Chapter 25: Mystery Solved

December 4, 2023 3:25 PM

Isabella left Valery's office and headed back toward the barracks. As much as she wanted to leave right away, she knew she would never be able to. Cathrine would have people watching for her to try anything like that along with a few following her. No, if she wanted to leave the base and Atlanta, she would need some help. Luckily, she knew exactly who to talk to.

She headed into the barracks and easily managed to bring a few tears to her eyes. She made it look as if she was heading for her room before turning away and heading, instead, for Gabby's. By the time she reached her room, she had faked cried a bit but wiped the tears away. She knocked on the door and Gabby answered it a moment later.

"Yeah wa- Isabella?" Gabby said, her annoyed look changing to concern. Isabella's eyes were still red and swollen from her tears and Isabella sniffed a bit to sell the facade.

"I'm...sorry for bothering you Gabby, I just... Well this might be last time we see each other for a while so...I..." Isabella said trying to sound as sad and depressed as possible. Gabby smiled at her and stepped aside. Gabby's room was much like Isabella's in decor. The main difference was the amount of trash just laying around and a number of bags that were half-packed. Though packed might be the wrong word as they looked more like Gabby had just piled things into them and forced them to close.

"No need to explain. Come on in. I got a bottle of brandy with our names on it," she said heading for her kitchen as Isabella shut the door. Isabella shut it and smiled at her own acting skills. Anyone who had heard or watched that would assume she and Gabby were having one last horrah before they were separated. A night of drinking and enjoying themselves.

Gabby came back into the bedroom with the brandy and two glasses. She noticed Isabella's sudden change in look and smirked at it.

"Oh good, I was getting worried that you might actually have been serious for a second there. Still drinking this, though. Like hell I am leaving it for someone else," Gabby said before taking the stopper in her teeth and pulling it out of the bottle. She spit the stopper onto the ground before setting the glasses down and pouring a shot into both.

Isabella took her glass and smirked back at Gabby. She took her first shot as she explained what she wanted help with.

"I need to get off the base. I'm suspended from active duty so I can't get out through normal channels. And I am sure Cathrine has people watching me to make sure I don't try anything," Isabella said as Gabby took a seat and her own shot.

"And you want me to help you slip out since I am leaving tomorrow. Should I even bother asking why you need to get off the base?" Gabby said as she refilled their glasses.

"I would... rather keep that to myself," Isabella admitted feeling a bit ashamed for not telling Gabby. She wanted to tell her, wanted to confine in her her fears, but she knew better. Gabby was not the sort to keep something bottled up. Isabella had no doubt if she told her fears to her friend, Gabby would go off the handle and start beating answers out of people. They were all on thin ice as it was, so Isabella couldn't let her friend do that doubly so if her fears were true.

Gabby shook her head and took another shot, but didn't look surprised or angry.

"Trying to protect everyone around you like this is going to get you killed one of these days. Going to have to learn to trust us at least a little and stop trying to face all the danger yourself," Gabby said with a worried look on her face. Isabella sighed knowing her friend was right, but also knowing she couldn't, wouldn't stop. She cared too much for them to put them in danger again, doubly so with how badly the last time she brought them in had backfired on all of them. It was her fault Gabby was being sent off to some backwater and Alice to Savannah. She didn't have to right to ask for their help again.

Gabby didn't press the subject any further as she poured another shot for herself. Instead she smirked a bit and tried to change the subject to something less sombre.

"Besides, getting to see Lutice's face when you tossed her through the mess hall doors was more than worth getting sent to a backwater farm outpost. Breaking Monet's jaw was just icing on the cake as far as I am concerned," she said with a chuckle. Isabella smiled too as she drained her cup and refilled it. She could keep worrying and beating herself up, but that wouldn't change what had happened. Instead, for now, she let the alcohol take away her worries and just enjoyed one last night with her friend. There was no telling how long it would be before they would have another.

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December 5, 2023 7:20 AM

Morning came and with it the preparation for Isabella's plan. Their late night drinking had left Isabella with a mild headache, but nothing bad enough to impair her. It was hard to say if the drinking was affected Gabby or not thanks to her being anything but a morning person. Whether she had a hangover or not, she was going to be grumpy. The only responses she gave were grunts, groans, and sweares as she moved about the place.

