Terra Nova - Things Lost in the Fire ch24 [Skye/Lucas]
Title: Things Lost in the Fire
Fandom: Terra Nova
Ship: Skye/Lucas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: bad language, sexual situations, AU
Chapter: 24/?
Summary: AU story. Skye meets a strange man at Snakehead Falls and ends up falling in love. But can happiness built on anonymity last, when the world around them is on fire?
Author's Note: ...
Things Lost in the Fire
24. Devils in pale moonlight
The sun set in the distance, coloring the horizon with a shade of burning rust. It was nothing like the sunsets in their time, back home. Lucas still couldn't fathom how the change in him had occurred; how the place of his imprisonment had become his only home; how the Sixers had begun to resemble an extended family rather than a nuisance. But it was true. He no longer willed to do anything that harmed their fragile peace.
Of course one couldn't be rid of years of hatred and blame (cursed truths etched into his spine as infallible) yet he'd taken a step to move beyond them. He still willed to see his father hurt, to teach him about his own façade and lies, to show him he wasn't the great man he wanted everyone to see him as. There were other ways to achieve this though, he needn't harm Terra Nova in the process, or overwhelm the people he'd come to call his friends with his vengeance.
Realizing this made his heart feel lighter, his step easier. It was what made Lucas bare the dying skies and dull days here, this hope that everything wasn't lost yet.
His recovery had been longer than he'd intended, but the doctors had insisted he remain bedridden while he recovered from the blood loss and the surgery. Truthfully, most of the time he was too out of it to resist; his mind dulled by the pain medication. It was made bearable by the fact that no matter how out there he was, he could always spot one familiar face by his bed, whether it was Carter or one of the others. Lucas also recognized the fact that he needed to heal before he would of any real use to the others.
Of course he'd been downplaying his recovery a bit, appearing less capable than he really was. Lucas knew the leaving could happen at any time, and he didn't wish to provide the Company any reason to think he might leave while unguarded. So after five days of resting, he was beginning to grow anxious.
Carter swung by whenever he could, whispered progress reports and told him about what was going on with the Company. The volunteers who'd come to 2149 with him had been gathering Intel, making preparations, buying supplies, and finding the people on Carter's list - the family and loved ones of those stuck in the past. The sake of appearances, Carter had been discussing with the Company on Lucas' behalf about what went on in Terra Nova, but he'd insisted they discuss the arrangement and the calculations with Lucas once he had recovered.
Apparently there was only so much he could do to keep Sebastian at bay, Lucas thought, as he saw their intermediate appear into view by his door. Sebastian Cross was looking the same as ever: sand-color kempt hair, a trustworthy face, a company man's suit tailored to his measurements, and that deceiving smile upon his lips. He made a knock on the door, appearing fully into view with smugness in his behavior that annoyed Lucas.
"How's the patient?" Sebastian asked, walking up to Lucas even as Lucas' watch - a Sixer by the name of Perkins - rose to question his arrival with a disapproving glare. Lucas nodded back at his bodyguard, signaling him to sit back down with his hand, as he turned to Sebastian with false glee.
"Doing better, thanks to you," he then noted politely.
Sebastian's eyes found Lucas' hand now, saw the scar. A grimace spread to his face in response.
"You could've gotten a perfectly working replacement. Geez, Taylor, why do you want to hold onto outdated hardware?" he frowned, showing off his own hand, which looked perfectly normal, but was in fact a robotic replacement.
Lucas turned his eyes from the man for a second, holding back his irritation, whilst Sebastian rolled up his sleeve and demonstrated how the replacement limb worked. Lucas' hand was itching beneath the bandages, new skin yearned to replace the scar, and beneath this his nerves were struggling to fix the damage.
"Not interested," he settled to remark, looking a tad darker now. It made Sebastian get more serious as well.
"Well, since you'll be on your feet in no time, I think it's time to discuss the details of your return to Terra Nova," he said, sounding quite pleased with the prospects in sight.
