Spy Games 2 - Julia's Return

                                  by Longshot
                                 (f, qs, grim)


Julia had woken from her coma about six weeks ago and had finally reported back
to  work  for  her  next assignment. The director sighed as she walked into his
office. Julia was a pretty young woman, Shoulder length brown hair which was at
the  moment  tied  into an unattractive regulation bun at the back of her head.
Her  attentive  brown  eyes seemed to watch his every movement like a hawk. She
stood  about  5'7"  in  her heels. He looked up from behind his desk. "Sit down
Julia.  We  have a lot to discuss." He tried to hide the regret in his voice as
he  spoke.  He  knew  she wouldn't like what was to come, nor did he like doing
this  to  her.  She  was  a  good  agent, despite what had happened on her last
mission,  there  had  been  so  many  successes  before it. Of course the other
members  of  her  team leaving a statue of that general outside his mansion had
caused  a  lot  of  trouble for them. No it wasn't Julia's fault but the agency
didn't want to listen to that.

Julia obediently sat down as he thought over how exactly to phrase his next few
sentences.  Then he looked up at her and the knowing look on her face,as if she
knew what was coming.

"Julia,  it  took everything in my power to convince the higher ups not to fire
you.  However,  because  the  decision  was  made  not to fire you, you will be
reassigned."

He  stopped  waiting for her reaction. Julia sat silently, the look in her eyes
said  more  than words ever could. She shook her head as if trying to deny it a
moment, then looked up at him again. She stared at him sorrowfully, but she was
trying  to repress the anger and the pain that the agency considered her a risk
now.

The  director continued. "Due to your recent traumas, it is recommended you see
the  company  therapist,  and until she gives you the okay to return to regular
service  then  I'm  afraid  that  you're going to be behind a desk." He stopped
again to let this soak in before he dropped the last bomb on her.

Julia  shook her head again and whispered in a soft, sad voice, "It gets worse,
doesn't it?"

The  director  sighed  and  nodded.  "You're  being  shipped  to  a new base in
Antarctica.  On  the  good  side however your former team will be down there as
well, for a little while anyway. We got reports from a small scientific team of
some  strange  activity  down there and we're sending a team in to investigate.
Probably  just  a  bunch  of  freaking penguins on the prowl, but well when the
orders  are  sent I have to follow 'em. I'm sorry Julia, I did all I could. The
therapist  and  your  team will be meeting you down there at - oh - six hundred
hours on Friday."

Julia  nodded.  "Thank  you, Sir." Her words were without feeling, spoken as if
she was an automation of some sort.

"Julia, take the time until you leave off, with pay. Get some rest, and try not
to  think about it. The agency will issue you some frigid climate gear when you
get on the plane."

Julia  nodded  at his words although she didn't really hear them. She whispered
another "thank you" and walked out of the office, slamming the door.

Julia  arrived  home  a  few  hours  later after driving around a while. It had
always helped her think. She tried to look on the good side of at least getting
to  spend  some  time  with Brian. He had been coming by as he could to see her
when  she  was  awake and could remember it. She still hadn't had the chance to
tell him how she felt about him, and considering the line of work they were in,
she  knew  she would regret it one day. It was Tuesday so she still had time to
pack.  She changed out of her horrendous work uniform and into some jeans and a
t-shirt. It felt good to be out of the constrictive uniform. She felt like some
sort  of  robot.  All the women were required to wear a grey business suit type
thing.  It  consisted  of  a  grey  blouse,  jacket  and  skirt. As well as tan
pantyhose  and  black  high  heels. She knew a man had to have picked out those
uniforms  because  no  woman  in  her right mind would have picked a skirt that
stopped about an inch above her knees. She folded it carefully and placed it in
her  suitcase.  'At least I won't have to wear you for a few days,' she thought
to herself, although it brought her little comfort.

The  next  few  days  were uneventful, and the plane ride to the drop-off point
wasn't  much  better.  From Australia she had to ride in a dinky little two man
plane  which  amazed  her  that  it  would  get off the ground. She arrived all
bundled  up  in her parka and snow boots as well as the jumpsuit they had given
her  to  wear for the short walk from the hangar to the base. Every inch of her
body  was  covered by at least two layers of thick cloth, and she swore she was
going  to roast alive inside this thick suit. However she knew without it she'd
be  a  human popsicle in a matter of seconds in the harsh sub-zero temperatures
outside.  This  fact  made  her no less grateful to shed it once she got to the
safety  of  the  inside  of  the base. Compared to that even her uniform seemed
pleasant.  However  the  news  she  was greeted with was less than pleasant. It
seemed  that  the  others who were supposed to have arrived yesterday had never
arrived,  and  the  base  in  Australia had sworn they had taken off. Julia was
stunned and was stunned by the next piece of information. They were arranging a
search  party  and due to the limited number of people already at the base, she
had  been  chosen to go on it, mainly because of her field experience which was
more  than  anyone  else's  at the base combined. She was also shocked to learn
that she would be the only person on this rescue team.

