Quaranteam Au Ch 15

Quaranteam: Alternating Uncertainties

Chapter 15

Remembrance - An Aussie Soldier Reflects, Plots & Speaks Out

I suppose I should start by saying, 'sorry'. Sorry it took so long. I did mention in my profile messages that real life stuff got in the way, and it did. I lost family I was close to, and half of our workforce decided they'd like to go on holiday all at once. How that got approved I will never understand. But I digress. Here's chapter 15, and with it, a minor note. I mentioned before that I'll be spreading some attention to another project as well. I've started writing for that one too, so hopefully you'll see chapters of that in between more QT AU. As always, many thanks to the others for their support and advice, and of course to CorruptingPower himself for stopping me before I made a shambles of things in my inattention.

Dramatis Personae

-House Marshall-

Tiberius Marshall - 35, Lt. Colonel Australian Army SASR. Black Hair, Grey Eyes. Big teddy bear.

Charlotte Valiant - 35, Captain Australian Army SASR, Red hair, long hair, service submissive.

Leticia Valiant - 35, Captain Australian Army SASR, Red hair, shoulder length hair, tomboy.

Talia Becker - 27, Major Israeli Defence Force, Black hair, long hair, braided, wilful, but devoted.

Alice Rai - 31, Doctor of Medicine, Black hair, blue eyes, partial Indian descent, complete submissive.

Elizabeth Connors - 21, younger sister of Jaxson Connors. University Student -- Finance

Béatrice Martin -- 32, French DGSE. Tech expert and hobby tinker. Blonde, Blue eyes.

Grace Lawry -- 33, Captain, USAF. Tiberius' old friend. Formerly partnered with Benjamin Morgan and the person who involved Ty in the Quaranteam Project.

Juno Claudius -- 37, Lawyer friend of Tiberius and the Evans'. Has two children with Tiberius; Bellona(Bella) and Mars.

Zoe Evans -- 19, daughter of Tiberius' good friends Toby and Matilda Evans and Tiberius' 'niece'. University Student. Not yet bonded, but definitely part of the family.

Addison Taylor -39, Captain, RAN. Auburn Hair, Blue eyes. Ty's latest partner and liaison with the Navy. Sensible woman who really wants a child before it's too late

Kang Mi-Rae -- 29, Korean actress. Black Hair with blue highlights, brown eyes. Popular actress.

-Other-

Jonathan Hoffmann - Lt. General. Friend of Tiberius' and the twins' grandfather. Current highest-ranking member of the AUS military. 1 Partner.

Barry 'Baz' Davis -- Brigadier. Good friend of Tiberius. In charge of personnel at Victoria Barracks. 3 Partners.

Jaxson Connors - Major, currently under arrest for abuse of authority and attempted murder. Was working with a Sheik to develop the Assassin Variant of DuoHalo.

Nikoletta Bianci -- 35, Ty's friend and the woman managing the Vineyards belonging to the Marshall family.

Catalina Cabrera -- 34, Nikoletta's partner. Spanish, with a temper to match.

Jacinta Morrison -- 33, Captain, A dangerous individual, possibly responsible for some of the plots against House Marshall.

--

Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia - November 11, 2020 - 11:01 AM AEDT

--

The silence had been deafening, but it was something familiar. Every year, at 11AM. Just one minute; during which respect was paid to those who fell in the bloody wars. A remembrance of the day the guns fell silent. A remembrance for the lives lost.

After today, it would carry another meaning for Tiberius. By the end of the day, the wheels to Australia's recovery would be turning. As with the end of those terrible wars, it would be another event to add to the list of things the day would represent. Another nod to the lives lost. Not in war this time but lost all the same. Tonight, he would set the country in motion. He wouldn't be revealing the serum just yet. He'd promised, after all. But he'd be sending a message to all Australians that there was hope on the horizon, and they needed to do their part for just a

little

longer.

He'd wanted to start having people fill out their Oracle surveys, but when he'd pitched that idea to Grace again, she'd all but torn his head off while pointing out that it'd incite mass panic, and not just in Australia. He'd felt like a fool for not realising it sooner, but he agreed, and the plan had been revised.

