November 2006

An Actor's Nightmare Presents
#1 April Rain

By Jerome Wetzel

To Malissa Dailey, My Grandmother

She Will Be Greatly Missed

December 1 B.G. ~ Dr. Smith’s Base

Tara crouched in the dirt of the tunnel, holding Chloe tightly to her breast, waiting for the blast that she knew would soon come. Around her, the others huddled together, the fear and confusion thick in the air. Tara’s thoughts drifted to the people still in the base. Would they get out in time? She expected at any moment to see Dakota, Dr. Smith, and the others come running down the tunnel with that strange red haired girl in the black outfit, but that wasn’t the only life that she was thinking about at the moment.

Her thoughts drifted down the hall to the newest section of the base, where a prison had been set up. Inside was a girl, no, a woman, whom Tara had ignored for the past year. Other than the guard duty that everyone had to endure, she had not visited the cell even once. During the guard duty, the woman never approached the window. As much as Tara didn’t want to talk to her, she clearly didn’t want to talk to Tara. Not one word had been exchanged between them. Now Tara was probably the only one thinking about her as chaos reigned around them.

Tara hoped that the woman would survive.

November 19 B.G. ~ Gary, Indiana

April sat on the couch, watching the news report. The results of the election scrolled across the screen. She frowned as the final results of the governor’s race were revealed: Jerry Butkis 52%, Richard Kennedy 48%. She had liked the young Democrat immensely and was disappointed that he had lost. She consoled herself with the fact that Kennedy, at only thirty-four years old, had served two prosperous terms as mayor of Gahanna, a nearby city, already, and that he would probably run again for a major office soon.

She flipped through the channels, looking for something else to watch. As a young teenager, April spent almost every evening talking on the phone or watching t.v., especially when no one was around to tell her not to. Tara was here somewhere, but other than showing up to make her younger sister do chores, Tara pretty much kept to herself.

April wondered what her older sibling did all of the time. Since Tara had graduated from college, she was home more and more, but she was always on her computer, a state of the art system that her parents had bought her as a graduation gift. April briefly fantasized that maybe Tara was breaking into Swiss bank accounts and making them all rich, or reprogramming nuclear missiles to blow up the bad guys, or writing new programs that would do April’s homework for her. Knowing Tara, though, it was likely something much more boring, like trying to make her system run half a second faster or something equally inane.

A phone rang somewhere in the house. April ignored it. It was Tara’s line. Whoever was calling, it was surely nothing interesting. April’s mother had told her that when she was a little girl, she had picked up a second phone and listened in on other people’s conversations. Imagine, having two phones attached to the same line! They had been called ‘land lines’, but that technology had all but disappeared. April still knew one family that had one, but they still only had two hundred channels too! They were so living in the past.

“April?” asked a voice softly from the hallway.

“What is it?” asked April, turning around to see her older sister, Tara, enter the room. She hoped that Tara hadn’t thought up yet another chore for April to do. Tara was twenty-three years old, and as April was only fourteen, thought that she had the right to boss April around. April hated it, but with their parents often traveling on business for the company that they had both worked for these past five years, Tara got the right to boss her around quite often. They were currently in Cairo for a week, and so now happened to be one of those times.

“April...,” trailed off Tara. April started, the television still playing a game show, but forgotten. Tara had never lacked for words to say to her little sister before, even if most of them weren’t nice. The older girl’s eyes were red rimmed, and her voice sounded choked off. What could have happened to shake up her unshakable sister?

“Tara? Are you ok?” asked April, concerned in spite of herself.

“It’s Mom and Dad,” said Tara, barely in a whisper, sitting beside her on the sofa. April strained to hear her, hanging on her every word. “They… they’re…” Tara couldn’t finish whatever she was going to say. The tears had begun to flow again, the wet spots on her pink sweater showing where they had already fallen before. Funny, April hadn’t noticed the stains before. April looked at Tara, and suddenly felt the urge to give her sister a hug, something that she hadn’t done on her own accord in years. She wrapped her skinny arms tightly around Tara, lying her brunette head under Tara’s chin. Tara let her head rest on top of April’s.

“What happened?” asked April, feeling salty wetness on her own warm cheeks.

“They died,” said Tara.

“How?” asked April.

