had an warrant out for her arrest. She did what she had to do to protect Niki and Kimber," Jordan said. "The girls don't know what Julia really does for the cause, and I'd like to keep it that way."
"You're taking this well, Jordan," David said. "I thought you'd be upset."
"David, I am upset," Jordan said. "I don't like the idea of any of them being in that particular prison. Julia was born there; the Illegals almost took her from me there; fortunately, Morbus got there first. One of the men who attacked me repeatedly while I was held there is now in charge of it. I shudder to think what he'd do to Julia if he knew she was my daughter. Our first priority is to get the twins away from there. Julia knows this. She'd stay longer if it meant Niki and Kimber would get to leave."
"I'll kill anyone who tries to harm the twins or Julia," David said. "Mark my words. You think the Illegals are afraid of me now? They haven't seen anything yet!"
"Does Ryan know about what happened?" Jordan asked.
"Yes, I had him brought to my office and I told him myself," David said. "He told me that he knew this day was coming, ever since Julia learned that she had a price on her head. He'll do anything to help get Julia freed."
"Julia's a lucky girl to have a man that devoted to her," Jordan said; "Just like I do." She kissed David. "I love you David," she said softly.
All David could do was hold her. This fucking war WILL end! he vowed, and end soon! I'm done. It's time to bring down the Illegal regime.
----------
Noah took the first watch, then woke Julia and she took the second watch. The twins slept covered with the one blanket in the cell.
While she was awake, Julia thought about escaping. She knew that some kind of torture would happen to her while she was here. She was prepared to fight for her life if that's what it took. No one was going to rob her of her dignity, she would see to that.
At about six in the morning, a heavy set matron came by with breakfast. She seemed surprised to see two little girls in the holding cell. Julia was still awake when the matron slipped four bowls of oatmeal in the slot in the doors of the cell.
"How did those little ones come to be here?" the matron asked Julia.
"They were with me when I was arrested," Julia said. "The clerk who processed us said that they had to stay, even after I asked that they be allowed to go home. Our parents are probably very worried about us."
"That's just not right," the matron said. "Little ones need to be with their mommys and daddys, not in a hellhole like this."
"Yesterday started out as a trip to the zoo, and turned into a nightmare," Julia said.
"I'll send a senior guard over to talk to you," the matron replied. "Maybe the Captain will allow them to go home."
"I hear the Captain's a pretty brutal man," Julia said. "But I also heard he just lost his wife a couple of months ago."
"She was very ill over Christmas," said the matron; "she already had dementia. It was just a matter of time."
"Thank you for bringing breakfast," Julia said. "Fortunately, my sisters like oatmeal."
Julia put the tray with the four bowls of oatmeal and four small glasses of orange juice on the only thing that could be considered a table in the cell.
"Niki, Kimber, Noah, breakfast is here," Julia said.
Everyone got up and ate breakfast, then Julia tried to fix the girls hair so that it looked half way decent, instead of slept on. Without a hair brush, it was a hard task. Julia braided each of her sisters hair and fastened it with an elastic at the end. Julia kept the hair ribbons that each girl had in her hair the day before in the pocket of her jeans.
"There, you look presentable, so that when you go home, Mama and Daddy will see that I tried to keep you two looking nice," Julia said. "I'm so sorry I got you into all this with me."
"Julia, it's not your fault," Noah said.
"I know, but I still feel bad."
"Julia, it's okay," Niki said. "I don't like it here, but we're all together."
Julia just looked at her sister. Where did that come from? she asked herself.
At that moment, a guard came to the cell.
"Miss Terranova, I'm here to talk to you about getting your sisters home to their parents," he said.
"When do they get to leave?"
"Soon," the guard said.
"May I make a request?" Julia asked.
"Sure, but don't expect it to be honored."
Julia decided she just had to chance it; "I want Mr. Paul to take the girls back to our parents. He has physical and mental health issues that need to be addressed, and he's been doing well with therapy. I know he won't get that if he stays here. I'm willing to give up my freedom temporarily to make that happen. My sisters have done nothing to warrant being here. They should get to go home. Mr. Paul needs to continue his course of treatment in order to remain a functioning member of society. To deny him that would be inhumane, even for you guys."
"Look, Miss Terranova, you don't call the shots here," the guard said; "but I will take your request to the captain and see what he says. Don't expect a favorable reply in return."
"Thank you," Julia said. "As long as you actually take my request to him and not come back twenty minutes later and tell me no and not go talk to him."
"I'll go see him now," the guard said. "But you're a prisoner, you don't get special treatment."
He then left.
"Jerk," Julia muttered under her breath.
"You think he'll let Mr. Noah take us home, Julia?" Kimber asked.
"I really don't know, Kimber," Julia said. "I guess it depends on what the man in charge says."
"Thanks for trying anyway," Noah said. "I don't expect that the answer will be yes."
----------
"Okay, wait," Jack said when the day guard came to his office with Julia's request; "Let me see if I have this right. Julia Terranova offered to stay here if we allow another prisoner to be set free to take her sisters home? Do I understand this correctly, Mr. Duggan?"
"Yes, sir," Duggan said. "I told her not to expect a favorable reply. She should be lucky that her sisters get to leave at all."
"I didn't want little girls here," Jack said. "The order stated that anyone who was with Julia Terranova, who was OF AGE, was to be arrested as well. I looked up the original warrant, and it did specifically state that if she was with anyone OF AGE, meaning sixteen or older. So technically, Julia Terranova should not have been arrested yesterday because she was with two people who were not OF AGE. Looks like someone got a little too enthusiastic. I should let Terranova go as well, but she offered to stay, so she stays. But the little girls go home. Who is the other prisoner in the holding cell?"
"He calls himself Noah Paul, sir."
