Jo sat behind her desk in her office. Her shift had ended almost four hours ago. Six hours ago Carter arrested Zane after Jo threw him back his grandmother's ring. Even now Jo couldn't get the realization out of her head, nor could she accept that Zane had sabotaged the experiment.
Jo had brought up the footage of the incident, even reviewed it. Zane was innocent. One hundred percent innocent. However, Doctor Grant was another story. So why wasn't Jo excited about the news?
"What are you doing with my Grandmother's ring Jo?"
Jo closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She needed to tell him. She'd already given back his ring that he never gave her in the first place. Jo also needed to tell Carter her findings of the security footage in GD. And release Zane from custody, and then find out what Grant was up to.
"One step at a time." Jo told herself. She reached into her drawer and pulled out her deputy weapon. Jo fastened the belt around her waist and checked the ammo. Jo slammed the cartridge back into the pistol. She reached back into her desk and retrieved her stun gun before she stormed out of her office.
As Jo walked out of GD, she pulled out her phone and waited for Carter to pick up. Unfortunately, Jo only reached his voicemail. She settled for a short message.
"Carter, Zane didn't drop the field, grant did. Grant's up to something. I'm on my way to release Zane." Jo said. She ended the call and rushed to her car.
Jo slammed her door shut and gunned the engine. She drove down Main Street toward the sheriff station. If Carter wasn't at the office, chances were that Andy was. Andy maybe an overly cheerful Deputy, but he was still a level 6 AI. Jo would have a difficult task of taking Andy down in order to release Zane.
Jo pulled up to the Sheriff's Station and killed the engine. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. Jo opened her car door and stepped out. She closed her door and listened. She could hear Zoe inside, arguing with Deputy Andy. Jo internally sighed. Someone would have to be in her way.
But then Jo got an idea. She pulled out her phone and dialed Zoe's number.
"Hello?" Jo heard the irritation in Zoe's voice.
"Zoe pretend I'm your dad and listen to me." Jo said, not leaving any room for Zoe to argue with her.
"Okay, dad?" Zoe replied. It could've been a worse attempt.
"I need you to go into Carters desk and see if there are any restraint bracelets in the drawers. Say, I can check. If Andy asked, tell him he forgot something. Make it up." Jo ordered.
"Yeah I can check. Top drawer right?" Zoe asked.
Jo could hear Zoe move around in the office.
"My dad wanted me to see if the number for the pizza shop is here. S.A.R.A.H. didn't want to call them." Zoe said.
Andy remarked about Carter's high sodium levels. Zoe forced a chuckle.
"Yeah the number's here dad." Zoe answered.
"Okay, I need you to sneak the out for me. Use the paper as cover." Jo ordered.
Yeah fine, I'll write the number and bring the paper too. Anything for the man who locked up my boyfriend." Zoe snapped.
Jo listened for Zoe moving around. She heard Zoe tell Andy and Zane bye before she slipped out the front door. Jo grabbed Zoe and pulled her around back.
"Jo what the hell are you doing?" Zoe whispered. She closed her phone.
"Long story, did you get them"? Jo asked.
Zoe nodded and showed her the restraints. Jo snatched them from her and pulled out her stun gun.
"Okay listen to me, Zoe. I want you to go home, right now." Jo ordered.
Zoe frowned. "What is going on? Why do you need those?"
Jo looked up at her." I'm getting Zane out."
"How, Andy's watching him?" Zoe asked.
Jo held up the restraints. "I'm going to overload his circuits enough to force a reboot of his systems. By which time, I'll have Zane out."
"Well I'm staying to help." Zoe stated.
"No, you're not. I can't have you aiding me in committing a felony, Zoe." Jo said.
"Jo this is insane." Zoe said.
"Zoe, if this is going to work, I need you to listen and trust me. Now go." Jo finished.
Zoe grabbed Jo's hands. "I can rewire the restraints to cause the overload. You can't."
Jo sighed, but nodded. She let Zoe work on the restrains. Zoe popped off the cover of the stun gun and started rewiring it with the bracelets. Jo watched how fast and calculated Zoe worked with the bracelets. She was done within minutes.
"Finished." Zoe said.
"Thanks. Now get going." Jo ordered.