“A terrorist attack,” said Tara. “Their entire hotel was leveled. It was a bomb. No survivors have been found yet, and the authorities don’t think that anyone made it.”

“Maybe they did make it,” said April.

“They didn’t,” said Tara.

“Why would anyone do something like that?” asked April. “Blowing up a building full of innocent tourists?”

“It’s the world we live in,” sighed Tara. “It happens all the time. You know what happened in Seattle just last month. It’s the same thing all over again.”

“But Seattle didn’t affect us!” said April, temper flaring. “It was just nameless faces on the news. Why did this happen to us? What are we going to do now?”

“That was Mom and Dad’s boss on the phone, Dr. Smith. He said that the company will provide for us, and he already made arrangements with children’s services for you to live with me. I can be your guardian until you turn eighteen,” said Tara. “I’ll take care of you. Just like I do whenever Mom and Dad go out of town.”

“But they won’t come back this time. It won’t be the same,” said April.

“No, it won’t,” agreed Tara, stroking her sister’s hair.

May 16 B.G. ~ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“Thank you so much, Officer,” said Tara, grabbing her sister by the hand and pulling her out of the police station. April stumbled down the stone steps, ducking to avoid being whapped in the face by the blond’s long hair.

“Quit being so rough!” complained April, trying to pull away from her.

“Don’t you tell me to do anything, young lady,” said Tara, whirling on her sister with anger in her eyes. “Running away from home again! I have been worried sick! You can’t just do this! You can’t leave without telling me, and you certainly can’t keep traveling all over the country without me! Seventeen year olds just don’t do that!”

“I almost found him this time,” said April anxiously.

“This is ridiculous! How many times do I have to tell you, quit looking for Dr. Smith!” said Tara.

“I just want to know more about Mom and Dad’s death,” said April.

“It was a terrorist attack. Leave it at that,” said Tara, yanking her along again.

“Ow! No, it wasn’t, Tara! It wasn’t just some random event. I found evidence that this Dr. Smith was connected to their deaths somehow. I don’t know everything yet, but I’m getting closer,” insisted April.

“Leave Dr. Smith alone,” said Tara. “He has been nothing but generous and good to us.”

“I’ve never even talked to the man! How do you know that his intentions are good?” asked April.

“Trust me, I know,” said Tara.

“You just don’t want the money cut off!” said April.

“How can you say that?” asked Tara, hurt.

“Because it’s true! You are willing to let him cover up our parents’ deaths because he paid for your college loans, and he’s paid for us to live these past few years. Don’t let him pay you off like a miro!” said April.

“How dare you even imply that?” asked Tara. “I loved Mom and Dad!”

“You have a funny way of showing it,” said April, shaking free of her sister’s grip and stomping away.

“Come back here right now!” shouted Tara, hurrying after her. People stopped and stared at the two, but the girls were in their own little world and didn’t notice.

“You’re not my mother! Don’t tell me what to do!” said April loudly.

“I am in charge of you, legally, but if you keep pulling this crap, I won’t be. Even Dr. Smith can’t hold off the authorities forever. Do you really think that they’ll let me keep you if I can’t control you?” asked Tara, voice cracking.

“I don’t care!” said April. “I don’t want to live with someone like you!”

“Do you want to go to a foster home?” asked Tara. “Is that what you want? To live with some stranger?”

“Better that than stay with you!” said April.

“You don’t really mean that. You’re angry. Get in the car,” said Tara, opening the passenger door on the rental car and waiting impatiently, toe tapping, for April to get in.

“Yeah, right,” scoffed April, walking right past the car and slamming the door, almost pinching Tara’s fingers in the process. Tara jumped back, not expecting the reaction.

“You are so grounded until your eighteenth birthday, young lady!” said Tara.

“Whatever,” said April, walking down the block. Tara began to chase her.

“Come back to the car. We’ll talk about this,” said Tara.

“I’m not going back anywhere with you. You never listen to me anyway,” said April.

“I’ll listen to you. Please just come home with me,” begged Tara, anger being replaced by concern.

“No!” screamed April.

“April Mae, if you don’t turn around and get in that car right now, I’m marching right back into the police station and telling them to come get you and keep you in jail,” said Tara, stopping.

