Saving the World

[La_Reina]

{closed}

Jax stripped down her weapon and then began the tedious task of reassembling it. She was in the locker room with the other 10 or so soldiers awaiting instructions. It was not lost on her or the others that she was the only female among them. She heard a few snickers and even heard the few stories being passed around about her; the rumors and legends of Jax Steele. Perfect Basic Scores in every category. The only woman who went into the Green Beret program twice and passed, but was never given the honor of being the elitist for some reason or another. Jax stood only at 5'6 and though she couldn't carry a 200 lbs man she could drag his heavy ass where they needed to go. Or she would shoot you and leave you. Didn't want you tortured. She wasn't the most favorable Sgt either. She was silent, brooding, and often didn't care for the jokes that the others did. She wasn't a get-along-with-the-group sort of gal. That and she had never fucked a one so she was dubbed gay or ice queen.

Didn't matter. She had a job to do. She already knew that they were hand chosen for a specific mission. This group housed the best of the best in almost every field. She just hoped that she was finally getting some combat experience. It was about time someone recognized her skills for what they were.

~ 2 hours later ~

"Sir, permission to speak freely, Sir," Jax said crisply.

"Permission granted, Sgt."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The commanding officer just looked at Jax like she lost her mind. The whole locker was still and silent. This was a first for Jax. "You want me to babysit some fucking scientists as they try to figure out why the earth's soil won't grow food anymore?! Not ... " Jax closed her eyes.

"The fate of the world rests on these men and women..."

"This is fucking bullshit!" She cut him off and slammed her fist into the locker. She had hoped for more than this. Instead she was given an itinerary of some scientist while the rest of the world seemed to go on some sort of coordinated riot. The world was going to hell out there because food was becoming scarce and now water wasn't drinkable either. She should be out there helping to restore order not stuck in some secret facility in God's Ass watching some lab rat tinker around in dirt.

 

[guyloveshotstories]

We were some of the last people to make it into the Nevada facilities before they closed the doors to the outside world. My research team and myself had been trying for months to find out what new disease was racking the entire world and killing off people by starving us from our food supplies. No one knew what it was or where it came from but it seemed to turn all of the soil infertile, much like the bacteria that caused the famine in Ireland but this new threat could not seem to be beaten with any known pest or herbicides that had the world gripped in panic and it seemed to be every man for himself. With a PhD in molecular biology at only 27 years of age with long, swooped to the side black hair and piercing blue eyes with a thin frame from being on the run for so long and sun kissed skin and a light build and on the bridge of my nose was a pair of black framed glasses to help with the glare of the computers I kept up my work feeling that this was more important than sleeping or eating.

The others in my company would rotate out every three or four hours to sleep for a few but I kept going at it with the determination that each new sample and each new test would bring us closer to the one cure that could save the world, but each time it would go wrong, either nothing would happen, or in one case we set the sample on fire. After a few days it was fine but now it was infuriating. Nothing seemed to be working and we still couldn't figure out what was causing this that it was causing us to literally pull out our hair.

Fortunately we were able to work in relative peace my team and I were inside the sterile room after collecting samples from the desert as well as what we brought with us from the other states. Though the military that was guarding us were the best in what they did and we had no personal beef with our guards we did have problems with the brass higher up bearing down, like masters with whips that kept cracking behind to spur us to do our work we were going as fast as we could and keeping our equations and our work as fine as we could. It was not a process to be rushed as the fate of the world was literally in our hands.

My company did have a few women but during this entire time we kept our focus on our work. Some had family and children but they were outside the blast doors, thus sealed off, perhaps forever and there was no time to mourn for them, only delve deeper into our work.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax patrolled the outskirts. She and the other soldiers were given a specific scientist to watch, like the soldiers were their personal bodyguards. Since the scientists seemed to go from the bedroom, to the bathroom, and to the lab even eating in their it seemed a waste to follow them. Instead the soldiers simply kept perimeter watch. Which was BORING! Still, Jax stayed vigilant. Who knew when one of those white coats would lose their mind and attack something. God, Jax hoped so. It would give her someone to shoot.

Weeks later and she could see the toll it was having on the scientists and on the soldiers. The soldiers were bored, disgruntled, and the leaked news of the outside wold was getting to some of them. There were threats of abandoning posts to find wives, children, parents. It seemed millions were dying a day. Things had escalated too quickly.

