RUN
By JULES
CHAPTER THREE - PROTECTIVE CUSTODY
Comments to some of the wonderful reviews I received – Thanks a bunch !!
Sara – "an original idea" - I certainly like to think so. I like Lucas tougher too – but I also like when he his vulnerable and alone. Hope to have a common medium. Everything – you want to know everything? - but I know nothing – LOL. Keep reading and reviewing please.
Joxer – Are you bald yet ?? LOL – you have probably fallen off the chair at least by now.
Yeah, I know I owe you big because you are always reviewing my stories – paid back in cookies.
Ihni – You like the tougher Lucas too – well you and Sara will both like what I am going to do with him in this one – Kristin and Bridger are not going to be totally happy with this new grown up Lucas though.
Arc Gal – I sincerely I can keep you reading – update on the way.
MsHobgoblin – I am so glad that you let me know how much you are enjoying the story – it makes my day when readers like what I write for them. I can only hope that you keep reading.
Dolphinology – Sorry you had to wait for this chapter so long – I try and update as quickly as I can but real life tends to get in the way too much.
AshleyAHinton – Your welcome for the new part. Actually I thought I could have done better with the chase scene, but I am glad that you like it enough the way it was. Know any film directors you can play agent for me to ?? LOL What out for the bullets down the track and some explosions.
Kas7 – All will be revealed a little at a time – some questions answered in this chapter as to Lucas's past and what he saw. Diana's role will also be uncovered and she will still be around for a little while. Bridger and the others have been a little bit of observers at this stage of the game – but Bridger is certainly going to get the upper hand over Detective Harris. The captain of the flag-ship for the U.E.O. isn't about to let some stranger take away the one person he loves.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed – truly makes me want to write more for you all. The stories will continue to be written as long as there are readers out there to share my writing with. Many ideas still for even more stories in my head – getting crowded in there.
and now the story turns another page:
On the way back to the car to leave the shopping centre, Bridger and the rest of the crew could see the tension and apprehension in Lucas's shoulders. He was definitely not in a mood to talk, although that was what they were all hoping he would do.
Everyone precent decided to give him all of the space he so desperately asked for with his body posture and his silence. His face was free of anger, but closed off as though a mask to what he was feeling inside.
Ben sat in the rear with Lucas, wanting to find a way to reach out and talk to his young friend. He didn't want to ask too many questions all at once, Lucas would no doubt just push him away.
Kristin and Bridger had been cautiously watching Ben's attempts at conversation to Lucas without interrupting. They knew it was difficult for both.
Lucas kept his gaze out the rear passenger window, seemingly oblivious to any of Ben's nervousness. Somehow though, he was able to sense what was about to come.
"No Ben!" Lucas stated simply, without turning his head in his friend's direction.
"Gee, Benny boy, that really went according to plan," Krieg chastised himself inwardly, trying to cover up his open mistake.
Ford hid the smirk behind his hand at Lucas's words to Krieg. He knew the Lieutenant was being genuine in his efforts, but Lucas had just shot him down in flames with Ben not even speaking a word. There were very few times during his military service that Commander Ford had seen Lieutenant Ben Krieg speechless, but today came damn close.
Ben closed his mouth obediently, receiving a sympathetic look from Kristin in the front of the car. He held his composure though. Somehow they would wait for the right moment to get the teenager to open up.
He obviously needed some time to digest what had just occurred back at the shopping centre. Lucas had a hand that was stinging and had been chased and shot at. Not something that happened every day and would definitely deserve some reflection and contemplation.
The silence in the car made the atmosphere awkward for all involved. They wanted to help Lucas and they wanted to find out so much about what had just occurred. But it was very clear that Lucas wasn't quite so willing to share his feelings, his past or anything else with the very people they thought he had begun to call a family.
The U.E.O. transport had barely enough time to pull up near the SeaQuest, when Lucas dashed forward from the rear of the vehicle and hurried towards the boat as fast as he could. He didn't pause to see if any of his friends or family were following him.
Bridger put a reassuring arm on Kristin to hold her back a minute, shaking his head slightly at what she wanted to do. Rushing towards him now would only force Lucas to put up more barricades around his fragile state. He would feel backed into a corner and no doubt retreat within himself as well, away from the very people who wished to help him.
