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Williams glanced back over his shoulder to Duskworth. Dusksworth was a good guy, not very intimidating, though. He knew some marshal arts and had professional firearms training, but he certainly wasn't a beefy one like Freddie. Even Williams wasn't as physically large Freddie, though he could probably hold his own in hand-to-hand. Ducksworth shook his head and shrugged, obviously not wanting to have to break it to Freddie.

Williams frowned and looked back towards Freddie. "Look man.. we just..well, we can't. Ya know."

Williams cleared his throat and gave him an awkward look. Mostly likely it was susposed to be sympathy, but there was a touch of fear there as well. Freddie was the kind of guy who might shoot the messanger. "Look man," he said, lowering his voice. "Moreau musta found out you banged his girl or somethin'..."

Williams swallowed again. "No, man.. I dun think it works that way, man. I mean... like there was this janitor guy who spilled some chemical or some s**t and they're turning him into a toad. And like.. someone told me that that octopus freak got like..." he lowered his voice even more, "his peice cut off something. I mean... you know Moreau. he's kind of.." he shut real quick, but quickly pointed to his temple and circled his finger.

Both the men's eyes widened. "What.. you mean you didn't even do it," asked an astonished Ducksworth, finally speaking up.

Williams nodded. "Yeah man, you went around saying that and it must have gotten to Moreau. Now you're stuck out here man. That's...man, that just ain't right."

"But we can't let you in, man," Ducksworth said cautiously. "We just...can't. We was told, ya know?"

"s**t!" Duckworth said, quickly hoisting his rifle as he saw him throw the punch. Williams saw it, too, but just a second too late. The punch connected with a sinking thwap against his jaw, jerking his head roughly to the side. <******** you Rhodes!" he growled, recovering quickly and throwing his body towards Freddie, trying to wrestle him to the ground. "Don't make us bring you down!"

William's opened his mouth to reply, but he didn't have the chance. Whoever was watching the cameras thought that would be an appropiate time to test out his control chip.

A small tinge in the back of his neck and fleeting moment of vertigo was the only warning he got before the painful buzz knocked Freddie unconscious.

When he woke up, he was on the path down from the labs, about a third of the way down the trail, but Ducksworth and Williams obviously got tired of carrying him at some point.

((Ignore the Time Stamps XD ))

(3:43:25 AM): Aubrey paced in her office, wanting to burn off energy somehow but not really knowing if there was a constructive way to do so. The argument she just had with Dr. Frost was bothering her for some reason... hell, she almost felt guilty.

But she had an excuse, right? Sure... Moreau technically made it Aubrey's responsibility to check in the new inventory at Entry Point... but he had made it responsibilty. So techinically she wasn';t breaking Moreau's orders by forcing Frost to treck down in the rain. She was taking responsibility by assigning someone to go do it for her.

Right?

Yeah, it was petty. But if you think about it...Aubrey had one very good reason not to want to exert herself like that. One very good reason that she had yet to tell Moreau.

She continued to pace back and forth in front of her open office door.

(3:52:20 AM): The repetitive clicking of Aubrey's heels on the linoleum floor ticked at Sabin's attention. He was sitting in his own office, just down the hall from Aubrey's, and going over finalized plans for the Halloween party. What he was not expecting was that infurating tapping sound.. whoever was causing it. Why couldn't they just sit down?!

Eventually, he closed the notepads, got to his feet and stalked out the door prepared to give one of the labtechs a stern talking to... that is until he rounded the corner and saw none other than Dr. Lockheart.

The annoyance on his face faded to a puzzlement, and he stuck his hand in the pockets of his trousers and sidled up to the good doctor.

"Aubrey.?" He purred "Something troubling you?"

(3:54:13 AM): Aubrey looked up and nodded Sabin, offering him into her office if he'd like. "Just have some things on my mind," she said honestly with a shrug. "Did you need something?"

(3:55:52 AM): He shook his head. "Nothing in particular, I suppose. I just overheard you pacing. Usually you distract yourself in your work unless something is really bothering you." He followed her inside and sat down on the corner of her desk.

(3:57:40 AM): "I just had a huge fight with Dr. Frost..." might as well start simple.

(3:59:17 AM): "Doctor Frost?" Sabin asked. "You know, I have yet the pleasure of having a conversation longer than a few moments with the woman personally. But you've told me in the past you don't trust her methods, or her.... timing." Sabin chose his words carefully, subtly reminding Aubrey of the past problems as well, interested to see where the conversation might go.

"What prompted this one?"

