Project Red Ribbon

CHAPTER 2

Jack paced the room, he had lost all the anger from before- probably due to the fact he spilled far too much to Woody about Red Ribbon. James couldn't afford to be angry at Jack, yet his heart raced at the thought of where the information was going. 

"We owe her now, you all know that right?" Charlie muttered, "I've never owed anyone anything before." 

James looked up from his hands, "dude, you owe me the dark grey sweater you took before we left." Charlie looked sheepish, "you will get that back, it may just be ash and dust now though- considering I didn't take it hand luggage." James couldn't help but smile. 

The door opened, a man- already conversing with another man behind him- walked into the room. Despite no insurmountable height or strength, they seemed to tower over them as if a hawk was standing over its prey. 

"Yes, I understand what you're saying but we're on city patrol and we still have eyes on-" the man stopped talking and looked over at James and the others. He lowered his voice and began talking again. James could only pick up a few phrases; can't...too hard...rainbow...security risk.

"Yes sir," the second- and much younger man- replied with a small salute and marched back out of the door, shutting it behind him with an echoing thud. The man remaining appeared to be the one in charge. He wore a military-style suit in mud green- his hair was greying and thinning at the top of his tanned head. His eyes were brown and cold, he looked at James as he said; "My name is Maverick. And I'm the one who makes the decisions around here."

"You've caused quite a stir here, I hope you know," he added slowly in a heavy Texan accent. His voice had a careless drunken sound to it- not the sound of a leader. 

"I would imagine so, we crashed on your doorstep...literally," Charlie said sarcastically. The man didn't smile. His furrowed eyebrows and challenged glare reminded James of an old western gunslinger. I guess the same could be said for everyone around here he'd seen- except Calvin, he seems too sure of everything to bother being on guard. 

"You're funny, son, you're real funny," the man spoke slowly- drawing out the 'real' as long as he needed before Charlie shrunk back with his head low. 

"As I was saying, you've all caused a commotion. I can't have that. I need you gone," he continued in the same calm, drunken voice from before. Except there was no way he was drunk, his eyes were clear and searched everyone's faces. Nobody spoke. 

"As I thought, you've nowhere to go! Nobody to save you! I guess you'll need our help," he huffed mockingly. James' hands felt clammy, he hated that he and his friends would ultimately have to tie themselves to the League to survive- both for their help in getting them out of here, and also because Woody already knew too much. 

"OK, so what conditions are we talking here?" James asks quietly. Maverick stood up from his chair and eyed them all one by one. Finally he sighed and looked to the floor. 

"We will take you to Washington, if you take one of ours with you," He started, "she's in need of medical attention, and we don't have the services here to accommodate her needs."

James felt elated- as if his mind was being drained of water and he could finally think again, he was in his element again. 

"Sir, I'm a paramedic, take me to her right now and I can help-" He froze, "I'll need my medic jacket though." At this, Maverick narrowed his eyes in thought before sighing again. 

"Son, I know who you are, but this woman is pregnant- it's for the best that she and her child are  moved to the Zone." 

James couldn't disagree with that, the Zone would have to let a pregnant woman in, wouldn't they? He just wasn't sure that her being a part of the League would sit nice with the Zone, especially if James was going to plead a case. 

"I'm positive that can be done, Sir," James lied. Maverick tilted his head and smiled condescendingly, as if he couldn't trust James to know for sure. He was right to believe that. 

"See, I like you, and I believe you want the best," Maverick began, "I can't trust the Zone, I'm sure intelligent teens like you will understand that I will have to put precautions in place." 

James gulped, Sarah and Charlie nodded their heads next to him. Jack's face was completely slack but his eyes were very much alert- that was one of the highs of having Jack Cameron on your side, he'd never miss a thing. 

"Continue," Sarah urged. Maverick reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a neatly folded slip of paper. James took it from him. Charlie leaned forward impatiently.

The letter was not written professionally, it looked as if Maverick had written down his plan in the middle of the night after dreaming about it, James read anyway. 

'Charlie Foster, Jack Cameron, James Forest and Sarah Barkley will be lead by a team to the Washington DC Zone with Tabitha Chase where she will be handed over for treatment. If this final goal is not completely, Charlie, Jack, James and Sarah will not get the opportunity to return to their Zone safely, [Rainbow+ Eagle top]'

Oh, James thought whilst reading the final line. 

"Dude, that's like a two sentence plan, you could have just said it, I mean its pretty straight forward-" Charlie started. Jack slapped him across the back of the head to shut him up. 

"OK, I'll stop," Charlie winced, rubbing the back of his head. James refolded the paper. This is their only hope, he knew that, he just hoped the Zone would know what was at stakes. 

"What's Rainbow and Eagle Top?" James asked. 

"They're code words, a weapon, person, place or form of intelligence that he's guarding so we can't save ourselves from it." Jack answered angrily. He was watching Maverick closely, as if Rainbow or Eagle Top was going to be used on them right now. 

"I don't think we have any other choice but to agree to your terms," Sarah sighed. James knew she was right, he had just one condition of his own. 

"We'll go if we have Woody," James stared Maverick down, he knew they'd need Woody close to make sure she wouldn't spill what she'd heard about Project Red Ribbon. Maverick grinned knowingly, James' heart raced. 

"I'm sure that can be arranged," He said, sticking his hand out. James shook his hand, it was settled. 

"There we go, now please keep in mind, if you do not get my wife and child to the Zone safely... you're dead, it's as simple as that Mr Forest... you're all dead."