Prison ZA-187 - Canadian Rockies
The Gynarchy liked to get creative when it came to prison sentences. For her crimes, Michelleâs sentence was to be tormented for the rest of her days while decorating the walls of her former office. Alexis, on the other hand, was handed a more traditional life prison sentence without the possibility of parole.Â
She saw daylight three times a week and spent the rest of it making dolls. Forty hours a week, fifty-two weeks a year, she spent glueing outfits onto replicas of the Gynarchy leaders. But they were in high demand despite their freaky looking faces.Â
It creeped the hell out of Alexis.Â
So much so that every so often sheâd lose it and begin stabbing a doll repeatedly. She was so angry at being forced to work on something she had attempted (unsuccessfully) to fight against and after all, what could they do to her? She was already in for life. A little bit of solitary was a welcome relief. Today, she was back after her most recent stint of isolation, glueing rubber outfits to plastic dolls. Over and over again.Â
When not losing her cool, she liked to take pride in her work. She was a god damn scientific genius and right now she could feel her temperature rising as the dress she was trying to put on the doll was not cooperating.Â
In the background was the usual noise coming from a tv playing some game show or infomercial. The whole thing was propaganda anyway so she tried to treat it like it was white noise and tune it out. It managed to blend in with the usual hum of activity so well that it became second nature to her but when it suddenly got quiet she noticed.Â
Usually, when it got quiet it was because someone was having a meltdown or there was an inspection going around. But there was usually a different sort of quiet hum. This was however too quiet.Â
She looked up and saw both prisoners and guards alike hovering around the television set. Curious, she moved over to join them and see what was happening.Â
The screen flickered between images of fire blazing and buildings crumbling all with a âGYNews - Breaking Newsâ banner flashing underneath.Â
âAnd once again weâre getting reports of massive explosions from around the world. We donât, as yet, know the cause but will bring you any news as this story develops.â
Alexis stood there mouth wide like the others managing to make only one word.Â
Abandoned Tube Station, London
Jenniferâs eyes slowly began to open as she became aware of someone standing over her blocking the light.Â
âJennifer!â Chistina was shouting as she shook Jennifer rather vigorously. âWake up.â
âWhat's happening?â Jennifer mumbled as if waking from a deep sleep or a serious hangover.
âItâs ok youâre safe.âÂ
Christina reached around behind her and began to cut away the ties but when Jennifer tried to move she simply lifted for a second then fell back into the chair.
âEasy there,â Christina said placing her hand on Jenniferâs shoulder. âWe donât know how long youâve been here for.â
âLong story short: Michelle isnât bound on the wall in my study like we thought and when I tried to find you I was eventually able to track you down to here. I think the two might be connected. What happened to you? How did you end up here?â
âI donât knowâ Jennifer responded feeling her temple as a roaring headache melting her brain. âI was watching a safe house on the outskirts of London and then I remembered waking up here with you over me.â
Christina looked at Jennifer visibly confused.
âBut you were conscious when I came in to rescue you. You had a gag in your mouth but we made eye contact and you mumbled something then passed out.â
âI,â Jennifer began trying to think back to what had happened in between. âI donât remember that..âÂ
As Jenniferâs voice trailed off, a Gynarchy commando came running into the room holding a tablet.
âMa'am, you need to see this,â they said thrusting the tablet towards her. âWeâre under attack.â
Christina took it and as she processed the images, her face alternated between horror, shock and anger.
âMichelle,â she muttered tapping her finger on the screen. âShe has to be behind this.â
âWhy?â Jennifer asked. âAll you have is that she is missing. There is no way yet to connect her to this.â
Christina attempted to connect the dots between Michelle not being where she was supposed to be and the recent events but her links were circumstantial. Jennifer could have verified them but they were reliant on memories Jennifer no longer had.Â
âYouâre making leaps Christina,â Jennifer said bluntly, still battling her headache which seemed to get better for a moment. âWe need proof before we can link her to this.â
Seeing Christina upset at her ideas being rebuffed, Jennifer tried to calm her down.Â
âLook weâll find whoever did this. And whether it was Michelle or not weâll find her too.â
As Christina started to pace back and forth putting together the events in every way to try and link Michelle, Jennifer was sitting in the corner wondering what else she wasnât remembering. What had happened between blacking out in the safe house and waking up here.Â
Her head was thumping with the returning headache.
