• Chapter 8 • Radioactive • [R]

"I'm sorry, I was pretty sure my sister would show up soon", Heather leaned across the counter again, placing her chin onto her interlaced hands.
"Don't bother, I'm enjoying the coffee", Tom replied with a charming smile, still working on his tabled that had turned out to be also a mountable display to his laptop.
"Whatcha doing?" she asked not really out of interest but because she was becoming bored, since her flirting attempts seemed to be filly ignored.
"I thought I'd prove my skills to you while waiting", he looked across the glasses he had put on and beamed at her. "Here, take a look", he placed his laptop onto the counter only turning the display towards him. "Looks like the street cameras and the security cameras are perfectly covering the block."
Heather's facial expression derailed in awe as she saw a dozen different camera views around the apartment building:"You hacked the city cameras?"
"Nah", Tom shook his head and chuckled. "I optimized the software a while ago and let myself a door open. The security system of this building though", he shook his hand and pursed his lips in a frown. "Much too easy, but I can handle that later. If you still want me." His expression turned into a radiant smile.
Heather was instantly blushing and giggled, avoiding to look at him directly.
"Didn't you have an odd feeling about being watched earlier?" Tom continued after enjoying the effect he had on her and she nodded, looking at him in curiosity. "Well just give me a sec", JT's colleague turned the display towards him again and started typing.
Heather took the chance to get around the corner and stand next to him, watching what he was doing across his shoulder. He didn't need to look at her that she wasn't understanding or comprehending anything she saw. Anyways he was finished within a minute.
"These are the cameras looking at the street and across it", he showed her two different views by directing with his index finger, before he typed shortly again. "And here's a car. See the dark blue hatchback?" Tom showed again and Heather was simply staring. "There: the window's going down a little. You were right."
"Oh my God that's creepy", Cat's sister blurted out.
"Well it is", Tom replied furrowing his brows. "Maybe we'll get closer look, because as you can watch: no one's getting in or out of the car. Damn I can understand why you want to have a better security system. I thought my students would have more time for planning but it seems we're quite in a hurry."
"Uh- guess so", Heather looked at him now close enough to smell his aftershave, quickly backing away again and focusing on that car.
Even though she wasn't able to recognize the person in the darkness, who had looked at her, this strange feeling in her stomach was back.
"Maybe … with a little effort", Tom was rather murmuring to himself. "I can get the license plate."

One of the many things JT loved about Sarah was her ability to distract him from all his worries. Being around her made everything lighter, brighter and less straining.
"No now you're living here all alone?" she asked in honest interest sitting down across the kitchen table, after he had shown her around.
Of course she had no idea that he just had thought about how she managed to worry less and brought up right the issue that tended to torment him. So JT sat down with a sigh trying not to show how concerned he was about Vincent leaving.
"Well yes", he answered with a slight frown. "It was…"
JT couldn't really explain because right in that moment both sides of the metal door flew open, making both him and Sarah jump and stare at the entrance and the figure that stepped inside.
"Vincent?"
"So I guess that's your room mate?" Sarah's glance jumped between the two men, not really asking but making a statement.
"Uhm… hi", Vincent managed to bring out, dropping his back pack and reached out to shake the woman's hand, as gently as possible. "I'm Vincent", he reminded himself to add a smile.
"Sarah", she shook his hand and smiled back at him friendly.
"W….what….. w…why?" was the only thing JT brought out, much to his girl-friends amusement.
"Order has been canceled", Vincent responded, not really lying not really telling the truth, but it was the only thing that came into his mind.
"Oh", Sarah and JT replied simultaneously, though in different tones.
She was figuring out a lot from this poor sentence: "So that's why…"
"Yes", both Vincent and his best friend answered before she had even spoken out her thoughts.
"So I've never met you", Sarah grinned at Vincent. "And JT's living ll alone here. Got it. What a shame", she turned around and winked at her boy-friend. "I think I need to go to the bath room."
Both men blinked at each other when she walked out of the room not without giving JT a peck on his cheek, like she was telling him whatever was going on with Vincent she was fine with it.
"Well that was easy", was all he could say in that moment and Vincent simply nodded in agreement: "She is awesome."
Still he was catching his breath when he was continuing to speak: "I need to call Catherine."
"Oh, okay… of course", JT started but shook the head over himself, turned around and got his cell. "Here you go. I send my friend over to her apartment to meet up with her sister since Tess couldn't reach her."
Instinctively he pulled the device out of his friends hand when he saw Vincent's reaction: a flash of amber in his eyes, a tremble moving though his body.
"What's wrong?" he demanded to know, slightly freaking out.
Vincent needed a moment to answer.
"It's a hunch", he tried to explain. "Somehow I just … know that she's in danger."

