A/N This has been half written for months, so I thought I ought to try and finish it. One more chapter to go after this. Hope there aren't too many typos. I'm a bit rusty at this.
Chapter 10 - A Cut Too Far
Like an actor tied to a show past its prime, Jane found each new scenario less plausible to play out. He shook his head at the absurdity of it all, playing doctors and nurses for the amusement of their nefarious overseer was stretching his patience to breaking point. Though Jane would deny it, his self-assurance and hint of arrogance made him a good fit for his new role, but it would take more than a white coat and stethoscope to make a doctor out of Patrick Jane.
Jane's nose wrinkled in distaste as he sipped the tepid brew that masqueraded as tea. Casting his eyes around his surroundings, he took in the milieu of endless activity with the worker ants seemingly busy but with little to show for their efforts. It was all a charade and he was the star turn, dancing to the tune of some remote puppet master.
It was second nature for him to start reading the bit part players carrying out their appointed roles, they were blissfully unaware of the futility of it all. The assertive young woman berating her colleague was desperately hoping no one would see through the mask of self-confidence, which hid a myriad of insecurities. The uniformed man with folded arms was text book proof of procedure making tyrants of those incapable of working outside the box. A mischievous part of Jane wanted to tackle the uniformed man, after all his mission in life was to debunk protocol and be the scourge of the petty bureaucrat.
Fortunately for the uniformed man Jane's attention moved on, when he spotted his favourite bureaucrat busy conferring with Abbott. She was looking rather harassed and brushed some wayward strands of hair behind her ears. Jane was thankful for small mercies, at least they hadn't given Lisbon a Stepford makeover. Her imperfections hadn't been airbrushed away, she still had some spark about her.
A brief nod from Abbott was enough to set her on her way again, a quick glance in Jane's direction made it was clear Abbott that wanted a word in private.
After a final sip of the noxious brew, Jane made his way to the privacy of the men's room. Within a few minutes Jane heard the door opening, and Abbott's whistling confirmed they were alone.
"We must stop meeting like this Dennis, people will talk."
Abbott gave a wry smile before cutting to the chase. "It's started Patrick. A mystery virus has been striking people down. The hospital quarantine bays are filling up."
Jane frowned, they had suspected that something was underway with the gradual disappearance of familiar faces and the increased activity in the loading bays.
"When you say virus, you mean?" Jane's thoughts were racing ahead.
Abbott shrugged. "Could be either. It may be coincidence, but Wylie says some unscheduled updates have kicked in over the last week. No one knows what is going on."
Jane pondered his options. "There's no such thing as coincidence. Presumably the symptoms have been treated with standard protocols for now, but we'll need further diagnostics to prove a hunch of mine."
Jane was surrounded by the usual team when he began his rounds, they all brought their own speciality to the team, though Jane would rarely acknowledge their contribution. To an outsider their interactions would appear quite random and fractious, with Jane bouncing ideas off the team and using their responses to fuel his deductive reasoning process.
"How many are there now?" Jane looked round the isolation ward.
"Twelve, we lost another two this morning. The damage is irreversible by time we see them." Van Pelt had tried every recognised protocol to no avail.
"What about the others?" Jane hadn't seen these patients before and was unaware of their case histories. He recognised a couple of them as low-level operatives.
Before Rigsby could jump in, Jane turned to Cho. "Cho, thoughts?"
"Limited brain activity, weak neural responses." Cho was typically succinct.
"Did you arrange those extra tests?" Jane's response was a curt nod.
Jane finally turned to Rigsby and raised an enquiring eyebrow. Never one to miss his cue Rigsby didn't pause for breath. "It has all the signs of an autoimmune condition, something has triggered the immune system to systematically self-destruct." He hesitated before making his final suggestion. "It has all the hallmarks of Lupus."
Jane rolled his eyes. "Except Lupus isn't contagious and we have an epidemic on our hands. Did you learn nothing from House? It's never Lupus."
"But all the symptoms point to it." Rigsby doggedly persisted.
