Secrets Revealed
The video feed was still on as Robert walked into the brig of Seaquest. He looked at the guards, nodding to them and they walked out, closing the door behind them. Robert walked in front of the two cells and stopped, looking at who sat inside. What met his gaze were eyes identical to his own. He smiled to the man, tossing in a roll of bread. The roll landed with the other rolls, in the corner of the cell. Robert moved to the cell across the way and smiled down at the man inside. His head was bowed and though his blonde hair was not as sun streaked as it once was, the sandy blond hair was in a long crew cut, standing up slightly from pacing and hands being run through repeatedly. Robert looked over to the feed, hearing the crying coming from Natalie and kneeled slightly.
"Give me the codes, and you are all free to go. You and your happy, perfect family can go about your business and I will disappear forever. Understand?" Robert asked the man, seated, head bowed, and arms resting on his knees. The cell was dark and the brig was cold, but when the man's head lifted, the sea blue eyes were striking against the darkness of the room. His hands balled into fists and his eyes never left Roberts. His lips in a hard line of anger and hatred. He shook his head.
"That is your daughter. How can you be so heartless? She is pregnant, and thinks we are dead. I will never help you now. No matter what you do. I can promise you one thing, though. When I get out of here. I will kill you myself for what you have done to my family." Lucas said, standing up, in a protective stance. Robert nodded and looked at his father, a sneer crossing his lips. He let out a long sigh, looking over the marks on Nathan Bridger. The marks given to him by days of torture that was witnessed by Lucas. Nathan looked up Robert and just shook his head.
"Fine, I have had you for just over a week, and nothing. Now I have something you both love as leverage. Now, you have one last chance to give me what I need." Robert watched and observed the two men. After a moment of not seeing any sign from either man, Robert moved to the door and opened it, looking out at the guard.
"Bring Natalie to the medical area. Have Kristyn work on her. Tell her to do what she has to, even if it means taking that baby from her." Robert growled as the two men in the cells moved to stand up. Lucas leaned to the front of the cell, his nostrils flaring in anger as his chest heaved from breathing hard, trying not to lose it.
"Leave them alone. Natalie knows nothing about what you want to know. Leave her alone!" Lucas punched the cell, his wedding band clanging against the metal of the cell wall. Robert smiled and moved towards Lucas, tilting his head.
"Give me the codes I need and I will leave her alone." Robert said and looked at the video feed, where the guards walked in and grabbed Natalie, tying her arms behind her back. Natalie looked like she was walking with him, but donkey kicked the guard in the knee, and then spun, kicking the other guard in the stomach. Robert watched and growled as another guard walked in and closed his fist, backhanding Natalie across the head. Natalie let out a cry, her head sharply jerking to the side and she fell to the side, hitting the floor hard. Robert watched as the guards roughly picked up Natalie carrying her away.
"You better hope she doesn't do that again... Because if she does... you will be without a child and a wife... or should I say a granddaughter and great granddaughter." Robert said and moved to the door. Lucas turned away from the door as the feed changed to the medical area of Seaquest that was now more of a museum. Robert walked out and guards walked back in. Lucas moved to the wall and swallowed hard, looking at Nathan.
"So help me god, if he hurts her..." Lucas said. Nathan nodded in agreement. He hadn't said a thing since they were taken. Lucas let out a long sigh and fell back against the wall, looking at the feed.
"I love you Natalie. Hold on, I will find a way out of this..."
At the Wolenczak home in St. Croix, the UEO had taken over the area. Investigators were checking everything and everywhere for any evidence of who took Natalie. Dagwood sat on the dock with Darwin and was looking through photo albums of Natalie and Lucas' wedding. Darwin bobbed up and down and then spit at Dagwood. Dagwood looked down at Darwin in shock, blinking a few times. Darwin spit at the album.
"Bridger. Took Natalie. Bridger." Darwin stated and Dagwood looked confused, and then looked at the pictures. He shook his head at Darwin.
"No, Bridger died." Dagwood stated as Piccolo walked up and kneeled by the two. Dagwood looked from Piccolo to Darwin.