The Captain couldn't deny that he wanted to do just the same as Kristin, but for Lucas's sake he forced himself to leave him alone for a while and hopefully approach the teenager when he had a chance to collect his thoughts together and be in a better mood to co-operate.
Bridger gave strict instructions to Krieg and Ford to pass the message around the SeaQuest that Lucas was to be left alone and not harassed. No doubt, the shooting and everything else that had happened that afternoon would soon be rumoured throughout the boat, with lots of idle and unhealthy gossip added in. Lucas didn't need that kind of attention at the moment.
Lucas found the problem when he reached the hatchway door was which way to go. His head was telling him to go to his own quarters and shut the rest of the world out and he tried to figure out what to do next about Detective Harris and Johnny Dalton.
Without even thinking though, Lucas found he had wandered on his own accord to the Captain's cabin and had already opened the door before realising where he was. Mentally and physically he didn't think he had the energy to berate himself and go back to his own room. The large comfy sofa on the far side of the room looked awfully inviting to his weary eyes and even more tired mind.
There was no sign of the Captain yet and Lucas slumped casually on the couch, lazing back against the ample cushions. He tried to fathom what madness had brought him here. Usually he wouldn't have a problem with being in the Captain's quarters, but what had happened today put a definite dampener on the whole situation and certainly left some concerns about what it meant for his immediate and longer future aboard SeaQuest.
In the past, on a boat where he felt sometimes he was overlooked and didn't necessarily fit in, Lucas had deemed the Captain's quarters as a sanctuary. Somewhere he could come for comfort and reassurance and feel safe and loved. He didn't want to destroy any of that false sense of hope he had created for himself. But it seemed that there were others in the world, more determined than he to see that he was continually looking over his shoulder.
With his blond head reclining against the back of the coach and sinking a little further into the soft fabric, Lucas didn't feel his eyelids begin to droop with fatigue. A few minutes later and the teenager was sound asleep, still fully clothed and wearing his sneakers.
Kristin had met Nathan outside the door to his quarters, forty minutes later, bearing a glass of ice-cold water and a couple of aspirin. She surmised that the teenager's hand might be smarting a little more by now and the medication was a way of approaching him without causing over suspicion.
Bridger smiled at her, noting the contents of her hands and inwardly thanking her for her motherly concern for Lucas. They both entered the room together, thinking that they were in for a tumultuous fight with Lucas. A lump rose to the back of their throats as they gazed at the sight of Lucas slumped sound asleep on the couch across the room.
Quietly, both of them crept over, making sure they didn't disturb him. A plethora of thoughts were going through their minds, but neither of them voiced them out loud.
"Didn't even have time to remove his shoes," Kristin laughed softly, bending down and gently tugging the footwear off and laying them aside. Bridger had followed her lead and draped a warm blanket from his own bed over the sleeping teenager.
"What has happened that you have shut yourself away from us again, Lucas?" Bridger asked gently. He received no reply, but continued to voice his deep concern that things were going back to where they were when he had started undoing all of the hurt that Lawrence Wolenczak had caused.
The same barricades were going up, and it seemed right at the moment they were going up even faster than they had back then. Lucas was withdrawing into himself again, refusing to let even a shred of his emotions show through the harsh rough exterior he tried so hard to portray when he felt at his weakest.
"I want to help you Lucas. Please don't close me out like you once did," Bridger said, brushing back some stray strands of blond hair from the teenager's forehead. The fatigue lines were still there, indicating that whatever this new problem was, it was already have a deep impact on Lucas's life.
Bridger stood up once more, still watching his young charge as he slept. "I am not going to let him go Kristin," he murmured. He felt her hand on his shoulder in a silent vouch of co-operation and teamwork to work through the next few days. Whatever they may bring.
"If I have to fight tooth and nail for him, I will," Bridger continued. "I brought this boy back from the brink of almost certain self-destruction once before. I won't stand idly by and let these agents, whoever they are, to let him give into self-doubt and recrimination again. I won't let them or anybody else hurt him again."
Kristin remained a silent companion, but inwardly knew he meant every single word. There were some bonds in this world that shouldn't be broken and Bridger and Lucas had formed one of the strongest ones she had ever seen.