"Formerly known as Steven Kmak," Jack said. "He escaped from the max security prison up north about a year ago. We weren't getting anything from him anyway. Tell Miss Terranova that her request has been granted. Noah Paul can accompany her sisters home. Do not re arrest him. If he has mental health issues, he should have those attended to."
"You getting soft, Captain?" Duggan asked.
"No, Duggan, I'm not," Jack said; "but had I been paying attention when my wife got sick six years ago, she might not be dead now."
"Yes, sir."
Duggan left Jack's office. Jack seriously thought about having Duggan punished for insubordination.
Am I getting soft, he asks, Jack thought blackly. Fuck no, I'm not getting soft. He should find out how soft I'm NOT getting.
He got on the phone to the watch captain; "Have Sgt. Duggan report to my office when he's through in the holding cell area. I have something for him," he said with a hint of evil in his voice.
"Yes, sir."
Let's see who's getting soft, shall we, Duggan? Jack thought. Interrogation Room soft enough for ya, asshole?
----------
Duggan returned to the holding cell area, where Noah was making up stories for Niki and Kimber about a magic guitar.
"Miss Terranova," he said, addressing Julia, "the captain for some reason has consented to grant your request. Mr. Paul and your sisters will be leaving within the hour. A guard will accompany them to where Mr. Paul's car is parked on the south side of Chicago. From there, they're on their own."
"Thank you for arranging this," Julia said. "And I'll keep my end of the bargain. I'll stay here until I get a trial. Nothing less."
"That may be a long time coming," Duggan said.
Another guard came up to Duggan and told him he was wanted back in the captain's office. Duggan said goodbye and left.
Julia told Noah and the girls that all three of them would be leaving soon.
"You're not coming with us, Julia?" Kimber asked.
"It's more important that you and Niki get home," Julia said. "I'll be home soon. Promise."
"Pinky swear?" Niki asked.
"Pinky swear," Julia said, and locked pinkys with both of her sisters. Noah thought this was cute.
As promised, a guard came to take the twins and Noah back into the city to retrieve Noah's car, then Noah would drive the twins home.
There were tears and hugs, and a thank you from Noah for everything Julia did to make sure he got to leave. "Be strong, Julia," he said as he left.
She was the only one in the holding cell. Now, I fight for my life, my freedom, and my country, she thought. They'll be sorry they ever messed with me.
----------
Part 3--
The New Army vehicle took Noah, Niki and Kimber to where Noah's car was parked and left. My God, Noah thought as he strapped each of David's daughters into the seatbelts in the back seat of the car; what has that girl agreed to to make this happen for me and her sisters? He wasn't sure he wanted to know. All he cared about now was to get these little girls back to their father and mother, and try to assure them that Julia would be okay.
Noah had a hard time convincing himself of that. She's in prison, he thought, how 'okay' would she really be?
----------
Jordan looked out the window while rocking Sammy to sleep in the living room. Johnny was already sleeping in the playpen where the boys had been playing earlier in the day. Jordan kept herself busy with the boys so she wouldn't have to think about where her daughters were.
She'd had a restless night, and hardly slept at all. She tossed and turned and woke up after nightmares of never seeing any of her daughters again.
She looked down and saw that Sammy had fallen asleep. Jordan put him down in the playpen next to his brother.
Sitting on the floor and bracing herself against the couch, Jordan watched her baby boys sleep. She thought Johnny looked like the uncle he was named after, whereas Sammy resembled David with his round face and chipmunk cheeks.
Next thing she heard was David running into the house calling her name.
Jordan had fallen asleep next to the playpen, still propped up against the couch. The boys were awake, but they were quiet. Or at least until David found her, then they started crying.
"Jordan," David said breathlessly. "Danny got intel that Noah and the twins were released from that prison up north! They're on their way home!"
"And Julia?" asked Jordan; "What about her?"
"She's still there, apparently," David said. "Maybe she had to agree to something so that the girls could come home."
"I hope she didn't say she'd stay there," Jordan said. "If she's truly a prisoner, I fear for her, David."
"I'm sure we'll find out something," David said.
"They can't take Julia from me," Jordan said. "Losing her once was bad enough."
"You have to remember, Jordan," David said; "that Julia is a highly trained assassin. She will do what she needs to in order to get out of there. Since she won't have her weapons, she'll have to use her skills of survival in order to escape."
"But they've had an arrest warrant out for her for months," Jordan said. "What if she doesn't get a chance to escape?"
"Have faith in your daughter, Jordan," David said. "She's stronger than we all give her credit for."
There was a knock at the door. Before David and Jordan could get up off the floor to answer it, it burst open and Niki and Kimber ran through it and straight for their parents.
"Mama! Daddy!" they cried as they hugged their parents. After five minutes of hugs, kisses, and tears, David noticed Noah standing at the door. He got up and went to the man who brought his girls home.
"Thank you, brother, for bringing them home," David said, shaking Noah's hand.
"Don't thank me," Noah said; "Thank Julia. She somehow convinced the guy who runs that place to let me go as well. For once, I'm glad I have all this shit wrong with me. Julia used it as the reason they should let me go."
"What did Julia have to agree to in order for this to happen?" asked David.
"She offered to give up her freedom temporarily so that her sisters could come home," Noah said. "She wouldn't accept less than a trial for whatever crimes they think she's committed."
"I hope she knows what she's doing," David said.
"I do, too," Noah said. "She promised her sisters she'd be home soon."
"They made her pinky swear, didn't they?" asked David.
Noah laughed. "They sure did."
----------
Julia was taken to a room where she handed in her street clothes and was given a drab green grey uniform to wear. It was a dress. Julia hated to wear dresses, even as a young child, unless it was a special event like a party or something. Now she had been handed this...thing to wear. It was the smallest one they had, and it was still too big on her.
She managed to smuggle her sisters hair ribbons in her bra, and hid them in the hem of her uniform. They would be there for two purposes-- one, to remind Julia of her promise to her sisters that she'd be home soon; and two, to use as weapons should the need arise.