Van Pelt gave Rigsby a sympathetic smile. "He's right Jane. Presumably some virus is mimicking the symptoms of Lupus causing them to shut down."
Jane looked unconvinced. He heard the sound of the door opening and heard the clip clop of familiar footfall. "Coat Lisbon please. How many times do I have to tell you?"
His eyes crinkled at the huffing behind him as Lisbon went through the coats trying to find one that fitted. As usual she emerged wearing one two sizes too big that swamped her petite frame. It was sound tactics on Jane's part to put her at a disadvantage before she could launch into an angry tirade.
Lisbon held up some papers. "Who ordered these tests – have you any idea how much they cost?"
"Why ask a question you already know the answer to?" Jane blithely responded.
"I can guess who, but you're grasping at straws with these tests." Lisbon spat back in exasperation.
"Deduction is a risky business Lisbon; you have to consider all options. It's like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving." Jane returned her look steadily.
"So now we're riding bikes?" Lisbon sighed in resignation. "But seriously what are you looking for?"
"There is a common thread between all these patients." Jane stepped forward and went to lift the gown off the first patient.
A nurse in a form fitting uniform rushed forward just in time to stop him. "Dr Jane, please don't touch. You know there are strict quarantine regulations in place."
"Why Erica, if I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to hide something."
"Dr Jane I'll have to ask you to leave if you won't follow the protocols." Erica deadpanned.
"Hiding behind the rule book won't stop us. Pedantry is the last refuge of scoundrels." Jane's lips twitched, the air sizzled with intent.
Erica sidestepped Lisbon to stand right in front of Jane. A hint of a smile played on her lips, she locked her sultry dark eyes with Jane's. "Patrick no one is above the rules you should know that by now."
It cut no ice with Jane. "I know what you're doing."
"What am I doing?" Erica cocked her head slightly to one side with an amused look on her face.
"Trying to conceal the true purpose of this. We all know that this is not what it seems." Though not entirely oblivious to her charms, Jane could still see through her.
Keen to break up their sparring, Lisbon pushed between them. "Yes, what are you trying to hide?"
"This Lisbon." Without warning Jane flung the covers off the first patient and turned around with a flourish. "Eh viola! Exhibit one – scarring on the leg."
"I told you not to touch." Erica snatched the covers back over.
"Oh, I doubt this is catching Erica. Not yet anyhow." Jane moved the hair away from the redheaded victim's face. "Exhibit two – severe cataracts in both eyes."
He proceeded to go down the line revealing the flaws on each victim. Erica looked on with folded arms. "These could have been corrected at any time, but these blue-collar models were damaged goods and weren't worth the investment."
"I haven't got time to listen to this nonsense, there are sick people to attend to." Erica valiantly tried to keep the pretence going.
"But you know that despite all our efforts they are never going to get better." Jane looked down the line of immobilised bodies.
Lisbon sharply nudged Jane in the ribs "Shush they might hear you."
Jane took the traces off Lisbon and passed them to Cho. "So, what do you see?"
"Interesting. The white noise obscured what was going on in the background, but these enhanced traces show a clear pattern. Is this what I think it is?" Cho's normally impassive features looked troubled.
Jane nodded. "They're just empty vessels stripped of all sensation and perception. They're just running on standby."
Lisbon touched her crucifix. "But they're still living beings, you can't just destroy the essence of them. Their souls are immortal."
Jane and Cho exchanged a quick look. There was no point disillusioning Lisbon, who clung on to her beliefs in the face of all the evidence to the contrary.
Van Pelt put a hand to her chest "But what about us? We're all damaged in some way, apart from Jane."
Instinctively Lisbon and Rigsby touched their own wound sites, realising that they could be next.
It hurt Jane to think he had escaped unscathed when those around him had suffered. It would have been easy to cut and run, to take himself out of the equation and stop them being used as pawns in this sick game. But if he took the long walk into the great unknown, where did that leave them? Perversely their existence hinged on his seeing through this charade, their fate was inextricably linked with his. They would stand or fall together.
