Chapter Text
“Waves? The alarm …” her voice rasped as she blindly flailed her right arm, feeling for something that would shut off the godawful sound ringing in her ears.
Why isn’t she turning off that damn thing?
Nicole Haught struggled to make sense of what she was experiencing as her awareness grew, but everything was so muddled. Her right hand moved to her pounding head, feeling a grit-covered knit beanie covering her hair. She was stretched out on her left side and could feel someone pressed up along her back, but the surface they were both lying on was stone-cold hard.
We’re on the floor?
“Waverly?” she tried again. Her throat was so dry, it came out a harsh whisper. She reached her right hand behind her, feeling a spooning body that seemed too thick and heavy for her petite lover.
There was one thing she WAS becoming keenly aware of, the sharp pain throbbing in her lower left leg. She attempted to move the limb to try and alleviate the discomfort, hissing as the pain only intensified. She bit her lip, tasting dirt and … black powder? Now she was wishing for a cool drink of water to both wet her throat and wash away those unpleasant tastes.
Nicole made an effort to open her eyes, repeatedly blinking their heavy lids, trying to bring things into focus. The left side of her face was pressed against a debris covered cement floor - a flask, a revolver, and a wooden baseball bat all lay nearby in her line of sight. As she attempted to process the scene materializing before her, she felt the body behind her tense and begin to shift upward.
“Hey … Nicole? Are you okay?” an anxious female voice asked as hands gave Nicole a light shake.
And suddenly Nicole’s confused mind began reassembling the swirling fragments. Mayan Xena … Valdez. Rachel Valdez. Beaver blaster. Mutant scientists. Freefalling terror … Wynonna!
Nicole reached a hand up and rubbed her forehead. After a moment, she cleared her throat and responded “Are you?” to the teen girl, who was now gently removing herself from behind Nicole.
“Yeah, I’m not hurt, just peppered with crud. Hard to believe I could get even dirtier in here, but your rodent bomb blew crap all over us.” The young woman brushed at her clothing, dislodging particles of who knows what. “I do have a hella headache though, and my ears are STILL ringing from that thing.”
Nicole huffed out a small laugh, “Me too.” She shakily drew a breath in. “I’m glad you’re okay, Rachel,” her scratchy voice fading a bit. She gritted her teeth as pain shot through her broken leg again.
Feeling exhausted as her adrenaline dissipated, Nicole lay down flat on the floor and looked up into the dirt-smudged, concerned face of the dark-haired young woman who was getting to her feet. Rachel Valdez – orphaned teen. Solitary survivor of another colossal clusterfuck courtesy of BBD and their disastrous solution to a freak-out situation. Rachel, who had sworn not to leave Nicole alone though she was a virtual stranger, as Wynonna went diving headfirst through the portal to the Garden. And to Waverly. Waverly. An image of her Love on the Homestead porch flashed through her mind. Nicole fervently hoped that the Earp sisters had quickly reunited and triumphed over whatever the Garden had thrown at them. And that her beautiful Angel was already making her way home, with Doc and Wynonna in tow. Now she just needed to get herself back there to meet them.
Rachel raised her eyes from Nicole’s grime-covered face, rotated her head and surveyed their surroundings. “Well, at least all THESE walking dead are down for the count. Don’t know how many are left, though.” Uneasiness laced the girl’s words as she looked towards the disfigured bodies scattered a short distance from them.
Nicole raised her head slightly and gave Rachel a weak grin. “Well, never underestimate my beaver blasting skills.”
Rachel rolled her eyes and returned Nicole’s gaze. “God, not you, too.”
Nicole closed her eyes, letting her head fall back again, and sighed. “Sorry kid, my …” she paused and swallowed at the sudden emotion rising with her words, “my BEST friend has been rubbing off on me,” a small, sad smile briefly ghosting her face.
“That’s what SHE said.” Rachel quipped back at her, humor in her voice.
Nicole’s eyes blinked open and met Rachel’s again, seeing the hint of mirth they contained despite the serious expression on Rachel’s face. One corner of Nicole’s mouth twitched upward in a half smirk, then she uttered, “Atta girl,” and Rachel’s face immediately broke into a small grin.
Rachel turned and left Nicole, walking over to the hatch door the zombie crew had recently forced their way through. She skirted around the bodies of the now-dead undead, then stood still at the gateroom entrance observing the lab area she and Wynonna had passed through earlier. She looked and listened for any sign of trouble approaching, but all was clear and quiet for the moment. She retreated back into the gateroom and pushed the large door to close it, but found that it wouldn’t return to its frame. Rachel stepped back and studied the metal piece and realized it had been warped by either the zombies or the beaver blaster that took out said zombies. She left it slightly ajar thinking it was probably pointless to shut it anyway, as this was going to be the only way out for them.
“So, what do we do now?” Rachel asked as she returned to the red-head’s side, the grin having slipped from her face during her absence. Nicole was staring up at the shaft she had fallen down. It narrowed at the bottom, funneling and buffeting her body as she had dropped and serving to break the momentum of her fall. But not enough to save her leg from fracturing when she impacted the concrete floor.
With a grimace, Nicole propped herself back up on her elbows, glancing around the room. “We evaluate our situation, take inventory, formulate an exit plan, and make it happen.”
