THEN
Mac staggered and fell to his knees. First thing he had to do was lose the ear bud. He had no doubt they would check him from head to toe for surveillance devices. As he dropped to the floor, he used the move to curl forward and remove his ear bud. He pushed a small button turning it into a passive listening device. Now what to-
"What's going on here?" The familiar voice of Xander snapped. Mac hid his smile. Perfect. Mac wobbled to his feet and staggered toward Xander. He fell into the man and used the move to hide his ear bud in the man's uniform pocket. Xander shoved him away. Mac fell on his ass. It hurt, but he forced himself to giggle inanely. He looked up at the TAC officers around him. There seemed to be two groups. Those in the front had the sharp attention Mac knew of professional soldiers, their faces were impassive and Mac knew any one of them could pull the trigger without warning. On the plus side, they also had appropriate trigger control. Mac wasn't shot yet despite flopping around like a drunken loon.
A few soldiers behind these shared knowing looks and smirked at each other. They held their weapons loosely aimed at the ground. They might as well have been on a coffee break. Mercenaries? As one leaned over to talk to the others his rifle's muzzle carelessly moved in an arc around the room. Mac closed his eyes and ducked back, his heart skipping a beat as it focussed on him. The idiot was going to shoot him by accident! Definitely not mercs, local hires probably. Mac wondered which group was with the information brokers?
Two sets of hands pulled him upright. Mac didn't have to pretend to stagger. They almost lifted him clear off the ground. Mac dropped his head and moaned as they bent his arms behind him. Mac forced himself not to meet Xander's eyes as he stepped closer to Mac.
"How did you get down here, Mr. Born?" Mac squinted his eyes and let drool dribble down his chin. Xander frowned and nodded. A soldier handed his gun to another then approached Mac. The man had the square solidity of a truck. Between the trio, Mac felt more than a little intimidated. He pushed away from the soldier. He didn't have to fake the increase in his anxiety. He turned his head away bracing for a blow. His body visibly flinched when the man touched him. He quickly and efficiently patted Mac down thorough enough Mac almost blushed. He rubbed his fingers along the back of Mac's ears and pushed on the front. Mac grumbled and pulled away, only half faking. He winced. He wondered if the pair holding him up could detach his arms by accident.
"Nothing, boss." Xander nodded frowning. He knuckled his chin.
"How in the world did he get down here?"
"He can barely stand up."
"Not surprising considering the medications he was on when he arrived, but the elevators-" The elevator ding caused the entire group to turn. Jack came flying out of the elevator shoving a wheelchair in front of him. Mac sagged in relief.
"There he is! This one's slippery, no lie. I turned away but a second and he's gone. I'm sorry, boss. I mustn't have done the restraints up right. Hey, buddy." Jack shoved through the TAC soldiers. The professional soldiers stepped smoothly aside. The local thugs glared at him and gave way reluctantly. Jack ignored both his eyes scanning Mac.
"Here, I got him." Jack said. Mac groaned in relief as the two men holding him loosened their grip. Jack made a show of half lifting Mac into the wheelchair. Mac slumped. Jack leaned over him to do up his safety belt.
"Really?" Mac whispered. Jack raised an eyebrow but didn't break character.
"How did he get down here?" Xander asked crossing his arms. He glanced at his watch. Probably had to get back to whatever they were doing. Mac winced feeling a pang of worry for the man they had removed from his ward. Jack faced him wide-eyed.
"I don't rightly know. Ms. Ingra told me to scoot up to his floor. By the time I got up there, he was gone." Xander narrowed his eyes and raked Mac from head to toe.
"I see. Very well, take him back to bed. I'll be up to give him another sedative in a few minutes."
"No problemo, thanks, boss." Jack whirled Mac toward the elevator. After the doors shut, Jack whirled on his partner.
"That was close!"
"Jack!"
"Don't worry Riley bippity-bopped the whole building they can only see and hear what we want them to. She's trading out all of the cameras too." Mac frowned.
"That seems a little easy, even for Riley."
"That's what Riley said. She looked into the builders and you were right, whoever set up this Red House definitely planned to use it for an information farm."
"But how. How are they getting it?"
"Dunno, Desi got out of the damper field and contacted Phoenix. Matty said there was another dump posted on the deep web today." Mac rubbed his eyes.
"That must be what was pulling so much juice from the generators in the turret."
"That and this damper field. Desi tried to tell Matty to close this place down considering what we found."
"Matty said no."
"Matty said no."
"If we close up this operation without knowing how they're doing what they're doing, they'll just set up somewhere else. What about controlling the patients coming in? Maybe dissemble fake data?" Jack shook his head. He hadn't thought of that, but Matty had.
"The Red Houses are shared with all kinds of small I-agencies besides Phoenix as well as engineer-"
"-Scientists and researchers with clearance. We have to get this figured out." Mac rubbed his face. Sweat beaded his hairline and upper lip. He sat back and let out a deep breath forcing his shoulders to relax. Jack squeezed a shoulder.