Gabby had brought a large luggage cart up to her room to help haul all of her things to the jeep she was going to be using. It was a bit too big for all of Gabby's things, but that worked perfectly for Isabella's idea. Isabella sat in the cart, Gabby's old dress uniform's clothing bag nearly zipped up over her. Isabella sucked in a big breath as she wrapped her breasts up to make them less noticeable and felt her lungs being compressed. At the same time,  Gabby began to pile things around her to make it harder to get a good look at the bag she was in. It was going to be a cramped and bumpy trip to the jeep, but it was the best way to sneak out.

No one who wanted to keep their bones intact were going to make any demands of Gabby while she was in her morning mood so there was no real danger of being questioned on the way there. Even better, anyone watching her would figure she was still asleep in the room, sleeping off her night of drinking. To better sell that idea, Isabella had recorded her sleeping and had a radio set to replay it. By the time anyone got suspicious, Gabby and Isabella would be long gone.

After a few minutes of stacking and piling, the clothing bag Isabella was in was mostly hidden. Isabella took one last big breath before wrapping her breasts completely up. She cursed as her breaths came more raggedly and the compression was nearly unbearable. But this was the only way she was getting out.

"Try...hurry," Isabella stammered out as Gabby grunted in response and zipped up the rest of the clothing bag. Isabella was thrust into darkness as the bag cut off her view. Another bag was put on her face causing her to grunt a bit. She turned her head and already began to find the slowly heating air annoying. She had to put up with it, though.

The cart shifted as Gabby opened the door and pushed it out. The bump over the door nearly caused Isabella to grunt, but she held it in, knowing any noise might give her away. Gabby closed the door behind her and locked it before pushing the cart down the hall and to the elevator. Another bump on the elevator got a silent curse from Isabella as her fight for air started to become a lost one.

The elevator ride seemed to take forever in Isabella's black world. Her air problem seemed to increase exponentially with each second, but she forced herself to remain calm. Freaking out would only make it far worse and, mostly likely, get her caught. Finally, the muffled ding of the elevator singled the rides end and Isabella felt the cart moving again, along with another infuriating bump.

A few agonizing minutes passed as Gabby exited the barracks and headed for the vehicle hanger. Even in the bag and under all the baggage, Isabella could feel the cold air and had to stifle back a shiver. Sadly, it didn't help her breathing problem which was only getting worse by the second. She could feel herself starting to get less and less air which each breath and it was only her military training keeping her from freaking out.

Outside, the sounds of powered wrenches, metal on metal, and other typical auto-shop sounds began to grow louder. Isabella gave a silent pray of thanks as they were nearly toward the vehicle hanger. Once they passed the motorpool, they would be at the hanger and she could get out of this damn thing. Gabby stopped for a second, however, and Isabella heard someone walking towards them. The boots stopped near her head and Isabella heard the muffled talk of the guard.

"Papers?" she said in a bored tone. It looked like either Cathrine or Angela had posted someone to watch the hanger after their "borrowing" of a vehicle. Isabella had a feeling which... Isabella guessed Gabby handed the papers over as the guard was silent for a moment.

"Alright, sorry about what happened Gabriella. Personally, I think those assholes had it coming," the guard said to which Gabby grunted in something that might have been approval. The cart got moving again and the noises of the motorpool died down to just background noises. Gabby stopped the cart and Isabella heard her open the trunk of the jeep. Isabella waited as Gabby picked up a few of her belongings off Isabella and loaded them into the jeep. For a half second, Gabby stopped and Isabella held her breath. Gabby unzipped the top part of the clothes bag, letting cold but so very welcome fresh air in. The hole was just big enough for Isabella to see through.

