DS #10 Storms of Quicksilver (5/?)
By Carol M.
See prologue for details. Enjoy it, folks!
"Darien," said Claire in a frightened tone as she started to sway on her feet.
"Whoa, Keep," said Bobby as he put his arms out to steady her. "Let's get you on the couch," he said as he led her out of Katie's room and into the living room.
Darien didn't acknowledge Claire's near faint. Instead, he continued to stand in shocked silence, staring at the quicksilvered words on Katie's bed.
After Bobby had gotten Claire settled, he hustled back into Katie's room and stepped behind Darien, not sure what he should do. "Fawkes?" he said in an uncertain tone.
Darien ignored Bobby and stepped towards Katie's bed, picking up her stuffed bunny. He hugged it to his chest and inhaled its scent, seemingly in some kind of a trance.
"Fawkes?" said Bobby again as he stepped forward and put a supportive hand on his partner's back. "I'm sorry, partner, this is all my fault. I should have seen it coming…I should have…"
"Stop," interrupted Darien.
"Fawkes, I'm sorry," continued Bobby
Darien turned around and gave Bobby an angry glare. "Would you please just stop?"
Bobby nodded silently.
"We have to get her back," said Darien in a zombie-like tone as he stepped past Bobby and walked out the door.
Bobby was right behind him, just as eager as Darien to get Katie back.
Darien marched past Claire's sobbing form on the couch and headed straight for Arnaud.
Arnaud saw the look of anger in Darien's eyes and quickly tried to do something to get away. He started pulling at his handcuffs, but nothing would budge. "Whoa, whoa, Fawkes," he yelled out in terror.
Darien ignored him and threw Arnaud on the ground along with the chair. The chair smashed into a million pieces and cut Arnaud's arm in several places. Darien didn't seem to notice. He picked Arnaud off the ground and smashed him against the wall, his breath coming in harsh, angry pants. "Did you have anything to do with this?" he screamed in anger.
Arnaud shook his head. "No," he replied simply.
Darien smiled pleasantly and looked back at Bobby. "No," he said as he turned back to face Arnaud and punched Arnaud in the stomach. "Somehow I don't believe you," he said as he punched Arnaud in the face.
Arnaud spit blood from his mouth and took a deep breath. "I swear it, Fawkes, I didn't know, you have my word."
"Oh yeah, you're word really means a lot to me," said Darien as he started to pound on Arnaud.
"Fawkes," yelled Bobby as he came up behind him and pulled him off the semi-conscious Swiss man. "We're wasting time. We can take care of this douche later," he said, nodding at Arnaud's bloody form.
Darien shrugged out of his grip and took a deep breath, nodding slowly.
"Darien," said Claire tearfully from the couch.
Darien turned around and looked at her, hating the look of pain on her face. He stepped towards her and sank down in the couch next to her, fighting tears of his own. The couple embraced for several seconds, both taking comfort in the warm body of the other. "We'll get her back," said Darien hoarsely as he parted from the embrace and stood up.
Claire grabbed his hand and looked deep into his eyes, nodding slightly. "I know," she said as she turned his wrist to look at his tattoo. Seven segments red, three segments green. "You need a shot," she said as she too stood up and headed into their bedroom.
Darien sat back down in the couch and took a deep breath, blowing it out harshly.
"Fawkes?" said Bobby in a questioning tone, not sure how to approach his partner.
Darien put his hand up to stop him. "Hobbes, I'm sorry man. None of this is your fault. I don't mean to be such a bastard."
"You got every right to be," said Bobby as he sat down on the couch next to Darien. "Looks like Arnie took the brunt of your anger," he said in slight amusement as he glanced at Arnaud's unconscious form on the floor.
Darien smiled slightly in response.
"Here it is," said Claire as she emerged from the bedroom holding a syringe of the blue stuff. She knelt down next to Darien and tapped a vein, then expertly ejected the contents into Darien's arm.
Darien sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, letting the counteragent do its thing and calm him done a bit. After a moment, he opened his eyes and gave Claire a small reassuring smile. He leaned down and pressed a delicate kiss against her lips and then stood up, heading towards the door.
"Whoa, whoa, hold up, Fawkes," said Bobby as he scurried after him.
"Hobbes, not now," said Darien in irritation as he opened the door.
"No, you aren't doing what you think you're doing, my friend. You ain't taking this scum down alone," said Bobby.