“You wouldn’t,” said April, turning around at the use of her full name. Born at night on April 30^th, their parents hadn’t been able to resist giving her the name.

“Only if you make me,” said Tara, folding her arms.

April considered her options. She didn’t think that Tara would let her rot in jail, but Tara might go and get the police to help her, and that would make things even more of a mess. It was easier to escape from Tara’s house than from other adults, especially ones with cells and handcuffs. Huffing, April went back to the car and got in without a word or even a glance at her sister.

September 12 B.G. ~ Gary, Indiana

April smiled as the man that she was in love with climbed out of her bed and got dressed. “Do you have to hurry off so soon?” she asked, wrapping the sheet around her.

“Sorry, lots to do today,” he said, buttoning his shirt. “What are you going to do?”

“Oh, I am busy myself. A project that I’m working on,” said April.

“What kind of project?” asked Zeke.

“Oh, just a little surprise,” said April.

“Can I have a hint?” Zeke asked.

“Nope,” April said with a sly smile. “It’ll become clear when I’m good and ready to make it clear to you.”

“You can’t do that,” he said, groaning.

“Do what?” April asked innocently.

“Look so sexy right when I need to leave. It’s just not fair,” said Zeke.

“Zeke, what did I do to deserve you?” asked April. “You are the sweetest man. I look horrible! I haven’t even showered! My hair is a mess!”

“I think that you couldn’t look better,” he said, going to her and kissing her tenderly.

“Ok. I won’t argue,” said April, smiling.

“Can I see you tonight?” he asked.

April hesitated, considering what to say. “Maybe,” April said.

“Maybe? What kind of answer is maybe?” he asked.

“Just go!” she ordered, laughing.

“I’m calling you, and I will see you tonight,” he said.

“We’ll see,” she said coyly. She fell back on the bed as he ducked out the door, happy. She wished that she didn’t have to leave him without an explanation, but if he truly loved her like he said that he did, he’d understand.

“I found her,” said Dr. Smith as soon as Tara opened the door to her house.

“Where?” asked Tara anxiously.

“Saudi Arabia. I’m not sure what she’s doing there, but I’m pretty sure that she is heading for Egypt,” said Dr. Smith. “I think that she found out about my operations there. Or, at least, that I have operations there.”

“I’m so sorry, sir,” said Tara. “I wish she didn’t cause you so much trouble. I don’t know why she insists on blaming you for Mom and Dad’s death. I’ll go and get her at once.”

“I’ve already dispatched four agents. Don’t worry about it,” said Dr. Smith dismissively. “She’s a young woman now, not a child. Maybe it wasn’t wise to keep her in the dark. We should have told her what was going on.”

“I wanted to protect her,” said Tara, noting the we, but knowing that it had been her own decision, against Dr. Smith’s recommendations, not to tell April what kind of work their parents had done. He had respected her wishes regarding her sister, but had never agreed with them. “I didn’t want her to be in danger, and if I had told her everything, then she would have been, like the rest of us.”

“I know that, Tara,” said Dr. Smith gently. “I know that you doubt yourself and how you’ve handled her, but you’ve done the best that you could in raising her. It was a very difficult situation, and she’ll see just how much you did for her in time. She’ll be all right.”

“Did Zeke go?” asked Tara.

“Yes,” said Dr. Smith. “He feels really guilty that he didn’t notice that she was gearing up to leave. She left him a note saying that she couldn’t explain what she was doing, but she’d be back.”

“He showed me,” said Tara. “It took him by surprise, too. Tell him not to worry about it. I’m glad that he went. He’s been such a good influence on her. I thought that she had dropped the whole investigation until she suddenly left. Maybe he can talk some sense into her,” said Tara. “She’s been spending all of her free time with him.”

“Ah, young love,” said Dr. Smith wistfully, then made himself get back to business. “When my agents get to her, I’ve instructed them to bring her back to my house in Ohio. I want you to come and live there, too.”

“Oh, no. I couldn’t,” said Tara.

“It’s safer for you there than here. I won’t send you out on any missions. You can stay safely hidden away,” said Dr. Smith. “I have a great security system, and I’m beginning plans to build a base in a few years, so I would love to get your input on that project.”

“I don’t have anything to offer you,” said Tara.

