Chapter Five
"Search missing children, police records, military records, everything. We've got to find out who this kid is." Nathan Bridger paced the ward room in frustration, Ford watching him closely.
"That won't be necessary." Bridger and Ford spun around to find Crocker standing in the doorway.
"She talked?" Ford asked in amazement.
"No," Crocker shook his head slowly. "I've seen her once before, about ten years ago. When I saw her earlier there was something familiar about her that kept buggin' me. Then I remembered where I'd seen her face."
Nathan watched Crocker intently, curious over the apparent shock on his old friend's face. "Who is she Manny?"
In response, Crocker crossed the room to the computer console. Punching a series of keys, the screen came to life.
"Are you sure?!" Bridger gasped, his eyes wide.
"I never forget a pretty face, cap."
"Then I'd better make a phone call."
Ford and Crocker nodded and left the room as Bridger ran a hand down his face with a sigh. Bracing himself, he settled in front of the vid phone.
"What took you guys so long?" Lucas grumbled as Kreig dumped a load of chips and disks onto the lab table in front of him.
"Got held up trying to catch a gang of adolescent kleptos at the supply base," Kreig replied sarcastically. "Then we had to inventory everything to find out what the little darlings had taken."
"What did they take?" Doctor Westphalen looked over the top of her glasses, curiosity in her eyes.
"Oh the list is long, varied and extremely expensive. They knew what they were after."
"And they got away?" Westphalen removed her glasses, a worried look in her eyes.
"All of 'em, except one. Ford found her stranded on a table in the supply room. Couldn't pry her off of there until all the water had drained away. Then she went all weird and Ford brought her here while Crocker and I tried to catch the rest."
Westphalen's sharp eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, she 'went all weird'?"
Kreig shrugged. "Ford said she was going nuts while he tried to get her off the table. As soon as the water was gone, she stopped struggling and started shaking. She went with Ford no problem after that."
Westphalen spun around and headed to a table a few feet away. Grabbing a bag, she turned and headed for the door. "Where is she now?"
"Bridger's got her under guard in one of the guest quarters."
Both males watched as Westphalen stormed out of the door and down the hallway.
"Nathan, are you absolutely sure?" the man's disbelieving voice flowed through the speaker.
Bridger smiled wryly in understanding. "Manny swears to it, Oliver. It's her."
"After all these years ... I'd given up hope of finding her alive."
"Oh, she's alive alright, and smack in the middle of the biggest military theft since Montaba Bay."
"Have you talked to Noyce yet?" the man asked with concern.
"No, but he's next on the list. I don't know what he can do about this, Oliver. This is serious."
"I've got to see her, Nathan." There was a desperate urgency in the man's voice.
"Where are you right now?"
"Dry docked in Vancouver for repairs."
"I can be there in about three days. That's the best I can do." Nathan looked at his friend in compassion. "How does that sound to you?"
The man gave a shaky laugh. "Like it's going to be the longest three days of my life. Thank you, Nathan. You don't know how much this means to me."
Bridger leaned back in his chair as the screen went blank, his thoughts drifting to his own missing son. "Yes, I do," he whispered, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Well, your vital signs are stable," Westphalen said with a smile as she hung her stethoscope around her neck. "How do you feel?"
Lex ignored her, her green eyes staring steadily at the floor.
The doctor tried again. "You've had a long, traumatic day. How about a nice, hot meal? Anything you'd like."
Again Lex ignored here.
"I know you're neither deaf nor mute. I spoke briefly with Commander Ford and he assured me you put up quite a struggle. I also know your friends abandoned you." Westphalen sighed. "I won't."
Lex raised her eyes and regarded the woman suspiciously. "Why not?"
Westphalen grinned gently. "I've never run away from a challenge or a friend. I'm too old to start now."
"You're not my friend."
"I'd like to be."
"I don't need any friends." Lex's jaw clenched tightly.
"Everyone needs friends."
"I get along fine without any."
"By endangering yourself stealing? Surrounding yourself with people who run away and leave you at the first hint of trouble?"
"Why not? I've had that all my life," Lex replied bitterly before she realized she'd said too much. Clamping her mouth shut, she turned away.
Westphalen's eyes filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry you've been hurt. Won't you let me help you?" She waited several moments for a reply. When none came, she sighed and left the room.
