Chapter Nine

Jaime was right, Steve thought as he eyed Oscar's gun and wondered when, exactly, their friend and boss had turned into the raging stranger in front of him. "Well, Oscar, something tells me you aren't the cavalry coming in to rescue us."

"Very funny," Oscar said, glaring. "Where is Jaime?"

Steve shrugged. "Couldn't tell you; I haven't seen her since this morning, when I left her at the carriage house."

"Don't try to be cute, Steve. I'm not buying it." While he had Steve's attention on the gun, with his other hand, he removed a pen-shaped tube from a pocket and pressed a button. Steve looked down, startled, as a tiny dart struck him in the stomach. Oscar nudged him just slightly with the gun barrel, pushing him effortlessly into a chair. "Mind if I look around for myself, Pal?" The person who used to be Oscar moved menacingly through the little cabin, peering under the bed, into the miniature closet and behind the shower curtain.

"She isn't here," Steve said in a weak, groggy voice. Dammit, this wasn't part of the plan. Can I even walk

"Did you really think you could hide from me?" Oscar gloated.

"No – of course not. I just needed to rest awhile. I knew you'd find me eventually; that's why I couldn't bring Jaime with me."

"You're lying!"

"Do you see her here?"

"Oh, she's here, and if you don't tell me where, I'll hurt her twice as badly when I do find her – and I'll make sure you see and hear every glorious second!"

"Why are you doing this?" Steve asked, stalling. Aside from the fact that you've completely lost your last brain cell, you psycho lunatic FREAK!

"I've got my reasons."

"Well, since I doubt you'll be letting me leave here, now that I know what you really are, don't I deserve to know why I'm about to die?"

"Deserve?" Oscar scoffed. "Deserve? You deserved to die when you turned a multi-billion dollar aircraft into a pile of rubble! Spencer had the right idea, wanting to keep you in suspended animation between assignments; a robot capable of independent thought was never a good idea!"

Steve choked back his anger at the word 'robot'. He was too groggy to fight, and had to get back to the plan if he and Jaime were to have any hope at all. "Is that how you see Jaime, too – just a useless robot?" C'mon, you freak, keep on looking...just a little bit more...

Oscar's face softened, but only for a split-second. "Jaime's...different."

"I've always thought so," Steve said softly. "So why would you wanna hurt her?"

"I don't."

"You've spent the last 48 hours terrorizing her – you damn near got her committed!"

"Jaime made one very critical mistake: she stayed with you."

"So you did all this -"

"She was supposed to get scared and leave you."

Take a lot more than that to split us up, Steve thought silently. 'Bout the only thing that could do that is...death. "You don't really have it in you to hurt her," he said with more conviction than he actually felt.

"You'd be amazed at what I've got in me!"

"Yeah," Steve said ironically, "you're full of surprises." He started formulating a new, second plan, in case he couldn't get Oscar outside the cabin and no one else came in time to rescue them. If he shoots me and leaves, at least Jaime will be safe...

- - - - - -

A fleet of government cars were swarming fast toward the mountains north of Ojai. Hansen knew their quarry likely had gotten a head start, and he tried not to think about the grim scene that quite possibly awaited them. Rudy and Michael were in the backseat of one of the lead cars; Jack could only hope that they weren't already too late.

- - - - - -

"So where is she?" Oscar demanded again. "Maybe I'll just kill you and take Jaime with me. Oh, she'll be a little upset at first, but she'll come around."

"She's already 'come around', Goldman," Steve told him. "Jaime saw you for the monster you really are, and she tried to tell us, but -"

"Dammit! Where is she?"

"I. Don't. Know." Steve shrugged. "You try the roof?"

"ARRGH!" In his fury, Oscar kicked the door open and stormed outside.

Steve fought to stay conscious, and his unsteady legs got him as far as the porch. While Oscar, gun still at the ready, circled the cabin, Steve whispered softly enough for only Jaime to hear. "Jaime, he's got darts...tranquilizers...watch out."

Jaime, high above them on her well-hidden perch, picked up a handful of smaller, golf ball-sized stones and began lobbing them one at a time onto the roof. She was carefully hitting each of the four sides at random, created the hoped-for confusion. Oscar started to chase the sound from side to side, then finally stood still, trying to ascertain the source and where it would hit next.

I can do this, Jaime told herself, picking up a bigger, baseball-sized rock. I have to do this. Taking a deep breath, as well as very close aim, she threw the rock with carefully moderated strength, striking the back of their assailant's head. Oscar's eyes grew wide with shock as his knees buckled and he crumpled to the ground.

Steve grabbed the rope from under the porch and staggered over to begin tying him up while Jaime made her way down from the treehouse. Once they had the situation well under control, squealing tires and screeching brakes announced the arrival of their 'rescuers'.

Jack Hansen led the charge of suits running toward Jaime, Steve and the semi-conscious man lying on the ground. It seemed a moot point, since he was already tied and in the custody of two very relieved federal agents, but Jack had to say it anyway:

"Oscar Goldman, you're under arrest."

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