After The End

Minor Malfunction

After putting Clem into the tank the group goes about making sure we are ready to find Sam Parker. As I walk through the plane I find Jamie in the computer area of the lab. "Hey, Jamie, how are you doing?"

Jamie looks over to me, "Hey. How are you?"

"Well, since Mitch spent ten years in one of those tanks and his just fine, I keep reminding myself Clem is going to be okay too."

Jamie nods, "She'll be okay. The baby too. You and Abe know what you need to do to save Clem and the baby. We have three of the best scientists in the world on this plane."

I look over to the screen and see a molecule, "That's interesting. What crazy compound is Mitch working on now?"

"What do you mean?"

I point to the screen, "You see that sequence of covalent bonds? That's kind of like Mitch's signature. He even put it in the cure."

"You remember the molecule code for the cure? That was ten years ago, how can you remember that?"

"You have to remember, before Jackson and I left, I was working with Abe to cure sterility. I looked over that code sequence about two million times."

"So you're positive it's Mitch's."

"There isn't a doubt in my mind, that is Mitch's. See the bond angle and the spatial orientation. That's all him."

As I point out the similarity from the cure to this molecule, Max walks into the room, "What are you talking about ladies?"

Jamie looks over her shoulder, "Mitch's signature in the molecules he's worked on."

Max walks over to us and looks at the screen, "Oh yeah, he first used that in his High School science fair. It's kind of been his thing ever since. I don't even think it's intentional at this point." Max chuckles.

Jamie looks as if she's zoned out of a minute, "Excuse me." she comments before quickly getting up and walking out of the room.

I look over to Max, "I think we've all had a stressful night."

Max nods, "I agree."

I smile and head out of the room, heading upstairs to the bedroom Jackson and I share. "Hey." I smile to Jackson as he sits on the bed, looking over the file we found on Sam Parker, even though there isn't much in it.

Jackson looks over to me for a moment, before looking back at the photo, "Hey. How are you?" Jackson turns off the tablet and looks over to me, smiling.

"Tired. Wide awake." I sit next to him on the bed. "How about you?"

"Just about the same. I don't think I'm gonna be able to sleep until we find this Sam Parker and save Clem and the baby." I chuckle softly as I lay back and Jackson looks over to me, "What?"

I shake my head, "Nothing... It's just I can imagine you being all worried if we had a child and they came home late or missed curfew."

Jackson chuckles, "What makes you think our child would do that?"

I smile, "Because they'd be ours'. And we are nothing but troublemakers ourselves. Can you imagine a tiny combination of us."

"Yeah, I can't argue with you on that one." Jackson lays down next to me, "You know what else they'd be though?"

"Hmm?"

Jackson smiles, propping himself up on his elbow, "They'd be smart and beautiful, just like their mama."

I chuckle, "and they'd be brave and caring, like their dad."

Jackson smiles as he leans down and kisses me, placing a hand on my check. As he does I place a hand on his forearm. "I love you, Katherine Oz."

"And I love you, Jackson Oz." As I smile up to Jackson he chuckles, "What?"

"Nothing, it's just good to hear our real names again, because you know," Jackson moves on top of me, "We haven't made love since we left Portland."

I giggle softly and wrap my arms around his neck, "Is that so."

Jackson and I spend the night together and in the morning, once we land, we head to the house of Sam Parker. When we get there a nice looking young man answers the door, at first I am a little confused since the man appears to be closer in age to Jackson and I, rather than Clem. "Hey, Can I help you?"

Jackson nods and smiles, "Hey, we're sorry to drop in on you like this, Sam. My name is Jackson and this is my wife Katherine, and uh, a friend of ours, Clementine Lewis, sent us."

Sam crosses his arms, "I'm sorry I don't..."

I take a deep breath, "I know what we are about to say will sound impossible, uh, but you were with Clem three months ago in Colorado and she's... well, she's pregnant."

Sam shakes his head, "I don't know Clementine."

Jackson looks to me then back to Sam. "I know you probably don't want to hear from her and I get that, but for what it's worth..."

"you don't understand. You have the wrong guy. I'm in the Air Force and I was stationed over at Ramstein, Germany for the past year. And if you're telling me some girl is pregnant then, I mean, that's amazing. But I could promise you it's not because of me. Um, Sam Parker is a common name. Maybe you wanna check..."

As Sam continues to speak there is a gunshot and he falls to the ground. I duck down and Jackson does with me, covering me before we look around. Seeing Abigail walk up the pathway. "Hello, brother. Sister-in-law. It wasn't easy hunting you down. You have something I need. It's time we finally got to know each other."

"Kat, run out the back." Jackson comments.

"What?"

"Don't ask questions just go, I'm the one she wants. I love you."

"I love you, too," knowing I don't have time to argue I turn and run out the back of the house and make my way back to the plane. It takes me about an hour to get back there on foot.

When I get back I run on to the plane and run into Abe. "Kat, what's wrong?"

"Abigail's got Jackson."

"What?"

"Sam Parker wasn't the right Sam Parker. Abigail she... She shot him and she took Jackson."

"Hey, Jackson will be fine. I promise. If we found Isaac, we will find Jackson." Abe pulls me into a hug as I try to contain myself.

We get the plane in the air so we can try to find Abigail and Jackson, but the plane his some major turbulence. Jamie walks into the living area. "Something's wrong with the main battery unit. Random malfunctions, navigational errors and the power is going out. The plane's trying to conserve its battery. It's going into safe mode."

Dariela walks in behind her, "Safe mode?"

"It basically just files in a circle until we fix the problem. It's probably just some faulty wiring, but give me a hand, will you?"

"Yeah."

I stand up, "can I help? I can't just sit here and think about Jackson."

Jamie nods, "Yeah, come on." Once we get into the hall Jamie turns to Dariela and I for a moment as we walk down the hall, "This is gonna sound weird, but do you know what I was doing last night?"

"Why can't you remember?"

"I think I was with Mitch, but it's hazy."

"That's weird." Dariela looks over to Jamie.

"Honestly, I didn't see you last night."

Dariela shakes her head, "Neither did I. I was having a family reunion."