Lucas swallowed, but his face remained stoic, untouched. He didn't partake in Sebastian's enthusiasm for the fulfillment of their deal. He didn't think the Company would be any more inclined to keep the Sixers from harm's way than Morris had been, so further deals were off the table. In reality, all that remained was thinking of ways to delay the attack, and sneak back to the past before they realized what they were up to.
"My father has no doubt secured the portal and will expecting an attack force," Lucas surmised carefully. "Is it possible to use the other fracture?"
Sebastian quirked a brow at this comment. "Morris didn't say anything?" he asked with surprise. "The other fracture's location hasn't been found in our end yet. Might take a long while before we can utilize it fully."
"Shame," Lucas frowned in response, secretly relishing the news. That meant he wouldn't need to watch the Hydra spawn another head if he hacked one off.
"We're so close now Taylor, I can feel it," Sebastian proclaimed, genuinely enthusiastic. "The work of five years is coming to an end. You'll finally best your father, and we'll finally have Terra Nova."
It was strange, how Lucas couldn't feel a thing about those words, or the promise they withheld. In the past, thinking like this had been the only thing to keep him alive. Those cold nights by his own campfire, always sleeping with one eye open in fear of the carnivores, he'd often clung onto the future prospects and aims promised by his employer. He'd cursed himself for being weak and not pulling the trigger when he'd had the chance. Now, he knew he wouldn't have met Skye, or grown to appreciate the Sixers if he'd done that. Towards the end of his lonely sojourn, he'd thought about Skye more than besting his father.
Somewhere in the long line of Lucas' priorities, this once important goal seemed quite unimportant now.
Lucas feigned a pleased smile in response and looked at their intermediate with dark eyes, a violent gleam visible in them. "It's about time," Lucas commented.
He was tired and groggy, yet he pushed his energy into playing a former version of himself, the young man who'd ventured into the jungle and never come back. It was instrumental to their plans that no one else developed suspicions of their intent - they couldn't afford another Morris.
"I'll have units for you, and a contact of ours, Eddison Weaver, a good man if you ask me. We'll outgun Taylor's forces at the portal and pierce through by sheer force. Taylor knows he can't afford to leave the portal unwatched, so the bulk of his forces will be there," Sebastian begun explaining, as if he was truly a military expert. Lucas supposed he had a few memory cards in his pocket to help him with the key points and strategies of this assault.
Lucas listened only half-heartedly, finding that his interests truly lied elsewhere. He tried to imagine a future, being embraced by warm light and Skye's arms, walking together out in the open, but somehow all he could see was the onslaught of the army by the portal that the attack would undoubtedly cause. It bothered him more than he would've liked to admit.
"…And then you can do whatever you want with your father. We'll keep the civilians if they prove to be useful and cooperative, but you and the rest of the advance team can come back here as soon as we're finished," Sebastian assured, clearly thinking they needed to return here. How foolish of him to think that this depressing time could match the fresh air and sunlight of the past…
"Sounds good," Lucas said. "I'm sure everyone is eager to get back into their lives," he then added, observing Sebastian for a reaction. There was none. He was buying Lucas' bland comments believable, or at least it appeared that way.
And yet, it felt wrong, it felt too soft. Lucas gripped the edge of his blanket with his good hand, a mean look appearing on his face. "No scratch that," he then said viciously, "It sounds excellent. I've been dying to get out of that jungle for years now."
Sebastian didn't respond, yet you track his thoughts from his face. Now there's the Lucas Taylor I know, it seemed to say.
He placed his hands neatly in the pockets of his suit. "We've hired the Phoenix Group. Finest military force your money can buy. So trust me, it'll all be over soon." Sebastian actually had the nerve to wink at Lucas, a gesture that was probably deemed charming in some circles, but just felt arrogant in this room.
"Good," Lucas replied, moving his hand. "My father will pay for this." He looked straight at his bandaged hand as he said the words, relaying utter contempt with his voice and eyes.
The contempt was true, of course, whereas the target was different in reality. Morris had been an agent of the Company, these men in grey suits who thought they could buy the world. For a moment they had bought Lucas, bought his assistance and resentment, helped give it form. He no longer needed them.
