The Immortality Virus

I hate you

They took their own plane back to the US.

Sherry got up to use the restroom leaving Jake, Leon, and Claire alone. Leon gave Claire a measured look and she got up too. The look wasn't missed by Jake. Claire was still uncomfortable with him. She had positioned herself in a seat across from him where she could see him at all times. While everyone else had relaxed her eyes had kept darting back to Jake noting the similarities between him and his father. The long nose and chin, piercing blue eyes. He was even the same height, his long legs stretching out in front of him.

Jake for the most part had managed to ignore her as he sat next to Sherry. They hadn't spoken much once they were on the plane. But they were both exhausted as well.

After Sherry and Claire were both gone he looked at Leon. "So what are they really after?"

"Both of you." Said Leon. "Although I'm not sure what they are doing, just something down the grapevine."

"Who is the grapevine?" Jake guessed this was a specific person but Leon didn't add anything else

Leon grinned. "Trade secrets."

Jake shook his head. "I said I was done being their guinea pig. No fucking labs." Jake gave Leon a look suddenly suspicious. "Or the American governments labs." He said suddenly thinking of Sherry.

"No," Leon responded. "No one knows about you, you're just good at your job and you are being 'hired.'"

"Hired."

"An attempt was made to abduct Sherry," Leon said. "Someone new is at the helm, and once again money is being fed into the machine that grinds those damn monsters out."

"No shit, they're dumping them all over Yemen like it's a fucking playground." Jake responded. He stiffened. "You want me to be a body guard for Sherry?"

"No..." Said, Leon smiling. "But Sherry will be safer with you. That's the real reason I want you here. We trust you with her. And we need your help to figure out what's going on. You two are each other's best option for getting out of this alive. They've suddenly turned up the heat to get to her. There's talk about mixing your samples. I want to know why."

Jake shrugged. "Why? Who cares, I think they've interfered in our lives for long enough."

Leon nodded but then smirked. "I don't think you're going to turn down this job. The down payment is you get to see Sherry."

Jake looked at him sharply and said nothing. God he hated how much that man saw. They sat silently for a few minutes until Claire and Sherry returned from the restrooms.

"What did I miss?" Sherry asked quietly, yawning as she sat.

"Leon, here was just filling me in on the latest developments," he paused. "Speaking of which, when we touch down, where am I going?" No one had discussed this yet. Jake didn't have much, they had actually stopped and bought him some clothes before they left. Jake had felt odd about having so much at once, but Sherry had assured it that was normal. Being a mercenary was so much simpler than being a civilian.

"Hunnigan may have said Sherry was in charge of getting you settled," said Leon hiding a smile.

Sherry turned red again and made no reply. Clair scowled.

Jake shot Leon a dark look another thinking, yeah I hate you definitely.