Notes: Happy Easter, everyone! There are only two segments at the most after this, but more likely one. It depends on how many loose ends I've left dangling. I have a tentative plot for another mystery, one that will heavily involve Paul if I finish its first chapter and post it. Thank you for your interest through this wild ride, whether in reviewing or reading silently! I know this is a very odd story. I had countless doubts about whether to do the stranger explanation of Jerry's stalker or if it should all be a fraud. But in the end, because I started this story in the first place due to my dissatisfaction with Captain Caldwell's death in the series, I opted for my original intentions.

Chapter Fourteen

By the early morning hours the list of foreclosed homes and their conditions had been received and pored over multiple times by the police, the Air Force, and Perry and company. The most likely possibilities were selected and the police and the special taskforce sent to investigate. Perry, Della, and Hamilton went with the latter as they looked at the five top houses.

"I'm so nervous I can hardly stand it," Della admitted. "What are we going to find? Paul? Jerry? . . . Someone else who's in just as much trouble?" She clutched her purse.

Perry's expression was grim. "I'm afraid we're very likely to find someone in serious trouble," he said. "But who it will be I don't know."

"And if this peters out too, then what?" Hamilton worried.

"We'll start worrying about that if it happens," Perry replied. Right now he had a tense hope.

The first two places were empty and showed no signs of habitation. But it was while they were en route to the third that they made a shocking discovery.

"Look!" Della cried. She leaned forward in the car, pointing out the windshield. "It's Paul! And Jerry!"

"And two men close behind them," Perry frowned. He pulled over to the side of the road. At their side the taskforce's van was doing the same.

Caldwell was the first one out. Although not part of the taskforce, his presence had been desired by Captain McVey. And Caldwell had had no intention of staying behind in any case. "Jerry!" he cried. He was on edge; after his last encounter with Jerry he did not know what to expect.

Jerry was conflicted, and clearly showed it as he looked back. But if this was to work, he would have to continue playing his part. He knew that Portman's men had been tailing him and Paul. They were there to see that the jobs were done as planned. And he had pretended to still be drugged at the house, going on a spiel concerning the murder of Captain Caldwell. If he revealed the truth now, who knew what might happen.

The conflict vanished; his expression hardened. "This time there really won't be any escape, Mike!" he snapped. "I won't let you off easy."

"Oh, for Heaven's sake. Listen to yourself, Jerry!" Caldwell exclaimed. "Portman's got you now. She's got you good. And maybe she doesn't want to see me dead, but you're expendable. If you try to kill me, she'll see to it that you're killed before you have the chance to let the final blow fall. She might even activate that chip again so that I'll be sure to do the deed. We both know that isn't what you want, Major."

Della looked from Jerry to Paul. "Paul, isn't there something you can do?" she pleaded. "You can't let this happen!"

Paul frowned. Although his insides were twisting at what he had to do now, outwardly he could not look more unmoved. "Sorry," he said. "He's got a bone to pick. And right now, so do I. A couple of them."

Hamilton stiffened. "Has Portman got to him too?" he hissed.

"I don't know." Perry's frown was deep and concerned. Louder he said, "Paul, what are you talking about?"

Paul sent up a silent plea for forgiveness. He would try not to let this go too far, and to find some way to let Perry know that he was not under Portman's control. With any luck, they could turn this to their favor before long.

"I'm talking about things Portman said," he retorted. "They made sense."

"Paul, you can't be serious!" Della burst out.

Perry held up a hand as she stepped forward. "Wait a minute, Della." He started towards Paul himself. "Just what kinds of things made sense?"

"You know, I really hate being used," Paul said, looking from Perry to Hamilton. "That's always been one of my biggest beefs."

Now Hamilton started after Paul too. He had not missed that look. "Are you saying you think we've been using you?" he cried.

"Well, let's just say I've been wondering." Paul stopped in the middle of the road. "There's some things I want to talk out."

"Fine, Paul," Perry said. "We'll discuss it as soon as this problem is under control." He looked to Jerry, who had met Mike in the street and was shouting at him. Caldwell was starting to shout back.