It was maybe 2 months in when the first panic came. The world was offically out of all food. There were no animals left. In zoos, the wild anywhere. Water was a commodity and was now being used like money. And if you had clean water you were a millionaire. Letters and phone calls were now restricted to just about zero. People were getting restless angry. Jax made a mental note to get closer to her scientist. She didn't like the way some of the soldiers and other scientists were eyeing each other. Blaming themselves or others for failed work or not finding the cure fast enough or for new reports of loved ones dead.

With this thought Jax slowly approached ... what was his name? She had peeked at his work up, but hadn't the clue what his name was. Though she knew just about everything else about it. Dammit. "Um, hey. Uh, What exactly are you working on? It seems to me liked you tried the same test over a million times with the same negative results."

 

[guyloveshotstories]

I was consumed in my work when the news began to come in how the world was rapidly declining. My partners were glued to the television to the extent that I had to have it removed from the lab so they could keep focus. In two months we could not find out the exact cause, but we were finding some correlations between some old pesticides that were used in many third world countries where the soil began to grow sterile, but how it worked was still lost to us. I had forgotten that we had personal guards but there was some muttering from Sean, my close friend since college, that he didn’t like them as they kept staring at him when he was out of the lab and would whisper about something. “Something’s wrong here. They keep looking at us like we’re suspects or something.”

I kept telling him it was his imagination and prayed that I was right.

We would eat in the lab and sometimes sleep in there as well. That was all we could do. Writing letters or sending email was now out of the question and it was better to be working this than worrying about the outside world and I didn't have a chance to learn my guard's name for awhle until she snuck up behind me and asked what my name was. We didn't have name tags on our coats and turning about and seeing her pretty looking face on my shoulder I, at first, was caught off guard and recoiled back slightly.

"Oh, I'm trying this old compound," holding up a test vial to one of the overhead lights, "See, this was one of the pesticides farmers in South Africa were using to spray their crops. We think it may be the start of what is causing all of this." I tried to smile but it came off rather nervously.

"You're....Jax, is that correct?" my memory was fuzzy when it came to outsiders though I could recall all of the names of my lab partners. "Nice to meet you," giving a smile with the pearl white teeth and thin, pink lips.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax blinked and took a step back when the scientist seemed to shrink back from her. She mentally checked herself and saw that her uniform was in order, her gun hanging uselessly at her side and pointed at the gun, her hair was pulled back tightly, and her breath and other bodily smells were pleasant. No, foul odors. She wasn't sure what had made him seem to recoil from her.

She almost turned from him, but he answered her question and she had to admit she was curious about what they were working on aside from the geek talk that was in his file. She was happy he dumbed it down for her so that she could understand and wasn't bothered by her interrupting him. She stared at the vial as if it was the cause of everything. Actually, it was and she wanted to break the damn thing. Which would have been counterproductive.

She turned to stare at her charge and smiled slightly. "Yes. Jackson is my first name named after the city, but I prefer Jax. Most Jacksons are last names or boys." She was trying hard to be friendly. She needed to get to know her charge better. Something, some sixth sense, was telling her her knowing him was important. "I'm sorry we weren't properly introduced. As such I ... can't recall your name." She knew it was because she had referred to him in her mind as Scientist or Science guy.

"Though I know what city and state you grew up in, I know your schedule, how you like your breakfast, and when you get nervous you tend to smile alot." She smiled sweetly to try to take the creepiness out of having someone know such intimate and precise details of oneself.

 

[guyloveshotstories]

It was just the surprise of seeing her there that made me recoil above anything else but that fear quickly subsided. "So Jax then," chuckling lightly and putting the vials into their secure holders. I could go on for hours about how we had to obtain such samples but I can easily bore a person ith that kind of talk then she asked my name, "Doctor Lyon Fitzgerald. You can just call me Lyon," removing the latex gloves and dumping them into a waste bin, then we could finally shake hands.

"Wait, you know all about me? How?" I asked. Didn't seem fair that she knew so much about me and I didn't know that much about Jax though now I could look at her more. She was very pretty with that rifle at her side. She looked almost like a model but I didn't want to ask her if she was because she also carried the look of 'i'll kick your ass, if you piss me off,' but she was smiling and I couldn't help but smile as well. I was a trusting soul and I had to win everyone over if we were to win this.

I didn't even know what time it was here. The lights were constantly on and it had screwed up my body clock but there was no denying that I was hungry. "Let's go outsde and get something to eat, shall we, Jax?"

