"One of Us" (Nature)

“Jane! Oh my goodness!” Tina found her scientific mentor with two stab wounds on her knees. “Hang on, I’ve got you. You’ll not die on me!” She used whatever items were in the room with her or on her person to help Jane. “Tina wait, she’s trying to say something,” Erica noticed her attempting to open her mouth. She bent down to listen. Erica listened for several seconds, but then Jane passed out. “No! Wake up!” Tina rushed to treat her now, “Stay with her!” Erica ran out the room. Reed was still threatening to drop the lighter. “Come on we haven’t got all day. Just give in already. If you were going to drop it, you would’ve done it already… Or are you just too scared to die?” Still holding the lighter he nodded, “Yes, I am. I am afraid to die,” He admitted, still holding the lighter, “Once I drop this lighter, I know you’ll kill me. Even if I hand it over to you, you’ll just shoot me anyway”. “Come on Reed, you know that isn’t true. You will be punished, sure, but not by death.” Still he refused to give in. “Wait!” Erica showed up behind the soldiers, “Reed, listen to them. Don’t drop it.” He was surprised to see “that easily forgettable woman” whom he had last seen back at the seaside town. “If you do this, you will condemn hundreds of creature who don’t know any better to death! It’s in the nature of parasites to take control of a host body. They don’t know any better! You’re going to burn them all alive just for that?” Still holding the lighter and drooling slightly, he shook his head, “No… I’m going to burn them so no one else has to suffer what my father did.”

Erica took his available hand, “Please, I am begging you, don’t do this Reed. If you do, the soldiers will kill you,” They kept their aim steady to align with what Erica had said, “Then they will kill the rest of us. You’re a part of our group, they can hold us responsible as well. Come on Reed, you know what these people are like.” Looking at the flame and then back at Erica, he nodded his head lightly. “Ok,” he turned the lighter flame off and flicked the lid back over it. One of the soldiers moved in and cuffed him. “Arrest her as well,” the soldier gestured to Erica, “What? Are you kidding me? I just saved your research!” She too was placed in cuffs, “Association with this man. For all we know, you could be conspiring together. You will remain in custody until further notice.” She shook her head at the soldier who ordered her arrest as she and Reed were taken away.

Elliot had asked Gwen about what really happened to Andy. “She killed him. In front of my very eyes,” she answered, “She didn’t even regret it. Instead she twisted the knife making sure the job was done. The worst part is that Andy’s final words were him forgiving her.” Elliot planted his head in his hands, “I’m so sorry Gwen. Not just for your loss, but for causing this. If I hadn’t of killed Vincent…” she stopped him right there, “If you hadn’t of killed Vincent, then Andy may still be here, yes. But not as the Andy we know. Vincent’s grip over him would only intensify even further. By killing him, you set both of them free. You destroyed the bad, freed the good. Don’t beat yourself up about it Elliot, you were in the right.” He smiled at her conventionally, but behind that smile there was huge regret and sorrow still.

Unable to stand her mother’s disappointment in her anymore, Annabelle found the ultimate way to no longer upset her – go far away, very far away with no chance of return. She had asked Elliot and Olivia to help her, “No. No way. Absolutely not happening,” Elliot was completely against her plan. “Please Elliot. My own mother hates me”, “Then you have to sort things out socially! Annabelle, you can’t just disappear into the sunset and never return!” He still wouldn’t let her go, “The only way we’re leaving this place is together. We’ve been apart for a year now. In that time, we’ve lost Vincent as well as Andy. No one else is leaving. That’s final, Annabelle.” He left her bunker – which she was sharing with Olivia – without another word. “Olivia, please. You have to help me,” She begged Olivia now, who could empathise with her, “Annabelle. I tried the same thing as you,” she sat down next to her, “I tried running away from everyone else, twice. Both times, they found me again. And do you know what else? I realise now just how much these people mean to me. I regret ever ditching Elliot back in London in the first place. You have no idea just how blessed I feel to have him find me again. I was upset, and in shock, I was struggling to get by without Steven supporting me anymore.” Annabelle moaned, “This is different. I killed someone, Olivia. Not just a random someone, I killed a family friend. I don’t regret it, that’s the worst part. But with my mum against me, I can’t be here anymore. Olivia, I am asking you solemnly, help me steal one of the planes.”

In the infirmary, Tina had treated Jane as best she could. The other doctors and scientists at the base had complimented her on doing such a good job in so little time. She waited next to her bed in the medical bay, joined by Sierra. “How is she?” Sierra asked, “Fine, probably… Did you find the person who did this?” She turned to her, and Sierra nodded, “We did indeed. We’re placing two criminals on trial this afternoon. You’ll be needed on the stand to make a statement.” She nodded in acceptance, “Of course. What will the punishment be? A life sentence?” Sierra quickly shut that possibility down, “For hurting another member of the base? A life sentence in the form of a permanent banishment? No. If the jury reaches a majority, the attacker will be punishable by death.” Tina moved back slightly, “By death? That’s a little extreme isn’t it?” Sierra shrugged, “In this world, nothing is too extreme…”

Zach had returned to the mansion to see Pierre and Seymour, “Any news on Celeste yet?” He asked Seymour, who remorsefully shook his head, “We’ll find her. Don’t you worry, Zach.” He looked over at Pierre, “They’re after you,” he caught his attention, “They’re putting Reed and Erica on trial later today. After what you did to Foxtrot, they’re out looking for you right now. You may go down for treason.” He leant back in his chair, “Let them come and find me then. They’ll never get us; you know they won’t.” But it was clear Zach wanted him to go back, “Think of all those close calls we’ve had in the past though. Pierre, we can’t run the risk of actually being caught. Not anymore. I’m sorry, you have to go back. If you don’t, I’ll tell them about this place.” Seymour was shocked by this proposition. “Please Pierre, one life to save six. They may not even execute you!” He looked at Zach feeling betrayed, “You’re quite the little Judas, aren’t you?”

