A Night Out Turns into a Nightmare
Fanfic by: NekoSama (aka Chris) nekosama@ix.netcom.com
Thanks to: LoneGirl, Hei-Mao, and Dariens1AndOnly
Rating: PG
Spoilers: JA
Summary: A chatroom IMAN RPG turned into a fanfic. Bobby, Darien and Claire go out for a drink and things go wrong.
Disclaimer: IMAN and all of its characters are not mine and are used without permission.
Darien sat in the Official's seat, putting his feet up on the desk. "Okay, there we go..."
Hobbes snickered.
Claire walked into the office.
Darien picked up the phone, speaking into the empty handset.
"Hello, boys."
"Hey there keepy," Hobbes looked up at Claire.
"Mr. President, I need that invisible man of yours to send me fifty pepperoni pizzas, no sauce... Oh, hi, Keepy."
Claire smiled.
Darien put the phone down.
"Is the Official here yet?" Claire asked.
"I think he went home already," Hobbes replied.
Darien gestured to his posterior firmly ensconced in the 'Fish's chair.
"It's after 5," Hobbes pointed out.
"Oh, well, why are we here then?" Claire pondered.
"You know, I'm not sure myself," Darien added.
"Hey buddy, you wanna go out for a drink?"
"Want to make prank calls on the Official's speed dial?" Darien joked.
"That can't be a good idea, Darien," Claire warned as she smiled at Darien.
"Yeah, the drink might be a better idea," Darien agreed.
"Let's go then," Hobbes stood and opened the door.
"Who knows what might happen if I ask the Premier of China if he has Prince Albert in the can?" Darien got up, ready to go.
"That might start a war there, buddy."
"Where to?" Darien asked.
"I know this place we can go."
Darien grabbed his tan jacket "Yeah, where?"
Claire stood there with her arms crossed looking at them expectantly.
"You wanna come with Keepy?" Hobbes asked having forgotten she was standing there.
"I would love to, Bobby," Claire smiled slightly
"Lead the way, oh buddy, oh pal," Darien laughed as they walked to the car.
Hobbes opened the van door for Claire
Claire stepped into the van "Thank you, Bobby."
"Guess I get the back seat," Darien grumbled.
Hobbes pulled in front of a small night club.
"What is this place, Bobby?" Claire wondered.
"Just a nice little club I found, they have good dance music
and it's never too crowded," Hobbes replied opening the van door for Claire.
Claire looked at the entrance to the club and stepped down onto the curb. "Thank you."
Darien shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
Hobbes extended his arm to Claire. "Shall we?"
Claire took his arm and smiled. "We shall."
Darien put his hands in his jeans pockets, and walked in behind the pair
Hobbes led Claire inside. She looked around at the crowd of people. "I thought you said this place wasn't ever too crowded."
Hobbes took Claire and Darien over to a table. "It usually isn't. I'll be right back," and he went off to the bathroom.
Darien took a seat at one of the stools around the table
Claire sat down on a stool across from Darien.
Darien looked at Claire. "So..."
Claire looked at Darien. "So..."
"Um... how's Pavlov?"
"Oh, uh, he's good. Just happy being a dog, I guess..."
"Good, good, that's... uh, good..."
Hobbes finished and washed his hands. Two men came up behind him. He kicked at the one, but the other struck him from behind and knocked him out.
They picked him up and took him out the back door, being careful not to be seen.
Darien looked up. "Huh, Hobbes has been gone for awhile," he slid off the stool. "I'll be right back."
Claire looked around the club, searching for Hobbes.
Darien entered bathroom. "Hey, Hobbsey, you fall in?" he looked down on the floor and found a gold DNA pin. "Aw, crap." he picked it up with some TP and went back into the main room looking for Claire.
Claire was still looking around the place for Hobbes when she saw Darien waving to her and walked over to him.
Darien met Claire in the middle and showed her the pin in the toilet paper. "Hobbes wasn't there, but this was."
Claire looked at the pin carefully. "Chrysalis."
"Yeah," he said sourly.
"Damn it..." she whispered.
"I'll go back, see if I can find anything else. You got a spare for the van?"
"Yeah, I think so," Claire searched her purse. "Damn it, I must've left it at home."
"We'll get a cab later then. I'll be right back," Darien headed to the bathroom, looking for other clues.
Claire looked around the club, eyeing everyone suspiciously.
Darien started looking around the floor of the bathroom. He found a pen on the floor for the Taurus Security Corp. He snagged another piece of TP and picked it up.
Claire spotted someone who she thought was Stark and moved over
towards him, only to find that it was not him. She noticed a piece of paper at the table where she and Darien had been sitting. She picked it up and read it.
Darien,
Our time has come. Yours is up.
-Stark
She was startled and went off in the direction of the men's room to find Darien.
Darien was heading out of the men's room.
"Darien! Find anything?"
"Just this pen," and he showed it to her.
Claire was still clutching at the note. "Taurus. A Chrysalis front, yes?"
"Could be. Certainly fits the mythological theme."
Claire remembered the note and handed it to him. "This was laying on our table."
Darien read it. "Aw, crap."
Claire nodded solemnly.
"Well, either this Taurus place is a trap, or the pen left behind was an accident. Either way, it's worth checking out."
"Knowing Chrysalis, I'd be willing to say the former. Let's get back to the Agency and call the Official. I suspect he'll want to know about Bobby's disappearance. I can check the pin and the pen for fingerprints. Maybe something will turn up."
"Sounds good to me. We'd better get a cab, then, " Darien headed outside, to hail a taxi.
Darien looked on the pen, and noticed an address for Taurus. He decided it would be better if they tried to get Hobbes back right now. He handed the pen to the driver. "Take me there."
Hobbes woke up in a room similar to the padded room, bound to a chair with leather straps. "What hie me?" he groaned. He blinked his eyes a few times and noticed his surroundings. "Aw crap!"
