PART 1
I must take this time to send a HUGE thank you and a tremendous IOU to the following for their
time, generosity, ideas, foresight and assistance, for without them, this story would not have
happened: 1) Diane Smith, for her incredible talent at pointing out inconsistencies, her editing
ability is second to none, and her ability to point out how a car wreak can actually happen and
her experience with munitions and military "ways" (among many other things) were a great help
to me; 2) Marruzella, for her support, opinion and spotting plot developments that may or may
not have been needed; 3) Sue Burke, for her quick response to punctuation, spelling and
continuity errors. I couldn't have gotten all those commas and phrases right without you, Sue; 4)
Sharon Shoji for her ability to point out "flaws" in characterization and dialogue. Sometimes the
author's words come out of the mouths of the characters and don't truly represent what the
"character" would say. Thanks for keeping me and the characters honest, Sharon, and for
guiding me in the right direction of preparation and set up for this story; and finally, 5) Roxanne
Longstreet Conrad, who was my first official critique partner when I started developing this story
back in September of 1998. Without you, Roxanne, I would not have learned how to "be" the
character and see the characters' actions from their point of view. You are a true blessing, Rox,
and I just hope to be as successful in writing as you have become. I admire you and all the
wonderful ladies who helped me through this incredible adventure. I also need to thank the
members of my local Writer's Group for helping me in the editing process as well.
Other Disclaimers: The phone system mentioned in the first scene was somewhat doctored to
suit the purpose of the action. There are actual phone systems that can be used by pressing a
button on the steering wheel and speaking into a hands-free speaker allowing the driver to use
both hands on the steering wheel. To some degree I used dramatic license on this equipment in
conjunction with actual, available technology. Also the lyrics to the song "Possession" by Sarah
MacLachlan is used in this story and no infringement of her words or music is intended. Sarah's
music has had an incredible impact on my life and this particular song seems to epitomize Sloan
and Tom's relationship.
I hope everyone who reads this story enjoys it half as much as I did writing it. This comes from
the heart and please know that I have ideas for a sequel, unfortunately, that may be quite some
time away. If you have any comments, suggestions, etc. about this story, please feel free to
e-mail me at tvqueen@kiski.net. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say about my
first attempt at fan fiction. And so without further "ado" I present to all of you my story:
Recovery
by Lee Ann Gradwell
(Rueben! on the WATP MB)
Thursday, June 5
10 PM
"Tom!" she yells, dodging the silver car that swerves to avoid her then drives away from
the scene. Sloan stares down the street as the brake lights of the van containing an obviously
drugged Tom as it takes the turn in the road. For a split second she is unable to move. Then,
without conscious thought she runs to her car, throws herself behind the wheel, and hits the
accelerator.
She takes the corner at breakneck speed and watches the van turn toward the freeway.
Without a glance behind her, Sloan crosses traffic and nearly hits several cars in her haste.
Horns blare as she whizzes past the vehicles, but she is oblivious to the noise or the danger.
Only one thing matters to her: Tom.
Moments later the van hits the freeway entrance ramp. Sloan soon reaches the same ramp
with four cars between her and the van. She grips the steering wheel, floors the pedal, and pulls
into the right lane. She spots the van, already in the far left lane of traffic, as it begins to blend
into the scenery. Night has quickly settled over the city and the dark color of the vehicle she is
chasing makes her pursuit difficult.
'Keep up with them Sloan,' she thinks to herself. 'Tom's life could depend on it.' She
glances down for a brief moment to see the needle of her speedometer rise steadily. "Please don't
let me lose control of the car," she prays softly as she sees a break in the traffic. She slips over to
the next lane and watches the van speed along in the left lane.
Realizing she is gaining on the van, Sloan tries to think what to do next. Her reaction to
Tom's capture was compulsive, but what can she do to stop the van? She immediately thinks
about Ray and hits the phone button on her steering wheel. 'This is the perfect time to initiate the
new phone system Walter had installed in the car,' she thinks. As the phone rings, she continues
to drive at an ever increasing speed.