"You better get some sleep, Nathan," Kristin suggested.
"Somehow I think we are going to both need it," she added, leaving the room. "Keep a good eye on him, but don't forget to rest yourself."
Bridger smiled appreciatively at her and let out an audible sigh as he looked over at Lucas and pondered her words. Yes, no doubt tomorrow would bring new situations into play, but he would be prepared he vowed to himself.
By lunch time the next day, tensions were running extremely high and there was some shouting coming from the Captain's quarters as Lucas prepared to leave.
Detective Harris and Mr Arnold had turned up about an hour earlier and demanded that Lucas come with them. There wasn't much packing to be done as Lucas had half suspected this to occur anyway.
As soon as the black sedan had arrived in the pier, Lucas had thrown a few changes of clothes into a bag and whatever bits and pieces he deemed meant the most to him. He had to be realistic.
Deep down inside he suspected that he would be leaving for good, whether he wanted to or no matter what anybody else said.
Life just sucked and you found yourself somewhere else to call home for a few months. It had been that way as long as he could remember. He berated himself for briefly thinking that this relocation would have been any different from all the others, no matter how relaxed he had become against the scenery and no matter how much he felt he had cared about the people around.
Lucas had seen the car and instead of flying off the handle like everyone expected, or refusing to even accommodate the idea of leaving. The teenager had casually gone to get his bag and headed to the car, ready to leave with barely a goodbye.
It was Bridger who confronted him and his acceptance of the idea in his quarters. Kristin was present too, but with the door to the Captain's quartes wide open, almost anybody with arms reach heard what was being exchanged.
"I will call if I can," Lucas said as he walked past Bridger and the doctor. Barely loud enough for either of them to have heard.
Bridger wasn't about to let it go with that though. "So that's it huh?"
Lucas paused at the slight edge to Bridger's words. He didn't turn around right away, too afraid of the accusation he would see on the man's face.
"You're just going to walk out of here like that!" Bridger challenged.
"Yeah, just like that," Lucas whispered to himself, his emotions threatening to betray and get the better of him, standing there in the doorway.
"Without a word of goodbye, or any kind of explanation as to why you are doing this?" Bridger snapped.
Lucas's own temper was beginning to surface. All of the fear within him and he could think of only one way to get rid of it without it consuming him from the core. And that was to get angry back at Bridger. He turned, with scathing words upon his lips.
"What do you want me to say? That somehow I have a choice in this whole god-damned thing!"
"Yes you do have a choice Lucas. Walk away from these men and live the life here that you have come to know with us here on SeaQuest."
"Hmph," Lucas sneered. "It's all as easy at that."
"I want to help you Lucas," Bridger said, wanting to reach over to the boy and shake him by the shoulders until he understood that much. The frustration at being kept in the dark was beginning to make him unravel.
"That's exactly why I have to go."
"Why?"
"Because………..," he said angrily, tripping over his own words as he fought to find the right words to answer the question. His shoulders were slumped, giving an indication of how burdensome his secrets were becoming.
Bridger gestured with a nod of his head that he was still listening.
"Because in here there is so much pain already," Lucas shouted as he pointed to his heart.
"This isn't as easy as it looks. To walk out on the people you love. To know that you have to leave just to protect them."
"But you don't have to go. We can protect you."
"You can't! Don't you understand? He is out there looking for me. If he finds me, he will find you. If he doesn't find me, he will come looking here for me."
"You're taking too much on yourself Lucas. All we need to do is sit down and talk for a few minutes and figure this all out……….. together."
"I don't have a few minutes, I have to go."
Bridger didn't want to be angry at the boy anymore. All of the fight had gone out of him as he saw a single tear roll down Lucas's pale, scared face. Somehow, although it sounded all upside down and back to front. The only way to hold onto him was to let him go.
"Will I see you again?"
"I don't know………." Lucas said as he began walking away. His head screamed at him to be honest and say "no" outright. But he didn't have the strength to admit that. Even to himself.
Bridger wanted to run up and grab the boy by the scruff of the neck and tell him that there was no way on this earth that he was going anywhere. But now all he could do was watch Lucas walk down along the pier and get into the back seat of the sedan.