He tried to move, but the restraints were too tight. A door opened behind him and he tried to crane his head to see who entered the room.
Three people entered the room, Stark, Casey O'Claire, and Mady Carter.
Hobbes glared at Stark and then looked at Dr.O'Claire "So, Dr. O'Claire, when did you start working for HIM?"
"Recently," she replied.
"He make you an offer you couldn't refuse?" Hobbes hissed at her.
"Something like that," she replied in a cool tone.
"Well, Stark, what do you want with me?" he growled.
"I thought that would obvious, Agent Hobbes, I need information."
"Well..I'm not going to give you any information," Hobbes grumbled.
"I didn't say you would do it willingly," Stark stated.
"Bobby Hobbes doesn't break under pressure, so you'd better just kill me right now."
"Sorry, but I plan on trying anyway," Stark signaled Casey, who got a needle from Mady, and then injected Hobbes with it.
Hobbes bit his tongue to hold back a painful scream. "So...you're into torture now?"
"Mr.Hobbes, just tell me what I want to know, and this can stop. Now, where is Adam?"
"Adam who?" Hobbes asked.
"I think you know who he is talking about," Mady said.
Hobbes just sat there refusing to answer.
Darien handed the taxi driver some cash at the front of the building.
Claire stepped out of the taxi and surveyed the building.
"You comin' in with me, Keepy?"
"Yeah, I thought I saw something," she replied following him into the building.
"We got a plan for this?" he whispered.
"We look around and see if we can find Bobby?" Claire looked at him questioningly.
"Well, this is a security company... we got to be suave, use finesse. I know, I'll be nonchalant!" Darien thought for a moment.
Claire scoffed good naturedly. "Maybe, but neither of us is armed. So we're going to have to be even more careful than usual."
"Hey, Keepy... ever been quicksilvered?" Darien looked around for cameras.
Claire looked around for guards and then checked his wrist. "Be careful with your use of quicksilver, Darien." Claire pointed at the tattoo which was halfway red.
"Yeah, I know... we'll just use it to get around the security measures."
"All right, then, Darien."
"Hey, I was a good thief!" Darien insisted.
"Oh, I believe you, Darien. Let's just do this, ok?"
Darien started moving cautiously, hoping Claire would do the same. He looked around to avoid security.
Claire moved stealthily along side Darien.
Darien saw a fixed mount camera, and quietly quicksilvered himself and Claire. "When the camera is out of range, I will desilver."
Claire gasped in surprise at the quicksilver covering her skin. "Ok."
Darien stopped just outside the Taurus offices, checking the snake. "Used one segment."
"Good boy. Let's keep looking for any clues as to Bobby's location."
Mady got out another syringe, and handed it to Casey, who injected Hobbes again.
Hobbes did scream that time and glared at Stark.
"Just tell us and we don't have to go through this," Stark encouraged him.
Mady looked down at her feet and up again, a frustrated expression on her face. "This is getting us nowhere," she muttered
Stark glared at Mady who closed her mouth and looked away.
"I told you I'm not going to answer...your questions..." Hobbes gasped as he blinked back tears.
"Mr.Hobbes, it would be in your best interests to tell us what we want to know," Stark insisted.
"Not going....to happen..." Hobbes tried to ignore the burning pain from the injected poison in his bloodstream.
Darien looked at the door to the offices.
Claire followed his gaze as she heard Bobby's scream.
Darien looked around. "That sounded like a scream..."
"Yeah, it sounded like Bobby."
"No time for stealth now..."
Claire looked at Darien and raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you planning?"
"This looks like an electronic lock. I'm gonna short-circuit it," he said as he sent some quicksilver into the lock mechanism.
"Be careful, Darien."
"I'm always careful, Just not lucky."
Claire smirked "Mm-hmm. Hurry, Darien."
Darien heard the tell-tale sound of frying wiring.
Stark nodded to Casey, who looked at Mady. Mady reluctantly got out another injection and handed it to Casey who used it on Hobbes.
Hobbes let out a painful shriek. "You are...a sick bastard..."
"Mr.Hobbes, I suggest you just tell him what he wants to know, he's not going to stop," Mady tried to reason with him. "And your body can't take much more of this."
"I'd rather die... than give him... what he wants," Hobbes told her as each breath was getting more labored.
"Are you sure it's worth it?"
"It is... in my book..."
"Let's leave him to rest for a moment," Stark sighed and left the office with Casey and Mady following him.
Darien twisted the knob.
"Good work, Darien," Claire looked up as she heard the scream. "Oh, god, let's hurry!"
Darien ran in the direction of the scream with Claire following him closely. He burst into the room.
Claire ran to Hobbes. "Oh, Bobby, are you all right?" she winced noting his pale skin and the needles on the table next to him. "Never mind."
Hobbes let out a small laugh.
Darien quicksilvered the straps.
"Sure... I'm ...fine," Hobbes stood but was very shaky, his skin burning with fever.
Darien helped hold him up.
Claire stopped. "Darien, get him outta here."
"Gotcha."
"I need to see what they injected him with."
Casey, Mady, and Stark were in his office discussing how to continue.
"Were not going to get anywhere this way, he won't talk," Mady stated.
"He will talk, we just need to give it time," Stark argued.
"He'll die first, I think he made that obvious," Mady countered.
"Carter, Your only here to help, not have an opinion," Casey fumed.
"Well I got one, You should have thought of that before you tricked me into working here."
"I didn't trick you, you came willingly." Casey countered.
"You didn't tell me what went on here, just there were many opportunities for funding for research, not that this was the price for it," Mady fired back.
"Why don't you stop complaining, and go check on Mr.Hobbes, while Stark and I talk."
Mady narrowed her eyes, but left without further comment.
