Olivia Dunham's heart sank when she heard that voice on the end of the phone.
"Agent Dunham, you and your team will pay dearly for the death of my Father. I know that you are tracing this call, and so I will be brief…
I will make you suffer the way my Father suffered in his final moments, his dream cruelly snatched from him. He believed you were his hope whereas I believe you to be his damnation. Mark my words, I will judge your fate. COME AND GET ME" ,the voice hissed, " IF YOU DARE!" and the call abruptly ended.
"LISTEN UP PEOPLE!" Agent Broyles paced the floor of "FRINGE DIVISION" as a picture of the suspect shot up onto every available computer terminal for all to see.
"That voice belongs to one ERICA JONES, you may recall her father DAVID ROBERT JONES of course was stopped from opening and crossing over into an alternate universe by Agent Dunham and her team.
We only became aware of her existence a few days ago as these pictures were taken covertly at her Father's funeral".
Images of a tall, curly ,ginger haired woman of around 40 years of age dressed in black and holding a single rose in her hands flashed around the room.
"As you have just heard, she has made threats to one of our own, Agent Dunham and her team. I want her found .She is to be considered armed and dangerous and she must be stopped".
Broyles turned to Agent Dunham and added, "Take care on this one. A grieving daughter with a personal vendetta against you and the Bishops is the last thing any of us need. Considering who her father was, I'd say she's capable of anything."
Olivia nodded and was about to reply when an agent yelled over "SIR.. the call's been traced, looks like she's in a vehicle moving west."
Olivia looked at the route tracing out on the screen.
"Dunham", Broyles fixed her with a hard stare, " Get her. Bring her in alive. She's more valuable to us with what she knows about her father and Z.F.T".
"YES SIR!", Olivia Dunham didn't need to be told twice.
Olivia had thought once DAVID ROBERT JONES had met a grisly end at "Reiden Lake" that the matter had been concluded. What she found hard to believe was how Erica Jones had stayed under the radar of the Intelligence Services for so long. She couldn't have been at the raid up at the lake as all of the personnel had been shot dead.
Inwardly she cursed at having screwed up at missing an important detail as this "missing daughter". She should have known that Jones like to surprise her with his twisted little games and cryptic puzzles and this was certainly one secret that was coming back to hit her both personally and professionally.
Olivia was also concerned for the safety of Peter Bishop. He hadn't picked up his phone and was not at the lab back at "Harvard" either. This was unusual that she hadn't heard from him nor had he phoned her back as she had left several messages.
Here she was in her SUV with both Astrid and Walter Bishop sitting in the back seats and with her foot to the gas in hot pursuit of her latest prey.
Worrying about the roguish ,smart- mouthed Peter Bishop would have to wait for the time being. She'd call him later, no doubt he was off somewhere looking for something for Walter.
"That's what it'll be. No need to get worried." she repeated in her mind as the traffic flashed by and tried to keep her mind on more pressing matters.
"Olivia, if this Erica Jones takes after her father, and I fear that she may well be, then this could be a trap. Perhaps even a game to her and I wouldn't want to see you hurt", Dr Walter Bishop expressed his growing concern to Olivia Dunham.
"Agent Dunham is only doing her job, Walter. However, I'm sure that she'll be careful", Astrid Farnsworth did her best to try and alleviate the elder Bishop's concern with an added smile.
"Don't Worry Walter. We stopped her father and his plan to cross over to the other universe and whatever Erica Jones has planned, we'll stop her too." Olivia quickly glanced up into the mirror trying to reassure him and keep her eyes on the road to avoid the traffic.
Olivia's cell rang and the call was automatically transferred so the occupants could hear the message .Olivia had thought it was her fellow agent Charlie Francis with an update on how the chase was faring, he and another posse of agents were coming in from another direction to aid in the pursuit. Instead a familiar voice taunted..
"Agent Dunham, you're getting closer. I can see you in my mirrors, I can almost smell the scent of you." Erica Jones tones boasted arrogance and satisfaction in a way that her father could exude.
"If you're playing a game with me then I suggest you should quit while you're ahead. Or are you willing to gamble your freedom?. Your father paid a high price for his dream-". Olivia was cut off by what sounded like the voice of her old foe mocking her but in the tones of his daughter.
"Agent Dunham. I play just like my Father and I can assure you, YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR ME".
"You aren't your father though and I'm sure you aren't willing to risk sharing his fate". Olivia tried to see the road ahead, trying to pick out anything suspicious.
" Oh, I won't be joining my father for a while yet .ARE YOU READY TO PLAY O-L-I-V-I-A?".
The call abruptly ended as a similar looking SUV suddenly tore out of the line of traffic at full speed only 100 meters away and began to dodge the cars coming the other way.
"Got you in my sights Bitch", Olivia muttered and sped off in hot pursuit.
For twenty minutes there was a high speed chase off the main freeways and onto the more sedate and little used country roads.
"Agent Dunham, please could we not stop for a strawberry milkshake, I have developed a sudden craving ,OH and some candy floss! .I fear my blood sugar levels are dropping!" came a plea from the backseat.
"WALTER!. Not now!". Olivia glared into the mirror wondering why these food cravings that the elder Bishop was cursed with always came at the most awkward of moments. "We're in the middle of a car chase and this is no time to indulge your appetite!".