"Get inside!" Gabby whispered as she moved to make it look like she was loading the bag in. Isabella got up and shuffled to the trunk. The trunk already had a number of supplies, equipment, and other things Gabby would need inside, but still had enough room for Isabella. Her arms were useless in the bag so she had to half throw herself in. Gabby pushed her the rest of the way in and quickly began to pile up baggage around her again. It was a tense couple of seconds as Gabby loaded all her stuff in, but no one came to check on them. Finally, everything was loaded and Gabby closed the trunk. She came around to the front seat, got the jeep started and began to drive them away from the base.

Isabella knew not to relax yet, though, as they still had to pass through gate security. She stayed quite as the jeep rolled along before stopping at the gate. Isabella heard the window come down.

"Open the gate so I can get going," Gabby demanded from the guard.

"Not until we check your stuff. Matriarchs orders," the guard said getting a wave of panic from Isabella. The panic vanished though as she heard the guard cry out in surprise before something thumped against the side of the jeep. There was another cry of alarm as the door opened and Isabella sighed to herself. Gabby was a good friend, but had a bad habit of seeing every problem as a nail. And her fists were the hammers...

The door reopened before the jeep accelerated rather quickly and rocketed out of the base. Gabby didn't slow the jeep at all as Isabella began to unzip herself from the clothes-bag. She unwrapped her breasts and gasped in relief as the pressure on her chest was released and her breathing became much easier.

"You could have just let them look. They might have missed me," Isabella said to which Gabby just shrugged.

"More fun this way," she said with a slight smirk as they turned onto the interstate. There was going to be hell to pay for both of them, but there was no use worrying about that now. For now, Isabella needed to focus on her real objective. She wasn't going back till she found what Manchent had tried to help them find.  Flonne being an innocent person, seeing the devastation the Sword had done, hearing that that Lutice and the rest had done such things before and gotten away with it, Isabella was beginning to question just what the Society stood for and who was really in charge.

And maybe...just maybe Manchent had the answers she sought.

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10:18 AM

A few hours passed as Gabby drove them further and further north along I-75. By then, Isabella had changed into winter clothing and got her breath back. The two of them were mostly quiet on the way there, both seemingly lost in thought. It was going to be a long walk to Lindale, and even longer walk back to Atlanta, but Isabella had no choice. Gabby needed the jeep to get her to her new assignment, a farm a few miles west of Calhoun.

Calhoun was, mostly, abandoned and Resistance activity there was rather low. It was a few miles north of Rome and most of the people who had lived there had either vanished or moved to Rome. The occasional raid ever so often hit the farms there, but nothing well organized or major. For the most part, the farm duty was quiet, easy, and out of the way. Everything Gabby hated with a passion, even if the farms were vital for the Society's survival.

Eventually, they came to where I-75 split off into 411, which lead to Rome. They would have to go their own ways here. Isabella on the long road to Lindale and Gabby up further North to Calhoun.

Gabby stopped the jeep and sighed to herself. She looked down before looking back at Isabella.

"Still not going to tell me what this is about?" she asked, though her look made it obvious she already knew the answer. Isabella turned to look out the window and slowly shook her head.

"No...I'm not," she said simply. Gabby was silent at that before her door opened all of the sudden. Isabella turned just in time for Gabby to close the door and start toward the back. Isabella climbed out in confusion and meet Gabby in the back, the trunk already open.

"What are you doing?" Isabella asked as Gabby grabbed two of the bags she had brought.

"What's it look like? Getting the stuff I will need. Got about a two day walk ahead of me to Calhoun and I am going to need some stuff," Gabby said as she slung both bags over her shoulder and picked up a third.

"You can't carry all this by yourself, and I am the one walking here!" Isabella said getting Gabby to stop. There were, at least, five more bags inside the trunk and a many of them were not small by any means.

"First off, no you're not. Second, half the crap I packed I didn't want. I just packed it cause we needed it to keep you hidden," as if to proof her point she unzipped one bag to show it was a hairdryer, "The fuck do I need a hairdryer for? Don't worry, I packed all the important stuff and supplies in these three bags."

Isabella was flabbergasted at this development and was silent for a moment as Gabby got the three bags situated on herself and looked about to leave. Isabella shook out of her stunned stupor and moved to stop Gabby.

"Gabby, I can't let you go walking through here with no vehicle. Its too dangerous and-" she was stopped mid-sentence by Gabby laughing.

