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Worlds Of War	By : Lasski Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 16038 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 13
- 14
A/N: Not edited for grammar, etc... but obviously you can tell that...

Chapter 14: Abiogenesis*

                "Abiogenesis" Tessa stated some days later at a team leader meeting. Days since the incident with Ludo and Jareth saving them from a Force Group invasion. Days they had spent settling into their new location and killing off, and for some eating, biting fairies. Days since Sarah had been seen or heard of. Days they had spent trying to keep themselves as busy as possible. Not that keeping busy was too difficult with everything going on at the moment.

                Mac raised an eyebrow. "Speak English Tess."

                Tessa huffed at Mac. "In 1870 T. H. Huxley coined the word abiogenesis to describe the theory that non-living matter could produce living matter. A mythical tales tell us of the son ofApollo and Cyrene who lost his bees due to disease and famine. Cyrene told him to kill four bulls and on the ninth morning bees flew forth from the carcasses. Though it may not cover all the bases, what better word to describe magic! Or maybe it’s spontaneous regeneration, and though that does roll of the tongue better I think that’s more to do with reproduction than-"

                "While it’s nice to know that you have a scientific name for it” Kate cut into her rambling, “that doesn't help us much. We need facts not fiction".

                Tessa threw her hands up in frustration. "But don't you see; fiction is exactly what we need to get the facts!"

                "Anyone who is confused, please raise their hand" joked Johnny. Linda gave him a sharp reproving nudge.

                Tessa glared at the Spades team leader before continuing. “Obviously Abiogenesis is a substance we've never come across, and by 'we' I mean our generation. Past generations have. Fairytales, folklore, fables, myths and legends have often been thought to have a factual background on which the story was based - this proves that they did! If we study those stories then we can derive what our ancestors knew about magic. Don’t you dare give me that look Mac!”

                Mac schooled his features so he didn’t look so unconvinced about what Tess was telling them. Usually she was much more… scientific. Maybe the magic dust stuff had messed with her head? “Tess…” he began slowly, “regardless of where you start your research, the main question is can it be useful to us? Can we use it? Make more of it? We’ve seen the things that the Goblin King can do – are we able to replicate that?”

                “What a minute” Kate raised her hands, “I remember something about the original tale of Cinderella. Didn’t she have a horse that had its head cut off and then told the prince the lies the stepsisters were trying to pull? I know we’ve seen some wacked out weird stuff lately but I’m putting my foot down over talking dead horse heads.”

                Tess stared at her for a moment and then frowned. “I wonder how that would work? Though considering the mimicry nature of abiogenesis it may be that it can replicate and replace-”

                “Tess!” Michael gave her a sharp look, “Stay on track here. Mac’s right; we need to know if we can use it. How to use it. Having said that though,” here he looked towards Kate considering her words, “you need to be careful. We don’t need the dead reanimated.” Suddenly realizing what he’d said he looked at Linda in mortification. “N-not that you being reanimated was bad. I mean, brought back to life. Healed. Errrr…”

                Linda backhanded Michael on the arm. “Thanks for the zombie reference. We’re already in a war zone we may as well add the undead apocalypse as well.” Turning back to Tessa she picked up where Michael left off. “Tess, keep doing your research. If we can use this magic abiogenesis for ourselves then maybe we won’t need to rely on the Goblin King.”

                “Sure” Tessa grinned and then lingered in the room.

                “What’s the problem?” asked Michael.

                “Well, you see” Tessa began hesitantly, “I really can’t do much more research until I get some better equipment…” Tess drifted off slowly.

                “What sort of equipment?” Mac asked but the sinking gut feeling told him he already knew the answer

                “The real high tech stuff. The stuff that can only be found in Superior governed labs. Abiogenesis is something out of this world. Literally from what I hear of the Goblin King.”

                Linda and Michael looked at each other. “We need to discuss this. “Linda thought out loud, “we need to see if this is a high enough priority. Going into Superior territory is dangerous enough. To be there long enough to do testing may be impossible.”

                Tessa looked like she wanted to push the issue further but managed to restrain herself.“Of course. In the meantime I’ll finish up writing the reports on what I already have.”

                There was a murmur of ‘thanks Tess’ as she left the room.

                Mac waited until Tessa was well out of earshot. “We can’t risk going into their labs. Not with how heavily guarded they are. Besides we’ve already started planning on stealing that shipment of supplies that’s coming in ten days. We can’t do two runs so close together; they’ll up their security. At this point food is more important than looking at magic dust.”

