by Michael Todd
Katie smirked. And…it’s gone.
Feeling better about everything, Pandora finally pulled herself out of Katie and walked around to sit next to Sofia. Stephanie smiled at Pandora. “Nice to see you up and around again. We’ve missed your snark.”
Katie laughed. “Must be nice. Didn’t stop in my head at all.”
Pandora stuck her tongue out at Katie and waved her hands. “Well, give a sister a fucking donut and stop looking at me like I’m some homeless child.”
Stephanie chuckled and passed the donuts to her. Pandora looked at Sofia. “Okay, let’s get real here for a minute. Sofia, how big your boobs gonna get?”
Korbin held open the door to the armory as Stephanie ran across the yard, her coat pulled up on both sides of her face to block the wildly blowing wind that was throwing sand all over the place. She walked in and the door shut hard behind them. She shook the sand off of her and looked at Korbin with wide eyes. “Whoop, I tell you what! The winds have been wild this last month. We put up blockers, but on a day like this, there is no stopping that shit. We’ll all become sand castles.”
They looked up to see Joshua waving at them from his glass-fronted office’s door. They hurried through the armory, smiling and waving at the girls as they passed. He held the door for them and shut it, which completely cut out all the noise from the machines, then sat down behind the desk. Korbin and Stephanie sat in the chairs.
Korbin looked out at the armory. “You guys are really working hard.”
Joshua sighed. “Yeah, we are. We’ve taken up working at night, too.”
Stephanie looked at him with concern. “Are you sleeping?”
Joshua smiled. “Yeah, although usually in this chair. But we have to pick up the pace, and that’s why I called you guys here. Even with extending production hours, we are still struggling hard to keep up with the demand for bullets. Once the government got involved and the private sector learned about them, we went to max production. Add on the forts on top of that, and we are just not producing enough to meet the orders. We have private orders that have been on hold for three months because we have to get to the other ones first.”
Stephanie furrowed her brow. “And right now, building a whole new armory would be hard to do and hard to manage.”
Joshua nodded. “I know, and the government is ever-growing, which means their orders are coming in faster and larger. As of right now, given the status of our warehouse, it looks like we are going to have to short the forts a few shipments in order to make sure other governments get enough. Hopefully, those governments are sharing with the forts, but they have to be armed too.”
Korbin leaned back in the chair and rubbed his chin, looking out at the manufacturing floor. He groaned, tilting his head to one side. “Obviously I’m not thrilled about that. It’s bad to build a fort and not arm it, especially since they seem to be the favorite targets for incursions. At the same time, the governments are the ones footing the bills for these things, and they can’t be without either. It’s a no-win situation right now.”
Joshua sat forward, clasping his hands together nervously. “I knew you would be upset, but I am literally pushing these machines to their max, not to mention the people that work here.”
Korbin put up his hand. “No, I know that, Joshua. You are doing a fantastic job. I can’t fault you if we don’t have the machine power, resources, or staff to handle the load we have put on our shoulders.”
Just then there was a knock on the door and a soldier, uniform perfectly pressed, her makeup done just right for uniform standards, opened the door. “Sorry to interrupt.”
Joshua waved her in. “It’s okay, Wanda. What’s up?”
She walked over next to him and held a clipboard in front of him. “The shipment for DC is ready to go out.”
Joshua nodded. “Thanks. I’ll sign off on everything after the meeting.”
Wanda touched his shoulder and smiled. “Thanks, baby.”
Immediately Stephanie and Korbin sat up straighter in their chairs. They glanced at each other and up at Wanda, giving her a smile as she left the room. They then looked across the desk at Joshua, who seemed to be completely oblivious to anything that was going on. Stephanie pursed her lips and went to speak, but Korbin reached over and patted her hand, giving a quick, discreet shake of his head.
Joshua let out a deep breath, tossing his notes on the desk. “Yeah, so that’s where we’re at right now.”