A matron then escorted Julia to a cell. It was empty, and she would be the only one in it for the forseeable future. Julia was kind of relieved. Once word got out that she was here, other inmates might either try to meet the legandary Julia Terranova; or lose hope thinking that the war would be lost because the cause's best assassin was in prison.
She had gotten to her cell in time for lunch, which consisted of noodle something in a gravy of red something; a half stale roll; and milk to drink.
As much as she hated the way it looked, she ate the meal, and it wasn't half bad. What I wouldn't give for another one of Jordana's breakfast bars, Julia thought.
Late that afternoon, a matron came and got Julia for a meeting with the man who ran the prison. Julia wasn't looking forward to this, because she had heard that the Captain liked to fool around with certain female inmates. She decided that she wasn't going to be afraid of some guy who could possibly have her killed. She knew that was what he was counting on-- her being afraid of him.
The matron knocked on the door of the Captain's office and left Julia there. Julia couldn't help but notice the smirk on the woman's face as she turned to leave. You'll get yours, bitch, Julia thought.
"Enter!" an older man's voice gruffly commanded.
Julia entered the office and saw for the first time the man who held her fate in his hands. This is the man who just lost his wife? thought Julia. He acts like it didn't faze him at all.
Jack Coltrane leaned up against the edge of his desk and said,
"Well, I finally get to see the infamous Julia Terranova for myself," Jack said. "I trust your sisters and Mr. Paul got home safely."
"I hope they did, or else I'll be very pissed off," Julia sneered at him.
"No need to be nasty, Julia," Jack said. "I could help you survive in here if you'd let me."
"How? By sleeping with you?" asked Julia. "You're old enough to be my grandfather!"
"True that," Jack said; "and you're a married woman now, so that really shouldn't matter," he cupped his hand under Julia's chin and roughly forced her to look him full in the face, "should it?"
"You want me to be afraid of you, don't you?" asked Julia. "You want me to agree to anything because I'm scared. Well I have news for you, pal. I'm not scared of you. You and I are going to fight, and I am going to win."
Jack suddenly grabbed a handful of Julia's hair on the back of her head and forced her head back, saying, "Such talk coming from a tiny gal like you. You go ahead and think what you like. You will submit to me, Julia. I can guarantee it."
He then looked into her eyes and noticed something about them that he had not seen in any other female inmate in the ten years he'd been running the Great Lakes Prison.
Anger. Determination. Confidence.
What he didn't see was fear. This girl was not afraid of him. She was right. There was a complete lack of fear in her eyes.
He loosened his grip on her hair. He was so taken aback by her all he could say was,
"You're not afraid of me, Julia?"
"No, I'm not, Captain."
"May I ask why?"
"Because I had been raised to be a warrior. A warrior is not afraid. I was angry when I watched New Army soldiers brutally murder my guardians when I was twelve years old. I swore then that I would kill all you motherfuckers for what you did to people I cared about. That's why I am so good at what I do. I am a warrior, and this is a war. So am I afraid of you? No, I'm not."
Jack had no answer for that. The girl had more guts than a platoon full of soldiers in his opinion. Whoever trained her did a damn good job.
"Julia," Jack began, "I've never heard anyone anywhere tell me they were not afraid of me, not afraid of what they've heard about me, not afraid of what might happen to them here. I was going to hurt you, crush you, defile you. I was going to make you wish you were dead. But even I can't scare someone who can't be scared."
It was Julia's turn to be speechless. Jack continued,
"When I was fifteen, I fell in love with this beautiful, petite angel named Mirielle. You remind me a lot of her. She had a spark that lit up any room. Why she chose me, a known troublemaker, I still don't know. She just wasn't afraid. Just like you. It was a different time, a different culture.
"I married that girl when we were twenty-one years old, and we stayed married until she died in February. She followed me everywhere I was stationed, supported my decisions, and gave me four beautiful children. Your husband is a lucky man, Julia. I hope he's nothing like me."
"Why are you telling me all this, Captain?" asked Julia, admittedly a little more than confused. Was this a way to break me down, she thought.
"First of all, my name is Jack. Please call me that," Jack said. "Secondly, you say you're not scared of me. Julia I am scared of life without my Miri. She was my everything. She's why I got up every day and the reason why my life was so special. It was because of her I wanted to be the best damn soldier out there. Now she's gone, and there's nothing left for me. Except this."
"Why do you continue, then?" asked Julia.
"Because it's all I know," Jack said. "I couldn't wait to have you under my control. I'd fantasize about the things I wanted to do to you to break you. Now that you're here, and I've seen that fire, that determination, that spark in your eyes, I know how dangerous you really are, because you're not afraid."
"What are you going to do to me, Jack?" asked Julia.
"I don't know what to do with someone like you, because the only other woman who was anything close to you was my wife," Jack said; "I couldn't hurt her if I wanted to. And I don't think I could do the things to you I was planning to."
"Then why am I here?" asked Julia.
"Because you're an enemy of the state," Jack said. "I didn't know until I met you that you are so much like Mirielle it scares me."
"Is that what you need, Jack?" asked Julia, touching Jack's face softly; "You need Mirielle?"
Jack felt his guard drop. That's exactly what he needed. Mirielle. If he couldn't have Mirielle... would Julia do? he thought.
He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that. All he was sure of was this girl in front of him making him weak in the knees.
----------
Later, Julia was escorted back to her cell. She had to admit to herself that her meeting with Captain Coltrane was pretty strange.
He came back to work too soon, Julia thought. He's not over losing his wife. He's vulnerable. He exposed his weakness to me, knowing what I'm capable of!
Julia wasn't sure she could take advantage of his pain. It was too fresh. When she touched his face, she knew he didn't see her, he saw the girl who was his life long love.
She realized that she was not afraid OF Jack Coltrane; she was afraid FOR him.
