4.19 The Only Plan

"Bring him back" Charlie demanded voice rising running towards the door.

"You can't get out that way," she laughed at the young man "I did agree to keep you here while Andrew did as required."

"You heartless bitch," Charlie raged trying to get past her "he can't defend himself. He doesn't know how."

She raised an eyebrow at his comment "that sounds like a grave tactical error on your part."

"It wasn't my idea to come here," Charlie snapped "we were in my room getting dressed. Then we're here in the middle of mutant hell."

She shrugged nonchalantly maintaining an impression of aloofness "that's no concern of mine."

"No of course not," Charlie grumbled "as long as Andrew does as you say you could care less."

Quinn's lips quirked at that. She wondered what the boy would think if he knew she was doing this because she care a little too much? "That still doesn't change the fact that you're not leaving."

Ignoring her he grabbed the door handle. Pulling on it had no effect. Shoving on the door proved no better. "Let me out," he shouted.

She polished her nails on her dress "that's not going to happen."

Frustration and anger made his skin feel as if it had been electrified. "He needs help," Charlie almost pleaded "he can't do this on his own."

She looked at him. Her green eyes softened with compassion "I'm sorry. It has to be this way."

Screaming in rage and frustration Charlie rammed his hand into the wall. Pulling it out. The pain barely registered as he surveyed the damage he had caused.

"That's going to hurt," Quinn observed a humorous glint in her eyes.

"Shut up" he hissed holding his injured hand "just shut up." He staggered to the couch cradling his hand to his chest. The pain he hadn't felt a moment before was becoming a red hot inferno.

His groans of pain was wearing thin on Quinn's nerves. "I can fix that," she said walking towards him.

He turned attempting to hid his injury "leave me alone" he growled.

"You're such a baby," she firmly took his hand drawing it close to her. She said a few words in a language he didn't recognize. Then blew on his hand, her breath feeling warm on his skin. "You should be feeling much better now," she said releasing his hand.

Flexing his fingers his eyes growing large "what are you?" he asked beginning to see why Andrew believed her.

She smirked at him saying "not you."

***

Andrew shivered in the bright overhead sun shining down on his head. He had never felt more alone before. Someone had always protected him. Had always taken the brunt of whatever situation he was in. No that wasn't true. He shook his head trying to rid it of memories of when he had been kidnapped. It was after that he stopped being confident in himself. Always afraid to put himself out there.

Looking around the lonely deserted street he knew he had to find cover while he figured out where he was going and what he was going to do. He couldn't stand out in the broad daylight in full view of anyone and everyone. He was a hot commodity around here. Everyone and everything wanted him. His protruding stomach confirmed that fact he was a progenitor. If he was caught by either mutant or human he'd be caged for breeding. The thought made him want to gag.

There was a building he could take cover in if he could reach the second story ladder. He hoped it would be safe from mutants since they lacked the dexterity to jump up and grab hold of the lowest ladder rung. He ignored the voice in his head telling him he was a lumbering tub of lard with his big belly and extra weight. He ran towards the building jumping up straining to reach the lowest rung. He caught it and swung in the air while his arms cried out in pain at the sudden dead weight of his body swinging below him. Grunting he struggled to pull his body up by his arms one rung at a time. If he fell he'd break something then he'd really be in trouble.

Breathing hard he landed hard on the floor of an abandoned warehouse. It was scary to think this was what humanity had come to. Rubbing his stomach he wondered what the future would be like for his grandchildren. Would he be instrumental in changing the future? Was it only his gullibility that was egging him on? He wanted to believe that Quinn was telling him the truth. Wanted to believe that by doing this he was making the way for a better future for both himself and his children.

Once he caught his breath he pulled out the instructions. He whistled softly understanding why Charlie had been so upset. Even his meager understanding told time the route would take him into the heart of Mutant territory.

He glanced at the broken window. He could see movement along the street below him. Mutants. His heart pounding in his ears he wondered if he was safe where he was. Should he risk going some place else? Eyes darting around the darkening warehouse he took in the empty pallets. Nothing. No hiding place. No weapons. Nothing.

He looked at the beacon nearby on the floor and the open map and instructions The door opened below. Had he inadvertently entered a mutant storage area? He always had a feeling the mutants were more intelligent than they appeared. Grabbing the beacon he put it inside his pocket. Charlie wouldn't like what he was about to do. It was to his way of thinking the only hope he had of surviving this.