"How are you doing?" Mac looked up at him surprised.
"I'm fine, why?" Jack opened his mouth to answer, but the elevator stopped. The two men shared a glance and nodded. Game on.
Marvella paced in front of Mac's cubicle. She helped Jack get Mac back into bed. She assessed him again. Mac kept his eyes closed. His heart pounded and his breathing hitched as he felt his wrists and ankles being tied down. A quick squeeze on his ankle reassured him Jack was still there.
"I have work elsewhere, Mr. Castle. I assume you can keep him under control for the rest of the night?"
"Yes'm, sorry about all this. I have no-"
"Whatever, roll up his sleeve." Mac's heart skipped and he froze his muscles tightening. He cracked open his eyes and shook his head minutely communicating panic to Jack. Jack scowled. He glanced over at the doctor. She was bent over drawing up a syringe. Jack gritted his teeth. He wanted nothing more than to drag his kid out of there and stab that needle in the lady doc. That would blow the mission. Jack looked down and opened his mouth. Mac took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing. He closed his eyes and forced his muscles to relax. Jack leaned over as if checking his restraints. He made sure they were looser.
"Easy, brother, I'm gonna be up here all night." Jack whispered softly. It took all of Mac's self control to not to jump out of bed as he felt the poke of a needle in his AC. Mac gritted his teeth. A warm burn seemed to slowly ooze from his arm to the rest of his body. Whew, that was strong stuff. He cracked his eyes open and tried to call for Jack. His friend was still at his side but every movement caused ripples of motion around him. Mac leaned back moaning quietly. He felt the warm hand of the bed reach up and pull him in. Jack's voice was a distant echoing fuzz. Mac turned as the slithering white blur of the doctor oozed from the room, her heels tapping loud like gunshots. Mac blinked his eyes slowly searching for his partner.
Jack leaned over him and looked at his pupils. His concern showed through the fuzziness of his face.
"You ok? Mac?" Mac tried to respond but someone was stepping on his tongue with very big boots.
"Mthmoots." He managed. Jack frowned worried. He tapped his ear. Mac let out a long breath.
"Whuthmak." He mumbled. Jack planted a warm hand on Mac's forehead. He didn't like the dripping sheen of sweat.
"Riley, our pregnant perp just gave Mac something. He's already out of it, what's our toe-meter reading?... Yes, I know that's not what it's called, Boze. Will you just-thank you, Riley. Sheesh." Mac's eyes were heavy and he felt half melted.
"Mnidly?" Mac's lips felt glued together. Jack smiled at him, managing to hide his own worries. He crouched to Mac's eye level. Mac tried to hold his head up, but he could barely stay awake. Jack spoke evenly and slowly waiting for Mac to process his words.
"You're gonna be fine, bud. Probably get a good night's sleep. Desi's coming in. We're all here, ok?" Mac felt Jack's warm thumb brush his cheek as his partner held Mac's chin to keep him facing Jack. Mac blinked slowly, but he couldn't remember how to make words. Jack smiled.
"Get some rest. Tomorrow's gonna be fun." Mac opened his mouth to ask a question, but he forgot what it was. His eyes closed without his permission and he floated away.
NOW-30 minutes ago
"Want me to take that?" Bozer whispered leaning over to Riley. Riley licked her lips as she ran her fingers over Jack's gun. It didn't weigh as much as it did the first time she held it shooting at a target when Jack was teaching her to shoot. She'd become accustomed to holding it in her hand. It would never feel comfortable, but it was easier. Needing to use it-that was heavier. Again wisps of memory played the way they always did when she was forced to take the gun. Blood. Weight of the Corpse on top of her. He shook her head and looked over at sat shivering with their backs against the stone. He had learned a lot, grown a lot since they'd joined Phoenix. But those eyes were still free. Still free of the constant stain of guilt that comes with taking a life. She smiled and held his hand.
"I got it, Boze. Thanks." Boze gave her a shy smile and squeezed her hand. She knew he would do anything to help her, but she couldn't do that to him. She glanced across the dying fire. They had everything made up into packs. Mac was crouching closer to the fire eyeing their campsite. His head snapped up. He stood and tilted his head. Boze and Riley shared a puzzled look. Mac stood and turned to look up the slope of the forest that climbed from behind the trio of rocks. He swayed a step then leaned over hands on knees. He rubbed his abdomen. Bozer and Riley bounced up and took a step toward him. He held up a hand. The pair were alarmed to see it stained with blood.
"Mac-"
"Shh!" Mac hissed.
"Did you just-"
"SHHH!" Mac added a glare. Boze shook his head and sent Riley a frustrated look. Mac pulled himself up and raised his hand to the sky. He turned it in the air and frowned staring up at the slope. He squared his shoulders. He slipped closer to Riley and Boze and put his arms over their shoulders.
