Monica

If given the opportunity, Taylor looked like he would flee from Monica's wrath, lest she squash him like a bug. But that would leave him to return to his own suite to deal with John, or worse, run straight to Benson.

He swallowed, stepping back as he shook his head, but said nothing.

"What were you thinking?" she demanded, trying to keep the anger from her voice.

Based on the way he bit his lip and flicked a glance over his shoulder, she hadn't succeeded.

Monica sighed and tried again, this time in a softer tone. "Taylor, that man is the reason Jayson snapped. He--" She paused, unable to admit Benson scared the hell out of her.

Taylor cleared his throat as he cast his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, okay? I can't stand this place, and Benson offered me a way out from my dad. I thought if I went along and played nice, like everyone expects me to, then maybe I could find out what happened to Jayson."

His breath hitched on his best friend's name, and Monica closed the space between them. Her arms went around him, making his shoulders stiffen for a moment before relaxing in her embrace.

"That man is awful," she whispered. Stepping back, she sighed. "I hate the way he gets into people's heads. And he had kind of this smug look when he sent Jayson out from the gates, like..." Monica dropped her hands by her sides, searching for the right words. "Like he wanted this outcome, but I couldn't say why."

Taylor met her eyes, watching her with apprehension. "Remember what I told you the other day about--"

He stopped, pointing overhead. The message was clear: he was still worried about the potential to be overheard.

Monica nodded before walking into her room, slipping into a pair of leggings and her fleece issued jacket. She swiped her key card and slipped it until her pocket before grabbing her shoes and a pair of socks, walking back into the living room and sitting on the couch to put them on.

As she did so, she said, "Let's go to the gym. We could use a workout to clear our minds."

Taylor lifted an eyebrow and smirked. Anyone who knew Monica was well aware she hated exercise. Nevermind the fact she'd had to participate in the evenings as part of her schedule. She hated every minute of it, and no amount of conditioning would ever change her mind.

But he nodded and replied anyway. "Okay. I'll probably just watch though. Wouldn't want to break anything again."

Standing, Monica pulled Taylor out of the suite, and together they walked through the facility toward the gym. After awhile, Monica said, "I think something is going on with the higher-ups, but I can't figure out what it is. I'm locked out of several medical files, and I shouldn't be. There's nothing about your mother in the database."

Taylor sighed, shoving a hand in his pocket as he started at the ground. "Dad is an idiot sometimes, but I don't blame him. He's very private with his personal life, and he wouldn't want anyone having that information."

That was understandable, but still frustrating not to have the facts. "I get that, but that information could save people. And there's this other file buried deep among the others that I found by accident. Someone skimming wouldn't have noticed it. It makes me think more and more that this was a biological weapon."

"I think you're right," he murmured. "I heard Jayson on the radio tonight. I'm not sure what was happening except soldiers kept trying to reach one of the teams until Jayson told them they were dead."

Monica stumbled as her heart lodged itself into her throat. She placed a hand to her tightening chest and gasped for breath. He wouldn't. "Are-- are you sure?"

When she opened her eyes, she saw that Taylor had stopped too, blinking rapidly while a muscle twitched in his jaw. Working his mouth, he opened and closed it before saying, "It was definitely him. He didn't say anything else after that except not to follow him. Then he cut the transmission."

Tears splashed down her cheeks and dripped onto her shirt. Jayson wasn't a murderer. He wasn't even violent when he was on his meds, but she couldn't deny how dangerous he was after the incident on the promenade. He could have killed Taylor in that rage. Was it possible he'd blacked out or had it been self defense? There had to be a logical explanation for him to do something so harrowing.

She wanted to scream, to grab Taylor by the shoulders and tell him he was wrong. But he wouldn't lie about this. And it wasn't out of the realm of possibility for Jayson to kill or for Benson to send someone after him. That man's eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of a plan only he and perhaps a few others were privy to.

Taking Taylor's arm, she pulled him in the opposite direction. "I need you to hack into those files for me."

"Wait, what?" He dug his feet into the floor, watching her with wide eyes. "It's the middle of the night. Won't someone on duty notice we're out of place?"

Monica shrugged, not sure what other options she had. "It would be worse during the day when everyone is around. We can access the computers in my lab."

"Too obvious," he countered. "If someone decided to audit the logs, they could easily trace it back to you."

"Do you have a better idea?"

His pinched expression said he did and that he didn't like it. Finally, he shook his head and released a loud sigh. "My dad's office. No one would think to monitor his computer, and his clearance is high enough that I wouldn't need to hack into anything."