Lucas looked briefly out of the window, giving Bridger the most angelic and beautiful smile that the Captain had seen from him yet. His blue eyes were staring back at him, telling him goodbye.
Detective Harris had briefly walked over to the Captain before climbing into the vehicle, clearly seeing the emotional damage that was being done to everybody, including Lucas.
"I can't promise you anything, Captain, but I will try and keep you informed about his whereabouts, for now anyway. He probably won't get moved out of the city for a few days and won't receive a new name for another 24 hours," Harris began to say.
"You can't do a thing for me Detective, except return Lucas to me, the way it should be," Bridger said, renewing his anger at the agent.
"You haven't heard the last of me. I am not going to sit around and watch you destroy the relationship Lucas and I have."
"I appreciate the pain that you are going through, but this is all very necessary to keep him safe and alive until Dalton can be arrested," Harris said, trying to smooth things over.
"Don't tell me what I am feeling," Bridger said ominously. "You will be hearing from me real soon. Until then, you take good care of Lucas. If something should happen to him, I am going to hold you personally responsible."
"Good day, gentleman, doctor," Harris said, realising that the conversation wasn't going anywhere. He headed back to the car and drove slowly away.
The crew could see Lucas's blond head through the rear window of the sedan. The teenager didn't turn around to look as he left. They never knew the heart ache that was clearly written on his face or the profound sense of loss that he was feeling inside.
"What do we do now, Captain?" Krieg asked with hesitation. None of the crew blamed Bridger for what had happened. They knew that the agents had taken Lucas without consent, but on the face of it there seemed very little they could do to legally stop them.
"We go and call in some old favours, Mr Krieg," Bridger said, thinking as he spoke. Already he knew he would pull out all of the stops and call in every favour ever owed if it meant getting Lucas back safely.
Commander Ford had a gratifying look on his face, knowing that the Captain worked his best when the odds were against him and his was being pushed up against the wall in a fight.
Bridger might not look to much of a challenge on the outside, but experience had taught Jonathan that Nathan Bridger was a force to be reckoned with when it came to people he cared about and loved.
The senior crew had already given their one hundred per cent pledge to support Bridger in any ideas he had about helping Lucas. He told them that initially there wasn't much they could do.
He was about to go to U.E.O. Headquarters and have a meaningful discussion with Admiral Bill Noyce and a few other high ranking naval officers. He wasn't leaving that building until he got the assistance, equipment and personnel that he intended to demand.
Three hours later, Bridger returned to the SeaQuest with good news about his requests and demands. He had the support and go ahead that he wanted. He curiously looked at a vehicle parked along side the pier as he went to go in and tell the crew all that he had accomplished at the meetings.
Bridger walked into the Ward Room to find most of the people he sought already assembled.
With them was the becoming familiar figure of Diana Lane. He didn't know how she had gotten aboard without his explicit permission. But by the looks of things, she might be able to fill in a few of the gaps to the story that were so desperately seeking.
"Miss Lane!" Bridger greeted her, coming through the door. "Commander," he added, shaking Jonathan's hand but still looking questioningly at the woman's presence aboard his boat.
"Diana has agreed to tell us what she knows about Lucas's past," Kristin said before Bridger could ask that very question. "Let's just hear what she has to say."
Bridger nodded his agreement, knowing that he wanted to know more than most. He secured the door to the room, wanting nobody else to hear what was being said except those directly involved. For now, he kept his vital piece of news until he heard what the woman was going to tell them.
"Kristin was just telling me about Lucas and his leaving earlier today," Lane said in empathy to the Captain. "I just wanted to let you all know, that although it might not appear so, I care about Lucas a great deal."
"Okay, we believe you, for now, because for now we have no proof to doubt what you say. That episode between you and Lucas in the shopping centre didn't exactly look like a reunion of long lost friends," Bridger remarked skeptically.
"I think he was just as surprised to see me as I was to see him," Lane replied with a small, fake laugh. "I have brought some newspaper clippings with me that I collected from some time ago. They might help verify the story I am about to share with you."
"Do any of you remember the Rodriguez murders from a while back?" Lane now asked, directly the question at all in the room.