(4:04:09 AM): Aubrey crossed her arms. "Moreau and I have been trying to.. I don't know... rework things." She took off her glasses and tossed them on her desk. "Anyway...I was trying to talk to Moreau and she kept interrupting with work crap." She tapped her fingernails on her desk. "Eventually Moreau got more interested in her reports then my plans..." she gritted her teeth, "And, totally by 'accident' she mentioned the new inventory that needed to be checked in by senior staff and Moreau said it was my resonsibilty. And well.. you know how the weather has been. I didn't want to.. I was pissed..." She took a breath. "I waited until she finally got done with him and made her go do it. We... didn't really see eye to eye."

(4:09:16 AM): "I see." Sabin mused, watching the frustration carry itself out in Aubrey's mannerisms.

"You're jealous of her, and the attention she gets from Moreau... even if it's professional. And so... it helps to exert some control over her."

(4:10:46 AM): "Yeah maybe." She shook her head. "No, you're right, Sabin. You're exactly right. Its just... I've got a lot on her mind. And I know Moreau's going to be pissed when he finds out I 'defied' him and I just do not need that right now."

(4:14:34 AM): Sabin pursued his lips. He hadn't spoken much with Aubrey the past couple of weeks besides submitting reports, asking permission for things, or other professional interchanges. And Sabin, despite how disdainful he often acted about the staff rumormill, he always had his ear glued to it: what the islanders were doing, their problems... their anxieties.. But nothing as entertaining as what was going on with the upper eschelons of the staff.
And there certainly was some interesting rumors that were buzzing around about Aubrey. Might.... that be what she was referring to? But how to broach it...

"Has he... been upset about other developments recently already...?"

(4:18:20 AM): Aubrey rolled her shoulders. "Things are always rocky with us it seems. Just...something has happened and I haven't exactly.." she chewed on one of her nails. "Told him yet."

(4:20:39 AM): "You haven't told him?" Sabin breathed anxiously, eyes darting around and edging closer to aubrey, conspiratorily. "Then.... was it you that sent Freddie over the fence? He doen't know about it? Don't you think he'll... you know... catch on?"

(4:21:50 AM): Aubrey gave him an odd look. "Huh? What? Yeah.. yeah it was me. Of course it was me." She shrugged. "And don't judge me."

(4:24:07 AM): Sabin shook his head, a bit dumbfounded. She didn't even seem bothered by it? "Don't judge you? You.. don't find it... well, a bit .... scandalous at the very least? I would have at least pegged you to be one to make a bigger deal out of it!"

(4:25:38 AM): Aubrey's expression stayed confused. "Huh? Scandalous?I guess so.. but I was justified!! Dammit - if you know knew. Don't... don't make me feel worse abuot it than I already do..."

(4:26:50 AM): Confusion settled onto his face. "I mean... I just remember you were in tears after Billy.... that seemed more like the Aubrey I knew. Has Moreau gotten to you THAT much that you can have an affair and not even be.... you know... worked up about it?"

(4:27:49 AM): It took a moment... but it sunk it. "WHAT?" She gawked at Sabin, her expression flabergasted. "You heard??? You... you think I SLEPT with Freddie?!"

(4:28:53 AM): Sabin opened and closed his mouth, his thought process completely derailed by the reaction. Laughing at the irony, he shook his head. "Ooooohhhh... you didn't sleep with him?? I thought that's exactly WHY he was booted! I heard the rumors, then he was gone!"

(4:30:22 AM): "NO!" She shook her head, laughing, though there was a bitter air to it. "Dear god, no. He tried to sleep with me.. I rejected him. But then we went and told everyone... ugh."

(4:31:53 AM): Sabin shook his head, the grin stretching his face as he laughed. "That.... that sounds ... that makes much more sense." He caught his breath, settlign back against the desk again.

"Then... you DO know then.. that sending him out across the fence is only serving to substantiate the rumors to all the guards .... and techs... right?"

(4:33:32 AM): Aubrey shut up really quick, her expression sombering as Sabin put that notion in her mind. After a moment she just sneered. "Well he deserves... thats all that matters."

(4:36:08 AM): Sabin rolled his shoulders. "I... guess so. I mean... at least his rumormongering was malicious... unlike Newt's... compulsive ineptitude." Sabin scowled. "Speaking of... I am wondering if somehow his failures have striken again, down the line at least. Some notes of mine apparently got mailed out as-is instead of transcribed like the sticky note I stuck to them in my outbox."

(4:38:00 AM): "Oh?" Aubrey asked, looked down again as the moment of laugher was gone.