If I seduce him, Julia thought, and it went badly, he could have me executed.
If she seduced him, and it went the way she hoped it did, she could find herself in a situation she might not be able to get herself out of.
I wish I could talk to Ryan, she thought. I don't want to betray his trust in me because I took advantage of a situation to help me escape.
Losing Ryan scared Julia more than facing death. Death, she could handle. Losing Ryan would be torture.
----------
Ryan wasn't sure he could sleep in their bed if Julia wasn't there.
So many things happened in that bed, he thought. If Julia never comes back, or comes back damaged, I could never sleep in that bed again.
He knew Julia was a strong woman, and not one who would take to being confined easily. She would find a way to escape her captors, and come back to him. He knew that she would do whatever it took to find a way to come home.
Even if that meant sleeping with one of her captors. He almost expected that to be the way she'd escape. By taking advantage of a man's weaknesses. If his weakness was a petite, dark haired, dark eyed teenage assassin type, then Julia had it made.
He had no idea that she had found the weakness of one man. The man who ran the prison she was confined in.
"Do what you must, Julia," Ryan said to Julia's side of their bed; "then come home to me."
----------
Part 4--
Kimber and Niki had nightmares for a few days after returning from the prison. Niki's dreams were about not being able to get out; Kimber's were about Julia never coming home.
Jordan decided to see if counselling would help the girls adjust. She made an appointment for them with a colleague of Dr. Corwin's who specialized, like Dr. Corwin did, in kids who had life altering experiences.
At the first appointment, all the girls did was draw pictures. Kimber thought that was fun. Niki was a little more cautious. Jordan and Dr. Olivier watched through a one way mirror.
"Niki is very protective of her sister, isn't she?" Dr. Olivier asked.
"Yes, she's the protector, and Kimber is the sensitive one," replied Jordan. "I noticed that when they were about a year old. It took their father a little longer."
"Sometimes dads are like that, Jordan," said Dr. Olivier. "The girls adjust to their baby brothers okay?"
"Like little mommies," said Jordan, laughing. "Niki refuses to get near them when they're wet, and Kimber is the one who has to remind her sister that the boys will fuss when they're wet or hungry."
"Do they fight over who gets to do what?" asked Dr. Olivier.
"Not with the babies so much, but when I was shot a year and a half ago, and it turned out I also had an abdominal aortic anuerysm," said Jordan; "They fell all over each other trying to be my nurse. They fought over who would bring me what."
"Sounds typical," Dr. Olivier said. "Even if they weren't twins, that probably would've happened. Little girls have maternal instincts from birth. That why they play with dolls a lot. They're just copying what they've seen their mothers do."
Later, Jordan took the girls home, where they helped their mother fix dinner. Then it was bedtime, and both girls were afraid of falling asleep.
David read them their usual bedtime stories, then Kimber wanted to tell her daddy about Mr. Noah's magic guitar.
David smiled. He remembered when Fuzz made up similar stories for his own children. Those kids must be adults by now, he thought. And he's missed it all because of the Illegal government.
He bid his daughters a good night and pleasant dreams and left their bedroom.
He checked in on the twin boys, and they were sleeping away, oblivious to the drama going on in the family's lives.
Joining Jordan in the living room, he sat next to her on the couch. She laid her head on his shoulder, and they sat like that for a long while before they went to bed.
----------
A man not familiar with the Chicagoland compound finally wandered into Morbus' office in the training building.
Morbus looked up and saw someone he didn't recognize.
"Hello, my name is Chris Patrick; I'm looking for Rebekah Mannion."
Morbus just stared at the young man before him. This was the Chris that Christine was so worried about? He seems like a nice young man to me.
Morbus extended his hand to Chris. "I'd introduce myself, but I have a feeling you already know who I am."
Chris shook Morbus' hand. "Indeed I do," he said. "Rebekah speaks highly of you."
"What brings you to Chicagoland, Chris," said Morbus; "I mean, besides Rebekah, of course."
"Director Cooper sent me here for additional training," Chris said. "She was impressed by how successful I was on my missions for her that she said she would recommend me for training with the BlackOps squad."
"She did send me a glowing review, Chris," Morbus said. "But that was five months ago. Why are you just now arriving here?"
"I was undercover for the last four months," Chris said. "I had to infiltrate the New Army HQ, since I had knowledge of how they operate. They had no idea that I deserted, or even what my real name was. Once I got the information Director Cooper was looking for, some fake 'orders' were issued sending me to the Chicago Sector."
"I see," Morbus said; "Director Cooper didn't tell me this."
"She did that on purpose," Chris said. "It was to protect everyone here."
Morbus rubbed his chin, then asked,
"When did Director Cooper want you to begin training here?"
"She mentioned that another training session would begin in June."
"Well, she is correct," Morbus said. "We do have training beginning June third. In the meantime, you wanted to spend time with Rebekah, am I right?"
"Yes, sir," Chris said; "I haven't seen her since I had my four week leave after my training in Tidewater."
"Rebekah is probably at the dorms," Morbus said. "The females except Julia live there."
"I heard Julia had been arrested, is that true?" asked Chris.
"Unfortunately, it is," Morbus said. "She's in the Great Lakes facility up north."
"That's Black Jack's prison," Chris gasped. "He rules with an iron fist."
"So I've heard," said Morbus. "Her mother was incarcerated there shortly before Julia was born. It's the only prison in this region with a hospital."
"Was Julia born there?"
"She was," Morbus said; "and I rescued her from there when I learned that the New Army would place her with a family of sympathizers. I placed her with a family here in Chicagoland when she was two weeks old."
"Where are the dorms?" asked Chris. "I'd like to see Rebekah if I could."
"Let me take you over there," Morbus said, getting up from behind his desk, walking around it and escorting Chris to the females dorms.
"I'm sure Rebekah will be thrilled to see you, Chris," Morbus said.
