Desperate

(dedicated to my friends from funtrivia - welcome to fanfic!)

Chapter One

Rudy Wells frowned with deep concern, exchanging worried glances with Oscar before turning back to his patient. "When did this start, Steve?"

"I'm not sure exactly," Steve said, as he tried unsuccessfully to quell the trembling in his limbs. "Feels like my brain is doing cartwheels. Lemme think...I got back from China a week ago, and I stopped in Ojai to see Jim and Helen - and Jaime. I was fine then. Came back to DC and almost immediately got this pounding headache. It's lasted four or five days now. Makes me feel...foggy. Thought maybe it was the flu, but now I've got this real angry, paranoid feeling and I just can't shake it. Jaime called yesterday, and when I told her about it, she made me promise I'd see you. Maybe we're making a big deal out of nothing..."

"No, you were right to be concerned," Rudy told him, "and I'm glad you came in."

"It's gotten a lot worse this morning," Steve added. "To tell ya the truth, I'm really fightin' the urge to put my fist through the wall right now."

"Well, we appreciate that you're fighting it, Pal," Oscar said, a little nervously. "Rudy, what might cause this?"

"Drugs, maybe, or poison. We'll test for those first. Possibly some sort of virus or chemical in the air around DC. I'll have Lynda call the Center for Disease Control and find out if there are others with the same symptoms." Rudy gave Steve what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "We'll figure it out."

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Steve was sedated and admitted to the hospital. The next morning, after multiple tests and phone calls, Rudy had an answer. Oscar, looking mighty grim for 8:00am, met him in Steve's room.

"We're looking at sabotage, pure and simple," Rudy said without preamble. "I've found irregularities in some of Steve's circuitry, parts that interact with biological neurotransmitters in the brain, controlling emotions, reason, behavior and pain. The source is auditory in nature, at a frequency I've been unable to isolate, but -

"In English, Rudy?" Oscar requested.

"Somewhere in DC, someone is broadcasting a signal designed to affect bionic systems and cause insanity - and death. Steve can't hear the signal, but his circuits are still responding. It's a good thing Jaime's in Ojai; with her bionic hearing, this signal's effects would be devastating."

"She's...not in California," Oscar said slowly.

"Where is she?" Steve asked, instantly roused from his sedative-and-signal-induced fog.

"I don't know. She called my office last night, wanting to know if you'd seen Rudy yet, and what had happened." Oscar hung his head, his worry lines deepening. "When I told her you were in the hospital, she said she'd be flying out here right away. Her plane landed two hours ago, but she was nowhere to be found - not at the airport, my office...or here."

Rudy couldn't hide his alarm. "If Jaime is anywhere in the vicinity, she's in serious trouble. Take Steve's symptoms and multiply by about fifty. That might come close."

"Meaning she's completely out of her head," Steve said softly.

"Most likely, yes," Rudy confirmed. "Any number of things may be happening to her, but we know for certain that she's in severe, excruciating pain. Steve, you're having trouble focusing, thinking straight. Jaime may be so confused that she doesn't even know who or where she is. She may be experiencing overwhelming rage or panic, or both."

Steve was already halfway out of bed. "I've gotta find her!" he said urgently, pulling on his street clothes as he headed for the door.

"Steve, you're not entirely well yourself," Rudy cautioned. "I'm sure Oscar has teams to handle this."

"Maybe, but I've known Jaime since she was five years old. I know how she thinks, and I can find her faster. Besides, if she is confused, she's more likely to trust me than a team of strangers."

Rudy and Oscar knew it was useless to argue with Steve when Jaime's well-being was at stake. He was outfitted with a wire to enable Rudy and Oscar to hear him and whatever was going on around him. He also wore one of Rudy's latest inventions: a wireless earpiece, not much bigger than a hearing aid, that allowed Oscar and Rudy to communicate with him as well. Steve grew increasingly more anxious as Rudy attached the wire. Whether it was due to the rogue signal or because Jaime was in danger, he didn't know, but an Army tank couldn't have stopped him as he ran out the door.

There were plenty of people already searching the hospital grounds (and the building itself), so Steve headed for his house, making his way on foot to avoid fighting the DC traffic.

As soon as he'd turned the corner and was heading up his driveway, he knew he was on the right track. His front door was lying in splinters on the lawn. He was relieved and worried at the same time. Jaime had enough resources left to make it at least this far, but the signal had obviously taken a drastic toll. Jaime had her own key for that door. What was happening in her head that she chose this drastic means of entry instead? Was she possibly still in the house? His heart in his throat, Steve stepped cautiously through the doorway.

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