"Peterson."
Gasping for breath as she attempts to keep pace with traffic, Sloan hurriedly responds.
"Ray, we've got a problem. I need your help. I saw Tom thrown into a van and...I'm following
them."
"You're doing what?"
Keeping a tight hand on the steering wheel, Sloan gives Ray all the information she can
including as much of a description of the van and the men as possible. She then explains Tom's
capture and her location. "How soon can you get here, Ray? I don't know how much longer I
can keep up with them."
"I'm not far from you, Sloan. Stay as close as you can and I'll be there in a few minutes.
But, whatever you do, don't let them see you," Ray directs.
Before she hangs up, she remembers Ed. "Ray! Ray, wait. Ed was at my apartment
when the men took Tom. I have no idea what has happened to him. Can you get someone to
check my apartment? Oh, my God, Ray! What if they have Ed in the van too?"
He tells her to stay calm and keep control of the car. "I'll have Walter take care of it.
You just keep that van in sight until I get there. Sloan...did you hear me?"
Sloan turns off her phone and attempts to move in behind the van. She chances a glance
in her rear-view mirror and gasps as she sees a silver car creeping closer and closer.
"What the hell?" she yells, as she nearly collides with the car, then hears the loud blare of
a horn. She turns her head just in time to see an 18-wheel truck fly past her on the right.
Her phone rings suddenly and she hits the receive button. "Sloan, I'm a few cars behind
you. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but that silver car back there...I'm sure it's the same one that nearly hit me outside
my apartment when those men took Tom. What's going on Ray?"
"I don't know, Sloan. But I can tell you there isn't a silver car near you."
Another glance in her rear-view mirror confirms Ray's words. "What...where did..." she
gasps. She looks to the traffic ahead of her and discovers the van has disappeared. "Oh, no!
Where are they?" she screams, alerting Ray. He speeds ahead of her to locate the van.
What seems like hours later is only minutes when she hears Ray shout over the phone.
"Sloan, I've found them. "We're about a mile ahead of you." She moves into the left lane and
speeds forward, quickly spotting Ray and the van.
"There you are," she mutters as she pulls next to Ray's car. Before either of them can
react, the back doors of the van open and two men appear brandishing automatic weapons. "Oh
my God!" she yells as they begin to open fire. She manages to avoid a direct hit, but the spray of
bullets blows out her front tires causing her car to spin out of control, skidding along the barrier.
Ray is able to react in time and dodges the bullets. But seeing Sloan's car spin out of
control causes him to lose sight of the van. He attempts to slow down and pull to the side of the
road. "Sloan, Sloan!" he yells.
Her voice breaks up over the static on the line. "I'm okay, Ray," she gasps. "Don't
worry...me. Just don't lose...van."
Hesitantly he drives on. "Okay, Sloan. But stay with me." The line is quiet for a
moment, then he hears a faint "All right" from her. She leans back in her seat and blood begins
to trickle down her face from a cut on her forehead.
The shock of the night's events begin to sink in, and Sloan notices that her knuckles are
white from holding the steering wheel so tightly. Her hands are shaking uncontrollably. "Ray,
Ray?" she gasps.
Over the static she hears his broken response. "Yeah, Sloan, the van...off the freeway.
I'm behind... I radioed...ambulance. It...be there...minute. Hang in there."
She barely grunts "Okay" when Ray sees the van doors open again. He can see Tom
lying on the floor. His hands and feet are bound and he seems to be unconscious. He is able to
see that Ed is not there as the two men again raise their weapons and aim for his car.
Immediately he reacts by swerving past the van and speeding ahead. As his car comes to
a stop, the van driver veers left and drives over the curb into oncoming traffic. Ray sees this as
he clambers out of his car and prepares to fire his gun. But they are already gone.
Sloan can hear horns blaring and static. She reacts by saying, "Ray, what's happening?"