----------
Part 5--
Julia got the prison routine down after a couple of days. She knew she was going to be there for a long while, and she had to make the best of it.
She still hoped to get a trial on the crimes the New Army thought she had committed. It wasn't looking likely, even if the guy running the place thought she reminded him of his late wife.
After the breakfast run one morning about a week after she was placed in the general prison population, a matron came to escort her to Captain Coltrane's office. Julia was certain the matron thought she was "Black Jack's" girl of the moment, and Julia could care less what the bitch thought. She was made his aide, which to Julia was akin to being a glorified secretary.
When Julia entered Jack's office that morning, she saw a box on his desk. She recognized it immediately as the box that her street clothes and belongings were placed into after she left the holding cell.
"Why do you have that box?" she asked.
"I asked for it, that's why," said Jack. "I'm going to keep it here in my office. As of today, you have been taken out of the general prison population because other inmates have learned you are here, and there have been threats on your life."
"I've had my life threatened before, Jack," Julia said. "Usually by the Committee, who sends out an incompetant assassin to do me in. I usually end up killing the stupid asshat."
"These are people who commit serious crimes," Jack said. "Not everyone here is in the Resistance. But I told you when we first met that I would protect you. Just not in the way I originally intended."
"How would you protect me, then?" asked Julia.
"You'll be staying in my quarters with me," Jack said. "I'm trying to keep up the illusion that I'm going to break you down in my usual manner. But, Julia, I can't do that with you. I can't hurt you like that."
"So what is your intention as far as I'm concerned?"
"My intention, Julia," Jack said, "is to make love to you at some point. You completely captivate me. I want you to know the real me, and not the me you've probably heard about. I haven't always been the cruel, evil, manipulative motherfucker my reputation suggests. And I want to know you as well. What makes you who you are."
Julia was taken aback by that. She realized that he had given her permission to take advantage of him. He probably intended to do just that, she thought.
And she asked herself again and again, why did he choose me? It's probably for reasons far beyond me reminding him of his late wife.
"Julia, could you lock the office door and come here?" he asked.
She went to do as he asked, then walked to where he sat behind his desk. She then felt his hand gently touch her face.
He looked up at her, and she saw that his dark eyes were moist. "I have no right to ask you to break your marriage vows, Julia," he said; "But I can't seem to help myself. I don't know what it is about you that has me so... I don't know how to describe how you make me feel. As you pointed out, I'm old enough to be your grandfather. Maybe I'm just a dirty old man. Maybe I'm..."
He got up from his chair suddenly and brushed past her and over to the opposite end of the office. There was a window there that he started to stare out of.
Julia wasn't sure what to do. It was obvious to her he was in some kind of emotional dilemma.
She thought about how he touched her face. He was gentle; his hand was soft against her skin. She imagined what he must have been like when he was her age, in love with his girl and they had the rest of their lives in front of them.
Jack Coltrane wasn't the evil man he had been, if he had indeed been at all. What he was Julia thought she knew. He was lonely, he was scared, and he had a job to do. That job was to break her down, then send her to the Committee to be abused by them. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He looked at her, and saw his Miri, his lifelong love, one moment; then he saw the young woman he couldn't wait to get under his control the next.
I can't do this to him, Julia thought, even though he opened the door for me to expose his pain. But if I refuse him... Julia didn't want to think about that.
She only hoped that God, and Ryan, would forgive her.
---------
Julia approached Jack and spoke his name. He turned to the sound, and saw Julia standing there.
"Tell me about Mirielle," she said; "Tell me how you met."
Jack looked at her. "Are you sure you want to hear about what an old man remembers about meeting the girl who changed his life?" he asked.
"I may only be a young girl to you, but what I see is someone who's hurting," Julia said. "Tell me about her. What was it about her that changed your life?"
Jack sat down in a chair near the window. He invited Julia to sit in a chair to his left. As she sat down, Jack said,
"She was simply the most beautiful girl I'd ever had the honor of setting eyes on. Mirielle Celine LeMieux. She was a petite girl, like you, with beautiful brown eyes, dark brown hair that she kept in a ponytail, very fair skin. She reminded me of an angel. I was fifteen, and she turned fifteen shortly after we met. Until I met her, girls were either cute or plain. This little Canadian girl blew them all away.
"We had homeroom together, and I looked forward to seeing her everyday. Her father was a diplomat, stationed in Washington, D.C. I was an Army brat. My father was getting ready to retire, so we would not be moving anymore. My mother had died the year before, and Dad was raising me, my sister and brother alone. It was rare for men to do that in those days.
"I was a troublemaker, and I got into a lot of trouble. A lot of girls told Mirielle not to talk to me, because I could get her in trouble. She didn't listen to them. She came up to me and introduced herself and asked if I wanted to walk her home that afternoon. Of course I said yes.
"She lived in the ritzy part of town, and I'd never been over there. It was a long way from the base my family lived on. We talked about school, about homework. She had never been to a public school before. Her last school was a private school in some other country, and she hated it. It was her idea to go a regular school.
"Her family was not thrilled to see the boorish American boy their daughter brought home. 'This is Jack,' she told them. 'He's in my homeroom.' Her father thanked me for walking Mirielle home, but that the next day, she would be brought to and from school."
"Sounds like you got off on the wrong foot with her father," Julia said.
"Not really. I was in more trouble for coming home late that afternoon," Jack said. "My dad was not pleased that I walked a girl home that lived so far away."
"Did he ground you?"
"No, we just had a talk about girls. My father told me that my mother's parents didn't like him at first, either," Jack said. "Fathers of girls think that no guy is worthy of dating their little girl, and I guess that Mirielle's father felt that way. It got easier, but I had to convince Mirielle's father that I was worthy of her. He wouldn't let her date until she was sixteen. That was his hard and fast rule; Mirielle hated it, because he'd used it on her older sisters.