 

[La_Reina]

Jax smiled. She liked the way he said her name. It wasn't overly harsh like a bark on the J, but a nice caress to her name. "It's nice to meet you Lyon." He took off his gloves and put his hands out. Jax looked at it for a moment as if confused. She took his hand and gripped it in a quick shake before letting it go.

"Of course. We get a dossier on each of our persons and I learned everything about you. I do admit I gave you the nickname of Dr. Science in my head hence why I forgot your actual name. I apologize for that." Jax could see out the corner of her eye some of the other soldiers looking at her. She knew what it looked like from their perspective. Jax engaged rarely with the soldiers. She didn't date and rarely hung out. She rarely approached anyone to start a conversation that didn't have an underlining of work or duty involved and she had just tore all those knowns about her up with this talk with the Dr. It looked to them like she was flirting. What she wasn't expecting was the frowns and outright angry looks. She didn't understand it.

Jax focused back on Lyon and nodded. "Outside is off limits, but we could go up. Up to the skylights and sit out in the open. It'll be hard for anyone to spot us out here in the early morning light but we only have an hour til sunlight than we must go back down. We don't want anyone to glimpse us here. We can get food from the Mess hall... I mean cafeteria and take it up if you like."

 

[guyloveshotstories]

I couldn't help but laugh at 'Doctor Science' it was an actual nickname that I was given back in college because I was found more in the science building than anywhere else. Jax was more than just pretty, I liked the way she spoke, it was smooth with good diction and she didn't fluster her words. She appeared to have an education and experience if not in science in something else.

"You get dossiers on us? Really?" Couldn't help but laugh. "Hope it didn't say too much about me." I was normally not one for cnversation but Jax was a rather pleasant change from my work. Usually it was just within my group and it was formulas, equations, and statistics. It grew into a monotony after awhile until Jax interupted it.

"That woulf be lovely," giving a nod and smile, "let us be off then." Lifting my right arm towards the door and beginning to walk. I was somewhat timid looking at her because of her rifle but I didn't give her a reason to shoot and I didn't want to. Outside the lab we paused in the corridor for a moment so I could get a drink of water from a fountain and looked to the tight to see two soldiers standing in the distance, looking at us. They were tall and strong men and I immediately wanted to walk in the opposite direction as one hand went up and brushed over my five inch long black hair.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax found herself liking his laugh. Lyon seemed meek even timid but his laugh was strong and hearty. The kind of laugh like her father. She would never admit this to anyone, but both her parents were academics. She had graduated from MIT and to rebel against her parents had joined the military. She loved everything about the military and her parents had been so disappointed in her wanting her to follow in their footsteps. After a few months her parents spoke to her again without admonishment and they had a great relationship; Jax assumed it was because her brother Dakota or Dak had actually followed in their footsteps and resumed their legacy.

"Yup. We need to know our charges whom we are to protect. It stated plenty of your background, but never the important or interesting stuff; like why you aren't married yet? It didn't state you had a girlfriend either? It stated you had your pick of colleges and ... well we can talk about this later. Let's go before ..." Jax glanced at the men who looked like they were on the verge of coming over. She wasn't breaking any rules by conversing with her charge. What was with them? ".. the sun comes up."

Jax followed Lyon out of the door. She noticed that Lyon finally noticed the reception they were getting from the other soldiers and she stepped into his path. "You get the food and I'll meet you at the skylights." It wasn't meant to be an order, but it sorta came out as such as she turned her back on Lyon and walked over to the soldiers. She didn't say a word but stared at each in the eye. They didn't respond back. Like a bell went off all 3 turned and walked away. Jax went up to the skylights and leaned against the wall waiting.

 

[guyloveshotstories]

"Unfortunately, no, no girlfriend, no family really," I tried to smile and brush it off but it wasn't easy. My parents were somewhat wealthy and put a lot of effort to get me to graduate school and become a doctor and when I did they were overjoyed but one day father suffered a heart attack and died and mother she died when she fell from a horse. I didn't have any siblings and no close family other than them thus I was left on my own. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA and Jax was correct when she pointed out I could choose any school.

"I chose Yale because I wanted to joke at my father," smiling again, "he was Harvard, you see. Just to pick at him. He laughed every time. As for girlfriends and all that, I just didn't have time. I spent every minute either in the labs or face first in the books. When everything happened we formed a group and, yeah, there are women in them, but theyre , well..." I couldn't quite figure them out. They werelike me, book smart but one was a real sexual freak and though brilliant she was a handful.