No, instead, tonight, they'd take their first steps and the first set of links would go live. A census. Or something close enough to a census to make no difference. At the recommendation of the team Ty had set up, they'd staggered the timing so the servers weren't overwhelmed, but he was still worried. Would his appearance cause panic? Was he revealing his hand with this, despite not revealing anything specific? Would Australians do the survey as requested? Would Jacinta do something to sabotage everything? Was that even her goal?

His mind was pulled back to two days ago, specifically to the conversation with Connors. He'd had it, and the man had been surprisingly lucid. It hadn't taken Connors long to figure out that Ty was there, and when he had, his shoulders had just slumped. Ty wondered if the man was going to apologise, but naturally, that hadn't happened. Instead, he just addressed Ty directly, staring at the one-way mirror.

"I never liked you. You were everything I was always told was expected of an officer. Smart, capable, dependable, tough, etc. etc." He waved a hand, as much as he could, before gritting his teeth. "Only, you had to be better at it than I was. Always, and at

everything.

" His body seemed to sag a little further. "Do you know the pressure I was under as a result of that? How much venom dripped into my ears both at work and at home? It was a nightmare, Marshall. It was Hell. That much toxicity would warp any man or woman."

Ty reached for the controls to address the room directly but was cut off by Leona, so he reluctantly continued to speak via the proxy instead.

"That's what I wanted to ask about, Jaxson. That venom. We both know who was spewing it. But how much do you know about what those people were doing behind the scenes?"

He laughed, a bitter, almost manic laugh. "More than I ever cared to. Probably more than they'd be comfortable with. But you know I can't name names. I might not ever be free again, but I'm still alive. That would change very rapidly if I even considered opening my mouth."

"Even if many more lives would be lost to your silence?"

"Why should I care?" His tone was defiant, almost petulant.

"Do you really think that whoever

they

are will let you go, knowing all that you do?"

He paused, his face twitching before he hung his head. "Of course not. But it's

your

job to make sure they don't succeed."

"How exactly do you propose we do that? We don't know who's responsible and we can't act on suspicion alone."

Connors looked up at the mirror again, his eyes wild. "Don't fucking lie to me, you asshole! You know

exactly

who is responsible! You just won't take action." If he hadn't been chained to the floor, he would very likely have stomped his way to the mirror. "You're a

fucking

coward, claiming to be bound by the

rules

. At least

she

had the balls to act when she wanted something done and damn the rules. You won't do anything without

proof

."

Ty hesitated a moment, knowing he couldn't push the man much further. He'd shed no tears if Connors broke, but he wasn't looking to be responsible for it. Instead, he thought he'd try something different. "I'm trying to

get

some proof, you bloody idiot. The person behind this needs to be exposed. We have an inkling of who, but without even an accusation, we can't act on it. So, you need to step up and

tell us what you know

. Prove once and for all that you were worthy of being an officer." Ty reached over and triggered the intercom, speaking directly to the man. "Prove that you're a loyal son of Australia, Jaxson. Help us protect our people." He brushed off Leo's arm as she tried to stop him. Patriotic rhetoric wasn't really Ty's style, but he'd seen more than one instance of Connors preaching it. "Make the call and give us the name, Jaxson. Don't let your name be recorded in our history for your betrayal of our people. Leave your mark by unmasking the monster. Be remembered as a man who redeemed his honour and saved lives."

Connors recoiled as if slapped, staggering back a step before he caught himself. He froze in that position, eyes wide, before the hesitation seemed to vanish from the defeated man's stance. He stood straight, his eyes never leaving the mirror, and Ty could have sworn Connors was actually meeting his eyes through the glass. The gaze was intense; so much so that Ty was taken by a moment of absurd surprise that the glass wasn't melting.

After a moment of silence, Connors spoke, his voice now controlled. "At least I have you beat in one thing, Marshall. I've always been willing to bend the rules, or break them if I deemed it necessary." He made a slow gesture towards the mirror, as if writing something down. Ty didn't hesitate, giving the soldier acting as proxy the go ahead.