"What's going on?" Piccolo asked and Darwin spit at the picture again.
"Other Bridger. Took Natalie." Darwin stated again, and Piccolo took the picture, looking at it, tilting it back and forth, and seeing a picture in the background of a man who looked like a younger version of Nathan Bridger. Piccolo held it up and his eyes widened.
"Dagwood, Darwin, you are both geniuses!" Piccolo jumped up and ran towards the house. Dagwood blinked a few times, and then shrugged getting up, leaving Darwin to his lagoon. He followed Piccolo and arrived a few seconds after him. Piccolo was holding the picture and pointing, he shoved it at Hudson.
"Darwin said other Bridger. There are only three he knows. Nathan, Natalie, and he knew of Robert. He confirmed it twice. Robert took her." Piccolo said, nodding towards Dagwood.
"If that is true, he could be anywhere. But where?" Ford said, looking from Piccolo to Hudson.
"That is what we need to figure out. I have talked to Lucas about this many times. Robert was listed as missing in action when she was a baby. Her mother was so distraught with losing her husband right after giving birth she left Natalie with Nathan and left. Lucas mentioned that right after your little 10 year excursion, Nathan mentioned finding out Robert was alive and that he needed to find him. Natalie helped him, but from Lucas said, she didn't really want to find her father stating she had no need for him after 15 years. Soon after she gave up the search and came back to Seaquest after joining the UEO as a civilian researcher. From what Lucas said, she has never mentioned her father, other than in presence of Nathan." Hudson recalled.
"But if he wanted nothing to do with her and she wanted nothing to do with him, why take her now? He already killed his own father and-" Ford stopped talking and looked at Hudson.
"He will kill Natalie if he has to. Natalie has access to various UEO information. Her clearance is as high as Lucas and Nathan, but she doesn't have the access or codes. So why would he want to kill them and take her?" Hudson said and looked at Piccolo. Piccolo looked at them.
"Piccolo, you were supposed to man the sub that was going to bring Lucas and Nathan back. Why didn't you?" Hudson asked, his stern look meaning he was onto something.
"Lieutenant Harris said he would do it. I was tired from working on the new Seaquest. Why?" Piccolo looked lost.
"O'Neil! Find where Lieutenant Jacob Harris is! I want to talk to him!" Hudson called out and O'Neil, who was in the house, looked over and nodded. Hudson walked towards the house and Ford, Piccolo, and Dagwood followed.
"Sir, what are you thinking?" Piccolo said, looking back at Darwin, then to Hudson.
"They aren't dead. We found DNA and some wreckage. We never found bodies or anything to prove they are dead. I want to know why Harris survived and they didn't." Hudson said as he walked into the house.
Natalie lay in the medical area of Seaquest and winced at the pain it caused. Laying on her back at this stage in her pregnancy was hard on her spine and the baby didn't like it either. She was allowed to sit up slightly. She looked at Jacob Harris, her brow furrowing. She looked away from him after a moment, her eyes watering up. Her hand rested on her stomach as Harris and a woman she didn't recognize moved beside her. Natalie looked up at her wincing.
"My name is Kristyn. I am, I guess, what you would call your stepmother." The woman said and crossed her arms, looking up at the camera that would show the video feed. She looked back to Natalie's stomach and hooked up a fetal monitor and put Natalie's legs in stirrups and covered up her legs. She set up a monitor for Natalie's vital signs hearing the steady beeping of Natalie's monitor and the rapid muffled sound of the baby's heartbeat.
"If you are married the man who did nothing for me, than split some DNA, then you are nothing to me. Call yourself what you like. I have nothing in my life from or for either of you." Natalie got a cold look. Kristyn moved and called down to the brig.
"Have they talked?" Kristyn called down and Robert's face appeared on the feed, splitting the screen. Robert looked at Kristyn, shaking his head.
"No. They won't talk with just threats. Let's see if they talk after what you are going to do." Robert nodded to Kristyn, who nodded back and moved to Natalie. Natalie looked away from the screen and Kristyn as Harris tied her down to the bed. On the screen, Robert is seen angling the view so Lucas can see everything. Lucas didn't look up, but Nathan did, seeing the split angle.
