A New Breed
LithiumBorg & InvisoBorg aka Da Chocolate with Da Peanut Butter
IMAN/Prey Crossover
Chapter 4
Darien's face turned red, "What is this, the year to be kind to your enemies? First Arnaud sends me a gift basket asking for help and now this? I'm supposed to protect the man who killed Allianora and tried to kill me?"
"That is your assignment, Fawkes and you will take it." The Official grunted out his command to his tall agent.
Darien looked at the Official then turned to look at Dr. Parker and Agent Daniels, "This guy, Lynch…he's pretty dangerous huh?" Dr. Parker and Agent Daniels merely nodded their heads.
"Uh-huh" Darien nodded his head along with them. He paused then turned his attention back to the Official, "So, what you're telling me is that this guy Lynch is more dangerous than Stark and it's in our best interest to protect Stark. Sort of like the lesser of two evils thing?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying." The Official sat back in his chair.
Darien ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh, "I don't frickin' believe this. I assume he knows?"
"Yes, he's expecting you and Agent Hobbes." Eberts stood there feeling the tension in the room building.
"Alright, alright…" Darien grabbed his jacket and turned to Dr. Parker and Agent Daniels, "Well, lets go."
"Wait a minute," the Official interjected, "Dr. Parker, please see the Keeper...."
"The Keeper?"
"Dr. Claire Keeply, our resident scientist and physician. According to your reports, Randall Lynch has unique DNA...."
"Great, another circus freak..."
Sloan glared at Darien, "Another circus freak? You refer to Dominants as freaks?" Sloan began to feel anger. Tom would not be insulted, but Sloan could not help but feel a little offended.
Hobbes looked at Sloan, "Dominants?"
"Fawkes! Hobbes!"
Both Darien and Bobby looked at the Official, "Sorry sir."
The Official walked over to Sloan, "Dr. Keeply would need to know as much information as possible about your research, Lynch, and Dr. Tate's work."
"But sir..."
"Dr. Parker, you are needed here. It is critical that we know what we are up against. Agent Daniels and my boys can take care of themselves."
Sloan was disappointed and worried about Ed. Sometimes Ed went with her out into the field, but mostly he stayed behind in the lab doing his research while she was out investigating with Tom. She hated having her hands tied knowing that Ed was missing and possible in danger.
"Eberts..."
"Yes sir..." Eberts joined the Official at his side.
"Escort Dr. Parker to the lab."
"Yes sir. This way, Dr. Parker." Before she followed Eberts, she turned to the Official, "Please find Ed."
"We will, Ms. Parker."
She then turned to Darien and absent mindedly put her hand on his shoulder.
Tom's eyes were glued to Sloan's hand resting on Agent Fawkes'
shoulder. The way she touched him was all too familiar.
"Be careful, E..." realizing what she was about to say she quickly removed her hand and followed Eberts out the door.
Ed had told Tom at one time that his interest in Sloan was nothing more than friendship, was Ed telling the truth? What was Sloan's interest in Ed? Sloan had nearly called Agent Fawkes *Ed* and the look in her eyes showed more than a general concern. He would have to keep his eye on this Fawkes character he
thought to himself as he watched Sloan walk away.
Darien looked down at his shoulder where Sloan's hand had so gently
and lovingly touched his shoulder. She almost called him *Ed* so he
just passed it off as mistaken identity and didn't think anything of it.
Hobbes on the other had a different take on the situation.
Hobbes lightly punched Darien on the shoulder, "Hey...huh...got
something going with the lady doc, huh partner? She's got her eye on
you, my friend."
"Hobbes, she almost called me *Ed*. Obviously she was thinking about
her friend." Darien put his hands in his pockets and walked towards the
door.
Agent Daniels followed the two agents out the door. The Official sat motionless as the door closed, concern spread across his face, "This is going to be a long mission, if Fawkes doesn't kill Stark first."
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Arnaud grew more impatient with *Darien*, "Hmm....you don't have your
so-called witty remarks. Maybe you grew tired of them as I did." Arnaud
circled *Darien* keeping the scalpel in view twirling it so the light would refract off of it shinning in *Darien's* face. Arnaud studied him like it was the first time he ever laid eyes on him.