Julia was outfitted and given the mission briefing. The plane had crashed about
three  miles  north.  However  due to things like a blizzard approaching in the
next  twelve  hours she had limited time to find the others and either set up a
camp  and wait out the blizzard or return the survivors - if any - to the base.
Radio contact had been lost a short time after they began to close on the base.
Julia  took in all this information and got back into her oven suit. Along with
the  thirty  pounds  of  gear she had to carry she was amazed she could move at
all.

Julia's  hike  went without incident for the most part. It was slow and tedious
and it seemed to take forever to reach the plane. Which in reality it was about
three  hours.  When she got there she was almost frightened. Two bodies in gear
not  unlike  her  own  were huddled together, most likely for warmth. Four more
bodies lay scattered about the snow, one appeared to the the pilot, and none of
them  appeared  to  be alive. She rolled one over so that she could identify it
and  was  shocked  to see one of her teammates, Kelly, the youngest member. Her
face  was  blue  and  encrusted  with ice. There was something else that seemed
strange  about her but she didn't have time to worry about that now. Julia held
back  the urge to cry at her senseless death and ran to each of the others. She
saw  the pilot, Mark, and Felix. She guessed that the other two had to be Brian
and the doctor and rushed over to them.

Upon her approach one of the bodies stood and began to wave it's arms wildly as
if  trying  to  gain  her  attention,  the  other  slumped  over like a sack of
potatoes.  Julia  ran  over  fearing  the  worst.  Neither  spoke  as they both
simultaneously  leaned  down  to  assist  the  third form. Julia pointed in the
direction  of the base and the other person nodded. They quickly made their way
back.  Julia  was  allowed  to remove the oven suit as she now called it as the
others  were  carried  off  to  be treated for hypothermia. Julia explained the
situation  to the base commander who radioed the main base. While all this went
on Julia walked back to the medlab to see how the others were doing. The doctor
was  up  and seemed to be fine, when the other doctors pointed out Julia to her
she  quickly  walked  over and pulled her aside. "Julia, I must speak with you,
please?"

Julia looked at her oddly. "But I wanted to see how Brian-"

She  was  cut  off  as the doctor spoke again. "Julia please... it's important.
They won't let you in there until I talk to you."

Julia sighed and nodded. "Alright, lets talk then."

The doctor nodded. "First off, Julia, I'm Dr. Helen Goldmoon, feel free to call
me  Helen.  Secondly,  Brian  is  torn up pretty bad. Something attacked us out
there.  It  took  out  your team and almost me and Brian as well. I never got a
good look at it, but it was white and had shaggy fur. I know that much."

Julia nodded slowly. "He'll live won't he Helen?"

Helen  nodded,  hiding her own fear of Brian's chances. "Yes, he will Julia. If
anyone  can  save  his  life  it's our boys. C'mon now, we have other things to
worry about. I'm afraid you're the only person besides myself that this faculty
can  spare.  And  we're  going to have to somehow deal with that creature." She
sighed.  "Julia,  can  I  count  on  you? I didn't want to put you in the field
anywhere  near  this fast, especially since I haven't even had a chance to talk
to  you  yet,  but I don't see where I have a choice. That's why I'm going with
you."  Julia  nodded  slowly  in reply. "Good. Get some sleep, we'll be leaving
tomorrow morning, about sixish. Oh, and for the record, I'm not military, I use
a twelve hour clock."

Julia smiled and nodded. "Of course, Helen. I'll keep that in mind."

Julia  awoke  the next morning, showered and put on her regulation uniform. She
expected  nothing  more  than a routine search and return. She didn't expect to
find  anything  more  than perhaps a hostile penguin. She suited up at the door
with her arctic gear. "It's good to be back where I belong, even if it is for a
wild goose chase," she muttered to herself.