“Your computer skills are extraordinary. You can work in my control room,” said Dr. Smith.

“What about April?” asked Tara.

“We’ll find a job for her, too. Something that won’t have her globe trotting,” said Dr. Smith.

“I really just want her to come home and live a normal life,” said Tara.

“I think that it’s too late for that. She clearly isn’t the type of girl to stay put,” said Dr. Smith.

“I just don’t know if I’m ready to devote my life to your cause. I mean, that cause killed Mom and Dad,” said Tara. “I don’t want to end up the same way.”

“Your parents died working towards a noble goal,” said Dr. Smith.

“I know that, but they still died,” said Tara. “I’m proud of them for the work that they did for you, but I don’t know what I would do if we came to work for you and something happened to April, too.”

“Nothing will happen to her,” said Dr. Smith. “Just come back with me and we’ll work everything out. I know that you are already packed up to move.”

“Yeah. My bags are upstairs,” said Tara. “We were going to leave for Minnesota tomorrow. I hoped that giving us a new start would be good for her, but since April went missing two weeks ago, things have been a bit insane. She hates me so much.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” said Dr. Smith. “She’s twenty-one and she’s chosen to continue to live with you. That says that you must have gotten through to her, at least somewhat. She could have left three years ago, and she didn’t.”

“But she still acts like she hates me!” said Tara. “I don’t know what to do with her anymore!”

“It’s ok,” said Dr. Smith. “You come and get in the car. I’ll send my son to fetch your bags.” He turned and yelled out the front door. “Dakota! Come in here!” A tall man, about forty years old, with broad shoulders and large muscles appeared in the door. Tara thought that he was the most beautiful man that she had ever laid eyes on.

“Tara, meet Dakota. Dakota, Tara,” said Dr. Smith.

“Hi,” said Dakota gruffly, nodding.

“Hello,” said Tara, trying to appear as grown up as she could, but feeling much younger than her thirty years.

“Dakota, will you go and get Tara’s bags? Top of the stairs, to your right,” said Dr. Smith. Dakota left without another word. Tara watched him go.

Dr. Smith put an arm around Tara’s shoulders and guided her outside. “I think that you’re really going to like it in my base. We have some of the most advanced computer systems on the market.” He began telling Tara about the specifications of his equipment, but she didn’t hear him, although usually she would have been extremely interested. She was thinking of the man carrying her bags. Maybe living with the Smith would turn out ok, after all.

October 12 B.G. ~ Egypt

April ducked behind a gardening shed. She saw her targets close by. One looked much older than he was, with a bald head and wrinkles accented by his time spent in the rough climate of the desert, which matched his deep tan. The brown hair around the fringes of his head was just starting to go prematurely gray. The other man was a little bit younger, and looked a lot younger. He had dark skin and short hair. He was clean shaven, and his neatly dressed appearance was in sharp contrast to the rumpled look of the slightly older man. They were busy studying a piece of yellowed paper, and wouldn’t see her approach. Pulling a long, wicked dagger from its holder, she advanced slowly and quietly. No one else was in sight in the early morning hour.

Reaching the pair, she snaked her arm swiftly around the follicley challenged one’s neck, pressing the blade against his throat. She didn’t push hard enough to draw any blood, but had the knife in position so that his friend wouldn’t try anything stupid, like trying to wrestle the weapon out of her hands. The dark one backed off, surprised at her sudden pounce. He raised both hands as her hostage began to whimper, shaking like a leaf.

“Stay back!” April warned the younger man.

“It’s all right. There’s no need to do anything rash,” he said.

“Charlie…,” groaned the prisoner.

“It’s ok, Elias,” said Charlie. “No one is going to do anything.” He reached slowly behind his back and April tensed, digging the blade slightly deeper into the soft flesh. A single bright, red bead rolled down the gleaming blade. The man began to shake even more. She hoped that he wouldn’t dig the knife into himself and do serious damage. She wasn’t done with him yet. The young man’s dark hand reemerged with a wallet. “Here. Take my money. Eli doesn’t carry any. This is all that we have. Please take it and let him go.”

“I don’t want your money,” sneered April. “Put it away, then turn around and walk to that shed.” She cocked her head, indicating her hiding place of a few minutes ago.