Tess and Evan still looked at each other as he slowly removed his cell from his ear. He tried hard to keep his facial expressions in check but the thin line that his lips formed told her everything. Apart from that hiding the truth or wrapping it in nicer words wouldn't help.
"He has her", was all Even could say in that moment and it was enough to darken Tess' features in a way that he hadn't imagined to be possible, and for him to know that he would never ever be on no other but her side.
"I'll call it in, and order tracking down the second cell", Tess replied after a few moments of reconsideration. "You get the tapes of the surveillance, and wait for the unit to come here and collect evidence."
"Second cell?" Evan responded in confusion. "And what are you going to do?"
Cat's partner glared at him making it obvious that she believed in his complicity which made his bad conscience even worse. She wouldn't need to remind him that it was his obsession about something that Cat asked him to let go off brought them right here.
"We brought her out of town for a night after she was taken, she was never home in bed pretending to be sick. She came back to find whoever had abducted her to protect the one you are after", Tess almost hissed at him, pinching him in the shoulder with her index finger as she spoke. "As he told you it was her who he had been after all the time and all of this was just to scare him off. You're nothing but a pawn in his game."
"You know him?" was the only thing that dropped out of Evan's mouth.
For a second Tess' jaw dropped and she stared and blinked at him in disbelief.
"You gotta be kidding me", she whispered before exploding into scolding him. "For all I know he saved your life! And Cat's! More than once! He might not be a knight in shining armor and he might be guilty in many things but he is a good person, because he tries. And when Cat trusts him, I do trust him. And if she protects him from you I damn sure will too."
With that Tess turned away and marched down the hospital's corridor, her heels hacking into the ground, creating a loud clacking noise as she left. Evan just watched her, rubbing the spot she had tortured with her finger, before he headed into the other direction to do as she had told him.

Cat still hadn't moved, still stared onto the white door at the white wall and her withe hand on the door knob. She knew that she had to be dreaming. Most definitely they had injected her something again to knock her out, even though it didn't make any sense since she already was here. Then again there was no answer to her plea. Quickly Cat turned around, instantly leaning against the door. There was only Doc towering over her like a wolf over a mouse.
"Let's get her in the examine room."
Looking up to Doc who couldn't have spoken since this voice clearly had sounded like her mother's a shudder shot though her body as she saw him smile. Reluctantly she pushed her back into a standing position, since she didn't really want to believe that it was true, that her mother was standing there, behind him, ordering to get her somewhere to be examined. But then again… Cat made a step to the side to look at the person who sounded to much like her mother, just to be stunned. Everything else was forgotten in this moment. How she came to be here, why she seemed to be here, what had happened the last, hours, days, months, years. It was her and there was no doubt about it. Ironically it wasn't her mind that accepted the truth but every fiber of her body.
"Mom!" there was no tone and no strength in her voice as she stumbled forward, towards the woman dressed in white, wearing a doctor's overall, a pen, a record tablet and a stern expression.
In the moment Catherine wrapped her arms around this woman, she had expected to grip into thin air, to fall over and onto the ground, with reality mocking her; but instead she embraced a warm, living, and much too real body. She had no idea what would have been worse: this or what she had wanted to be real. Burning tears poured out of her eyes as she inhaled deeply, smelling the scent she had believed to never sense again, feeling hands move across her back that she never had hoped for her to hold again. Catherine felt how her mother stroke across her hair like she always had done, how she kissed her temple in her very own gentle way and she hold her tighter.
"Catherine", she heard her mother's voice; sounding so incredibly real, her tone so typically hers caringly, worrying, telling her that she was her little daughter and always would be, no matter what.
"Mom", Cat whispered, her voice husky and still weak. "Mom. I can't believe this is real", she murmured into Vanessa Chandler's hair, not seeing how she looked up at Doc while holding her daughter in a mixture of plea and determination.
"Shh, I'm so sorry, Catherine", she responded softly, her gaze towards him now full of torment as she gave him a slight nod, stroking her daughter's hair.
The closed her eyes as Doc stepped closer, pulling out an automatic syringe and press it against Cats neck. She was knocked out instantly.

Heather and Tom leaned onto the counter shoulder to shoulder, trying to get a closer look to the person who had been watching them at the entrance and the license plate. Even though they had wrote it down minutes ago, she was still doubting it and he was playing along.
"We could try and trace down the car, see where it has gone to", Tom suggested and Heather looked at him in awe, instantly blushing because she was that close to him: "You can do that?"
"Well it will take some time, but I've got no class today", he shrugged and then frowned. "On the other hand I promised JT to take a look at his place as well."
"JT?" Heather frowned now.
"The guy who send me over, who Tess called you about", Tom furrowed one brow.
"Oh, Vincent's friend", Heather's face lightened up.
"Who's Vincent?"
Both looked at each other in confusion.
Just in that moment the phone rang, though Heather needed to be reminded by him that she had to take the call, which she did reluctantly.
"Yeah?" she answered, slightly annoyed.
"It's me, Tess", the caller responded. "Do you have by any chance an idea what Cat's code for her cell it?"
A frown appeared on Heather's face: "What do you need that for?"
"I don't have time for this. Your sister's in trouble and I need to unlock her cell."
"Uh… I don't know all of them, usually it's our Mom's birthday…"

Tess lips formed a thin line as she typed in the numbers, bu Cat's cell wouldn't unlock. She let out a deep sigh before she spoke to Heather again: "Any other idea? I really need to speak to a friend of hers and I don't have his number."
"You mean Vincent?" her partner's sister asked and Tess was startled for a moment, staring on the device in her hand. Could it be so easy?
After one little shrug she typed the numbers.
"Well Tom is still here, I'm sure he has JT's number and he'll have Vincent's", Heather continued at the other end of the line, but Tess was too surprised that she had found the right code to unlock her friend's phone. Still when Heather started talking about a blue hatch back that seemingly had watched her.
"It's okay, I got it", Tess just staid and hung up, leaving Cat's sister in the situation to look at her phone in disbelief.

