Kelly looked around the room, "Clearly everyone here but me knows what this counteragent stuff is!"

"Well." Claire said, "It something important to the Agency. Have you called the Official yet?"

"No, I was waiting to see if it was worth bothering him with."

"Well, you should call." Darien said.

"Wait, come on you guys, we're overlooking the important part." Hobbes said.

"What?" Darien asked.

"Eberts." Kelly said. He is in the hospital with a mild concussion,and recently fell into a coma." Claire was about to say something but Kelly put her hand up to stop her. "The doctor's said it wasn't permanent, but they're not sure when he'll come out of it. He also has two broken ribs and a broken jaw, it looks like he was hit repeatedly with a large object, maybe a baseball bat."

Kelly finished telling them all the information on Eberts including which hospital and what room number. They were getting ready to go to the hospital when Kelly said,"Mr. Fawkes, would you stay please? I need to talk to you."

"I guess." Darien replied.

~*~

"Claire?" Hobbes asked.

"Yes?"

"I didn't even know that Eberts had the recipe to the counteragent, did you?"

"No Bobby I didn't. But maybe he didn't either."

"What do you mean?" Hobbes asked.

~*~

"Have a seat Mr. Fawkes." Kelly said. "Are you aware of this, what was it called again?"

"Counteragent," Darien replied.

"Yes, counteragent?"

"Yeah." Darien said.

"Well? What is it? And don't say need to know only."

"I'm sorry Detective Kelly, but that's need..."

Kelly cut him off. "Yes, need to know, I think I asked you not to say that!"

"Nope." Darien said.

"Yes, I did!" Kelly said frustrated.

"No, you told me not to say it, you didn't ask."

"Just get out!" Kelly said.

"Hey, you're the one who invited me in." Darien said. Then he got up and left the room.

~*~

Darien opened the Official's office door and saw Hobbes and Claire laughing. "That was funny Fawkes." Hobbes said.

"You did really good Darien." Claire added through her laughter. Then Claire stopped laughing and said, "Speaking of counteragent, let me see your wrist. "Darien moved his watch, "Four segments left! Darien when did you..." Claire paused for a second, making sure Kelly couldn't hear her she added, " When did you go invisible?"

Darien thought about it for a second and then replied.

"When I was in your lab listening to you and Bobby talk."

"Oh," Claire said, "You know you shouldn't do that."

"Yeah, you've told me that before."

"Well, let's get you a shot before we leave, okay?"

Claire asked.

"Okay." Darien said as they headed to Claire's lab.

~*~

Kelly was frustrated. She had expected Darien to give her answer. How was she supposed to do the job she was sent to do if she didn't get the answers she needed? "Well I guess I should call Charlie." she said. Kelly looked around the desk until she found the piece of paper with his number on it.

~*~

Claire walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a syringe of counteragent. Then she walked over to Darien, who was sitting on the chair waiting for his shot. Claire wrapped a rubber cord around Darien's arm, when she saw a vein she liked she pushed the needle into his arm. Darien winced from the pain.

"Does it always hurt like that?" Hobbes asked.

"Yeah, every time my friend." Darien replied.

Claire took care of the empty syringe and then asked. "So you guys ready to go?"

~*~

"Charlie speaking." The Official said.

"Hey, this is Maria."

"What?" The Official asked. "Is Fawkes giving you trouble?"

"No, sir." Kelly replied, "I'm calling you about Eberts."

"What about him?" the Official asked.

~*~

The Official hung up his cell phone, then he walked over to where his brother and sister-in-law were standing.

"I need to go," he said, "There has been a serious problem at work. One of my employees is in the hospital."

"I understand." replied his brother, "Do what you need to."

~*~

Darien, Claire and Hobbes started walking to the van. "Hey partner." Hobbes said

Darien looked over, Hobbes tossed him the keys. "What

was that for?" Darien asked.

"Well I figure you're not going to stop until you get to drive. And we're going to a hospital anyway. If you crash we have a better chance of living." Hobbes said.

~*~

Kelly went out to the parking lot. The van was already gone. "Well, I guess I should go to the hospital too."

~*~

Darien pulled into the hospital parking lot, "Aw crap!"

"What?" Hobbes and Claire asked at the same time.

"The brakes, they're not working!" Darien said.

"You're not serious partner, are you?" Hobbes asked.

"Bobby, I can't stop the van."

"Darien, please say this is a joke!" Claire said.

Darien looked over at her and smiled. "Okay it was a joke," he said as he hit the brakes and stopped the van in time to miss someone walking to their car. "I just didn't think I'd ever get a chance to do that again."

"That was wrong my friend." Hobbes said.

"Yeah, but you should have seen the look on your face." Darien said.

"You scared me to see the look on my face?" Hobbes

asked.

"No."

"Then why?" Hobbes asked.

"Just a little pay back for when you made me think you were going to kill me."

"You mean when we put that helmet on you so Chrysalis would think you were dead.?"

"Yeah, that was the one."

"Hey Fawkes, you were right."

"What do you mean Bobby?" Darien asked.

"You're never going to get the chance to do that again

because you're never going to drive the van again." Hobbes said.

~*~

Alex answered her phone, "Hello."

"Alex it looks like we've got a case with Chrysalis, do you want to finish up and..."

Alex cut the Official off. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She said, then she hung up her cell phone.

~*~

Kelly went into the hospital and walked toward Eberts' room. Darien was sitting on a chair next to the bed.

Darien heard someone come in. He looked up to see Kelly standing at the door looking at him. "Need something?" He asked.

"Where is everyone?" she asked.

"Claire left to make a phone call, and Bobby is downstairs getting some coffee." Darien answered.

"Oh," Kelly replied, "I came to tell you guys that the Official is on his way here."

"Yeah, I already know." Darien said. "Alex is on her way too."

"Who is Alex?" Kelly asked.

"You don't know who Alex is?"

"No," Kelly replied, "If I did I wouldn't have asked you."

"Well," Darien said, "She is a five star agent sent to

the Agency by the President."

"Why did the President send her to the Agency?" Kelly asked sarcastically.

"If you don't believe me just ask Claire." Darien replied. Just then Claire walked into the room.

"Ask me what?"

Kelly looked over at her, "Mr. Fawkes here says that the Agency has a five star agent named Alex working for them. Oh and it gets better, he also says the President sent her."

Claire looked at her, "You mean Ms. Monroe. Yeah she works for the Agency, but we don't see her too much."

Kelly's mouth almost dropped open. "Why would the President send her to the Agency?"

"They're probably old friends." Darien replied.

~*~

Eberts heard voices talking but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He opened his eyes and saw Darien and the Keeper talking to Detective Kelly. He tried to say something but it came out mumbled. He realized there was something holding his mouth shut.

Claire looked toward Eberts; she thought she had heard

a noise. "He's awake!" Claire said with excitement in

her voice.

TBC