Infected 8: Impulse: A Whole New Day

by P. S. Power

  Miami was laid into at the same time, but that was a group of people blowing up buildings. They were a right wing group, but one that didn't care much about the Infected. They just felt that the government wasn't doing their job right, trying to take away peoples freedoms. The bombings had the congress and President declaring martial law inside five hours. It kind of showed that the initial plan those people had been working on was flawed, at least to her way of thinking.

  That didn't stop the fighting.

  After a week they were given several fast jets, and had to move back to the hole in the ground that used to be the IPB headquarters. The landing strips were still fine, after all. At least with a bit of major construction work. That meant they lived in tents, moving from one place to another. Sometimes without ever coming back to the base. When they were at home, Impulse lived and worked out of the Love Machine. It was hers, after all, and while Marcia hadn't gotten around to reimbursing her for anything, even if she had put in for it, they were all collecting regular pay, finally. If she ever had enough time, she could afford a nice meal out.

  Maybe she'd take Will with her? He was alive and recovering. Oddly, his parents had decided not to stick with their old troop of bigots, given that Gene Satai had managed to make some giant waves online, telling the world all about Braid and her Infected madness that was pitting them all against each other, as well as her personal goals. Marcia was working with him, to make sure he had clean video feeds when possible, as well as statements from the President, backing him up.

  It had more impact than she would have thought, since even if they hated liberals, the militias hated being used by evil people even more.

  The first real break that Bridget got, on the twenty-second day after killing Charity, was interrupted by Marcia showing up at the side of her van, dressed in a black military uniform. A smaller version of the same thing, along with a pair of black boots, was tossed in, landing on her as she tried to sleep. She needed the rest, but got up anyway, since the Director knew that. She wouldn't have been there if it wasn't important.

  "Delaura got the info on Joe's bosses. I was thinking that we could get Sinclair to help us pay a visit. You can sleep on the plane."

  It took all day, naturally, and while she got a little rest, it wasn't enough. It was the nice jet though. The one that used to belong to Christian Pours. She asked about that, since the woman was dead, as far as anyone knew. It looked a bit funny to her, but Marcia had an answer ready. One that seemed to fit, even.

  "Christian's parents volunteered it to us, when they heard about how hard it's been to get around. They're footing the bill for it, too. Fuel and pilot. We should go visit, tell them thanks." She said it darkly, which Bridget understood.

  They really thought their daughter had died the day the base had blown up. Going to them would mean seeing their honest grief, and not letting them know that their little girl was still alive. That was going to be brutal.

  It also probably needed to be done.

  The three they picked up from Montelliss, two older men and a middle aged woman, were beaten lightly, but refused to talk about their work. It was pretty clear that they weren't just soft paper pushing sub-contractors, or anything even close to that. Marcia decided not to risk letting them go. That had them promptly taken out of the country, to Camp Jones. Where they could be tortured and questioned in secret until they gave up everything they knew. Then probably killed. Bridget didn't know that, but she'd never heard of the place other than what Quartz had told her. That meant people didn't blab about it online. When she checked the name there, she'd gotten nothing. Not even a hint that it might be a real thing.

  That meant it was a real secret base, and the whole internet had been scrubbed to keep it that way. Thinking about what that would really take made her brain hurt.

  When they got in, later that night, Bridget was surprised to find Mary driving up to the front gate of the compound. Where that used to be, before it had blown out, at any rate. There was no guard set up there, so one of the people taking that duty, Phoebe, had to jog over. That got Bridget to head that way at a run, since she didn't really want Mary to be insulted a thousand times without knowing what was happening.

  Phoebe, naturally, managed it all perfectly.

  "Hello! This is the IPB base, is that where you want to be?" She didn't even seem to be struggling this time, and her voice seemed happy and calm.

  "Right-o! This then, would be the correct place. I'm seeking... Bridget, actually! I've returned from my trip." The woman threw her arms open, and got a hug, because that's what you did when relatives visited.

  "Did it go all right? Over there I mean? I never got a return note from... Morten, I think the name was?"

  Phoebe looked at them both and then, smiling, walked away. They didn't try to keep people out, as a rule. They had nothing to attack, except a pool of decently tough fighters. Anyone coming there was either a friend, or dead. That was the theory. Frankly, it was really just that blowing up a hole in the ground seemed redundant.

  Her bio-grandmother waited for the girl to be out of earshot before explaining. That was a bit strange, since Phoebe actually knew that there were aliens, or people from other realities, around. It had all been explained to her by Marcia. To all of the new people, including the military men. It could have been an issue, so it was discussed.

  It was her way of winning them over, letting them know the truth like that.

