Quaranteam - AU Ch. 08

Quaranteam: Alternating Uncertainties

Chapter 8

Visitors, Violence and a Valiant.

MAJOR CONTENT WARNING - IF YOU OBJECT TO MENTIONS OF CHILD ABUSE AND SERIOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN (OFFSCREEN) PLEASE BE ADVISED.

An anonymous comment said something about me switching perspectives after the last chapter. About that. Sorry, not sorry. And anyway. This is plot relevant...even if it does get dark. Things will lighten up after this chapter, never fear. As always, thanks to the other spinoff writers for their thoughts and assistance. - SR

Dramatis Personae

-House Valiant-

Rayne Valiant - 28, 6'10, fit and muscular. Scientist, younger brother of the twins and head of AUS Quaranteam Project R&D.

Stella Andersen -- 28, Virologist, Blonde, Blue eyes, slightly curvy. Rayne's first fiancée.

Hasumi Saegusa -- 27, Doctorate in biochemistry, Black hair, Black eyes. Japanese woman, formerly paralysed from the knees down. Has been in love with Ray for years.

Simone Jennings -- 22, 2nd Lieutenant, Black hair, blue eyes, African descent, one of Rayne's dedicated security.

Patricia 'Trish' Barclay -- 23, Lieutenant, Blonde hair. Slightly aloof, but no less dedicated to the family.

-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.

-House Morgan-

Benjamin Morgan - 36, Doctor. Little is known about his background.

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

Theresa Miller - 28, Latest addition to House Morgan. Details currently unknown.

-Other-

William 'Bill' Anderson -- Colonel. Somewhat stiff, but very capable officer.

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

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

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.

--

Saegusa Household, Richmond, Victoria, Australia - October 28, 2020 - 9:56 AM AEDT

--

"White Cypress? You're kidding." There was no measuring the disbelief in Rayne's voice. Across his desk, Victoria Whitlock, a geneticist and another employee of BioWorks sat, giving him a wry smile as she nodded. She was also his newest partner, arriving just as Ty had said she would. They had spent the last hour just chatting and had finally started talking shop.

"Specifically, Callitris Columellaris, yes. We tested a great many things, Rayne." Her clipped British accent gave her heritage away as she continued. "Individuals of various backgrounds, our own. We even went through all the protocols and accessed our sample library. Any blood sample exposed to the serum, but not exposed to White Cypress shows a reaction consistent with all of the initial reporting from the Americans."

"Victoria, you cannot be telling me that pollen is why we're seeing accelerated effects from the serum? How the hell do you even explain that?"

"We're still working on that part. I can't give you specifics, but I do know that it shows its effect most clearly on any sample that has had time to process cypress pollen in the recent past. When an unpaired individual takes in the serum, we know that their immune system receives a massive boost. Something in immunoglobulins regularly exposed to white cypress pollen seems to cause a cascading reaction with the serum, forcing it to accelerate. And by a factor of three to four, just as you've observed." She leaned back, running a hand through her silky brown hair. She kept it in a pixie cut since leaving it long would just get in the way when she did lab work, but the style had grown on her. Her mother had said she looked like a boy, but then again, her mother was more plastic than not these days, so Victoria had limited regard for her opinion.

As she stretched, she didn't miss how Rayne's eyes traced the contours of her body and she had to hide her smile. At 31, she knew she was only a few years older than him, but that 3 in her age was starting to make its presence known in little ways. And truth be told, after seeing the women already around him, she had worried a little that the man in front of her wouldn't find her attractive enough. Judging by his current interest, she knew she'd been wrong on that point, at least. Her gaze came to rest on his chest, marvelling at the way his muscles seemed to ripple under his shirt as he breathed. She had arrived a few minutes early; just as Rayne was wrapping up his morning workout and she hadn't been able to draw her eyes from his shirtless form. Her core had grown increasingly warm and it had taken every ounce of self-restraint she had to not whine piteously when he had donned the shirt.

