Chapter 11

Nothing happened.

Darien stood there, a wide grin spreading across his face as the trigger mechanism of Stark's gun clicked ineffectually.

"Sorry to disappoint you Jared, but I like my face just the way it is thanks and giving a loaded weapon to a raging psycho like you isn't on my 'to do' list for today," he quipped.

Stark seemed transfixed by this totally unexpected turn of events. The look of utter disbelief on his face was priceless.

"Man, I wish I'd brought my camera," Darien whined.

"Got you covered there partner," came Bobby's voice as he emerged from the Harding building. He snapped the Kodak moment and smiled over at Fawkes. It was good to see the kid looking happy again.

Agency men seemed to materialise from everywhere and Stark felt himself being grabbed from behind, as his arms were quickly pinned to his sides. Any chance of escape vanished, but that hardly mattered. He was too stunned to make a move.

"But how..?" he finally managed to ask weakly.

"Not so much fun when you're on the receiving end of a con is it Stark?" Darien asked gleefully.

"Yeah, thanks for coming quietly," Alex said with amusement. "These nice gentlemen here are going to take you to your very secure new home," she continued, nodding towards the two agents restraining him. "I'll be along in a day or so to enjoy some personal time with you." The quiet menace in her voice wasn't lost on the prisoner.

The doors to the Agency opened and Claire, the Official and Eberts emerged to witness Stark's final defeat. They watched silently as he was dragged to the kerb and bundled into the waiting Agency van. Stark's dumbfounded face was the last thing they saw of him before he was driven off to the secure facility, where his interrogation would begin in earnest.

"Bye, bye, don't forget to write!" Darien shouted after the departing van. Turning towards the Agency building he suddenly staggered slightly as the night's events started to catch up with him. Bobby was immediately by his side to steady him.

"You okay there kiddo?" he asked in concern.

"Never better," Darien replied with a grin, but it was obvious he was exhausted and he leaned heavily on his partner.

With his usual forethought, Eberts had arranged for a wheelchair to be close by and Darien was soon settled in it and on the way back into the building.

"Thanks Ebes," Darien called back over his shoulder as Bobby pushed him through the main doors, Claire by his side.

"You are most welcome Darien," Eberts replied happily.

Across the street in a dimly lit alleyway a familiar figure sat in a dark sedan, watching the scene play out. He smiled slightly and pulled the car out into traffic, following the Agency van at a discreet distance.

Darien was spent. He'd argued long and hard to be allowed to get his own back on Jared Stark, but was beginning to think his friends might have been right to object. There wasn't a muscle in his body that didn't ache and his head was pounding relentlessly. Oh, but it really had been worth it!

"I knew I shouldn't have agreed to your silly little plan," Claire complained loudly as she fussed around his bed. "You're not strong enough to go traipsing around the building facing down criminals. Anyone can see you're exhausted and I think your temperature's up again.

"Hey, come on Claire chill out, please," replied Darien quickly. "I feel better than I have in weeks, honest...and I don't think I've ever 'traipsed' in my life!" he concluded with another wide grin. Maybe he did feel like crap physically, but mentally he was on cloud nine. "Oh man, did you see that bastard's face? Made the whole thing worthwhile!"

Looking up at Bobby, who was hovering around the bed worriedly, he said, "Hobbes order me a full set of prints would ya? And don't forget the handy wallet size!"

"No problem Fawkes, but will you calm down and get some rest now? The Keeper's gonna have my hide if you don't get some sleep." Hobbes nodded at Claire, whose look of disapproval was making him decidedly uneasy.

"I'm too wired to sleep," Darien insisted, but lay back on his pillows in an effort to placate her. Within minutes his eyelids were drooping and he was soon fast asleep.

Claire sighed with relief. It finally looked like Darien was getting some badly needed rest. She had to admit that his plan for a little payback seemed to be having a positive effect, but at what cost? In an ideal world he would get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed. But, realistically, that was unlikely. He'd been sleeping fitfully for the past couple of nights, waking regularly, as if fearful that his rescue was all a dream. No amount of reassurance on their part could settle him for long.

She had considered sedating Darien, but quickly rejected the idea. He'd been pumped full of a cocktail of drugs for weeks and there was no knowing what long term effects there might be from that, never mind adding more to the mix.