She is greeted with more static, then his voice answers hesitantly, "I'm sorry, Sloan. The
van jumped...road...disappeared. They're gone." A single tear slides down her face as the sound
of the ambulance echoes on the line. It's too late; they have lost the van...and Tom.
The silver car and its passengers sit on the opposite side of the freeway shoulder,
watching the activity at Sloan's car, then slowly pulls into the flow of traffic and disappears.
----------------------------------------
Friday, June 6
7:55 AM
Sleep. It is so easy now. Close your eyes and fall. The pain stops, the mind rests. Until
dawn.
They return. He sees the men first in shadows, then in blurred motions. He feels the bite
of the needle on his spine as the drug takes effect. He feels the light above him burn his skin.
The sting is unbearable. He reaches to wipe it away, but it is unrelenting. It seeps into his pores
and takes control. His mind is spinning. Reaching; he is reaching, reaching for something. Just
beyond the iron bars. Who is it? What is it? A person, a vision. Hallucinating. The room spins
and his mind is gone.
Morning? Evening? What day is it? Has it been three days in the cage? No, maybe
five? Nothing is clear. He opens his eyes, and beyond the bars he sees the familiar room, bare
except for two desks and a gurney. The same one he was placed on several times before. Men
hovering above him; doing what? Testing his reflexes; working on his mind? Programming!
What is happening? Restraints. His hands and feet. He cannot move. Blinking, he looks
down at his body. He is free except for the cage surrounding him. The pain lingers. He huddles
and tries to focus. Where is he? Voices echo. Who are those people talking just beyond reach?
The words are mumbles. He hears his name, but is it real or a dream. Sleep starts to take hold.
The needle again.
"No,' he utters, 'please, no." His throat. So sore, so parched. "Water, please, water."
No response. The man walks away and he sees the face. Familiar, so familiar. But who
is it? The man speaks to him, but the words mix, they make no sense to his mind. Slowly, he
closes his eyes.
The voice he hears changes, softens. The vision is soothing. His mind relaxes. His body
calms. He feels her arms around him and her hands on his back, pulling him into a warm
embrace, an embrace he returns tightly. Her breath falls softly on his neck, featherlight and
weightless, as she kisses him. The scent of roses, her subtle perfume, rushes over him. The last
word he is able to utter before sleep takes over is......
"Sloan."
----------------------------------------
Friday, June 6
8 AM
A soft whisper. "Sloan..." She hears Tom's voice as clearly as if he is in the room with
her. She opens her eyes sluggishly to see a hospital room and Walter looking out the window.
"Walter?" she says breathlessly.
He turns with a slight smile and says, "Good morning, Sloan. How are you feeling?" For
a moment she looks at him in confusion, then she remembers the previous night's events.
"I...I feel, uh, sore." When she tries to sit up, her head begins to pound. Touching her
brow, she rubs her forehead to alleviate the pain. The memory of the accident begins to flood her
mind as she closes her eyes.
The ambulance crew had arrived at the scene a few seconds after Ray's last contact with
her. Her car door was crushed against the barrier, making it difficult for the technicians to reach
her. One of the EMT's climbed the barrier and placed a neck brace on her. Then after several
tension-filled moments, the passenger door was opened and the technicians were able to place
her onto a stretcher. Shortly thereafter she was put into the ambulance.
She slowly remembers what happened after she was placed in the ambulance. On the
drive to the hospital, she remembers one of the crew cleaning her face. She remembers being
admitted to the hospital. After that her memory became fuzzy, but she does remember a doctor
saying, "Let's keep her here overnight for observation and contact..." The next thing she knew,
she was waking up in a hospital room. Walter was standing by her window.
"Have you heard from Ray? Where's Ed? When can I leave, Walter? We need to find
Tom as soon as possible before anything happens," she says without pause.
"One thing at a time, Sloan. Your doctor was in a few minutes ago. She said you can be
released this afternoon after a few tests are run. You hit your head quite hard on the door of your
car. She wants to make sure there isn't any permanent damage."