Rachel shook her head. “The situation is balls, Nicole. You can’t walk. I can’t carry you. Some mutant scientists are sure to still be in the hood. And, we’re out of beaver blasters. Did I miss anything?” Rachel was ticking off the points on her fingers as she paced around Nicole’s supine form.
Nicole nodded her head as she listened to Rachel’s frank assessment, moving her own eyes over the contents of the room. “Those are all valid points. We need to get out of here, so let’s start with finding something to stabilize my leg. Do you know any basic first aid?”
“I passed health class last year.” Rachel stated matter-of-factly. And then she added, “Oh, and I used to watch a LOT of Grey’s Anatomy.”
Nicole’s eyebrows quirked up at that second statement. “Okaaay. Well, just for my peace of mind - there aren’t any wolves roaming these ruins, are there? I’m not up for any more surprises.”
Rachel put her hands on her hips and tilted her head. “No, Lexie. Just rats.”
“Phew.” Nicole puffed out a breath and gave a small close-lipped smile. “All right. Behind you on that far wall is a first aid box. It’s kinda dust-covered. Do you see it?”
Rachel turned and walked in the direction the older woman indicated, spotting the red cross. “Yeah.” She lifted the metal box from its bracket and carried it back to Nicole. Kneeling down, Rachel freed the latch and opened the lid. “What are we looking for in here?”
“Some Advil or Tylenol would be nice. I don’t think I should take any aspirin, it’s a blood thinner and may cause me more problems. I don’t know how bad that leg is inside.” Nicole tried to get a better look at her injury, gritting her teeth as pain shot through it. Her pants were torn in spots and she could see some blood. “Rachel, do you see any breaks in my skin with bone poking out?”
The teen set the first aid box down and moved to examine Nicole’s leg again. Suddenly, she reached back and dug into the box for a pair of safety scissors she had seen a moment ago. Gripping the handles, she inserted the blunt-ended scissors into one of the holes in Nicole’s left pant leg and gently began cutting a line first up and then down the front of the material, hearing Nicole suck in her breath a couple times during the process. Rachel stopped and set the scissors aside, then carefully laid open the leg of the pants to see Nicole’s injury.
Nicole watched Rachel’s face. “What’s the verdict, Valdez?” She saw the teen's eyebrows bunch as her eyes flicked over her leg. The injured woman then braced herself as Rachel moved her hands back to the leg and began lightly probing with her fingers over Nicole’s now exposed skin.
“I can see and feel unnatural bumps under your skin. You do have some scrapes that are seeping blood, but I can’t find any punctures. I think the breaks are contained internally.” Rachel continued gently feeling up and down Nicole’s leg below the knee. She glanced up at Nicole’s face and instantly stilled and removed her hands. A film of sweat had broken out on Nicole’s brow and upper lip, and she now seemed to be trembling or maybe shivering. Her dirty face was pale and her eyes slightly glassy and out of focus.
“Nicole?”
Nicole’s eyes tracked to Rachel’s. She licked her lips and released a quick breath. The trembles seemed to still. “Let’s get it splinted. Are there any ace bandages in that kit?”
The dark-haired girl grabbed the box and dug out several tight rolls of the elastic material. Then, she spotted something else. She pulled the small white packet from the supplies. “Nicole, can you dry swallow these pills?” She held up the Tylenol.
Nicole eyed the packet. “Ugh. My mouth already feels like a desert. I don’t know …” Her voice trailed off as she lay back down flat on the concrete. She laid her right forearm across her eyes. In a pained voice, she spoke again. “But I could really use them right now.”
Rachel placed the packet back in the first aid box and stood to look at the room again. Nicole remained silent and motionless as the teen made her way around the area looking at the miscellaneous detritus of the destroyed lab. She had never foraged down here, because she had never accessed this area before today. As she continued to search, she kept glancing back to check on the injured woman. While Nicole still hadn’t moved or spoken, Rachel could see that the shivering had resumed and maybe even intensified. She wondered if Nicole was going into shock. Isn’t that what they say happens after a bad injury? What should I do for that? She wished she could remember more about emergency aid from her health class.
Rachel blew out a worried breath and turned back to the wall in front of her. Her eyes landed on a bright red satchel marked FIRE BLANKET. She grabbed it from its hook and walked back to Nicole. Pulling the heavy gray material from its case, she shook out the folds until it was fully deployed and laid it gently over the red-head’s trembling body. She then knelt down and lifted Nicole’s arm that was covering her closed eyes. There was no reaction from the woman as she felt along the clammy wrist for a pulse point. She found it without much difficulty, but didn’t know if what she felt was bad or good. Rachel released her hold and tucked the arm under the blanket, too. Then, taking the empty blanket bag, she lifted Nicole’s head and slid it under as a cushion against the cold, hard floor. A frown crossed Rachel’s face when her hand came away sticky with a rust-colored substance apparently emanating from the back of Nicole’s head. So, it wasn't just her leg. Great.
She was getting ready to stand back up when Nicole’s disoriented eyes slowly blinked open. “Waverly?”
Rachel placed her hand on Nicole’s right shoulder. “No, it’s Rachel … from the BBD lab?”
Nichole blinked again and her eyes seemed to focus. “Right … Rachel.” Nicole took a breath. “What’s our status?” With effort she raised herself up on her elbows again, the fire blanket sliding down her front a bit. She glanced down at the covering and looked back up at Rachel’s pensive face. “Thanks for the blanket. That was good thinking. Keeping the injured person warm is basic procedure.”