Everyone exchanged glances, with a few of them twitching at vague memories of hearing such a surname. Nobody spoke out loud at first.
Kristin soon made a motion to speak, "I remember something about that name," she said, her forehead furrowed in recalling exactly what she knew. "This was about what……… six or seven years ago?"
"Five," Diana corrected. "Five long years ago. More than enough for poor Lucas to have to live through." She decided to continue the story without further prompting of her audience.
They all deserved to know the truth about what happened that night, especially if they wanted to help keep Lucas alive.
"My name is Diana Lane as you have heard. What you don't know is that I am a reporter for the Times newspaper. Have been since I was seventeen years old. Five years ago, I was about 22, when I first came across Lucas.
"Was Lucas his real name back then?" Kristin found herself asking.
"Yes, the right Christian name, he hasn't used it in a while now though. Most of his other identities have been real boring names. I don't really know why this time he decided to go back to using his real first name. Maybe he felt that he didn't need to run for a while. Though with Dalton still on the loose, you never can be so sure."
"Who is this Dalton character? Is he the guy that was shooting at Lucas in the shopping centre?" Commander Ford interrupted.
"Wait a minute!" Bridger interrupted, almost getting out of his seat. "You can't mean that Lucas is somehow mixed up those murders five years ago?" He knew somehow deep down inside that they were beginning to learn all about Lucas's other life.
"Yes he was," Diana said simply, pausing before continuing with the next piece of information that would be difficult to hear. "The Rodriguez's, Thomas and Nancy, were Lucas's real parents."
At that moment, there was nothing but silence in the room as reality struck home to the crew.
"Oh my God," Kristin said alarmed, her hand covering her mouth in silent horror. "What has that poor boy been through?"
"You don't know the half of it," Lane said, knowing there was much more for them to hear. She deliberately lowered the tone of her voice to tell them the most horrific parts of the story.
"Dalton and his men had already been at the Rodriguez's house when Lucas came home that night. Lucas virtually walked in on them in the middle of them committing the murders. From what he told me, Thomas Rodriguez was already dead in a pool of blood on the floor."
"Dalton had the gun pointed at Nancy and had her backed up against the wall ready to pull the trigger."
"Lucas watched in full view as Dalton pulled the trigger and the bullet hit his mother, Nancy in the head. Killed her instantly and he saw her slide down the wall, leaving a long bloody trail down the wall behind," Lane continued, knowing there was no real way to sugar coat what Lucas had witnessed that fateful night.
Bridger's face had lost colour. He was not in danger of collapsing or anything, but the pain that he and everybody else in the room felt in sympathy for Lucas, was more than apparent.
"How old was Lucas when this happened?" Commander Ford, being able to work out the math in his head from the teenager's current age minus five years. Somehow it didn't sound possible that the kid had been that young, so he found himself asking, despite that which he already knew.
"He was twelve," she replied, knowing there wasn't much more of a picture she could paint.
Again, the silence in the room became deafening. Everyone now felt guilty for anything awkward or condescending that they may have said to the teenager in the past. They knew they shouldn't feel sorry for him like that, but somehow every bad word said in anger or frustration was now echoing in each of their heads. Why hadn't they shown a little more consideration and understanding they asked themselves individually?
If Lucas was to walk in that room after everything they had just been told, each of them knew that they would not be able to find a single word to say in response.
"I guess you are all wondering what happened next," Diana said, seeing each of their expressions and knowing how appalled they were all feeling on Lucas's behalf.
"I don't know all of the details, it's one area of the story that Lucas has always remained sketchy on. Like he just shut it out of his mind or something. But he ran. That's all I know. He ran from the house, obviously still in shock at seeing his parents laying in their own blood."
"Is that when these agents Harris and Arnold came onto the scene?" Ben Kreig asked. Up until now, the Lieutenant had remained uncharacteristically silent and serious since the conversation had begun.
"No, they didn't come into the situation until a few months later, after the funeral and stuff. The local police found Lucas early the next morning, huddling in some bushes at the back of his parent's large house estate. He must have remained there all night. Watching as the ambulance and police came and took his parents away in body bags. I doubt whether he slept at all that night."