Ed followed Arnaud's eyes, wondering what could he possibly say to convince this person he is not this *Darien* person. Arnaud stopped behind the table and rested the scalpel on Ed's throat.
"What's this?"
"Ah...wha…what's what?" Ed swallowed deeply feeling the coldness of the blade on his throat.
"This..." Arnaud hit the edge of the blade against Ed's puka shell necklace making a clicking sound. "I know your taste in clothes has been sub-par, but even for you this necklace is a little....ah…what's the word...tacky. Ah....maybe your 'Keeper' placed a tracking device in it."
Arnaud cut off the necklace, leaving a small cut on Ed's neck. Ed grimaced at the small nick the scalpel made as a trickle of blood ran down his neck. Arnaud quickly examined the shells. "Hmm…nothing. Well, I guess you just wanted to push the fashion envelope a little far this time."
Ed had always considered himself to be a calm reasonable sort of guy, but this guy was pushing even his limits. Ed's blood began to boil and an irritated look spread across his face.
Arnaud continued in his thoughts walking around the table to face *Darien*, it seemed as though he wanted to prolong this 'game'.
"One thing that does strike me as odd," Arnaud cocked his head to the side and held up the glistening scalpel so *Darien* would see it. "Where did you get that blue van? It's so, how should I say, vieille mode, old fashion, even for you Fawkes. The agency of yours must have run out of money completely for using that Volkswagen, but of course how nostalgic of them."
With a perplexed _expression on his face, Ed asked, "What kind of Dominant are you?"
Arnaud looked pleased, "Dominant? Hmm....I've been called many things but 'Dominant', I do like the sound of that."
Arnaud's response confused Ed even more. His abductor wasn't a Dominant. This man wants this "Darien" person's glands? What for...why would someone be kidnapped over glands?
Ed flinched as the door to the lab opened. Two assistants wheeled over some medical equipment; an x-ray machine and another item…a receptacle of some sort. A mayo tray was brought over and a worried look flashed across Ed's face as he recognized the contents...extraction instruments. Similar to those he would use on his animals when conducting experiments or doing an autopsy.
'What's so important about glands? Think Ed...think. You have to make him believe you.'
"Fawkes..."
'What could warrant all of this...why…'
"Fawkes…"
'Why…'
Arnaud's hand grabbed a handful of *Darien's* hair and roughly turned him around to face him. "Fawkes, it is time to assume the position."
Ed didn't like the sound of that. He remained quite, not wanting to upset this madman any further. Arnaud motioned to his assistants and they came over to the rotating table. Ed was roughly turned over onto his stomach. Sweat broke out on his body as a feeling of dread coursed through him. What made this even worse was he couldn't see what they were doing. His head was held firm in what resembled a baseball catcher's mask. There were hands on the back of his neck and then the feeling of cold steel on his skin. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he suddenly knew what was happening...someone was cutting his shirt from the collar down. He was going to be operated on and there was nothing he could do. He felt a sting in his arm as a needle was inserted into his vein.
"Sir, the anesthesia should take affect in three minutes."
Ed began to feel groggy and his whole world started to spin. 'I'm going to die…I can't believe it…I should have told Sloan that I lo…' Ed's thoughts were interrupted by Arnaud.
Arnaud prepared another shot, this one filled with red liquid. "Now, before I can go in and remove that wonderful little gland your brother put in..."
Ed tried to fight off the effects of the drug, "My brother? I don't have a brother..." Before Ed could say anymore, the drug took affect and he drifted off into a cold slumber.
"Whatever....I need to see just how much the gland integrated with your cerebral cortex. Au revoir, Fawkes." Arnaud began to inject *Darien* with the dye when he stopped. He couldn't find the scar.
" Qu'est-ce que c'est ? (What is this?) ...It can't be. Bring me the digital x-ray machine." Arnaud proceeded to inject the dye into *Darien's* head. He watched as the dye made its way through the various veins and headed towards where the gland should be.
Everyone gasped as they looked through the machine....there was no quicksilver gland. Arnaud stared at the screen in disbelief and motioned to one of the assistants, "Secure him in a room, and then wake him up." Arnaud watched as Ed was flipped back over on his back. He peered into the face of what he thought was his arch enemy, now he wasn't sure who he was looking at.