Erica's voice roused him from his reverie - there was a harsher tone to it now. "You never learn do you Patrick? You can't expect to flaunt the rules without consequences." She flashed a sardonic smile in Jane's direction before she left the room.
Van Pelt was clearly disturbed by events, as she had flashbacks of the earlier scenarios and her part in them.
"Don't worry Grace, we'll find a way through." Rigsby reassured her.
"But what if he sets one off against another? You know what he's capable of." The veil had fallen from their eyes and they were acutely aware of their predicament. "How do we know who to trust?"
Jane gently pulled her round to face him, forcing her to look into his eyes. She knew that she was an open book to him. "Grace, trust me I'll know if anyone is compromised. We must stick together, no matter what they throw at us."
Once they had returned to the main concourse, Cho and Rigsby split off to find Abbott. Lisbon wanted to keep Grace close to them for now. Lisbon saw Jane stiffen when Erica re-appeared with Dr Joe. Lisbon tried to grab his arm as he went to follow, but there was no stopping Jane. She was caught in a quandary not wanting to leave Grace alone, but knowing she had to be with Jane. With a sigh of relief, she saw Rigsby in the distance and sent Grace over to him before running to catch up with Jane.
For all Jane knew this was probably a trap, he was glad to have Lisbon with him and uncharacteristically took her hand. Lisbon knew better than to ask questions, Jane was completely focussed on Dr Joe and Erica.
Erica stopped outside the entrance to an operating room. "Don't say I didn't warn you. This is all your doing Patrick."
The door locked behind them, and Lisbon's pass wouldn't open the doors. Jane peered through the glass panel in the door and could see two corpses laid out on tables in the centre of the room. Erica helped Dr Joe pull on his surgical gowns, it was all very theatrical, and the performance was clearly for Jane's benefit.
Knowing there should be an observation suite, Jane looked around for a stairwell and quickly ushered Lisbon up the stairs. Lisbon frowned anxiously, fearful this was just another way of tormenting Jane. One of them had to keep a clear head, so she quickly sent Cho a text requesting backup.
Jane's face was set in a stone as he looked down on the scene below. The disparity in the sizes of the corpses had not gone unnoticed. Lisbon grabbed his arm tightly when the first body was revealed. The whitened lips were slightly parted and bulging eyes stared out of a pallid face. Strategically placed cuts had exsanguinated the body. The scuff marks from the gurney straps were a sure sign that Angela had been conscious throughout the ordeal.
"Holy mother of God…" Lisbon could hardly bear to look at Jane when the second sheet was pulled back. His clenched lips turned white, and his heart pumped furiously as he steeled himself.
It was little consolation, but Lisbon took some comfort from the fact that Charlotte was unsullied. Jane knew better than to assume this was over and was powerless to do anything. He banged the window more in desperation than hope. "Take me instead, that's what you really want."
Dr Joe reached for a scalpel oblivious to Jane's pleas, knowing the best way to hurt someone was to target those close to them.
"Jane, she's gone she won't feel a thing." Lisbon's words rang hollow, when a trickle of blood ran down Charlotte's neck from the first cut.
"That shouldn't happen, if she's …" Lisbon stuttered.
"She's still alive Lisbon, they must have drugged her." Jane felt sick to the pit of his stomach.
There was a crackle as the speakers sprang into life. "The game's over Patrick, and I won."
"It's not a game." Jane frantically looked for a way down, but the door was locked. He heard a groan as Charlotte started to stir. Unable to shield her eyes from the bright lights, she peered out through narrow slits to see the two shadowy figures on either side of her. She started to panic when she realised she was tethered down and felt the sharp sting of the cut.
Dr Joe stroked her hair as if to calm her down. "I'm so sorry sweetheart, but your Daddy needs to be taught a lesson."
Charlotte's screams at the next incision sent a chill down Lisbon's spine. Jane pummelled his fists against the window. It sent a cold arrow through his heart when Charlotte looked up reproachfully at him.