Paul glanced to them too, then away. They would have to catch Portman's men perfectly off-guard for this to work. It was going to be tricky. They were still far behind, half-hidden behind the trees, but on high alert.

"No!" he said. "We're going to discuss it now."

And Della refused to continue staying back. She marched right out, past the two alarmed men, and positioned herself squarely in front of Paul. "Paul Drake, I can't believe what I'm hearing!" Her eyes flashed with a mixture of confusion, disbelief, anger, and most of all, hurt. "After everything we've heard about that woman and what she does to people, you allowed her to turn you into her latest project? How can you possibly stand here and accuse Perry and Mr. Burger of using you?"

Perry's eyes flickered. "She's right," he murmured. "If Paul isn't under the influence of a drug or a chip or something else, how could he?"

Hamilton started. "Huh?" He looked to Perry in surprise. "Are you saying you think he's faking?"

"Maybe. I just can't believe Portman could get to him this fast with only her psychological tricks at hand." Perry returned Hamilton's look. "Paul may very well be faking. How else would he and Jerry get Portman to let them out? Hamilton, let's play along for a few minutes. I think Paul could have a definite plan here. Jerry could be in on it, too. His eyes look too clear for him to still be affected by that drug."

Hamilton considered Perry's words. "Alright, Perry," he said. "I'll go along with you on this. Frankly, I can hardly believe Portman could get to him so fast either."

"Good." Perry turned back to Paul and Della and came forward. "Paul, I'm chagrined. I thought you knew me better than this. And Hamilton too."

"Was it all talk?" Hamilton appeared on Della's other side, his eyes narrowed. "You acting like you understood me better and wanting to make amends? Maybe I should've known better than to trust you."

Paul looked from him to Perry. He had the feeling that Perry had figured it out, but was he right? Or were Perry and Burger honestly upset and hurt, as Della was? Guilt rushed over him as he continued the charade.

"Maybe you should have," he countered. "Or maybe I should be the one saying that. Maybe this was all one of your tricks to get at Perry and me. Maybe you've been manipulating me all along!"

"Paul Drake!" Della exclaimed. "Hamilton Burger would never do that, to you or anyone else! He's an honorable, good man!"

"I'm kind of surprised to hear you defending him as well as Perry," Paul said.

That only fazed Della for a moment. "And why shouldn't I? He's our friend!"

While that was going on, Jerry was throwing a punch at Mike. But he missed on purpose and stumbled into the stunned captain. "Mike, this is all an act," he hissed. "Those men of Portman's are watching to make sure we do what we claimed we would. They have to be stopped!"

Caldwell looked into the shadows while pretending to shove Jerry out of the way. The men in question were there. One was starting to lift his rifle, aiming ever so carefully at Jerry.

"Look out!" Caldwell screamed. He tackled Jerry to the asphalt just as the gun fired.

Jerry lay dazed, gazing up at his former comrade-in-arms. "Mike . . . you just saved my life," he realized.

Mike looked up, rattled from the close call. "I guess I did," he breathed. Some blood was trickling from his arm, but he ignored it. The bullet had just nicked him.

The gunfire had sent everyone scattering and the taskforce into position. They returned fire, bringing the shooter to the ground. The other man in front dropped his weapon and raised his hands to the sky. "Don't shoot!" he cried. "I'll surrender!"

Captain McVey moved in to take him into custody. "Tell us what's going on here," he barked as he conducted a swift search of both him and the other, wounded man.

Paul pushed himself up from the ground. "I'll tell you," he said. "Jerry and I hatched this plan to get Portman to let us go. We couldn't think of anything else to try. I'm sorry if anyone got hurt."

Perry slowly got to his feet, helping Della at the same time. "I thought that must be it," he said. "I'll admit you had me stunned for a few minutes there, Paul. But then what Della said made me realize what was probably going on."

"What I said?" Della looked from Perry to Paul. Now she looked dismayed. "I don't know what I was thinking. Paul, are you saying this was all just an act?" She shook her head. "I couldn't imagine, but you really had me believing . . ." The regret was in her eyes. "Oh Paul, can you ever forgive me?"

"I was just about to ask for everyone's forgiveness," Paul said. "It had to look convincing."