"I want to know who this is."
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Tom rode with Hobbes and Darien in the beat up tan van through the city streets and out into the country. Tom was troubled by the way Sloan had looked at Agent Fawkes, but that wasn't the only thing that troubled him about the man that looked liked Ed. There was something about him that was different, something that set him a part from the other humans and he didn't know what it was.
Tom sat in the back to talk to Sloan on the cell phone, "What are you thinking about?" Sloan knew the tone of voice that Tom had when ever he was in deep thought. She didn't share in the empathic abilities of the dominants so she found herself always having to question Tom.
Tom half smiled, "I'm just not sure it's a good idea to bring in more people on this, Sloan. What if something happens and they find out?"
"Tom, they are the only ones who know about this Stark person and the one who took Ed. I don't see any other way. We need their help."
"Okay, I'll call you as soon as I can," Tom hung up the phone. He sat deep in thought wondering if it was too dangerous bringing more people into this, but there was nothing that could be done about it now.
Sloan was right of course, but Tom didn't like involving more people especially another federal agency, even if it is Fish and Game.
Later on in the evening, they arrived at the Chrysalis safe house unbeknownst to them they had company. Randall Lynch had followed Stark to the safe house and was waiting for instructions from Lewis when he spotted the tan van and dark car. He knew who was in the van and one of the occupants in intrigued him the most. *Ed Tate* had come for the ride. Sloan was valuable too of course, but *Ed* had come up with the serum to change the dominants into humans. Lewis viewed Ed as more of a threat to their existence than Sloan. Lynch could get two birds with one stone, Stark and *Ed*.
Tom knew that Lynch was close by and he was sure that Lynch knew it too. He quietly made his way through the bush when a hand reached out and pulled him down. Tom's head hit a rock and he was immediately knocked out. Lynch glared at the unconscious Tom and chuckled. With Tom out of the way, his job would be easy.
One by one, Lynch took care of the Chrysalis security and made his way to the safe house. He knew exactly were *Ed* and Stark were. Lynch cut the power to the house and all the lights went out.
Inside Hobbes and Darien stood up, Hobbes took out his gun and so did Stark. Darien eyed Stark cautiously, "Just don't shoot me in the back, okay Stark?"
"Some protection your agency provided."
"Well, I sure don't see any of your men in here now do I?" Darien said sarcastically.
"Will you two keep it down, where is Agent Daniels?" Hobbes waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Darien let the quicksilver cover his eyes and at that moment is when he saw a figure run across the room towards them, "Aw crap!!!"
Darien was knocked to the floor as Lynch lunged for Hobbes. The gun was knocked from Hobbes' hand and it fell to the floor. Darien scrambled to grab it but it was kicked out of his way. Hobbes was thrown onto a coffee table and Darien went for Lynch.
Lynch grabbed Darien and for a moment hesitated before saying, "Well, Ed Tate, we meet again."
"Who?" Darien felt himself being lifted off the floor then thrown over the couch.
Lynch walked towards Stark who fired his gun and hitting Lynch in the arm. Lynch laughed and picked up a leg that had broken off the coffee table. He hurled the piece of wood at Stark knocking the gun out of his hand. Hobbes regained himself and went for Lynch.
Lynch saw him coming and elbowed Hobbes in the face, knocking him out. Before Stark could pick up his gun he was knocked out with a blow to his head. Darien staggered to his feet, his eyes still quicksilvered and he froze. There was something about Lynch that he saw that he didn't notice before with all the commotion, nothing that he'd ever seen before. Lynch appeared different to Darien in the monochrome vision, "What are you?"
Lynch didn't even answer; he punched Darien in the stomach then punched him in the face knocking Darien out cold. With great strength that the dominants had, Lynch single handedly took out everyone at the safe house. He flung Stark across his shoulder and grabbed Darien by his feet and dragged him out to the car. Lynch tied them both up and placed Stark in the trunk and *Ed* in the back seat. After he threw a tarp over *Ed* to keep him covered up, Lynch drove away with his prey.
TBC