Zoe nodded and walked to her car. Jo watched as Zoe drove away. With any luck she'd tell Carter what was going on and he just might make it in time to help Jo.
Jo looked back at the restraints. She took a deep breath walked toward the door. She slipped the bracelets into her pocket and opened the front door. Jo kept her hands in her coat pocket as she looked around the station. Her training kicks in. She instantly located her target; Zane. And her obstacle; Andy.
Andy smiled to her. "Good evening Chief Lupo. How are you?"
Jo faked a smile. "I'm okay, Andy."
"If you came here to see Zoe Carter, you just missed." Andy informed.
"Actually Andy, I came to see you." Jo said. She walked over to Andy's desk. "I discovered something while reviewing the security footage from GD."
Andy frowned. "But Mr. Donovan's code was used during the incident."
Jo nodded. She grabbed the bracelet in her pocket and unlatched it. "Yes it was, but Zane wasn't he person to use the code."
"Miss Lupo, for many months now I have sensed an emotional attachment toward Mr. Donovan. I fear that those emotions are leading you to make irrational and unsafe decisions." Andy said.
Jo snapped. "Screw it." She pulled out the bracelet and snapped it closed over Andy's wrist before Andy was off his chair.
"Chef Lupo I must place you under arrest." Andy said.
Jo pressed the button, activating the current of electricity. Andy force as the volts coursed through his systems. He seized his body completely erect before Jo released the button. Andy collapsed to the ground in front of her.
"I'd love to see you try tin man." Jo said. She walked to the desk and retrieved the keys.
"What the hell are you doing here, Lupo?" Zane asked.
"What does it look like? I'm getting you out of here." Jo answered. She unlocked the cell and opened the door. "Now get your ass out."
Zane remained in the cell. "Why should I trust you?"
"Because I just caused an overload in the town's deputy. Now get off your ass." Jo snapped.
Zane remained in his cell.
"Zane do you really want to be here when Andy's reboot is complete?" Jo asked.
Zane leaned toward the door. "How the hell did you get my grandmother's ring?"
Jo swallowed. "Zane this isn't the time."
"I've got plenty of time, Lupo. You don't." Zane said.
Jo looked back at Andy's collapsed body. There was no telling how long the reboot would take. "I can't guarantee you'll believe me."
Zane shook his head. "I'm not worried about that right now."
"Fine. You come with me and I'll tell you." Jo agreed.
Zane jumped off the bench and walked out of the cell. He glanced down at Andy's body. "How the hell did you manage that anyways?"
"You girlfriend gave me a hand rewiring the bracelet's." Jo answered. She walked to Carter's ammunition case and retrieved several guns. Since her home collection had been destroyed, these would have to do.
"What are you doing, Lupo?" Zane asked.
"Not a good time to explain." Jo answered. She turned back to him. "Let's go."
They hurried out the front door of the station and into Jo's car. Jo started up her engine. And threw her jeep into reverse. They drove from the station, toward the edge of Eureka.
"You going to explain how you had my grandmother's ring?" Zane asked.
Jo nodded. "I said I would. But if you don't believe me, it's not my problem."
"Start explaining Lupo." Zane snapped.
"I'm not from Eureka." Jo said.
Zane shrugged. "What does that have to do with my grandmother's ring?"
"No, I'm not from this Eureka." Jo replied.
"Lupo, there's only one Eureka." Zane said.
Jo shook her head. "This is a different timeline."
"What?" Zane asked.
"That's Founder's Day, a few of us ended up in nineteen forty seven. We don't know how, but we did. Long story, when we came back to this time, things had changed for everyone." Jo explained.
"Who's everything?" Zane demanded.
"Carter, Henry, Fargo, Dr. Blake, and myself." Jo answered. "Trevor Grant came back with us."
"So you were covering for him?" Zane asked.
Jo nodded. "Yes."
"You covered for him when you knew that he was the one who used my code?" Zane demanded.
"I didn't know he used your code until today." Jo replied.
Zane nodded. "You said this time was different. "What was different?"
"For starters, Fargo isn't head of GD, Allison was." Jo said. She glanced at the sign say they'd left Eureka. They were now on the dirt road.
Zane laughed." Dr. Blake, you're joking."