"You almost had me believing it," Hamilton said.

Mike was largely not paying attention to them. Shuddering, he backed away from Jerry, his eyes wild and filled with panic. Jerry sat up, perplexed. "Mike, what is it?" he demanded. "What's wrong?"

"She knows," Mike rasped. "She knows about all of this. And she's turning on the chip again. Jerry, get away from me!"

Jerry backed up. "We have to do something!" he burst out. "If we could just get Portman stopped!"

"We were just going to a house where we thought she might be when we were stopped," Perry said.

"Then you're probably right, Perry," Jerry said. "Let's go! If we hurry, maybe she'll still be there!"

Everyone concurred, climbing quickly into their vehicles. The taskforce brought their prisoners.

Jerry sat near the agonized Mike. "It's going to be alright, Mike," he vowed. "We'll catch up to Portman and deactivate the chip. I promise."

"There's always the possibility that it can't be deactivated altogether," Mike answered through clenched teeth.

"I know," Jerry agreed, "but there's also the possibility that it can."

Paul climbed into Perry's car. He was still feeling guilty about what he had said to further the façade. Or perhaps, he wondered, still sicker at the thought, his guilt might mainly stem from the fact that Portman had made him think. However much he had fought against the ideas, it did not change that he had harbored doubts. He did not blame Della in the least for being angry. He was angry with himself too.

Perry frowned as he caught sight of Paul in the rear-view mirror. "Paul, are you alright?" he asked.

"Huh?" Paul started to attention. "Oh. Yeah, I'm fine, Perry. We'd better get going if we want to catch Portman."

Perry started the engine and drove off after the taskforce's van. "You don't need to be upset about what you said. Under the circumstances, you had to."

"I know," Paul nodded.

Perry frowned. Something was still wrong; he could tell. But it would have to wait. He wanted to focus all of his attention on it when it was discussed, and right now he could not do that.

They had a madwoman to corner.

xxxx

The hideout was indeed the third house that had been chosen from the list. And aside from the guards Portman likely had at all exits, it looked very much like a normal, vacant house.

"I wonder if she'll be expecting us," Perry commented as he parked.

"Oh, you can count on it," Paul said. "I have the feeling that not much gets past her."

"How right you are, Mr. Drake."

Everyone jumped a mile at Captain Caldwell's words. He had gotten out of the van, his features twisted in pain as he spoke. And somehow, the tone to his voice sent a chill of realization down Perry's spine.

"You're speaking Portman's words now, aren't you?" he said.

"How very astute of you, Mr. Mason." Caldwell straightened, smirking at him. Jerry and Captain McVey gaped. "Yes, with my chip I can put specific words into this man's mind. Have you figured out yet that you can't remove the chip? It's in his brain. The only thing you can do is shut it off permanently. And unfortunately for you, I have the key."

"If you've been hearing everything we've said, you know we're right outside," Perry said. "You haven't tried to get away this time."

"No, I haven't. I decided it was time we met face-to-face." Caldwell gestured to the door. "I want to speak with you, Mr. Mason, and only you. If anyone else tries to come inside, my men have orders to shoot to kill."

His eyes flickered in his alarm. Caldwell was trying to regain control of his speech. "No," he gasped. "Don't go in there, Mr. Mason. She'll never . . . let you . . . leave." He grimaced. "She'll try to put a chip in you. Or inject you with a drug if she wants . . . quicker . . . results."

Della grabbed Perry's arm. "Perry, you can't!" she exclaimed.

Perry looked to her and smiled. "I'll be alright, Della," he said. "I've been wanting to talk with Portman myself. Especially about Elaine Darrow." He moved to leave but then paused. ". . . Perhaps the guards have something useful to this situation in their uniforms."

McVey's eyes narrowed. "Mr. Mason, I don't like this."

Perry was already starting towards the gate. "I don't expect our business will take long," he said. "Maybe five minutes."

Della whirled to look at McVey, but he was already heading back to the van. "At least one of us has to get in there with him," he was saying to one of the men on the taskforce. "There'd better be someone here who can fit into the uniform of the guard we arrested. The one we didn't shoot," he added.