“Ok,” said Charlie in a placating voice, keeping his hands in the air. She followed him, pushing Elias in front of her. She motioned them both into the shed, then closed the door with the hand that wasn’t holding a knife.

“Tie your friend up,” she ordered Elias. “Tight. No funny business.” Nervously Eli shuffled forward a few steps, looking at Charlie for direction. Charlie nodded, holding his hands behind his back so that Eli could tie them with a plastic band that April had left on the floor. When Charlie was bound, she tied up Eli and made sure that both of them were secure. Only then did she put away her knife and relax.

“What do you want with us?” asked Charlie.

“It’s not you that I want. It’s your boss,” said April.

“Boss?” asked Eli in confusion. “We don’t have a boss. We work for ourselves.”

“I think that she means our benefactor,” said Charlie. “The one who gives us the money.”

“I want you to call him and tell him to come here right now,” said April.

“It’s hard to call with my hands tied,” said Charlie.

“Don’t be smart with me. I’ll dial,” said April, reaching into the young man’s front pocket and pulling out his cell phone. She flipped through the phone numbers programmed into it, then frowned in confusion. “His name isn’t in here. What name do you have him listed under?”

“We don’t know him,” said Elias. “He funds us completely anonymously.”

“He’s telling the truth,” said Charlie. April regarded him suspiciously. She believed the older man, but wasn’t sure that she believe Charlie. There was something about him that unsettled her. Then it occurred to her what it was: he reminded her of her parents when they were in a bad situation. She moved to him and held the knife under his chin.

“You’re one of his agents,” said April accusingly.

“Charlie, what is she talking about?” asked Elias.

“I have no idea,” said Charlie.

“You’re brave, I’ll give you that. You’re lucky that I don’t slit your throat right now,” said April.

“I don’t know anything,” insisted Charlie.

“Well, we’ll see about that. Even if it turns out that you don’t know who your sponsor is, I do, and he’ll surely send someone after you soon. I think that we’ll just sit here and wait until then,” said April.

“Whatever your grudge is, we don’t have anything to do with it!” said Elias.

“Elias, please calm down,” said Charlie. “We’ll wait as she suggests, and when she gets tired of waiting, then she’ll know that we were right.”

“We shall see,” said April.

“Brack!” cursed Wiley Hist, Dr. Smith’s new almost nineteen year old Australian agent.

“You kids and your new slang,” said Mark Hall, shaking his head. Mark had worked for Dr. Smith for decades, and before that, served in the ongoing war in the Middle East. The poor kid hadn’t seen any real combat.

“Brack isn’ new,” said Wiley. “It’s been aroun’ for a’ least five years.”

“I never heard it until you came to work with me,” said Mark. “I’ll second the meaning behind the word, even if that word is just plain dumb. I don’t see any of them.”

“Dr. Smith said that they were in t’ shed, near as he can tell,” said Wiley.

“Well, I believe him, but we can’t just sneak up and bust in. The shed isn’t that big,” said Mark. “That crazy woman could gut one of our boys before we could stop him.”

“I wish we coulda brought our guns,” said Wiley. “A well placed sniper shot, and she’d be down for t’ count.”

“Easy, cowboy. This is a non-lethal mission only,” said Mark. He picked up his walkie talkie. “Can you get a line of sight, Phil?” Static answered him before the voice came back.

“Nope. Zeke and I don’t see a thing,” answered Phil.

“Ok,” said Mark. “We’re going into a holding pattern. Me and Dundee here will creep up next to the shed and wait for her to make a move. You two cover us and follow us in.”

“Roger,” said Phil.

“Me name’s not Dundee,” said Wiley in confusion.

“I know, kid. Never mind,” said Mark, knowing that it would be far too much effort to explain the reference to the teen. He waved his hand and crept towards the shed, Wiley following. They reached the structure without problem and took up positions on either side of the main door.

“On three?” mouthed Wiley silently.

Mark shook his head. No. Direct action wasn’t going to work. Then the door opened. Wiley started in surprise, but luckily Mark was ready for anything and immediately sprang into action.

“Are you satisfied?” asked Elias, a minute before the confrontation.

“It’s only been a couple of days,” said April. “They’ll come.”

“I doubt that,” said Charlie. “We told you that we have nothing to do with whatever it is that you’re bent out of shape about. Please let us go.”