Hobbes leaned on Darien heavily. "So much for our night out, huh, partner?"
Darien grinned. "Yeah, you look like you've had one too many."
Claire searched the room and picked up an empty vial.
Hobbes coughed and gripped Darien tightly before passing out.
Claire ran down the hall to join Darien and Bobby.
Darien nearly buckled. "Oh boy..."
Claire caught Bobby before he fell. "Come on, we gotta get him back to the Agency."
Mady walked down the hall and turned a corner to find the three going for the entrance.
Darien and Claire got Bobby the front of the building and went outside. Claire saw Mady standing by the wall. She glared back at Mady and then hailed a taxi with her free hand.
Mady was about to hit the alarm, but hesitated, then the alarm went off without her touching it, she turned to find Casey behind her.
Claire helped Bobby into the taxi and climbed in herself. Darien sat on the other side of Hobbes.
Casey glared at Mady then went back to Starks office, as Chrysalis agents started to go after the three.
Claire gave the driver the address as they speed away from the building.
The Chrysalis agents got outside just in time to miss the cab.
Darien put his thumb to his nose, wiggling his fingers at the agents... "Nyah nyah!"
Stark's voice came over the intercom, calling Mady to his office.
Mady started to go that way, then thought better of it and turned back around. She headed down to her lab, collected her things, and headed for the building exit.
Mady avoided Agents and other security agents, and made it out to her car. She put her things in the car and got in, she looked over in time to see agents coming out of the building with guns. She gunned it, and sped off as they shot at her car, breaking the back window, one bullet grazed her arm and she cried out in pain, but continued to drive.
Claire released a sigh of relief and checked Bobby's pulse. "Strong, but not so steady."
Hobbes' breathing began to slow down.
"Bobby! Come on, I need you to stay conscious. Do that for me, ok?" Claire cried out.
Hobbes ' breathing stopped a moment later.
"Damn it! Driver! Get us to a hospital!" Claire shouted.
"What did they put in him?" Darien asked, the tone of his voice was very worried.
"I don't know, Darien. I've never heard of this drug!" Claire opened the taxi door before the car stopped. "Darien! Help me!"
"Gotcha..." Darien helped get Hobbes out of the car.
Claire began shouting at the doctors and nurses. "This man has stopped breathing! He needs medical attention. Now!"
Claire jumped as a security guard placed his hand on her shoulder. "We're federal agents." and flashed her badge at the man.
Mady pulled over after driving far enough away, and looked at her arm, which was bleeding pretty badly. She made a temporary bandage and headed for the hospital
She had a few tears coming down her face from pain as she pulled into the hospital lot and parked her car.
Claire stood next to Darien outside the door of the trauma room. She fought against the tears that were threatening to spill over.
Darien offered a shoulder to Claire, but wasn't feeling too cheery himself.
The doctors were still trying to get Hobbes' breathing started.
Claire leaned against Darien and sniffled. She saw Mady out of the corner of her eye and clenched her jaw.
Darien sensed the tension, looking where Claire was looking.
Mady walked to the front desk to talk to the woman, who started to hand her forms.
Claire walked over to Mady and yelled. "You! What the hell is this stuff?!? What did you give him!"
Darien tried to calm Claire down. "Easy, easy...it won't help Hobbes if you're arrested for causing a disturbance."
Claire calmed a little, but was still livid. "I. Need. To. Know." and she narrowed her eyes at Mady.
Darien walked over to Mady. "You'd better tell me what you put in him, or else..."
"I didn't put it in him for you information, but I do know what it is."
Darien smiled with mock-sweetness."Then tell us."
"Well? What is it?"
Mady sighed. "The poison slows respiratory functions first and then works on the heart. I might have something that can help you with me, if it didn't get damaged in my car."
"We'll get it, then. I'll go with you."
"I'm going to go check on the doctors with Hobbes," Claire stated. "I'll have to tell them about the poison."
Mady turned and walked out to her car with Darien following her.
Claire walked weakly off to the trauma room, pushed open the doors to the trauma room and grabbed the arm of a nurse as she walked by. "He has a poison in his system. It's meant to slow the respiratory system and then go to work on his heart."
Mady got a case out of her car, and set it down on the ground and opened it.
Claire looked hopefully at Hobbes who was hooked to a breathing machine and other monitors, with several tubes and wires connected to him.
Mady went through many vials, most broken in the case, she pulled two out in particular, stood up and turned to Darien. "This is the poison," she showed him one vial. "This is the experimental antidote." she showed him the other one. "We never finished testing it."
Hobbes' blood pressure started to drop.
"Well, we're gonna test it now. Let's go."
Mady followed Darien back into the hospital as he headed toward the trauma wing. "Claire. There's an untested antidote."
"So, you say you have no clue whether this'll work or not?" She narrowed her eyes at Mady.
"I'm not sure."
"You know what's in this stuff?" Darien asked.
Claire looked at the monitors as they started to blare an alarm. "Well, we maybe damned if we do, but we're certainly damned if we don't."
"I suggest you hurry and get that antidote into your friend."
"Give it, then," Darien agreed.
Claire grabbed a syringe and filled it with the antidote. She shot a wary glance at Darien and injected Hobbes. She backed up as nurses and doctors flooded the room, tending to Hobbes and yelling at her to tell them what she gave him.
Mady backed up and went to stand in the hallway.
Darien shielded Claire from the press of people. She turned her face towards Darien's chest and tried not to cry.
Darien watched as the doctors and nurses scurried around Hobbes, and tried not to imagine scarabs over a dead body.
Claire lost her battle with her tears and began to cry. Darien moved her out of the room "Just hold on, Keepy."
Hobbes' heart rate and breathing slowly returned to normal though he remained unconscious.
"Bobby? Darien, it worked." Claire whispered.
"Yeah. This time." Darien replied in a worried tone.