(4:42:20 AM): Sabin nodded. "I don't know if you read the notes on a Mr. Brian Grant - new arrival. He was one of the field researchers that Moreau was funding for the canine samples and behavior notes. I can't think of any other way he would have gotten it... or the sticky not have gotten lost.... Grr." He ended with a frustrated growl and a shrug.

"But never mind. So.... transgender cow, eh?"

(4:43:01 AM): Aubrey shrugged. "He needs to learn how to respect women."

(4:43:23 AM): Sabin raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "Remind me never to hit on you." He winced.

(4:44:18 AM): "Something tells me if you decided to hit on me you'd do it a bit more tactfully than 'hey I know you're not getting any, come do me now'" She rolled her eyes and sat down in her chair with a sigh,.

(4:46:33 AM): Sabin smacked his lips, the smile returning. "Wow. I never exactly gave the guardsmen much credit.... but I thought they might have a bit more intelligence than that."

"So sounds like you've had a busy week."

(4:47:29 AM): "You have no idea," she said seriously, a bit under her breath. It was fairy easy for Sabin to notice he hadn't gotten to the bottom of what was really bothering her.

(4:49:24 AM): He ran his tongue over his teeth and watched the woman. There was something more there. More that he could learn, and perhaps even some juicy information.


"So... it's not Freddie, then... there is something keeping you pacing. Did you and Moreau have another fight?"

(4:52:10 AM): Aubrey gave a defeated sigh, looking up at Sabin with a dead serious expression. She reached down and pressed her thumb to the panel of her bottom most drawer, pulling out a file. She placed the file flat on the desk and slid it over to him. There were only a few sheets in the blank, unmarked manilla folder, and while it might have taken a moment for Sabin to decipher what it was testing, it became crystal clear exactly what was on Aubrey's mind.

(4:55:14 AM): Sabin looked at her in silent askance before picking up the file and flipping through it. The bemused laughter in his eyes were extinguished, replaced with a stunned silence.


He remembered the conversation several weeks back and nodded to himself, reading and rereading the information to make sure he knew what he thought he read was actually there.

He closed the file quickly, and began searching for words.

"Hmm... I mean... er... wow. Is this... is this certain?"

(4:57:34 AM): "Over 99% accurate... its a fairly simple test." She snorted, a dark bemused smile played over her lips. "And with all this technology around, it was actually Chubbs that pinned it."

(4:58:06 AM): "Chubbs?" Sabin asked with a wince and a snort. "You were talkign with Chubbs? He's dangerous!"

(4:58:47 AM): "He likes me.." she said with a shrug. "Gave him his final injection just the other day. He's back in the village as we speak."

(5:00:30 AM): Sabin looked skeptical. "well, I think the only fashion he likes me is if my entrails were on his claws. And final injection? Yeah... yeah! I think I saw the notes and video clips. Let me just say that he's going to get a very wide berth from me with those claws and jaws."

(5:02:17 AM): Aubrey lifted an eyebrow. "Could it be the fearless Dr. Duvert is afraid of something? See? That's how I[/] feel abuot Zach and Jamal." She looked back down at the folder. "But anyway.." she took the file back and reread it herself one more time, as if the answer might be different.

(5:05:48 AM): Sabin scowled. "I am not frightened of him! There is a difference between frightened... and just plain smart! And Zach has no vendetta against you, unlike the chipless tiger.. who should have NEVER been a tiger. Zach's a good guy, even supportive of the staff now." He rolled his shoulders and looked back at the folder with a serious expression again.
"Are.... you sure it's a good idea...?" He winced. Now wasn't exactly the time to ask that question.


(2:11:26 AM): Aubrey muttered "yeah whatever" under her breath, picking up her folder. "Well it would be a bit too late if I thought it wasn't," she said with a bit of scowl.

(2:14:40 AM): Sabin rolled his shoulders. "Technically.... I suppose." He muttered under his breath. That was an even poorer subject to initiate.

"But... I mean... what are you going to do? I don't know if this will remedy your problems... or just make them worse...?”

(2:17:40 AM): Aubrey sighed, rubbing her temple. "I had it all figured out you know. But now that I am... I don't know what I'm going to do..."

(2:23:54 AM): "well... I remember speaking to you about it... I know you wanted to use this... as a bargaining chip..." He trailed off. This WOULD certainly keep both of them occupied for a very long time... it would leave him open for a lot of footing in the labs. This is what he wanted... this is what she wanted... or at least what she thought she wanted. But there was that frustratingly annoying little chewing in his gut. Remembering his children.... he KNEW that this was likely a bad idea, he KNEW that the child would likely wind up a point of even more contnetion than Billy. And it would certainly be bad for the kid...


