The Chief and Larabee stood in the corner of the Smart's apartment,
discussing the situation. By this time 99 had composed herself enough to
be able to come downstairs into the living room. The Chief had put in a
call to Control for some agents to come to the Smart's apartment and get a
start on the investigation as to what was going on. He also called a friend
of his and arranged for 99 to stay with them until the whole thing was
over, or at least until they knew what had happened to Max. Finally, the
Chief's friend, Anna, arrived at the apartment to take 99 back to her
house.
"Anna, you don't realize how much I appreciate this, Brooke is a dear friend of the family and hasn't been feeling well the past few days."
At this point "Brooke" stood up and picked up her suitcase, only to drop it to the floor and begin crying once more. The Chief immediately went over to her and tried to console her has he had been doing for the past six hours. After a few minutes 99 was able to stand up and was ready to leave. As much as she wanted to stay in their apartment, to stay with all the memories of Max, she knew that she needed some time away. Her mother was visiting family in California and 99 didn't feel up to making the cross-country trip, so she agreed to stay with the Chief's friend. After all, she needed time to think and if she can't be with her mother, what better place than at the home of one of the Chief's friends?
At this time the Control agents arrived at the apartment, and after briefing them and Larabee, the Chief escorted 99 and Anna to Anna's car as he was on his way back to Control. There was a lot of paperwork to be started and he had spent a lot of time comforting 99. As the three were walking to the cars, the Chief remembered that he had forgotten to give Larabee the key to the Smart's apartment so he could lock it up when he and the other agents left. After making sure that 99 was going to be alright, he turned around and headed back to the Smart's apartment, leaving the two women to continue on themselves.
Max sat there with the jagged piece of glass that sparkled like a diamond in the narrow slit of sunlight. He was in a strange state of peace, part of him feeling that everything was going to be fine, he was going to be with his love, 99. The other part of him still held on to reality and what Dr. Peligroso had said. Several hours after hearing those words and after several hours of thinking in this prison he was able to reanalyze his situation. Though is first reaction was to believe the worst, Max now found a tiny, miniscule ray of hope - the piece of glass. The way it sparkled like a diamond reminded him of his and 99's wedding day and their undying love for each other. For him the thought that 99 was still alive was small and hard to hold onto. The jagged, razor sharp edge was, to Max, a way of being with her. After several long minutes of contemplation Max made is decision. He slowly closed his eyes and took a long, deep, peaceful breath..Suddenly, the door flew open and the nameless man entered Max's prison. Taken aback, Max accidentally gave himself a cut on the hand. The cut was small, but deep. Soon a fair amount of blood had dropped on to the floor.
"What the..!? Come on, Smart, it's time for you to take a little trip. Dr. Peligroso feels that people are getting to close, he's decided that it's time to move."
Max was to focused on his wound to really listen to what had been said to him. Next thing he knew, he was being half dragged, half pushed to a room on the far side of the warehouse. Somewhere along their journey he vaguely remember dropping the blood stained glass shard onto the floor. The man pushed him through a door where the rest of Dr. Peligroso's men were waiting.
"Good evening, Mr. Smart, I am sure that you've been made aware of our little trip we're going to make. Now I wouldn't want you to have anything less than a peaceful journey."
At that moment he pulled out a syringe and began to approach Max, who instinctively began to back way. Considering his current physical, psychological, and emotional state, Max knew a struggle was useless. Dr. Peligroso injected the greenish colored liquid into Max's arm and soon everything went dark...
When Max woke up, he found himself in what appeared to be a tiny bedroom. He looked around at his new surroundings and then noticed that his hand was covered in a crude bandage. The room was dark and it took his eyes a moment or two to adjust to the lack of light. The sleeping serum still wasn't completely out of his system and he was feeling groggy. He couldn't make out anyone else in the room, so he decided that it would be safe to get out of the bed and look around a little, to try and get some idea of his new location. He slowly stood up, clutching the edge of the nightstand for support. A quick inventory revealed a twin sized bed, nightstand, small wooden chair, and a tiny four drawer dresser. Everything in the room had one thing in common, it all looked like something from a local dump, as if the owners of the house had left many years ago and all the objects in the house remained uncared for. He walked to the window and looked outside. Grass..as far as the eye could see there was grass. The house was in the middle of nowhere. And as he looked down he judged that he must be on the fourth floor, possibly in an attic. Next, he headed to the door and slowly reached for the knob. To his dismay it was locked. He pressed his ear to the door and listened. All was quiet on the other side. He made a feeble attempt to break it open, but in his condition it was useless. He collapsed with exhaustion and leaned up against the door for a moment before stumbling back to the bed where he once again was overtaken by sleep.
99 and Anna had reached the car and Anna was putting the suitcase into the trunk. 99 was standing motionless and distant next to the passenger side door, unable or unwilling to open the door. She had tried to put the suitcase away herself, but Anna insisted that she let her take care of it, insisting that 99 was in no condition to do anything but rest. She was opening the trunk when 99, stubborn and head strong, tried one last time to help. Her attempt was greeted with a somewhat stern look from Anna. Realizing that Anna was set on putting the piece of luggage away by herself, 99 walked to the front of the car and began to think once again about the situation. Meanwhile, Anna silently cursed to herself over the size of the suitcase, there was very little space left in the trunk. After staring at the open trunk and back at the suitcase, she finally began to shove the items in the trunk to one side. After making sufficient space, she placed 99 suitcase into on side of the trunk. Before she closed the hood, she commented to herself how the black, leather suitcase contrasted quite strongly with the mound of red rose petals.