Okay, she didn't like that either. Somehow, she didn't think John would be very keen on them snooping through classified information. Especially in his office. Not to mention the security that room probably had.

"How are we supposed to do that without a key card?"

"I can get us in," he mumbled. Somehow, Taylor seemed more uncomfortable than before as he pocketed his lips and traced his foot along the floor. "My dad gave me access to the biometric scanner so I could go in and out as I please. I think he was hoping for me to trust him or come see him."

Oh. That had to be awkward. Part of her wanted to say they should forget about this, that nothing was worth burning the final bridge between father and son. But this was important. If Monica found what she was looking for, she could save people.

"I'm sorry, but I need to know what's in those files."

The old saying, 'curiosity killed the cat,' drifted across her mind. Was this her ninth life ended by her desire to find the truth? She hoped not, but no one here really left her with a choice.

Nodding, Taylor looped his arm through Monica's and led her through the hallways, up a flight of stairs, and down another narrow corridor. The lights were dim on this level, an ominous warning to those who didn't belong.

Their footsteps echoed against the white tile and walls, thundering inside Monica's ears. She prayed no one else was up here this late to here them.

Taylor stopped in front of a steel door and entered a code into the side console. Then he stared ahead as light scanned his eyes before another panel opened. He pressed his hand onto it, sucking in a sharp breath and grimacing.

The door buzzed and a lock clicked. Then the door squished open, and Taylor motioned for Monica to go inside. "After you," he whispered.

Why did he have to choose now to be chivalrous with the 'ladies first' bit? Didn't he know the woman always dies first in horror movies?

Pulse beating in her throat and arms trembling, Monica stepped into the spacious room, blinking as the light overhead switched from muted to bright. Her vision adjusting, she took in the plain surroundings. For some reason, she half expected John to have pictures of his family, or at least his wife. Instead, it was barren of sentiment with its white furniture, walls, and floor. The furnishings were functional and efficient -- nothing more.

Together, they approached the desk, where Taylor took a seat and turned on the device. The computer whirred to life and the display lit up as it loaded, casting a soft blue glow on his face and luminescent eyes. Monica pulled a chair around and sat beside him, watching as the lock-screen appeared, asking for a password.

She sat in silence as he worked, ocassionally rifling through the desk before entering commands. His progress was slowed by the cast on his left arm, but within minutes, he was in.

"Okay," he stated, opening a tin of mints from John's top drawer and popping one into his mouth. His cheek puffed where he shoved the mint aside, and Monica scrunched her nose as he spoke around it. "Tell me what I'm looking for."

Monica cracked her knuckles before turning the monitor and keyboard towards her. Taylor moved over, giving her space as she opened the drive's files and combed through the contents. There were hundreds of folders, more than she was used to in her lab, and pressure built inside her chest with each second she wasted searching. Finally, she found the medical database and clicked on the folder, bringing up even more content.

She released a heavy sigh, running fingers through her tangled curls. "Holy guacamole, this is too much."

"Hang on." Taylor opened the drawers again and dug through them until he produced a flash drive still in its packaging. Tearing it open, he inserted the memory stick into the tower and took the keyboard again, shoulders hunched as his eyes focused on the screen. After entering a few commands, he sat back when a loading screen popped up. "Best to save this and comb through it on another device. We don't want to get caught in here."

Good point. But then, a realization struck her, and Monica gasped. "Taylor, this place has security cameras all over the place. What if--"

"On it," he interjected, opening up a new tab. Now that he'd finished the mint, he stuck his tongue between the corner of his lips, reminding her of a simpler time when he did that on the PC when he was really into his gaming sessions with Jayson and Eric. His boyish charm had returned, if only for a brief moment. 

A new window appeared, showing live footage across the building. "This place really needs better encryptions," he muttered with a grin as he typed. A few moments later, all the feeds died, showing them black screens, but he continued, opening another series of folders. "Okay, that's the live feed cut. And now..." He moved closer until his face almost kissed the screen before tapping the enter key harder than needed. "Victory! I scrambled the data and cut all the footage. It'll look like a malfunction in the software when they can't recover it, so we're good."

Monica sighed in relief. She didn't understand how any of this worked, but it all seemed exhausting while Taylor treated it like a child's puzzle.

The files finished loading, and Taylor ejected the thumb-drive, giving it to Monica as he stuffed the cardboard packaging in one of his cargo pockets. "I hate the texture of pants," he said casually as he shut down the computer, "but I have to admit, it has its uses."

Monica pocketed the device and giggled, despite her fear someone would walk in on them any moment. He could be so focused one minute and so random the next. "You're cute."