"I don't think I have much of a choice," said Darien as he suddenly quicksilvered and ran out the door.
"Damn it, Fawkes," yelled Bobby in frustration as he searched the cabin for the thermal goggles. When he finally located them, he fastened them securely around his eyes and dashed out the door, looking for any sign of Darien. Five minutes and a lot of cursing later, Bobby returned to the cabin. He gave Claire a frustrated shake of the head. "He split. No sign of him out there," said Bobby as he sank down into the couch. "Sullivan slashed the tires of the SUV, which means we're pretty much stuck here."
Claire plopped down on the couch next to him and put her head in her hands. "What are we going to do, Bobby?"
Bobby rubbed her back in a comforting gesture and then pulled out his cell phone. "We're gonna call for a little back up," was his reply as he quickly dialed the phone.
**
"Isn't there anyone else you could send out?" asked Alex as she glanced over at Eberts' eager face.
The Official shook his head. "You two are the only agents here. You're going to the cabin and getting Fawkes, Hobbes and Claire the hell out of there."
Alex leaned forward in her seat. "What about Sullivan? What's his place in all of this?"
"Sullivan is up there with them. He kidnapped Katie," he said grimly.
"He kidnapped Katie?" said Eberts in a tone of both surprise and terror.
"That's right," said the Official. "Fawkes went ballistic on Arnaud and then…"
"Wait a minute, Arnaud? Where did he come from?" asked Alex.
The Official shrugged. "Apparently he was at the cabin when they got there. Anyway, Fawkes beat the hell out of Arnaud and then went to get Katie back on his own. Claire's SUV is undrivable, which means they're all stuck up there with a psycho, a Swiss man and a lot of snow."
"Snow?" said Eberts.
"Oh yes, that's the best part of this whole thing, kids. Forecast calls for a blizzard in their area tonight," said the Official with an amused smile.
"Great," said Alex.
"Now go fire up the company Hummer and bring our people home," said the Official. "And bring Sullivan and De Phon back in chains."
"Yes sir," said Eberts excitedly as he stood up and gave Alex a large smile.
Alex glanced at Eberts and then back at the Official. "This is gonna be a long day."
**
"Um, sir, I have to go to the bathroom," said Katie in an uneasy voice as she looked around the small cabin she had been sitting in for the last six hours. The cabin consisted of one small room with a fireplace and a few pieces of furniture scattered about. The only part of Jason that Katie had seen was his spooky silver eyes. She knew she would be having nightmares for months if she was rescued from the crazy man.
She heard an angry sigh come from a couch on the opposite side of the room. "Hold it," came a voice from thin air.
Katie shook her head and fought back tears. "Sir, I've been holding it. I can't anymore. I'm gonna pee my pants."
"Fine," he yelled as she felt a cold wind come up behind her. She was quickly untied from the chair and led to a door near the couch. She was shoved in the room and the door closed quickly behind her. Katie felt for a light and switched it on, and then began waving her hands through the air to see if Jason was inside with her. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she realized she was alone. She quickly got on the toilet and did her business. When she was done, she began looking around the bathroom to see what she could find. She opened up the medicine cabinet and saw a small razor. She took the razor and shoved it inside her pajamas just as the door was opened and she was snatched back out of the bathroom.
"Time's up, little girl," said Jason as he led her back to her chair. He quickly secured the ropes again and Katie heard him plop back down on the couch.
Katie looked around the cabin, her gaze falling on the place she thought Jason was sitting. "Sir, can I ask you a question?"
"Don't call me sir," said Jason.
Katie shrugged. "Well what should I call you?"
"Jeremy," answered Jason.
"Oh," said Katie. "Well Jeremy, can I ask you a question?"
Jason shrugged even though Katie couldn't see it. "What?"
"Why are you after my daddy?" she asked.
She heard Jason start to laugh maniacally. "You're daddy was once a very bad bad boy. I'm here to give him his punishment."
Katie shook her head. "I don't believe you. My daddy is the nicest person I know."
"Katie, do you ever wish you had a brother or a sister?" asked Jeremy.
Katie nodded. "All the time."
"Well imagine if you did have a brother or a sister. And let's say someone hurt them so badly that you couldn't see them anymore. Wouldn't you be mad at the person?" asked Jason.
"I guess," answered Katie.
"Well see, that's what happened with me and your bastard of a father. He hurt someone I love and now I can't see them anymore," said Jason in an angry tone.
