They unfortunately make the train

Catty and I discussed it, but it didn’t take long for us to come to the same conclusion. We hadn’t found another way out in over eight hours of searching, meaning it was unlikely there would be something we could take advantage of before my fertility period was up. Certainly not before I’d again be automatically connected with viable coupling candidates. And as the train to Gilead was leaving in thirty minutes it came down to leave now, or maybe not leave before I become pregnant. We decided to run.

Rousing Atticus was frustratingly difficult. Consulting with Eileen showed that not only had her security system shocked him, it had delivered it in such a way that he’d be mentally incapacitated for nearly twelve hours. That put him more or less out for another two hours. Catty and I were able to wake him, but he could barely do more than follow repeated verbal commands. He almost looked like a zombie.

It seemed so strange to just leave, but we didn’t have any possessions to pack or take, so we simply walked out with Catty guiding Atticus and me leading the way. While we didn’t catch Juniper on our way out, we did see her brother Coby before we exited the building. He walked over to me with a cocky smile on his face and planted himself right in my path. “Hey Joy, Juniper told me all about your escapades yesterday. I think it’s pretty sexy that you are into that romance stuff. If you’d like, I can get romantic too. Trust me, I’m very compatible and would make sure you get pregnant! What do you say? Want to hook up?”

I had to really fight the urge to laugh in Coby’s face. Eileen had the pallet floating right next to him, letting me know he was unemployed, was medically cleared last week, has not ejaculated since immigrating 20 months ago, enjoyed listening to music as a hobby, had no credits currently available, and had a wealth and social index score of -20. As if this alone wouldn’t make him unappealing to breed with, Eileen also let me know that he had a sperm count of 2% and had a very low compatibility rating.

Deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, I smile at Coby and reply “I really appreciate that Coby. I’m a little busy right now but maybe we can… um… couple later. Okay?”

I don’t wait for a response before nodding back at Catty and getting us moving around the arrogant prick. Coby calls out cockily behind us “Okay babe! I’ll keep an eye out for you!”

While Eileen shows me the men who have high or very high compatible ratings, she thankfully remains asking me if I’d like to connect our WINIIs and not automatically doing so. When we get to the station it again feels strange to simply walk in without even so much as a turnstile, but soon enough we find ourselves waiting on the platform, waiting for the next train.

Just as I think we’re going to make it, I hear a man approaching us. Trying to look casual, I glance over my shoulder and see it’s someone with one of those official looking tablets. He thankfully doesn’t look upset, but he does look concerned. “Excuse me ladies and sir. I believe you may be waiting for the wrong train. This next train is external and heading to Gilead. Did you maybe mean to catch the following train to New Vegas?”

With Catty taking care of Atticus, I step so that I’m in between this man and them. Standing up a little straighter I try to look far more confident than I feel. “No, we’re all heading to Gilead today.”

My internal voice screamed at me, wanting to add “That isn’t a problem is it” or even more submissively “We were told there wasn’t any security checks for this train”, but I kept my face cool and calm, hoping that attitude would answer any questions he had.

I’m not sure if I was having the desired effect or not as the man looked torn. After almost turning and walking away he stepped closer to me and said something that got the hairs rising on my neck “Are you okay Miss? This man isn’t forcing you on this trip, is he? I can help if he is, you’re safe here.”

Just as he finished whispering to me, the hum from the approaching train started to increase in volume. If this was like the trains we saw earlier, I had maybe ten seconds before it arrived. The man’s words had me scared though, and suddenly wondering why there wouldn’t be security for this one train. I’d looked at it as a method of escape, but what if they didn’t check passengers on this train because no one in their right mind would get on it?

With only a moment to decide, and no time to consult with Catty I leaned in and rested my hand comfortingly on the man’s shoulder. “I really appreciate that sir, but we know the dangers of heading to Gilead. We’re taking him there, not the other way around.”

The man still looked like he was about to prevent us from getting on the approaching train, so I went a step further. Using Eileen I called up his information. Ignoring the fact that he had a low compatibility score, I focused on his name. “Look Edwin, I appreciate your concern. I really do. But we know what we’re doing, and we’ll be fine. I know it doesn’t look that way but trust me.”

I’m not sure if it’s my words, my hand on his shoulder, my use of his name, or the confident smile I paint over my nervous face, but Edwin Conrad, security guard first class, nods and steps back from me just as the train pulls into the station.

Turning to look at the train, it takes me a moment to recognize what I’m seeing. The trains we’d seen before had been sleek, aerodynamic, and appeared to be made out of single pieces of some lightweight metal. They made the new Maglev trains that ran between LA and San Francisco in our time look like antiques. This train, however, was entirely different. You could clearly see the different pieces of metal making up its shell and they weren’t even the same. Some were new, while others looked rusted and about ready to fall off. Where the other trains looked delicate, like they were slipping their way through the air, this looked armored and ready to punch its way through a wall. Where we had yet to see any signage here, all information coming through the WINII system, this train had a graphic and name roughly painted on its side. Having the name “Gilead” on the side of the train made sense as we already knew we were traveling there. But the graphic… it was an American flag.

As the doors open a man stepped out. Two things immediately stuck out as different. First was his clothes. Everyone here was wearing some variation of the same gray scrub like clothes. This man was wearing a large grey wool overcoat, black leather gloves, black leather boots, grey stiff slacks, and a red cap that reminded me of a soviet era military dress hat. The other thing that stuck out was the gun he was carrying. If his clothes and the train he rode in on looked like they were out of the past, his gun certainly didn’t. It was roughly the size of a standard M4 carbine, but its barrel crackled with a bolt of electricity moving seemingly randomly around it. Its loud buzzing was beyond off putting, and I felt my stomach clench up just thinking what that obvious weapon would do.