"On her sixteenth birthday was the first time she told me she loved me. I knew I loved her from the moment we met, but had never said anything. I asked her why she loved me, and all she said was, 'Because being with you makes my heart smile.' Except she said it in French. I didn't then, and don't now, speak French."
"Etre avec toi me fait sourire cœur?" asked Julia. "Does that sound right?"
"Julia," Jack said, smiling, "I really don't remember. All I remember is that 'I love you' is Je t'aime. She said that a lot."
"You said she changed your life," Julia said. "Just by loving you, accepting you for who you are?"
"Yes," said Jack. "She was the only girl I wanted to be with from that point on. The only girl I knew I would love like that. It's still hard to believe she's gone. I was no angel, Julia. Mirielle had to put up with a lot from me. But she loved me. She said that my service in the New Army changed me. She feared for me, that something would happen and she'd lose me forever. Instead, I lost her. First to dementia, then to death."
The pain on Jack's face told the whole story.
Julia got up from her chair and knelt next to Jack in his. She was at a loss as to what to say to him. "What can I do?" she asked him.
He suddenly buried his face in his hands. Julia could see he was trying to hide his emotions from her. She felt awful for having asked him to tell her about how he and Mirielle met. She thought it would help him to talk about it. Instead, it brought him more pain.
"I'm sorry..." she said. "I thought it might help if you talked about it."
Jack looked up at her. She knelt there beside his chair, looking at him.
He suddenly felt anger. At her. At himself. At Mirielle. At the world.
Before he realized what he was doing, he slapped Julia as hard as he could across the face with the back of his hand. The look in her eyes was not one of fear, but of disbelief.
She collapsed to the floor next to the chair. Blood ran from her mouth and her nose. He looked at her body on the floor in horror.
"Dear God, what have I done!" he cried.
----------
Rebekah was thrilled to see Chris. She realized at that moment that she had genuine feelings for him. He had come to see her! He didn't lie to me like I thought when he seemingly dropped off the face of the earth, she thought happily as she hugged him.
"Bekah, I've missed you so much!" he said. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep in touch. When I got back from my leave, Director Cooper sent me undercover, and contacting anyone here was impossible."
"I kind of figured as much," Rebekah said, "but it still hurt that I had no advance warning."
"Had I known, you would have been the only person I told," Chris said. "But that's all behind us now. I have good news, though."
"You do?" asked Rebekah; "What?"
"I've been accepted for BlackOps training," Chris said. "I start my training in June."
"That's a whole month from now!" exclaimed Rebekah. "I'm so happy for you!"
"Director Cooper was impressed with my missions while I was in Tidewater," Chris said. "So she recommended me to Morbus for the training. I was accepted, but had to do the undercover gig first."
"We should celebrate," Rebekah said; "but as happy as I am for you, I feel like shit. Julia got arrested three weeks ago, and she's in that prison up north. Great Lakes I think it's called."
"I know it," Chris said; "I had heard that Julia was there, and Morbus clarified it before he brought me over here. A man called Black Jack Coltrane runs that place like a dictator. He's not an easy man to please."
"Have you worked for him or something?" asked Rebekah.
"No, but when soldiers go there to work, it's because they're being punished," Chris said. "Coltrane has this place called the Interrogation Room where he's sent his own soldiers to be punished when they fail at their orders. It's basically a torture arena. Very few people come out of there alive."
"He has his own soldiers tortured to death?" Rebekah asked, shocked.
"His predecessor started it, Coltrane just keeps it up," Chris said. "He's a brutal man with sick desires. He fucks his female inmates, and many of them come out phyiscally damaged. I fear for Julia, Bekah. She's so young still."
"Is there anything we can do, maybe go on a mission to break her out of there?" asked Rebekah. "I can go talk to Morbus about it."
Chris just shook his head. "I really don't know, Bekah," he said.
----------
Jack picked up Julia's unconscious body off the floor, and set her in a chair. He checked to see if her nose or her jaw was broken, and neither appeared to be.
He got a wet piece of paper towelling and cleaned up the blood from her face. He then noticed the deep gash at the base of her right ear. He realized that the service ring he wore on his right hand made that gash, and he wanted to vomit.
Whatever possessed me to hit her like that? he wondered. She'd done nothing wrong. She wanted to help me, and this is how I repay her?
The gash didn't appear to need stitches, but he put butterfly strips on the cut anyway. She might have a small scar.
It was then that he saw the pink and yellow ribbons peeking out from the hem of her jail issue uniform dress. He pulled on them. They looked like they could have been in her hair had it not been so short.
Her sisters, he thought. They must have been wearing them in their hair when they were brought here with Julia. She must have kept the ribbons after her sisters left. Mirielle always put ribbons in Celine's hair on special occasions.
He stuffed the ribbons in his pocket. Julia appeared to be coming around.
My God, what do I say to her? he thought suddenly. An apology seemed inadequate.
"Julia?" he said softly; "Honey, I'm so sorry."
"Why did you hit me, Jack?" she asked, confused. She sounded like a little girl to him.
"I have no answer for you, Julia," Jack said. "I didn't realize what I had done until you collapsed on the floor. I'm sick to think I hurt you."
"I'm confused, Jack," said Julia. "What did I do to anger you?"
"I-I don't know," he said. "I'm a jerk."
"Did you ever hit Mirielle like that? Like you hit me?" Julia said, regaining her composure. She was pissed off. "Is that what turns you on, Captain? To see women suffer at your hands?"
"I never hit Mirielle!!" Jack said; "The thought of hitting her never crossed my mind. I couldn't hurt her. Not like that. She'd have taken the children and left me in a heartbeat if I had!"
"It's not okay to hit any woman, be they your wife, or one of us lowly inmates," said Julia angrily.
"Julia, you have every right to be angry at me," Jack said. "I promised to protect you, and then I pull shit like this?"
"Put me back into the general population, Jack," Julia said. "I'd rather take my chances with inmates who want to see how tough I really am."