Resistance Camp, Coventry, England
During her attempt to gain a foothold within the Gynarchy, Michelle made very few if any mistakes. Or at least she thought so. This, of course, meant that the failure of her previous plan was not in fact her fault but rather sloppy work of others that was the root of the problem. Failure this time would not be a possibility as she had taken direct control of each phase. Each person has so little to think about that it could not possibly go wrong.Â
After her escape many months ago, her first task was to orchestrate the disbanding of the agency. She introduced an idea that the agency had been infiltrated all the way to the highest of levels. She poked and prodded it every so often but the mission had gone smoothly. Of course, she was wary that there would be a small trail that would lead back to her.
Her current plan had been meticulously planned over the last few months and as the start date drew closer and closer she had begun to double and triple check the work her former rescue party carried out. She simply didnât trust them not to mess everything up on her and force her on the run again.
She had feared that remnants of Complex 8 would come back to find her in some shape or form. Then she got news of the events in the safe house.Â
The infiltration of the safe house in Knightsbridge just a few short time ago summed up perfectly how dangerous even a single element of the Gynarchy could be. Luckily for Michelle and her plans, the incompetent fool who was followed into the safehouse wasnât totally incompetent and managed to set off the sleeping gas. Of course, he had still made a mistake and was severely punished but it could have been a lot worse.Â
In fact, it had turned out for the better with Jennifer now on their side. Kind of. Michelle hoped that should the need arise her new sleeper agent would be able to misdirect the Gynarchy or help her in some way that would buy her some time so that the plans she set in motion to be irreversible.Â
There was a chance that Jennifer might be able to resist of course but Michelle thought of it as more like some fancy decoration.
Since her escape from London Michelle had been busy with her latest plan of which phase one had just been completed. A former project spearheaded by Alexis had been deployed successfully and all that was left was to watch the news as Gynarchy forces deployed to contain and assess the damage caused.Â
Phase two was all about the narrative being adjusted and controlled through social media and the resulting news reports. The message they spread was quite simple. Fear and control. Or more specifically was the gynarchy afraid of losing control? And then the resulting fear that caused.
News headlines called the explosions âcatastrophicâ and were already looking for who and what to blame.Â
âDevastation in cities across the world! Who is responsible?â
âGynarchy orbital weapons launched? Who pulled the trigger?â
âDid the gynarchy turn their weapons on there on people?âÂ
âHas the hunt for rebels gone too far?â
She couldnât have written them better herself. Of course, the politicians will flock to support the gynarchy but one or two will speak up and then phase three can begin.Â
Prison ZA-187 - Canadian rockies
It didnât take long for Alexis to put together the pattern between attacks. If she connected the sites of the explosions and used the time of the attacks as a basis point, she could see a pattern emerging suggesting that the attacks all originated from a single point that was moving at incredible speed. The talking heads on the TV suggested some sort of nuclear attack but other reports said that there was no trace of radioactive fallout or traces of explosives. They suggested planes using some sort of new ray gun attacks but Alexis simply laughed.Â
She knew what it was, after all, she was one of its designers from before she joined Michelle at the Estate.
Back then she worked for the US government on a project involving tungsten rods that could be launched from an orbiting satellite. Once launched theyâd travel to their target, reaching their terminal velocity along the way before impacting with the force of approximately 11.5 tons of TNT (or 7.2 tons of dynamite).
If she remembered correctly, they were able to store fifteen tungsten rods in the magazine. They tested the satellite twice and so far there had been eleven attacks which meant there were potentially still two rods left in orbit.