Does it shoot an electric bolt?

The man’s loud exclamation shook me out of my thoughts, “If you’re boarding, do so now. Bring your man to the passenger car and sit down.”

I saw several men getting off the train. Their dress immediately marked them as different, as what they were wearing looked more like a suit from our time than anything the people here were wearing. Some even had ties on. And each one looked very serious.

Putting my hand on Catty’s back I started to guide us slowly to the train, leaning in to whisper “Are we sure about this? The guard back there warned me, and even thought Atticus was **** us. This looks… worrying.”

Catty just looked at me and mouthed the word “Pregnant” and kept walking toward the train.

That realization made up my mind. Get on the train and find out what was going to happen or stay here and get pregnant.

Once we were on the train the doors closed behind us and it lurched forward, almost throwing us to the ground. Seeing empty rows of seats, I just assumed this was the passenger car the military man was talking about and helped Catty and Atticus into one of them. Sitting across the aisle from them I tried to look around and see if they had a map or display or anything to give information. Before I could complete my scan of the car, however, four of the military men walked in from the rear of the car and headed directly toward us. All four were carrying similar rifles with their intimidating bolts of electricity.

The man in front looked over Atticus, Catty, and me as if he didn’t understand what we even were. Finally, after handing his riffle back to one of the other men, he pulled a book out of an inner coat pocket and flipped through it. Even after only a day, it seemed strange to see someone using a paper book. Focusing in on it I asked Eileen what it was, using my internal voice.

Eileen’s voice, previously always female and some variation of pleasant, sounded masculine and far more staccato and robotic. “The lieutenant is looking through a book containing the rules for immigrating to the nation of Gilead.”

Suddenly worried about the change in Eileen, I ask her “Eileen? Are you okay? You sound different.”

Her answer, still in her manly robotic voice, simply increases my concern “I am now connected to the Gilead Information Network. Until I connect to an external network, I must follow all protocols inherent to said network.”

The man finally finds what he’s looking for and reads for a moment before putting the book back in his pocket. Looking between Atticus, Catty, and me, he asks “What are your names.”

I nod at Catty, indicating I’ll try to talk for all of us, and try to answer with the same false confidence I had on the station platform. “I’m Joy Williams. This is Atticus Moore and that’s Catalina Rod…”

My head snaps back and I see stars floating by my eyes. Somewhere down a long tunnel I hear Catty scream and a man shouting something. It feels like time has become a river of honey and it’s difficult to move or even think. When I’m able to turn my head back forward I feel something dripping down from my lip and see the lieutenant leaning down to talk to Atticus. Next to Atticus, Catty is lying back in her chair, blood pouring out of her split lower lip. I try to push through the honey and listen to what the man is saying.

“…so I’ll ask again, why are you coming into Gilead? Why leave the FUWN and their supposed paradise?”

Atticus looks far more present than he did even ten minutes ago, but I can see he’s still not anywhere near 100%. I have no idea how much he’s overheard of Catty’s and my plan or if he even knows where we are.

My head lolls back for a moment and I feel like I lost more than a few seconds when I’m finally able to look up at Atticus again. He looks better, but he also looks scared. The military man, the lieutenant as Eileen identified him, is hovering over Atticus and still talking in his clipped almost annoyed voice “To confirm, you are claiming this one is your wife. Catalina Rodriguez. And this one is your cousin, Joy Williams. You came from the Eastern Coalition to help with your fertility but didn’t like the conditions in FUWN and are now moving on to what you hope is a better life in Gilead. This is important, Mr. Moore. Is all of that correct?”

It doesn’t look like Catty has moved and I’m concerned that they’ve done more than merely hit her. As funny as it is to play ‘knock out with one punch’ on TV, that type of **** almost always accompanies a concussion, if not more overt brain damage. And Dr. Rodriguez’s brain isn’t one we can risk with damage.

Atticus finally looks over at me. He seems hurt, like he’s on the verge of crying, and I wonder if they’re doing something to him. But after a moment and a silently mouthed “I’m so sorry” from him, I realize he’s not hurting for himself. He’s hurting for me. When he turns back to the lieutenant he nods and a tear fall down his cheek. “Yes, that’s all correct.”

The lieutenant stands up straight and speaks to the men behind him as much as he does Atticus. “Very good Mr. Moore. For now, we’ll leave your so-called wife alone. She may travel with you in the passenger car. When she regains consciousness, please keep her in line. She is not to speak unless spoken to. She is not to leave your sight. We’ll arrive in Dallas in two hours. At that time, we’ll contact the immigration department and find out if we are to process her as your family or your property.”

The lieutenant slides out of the way allowing two of the men to come and pull me roughly from my seat as he continues talking to Atticus. “Your cousin, as an unclaimed female, will be put into a government pen. If you’d like, you can attempt to purchase her at the next available auction.”

Not liking the sound of any of this I start to struggle in the men’s arms. Wiggling my legs furiously I’m able to kick both of them as well as snapping my teeth at their hands. “Get your hands off of me! You’re not taking me to some God damned Pen like a….”

I still don’t know what that bolt of electricity does on the barrel of the rifles. But the butt of their guns is quite effective at knocking someone out cold, as demonstrated by the fourth military man and his quick ‘rifle to my forehead’ demonstration proved.