Lisbon tried the locked door again in desperation. She couldn't bear to stand by and just watch. Where the hell was everyone?
"What have I done Lisbon?" Jane's disregard for consequences had rebounded on those he cared for yet again.
Lisbon couldn't wait for help, she had to create a diversion. Grabbing the only available weapon, she hurled a chair against the window. It took a couple of attempts before the glass eventually shattered and showered the room below. It was enough to halt proceedings. The sound of voices in the corridor signalled this debacle was at an end. They'd never know how far Dr Joe had intended to go, but he seemed to be out of control driven by his visceral dislike of Jane.
"Next time Patrick. We'll finish this once and for all. Perhaps Teresa won't be so lucky." Dr Joe and Erica escaped through a rear door just before Cho and Rigsby broke though the locked doors.
Jane rushed down to Charlotte as soon as Abbott unlocked the door. Abbott frowned as he observed the scene below. "It should never have gone this far, Dr Joe's out of control."
"Where's it all going to end?" Lisbon knew Jane couldn't take much more of this.
"That's what we need to talk about, things have taken on an unexpected direction." Abbott grimly slid a paper across to Lisbon.
Lisbon had parked up at the far end of the car park, well away from the old chapel that had become their regular rendezvous. Jane had been reluctant to leave Charlotte at first, but Lisbon had insisted this was important. Jane was peevish as they drove out to the meeting place, venting his spleen on Lisbon. For all she sympathised with Jane he needed to snap out of this, there were higher stakes at play.
"Read this before Abbott gets here." She'd already read it and was still taking in the implications.
Jane quickly scanned the document. "How did Abbott get this?"
"Wylie hacked the server - they've been monitoring the emails for some weeks. According to Abbott this is just the tip of the iceberg." Lisbon had a fatalistic air to her.
"I can't say I'm wholly surprised, there's been the feel of a general wind down" Jane suspected the final scenario had just been a ruse to decommission unwanted stock. Although they'd had contingency plans in hand for a while, this was a real sucker punch. The facility was being mothballed and production was being transferred to a lower cost centre. It gave them little time to act before the facility was mothballed. All saleable stock was to be processed, the rest was to be decommissioned.
He ran his tongue across his dry lips. They'd known they only had a finite shelf life. Even without this it was only a matter of time before someone new came along and started calling the shots, and both he and Dr Joe would slip down the pecking order. But this was so final, the team would be broken up, reprogrammed and sent off only to be discarded when something better came along.
He shuddered to think what they would be used for. His thoughts drifted to Lisbon, the thought of being parted from her affected him more than he imagined. So many things unspoken, deeds undone that would never happen now.
The sound of Abbott's sedan pulling up on the dirt carpark made Jane look up. After checking he hadn't been followed, Abbott let himself into the back of Lisbon's car.
Jane dispensed with any preamble. "Does Dr Joe know?"
Abbott shook his head. "Don't think so. He's just a figurehead, he's in the same position as the rest of us. It's now or never Patrick."
The next few hours were spent revising the plan. Breaking out of the facility was one thing but making their way in the outside world was another. They'd lived in a bubble and had an imperfect window on the outside world. They'd have to find a means of supporting themselves without drawing attention to themselves. For sure they could drift along picking up jobs to keep them going, but there was no time to devise a long-term strategy.
As the facility started to wind down the shackles were loosened giving those left more opportunity to establish the workings of the facility. The long walk out of the shipping bay along the freight route one night had led to a gated entrance. There were no lights on the horizon suggesting they were out in the wilds somewhere. As dawn broke an arid landscape unfolded before Jane, faint dust trails picking out a distant highway. There was no chance of escaping by foot they'd have to have transport.
For all their trepidation about leaving the compound, Jane's enthusiasm was infectious as he marshalled them in their appointed roles. Whatever doubts Jane harboured he kept them to himself. Abbott who knew him as well as anyone tried to shoulder some of the responsibility. They both knew the future was uncertain whether they stayed or left, but the option of exercising their free will was preferable to a life of slavery and degradation.