Claire looked over to where Bobby was sitting watching over his sleeping partner. Tonight's events could so easily have gone down very differently if it hadn't been for Caroline. She smiled to herself – yet another conquest of the Fawkes charm! The envelope delivered to the Agency had also contained a letter for Bobby and herself detailing the elaborate charade, the drugs administered and the implantation of Stark's memory RNA. Whilst Alex had stayed with Darien, the Official had informed the Keeper and Hobbes of the situation and Claire quickly synthesised the anti-peptide solution needed to neutralise the mRNA.

Claire smiled to herself as she thought about that shot. She had been expecting him to protest at yet another injection, but Darien couldn't wait for her to perform the procedure. Just the thought that anything of Stark's twisted psyche could be contaminating his mind was enough to give him the shivers.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the door to lab three opened slowly and Monroe entered.

"You two look beat. Go grab a couple of hours and I'll keep an eye on Fawkes," she said forcefully.

Ready for their objections she continued, "Darien is going to need us on top form if we're going to help him get better, don't you think? If he does wake up you'll only be a couple of minutes away. Eberts has made up Gloria's old room and put in an extra bed, okay?" She waited expectantly for their answer.

Bobby sighed deeply, stretched his aching muscles and headed towards the door. "Fine, but wake me up in a couple of hours, you hear me Monroe?" When she nodded her agreement he looked over at Claire.

"C'mon Keepie, bedtime," he said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.

Claire giggled despite her exhaustion. "Bobby!" she exclaimed in mock exasperation. Checking that Darien was resting peacefully, she turned and left the room with him. A few hours sleep was definitely the order of the day.

Just over an hour later Monroe's stomach was reminding her that she hadn't eaten in a while. Ensuring that Darien was alright, she decided to make a quick sortie to the Keep for an early breakfast. She was sure Claire wouldn't mind if she raided her supply of snacks.

Having collected coffee and supplies Alex set off back down the corridor. As she approached lab three she could hear Darien talking to someone.

"Why can't you do it? I'm tired," she heard him moan. "C'mon Hobbes, let me sleep okay?"

Alex sighed resignedly. She'd known Bobby wouldn't stay away for long. Checking her watch she noted that he'd only rested for ninety minutes or so. Well, it was better than nothing she admitted to herself. Deciding to leave them to talk, she headed back up the corridor. Maybe having breakfast whilst watching the dawn break would be quite nice.

Turning the next corner she bumped straight into non other than Bobby Hobbes himself as he emerged from lab two.

"Whoa there Monroe," Bobby said, catching her arm to stop her from falling.

Alex couldn't have been more surprised if a little grey alien had suddenly appeared in front of her. If Bobby was here, then who the hell was Darien talking to in lab three?

"Oh shit!" she breathed, dropping her breakfast on the floor. She turned around quickly and raced back to Darien's room, leaving Hobbes open-mouthed behind her.

Entering the lab at a run, Alex was met by a strange and disturbing sight. Darien was lying in his bed, face turned to the far wall and talking animatedly to – nothing! She approached cautiously, unsure of what to do.

"Are you alright Darien?" she asked in concern.

He turned towards her, relief evident on his flushed face.

"Bobby says Eberts needs help and I have to get Claire. I told him I couldn't, but he keeps going on and on about it. Will you tell Claire?" Darien broke off as if listening to someone else.

"Yeah, I told Monroe okay?" he said in exasperation. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Alex, will you tell Bobby to leave me alone and let me get some sleep, please!"

Alex didn't know what to make of the scene. Was Fawkes teasing her, trying to wind her up? No, she dismissed that idea almost immediately. He seemed genuinely frustrated and the feverish look in his eyes wasn't a good sign.

"Fawkes, who are you talking to?" she asked quietly.

Darien looked at her as if she's gone mad, then indicated the empty space at the side of his bed.

"It's Bob…oh, he's gone again." He looked very confused and tried to explain. "Bobby woke me up

…he won't let me sleep…I'm so tired…He said Ebes was hurt…will you tell Claire?" Darien's tone was almost pleading. His eyes began to close, but he roused himself to stare up at Alex. "Promise…?"

"I promise Darien" she assured him. Looking satisfied, his eyes slowly slipped closed again. She gently placed her hand on his forehead. It was hot and sweaty. Moving swiftly over to the phone she called the Keeper, just as Bobby arrived in the room.