"What do you mean this time? Are you planning on a next time?"
"No. But I'm sure they are. And next time, it might not be Hobbes," he answered.
Mady leaned against the wall in the hall, she checked her arm and suddenly realized how much blood she had lost.
Hobbes blinked his eyes and moaned softly.
Claire sniffled and looked at Bobby. She pushed her way back into the trauma room to stand next to him.
Mady slid down the wall into a sitting position as a nurse noticed her and rushed over to help.
Darien leaned against the wall outside, and looked up at the ceiling.
Hobbes tried to move but was tangled up in all of the cords and wires. He wanted to talk but the breathing tube was still in place.
Darien composed himself, took a deep breath, then made his way into the room.
"Bobby?" Claire took his hand gently. "Squeeze my hand if you can hear me, Bobby."
Hobbes squeezed Claire's hand.
Mady fell unconscious as she felt herself getting picked up by some orderlies who took her to get her wound treated.
Claire smiled at Darien. "I think he's going to be all right."
Darien breathed a sigh of relief and leaned over Hobbes "I told you not to have that last Long Island Iced Tea..."
Hobbes smiled despite the breathing tube.
Claire smiled at the two men.
Mady laid in her room, half conscious as she noticed someone in the room with her, she turned her head to see Casey.
"Anything you want from home? Your teddy bear? Teletubbies jammies?" Darien asked Hobbes.
"No.....how did you find me?" Mady shivered.
Claire let go of Bobby's hand, and moved toward the door. "I'll be right back." she went off to find the doctor in charge of Hobbes.
"We followed you on purpose dear, you led us right to you, and them," Casey explained.
"We checked your wallet. Why was there a "Friends of Bert and Ernie" membership card in there?" Darien teased.
Hobbes just glared at Darien.
Mady started to move, but Casey pulled out a gun. "I don't suggest that."
Darien chuckled a little. "Okay, I'll lay off. Glad to have you among the living, partner."
Hobbes groaned and tried to remove the breathing tube himself.
Mady slowly pushed the call button that was under her hand out of Casey's sight A nurse came into Mady's room and screamed when she saw the gun.
"I think you'd better keep that in, Hobbes," Darien cautioned.
Claire came back into the room with Darien and Hobbes.
"Think of it this way... you'll never get more vacation time than you can milk outta this." Darien joked.
Mady took the opportunity to make a run for it out of the room
Hobbes rolled his eyes and continued to fiddle with the tube.
"Hobbes... don't make me call the nurse..." Darien warned.
"Bobby, the doctor said that if you'll just relax, he'll have a nurse come in and take out the tube... But only if you stop playing with it." Claire stated.
Casey shot the gun at Mady as she ran down the hall.
Hobbes sighed defeated.
Claire jerked up at the sound of a gunshot. "What the hell..."
Hobbes sat up quickly.
Mady fell to the floor and tried to find cover, she turned around to find the gun right in her face.
"Bobby, lie back. Darien and I will go check it out."
"Why couldn't you just follow along? Do you realize the opportunities you gave up?" Casey asked.
Claire grabbed Darien's arm and pulled him out into the hall, just in time to see Mady look down the barrel of the gun.
"We should call hospital security."
"Yeah, we should," Claire agreed.
The nurse finally came in and removed the breathing tube. She checked Hobbes' vitals and left the room.
Claire looked around the hospital waiting area and rushed over to the security guard who she talked to earlier.
Darien poked his head in the door. "Yeah, Hobbes?
"Casey, you don't have to do this..." Mady pleaded.
Hobbes started getting out of his bed and Darien went over to help Hobbes
Claire looked at the guard and grabbed the gun out of his hand and pointed it at Casey.
"What's going on?" Hobbes asked with a cough.
"Do you have any idea who you've made enemies of? If I don't kill you someone else will," Casey shouted.
"Put down the gun before someone gets killed!" Claire countered.
Darien made sure Hobbes was steady, then stepped behind the door and quietly quicksilvered.
"Don't you get it? That's the point." Casey said.
Claire aimed the gun at Casey's head. "I was talking about you."
Mady closed her eyes and said a silent prayer.
Darien snuck out, and headed toward Casey.
Hobbes grabbed his gun out of his pile of clothes and went into the hall.
"If I don't kill her, they are going to kill me."
Darien put his finger quietly, gently, behind the trigger of the gun Casey was holding, then flipped it away.
"And wouldn't that be sad." Claire smirked.
"Yeah, REAL sad," Hobbes glared daggers at Casey as he leaned against the wall.
Casey looked surprised as her gun was flipped out of her hand, and Mady took the chance to tackle her and hold her down.
"Bobby! You should be in bed," Claire scolded.
Darien quickly left the scene, went back to the door, and desilvered.
"I've got a score to settle with her," he pointed at Casey.
Darien checked his tattoo.
Security came over to take Casey.
Mady stood up wobbling a little, but put a hand on the wall to steady herself.
Claire lowered her gun and walked over to Bobby. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."
Hobbes looked at Mady. "Are you alright?
"I'll live."
Hobbes nodded.
Claire looked over at Darien. "How are you doing, Darien?"
Darien held up the tattoo for Claire to see.
"I'm guessing you gave them the antidote and Chrysalis didn't like that too much," Hobbes added.
"No, they didn't, I'd say they downright hated it," Mady gave a half-hearted laugh.
Claire looked around the group and smiled. "Ok, well, let's get Bobby back to his room, and I can call Eberts to bring some counteragent."
Hobbes looked at Mady and grinned "Thank you."
"Thanks, Keepy."
"Come on, Bobby," Claire started pulling him back down the hallway.
A/N: That was our role play session. I played Hobbes, Hei-Mao was Darien, Dariens1andOnly was Claire, and LoneGirl was Mady, Stark, Casey AND the GM.
