MANNEQUINS
Previously
The team investigates a vanishing boy and kids in suspended animation. Olivia transfers some cortexiphan into Alex, who was able to travel to the parallel universe. This causes a softspot between universes and places several kids in a suspended animation. Olivia and Bolivia switch places. While Olivia struggles on the other side, Bolivia moves in to her personal agenda. Peter finally gives the key, which came from her mother, to Walter. Walter is afraid of opening another secret in his life.
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.
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Main Story – Part VI – Trapped
Olivia is clearly confused of what just happened. A few hours ago, she was studying files of the missing boy, Alex, and the kids in suspended animation. Now, she is inhabiting the body of the other Olivia... in her apartment... and now, with the boy.
Several images flash to her mind.
The image of Alex's mother. ... Alex began to dream very often ...
Olivia grabs her head. It cannot be the whisky hang-over. It's information overload. She steps out of the bathroom.
Trying to maintain her balance, she sits down to the chair. On her apartment, she is exactly sitting on that same spot with case files. Now, it's an empty desk.
She closes her eyes and tries to sort out her memories. Olivia is an exceptional FBI agent. Her ability to remember details makes her special in the field. How ironic though that she cannot fully remember everything on her childhood. Perhaps, she remembers more details now because she refused to forget things like her young brain did.
Things get a little more sense now. She opens her eyes and looks around. A flashing red light catches her attention.
She grabs the electronic tablet. It's been used by the other side to take that notes, and contain some confidential missions. Olivia knows how to search for the information she needs. Having stayed there for awhile is an advantage... besides, she is the same person. The other Olivia is not careful enough... she lacks the memory skill. All her passwords are listed in a book, hidden under a pile of clothes on her closet... exactly the same place where Olivia herself put her back-up gun.
Olivia begins to go from mission to mission. It seems that nothing is pertinent. She goes over to her notes... Bolivia does keep a diary on her electronic tablet.
... I don't know if I should do this. But if I don't, what will happen to this universe? I was told by Mr. Secretary that there is no other way... I have to be her, to be the other Olivia...
... the drug. I must admit that I don't want to do this... but there is no harm if I try it, right? I mean, the other Olivia had herself treated with this drug. Then maybe, I could...
... this is really bad. Is the drug making me sick? Almost every morning, I have this terrible headache, I got this nauseous...
Although Olivia feels bad on the intrusion, she knows that what she is doing could actually lead to her successful return to her universe. She skips some more. And a name caught her eye.
... there is another way. Maybe, Peter is right. The constant dream about him. The hallucinations that I am having. Maybe, there is something wrong with what we are led to believe. Maybe, it's not winning the war, but it's about preventing the war...
... the boy. I have been a good soldier. But never did I recognize how much a soldier should have follow their own morals, their code of ethics. The Fringe Division won't allow this. But having experience what it is to live in the other side, the boy must be saved. I will not allow what bad things could happen to him. Knowing that from he is from the other side, they will turn him into guinea pig; worse, open up by Brandon. It's time for me to take the step to change this world even that is against the wishes of the Secretary of Defense. After all, I learned from Broyles over the other side to take the stand of what you think is right... not what other people wants to make you believe what is right...
Olivia realizes things that she never considered. Bolivia could be an ally. She is having the change of hearts. The boy... she can easily give him up.
But... hang on. If Bolivia leads the Fringe Division, then what happens to Broyles over there?
Olivia browses Bolivia's diary back. She tries to find the date where Broyles could have referenced.
... it's quite disturbing. There is no reason why I should not be disturbed. I feel bad for this promotion... really. Knowing it's at the expense of Broyles. But I think I have to keep this away from the team and Broyles' family, this is the best thing for everyone. After all, it's an order from the Secretary himself. Case 218152512519...
Olivia freezes. The number looks familiar. She tries hard to recall back to where she heard that number... then... she realizes it was the same number she had from the dream. 2-B. 18-R. 15-O... the letter number substitution works. It spelled out Broyles.