“Shh!” said April. “I hear something.” She moved to the door of the shed, and pressed her ear against it. She had thought that she heard movement, but didn’t hear anything now.

“I don’t hear anything,” said Charlie.

“Shut up!” hissed April. She heard it again. The unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. Pulling out two guns of her own, she kicked open the door, staying low. A large man, older but in shape, sprang through the entry, gun drawn. April fired several rounds into him, making sure to aim for the head. Her preciseness was lucky for her, because he had been wearing armor, and only one shot got through. Otherwise, she never would have stopped the man.

“Drop your weapons!” yelled April, peeking out the door. She aimed her gun right at Wiley. He nervously put his own down and obeyed her gesture to get into the shed. April closed the door again, then turned to her new prisoners.

“Mark? Mark!” said Wiley, seeing his boss on the ground.

“He’s still alive,” said April, seeing Mark’s chest rise. “Turn around right now, hands behind your back.” Wiley did as he was told, and she tied him up and shoved him next to Charlie and Eli. Eli was out cold, lying on the ground.

“What happened to him?” asked April.

“He fainted,” said Charlie, but April could see a bruise growing on the man’s face.

“I was right. You did know what was going on, but clearly your partner didn’t,” said April.

“Yes, you were right,” said Charlie. “I think that it’s time we talked about this.”

“It’s too late for talk,” said April. “You lied to me for days. I’m not about to listen to you now.”

“We have y’ surrounded,” said Wiley. “It’s only a ma’er of time. Jus’ give up and no one will ge’ hurt.”

“Your friend is already hurt,” said April, nudging Mark with her foot. He didn’t move.

“Please,” said Charlie, looking her in the eyes. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but it doesn’t have to end like this. Just let us go.”

“No way,” said April. She turned as she heard approaching footsteps. “Who is it?”

“Calm down, April. It’s me. It’s Zeke,” said a voice from the other side.

“Zeke? What are you doing here?” asked April, hoping that it was a cruel joke, but knowing that it wasn’t.

“April, I work for them, too. Just let me in and we’ll talk about this,” said Zeke.

“You lied to me! You were just using me!” said April.

“April, listen to me,” shouted Zeke. “I do love you. You have to believe that. I was assigned to keep an eye on you and your sister, but I really did fall for you.”

“You work for that villain, Dr. Smith!” cried April. “He is an evil man! You can’t be good!”

“Dr. Smith isn’t evil,” said Zeke. “He’s a kind, good man. He wants to help you.”

“Dr. Smith killed my parents!” said April. “You don’t understand!”

“April, Dr. Smith didn’t kill your parents. Gee…,” began Zeke.

“I won’t listen to you!” said April. “You’re lying. You just want me to let these people go. Back off or I’m going to start killing them, one at a time!” She was hysterical now, but she couldn’t help it. The one good thing in her life, the only person that she had trusted, had turned on her. First Tara, years ago, let herself get paid off, and now it turned out that her boyfriend had done the same.

“April, please. Let’s talk,” said Zeke.

“I don’t have time to talk,” said April. She pointed her gun at Mark’s head. Her finger shook, and she wasn’t sure that she meant to pull the trigger, but she did. This bullet succeeded where the others had failed. Wiley turned pale and Charlie closed his eyes, as if in physical pain.

“April? What did you do?” asked Zeke.

“I told you, I’m not playing around. One of them is dead,” said April. There was a long silence.

“We can work this out, April,” said Zeke finally, struggling to get the words out.

“No, we can’t,” said April. “I need transportation out of here. You have ten minutes.”

“I have a jeep a mile away,” said Zeke. “I can’t get it here in ten minutes, but…”

“Twelve minutes. No more, no less,” said April. She wasn’t sure what had happened to her, but she had finally snapped. She just needed to run away and hide. She could escape this. It wasn’t too late.

“Ok, just calm down,” said Zeke. “I’m radioing my partner. He’ll bring the jeep around.”

“Tell him to hurry or another one dies!” yelled April.

“Please, April. Please don’t hurt them,” pleaded Zeke. “I know that you’re better than this. You’re not a monster.”

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I don’t want to talk to you!” yelled April.

