Falling Skies : between friendship, love and fight [TOME 1]

Chapter 22 : Rick, skitters or human

The volunteer soldiers were gone with Weaver to the offensive. For our concern, Tom and I had followed Ben and Scott to the science room letting Matt playing with the other kids. And Anne had joined us.

Scott need time because the skitters must have changed the frequency that they're using for communicators. If we find the right signal, we should be able to stop the skitters and the mecas well, right in their tracks. Tom takes Anne away to tell her that after everything Ben's been through, he doesn't want to make it any worse. But we know nothing about this phenomenon, or even if it's dangerous as much for me as for me. But Uncle Scott really thinks that might work, he's hopeful. But for now, we stick strictely to Weaver's plan. Setting gun positions and barricades and coming up with an evacuation plan. It's a long way from the lecture hall. Then, Anne tell me to join them while waiting Scott finds the right signal.

- How you feel, Eléa ? You sure you're okay ?

- Yeah, Anne. I'm fine, and if it's the only way to stop the communication between the skitters, so there's no doubt to have.

- Ok, but be careful. You're worried about Hal ? But he's smart, if Weaver's mission isn't right, he'll back off. 

- He's 18 and he's hurting and he wants payback. He's gonna see this through, if he can.

- How can you be sure ? I asked.

- Because I would.

Then, Scott got angry because the radio didn't working, maybe because the generator had run out of gas. So, Tom asked to Ben to go taking one in the reserve. Us, with Anna, we went back to the infirmary.

On the soldiers side, the driver of one of the vehicles that had the bombs took bumps, which made Anthony panicked. But what made him more worried was not the Anfo bombs but the loaded RPG next to Pope.

- Don't worry, safety's on, tried to reassure Pope. I think.

He checked and noticed that he didn't do it, so he did it.

- Are you serious ? You're a nutbag, man, you know that ?

Then, the convoy stopped and Weaver gave the order to 2 scouts to go to see if the way was free. The skitters must have been focused on the national, they could change their tactic.

In high school, Ben found Scott on the floor unconscious, with blood, so he called Doctor Glass. I was with Anne and Lourdes to take care of Scott when Ben and Tom arrived at the infirmary.

- It was Rick, wasn't it ? asked Ben.

- Yeah, he's right.

- How did you know it was him ? 

- He just had to guess ?

- Rick was hanging from the ceiling like some crazy bat. Don't, don't ask me how. And he must have been there awhile because he knew exactly what to take in order to knock out the transmitter. 

- Don't move, Scott !

We knew Rick was troubled but sabotage and attack Scott ? We removed the harness from him, but he seems still under its control. Now, we have to find Rick. That's why Ben and I went out of the room to go find him. We went in the room where he attacked Scott. And we did well, because he was there.

- Why did you hurt Scott ? Asked him Ben.

- To get this, he said us showing us the transmitter. To stop him. No, friend, you remember ? He's trying to keep them away.

- If you give back the part, they'll forgive you. They know you're confused because of the harness. 

- But stop, Eléa !! I know you can hear them too.

- I want them out of my head.

- Why ? Ben, they're better than the humans. We can be a part of that, Eléa. I wnat the harness back.

- What ?! I said in same time than Ben.

- I can tell you want it too. Come with me, we'll find them. We'll find them together.

Then, Ben called in the hallway saying that Rick was there. And, Rick ran away by the window, so I decided to go after him. He mustn't go back to the skitters. We arrive in the court, next to the barricades, running, and I scream to not let him through because he wants to warn the skitters. I run slower than him due to my pregnancy (thanks Hal). Fortunately I have my racins, otherwise he would have ran away from me since the start. The soldiers tried to stop him, but Rick passed through them easily. I see that he runs away so I go out by a side and then I'm behind the barricades. 

- She's a traitor ! She's gonna give us to the skitters ! Said a man.

- Hold your fire ! Hold your fire ! Screamed Tom.

Fortunately for me, Maggie made him get up his gun. And instead of shot at me, he shot to the sky.

- Hold your fire, I said.

- Don't you ever raise a gun to her ! She's pregnant of my son, bastard !

- Tom, I just wanted to ...

- I know, I know. These people, they're just scared. I want you to go back inside and find Doctor Glass and stay with her, okay ?

- We have to get him back !

- Yeah, I know. I'm getting him back.

Tom gave Maggie the gun of the man who had fired it and left. Meanwhile, Rick found a child implanted in the forest who asked him to tell her everything he knew about us, the second mass. When Tom arrived, Rick was on the ground. The skitters had abandoned him after getting what they wanted. Now Rick was crying and saying that he didn't belong to the skitters or the humans, and that his father was dead. He is so sorry and really thought the aliens loved him. Then he told Tom that he had told them everything, the school, Weaver, and himself. After that, they left. On their side, Weaver stopped the convoy and asked everyone to join him. It looks like the 4th and 5th Mass are out of the picture, their scouts are not there. The aliens have probably wiped out these two regiments. Now they have two options: to withdraw or to continue to advance. Everyone knew Weaver's choice and everyone agreed with him. He then formed 4 units each carrying explosive charges, one for each pillar of the structure. At 7pm he sent Hal and Anthony to scout the area. Tom and Rick had returned to the base and went to the infirmary. Then he asked Anne, Maggie, me and some of the other soldiers to come to the control room. Then I handed Matt over to Lourdes.
- The skitters know where we are, they'll probably attack soon. We could wait for our soldiers to come back to evacuate but we might be caught short. I decided to evacuate the civilians immediately. We'll use the tunnel behind the auditorium. Once out of the tunnel, we'll head west.

- If the skitters really know where we are, they'll be on us for sure. We won't be able to escape.

- I'll stay here and cover the group. I'll take some volunteers with me. If the aliens attack, we'll shoot them. That'll keep them busy, maybe allow the civilians to leave the base without the skitters noticing.