"Then they had the funeral. Everybody guessed that it was Dalton who was responsible but they could never pin it on him. Apart from the blood and the bodies, nothing linked him to the crime. There were no other witnesses except Lucas. I don't even know who called the police in the first place."
"Must have been one of the hired help at the house when they came back later that evening. By then, Dalton and his accomplices were gone along with any evidence that would make the charge of murder stick."
"Why did Dalton kill the Rodriguez's in the first place?" Ford asked.
"That's is something you will have to ask Lucas about Commander. I never did find out the motive for the killings and Lucas never did want to say." Lane answered.
"Where do you come into this story then Miss Lane?" Kristin asked, noticing that her involvement had yet to be revealed.
"Back then, I had just graduated from journalism school. Looking for my first big break you know," Lane said with smug attitude but her face telling a completing different story.
"I heard about the Rodriguez's murders and thought I could make a name for myself," she said, slightly ashamed.
"So what went wrong?" Bridger probed gently, already surmising the real answer why.
"I met Lucas. And at first I tried to manipulate him like everyone else involved to getting him to tell me his side of the story. I just wanted the details to tell to the world. Make a few bucks. But then I realised that there was a story to be told, only that it shouldn't be told so I could make a tax-free profit. I realised that it was worth telling because of Lucas."
"I am sure that Lucas realises what your intentions were," Krieg said, noting now why the teenager had reacted the way he did in the supermarket.
"Oh he says he understands what my job is, but truth be known, I am not interested in putting any of Lucas's story in the paper now. I just want to help him get back a normal life. To have a family of some sort and people that love and care about him. I am sure the Rodriguez's did love him. But they have been gone for a long time. Five years to be one your own is toughfor anybody, especially someone Lucas's age."
"We want to help him as much as you do," Kristin said on behalf of everyone in the room.
"Could you do me a favour then? These clippings that I have of the case from over the years, with everything that has been happening the last couple of days. It might be safer if I left them here with you. You can look at them anytime you want. Most of them are my file notes and articles I kept from the police investigation at the time. They might help you know more about Lucas's background."
"We would be glad to keep them here," Bridger said as his mind drifted off the people in the room and focused solely on what they were going to do to help and find Lucas.
"Well, I would love to stay and chat all day, but I had better go before someone sees me here that shouldn't," Lane said as she got up and prepared to leave. "There is a lot more to find out, and I will stay in touch with you when I can. I promise you that I won't let any harm to come to Lucas if I can prevent it."
"Thank you for coming Miss Lane, we appreciate the risk you have taken already and everything that you have told us here today," Bridger said.
After the reporter had left, the crew had been left with a lot to think about. More questions and answers and to wonder what the future held for Lucas while Dalton was still out there on the loose.
That evening, whilst the crew were mulling over everything that Diane Lane had told them, and occasionally thumbing through some of the articles that she had left behind. They received a visit from Detective Harris at the pier.
"I don't know who you spoke to Captain, or what kind of strings you pulled," Harris said, his voice seething. "But do know that I don't like it."
"So noted, Detective," Bridger said, not backing down at the man's threatening stance. "I told you before that I am not just going to stand idly by and let you take Lucas away from me. Adoption paper or not, Lucas is my son."
"Well, whatever kind of stunt you pulled, orders have come down from much higher than myself that you are to be informed of what is going on. Informed only. Not involved or doing anything. But you will see and hear what goes on for now," Harris stated.
"What do you mean?" Bridger asked, bristling at the man's attitude. He had made it plain to Admiral Noyce and others that he intended to help Lucas. He had leaned on Noyce who had in turn leaned heavily on the Police Commissioner and the head of the Special Unit in charge of handling Protective Witnesses.
"Here," Harris said, handing the Captain sophisticated video camera and other viewing equipment.
"With this you will be able to see Lucas for the time being. Hear what he says and see what he is doing. At the moment we are able to move him to a secure and secret location until other arrangements can be made. He will remain there under surveillance and a high level of security."
"When do we get to help?" Bridger asked as he eyed the equipment with suspicion. Somehow he saw it as a palm off from the agent to get rid of him from getting involved. But at the moment is was the only link he and the rest of the crew had with Lucas.