  Mary smirked a little and then flared her nostrils.

  "It was, as my people oft manage, a mess of our own devising. It took less than three days to find a world filled with people that had the right energy producing skills, many of whom were willing to come and give us aid. They didn't even suggest we pay them, or give them food or shelter. They heard of our suffering and need, and even why such dire things had happened, and came to help. That started a large political battle, as you would imagine. Finally Ed declared that the other families could, and I believe this is an exact quote, 'suck his salami', which had him challenged to five separate duels from the major families and two from minor ones. Brian handled them, fighting the respondents all at once, including a representative of the Doyle family. That rather nicely ended the debate. Morten Wester did, however, throw in with us, based on your words. He looks forward to hearing from you again, I ponder." The words were a bit stranger than normal, but casual at the same time. Of course spending time at home like she just had might do that. Falling into her native ways, and all that.

  Bridgie grinned, not meaning it.

  "Cool. A pen pal. Things here have been a mess, too. I don't know if you've seen the news, but we've been running almost the whole time. It's a war, but the battle lines are forming everywhere. I kind of think that Brian leaving might have been a mistake, in hindsight. Is he all right? You mentioned a fight?"

  "Oh, he's fine. No more than some light bruising. Ed and Deidre had to stay, since the plan requires Edmund take control of his family's place in the political scheme. Hobbs and Elizabeth came back with Brian and I, however. Hobbs... That one did not go well, I fear. He was restricted from acting as an advocate in perpetuity, and asked to leave the lands of our people. All sectors agreed with the ruling as well, and no appeal was allowed him. He doesn't show his pain, but it must be there. To be exiled from an entire world... Well, at least they held the wisdom not to execute him. That would have led to bloodshed."

  There was truth to that, since Brian had been there, and even trying to kill Hobbs, who could take care of himself, would mean that Proxy would fight. She would too, of course, when she managed to get there herself. So would the rest of the IPB. Most of them. Hobbs was ridiculously popular amongst that crowd.

  Bridget was about to get Mary to follow her in when the bell started sounding. It was their low tech signaling device. A big old bell that someone had to beat with a mallet to use. It got the attention however.

  She looked at the other woman and smiled, shaking her head.

  "Th
at means we need to get ready to leave. I wonder where the fight is this time? Well, send my love to everyone you see. Um, Mary?" She waited a bit, not certain that she should say anything. It was so hard to know with the strange woman what was right or not.

  "Yes, granddaughter?"

  "Take care of yourself. Get to someplace safe, if you can find one. Things here... They aren't good. I... I think that Braid may have won, already. We're trying to stop her, but even the people that have been getting the word out aren't enough impact. It's like people want this to happen now, a war between the Infected and the norms. Every day we've been losing people, on both sides. I don't think..." She couldn't go on, the deaths of the people that she'd killed suddenly weighing on her.

  There were no tears, but Mary held her for a moment. It felt nice. Safe.

  That was an illusion of course. Nothing could be safe now, and never would be again, for anyone. Not unless she made it happen. Pulling back she went to do just that. It was her job now. Keeping her people safe, and killing those that wouldn't fall into line. She didn't even think about patriotism, or even right or wrong. Not now.

  She didn't look back, or ask the woman to be safe again. That would either happen, or, more likely, be out of her control.

  Carefully, trying to move past the debris that still littered the ground in places, she headed for the airstrip. It felt strange, but she didn't even stop to ask where she was going. It didn't really matter.

  There was a war on, and another battle to fight. People would die, and for what was essentially a stupid reason. Because one person didn't see that they were wrong.

  It was insane, but she really wasn't certain that most wars didn't boil down to something similar, in the end. One confused or ego driven person, ruining everything for the rest of them.

  All she could do was keep her head down and keep fighting, for now. Until she got another chance to end it. When that time came, she couldn't let herself fail.

  Not again.

  Not even if it killed her.

  Not even if it killed them all.

  Since you got this far, why not look into other great books by P.S. Power? It's the right thing to do. Like eating healthy foods and drinking clean water. Okay, we can't back that scientifically yet, but reading is good for the mind, so you should try doing even more of it, if possible. (Clearly, if you read more than a book a day, you're doing fine!)

  If you want to find out more about P.S. Power and his coming works, go to: pspowerbooks.com

  Now, here's a list of other book series by P.S. Power. These are links that will take you to the right places.

  The Young Ancients

  The Infected

  Keeley Thomson (Demon Girl)

  Other Places

  Gwen Farris

  Dead End

  The Lament

  The Greasepaint Chronicles (Mystery)

  Stand alone works by P.S. Power