Woman of the Past

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Sparrow felt more determined than she’d ever been in her life. She’d heard Peyton’s plan for the men and while it was good, it wouldn’t work. She had a slight variation planned, but it required the other women’s help to follow through. After explaining it to them, they still seemed reluctant to do what was necessary. She needed to light a fire under them and there was only one way, to do that, they had to hear the truth.

“We downloaded all of the files from the General’s personal CP. Then uploaded that to the internet, but do any of you know why the men out there are fighting for you?” She asked the crowd of women that filled the warehouse where they’d been hiding.

May was the only one to answer, “Because they’ve been drugging us.”

Sparrow nodded, “That’s one of the reasons we stole the information but it turns out that wasn’t their only atrocity.” She took a deep breath before continuing.

“The women, who refused to become Mothers, either naturally or artificially, were told they were being transferred to another Safe Zone for women like them. It was supposed to be away from the prying eyes of men, where they could be safe. Instead, the Governing Powers dragged them to a top-secret underground facility right under your own Safe Zone. They put the women into a drugged state before impregnating them. Once far enough along they woke them up, but just long enough to have the baby. Then they drugged them again and started over.”

Gasps and outraged remarks blistered the air throughout the crowd but Sparrow kept going. Her own stomach churned when she thought of what those women must have gone through, “There are women who’ve been down there for eighteen years. Assuming they gave their bodies time to recover that’s about twenty kids. Their daughters went to other facilities and their sons ended up in the military academy. Many of them work at this Safe Zone now but don’t know who they are.”

“So tell me,” Sparrow’s quiet, strong voice could be heard easily in the shocked hush that fell over the group. “Can you stand here on the sidelines and let the men do the fighting or are you going to get off your butts and stand up for you and them?”

The voice that surprised everyone came from the very back corner, “We have to do this!” Everyone turned to see Sarah, Logan’s stalker, with tears streaming down her face.

She stepped forward and the crowd parted to let her through, “My little sister Stephanie was like that. After everything that happened to us, she didn’t want to have children and I can’t have children. They didn’t know that at the time they brought me here and took her away. They said that… we have to get them out of there too!”

* * *

Peyton heard her PD chirp and answered it quickly. Mason’s voice soothed her nerves as it came through, “Okay Peyton, I’ve taken over their security system completely. You’ll hear alarms go off toward the Northwest corner of the complex… now.” A loud pulsing alarm went off and Peyton took advantage of their view up on the roof of the building to watch the soldiers run to the Northwest corner of the lot, “wait I meant the Southeast corner.” The alarm changed corners and half of the soldiers began running around the buildings in the opposite direction from before, “or maybe all four corners.” He switched the alarms again and they pierced the air all around them.

Peyton couldn’t help her smile as she thought of the soldiers running around trying to find the nonexistent intruder, “It’s perfect Mason. You’re brilliant. Let us know when the snipers are down. We can’t move until then.”

“I’m on it. The snipers are being dealt with now.” There was a pause on the other side before he asked, “How are you two holding up?”

Peyton looked at Jupiter. They were lying on the roof of the building between the door and the air filtration system. Jupiter looked exhausted as he held on to the gun he’d found earlier. Neither of them knew the name of it but it looked like a fancy rocket launcher. He tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace of pain. Jupiter’s holding in there but he’s hurting. I’m terrified but that’s never stopped me before.” She reached out her hand to Jupiter and he held it in his, both taking comfort in the other.