They had no idea where they were going to take the teenager or what security measures had been put in place. It would be advantageous for them and Lucas to know these sorts of details until they could come up with a more suitable plan for getting Lucas back to the SeaQuest.
"You should be able to use that equipment without too much trouble. You cannot communicate with Lucas. But like I said you can see and hear everything that will be said in the room. There will be a two way mirror in the room and specialised officers have been placed behind it to monitor his room and make sure no one enters or leaves without us knowing about it. Or that any unauthorised contact is made between Lucas and others," Harris explained.
"Have a nice day," Harris said sarcastically as he walked away towards his car.
Bridger and the others were forced to watch as he drove away with clenched fists and vows that they weren't about to be bullied by this agent. Some of them even doubted his allegiance and loyalty to keeping Lucas safe, but they had to take his word on that for now. They had no other choice but to believe.
Bridger hoped that Lucas was mature enough to handle everything that was swirling around him at the moment and emotionally tough enough to withstand whatever other obstacles that he was going to come up against.
They walked back into the room, keen to set up the equipment and monitor Lucas's new surroundings. Bridger had already secured indefinite leave for the senior crew until this was all sorted. There were enough other staff put in place on the base to run the maintenance on the boat and do whatever other military tasks that were required until they were due on the next tour of duty.
In a darkened alley in the middle of the city, a conversation was being held between two men.
Both cloaked in shadows to avoid being seen or recognized.
"Why is it taking so long?" the first voice asked a little edge to it.
"I can't just give out that sort of information without somebody being suspicious. You will just have to wait a little longer," the second voice responded. The figure cautiously looked around again to make sure that nobody could have seen them talking, even by accident.
"Your part of this Special Unit they had set up to protect the kid. I need to know where they are going to take him and when."
"Keep your shirt on, when I can I will let you know. But not until all the gossip settles down a bit. There is too many people in this already and too many tongues waging."
"You forget what consequences await you if I deem you to fall short of your loyalties to me," the first voice said ominously.
The second figure swallowed uneasily, knowing exactly what the threat of 'consequences' entailed. "You will have it I swear, just give me a little more time."
"I want that kid dead. He is the only witness. If I plug him full of lead the cops have got nothing. This has already taken too long. It should have ended five years ago. You don't have much longer to comply with my request."
At that the first figure got into a vehicle and drove out of the building car park, leaving the second figure with much to ponder and plans to make. He lit a cigarette and nervously puffed away as he thought about this whole messy business.
Now, they had to get the kid settled into his temporary lodgings and in a few days time, give him a new place to live and new identity. The fact that the kid's current family and friends had somehow managed to stick their noses in, made it all the more difficult to carry out Dalton's biding.
Bridger and the senior crew had just settled themselves away in the Ward Room of the SeaQuest, determined to be disturbed if the matter was absolutely urgent. They hoped to gain as much information about Lucas's new place to live and somehow be able to bring him back to the boat real soon.
From where they sat now, the camera was showing them a vacant room. Very large and looking to be the floor of an old office building that had been transformed into a living arrangement.
There was a modular kitchen and a couple of doors, probably leading to bedrooms and a bathroom. All in all, the place didn't look half bad. Lucas should be comfortable for the brief time they planned for him to stay there. There was a large mirror on the far wall, taking up a large amount of space. Most likely the two-way mirror that Harris had spoken about with the secret room on the other side for monitoring Lucas's activities.
The screen the crew was viewing from suddenly split into two or three smaller panels, giving them views of other rooms that were under tight surveillance. They could see a completely outfitted bedroom, with stereos and a television. There was a second, larger television in the living room, with a video recorder and other furniture such as couches and coffee tables.
Whoever had set up the room had gone to a great deal of trouble and care with a teenager in mind to be living there.
Until now, the screen had remained silent, due to their being nobody in the room. The crew could now hear voices coming from the other side of the front door, and a key being jingled in the lock.
"Look, I don't like this any better than you do, Lucas," Harris said as he and the teenager came through the door and into frame due to the cameras.
"I don't see any objections coming from you to the head of your department though," Lucas said as he glanced around the room, not seemingly interested in anything that was on offer. The less time he spent here the better he told himself.
