The Rabbit's Den

Rabbits Will Kill Their Young

It took a couple days, but Trixie came through it okay. Her bleeding had stopped from the bullet wound as well as her miscarriage. She was sitting up in her hospital bed holding one of Petra's twins. Petra stood beside her holding the other. "I've figured out their names." Petra said looking at Trixie. Trixie held the tiny hand of the baby, "What's that?" "You're holding Hope, and this is Faith." Trixie smiled down at the baby, "Hello Hope." "Do you think they're good?" Trixie smiled up at Petra, "I think they're perfect." "I never thought you were going to die Trixie, you're too stubborn for that. Are you sad about the baby?"

She leaned back against the pillows wincing a little, "I don't know, I don't think so." "Do you think the Doctor meant to shoot you?" She glanced over at Petra, "Honestly I don't know who's bullet hit me, there was so much going on. Did you see it?" She shook her head; she had just assumed it was the doctor. Trixie was right, Zach and the Doc had been shooting blindly at each other, it was a blessing no one else was hit. "I guess I'm a little sad for the baby, but I'm at peace with it as well. I don't know how I could handle a living breathing reminder of him." She felt heartless saying it out loud, the pain moved for a moment to her chest.

"I want you to go to the hutch." Petra stood motionless, looking worried at her, "It's safer for you there. There are more mothers, and children." "Do you want me to go away?" Trixie shook her head, "Not at all Petra, but the Doc took off. If he comes back I'd rather him not find you. I don't want you or Faith or Hope to be in danger." "But if they don't find me, and the girls, they might just kill everyone here. Including you." Trixie nodded. Kaleb was standing by the door, listening to them as he watched, "That's always been the risk here Petra, you would have been moved there when you first arrived had it not been too dangerous. You'll have more help there."

It was a complete accident that Jacque had discovered the tunnel that ran under the river. Behind a false wall, there beside the Tank, it ran under the river back up on the other side almost a mile away. Jacque thought that the older part of the building and the tunnel may have been a tuberculosis ward. The tunnel came back up to a dilapidated church and cemetery. Both were hidden well, probably to discourage grave robbers that could spread the infection. Originally when Jacque slowly began to restore the interior of the church its intention was to be a sort of panic room in the event of a WOLF raid. It was a couple years later, when a couple pregnant women showed up they moved them there to keep them safe. It was never intended to be a permanent solution, but as WOLF grew and became more powerful it was the only solution.

Whatever was happening in the Desolates was a mystery. When it began they were all women in their 20s. Seeking refuge and protection of themselves and their unborn babies. As time when on, the women continued to come, it wasn't just happening to one generation. There wasn't always a happy ending; there had been several miscarriages, even in the hutch.

"I'll take you myself." Trixie said as she handed Hope back to her. "You'll never make it; it's over a mile Trixie." Trixie shot Kaleb a dirty look. "Two babies, and Petra just gave birth, none of us will be moving very fast Kaleb." "I'm sure Sadie would like to go back too, now that Petra's had the babies, Lenora is probably needing the help." Kaleb said defeated, he couldn't stop Trixie from doing anything. "Let her know, we can leave when she's ready." He nodded and left to find her.

Sadie barley seemed like a woman in her 70s as she occasionally skipped as they walked through the tunnel. Petra and Trixie limped slowly along; Kaleb carried Hope while Sadie carried Faith. The tunnel was dark and damp. It wasn't as cold as it was outside. At the entrance of the Hutch the lock was on the inside of the door, rather than the outside. Kaleb knocked, Sadie and Trixie sat down on the ground. Petra looked at them confused; Kaleb passed Hope over to Trixie, then turned to her. "Might as well sit down, sometimes it takes them a while to hear us. For over an hour Kaleb would occasionally pound hard on the door. Finally it opened, Lenora stood there face beaming with happiness when she saw Sadie.

Once inside Sadie introduced Petra and the babies to Lenora. "We are so glad you made it!" Kaleb helped Trixie up the stairs and to a chair before lifting her shirt up and checking her bandages in the light. "What happened to you Trixie?" Lenora gasped, not letting go of little Faith. "I got shot." Her face dropped a level of happiness, "The baby?" Trixie shook her head, "I lost it." Lenora frowned, "I'm sorry baby." They left Petra in the hands of Lenora and Sadie, then made their way back to the Den.

Dr. Mullens had been walking away from the Den, in the opposite direction of his city clinic for weeks. His wound despite the temperatures was starting to show signs of infection. It was WOLF who found him, not the other way around. At first his encounter was like anyone who came across WOLF. He was on his knees with his arms up, screaming, "I'm Dr. Jacob Mullens, I need to see Dr. Gregory Peterson."

Jacob was lying in the hospital in the gilded city of Haven. The golden liquid from the small antibiotic bag dripped alongside his saline. Dr. Gregory Peterson walked in, concern and happiness mixed on his face. "Jacob, what happened? We heard the city was breeched and the clinic was torn to rubble. You were presumed dead." Jacob grabbed the older man's hand, "I found Trixie. She's alive." Dr. Peterson froze, "What?" "I know she's your daughter, I'm telling you she's alive." He let go of the younger doctor's hand. He studied him hard, not knowing what to say.

Dr. Peterson pulled a chair up and sat next to Jacob's bed. "What is she like?" Jacob sighed, "Insufferable. Like you. She followed in your footsteps; she's the closest thing to a doctor in their community." Dr. Peterson smiled, bringing his hands up to his face. "What does she look like? Like her mother?" Jacob shook his head, "Not really, she has her eyes. She's pretty considering." The older doctor straightened up, "Considering what?" "Considering where's she's been and doing. It's not the city out there Greg."

"There is another thing you should know Greg," He hesitated for a moment not sure of how the doctor would take the news. "She's pregnant." The older man's face flushed with excitement. Jacob took a deep breath, "With my child." Greg shifted in his seat, "Is this going to be a problem?" "It could be, you haven't seen this compound, it's...it's impressive." The older man pondered for a moment. "Is this something we should leave alone Jacob?" Jacob shook his head, "One of my subjects just gave birth to identical twin girls, and they came from the altered 'J' serum. They are all in the same facility. She's the subject from you're original trials right?" Shifting again, this time uncomfortably in his seat, "The trail was in its infancy." The men stared at each other for a moment, Greg spoke up first, "So what's the plan?"