"Anna, you don't realize how much I appreciate this, Brooke is a dear friend of the family and hasn't been feeling well the past few days."
At this point "Brooke" stood up and picked up her suitcase, only to drop it to the floor and begin crying once more. The Chief immediately went over to her and tried to console her has he had been doing for the past six hours. After a few minutes 99 was able to stand up and was ready to leave. As much as she wanted to stay in their apartment, to stay with all the memories of Max, she knew that she needed some time away. Her mother was visiting family in California and 99 didn't feel up to making the cross-country trip, so she agreed to stay with the Chief's friend. After all, she needed time to think and if she can't be with her mother, what better place than at the home of one of the Chief's friends?
At this time the Control agents arrived at the apartment, and after briefing them and Larabee, the Chief escorted 99 and Anna to Anna's car as he was on his way back to Control. There was a lot of paperwork to be started and he had spent a lot of time comforting 99. As the three were walking to the cars, the Chief remembered that he had forgotten to give Larabee the key to the Smart's apartment so he could lock it up when he and the other agents left. After making sure that 99 was going to be alright, he turned around and headed back to the Smart's apartment, leaving the two women to continue on themselves.
Max sat there with the jagged piece of glass that sparkled like a diamond in the narrow slit of sunlight. He was in a strange state of peace, part of him feeling that everything was going to be fine, he was going to be with his love, 99. The other part of him still held on to reality and what Dr. Peligroso had said. Several hours after hearing those words and after several hours of thinking in this prison he was able to reanalyze his situation. Though is first reaction was to believe the worst, Max now found a tiny, miniscule ray of hope - the piece of glass. The way it sparkled like a diamond reminded him of his and 99's wedding day and their undying love for each other. For him the thought that 99 was still alive was small and hard to hold onto. The jagged, razor sharp edge was, to Max, a way of being with her. After several long minutes of contemplation Max made is decision. He slowly closed his eyes and took a long, deep, peaceful breath..Suddenly, the door flew open and the nameless man entered Max's prison. Taken aback, Max accidentally gave himself a cut on the hand. The cut was small, but deep. Soon a fair amount of blood had dropped on to the floor.
"What the..!? Come on, Smart, it's time for you to take a little trip. Dr. Peligroso feels that people are getting to close, he's decided that it's time to move."
Max was to focused on his wound to really listen to what had been said to him. Next thing he knew, he was being half dragged, half pushed to a room on the far side of the warehouse. Somewhere along their journey he vaguely remember dropping the blood stained glass shard onto the floor. The man pushed him through a door where the rest of Dr. Peligroso's men were waiting.
"Good evening, Mr. Smart, I am sure that you've been made aware of our little trip we're going to make. Now I wouldn't want you to have anything less than a peaceful journey."
At that moment he pulled out a syringe and began to approach Max, who instinctively began to back way. Considering his current physical, psychological, and emotional state, Max knew a struggle was useless. Dr. Peligroso injected the greenish colored liquid into Max's arm and soon everything went dark...
When Max woke up, he found himself in what appeared to be a tiny bedroom. He looked around at his new surroundings and then noticed that his hand was covered in a crude bandage. The room was dark and it took his eyes a moment or two to adjust to the lack of light. The sleeping serum still wasn't completely out of his system and he was feeling groggy. He couldn't make out anyone else in the room, so he decided that it would be safe to get out of the bed and look around a little, to try and get some idea of his new location. He slowly stood up, clutching the edge of the nightstand for support. A quick inventory revealed a twin sized bed, nightstand, small wooden chair, and a tiny four drawer dresser. Everything in the room had one thing in common, it all looked like something from a local dump, as if the owners of the house had left many years ago and all the objects in the house remained uncared for. He walked to the window and looked outside. Grass..as far as the eye could see there was grass. The house was in the middle of nowhere. And as he looked down he judged that he must be on the fourth floor, possibly in an attic. Next, he headed to the door and slowly reached for the knob. To his dismay it was locked. He pressed his ear to the door and listened. All was quiet on the other side. He made a feeble attempt to break it open, but in his condition it was useless. He collapsed with exhaustion and leaned up against the door for a moment before stumbling back to the bed where he once again was overtaken by sleep.
99 and Anna had reached the car and Anna was putting the suitcase into the trunk. 99 was standing motionless and distant next to the passenger side door, unable or unwilling to open the door. She had tried to put the suitcase away herself, but Anna insisted that she let her take care of it, insisting that 99 was in no condition to do anything but rest. She was opening the trunk when 99, stubborn and head strong, tried one last time to help. Her attempt was greeted with a somewhat stern look from Anna. Realizing that Anna was set on putting the piece of luggage away by herself, 99 walked to the front of the car and began to think once again about the situation. Meanwhile, Anna silently cursed to herself over the size of the suitcase, there was very little space left in the trunk. After staring at the open trunk and back at the suitcase, she finally began to shove the items in the trunk to one side. After making sufficient space, she placed 99 suitcase into on side of the trunk. Before she closed the hood, she commented to herself how the black, leather suitcase contrasted quite strongly with the mound of red rose petals.