“Yeah, well …,“ Rachel stood again and looked around them as she spoke. “All’s quiet from the monster squad. They may have gone dormant again, that’s typical after they expend some energy. I’m still searching for helpful items in here. We’ve got the bandages, but we still need some sort of sticks, too, right?”
Nicole nodded. “Yeah, something strong and stiff to bracket the break and immobilize it.” She slowly rotated her head left and then right, looking at the dingy room.
Rachel moved away from Nicole and began rummaging through some junk piled up near a set of small, stacked lockers. The red-head watched as the teen abandoned that search and began opening each of the locker doors. Her ears caught the triumphant “Yes!” as Rachel turned and held up a small pack of bottled water for her to see. Nicole licked her lips and swallowed looking forward to easing her thirst. She gave the girl a thumbs-up.
Returning to Nicole, Rachel knelt down at her left side and cracked open the lid on one of the plastic bottles. She shifted her body so her knee braced Nicole’s back, helping her to remain somewhat upright as she greedily sucked from the open bottle Rachel handed her. “Easy. Take it slow.” She glanced at the fire blanket bag that had been serving as Nicole’s pillow, and could see some blood had smeared on it.
Rachel looked to her side, then reached over into the nearby med kit and retrieved two packets of Tylenol. She figured the strength of four pills would match the dose a hospital would administer to a patient in pain. She tore open the packets and shook the pills into her hand. “Nicole, swap me for a second,” holding out her hand with the pills and reaching for Nicole’s half-empty water bottle with the other hand. The red-head handed the bottle over and accepted the four white caplets as Rachel carefully transferred them to her hand. The injured woman brought the pills up and popped them in her mouth, then reached for the water bottle the teen held for her, taking several deep swallows to wash down the medicine.
After Nicole finished her water and tossed the empty bottle aside, Rachel eased her knee away, allowing the red-head to relax back on the floor once more. A pained groan slipped from her as the discomfort continued unabated for now. Nicole’s eyes drifted shut again and Rachel tugged the blanket back into place then stood up. She spent a moment opening a water bottle for herself and took several satisfying gulps before setting it down on the concrete.
Evaluate our situation, take inventory, formulate an exit plan, and make it happen. Nicole’s voice repeated in her head. Rachel surveyed the room again. She leaned down and picked up her tossed revolver, shoving it back in the pocket of her plaid coat. She then reached down and grabbed her ball bat and moved it closer to where Nicole lay, her foot kicking against a metal flask in the process. She bent and retrieved it, rubbing the surface where it was recently marred by her rifle shot. She gave it a shake. It seemed empty, but maybe Wynonna would want it back?
She had watched earlier as a strange exchange occurred between Wynonna and Nicole. The leather-clad woman had removed a large and ugly man’s silver ring that was attached to the flask top and presented it to Nicole – almost like she was proposing to her. From what Rachel could see, Nicole’s response had been near tears, which was strange because Nicole hadn’t even cried over her injuries yet, and those HAD to hurt. Then even more bizarrely, Nicole had thrown that ring after Wynonna as she dove through the gateway. Rachel shook her head. She still wasn’t quite sure WHAT the relationship was between the two women. She decided to tuck the discarded flask in her other coat pocket. It meant something, she was sure.
Rachel glanced back at Nicole, who appeared to be dozing, though her grimy face was far from relaxed. Rachel could definitely see evidence of her pain in her expression. She turned away from Nicole’s still form and walked over to the electronic console where her mother’s body was slumped over the controls. She was loath to touch the mummified-looking woman that now bore little resemblance to Rachel’s memory of her. But she had already decided that before she left this lousy place for good, she wanted to retrieve a necklace she knew her mom always wore. One that had been passed down by the women in her family for generations, and that her mother had promised to her. She reached out and hesitantly brushed aside the brittle hair covering her mother’s neck, revealing a gold chain. She undid the small clasp and carefully slid the necklace free, making sure not to lose the attached pendant. After curling it up in her palm, she stuffed it deep into a front pocket of her jeans.
As she stared at her mom’s remains, tears suddenly pricked her eyes. Rachel had long suspected that her missing mother had, too, been a victim of BBD’s nefarious idiocy, like the zombified physicists she’d been tiptoeing around for the last six months. She felt both sadness and relief at finally discovering the body. Yes, her mom was dead and gone, but at least she hadn’t become a mutant. But now, the finality of knowing, of confirming it, freshened all of that pain and despair she had battled during her solitary time in this filthy, hellish place.
She reached out a hand again and rested it on her mother’s shoulder. There was no reaction, no warmth or softness there, it just felt stiff and empty. Rachel’s body gave a small shudder and she began softly speaking, “Mom … I’m here. I came back to find you. It took a while, but … I wanted to say … I’m sorry. Really sorry … about the things I said to you that last day. I was angry. I didn’t mean any of it. I know you didn’t like shutting me out, you were just trying to protect me. And you were right, Mama.” Rachel gave a small laugh and rolled her eyes. “You were always right. And I know you didn’t abandon me. So, I just wanted to tell you … I love you and I miss you and … and I hope you forgive me.” As she finished speaking, she pulled her hand back and lifted it to roughly swipe at her eyes.