Going to the small mess hall I picked up two plastic trays and asked for the meager rations. What we had was not much but filling as it was heavily reinforced with nutrients to keep us going, some small salisbury steaks, canned green beans and corn, a piece of cornbread four inches square and a carton of milk. Looking at it, it looked like cafeteria food when we were kids. When the chef asked whom the second tray was for I merely replied Jax and he filled it without further question. It would seem that Jax had a rather strong reputation here and she was my guard. Going up the stairs to her I could see her slender figure and a smile came to my face.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax nodded as Lyon explained the family and romantic parts of his life. She didn't say anything about hers. He didn't ask plus she wasn't the one to talk about herself. Also, because she did have a little something to lose. She didn't want to even hint about the other part of herself. She wanted to stay a soldier. She had the brains, but she felt soldiers had the will and courage to fight. Not just fight, but run towards danger and help.

Lyon trailed off on the woman in the group and Jax briefly wondered if he was gay. She would have to broach the subject subtly as this wasn't truly her business. If he was or wasn't had no impact on her job status. She was just curious.

She was still thinking on this when Lyon finally came to the stairwell. She opened the door and took one of the trays. She led the way to a small makeshift eating area. As soon as Lyon sat down and she said her prayers silently in her head she started eating. 2 minutes later she was done. She glanced at Lyon's tray and smiled almost as if she was embarrassed. "Sorry. I've been trained for so long to eat quickly, save time, and go that sometimes I forget how it's like to eat with civilians. Please continue eating and I"ll enjoy the view."

Jax watched Lyon for a bit and then she blurted out, "Lyon are you gay?" She meant to be tactful, but she wasn't one to beat around the bush. She was curious and asked the question directly. It made for no confusion when he answered the question.

 

[guyloveshotstories]

I was putting a bite into my meal when she asked the question and it did not bother me. I had been asked that many times by my partners in the lab that it wore off eventually. Swallowing and putting the fork down onto the tray, "No, no, i'm not gay," speaking calmly and with a smile as I took up a napkin and wiped my mlips. "I just never found the right woman. I know that in many circles if you don't like anything that is considered 'manly' such as firearms or fast cars or anything like that you can be looked upon with suspect, but i'm not gay, I just grew up differently than everyone else." With that I shrugged my shoulders. It didn't bother me as we spoke. She was curious and there was nothing else for her to do after polishing off her entire tray in a blink of an eye.

I must say seeing her scarf down everything was surprising as it was humorous that she could be able to do so without hurting her stomach. Though never trying that myself after eating about half my rations I could not get anything else into my stomach and gently scooted my tray over to her, "You can have it if you want it." Food was not an easy thing to come by as we were under strict rationing as well as for water, so, having me pass up food was shcking to say the least.

She was strong in will as well as in body and I know alot of the guys in my science group were looking around at anything with a pair of breasts and an ass, but she looked to be one that was very slective as well as able to break their wrists if they tried to cop a feel on her, unlike others such as Jessica who loved to be the center of attention from men.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax nodded. "So you're not into firearms or fast cars." She grinned hinting that she was. Hell, before this world crisis she had a hobby of buying a few of the cars she could afford. She had been saving up for an Aston Martin, but it seemed she had been saving in vain. "I understand perfectly. I don't like dresses, or doing my nail, or hair. I rather play sports or watch the game and I'm immediately labeled a lesbian. After a while I stopped protesting it. It was easier and guys stopped hitting on me. It was awkward when the occasional girl did though."

Jax shook her head. "No, I'm quite full. You should really finish. You'll need the nutrients. If I anything it's observant and I'm sure once you and I are done socializing you'll go back to the lab for another 20 hours or so. I'm starting to think you're either a very hard work or an insomniac." Jax smiled prettily to take the slight admonishment from her words.

"So out of curiosity what IS your type. I've noticed a few of the scientists who likes that one girl. Jessica, I believe her name is. Beautiful girl. Or the redhead one, Evelyn. I think she might actually have a thing for you ...well you and David. She treats the others like fodder, but is really sweet to the two of you." Jax was actually kinda playing the wingman for Lyon. Maybe if the man got laid ...