"Did you do any testing on foreign samples?" Rayne's voice brought her back into the moment, and she swallowed hard, drawing her gaze away from the shirt she wanted so desperately to peel back off his body. Rayne didn't fail to notice this, but he tried to keep it from showing in his expression as he waited for her response.

"Ah. Uh, when we tried it with samples from the library, untouched by pollen, it gave off the result we were told to expect, like I said. If we introduced pollen into the blood before adding serum, nothing new happened. At the moment, we believe the body needs to process the pollen and then have the lymph nodes produce fresh antibodies for it to react the way we're seeing now."

"So anywhere from a week to three weeks, age and health depending. Have you tested other antigens?" Rayne's professional curiosity was in full gear now.

"Of course. Nothing else we've tried so far has triggered the response. Naturally, we haven't exhausted the possibilities, so further testing will be required."

"And the increased metabolising of the serum translates into a faster imprinting cycle?"

"From what we can see, yes. The serum seems to be accelerated until it reacts with a male's ejaculate, so the imprinting cycle is also shorter, but by a lesser factor, as it seems to return to a more normal speed as the cycle progresses. Approximately 10-12 hours instead of the expected 12-16. 24 hours still appears to be the normal minimum for individuals undergoing a regeneration."

"That begs another question. How does this affect the woman's...uh...dosing schedule? Does this change the frequency of re-dosing in any way? If it does, we may need to rely on a lower overall number of partners per man if the cycles are too short."

"It doesn't appear to. As I said, the serum's activity seems to normalise after the introduction of the man's semen, but I've been making sure to get data from several of the military Teams currently active, including doing blood draws every day. I have also asked one woman from each Team to restrain herself for as long as possible between doses, so that we can see how it changes her blood work. So far, it appears that after the initial acceleration, there are no lasting effects, but long-term study is absolutely required."

"Anything else to note?"

"For the immediate present, I think that just about covers what we've learned."

Ray rubbed at his jaw as he thought. "Keep looking into it, Victoria. I might have to talk to Ty and see if we can get another lab onboard to focus on this, but I'll probably get you to work on it, along with Dr. Abbas. Can you get in touch with her?"

"Sure thing. I've actually got a lunch date with Layla tomorrow anyway, and I was already going to have plenty to talk about." Victoria blushed, realising what she had accidentally revealed. Rayne seemed to understand too, because he gave her a look.

"Well, I guess that's convenient. It also lets us segue into our next topic. I won't be so crass as to ask whether you really want to do this with me. You wouldn't be here otherwise. But I am going to ask if you're ready and really understand everything this entails. There's no going back, after all."

Something had shifted in Rayne's head after the visit to the production facility. There was still the sting of guilt towards Stella, but he had learned to push that aside somewhat for the big picture. Ty was right; everyone he partnered with chose to be a part of his family, and his job was to shut up and take responsibility. After all that, it simply wouldn't be right for him to treat them as anything else. So, he wouldn't. It wasn't exactly the same as what Scrappy had. And yet, it was. It had all finally clicked, and now he knew what he was struggling for.

Everything was to protect his family.

Victoria sat silently for a moment, appraising him. "I've read all the documentation, Rayne. I've spoken with others who are already partnered about their experiences. I'm also onboard with sharing you. As for the regular sex to update our immunity, it'd be a different story entirely if I were a lesbian, but since I do enjoy regular sex with a man, I don't see any problem. Plus, you do come with glowing reviews."

He grinned. "So, it's a bit forward of me to ask, but are you bisexual? We've had conversations in the past that have hinted as much, but it was never really something that impacted our relationship, so I never pried."

She laughed. "Not in the slightest. I'm just not shy about appreciating a beautiful woman. Like I said, sharing is fine. Sleeping in the same bed as them is fine. Just don't demand that I play with your other girlfriends, and I won't be tempted to bite you."

Ray nodded, the smile tugging at his own lips. "Noted. Have you already been given the serum?"

Shaking her head, she gave him a gentle smile. "I have not. Knowing how quickly it will react in my body, it would have been foolish to do it so early in the day. And since the imprinting state would disrupt my sleep cycle, I will have it administered at the lab before we return here. I have already asked those in charge to send the dose there for me."