JT and Vincent exchanged a long glance, before the sound of water flushing reminded the both of them that there was a guest. Even though the situation could have been better they smiled briefly at each other as JT placed the phone back in Vincent's hand, just the second as it rang. Once again pulling back the device, JT took the call instantly, his face mirroring his inner tension: "Forbes?"
"You were right", said the voice at the other end, making him frown before he realized who was speaking. "There was someone watching Heather when I arrived. It thought it was just a coincidence, but I've started a recognition trace with the car and license plate. It seems that the same car was at your area this morning. A dark blue hatchback?"
JT's brain needed a re-start after hearing this and tortured Vincent with the long pause this created. Realizing this he blinked a few times and although he knew that Sarah was just coming back into the kitchen, he told Tom that he would put him on speaker.
"Yes, I've seen that blue hatch back, closer than I preferred", he continued after that, looking at his best friend, who immediately understood, just like Sarah seemed to comprehend just by the tone of his voice, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"I guessed to", Tom continued, "since it was the same car that dropped you off at work. I just wanted to be sure before I trace the plate."
Again the room mates exchanged glances.
"You should give the license plate to Tess", Vincent eventually decided to speak and on the other side of the line sprouted silence for a moment.
"That's Vincent", they could hear Heather join the conversation from a distance and the sounds that followed showed that Tom put them on speaker as well now. "Hi", she continued. "I believe that Tess might be trying to reach you. She found Cat's cell. I'm not sure what's going on, but all she said is that Cat's in trouble."
JT and Vincent looked at each other again, even more worried now.
"Okay, give us the license plate and Tess' number, we'll try to call her", spoke the latter.
"And Tom, please stay with Heather, just to be sure", added the first.
"I'll try to find out where the car is now", was Tom's answer.
After hanging up JT looked at Sarah helplessly. He had no idea how to explain all of this, just as much as Vincent, who was already typing Tess' phone number.
"It's okay", Sarah rubbed both JT's shoulder's gently. "I know you've got lot of secrets. I can wait. Just … if I can help, tell me."

Tess was scrolling through Cat's contacts, but she couldn't find what she was looking for. Probably her friend had used a different name for their number or she simply had none. Could this be possible? It made sense since this was a very good and simple way to protect them. Almost dropping the cell as her own buzzed in her jacket, Tess quickly pulled it out to see that an unknown number was calling her. She didn't think twice about taking the call: "Vargas?"
"It's Vincent", this was enough to take off the edge.
"Thank God", she exhaled. "I was trying to reach your friend and maybe you."
"So I have heard", was the reply from the other line, worry darkening the voice. "Listen, don't ask me how, but you might be looking for a dark blue hatch back. This car has been following Catherine's sister and was the one that … uhm .. gave JT an unwanted lift to work."
Tess listened closely and as she heard the license number she instantly knew whose car this was: "There's no chance tracking down the origin of that car. It's Doc's and I already knows that he has her."
The other side of the line became silent. All she could hear how Vincent breathed in and out deeply.
"I'm standing right next to her car", Tess continued but he cut her off. "We've got someone trying to track down the car with the city's surveillance cameras, but I have no idea how long it will take them. Tell me where you are, maybe I can catch…." Now he stopped himself, simply because Sarah was standing next to him.

"Uhm… I can drive you", she suggested after Vincent had hung up and both him and JT stared at her in disbelief. "Seriously", she shrugged. "If this is some undercover stuff the most definitely won't suspect me to be a part of it."
"I don't want you to be a part of it", JT stated with determination.
Sarah sighed and gave him a soft smile.
"Well, this is my call."

Evan had done just like Tess had told her, which is why he was surprised to find her in the parking lot as he left the hospital to wait for the evidence unit.
"I thought you wanted to go back to the department?" he asked her.
"Well change of plans", she gave back at him a little too grumpy. "I know you're not used to go through video material but you can always have some field experience right? So why don't you start with that?"
"Do you want to get rid of me?" Evan asked being suspicious.
"To be blunt: yes", Tess almost glared at him now. "I don't trust you anymore, Evan. Cat was right. You are obsessed and it's your fault that she is in trouble. If you had told us bout Doc we could have stopped this before it started."
"If Cat would have been honest with me, I wouldn't have accepted his offer", was his answer. "She could have told me that it was a friend of hers."
"Would you have believed her?" Tess responded.
"Yes", Evan was upfront but obviously she started to annoy him.
"Would you have let it go if she had told you? Wouldn't you have started to ask her to meet him? Over and over again?" her eyes were narrowed now as they both knew the answer to that question.

