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HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thanks everyone for all the love and support with this story, and as a gift I have another update. Enjoy,




Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


It’s been days since we first arrived; exactly three weeks…504 hours…30,240 minutes…or 1,814,400 seconds; approximately 2,100,000 heart beats since I’ve walked through the cove’s front door. What started as something temporary became a new life. I visited unconscious Jasper right after Karen exposé on the government. His limp body laid still across a white hospital bed, five bags of liquids hooked up to veins and a large bandage across his abdomen. I was told that he was in a coma, self-induced, and when his body was ready to wake up, he simply would, just like the click of a light switch. So I stayed, and Michael hated every bit of my decision.

It was a cold night when I scurried through empty hallways and out a side door to find him. He was a late night hunting trip, one that violated curfew, but his attentions were of no significance. I found him crotched down along the rocks at the stream, waiting for deer, yet once I delivered the news, and the SEAL was no longer calm and focused.

For an hour, we argued.  Michael explained, pleaded, begged that we leave. His reasoning’s were logical, they were the same distrust I had, but he gave up on Jasper. “He’s good as dead, I saw him. We need to get out while we can and not get trapped in,” he kept saying over and over again. His simple answer drove me mad. Of course, I couldn’t just abandon Jasper, the man kept me alive for two years. In return, I ordered the Seal to leave without me, and yet he couldn’t fathom the idea.

Sage was our decision maker. Out of nowhere, the man imitated our Sparrow call and quickly we received the warning. I retreated back. Michael never followed. I managed to slip inside the way I came as footsteps drew within five feet. Sage stood in the hallway, silent, but in his eyes he knew the truth. He observed my rage, milked it in, harbored it, and yet stayed silent for my sake. He followed behind me until we reach my dorm floor, and even then he waited until I stood before my door. “Are you safe?” he asked, sharply, protectively. Dimness from the nighttime light setting hid his face expression, but enough was relayed through his voice.  I nodded and turned away before his sense my uncertainty. With a soft goodbye, he stepped back and walked down the hall. I never looked to see him back track our footsteps.

For days, my mind was busy over the argument, or the cove’s ambitions, and my own need. Even when I sat with Jasper at his bedside, Michael’s plan haunted me, while security kept me rooted. Thoughts of slipping away into the night with nothing but our survival gear seemed crazy, and yet my body itched for my bow and arrow. I tried to kept everything hidden but Karen saw my dilemma. By the end of the week, she took my reluctant form from Jasper’s side, and introduced me to something productive. Now, I worked in the children’s infirmary.

CLICK…

The sound of my door lock being picked jolted me from my midnight thoughts and instantly, I sprung in motion. I shoved my flashlight in between my lips, and pulled Jasper’s hand gun from underneath my pillow. The military grade light was touch-sensitive at the tip and I allowed my tongue to do the honors.

Suddenly, the room was illuminated by the single LED beam, no corner left untouched when the door swung open and a large body popped inside. “Damn…”came from a voice I knew too well, a voice that carried a touch of Israel accent mixed with the grime and volume that comes from living in NYC. As I focused on the figure spotlighted, and he coward away from, I gasped. “Celeste, can you turn off the damn light. It’s just me…Jasper.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Before reason could register, I leaped up, dropped the gun flashlight on the bed’s mattress, and crossed the space in seconds. Instantly, I was wrapped in a firm squeeze with his natural scent overloaded my senses. Kisses littered my hairline as I snuggled closer. My head barely reached his shoulders; I forgotten his height while he lay horizontal.

Tears seeped through closed lids, and memories of that night and the weeks after festered with my brain. Questions popped out of my mouth faster than he could answer, however Jasper laughed, and tightened his grip. “It’s alright. I’m here…”

“I know you are here. I’ve been by your side for the last three weeks. How are you out of bed?”