She makes a search on the tablet for the case number. And there it was.
A picture of badly burned and maimed body of Broyles... which is clearly taken from her side.
Broyles is dead... and she only found out now.
Bolivia carefully inserts the missing piece into her backpack. She goes over to each drawers of Carl's table. When she finally reaches the last drawer... she find a gadget that appears to look like a calculator, except that it is filled with alphabets and not numbers. She grabs that and places it to her backpack.
Finally, she also opens up the sacral region of Carl and takes out the memory chip. Then goes out of the bookshop.
Outside, her phone rings.
"Dunham. Where are you?"
Bolivia knowing what happened to Colonel Broyles, he was filled with surprise and guilt.
"Uhm. I'm running some personal errands."
"Any progress from Walter?"
"Uh... no." Bolivia clearly got no idea of what's happening.
"I need you to motivate him. We cannot be sure what kind of panic will this bring to the public if this gets leak out."
"Ok. I will." Bolivia drops by a nearby bakery and grabs Walter's favourite cake.
Olivia feels terrible. Actually, beyond terrible... knowing that Colonel Broyles have been captured after helping her get out of the parallel universe through the old tank of Walternate.
Alex finally wakes up, gets out of the bed and approaches Olivia. She responds to his pokes.
"Hey, you."
"I'm hungry."
"Okay. Lemme find some food."
Olivia opens the fridge... but fails to find something nice for breakfast. Olivia recalls how wonderful it was when Peter arrives to the bed with some food.
"Ok buddy, I have to bring you somewhere else. What do you want? Pancakes?"
Alex nods. Olivia picks up Bolivia's backpack.
Bolivia assuming the identity of Olivia arrives at Walter's lab.
"What's up, Astrid?" Bolivia cheerfully asks.
"Walter is being Walter. He's halfway to heaven, chanting numbers from pi to Avogadro's constant to Peter's phone number. I had enough of him. I think he got way too much Brown Betty in his system."
"Okay, Astrid. I'll take care of him."
Walter sniffs some of his Brown Betty before finding Bolivia approaching him.
"Oh Agent Dunham!" awkwardly running towards Bolivia, he hugs her, then whispers, "Peter likes eating pig's ass."
Bolivia chuckles. "How about some cake?"
Walter takes the box from Bolivia, "Blueberry cheesecake, I like this!"
When Walter is about to take a bite on the cake, he stares at Bolivia. He stops.
"What, Walter?"
Walter puts down the cake, "I know what you are trying to do with me."
Bolivia realizes that probably Walter knew it. She is about to burst the bubble when Walter continues speaking, "I'm sorry, Olivia. There is no way to help those kids."
"Those kids?" Bolivia seriously doesn't know what's happening.
"The kids in the suspended animation! The fabric between the universe is thinner than we think it is. The softspot affects the kids in here; they ambered the other side and now, this affects those kids." Walter, clearly talks more than he needs to.
"Okay, Walter. Is there nothing at all that we can do? Nothing?"
"Even if there is something. We still need to break the amber on the other side."
Bolivia remembers something. After she has been promoted to lead the Fringe Division, she's given access to a lot of things. This includes the research of Secretary Bishop on the amber. The first event of a micro-blackhole in Boston forces the Secretary to use the synthetic chemical called Amber 31422. In his report, the chemical was first synthesized by Intrepus Pharmaceutical in hopes of keeping dying patients in a suspended animation. The pharmaceutical company first tried to develop the chemical in liquid form; however, this causes uncontrolled cell disruption. The second phase of the chemical development is through a gaseous compound. Although the chemical successfully put various mammals in a suspended animation, and was able to revive in perfect state after a few days, the chemical is non-specific to individual due to its gaseous state nor it is stable. One of the scientists who work on the research pushes for human test subject, but was repeatedly shut down by the people behind the company. They reminded him that his recommendation is highly unethical and would put the company in jeopardy. The disgruntled employee stole the unstable chemical from the research lab and was accidentally released in the bus. He was later trapped in an amber together with about a dozen more commuters. The unnamed scientist was found to be on his way to his dying brother... in hope that he can use the amber technology to extend his life and revive him when a treatment for Avian flu is available. This was one of the first cases handled by the now Secretary of Defense. After the accident, the amber technology is stabilized with the help of Walternate, which is then later used to plug the softspots caused by the thinning of the fabric between the two universes.