When Catherine awoke she was lying in a bed and bright light was blinding her. Bringing her hand up to cover her eyes, she realized that she wasn't wearing her clothes anymore but a hospital shirt. She was awake less than a glimpse of her eyes and sat up. The room was completely empty, apart from the hospital bed she was lying in. It had no windows and apparently no door, at least non that was identified by a knob. Looking up the light bulbs were hidden behind transparent panels.
As she noticed how her breathing became shallowly and much to fast, just like her heart beat she tried to calm herself down, inhaling and exhaling long and deep but still shivery. It was in that moment as she felt the injection needle in her left hand, connected to a bag of fluid. She tried to read the words on it but her eyes didn't want to focus. This was much to surreal. With shock she realized that there was no chair or table with her clothes. Her second cell! Now she would have no chance to call anyone. Cat's thoughts started racing and she uncovered her legs, looking at them being bare and unclothed. Once again she tried to fight down a panic attack, that was trying to take over her body.
"Hello?" she wanted to shout but barely brought out a sound.
Swallowing dryly she looked around only to remind herself that there was nothing. Only the injection needle. That was better than nothing.
"Hello?" Cat cawed once more and her lips formed a thin line as she pulled the needle out of her hand, which instantly started bleeding.
Quickly she pressed the white blanket onto the injury, rubbing slightly so that it would close up faster. She wouldn't wait here like one of Doc's test subjects, Cat told herself, pushing the memory of her mother into a dark corner of her mind. It had only been an hallucination, imagination caused by the drugs he had given her.
Cat jumped off the bed, her knees wobbly, but managed to get to the closest wall quickly. There had to be a door and when no one answered to her, she might have enough time to find it and maybe a way out. She was no lab rat, but a cop. And even though Vincent had left, it didn't mean that she was helpless. He had been able to survive and stand up straight without him. She would go on without him. Cat swallowed, her legs wanted to give in, but she wouldn't. Even without him.

None of them had moved, both still staring at each other. Tess had no idea if it was just his stubbornness or if Evan really did think that he wasn't the source of what had happened to Cat. Surely if she never had met Vincent, she probably wouldn't have bin in trouble, would she? On the other hand as far as Tess understood the beginning of it all lay further in the past and had something to to with Cat's mother.
"Seriously Evan, you should…." Tess started but was interrupted by her cell buzzing.
Instantly she took a look at it, seeing that it was a text and read it, while he was watching her closely, as if he would be able to get the information from her face.
"You know what?" she started walking without looking up to him, heading back to the hospital. "Just as planned. Stay here and wait, I'll get a look at the tapes."
There was not a single hint that she might be lying, so Evan stayed where he was, watching as she veered away from him. Just in that moment a car passed by seemingly heading for the entrance only to drive further to the side of the building and Tess changed direction as well. Instinctively Evan followed.

Vincent was relieved as the saw that Tess had already read his text, which he had send from his disposable cell, and already was walking to the point he had suggested they'd met. Sarah did just like he had told, stopped briefly to let him step out of the car and instantly continued to drive out of the reach of the hospital's surveillance cameras he placed his hands in his pockets and waited for Tess to walk towards him. Seemingly no one had noticed an he turned his back on the parking lot, when she had reached him. It was difficult to hark to different noises, still he tried to make sure that no one came too close to them.
"The car is standing over there", Tess skipped the courtesy of greeting him.
"Yes, I figured", Vincent nodded. "Can you make sure that I can have a moment there? So see if I catch up … a scent?"
She nodded in response: "The unit hasn't arrived yet, so I'll tell…." Tess cut off herself as her eyes caught something behind Vincent.

As he had caught up he recognized Tess talking with another person, taller as her, wearing a parka with a folded up collar and a cap. Even though it was suspicious, he decided to wait for a moment, so that maybe he could see the man's face, but Tess had been quicker, she had seen him, and obviously she wasn't pleased that he had tried to sneak up on them. And then as the man she was talking to slowly turned around, he realized who he might be. For a second he was stunned, just to be utterly surprised as the only unusual thing he saw about this person was a huge scar across his face.

Evan had difficulties to hide his disappointment as he walked over to the two of them. Silently he scolded himself for expecting that his beast would simply show up like that. Whoever this guy was, possibly he was nothing more than an informant, someone who maybe had seen something. Certainly a CI because otherwise he wouldn't have to be that concealing. On the other hand he had no clue where to put Tess' look but he figured that she still was mad at him, still blaming him for Cat's fate, when it was her own. Yet he felt crushed about what had happened to her.
"Hi, Evan Marks", he reached out his hand to the man who looked at it strangely as if he didn't know the gesture.
But Vincent didn't know perfectly well as she took the hand to shake it, he tried his very best to compost himself. Even though he had never met this man before, he knew too well who he was. The one who was after him, the one who had kept his knowledge about Doc to him self, the man whose fault it was that Catherine was in his hands now.
Tess wasn't ignorant about the tension in Vincent's jaw and the twitching in the corners of his mouths as he tried to smile friendly, when he introduced himself merely as "Vincent." Watching Evan's surprised reaction she spoke before he was able to. "He's an CI of Cat's and mine and I'd appreciate it if you'd … leave."
"If he has any information regarding Cat I'd like to know", was his response and Vincent inhaled sharply and chose to ignore him, addressing Tess: "I know one will probably have problems to trace the disposable cell of hers, but I'm pretty sure that if he" - his eyes wandered briefly to Evan - "is in contact with Doc, he will have his number as well. Tracing down two phones, looking for a spot where they both are, would make it quicker."
Tess nodded: "Yeah, you're right, Evan?"
Her colleague was too confused about the knowledge this Vincent seemed to already have that he unlocked and handed over his cell without thinking twice, while his eyes never left the other man's face, who seemed to avoid his eyes.
"How do you know?" eventually said as Tess was busy with calling the station and dictating the number.
"I just do", Vincent gave back, clinging his eyes to the back of Catherine's partner.
Yet he could feel the piercing glance of this man on him.
He turned quickly, being to restless and on edge to endure this. His thoughts were with Catherine and he wouldn't rest until he knew she was safe. Every hod-up was a waste of time. Vincent walked over to Catherine's car and Evan let him go at first being to confused about that man's jumpy behavior. But curiosity caught him and he followed as he watched the stranger crouch down next to the vehicle. If he wouldn't know it better, he'd bet that this guy was sniffing.