"Dangerous? Ha! Because of what? Wolves? Bears? Come on, their not even as big as my pinky toe now. I could squish them with my fingers! And the Resistance? I got a shield projector on along with a few motion detectors I can set up at night. Those little bastard won't bother me if they know what is good for them," Gabby said with a cocky smirk. She was right, of course. Wildlife was definitely not going to be a problem for Gabby and the Resistance would regret ticking her off.

Still, Isabella didn't feel right taking Gabby's vehicle and forcing her into a two+ day walk. Doubly so when she was the one who got Gabby demoted to the farm.

"Gabby, I....I don't feel comfortable taking your vehicle. Considering I was the one who got you demoted in the f-" she stopped as Gabby's entire posture changed. She went from calm and cocky, to angry and intimidating. She glowered down at Isabella in anger.

"Don't you fucking say that again, Isabella. Don't ever FUCKING say that again. You didn't get me demoted, I did. I choose to go kick Lutice and her gang's asses and I would do it again in a heartbeat. You had nothing to do with me getting demoted so don't EVER think you did, you understand me?!" Gabby growled out. Isabella stared at Gabby after her rant and felt a laugh slowly start to spill out. Gabby raised an eyebrow in confusion as Isabella began to laugh.

"S-Sorry. Just...you always fall back on trying to be a drill sergeant even when you are trying to be inspirational. Almost like I was back in the military for a second," Isabella said as she chuckled a bit. Gabby's angry look turned to confusion before she looked around and realized what she was doing. She slumped a bit and shook her head before chuckling a bit to herself as well.

"Yeah...I guess I do. Heh, old habits and all that," she said before looking back at Isabella. Isabella stopped laughing and sighed to herself. She still didn't want to take the vehicle, but also knew it was pointless to argue with Gabby. Either Isabella was going to take it or no one was going to take it.

"You really don't want the vehicle?" Isabella asked, wanting to make sure. Gabby stopped chuckling and shook her head.

"No, I don't. I mean, all it will do is get me to that damn farm quicker. Why the hell would I want to do that? No, I would rather just walk there and enjoy my time of freedom a bit longer, thank you very much," Gabby said. Isabella smiled and understood. She didn't feel bad about taking it now as she was sure Gabby would have left it even if Isabella hadn't tagged along. Isabella nodded and felt a good bit better.

"Alright, I'll take the jeep. Take care of yourself, Gabby," Isabella said with a smile Gabby returned full force.

"You too, Captain.  Oh and make sure you call me from the brig so I can tell you this was a stupid idea," Gabby said as she began to head off.

"Who is more stupid, the idiot or the idiot who went along with it," Isabella shot back to which Gabby just shrugged.

"Guess we will find out, won't we?" she said before turning back to the highway. Isabella laughed to herself a bit before climbing into the jeep and heading off down the road.

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11:23 AM

It was about an hour drive before Isabella arrived at the Lindale middle school. Nothing had changed from the last time she was here. The same rusted old cars, the same slowly crumbling walls, the same blood stains... Isabella tried to ignore the stains and focus on putting on her HUD patch and radio.

It had been two weeks since she had last come to see the mother and child. Last time it hadn't been for too long, just long enough to drop off some supplies and talk a bit. Hopefully those supplies would last a bit longer as Isabella hadn't brought any this trip. She was feeling more than guilty for that as she climbed out before noticing all the bags Gabby had left. It was a long shot, but there was no reason not to look.

Sadly, most of them were full of random junk or useless appliances. She was about to just give up when she remembered the bags that had already been in here. She moved the empty clothing bag she had been in and pulled out the two bags that had been inside before Gabby had gotten here. One was full on general giantess equipment, spare shield projectors, wrist units, locator beacons, that sort of thing. The other, however, was almost completely full of tiny equipment. Equipment that included a full on habitation center and enough rations to last for months. This stuff must have been meant for the farm and Gabby had just left it...typical. In fact, she didn't remember Gabby even LOOKING in these bags.

