A/N: Here's a short fic I posted at the Knossos forum in response to a drabble prompt, with a few minor edits in this version. The prompt was to write a story in which Bennet was in plainclothes. Forum URL: tzpknossos(dot)proboards53(dot)com. Hope you enjoy!
o—O—o
Escape From the Theater
By MouserMewser
"Hey, Ro, don't hog the chocolate!" Bucky said, extending his hand.
"Fine," Ro said, handing him the small box of assorted of milk chocolate-covered nuts. "Just don't finish them all."
Bucky had joined them to do something fun for a change, so they decided to watch a movie inside a mall theater.
As the three of them watched previews on the large, holographic theater screen, Zee heard other people walk into the dark auditorium and sit in the row behind them.
"See? I got us here on time, didn't I? The movie hasn't begun yet," said a disturbingly familiar male voice behind Zee.
Zee tensed up. The man's voice sounded too much like…
"James, son, can you please hand me the popcorn?" the man's voice said.
Zee sank into his seat. He moved his hand slightly, almost inconspicuously, and his tiny finger-cam peeked over his shoulder.
There, sitting directly behind him, was Agent James Bennett— dressed in a brown polo shirt, blue jeans, and his notoriously familiar green glasses. His wife and his son were sitting at his right.
Of all the places to visit…
Zee retracted his finger cam and sank even lower into his seat.
Ro noticed his odd movements. "What?" she asked him.
Zee looked at her with a frown. "Agent Bennett is here," he whispered in an extremely low voice, which Ro couldn't hear.
"What?" Ro said, turning sideways. But then she saw him, and immediately faced forward. "Oh, crud…" Ro whispered, remaining perfectly still in her seat. Agent Bennett was sitting directly behind them.
"We have to leave," Zee whispered to Ro.
Bennett had taken his cell phone out of his pocket. He was checking it for any new calls or messages from the NSA. He was beginning to feel disappointed, when suddenly, it began to vibrate.
"Honey," Bennett's wife said, frowning.
"Yeah, I know, it's just that…"
Suddenly, Zee heard something hit the floor and bounce beneath his seat.
"Excuse me. Can you get that for me?" Bennett asked Zee, as he touched his shoulder. The moment his hand made contact with the young man sitting in front of him, Bennett froze.
Ro swallowed hard, watching Zee from the corner of her eye.
As Zee crouched down to reach for the cell phone, he saw that the text on the small screen said "Rush."
Ro slid out of her seat and hunched down next to Zee, cloaked by the darkness.
"Now's our chance. Let's get out of here," she said, pushing Zee sideways.
Zee complied. Crouching low, he made his way out of the isle. "This way," he whispered.
Ro ignored the trash and discarded food on the sticky floor as she followed close behind.
A loud explosion lit up the screen, followed by the words "Intergalactic Fugitive" and footage of a man running from laser-wielding aliens.
Bennett knew something wasn't right about the man sitting in front of him. Had it been his imagination, or had his hand just passed right through the man's clothes? He'd expected to feel the fabric of the man's jacket, but his shoulder had felt smooth, cool, and hard… Like metal.
His eyes widened suddenly.
"Honey!" Bennett's wife protested, as her husband stood up, pulled out his laser gun, and pointed it at the seat in front of him.
But the seat was now empty.
Bennett looked around the auditorium. Out of the far corner of the room, an exit door was closing.
Bennett wasted no time. He ran through the darkened theater, thankful that there were small, red light strips on the ground to guide him to the exit. He rushed out of the theater and came out into the east wing of the large, crowded mall. He looked around, and saw the end of a long, purple coat disappear around a corner.
Bennett raced after it, frightening off several people as they saw the gun in his hand.
He rounded the corner, and stopped. The corridor was empty.
He sensed movement off to his right, and saw a flash of purple disappear behind a closing door.
Bennett approached it and took a deep breath, bracing himself.
The door suddenly burst open with the force of Bennett's kick. "Freeze, Zeta!" Bennett shouted.
The large, round-faced woman in front of him screamed. She wore a long, purple coat.
"Help! Security! Somebody! HELP!" the woman shouted desperately, as she flung her large, heavy purse at Bennett, swatting him repeatedly.
"I said, freeze, Zeta! You can't fool—"
Suddenly, a particularly hard blow caught him in the face, knocking him backwards onto the smooth, linoleum floor as the woman continued screaming hysterically.
Just then, two security guards raced inside the women's bathroom, and drew their guns. "Drop the gun, you maniac! Get on your stomach and put your hands behind your head!" one of them shouted at Bennett.
"You're making a mistake! I'm a federal agent!" Bennett said, from his position on the floor.
"I said, drop the weapon!" the guard continued to shout.
Bennett complied, and then turned over onto his stomach, placing his hands behind his head. One of the guards cuffed his hands behind his back, pulled Bennett to his feet, and searched him for any other weapons.
"I'm an agent of the NSA; my name is James Bennett. I was in pursuit a dangerous fugitive," Bennett explained.
"Oh, yeah?" one of the guards said. "Funny, you don't look like a government agent."
"I'm currently off duty," Bennett said. "I was in the theater with my family when I spotted a wanted fugitive."
The security guard who was searching him raised his brow. "Well, then, where's your ID badge?" he asked, finishing his search and coming up empty-handed.
"My wife has my wallet. She's in the movie theater," Bennett said.
"Uh-huh," said the other guard. "Sure she is. Or maybe you just like running into women's restrooms with a gun."
"You're making a mistake! She could be the fugitive! Listen to me… It's not what it looks like!" Bennett said.
"Tell it to the police at our security office," said one of the guards, as he escorted Bennett out of the women's bathroom.
The other guard looked at the frightened woman and tipped his hat politely.
"We're deeply sorry about this, ma'am. We hope this won't dissuade you from visiting our mall in the future," the guard said, and then left after the woman thanked him.
She looked at the door as it closed. A moment later, she heard the sound of shoes squeaking on a smooth porcelain surface.
"Are we clear?" Ro asked, as she jumped off one of the toilets and opened the door to a stall she'd been hiding in.
The large woman tilted her head for a moment, listening carefully to something, and then turned to look at Ro. "They're gone. The security guards have taken Bennett away. We should leave now," Zee said.
"Good," Ro said, releasing a breath. She grinned at Zee. "Great acting, by the way."
"Thank you." Zee smiled. He took her hand in his, and his hologram flickered around them. They became a red-headed woman and her daughter.
"But where did you get that?" Ro asked, pointing to the oversized purse Zee had placed on the counter.
"It was already there," Zee said.
Suddenly, they heard a toilet flush. A moment later, a short, elderly lady hobbled out of a stall.
"Oh…" Ro said. "Hi," she said, smiling at the old lady.
The old lady ignored them, hobbling over to one of the sinks.
"I don't think she can hear very well. Let's get out of here," Ro said, tugging Zee out the door.
An hour later, when the movie in the theater ended, Bucky laughed. "Ha! That was a great one, huh guys?" he said, finishing his soda. He turned to look at his side.
The seats were empty.
"Guys?"
o—o—o
And they escaped to be pursued another day. :) Please review!