Sloan reaches for a glass of water sitting on the stand by her bed and sees the bandages on
her hands. She hadn't noticed them moments ago. Walter watches her worried expression then
tells her, "The glass from your car door broke upon impact. The doctor in the emergency room
treated the lacerations on both of your hands and...your face."
"My face?" She touches her cheeks and around her eyes.
"Your facial injuries aren't severe, Sloan." He is quiet for a moment, then continues.
"After Ray called me, I went to your apartment and found Ed lying on the floor. He'd apparently
been drugged by Tom's captors, but a short time later was awake and coherent. He was unable to
identify the men because it all happened so fast."
He pauses, then says, "After what's happened, both Ray and I believe it's not safe at your
apartments."
"And I was turned away from the lab last night," Sloan adds.
Turning from the window, Walter nods. "Yes, the lab is still locked down tight. None of
us can return there. That is why, until we know it's safe, I've had Ed moved to a safe house with
Ray and his family. When you're released, we'll go there. For now, Sloan, get some rest and I'll
be back for you later."
Before she can respond, the door to her room shuts behind Walter and she stares at the
door briefly. She lies in bed for a few minutes thinking about Tom and the events leading to her
being in this room. "What was I thinking?"
She climbs out of bed, walks to the bathroom, and turns on the light. Once the
fluorescent bulb above the sink flickers on, she is surprised by the face staring back at her. She
softly touches the bandages hiding the stitches she can feel on her forehead and cheek. Her left
eye is swollen and beginning to turn black and blue.
As she thinks of him again, she says softly, "Tom, where are you?"
----------------------------------------
Friday, June 6
8:05 AM
Two men are conducting an extensive examination on Tom's weak body. They are to
perform the next phase of research for their supervisor, then report to him as soon as possible.
Their every move is being watched by a woman standing close by. The sudden arrival man
beside her in the hallway has her turning her head. "Is everything going according to plan?" she
asks in a whisper.
The man, dressed in a green lab coat, removes his glasses and cleans them methodically,
blowing on the lenses. "Lewis finally made contact. The woman survived the incident and is in
the hospital. The doctor was removed from her apartment by Attwood and is at one of their safe
houses."
The woman shakes her head and asks, "Does he want us to move' she nods her head in
Tom's direction '...him out of the cage yet?" After pausing to check on the progress of the
research, the man answers. "We have been ordered to keep him there for another day, then
proceed with the plan. Lewis will be returning to the compound this evening so make sure the
men know what to do."
"I understand."
A short time later Tom is thrust into his cage where he lays trembling on the floor. A
voice from the dark seems to echo in his mind, yet the voice is as close as the bars on the cage.
He lifts his eyes to the shadowy figure before him. Despite its garbled tone, he is startled by the
familiarity of the voice. The woman says his name several times, but all he can hear is a muffled
sound.
The woman hunches before his cage; a position he remembers taking himself. She is
talking rapidly. His mind is playing tricks on him. He rubs his eyes as if visually focusing on
her will help him hear better. She begins to move slowly as she circles the cage. The motion
causes his mind to spin. The room is suddenly brightened by a large spotlight blinding Tom to
the strange man who enters the large room.
"Tom. You know why this is happening. Your decision to leave was prohibited." The
man pauses for a moment and moves closer to the cage. In a quiet yet stern voice, he continues,
"You are one of the Chosen and you must prepare to lead our people. The time for movement is
upon us."
Tom attempts to sit up, but a pain in his back will not permit it. The men who examined
him earlier injected more medication into his body. The effects are now beginning to manifest
themselves, causing him to slowly lose consciousness.
The woman beyond the bars comes into focus for a split second. She is a beautiful
blonde wearing a long brown dress. Her appearance is ethereal in the bright light, but the gleam
in her eyes is evil. He hears her speak in a hushed tone before he falls asleep.
"Tom. I'm proud of you."