 

[guyloveshotstories]

As full as I was Jax was right that I should eat a little more and began to eat it piece by piece as Jax talked. "My type?" Looking at her with a raised eyebrow, "I'm not sure if I had a 'type' as I would take people as they came professionally. You might call me an insomniac or dedicated, maybe both," chuckling a bit before taking another bite, "as for Jessica, well, she is...well..." I wasn't sure how to word it without it sounding offensive. Jessica was a beautiful and intelligent woman, but she had the habit of wanting to be the center of attention. Before the crisis she got a car, a Mercedes Benz and loved to show it off and she liked to wear long, elegant dresses to functions.

That's where I drew several comparisons from Jessica to Jax. Jax was definately the stronger type but I think that Jessica might find Jax to be a rival in some way. As for Evelyn, or Eve, she was more quiet and wore glasses but she was like a mouse, going from one place to another and quietly doing her work and when it was done she leave for somewhere else. As cute as she was, we did talk a lot but when someone else came along she would leave. I wasn't sure if I was sexually attracted to either them as I was more concerned with the task at hand.

Jax was pretty but I know some in my group, well, they could be described as racist and wouldn't like Jax even though she was protecting them. Me though, I had no reason not to like her. She was kind, inelligent, strong, and I could see a bright future for her if we can make this work.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax smiled at Lyon. "Yeah you're type," she said in response to him repeating her question back to her. Jax shook her head at his comment as maybe being an insomniac or a hard worker. She already knew he was and was grateful that soldiers watched everyone in shifts. If she had to watch Lyon by herself she would be asleep half of her duty or force him to his room to sleep. She needed 8 hours of sleep...she could survive off of 6 if all she needed to do was just function.

"She is well ...what?" There Lyon went again trailing off and not finishing his sentence. She waited patiently for him to continue wondering if he was going to say he did have a crush on the beauty. Jax counted the minutes and realized he wasn't going to elaborate. She peered closer at him and realize he was deep in thought. Probably thinking of some sort of erotic day dream with Jessica. Jax smiled and turned back to the scenery happy to take in the view and get out of the closed in walls.

Suddenly air gushed around them. It was like being in a vortex. She knew what that meant. She had the roof door propped opened. The only way the cyclone of air could be created is if someone had opened the big doors downstairs. The doors that led to the outside. Jax felt her hat tear from her head and fly down the roof opening towards the center. Her bobby pins were ripped from her head and her hair was flying around her face. She cursed. Her hair was long, down to her lower back, and it took a shitload to get her hair wrapped up in a tight bun.

"Come on!" She screamed through the howling wind, grabbing Lyon and throwing him through the opening as she closed the roofs door. The wind immediately stopped and she stomped past Lyon going down the stairs. She managed to pick up her hat on the way and when she finally made it to the last stop it seemed the world was in chaso; not just from the tornado like winds that had sent paperwork scattered everywhere, but the few people who seemed confused and panicked by what just happened.

"Calm down, calm down," Zoe said as she tucked her hat into her belt. "Go clean up your work areas. Nothing, but a breeze. Ever been home on a hot day and opened your front door and a side door to create a breeze. Well it seemed us stupid soldiers were trying to get some fresh air and created a mess. We're sorry."

Jax smiled and downplayed the seriousness of the situation as the other scientists were happy with the explaination and left to go clean up. Jax found the soldiers who had closed the door and her heart sank. Less than half were still here. Terror crept up her spine as she heard the report. Half the soldiers and more than half of the staff and scientists fled. One of the scientists had a CB radio and was talking to the outside and had mentioned they had food to one of his dying relatives...who was in ear shot of the whole fucking world it seemed. Apparently the whole world was now looking for the government bunker that was cheating the rest of the world out of food and water. People got scared and ran. The ones who didn't run were the ones who didn't know or were to proud to leave their work behind.

"Shit!"

 

[guyloveshotstories]

Everything was interpted by the wind and my eyes were closed as bits of dust flew into it and when they finally cleared Jax had longer hair. She did look very pretty,almost like a model how it was elegant and long, but perhaps that wasn't regulation. But what did I know? I was just a civilian. She was suppose to be watching over me. Then came the growl. Looking at the faces of those around us I counted and counted again and kept coming up short.

"Wait...where's....?" Stepping towards them and holding up a finger as a sort of guide I found Eye standing near the edge of the platform nervously clutching a binder towards her chest and eyes staring at the floor. Well, at least Eve was there. "Where's Jessica and the others, Eve?" I asked her softly before looking back at where Jax was. I wasn't getting an answer. Putting both hands on her shoulders and asking again Eve merely shook her head.