But it was too late anyway. They all stood to benefit. Really. "I... hope it works out for you." He forced... very obviously.

(2:32:24 AM): Aubrey's hands dropped her hands to her stomach, a whimsical expression crossing her features briefly. "What do you think he will say?"

(2:34:29 AM): His mouth formed a singular crease across his face. "It is difficult to say. For your sake, Aubrey... I do hope that it turns out the way you picture." He repeated, in lack of something else.

(2:36:37 AM): "You're not a very good liar," Aubrey said, noting his expression. "You think this is a bad idea."

(2:37:25 AM): Sabin winced, turning to the side with an overdramatic shrug. "I like to think I'm a rather good liar... I have succeeded in stringing along quite a few arrivals." He said, trying to direct the convesation.

(2:40:00 AM): "Something to be proud of, of course." She sighed, standing up and going over to a mirror on the wall, looking at herself. "When should I tell him? Ya know, I could probably hide it for a while..."

(2:43:00 AM): Sabin snorted. "Knowing Moreau? Probably so. He would just think that you were gaining some of the weight back after your injury. I ... do not know when the time to tell him would be. Of course, I would think it more likely he find out through the cameras.... or hell, through that chip int he back of your neck than actually putting two and two together from morning sickness or weight gain."

(2:44:59 AM): Aubrey whipped her head back around to Sabin. "My chip's deactivated."

(2:46:13 AM): Sabin whet his lips. "Okay...... I.... I'm sure it is. Went and unchecked a check box on his computer system? I am certain that the chip is completely no longer functional... and all that."

(2:47:31 AM): Aubrey's eyes narrowed. "Anyway, I just don't know if I'm ready. I haven't even had morning sickness yet."

(2:48:22 AM): Sabin nodded. "That is a lucky thing, then, I say. It gives you time to decide how to put it. And.... more importantly, planning ahead on how to keep him from domineering you even more through the baby."

(2:51:31 AM): "Is it.. really so crazy to think that he might just be.,. happy for me? For us?" She looked down at her naked ring finger with a sigh, wondering if she would at least get that back.

(2:53:30 AM): "Is it?" Sabin gave her another wincing smile. "You know Moreau. Perhaps a rose-colored Moreau more than I, but you have seen through some of those cracks."

(2:56:12 AM): Aubrey frowned. "But I mean... Moreau 's gonna want an heir, right? I mean... if not with me..who? When?"

(2:56:50 AM): A thought played through Sabin's mind. It really shouldn't have been funny, but the smile and chuckle forced its way out. He shook his head quickly, trying and failing to play it out.

(2:57:20 AM): Aubrey's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What?" she snapped.

(2:59:50 AM): "Nothing! Nothing.... I just... well.... I don't know... you know how Moreau is... I could see him... making an heir... if you catch my drift."

(3:01:42 AM): Aubrey's mouth dropped opened, taking a few steps forward. "No."

(3:02:19 AM): "Alright.... It was just a thought... a humerous thought... really."

(3:03:15 AM): "This isnt funny," she said, plopping back into her chair.

(3:04:21 AM): Sabin returned to his irreverant seat on the corner of Aubrey's desk. "Well, you work for a mad scientist. You have to take pot shots when the opportunities present themselves. Otherwise, what's the point?" Sabin flashed Aubrey a toothy grin. Halloween was very much in the air for one Dr. Duvert.

(3:06:16 AM): Aubrey shook her head, smirking a bit dispite herself. "Touche, Sabin." She paused for a moment and looked back to him. "How did Samantha tell you?"

(3:10:14 AM): The mocking tone and jovial grin slipped from his face as quickly as if she had slapped him. He took a breath and rolled his shoulders. The memory jumps quite vividely to his mind and a very diffrent, very nostalgic smile crosses his mouth in a small chuckle. "She.. well, I noticed she wasn't feeling well.... and... she just kind of... told me. And.. then I completely ruined the moment by asking if it was mine."

(3:11:28 AM): Aubrey covered her mouth. "You asked if it was yours?"

(3:12:28 AM): His face turned a deep crimson and he flubbered a few moments, feeling very much like he had that day when Samantha's reaction was quite similar to Aubrey's. "well..... yeaaah..."

(3:12:50 AM): "She was probably devastated..."

(3:13:49 AM): "I think she was about to strangle me." Sabin winced.

