Resistance 2.0
The saga continues.

Peggy's Story

Resistance 2.02

December 25, 2012

12:11 am

Daddy and Will were at the door before Mom and me.  Uncle Walter was holding the door and helping Will get Dad over the small stoop.  The building looked like a community center, like the  one we had in El Paso.  One story, a room big enough for girl and boy scout meetings or a chili supper to raise money for new playground equipment at the park.  As we got close, I could smell wonderful scents.  Roast turkey and stuffing was the strongest, but underneath it I could smell all sorts of food and coffee.  My stomach grumbled and Mom smiled at me. 

Finally, we were inside.  Uncle Walter was helping Dad out of his jacket and showing Mom where she could put our coats.  Daddy was waving off Will's attempt to get him to sit down in a chair.  Daddy looked around at all the people and suddenly, the whole room stopped moving.  Everyone was frozen in place and I wondered what was wrong.  Then I saw them. 

Daddy was staring at the three men in the front of the group of people.  He started shaking his head and he got real pale.  I could hear him screaming 'no no no' in his head and I wondered why everyone else couldn't hear him.  But the shortest of the three men ran over and hugged Daddy hard and patted him on the back, leading him to a chair near the tables.  The other two were over in a second, and Daddy was whispering 'you're dead, you're dead, you can't be here,' and they were laughing and shaking their heads. 

Mom had been putting away her coat but when she saw what was happening, she ran over to Daddy.  That's when she saw the three men and she stopped and stared, too.  Tears were running down her face and she started crying for real and I could hear her thinking 'no, it can't be -- not another miracle!'  The little man who had helped Daddy turned to Mom and hugged her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.  

"We're real, Dana." 

"I don't understand," Mom said, shaking her head and wiping tears from her eyes as she hugged each of the three men in turn.  

"It was a ruse.  We had to go underground.  We knew we were compromising everything by staying -- well, alive," said the man with the beard. 

"We always told you our kung fu was the best," said the man with blond hair.  "Did we do a death scene for the Oscar's or what?" 

"I just, I don't believe it," Mom said and hugged each of them again. 

Daddy hadn't said a word, but finally spoke up.  "I saw you.  I saw you in the desert," he rasped.  I could see tear tracks down his cheeks, too.  Will was really uncomfortable that Daddy was crying, but I knew they were happy tears. 

"I know.  We hated to fool you like that," the short man said.  "You were our test case." 

"Holographic imagery," the blond man jumped in. 

"We just wanted to warn you off.  You could have been killed in those pueblos," the bearded man told him. 

"Holograph -- " Daddy said, nodding. 

"Mulder?" Mom asked. 

"I saw . . . I saw ghosts, Scully.  Krycek, X, I thought these guys were ghosts, too, when I saw them, or rather, their images in the desert." 

"You never told me," Mom said and she started to cry again.  Daddy held his arms out and she went to him.  Daddy looked over and saw Will and me standing by the door.  He motioned us over. 

"Come meet more of your family," he said with a smile.  "Peggy, Will, these are your uncles, Jon, Melvin and Ringo.  Guys, our daughter Margaret Christina, and I think you might remember the tall young man standing next to her." 

"Farm boy, it's good to meet you in the flesh, man," said the short one. 

Will's eyes got real big.  "Wait, do I know you?" he asked 

"Ladiesman, Lord Manhammer and Narc, at your service," the blond answered.  "But you're welcome to call us Uncle Frohike, Uncle Langly and Uncle -- " 

"Jon," said the bearded man, shaking Will's hand. 

Will broke out into a wide grin and suddenly he was hugging the three men, too.  "I can't believe this!  I mean, you guys were on Gibson's blog, but to meet you -- to find out you know my Mom and Dad -- " 

"Speaking of Gibson, where is he," Mom asked. 

"Just waiting my turn," said a really handsome man who came forward from the crowd.  "Hi, Peggy, Will."  He came over to us and shook Will's hand, but Will pulled him into a hug.  Then he just hugged me.  "I'm so glad everything turned out," he said to Will.  He poked me on the nose and I could hear him thinking 'you and I have to talk -- I'm way too old for you.'  I blushed and giggled. 

"Hey, we put on this spread just for you four, so let's eat.  After dinner, we have a house made up for you and we'll let you get some rest and then we'll meet up tomorrow for leftovers and planning." 

We filled our plates and had just sat down to eat when I 'heard' a lady.  She'd been standing in the back of the room but she wanted to come over.  I nudged Will and he looked up at me, a big bite of turkey leg in his mouth.  I nodded to the lady and he looked over at her.  "Dad, I think that woman is trying to get your attention," Will said, with his mouth still partially full.  I had already discovered that whatever else they might have done for him, his adoptive parents hadn't done the best job of teaching him good table manners. 

"Scully, isn't that Marita?" Daddy asked Mom.  She looked over to where he was pointing and finally picked her out of the crowd.  

"Yes, I think so."  Mom stood and waved.  The woman broke into a big smile and came over.  It was only when she got to our table that I noticed she had a boy a little older than Will with her.  He was taller than her and had dark hair and dark eyes.  He was really cute.  I hoped I wasn't blushing again. 

"Agent Mulder, Agent Scully," she said formally and looked nervously back at the boy.  "It's so good to see you, especially since the last time we met was under unfortunate circumstances." 

Mom motioned for her and the boy to sit down.  "Ms. Covarrubias, I'm so glad your here."  Funny, Mom sometimes says one thing when she's thinking something entirely different and it was one of those times.  She was thinking she would have to keep a close eye on the woman. 