Realising how close Foxtrot and the agents may be to killing their group, Elliot and Gwen had devised a plan. “Remember back in London when the Bandits attacked?” Elliot asked, but her stand-out memory of that place was her murder of Kyle. “They used firebombs to drive us out. You see I’m thinking that we could adopt a similar strategy here. We firebomb this place, and finish off all the agents who escape. Then we don’t have to leave this area. I took care of the Sinners, once this pseudo-Government is gone, all the threats here are as well. We can build our own camp, with walls, with homes, starting from scratch. Build it all up like the Londoners did.” She liked the plan, but pointed out the biggest flaw with it, “How exactly will acquire firebombs then, Elliot?” He waved his finger, “Seymour’s group. They’re basically barbarians. They’ll have no trouble helping us make the explosives… Just as long as we find Celeste first.” Gwen looked at him attentively, “You think this could actually work?” He nodded jovially, “I think it could!” Gwen gave him her pistol, “Take this. Make sure you get to that mansion. I know you said you took care of all the Sinners, but you could still be wrong. Just kill anything which poses a threat to you, Elliot.” He nodded favourably, “I’ll come back, don’t worry.”

The afternoon had now come around; the trial was commencing outside in the open air for all the residents to watch. Sierra and Tracey acted as the judges, while Foxtrot was among the jury of six agents. As the trial progressed, Erica and Reed looked at each other more frequently, reminding each, “We’re so screwed.” It came around to Tina’s statement eventually, she tried to make her statement as objective as possible, but it seemed unintentionally biased towards Jane. She had also tried to portray Erica as innocent in what she was saying.

It was now early evening, and the trial was coming to an end. “Have you reached a verdict?” Sierra asked the jury, as Foxtrot stood up, “we have indeed.” She nodded at him to go ahead, “Erica. You were trialled here today for two counts of criminal offences: Suspicion of conspiring with a suspected criminal, and Suspicion of abetting in treason. We the jury find you not guilty of these offences,” Despite how pathetic and unrealistic the whole ‘trial’ thing was to her, Erica was still relieved to have not been found guilty – whatever the definition of the word was these days. One of the soldiers released her cuffs, and pulled her away from the suspects area, pushing her into the rest of the crowd. “As for you, Reed. You were trialled here today for three counts of criminal offences: Suspicion of abetting in treason,” in reference to Pierre’s uprising against him, “Attempted arson, and Attempted vandalism. We the jury find you guilty for two of these offences. The punishment is death.” He dropped his head even lower, as Sierra banged a hammer against the podium, “It is settled. Tomorrow morning, Reed shall be executed in this spot, in front of the eyes of the public.”

As the evening turned to night, Elliot finally reached the mansion, offering Seymour a proposition. “It doesn’t matter where Celeste is right now. I mean this with the upmost respect,” Elliot swallowed cautiously, “If she’s dead, then she’s dead. My friends in that base however, are not. Sure, we can easily sneak out, but they need a place to live without any threat. This government must be disposed of at once before my friends are killed.” Seymour leant across the table, “You have the heart of a warrior, my English friend. Your loyalty to your friends is admirable. I shall consider your request.” Elliot wasn’t finish however, “What exactly is there to consider? Why can you not just make us the explosives tonight, and then by tomorrow that place could already have fallen. I’ll stick to my promise and go help you find Celeste after that. Do you not trust me?” Seymour got up, “My friend, perhaps you should think with your mind, rather than with your gun.”

Though he was considerably shorter, Elliot stood up to him, literally, “That’s a bit rich coming from the man who stabbed a Sinner this morning. So much for a diplomatic solution.” Elliot’s bravery was again admired by Seymour, “I really do like you my friend. Such a brave heart indeed. Very well. I shall assist you with your explosives. Under one condition only,” Elliot would now do nearly anything to get those bombs, “Bring me the head of Zach…”

Elliot asked Seymour to repeat his terms, “The head of Zach?” Seymour nodded, “The boy is a traitor. This morning he was more than willing to throw Pierre back under the bus. He may seem like he has good intentions, but ultimately everything he does is for his own benefit. That even includes the death of his own brother.” Elliot didn’t understand what relevance that had, “His brother was killed by the Government. How is that anything to do with his best interests?” Seymour leant closer to Elliot, “The whole event was set up. He had intended for his brother to die, just so he would have an excuse to go on a warpath. The kid’s fourteen, and he’s also corrupt. As a sign of good faith, I will make several firebombs for you, but if you want enough to take the base down completely, bring me his head on the end of a spear…”