He grinned, and amusement danced across his eyes. His left cheek was still horribly swollen, giving him the appearance of a happy troll, but he didn't seem to show any discomfort. "Duh! It's my boyish charm. I knew you only liked me for my looks."

She poked his side between his ribs, making him jump with a squeal. She smirked, amused by how ticklish he was. She missed moments like these. "So humble. Now let's go before we overstay our welcome."

He stuck his tongue out at her before rearranging the desk. Monica moved her chair back to its place, and when they were certain nothing was out of place, Taylor turned off the lights. No one accosted them in the hallway, alarms didn't blare, and nothing crept among the shadows. The facility was exactly as they'd left it.

Monica should have felt relieved, but the pressure didn't ease from her chest until they were back at her suite. Now that they were momentarily safe, her eyes drooped and her muscles turned weak. She kicked off her shoes and sank onto the couch, propping her elbow on the armrest as she rested her cheek in her hand. Through a yawn, she mumbled, "Thank you. I know this wasn't easy."

Taylor sat beside her and slipped his arm around her waist, leaning into her for a hug. "I'd do anything for you," he whispered. "Just don't open it yet."

She didn't reply in case the room was bugged, but nodded to let him know she understood. Anything they did was most likely monitored, and Monica didn't trust herself to view the files unless she was with Taylor. And not only that, but she didn't want to be alone if she confirmed any of her theories.

"I hate this place," she said after a moment, her voice cracking at the end. A tear slipped down her cheek again. "Jeannie is an echo of herself, Jayson is gone, and I'm scared that this isn't the worst of it."

He tightened his arm around her and sighed. "I understand. This almost feels worse than being out there with the Soapies. At least outside, we know their only motivation is to have us for dinner. Here, everyone has secrets and agendas."

It was a painful reminder that Monica should have gone with Jayson, but she knew she'd never survive out there. All of her talents and skills were confined to a lab where she might find a cure. And if she was lucky, she and her friends would come out of this intact, including Jeannie. They'd lost too much already, and she didn't care to keep counting casualties.

"I shouldn't have left him alone." Once the words came out, a sob tore from her throat, and she buried her face in her arm, screaming into it. Her heart squeezed until she thought it might shatter, and she drew her knees into her chest as she sobbed.

Taylor said nothing; he kept her in his arms and pressed his cheek against her shoulder while she fell apart. That was the great thing about him -- he didn't judge or have the need to fill painful silences. He was simply there.

Once her cries quieted, she sniffed before wrapping him in a tight hug. "I'm glad you're here. I'm also sorry I snapped at you."

He shrugged. "Not your fault. All this crap would break anyone."

That didn't stop her guilt from slithering into her soul, condemning her for abandoning Jayson when he needed her most. Still, she was grateful for Taylor's presence. It made the hopelessness in her heart easier to bear.

"I need to ask one more favor of you, and you won't like it."

He sighed, his chest expanding slowly before dipping. "Alright, let's hear it."

She scooted closer, drawing him closer. What she was about to ask went against the alarms in her mind, and the very thought made her want to vomit. "I want you to try to get close to Benson. See what you can learn from him."

Taylor froze, his limbs stiffening in her embrace. His muscles coiled beneath her, like a spring wound too tight. "What? Why?"

Monica didn't blame the sudden panic in his voice. Benson deserved to be shoved in a pit of zombies, sharks, and pirhanas, left to be eaten alive. He took too much joy in others' misery, and she suspected he'd corner her if he received the chance.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep her tone even. "You have charm the rest of us don't possess. If anyone can win him over, it's you. He'll try to manipulate you, but if you go in knowing this, you might be okay."

"I can't lie," he squeaked. "I freak out every time a cop passes me because I can't look at them straight-faced without blurting out all my parking violations."

Monica laughed. Taylor would never survive an interrogation. All he needed to do was sit in the chair, and he'd spill all his secrets before anyone got the first question out.

"I'm not asking you to lie. I'm just saying to go in there and try to be his friend. Be as honest as you can without incriminating anyone. You're easy to speak to and you have the face of a choir boy."

He scoffed. "Gee, thanks."

"It can't hurt. Weren't you the one who said I wanted you for your looks?"

He groaned. "Way to throw my words back at me. But yes, I'll try. Only because it's for you though. This place can burn for all I care."

She couldn't argue with that. This place was all sorts of suspicious, and there was no denying they were all safer among the undead. If they came through this and somehow miraculously found a cure, her next objective would be to take Jeannie and Taylor outside and find Jayson. As long as they were together, everything would work itself out. Monica couldn't allow herself to believe anything else.