They had a rough idea of their whereabouts and Wylie had hacked into the system to raise a manifest for a consignment to a tech company in Palo Alto, and so the play was set in motion.
Cho and Rigsby railed against having their hair cut off, but if they were going to load the goods on to the wagons they had to fit in with everyone else. Jane would revisit his role as the area manager doing spot checks on the carriers and would ride shotgun with the trucker all the way back to civilisation. Once the doors were sealed the 'merchandise' could escape from their prison and await the first truck stop. Jane would insist on doing the final checks making sure everyone was on board and offering whispers off comfort as he checked everyone off against the manifest.
It was all going to plan until Jane saw Dr Joe approaching. "Really Patrick did you think you could just disappear without anyone noticing? You know this isn't in the plan."
"Depends which plan you're working to." Jane eyed him warily as he weighed up his options.
"There's only one plan mine, and it's time you learned to follow it. Surely you have realised by now I can make you or break you." The menace behind the Dr Joe's words was unmistakable.
Never willing to let someone else have the upper hand, Jane retaliated. "It's time you dropped these pathetic delusions of grandeur, you're no different from the rest of us. You're just another cog in the machine, to be thrown on the scrap heap when you're superfluous to requirements."
Dr Joe was having none of it. "Delusions! I've controlled this place; my word is life and death. Now if that's not grandeur, I don't know what you call it."
Jane was emboldened by the sight of Abbott sneaking up behind Dr Joe, for a big man he was surprisingly light on his feet. "I'd call it the ravings of a squalid egomaniac. You're no more in control than I am. They're closing this place down, and they never even told you. If you're lucky this time next year you could be the novelty act in some freak show at Vegas, or worse a plaything for a frustrated Hollywood wife. On top one minute, under the thumb the next." Jane deliberately riled Dr Joe, knowing he wouldn't like being at a woman's bidding.
Abbott grimaced at Jane's recklessness, when so much was at stake. Dr Joe's eyes flashed with anger and his hand shot to his pocket, it was time for Abbott to intervene. Dr Joe crumpled in a heap before he could do any damage.
Abbott shook his head disgruntledly. "Jeez Patrick, you just can't help yourself. It's not just your safety at stake this time."
Jane shrugged unapologetically. "Meh! I knew you had it under control. I have every confidence in you Dennis."
"What should we do with him?" Abbott realised this could make or break their mission.
As much as Jane loathed his adversary, Jane figured it was safer to have him close by rather than leave him behind to raise the alarm. Neither Jane nor Abbott had the appetite to finish him off. Dr Joe was as much a product of his programming as they were.
"We'll have to find somewhere safe to dump him to give ourselves a head start. He'll be as vulnerable as the rest of us in the outside world and won't be an immediate threat."
With the truck sealed and everyone on board, Jane joined the trucker Earl for the drive to freedom. The sun beat down on the unforgiving landscape as they traversed the arid plain between the mountains. Some shrivelled shrubs survived in the near desert, but apart from the odd truck stop there was little sign of habitation.
Jane drew the trucker Earl into conversation soon finding out all about him. It was preferable to listening to the country music that Earl insisted on singing along to. In the air-conditioned cab Jane was relatively cool, but he knew the others would be sweltering in the back of the truck, they needed to unload as soon as soon as possible. Jane had a good look round the cab during a refuelling stop, Earl had papers all over the place. The small pod that doubled as a bedroom was scattered with Earl's belongings, Jane pocketed some loose cash, credit cards and Earl's drivers' licence. If all went to plan, he would pay him back in due course.
As dusk began to fall city lights appeared in the distance, the road signs announced they were nearing Coachella. The palm lined highway led to a truck stop on the city limits, where Earl planned to spend the night. Jane bid him farewell, assuring him that he'd put a good word in with head office, and watched Earl make his way to the diner.