After a moment, Rachel tilted her head to the ceiling and inhaled a breath through her nose, then released it through her mouth. She turned away from the scene and looked over to discover Nicole propped back up on her elbows, quietly watching her with a look of compassion on her face. Rachel shoved her hands in her coat pockets and stared back at her.
Nicole had been trying to lay still in hopes of the pain in her leg and her head diminishing. She had been drifting in and out when she became aware of a voice speaking in low tones. As she focused her concentration, she began making out the words. She rolled her head to the left, but Rachel wasn’t there. When she raised her head, she could see the teen standing over near the portal with her hand on her mother’s body. Nicole quietly returned to leaning on her elbows. Something important was happening, but she didn’t want to disturb it. She watched as tears escaped Rachel’s eyes and the dark-haired teen rubbed them away.
Nicole’s heart hurt for the young woman who had endured this mess. Rachel sighed deeply and turned towards Nicole. Upon seeing her watching, Rachel’s face briefly reflected surprise before shifting to … embarrassment? anger? She saw Rachel’s jaw clench as her hands moved to the pockets of her coat.
Nicole gently cleared her throat and spoke, “I didn’t mean to intrude … I’m really sorry about your mom, Rachel. I can only imagine how awful all this has been for you. But she would be proud of how brave and strong, and resourceful and devoted you have been through ALL of this,” and Nicole motioned around her with her hand. “You HONOR the name Valdez.”
Rachel held the hard stare for a moment longer, then her face fell, fresh tears flooded her eyes and flowed down her cheeks. She sank to her knees and covered her face as sobs wracked her body. Nicole could only look on helplessly as the girl wept freely, as if for the first time since her nightmare began.
“Rachel, please come over here to me,” Nicole pleaded. After a moment, the teen climbed to her feet and moved towards Nicole, still weeping. She collapsed down at the injured woman's side, her head returning to her hands. Gritting her teeth, Nicole reached over and tugged Rachel into her chest and hugged her tightly as she continued her emotional release. The red-head eased herself back to the floor pulling the young woman with her, and just held the distraught girl until she was spent.
Nicole gradually loosened her hold as Rachel seemed to calm and gather herself. The teen sat up, pulling away from Nicole, and tried wiping her eyes with her coat sleeves. Her face was now a forlorn smear of dirt and tear tracks. Nicole got to her elbows and dug into one of her coat pockets where she always kept a small package of tissues. She pulled out the pack and slipped out two tissues, then held them out to Rachel. She sniffed and then took them from Nicole’s hand. The young woman rubbed her eyes with one, then blew and wiped her nose with the other. Sighing deeply, she crumpled the used tissues in her left fist and looked off towards the lab door.
As Nicole returned the remaining tissues to her pocket, her hand brushed against Kate’s tarot cards. She had forgotten they were in there. Two powerful women at death’s door. On the road to Monument, she had believed it referred to Wynonna and her finding an entrance to the Garden. But now … well, it could easily apply to her and Rachel at this moment. “Rachel, we need to get out of here before I get any weaker and less able to help you help me. Can you find something to splint my leg?” Rachel turned her gaze to Nicole then got to her feet and began walking out of the gateroom, pushing open the metal door and disappearing from Nicole’s view.
Nicole felt a moment of panic. Had the teen's emotional dam-burst finally led Rachel to abandon her and this freakshow situation regardless of the promise made to Wynonna? “Rachel?” Nicole held her breath and listened for the girl. Then she raised herself up on her hands and began awkwardly scooting backwards toward the open doorway, every scrape of her busted leg along the floor causing her to grunt in pain. “Damn it,” she huffed. “Rachel! … stop … please?!” Nicole’s breath was coming harder and her arms started to shake with each push. She could feel her hands being scratched and cut as she pressed them on the debris-ridden floor. “Rachel?! Please don’t leave me! RACHEL!!” She collapsed back to the ground, her chest heaving. Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her and she gritted her teeth as she tried to maintain control. Her head was pounding again and she felt sick to her stomach. “Well, fffuck,” she whispered, closing her eyes.
~~~
“Rachel, we need to get out of here before I get any weaker and less able to help you help me. Can you find something to splint my leg?” Rachel turned her gaze to Nicole, then looking away she got to her feet and began negotiating a path around the dead mutants as she made her way out of the gateroom, pushing open the metal door as she passed. She continued into and through the now empty lab area, scanning left and right at its contents as she proceeded. She hadn’t the time to notice things other than zombies and keycards on her first trip through. She tossed her used tissues into a trash can as she walked past. This place might be a wreck, but she wasn’t a savage.
As she had moved further away from the portal area, she could hear Nicole calling for her, panic rising in her voice. She felt bad for scaring the older woman, but she needed a moment away from this stranger to compose herself after breaking down like that. Having never been one to display her raw emotions so openly, especially to people she didn’t even know, she had surprised herself when she chose in her anguish to stumble over to the fallen red-head and accept her offered comfort. Now, having become used to her isolation devoid of human interaction, she needed a timeout to get her head straight. So, while she processed her churning thoughts in private, she might as well go find the things she needed to get Nicole and herself out of this place.