“All right,” said Zeke. “All right. Just don’t hurt them.” The wait for the jeep was the longest of their lives, but finally Phil pulled it up just outside of the hut.

“I want you two to back off one hundred yards,” said April. “Leave your guns at the door. I’m coming out, but I’ll have a hostage with me, so don’t try anything.”

“Ok,” said Zeke. “Please, April. Reconsider this.”

“Lay your guns down and move it,” said April. She surveyed her prisoners as she gave Phil and Zeke time to do as she had asked. Eli would be too heavy to move while he was out. Charlie looked too confident. She chose Wiley. He, at least, seemed nervous.

“I’m coming out!” said April, not sure why. If they had truly moved as she had asked, they wouldn’t hear her.

Phil stood next to Zeke, watching April pull Wiley out of the shed. “I can take her,” said Phil, sniper rifle held behind his back, at the ready.

“No,” said Zeke. “It’s too dangerous. She could kill Wiley.”

“But I can do it!” said Phil. “I promise…”

“No,” said Zeke.

“I c…,” said Phil.

“No,” said Zeke, watching her go. She was fumbling at the door. She shoved Wiley to the ground.

“He’s clear,” said Phil. “It’s time to…”

“No! Let her go!” said Zeke, turning and grabbing the gun out of Phil’s hand. He threw it to the ground.

“Watch out!” said Phil. Zeke turned. The jeep was heading right at them, gathering speed. He didn’t have time to think, but merely ran for the nearest cover, which was far away in the open desert.

“Ahh!” screamed Phil, and Zeke heard a crunch. He turned to see his partner on the ground as the jeep’s back tires ran over him. The front ones clearly already had.

“Phil…,” said Zeke. He didn’t have time to think much. The jeep was turning towards him. He got a glimpse of April’s eyes, and saw only madness. What had driven that sweet woman whose bed he had shared to do these unthinkable deeds? He didn’t have time to ponder it, as he had to keep running.

“Hurry!” shouted Wiley, struggling to get back into the shed while he was still bound. He crawled across the sand, moving like a snake. Zeke made Wiley his goal and ran as fast as he could. He saw the Australian make it inside, but the shed was still thirty yards away and the sound of the jeep was getting louder behind him. He wasn’t going to make it.

At the last second, Zeke faked right, then dove left. The feign worked, and the tires missed Zeke’s boots by inches. The jeep sped past him, but this time it didn’t turn around. He watched it disappear into the sunset.

“You coulda had ‘er,” said Wiley, as Zeke got up and walked towards him. “Why didn’t you shoot? You had your extra gun…”

“Shut up,” said Zeke, untying the Aussie.

“Thanks,” said Charlie, not bothering to ask Zeke why he had let the crazy woman go. He already knew. He could tell in just the brief exchange.

“What about him?” asked Wiley, indicating the still unconscious Eli.

“I’ll think of something to tell him,” said Charlie. “You guys should get out of here before he wakes up.”

“An’ Mark…,” began Wiley.

“I’ll take care of him,” said Charlie.

“Well, see ya,” said Wiley, not sure what else to say. He had to chase Zeke, who was already heading towards Phil. Zeke got to his friend, slung him over his shoulders, and began walking towards the nearest town, never saying a word. Wiley followed, just as silent.

October, 12 B.G. (still) ~ Wester Jeffersonville, Ohio

“No, we lost her,” said Dr. Smith to Tara, putting a hand on Tara’s shoulders. He had felt it best not to tell Tara the details of the recent mishap, but the resourceful blond had already broke into the computer and got them anyway. Dr. Smith didn’t know what he could possibly say to comfort her.

“We won’t find her,” said Tara bitterly.

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry,” said Zeke, from where he was standing at attention near the door.

“No, don’t be ridiculous,” said Dr. Smith. “If it wasn’t for you, they all might have died. You…”

“I let her kill Mark. I let her run over Phil. I didn’t even try to stop her as she ran away,” said Zeke.

“You couldn’t have known,” said Dr. Smith. “I’m going to see Mark’s family and I’ll tell them in person.”

“He has all of those kids…,” said Zeke.

“Seven children,” said Dr. Smith “That oldest, Katie, is quite the pistol.”

“And because of me, their father is gone,” said Zeke sourly.