"Henry and Grace aren't married. I'm not head of GD Security. I'm Carter's Deputy, Andy's not with us." Jo continued.
"I think you've finally cracked Lupo." Zane said.
Jo glanced to Zane. "I had your ring, because you gave it to me."
"What were we dating in your universe?" Zane asked.
Jo nodded. "Yeah. Yeah we were. And on Founder's Day, at the station, you asked me to marry you."
Zane started laughing. "Now I know you've lost it Lupo. Stop the car and let me out."
"If I let you out, Andy will catch you." Jo said.
"It's better than driving with a crazy woman with a gun." Zane said.
Jo swerved to the side of the road and slammed on the breaks.
"Damnit Zane I'm telling the truth!" Jo snapped. "Think about it. Think back to Founder's Day, when I walked into the station with you in the cell! Did you honestly think I was joking when I said I would marry you!"
Zane was silent.
"Think about it Zane. Think about everything's that's happened since Founder's Day. Think about what I just told you about Fargo, about Carter, and Allison, and Henry. Does it sound like I'm making this up?" Jo asked.
Zane said nothing.
"Then think about this. Would the Jo Lupo you know electrocute the Deputy Sheriff to bust you out of jail?" Jo asked.
Zane finally met her eyes. Then he looked away. "No. She wouldn't."
Jo sighed in relief.
"Doesn't mean I believe your story." Zane said.
"I'm not asking you to." Jo replied.
"So what's the plan now?" Zane asked.
"Well, first things first, I have to get you out of Eureka." Jo said. She looked into her mirror for any cars. Unfortunately there was one car with flashing lights.
"Damn. It's Andy." Jo said.
Zane fell back in his chair. "Guess the shock wasn't enough."
Jo watched as the car pulled up behind them. Jo had a mind to step on the gas and try to speed off, but the chances were that Andy would still catch them. So she waited and watched.
The door opened, but it wasn't Andy that stepped out.
"It's carter." Jo said.
Zane looked back. "What?"
Carter walked to Jo's window.
Jo rolled down her window.
"You crossed the line, Jo." Carter said.
"I can explain Carter." Jo said.
Carter shook his head. "You busted Zane out of jail, Jo; I have to take you both in."
"Zane didn't drop the field in the lab today. Grant did." Jo explained. "I watched the video several times. Zane wasn't near the controls when the field went down."
Carter was silent for a moment. "Zane does make the perfect scapegoat. But why would Grant sabotage the field?"
Jo shook her head. "I have no idea."
"Is that another car?" Zane asked.
Jo and Carter both looked back. Another car was coming down the road.
"Kill your lights." Carter ordered. He ran back to his jeep and shut off his lights.
"Drop." Jo hissed. She cut her engine entirely. She pushed back her chair and sunk below eye level. Zane lowered his chair back like Jo. They could see the light of the car drive past. Jo looked up a tad to see the vehicle. She watched as it turned off the road near them.
Carter came back and tapped on the window. Jo and Zane both sat up. "You see that?"
Jo nodded. "Beverley."
Carter nodded.
"Who's Beverley?" Zane asked.
"Never mind." Jo said. She turned to the back of her jeep ad grabbed several guns. "You stay here and stay low."
"What? Where are you going?" Zane demanded.
"To see what's going on." Carter answered.
Jo climbed out of her jeep and passed Carter a second weapon. Carter took his and stashed it on his belt. They walked from the car toward the turn off they'd seen. Carter pulled out his flashlight, lighting their path. They walked off the main road, into the forest. Carter and Jo stayed off the road, but kept close enough to follow it.
From behind came a sharp noise. Jo spun around fast, dropping to one knee and withdrew her gun. Carter turned, though not as fast, shining a light behind them. Zane winced and held up his arms.
"Don't shoot." He whispered.
Carter lowered his light." Zane what the hell are you doing here?"
"Oh yeah, like I'm going to stay in the abandoned vehicle owned by the woman who broke me out of jail." Zane answered.
Jo looked to Carter. He nodded and turned back around. Jo pulled out a gun from her ankle and passed it to Zane. "You do know how you use this, right?"
"Sure." Zane answered.
Not the answer Jo wanted to hear.
okay a little long, but i did this in a few hours.