Helen  walked  up  a few minutes later also decked out in her arctic gear. "You
ready  Julia?  To  be honest ... I'd rather take some time with you first, but,
well,  at  last check there aren't any swamps here, just a lot of ice. I'm sure
you'll be fine."

Julia  rolled  her  eyes  and  put  on  her protective face gear. She knew that
without  it  her  face would probably turn into an icicle. When Helen was ready
they  began  their trek. The blizzard had passed, and today was relatively calm
on  the  snowy  ground.  Julia  looked around seeing nothing but snow for miles
around.  Helen pointed off in the direction of the crash and suggested that was
the  best  place  to  start looking. Julia nodded and the two women took off in
that direction.

At  the  site Helen was surprised to even be able to see the plane as according
to  the  computers  back at base another three feet of snow had fallen. But she
managed  to  spot  the tail sticking out and approached it slowly. Julia looked
around  watching  half-heartedly  for  Helen's  mystery  beast. Helen cried out
suddenly. "Julia, quick! Look! I've found footprints!"

Julia  turned  and  half  expecting  Helen  to  have found their own footprints
approached  a  little  slower  than  she  would  have  had  she  thought it was
important. When she arrived she was almost startled. There in the snow clear as
day was a strange footprint that looked like it belonged to some sort of large,
bipedal beast. Julia blinked as she didn't believe what she was seeing and half
expected the footprint to go away.

Helen grabbed her arm. "Come on, they lead this way."

Julia  followed  half  from  curiosity,  half  from  avoiding being dragged off
unwillingly.

After  about  30  minutes of following the tracks both Helen and Julia stopped,
and  were almost amazed at what they saw. Before them the ice and snow just ...
stopped suddenly at a towering cliff as if something prevented it from claiming
this  circular  area  about 300 yards across in an almost perfect circle. After
what  looked  to  be about a 500 foot drop there was lush green vegetation that
one  might expect to find in a rain forest. Helen blinked and immediately began
searching through her pack. "There has to be a rope in here somewhere ..."

Julia  tapped  her on the shoulder and produced the one from her shoulder which
she  had  brought.  Julia smiled. "You won't get far in the field if you aren't
prepared  for  anything.  I  brought  it  in  case  we /did/ actually find your
creature  and  needed  something  to bind it with. There's a grapple in my pack
too,  but  that's  all in the way of repelling equipment. The rope is about 100
feet  long,  nowhere  near  what  we need to get down, but they did train me to
claim down cliffs. You?"

Helen  shook  her  head.  "I'm  a  doctor not a field agent. I've done a little
amateur rock climbing but nothing on this level."

Julia  nodded.  "Okay.  Let me tie the rope to us and we'll start the climb. Be
careful and watch what I do. Mimic it exactly."

Helen  nodded and although she didn't want to say it she was a little uncertain
of  putting  her life in Julia's hands. But curiosity won out over better sense
and she followed Julia down the side.

After  a  long  climb with a few close calls, mainly on Helen's part when she'd
try  to  take  an  easier way than the one Julia had and almost fell, the women
arrived  safely at the bottom and almost died from the heat that seemed to drop
on  them  like  a wet blanket. They quickly shed their arctic clothing, leaving
them in their regulation uniforms, minus the heels. Julia shook her head. "Ugh,
this  is getting all too familiar. Jungle terrain in stocking feet, last time I
went this route I almost died."

Helen  placed  her  hand  on Julia's shoulder. "Hey, shh ... It'll be okay huh?
We'll  scout  around  the  perimeter and if we don't find anything we'll report
back  to base, okay?" Julia nodded, sweating partially from the heat, partially
fear.  She  followed Helen reluctantly and groaned inwardly as Helen gave out a
cry of excitement. "I found more tracks ... they lead into the jungle here, and
they appear to be fresh."

Julia looked at her oddly. "How do you know?"

Helen  looked  up  at  her.  "Hmm?  Oh, well I - umm - didn't spend all my time
studying psychology you know."

Julia nodded. "Well, by all means, lead on, professor."

Helen  walked  into  the jungle slowly, Julia hesitated a moment then followed,
something about all of this felt ... wrong.

Julia  followed Helen getting completely lost in the twisting maze of vines and
vegetation.  She  heard  water  somewhere  to  her left and assumed there was a
stream  or  something  nearby.  She  was  amazed  all this could actually be in
Antarctica.  All these years they had assumed it was just a giant block of ice.
Of course it just /had/ to be a jungle, and her office uniform was certainly no
protection  from  the thorny plants or the occasional sharp rock on the ground.
It  was  certainly  no  relief when they began to approach the riverbed and the
ground  began  to  get muddy. Helen looked back for probably the twentieth time
this trip, asking the same question, "Are you okay Julia?" Julia nodded for the
twentieth  time  as  well,  nervously. Helen looked at her. "We can go back you
know. I can wait for a team. Of course I'd probably loose the thing by then."