It didn't make sense. "Come on, let's go clean ourselves up and our station," I said to her reassuringly. I wanted to stay with Jax but what could I do with soldiers? They wouldn't listen to me. I would just be in the way. Best to leave it with her. Getting to our station and opening it up my eyes craned round to find that no one was there. "Jessica?" I called out "guys? Where are you?" Normally there was someone always here. Walking round their duty stations were still there, pictures and notes left as they were just no bodies in their place.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax glanced around and then did a double take. "Oh fuck me," she said softly to herself.

"What should we do, sir?" Said one of the soldiers. Jax wasn't sure which one it was as she realized that she was the highest ranked here. She was now the commanding officer.

"Okay, how many scientists do we have left?"

"34, sir."

"Okay there's ..." Jax did a quick count. "There's about 40 of us here. If you're charge is still here you'll watch them. If you don't have a charge you will pick up a new charge. That still leaves 6 people who do not have a charge. Step forward you 6."

There was a brief pause as the soldiers discussed who was taking whom and then 6 male bodies stepped forward. She could see the fear and concern leaving them as she took charge and gave orders. Soldiers needed something to do. "You 6. You will be our eyes and ears. Confiscate that radio and any other communication device from everyone. I do not care how small or big. We'll have 2 guards posted on the roof as sentry, 1 on the door, and 1 patrolling the labs. That's leave 2 of you to get 8 hours sleep before relieving someone on duty. The rotation is roof, door, roof, patrol, door, sleep with 3 hour intervals, sleep being 8 and 1 hour of R&R or food. Any questions!?!"

She got the usual no and returned to the other 32 soldiers. "We have the hard part. You will eat, sleep, breathe with your charge. If they shit I want a report on what color and what consistency it is. They are not to speak to anyone outside these walls. They have a duty to preform and we are to protect them at all times. If you're charge is of the opposite gender there will be vulnerability as when they are in the bathroom or in their bedroom you will be vigilant here in ensuring they have no contact with the outside. You will do what it takes short of threats, manhandling, or any other discretions you do not want to face me on. Is that clear?!"

She got the usual yes and then dismissed everyone. She knew some of the scientists were suspicious and afraid as suddenly they all had a bodyguard and there were sentries on the doors and walking around them. She knew they felt like prisoners, but to keep them safe this was a necessary evil. Maybe she'll call a meeting with everyone later to discuss the events. Right now she had her own charge to look after.

 

[guyloveshotstories]

I was scratching my head for awhile, wondering where everyone went. Where could they have gone? Why would they leave? Staying inside the lab was the one idea I did and with Eve stayed put hoping that the others would be begin to filter back in and as we cleaned up there was the sound of the door opening and closing. Turning about there was one of the soldiers, in full battle rattle, standing there.

"Uh, hi" I said, "Um, where's Jax?" that was the fist question that came to my mind as she was the only soldier I could recall by name. trying to do physical descriptions was going to be abysmal. The soldier would not say anything other than she was handling business so we took it as that and continued to clean.

Eventually Jessica and a few others came back, but they were also ushered in by soldiers, all of them armed. "Is there something going on?" I asked one of them to which they replied theat they were implimenting new security measure, everyone was recieving a handler. I wanted to ask, 'Where was mine?' but refrained from doing so out o fthe fear that I would be given a 6'6" behemouth that would use me for a toothpick and clamped up, but Eve recieved hers that was a hair shorter but no less intimidating that had me worried but they were not showing any aggression and asked for us to return to our work which I did readily.

Sitting at my station Eve was next to me and we decided to delve into our work to get our mind off things.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax walked into the laboratory her eyes scanning for Lyon. One of the guards, Walker, walked past and gave a small whistle. "I've been meaning to say. I love your hair being down. Though your boyfriend was asking about you, Sgt. No wait he didn't say Sgt Steele, but called you by first name. When did we get on a first name basis with our chargers, sir?" Jax finally spied Lyon and he was with Eve. Eve's own handler was there watching over them both. That was when Jax decided to look over at Walker. The man's teasing smile slipped from his face as soon as he saw the venom in her eyes. "A soldier isn't good enough for you, Steele."

Jax turned her whole body so she could look at Walker. "What is your malfunction, Walker."

"You. You come down from the roof with your hair down and tousled and it's with one of these geeks. You never date any of us and you hardly speak to us, but him .. him you fuck!"

