Chapter Three

Jaime heard footsteps coming closer, but all she could do was sit silently. Another needle was jabbed into her arm, and her thoughts grew mushy along with her muscles, but she was still awake. She knew they were standing over her, and tried to kick at them but her muscles no longer obeyed, not even weakly. Still, no one spoke – to her or each other. Jaime didn't know who these people were or what they intended to do with her, but she knew that, at least for now, she had no way to fight back.

A door opened slowly, directly in front of her, and she heard the two men leave as a third one came in. "Hello, Mrs. Austin," he said in a voice as cold as the glint of steel on the barrel of a revolver. "Your bionics are of no use to you, as I'm sure you've discovered. Yes, I do know all about your...special qualities. Ten or twenty years ago, you might've been sold to the highest bidder; probably still could be, but that's too Old School for what we have in mind." He stood just inches from Jaime. "We have no interest in bionics. Your abilities are merely a hindrance that we've already overcome. All we want is your power source."

The man untied Jaime's arms, but she was too weak to do anything to defend herself. She was too weak to move. He jerked her right arm up, parallel to the floor, and began to cut. Jaime discovered the drugs she'd been given were not painkillers, as he began the cut too high, slicing into the flesh of her shoulder before hitting bionics and then finding what he was looking for.

Once he'd yanked the power source from her arm, the man retied her, then gave the chair a cruel shove. Jaime landed on her right side, still attached to the chair, her newly-lacerated shoulder slamming against the concrete. She laid motionless as blankets and boxes were piled on top of her, hiding her from view, then listened as the man – without another word – left her alone in the room, locking the door behind him.

- - - - - -

From a dark corner behind the building, Lauren watched her father make his leap onto the roof. He'd chosen a spot where the back warehouse intersected the storage area in the center. Lauren held her breath as a man came out the back exit, walking straight toward her hiding spot on his way to a car parked a few yards away. There was nothing to truly hide behind, though, and the man grinned as he approached.

"Well, Miss Austin – this is certainly no place for a young lady to spend her time. It's a shame, really, but intruders must be shot on sight." He made a 'tsk-tsk' sound, shaking his head in mock regret as he pulled a gun from his pocket. Lauren was trapped; standing in a corner; there was nowhere she could run. At least her father had made it safely into the building. She stared directly into the gunman's eyes as he took his aim.

The sploosh of a single shot through a silencer made Lauren stiffen, but...she didn't fall. Her would-be killer dropped noiselessly and instantly to the ground. She quickly disarmed him and also took the small metal box that he clutched in his other hand.

"Are you alright?" a calm (familiar?) voice asked, from around the side of the building. Lauren jumped to her feet, eager to know the identity of her rescuer. When he came into view, her chin dropped, and her eyes grew wide. "Better close your mouth before the bugs fly in," the man whispered, smiling warmly to try and ease her shock.

What the hell is he doing here? Lauren wondered, as she struggled to find her voice. All she could manage at first was to utter his name.

"Daniel?"

Her sister Hannah's boyfriend, Daniel Marchetti, stood next to Lauren, a just-fired gun in his hand. He couldn't be part of the group who'd taken her mother...could he?

"Relax," he said, very quietly. "I'm with the NSB; I'm on your side."

"In that case," Lauren answered, able to breath again, "thank you."

"Glad to help."

"Have you seen my mother?"

"Here? Is she on the case, too?"

"She's a hostage...or worse," Lauren told him. "They tried to take me, but Mom convinced them to take her instead. But – if you're not here looking for her, then what -?"

"A case of 'cut off the head of the monster and it just gets stronger'. Did Oscar send you here alone?"

"My dad just went inside, from up there," she said, pointing toward the roof."

"How'd he get...never mind. Let's go find your mom."

Lauren was partially mistaken; Steve had not yet entered the building when the gun went off. He crept quickly and quietly back along the building to where he'd left his daughter, only to see her being led away by a man with a gun. He jumped to the ground, using the downward momentum to grab the young man, knock the gun from his hand and send him reeling against the building. Only then did he see the identity of the person he'd just hit.

"Daniel? I should've known a Marchetti would be behind this. And you sent your father to distract me so you could pull it off!"

"He's NSB, Dad," Lauren said, looking curiously at Steve. "And he just saved my life." She pointed to where the gunman who'd threatened her was lying motionless in the grass.

"I'm sorry, Son -" Steve began, but Daniel shook his head.

"I had a gun, and was taking Lauren into the building. I understand. I'm just glad you didn't hit any harder."

The two men shared a fast handshake and a look of understanding. "I'll ask you about the 'Marchetti' comment later," Lauren whispered to her father. She handed him the metal box. "That guy had this in his hand."

Steve forced the box open and his heart sank to his feet. "Jaime..." he said, very softly, his soul flooding with dread. "It's her power source," he explained, unsure if Daniel knew anything about bionics or not. Lauren, of course, had known for many years. "The minute they took this from her arm...she had about an hour to live."

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