"Search missing children, police records, military records, everything. We've got to find out who this kid is." Nathan Bridger paced the ward room in frustration, Ford watching him closely.
"That won't be necessary." Bridger and Ford spun around to find Crocker standing in the doorway.
"She talked?" Ford asked in amazement.
"No," Crocker shook his head slowly. "I've seen her once before, about ten years ago. When I saw her earlier there was something familiar about her that kept buggin' me. Then I remembered where I'd seen her face."
Nathan watched Crocker intently, curious over the apparent shock on his old friend's face. "Who is she Manny?"
In response, Crocker crossed the room to the computer console. Punching a series of keys, the screen came to life.
"Are you sure?!" Bridger gasped, his eyes wide.
"I never forget a pretty face, cap."
"Then I'd better make a phone call."
Ford and Crocker nodded and left the room as Bridger ran a hand down his face with a sigh. Bracing himself, he settled in front of the vid phone.
"What took you guys so long?" Lucas grumbled as Kreig dumped a load of chips and disks onto the lab table in front of him.
"Got held up trying to catch a gang of adolescent kleptos at the supply base," Kreig replied sarcastically. "Then we had to inventory everything to find out what the little darlings had taken."
"What did they take?" Doctor Westphalen looked over the top of her glasses, curiosity in her eyes.
"Oh the list is long, varied and extremely expensive. They knew what they were after."
"And they got away?" Westphalen removed her glasses, a worried look in her eyes.
"All of 'em, except one. Ford found her stranded on a table in the supply room. Couldn't pry her off of there until all the water had drained away. Then she went all weird and Ford brought her here while Crocker and I tried to catch the rest."
Westphalen's sharp eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, she 'went all weird'?"
Kreig shrugged. "Ford said she was going nuts while he tried to get her off the table. As soon as the water was gone, she stopped struggling and started shaking. She went with Ford no problem after that."
Westphalen spun around and headed to a table a few feet away. Grabbing a bag, she turned and headed for the door. "Where is she now?"
"Bridger's got her under guard in one of the guest quarters."
Both males watched as Westphalen stormed out of the door and down the hallway.
"Nathan, are you absolutely sure?" the man's disbelieving voice flowed through the speaker.
Bridger smiled wryly in understanding. "Manny swears to it, Oliver. It's her."
"After all these years ... I'd given up hope of finding her alive."
"Oh, she's alive alright, and smack in the middle of the biggest military theft since Montaba Bay."
"Have you talked to Noyce yet?" the man asked with concern.
"No, but he's next on the list. I don't know what he can do about this, Oliver. This is serious."
"I've got to see her, Nathan." There was a desperate urgency in the man's voice.
"Where are you right now?"
"Dry docked in Vancouver for repairs."
"I can be there in about three days. That's the best I can do." Nathan looked at his friend in compassion. "How does that sound to you?"
The man gave a shaky laugh. "Like it's going to be the longest three days of my life. Thank you, Nathan. You don't know how much this means to me."
Bridger leaned back in his chair as the screen went blank, his thoughts drifting to his own missing son. "Yes, I do," he whispered, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"Well, your vital signs are stable," Westphalen said with a smile as she hung her stethoscope around her neck. "How do you feel?"
Lex ignored her, her green eyes staring steadily at the floor.
The doctor tried again. "You've had a long, traumatic day. How about a nice, hot meal? Anything you'd like."
Again Lex ignored here.
"I know you're neither deaf nor mute. I spoke briefly with Commander Ford and he assured me you put up quite a struggle. I also know your friends abandoned you." Westphalen sighed. "I won't."
Lex raised her eyes and regarded the woman suspiciously. "Why not?"
Westphalen grinned gently. "I've never run away from a challenge or a friend. I'm too old to start now."
"You're not my friend."
"I'd like to be."
"I don't need any friends." Lex's jaw clenched tightly.
"Everyone needs friends."
"I get along fine without any."
"By endangering yourself stealing? Surrounding yourself with people who run away and leave you at the first hint of trouble?"
"Why not? I've had that all my life," Lex replied bitterly before she realized she'd said too much. Clamping her mouth shut, she turned away.
Westphalen's eyes filled with sorrow. "I'm sorry you've been hurt. Won't you let me help you?" She waited several moments for a reply. When none came, she sighed and left the room.