"Ok. Walter. There is no other choice but for me to go over to the other side and relieved those kids."
"But..." Walter tries to protest.
"The lives of those kids lie on our hands. We have to act quickly. The longer they stay in the amber stay, the thicker the line between the two universes."
"How can we be sure that the softspot is not sealed already?"
"We can prolong the instability by creating a vibration in the proximity."
"And how do you intend to go to the other universe?"
"The tank."
Walter is amused by Olivia's recommendations. Seems not like her. But she is right, they must do something now.
"Peter knows the schematics for the harmonic rods. Astrid can lend you an extra pair of hands. Meanwhile, I need to think about how I can transfer you to the other side safely."
Olivia on the other side takes the kid to a diner. She flicks through Bolivia's file in attempt to find something more useful. Secretary Bishop briefed her on the cases she handled when they did the switch. It was a rather strange déjà vu for her.
Case Amber 31422. That's it. The case of the twin brothers. She runs through the synopsis and then she finds a link to an old case. A commuter bus... almost similar to the case in her universe. She reads through the case... then stumbles upon "amber reversal". Exactly what she needs. Since she is on the other side, might as well, she continues on doing her job.
Unsealing the amber her to break in to Intrepus Pharmaceutical and grab AR7259... looks like the other side got Intrepus as their leading scientific research company. Olivia just hope that it works.
Olivia gets incredibly lucky. The blueprint of Intrepus main research lab is on the file. Not only that, she does not need to break-in because Diane... Mrs. Broyles has an access. She is an employee of the company.
While Astrid, Bolivia and Peter set up the harmonic rods, Walter braces himself and inserts the betamax into the player.
Walter switches on the television and sits in front of it. The video rolls... and Bell shows up. It's clear that Bell recorded this video more than 20 years ago.
The young Bell wearing a white lab coat goes around the sensory deprived tank and finally faces the camera.
"I don't know how or when you will get this, Walter. But I hope you are in a situation where you understand better. I am your bestfriend. And I hope you still are." Bell stops momentarily. Walter takes a sip from his slusho.
"There are secrets that I should have not kept from you. And this is one of them... This." Bell touches the sensory deprivation tank, "Despite of your disagreement, I crossed the line and pursued the forbidden project. At that time, I thought using this would allow someone to cross over from this universe to another..."
"Apparently it does..." Walter murmurs, remembering how Olivia came back from the other side.
"One night, I submerged a test subject into the tank. Switched on. She fought hard and I pushed harder. After ten minutes of struggle, she took off her last breath. Her pulse flatlined."
"Dear god. What have you done, Belly?" Walter cries out.
The video continues with Bell opening the tank, "But not for long, she later came back... almost felt like she resurrected from the dead. I took her off the tank and laid her in the table." Bell takes a deep breath, "Then a man devoid of any facial hair steps in the lab. He needs me to do something and in exchange, he will grant me something that I wish for. At that time, I was sceptical. You know me, Walter, I don't take anything without a proof. But later I was convinced, after he was able to speak what my mind was saying... and yes, he knew that at that time, one thing I want is the knowledge of the parallel universe... of which spawned the idea of Cortexiphan drug. If you haven't figured out, I agreed. In return, I granted his request. He wants me to match-make you and the experimental subject."
Walter drops his slusho.
"She came back. But she seems to be a different person. I don't know what the bald man is planning, but one thing is for sure... the sensory deprivation tank must be use with care. Humans are like mannequins without our consciousness and I suspect that this device is capable of replacing one's consciousness."