She paused to quietly open the sealed far door she and Wynonna had first entered through when they came searching for Nicole. She pushed it out slowly, listening for any noise or movement from the next room. Neither hearing nor seeing any indication of trouble she exited the lab door and latched it behind her. On the floor off to the side of the doorway, she noticed the black duffle bag Wynonna had been carrying before they had suited up to enter the lab. She picked it up and searched its contents. It held a coil of rope, a roll of Duck tape, some shotgun shells, and a couple of beaver blasters. She slung the bag’s strap over her shoulder and began proceeding back the way they had come earlier.
The frenzied mutants Wynonna had first disturbed with her homemade IED seemed to have returned to their stasis. As Rachel continued backtracking towards the shelter she had created for herself when she first infiltrated the abandoned facility, she began randomly encountering the gas-damaged bodies. They always reminded her of ragdolls a child had dropped on the floor, so haphazard were their positions. Their energy would dissipate leaving them to collapse wherever. But, despite their apparent inactivity, she was still cautious. She didn’t enjoy dealing with them when they were disturbed, and that could happen easily if she wasn’t careful.
As she walked past some more BBD victims, Rachel mentally chastised herself. She should have been more forthcoming about the whole situation when the two women asked her to lead them to the lab. If she hadn’t been so cryptic and antagonistic, then maybe Wynonna wouldn’t have gone all beaver-blaster and Nicole wouldn’t be lying injured in the basement right now. "Hey, your mistakes do not define you". Nicole’s words played again in her head. She took a deep breath and chose to shake off the regret and continue her task.
Rachel came to a set of stairs and quietly climbed up them to the first level of the building, slowly peeking her head out of the stairwell to check for any problems. As she scanned the area and moved forward, she wondered how she would get Nicole up the steps with her bum leg. She was still considering that challenge when she found Nicole’s dropped shotgun on the ground. She stooped and picked it up, then continued on, silently weaving down the myriad passages she had familiarized herself with in the half year she had spent fruitlessly trying to locate her mom.
Rachel finally came to the office where earlier the two women had tied her to a chair after Nicole whacked her with the butt of the shotgun. She picked up her sniper rifle from a table and shouldered it. She took a few minutes to gather her limited possessions and tuck them in a backpack she had brought when she first came to BBD. Slinging the backpack next to the rifle, she paused one last time to look around the room that had been her refuge these many months. She released a breath and was surprised to feel a growing eagerness at the thought of finally leaving this awful place behind.
Rachel exited the space and moved down a nearby hallway, stopping at a door labeled Clinic. Here is where she hoped to find something to help Nicole. She turned the latch and quietly opened the door, closing it behind her as she flipped on the lights. She began gently opening drawers and cupboard doors, softly rifling through the contents until she had located what she needed. She stuffed the packages in the duffle bag and had turned towards the door when she spotted a folded wheelchair tucked in the corner. She smiled as she reached for its handles. Next to it was a pair of crutches. She grabbed them and managed to wedge them in the chair’s folded seat.
Having gathered her provisions, Rachel began making her way back to Nicole. She pushed the folded wheelchair ahead of her, carefully avoiding slumbering zombies, and parked it at the top of the stairs that led to the basement. Gently, she placed the two guns on the floor next to it along with her backpack, then quietly pulled the chair into its open position and locked the wheels. Grabbing the crutches from the seat she softly descended the stairs. She leaned the crutches against the wall next to the stairwell and then walked down the corridor leading back to the lab and gateroom. Quietly unlatching the lab door, she left it standing open as she made her way towards the damaged gateroom hatch. Before she crossed the threshold, she grabbed the back of a wheeled office chair and steered it into the room ahead of her.
As she entered the area where Nicole had landed, she could see that the injured woman had dragged herself closer to the exit, but had been blocked from moving any further by the scattered zombie bodies. Rachel negotiated the carnage, rolling the chair around the obstacles and coming to a stop beside the red-head. Nicole’s eyes were closed and her grubby cheeks were lined with the trails of recent tears. Rachel’s chest tightened with regret on seeing the marks. "Don’t you dare leave her alone". Wynonna’s last words to her only intensified her guilty feelings.
She shook her head and knelt down to observe Nicole more closely. She would do her best to make it up to the injured woman who had comforted and reassured her earlier. Rachel watched as Nicole’s chest rose and fell as she breathed, but the red-head remained motionless, and unaware of Rachel’s presence. Her face still looked pained. She had lost the covering blanket in her struggle to move across the room, and at some point, she had zipped up her coat and tucked her hands into its pockets. Rachel stood and moved back to where Nicole had originally landed. She picked up the fire blanket, the bottles of water, and the first aid kit, and returned to Nicole’s side.
Once more she went down on her knees next to the ginger-haired woman. Rachel removed the duffle bag from her shoulder and pulled out the items she had gathered. Sitting the duffle aside, she opened a packet of cleansing wipes. Gently she started rubbing one on Nicole’s face, trying to remove some of the dirt and a patch of blood on her chin. A soft moan was her only response.
Rachel moved down to address Nicole’s left leg. She gently folded closed the cut pantleg’s pieces and lightly secured them with some medical tape. Next, she removed a plastic air cast from its packaging. Loosening the straps to their open positions, she began to carefully fit it around Nicole’s lower left leg and boot. Rachel maneuvered the brace into position and began fastening the straps and tightening its hold on the broken limb. Nicole flinched at the pressure and cried out as her eyes began to flutter open. Rachel finished securing the device and returned to a position where Nicole could more easily see her.