“I feel like a god, Celeste, albeit a little sore, but I’m walking on clouds.” He said confidently. He turned the latch to lock my bedroom door and walked me toward the full size bed. Jasper looked at me with wide eyes, a jovial smile played across his lips.

“You are really here,” I said out loud, mesmerized in that gaze I could paint from memory. In the dark, they appeared black as the shadows, however I knew in the light, they were the color of raw honey, and kissed with the color golden straw and aquamarine jewels. Those eyes were made to attract, had every woman under his spell in minutes, and I was no exception.

“I am here…” he confirmed and slowly his head moved down, his lips moved gently across mine. Out of habit, my head tilted back to meet his, yet my lips stayed shut. I pulled away from him with a small chuckle, one of embarrassments and secrets.  

“How are you still alive?” I asked as I crossed the room, put space between us. I turned back to him, and peered at his dark gray shirt and darker pants; I knew these were the Cove’s offerings. “The last time I saw you, Z dogs were sniffing at your toes.”

“You always said I smelled funny…” he joked, but it was a nervous one. He knew the answer and yet he played coy.

“Norris said it was because of your infection,” I snapped out and covered myself with a sweater. His eyes took in my figure, with longing, and yet I was as dry as the desert.

“Where’s Michael?” Jasper questioned, inspected the room with his eyes, as if the SEAL hid behind something.

“He’s alive.” I answered, but that wasn’t what he wanted to know. He repeated his question and I pointed to the right wall. “He’s next door.”

“Really, not in here with you? Either you are scared of him, or he no longer matters,” and instantly there was a hint of anger in his voice. I believed it was jealousy, but at the same time, everything about him seemed different to me.

“Neither…however, I’m surprised you are up and walking so soon.”

“My body recovered quickly from whatever they gave me,” and suddenly the guy was looking around the room. “Can we turn on a damn light? We’re not in a cellar anymore,” he snapped. Taking off guard, I flinched. “Sorry…it’s just…I can’t see you and that’s all I wanted to do since I woke up. Please, let me see you…”At his plea, I found myself moving toward the light switch and with ease, and the room glowed as bright as natural light. I looked back him; my eyes went straight for his abdomen as if the wound was on display.

“I want to see it.” I said.

“The scar, there’s nothing to look at.”

“Lie down and let me judge.”

There was a pause where I thought it would refuse, and then he brought his fingers to the collar of his shirt and pulled it over his head. I gasped at the picture of perfection in front of me. What was a healthy, average man in post war, now stood as a gladiator, ripped and ready for battle. My eyes followed his toned pecs and moved south. I followed his dusty trail and stopped midway. What should have been a four or five inch laceration, which was closed with staples or thread, was only a red mark. It was nothing but a slap imprint across his belly. “It’s gone.” I looked up at him but he just wore a Cheshire cat smile.

“What did they give you?” I asked forcefully; silence wasn’t an option.

“Sometimes to cure something, you have to infect yourself a little bit.” Automatically at his words, I reached for the gun and pointed. I stared at him as my mind wrapped around his words and curses spewed from my mouth.

“You have the Z virus?” I asked suddently, but he just looked back.  “Answer me now!” I yelled and clicked off the safety.

“In my head, I always thought I would be the one to pull the trigger first on each other,” he said calmly, but cautious.  As I continued to look, Jasper softened to point of despair and that face which haunted my dreams were back. We were still struggling to survive, however in a very different way. “There was nothing I could do. I was dead, you know…died on the drive and they needed to revive me. So they did, the only way we all know exist. Of course it wasn’t nearly as poignant as what’s out there taking over the world, but it does the same purpose…”

“Oh my god…” I whispered and then vomit came up. In seconds, I ran to the bathroom and puked up the acid from my stomach; my gun still aimed at Jasper. “Don’t you fucking move,” I ordered when he made to move. I wiped my face and went to the threshold of my bathroom door, ready to close it if he advanced. “You are infected, Jasper, with that shit and Karen gave it to you.”