It made sense, so Rayne didn't see any need to argue. "You always did take things seriously, Victoria."

Her smile turned self-depreciating. "You mean, I have a stick up my ass." Ray started to deny it, but she shook her head, her smile only growing wider and decidedly sultry. "It's alright, Ray. It's nothing I haven't heard before. And I suppose it's true, to an extent. It's just the way I was raised. But maybe that's part of the problem. Maybe I simply need someone to remove that stick and replace it with something more...fun?"

Her gaze dropped lower as she licked her lips, and Rayne could feel himself growing even more aroused. Victoria was extremely attractive and she knew it, but the way she had been staring at him had him almost believing the same about himself. Time and again, Ray found himself surprised at how the women at work saw him. Certainly, he was fit, but it wasn't like he was some famous actor or model. As she stood and took a look around the room, he studied her. Victoria was tall, about 6'1" and built like a, for lack of better phrase, Victoria's Secret model. All sensuous curves and grace, with a heaping spoonful of eroticism for good measure. She had the confidence to match, and Ray knew that she'd had no shortage of men vying for her attention. But he couldn't deny it; that confidence and her own obvious attraction did something to him; he couldn't help himself.

"Is that what you want, Victoria?" Rayne's voice was measured, but the smile was pulling at his lips.

"Maybe. Maybe it's what I need."

What you need is for someone to bend you over their knee and colour that ass red. The thought rose, unbidden in his head and he blinked in surprise. Her desire was drawing out something primal in him, but he refrained from saying anything out loud. "I see no problem with the uptight Victoria. But be the version of you that makes you happy. I'll be there to back you up."

She let out a laugh and leaned over the desk, stopping just centimetres from Rayne's face. "I've been uptight all my life, and not necessarily of my own volition. I'm a smart woman. I also know I'm attractive. That fact drew all of the attention away from my brains, and made people judge me by my looks. I changed my attitude to prevent myself from being seen as the bimbo. I cut my hair hoping to reduce the attention my looks drew. It worked, somewhat, and fortunately, I grew to like the look. I was genuinely happy when you complimented me on it, Ray."

"It was a simple truth, Victoria." Her plump lips were so close; it was taking far more restraint than he liked to not kiss her right then and there.

She tutted. "And when are you going to stop addressing me by my full name? It's so...uptight of you. Call me Tori." She punctuated the words with a quick kiss before she turned and sashayed away. She glanced over her shoulder and was pleased to see Rayne's eyes glued to her ass. His eyes flicked upwards as she was rounding the corner and she blew him a kiss.

"We'll continue this tonight."

His grin was almost feral as he echoed the word. "Tonight, Tori."

Trish had been waiting just outside the room, so as to give the other two some privacy and nodded at Victoria as she passed. Rayne waited, deep in contemplation as Trish guided Victoria to the lounge and returned, drawing him out of his concentration by sitting on his lap.

"What's on your mind, hun? Talk through it with me."

Rayne shook his head. "That woman brings out something primal in me that I don't really understand."

"Primal? What do you mean?"

"You were listening, right? It was all I could do to not pull her over the desk and bend her over my knees. I don't know how to explain it except that she knocked loose the caveman in my head."

Trish laughed, planting a quick kiss on his lips. "Sounds like she pushes your buttons. Maybe unintentionally, maybe not. But that's a good thing, hun. Bonding her seems likely to not just get the stick out of her ass, but yours too. Though I admit you've relaxed a lot over the last couple of days."

"Yeah, I finally understand what all my efforts are for, and that brings a lot of comfort."

"Well, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but make sure you don't stray too far from me or Simone, hun. We got an alert for possible danger after Major Connors' home was burned down last night. We want you in one piece, so we're just being extra cautious."

Rayne muttered as she lay her head in the crook of his neck. "As much as my safety might be important, I would be devastated if it comes at the cost of someone important to me, Trish. Please make sure you and Simone are extra careful."