***

Caleb stumbled to his daughter's bedroom. Her shrieks of terror jolting him from a deep sleep. It had been a month since she had come home. The nightmares were steadily getting worse. Opening her door he found her hugging her favorite teddy bear to her chest. Gently he pulled her close to him while she shivered in his arms.

"I keep seeing them," she muttered as he wrapped his arms around her slight frame.

"Seeing who baby?" Caleb asked hoping that this time she would tell him.

"The mutants," she gasped burying her head in his shoulder "I keep seeing their red eyes coming towards me. Mouth's salivating wanting to eat me."

"They can't hurt you now," Caleb assured her squeezing her tight.

"I killed them Daddy" her voice was low, difficult to hear "I shot them and left their bodies on the ground."

Caleb felt like someone had taken hold of his heart squeezing it tight. He couldn't imagine having to shoot another living creature "they were going to kill you. It was them or you."

"I know Daddy" she covered her face with her trembling hands "they were living breathing things and now they're not. I killed them." She squeezed her eyes shut in a vain attempt to blot out the horrors of watching their bodies writhing on the ground. Their high pitched whining as they died in agony. She tried not to think of them as living creatures but they were. She killed them. "I'm a monster," she cried clinging to her father.

"No sweetie you're not," he contradicted her "you're a young girl put into a terrible situation. You did what you needed to do to survive." Caleb's thoughts turned to Andrew. How was his boy standing up living in such a situation? He was even more sensitive then Emmaline. He had no doubts that Charlie was doing his best to protect him. Kissing her forehead he said "it's ok to feel bad for killing someone. It makes you human. You're safe now. They can't hurt you." He held her tight against him "I love you."

"I love you too," her eyes drooping as she began to drift off to sleep.

He waited until her breathing became deep and the tremors assaulting her body had ceased before he laid her back into bed. Kissing her cheek he walked back to his own room.

***

Drew looked up at him as he came into the room "more nightmares?"

"Yeah" he sat on the bed pulling her close needing to feel her warmth against his chilled body "I wish there was something we could do to help her."

"Maybe.." she bit her lip.. She'd suggested this before only to be shot down each time.

"I know," Caleb sighed "I wish she could speak to someone. It's just not that easy. I worry what they'll think when she talks about mutants with red eyes who want to eat her and killing them before they could. What if they think she's some psychopath?"

"Put like that I can see why your reluctant but what are we going to do? She needs help." Drew rested her head on his chest sighing softly.

"I know," he wished he knew how to get her the help she needed without someone jumping to the wrong conclusions. It had been difficult to hide her disappearance from the school explaining they had decided to home school her. Now that she was back homeschooling was the only option they had. Emmaline couldn't stand to be surrounded by a bunch of people anymore. He was sure she half expected a mutant to attack her. His little girl was slipping further and further away and he couldn't stop it.

"Caleb" Drew's voice brought him out of his dreary thoughts "maybe we should go someplace different like a vacation."

"Isn't that a little like running away," he asked.

"I don't think so," Drew sat up to look at him better "I think she needs a break from all of this. This house is filled with memories of Charlie and Andrew."

"New surroundings won't make her dreams go away," Caleb pointed out.

"I know that but she won't be constantly waiting for them to come home. I think she needs to focus on something else for a while." Drew leaned over to kiss him "at least let me try. Please."

Pulling her down on top of him he kissed properly "yes give it a try. I'm willing to do anything to help her."

"Good I'll make the arrangements in the morning," Drew laughed as his hands wandered across her back "will you come with us?" She knew it was pointless to ask. She knew he would want to stay here in case the boys came home.

"I should stay here," he said "unless you think Emmaline needs me."

"Let's try it first with just the two of us," Drew said "if the nightmares come back or get worse you can come out for a few days."

"Sounds like a plan," Caleb smiled as the tension around his eyes relaxed.

***

Indira splashed water over her face. It was the second time in three days she had woken herself up screaming. She never had nightmares. She refused to admit she was worried about her brother. It was all the stress of trying to catch up academically. All the finals she had to prepare for. The hassle of finding a new room mate. There were a hundred different things that could be stress inducing and giving her bad dreams. It was definitely not worry.