Lucas now spotted the large mirror at the other end of the room and being a little more astute, instantly recognized it's intended purpose. "Oh, that's real nice, Harris," he shot off sarcastically.
"Now I really feel like a common criminal."
"We aim to please," Harris said smugly, going to the refrigerator and grabbing out two cans of soda. 'The fridge is well stocked, if you need anything, just let us know. They didn't exactly know your dietary habits when they went grocery shopping," he added, seeing the vast array of different items on display. Half of it would go bad before it was eaten. The kid probably ate junk food mostly.
Harris handed one of the cans of soda out to Lucas, partially meant as a peace offering to put their differences aside for the time being while they were both forced to endure this situation. Neither of them were happy about it and neither of them pretended to want to like it or get used to it.
"Lucas, I am going to leave you here on your own soon. You don't need me to spell out the rules of this place to you. Or maybe just for you I will. No leaving without explicit permission and only then in the company of myself or Mr Arnold. No unauthorised phone calls, communications or other messages with the outside world with us knowing about it. Those guys in the room back there will be able to see everything and anybody coming or going."
"Do I have to ask to go to the bathroom?" Lucas asked cheekily, making Kreig laugh out loud at his wit.
"This is for your own protection Lucas and you know it. I will check in periodically, but until then, contact will remain strictly on a needs only basis. If you need any new toys to play with, let me know, I will see what I can do. If you need videos to watch I'll get some brought in for you. In other words, you better get used to these four walls for a few days kid, because you are going to be looking at them a lot."
Lucas was standing directly in front of the large sofa as he took a swig of his soda. "And what are you going to do about it if I decide to leave here?" Daring Harris and baiting him as much as possible able his intentions.
For a second or so Harris didn't answer though, his eyes seemed to drift to the soft drink can in Lucas's hand. He looked up at the teenager, waiting for the reaction he knew was coming.
Lucas watched Harris's gaze on the can and then began to feel woozy and light-headed. The teenager tried to shake his head a little as if to clear the fog that was quickly engulfing his train of thought. The real crux of the problem soon came to light and he snarled up at the agent, knowing exactly what had been done.
Bridger's brow frowned a little as he watched Lucas become increasingly unsteady on his feet. He leaned closer to the viewing screen to try and work out what was going on.
"You bas………..," Lucas mouthed, grasping out for the arm of the chair to try and stop the room from spinning away from him so rapidly. Without another sound, Lucas slumped unconscious against the couch's cushions, in a drugged sleep.
"Yeah, I know kid," Harris said as he lifted the boy's legs onto the couch. "Don't worry, it's only a light sedative, it should wear off you in about forty minutes. In the mean time, I want you to wear this," he added, clipping a thick, silver coloured bracelet on Lucas's limp wrist.
"Probably some sort of tracking device," Ford assumed, having seen a few similar devices during his military service. It didn't sit any better in the pit of his stomach though to know that Lucas was wearing one, or the methods used to place it on him.
"Make sure you watch him good," Harris said to the mirror and the two agents behind it. He walked to the door and made sure the door would lock securely behind him as he left.
to be continued………………….
Author Notes: Okay here you go – hope you enjoy.
Please don't chew me out about the whole standoffish thing with Lucas and Bridger – I know it seemed like Lucas put a lot of distance between himself and Bridger all of a sudden – that was intentional but probably sounded a little harsher than I wanted. Lucas just wanted to walk away but he will come to realise how important friends and family are down the track and that sometimes you have to rely on others even if you have been on your own for so long.
Like I said, Bridger and the crew and mainly observers at the moment. The whole see him and hear but can't communicate with him idea is lame but I want them to be able to see what is going on but not get involved just yet.
Diane's background probably needs some additional work as does the Rodriguez murder plot – but that will come later in pieces. Most of it you have now.
The surname just came from nowhere in particular I don't know how bad Lucas Rodriguez sounds but anyway.
Please enjoy and let me know if you are still reading. The little bits I wanted to put in there showing Lucas a little more grown up than the crew are used to will be in the next part.
Who are the two guys talking in the carpark you ask ?? – well you might think you know the answer, but only time will tell if you are correct or not. Don't always assume the answer is as plain as it looks. (evil grin).
Thanks for your comments and continued reading.
JULES