It took her a little time, but after Catherine had calmed down her breath and composed her heart beat she was able to balance herself and stand straight. So she slowly moved from panel to panel, pushing against them, moving her fingertips across them and along their rims, hoping to find an opening in this white cube that seemed to be her room and prison. Did they want to make her think that she was in an asylum? And believe that she was insane? That nothing had happened? Why would they? Maybe it was the best for all of them if she believed that Vincent had never existed, that all of this was a creation of her mind, still trying to process the violent death of her mother.
Catherine's stream o thoughts was interrupted as the next panel she pushed again, gave in slightly, making a faint clacking noise. Surprised she looked at it, hadn't she expected to find anything. With the bloody needle still in her hand, she examines the rim of the panel, pushing against it once more. Then suddenly she heard a clacking sound from the other side of the room. Instantly she turned around and the needle slipped out of her hand, creating a clinking sound as it hit the cold and even floor, that made her bare feet freeze.
"Mom", she whispered yet again in disbelief, but there she was standing opposite to her in front of an almost invincible door that was opened just a split.
"You shouldn't have pulled that out, Catherine", Vanessa Chandler scolded her daughter - at least it sounded like it, but both their eyes fell on the needle in front of Cat's toes.
Quickly she leaned down to grab it, feeling how her head felt dizzy again. Cat needed to support herself against the fake wall to not fall on her knees. Her mother didn't move to help her, as she straightened up again and she swallowed down the lump in her throat.
"You're not my mother", was her only reply and she stayed where she was, tightening the grip around the needle, her only weapon of choice now.
The woman who looked like Cat's mother seemed to be concerned, worried and somehow sad, but she didn't say a thing.
"What have you done to me? What was in this water? Why do I feel so weak?" Cat demanded to know, leaning herself against the wall with a frown. She didn't feel really weak, just slightly worn out and numb. Her whole body was simply numb as is she had run a marathon, as if her muscles had been stretched for to long; mostly her legs and hips. There was only one thing in her experience that had felt the same, when she had been at her gynecologist. It was her anger, her outrage that made her ignore the ache in her muscles and walk towards this woman that couldn't be her mother.
"Catherine, please", she suddenly spoke again, dropping the clipboard she was carrying and lifting up both her hands, stepping towards her calmingly.
Tears gathered in Cat's eyes, because she knew, she doubtlessly knew that this was her mother, but there was no painless explanation for her to be there, right there in front of her.

Vincent was so stunned by the fact he recognized this scent that he didn't notice Evan following him. And then he has to restrain himself from flinching too early. Instinctively he tensed, feeling rage boiling up inside of him as this man approached him, being bluntly curious, not knowing what kind of thoughts and pictures flew through Vincent's mind: like slicing open his throat, no rather his stomach so that he could watch himself bleed to death slowly, while he would pull out his guts.
Vincent closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. No matter how big Evan's part in Catherine's second abduction was, killing him wouldn't help her, even less if he got caught because of this. So he tried to focus on this scent, despite the skepticism and suspicion of his bystander.
Her scent seemed to be stronger at the other side of the car, so he got up and moved around. It stunned him like a slam in his face. A second smell, a kind he had never expected to gather again, yet there it was, even though sightly different. Vincent was slightly freaked out, but he had to compose himself in front of Evan. Rising up from his again crouching position the memory hit in, from the scent he had found at Catherine's apartment. It was almost the same. Why hadn't he realized it? That it hadn't been entirely human? Did whatever they had given Catherine had had an effect on him as well? However there was no time for that. He needed to find her.
Tess was already about to come over to them, giving Evan another glare, before she was addressing Vincent: "They are on it. Have you found something?"
"Yes", he nodded in return, and pointed to the following parking spot. "He parked right next to her." Following the scent, he walked towards the third spot just to return again, his expression hardening. "And he approached her here. Something might have caught her interest." He frowned.
"Maybe it's on the tapes", Tess mused and gave Evan a stern look who was puzzled about what Vincent said.
"Is he a psychic or something?" he furrowed one brow.
"He", his colleague answered. "Is standing right next to you."
"Don't mind", Vincent looked at her, slightly lifting one hand to underline his words. "I'll follow the trail. Will you keep me updated?"
Evan's glance jumped between the two of them, trying to figure out if they were using some sort of secret language, because he definitely felt left out here.
"I'm coming with you", he simply decided. "There's nothing I can do here anyways."
Now both Vincent and Tess looked at him with a strange combination of annoyance and disbelief.
"No, you're not", his colleague refused before the other one could say anything. "You'll only slow him down and expose him."
"I'll just drive him"; Evan shrugged, not comprehending where the problem was.
He watched Vincent simply look at Tess for a moment, before he turned around ans started walking. Some seconds passed before Evan realized that he was literally following the trail: by foot. Insight hit him like a train but he still couldn't believe it.