                “Could we do them at the same time?” Johnny smoothed his hand over the map of the Seattle area. We haven’t been able to solve the problem of getting the supplies out without an alarm going off within five minutes. Maybe we can use it to our advantage. The moment they find out our people are at the bay area, they’ll move the bulk of their forces there. The labs will end up with decreased security.”

                Michael shook his head. “You’re talking about splitting our forces, not to mention deliberately putting people at the docks in danger to give the lab group extra time, and it still doesn’t solve the problem of how we’re going to get out from the bay area without being caught in the first place.

                “And we can’t be sure that the distraction will give Tess enough time at the lab to do what she needs.” Linda put in.

                “What about Ludo?” Johnny pressed, “I assume he can call the rocks again. And now we got his… family here.”

                The team leaders looked at each other and then over towards the largest cavern. There was no one in camp who was over staring at the creatures. Ludo was orange and shaggy with the mouth that could swallow a man whole, but he was no means the biggest of the creatures. Four others had come with Ludo. Two were smaller and appeared to be twins. More like bright yellow fuzz balls than shaggy like their older siblings, they were full of energy and had literally bounced off the walls once or twice. They called themselves Nug and Gop The third was taller than Ludo but not quite as bulky. Kabo was an army green and faded quite well into the background of the tunnels. He was very similar in temperament to Ludo and allowed the children to climb all over him.

                Then there was Hank the Tank. At least, that’s what the freedom fighters had named him. He was twice the size of Ludo. Both in height and mass. He was a scary mother fucker too. Pitch black with paws the size of tree trunks, and unless it was a brightly lit room you couldn’t tell if he was in the room or not. It was like when you were a kid and saw a shadow from your bed that you knew had to be some monster waiting to get you. Hank was the shadow. Hank was definitely scary monster size. While the rest could give out basic English words Hank only grunted and sat against the wall. That was unless he moved to eat something, or swat at a fairy. And he managed to hit them every time too, even if the other creatures only managed swing wildly at them like a puppy chasing its tail and trying to chomp on it unsuccessfully. Johnny had managed to coax Hank to sit near the fairies to keep the flying population from getting too close to the children. While the kids tugged, pulled, patted and used the other creatures like something between a jungle gym and a pony they didn’t tend to go near Hank. Only Tasha, Linda’s daughter, would sometimes sit next to him with a book and read out loud to him. Hank would never move, except he did open his eyes and seem to be looking at the pictures as Tasha flipped the pages.

                “Maybe they can do other things as well. Like call an earthquake or something.” Johnny mused.

                “Maybe,” Mac scrubbed a hand over his face tiredly, “but talking to them is like trying to talk to a puppy, complete with the big eyed confused looks. I don’t think ‘attack and kill at this point in the mission’ is in their capacity.”

                “The other problem would be the Goblin King.” Linda pointed out. “I don’t think he’ll allow his creatures to leave this area. We know Ludo and the others are here in protection of this place, not outside these tunnels.”

                “Would he have to know?” This came from Michael.

                “He would no doubt find out somehow” Linda said resolutely, “he’d either stop up before we got anywhere or take it out on us later. I’m not so keen to find out how angry he can get.”

                “Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission” Michael quoted.

                Linda looked up at him, “I’m not so sure about that.”

                “Alternatively, our scouts have located a warehouse near here that apparently has supplies.” Melinda said. “If we can’t work a plan for the docks, that might be a our next best bet. But if we can do the docks, that that’s going to be a bigger payload.

                Johnny turned away from the Labyrinth creatures with a sly grin. “You know, I think I have an idea…”

                ***

                Yi bowed before The Boss. “Dr Karakis has finished the anti-venom.”

                The Boss smiled. “Excellent. Tell our forces to start incorporating the venom with their weapons. I don’t want the rebels getting up from scratches anymore. When we hit them, I want them put down permanently.”

                “Our engineers have also come up with plans to build smoke bombs that use the venom as a mist.”

                He sat back in his chair and stroked the arm thoughtfully. “Really? Are you saying that we could eventually smoke out the rebels and kill them in their own lair?”

                “It’s possible, sir.”

                The Boss nodded. “Tell them to continue, but I don’t want it in use just yet. There’s something I need from the Freedom Fighters before we kill them all. You are free to go.”

                Yi bowed again and left.

                The Boss got up and went to his maps of Seattle. Smoothing a hand over the large circle area marked in red. Somewhere, in all of that space, the rebels were hiding. Somewhere there was Sarah. Once he had her he would kill the rest. His plans were coming together.