Korbin nodded, glancing at Stephanie. “Honey, could you give me just a couple of minutes to talk to Joshua alone?”
Stephanie cleared her throat nervously and stood up. “Of course. I have some work to do with the trainees, and I want to check up on the guys.”
She walked around the desk and gave Joshua a hard hug. “Don’t be stressed. You are literally doing everything you can, and you are doing a fantastic job at it. We can’t just make this stuff appear out of thin air.”
Joshua patted her back. “Thanks, Stephanie.”
She turned back around, winked at Korbin, and left the office. Korbin sat there for several moments, waiting for the door to shut and the noise to cease. When it had, he looked at Joshua and tilted his head to the side. “So, uh…anything new, Joshua?”
Joshua furrowed his brow and looked at Korbin, slightly confused. “No. I mean, with the amount of time we are spending here at the facility, the only thing new would be the upgrade in coffee blend we ordered, but only because we had bought up all of the other kind from the supplier.”
Korbin blinked at him for a moment and pointed to Wanda, who was standing outside checking paperwork. Joshua shook his head confused. “Her?”
Korbin nodded. “Yes, her. Wanda.”
Joshua scratched the top of his head. “What about her?”
Korbin leaned back nonchalantly, waving his hand. “You two…friends?”
Joshua shrugged, putting a file in the drawer. “I guess.”
Korbin slapped his hand to his head and sat up, staring at him. “I’m really trying to not make you feel weird here.”
Joshua just gave him a confused look.
Korbin rolled his eyes and motioned to Wanda. “You know she’s totally into you, right?”
Joshua let out a long deep breath and his shoulders slumped. “Yes, of course I know she’s into me. I’ve known that since we first met. She isn’t really the type of girl to hold those kinds of things back.”
Korbin smiled. “So, what are you gonna do about it?”
Joshua grumped. “That’s the problem. I have no idea what to do about it. You have to know that girls being interested in me was not something that EVER happened before I came here. Even after this long, she’s the first one who has actually made it known.”
Korbin nodded. “I get it. You are nervous. This is new to you. It’s new to everyone at some point, but we as a species have made it work.”
Joshua shook his head, rubbing his face. “I wish it was still caveman times, when grunting was acceptable and clubbing was the way to get your woman, and I don’t mean dance clubs. We work together, and you and I might be blatantly misreading her. There are far too many variables that could cause this whole thing to blow up right in my face. So, like I do with all things that make me slightly uncomfortable, I am going to stay out of it and act like nothing is going on.”
Korbin put his palms on the desk and looked at him seriously. “No, buddy. That’s not the answer here. You live in the same world as me, right? We watch people die left and right. Men, women, children, lovers, families, couples—this war does not care who it kills. It is not picky. No one gets left out. So, when something happens that is good, we need to hold on to it with everything we’ve got.”
Joshua looked at her and back at Korbin. “So, you’re saying I should ask her out? Or talk to her about it?”
Korbin smiled. “What I’m saying is, if and when you find something that’s good, you go after it with everything you’ve got. Because there are very few good things lef
t in the world. If it’s not her, fine, but don’t miss out on something you want because you are scared of the outcome. I almost did that, and I am telling you right now, my life is better because I took a chance.”
The eighteen-wheeler bounced along the curvy road as the driver sped toward their destination. Kabbus was still in the back, lounging on the large pillows the Damned had set up for him. The space was cramped, though, and he barely fit inside without bulging the sides of the semi. It was also completely dark back there, no lights set up for the Nightmare. His gray eyes were the only things that were somewhat visible in the cloak of darkness.
They hit another bump, and Kabbus shifted to the right. His body shivered and he squirmed, trying to get himself in a better position. The frustration was building inside of him and his tentacles began to wave and flail, slamming into the floor of the truck. Up front, the two Damned drivers were trying to make it through Colorado as fast as they could. The loud thump caught both of their attention, and they looked at each other with concern. They hadn’t really been told anything about the Leviathan, and they were starting to get nervous from all the thumping and the swaying coming from the back of the truck.