“It wasn’t your fault. Look who you did save,” said Dr. Smith. “Phil will recover.”

“I heard that he asked to not be my partner anymore,” said Zeke.

“He asked to be transferred to Smitty’s construction crew because he found he didn’t have the stomach for battle. It had nothing to do with you,” said Dr. Smith.

“I need to take a leave of absence,” said Zeke.

“How long?” asked Dr. Smith, after a pause. There wasn’t really any way that he could stop Zeke from going.

“I don’t know,” said Zeke. “I’ll be in touch.”

“Take care,” said Dr. Smith. He watched Tara watch Zeke leave. She didn’t say a thing.

“Was it really not his fault?” asked Tara.

“You read the report. You tell me,” said Dr. Smith.

“I don’t think that it was,” said Tara.

“I have people looking for April. We’ll find her,” said Dr. Smith.

“No, you won’t,” said Tara. “Just let her go.”

“Really? Are you sure?” asked Dr. Smith.

“Yes. She doesn’t want to be found. We shouldn’t force her to be,” said Tara.

February, 3 B.G. ~ Albany, New York

“Hello?” asked April nervously as she entered the dark room.

“Hello,” said a voice from the shadows. April stepped forward and realized that the voice must belong to the person sitting in the large leather chair, back turned to her.

“I heard that you had a proposition for me,” she said, staying alert. After nine years on her own, doing dangerous work, April had long stopped trusting anyone, especially figures hiding in the shadows.

“I heard that you have a grudge,” said the voice.

“A grudge? Now why would I have something so trivial as a grudge?” asked April.

“You hate Dr. Smith,” said the voice.

“Yes, I do,” she answered honestly.

“Why?” asked the voice, clearly a female.

“He killed my parents. He took away my sister, and my lover,” said April. “He almost got me.”

“Yet you have been unsuccessful in tracking him down,” said the voice.

“I have been able to track agents of his, but no, I haven’t found him,” admitted April.

“Yes, I know. You found his house in Ohio too late,” said the voice.

“It was abandoned,” said April.

“You show no restraint in killing his agents when you find them,” said the voice.

“I torture them first,” said April. “One day, one of them will break.”

“Yet you never returned to Egypt, where you know that he was,” she said.

“No, I haven’t,” said April.

“Why?” asked the voice.

“The only agent there… I know that he won’t ever talk. I could see it in his eyes,” said April.

“What if I told you that I could get you in his base?” asked the voice. “What would you be willing to do for me to have his head handed to you on a platter?”

“Anything,” said April quickly, with passion.

“Good,” said the voice. “You have to promise me that you won’t kill him until I tell you to. You’ll need to get some information for me before you can blow your cover.”

“They’ll recognize me there,” said April.

“Not if we disguise you,” said the voice. “You go under cover in the base for a few months, help me, then you can kill them all if you like.”

“No problem,” said April. “Who are you?”

“My name is Jenas,” said the voice. “Do you need to know what I have against them?”

“No,” said April. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you Jenas.” The chair turned around. “Y… you’re a goose! But you talked!” The human had seen a lot living in the world, but never an intelligent goose.

“Is that a problem?” asked Jenas.

“Not at all,” said April, smiling.

December 1 B.G. ~ Dr. Smith’s Base

Tara saw Katie running towards her. She reached out and grabbed Katie’s arm as the auburn haired agent yelled for everyone to get down. “Did you get her out?”

“She was already dead,” said Katie grimly.

“How?” asked Tara.

<> “I don’t know,” said Katie. Tara tried to think of another question to ask, her mouth opening and closing. The others began to talk around her, but she barely paid attention, other than to express her worry about Dr. Smith and the others. They were saying something about a girl named Anne. Tara turned to question Katie further, but Vine interrupted her.

“I hear someone coming!” he shouted.

“My phone’s ringing,” said a very confused Katie. Tara looked at her in surprise.

“Answer it!” shouted Dakota, clearly one of the two rapidly approaching figures.

“No! Get down! All of you! Now!” shouted the black clad, red haired woman that Tara didn’t know. The blast roared through the tunnel, the noise echoing in the small space. They all shrank back from the eruption of light, noise, and heat. Tara fell to the ground, covering her baby, and crying for her lost sister.