The Kidnap

Chapter 26: The Lansing Conflict

A/N: Sorry I took such a long time to update. University work piled up like crazy, and I haven't had a chance to type for ages. I usually type my chapters a long time before hand, which enables quick updates, but this time, the chapters are being written along with the story. It was like this from Chapter 20. This chapter might surprise some.

Mark and Randy continued their intensive battles internally, and in the hospital, at the outside world, things were differently. The fact was that both were in a deep state of semi-consciousness between life and death. Few if any of the doctors knew that. If they had, Tim and Jill would not have been the wrecks they were, and Brad would not have fainted at the sight of Mark's broken body.

Randy and Mark were fighting their inner selves over whether to go on, or to keep living. But the one thing holding back any decision was that they did not want to leave each other. Mark didn't want to live, and see Randy had died, or vice versa. Same was true for Randy. It created tough internal problems with both of them.

Brad had fainted at the sight of Mark's broken body. He, after all, also claimed a little responsibility. When he saw his little brother on the bed, as though dead, he lost his consciousness himself, and woke up on a white bed hours later.

"Its normal ma'am," a doctor was telling a hysterical Jill. "What your family is going through must be terrible. Your son suffered normal reaction. It's the other two you must worry ab"-

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'THE OTHER TWO?'?"

Was that mom?

You remember your mom?

Yeah… why?

Because you're on the brink of death.

Oh… am I?

Yeah, that proves it? You hardly remember a thing.

Why's she yelling?

Because you're dying?"

Who the-

Who are you?

Your conscience.

Who let you out of Pinocchio?

You know full well that your conscience speaks in the voice of your loved one.

Mark?

Yeah.

What do you believe? Will he die?

I doubt it. He loves everyone too much.

Then, if I decided to live?

Since when did you remember- oh I give up.

Tim sat alone with Professor Easton in the waiting room. Professor Easton was so willing to talk to the Tool Man, but Tim was too down right now. But Tim was curious? Who was this guy? How was he involved? Every now and then a black man walked in and out, to check on Mark. What was he doing too? What was this about?

"Excuse me," Tim said lowly. "Who exactly are you?"

Easton, surprised, answered, "Professor Easton of the University of Michigan. At least… I used to be. I retired last year."

"You saved my boy?"

"No, that's Baboo," Easton replied. "I looked after the Randy boy during his journey. You should be proud of your son, Tim. No matter what happens, he put a lot of effort to search for your son, and it seems he succeeded."

"How did you know I was Tim?"

"The Tool Man," Easton laughed. "Please. Are these stunts you do… an act or… for real?"

"Act," Tim said thoughtlessly.

Easton opened his mouth, but before he could express doubt at that, a loud bang went off.

Tim and Easton jumped up on cue, and Tim ran off, toward the window. That was where the sound came from. Easton strode over too, and looked out. The sight was horrific and surprising.

It seemed this was staged. There were two groups facing each other viciously. One group was in front of the hospital, in blue. The other was facing the blue uniforms threateningly. The man in the back was easily recognizable.

Within seconds, the speaker went off, "This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill. The hospital is on complete lockdown. All visitors are to exit in an orderly fashion the back way. All patients remain in their positions at all costs. All doctors to the meeting room to be assigned patients to look after.

Jill ran in the room, Brad at her heels. The young doctor was hurrying in the opposite direction. Tim took Jill's sweaty hand, and Brad's, and they joined the others toward the back way.

Easton stayed where he was. He still looked out. And it seemed he wasn't the only one. The bearded doctor who announced Randy's death hurried over too.

A battle was raging on outside, and Habbleman was pointing his gun at every police officer in sight and within reach, shooting all he could. The doors shut, and a loud click went off signaling all doors and windows were locked tight.

Guns were being fired all over the area outside. It seemed the hospital was under siege. Easton looked to his right, but the bearded doctor disappeared. Within another few seconds, a gruff voice sounded in the speaker, "This is a message to all the doctors in this joint. Surrender what we want. Ward 301 will remain our target. This hospital is under siege. Surrender the two we demand, and the siege will lift."

Easton looked wildly around. It seemed so close. He finally notice, after a few seconds of looking, that the bearded master who announced Randy dead was speaking the megaphone in one hand. In the other, he was pointing his gun, right at Easton, face threatening.

Easton backed away…

What's happening?

You need to die. I'm not saying this as an order either. If you don't, stress will only build. You're too young for this.

I'm too young to die too.

No one is too young to die.

Yeah, they are.

Only in some cases, Mark Taylor. This time, if you live, you'll only die anyway, and you can't hold on much longer.

How?

The hospital is under siege.

"One move. You all know the drill. One move." The gruff doctor was holding Easton in a headlock, gun at his head. "You know the drill." A team of doctors were taken-aback, other were making disturbing hand gestures threateningly.

"Don't do anything you'll regret," one said timidly.

A bang went off, and someone screamed as the timid doctor fell. Nurses fled the room, and the gruff one laughed, "Its over. You know what he wants. This is our purpose. Now, let the two kids go. Hand them to us, and the hospital will be left. Take this as my resignation."

"Why do you need those kids?"

"Do you prefer the Tool Man?" the master yelled. "He knows more than the kids would! Hand what we want, or the old man gets it."

"It's one of you," a doctor said bravely. "Kill him, and we can attack physically. Guns won't be involved."

The gruff master laughed a hoarse laugh. "Are you joking?" He raised his right hand in a signal. In minutes, many doctors in the audience backed off, and took from their pockets handguns and revolvers. They pointed them at the clueless, innocent ones. "Now, we'll see who's outnumbered." He laughed again. "Will you cooperate now?"

No one said anything. Then, "Do your work! Fetch the kids for us. Kill the weak one if necessary."

Easton's eyes had widened in surprise and shock. A man in a white robe appeared from the doorway. His face was covered with a mask. He walked in. Easton tried to exclaim in surprise and shock, but he was gagged harder at the attempt. He didn't move out.

"Forget about it," he said in a harsh Indian accent. "I have my own objectives. You will not take another innocent life!"

"What the"-

"Release the man!" he yelled. He ripped his mask off, and there stood Baboo. "Release him."

All at once, the betrayers pointed their guns are Baboo. The gruff master laughed again. "Ok, ok, you win. Easton goes, but the hospital remains under siege. The battle still goes."

The police were shooting all at once. The group on the other side seemed to have staged this, and nothing made sense anymore.

A/N: If this seems unrealistic, good. It's an idea I had. But I got it all planned out. It'll make sense eventually. At least the important parts will. I'll leave some parts for you to speculate on.

I think I've decided what I'll have happen. I'm not so sure, but I'm leaning toward one side. Some may be happy at what I decide, but others may be disappointed. That is inevitable, since everyone is so cleanly split.

I'll try to update sooner… if I can.