Sebastian chuckled, happy to see Lucas up to his more usual tricks. Lucas had been unusually quiet these past days, but perhaps it had just been the injury and medication keeping his temper in check. Now, watching Lucas' anger gain physical form, as the chords on his neck tensed alongside with his body, Sebastian knew his doubts had been unfounded. They had chosen Lucas precisely because of his bleak outlook, driven determination and obsession with his own twisted ideals. Isolation had changed nothing.
"I'll see you in a few days' time, Lucas. Planning a conquest takes so much time," he quipped with a smile and waved at Lucas on his way out of the room.
Lucas was left motionless in his bed, Perkins glancing at him with a mute inquiry. Lucas turned to him after awhile as he realized he needed to address the situation. Perkins was a man in his thirties, toughened by their ordeal. He had icy blue eyes and a dark complexion. He was an intimidating sight to behold in his height.
"Tell Carter it's time to make haste," Lucas advised softly, all visible signs of anger or frustration gone from his person. He was in fact serene, completely balanced.
Perkins nodded at him, inhaling the thick hospital air with distaste. It was worse outside though; there the air was practically too thin for humans without a breather.
"Last I heard, he was down to only a few things on his list," Perkins commented. His voice was deep and trustworthy, almost contemplative. It didn't with the image of a tall, strong brute.
Lucas had to wonder what Carter had saved for last only a short moment. He knew the answer by the time Perkins walked outside and another Sixer walked in to take his place, a woman, Laura. Lucas laid back into his pillow, confident he could walk out of here at any given moment once they had their plan in order.
Carter had been postponing this for days now, fearing, suspecting. His mind would not let him do this without doubt. Of course he should've known better, he was a grown man, wasn't he? And still those little jinks came along the way every time he was supposed to do this. Johnson's younger brother was dead from lung failure, Maryanne's father was rotting in jail where they had no chance of retrieving him if they wished to remain discreet, and apparently Jillian's husband had given up hope of her return and moved away, remarried.
What if there was something up with her too? What if he couldn't find her, or reach her? What if Sienna would not believe him? Even after Carter had found her, and he had no basis for his suspicions, his mind found new arguments for postponement.
Such pondering should've been useless - she was a child for crying out loud - but he'd seen her vicious glare, her untrusting eyes. Mira still saw her every time she had a chance, they conversed through holograms, but the distance was difficult for such a young child. Each year her face had changed, her reaction to her mother had become less and less joyous. The last time they had conversed, she hadn't even recognized her mother at first.
Carter had been present many times when they had discussed, listened from the corner of the room. And that one time Mira had been sick, bedbound, he'd taken her place and explained to the child why her mother couldn't be there to see her. Those angry eyes had swelled with tears at first, a manipulation only a seven-year-old could pull so masterfully, but then she'd become curious of Carter himself. For awhile, they had conversed.
He tried to convince himself that he'd saved her for last, because she was only one on the list was practically held in the Company's territory. They had hired a sitter for her, made sure she gained proper schooling, and fixed her ailing lungs when she'd first come into their care. The time Mira and Sienna had lived on the streets had been near fatal to the child, and had driven Mira into trusting the Company. She hadn't asked for pay, or miracles, just that they secure a future for her child, whether she was in it herself or not.
Carter rose nervously as the sitter approached her with a kind expression.
"You're James Carter, I presume?" she asked and motioned him to follow in her steps.
He had been able to secure a visitation permit when he'd explained Mira had wanted him to check on her daughter. He'd made sure not to appear too eager, as any other man in his position would've behaved.
"It's almost bedtime for Sienna, but you can have a few minutes with her. I told her you were coming, and she seems to remember you, so I'll have myself a small break while you two chat," she continued with her perky tone. The sitter was a petite blond with a charming smile and a pleasing demeanor. He could see why kids would like her.
"I would appreciate it," Carter replied with some reserve.
Initially he hadn't thought that this was such big a deal, yet the concerns crept up on him again, warning him against the slightest mistake. He was only here to survey, to see how they could bring her with them just as they were leaving. Taking her early would warn the Company about their plans and prove harmful altogether, so Carter needed to plan this closely. Sienna was one of the most important pieces of leverage the Company had on them.