Nicole was lying in bed with her eyes closed as Waverly gently caressed the skin of her face. She sighed at the sensation. “Baby, that feels so nice. I love you so much.” The soft strokes continued. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before when you gave me Julian’s ring. I’m sorry I didn’t grab you, and hug you, and kiss you senseless on that porch. Because the answer is yes. It’s always been yes. It will always be yes.”
Suddenly, pain flared in her left leg and she jerked in response. A cry escaped her lips and she worked to open her eyes. She rolled her head to the left and gradually Rachel’s face appeared in her line of vision, her features revealing a contrite expression.
“Hey. Are you ready to get out of here?” Rachel asked and she started folding up a blanket and stuffing it in a duffle bag.
Nicole slowly blinked several times, then swallowed and licked her lips. “You came back.” Her eyes were red and her voice was rough. She cleared her throat and her eyes tracked to the nearby water bottles. “Can I have some water?” She pulled her hands from her coat pockets and grunted as she struggled to push up onto her elbows.
“Yeah. Yes, yes.” Rachel stopped packing the duffle bag and grabbed one of the plastic bottles. She scooted closer to Nicole and helped her sit upright. “How are you doing?”
Nicole grimaced and gave a hiss as pain shot through her leg again. “I have to say, I’ve been better. Everything hurts. Some things more than others. And this headache won’t quit.”
Rachel twisted off the cap and placed the bottle in Nicole’s hand. She nodded at Nicole’s words and remembered the blood she had seen earlier. “I bet.”
While she sipped her water, Nicole studied the splint on her leg. Pausing for a moment, she asked “Where did you find that?” and motioned toward the air cast, her voice sounding stronger.
“This place had a small clinic. I knew where it was, but never needed it until now, so I raided its supplies,” Rachel replied. Nicole nodded and set her half-empty bottle down. Rachel noticed the grime and blood covering Nicole’s palms as she now rested her hands on her legs. Rachel pulled out another wipe from the nearby package and offered it to Nicole. “Here. For your hands.”
Nicole looked down at her stained hands and flexed them. She reached for and accepted the damp cloth and used it to clean the front and back of each. “Thanks.” She finished wiping her hands and set the dirty square down on the floor, then raised her tired, pain-filled eyes and looked at Rachel.
Rachel met her gaze, took a breath in and spoke, “So … I’ve formulated an exit plan and I’m ready to make it happen.” Nicole’s lips quirked at hearing her earlier words parroted back to her. Rachel continued, “I’ve got stuff ready to help you … us leave, whenever you’re feeling up to it. … And … I’m sorry … about before. That was a dick move. I should have told you what I was doing … made sure you were okay with it.”
Nicole stared at Rachel with an unreadable expression for a moment, then a small smile emerged on her face. “If we’re going to be spending some time together, we should probably work on improving our communication.”
Rachel bent her head and one hand fidgeted with a button on her coat. “Yeah … umm … it’s been a while since I’ve done any real communicating. I’ve sorta gotten used to working alone, doing things myself, my own way. And my rat friend isn’t a big help.”
A look of confusion crossed Nicole’s face, then she shook her head. “You went rogue.” She huffed out a small laugh and rolled her eyes. “It’s a concept I’m, unfortunately, VERY familiar with.” Then Nicole let out a deep breath and her face turned serious. “I won’t lie. You scared me. You left me pretty desperate and helpless here.”
Rachel’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah, I know” she said softly.
After a few moments, Nicole reached out and clasped Rachel’s hand causing her to look up. “But, it’s gonna be okay.” A gentle smile appeared on Nicole’s face and it was slowly matched by Rachel’s. “So, let’s hear your plan while I try to get my second wind.”
Nicole took some more sips of water while she listened to Rachel describe how she thought they could make their way back to where Nicole and Wynonna had entered the building. She nodded in agreement as Rachel spoke and was impressed with the details the young woman had considered. The teen was clever and thorough … and a little less prickly than before.
After Rachel finished talking, Nicole took a deep breath and released it. “Well Rachel Valdez, I think I’ve had about enough of BBD’s hospitality. I’ve got places to be and people to see. Let’s do this.”
“Yeah? Okay!” Rachel stood up and looked at Nicole. “So, I got this chair to move you to the stairs, but I’m not sure I can lift you up into it.”
Nicole chuckled. “Probably not. But we can use physics to get me up.”
Rachel frowned. “I dropped out of school this year. I didn’t take physics.”
Nicole tilted her head and presented a close-lipped smile. “Move the chair beside me.” She gestured to Rachel who rolled the chair into place. Nicole pulled up her right leg, bending her knee, and held out her hands in front of her. “Now, brace your foot against the edge of my boot.” Rachel moved herself into position and Nicole continued her instructions. “Now grab my hands.” Rachel leaned forward and gripped Nicole’s hands. “You’re going to bend your knees, then push up and shift your weight backwards pulling on my arms while I use my good knee to lever myself up. Then I’ll pivot to the chair. Okay?”
She watched Rachel process the information in her mind and then nod. “Okay.”