Julia sighed softly. "No, I can make it."

Helen  made  her way across the shallow stream quickly waiting for Julia on the
other side.

Julia  began  to  cross  and  suddenly bit back a scream as she felt a familiar
motion  under  her stocking feet. She didn't look down but instead tried to run
forward  as  if she could somehow outrun it. Her desperate struggles did little
but  cause  her calves to disappear into the mire. "No!" she cried out. "Helen,
help me!"

Helen smiled at the trapped Julia. "No, I think I like you better where you are
right now."

Julia  blinked in surprise as she felt her knees slowly sink into the mire. Her
hose  seemed  to only work against her desperate struggle to get her legs free.
"Helen ... please! This isn't funny! Please ... you have to help me!"

Helen  laughed an as she did her body began to ripple. Helen's form faded as if
it  was  never  there.  Julia  started to loose her balance due to surprise and
began to wobble as the mire slid over her knees and began to claim her stocking
clad  thighs.  She  leaned  forward to catch herself but her arms sank into the
mud,  too,  leaving her trapped in an uncomfortable position. "W-What are you?"
Before Julia stood a six foot tall humanoid with shaggy white fur.

Helen spoke in a deep growling voice. "To your kind I am known as the Yeti. Our
name is unpronounceable to you."

Julia  struggled  against  her  trap only making her sink deeper. Her legs were
almost  all the way under the sand. As she felt her legs sink she realized that
would  be the only way to at least get into a less painful position, to let her
body sink into the mire to catch up with her arms. "Why ... why did you lead me
here?"  She tried not to think about it but she was afraid she wouldn't get out
this time.

The  Yeti's  answer only confirmed her fears. "You must die. It is the only way
to  keep  your kind from discovering us. We have seen what you have done to the
other  animals  of  the  world,  we do not wish to become like them. If we kill
enough of you, you will not return."

Julia whispered a silent "no" as she felt her waist sink into what she realized
was quicksand. "Please ... don't let me die here! I'll tell them not to return,
I swear! Please ... just don't let me die!" Tears began to roll down her cheeks
as she pleaded.

The  yeti shook it's head. "I cannot. Your landing ... it killed several of our
young. When your ship crashed upon them. Our law says that they must be avenged
with the blood of those who killed them."

Julia began to struggle again. "Please ... I didn't kill them! I wasn't even on
the ship!"

The yeti sighed. "I know, but you were a part of them. The one named Brian said
so. He cried out your name with his final breath."

Julia  bit  back another scream and she was blinded with tears as the quicksand
claimed her rib cage. "But ... he was alive, with you ..."

The yeti sighed again.. "No. Tshat was just an illusion, like the one over this
entire  island.  We make it look like snow and ice. So that you will stay away.
This  is  not even my true form, it is only one you can see me in. However your
people  wouldn't  stay  away.  You  came, and saw us disguised as what you call
penguins. You captured some of our kind in that form, but one day they shall be
free.  I  do  not  have  time to explain things to you. Hurry and perish in the
quicksand  as  your people call it. Such a foolish name, but your kind are good
at giving things foolish names. It reflects your foolish natures."

Julia felt the mire engulf her breasts, her armpits and then her shoulders, but
she didn't care anymore. She just wanted to die.

The  yeti watched in silence as Julia struggled in the mire. "Why do you try so
hard  to  die human? The others fought for their lives, begged and pleaded, yet
you ... begged at first now you struggle, knowingly causing your own death?"

Julia  blinked away her tears as they rolled down her face. She tilted back her
head  and  softly  spoke,  "I  have  nothing left ... just like your young, the
person  I  cared for is gone. My life was ruined before. I have nothing left. I
may as well ... die ..." Her sentence was cut off as her face disappeared below
the surface of the mire.

The  yeti  shook  her  head.  "A foolish act, yet ... perhaps noble in it's own
right, perhaps these human creatures require more study. I think I will perhaps
see what happens when I tell the one named Brian that it's love Julia has died,
but  I  don't  allow  it the same opportunity to die." With that she turned and
walked towards the snowy cliff.