They stopped at a door, and the sitter knocked on it quietly before opening the door. Carter didn't step into view just yet, he allowed the sitter to address her first.
"Sienna honey," she called, "You have a visitor."
The sitter motioned him to come closer for the girl to see, and Carter obliged carefully. He had a fresh set of clothes, nothing as tribal and menacing as he'd worn daily when she'd last seen him. Even his face was freshly shaven and his hair clean. Yet something sparked on the young child's face, a lingering trace of recognition that was clear to Carter (he knew someone else who shared these subtle expressions) yet too discreet for the sitter.
"Sienna, this is James, remember? He's a friend of your mother's?" the sitter called and watched as the child nodded slowly in understanding, while keeping her eyes firmly in Carter's figure. The sitter made room for him to enter, and he did so without haste, keeping his eyes on the child by the bed.
She was holding a Plex on her lap, but seemed uninterested in it. Her complexion was dark like her mother's, her eyes aware. She had black, curly hair that fell to her shoulders as a messy cloud that the sitter had undoubtedly tried to tame with a brush many times. Everything about her spoke of defiance, the need to do things your own way. He recalled Mira had said this was that age many times before. He watched as Sienna raised her chin slightly the closer he got, almost like she was telling him in her own way that she wasn't someone he could fool.
Carter eventually sat down on a chair near her, settling at a small distance. "I remember you," he said casually, talking back to her like a partner in crime, like they shared a secret.
And just like that, she smiled at him too. "I remember you too."
The sitter walked out at this point, believing the two were off to a good start. Her superiors had told her to give them awhile, to exchange some pleasantries since the mother hadn't been able to arrive, and she didn't see anything wrong with that.
"You're her friend," Sienna explained, pushing the Plex from her lap. "You take care of my mom."
She tilted her head a bit as she spoke, leaning towards him, all of her attention at his disposal. Carter didn't know how to respond; all he saw were the striking similarities. For a second he wondered how Mira was doing, if she'd recovered the tinnitus yet.
"That's true, Sienna," he told her with a friendly smile. "Your mom is doing great, but she misses you. A day doesn't go by that she doesn't talk about you."
"Where is she?" Sienna asked with a trace of agony in her voice.
Carter paused almost painfully, struck by the little girl's anguish. "She couldn't come," he said, leaning in. "But you want to know a secret?" he then asked, signaling her to come closer. And she leaned in curiously.
"I'm going to take you with me. You'll see your mom," he promised, watched as her gaze lit up and everything about her changed in an instant.
She was about to speak, but Carter hushed her quiet.
"But you can't tell anyone. Not your sitter, not your friends, not anyone," he warned her, realizing fully how stupid it was to expect a child to keep a secret.
Sienna assured her the otherwise though, nodding with understanding.
"You swear?" he asked, and watched as she extended her hand and fisted all her fingers except for the pinky finger. Amused by the child's ways, Carter extended his pinky as well and they entwined the two fingers together in a pinky promise.
"I swear," she said, sounding grave and serious. Her eyes didn't leave him for the duration of the moment, and he was the first to flinch and pull away.
"Good," Carter complimented her, finding a strange solitude in her words.
There was something tough in this child, a remnant of her time spent on the streets perhaps. Mira had told him Sienna had never been the kind to cry unless she really needed to. Of course, upon being introduced to higher class of citizenship, she'd learned all the tricks from other children, but a certain kind of unrelenting trait in her character remained.
Carter glanced at the door, thinking of making his exit already, when he felt her hand on his forearm, tugging. He turned his eyes back on her; saw the demand for attention there.
"Tell me," she pleaded. He frowned at first, not realizing what she was asking. "Tell me about the dinosaurs!" she then pleaded again, and he came to realize Sienna knew all about where her mother was.
"Your mom doesn't fear them, even when they travel in packs," Carter started, painting picture in his story from his memory. "They're fierce and hungry, but easily scared off when you know a few tricks."
"He doesn't want to see you," Lieutenant Washington explained sternly, holding onto her weapon even as it was lowered. Several others were standing behind her, all grasping guns uneasily in the presence of the Sixers. She felt more than secure, but the whole situation left her with disdain.