"Robert, don't do this." Nathan said, sternly, but urgently. Lucas looked over, his face in a scowl of anger and hatred towards Robert. The video feed had sound and Natalie looked at the feed and blinked, seeing Robert, but barely making out two figures in the cells. She narrowed her eyes and tried to make them out.
"Talk or I will make her scream." Robert said. He locked his eyes on Kristyn, and after a moment of what seemed like forever, Robert nodded to Kristyn. Kristyn nodded back and looked down at Natalie, injecting something into her arm. Natalie let out a hiss, but barely noticed still looking at the video feed.
"In less than one minute, she will be induced into labor. No epidural, no pain killers. Hours and hours of labor. Then I will stop her labor. So, I will ask one last time. Give me the codes!" Robert said.
"Never!" Natalie let out a cry and tried to move as she felt a contraction. She looked away from the camera as her eyes closed through the pain that felt like someone cutting her in half. Robert looked back to Lucas and Nathan, pursing his lips as if he was enjoying this. He said nothing, only moved his head as if asking without saying.
"Imagine if she gives birth with no doctor, no medical equipment. Do you really think I will do anything to help her or the baby? I won't, sorry." Robert antagonized the two men as Natalie let out another cry and her eyes watered up. Lucas looked up and continued to breathe deeply.
"Hold on Natalie!" Lucas called out and Natalie looked around, shaking her head. She looked at the screen and saw Lucas standing in the cell and her eyes got wide.
"Whatever you gave me... I must be high." She shook her head at Kristyn and leaned forward wincing in pain, biting her lip to avoid screaming as she felt a contraction. Kristyn let out a laugh and shook her head.
"No, you aren't. That was Lucas." Kristyn said and looked at Robert, nodding. Robert nodded and looked at Lucas, opening the cell.
"One move, I kill her without hesitation." Robert said, grabbing Lucas. Lucas, pulled out of the cell, walked ahead of Robert, holding his arms at his sides. Robert motioned him to move forward and steered him in the direction of the medical area. Lucas walked into the medical area and looked at Natalie. Natalie was staring at the ceiling and taking deep breaths in and out as tears streaming down her temple area as she felt contractions coming.
"Stop the labor." Robert told Kristyn who looked at Robert and after a moment, nodded. She grabbed a syringe and injected the contents into Natalie's arm. Natalie let out a scream and writhed a little, still pinned by the straps holding her down.
"Natalie..." Lucas said, sounding out of breath and worried. Natalie looked over and saw Lucas and swallowed hard, blinking a few times. She then tried to fight the straps, letting out cries and grunts. Harris moved to her and tightened the straps. Robert nudged Lucas closer and moved them to within 5 feet of each other. Lucas looked down at Natalie, who looked up at him, her chin quivering as her hand moved to touch him. Lucas moved his hand and Robert grabbed it, pulling it behind him.
"No touching. Kristyn, make her scream." Robert said and Kristyn took in a deep breath and bit her lip, starting an IV and then looking at Robert again. Robert nodded and Kristyn looked over at Natalie. Natalie's eyes never left Lucas as Kristyn injected a yellow liquid into the IV. After a second, Natalie let out a scream and tried to arch her back, as searing pain rushed through her body. Natalie trembled and convulsed as the pain wouldn't go away. She looked at Lucas after a few minutes of agonizing pain and shook her head.
"Don't tell him... I don't care what happens. Don't give into him... Promise me." Natalie said and Lucas looked at her shaking his head, his lips stretching into a look of torment and anger. After a moment, he nodded. Robert looked between the two of them and shook his head. He started to get angry and motioned got the guards to come into the room and hold Lucas. Robert moved to Natalie and looked down at her. The guards held Lucas tight as Robert leaned towards Natalie.
"Do you want to see your child alive? I recommend you let him tell me what I want to know." Natalie looked at Robert as he threatened her and shook her head.