(3:34:55 AM): Aubrey chuckled a bit, looking over the file one more fine before locking it back in her desk. "Please, Sabin. Descresion...I haven't figured out how to tell him yet."

(3:35:37 AM): "Fine .... fine.... " He sighed, a small uneasy look on his face. "Just... be careful, okay? I don't have to tell you how delicate of a situation this is."

(3:39:08 AM): Aubrey sighed and nodded, "I know.." She opened her mouth to say something else when suddenly the emergency ring on her communicator went off. She went to grab it out of her pocket, but before she could even get her hand inher pocket...

(3:41:35 AM): a second ring chimed in... this one from Sabin's pocket. His brows knitted and his mouth pressed to a single worried line. If both of them were being notified at the same time... it had to be REALLY important.
He flipped open the communicator, and his face paled as he saw scrolling across: "All senior staff get to emergency bay 1 immediately."

His face greyed as he met Aubrey's eyes. "This... does not sound good at all."

(3:43:19 AM): Aubrey's expression dimmed and she stood up quickly, wordlessly breezing by Sabin on her way down to the emergency quarters.

(3:46:31 AM): Sabin was on her heels, jogging after her. His heavier footfalls echoed the clicking of Aubrey's heels on the linoleam as the pair of them took the fastest route to the emergency bay. There was no need for words - both of their minds were already going through the potential scenarios. What had happened? Who was hurt>? How badly?

Finally, the two of them turned the last corner, and saw a foreboding sight: three guerneys covered in white clothes sat in the large medical room. A cluster of doctors looked up in unisin as Sabin and Aubrey entered the room before exchanging worried, darting expressions.

(3:51:46 AM): Aubrey bullied herself through the crowd of doctors. If Sabin tried to follow, someone would stop him. "Medical doctors only," one of them said gruffly. Aubrey got to the first guerney, pushing her way to the front. "Oh my god..." she whispered. "Dr. Frost..."

Sabin and a few other curious lab techs quickly got left behind. But moments later three frazzled looking guards came through the doors barking at each other. As they passed Sabin heard one of them mention getting three shots off and he knew at least one of them hit her.

(4:00:15 AM): Sabin growled in frustration under his breath as the doctors held him back. He was higher rank, dammit! He should be allowed in.

Pacing angrilly at the perimeter, he kept his eyes as closely peeled as he could... and then he heard Aubrey's explanation.

His hands were clenched behind his back as the pieces fell into place, and he swore loudly. "Incompetants.... how is she not in our custody yet?!" This was a doctor.. one of them.

(4:06:30 AM): Aubrey leaned against the wall, letting the medical doctors take the three bodies into surgery. Her mouth was covered as the shock settled in. That could have been her.

(4:07:31 AM): As soon as Aubrey had emerged from the crowd, Sabin was by her side, a hand on her shoulder. "Aubrey...?"

(4:09:11 AM): She looked ghostly pale, jumping at Sabin's touch. "This is...this is all my doing.."

(4:10:52 AM): "What?? Aubrey... Aubrey, no. Come... come, step away from it. This isn't your fault. This is no one's fault except Angharad's.... and perhaps the guards who have consistantly failed at finding her."

(4:11:44 AM): "That should have been me.." she said unsteadily. "It was susposed to be me,..."

(4:12:49 AM): "What? Wait, what are you talking about?"

(4:15:13 AM): "Me... Moreau told me to go out there.. it was my job..." she shook her head. "I made Dr. Frost go out there because... because I was punishing her."

(4:16:36 AM): "..." Sabin crossed his arms.. and then shook his head. "You said you argued... but... Aubrey... you cannot blame yourself. You didn't send her out there..... " He flubbed for a moment, and just gestured mutely at the bodies. "For... for that."

(4:20:30 AM): "No... but I did send her out there.." She looked back at the doors, wondering the chances where on her survival. "I... I think I'm going to be sick..."

(4:21:52 AM): Sabin swallowed and took a firmer grip on her upper arm, trying to distract her by meeting her eyes. "Aubrey. You are not at fault here. You can play the blame game from now until eternity if you let yourself. But ultimately, no one plans these things. If it wasn't her, it very well could have been you - like you said. You can't dwell on these things. It can eat you alive."

(4:24:14 AM): "No, seriously..." she said, hand going to her stomach. She gave him a pointed look..she heard the words but just couldn't process them at the moment. "I think I'm going to be sick." She wrenched her arm away from Sabin and bolted towards the nearest restroom.

(4:29:49 AM): Sabin snatched his hand out, grasping at where she was. Sighing as he watched her dart into the restroom, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.