Catherine blinked and stopped moving as her mother spoke to her, holding up hand, palms facing her. It was an odd scene since she used trying to calm Vincent down that when when he was about to lose himself.
Called by the sound of the falling clipboard a man in white clothing appeared behind her mother, slipping through the small opening.
"Are… are you changing me as well?" Cat asked almost in shock, moving backwards again. "Is this what you are doing to me?" her voice almost broke.
"No, no", her mother shook her head, but the way she answered left her daughter suspicious though she believed her that they hadn't injected her the DNA reprogramming virus and probably wouldn't.
Deep inside Catherine already knew what this was about. Doc had told her. It had been her choice. She had gone to the hospital. It had been clear to them why.
"Please lay down again, honey, I'll explain everything", her mother slowly lowered her hands stepping toward her likewise and the man behind her did nothing, but pick up the clipboard.
Cat couldn't help but mistrust her, however she followed her plea and moved back to the bed. Her feet were still freezing and she let out a slight sigh when she slid her feed under the blanked again.
"Get a new needle", her mother ordered turning towards the young man, who nodded and vanished; her whole posture and tone changed the moment she faced her daughter again, she even sat down on the rim of her bed, reaching out to stroke a strain out of Cat's face even though she flinched slightly..
"Why am I here, Mom?" she asked. "Why … how are you even alive? We buried you? Dad remarried. I just … don't understand."
"I promised I'll explain and I will", Vanessa Chandler spoke softly. "But step by step, okay? I don't want to stress you out. You need rest. Promise me that you will stay in bed? Please."
Cat frowned. Her mother was speaking to her like she was very ill, as if she was deeply worried about her. Had JT been wrong? Was Vincent really contagious? She didn't know how to ask and even if she had found the right words they wouldn't have come out as Doc entered her room. Instantly she tensed and sat up.
"It's okay", her mother took her hand.
"Just bringing a new needle", the tell blond man held up his left gloved hand to show her that he wasn't lying. "You need the fluid, Catherine. So please let me set the needle again, okay?"
All of this appeared to be a bad dream and she had no idea how to handle it.

Almost as if Evan was in trance, like rather dreaming that he followed him than really doing it. How could it be that this Vincent looked so human? There was nothing about him that could have exposed his true nature. Evan was intrigued but also shocked about this fact. He had always believed that a cross species would be obvious, on the other hand human DNA wasn't that different from others and if it was the basis of a hybrid DNA is might be even logical that at least the outward appearance would be human as well.

Vincent didn't want to waste any further time and he couldn't help but be annoyed, no furious at this Evan guy who was walking around like he wasn't the reason that they hadn't been prepared. His obsession, even though Cat tried to talk him out of it and now she was in trouble. Yet she was only in the hands of this man who had build the super soldier project because he, Vincent, hadn't been there. He had run. He had failed to protect her. Again he closed his eyes and tried to breathe in deeply, focus, hold on to that faint combinations of scents. It had already been too long and they had taken the car and he wasn't sure if he was imagining that he could smell her, or not.
Suddenly he could hear someone walk behind him, trying to close up but not enough to catch him. Vincent turned around to see Evan walk behind him and stopped as their eyes met.
"I don't have time for this", he shook his head, his links a thin line, seemingly just determined, but his clenched fists were revealing his true feelings.
"I just want to help", Evan took another step towards him, curiosity written all over his face and Vincent realized that this man had eventually figured it out.
So many knew now in such a brief amount of time. Yet he couldn't care less.
"You've already helped enough", he shook his head and turned around again, trying to catch up Cat's scent once more.
But Evan didn't let go. Vincent could hear him approach him and with every inch his tension grew, his heat and breath sped up and the rage inside him roared louder.
It is his fault. It is his fault, the beast repeated over and over again in his head.
"Are you really sme…", Evan didn't get any further, because a Vincent's hand was grabbing his throat and pinning him up against the hospital's wall behind him.
Moving him up till his arm was almost stretched a pair of amber, eagle-like eyes glared at the forensics doctor, who would have gasped for air if he already wasn't. Both of his hands were clinging ti the one that held his neck in an irony grip. Vincent knew that he was almost choking this man, but he couldn't stop. The beast inside him was snarling, trying to claw his way out.
"You've already helped enough!" he spoke slower and so much lower now, a deep baritone, more like the voice of a lion.

