Chapter Eleven

Steve made himself comfortable in the pilot's seat, then realized he had absolutely no idea where they should be going. "Suggestions...?" he asked, turning to Jaime. His heart panged with guilt; she looked utterly exhausted. "Sweetheart, why don't I take you back to get some rest?"

"I'll be fine. We just have to get started on Plan A. Um...what IS Plan A?" Her face was pale, but her voice was strong and determined. Steve knew better than to argue.

"Well, you know these two a little better than I do, so -"

"Not anymore."

"Where do you think they'd go, to regroup and make plans?"

"If they're looking for us," Jaime theorized, "probably not very far. With everything that's happening, it wouldn't be too hard to just blend into the chaos; they're probably a lot closer than we realize."

As if to emphasize what Jaime had said about chaos, the ground began to rumble again. Steve reached over to hold Jaime, who willingly leaned into him. It was quicker this time around, and not as intense, but he felt her trembling even after the earth returned to normal.

"Aftershock," Jaime said, once it was over. "We'd better see if everyone's alright." She was still halfway over into Steve's seat, hanging onto him tightly.

Steve kissed her softly, for reassurance, and picked up his datacom. "The trailers look ok. I'll call Russ." He switched the device to 'on'. "Russ, it's me – any further damage?"

It took a minute, but the datacom crackled to life. "No – we're fine. I guess we're getting used to it by now."

Jaime looked out the window to her right and urgently poked Steve's arm. "Steve – look!"

"Russ, you're not as fine as you think," Steve said quickly. "The rubble piles are on fire!" He and Jaime virtually flew out of the chopper, meeting Russ at the line of trees that separated the trailers from the rubble. It wouldn't take long for the fire to reach the trees; they were suddenly no longer safe or secure.

"There's no water source," Russ said, thinking out loud. "The hydrants broke in the first quake, and the second one buried them. Charlie!" he called to one of the security guards, "we have to move the trailers out of here! Head west, away from the epi-center, and as soon as we find an open field, that'll have to be home, for now."

Steve nodded. "Where do you want us?"

"You may as well keep on with what you were doing. I'd like to have those two off the streets almost as much as you would."

Steve took Jaime's hand and they headed back aboard the Medivac. Immediately, he got it off the ground, seeming to have a concrete destination in mind now.

"Where are we headed first?" Jaime asked.

"Backs to Edwards."

"Steve!"

"No, I'm not gonna leave you there. I'm hoping Rudy might have at least a little insight to offer about Michael."

"Good idea," Jaime agreed.

"I have 'em once in awhile." He gave his wife a lopsided little grin and a wink before turning his attention completely toward getting the chopper to the Air Force base.

"Off-hand, I'm not too sure where Michael would go," Rudy told them, "but I know where the two of you are going." He pointed across the ward to the two vacant beds. "You both could use a good night's sleep."

"But -" Jaime protested.

Rudy pulled himself up to as close as he could get to full height in a hospital bed. "Young Lady," he said in a stern voice. "Bed. Now." He dropped the tough facade and smiled warmly. "Meanwhile, I'll give your question some thought, and we can talk first thing in the morning."

Oscar, who had been lying down but was wide awake, had to put in his two cents' worth as well. "You'll be able to speak with Hansen before you go back out; he may have a lead for you, or at least some ideas. Rudy's right – you both look long overdue for some bed rest."

Jaime sighed, but realizing some crisp clean sheets and a pillow would feel mighty good, gave up her argument, kissed her husband, and willingly followed her doctor's orders. Steve wasn't far behind, and both Austins were asleep almost before their heads hit the pillows.

Jaime and Steve woke up just before dawn, to the thunderstorm that was Jack Hansen. "Whole state of California is hell in a hand basket, my deputy director is in OSI custody and I have no idea what is going on!"

"Well, good morning to you, too," Steve said laconically.

"I don't like not being in the loop!" Hansen complained.

"What we know, you know, Jack," Oscar told him wearily. He didn't look like he'd gotten much rest, and Rudy knew it would take a lot more than a good, strong pain shot to help Oscar at this point. He needed surgery; his legs wouldn't wait much longer.

"Oscar, lie down and wait for the medics – please?" Rudy sat up and glared at Jack, as if daring him to bother 'his' patient. "Jack, there hasn't been any further information from Russ at OSI because they had to evacuate last night when what used to be our building caught fire. You're just going to have to wait with the rest of us. In the meantime, how about simmering down a few notches? You aren't doing anyone any good storming around here like a battalion of jackasses."

From her bed on the other side of the ward, Jaime stifled a giggle. Rudy was in rare form. Steve winked at her behind the NSB Director's back before growing serious.

"Has Paar tried to contact you yet, Mr. Hansen?"

"I just landed a few minutes ago."

Steve nodded. "Jaime and I plan to try and find Williams and Marchetti today, but we don't even know where to begin looking. We were hoping we could pick your brain a bit -"

"I brought the NSB's file on Williams; we don't have much of anything on Marchetti," Hansen replied.

"What can you tell us about Chris?" Jaime asked softly.

"Aside from his past relationship with you, I assume?" Hansen shot back. When Rudy and Steve both looked like they wanted to punch him, Hansen quickly went on. "Williams was CIA for nearly nine years. He specialized in covert operations – working deep undercover – so he knows how to stay hidden when he has to."

"Great," Steve groaned.

"You aren't going to find him unless he wants to be found," Hansen added.

"So we give him a reason to surface, then," Jaime suggested.

"My wife will NOT be the bait for a psychotic killer!" Steve protested.

Jaime frowned. "If Peggy could be trusted -"

"Which she can't!" Steve said emphatically.

"Just wondering if she could get word to Chris and Michael that we're onto them; maybe draw them closer..."

"We can't rely on Callahan. She's no more stable than they are," Steve insisted.

The phone that the Base Commander had agreed to leave at Oscar's bedside rang, interrupting the minor squabble. Oscar groaned slightly as he reached over to answer it. "Oscar Goldman speaking." The room fell silent, waiting for whatever news was on its way. "I'm sorry; could you repeat that, please? I see. Alright – thank you."

Oscar hung up the phone and, with great effort, sat up. "Paar was taken into custody about an hour ago," he told everyone. "A few minutes ago, when they were bringing him to our temporary Headquarters, he was shot in the head by a high-powered rifle. Williams and Marchetti are very close – they're right up in the hills, and they're shooting to kill."