From the back seat Walter apologetically looked to Astrid, "Oh I think I may have upset her!" he mumbled and looked out of the window.
Olivia sighed and tried to make amends whilst keeping the vehicle in front in view at all times, "It's okay Walter, we'll get you your candy floss and milkshake when this is all over". She tried to keep any anger out of her voice. Walter couldn't help it after all but he could try the patience of a saint at times!.
However, before Olivia could add another word, she found that the vehicle that they had been pursuing was slowing down almost to a stop.
"Finally!" she thought triumphantly and was almost ready to claim another victory for "TEAM FRINGE" when inexplicably a bolt of high intensity light blinded her eyes and she could only hit the brakes instinctively to avoid injury.
"HOLD ON!", she yelled trying to control the vehicle as it came to rest at an angle and the smell of burning rubber filtered in from outside.
The SUV had ploughed into a ditch beside a sign and was pretty bashed up but everyone inside was safe albeit a little battered and bruised. The vehicle that they had been pursuing was nowhere to be seen.
Olivia called out "Everyone okay back there?" as she tried to adjust to her surroundings and clear her head.
"We're fine Olivia, Just a little shaken.." Astrid replied rubbing her eyes and groggily looked over to Walter.
"Not stirred Astern!", unlike Olivia and Astrid, Dr Walter Bishop seemed relatively fine, unscathed and positively beaming a giant smile from ear to ear.." My goodness but that was INVIGORATING!" he announced loudly.
"It's ASTRID, Walter!" she muttered as the elder Bishop persisted in getting her name wrong for the umpteenth time today.
"Why, Agent Dunham, you seem confused and rather pale," Walter leaned over despite the awkward angle the vehicle was resting at to check Olivia's pallor and concern etched in his features, "Maybe you should sit still for a few minutes and recover".
"I'm a little weak" she blinked, "I'm sure I'll be fine in a minute Walter", she leaned back her head on the back of the headrest and tried to regain her cool FBI persona.
"Well, I think we should go outside and smell this wonderful country air, clear our heads and see where we are!" .
Walter promptly undid his seat belt and grabbed the door handle like an over enthusiastic child and made his bid for freedom.
"Walter WAIT!", Astrid tried desperately to negotiate the angle to try and stop him, "It could be dangerous!".
"WALTER!". Olivia echoed trying to negotiate her way out of the vehicle as well, Erica Jones could be lying in wait to pick them off one by one. Such things never crossed Walter's mind and she had to think for all of her team here.
Outside the vehicle, Dr Walter bishop looked thoughtfully at the scene in front of him musing " I don't think I'll be getting my milkshake anytime soon. Such a shame!. I was planning to urinate in less than 30 minutes time and there's no public conveniences to be found!."
"Oh Walter!" Astrid joined him and Olivia soon followed and she took in the sight before her.
"WALTER!.", she was beginning to piece together the minutes leading up to the crash.
"Yes, Agent Dunham-", Walter's attention snapped back to the here and now.
"Did you and Astrid see a flash back there just before I braked?", she looked questioningly at the pair of them.
"I was blinded by this bright light, that's all I remember." Astrid frowned.
"Why.. YES!, Agent Dunham, I do believe that I did!. In fact," he leaned closer and whispered to Olivia "I thought in fact I had been tripping ,but come to think of it.." and both his voice a smile dropped "My last self-medication wore off just before lunch".
Olivia raised her eyebrows at Walter's food obsessions but continued with, "I think you told me once in the lab about travelling between universes, Walter, something happened to us back there and-"
Astrid had walked over to the sign and interrupted with a " Uh- guys- I think you should see this-".She was looking thoughtful as she pointed to the sign where the SUV had narrowly missed and also to the road tarmac.
"SEE, we skidded and ended up in the ditch but we didn't come UP this road. I swear that none of this looks familiar and -"
"Aster, we were travelling rather quickly if I recall unless- " Walter stuttered with a sly expression settling on his face adding, "You. .haven't.. Have you decided to test out some of my self- medications and not told me?!".
"No Walter," she sighed, "At this minute in time though, I could be forgiven for thinking I had!" and smiled also turning to Olivia who was looking at the road tracks and looking rather concerned.
"Olivia there's something else".
"Astrid?".
"The name on that sign, I swear to you that I'm not dreaming or making this up. We're not in Walter's lab and we're not tripping on drugs, least I think we're not-" she was talking very quickly and looking worried.
"Astrid, calm down and explain". Olivia laid a hand on her arm reassuringly, although she was feeling very concerned herself.
"Okay," Astrid sighed, "I used to watch a show on tv in my younger days. Teen angst, Growing up kind of thing, I guess you never forget these shows..", a wistful expression clouded her features, "ANYWAY,-" she pointed to the sign in front of them, "This is the town where it was set."
"Astrid-" , Olivia shook her head disbelievingly and looked aghast.
"Aster. TV show?! .What tv show?!", Walter asked ever so innocently.
All three of them looked at the sign in front of them.
In big, black, bold lettering it said simply..
"WELCOME TO CAPESIDE".
FUSION: "A Tale of Two Universes" . Chapter One.