"I would rather die than see my husband give up everything he has worked for. You will have to kill me first." Natalie said and Robert looked at Lucas, then Natalie, nodding slowly.
"Really? Well, darling daughter, do you think my son-in-law would allow the death of his wife and child just to keep the secrets of the UEO? Because if he does not talk, I will kill you and your child." Robert looked at her, lips pursing and eyes narrowing towards Lucas. Lucas looked at Natalie, then to Robert.
"If I give you the passcodes, you will let us go?" Lucas said and Robert smiled, nodding.
"Of course. However if they are wrong, I kill your wife, my only daughter, before your very eyes. Now think about this before you make the attempt to lie. I know you can do it remotely. Bring the main systems for Seaquest up. No tricks, because I will know." Robert stated and pulled up the new Seaquest, still in dock. Lucas looked at Natalie, who was shaking her head and her eyes were tearing up. Lucas swallowed hard and inputted information. After a moment, another computer was heard and Robert moved to the video feed and turned it only the Bridge.
"Seaquest's main systems have been initialized." The voice was familiar and Lucas' eyes wide as the man on the screen came into view. It was Lt. Krieg from the original Seaquest. Lucas' mouth dropped, shaking his head. Lt. Krieg nodded to Lucas, then to Robert.
"Good. You have done well, Lucas. Now, I will allow you to spend some time with your wife. Kristyn, step away." Robert stated as Kristyn looked at him, and then nodded, moving away to the lab like area of the medical bay. Lucas moved to Natalie's side and looked down at her, brushing her hair off of her forehead. Natalie looked up at him and shook her head.
"You shouldn't have done it. Robert is a terrorist. Giving him Seaquest..." She just looked into Lucas' eyes and started to cry. Lucas smiled at her kissed her softly.
"I can't have you and our baby's lives on my conscience. Don't worry, just concentrate on the baby and everything will be alright. We will get out of this." Lucas said softly to her. Natalie reached her hand up and touched his face.
"I thought you were dead." Natalie said softly and Lucas smiled, shaking his head.
"Nothing could keep us apart. Not even a shuttle accident. You should know by now that you are stuck with me. You have been for 15 years, and I plan on being around a lot longer than that." Lucas said to her and Natalie smiled.
"I hoped it was just a nightmare, that you were alive and would come back to me." Natalie said softly and winced, letting out a scream of pain. Lucas looked at her and then Robert, then Kristyn. Kristyn looked over the monitors and then Robert.
"The baby is in distress. She is still in labor." Kristyn stated and Robert shrugged. Lucas looked between the two of them and tried to free Natalie, but the guards grabbed him tightly. Natalie let out another scream and writhed on the bed. Kristyn looked at Robert for orders. Robert looked at Kristyn.
"Leave her. We need to get to Seaquest." Robert motioned and Lucas was pulled away and out of the medical area. Kristyn looked worried, and then looked at Natalie.
"We can't just leave her. She could die!" Kristyn looked at Robert, biting her lip. Lucas could be heard yelling and howling for Natalie and demanding to be let free. Robert looked at Kristyn and shook his head.
"That is fine. Let her. I have more important things to do." Robert walked out, yanking on Kristyn. Kristyn resisted and looked at Robert.
"I won't leave her." Kristyn said and Robert looked at her and nodded.
"Fine, then." Robert pulled out a gun and shot Kristyn in the chest. Kristyn looked at Robert in horror and collapsed, clutching her chest. Robert smirked and walked to Natalie, looking down at her. Natalie was breathing hard and writhing in agony with every contraction.
"Soon you will be dead and I will have Seaquest. Nothing can stop me now. Nathan and Lucas will be dead, everything is going to plan. I almost feel bad for not getting to know you, but you make that impossible." Robert said and wrapped his hands around Natalie's neck, choking her. Natalie looked up at him and gasped, unable to struggle and choked, her mouth open in fear. After a moment, her eyes rolled back in her head and her body went limp, eyes closing. Robert smiled and let her neck go, leaving red welts and walked away.
"Get Nathan and Lucas into the shuttle. We have work to do." Robert said to the guards and walked down the corridor.
(TBC)