"They're here, all around us-"
"Wh-!"
"Shh." This time it was Riley. Bozer nodded fighting to not look around them.
"We can't take the packs. Boze, pull out food and water. Riley...your rig." Riley looked at him grimly and nodded, "Keep the hard drive...and the aluminum foil." This he nodded to Bozer. They had learned long ago not to ask questions. Mac turned and crouch walked over to the fire. He built it up. Casually he scanned the darkness around them. They were good, not professionals. Mac could smell wafts of food and body stink from them. He could feel their eyes. Mac shivered and rubbed his hands over the fire as he made it bigger. Slowly he leaned back and slid the sleeping bag closer.
The shell of the sleeping bag was coated with flame retardant on the outside. On the inside it was all flammable polyester. It was the type of sleeping bag used for backyard camping, not deep woods hikes. Mac pulled out the blanket inside it and wrapped it around him. Partly to cover what he was doing, but mostly because he was freezing. He ached everywhere and everything still had a slippery unreality to it. Bozer eased up to him. He handed him foil.
"Sorry it's all greasy." Mac smiled.
"No, actually that's better."
"Why haven't they attacked yet?"
"I'm guessing their waiting for Jack and Desi to get back."
"Yeah, I'm kinda waiting for that myself." Mac gasped as he reached over and pulled a stick closer. Bozer pulled his jacket open.
"That's bleeding again."
"I know. Don't worry."
"Don't worry? Are you serious right now?" Mac shot Bozer a familiar cocky smile.
"Aren't I always?" Bozer shook his head. Mac squeezed his shoulder and sighed, "Look, Boze, it'll keep, ok? We have to get gone. I don't want to go through- I don't want to be captured again, ok?" Boze had a glimpse of haunted terror in his friend's eyes before he turned away. Bozer reached out and put an arm across his shoulders. He could feel Mac trembling. Wilt had no idea if it was from stress, fear or cold, but he didn't like it.
"I gotcha, bro. What do you need me to do." Mac shot him a grateful smile. Bozer knew it wasn't for him asking for orders, but for him not asking what happened. Bozer would wait to ask. Wait until Mac wasn't a strand away from flying apart. Mac rubbed the meat grease up and down the stick. He turned to Riley. She came forward holding her computer. Mac slid the foil toward her. She nodded and quickly wrapped up the hard drive. Mac leaned close to her and nodded at Boze to come in closer. He used their bodies as cover as he pulled out his SAK to cut a long slit along Riley's zipper. He shoved the hard drive in and Riley flapped her thick coat until the drive was hidden deep in the down of her coat. Mac looked around frustrated. Riley held up the last remaining strip of duct tape. Mac grinned and shot a look of pride at Bozer. Riley taped up the hole and pulled up her zipper. Mac looked over to Boze who opened his coat to show all of his inner pockets full of food. Mac nodded.
"Ok, I'm going to create a smoke screen. When this starts smoking we have to climb over these rocks and up the slope. You guys get a start. You don't want to smell this stuff."
"Poisonous?" Bozer asked eyeing the sleeping bag warily.
"No...not really, just kills a few brain cells and lung cells and-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it." Bozer grimaced, "I liked you more when you were out of your head." Mac shrugged.
"Me too, I suppose." The truth behind his joke crossed his face before he turned away. Riley and Bozer shared a worried look. Mac cleared his throat. He narrowed his eyes and tipped his chin toward the stones. Riley and Bozer eased to the deepest shadows and turned to scrabble up the stone. As soon as they were half way up Mac stuck the greased stick into the middle of the fire. Flames licked up it. He opened the sleeping bag and tossed it over the fire. It killed all of the light, but blue smoke puffed out from its edges. Mac's eyes stung and he coughed as he dove for the stones and climbed. Hands grabbed him and pulled him up. He breathed through his mouth cleaning out the chemical tang.
"Come on." Boze hopped to his feet pulling Mac up with him. Mac stumbled. Riley held him up. Mac reached out and grabbed Bozer's jacket.
"Slow," Mac whispered, "Slow and easy. Follow-"
"Your footsteps, got it." Bozer whispered. Mac smiled and inched forward. There was just enough starlight to see his faint shadow. Riley pushed Bozer in front of her then followed her eyes roving their six, her finger beside the trigger hoping like hell she wouldn't have to pull it again.
They passed up the dark slope from rock to rock, slowly and silently. At least Mac did, Bozer thought ruefully. He and Riley made slight rustles, but they sounded like an avalanche behind Mac's ghostly steps. Bozer knew it was even more amazing given the fact his feet had to be excruciating to walk in and those boots were definitely not big enough for those ginourmous feet. Bozer guessed it was a good 15 minutes before they heard shouts, gunshots, and screams behind them. Bozer ran into Mac when the blonde stopped. Mac let out a soft oof and fell forward. Bozer grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back. Bozer looked over Mac's shoulder and gasped. He'd almost pushed Mac off a very steep, stone-studded down fall.