At that moment the entire building began to shake. Huge clouds of dust filled the air along with the sound of a deafening explosion.Â
Steps in front of Capitol Hill, Washington, USA
âThe world has been rocked by the events of the last month. Both myself and the Canadian governor have extended our condolences to the victims in the eleven cities around the world. This act of supposed terrorism has raised some serious questions about the Gynarchy and its plans for the world.â
âIt's no secret that both myself and the rest of the US government at one stage welcomed and soon became part of the Gynarchy. We were received with open arms and the promise of a better world for all to live in. One free of war and terrorism.â
âAnd yet here we stand today. Victims of these most heinous crimes.â
âIn the last week, a few spoke up and questioned our once firm position as unwavering members. These brave souls who spoke their mind, not just here but around the world, have either been found murdered, the victim of apparent suicide or have simply vanished â
âWe have asked for clarification. We have asked for reasons. We have asked for justice. We have received nothing but static.â
âThat is why today both myself, the Governor of the United States and the Governor of Canada are travelling to the Gynarchy headquarters here in North America to meet with the North American leader of the Gynarchy to demand answers, explain that we have no faith in the Gynarchy and we shall be leaving the Gynarchy effective immediately.â
No sooner had Christinaâs helicopter set down on the grounds of the Von Dutch estate armoured commandos began spilling out and moving towards the main building. Christina and Jennifer were not far behind with Christinaâs mind racing through the possibilities.Â
Who the hell organised this? Who did the governors think they were meeting? Did they think it was her? If this was part of Michelleâs plan perhaps sheâd be here in Christinaâs office. Christina had been half a world away trying unsuccessfully to hunt down Michelle. But if Michelle was here then Christina was chasing ghosts in Europe all this time. With the roads leading back here, there was no doubt in her mind that Michelle was the culprit behind these attacks. But what was her endgame?Â
On the way to the building, Christina had noted the motorcade that was no doubt used by the Governers to travel to the estate and yet there was no sign of any secret service or even the staff of the estate itself. Things got even stranger as they made their way into the building. She could hear the team shouting âclearâ as they conducted their sweep through room after room and coming up empty.Â
As the stacked up on opposite sides of the double doors leading into the main office, Christina had chills seeing Jennifer standing opposite completely focused on the task at hand. It gave her a feeling of confidence that no matter what happened, everything would be ok.Â
With a hand gesture, Jennifer motioned to move inside in three⊠twoâŠÂ
Before she could fully extend her one remaining finger shots emerged from the office turning the door into nothing more than swiss cheese. At least four commandos dropped to the floor injured before being hauled away by their comrades to tend to the bullet wounds. Jennifer and Christina were hesitant to just fire blindly into the room not knowing if there were hostages inside.Â
With an eventual stop in the gunfire, they both looked at each other. They knew it was an opportunity to breach into the room. Observing they were the only two left uninjured who were not tending to the wounded, they nodded before putting boot to door and knocking it down.Â
Braced for gunfire heading their way and alert to take out any active shooter in the room, they were beyond shocked to see the room devoid of movement. In fact, there were no sounds whatsoever bar their shoes on the floor as they cleared the area.Â
As they approached the desk, they could see two people slouched in the chairs in front of the desk. Christina recognised them both instantly as the US and Canadian Governors. They felt the bodies for a pulse but both were dead from gunshot wounds at close proximity. This was the last thing they needed. It would only further destabilise the region and ignite tensions.Â
The silence was pierced suddenly by muffled sounds outside the room. Christina looked to Jennifer. They both heard it: a silenced weapon.Â
Jennifer turned from Christina to the door. The sound came from just outside the room and where the commandos were dealing with the wounded. They both ran towards the door cautiously peek around it to check for any sign of the shooter.
Jennifer stumbled slightly as she came to the door extending her arm, bracing herself against the frame. She felt a strange pain in her head like a headache that instantly took hold. Shaking her head she looked around the door at the remainder of their strike team lying outside the door. They were all still and lifeless. Christina was kneeling beside one of the commandos searching in vain for a pulse. She looked up towards Jennifer shaking her head before checking the next body.