Well, Gabby's inattention had worked out well enough, though. The farm would have spares and could always get another supply run. The mother and child, on the other hand, had none of those things and needed these supplies far more. Zipping the bag back up, Isabella put the strap over her shoulder and headed into the middle school

Madysen and Christina were still on the plastic desk, their tent now put up. The water bottle she had left last time was starting to get low and most of the tiny rations she had left had been eaten. Another week and they might have starved... Thankfully, with these supplies, that wouldn't be a problem for a year or more.

As Isabella entered the room, she saw the tent flap move and could just barely see a small person running to the edge of the table. Isabella smiled as Christina began to wave up at her. She might have been trying to yell at her, but Isabella was too far away to hear her. Isabella smiled and waved back as she moved up to the plastic desk. Madysen wasn't long behind her daughter and put the headset Isabella had given them back when they first met onto her head.

"Hello Christina, hello Madysen," Isabella said as she lowered her pinky for Christina to hug. The little girl had taken a real shine to Isabella and seemed to think of her as some kind of female Santa Claus or something of that nature. Madysen moved up, but didn't throw herself at Isabella like her daughter.

"Hello, Isabella. I was starting to worry you might have forgotten us," she said, though whether it was a joke or not, Isabella wasn't sure. Madysen had been a bit... suspicious of Isabella off and on. She usually was somewhere between suspicious and cautiously trusting, but never flat out trusted Isabella. That was fine for Isabella, though. She didn't expect her to trust her completely, just enough to let her help.

"Of course I didn't. Things have just been...hectic recently," Isabella said as she began to lift Christina up and down on her pinky. Christina giggled and and laughed as she held on before Isabella stopped to let her off. Madysen didn't look thrilled with the ride, but had given up trying to enforce her dislike of it.

"Hectic? It...it wasn't because of the Resistance was it? You...you-" Madysen started but Isabella shook her head to stop her.

"No, no this problem was more..,internal. Disagreements on how things should be run and things like that," Isabella said, not wanting to go into too much detail. Madysen was still pro-Resistance it seemed, a fact that always confused Isabella a bit. It was the Resistance who had killed her husband and nearly killed them, but Isabella didn't want to press the issue. Or remind her of that terrible time...

"Oh, good. Well, not good, but...its good it is solved," Madysen said after thinking on how to put it. Isabella's smile faded as she was tempted to disagree with solved. No...nothing was solved...yet. But the time for that question would come later.

"Yeah.. I brought some more things for you. A lot more this time," Isabella said as she swung the bag around and unzipped it. Christina moved back to stand beside her mother and began to bounce up and down in excitement. Madysen, too, looked a bit surprised and excited by the prospect.

Isabella couldn't help but smile as she started to unload all the things inside the bag. Three gallons of water, enough food to feed the two of them for months, more clothing for winter and warmer weather, some farming equipment for smaller people(which was mostly useless here, but you never knew), three miniature heaters with enough gas to last them a few months, and a per-fabricated habitation center that had been stored in a large crate Isabella opened. All in all, the two people went from a tent with some water and food, to a fully equipped house with all the usual amenities, including heat, and enough food and water to last them for a year or more.

Christina was bounding through the house like it was the coolest thing she had ever seen and was yelling for her mother to come inside and look. Madysen, though, just stood there in stunned silence.

"This should keep you safe for a long time to come. Maybe, by then, I will have a permanent solution for the two of you," Isabella said as she took out the last of the food. Madysen slowed turned to face her and tears began to run down her face. She collapsed to the ground and sat there, too stunned to talk or move.

Christina came out and ran to her mom in worry. She was close enough to the headset for the mic to pick up her talking.

"Mommy? Mommy what's wrong?" she asked in confusion. Madysen looked at her before wrapping her into her arms, still crying.

"Nothing...nothing is wrong just...just mommy is so happy that she is crying. Because now...now we are, finally, safe," she said before giving a laughing cry. Christina buried her face in her mom's shoulder and the two sat there for a moment just enjoying the moment.

Isabella smiled and yet felt that same pang of jealously and sadness that plagued her. She would have given anything to be in Madysen shoes. To have little girl, or boy she wasn't picky, to hold and love and care for. But that...that dream had been crushed under her shoe...