"I don't believe you," said Katie.
"Believe it, you little bitch," said Jason as he stood up from the couch and walked over to Katie. "You know, I was going to kill you in front of your father, but maybe I'll just get it over with now."
Katie started to cry. "No, please, please, please. Don't hurt me, don't hurt me."
Jason interrupted her with a harsh slap across the face that she didn't have any way of seeing coming. "Shut up."
Katie couldn't help herself and started to cry even harder.
Jason was about to slap her again when he heard a distant shout from somewhere outside the cabin. "Katie!" he heard the voice of Darien yell.
Jason unquicksilverd his silver eyes and looked Katie in the eyes. "Looks like daddy came to the rescue," he said as he pulled a piece of cloth out of his pocket and stuffed it in her mouth despite her protests. Then he requicksilvered his eyes and cautiously walked out of the cabin.
**
"Fawkes!" yelled Bobby into the forest. "Come out, Fawkes."
"Darien," yelled Claire. "Katie! Where are you?"
"Let's go Arnie," said Bobby as he dragged Arnaud down a small narrow path. Bobby had cuffed Arnaud to himself and the trio had been searching for any signs of Darien and Katie since Darien had rushed out of the cabin.
"It's no use, Bobby, there's nothing," said Claire in frustration as she followed Bobby and Arnaud down the path.
"Get out while you can. He's going to kill them both," said Arnaud smugly.
Bobby turned to his side and punched Arnaud as hard as he could. "You say something like that again and I'll kill you, you Swiss Miss Mother fu…"
"Bobby stop," interrupted Claire in an upset tone. She looked out into the myriad of trees and started calling out again. "Darien! Katie!"
Bobby took a deep breath and continued down the path, dragging Arnaud with him. "Fawkes, when I find you, I'm going to kick your skinny punk ass!" he yelled in anger into the forest.
"Bobby," said Claire in a tone that was anything but good.
"What?" said Bobby as he continued to drag Arnaud along the path.
"I think it's going to snow," said Claire as she pointed up at the gray sky.
Bobby stopped short and looked up, cursing under his breath. "I didn't even notice. It's gotten freakin freezing out here."
"I know," said Claire.
"Let's keep going," said Bobby as he nodded his head down the path.
Claire agreed and once again began to follow Bobby and Arnaud.
**
"Katie!" yelled Darien. "Sweetie, if you can hear me, yell! Please honey!"
Darien had been searching the area for hours and had no idea where he was. He had absently followed every footprint he could find, hoping that it would somehow lead him to his daughter. "Katie!" he yelled once again. He pulled his jacket tighter across his lanky frame and shivered. He could smell the snow coming in the air. "Katie!" His voice echoed out into the forest, but other than that he got no reply.
He sank down to the ground in despair, resting his back against a huge tree. He put his face in his hands and started to break down, cursing Jason, Arnaud and every other person he could possibly blame for this mess. He felt like an idiot for not letting Bobby go with him and now he was completely and totally lost. He cried for several minutes until he finally pulled himself back together. "Come on, Fawkes, you can do this," he said as he stood up, noticing a clearing and a small cabin several hundred yards away. "Worth a try," he whispered to himself as he started walking towards it.
"Katie! Katie, it's your daddy, can you hear me?" screamed Darien as he neared the cabin. "Katie!" He quicksilvered his eyes and began looking around for any signs of Jason. When he didn't see anything, he quickly walked up to the cabin and looked through the window. His breath caught in his chest when he saw Katie gagged and tied to a chair. "Kates," he whispered as he quicksilvered his eyes and checked the cabin for Sullivan. All clear. He knocked on the window and got Katie's attention. "I'm gonna get you out, sweetie," he yelled through the glass.
He was about to step towards the door when he felt a piece of metal wire cutting into his throat, cutting off all his air. "Nice to see you again, Fawkesy," he heard a voice whisper from behind him as an invisible hand wrapped around his chest, aggravating his injured rib.
"Sulli…" Darien's voice was choked off as Jason pulled the wire tighter against his throat.
"Now, now, we can talk later," said Jason as he started to drag Darien towards the cabin.
Darien fought against the wire and the hand around his chest, but Jason was just too strong. He began seeing stars and his chest started to feel tight and achy. "I'm sorry, Katie," he whispered just before he passed out.
TBC