Chapter 3: Be Prepared
"I think it's safe to say we have a serious problem on our hands, my friends," sighed Hobbes.
Everyone had seemed to forget the little quarrels they had been having earlier this morning. A few minutes after Darien's "announcement" The agents were cooperating with each other. They all knew that Darien was very dangerous while he was quicksilver mad and none of them wanted to be found by him. They would have to make the first move.
"The best thing to do in a situation like this is to remain calm," ordered the Official.
"How can we remain clam when there's a crazy, dangerous, not to mention INVISIBLE agent after us!!" yelled Eberts, who was unusually hysterical. We was might by the usual chorus of...
"SHUT UP, Eberts."
"The first thing we need to do is equip ourselves with thermals and counteragent. Then we need to formulate a plan," said the Official.
'KNOCK KNOCK'
There was bang at the door. All the agents jumped.
"Uh, sir? It's Agent Smith. May I come in?"
"Hurry up. What is it?"
"Well sir, all the thermals and two-way radios are...gone. We searched for them everywhere, but they're just not there."
"What? FAWKES! Sometimes I think he's more clever than he lets on. There has to be some other place where we keep equipment, other than the storage room..."
Claire interrupted the Official's ponderings.
"Sir, I just happen to keep some extra pairs of thermals locked in my office. I kept them in case of an emergency like this. Darien doesn't know I have them."
"Excellent. How many pairs?"
"Five. There is one for every person in this room."
"Fine. Eberts, contact all other personnel and have them exit the building. Even the other agents. Without being able to see Darien they'll be useless. Make sure they clock out too. I don't want to be paying them for more then they worked."
"Yes, sir," replied Eberts, who was calming down.
"We had better head down to my lab then. That's where all the counteragent is and we have to get to it before Darien does."
"Keep's right. We better start moving," said Hobbes. He was really worried about his partner. He had instantly forgotten that he was mad at him. He couldn't stay mad. Darien was his partner and he had promised to watch Darien's back, no matter what the situation.
With that, the small group carefully made their way down the halls to the Keep, guns drawn. Once there, Claire locked the door behind them and thought up a plan.
"The first thing we need to do is get our thermal glasses on and remember to keep them on. Then we need to spread out and search for Darien. I'll arm you all with tranquilizers, counteragent and radios," the Keep said as she unlocked a cabinet.
"You have radios too?" scoffed Alex. On the outside she was acting natural, but secretly she thanking Claire for being so prepared.
"I'm going to stay in the office and try to contact some people on the outside. Besides, I'm in no shape to take on Fawkes, especially when he's..not feeling well. Eberts will stay with me as well."
"Of course sir," sighed Eberts.
"I'll escort you and Eberts back to your office and then make my way to the upper floors."
"Thank you Claire. Now Hobbes, you start in the main office where the loudspeaker system is located. Monroe, you start here in the Keep and then move onto the other rooms on this floor. Be careful everyone."
After a chorus of "yes, sirs", Claire escorted the Official back to the office, Hobbes headed up a floor to the main office and Monroe started snooping around the other rooms near the Keep. No one had actually put on their glasses until they had left the Keep. They hadn't realized that the very person they were looking for had been sitting in his "favorite" chair listening to the whole conversation. When he was they had all left, Darien shook off the quicksilver, revealing his shiny, red eyes. He then proceeded to dump the remaining viles of counteragent down the sink. There were now only five vials left: one with each of his friends.
'If I can just get rid of those remaining vials I'll be... free. Ahh, freedom. It's so close I can smell it,' thought Darien. He was fed up with this Agency, those people, and the shots. When he thought of his freedom he laughed happily and then quicksilvered. It was time for the real fun to begin...
TBC
