Title: Finding Evil: Part ten: Conclusion.

Author: quew

See part one for disclaimer, archiving info and classification.

Warnings: Blood, gore, angst and that sort of thing. Please do not read if easily offended.

Rating: Nc-17 although parts may vary.

Notes: I seem to have the (worrying) knack of writing T/7 that doesn't actually have /any/ t/7 action until the end. It’s a rather worrying trait, especially for someone on a T/7 list.

#

'We're nearly there!' Annika panted, running next to Lanna.

Suddenly, a voice startled them all, coming from a hidden com-system.

<self-destruct in seven minutes, repeat, self destruct in seven minutes. Please evacuate the area> The recorded female voice said.

They looked at each other in horror. 'Seven?!'

#

'Seven?' Kathryn gasped. She'd seen the relay become active and had quickly finished typing the commands to set the self-destruct, expecting it to be on the default setting of fifteen minutes.

'Nadia,' she whispered, 'what did you do??'

#

'Oh fuck!' The woman yelled. 'Seven!? What did I do!?'

She fired a few shots in the general direction of the ceiling and then, head down and legs pumping, sprinted for the exit. She felt a claw cut through the vest she wore, cutting into the skin of her back and she gritted her teeth, diving for the exit.

#

'Annika! C'mon!' Lanna pulled the scientist through the emergency exit so hard she nearly pulled them over. Regaining the balance they'd lost, they ran forward to the middle of the heli-pad. Paris, Sam and Chakotay were in the small control room on the edge of the pad, working the radio, and Harry was sweeping the sky with his binoculars after having just shot an emergency flare into the sky above them.

Lanna raised her eyes to the overcast skies and found herself praying for someone, anyone to fly overhead. So focused was she on looking up, she almost leapt out of her skin when a hand slipped into one of hers.

'We're going to make it,' Annika whispered in her ear, making the soldier shudder.

She turned to look directly into the blue eyes of the scientist and was about to lean forward when a shudder ran under their feet.

'What was that?' Harry called. 'The destruct isn't due for another five and a half minutes!'

The ground shook again, and Lanna's eyes widened. She hadn’t thought about it before, but was it possible the other two wouldn't make it?

#

'Nadia!' Kathryn fell into the bloody woman's arms. 'I was…'

'Shhhhh,' Nadia placed a finger across the scientists' lips. 'I know. We have to go though!'

They headed out as the recorded voice called out five minutes to go.

#

Chakotay was almost shaking in hope as he raised the radio to his mouth. After sending distress calls for over three minutes, they'd got a reply! 'Loud and clear, Alpha team! Chris, we need immediate retrieval! I repeat, immediate retrieval! We've got four minutes before the whole place goes up!'

'We're on…ur way, Chakotay!' They heard. 'Our ETA is two minutes. Hold on!'

Sam ran out on the 'pad, over to where Harry, Lanna and Annika were waiting. 'Alpha team are on the way!' She said. 'We're goin' to make it!'

Big smiles split the faces of the three of them, and Lanna felt arms wrap around her as Annika hugged her in joy.

Just then, the shaking started again. The floor under their feet seemed to be trying to make them fall, dancing this way and that. Cracks appeared, spider-webbing the concrete under their feet. Lanna felt the floor dissolving under their them and saw Annika trying to reach the safer ground a little way away. As the floor caved in, she used all of her strength to push Annika out of the way.

The blonde scientist fell to the ground just outside the radius of the hole being created, and she watched in horror as the soldier slipped into the inky blackness beneath.

She looked up, tears forming, and saw Chakotay and Harry looking shocked, staring into the blackness of the hole. Suddenly, the sound of a helicopter made the men look up, and Sam and Paris ran out of the control room as the 'copter appeared out of the clouds. They started to wave, shouting at the top of their lungs as the 'copter circled them. But for some reason, it wouldn't land. A ladder started to descend from the helicopter, seeming to be lowered at a snails pace. Paris and Harry were jumping up and down impatiently as Sam came over, helping the other blonde upright.

'Come on,' she said, 'we have to go.'

'No,' Annika mumbled, 'she might be down there…injured…' she started to fight against Sam's grip and, in one massive pull forward, she broke free, sprinting toward the door that led back down and desperately trying to work out where-about in the complex Lanna would have fallen.

She was nearly there, ignoring the shouts behind her, when the ground started to shake once more. She ignored it until Sam screamed behind her, and when she did turn she could not believe her eyes.

What was climbing out of the hole was like nothing she'd ever imagined in her entire life. Its strange skin was blue and white and red, its face disfigured and its head devoid of hair. A few of its organs appeared to be on the outside of its body. As it pulled itself out, they could see it was at least eight feet tall, possibly more, and although one hand seemed normal, the other was a nightmarishly oversized claw. Once it was on the helipad, it roared at them all, throwing its head back and issuing its challenge.

Paris and Harry worked quickly, loading their grenade launchers. Chakotay drew its attention toward them as Sam once more went for the scientist. She pulled Annika back toward the rope ladder, her movements suggesting that should the other blonde try and run again, Sam would knock her out and tie her to the damn thing.

'All you do is hold on real hard, right?' Sam was saying. 'Just hold on and they'll winch us all up. It's best to tuck your leg over a higher rung and close your eyes.'

Annika nodded dumbly, not able to believe they were leaving without Lanna.

'How long Harry?' Sam yelled.

In between shots, the young man looked at his watch. 'One and a half!' He yelled.

Sam sped up, dragging Annika behind her. As they reached the rope ladder, Annika's eyes once more strayed to the hole. Did she just see…?