Della relaxed. "Oh good. He got Perry's message."

Hamilton raised an eyebrow. "His 'message'?"

"That's right. Remember, Mr. Burger, the guards' uniforms were already searched. So Perry wasn't talking about that. He wants someone to impersonate a guard in five minutes." Della looked to the house. "And if someone can overpower a real guard and get in, maybe the rest of us will be able to get inside too."

"Maybe 'the rest of us' will just include the taskforce, Miss Street," Hamilton replied. "I don't think they'll want civilians in there."

"Well, Perry's in there, and I intend to go in and see that he gets out," Della said.

Hamilton shook his head. "Yes, I'm sure you do. But Perry wouldn't want you to do anything dangerous. Neither will the Air Force." He wondered why he even bothered to say it. He might as well be talking with a brick wall, for all the good it did.

Della just regarded him calmly and unfazed. "Mr. Burger, shouldn't the police be called and told that we've found the hideout?"

"Yes," Hamilton replied. He sighed, taking out his cellphone. "I'll see if I can reach Tragg."

xxxx

Perry was not sure what he expected from Dr. Alice Portman. But when two guards escorted him into the basement laboratory and he saw the woman, he was somewhat surprised.

She was a small woman as far as physical size went. She looked the part of a typical scientist, with her white coat and glasses. Even her short-cropped blonde hair fit well with the image. However, as she set aside a heavy book and stood, her sharp and cool greenish eyes revealed her true nature. None of it was good.

Perry's own eyes narrowed as he looked at her. "So you're Dr. Portman," he greeted. "You didn't look like someone who could have masterminded all of this."

"Didn't, Mr. Mason?" Portman returned. "Has something changed your mind?"

"Your eyes, Doctor. I can immediately tell from your eyes that you have no qualms about any of the monstrous things you've done."

Portman did not care. "I've heard such things from many people, Mr. Mason. It bores me. Why don't we get down to the business at hand?"

"Why don't we," Perry agreed. "Tell me about Elaine Darrow."

"Which one?" Portman quipped.

"Both of them," Perry answered without missing a beat.

"Very well." Portman walked around the long instrument table. "The one whose dossier I left shredded in the bunker was your client's mother. She worked with me as a partner when I first began my work. She was a small-time criminal looking to better her life."

"And did she share your goals?"

"Oh, she wanted to 'better humanity', she claimed, but her vision was too small."

"In other words, she didn't like how you were going about it."

"In other words, yes." Portman shrugged in a nonchalant sort of way. "Eventually she was of no use to me and I had to dispose of her. I held onto her daughter in the hopes that she would be useful to me."

Perry was growing further repulsed by the minute. "Did she know what you did with her mother?" he demanded.

"Not for some time. I convinced her there was an accident. Oh, she worked for me quite willingly until she learned the truth. Then she wanted to leave."

"Were your experiments the same then as now?"

"I've always worked towards the same goals, Mr. Mason. It's just that the individual experiments change over time as I develop new concepts and ways to utilize them.

"I told the younger Elaine that I was ultimately seeking the power to restore life to the dead, and that when I found it, her mother could be brought back. The first part was true, at least."

"But of course you had no intention of reviving someone who wanted to expose you," Perry finished in disgust.

"Is that so illogical?"

"No," Perry said, "but it's further proof of your cruel inhumanity."

"The rest happened much as you surmised earlier, Mr. Mason. Instead of disposing of Elaine right away, I decided to see how far I could go with my chips by using one on her. And eventually I managed to get her to kill herself. It's as I've always believed—humanity is weak. Their will can be taken and shaped so easily, just like clay."

"You're wrong, Doctor." Perry stepped closer to her. "Humanity is strong. Perhaps Elaine had no willpower left to fight you. Perhaps you had broken her and she didn't want to live. And so perhaps, in a sense, what happened was an assisted suicide. We'll probably never know.

"But your other recent 'experiment', Captain Caldwell, has behaved far differently. He has never given up. He refuses to let you destroy his spirit and his will. Even now, when you took control of his very speech, he fought to get it back."

Portman's eyes glimmered. "He is one of my most fascinating projects. Most others would have crumbled long ago under the strain.

