When John arrived to intersection fighting was over. Gillian walked right towards him.
“Everyone is okay. They stopped few minutes ago and then this guy comes with raised hands and says that he will only speak to you.” She reported using neutral voice.
“You searched him?” He asked giving her his rifle.
“Personally.” Gillian signaled Dave and Jeff to bring prisoner to John.
“John, may I ask what happened?” She asked with little sign of worry.
“Long story.” John realized how he looks like. Blood on his armor mixed with concrete dust.
“So who are you?” John asked their prisoner.
“I’m agent Jeremy Hudson from Pentagon, Office for Vigil project. I came to discuss terms of our surrender.” He said reaching his hand forward to John.
John ignored Hudson’s hand. “You say you want to surrender?”
“President has already signed official document aborting this project and retasking our office to take care of you in outside world.” He looked serious.
John turned around to look at Gillian. Her face said: “I don’t trust this guy.”
He took of his helmet and came closer to Hudson. Their faces were only few inches apart.
“See my eyes Hudson? They aren’t real but artificial. Original ones burned after your men hit me with missile so my arm and legs. Tell me. Why should I trust you? Why should any of us trust you?” John was sure that from this distance Hudson could see differences between normal eye and John’s eye.
“I don’t expect you to trust me. You have to go and check it out.” Hudson kept looking straight at John.
John walked away waving Gillian to come.
“I’ll go check it. If it’s okay I’ll radio you to come.” He explained his plan.
“I’m going with you. Today we had enough solo missions.” Gillian put her hand on his arm.
“Fine.” John wasn’t in mood to argue with her.
“Jeff if we don’t call you in thirty minutes you shoot that bastard. Copy that?” John gave last orders.
“Gladly.” Jeff responded.
John took his rifle from Gillian, put his helmet on, checked ammo and waved them to go.
Before they entered hallway leading to exit they had to step over dozens of bodies of dead men.
After they were far enough from intersection Gillian asked.
“What happened in data store room?”
“James.” John sighed. “I had to take him out.”
“I’m sorry about that.” She said.
“No need for that, he planned that attack.”
She stayed quiet for a while.
“I think he died like the guard who hit me in front of you.” She said.
“Worse.”
That answer silenced her.
They found facility entrance wide open. Outside John could see tents, cars, people but no soldiers. Young woman approached them. They aimed their weapons at her. She raised her hands.
“Chill out people. Nobody’s gonna hurt you. Now put those guns down it makes me nervous.” John lowered his gun. She looked more confident now.
“That’s it. I know you guys are not going to trust us. Don’t worry, what that guy from Pentagon told you is truth project is over. Scientific staff was evacuated through back entrance. You…”
“I take it from here Jennifer. Go help Thomas with computers.” Caroline pushed her aside.
Jennifer jumped from surprise of hearing her superior.
“Of course Doctor Blackburn.” And she ran away heading for closest tent.
John spoke through radio to hybrids still inside.
“It’s clear, you can come out now.”
After few minutes they came out. They shoot each other’s hands, high-fived and everyone said the same thing to John: “You did it. Thanks.”
Only Gillian avoided him.
Caroline waited for them to finish their celebration before she led him to one of smaller tents. There was a bed, table, chair, wardrobe, bucket, towel and three metal army crates.
“This will be your home for next day or two until we arrange necessary stuff. You are free to move around camp and area of base. Shower is just around corner and Gillian has tent right next to yours. It’s lunchtime so take your armor off and head to the canteen. Soon someone will explain who will take you to live with them.”
John nodded and she left him alone.
“Claire, what do you think about this?” He asked.
“Sounds like you are free. You’ll live better life. I can’t wait to see how world looks like.” Claire shared her opinion with John.
John took off armor and put it into the biggest of three crates. Then he went to canteen to eat lunch. He couldn’t find Gillian anywhere so he just walked around campsite. Soon Sanders walked up beside him.
“I was told to find you and tell you who is taking you.” He said.
“So?” John asked.
“You are going with Caroline. She’ll take care of you, in fact she forced Hudson to assign you to her.”
John had one question for him.
“Who takes Gillian?”
“She’s going with me.” Sanders walked away after answering John’s question.
John felt good about it, he knew that Sanders is a good man.
According to his watch it was time for dinner. He already searched entire camp for Gillian so he hoped to see her there. But she wasn’t there. He went to his tent to clean armor from blood. When he entered he noticed small paper on his table. It was Gillian’s writing:
Meet me near western end of camp today at 08:00 pm bring blanket, I don’t plan to spend night in the camp.
It was 7:36. John abandoned his plan to clean armor instead he grabbed pair of warm socks from wardrobe and blanket from his bed. Before he set off Caroline visited him for few minutes.
“Can I borrow Claire for tonight? We have something she can help us with.”
John carried Claire all the time with him. Now he pulled her chip out of arm slot.
“Do you want to go?” He asked her.
“If I can help I’ll go.” Her hologram smiled “And besides I think you and Gillian want some privacy.” She added so quietly that only John could hear it.
John gave chip to Caroline. “Handle with care. Like if you held a baby.”
“Don’t worry.” Caroline said giving him one of her encouraging smiles.
At 7:56 John arrived to the western edge of campsite and she was already there waiting for him. She held a folded blanket.
“You ready for our first camping without risk of being killed?”
John smiled. “Of course.”
Chapter 6 – Feelings
They walked through dry grass over small hills. Gillian was leading most of the time. They were at least two miles from base when they arrived to a small campsite for two people with campfire, tent and basket filled with food and drinks. It was situated next to hill with few bushes. About twenty feet away along the hill John could see lake.
“You prepared this all day?” John asked while looking back to see if anyone followed them.
“Yeah, after I showered I decided to make us a private celebration of freedom.” She said raising her hands to height of her shoulders like if she was showing him something awesome. Well… this was awesome.
“Who gave you everything you needed for this? I can’t imagine how you could smuggle it all out.” John threw his blanket next to basket.
“Remember Jennifer? She is smart and sees things most people can’t. She caught me when I was trying to steal something from kitchen. She asked me what I need and brought it to my tent in an hour. Hope she’s not going to be in trouble for it.” Gillian was obviously proud of herself. She sat between fire and basket. Then she noticed that John has pistol with him.