And that was it. That was the root of the problem. She had ignored these men for so long that it was acceptable to think her an ice queen, but once she opened up to someone else and someone that they were ordered to protect and it just seemed like she thought they weren't good enough. Jax turned back to Lyon seeing his shoulder brushed the girl's and Jax made a rash decision. She walked over to Eve's handler, grabbed him by the lapels, and kissed him soundly.

She turned looking at Walker who just shook his head smiling. Things were alright now. She wasn't being stuck up. Which to her made sense and didn't make sense. Her eyes glanced down at Lyon and she felt something and immediately pushed it away. "Thanks for watching my charge for me," she said to Washington.

"Uh, anytime. Especially if that's the kind of thanks I get." Jax turned fully to Lyon. "Uh, you're hair looks great down, Steele."

Jax immediately began wrapping her hair around and round her hand to pin it up. She was tired of these men all talking about it. She stopped realizing she had no pens. Eve gently reached forward and gave Jax a band. Jax smiled her thanks, took the band and was able to do a makeshift bun with the things. Than she went to the wall and watched Lyon with Eve and wondered why she suddenly was so angry.

 

[guyloveshotstories]

When Jax first came into the room my lips pealed back into a smile but then it disappeared when she began to have an argument with one of her soldiers and then there was the scene of her kissing one of the soldiers, I believe his name was Washington and my mind kind of went out of the window. She was kissing another man, so I guess my chances were shot now, right? But she didn't lose her cool she tied up her hair and went on thanking the man for watching and looking up at her from my desk couldn't say anything except 'hi' as Eve tried to tuck herself on my opposite side, incredibly shy.

"Listen, uh, we can't seem to find the rest of our team. I mean, a good half of our team just disappeared and we can't seem to find them. Do you have any idea where they went?" Our situation here was not dire, we still had some food and water and protection, but if they deserted, which I feared had occured, then their life outside would be absolutely bleak and then where would they go? Sometimes I felt glad I didn't have family any more then that meant no more deep, dark, worries in the back of my mind.

Eve placed her notebook on the table before me, but still didn't say a word. In time she would warm up to someone like Jax.

"We're still able to find a cure just yet," knowing that Jax didn't want to hear it but she had to, "We're finding a good correlation and better, we were able to isolate some of the bases and compounds from the pesitcides that we can be able to clean. Meaning that if we can clean them it would be like taking the wrong block out of a Jinga tower and everything collaspes." That was some good news at least.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax stared at Eve grateful for the ribbon and wanting to strangle the girl with it at the same time. She turned her head slightly to indicate she was listening to Lyon, but her eyes were still on the girl who was pushing herself closer and closer to Lyon until it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended.

Jax replied without looking at Lyon. "It seems that I am now the commanding officer and as such I will address everyone concerns shortly. I'll have a meeting and discuss things then." Jax didn't say more. She wasn't ready to answer the questions, because she didn't know what to say or how to phrase it yet. She listened as Lyon explained what was going on and she felt encouraged. That was good news and news they badly needed to hear.

A few hours later Jax left Lyon under Washinton's care and called together the other soldiers. They were to gather everyone in the common hall. She was ready to address them. A short time later Jax was staring at a bunch of eyes looking at her and she sighed. She explained the situation in brutal honesty; she explained how they were in danger and how they could be breached. They had guards to watch over them 24/7 and they were to continue working to solve everything so they could avert this crisis. There were questions, but most were easy answer. Some wanted to know if they could leave and Jax said they would get one chance to leave. After that no more escape parties. Only 3 people left. 2 scientists and 1 soldier.

"Okay, everyone back to work, please." She was pleased. They took the news better than she had hoped.

 

[guyloveshotstories]

This wasn't going to well, but if anything was amiss, well, I kept it to myself. Eve was just scared. She didn't like guns or strangers, but we didn't have 'a thing' between us xcept that we knew each other. Not sure if Jax misunderstood that by the heavy scowl upon her pretty face, but I didn't clarify it, just let it play itself out.

Judging my the looks on the soldier's faces as well as on those in my group that were left it something bad had occured and when we didn't see their faces in awhile led me to believe they flew the coup. Shaking my head in frustration I couldn't do anything to bring them back except question why. Every no and then the power would flicker as well that made me look up at the floresent lights.

"I think Jax hates me for some reason," Eve replied suddenly.