The driver shook his head. “I won’t lie. I can’t help but be a little fucking worried about whatever monster it is that we have cramped up in the back of this semi. He’s definitely not making it easy to drive this fucking big-ass thing.”
The other driver pursed his lips. “Did they tell you what it is? Do you know?”
He shook his head. “No. I have no idea what that thing is. The only thing Beelzebub told me was that it is a nightmare, whatever the fuck that’s supposed to mean.”
The other guy scoffed. “You got that shit right…”
The driver sighed and looked at the sign they were passing. “Hey, there’s a place called Glazed and Confused. We could get a dozen donuts and a few joints for the road. Wouldn’t take us too long.”
The other guy shook his head. “Fuck that. Let’s get this thing where it needs to go. I’m a little freaked out, for real.”
The driver nodded. “Me too.”
The other guy slapped him on the shoulder, their eyes glowing brightly. “Let’s just get this over with.”
In the back, Kabbus began to calm, his tentacles slowly dropping down next to his large body. He could sense the fear from the guys up front, and he more than liked it…
15
Katie stood on the edge of the helipad, her hand up to block the sand. She watched as the helo slowly descended. It touched down and the engine was turned off, the blades very slowly coming to a stop. When the doors opened, Katie walked forward, giving Doctor Ozu a hand down out of the chopper. She took his bag, and the two of them hurried from underneath the still whirling blades.
Katie shook the doctor’s hand. “It’s so good to have you here with us. We’ve got the whole crew here with us on this one, and there is a lot happening. The only two who aren’t here are Juntto and Angie, but we can get them here if you need them. They are manning the house in New York.”
The doctor smiled. “It’s an exciting and frightening time right now, but beyond the Leviathan stuff, I will want to do some general medical exams. As far as Juntto is concerned, as long as he is doing well, I don’t think I’ll need to see him. I have taken more than enough samples from him. The general told me that he is on call right now, ready to move if anything happens.”
Katie nodded. “He is. Juntto is one of our biggest assets in the fight against the Leviathan. He is huge, and not of this world. He has an understanding that we just don’t have of these creatures. And the tracking system you will be working on? That will be with our tech guys, Timothy and Sean. Timothy is the lead. Sean is an injured vet, not Damned anymore, and has been working with Timothy to learn everything. He isn’t as knowledgeable, but he is definitely getting there.”
The doctor gave a thumbs-up. “I’ve heard about both of them. I am very anxious to meet them and pick their brains on this tracking system. First, though, I think it is important that I take some time to examine Sofia.”
Katie took a deep breath. “Absolutely. She has been waiting for you to get here. She’s been feeling just fine. The baby is moving, her appetite is good, and there haven’t been any outward signs that would worry us.”
The doctor looked at the base. “That’s good. That’s really good. I hope everything on the inside matches the outside. She was infected by a demon early in her pregnancy. We have never had a chance to see what the possible side-effects are on the mother and child. I believe I’ve heard stories about infected pregnant women, but usually they die pretty quickly after infection. The body—its natural reaction—is to fight off foreign objects, and it works double-time in pregnant women. I’m sure she’s going to be just fine, but I want to do an exam, talk to her, and listen to the baby just to make sure.”
Sofia sat up on the cold metal table in a hospital gown with her bare feet swaying back and forth. Dr. Ozu was taking notes in his file and printing out the pictures from the sonogram. He turned with a smile and handed them to her. “Is this your first sono?”
Sofia shook her head. “No, but it’s been a while. The baby was just a bean the last time I saw it. I can’t believe how quickly they grow.”
Dr. Ozu nodded. “I know. The human—and not human—body is an amazing thing.”
He opened the file and scanned through his notes. “So, your bloodwork looks great, your levels are in perfect ranges, and you show no signs of high blood pressure, cholesterol, or elevated sugar. The sonogram was perfect too. The heartbeat was healthy and strong, there is ample movement, and the cord is safely in place. You are still fully closed, with no signs of early labor or anything like that. Of course, I’m not an OB, but as far as general physician knowledge, I would say you have a very healthy baby.”