Jaxson nodded slowly as the soldier placed a notepad down on the small table. "That person's name will

never

pass my lips again. So go

fuck off

with the loyalist dogma and self-righteous bullshit, you bastard. It's not you and we both know it." He paused with the tip of the pen just millimetres from the page and stared back at the mirror. "

I

have always acted in the belief that it was for the benefit of our home. I cannot say that I was always right." Ty blinked in surprise at the candid admission; it was definitely not something he'd expected to hear. More still when the other officer chuckled. "I'm sure you're standing there with your jaw hanging open. What good is denying it now, Marshall? I'm already a dead man, so I have

nothing

to lose by admitting it. You understand the difference between us, don't you? I act. You fluff around with your dick in your hand, hoping for the

right timing

for whatever it is you're doing." He laughed, the sound still somewhat manic. "I'm looking forward to watching your life burn down around you this time, though I suspect I'll have to settle for front row seats in Hell."

"Connors, you..."

"Forget it. Nothing you can say or do will change the outcome now." As he spoke, he was writing furiously, stopping as his voice did and closing the notebook.

"I want to return to my cell. I'm done talking."

Ty nodded, and the soldier scooped up the notebook and pen before leaving. Ty watched the man that had been a pain in his ass for years as he sat down, back ramrod straight. He looked around the room next, making eye contact with every person in it before he spoke again.

"Purge the tapes. Nothing that was said today leaves this room, and moreover, this conversation never happened. That is an

order

."

--

He was still lost in his thoughts and planning when the gentle hand touched his cheek. He jumped slightly, only just remembering that he was on the hammock and wanting to avoid going over backwards.

"Tiberius? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Mi-Rae. I was thinking and kinda got lost in my head. Did you need something?"

She smiled at him. "I just wanted to spend some time with you before we became too busy, husband."

Even though it wasn't strictly true yet, it still tickled Ty to hear that title from her. Taking her hand in his, he pulled the gorgeous younger woman onto his lap, planting a fierce kiss on her as she squeaked in surprise.

"Shall we wile away some time here then, wife?" He paused, smiling down at her. "How have you been settling in? I know you've spoken to your parents a few times. Are they doing well?"

Snuggling into his chest, Mi-Rae sighed contentedly. "It has certainly been an experience. Honestly, I never imagined my life like this, but... I'm happy, I think. As for my parents," she paused, collecting her thoughts. "

Appa

is satisfied. Hoffmann-ahjusshi painted a very flattering picture of you, and everything I've told him since has reinforced that. Your own conversations with him have left him smiling, as I'm sure you know. Almost more so than he does with

me.

" She let out a small huff, but smiled at him to let him know she wasn't serious. "

Eomma

wishes you were Korean, because then you would be the perfect son-in-law. A complete trifecta, according to her."

"A trifecta?" Ty sounded bemused.

Mi-Rae nodded. "Wealthy, in a position of power, and from a good family." She counted each off with a delicate finger, and Ty raised an eyebrow. "I know you

are

from a good family, but the issue for her is that it's not a

Korean

family. Otherwise, she thinks you're absolutely perfect."

Laughing, Ty took her hand and kissed the tips of the fingers she had raised. "Tell her I'm sorry I can't change my genetics, but I'll endeavour to make her proud that her daughter is a part of this family. But, well, even if I can't ever get her fully onside, as long as you're happy with things, I'll consider it a win."

"Don't change. You're already who you need to be." The smile she gave him melted away a great deal of his tension and he engulfed her in his arms as they sat together, chatting in the late morning breeze. Ty felt rather guilty about his interactions with Mi-Rae. They had been few and far between, even for the short time they'd been together. He didn't want to neglect any of his partners, but he also knew that there were only so many hours in a day and he was completely at the mercy of events at the moment. But he had come to care for these women, and he didn't want to hurt them with his neglect. He'd figure out how he was going to deal with the 'staff' issue later. The family came first.

Ty realised he must have been squeezing Mi-Rae harder than he'd intended, because she reached up to caress his cheek. "Relax, dear heart. I know what you're thinking, and it's ok. We, your family, understand. There is a lot for you to do right now, and we only have so much time. It's fine; we will adapt. And once the distribution is underway, we'll get some of that time back. Some will have more than others while the work is underway. They understand and will step back a little once the external demands on you are lessened."

Ty sighed, smiling ruefully. "I don't deserve

any

of you, let alone

all

of you." Mi-Rae stretched up a little and planted a kiss on his lips before he continued. "So, I'll do my best to make sure none of you regret your choices. And I'll be damned before I let anyone take you away from me."

"That's the spirit. Now, let's spend some time cuddling before someone calls us for lunch. Then we can sit down and do a final reading for your speech tonight."