"She doesn't hate you," I replied with a smile, "She's just different, that's all. Jax has alot of responsibilities and with that she also has alot of scorn coming from everyone else."

"Why?"

"Well, because she's a woman in a man's Army. Alot of people don't like it, they don't like change and some view them as inferior, but she's doing rather well considering what we're doing."

"Do you like her?" Eve asked suddenly.

"I don't have any reason not to like her" I replied with a smile.

"You think they'll come back?" Eve asked in a whisper over to me as she cotninued to write in another pad of paper.

"Not sure. I hope so," I replied going back to the microscope. We were on something, though, we could get a bead on the progress of the pesticides and now can find the blocks that could send it toppling down.

Looking over at Eve then back at my work I had to pull myself away from everything now and again to rub my eyes. so tired, eyes were straining to see clearly. Perhaps I should take a nap, but now wasn't the time. there was so much work to do. The whole world could become unhinged because I didn't find it in time due to a nap!

 

[La_Reina]

Jax watched them work while trying to handle questions that were being brought to her attention. She was ... everything. She handled everything and dammit if it wasn't wiping her out. She stifled a yawn as she told two soldiers that since their charges were best friends she had no problems with them doubling together. She also had to make a decision on the food rations and there was a problem with the generator.

Jax looked over at Lyon and saw his red eyes and his hand rubbing at them ... again. Okay, that was enough. Jax pushed herself from the wall where she was taking a mini break and marched to him. "This is enough. You are sleepy and must get some rest. If you don't rest your mind and body you'll miss something important. Sleeping is just as important. Let's go."

She hadn't meant it to be a command, but she was used to giving orders and she expected Lyon to follow this one well. Jax looked over at Eva who was shying away with her and she tried to soften her voice. "I only mean the best for you .. you both. You can bring your girlfriend and yoi both can sleep in the bed or whatever."

Jax growled out the last bit and she had to check herself. Eva was blushing while seeming to be looking scared at the same time. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get gruff at the end. It's been a long day and we soldiers can't sleep if you scientists don't sleep. I'm exhausted and would love to get some rest. So if you don't mind ..."

 

[guyloveshotstories]

"She's not my girlfriend" yawning and chuckling at the same time. In this worn down state I couldn't tell if Jax was somewhat jealous or not, but she was right, I needed to sleep. The walk to the quarters was more of a coaxed shuffle as my yawns persisted and Jax kept prodding my to correct my course towards the room. Eve hung back and only followed reluctantly, but she replied that she would be sleeping in her own bed as the men and women slept seperately.

"We're close, I tell you," trying to speak with confidence even though she might have heard that many times already, but this time we were definately close to finding the weak link in this and being able to break it. "Perhaps..another week.." then another yawn hit me. I couldn't remember how long I had been going without sleep, perhaps a day but being udnerground my body clock was completely fouled up. It could be broad daylight outside right now and it felt like night in here with the power continuing the flicker.

That deadly pesticide, it was amazing that how a simple chemcial bonds could be able to screw the entire world and no one saw it coming. As we walked all of these formulas and equations kept popping up inside my head that I began trying to read them and Jax must have thought I was hallucinating because she kept giving me these curious looks.

Reaching my room Eve said good night to us and went inside and that left Jax and myself. "I tell you, you've been doing a good job so far, sergeant," trying to give her a much needed compliment but being deprived of sleep was much like being drunk as the words came out thick and slurred and my eyes strained to stay open.

 

[La_Reina]

Jax glanced from Lyon to Eve and back again. She didn't believe his whole she's-not-my-girlfriend thing. He might not think so, but she totally was. They screamed couple and Jax decided she didn't care. Than she hated herself for having that little inner voice that smugly said she did. Whatever. Jax looked at Washington who was staring at Jax, but kept looking at Eve. Like she was a woman and Jax wondered what had happened to make Washington take such notice. Did they have an exchange or was Eve suddenly some incredibly beautiful woman who was taking all the men.

Holy shit. Where did that green eye monster come from?

Jax was so embarrassed that she only waved good bye to Washington and Eve as her and Lyon kept walking down the hallway to his room. The silence was thickening, but Lyon was oblivious to it as he sleepily talked about the cure. She was glad he was clueless and when they reached his room she opened the door and let him enter. She had planned on sleeping against the wall outside his door like most of the other soldiers that were littering the hallway. It was just as good as sleeping outside during a wargame or something.

"Get some sleep. Goodnight."