Isabella felt tears beginning to well up in her own eyes and turned away from the mother and child. She took a deep breath as she tried to refocus on why she came here. She still had to find out what Manchent had meant by those numbers. She might not have true children, but Flonne and her scouts were her adapted ones. And their safety might depend on what Manchent was trying to tell them. If they Society really did make Flonne from an innocent child, who was to say they wouldn't do it again. And with one of her scouts too.

Isabella turned back to look at the two tiny people. Madysen patted Christina on the head and sent her running back into the house as she whipped her tears away. She stood up and turned to look at Isabella.

"I...I wan-....thank you. I...I wish I could do more, but all I can do is thank you," Madysen said as she looked to be tearing up again. Isabella's hint of jealously and sadness vanished as she smiled back down at the mother.

"There might be. I, I know I have asked this a lot, but the hectic things I mentioned ties into this. Please, if there is anything else you know about Manchent or just anything you can tell me," Isabella asked as she leaned down to look Madysen on the same level. Or as close as she could come being hundred times her size.

Madysen looked away and got a worried look. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped as she looked toward the house, the food, all the other things Isabella had brought them. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh before nodding her head.

"There...there is something. My husband...he went to the old Mill a lot and seemed obsessed with something there. I..I don't know if its what you are looking for, but I...overheard him say something about having the lock but not the combination. That's...that's all I know. I...I was worried about telling you, but..." she trailed off as she looked at the house and Christina who was waved from one of the windows.

Isabella nodded in understanding.

"Its fine. I would have been uneasy telling me that if I was in your place. Thank you," she said before standing back up. She stood there a moment, thinking on what Madyson said. Found the lock...but not the combination. She turned to head back to the door, but stopped when Madysen called for her.

"Isabella," she said getting Isabella to stop and turn around. Isabella saw Christina run out of the house and take the headset from Madysen.

"Thank you, Aunt Isabella! Next time you come, can you stay longer to play?" Christina asked getting a slightly scolding look from Madysen. Isabella chuckled before bending down to eye level again.

"Your very welcome, Christina. And of course I will. Now you listen to your mom and be a good girl or I won't bring anything next time except food and water, OK?" she said getting a happy nod from Christina. Both of them waved as Isabella headed back out into the hallway.

Once she was out of sight, though, Isabella went straight back to pondering those words. She knew it had to be in the Mill, but that place was huge and she had no idea what she was looking for. Found the lock, but not the combination...combination...

Isabella stopped as she nearly ran into an open locker. She grumbled a bit as she moved around it and was about to head out when she stopped and looked at the locker. A combination locker.... Thirty-two, eighty-five, twelve....

Sudden realization hit Isabella like a bolt of lightning. COMBINATION! The first three numbers were the numbers on the locker and the other three were its combination! Manchent was trying to get them to find locker seven nighty-two and use the combination he gave them to open it! Isabella smiled as she took off at full speed down the hallway and toward her jeep. The answers were just down the road.

    Article of Farm Outposts

Farm Outposts have been set up in area's far away from large cities and known Resistance held locations. These outposts have been set up with two objectives in mind.

The first is rather obvious, to produce food. While the farms around most large cities are enough to feed the people in the city, the food is far too small for the giantess members of the Society. For this reason, the farms were set up to provide them with the massive amounts of food they require. The exact way this is done is a well guarded secret, but the most logical theory are plants that are given the same anti-shrink gene and are grown back to normal size. A few people even think animals may be grown this way, as well.

For now, however, these are simply theories as those who go to work at farms are swore to secrecy and their communications monitored in case of accidental, or purposeful, breaches of said secrecy. Despite these level of secrecy, those that work on farms are always pleased with their work and happy enough to stay and work.

The second objective for the farms is often forgotten and is credited with the main reason people stay. They are meant to make the foundations of a new Society city to begin the slow spread of civilization back to the wilds. While the process is extremely slow and painstaking, the rewards for being a, literally, founder of a city are enormous. Not to mention the simple draw of being a settler retaking the wilds.[