"Yes," Ms. Covarrubias said, looking down at the table.  "I wanted to thank you," she said, finally looking up at Daddy.  "When I testified -- you could have -- " 

Daddy reached across the table and patted her hand.  "Marita, I never wanted to see you hurt.  It wouldn't have helped me." 

She smiled and pulled her hand back in her lap.  "Anyway, I'd like you to meet my son, Alexi.  Alexi, these are the people I've told you about." 

Mom's eyes about popped out of her head when she heard the boy's name.  "Is he . . . his father . . ?" 

"Alex was his father, yes," Ms Covarrubias said sadly.  "Alexi had just turned 18 months old when I was called to testify.  I was so afraid that they would find him -- "  She bit her lip and a tear fell down her cheek.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to intrude on your meal.  I just wanted to welcome you here and tell you that if you need anything -- anything at all, just call me.  We're a tight knit little group that Gibson has assembled and we help each other all we can."  She and the boy got up and went back to the food line. 

Mom stared after her for a few minutes and I decided not to 'peek' in on her thoughts.  I knew she wasn't happy just by the way she was sitting.  Daddy did too, because he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her over to kiss her on the forehead.  "Scully, it was a long time ago.  The boy never knew him." 

"But she did," Mom said in the voice she reserved for people she really didn't like. 

"She helped me, she was a good informant." 

Mom looked at Daddy and shrugged out from under his arm.  "Yes, well, she can inform someone else now." 

Daddy chuckled and shook his head.  "Those green eyes are showing again." 

"Mom's eyes are blue," Will said, totally confused.  I just sighed and shook my head.  There were so many things I had to teach my brother. 

Uncle Walter and Gibson sat down at our table, giving Mom and Daddy matching looks.  Only Gibson smiled and dropped his head.  I knew he'd read Mom's thoughts.  

"She's been a big help, Dana," he said quietly. 

"She's was a 'big help' 15 years ago," Mom said, sounding not at all persuaded.  "If this is the virus, if this is the beginning of the invasion, what good will a glorified administrative assistant to the UN do us?" 

Uncle Walter winced and said nothing, but Dad put on his serious face and looked over at Mom.  "She knows where strategic stores of oil and food are located." 

"She did, when she was with the UN.  How long ago was that?" 

"Scully, you're tired, it's been a shock seeing everyone, let's just drop it for now, OK?" Dad asked. 

Mom bit her lip, but finally nodded.  By that time Uncle Mel, Uncle Ringo and Uncle Jon had joined us. 

"So, you just took over a whole town?" Daddy asked. 

"It's an old mining town.  They resident population had dwindled down to 15 people.  They were more than happy to have us move in.  We're using the old mine facility for laboratories," Uncle Jon told him.  

"What research have you been doing?" Mom asked. 

Uncle Walter smiled at her.  "Remember the vial of vaccine you left in my safekeeping?" 

Mom looked over at Daddy, clearly interested.  Daddy looked confused. "I didn't think there was enough left to make a sample." 

"There was and we have," Uncle Mel replied with a big grin.  "We've managed to do a lot in the last 11 years.  We'll show you everything after you've had a chance to settle in." 

"Are the reports we've been hearing true?" Daddy asked. 

"The news stations aren't giving the whole story, if that's what you're asking.  So far the virus has a mortality rate of just under 90 percent," Uncle Mel said.  Mom closed her eyes and I could 'hear' her praying.  "We have been successful in inoculating about a quarter million folks here in the US.  Our counterparts in Europe and Asia have been a little less successful.  We haven't heard from our African operations in a few months.  We fear the worst." 

"Basically, we can do nothing at the moment," Uncle Walter said sadly.  "The world is quite naturally in a panic.  We do know that the internet is still operative and for the time being, most of the electrical grid is still up and running.  Much of it is automated, so we hope to keep the lights on.  But once the initial attack is over, the real battle begins." 

"We have maps of the pandemic, Scully, if you want to take a look at those tomorrow," Uncle Ringo told Mom. 

"Yes, I would," Mom agreed.  "I've studied the old models for a while -- the ones from H5N1 from six or so years ago.  I'd like to see if this virus is following that pattern." 

"How long can we last up here?" Daddy asked.  Mom glared at him and then looked in my direction but Daddy just shrugged and looked back at our four uncles. 

"We have huge supplies of oil and natural gas -- that's how we're heating the homes and buildings.  Food isn't a problem and when our stores run low we can raid Edmonton.  Basically, the diminishing population is working in our favor, at least until we can get self-sufficient.  We already have a small farm operation." 

"I'd like to help out with that," Will finally broke in.  I could feel him on the edge of his seat, wanting to be accepted as a grown up.  

Uncle Walter smiled.  "I think that would be a fine idea, William.  Maybe you can help us fix the tractor.  It's been running rough lately." 

"What brand?" Will asked. 

"It's a John Deere," Uncle Jon answered. 

"Crap," Will muttered.  "We'll have to make due," he said.  "Let me tinker with it, I might be able to get it running all right." 

All that farm talk was making me sleepy.  I had finished my dinner, even the piece of pumpkin pie, and I was really getting sleepy.  I shoved my plate to the center of the table and laid my head down on my arms.  Later, I felt myself being lifted into the air and my head came to rest on someone's warm shoulder.  It was Uncle Walter, I could hear him telling Daddy that he didn't want him to drop me.  I could hear his thoughts as he carried me out into the cold night.  

He was thinking we were the best Christmas present he'd ever been given.

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