"I need to talk to him," Skye claimed, placing her hand over her heart, frowning a bit as she tried to move forward, but was interrupted by the sight of several guns being pointed at her.
Her distress was visible, haunting even. This wasn't the same girl, who'd left Terra Nova disgraced. No, this was a young woman with a mission, a calling. Washington noticed how the Sixers treated her with respect - it hadn't been so before, even when they'd come for her.
"Skye, please," Washington pleaded with a tired voice. "Lucas made his choice when he opened the portal."
Skye looked around them. Here she was again, caught between two troops with guns, trying to reason without avail. Washington had been on patrol when she'd appeared into view with a few others. Her intrusion was unexpected and unwelcome, but she needed to act while she still could. Lucas was coming back any day now - she refused to believe anything else - and he needed to come back safe. So once again Skye inched forward, searching for an eye contact with Washington.
"They didn't go back to start a war. They went back to end it," she tried to explain.
Washington continued to eye Skye suspiciously. The younger woman was clad in cargo pants, a tank top, a wooden necklace and there were several other characteristics to her appearance that revealed her alliance loud and clear. The dirt aged Skye considerably, gave her much needed credit. She had a splint in her hand, supporting one of her fingers, packing the whole hand into tight bundle, and yet Skye didn't look bothered or pained. She'd gained a tan from apparently spending more time outdoors. Her good hand appeared calloused.
"Funny way to ask for peace," Washington shot back, refusing to give any room for suspicion. Lucas hated his father and wanted to destroy the colony. It was their duty to keep watch until he returned with his back-up, and finally make a stand against the Sixers.
Irritation wanted to sneak up on Skye, force her to relinquish false hope. She fought these feelings, knew she was good with words.
"They are ending the Sixer affiliation with the future. We don't want anything to do with them anymore," Skye countered decisively.
"Lucas is really good at manipulation, trust me, I've been there," Washington answered, startling Skye a bit. Really? Was that how Washington saw Lucas? As some kind of an abuser?
"I know I'm not the best person to ask for trust, but we have a chance to put things right here, Washington. I'm not asking to throw down your weapons. I'm just asking to speak to Taylor," Skye insisted, the tone of her voice softening. Small admissions would pave the way to peace. All she needed was a chance to commune, a chance for them to hold their guns and see that Lucas came back without an ulterior motive.
Washington's skin felt uncomfortable in this dampness. It'd been raining more every morning. The rainy season approached slowly but surely. The days spent stalking the portal, waiting for the Sixers to make their return, had been utterly uncomfortable. And when she finally had a chance to return to the colony, she'd run into Skye.
"I'm sorry, Skye," Washington said, signaling her men to retreat, reaching for her radio.
"Then take me as your prisoner!" Skye exclaimed, surprising even the Sixers by her side with her announcement. Washington looked back at her with shock, puzzlement. Skye moved forward boldly, but the guns stayed in place, allowing her to approach.
She moved her hands in front of her, offered them to be cuffed despite her injury. Washington still didn't move or acknowledge the offer. She was thinking this through and finding no logical explanation.
"The Commander will interrogate his prisoner, won't he?" Skye asked, appearing headstrong, when she'd been visibly shaken the last time she'd been in this position.
Washington blinked, finally taking the steps to close the distance between them. She glanced at Skye, at the Sixers, and then at her men. No one seemed to have any answers for her.
"Are you sure?" she asked the young woman in front of her, knowing she would let her go if Skye changed her mind. She'd never doubted Skye's intentions, only Lucas. Skye obviously believed she was working for the best of both sides.
"Yes," Skye responded.
There was a pregnant pause in the air and then Washington turned around. "Take the prisoner with us. No cuffs," she advised, taking Skye's injury and willingness to come into account.
Skye looked back at the Sixers behind her, but no one made any attempts to stop her. They knew her resolve, the urgency of her intentions. They would report back to Mira, she would find another way if this failed, but for now, Skye was their best bet.
"Thank you," Skye whispered, before two soldiers walked to her sides and began to guide her towards a rover a bit further back. She followed, feeling certain that this was the right thing to do.
TBC