"NO!" said Jack, shocked. "I will not allow that. I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it."
He then let impulse take over and leaned in to kiss Julia. He was shocked when she responded.
She was shocked she responded, too. He hit me, then he kisses me and I want him to, and...
Julia pulled away suddenly, remembering Rebekah's stories about how her ex boyfriend would hit her, then try to make it better by having sex.
"No, Jack, I will not allow you to abuse me like that!" she said defiantly. "I'm not going to let you break me. If anyone breaks, it will be you!"
She then saw him shake like a leaf before her eyes. He was already broken. Broken by his own failings.
"Julia..." he said, his voice quivering; "please let me prove to you I'm not an unfeeling monster!"
"And just how are you going to do that?" she asked.
He hung his head. "I...don't know."
There was a knock at the office door, then a voice saying, "Captain, there's a visitor here to see you."
Checking himself, he stood up and asked, "Who is it?"
"The Chairman."
"Holy fuck, what's he doing here?" he asked in a whisper. Then, "Julia, I can't let you be here. He'll want to take you with him. I will not let him have his sick way with you."
"I'll hide in the closet and eavesdrop," Julia said; "Okay?"
"Good," Jack said. "I'll try and stall him."
----------
Part 6--
Jack could not stand Carl Parks, even though they were on the same side and had the same goal: to eliminate the Resistance element known as the Disturbed Ones.
He knew what Parks wanted to do to Julia. Jack would not allow this callous, insensitive, and truly despicable excuse of a man get anywhere near Julia. He would make sure of it.
Jack could play the game Parks wanted to play. Jack could stall him as long as possible. That wasn't the problem. The problem was Parks himself; for as mean and evil as Jack had been in the past, Parks was a thousand times worse. Parks wouldn't let an underling abuse a woman; Parks would do it himself, and get great satisfaction from it. The idea that Julia was Parks next target sickened Jack to his core. It would be like handing over his own daughter to him.
Or granddaughter.
Once Julia was hidden in the closet in the back of the office, Jack was ready to do battle with Carl Parks over her.
"Captain Coltrane," Parks said as he entered Jack's office as if he owned the place, "it's so good of you to see me on such short notice."
"Please, Mr. Chairman, have a seat," Jack said. When Parks was seated, he asked the question Jack did not want to answer for him,
"So, Captain, where is Julia Terranova?"
"She's running an errand for me, Mr. Chairman," Jack lied. "I didn't realize that she needed to be here."
"Are you working on breaking the little whore so we can get to Draiman?" Parks asked.
"I'm making progress towards that end, Mr. Chairman," Jack said; "But as you know, she's a stubborn and hardheaded girl. She'd just as soon kill me as to do anything I ask. I left her with no choice in the matter. She is working for me during office hours, and afterwards as well. She knows I mean business."
"When will she be ready for me to take back to the Capitol Sector?" asked Parks. He was getting aroused thinking about the twisted things he would make the bitch beg him to spare her life.
"Mr. Chairman, I will not send her to you until I am done with her, and if that takes six weeks or six months," Jack said, getting angry now; "then so be it. If you want Draiman, then getting Terranova out of the way will take time. He will gladly trade his freedom for that of his wife's daughter."
"You will hand her to me on my schedule, Coltrane, not yours," said Parks. "I am still in charge of the New Army, and you will do as you are ordered. If I want Terranova next week, you will send her to me next week."
"If you want her completely broken, Mr. Chairman," said Jack; "you'll let me do it in my time and in my way. You got that, sir?"
"Are you defying an order, Coltrane?" asked Parks, angered.
"No, sir," Jack said. "I'm telling you that if you want her a certain way, and I am the only one who can accomplish that task, then you will have to wait for me."
Parks had heard enough. He'd had clashes with Coltrane before, so this was nothing new. But he wanted that girl, and if he had to pull rank to get her, he would.
"I want her on a plane to the Capitol Sector in six weeks, Coltrane," said Parks. "That is all the time you're going to get to break the bitch. Meanwhile, I will have Draiman arrested. Let's see how tough he is when he sees his stepdaughter so damaged that even her husband wouldn't want her."
Jack sighed. This man is ridiculous, he thought. He'll get Julia over my dead body.
"You do that, Parks. Arrest Draiman. See how far your interrogators get with him," Jack sneered at him. "He'll probably confuse the hell out of them and you. You don't realize what a driving force David Draiman is. I wouldn't touch the man with a ten foot pole."
Parks stood. "Six weeks, Coltrane. That is all the time you'll need to break some stupid girl."
Parks then took his leave after that. Jack was glad the man was gone. Six weeks, he says, Jack thought. I'm not sending that girl anywhere except back to her husband.
----------
On the way to the airport, Parks was fuming.
He and Coltrane had never gotten along, but Coltrane had the most valuable prize the Resistance had: Julia Terranova. Parks wanted the girl for himself, and Coltrane was making that difficult for him.
For a man who just lost his wife, Parks thought, he sure doesn't act like it fazed him any. He's still the same evil, abusive, and disgusting human being he always had been.
Carl Parks wanted to break Julia Terranova so completely, that she would be useless to anyone. He knew she'd fight back. He was ready for anything the whore could dish out.
Parks didn't realize that he severely underestimated Julia's resolve. He would learn that the hard way sooner than he thought.
----------
Jack went to the closet where Julia was hiding. He opened the door and Julia charged him with a makeshift weapon. He barely had time to get out of the way before she shoved the weapon, made from a coathanger, deep into his chest.
"What the fuck, Julia?!" he said as he backed away.
"Don't mess with me, Jack," she said, angry. "I won't hesitate to use this on you if you try any of that shit you told the Chairman about!"
"Julia!" Jack said, seeing the anger in her eyes; "I told him what I was going to do to you to stall him. He wants to break you even further than even I could. I'm NOT sending you to him in six weeks! I'd rather let you escape than hand you over to that disgusting man."