"But breaking a spirit is an extensive undertaking. I can plant the seeds; however, sometimes it takes them a while to sprout." She adjusted her glasses. "Your detective friend, Mr. Mason, was very resilient in defending you and the district attorney. Nevertheless, and despite his performance moments ago, my seeds did take root. I can always tell." Perry's expression darkened. "If you don't believe me, ask him."

"Even if that's true, he's fought whatever doubts you planted in him," Perry retorted. "I can tell that."

"Perhaps they'll fester for some time before bursting forth. Or perhaps they'll wither and die. Either is equally possible at this point. Who are you to determine which way it will go?"

"I know Paul," Perry said. "You don't. And I know that even if there is a conflict currently in his heart, he won't let himself be ruled by the likes of you."

"So confident, aren't you, Mr. Mason. Or is it arrogance. Or both? They often march hand in hand." Portman reached over to the console she was now standing beside and pressed a button. "I wonder how effective your will would be against some of my strongest methods."

Perry held his ground. He had expected something like this. "If you try that on me, I promise you that you will regret it."

Four of Portman's men appeared and began to close in on Perry. Portman stood by, observing with satisfaction.

"Idle threats don't frighten me. Neither does the Air Force's little taskforce. Even if they burst in to save you, they can't stop an injection of one of my drugs."

"Maybe not," Perry agreed. "But I have the feeling that your prize experiments may just be your undoing."

"And what do you mean by that?" Portman countered.

Perry smiled, even as he was surrounded. "Let's wait a moment or two and see. Shall we, Doctor?"

"It's pointless," Portman said. "You're merely stalling for time. Guards, restrain and inject him!"

Perry braced himself for the struggle. The five minutes were up, but that did not mean he would simply do nothing and wait for the others to burst in. Portman's lackeys would have to try desperately hard to get him to hold still long enough for any sort of injection.

Without warning, the two men behind him slumped down with a shared groan. Perry and the other two men whirled around in surprised shock. Captain Caldwell stood where the first two had stood, his hands outstretched from squeezing their pressure points. He met Perry's eyes for a brief moment before looking to the stunned Dr. Portman.

"Hello, Doctor," he greeted with a mocking smirk.

Portman was reeling. "How did you get in here?" she demanded. "I left you fighting for control of yourself!"

"Oh, that's right. You forgot about me. You gave orders to shoot anyone entering, but not me. When I walked up to the door, they thought it was what you wanted and let me on through. I rendered them unconscious and let the others in. Right now, your cozy place is surrounded by the Air Force and the L.A.P.D." Caldwell looked pleased with himself. "I suggest you give up while you still can."

This news seemed to completely unhinge the woman. She backed up against the console. "No!" she burst out. "No, I won't be defeated like this. You don't have any willpower of your own. You have only what I give you!" She reached to turn a dial. "Now you're going to fight Mr. Mason and subdue him for me!"

Perry was at her side in an instant, grabbing her wrist and holding it away from the mind-controlling knobs. "No, Doctor," he said. "He isn't."

Portman's eyes flashed in fury. But though she fought to pull free, Perry held fast. When one of the other two guards moved to attack, the remaining one turned on him, delivering a knockout punch. Perry was pleased. Now he recognized that man as a member of the taskforce. When Della, Paul, and Hamilton hurried in seconds later with Captain McVey, it was all over.

"Perry!" Della exclaimed, hurrying to his side. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Perry smiled at her, observing in satisfaction as Portman was handcuffed and escorted out of the room by Captain McVey. "It's over."

Caldwell turned to gaze at the hateful console, filled with all the commands and devices that Portman had used to take hold of his mind via the chip. "Is it?" he voiced aloud.

Perry looked to him, Portman's words concerning the placement of the chip echoing through his mind. A deep anger and regret filled his heart. Would it ever be over for Captain Caldwell? If Portman had not lied, it wasn't likely that the chip could be removed. They could only deactivate it, destroy the console, and pray for the best. After being restored to life as he had been, Caldwell deserved to finally have peace.

"I hope so, Captain," Perry said. "And perhaps, the beginning of better things."