Feedback is welcome....
Fanfic by: NekoSama (aka Chris) nekosama@ix.netcom.com
Thanks to: LoneGirl, Hei-Mao, and Dariens1AndOnly
Rating: PG
Spoilers: JA
Summary: A chatroom IMAN RPG turned into a fanfic. Bobby, Darien and Claire go out for a drink and things go wrong.
Disclaimer: IMAN and all of its characters are not mine and are used without permission.
Darien sat in the Official's seat, putting his feet up on the desk. "Okay, there we go..."
Hobbes snickered.
Claire walked into the office.
Darien picked up the phone, speaking into the empty handset.
"Hello, boys."
"Hey there keepy," Hobbes looked up at Claire.
"Mr. President, I need that invisible man of yours to send me fifty pepperoni pizzas, no sauce... Oh, hi, Keepy."
Claire smiled.
Darien put the phone down.
"Is the Official here yet?" Claire asked.
"I think he went home already," Hobbes replied.
Darien gestured to his posterior firmly ensconced in the 'Fish's chair.
"It's after 5," Hobbes pointed out.
"Oh, well, why are we here then?" Claire pondered.
"You know, I'm not sure myself," Darien added.
"Hey buddy, you wanna go out for a drink?"
"Want to make prank calls on the Official's speed dial?" Darien joked.
"That can't be a good idea, Darien," Claire warned as she smiled at Darien.
"Yeah, the drink might be a better idea," Darien agreed.
"Let's go then," Hobbes stood and opened the door.
"Who knows what might happen if I ask the Premier of China if he has Prince Albert in the can?" Darien got up, ready to go.
"That might start a war there, buddy."
"Where to?" Darien asked.
"I know this place we can go."
Darien grabbed his tan jacket "Yeah, where?"
Claire stood there with her arms crossed looking at them expectantly.
"You wanna come with Keepy?" Hobbes asked having forgotten she was standing there.
"I would love to, Bobby," Claire smiled slightly
"Lead the way, oh buddy, oh pal," Darien laughed as they walked to the car.
Hobbes opened the van door for Claire
Claire stepped into the van "Thank you, Bobby."
"Guess I get the back seat," Darien grumbled.
Hobbes pulled in front of a small night club.
"What is this place, Bobby?" Claire wondered.
"Just a nice little club I found, they have good dance music
and it's never too crowded," Hobbes replied opening the van door for Claire.
Claire looked at the entrance to the club and stepped down onto the curb. "Thank you."
Darien shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
Hobbes extended his arm to Claire. "Shall we?"
Claire took his arm and smiled. "We shall."
Darien put his hands in his jeans pockets, and walked in behind the pair
Hobbes led Claire inside. She looked around at the crowd of people. "I thought you said this place wasn't ever too crowded."
Hobbes took Claire and Darien over to a table. "It usually isn't. I'll be right back," and he went off to the bathroom.
Darien took a seat at one of the stools around the table
Claire sat down on a stool across from Darien.
Darien looked at Claire. "So..."
Claire looked at Darien. "So..."
"Um... how's Pavlov?"
"Oh, uh, he's good. Just happy being a dog, I guess..."
"Good, good, that's... uh, good..."
Hobbes finished and washed his hands. Two men came up behind him. He kicked at the one, but the other struck him from behind and knocked him out.
They picked him up and took him out the back door, being careful not to be seen.
Darien looked up. "Huh, Hobbes has been gone for awhile," he slid off the stool. "I'll be right back."
Claire looked around the club, searching for Hobbes.
Darien entered bathroom. "Hey, Hobbsey, you fall in?" he looked down on the floor and found a gold DNA pin. "Aw, crap." he picked it up with some TP and went back into the main room looking for Claire.
Claire was still looking around the place for Hobbes when she saw Darien waving to her and walked over to him.
Darien met Claire in the middle and showed her the pin in the toilet paper. "Hobbes wasn't there, but this was."
Claire looked at the pin carefully. "Chrysalis."
"Yeah," he said sourly.
"Damn it..." she whispered.
"I'll go back, see if I can find anything else. You got a spare for the van?"
"Yeah, I think so," Claire searched her purse. "Damn it, I must've left it at home."
"We'll get a cab later then. I'll be right back," Darien headed to the bathroom, looking for other clues.
Claire looked around the club, eyeing everyone suspiciously.
Darien started looking around the floor of the bathroom. He found a pen on the floor for the Taurus Security Corp. He snagged another piece of TP and picked it up.
Claire spotted someone who she thought was Stark and moved over
towards him, only to find that it was not him. She noticed a piece of paper at the table where she and Darien had been sitting. She picked it up and read it.
Darien,
Our time has come. Yours is up.
-Stark
She was startled and went off in the direction of the men's room to find Darien.
Darien was heading out of the men's room.
"Darien! Find anything?"
"Just this pen," and he showed it to her.
Claire was still clutching at the note. "Taurus. A Chrysalis front, yes?"
"Could be. Certainly fits the mythological theme."
Claire remembered the note and handed it to him. "This was laying on our table."
Darien read it. "Aw, crap."
Claire nodded solemnly.
"Well, either this Taurus place is a trap, or the pen left behind was an accident. Either way, it's worth checking out."
"Knowing Chrysalis, I'd be willing to say the former. Let's get back to the Agency and call the Official. I suspect he'll want to know about Bobby's disappearance. I can check the pin and the pen for fingerprints. Maybe something will turn up."
"Sounds good to me. We'd better get a cab, then, " Darien headed outside, to hail a taxi.
Darien looked on the pen, and noticed an address for Taurus. He decided it would be better if they tried to get Hobbes back right now. He handed the pen to the driver. "Take me there."
Hobbes woke up in a room similar to the padded room, bound to a chair with leather straps. "What hie me?" he groaned. He blinked his eyes a few times and noticed his surroundings. "Aw crap!"