----------------------------------------
Friday, June 6
8:10 AM
Sloan wipes her face with a towel, gingerly touching her cheek. She looks away from the
mirror and continues to think about Tom. She walks back to her bed and is greeted by a nurse
who enters her room.
"Hello, Sloan. Dr. Gray would like to run a few tests before you're released." He helps
her into a wheelchair, and they depart for the examination rooms.
She is wheeled back to her room later in the afternoon, and finds her overnight bag laying
on her bed with a note beside it from Walter that reads, "See you soon."
She surveys the bag and discovers a change of clothing, her make-up bag and even a hat.
"Walter certainly thought of everything,' she thinks, 'but how did he...?" She shakes her head in
amazement and walks into the bathroom.
She washes and dresses quickly, then pushes her unruly curls into the hat. It's the new
one she and Tom bought yesterday. Was it only the day before that they were together? She
remembers the afternoon so clearly.
Their laughter echoes in her mind. The memory of their excitement causes her heart to
beat faster. He was human, even if it was only for a few hours. The emotions he didn't
understand before were so clear and then...he was gone.
"No tears, Sloan," she says softly to herself as she walks into her room where she
discovers Walter waiting for her in the doorway.
"They won't let you leave until you sign some papers, and you have to be in the
wheelchair, Sloan. You know hospital rules." The nurse helps her with the necessary
paperwork, and a short time later she and Walter are driving to the safe house.
As the scenery passes, Walter tells Sloan about Ed's condition. "He is doing much
better." She looks at him in concern. "It's nothing serious, but he seemed to have an abnormal
reaction to the drug -- the one Tom's captors injected him with. I believe his exposure to the
influenza virus has affected his immune system."
"Will he be all right, Walter?" Sloan asks struggling with her composure.
"He should be fine...but I'm afraid we have more pressing issues to discuss, Sloan. Ray
was able to get a partial plate number from the van, and he is looking into some leads."
Reacting suddenly, Sloan grabs his arm. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier, Walter? I
had a right to know."
He nods, but doesn't answer. She blinks away her confusion and repeats quietly. "I had a
right to know." She then returns her gaze to the landscape.
The medication she was on during her short stay at the hospital is starting to have a
strange affect on her mind. She feels lucid, yet weak. Her mind begins to wander, and she starts
to daydream. Visions of her apartment come into view and the door opens. Tom is standing in
her kitchen, and looks up at her with that half smile she has come to love. "Sloan,' he says in a
deep, sultry voice, 'I was beginning to think you'd never come home."
Suddenly the image changes; now they are lying on her bed. He is touching her cheek so
gently. A beautiful caress, a light touch that excites her as he reaches for her. "Kiss me, Tom,"
she whispers, and he leans down to please her.
"I love you, Sloan," he utters as he presses his lips to hers. Abruptly, the image
disappears and she feels Walter's hand touch her shoulder.
"...As I was saying Sloan, we need to procure a new lab. As you are aware, the
University Lab was closed down and we are essentially locked out. What you may not be aware
of is...why." He glances over to look at Sloan before he continues. "Sloan, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she answers weakly wiping tears from her eyes as they enter the driveway of
the safe house where Ray, his wife and son, and Ed are waiting for them.
Sitting on the side of the road several miles back is the silver car. Its passenger watches a
blip on a computer screen. The woman inside the vehicle picks up her phone and places a call.
After a few rings, she hears an answer then responds. "They've arrived. Be ready."
----------------------------------------
Friday, June 6
3 PM
Visions assault Tom's mind as he sleeps restlessly. As he unconsciously wipes invisible
tears from his cheek, he sees himself years ago when he was a child. He is taken from his home
and his mother by a strange man. The visions turn blurry, but he can see a large building
surrounded by armed guards. Inside, he is greeted by several men in long jackets. The strange
man speaks his name and orders him to go with the doctors. His body obeys, but his mind fights.
He does not want to be here, yet he knows it is required. His mother told him he was to begin his
special training today. "You are one of the Chosen, Tom." He hears the words clearly. Then his
mind goes blank.