“We are all infected.”

Instantly, I froze. “What do you mean?”

“Everyone in this place is infected with something, that’s their way of coping with the Z virus. Become infected, you’ll become invisible. The bacterial infection I got from the wound scared the dogs off, that’s why I wasn’t eaten. As soon as security saw this, they scoop me up. They are trying to find a cure, and any infection may be the answer.”

Overwhelmed, I tried to fathom what he said, but I kept seeing him dying on the floor. My trigger finger was ready and gun stayed set on him. We are all infected. Did I have the Z virus in me, was I next to become those sick fuckers.

“Celeste…I shouldn’t have told you.” He said and moved a foot forward.

“Stay the fuck where you are!” I yelled again, but he knew I was no longer strong. My voiced cracked, his expression died away and all movement stopped. We stood at a face-off, no one dared to do anything. In a slow, low voice, he broke the silence.

“If you want, I will leave. You can barricade your door and I will go back to the infirmary, but you are not the only one scared. My last memory of your face was tears, the last emotion I remember is fear, and the last thing I heard was your screams. They haunt me, too; haunt me like that hospital, like that dad and son, like that newborn child. Don’t let me go through that alone…please.” He morphed into a scared boy and cried. Wetness on my cheek was the only evidence that I cried too. His pain was my pain, his nightmares were my nightmares, and we were still one in the same.

“I want you over in the corner by the door, take what you want from the bed, but that’s it. The lamp stays on and no movement.” The intensive of the past seconds soon melted away from his face and Jasper began to nod. His eyes quickly looked at the bed, but came back up to me when he noticed the floor.

“You still sleep on the floor?” He spoke, shock by my arrangements.  He took the quilt, blanket, and a pillow. All were now shoved against the wall.

“My only comfort…” I answered and walked over to my makeshift bed.

Jasper set himself up in the corner by the door as I picked up my comforter. I carried the big fluff into the bathroom and dropped it in the tub. I went back for the blanket and pillow, lastly, my weapons. Quickly everything was piled up in the bathroom, while Jasper watched. “Protocol, remember?” I asked at the rule we made our first week of travel. When faced with a person we didn’t know, or no longer was trust, separation a must. This time, there would be a locked door between us. “I don’t know what they’ve done to you, and you haven’t been up longer than a couple of hours, so this is a must,” I added and all Jasper did was nod. “I wish I didn’t have to do this.”

“But this is a must. Remember it’s my rule,” he voiced with a slight smile, tried to make light of the situation.

 I backed away from the door and made to close it, only to stop about a foot away from the jamb. “I really hope that you are okay and back for good,” I said, my eyes at the floor since a fresh set of tears sprung. “Goodnight.”

“Thank you, Celeste.”

Now close the door and was locked.

***

Exactly at 8:30 am, an owl’s call signaled my wake up time. I sat up and reached around for the light, instead I hit a knob. “Ahh!” I screamed as cold water rained down from the shower. Immediately, I rummaged in the dark and forced the waterfall to stop as soon as the bathroom door bust open. Bright light blasted from the bedroom and illuminated a tall silhouette.

“What’s wrong?”

I recognized Jasper’s voice and suddenly, yesterday night came back. “Nothing, I’m fine,” I stuttered. The bathroom bathed in light, showcased Jasper’s shirt-less body. In three weeks, he was the same man, same expression, mostly the same body, and yet I couldn’t fathom what made him a stranger to me. Or maybe it was I who changed.

“What’s does that buzzer mean?” He asked, as the alarm went off again.

“It’s the cove’s wake up call. According to your job, everyone is issued a designated time.”

“Really? That’s fancy, and you get to choose the sound?”

“Yeah, that feature is more of a transitional tool for those that have been on the outside for a while.”

“Like us?”

“Yes.” I climbed out of the tub and went to the sink. Without another word, I pulled out my toothbrush and began my morning routine, all the while, Jasper stood silently and watched.