“All right. On three. One, two, threeeee.” Nicole grunted out as they both shifted and managed to raise her to a standing position. Nicole held her injured leg off the ground and hopped a little on her good foot to keep her balance, now resting her hands on the shorter girl's shoulders. Rachel gripped Nicole’s hips to steady her as she turned and sat down on the office chair, easing down her splinted leg. She was breathing heavily from the exertion and her face was pale and tensed with pain, but a smile emerged as she looked up at Rachel. “Yeah … see ... you just passed … real world … physics.” Then Nicole bent over with her head resting in her hands.
“Nicole? Are you okay?” Rachel knelt down next to the chair.
“Yeah … yeah, just a little light headed ... stood up too quick.” Nicole slowly sat back upright; her breaths still shaky. “Whew” she huffed out, “okay … before we continue, can you get me a couple more Tylenol. I have a feeling all this moving might get tough.”
“Sure.” Rachel rummaged through the first aid box, found another packet, then grabbed the last water bottle, and handed both to Nicole.
Nicole popped the pills and took a swig from the bottle. She handed the water back to Rachel who stuck it in Wynonna’s duffle bag then shouldered it. “Hopefully this will help both my leg and this headache.” Nicole reached up and rubbed the back of her head. She made a face, then brought her hand down and looked at it. “My head’s bleeding.”
“Yeah. You must have hit it when you fell. Do you want me to look at it?” Rachel approached when Nicole nodded.
The teen examined the back of Nicole’s head, gently lifting her knit beanie up and brushing her hair aside. “You have a little goose egg and a cut. It doesn’t actually look too bad.” She stepped back and looked at Nicole’s face.
Nicole wiped the blood on her pantleg. “Well head wounds do tend to bleed a lot, even when they’re not that serious. But I think it is the source of my headache.” Just then her stomach growled. “Or it could be because I’m hungry.” She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the snack bar she’d offered Rachel earlier. She looked at the dark-haired girl. “Do you want half? I know it’s against your CODE, but you’re probably hungry, too, right?” She grinned at the teen, as she peeled off the wrapper and broke the bar in two. “Here.”
Rachel rolled her eyes and took the half piece from her. “Thanks.”
They each finished their small snack and drank a little water. Then Nicole took a deep breath, blew it out, and slapped her hands on her thighs. “Okay. Are we ready to go?”
Rachel turned and looked back towards the portal, and her mom. She stared at the spot until she felt Nicole’s hand clasp hers. She looked down at her hand then up to Nicole’s face. Sympathy and understanding shone in the red-head’s dark eyes and Rachel felt Nicole give her hand a little squeeze before she let go. Rachel gave a nod. “I’m ready.” She glanced back once more and then startled Nicole with a yell. “My bat!”
“Geez, Rachel!” Nicole winced and grabbed her head as Rachel hustled over and lifted the baseball bat from the floor near where Nicole had fallen. She walked back and handed it to Nicole. “Can you hold Louie for me while I push you?”
Nicole’s eyebrows bunched as she took the bat. “Louie?”
Rachel pointed to the trademark. “Louisville Slugger. The make of the bat? Watch your leg.”
“You named your bat?” the pitch of Nicole's voice rising as she asked the question. She moved and rested her good leg on a wheel bracket then gritted her teeth and lifted her splinted leg clear of the floor. The Slugger rested on her lap as Rachel began to push the chair, maneuvering it around the scattered lifeless mutants.
“Hey!” Rachel retorted. “Tom Hanks had Wilson to keep him company, and all he did was sit there with a stupid grin on his face. Louie is a valuable member of my squad. He bashed a lot of zombie noggins.” She continued wheeling Nicole through the gateroom door and into the lab area.
Nicole responded with skepticism. “Your squad? A squad has more than TWO members.”
“Well, there is also my best friend d-CON. So that makes three,” Rachel replied.
Nicole turned her head and looked at the young woman out of the corner of her eye. “Who’s d-CON?” she asked as her eyebrows quirked up.
“He’s the rat I’ve been hanging out with for the last six months.” Rachel grinned.
“Rachel, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re kinda weird.” Nicole chuckled softly then suddenly called out, “Watch it!” as Rachel accidently sideswiped a stool, bumping Nicole’s splinted leg. “Aungh.” Nicole grabbed at the limb and grimaced.
“Sorry! Sorry!” Rachel stopped their forward motion and watched as Nicole blinked back tears and blew out a breath through clenched teeth. Rachel knelt in front of the red-head, putting her hand on Nicole’s right knee and spoke in a lowered voice. “I’m really sorry, Nicole. Are you okay? I’ll be more careful, I promise. But, listen, we need to go into silent mode now, all right? We’re getting close to the mutants, and even though they are dormant at the moment, … well, you remember what happened last time.”
Nicole opened her eyes, looked at the apologetic teen and nodded. In a whispered voice she tried to ease Rachel’s angst. “It’s alright. I’m alright. Let’s keep going.”
Rachel stood up and stepped back behind the chair. She began moving it forward again, exiting the lab area and entering the corridor. They continued along in silence, but Rachel could see Nicole’s jaw clenching and suspected she was in more pain due to Rachel’s screw-up. Way to go, Valdez.
They reached the stairwell and Rachel stopped the chair next to the crutches leaning against the wall. Nicole placed her good foot on the floor and handed Louie to Rachel. The young woman gripped Nicole’s left elbow with her other hand and helped her to stand up. She then grabbed a crutch and positioned it under Nicole’s left armpit and helped her approach the bottom step. Rachel moved the chair out of the way and picked up the remaining crutch.