Cat's mind still tried to comprehend the situation as she watched Doc insert the needle into her hand again. If she hadn't actually felt it, she wouldn't have believed that it was her skin into the thin round metal was placed. She still stared at it when he connected the intravenous drip with her again.
"I don't understand", she murmured, rather speaking to herself, slowly looking up due to the movement in front of her.
It was a cold shiver that ran through her body as she saw him place his hands onto her mother's shoulder in such an intimate manner. Once again she really felt sick. Quickly she looked into the other direction.
"Michael, I think you should leave", Cat heard her mother say, memorizing his name, still not moving her glance back to her, but she could see out of the corner of her eyes and feel that she briefly placed her own hand onto his, and swallowed down her disgust.
Only as she heard the door close with a lick she finally looked at her mother, thousand questions all over her face. For now she surrendered but after ten years she doubted that Vanessa Chandler knew her daughter enough. Once again she lifted her hand to stroke across Cat's hair and this time she didn't flinch, just stared back at her.
"I've missed you so much", her mom started and a tiny frown appeared on Catherine's forehead, merely creating an almost invisible wrinkle between her brows, how could she believe that. "I kept track whenever possible", the woman in front of her continued and let out a sigh. "To stage my own death was the only way to keep all of you safe. It was a deal with the devil I had to make. I couldn't draw you into this life."
"And those men who went after me?" Cat shook her head. "The ones Vincent killed to protect me?"
"They weren't supposed to go after you. Muirfield had promised me, but I didn't believe them. That was why I left Vincent a trail. He had been with me, protecting me since Afghanistan. Michael brought us both back home, but there was no way hiding us both. To tell them that Vincent had died was easy, but they wouldn't let me go. They couldn't just declare me for dead when I never had been out of the States in the first place. I agreed to stay with Muirfield in exchange for your safety."
"Vincent was with you?" Cat's voice almost broke, barely whispering.
"I asked him to look out for you", Vanessa took her daughter's hand into her own. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you. I really am."
Catherine swallowed laboriously.
"But you're not with Muirfield anymore. Why didn't you …let us know that you're still alive?" she asked already knowing the answer; tears burning in her eyes again. "When we left they put you under a 24-7 surveillance. There was no way", her mom stroke her hair again. "The only consolation I had was that Vincent was with you and that was the reason why Michael let him go, why we did everything to keep him covered, so that they wouldn't find him."

Evan felt like a fish in a bird of prey's claws. If he had still doubted that Vincent was the one he had been looking for: here was his evidence. However he would also have been intrigued by his ability to hold a grown man up with just one arm, if it hadn't be him. Breathing proved itself as difficult, even more bringing out a word. Vincent did notice Tess coming closer as she apparently had noticed that Evan had been following he was barely restraining his rage, that was fueled by his guilt and worry for Catherine. Her partner didn't dare to approach him, seeing him like that for the first time was well. A heavy tremble washed through his body as he realized through the corner of his eye that he had her hand on her gun. "Are you satisfied?" he growled at Evan and let him drop, pulling his hand away from his through which instantly was replaced by his, instinctively protecting his aching body part. Vincent briefly looked at Tess whose facial features were derailed in shock and fascination, before he turned away, back to into the direction where Catherine had been brought. Now as he barely suppressed the beast inside of him it was almost as if he could pick up her scent easier, but he couldn't run through New York City like that. Yet there was no time. He buried his face in his hands. The thought alone of Catherine being exposed to the man that had brought his project into being drove him insane. Vincent forced himself to calm down and focus. For a few moments he stood completely still, staring into a non existent distance. He had come from this direction, below that street. It was just a hunch, but he remembered how he had smelled this scent as he was retuning home. It had been directly beneath the hospital. The position where he had felt this slight dizziness, this headache was a few miles further down that road. Could it have been her? Could the beast inside him have caught up her scent and tried to tell him? As he turned back to face Tess Vincent's appearance was back to normal and Evan, who was still leaning against the wall panting heavily just stared at him in awe and fear, similar to Cat's partner who seemed less afraid than him. "When I headed back I caught up a faint scent, but I didn't give it much attention because I thought my mind was tricking me", he explained to Tess. "I don't know how long it will take to trace down the cells or the car, but I might have an idea where they are." "I guess you need a lift then?" Tess tilted her head lightly, ignoring the turmoil in her chest and stomach that there was a monster standing in front of her, a really handsome one but still a beast. Vincent answer was a weak smile