By time the bell rung for Breakfast, we had made our way from my room up to the third floor. Breakfast was held in a large room, designed much like a high school cafeteria. Long fold up tables lined the center of the room; nine rows, three columns. I heard that the cove could house everyone for a meal at one time and still have a third of the seats empty.

On the same floor as the infirmary, the wings were blocked off by a door at the end of the hallway. Once, I followed a doctor and tried to get through, however when a green light shined for him, quickly turned into a red light for me; the door locked again. The only way to get from one side of the hall to the other was through the stairwell; go up one flight and down again.

As always, we were greeted by stark white walls and rock-shaped windows that lined the opposite side of the room, however instead of breakfast with the small amount of medical staff, most of the tables were already occupied; guys in their militants gear looked all ready for war. The small counter for the buffet was littered with a surplus of food, all high in calories and starch.

Instantly, I searched as I did every morning for the past three weeks. Where was he…? Bingo. My eyes landed on a table full of women. They, too, were ready for combat and I noticed Michael sat across a Hispanic girl I seen once or twice. She was one of the ones that came from the Island, the new capitol. I forgot her name, but she had visits with Karen a lot. 

As I stared at the pair, jealousy spread throughout and anger into my core. While Michael’s schedule seemed the complete opposite of mine, we always had breakfast at the same time, and since the argument he’s replaced me with this girl. I dared to glance away, but my eyes stayed put long enough to get caught. Michael’s stare lifted from his plate and looked toward the door. Shortly after, they found me.

I smiled, raised a hand to greet him, but his eyes moved immediately to my left. Quickly, I followed to see Jasper by my side, and he was not alone. Norris and Karen, along with a couple of others approached. “Good morning, Jasper. I heard you were up and about,” she said and then greeted me. Because I opted to work in the nursery and away from the rebels, there wasn’t much to discuss between Karen and I. Besides our daily luncheons, the eleven kept her busy with meetings, and new developments. “How do you feel?” she addressed me.

“I am well, given that I can eat breakfast before my shift. I am starving.”

“Well, you shouldn’t work through your dinner breaks. You need to be nourished to stay healthy,” she scolded me like a child, but I smiled. I would be lying if I said her motherly attitude didn’t send warmth throughout. Sweetly, she rubbed my arm and looked over at the growing buffet line. “Why don’t you go and grab a plate before the gang goes for seconds and then meet us at the table.”

I glanced over at her table, filled to capacity with the other ten members of the cove’s government, each person stared at Jasper. I didn’t dare to question Karen in front of Norris, but I was never invited over to her table before today, that was what lunch was for. Something pulled my attention back to Michael’s table and he, too, was at full alert. Those blue eyes shone with suspicion.

“Celeste.” Karen’s voice was more of a dismissal and I sent one last look at Jasper. At full height, the man stood with intimidation and challenged Norris the same Michael did. He didn’t trust him either.

“Okay,” I answered and walked away. Michael sent me a questioning glance, but I was the one to look away. Like a hawk, those eyes followed me. A fingertip on my skin, his stare slowly crawled over every inch and brought back memories of the woods. I thought of his soft lips and commanding hands. At night I became desperate for his touch, and yet shied away from his eyes during the day. I am glad to have Jasper back, but it’s not him that I truly missed.

As I fantasized about Michael, the soldiers before me made quick work of the line; fast and easy, so the next person didn’t have to wait. One by one they picked up spoons of oatmeal, eggs, and sausages until they reached the end and someone was there to follow. A boisterous cough pulled me from my thoughts and I snapped back to reality. Now with one person ahead of me, I reached for a plate and tray, only to bump into the guy. “Easy there tiger,” came a voice from behind. An apology on my lips, I looked back to meet Sage’s eyes. He wore a soft, uncertain smile, and it only grew the more I scowled at him.

“Hello, Sage,” I addressed him platonically, my distrust evident.