Nicole took a deep breath in and released it, then grabbed the right stair rail. She braced the crutch and leaned on it with her splinted left leg bent at the knee. Then she placed her right foot up on the first step and lifted herself up, moving up the crutch after her. She repeated that pattern and slowly ascended the staircase, muffled grunts accompanying her movements. Several times along the way, Nicole paused to rest and catch her breath. Rachel followed closely behind her making sure she didn’t lose her balance. Near the top, Rachel tugged lightly on Nicole’s coat and whispered, “Let me pass.”
Nicole tightly gripped the railing and snugged against the right wall as Rachel passed her and slowly exited the stairwell. She watched the teen scope out the area and then wave her up to the top. As Nicole finished climbing the stairs, Rachel held the wheelchair ready for her to sit in. Wearily, Nicole lowered herself to the seat, and let the young woman place her legs in the foot rests. Her breaths were labored and she was sweating. Her injured leg pulsed with pain. She briefly closed her eyes until she felt Rachel press a bottle of water into her hand.
Nicole opened her eyes to see Rachel raise her eyebrows and make a thumbs up. Nicole gave her a thumbs up in return. While Rachel attached her backpack to the chair handles, Nicole sipped the water and surveyed the area around them. She felt intense apprehension knowing the zombie scientists she now saw lying about were not dead, but merely dormant. They had been able to outrun and outgun them before, but things would end very differently if something happened now.
Nicole handed back the water bottle to Rachel who tucked it away in the duffel. She then laid her ball bat, the shotgun, and the crutches across the wheelchair arms and Nicole held them in place with her arm. Rachel slung her rifle, then grabbed the chair handles and began pushing Nicole towards their exit point. Careful to avoid the mutants, Rachel covered the ground quickly and quietly, and within a matter of minutes they were at the north entrance door that Wynonna and Nicole had accessed hours ago. Rachel propped it open with a cement block and lifted the long items from Nicole’s chair arms. Nicole gripped the wheels of the chair and propelled herself out of the building. Rachel quietly closed the door behind them.
It was fully dark outside; the sun having set long ago. The only illumination was coming from a few security lights scattered around the parking lot. Nicole tilted her head back, breathed in the cold night air and released a steamy exhale. She was hurting and exhausted, and just wanted to curl up somewhere and close her eyes. Preferably with Waverly by her side. Waverly. And Wynonna. Doc. Jeremy and Robin. Kate. The pain and stress of getting out of the damn BBD building had pushed everything and everyone else from her mind. Now lines from a Robert Frost poem floated around her head … But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.
She wished she had her cell phone to try calling one of them, any of them. But it had been plugged in and charging on the kitchen counter at the Homestead when Wynonna roofied her. And though somebody had very thoughtfully put her hat, coat, and gloves on her before loading her on that fucking train to who knows where, they had inconveniently forgotten to include her cell.
“Hey. How are you doing?” Rachel softly asked, touching her shoulder. Nicole’s eyes blinked open. She hadn’t even realized they had closed. She leaned over towards her left side and dug her hand into her right front pants pocket, pulling out the truck keys. She held them out to Rachel. “I’m ready to go home.”
Rachel hesitantly took the keys from Nicole. “I don’t have a license.”
“Rachel. I’m a cop. And this is an emergency. You have my permission to drive.” Nicole paused for a moment, then asked “You DO know HOW to drive. Right?”
Rachel shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve played Grand Theft Auto and been to the go-kart track?”
Nicole eyed the young woman before her. “How old ARE you?”
“I’m sixteen,” she replied.
Nicole sighed and rubbed her eyes. “Rachel. I’m way too tired to be behind the wheel. It would be like driving drunk. So, I’m going to tell you what to do, and YOU’RE going to drive us out of here. Okay?”
“Okay.” Rachel nodded. “I already put the crutches, guns, bags, and Louie on the back seat.” Nicole blinked at her. “What? You left the doors unlocked on that neoclassical piece of junk.”
“Hey!" Nicole softly snapped “Don’t let Wynonna hear you trash talk her truck. She likes to say it’s hellbent, but not broken.”
Rachel snorted. “Does Wynonna have stock in Duck Tape or something?”
Nicole started laughing softly. “It is pretty beat up, isn’t it?”
“Uh, yeah,” Rachel agreed.
“Well, it runs, and that’s all that matters right now. So, let’s get the hell out of here.” Nicole began wheeling herself towards the truck when Rachel caught up and started pushing the chair from behind. She steered the red-head to the passenger door, stopping to open it up. Reaching inside, she triggered the seat’s slide lever and pushed the seat as far back as possible. She stepped back and then helped Nicole stand up and pivot her back towards the seat cushion. Nicole reached back for the center console with one hand and grabbed her seatback with the other and used them both to lift and pull herself into the truck, cursing when she banged her splint on the bottom of the dash.
Rachel shut Nicole’s door and pushed the wheelchair to the back of the truck. She dropped the tailgate, folded the chair, and muscled it up into the bed. Then she slammed shut the tailgate and walked to the driver’s side, opened the door, and climbed in.
After shutting her door, Rachel stuck the keys in the ignition and turned to look at Nicole. “So … Road trip! Do you wanna be Thelma or Louise?”
Nicole just burst out laughing.