A sharp pain stabs his back, but he does not awaken. The visions have returned, but they
are harsh now. He is young again, and the cage is before him. The doctors strip him of his
clothing, and force him inside. He is frightened, and yells for his mother. No one responds. The
strange man appears before him and orders him to be quiet.
"You will be one of our best soldiers, Tom. You must stop being a child and act like a
man." As the words are spoken, one of the men in long jackets injects something into his arm.
Before he can respond his body falls limp to the floor.
Waking suddenly, Tom looks around the room. His body is clammy with sweat after his
restless sleep. He tries, to no avail, to warm himself by rubbing his body dry with his hands. He
shivers as he leans against the bars, his arms resting on his legs, grateful the pain in his spine and
lower back have finally dissipated. He glances to his left, and sees a glass of water and a tray of
food sitting on the floor. He crawls across the cage and attempts to reach for the glass.
A voice thunders in the room, and he stops. He looks up to see Lewis walking across the
room. His evil smile reminds Tom of a time in his past when he was in a similar cage. It had
been prior to his brutal training, when he had learned the strange man who had brought him to
the building was Lewis. The man who would be his mentor, the only "family" he would know
for years.
"What are...you...doing here?" Tom rasps through parched lips.
Lewis's laughter chills him to the core. The same laughter that greeted him as a child the
first time he questioned orders given by Lewis.
"Why, Tom, you're our special guest. Don't you like the accommodations?"
Tom stares at him, and attempts to sit up again. His back supports his weight, but his
arms are still weak. Speaking laboriously Tom says, "No...I'm not pleased. You didn't
answer...my question."
With anger in his voice Lewis tells Tom, "You are not to question anything I do, Tom.
You do remember that, don't you?" After a brief pause, he tilts his head at Tom and says, "Did
you think Attwood's people would be able to hold me forever?"
Tom stares at Lewis, yet remains quiet.
"Perhaps you did." Lewis walks around the cage, and picks up the glass of water. "Does
the cage bring back fond memories for you? I'm sure it does." Tom follows Lewis's movements
around the cage and glances briefly at the glass. "Are you thirsty, Tom?" Lewis throws the
water at him, and abruptly Tom awakes to discover he is in the room alone. The water is his own
sweat streaming down his face.
----------------------------------------
Friday, June 6
3:05 PM
The words Walter speaks as he slows the car and parks in front of the cabin stun Sloan.
"What are you saying, Walter? Do you honestly believe your boss had something to do with
Tom's capture? Doesn't she know by now that Tom is on our side?"
As they exit the car, he answers. "My boss has her own agenda, Sloan, and none of us are
important to her."
"Not important! What is that supposed..." Sloan stops abruptly as she enters the cabin,
and finds Ed lying on a bed. Several IV tubes are attached to his arm, and for a moment she is
back in the hospital in Alaska. She walks to Ed's side and leans over his motionless body. "You
said he would be fine, Walter." As she touches the tubes, she says, "What are these for if he's
fine?" She takes Ed's hand in hers, and whispers his name. He moves slightly toward the sound
of her voice, but doesn't wake up.
Closing the door behind him Walter remains silent, then glances to his right to see Ray
and his family standing in the kitchen. The two men nod and speak quietly for a moment as
Grace and Matt walk toward Sloan.
"They are merely for precautionary measures, Sloan." Walter answers finally. "We
wanted to guarantee a complete recovery."
Sloan turns to confront Walter, but is greeted by a small boy with a bright smile. "Hi, Dr.
Parker. I'm Matt. Boy, you sure got banged up last night. Dad told us all about the crash. I
bet..." Grace quickly covers her son's mouth.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Parker. Sometimes Matt doesn't know when to keep quiet." Grace gives
her son a stern look as she removes her hand. With a dismayed look, Matt lowers his head.
Sloan lifts his face with her hand, and says reassuringly. "Hey, it's okay, Matt." With a
brief pause, and a smile to Grace, she continues. "Yes, I did get banged up last night. I didn't
listen to your dad, and I should have."
