MANNEQUINS
Introduction
The science team investigates a group of kids into living mannequins. Peter meets an unexpected guest and uncovers another layer of his identity. Walter uncovers a hidden secret of William Bell. Olivia struggles on her new realization.
Disclaimer
As much as I want to, I am not affiliated with the TV show Fringe. I am just one of the fans who have wild ideas and would want to put it into a fanfic. I do not claim to be an expert in writing nor what I write to be accurate, so please do not crucify me on that basis. Constructive criticism, however, is welcome. Thank you for reading.
** Please take note that there could be some spoilers in this fanfic. You have been warned.
** If you like my first Fringe fanfic, please find a time to put up a review, so I'll know if I should continue it and what kind of direction should I head to. Thanks!
Prologue
In a small well-lit classroom, five young boys were settle down by their teacher. The teacher starts to distribute a piece of paper and some colouring materials.
"Okay, what I want you to do is to close your eyes and imagine what you want to get as a gift."
The eyes of the kids are shut.
James decides to go for food – burgers, fries, hotdogs, and lots of ice cream.
Rick thinks a new bike will do for him.
Daniel and Ryan both imagine a huge toy car powered by a remote controller.
Alex closes his eyes so hard. But he never had the imagination he wants.
The teacher snaps out of everybody's imagination and asks them to draw on their white sheet of paper their imagination. The kids obey, except for Sam who is clueless on what to write.
Remembering what she forgot in the teacher's lounge, Mary Grant casually slid off the room leaving the children busy... and unattended.
James notices that the teacher is not around, he stands up and approaches Sam, who is having a hard time of deciding how to start his drawing. Daniel, Ryan and Rick follow James. All four of them stands over Sam and takes his colouring materials.
"Stop it!" Sam screams. "Leave me alone!"
A bright light shines in the room. Mary runs towards the classroom and finds four boys standing, almost lifeless, encircling an empty table and a chair.
Main Story – Part I – Living Mannequins
Olivia lies down on a bed, awakens by the sound of the door. Peter enters the room with a tray with a bowl of cereals, dried apricots and dried peaches.
"Oh Peter." Olivia checks on the bowl while Peter serving a breakfast in bed. "Cheerios. Again."
"And dried fruits. High in iron. You will need those to start your day."
"You know what Peter, I'm beginning to think that you are becoming like your father Walter."
"My food obsession is for you. You know that."
"It's been more than a week, Pete." Olivia shows her arm with almost undistinguishable prick.
The doorbell rings.
"I'll get it. And you have your food." Peter winks.
Peter opens the door and finds Walter.
"Hello son." Walter greets his son, trying to set a rather serious conversation with him.
"And hello Walter." Peter finds his worrying father... worrying.
Walter moves closer to Peter and starts to whisper.
"Did you use a condom?"
"Oh, Walter!" Peter exclaims. "What did I told you, Walter? I don't want to have this kind of conversation with you."
"You know well, son, that safe sex is important. And that even condoms are not 100% effective."
Walter realizes that Olivia joins them as he finishes his sentence.
Olivia raises his phone.
"It's Broyles. We have a case."
"We receive a call from the principal of Happy Kids School. A school teacher named Mary Grant goes out momentarily then come back to find four of her pupils unresponsive." Broyles briefs the team.
The Fringe team arrives the scene. Walter is surprised to see the kids in their situation.
"Like mannequins..." Walter finishes Broyles' statement; "Peter, checks their vitals."
"So... is the teacher looking after only four children?" Olivia asks Broyles.
"No. There's five of them. The other boy's missing."
Peter tries very hard concentrating on taking the pulse of one of the boys.
"What's wrong, son?"
"I am pretty sure that I found a pulse. They are still alive, except that their pulses are too weak."
Walter touches the chest area of a boy and moves his hand over to the nasal area.
"Weak pulse. Weak heartbeat. Slow breathing." Walter summarizes his observation.
"And what causes those symptoms?" Broyles asks.
"Perhaps, everlasting pea poisoning. Belly and I developed an effective paralytic serum that contains high level of everlasting pea. The problem is both of us had high dose of LSD that we forgot what is the right mixture for the serum." Walter chuckles.
Peter shakes his head.
"The children were dose with a paralytic serum to abduct a boy?" Olivia tries to understand the situation.
"Whoever did this is interested in the boy. And he did not just escape with the boy, he wanted attention." Peter tries to help Olivia.
"He doesn't want to leave a witness." Broyles jumps in.
"Oh god..." Walter.
"What?" Peter questions.
"I can hear my stomach revolting. I need to get some breakfast."
"Olivia. We need to go to interview Grant." Broyles.
In the school cafeteria, Walter and Peter are served by the friendly kitchen staff.
"Oh, Peter, did you see that? Rice pudding!" Walter exclaims, then to the staff, "can I have that. Oh yes, and some bacon and... and... egg."
"Your father does really love food."
"Oh, you have no idea."
"What do you like, sir?"
"Just coffee."
"Don't be ridiculous, son. Get some food." Walter reprimands Peter, then to the staff... "He should get a wife that can cook and force him to eat healthy..."
"Walter. Okay. Okay." Peter tries to calm down the situation, "I'll also take some bread and bacon."
In the teacher's lounge, Broyles and Olivia interviews Mary Grant.
"Is there any suspicious person lurking around the room?" Broyles asks.
"No. The school is highly secured... Oh god, I should have not left the boys in there."
Olivia feels sorry for the teacher. "I know this might be hard for you, but we would really appreciate any information that you have that will find the missing boy and the paralyzed kids."
"I don't... I don't know what happened. I handed them some papers and... and colouring materials. I asked them to draw out their imaginations. The next thing I know, I came back. I saw a bright shining light from the room and I saw the kids... oh no."
"A bright light?" Olivia wants to make sure what she heard is right.
"Yes."
Broyles change the direction of the interview. "Ms. Grant, do you have a profile of the missing boy? His name? A picture?"
"His name is Alex. Alex Bradley."
Olivia recalls something. "Alex Bradley. Brunette? About 45 inches? Blue eyes. Shy boy."
Broyles looks at Olivia, confused.
Mary Grant spins her computer screen, showing the face of the boy.
Back at the cafeteria, Peter and Walter had a father and son quality time.
"I like bacon very much. I have to wake up early morning to cook on my own, eat them before your mother wakes up." Walter, who is halfway finishing his big breakfast.
Peter takes a sip, and replies, "Because mom is vegetarian." Smiles at Walter.
"Despite of her repulsion on eating meat, I really love her. She is the most beautiful lady I ever known."
"Glad to know that, Walter."
"Do you miss her too, son?" Silence. Peter looks at his father. "Ever since I found out the terrible news... no, I thought that Sumner, that atrocious man, just want to play tricks on my head... Tell me... Tell me, Peter, what was her when I was not with you." Walter, clearly disjointed.
"I still cannot believe until now what happened. I can see the effort she put in trying to be the parent to me... but she is just too sad. When I was younger, I thought it's because of you..." Walter looks down on his rice pudding, scooping back and forth what was left in his bowl; "You left us. That's why I despised you."
"And you despised me more knowing what makes her push to her death." Walter, self-pity.
Peter's phone rings. He picks it up and it was Astrid on the other line. Peter looks at his father while he listen to what Astrid has to say.
"It's Astrid. She said someone wants to see us... we have a guest in the lab."