He tried to move, but the restraints were too tight. A door opened behind him and he tried to crane his head to see who entered the room.
Three people entered the room, Stark, Casey O'Claire, and Mady Carter.
Hobbes glared at Stark and then looked at Dr.O'Claire "So, Dr. O'Claire, when did you start working for HIM?"
"Recently," she replied.
"He make you an offer you couldn't refuse?" Hobbes hissed at her.
"Something like that," she replied in a cool tone.
"Well, Stark, what do you want with me?" he growled.
"I thought that would obvious, Agent Hobbes, I need information."
"Well..I'm not going to give you any information," Hobbes grumbled.
"I didn't say you would do it willingly," Stark stated.
"Bobby Hobbes doesn't break under pressure, so you'd better just kill me right now."
"Sorry, but I plan on trying anyway," Stark signaled Casey, who got a needle from Mady, and then injected Hobbes with it.
Hobbes bit his tongue to hold back a painful scream. "So...you're into torture now?"
"Mr.Hobbes, just tell me what I want to know, and this can stop. Now, where is Adam?"
"Adam who?" Hobbes asked.
"I think you know who he is talking about," Mady said.
Hobbes just sat there refusing to answer.
Darien handed the taxi driver some cash at the front of the building.
Claire stepped out of the taxi and surveyed the building.
"You comin' in with me, Keepy?"
"Yeah, I thought I saw something," she replied following him into the building.
"We got a plan for this?" he whispered.
"We look around and see if we can find Bobby?" Claire looked at him questioningly.
"Well, this is a security company... we got to be suave, use finesse. I know, I'll be nonchalant!" Darien thought for a moment.
Claire scoffed good naturedly. "Maybe, but neither of us is armed. So we're going to have to be even more careful than usual."
"Hey, Keepy... ever been quicksilvered?" Darien looked around for cameras.
Claire looked around for guards and then checked his wrist. "Be careful with your use of quicksilver, Darien." Claire pointed at the tattoo which was halfway red.
"Yeah, I know... we'll just use it to get around the security measures."
"All right, then, Darien."
"Hey, I was a good thief!" Darien insisted.
"Oh, I believe you, Darien. Let's just do this, ok?"
Darien started moving cautiously, hoping Claire would do the same. He looked around to avoid security.
Claire moved stealthily along side Darien.
Darien saw a fixed mount camera, and quietly quicksilvered himself and Claire. "When the camera is out of range, I will desilver."
Claire gasped in surprise at the quicksilver covering her skin. "Ok."
Darien stopped just outside the Taurus offices, checking the snake. "Used one segment."
"Good boy. Let's keep looking for any clues as to Bobby's location."
Mady got out another syringe, and handed it to Casey, who injected Hobbes again.
Hobbes did scream that time and glared at Stark.
"Just tell us and we don't have to go through this," Stark encouraged him.
Mady looked down at her feet and up again, a frustrated expression on her face. "This is getting us nowhere," she muttered
Stark glared at Mady who closed her mouth and looked away.
"I told you I'm not going to answer...your questions..." Hobbes gasped as he blinked back tears.
"Mr.Hobbes, it would be in your best interests to tell us what we want to know," Stark insisted.
"Not going....to happen..." Hobbes tried to ignore the burning pain from the injected poison in his bloodstream.
Darien looked at the door to the offices.
Claire followed his gaze as she heard Bobby's scream.
Darien looked around. "That sounded like a scream..."
"Yeah, it sounded like Bobby."
"No time for stealth now..."
Claire looked at Darien and raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you planning?"
"This looks like an electronic lock. I'm gonna short-circuit it," he said as he sent some quicksilver into the lock mechanism.
"Be careful, Darien."
"I'm always careful, Just not lucky."
Claire smirked "Mm-hmm. Hurry, Darien."
Darien heard the tell-tale sound of frying wiring.
Stark nodded to Casey, who looked at Mady. Mady reluctantly got out another injection and handed it to Casey who used it on Hobbes.
Hobbes let out a painful shriek. "You are...a sick bastard..."
"Mr.Hobbes, I suggest you just tell him what he wants to know, he's not going to stop," Mady tried to reason with him. "And your body can't take much more of this."
"I'd rather die... than give him... what he wants," Hobbes told her as each breath was getting more labored.
"Are you sure it's worth it?"
"It is... in my book..."
"Let's leave him to rest for a moment," Stark sighed and left the office with Casey and Mady following him.
Darien twisted the knob.
"Good work, Darien," Claire looked up as she heard the scream. "Oh, god, let's hurry!"
Darien ran in the direction of the scream with Claire following him closely. He burst into the room.
Claire ran to Hobbes. "Oh, Bobby, are you all right?" she winced noting his pale skin and the needles on the table next to him. "Never mind."
Hobbes let out a small laugh.
Darien quicksilvered the straps.
"Sure... I'm ...fine," Hobbes stood but was very shaky, his skin burning with fever.
Darien helped hold him up.
Claire stopped. "Darien, get him outta here."
"Gotcha."
"I need to see what they injected him with."
Casey, Mady, and Stark were in his office discussing how to continue.
"Were not going to get anywhere this way, he won't talk," Mady stated.
"He will talk, we just need to give it time," Stark argued.
"He'll die first, I think he made that obvious," Mady countered.
"Carter, Your only here to help, not have an opinion," Casey fumed.
"Well I got one, You should have thought of that before you tricked me into working here."
"I didn't trick you, you came willingly." Casey countered.
"You didn't tell me what went on here, just there were many opportunities for funding for research, not that this was the price for it," Mady fired back.
"Why don't you stop complaining, and go check on Mr.Hobbes, while Stark and I talk."
Mady narrowed her eyes, but left without further comment.