Without wasting any time Jane went to the back of the truck and released his precious cargo. He mentally ticked off the escapees Cho, Rigsby, Abbott and his wife Lena, a preternaturally pale kid identified as Wylie, Fischer who Abbot insisted was an asset. Grace was shielding Charlotte who seemed overwhelmed by it all - Jane had hypnotised her beforehand to prevent further trauma. Dazed and disorientated they stood in the carpark taking in their surroundings.
Jane sidled up to Lisbon who was looking hot and bothered. "See I told you it would be alright."
"You haven't had to spend the day cooped up in that god damned hell hole." She snarked back, irritated that Jane was looking remarkably unruffled compared to the rest of them.
"Lisbon believe me it's not been a bed of roses for a man of my sensibilities to have his ears assaulted by non-stop Dolly Parton." Despite his best efforts it was hard to keep a straight face.
It did nothing to placate a decidedly grump Lisbon. "So, what's next Einstein?"
"Patience Lisbon, I'm working on it." Jane said soothingly.
"OK, so you haven't got a plan." Lisbon rolled her eyes.
Jane affected a hurt look. "When have I ever let you down?" Seeing Lisbon ready to answer, he changed tack. "We'll have clearer heads when we've eaten."
He pulled some of Earl's cash from his pocket with a flourish. "The drinks are on me!"
There was one last thing to do before Jane joined them at the taco van, he jumped onto the back of the wagon where Dr Joe was gagged and bound. He'd come around now and was struggling against his restraints. Jane couldn't resist a final word before they left him. "This time the game is really over, and I think you'll find you lost."
Dr Joe stared defiantly back, something inside Jane cracked when he saw that arrogance undimmed. Seeing Charlotte again had awoken his anger.
"Did you really think you were going to get away scot free after all you've done? The misery and pain you've inflicted on others?" A visceral feeling swelled up inside Jane, wondering if some things could ever be fixed. Perhaps the best thing would be to end it here and now, he could squeeze the very life out of his adversary without anyone else being any the wiser.
Jane leaned forward and whispered in Dr Joe's ear. "Not so brave, now are you? How does it feel to be on the receiving end for once?" Jane picked up a packaging knife used to open the straps on the boxes. He lay the blade against Dr Joe's neck pressing hard enough to just about draw blood.
Jane wasn't proud of himself, but he had a perverse satisfaction in seeing the fear in the other man's eyes as a slow trickle of blood ran down his neck. "So, what does it feel like to feel your life force draining away from you – there's no second chances here. The end is the end."
Seeing the man squirm just raised Jane's ire further, the man who'd been so cruel with others was a pathetic coward. Something hardened in Jane. One swift swipe and it would be all over.
"Patrick! Leave it." Abbott's voice boomed out behind him.
Jane took a deep breath and the anger subsided, Abbott had broken the spell that had taken hold of Jane. Without another word Jane calmly closed the doors on the truck. Dr Joe was going far away from them.
"You always have to have the last word. I just hope your paths never cross again because his face was pure hate." Abbott turned to join the others.
"You're worrying about nothing Dennis. He'll be 500 miles away from us by time he gets released, he'll have no idea where we're heading." Jane blithely responded.
Abbott frowned, knowing better than to underestimate their adversary.
To all intents and purposes, the cab had been Earl's home since his wife died. He rarely spent much time at the apartment they'd shared, too many memories there and besides life on the road wasn't so bad. The living space was cramped, and he always kept a bag of his things in the back of the truck. The glare of the morning sun came through his flimsy curtains. Time to hit the road again. A quick shower and some breakfast and he'd be on his way.
"What the….?" Earl muttered as he viewed the empty boxes. He'd never lost a shipment before and knew there'd be hell to play for this. As his eyes adjusted to the light he saw the man propped against the back of the truck.
"Alright fella." Earl said reassuringly and jumped onto the back of the truck to free the captive man.
The truck had been parked up for a couple of days before it was reported to the police. Earl was found in a pool of blood – his throat had been cut.