Sofia let out a deep breath and smiled. “So, being infected for that short a time didn’t affect anything?”
Dr. Ozu shook his head. “Nope. Doesn’t seem to have left any marks behind on either of you. Now, if you start to experience anything you deem strange—any pain, labor pains, tightness in the stomach, bleeding, or any of the common or uncommon warning signs—I want you to contact a doctor right away. You should be able to call your doctor, and they will be able to refer you to someone out here.”
Sofia lifted an eyebrow. “What about cravings? I mean, nothing weird like dirt or laundry soap like they ask, but I have cravings for apple fritters that are so bad sometimes that I feel like I could kill someone for one.”
Dr. Ozu laughed. “That’s perfectly normal. As long as you are eating enough other foods too, there is nothing to worry about. Of course, if you commit homicide we may have to run some tests, but those types of cravings come and go through the pregnancy. You have nothing to worry about.”
Sofia put her hand to her chest. “Oh, good. I was starting to think I was losing it.”
Dr. Ozu smiled, chuckling. “No, not losing it. You can eat as many apple fritters as you want. Within reason, of course. Make sure you are getting protein, vegetables, fruit, and all your basic nutritional needs as well. And make sure you are taking a prenatal vitamin. If you don’t have one already, you can pick some up at Walmart or any pharmacy. They are pretty much the same as prescription brands unless you needed one specific kind of supplement.”
Sofia nodded. “I’ve been taking them every day.”
Dr. Ozu patted her knee. “Good. Let me just collect a couple of things, and I’ll let you get dressed. Then you are free to go. Do you know your way back through the barracks?”
Sofia nodded. “Yeah. I’ve had more than a few boring nights walking the halls.”
Dr. Ozu turned to pick up some paperwork and Sofia bit the inside of her lip. Finally, she decided to just go for it. “Uh, Doctor, I actually had some other questions, but they aren’t related to me. I am studying genetics in school.”
He lifted both eyebrows. “You are? That’s great. We need mo
re people in that field. What were your questions?”
Sofia thought about it for a moment. “Well, Calvin said you are the one who worked with Juntto. Can you tell me about that?”
The doctor grabbed his stool and took a seat, thoughtfully considering his answer. “That was difficult, I can’t lie. It was not just genetics, but psychology as well. You know as well as I do that we can have the best genes in the world, but our psychology often makes the path to successful use of those genes difficult.”
Sofia nodded. “Right, but how did that relate to Juntto?”
Dr. Ozu looked up, taking a deep breath. “You have to remember that we aren’t just dealing with a normal human from Earth. We are dealing with alien or maybe even supernatural forces when it comes to the Leviathans, most of which we don’t understand. Until now, there was no ability to study this kind of thing. Geneticists worked with human genes, not aliens or people from other dimensions. We are also not talking about creatures that are two planets over. We are talking about dimensional shifts. We could travel the galaxy forever and never find them because they are not in this time or this place.”
Sofia nodded. “Okay, and that did cross my mind when I was thinking about all this. Before I left San Diego to come here, I was learning about adding traits not found in an organism to improve them. For example, giving plants resistance to disease.”
Doctor Ozu smiled slightly. “Right.”
Sofia shook her head, hopping down from the table and starting to pace. “That got me thinking. When it comes to Leviathans, we don’t know how much we don’t know, right? I mean, they could be anything. Their entire structure and makeup could be something completely foreign to us from their genes to the follicles of their hair. We could be looking at creatures who have no corollary at all in this world and in this time.”
Dr. Ozu crossed his legs and put his finger on his lip. “That is very true. At this point, we don’t have a clue as to what new things, or things not known to us, are circulating and creating the Leviathans. Or what out of those things will give us clues to other dimensions.”