"Claire, it's me," she began, "Sorry to disturb you, but Darien's not doing too good. Can you come straight down?" She sighed with relief and replaced the receiver when Claire confirmed she was on her way.

"What's wrong?" Bobby asked urgently, moving to Darien's side.

"I think he's hallucinating again. He thought you were here, and from what he said the other 'Bobby' is just as annoying as you are." Alex's attempt at a joke to lighten the mood fell flat. Hobbes was in no mood to laugh. He just wanted his partner back.

Within minutes Clare was examining Darien. He was sleeping fitfully and mumbling under his breath.

"He said Bobby was here in the room with you?" Claire asked, looking for confirmation. When Alex nodded, Claire's concern deepened, but, "Mmm," was her only response. She took Darien's temperature, then, stepped away from the bed.

"His temperature is up again, but other than that, he seems fine. I just don't see why he should be hallucinating. I wish I could work out what's happening to him!" Her growing frustration was unnerving and Bobby paced around the room with a dark expression on his face.

"I'm going to check on Eberts," Alex said as she looked at her watch. "I've got the strangest feeling that Darien might be right."

"Good idea," Bobby replied. "I'll come with you." He was feeling useless just standing around and jumped at the chance to be doing something positive. "You'll let me know if there's any change?"

Claire smiled reassuringly at him and nodded. "Don't worry Bobby, I'm sure I'll work this conundrum out soon." She hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. As they left, she turned back to the task at hand.

Almost an hour later Claire was sitting in the Keep reviewing the latest test results.

"Oh, bloody hell," she exclaimed in horror. "How could I have missed that?" She feverishly searched through her desk drawers until she found the documents she was looking for. Scanning the information, Claire made a list of items and then rushed around the lab collecting equipment together.

Once she'd set the necessary process in motion, she phoned the assistant watching Darien.

"Is he still asleep? Good, don't let anyone see him and don't discuss anything with him until I get there. The Official's with you? Can you tell him I need to see him immediately? Thank you."

Claire turned back to her equipment. Synthesising the compound needed to deal with this situation was her top priority right now. It would only take a couple of hours, but it seemed far too long a time at that moment. She was so engrossed in her work that she didn't hear the Official enter the lab.

"What's so important I had to be dragged down here at this time of the morning?" he grouched unhappily.

"We have a serious problem Sir," Claire said without preamble. "I found another nanobug in Darien and I think the agents who are transferring Stark may be in danger."

It was amazing how fast the Official could move when faced with a crisis. He immediately contacted the facility where Stark was being transferred. As he listened to the person on the other end of the line his face became grimmer by the second.

"They should have been there by now, but there's no sign of them," he informed the Keeper as he terminated the call. "A search is being organised, but from what you've told me I can only fear the worst." Glancing at the clock on the wall, he frowned and barked, "Where is Eberts? I need him to coordinate things here."

Just then the Keep door swooshed open. Bobby and Alex entered, supporting a very dazed looking Eberts.

"Albert!" Claire exclaimed in surprise. "What happened?"

"Tried to change a light bulb without the use of a safety net!" Hobbes replied in disgust. "Don't think he'll be getting any points for the dismount."

Eberts had a large bump and a nasty gash above his left eye. Claire moved over to attend to his injuries, efficiently cleaning the cut and carefully applying a bandage.

"There, does that feel better?" she asked kindly when she'd finished.

"Yes, thank you doctor," Eberts replied. "If I could have a couple of aspirins, I'll get to work."

"Oh no you don't," Claire said, placing her hand on his chest to prevent him from rising. "I want you to rest here for the day. You might have a concussion and I want to keep my eye on you."

"I need him in my office in ten minutes!" barked the Official. "It's just a little bump for God's sake."

"Sir, if he rests now, he should be fine by tomorrow. If you make him rush around today, and he has a delayed reaction to the accident, you might be without him for far longer," Claire warned.

The Official seemed torn, but then said angrily, "Right, I'll defer to your judgement this time, but I'll need him in bright and early tomorrow morning. There's a great deal to get organised."

"Of course Sir," Eberts answered promptly. He seemed deep in thought for a few moments, then asked, "I was just wondering…how did Darien know I needed help?"

Alex, Claire and Bobby all exchanged perplexed glances.

Good question.

TBC