It had been a relief to be back in her own environment even if it were a tad bit lonely. She refused to admit she missed the steady reassuring presence of Randy. Randy had been a pain. Always reminding her to put her clothes away. To clean her dishes. To put her trash in the bin instead of in a pile beside her favorite chair. 

She missed him. The house was an absolute pit. Her clothes scattered across the floor regardless of whether they were clean or dirty. Trash was piled beside her favorite chair. Gnat's flew around the full sink of dirty dishes she never found time to clean.

Shaking her head she told herself she only missed him because he kept the place so clean. It wasn't his purple hair that was so soft it left her feeling jealous her hair wasn't that soft. It wasn't the way his presence made her heart forget to beat. Definitely not the way he kissed that left her wanting more. It wasn't the way he could motivate her to do things she wouldn't even consider. She always failed to change but he made her think she could.

Staring at her reflection she wondered if she really had things that needed to be changed. Was she all that bad? She knew her family didn't understand her but wasn't that more their problem then hers? What was so wrong with wanting to be the best? What was wrong with wanting to surround herself with only the best and getting rid of anything or anyone who didn't measure up? It's not that she disliked her family they just didn't fit the image she wanted to project. Sighing she turned off the light and headed back to bed alone and lonely.

She closed her eyes thinking about the last time she had been with Randy. How she had almost gotten past his reserves. Then something happened and he all but pushed her away and he ran away. Why did everyone think family was so important?

***

"How long are you planning on staying here?" Charlie grumbled eyeing the green tinged girl standing by the door.

"As long as it takes," her voice loud inside the room.

"What if I promise I won't leave?" Charlie asked patting the dogs head that was lying at his feet never taking it's eyes from Quinn.

"Nice try," Quinn chuckled "as soon as I leave you'd be gone."

Squirming like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar Charlie sighed "I don't need a babysitter," he mumbled "what I need is Andrew back."

"I can hear you" Quinn sing songed back at him.

"I don't care" Charlie called back feeling like a child in a senseless argument.

"If you really want to help your boyfriend" Quinn said stepping away from the door "you'd comply with his wishes and stay here."

Charlie crossed his arms shaking his head "Andrew needs me to protect him."

"Does he?" Quinn asked "or is it you always take care of him so he doesn't have to? He's a grown man not a child. I'm doing you a favor."

"In what way are you doing me a favor?" Charlie demanded standing up facing her.

"By showing you that Andrew can take care of himself," she told him "he's not a child. Sooner or later he's going to become resentful being treated like one."

Charlie stopped considering her words. He had never thought of it that way before. Protecting Andrew came naturally to him once he allowed himself to care about him. Could she be right that he was treating Andrew like a child? He didn't know what to think but he doubted letting Andrew face a pack of blood thirsty mutants was the ideal way to say 'hey I don't think you need my protection.' It felt too much like throwing someone into the deep end of the pool and saying sink or swim except in this case sinking meant dying.

***

Andrew could hear the mutants clanging up the stairs. Stupid stupid mistake thinking the broken ladder was the only way up. But...an idea was nagging at the back of his brain. He could use this to his advantage. He could hear Charlie screaming at him not to do it. Saying it was too dangerous but was it any safer wandering the streets alone? He could run into groups of humans who wanted a progenitor. If he did he'd never be able to escape on his own. He'd never see Charlie again. He couldn't take that chance.

Standing he waited for the mutants to find him. An easy enough task since he didn't bother to try and hide. He just stood there waiting for them to surround him. He cringed as they sniffed him. Touching his protruding stomach. Grunting with satisfaction. He resisted the urge to run as they looped ropes over him leading him like a dog on a leash.

He observed the mutants. They definitely had some kind of communication. Animalistic but there none the less. They tugged on his leash when they were ready to go and he followed hoping that no human tried to stop them from taking him back to their lair. Any human seeing him would no doubt assume he needed help. They wouldn't know this was the only plan he had of getting the beacon where it needed to be. His only hope once he got there and set the beacon Quinn would be able to get him out. If not he hoped that at least Charlie was safe.

Another tug reminded him to keep moving despite the pain in his feet each time he took a step. He had been on his feet for too long. He could feel them filling with fluid with each step he took. The mutants were gentler than he expected. He suspected it was due to his obvious condition that he couldn't hide from them. They had caught a valuable commodity and would no doubt fight to the death to keep.