Suddenly, Christinaâs head darted up like a cat who had heard a far off noise. Jennifer closed her eyes to try and focus on listening and in the distance, she could hear the sound of their helicopter spinning up its rotors. Not so much running as quickly stumbling forwards, Jennifer chased after Christina who had darted to the main entrance.Â
As she made her way to the door, she could hear Christina yell out âFreeze!â and a second later a gunshot.
As she leaned against the door, the figure came into focus. They stopped walking towards the helicopter, stop and turn towards Christina. Jenniferâs headache subsided as she stepped out of the main doorway following Christina with her weapon raised.
Christinaâs blood was boiling. Did she mean to fire a shot? Maybe. Michelle wasnât stopping when she had shouted at her. But then again her hands were physically shaking and despite her desire to kill Michelle, she was glad it missed. There was no room for mistakes. This time Michelle was going to a very very dark cell and Christina was going to make sure of it. After all standing in front of her was Michelle Von Dutch who not so long ago Christina was sure was locked away on her wall.Â
She took a deep calming breath. âNo room for mistakes,â she reminded herself.Â
Christina stood weapon aimed at Michelle and surveyed the area. Beyond Michelle, and just outside the helicopter, was the body of the pilot who flew them to the estate not an hour ago. Manning the helicopter instead was another familiar face she thought was locked away. She didnât know when Alexis had broken out of prison but no doubt it was Michelleâs doing. Alexis for her part, however, took no notice of Christina. She was busy preparing the helicopter and as far as she was concerned, they were still leaving any minute.
Christina edged forwards to Michelle keeping her gun fixed on her. She motioned for her to get on her knees knowing that the helicopter would drown out any attempt to give verbal instructions.Â
Michelle stood there defiant as ever and shook her head: no.
Christina felt a pistol pressed into her back. She had been flanked. But by who?
A hand came forwards from behind her and took hold of her weapon. She recognised the hand and the arm but didnât believe it until Jennifer stepped around in front of her. Jennifer looked different. Her skin was pale, her eyes as black as the shiny latex she wore. Keeping her weapon trained on Christina, she walked backwards towards the helicopter and Michelle.
Christina could only watch in confusion as Michelle took one of the weapons from Jennifer and stepped around in front of Jennifer.
Jennifer kept her eye contact (and the gun pointed at Christina) as Michelle placed her lips on Jennifer's giving her a deep and passionate kiss.
Christina couldn't believe it. Why would Jennifer do something like this? She must be under Michelle's control somehow. Michelle turned around giving Christina the purest of evil and gloating glares before taking Jennifer's hand and leading her onto the helicopter.Â
Christina stood there, boiling in her fury as the helicopter left the ground and ascended into the sky and out of her reach.
Chateau Latex, Paris, FranceÂ
Christina had a bad feeling about this whole event. A meeting of all the leaders of the Gynarchy along with the Baroness was a mistake in her view as long as Michelle and Jennifer were at large. Whatâs more, the media had found out about it and was now circling like vultures looking for any tiny scoop they could gleam.Â
Christina was completing what must have been at least her fiftieth sweep of the perimeter when she found some of the guards huddled around a monitor watching the GYNews channel:
âGynarchy leaders and regional governors from around the world are meeting today in an extraordinary conference just outside Paris. Having witnessed the brutal murder of the Canadian and US Governors by Gynarchy soldiers live-streamed across the world, many will be coming looking for answers not to mention with a level of heightened security.â
Christina began to feel her temper rising.
âDonât you all have jobs to be doing?â she demanded as the soldiers realised she was behind them and they scurried to return to their posts.
The news broadcast had Christinaâs stomach doing backflips. It was understandable that they were looking for answers after the recent events. But the fact that many of the signatories were considering breaking up the Gynarchy or even replacing the Baroness as the leader made her uneasy. Was their peace so fragile that it could be destroyed by Michelle? Christina shuddered at the thought and returned her thoughts to her work. This was too tempting a target for them to pass up on.Â
She had made numerous sweeps of the building but there was a constant stream of dignitaries in either cars or helicopters arriving at the chateau on the outskirts of Paris. Christina was happy and worried each time checks came in âall clearâ.
