“No need,” Birdie replied. “I’ve heard a fair share. What’s the sitrep?”
“As you saw, there was a bomb on the visiting plane. Everyone within a hundred yard radius was killed. Proprietors were put in RR… uh, Reanimation Room,” she elaborated, “In case you haven’t heard about it. It’s basically where we go if something happens to us, until the reanimation begins.”
“How long does it usually take?” Birdie inquired.
“Depends on how we die, and how many times it’s happened before. Could be anywhere between a few hours and several days.”
“Apparently, the more you die,” Brian added, “The faster your body knows what to do to regenerate itself.”
“That seems… strange,” Birdie commented. “You’d think it’d be just the opposite.”
“Around here, you’ll find a lot of things don’t really follow the scientific laws you were raised to understand,” Kale glanced at her, just as they reached a set of navy blue lockers. She pulled up on the handle before pulling one of the locker doors open. “Lucky for you, I plan ahead,” she told her as she pulled out a neatly folded pile of clothing. “Your uniform. Go and get changed. Can’t have you running around enforcing laws in hospital scrubs. When you’re ready, meet me across the hall. I’ll get you your access card and weapon. You,” she looked to Brian, “Can come with me, if you want. We could use a hand around here, unless you wanna go underground until this all blows over.”
“Why is everyone going underground, by the way?” Birdie asked.
“Media,” Kale raised her brows. “As soon as they catch wind of the crash, they’ll be swarming the area with helicopters. People go under because this place needs to be kept a secret.”
“Won’t the obvious civilization give it away?” she furrowed her brows in confusion.
“Once the people are safely locked down,” she replied as she walked over to a computer panel, “Everything else goes under, too.” With a few clicks on the keypad, a hologram-like screen popped up showing the island at street view. “This green light here,” she pointed beside the screen, “Means lock-down is complete. That means clean-up should be starting right about…” Moments after she said it, Birdie watched as the coffee shop she’d been in the morning started to lower into the ground, then several of the buildings around it. “Now.”
“You’ve gotta be… kidding me,” she watched in awe. The gears in the foundation she thought were mere decoration, were actually functional. “How deep does all this underground stuff go?”
“We’ve got a support system that goes all the way to the Atlantic Ocean floor,” she replied. “But as far as the evac tunnels, a few hundred feet down, spanning a little over half our section of the island.”
“I didn’t know that,” Brian shook his head.
“It’s where First Gens started out,” she explained. “Before they realized the negative side-effects of forcing people to live underground. Proprietor scientists and architects decided there was a better way and devised the plans to build this place. But the Defectors actually get the credit for sealing the deal with the CIA. They figured the deserting issue would be resolved if they gave us a little leeway.”
“I take it that didn’t work out very well,” Birdie replied.
“I understand why people left, initially,” Kale shook her head. “But once we were treated more humanely, given more than just what we needed, the Defectors became less of a crusade for better treatment, and more of a group of runaways constantly looking to stir up trouble.”
“I’d say killing a plane filled with military personnel that can’t regenerate, is a little more than stirring up trouble,” Birdie stated.
“Why don’t I get a uniform?” Brian asked as the three of them started a patrol on the far east side of the island with one other agent. He’d never actually gotten to see his sister working, before. It was one thing he’d always wished he could do. But asking if he could do a ride-along with his big sister while she was on duty… well, it seemed like a silly thing to ask. Now, however, as he walked alongside another agent that was patrolling with them, he saw how Birdie carried herself when in uniform.
Most of their lives, before coming to the island, Birdie seemed to try and hide within herself. That showed in her stature. Being tall, she’d made a point even as a child to try and shrink. But in uniform, she stood tall and professionally, as if her height was part of the ensemble. She seemed graceful and secure and as if she’d left everything she normally carried on her shoulders, back in a precinct locker.
“Because you’re not an Observer,” Kale replied, smirking though he couldn’t see her face.
“Isn’t there an acting-agent uniform?” he asked.
“No.”
“There should be an acting-agent uniform.”
“I’ll bring it up the the boss,” Kale replied, glancing over at Birdie, who was now smiling out of his sight as well.
“You just want Agent Kale to see what a great ass you have,” Birdie said just loud enough for him to hear.
“Shut up!” he quietly shouted back, and Birdie laughed.
“Defectors at three o’clock,” the officer to the right of Brian told them. Birdie was suddenly alert, as well as Brian.
Kale looked in that direction, spotting the handful of people he was telling them about, walking through the thick area of trees. “Julian, back-track and cut them off. Brian, go with him. Stay behind and cover him. Farran, you’re with me. We’ll get behind them. Anyone who can get a shot off, take it. Watch your backs.”
Birdie shared a long glance with Brian, worried, even though she knew he’d be okay. They couldn’t be killed… right? She gave him a quick nod, then turned to follow Kale. This part of the island was like the woods back in Virginia, where Birdie and Brian had gone on their one single hiking trip together. The trees were enough to keep from seeing beyond the expanse, but sparse enough to run through without giving yourself a concussion by smacking into one.
The split-up team didn’t take long to surround the intruding Proprietors. “Hold it!” Birdie called out. Kale gave her a shocked face for a fraction of a second, before taking aim on the alerted Defectors and firing. Two went down. Two took off running toward where Brian and Julian were likely closing in. One stayed to fire back.
Birdie took aim and hit the taller man, and he fell back hitting the ground with a thud, and went still.
“What was that, Farran?” Kale shouted as they took off after the two runaways.
“What do you mean?”
“This isn’t the mainland police! You don’t have to identify yourself. Not when it’s Defectors!”
“I didn’t know…”
“Well, now you do,” she took aim in front of her, firing and hitting one of the remaining Defectors who fell forward and stumbled mid-run. The last one started firing ahead of him, and the agents heard one last shot before they watched him fall. Kale spoke into the comm on her shoulder, “Julian. Location?” There was no answer. “Agent Julian,” she said again.
A shiver ran down Birdie’s spine, and she took off in the direction they were facing. “Brian?” she shouted as she ran.
“Agent Julian’s been shot!” Brian called out as he came into view. He was crouched down beside Julian’s body.
“I’m fine,” Julian insisted. “Just my leg.”
Kane reached them and crouched down to examine the wound herself. “Still bleeding,” she observed. “You should get to sickbay or you’ll bleed out before it regenerates. I can’t afford to be another man out, right now.”
“Right,” Julian breathed bravely through the pain.
Kale spoke into her shoulder comm again, “This is Agent Kale. We need a med unit in Grid A, sector…” she glanced around for a moment, “Sector eighteen.” She looked over at Birdie, “It’s been a while since I was on patrol on this side of the island.”