                ***

             An hour later the meeting between the Freedom Fighter leaders ended with a basic game plan for the dock attack.

                “Michael!” Linda called to her partner. When she’d caught his eye she glared at him. “I’ll eat your brain later.”

                Michael bowed his head in defeat while Mac clapped him on the back. “She’s not going to let me live that one down for a while, is she.”

                “No” Mac agreed, “no, she’s not.”

                “You know I could get some bandages from the supplies” Johnny chuckled.

                “Screw you, asshole.” Michael glared and stalked out of the room.

                   Mac caught Johnny’s arm before they left the room and held him back from the others. “Have you given thought to who you want to partner you?”

                    Johnny flinched and turned away. “Some. I thought I’d wait a couple more days. See if she comes back.”

                    Mac looked at his friend with dark eyes, hardening his heard for what he knew had to be said. “It’s been days, we don’t even know if she is coming back. We need you to lead in the attack. We need both leaders of the Spade team to lead in the attack. Whoever you choose needs to start knowing their role now, not the moment before the attack. Who have you got in mind?”

                     Johnny clenched his fists and breathed deeply. He wanted to yell at Mac. Lash out and ask him what it would be like if Johnny was asking who he wanted to replace Melinda with. “I was thinking of Hayden.”

                     “The kid?” Mac sounded dubious.

                       Johnny shrugged, “not so much a kid; he turned nineteen a few months ago. Has a good head on his shoulders, even if he’s still got some teenage rashness. I’ve heard how he’s managed to get out of some tight spots before. Pretty ingenious stuff. If he can last out a few months as a leader, gain the respect of others, he’ll be good.” Johnny sighed and looked straight at Mac. “We need some younger blood on the team. We don’t know how much longer this war is going to go on for, but if we can start training him now by the time we’re too old or dead he could be ready to lead us all.”

                         Mac nodded his agreement. “Go talk to him now. Get him started.” He watched Johnny leave. He himself had been responsible for putting Johnny and Sarah together as partners, for raising Johnny up as a leader of the Freedom Fighters. The man could be devious using an attitude of ‘the end justifying the means’ but he had a big heart for those few he kept close. Mac knew that Johnny would be a good mentor for Hayden.

                        Mac took a step outside the office and was ambushed by Linda’s daughter.

                         “Where’s Sarah?” Tasha demanded.

                          Mac was stunned into silence. His honest thought of ‘getting screwed ‘til Sunday by the Goblin King’ he knew was not the right thing to say to the little girl. Only by not opening his mouth did he stop the words.

                        “Where is she!” Tasha stamped her foot, gearing up for a good tantrum. “I haven’t seen her for days and she promised me that she would finished telling me the story about the princess and the giant.” Her bottom lip suddenly trembled. “Is she did? Did the Superiors get her?”

                       Mac knelt down on her level and ran a hand over her hair. “Oh no, honey. Sarah isn’t dead. She’s with the Goblin King.”

                      “The man with the funny hair who got us here?”

                     “Yeah, that’s the one.”

                      Tasha seemed to accept this, then “what’s she doing with him?”

                    “What’s she doing with….?” Mac was so not prepared for this conversation. “She’s…. she’s helping him.”

                     “Helping him with what?”

                    ‘Yes, Mac’ his inner voice taunted him, ‘helping him with what?’ “Helping him make this area safer for us.” There. That wasn’t so far from the truth.

                    Tasha was not done with him yet. “When is she coming back?”

                    Mac smiled sadly at her, “I’m not sure. But I know she’ll do everything in her power to come back and finish telling you the story.”

                   “Is she coming back soon?”

                  “I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

                  “Today?”

                   “Ummm, maybe not today.”

                 “Tomorrow?”

                  Mac took a deep breath. “Tasha, honey, you know it’s really important that we keep this place safe and secret, don’t you?” Tasha nodded. “Well, that takes a lot of work. Sarah might be away for a little while longer but it’s because she making us safer. Ok?

                   “Ok, Mac.” Tasha threw her arms around his neck. “I love you.”

                    “Love you too, honey. Now why don’t you head back to the others.”

                    “Kay.” Tasha ran off back to the other children screaming “I know where’s Sarah’s gone!” She was instantly mobbed by the other children.

                      Mac chuckled to himself.

                      “Mmm…”

                       Mac swung around at the voice.

                      “Seems it’s just as well I came back. Unfinished storytelling to do.”

                       "Sarah?"

*Abiogenesis: Betty Kirkpatrick (2000) Brewer's Concise Phrase and Fabels, Caswell and Co., London.
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Worlds Of War