Something was not right. Her gut told her so.
Michelle had watched the news intently since her escape from North America. She was pleased and somewhat surprised that it had gone as well as it had. She hadnât anticipated Christina being out of the country or when she found out that Christina was that she would then make it back in time to attempt to intercept her. Nor did she anticipate that her wild card, a nanobot controlled Jennifer would actually aid her escape. It was a welcome adjustment to the plan.
Oh and that look on her face after she had kissed Jennifer. Well, that just made her year.Â
She glanced at the progress bar on the computer and then across the tiny room at Jennifer standing motionless. Soon it would be complete.Â
Christina took a pitstop in the control room to have an energy drink and began to stare at the monitors. It was the first time in about eight hours that she had got to sit down.Â
Right now all the dignitaries were in the main hall being addressed by the Baroness herself. The doors were sealed and while normally Christina would love to be âa fly on the wallâ, today she needed to be on the lookout for anything and everything that was out of place.Â
For example, in the corner of her eye, she could see that helipad four was not vacant as it should have been. The Australian Ambassadorâs helicopter was still idling on the pad.
âWhy is pad four not clear?â she asked to the room.
âTheyâre having a problem with their tail rotor, maâam,â a security agent to her left said. âAn engineering crew is on their way up.â
Something about it didnât sit right with her.Â
âTell them Iâll be right up,â she announced standing up and screwing the top on her drink.
Jennifer held her rifle close to her breast, her back against the door. She was keeping guard, listening out for any disturbance as her Mistress activated the internal cameras and beginning her live stream.
She had one job and one job only: To protect her Mistress.Â
It was the only thing she could think about.Â
Michelle closed her laptop and stood.
Jennifer nodded. She turned the doorknob and peeked outside. The way was clear so she beckoned on her Mistress.
Christina could see the two engineers that were working on the tail rotor packing up their toolboxes and walking towards her as she reached the roof. She saw them give the pilot a thumbs up to which the pilot reciprocated before spinning up rotors and taking the helicopter to hover on the pad.Â
The pilot must have been confident with the state of the fix as a moment later it took to the air and made its way away from the chateau.
âCommander? Come in please,â a voice came over her radio.
âWeâre detecting a large power surge in the auxiliary comms room and it appears as though someone is trying to breach our security measures and broadcast from inside the building.â
This was it, Christina thought as she made her way back inside. This has to be their move. Theyâll try to stream the conference to the world and put their own twist on it. But why a power surge? That seemed sloppy for Michelle. Unless it was for something else.
Placing her hand on the door handle, she could still hear the sound of a helicopter.Â
âControl, is there another heli up here waiting to go?â
âNo, maâam. Itâs all clear up there. Why do you ask?â
Christina tuned out the radio, looked around, saw that there was another helicopter on pad three with two people walking towards it. She would recognise that gait anywhere as Michelle and Jennifer and they were heading to the helicopter.
She began to run across the rooftop, pulling her weapon out of its holster. Again, she found herself pointing her gun towards Michelle but this time with Jennifer in the way.