"Yes. And you, Matt, need to listen to your mother," Grace interrupts. "Why don't you
go outside and play some basketball with your dad?" She looks to Ray for reassurance.
"Yeah, come on pal. Let's go so the adults can talk." Before Ray can finish, Matt is out
the door yelling for his dad to hurry up. Once the door closes, Walter walks toward the bed.
Grace grips Sloan's shoulder, excuses herself, and walks out of the room.
"Walter, can you tell me what's really going on?" She glances back to Ed, who seems to
be sleeping peacefully. "What did you mean that we aren't important to your boss? And why did
you say we concerning the tubes for Ed? The only people who know about all of this...are right
here."
After a cursory look at Ed, Walter explains. "Sloan, I have a lot to tell you. But first
there is someone I'd like you to meet. In fact, he'll be here in a few minutes. Once he arrives,
things will become a little clearer."
A strong pull on her hand startles her. She turns quickly to see Ed's smiling face. "Hey,
Reckless, look what happened to you," Ed says with a slight chuckle.
"Well, thanks Ed. You're not exactly looking great yourself," she says with a relieved
sigh. "How do you feel?"
He shakes his head slightly, and confirms Walter's diagnosis. "I feel weak, and a little
nauseated. I have a feeling the flu I got from Ian is going to play havoc on my system for a
while." Sloan looks at him in concern, and softly touches his cheek.
"Well, Dr. Tate, according to Walter, we have a guest coming. Do you have any idea
what he's talking about?"
Ed looks to Walter for guidance and says "No." Just then the door opens and a tall, black
man enters. His imposing figure startles Sloan and she stands quickly.
Before she can remark on his abrupt appearance, Walter intervenes. "Sloan, Ed. This is
Mark Ward. He's a...representative...for a peace faction within the Dominants." As they stare in
disbelief, Walter continues. "He was instrumental in helping me retrieve you from Sloan's
apartment, Ed. And he's going to help us even more now that my boss is no longer on our side."
"Walter, I don't understand. What's going on?" Sloan says in shock. She and Ed share a
look of grave concern.
"Dr. Parker, Dr. Tate, it is a pleasure to meet you both; however, I wish it were under
better circumstances. I'm sure Dr. Attwood did not have an opportunity to tell you about our
meeting and the dire consequences that have brought us here." Sloan sits down gently beside Ed
and glances at Walter.
"Sloan, my boss had me meet with Mark, two days ago, on the government's behalf. He
represented a faction of the Dominants who want peace. The next day I was to meet Mark and
the peace faction leader, but..." He takes a deep breath and looks at Mark.
"The woman who Dr. Attwood works for turned against him and my people that night
and killed our leader. We barely escaped with our lives," Marks says with little conviction.
Walter interrupts, "Later that night, Ray and I removed my boss from the lab and
deposited her high in the hills. I also took her cell phone for security purposes, and I intended to
expose her plans. I also hoped to find anything I could on her connections. However, she
obviously made it back into the city to not only stop us from finding out about her but also to
oversee Tom's capture."
Sloan looks to Ed for a brief moment and stands before Mark. "So, now what?"
Mark stares at the small woman standing before him without a response. Then upon
hearing Walter clear his throat, he answers. "Mr. Peterson, Dr. Attwood and I are marked men,
Dr. Parker. You are all in danger from this woman and many of my own people see me as the
enemy. I do have a small core of loyal operatives who will stand beside me, but we must be
extremely careful." They continue to speak about the events of the past two days and their
options for the days to follow.
Unbeknownst to the team, a man is watching them from a short distance away. He
lowers the goggles from his eyes, and stares reproachfully at the cabin. His silver hair glistens in
the sun. A moment later he picks up his phone and makes a call. "It's true, Ward is working
with the humans. Prepare to move Tom tomorrow night as planned. Remember, we shall reign
in the kingdom of man."
The graphics on this page were created by Moyra.