"Of course, Ray. Oh, we're not going to the labs until later today, right?"

"That's right. After lunch, I think. We've been running around the clock, so this is their idea of downtime. Where are the others?"

"Stella has a couple of meetings that she's been in since seven, so in the other office. Simone and Sumi are in the kitchen. And I took Victoria to the lounge to relax."

"So, we have a bit of time before we're needed elsewhere? I know we haven't had much alone time, Trish. Maybe..."

"We can make out for a bit, hun, see where we go from there. I haven't done that in years; just snuggling and making out with my guy." She kissed him gently, just a peck really, and smiled as his arms tightened around her. She giggled and squeezed him back, kissing him deeper as they melted together.

--

Hasumi was humming and swaying as she and Simone finished cleaning. Dancing had always been her hobby, or at least it had until the accident had taken that away from her. But the serum had given her a chance to live again and she couldn't keep the smile off her face or the wiggle out of her hips. Her good mood seemed to be infectious, too, as Simone had noticeably more sway to her own hips as she strode purposefully through the kitchen.

She bumped Hasumi's hip with her own as she passed, carrying a stack of plates. "You're in a particularly good mood, Sumi. Did something nice happen?"

"Nothing in particular, Sim. It's just really nice to wake up in my man's arms and realise that I no longer need that damned wheelchair. Sitting in that thing day in and day out was unbearable. But I'm free of it, thanks to Ray and the serum. Now I have my mobility back, wonderful sisters in all of you and the man I've loved for years by my side. I couldn't be happier."

The ebony skinned woman couldn't help but agree. She had lost her mother to cancer when she was 16, and it was far too generous to call her sperm donor a deadbeat. Always drunk, never able to keep a job for more than a few weeks, she had been lucky that her inheritance was off limits to him or she would have needed a fire permit to cremate him. Even so, the day she finished Year 12, she left home and signed up for the military. To her, the military was an effective way to stay housed and fed. Even the risk of being deployed somewhere dangerous was acceptable if it meant she didn't have to go back to the drunk. It was there she had met Trish, and through shared experiences in basic and since, they became nearly inseparable. Now, they shared an apartment when they weren't on duty, sisters in all but blood.

They had been at their place, working from home that week when they had been ordered to take the Oracle survey. Not knowing what to expect, they did, and it had been one hell of a ride since. Though they discussed the survey and took it together, Simone had been overjoyed to find they had been paired to the same man. Even better, the man had been everything his profile promised and more. Gentle and kind, he was a man with a heart as big as his body. She was head over heels for this man in moments.

Her ginger giant.

Not to mention Stella and Hasumi, both of whom had welcomed them with open arms. Certainly, Stella had been nervous, but after that day at the production facility, she had opened up to them completely. They had become a family, and Simone found the growing spark in her heart that told her she would fight to the death to protect her little slice of home.

Back in the moment, Simone threw her arms around Hasumi and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Me too, babe. I admit I was cautious when I was first sent here; Trish aside, I haven't had people I considered 'family' since my mum passed. But now, having met all of you and learned what that word really means, I wouldn't trade any of you for anything."

Releasing Hasumi after another squeeze, Simone continued. "Speaking of family, what do you think about our newest addition? Victoria, right?"

The lovely Japanese woman nodded, her short bob bouncing in time with the movement. "Victoria is whip smart and incredibly capable. But if there's one negative thing to say, it's that she's a bit uptight, but I think you'll love her just the same, Sim. She's a level head and a warm heart."

The young soldier took this in for a moment, before she nodded, her smile returning. "I'm sure we'll make it work, babe."

They finished their cleanup and sat at the table with a pot of tea. It was a big table, and Simone was still surprised at how many rooms Hasumi's home had, but now, she was thankful for the space. Everybody had their own, though they were all currently using the master, and there was still a small home gym and a study, as well as a library which had for the moment been converted into a second study. When she had asked Hasumi about it, she just blushed and said she'd made some good investments early on at the advice of a friend and wanted the space for a big family should she ever find a good guy to marry.