Jennifer must have heard or seen something because she turned around and instantly had her weapons pointed at Christina.Â
Christina heard the shot and then felt the bullet passing through her shoulder.Â
âFUCK!â she yelled in pain as she fell behind the air conditioning unit to her left.Â
Blood was now pouring down her left side from the open wound as she gathered her composure and poked her head around the corner. She got a glimpse for a second of Jennifer on one knee, head tilted over the gun, one eye closed, the other aiming down her rifle at her location. A second later a hail of bullets forced her back around the corner.Â
She fired a few blind shots around the corner in Jenniferâs general direction before moving in the opposite direction. Â
Christina ducked from cover to cover, exchanging fire with Jennifer trying to get a position where she could take a shot at the helicopter. She hoped that maybe she could prevent it from taking off and Michelle getting away. But Jennifer was on to her. For every move Christina made, Jennifer countered either by moving or firing a few shots that prevented her from moving or both.Â
In the background, Christina could hear the sound of the helicopter changing. It was getting ready for take-off with the engines sound modulating from idle to attempting to get some lift.Â
It as now or never as Christina looked down to see she was on her last magazine. Gathering herself as a do or die moment, she emerged from cover and took aim at the helicopter as its wheels gently left the landing pad.Â
She got about three or four shots towards the chopper before Jennifer emerged from her side and tackled her to the ground. The two struggled on the ground, holding the weapon firmly between them, firing it several times more with the bullets hitting either brick or metal.Â
Christina was worried about hurting Jennifer but seeing her not hold back and even press her hand onto Christinaâs open wound spurred Christina on to fight for control of the weapon and possibly her life. Two more shots rang out this time somewhat muffled and Jenniferâs grip on Christina loosened considerably as she fell back.
Christina jumped to her feet and raced over towards the helipad, where the helicopter was once again back resting on it, with its engine coming to a stop. As she approached the helicopter cautiously, she could see bullet holes in the rear section, the open passenger door and another bullet hole in the glass of the pilot's cabin. She peered inside the passenger compartment but it was empty and then circled around to the pilotâs seat where an unconscious but still alive Alexis sat. Looking around she could see no sign of Michelle. Then she remembered her struggle and raced back to Jennifer.Â
She came to a sliding halt in front of Jennifer and knelt down on the ground beside her. The wound was bad and despite putting pressure on it she could feel Jennifer slipping away from her. She looked into Jenniferâs completely black eyes.
âWhy did you do it? Why would you?â Christina sobbed as Jennifer looked up with a smile on her face.
âI love her. She is my Mistress.â
With that Jenniferâs head rolled back and her completely black eyes returned to their usual black, white and grey.
Several members of the security detail approached sweeping the area.Â
âAre you ok Maâam?â one of the commandos asked, pointing towards her shoulder wound.
âMichelle was up here,â she replied anger clear in her voice, âFind her!â
âYes Maâam,â the commando replied before pointing at various guards. âYou! Look over there!â she said pointing at one of the other commandos before turning to another, âYou! Look over there!âÂ
It was no use and she knew it. Michelle would be gone by now.Â
A voice came out over the radio.Â
âCommander! We were able to shut down the signal. Near as we can tell it was a beacon for the orbital platform to lock on to so they could launch another kinetic missile. But weâve shut it down. We should be safe for now.â
Christina didnât respond.Â
She simply sat there with Jennifer in her arms.
âIn extraordinary scenes today, Baroness Vanessa Kensington addressed a summit of Gynarchy leaders. The Baroness shared declassified materials which showed that a rogue group of terrorists orchestrated the entire plot against the Gynarchy and its people. Former American businesswoman turned terrorist, Michelle Von Dutch was responsible for the devastation that brought the world to its knees.â
âThe evidence did persuade the counties to hold off any decisions but the long-lasting consequences of recent events wonât be felt for many months or even years to come.â
âThe summit also had a few issues of its own when it came to security. Sources close to the delegates tell GYNews that Von Dutch and an, as yet, unnamed co-conspirator attempted to launch another kinetic weapon against the conference to wipe out all the remaining leaders. The co-conspirator was pronounced dead at the scene but Von Dutch escaped.â
âGynarchy forces also assures us that they have destroyed the orbital weapons platform to prevent it from being used again.â
âWith the death toll now approaching half a million people, a worldwide hunt for Von Dutch is still underway which begs the question: Will Von Dutch be captured before she can strike again?â
âFor GYNews, Iâm Alicia Shrewbury.â
And so ends the final part of the trilogy.Â
As always some unanswered questions:
How long can the fragile peace continue with Michelle at large?
Is Complex 8 truly gone? Was the memory wipe they took permanent or simply a ploy to protect themselves and return to a state of deeper anonymity?
What happened to Alexis? Did she escape or is she back putting latex dresses on dolls?
I know I have my theories on them but am interested to know what others think.Â