"Oh shit! Sorry, Mac." Bozer whispered. Mac collapsed in his arms, "Mac?" Bozer pulled the shaking man away from the edge and knelt beside him. Riley crouched beside them her gun canted, ready for use.
Mac's eyes were half lidded and he was staring into something terrifying and frozen around him. His breathing was fast gasps. His hands were ice cold and damp as he clung to Bozer's warm hands. Bozer glanced at Riley who nodded at him.
They had no ideas what ghosts haunted Mac every minute. He hid them well, too well. When Jack was with them, he helped Mac process the tide of emotions his perfectly balanced brain was ill equipped to deal with. He carried some of the weight of those horrors Mac bottled up inside. While Jack had been gone, Mac had gone into default mode. Instead of being overthrown by his emotions, tuck them into a steel box and ignore them. That came at a terrible price. Boze had seen some of what roiled in his best friend's brain recently when they were trapped during the typhoon and Mac was out of his head with confusion and fever. The terrors Mac couldn't hide were on full display. Jack had often said Mac's brain was fucking scary, Bozer had no idea until he'd helped hold him in ice baths, or when he was screaming, or when he arched back lost in pain, or-Bozer shoved it all away. It was time for him to play Jack. He wasn't as good at it as Riley, but Mac clung to him this time.
"Mac?" He leaned down. He looked straight into Mac's eyes but knew Mac wasn't seeing him. He remembered what Mac had mumbled. He'd fallen. Somehow those bastards had found a way of making Mac live his worst nightmare. Bozer again shook away memories of Mac confused and scared as his brain boiled inside his skull. Boze took a deep breath. He had no idea how to do what Jack did, but he was no stranger to breaking Mac out of his bad moments either.
"Angus, take a breath, bud." He imitated Jack's voice fairly well, if he said so himself. Mac blinked and looked at him confused. Boze squeezed his hands as he mimicked taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. He did it a couple of times before Mac blinked and focused on Bozer, breathing in time with him.
"Boze?" He gasped as his eyes roved the darkness around them. Boze grinned. That was Jack's schtick, this, this was Bozer's.
"You know, bro, I don't mean to lay on when a man's down and all, but you really pick fucked up times to have a meltdown." Boze grinned. Mac blinked at him surprised, then slowly grinned. He punched Boze in the shoulder and wobbled to his feet leaning heavily on Boze.
"You aren't wrong, sorry." Mac whispered. Boze gave Mac a quick one armed hug and turned to Riley. His eyes widened as she whirled, raised the gun and fired. Bozer saw movement out of the corner of his eye.
"Down!" He grabbed Mac and shoved him to the ground. Riley fired again. This time there was a howl of pain. That seemed to break the pack. Shadows came at them from everywhere. Riley emptied the pistol, at least five were down. Shadows tackled Riley and brought her down. She fought tooth and nail. Bozer felt a fist slam into his jaw. He lashed out and hit the meaty belly of a large man, a very large man. And a very fast one. Bozer felt himself flying end over end through the air. Any illusion of oxygen blew out of his body as the man flopped on top of him like a WWF wrestler. Bozer's arms flopped out to the side. A solid fist slamming into his jaw brought him back. He scrambled his fingers in the ground around him and felt a thick stick brush his hand. With a loud groan Bozer shoved at the man and rolled grabbing it. He lifted it only to feel it crumble in his hands. Rotten. Shit. Without a better idea he ground the wet spongy wood into the man's face. He reared back howling like a bear with a thorn in its paw.
Bozer managed to wriggle free except for a foot. The big paw wrapped around his ankle like a clamp. Boze kicked him in the face. Nothing. Boze yelped as he was dragged back into the guys mass. He saw a blur out of the corner of his eye and the man slumped forward unmoving. Bozer looked up to see Mac holding a thick stick, his not rotten.
"Oh man." Bozer sighed as he took Mac's hand and let him pull him up to standing.
"Now I don't mean to hurt a guy when he's down-" Mac started. He looked up and shoved Boze aside. Boze watched in slow motion as Mac's body jerked then flew backwards. Boze jumped to grab him, but his fingers brushed Mac's as he fell backwards into darkness. Boze didn't notice the arms around him as he fell to his knees screaming.
Sorry to be gone so long, but I've been collecting a new bevy of doctors-for research of course. LOL. Anywhoo, I need to crank on this. I have to get out my yearly Halloween deathfest and of course, Bits n Bobs season 3. Luckily, sadly, I have until January when the new episodes start. Good to be back. Thanks for reading/Following/ and commenting (especially the commenting).