'Like I said, hold on and do not look down!' Sam said. She looked up and gasped as the monster filled her vision.

It was advancing on them quickly, the men's shots going wide as the monster sprinted across the 'pad. Annika looked up into it's disfigured face as it approached, and then back to the hole. A hand!

Taking a deep breath and clutching at her gun, she ripped her arm out of Sam's grasp and ran straight toward the monster.

It was if he hadn't been expecting that, and he paused for a fraction of a second. It was enough for her to dance around him, missing the deadly swipe of his huge claw-hand by millimetres. It was also enough for Paris and Harry to catch up to him and start firing again, giving her cover as she sped toward the hole.

She slid to a stop, dropping to her knees before she'd finished moving and taking the skin off them. Leaning out over the pit, for a moment all could see was blackness, and then. 'Lanna!'

The soldier was hanging precariously from an overhanging piece of concrete and the scientist dove forward, stretching out flat. 'Hang on!'

'What do you think I'm doing!' Lanna ground out.

Annika scrabbled forward, dangerously close to falling herself as she strained to get a grip on Lanna. For a moment, her face betrayed her as she realised she couldn't get a decent hold on the dark haired woman.

'Just…go!' Lanna managed.

'No! I'm not leaving without you!' Annika said, trying to reach down further still.

'It's too late! You don't have time!' Lanna looked up, dark eyes begging the other woman to just go.

Reaching the absolute limit of her reach, she managed to grab Lanna's wrist, holding on tight. 'I'll pull you up!' She cried.

'You'll fall! Please…Annika, please!' Lanna wanted so much to grab the woman's arm, but she knew if she did, they would both fall. She couldn't allow that.

'I'm not leaving without you!' Annika screamed.

For a second, they hung there, eyes locked, and then a second and third pair of hands reached down.

'Neither are we,' Nadia said.

They pulled the woman onto the pad in one huge effort, helping her stand and running toward the ladder. To their left, they heard the scream of the huge monster as an acid grenade round exploded across his chest, eating into his engineered flesh.

With ten seconds to go, the chopper pulled up, dragging the survivors up and away from the nightmare. As they watched, the house and heli-pad started to crumble, disappearing in on themselves. Then, with a sound like the world falling apart, the area exploded. Even as high as they were, the 'copter was hit by the shock-wave as a mushroom cloud appeared behind them. The pilot fought to keep control as the heavy craft was thrown around the sky, the poor people on the rope ladder hanging on for dear life as the ladder whipped through the air in the strong winds. Finally, the pilot gained cotrol, and the ride smoothed out. Slowly, the ladder was winched toward the open doors of the helicopter.

#

Three months later:

'Lanna! Are you ready? They're going to be here soon!' Annika Hanson wandered through the house, holding a large bowl of salad in one hand and a basket of rolls in the other.

She found Lanna Torres slumped on the bed, grimacing at an item of clothing. 'What's wrong?'

'Can't I just wear my jeans?' Lanna asked, throwing the offending item down on the bed and giving Annika a plaintive gaze.

Hanson laughed and put the food down. Approaching the dark haired woman, she playfully pouted and pulled her upright, wrapping her arms around her. 'Are you sure you won't wear it? Not even for me?'

Lanna looked ready to argue, and then her grimace melted away, replaced by a smile. 'I'm whipped, aren't I?' She asked, leaning forward and gently capturing her girlfriends' lips.

'Yes…but if it's any consolation, so am I,' Annika grinned.

'Does that mean I don't have to wear it?' Lanna asked, looking hopeful.

'Oh no, you still have to wear it.' Annika laughed, kissing her once more before leaving her to change.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Annika smiled to herself. Opening it wide, she saw Chakotay and Sam stood on the doorstep, holding hands.

'Annika!' Sam said, hugging her tightly. 'You look wonderful! I hope Torres has been treating you well.'

'Oh, yeah,' Annika said, unable to hide a slight blush. Chakotay chuckled at her and followed his girlfriend through the house to the back garden, where the barbecue was to be held.

Just as she was shutting the door, a voice called out. 'Wait!'

A grinning Tom Paris pushed his way through the door and into Annika's arms, and she welcomed him gladly. Since he'd found Harry, he'd been a lot more bearable. She would even admit liking the man since he'd settled down.

Following behind his exuberant boyfriend, Harry greeted the blonde with a kiss and a bottle of expensive wine. She led them through to the back garden, where they mingled with the others.

'I hope we’re not too late?' A familiar gravely voice said.

'Kathryn!' She turned to find the other woman standing behind her.

'You're front door was open,' the woman explained, smiling.

Annika hugged her and then held her at arms length. 'You look great,' she smiled.

'So do you,' Kathryn agreed.

'Where's Nadia?'

'Gone to find her sister.' Annika frowned. 'What? What is it?'

'Oh, nothing…it was just supposed to be a surprise for everyone,' Annika shook her head, her frown being replaced by a grin and a devilish twinkle in her eyes.

'What are you planning?' Kathryn asked.

'Oh, nothing,' Annika repeated.

Suddenly, raucous laughter echoed through the house. Annika's smile grew as Nadia practically fell around the corner roaring with laughter and struggling to find her breath. Everyone stopped talking as the youngest sister stumbled into the garden, almost collapsing in Kathryn's arms.

'Price…less!' She managed. 'Absolutely…priceless!'

'I don't see what's so funny,' Lanna said, walking out into the garden.

At first, no one moved. Then, a titter ran across the table, slowly growing into a chuckle, and then laughter started to sweep through the seated guests.

Lanna looked down at the pink sundress and scowled at them. 'What?'

The End.