"As much as I feel like an idiot for saying it when a beautiful woman is on my lap, shouldn't we do that first?"

Mi-Rae kissed him harder, her arms now wrapped around his neck. "Right now, I want to flirt with my husband-to-be. Everything else can wait."

"Fair enough."

--

They were just snuggling when a small tug at the edge of the hammock caught their attention. Looking down, Ty saw Bella looking up at them and was confused when she looked a little apprehensive at first. The young child seemed to be looking for something in her father's gaze, but when she didn't find it, she smiled. "Dad, Aunt Mii; Aunt Addie said to get you. It's lunch time." Her face took on a comic pout that nearly had Ty bursting into laughter at how adorable it was. "And I'm

hungry

."

He chuckled as Mi-Rae slid off his lap and scooped up his daughter, tickling her stomach as Bella giggled. He stood and started to follow only to freeze as he felt it. A vibration in his back pocket.

A phone.

He glanced briefly at the pair before him, then down at his regular phone, still nestled in his front pocket. A second vibration in his back pocket signalled another message. Things had been set in motion the previous day, but he didn't need the others to see or hear about it. It was better they didn't, as this was a side of himself that they shouldn't ever see. A part he wished he could seal away forever, but events had brought it back into the fore. There were things he'd done that shouldn't ever see the light of day. Even the women closest to him, the twins, had never seen it happen directly, though they'd seen the results, after a fashion. Ty was grateful for it.

Ignorance was bliss.

"You two go ahead." Ty's voice came out as a low rumble, and Mi-Rae's head snapped around to look at him, her eyes filled with worry. "I have to take care of something quickly and then I'll join everyone."

"Don't take too long, dad. Mars is going to eat the table!"

"Well, that's no good, darling. You'd better get some food into your brother."

"Tiberius?" Mi-Rae bit her lip, clearly debating whether to ask or not, but Ty kissed her cheek and gently pressed a hand to her back, guiding her forward.

"It's alright; nothing's wrong. I'll be inside soon."

Ignoring the doubt-laden gaze, Ty turned and walked towards the back of the yard, careful not to be seen grabbing the second phone. He was a veteran soldier. Sometimes he was the hammer and other times, the anvil, which is why he knew the best way to deal with a problem like Jacinta Morrison.

He'd eliminate the threat before it became a bigger problem.

Looking down at the phone, Ty quickly checked the two messages he'd received. Both were short and vague but said enough.

Package Assembled. Preparing.

AIP. CO. +24 ~1130 END. ROE?

24 hours. It should be over before this time tomorrow.

Ty sighed. With any luck, Jacinta wouldn't have time to strike again. Especially after yesterday.

It had been a colossal fuck up. The morning after their meeting, a unit sent to move Jaxson Connors had found him dead in his cell. Officially, he managed to hang himself. Unofficially, he was indeed hanged, but his right hand had also been shattered beyond any hope of repair. The autopsy showed the damage to his hand was ante-mortem. He'd been alive when they mutilated him.

Everyone who had been present understood the significance of that.

Unsurprisingly, all the security footage was corrupted. If the situation hadn't been what it was, Ty would have laughed at the utter absurdity of it all. As if he didn't know who was responsible.

They all knew, but they had no

proof.

But Ty had wondered if just maybe, they actually

did.

The note that Connors had scrawled had been an address, along with a code, and lastly, a small message. If he

had

been collating evidence against Jacinta, it would explain why she'd been in such a hurry to be rid of him. Fortunately, he'd gotten people moving on it immediately.

The address had been in a dilapidated suburb, one of a small block of units that would likely have been abandoned even before the pandemic. Ty's people hadn't taken long to get in and find what they'd been looking for. The 'evidence' was a mishmash of photos and documents, but the problem was twofold. First, all it proved for certain was collusion between Jacinta and Wendy Connors on a number of "endeavours", none of which were explained in any detail. The second, was that nothing Jaxson had was actually illegal. Enough to raise a few eyebrows maybe and definitely unethical. But they couldn't charge Jacinta with

anything

just with that. Ty had been furious, partially at himself for expecting anything from Connors and partially at the fact that they had driven him to take more drastic actions. Maybe if he had done things differently, he wouldn't have needed to make this decision. But he hadn't, and Jacinta had

pushed

him.