Julia put the weapon down. "I-I fell asleep in there, and when I woke up, you were telling him all the stuff you were planning to do to me," she said. "I was trained to defend myself against all enemies. I just let it take over."
"You know I will not let that man have you," Jack said. "Just as I can't bear to hurt you, I'll be damned if I let him hurt you."
"Would you really let me escape, Jack?" asked Julia.
"If given the choice between that and sending you to Carl Parks, then yes, I would let you escape," Jack said. "You are more important to your husband than to Carl Parks. I would send you home to the man you married."
Julia was speechless, something that didn't happen often. I need to try and trust that Jack is telling me the truth, she thought. He's my only way out of here.
"Julia," Jack said now, "I'll have a guard bring you over to my quarters after I leave. That's the procedure. While I'm waiting for you, I'll find something else for you to wear. Those smocks they hand out to the female prisoners are the ugliest things ever made. Oh, and by the way," he paused as he reached into his pocket and brought out the hair ribbons he had seen in the hem of Julia's prison smock; "these are yours. I found them hanging from the hem of your dress."
Julia checked the hem where he had put the ribbons earlier, and they were indeed gone.
"I can explain..."
Jack handed them to Julia, saying, "No need. They belong to your sisters, don't they?"
"Yes, they were wearing them in their hair when we went to the zoo and the science museum the day I was arrested." Julia said. "I forgot to give them back when I fixed their hair before they went home, so I kept them to remind me that I promised to be home soon."
Jack looked at her. He would make sure that Julia kept that promise.
----------
Kimber sat on the couch, looking through a book of Julia's from when she was a little girl. Niki came over to where her sister sat and asked her what she was looking at.
"One of Julia's books," Kimber said.
"Why?" Niki asked. "You can't read it."
"Can so!"
"Cannot!"
Jasmine, who had come over with Adriana to see Jordan and the twin boys, walked into the room.
"What are you two fighting about?" she asked.
"Niki says I can't read this book," Kimber said.
"Can you?" asked Jasmine.
"Yes..."
"Read it to me, then."
Kimber did exactly that. She read the book to Jasmine.
"I didn't know you could read, Kimber! I'm so proud of you!" said Jasmine. Then she saw Niki sitting on the floor. Jasmine suspected that Niki hadn't quite gotten to that point yet, and was mad her little sister beat her to it.
"Niki, it's okay," Jasmine said. "Your turn is coming."
Jordan came into the room and saw the scene in front of her. Kimber beaming proudly, and Niki looking unhappy sitting on the floor. When Jordan sat on the couch, Niki got up and crawled into her mother's lap.
"What's the matter, Niki?" asked Jordan.
"Kimber can read, Mama," she said tearfully. "I'm older than she is and I can't read!"
"You can read a little, Niki," Jordan said; "but Kimber is sometimes going to do things before you. It just happens."
"I wanted to be first!"
"You can't always be first, Niki," her mother said. "Life just isn't like that!"
"I'll just have to keep at it, huh, Mama?"
"You'll get it," Jordan said. "Not all little girls can read at three. You might, and Kimber can, but it's not always that way."
"Maybe by the time Julia comes home, I can read," Niki said.
"Why don't we work on that, then," said Jordan. "Julia would be so pleased!"
"When's Julia coming home, Mama?" asked Kimber.
Jordan sighed. "I don't know, girls. I really don't know."
----------
A guard came to get Julia to accompany her to Jack's quarters. No words were exchanged between Julia and the guard. Julia decided to let the guard think whatever she wanted to about why Julia was going to the Captain's quarters.
Julia expected the Captain's quarters to be some little house tucked behind some building, but it was actually a pretty nice looking and good sized home. But when she went inside, she could see that Jack had done nothing to make this truly a "home". It was just furniture, curtains, carpets... basic things. She got the feeling that Mirielle never lived here.
Jack appeared in the living room and dismissed the guard. He was wearing civilian clothes, and handed Julia a box that had jeans and tshirts inside.
"I guess that's what young women your age wear," Jack said, clearly uncomfortable. "I guessed at your weight and height, so I hope everything fits."
Julia looked inside the box, then looked at Jack. She realized that he didn't have to provide her with real clothing. He did it because he wanted her to be comfortable.
"For the record, Jack," Julia said, smiling; "I'm five-foot-three, and weigh one-hundred-five pounds. Most of that buck-five is muscle. I usually workout with weights and resistance machines twice a day....something I haven't been able to do since I've been here. I've just been doing basic exercises in my cell."
Jack returned her smile. "I'll keep that in mind, Julia, if I have the occasion to have to purchase any more clothing for you."
He showed her to her bedroom. It was a sparsely furnished room with a bed, a nighttable, a lamp and an alarm clock. Julia placed the box on the bed, then turned to Jack and asked,
"Your wife, she never lived here, did she?"
Jack was amazed that Julia picked up on that. "No, Mirielle never lived here. I moved to this house after she died because the house we did live in has too many memories for me."
"Starting over with a clean slate, so to speak," said Julia.
"You could say that," Jack said. Then, "I'm going to go make dinner. Is there anything that you won't eat, or don't like?
"I don't eat pork," Julia said. "And I hate broccoli!"
"Neither one of those things will be on tonight's menu," Jack said. "I was going to make fried chicken and mashed potatoes with country gravy."
"That actually sounds good," Julia said. "I'll pass on the country gravy, though. It's usually flavored with sausage, and that's pork."
"I see," Jack said. "No country gravy for you, then."
"Thank you," Julia said.
Jack left to prepare dinner, leaving Julia in her new bedroom alone.
It's just a nicer cell, she thought to herself.
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NICE! I'm totally loving it! "Black" Jack Coltrane isn't so black after all!
ReplyDeleteStill a kick ass story, Stef. I can't wait to read more.