“Hello, Celeste. I’m glad to see you are well enough to join us for breakfast.”

“Well it’s never a choice when I eat, or is there?” I tried to sound nonchalant; however bitterness became the venom behind my words.

He smirked, yet an immediately response was absent. After he received his own plate ware, he leaned into me. “You make it seem like you are in a jail. You can leave anytime you’d like to.”

The food was separated from us by a divider with a kitchen aid assisting us; however I snapped away from the food and met those intense eyes, head on. “Oh, really. I can walk right out the door, and Norris wouldn’t send orders to follow me.”

Now his words were quick, precise. Our voices were only loud enough to reach our own ears and nothing further. “He would…Karen too, but you are good at hiding…hunting…surviving…I’m sure you would out smart us, rebels,” he ended sardonically and within seconds a bright smile crossed his lips and he addressed the server. I watched as a young girl, no older than sixteen, piled a generous amount of eggs on his plate and quickly followed with sausage. She smiled nervously under those eyes and his cheeky smile, but she didn’t know the evil he held within. Only another fighter, another survivor, someone that killed to live, would see the death that lived in his being.

Sage cut the girl off at the oatmeal and then his eyes returned to mine. That smiled only widened, but his stare became colder. “What exactly do you want?” I questioned.

“What every guy in this room wants, to be given a chance,” he replied honestly.

“With me, then you’re barking up the wrong tree.” I hit him with a direct comment and turned, only for a hand to snatch me back. Instantly, we were a mere foot a part, with his grip still on my upper arm.

“You should probably get your head out of your ass, because I was referring to life.” His eyes and grip stayed on me for seconds more. Cowardly, I looked away and realized he too was in fighting gear; the only thing missing was his gun. I glanced around the room, and those men were geared up, too; the intensity in their stare could cut. They looked like they were being sent to the front line, and Sage’s words struck another chord. There was another mission and this one was huge.

“Sage!” At the sound, he dropped his hands and took a step away from me. Norris came into our line of view and immediately the boy turned away.

“Good Morning sir,” Sage greeted the Sgt., but Norris’ eyes never left my body. Hesitantly, I threw him a quick smile, one to hide the slight fear I got whenever the man’s dark eyes were on me. I was saved by his looks in the infirmary for the past few weeks, but once in a while we would cross each other and I would run.

“Great, Son. Miss…?” Norris addressed me and I nodded. I let out a small ‘well’ and then turned toward Sage. “Great. Sage, once you eat your food, report to Officer Rommel about departure times…”

“I should be ready within…” Sage started but Norris cut him off.

“You will not be going on this trip. Your orders are to report the departure and arrival times of the troops to Mississippi, and then relay them to Karen. You need to stay out of danger. Do you understand, son?”

At first Sage seemed on the verge of a rebuttal, but by time Norris was done, his argument was swallowed. Norris no longer paid attention to me and stared intently at his assistant. Quickly, Sage looked toward Karen’s table and while I thought he spied on Karen, his next comment surprised me.

“He’s up earlier than we thought. Is phase two beginning?”

And as my eyes landed on smiling Jasper, something suddenly broke inside of me and I felt on the verge of vomiting. I breathed in deeply, but the smell of the food only caused the feeling to intensify. “Celeste…” I heard Sage called, but I had already run over to the closest trash bin. Instantly I dropped my tray in and bent over. Dry heaves were all I could muster, since I had not eaten in over sixteen hours.  

As the smells of the rooms suddenly overwhelmed me, I noticed dark, haggard hands at my side and the voice of Norris surprised me. “Karen, I think your timeline may have sped up.”

 

 






Chapter End Notes:

Phase II has now begun. Will Celeste be able to handle what's happened to Jasper, and what will soon happen to her? Will Michael still be insigficant if the cove finds out the link between him and the nations governement? and where does newcomer Sage fall in all of this?

Can't wait to hear your thoughts, next chapter soon!







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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.