Hobbes leaned on Darien heavily. "So much for our night out, huh, partner?"
Darien grinned. "Yeah, you look like you've had one too many."
Claire searched the room and picked up an empty vial.
Hobbes coughed and gripped Darien tightly before passing out.
Claire ran down the hall to join Darien and Bobby.
Darien nearly buckled. "Oh boy..."
Claire caught Bobby before he fell. "Come on, we gotta get him back to the Agency."
Mady walked down the hall and turned a corner to find the three going for the entrance.
Darien and Claire got Bobby the front of the building and went outside. Claire saw Mady standing by the wall. She glared back at Mady and then hailed a taxi with her free hand.
Mady was about to hit the alarm, but hesitated, then the alarm went off without her touching it, she turned to find Casey behind her.
Claire helped Bobby into the taxi and climbed in herself. Darien sat on the other side of Hobbes.
Casey glared at Mady then went back to Starks office, as Chrysalis agents started to go after the three.
Claire gave the driver the address as they speed away from the building.
The Chrysalis agents got outside just in time to miss the cab.
Darien put his thumb to his nose, wiggling his fingers at the agents... "Nyah nyah!"
Stark's voice came over the intercom, calling Mady to his office.
Mady started to go that way, then thought better of it and turned back around. She headed down to her lab, collected her things, and headed for the building exit.
Mady avoided Agents and other security agents, and made it out to her car. She put her things in the car and got in, she looked over in time to see agents coming out of the building with guns. She gunned it, and sped off as they shot at her car, breaking the back window, one bullet grazed her arm and she cried out in pain, but continued to drive.
Claire released a sigh of relief and checked Bobby's pulse. "Strong, but not so steady."
Hobbes' breathing began to slow down.
"Bobby! Come on, I need you to stay conscious. Do that for me, ok?" Claire cried out.
Hobbes ' breathing stopped a moment later.
"Damn it! Driver! Get us to a hospital!" Claire shouted.
"What did they put in him?" Darien asked, the tone of his voice was very worried.
"I don't know, Darien. I've never heard of this drug!" Claire opened the taxi door before the car stopped. "Darien! Help me!"
"Gotcha..." Darien helped get Hobbes out of the car.
Claire began shouting at the doctors and nurses. "This man has stopped breathing! He needs medical attention. Now!"
Claire jumped as a security guard placed his hand on her shoulder. "We're federal agents." and flashed her badge at the man.
Mady pulled over after driving far enough away, and looked at her arm, which was bleeding pretty badly. She made a temporary bandage and headed for the hospital
She had a few tears coming down her face from pain as she pulled into the hospital lot and parked her car.
Claire stood next to Darien outside the door of the trauma room. She fought against the tears that were threatening to spill over.
Darien offered a shoulder to Claire, but wasn't feeling too cheery himself.
The doctors were still trying to get Hobbes' breathing started.
Claire leaned against Darien and sniffled. She saw Mady out of the corner of her eye and clenched her jaw.
Darien sensed the tension, looking where Claire was looking.
Mady walked to the front desk to talk to the woman, who started to hand her forms.
Claire walked over to Mady and yelled. "You! What the hell is this stuff?!? What did you give him!"
Darien tried to calm Claire down. "Easy, easy...it won't help Hobbes if you're arrested for causing a disturbance."
Claire calmed a little, but was still livid. "I. Need. To. Know." and she narrowed her eyes at Mady.
Darien walked over to Mady. "You'd better tell me what you put in him, or else..."
"I didn't put it in him for you information, but I do know what it is."
Darien smiled with mock-sweetness."Then tell us."
"Well? What is it?"
Mady sighed. "The poison slows respiratory functions first and then works on the heart. I might have something that can help you with me, if it didn't get damaged in my car."
"We'll get it, then. I'll go with you."
"I'm going to go check on the doctors with Hobbes," Claire stated. "I'll have to tell them about the poison."
Mady turned and walked out to her car with Darien following her.
Claire walked weakly off to the trauma room, pushed open the doors to the trauma room and grabbed the arm of a nurse as she walked by. "He has a poison in his system. It's meant to slow the respiratory system and then go to work on his heart."
Mady got a case out of her car, and set it down on the ground and opened it.
Claire looked hopefully at Hobbes who was hooked to a breathing machine and other monitors, with several tubes and wires connected to him.
Mady went through many vials, most broken in the case, she pulled two out in particular, stood up and turned to Darien. "This is the poison," she showed him one vial. "This is the experimental antidote." she showed him the other one. "We never finished testing it."
Hobbes' blood pressure started to drop.
"Well, we're gonna test it now. Let's go."
Mady followed Darien back into the hospital as he headed toward the trauma wing. "Claire. There's an untested antidote."
"So, you say you have no clue whether this'll work or not?" She narrowed her eyes at Mady.
"I'm not sure."
"You know what's in this stuff?" Darien asked.
Claire looked at the monitors as they started to blare an alarm. "Well, we maybe damned if we do, but we're certainly damned if we don't."
"I suggest you hurry and get that antidote into your friend."
"Give it, then," Darien agreed.
Claire grabbed a syringe and filled it with the antidote. She shot a wary glance at Darien and injected Hobbes. She backed up as nurses and doctors flooded the room, tending to Hobbes and yelling at her to tell them what she gave him.
Mady backed up and went to stand in the hallway.
Darien shielded Claire from the press of people. She turned her face towards Darien's chest and tried not to cry.
Darien watched as the doctors and nurses scurried around Hobbes, and tried not to imagine scarabs over a dead body.
Claire lost her battle with her tears and began to cry. Darien moved her out of the room "Just hold on, Keepy."
Hobbes' heart rate and breathing slowly returned to normal though he remained unconscious.
"Bobby? Darien, it worked." Claire whispered.
"Yeah. This time." Darien replied in a worried tone.