Catherine looked at her mother for some minutes without saying a thing. She was sure that if Vincent had known that her death had been staged he would have told her. All what she had told her seemed legit and logical, and there was no reason to doubt her explanation. For all Cat knew Muirfield was a dangerous organization. But then again what venture was her mother part of?
"Mom, why am I in this bed with an infusion, wearing nothing but this gown? What did you do to me?" she eventually asked. "Why was my water spiked? You need to tell me. Why come back now?"
Vanessa Chandler sighed heavily and turned her eyes away, actually standing up from the bed, letting go of her daughter. Cat asked herself is she silently was punishing her for asking, even though she had promised to explain everything step by step. On the other hand some answered already hung unspoken in the air just waiting to be confirmed.
"I don't know why the water was spiked, but Michael will handle this", her mother answered frowningly, still avoiding her eyes. "I fear it was a prank. A risky one and we already know who to punish for that if that's the case."
"So you think it might have been Do… Michael's idea?" Cat dug deeper, making her mother finally respond her glance: "He promised me that he'd never hurt you."
"He did", Cat gave back. "When they first abducted me."
Vanessa gave her daughter a stern look: "You were treated roughly, yes, but it was for your own safety at that time there still was a way out for you."
It was unbearable to listen to the unspoken truth and Catherine clawed her fingernails into the sheets, trying to fight the emotions that tore at her insides, demanding to be released. She couldn't give in, she wouldn't.
"So you came for Vincent?" it was not really a question, even though her voice was shaky; and still she avoided to ask for her true assumption to be confirmed.
"Yes", Vanessa looked her daughter straight in the eye.
"For what?" Cat became more determined, meeting her mother's glance.
"It's complicated", she was definitely trying to avoid a direct answer now.
"Seriously, Mom, just say it!" of course she lost it now, because her mother's reluctance told her everything and hurt so deeply beyond imagination. "Breeding. Right? I am here because I had sex with Vincent. So what? Do you try to breed your third generation and due to them being cross-breeds it doesn't work?" her voice became more and more husky. She remembered genetics well from high school and she wasn't stupid. "Do you actually hope that I got pregnant? Or what did you do?"

Evan supported himself by placing his hands on his knees now, still fighting more against the shock than the lack of air. He realized that both Tess and Vincent were leaving him as they already were a yard away. Looking behind them he knew that he had to make a decision. With a push of his muscles he straightened up and reached into the pocket of his jacket for his cell, before he started following them looking at its display.

Tess and Vincent had already reached their car when they both had to turn around to get in. Evan was following them and Vincent didn't clench his jaw because he saw the cell in his hand, he didn't even notice it. All he saw was the man that had interest in Catherine and still had risked her. It didn't matter if he never had been aware of that. Tess on the other hand glared at her colleague mostly because of the reason that Evan had his cell in his hands and she let go of the door: "Are you going to give us away now?"
Both men looked at her in surprise. One taken aback, one with regrowing anger.
"We can trace back an active call much easier, right? We don't have to go through all the paperwork with the company", Evan tried to ignore the look that Vincent gave him, even though it gave him the chills.
Now it were him an Tess who were astonished, but all three of them were distracted when the evidence unit arrived.
"Go", Evan gestured. "I'll them them what to do an get back to the station. As soon as I got the position, I'll call you. Now go"
Vincent was already in the car as Tess opened the door.
"Do you trust him? he asked her as she got in as well, both fastening their seat belts, and she gave him an undefined glance. "I've known you for a day and I've known him for years. What do you think?"
Vincent's corners of his mouth lifted slightly, without his eyes joining the expression.
"But I know what you mean", she started the car, and pulled out. "It's vice-versa. He knows I'll rip his head off. We won't need you for that."
Tess' words made him blink. Just moments after seeing him in almost full beast-state she was already making sarcastic jokes. Cat had obviously kept her out off all this to keep her safe, not because she didn't trust her. For Vincent it felt much easier to do so as well.

The worst thing about her mother's reaction was that she didn't even look into her eyes. Cat was smashed, she couldn't believe it. This wasn't the woman she had so many wonderful memories of. This wasn't her mother. Witnessing this behavior she had absolutely no idea what to think or even feel. It was like she was lost in the middle of the ocean with nothing to cling to, struggling to keep her head over the surface, and now the moment had arrived that she knew there was no strength left in her limbs. And there would be no one coming to save her.
Cat had no idea how many minutes had passed until this woman that sounded and looked like her mother, even claimed to be her, inhaled and opened her mouth to speak again; but Cat shook her head almost wildly: "No. Get out. Get out!" she almost screamed to the end. "Get the hell out!"
Her mother flinched and needed a second to realize the situation. As her daughter looked away from her, pulling up her legs to wrap her arms around them, fixating her eyes to the other side of the room, she hesitated. Just for a moment Vanessa reconsidered, to eventually leave.
The very moment the door shut with a slight click Catherine started sobbing, her fingers clenching heavily into the fabric that was wrapped around her, shivering in anger about herself that she had to cry. Still she couldn't stop. She felt so utterly helpless and terribly lost, just like in the very moment she had been all alone in that forest, in the wilderness. Dead men lying in front of her and her mother shot. Her mother was dead all over again. She shook her head. No. This time it was way worse. This time she had lost her in such a different distorted way she knew she would never forget, and if she would get home she would never, ever tell Heather about it. Her sister could never know. And not her father. No one.
Cat suppressed the sounds that dropped of her mouth, trying to keep it all in, only the vitriolic tears grazing down her cheeks. She couldn't let the inner pressure escape her lungs. It was the only energy she got left, without it she feared to give in, to be entirely and completely dead. But as her thoughts wandered of they found the only hope she had left and she needed to hold her breath. Vincent was certainly far gone. Driven by guilt for what he had done. She was sure of it. It was so typical for him and she wasn't mad at him. Even though her lungs started aching, she didn't gave in to her natural instinct until she couldn't fight it anymore.