"What do you mean this time? Are you planning on a next time?"
"No. But I'm sure they are. And next time, it might not be Hobbes," he answered.
Mady leaned against the wall in the hall, she checked her arm and suddenly realized how much blood she had lost.
Hobbes blinked his eyes and moaned softly.
Claire sniffled and looked at Bobby. She pushed her way back into the trauma room to stand next to him.
Mady slid down the wall into a sitting position as a nurse noticed her and rushed over to help.
Darien leaned against the wall outside, and looked up at the ceiling.
Hobbes tried to move but was tangled up in all of the cords and wires. He wanted to talk but the breathing tube was still in place.
Darien composed himself, took a deep breath, then made his way into the room.
"Bobby?" Claire took his hand gently. "Squeeze my hand if you can hear me, Bobby."
Hobbes squeezed Claire's hand.
Mady fell unconscious as she felt herself getting picked up by some orderlies who took her to get her wound treated.
Claire smiled at Darien. "I think he's going to be all right."
Darien breathed a sigh of relief and leaned over Hobbes "I told you not to have that last Long Island Iced Tea..."
Hobbes smiled despite the breathing tube.
Claire smiled at the two men.
Mady laid in her room, half conscious as she noticed someone in the room with her, she turned her head to see Casey.
"Anything you want from home? Your teddy bear? Teletubbies jammies?" Darien asked Hobbes.
"No.....how did you find me?" Mady shivered.
Claire let go of Bobby's hand, and moved toward the door. "I'll be right back." she went off to find the doctor in charge of Hobbes.
"We followed you on purpose dear, you led us right to you, and them," Casey explained.
"We checked your wallet. Why was there a "Friends of Bert and Ernie" membership card in there?" Darien teased.
Hobbes just glared at Darien.
Mady started to move, but Casey pulled out a gun. "I don't suggest that."
Darien chuckled a little. "Okay, I'll lay off. Glad to have you among the living, partner."
Hobbes groaned and tried to remove the breathing tube himself.
Mady slowly pushed the call button that was under her hand out of Casey's sight A nurse came into Mady's room and screamed when she saw the gun.
"I think you'd better keep that in, Hobbes," Darien cautioned.
Claire came back into the room with Darien and Hobbes.
"Think of it this way... you'll never get more vacation time than you can milk outta this." Darien joked.
Mady took the opportunity to make a run for it out of the room
Hobbes rolled his eyes and continued to fiddle with the tube.
"Hobbes... don't make me call the nurse..." Darien warned.
"Bobby, the doctor said that if you'll just relax, he'll have a nurse come in and take out the tube... But only if you stop playing with it." Claire stated.
Casey shot the gun at Mady as she ran down the hall.
Hobbes sighed defeated.
Claire jerked up at the sound of a gunshot. "What the hell..."
Hobbes sat up quickly.
Mady fell to the floor and tried to find cover, she turned around to find the gun right in her face.
"Bobby, lie back. Darien and I will go check it out."
"Why couldn't you just follow along? Do you realize the opportunities you gave up?" Casey asked.
Claire grabbed Darien's arm and pulled him out into the hall, just in time to see Mady look down the barrel of the gun.
"We should call hospital security."
"Yeah, we should," Claire agreed.
The nurse finally came in and removed the breathing tube. She checked Hobbes' vitals and left the room.
Claire looked around the hospital waiting area and rushed over to the security guard who she talked to earlier.
Darien poked his head in the door. "Yeah, Hobbes?
"Casey, you don't have to do this..." Mady pleaded.
Hobbes started getting out of his bed and Darien went over to help Hobbes
Claire looked at the guard and grabbed the gun out of his hand and pointed it at Casey.
"What's going on?" Hobbes asked with a cough.
"Do you have any idea who you've made enemies of? If I don't kill you someone else will," Casey shouted.
"Put down the gun before someone gets killed!" Claire countered.
Darien made sure Hobbes was steady, then stepped behind the door and quietly quicksilvered.
"Don't you get it? That's the point." Casey said.
Claire aimed the gun at Casey's head. "I was talking about you."
Mady closed her eyes and said a silent prayer.
Darien snuck out, and headed toward Casey.
Hobbes grabbed his gun out of his pile of clothes and went into the hall.
"If I don't kill her, they are going to kill me."
Darien put his finger quietly, gently, behind the trigger of the gun Casey was holding, then flipped it away.
"And wouldn't that be sad." Claire smirked.
"Yeah, REAL sad," Hobbes glared daggers at Casey as he leaned against the wall.
Casey looked surprised as her gun was flipped out of her hand, and Mady took the chance to tackle her and hold her down.
"Bobby! You should be in bed," Claire scolded.
Darien quickly left the scene, went back to the door, and desilvered.
"I've got a score to settle with her," he pointed at Casey.
Darien checked his tattoo.
Security came over to take Casey.
Mady stood up wobbling a little, but put a hand on the wall to steady herself.
Claire lowered her gun and walked over to Bobby. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."
Hobbes looked at Mady. "Are you alright?
"I'll live."
Hobbes nodded.
Claire looked over at Darien. "How are you doing, Darien?"
Darien held up the tattoo for Claire to see.
"I'm guessing you gave them the antidote and Chrysalis didn't like that too much," Hobbes added.
"No, they didn't, I'd say they downright hated it," Mady gave a half-hearted laugh.
Claire looked around the group and smiled. "Ok, well, let's get Bobby back to his room, and I can call Eberts to bring some counteragent."
Hobbes looked at Mady and grinned "Thank you."
"Thanks, Keepy."
"Come on, Bobby," Claire started pulling him back down the hallway.
A/N: That was our role play session. I played Hobbes, Hei-Mao was Darien, Dariens1andOnly was Claire, and LoneGirl was Mady, Stark, Casey AND the GM.
Feedback is welcome....