Chapter Thirteen

Spiraling Back Into Madness

Since the time of the rescue, the Doctor and Constance had been pouring over Legrand's extracts; the image translator and logs having been invaluable in narrowing down the reasons behind the kidnapping. The reasons, but not the perpetrator. The identity of that person, or persons, was still a mystery.

Tolan had spent his time running background checks on as many of the people he could identify in the personnel files and office documents. He too had come up empty. At times Constance had to assist him in deciphering some of the paperwork, her extensive business background having proven invaluable.

The three had utilized the TARDIS as their base of operations, living quarters, and communication center. The latter was due to the fact that the equipment in Legrand's office no longer functioned. For reasons known only to himself, the Commander had become obsessed with getting the dinosaur working again, hoping it would provide Legrand's broadcast frequency and/or his employer's. The Doctor and Constance eventually gave up trying to dissuade him and ended up assisting him in achieving his goal.

The Doctor had wedged himself into an open panel and was checking circuits while Constance and Tolan manned the control boards. He was in the process of extracting himself when he found a loose wire and reconnected it, being rewarded with a jolt of power that sent him flying. Although slightly stunned, the Time Lord assured the others he was unharmed. Then something happened that stunned them all. A recording started to playback Legrand's last transmission.

A crackle of static roared from the speaker and an unintelligible voice hissed forth. "Say again," Legrand was heard saying. "Who's coming?"

"The Argonauts," the crackling voice replied.

Legrand cursed under his breath. "How did they find this location?"

"…don't know." (More static.) "…get out…be there before nightfall."

"I'll be gone by then. But you'll have to take care of HH. I'll be in touch." There was another roar of static and the recording ended.

The three listeners exchanged a horrified look.

"HH," Constance whispered, hearing the pet name she had given the prince uttered by his kidnapper.

"We've a traitor among us," Tolan snarled angrily.

Constance caught her breath. "Not here. At the Foundation!" She turned just in time to see the Doctor sprinting from the room. "Doctor, where are you going?"

"To the TARDIS!" he called back. "Come on, hurry!"

Exchanging an amazed look with Tolan, Constance snatched up a stack of papers and dashed after him.

As the startling events at the Research Center unfolded, so did those at the Sorenson Mansion. On this very same morning, reality and illusion again fought for dominance and it seemed the prince was spiraling irreversibly back into madness.

Jason awoke with a start and sat up quickly, something he immediately regretted doing as dizziness washed over him. He leaned forward, cradling his head in his hands in an effort to remove the surreal images from his mind. It was only a nightmare, he told himself. Or was it? Am I really awake? Or just dreaming that I'm awake? A hand was suddenly on his shoulder and he jumped, a cry of alarm escaping him.

"It's alright, it's only me," Turlough soothed gently.

Jason struggled to catch his breath, a hand going to his chest to keep his pounding heart from escaping. "Turlough? What…? How…?" Looking around, he suddenly had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there, the recollection of his captivity having overshadowed reality once again. "How did I get here?"

"You were rescued by the Argonauts. Don't you remember?"

"Very funny."

"I'm perfectly serious," Turlough laughed, receiving a dark look in reply. "Never mind. How do you feel this morning?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm confused. No, that's not right. I'm more than confused. I'm…I feel… upside-down in my head." Jason pressed a hand to his cheek, as a rush of energy seemed to surge through him. "I feel so strange." Looking up, he asked, "Do I look flushed to you?"

Since the Alterran had been exceptionally pale since his rescue, Turlough found his last question amusing.

"How long have I been here?" the prince then asked.

"Oh…a while," came the evasive reply. Seeing Jason was less than convinced, Turlough held up his hands. "Don't look at me like that, Jason. You're perfectly safe. I promise." He pressed the buzzer that would bring breakfast and then reached for the bed control. His friend suddenly grabbed his hand, scanning him for what seemed the hundredth time.

"There, you see? It really is me."

"Yes, it is…" came the relieved reply.

Turlough raised the head of the bed and eased his skeptical friend back. "Just relax. I told you. You're perfectly safe here."

"Perfectly safe," Jason echoed softly. "I'd almost forgotten what that meant." He gave way to an involuntary shudder before asking, "Just where is here, anyway?"

"Aegis, of course."

"Aegis," the Alterran echoed, sinking back into the pillows and closing his eyes. "Aegis…"

Turlough almost jumped out of his skin when Jason suddenly sat bolt upright and exclaimed, "Aegis! I was supposed to go there at the end of my—" Cutting himself off, he looked around the room, his eyes narrowing. "This is my room! The Royal Suite in the Sorenson Mansion."

The Alterran's sudden change in mood and accusing tone of voice threw Turlough completely. "Is it? I just asked for a room where you could see outside. Nobody told me— Why are you looking at me like that?" Realizing what he had just said, his eyes grew wide. "My Lord, Jason, can you actually see me clearly?"

Jason was not listening. "I knew it was too good to be true. I'm on to you now, and I'm not playing along."

"What?" Turlough gasped. He thought his friend was finished with hallucinations, yet here he was apparently in the middle of another one. To his added horror, Jason started pulling the monitor wires off, touching of another battle.

The breakfast cart arrived at that moment and the sound of raised voices alarmed the servant, who immediately called security. Amanda arrived on the heels of two security guards, she having responded to the monitor alarms. She entered the room to find Turlough physically restraining Prince Jason, who had wires and tubes in each hand. "Turlough, what the devil's going on in here?" she demanded.

Turlough had been oblivious to everything, having been too busy trying to keep Jason in bed. The physician's voice startled him and he looked up, only to be appalled when he saw the guards bearing down on him. It was all too obvious they intended to return Jason to his bindings. "No! It isn't what you think!" he cried. "He's just confused."

The guards ignored his protests. One of them took hold of Jason's arm, and that was all that was needed to galvanize him into action. Without warning he lashed out, sending the unsuspecting Turlough flying backwards across the room. The young man caught his foot on the carpeting and fell heavily to the floor, striking his head on the edge of a table as he went down. He felt the sharp pain on the back of his head but never felt himself hit the floor.

Apparently running on pure adrenaline, Jason effortlessly thrust the security men aside, sending them crashing against the wall. He scrambled from bed. Amanda was standing between him and the door and he froze when he saw her. For the first time in weeks, his vision was crystal clear and their eyes locked for several seconds before she wisely stepped aside, allowing him to continue with his flight. She was no match for his strength and did not give chase, going instead to the phone to raise the alarm before seeing to the three injured men in the room.

The TARDIS had scarcely materialized on the terrace of the Sorenson Mansion when the Doctor was out the door and making his way towards the house, the others hard pressed to keep up with him. "You're sure they'd've moved him to the Royal Suite?" he asked as he strode through the back entryway.

"Positive," Constance replied breathlessly. "That's where he always stays when he's here." Anticipating the next question, she said, "Second floor, main wing, all the way to the front."

"Thank you!" the Doctor called. He sprinted to the back stairway, racing to the second floor with Tolan at his heels. The alarm sounded as they reached the first landing and he stopped, throwing an uncertain glance in the Commander's direction.

"I hope that doesn't mean what I think it does," the officer muttered darkly.

At the other end of the main wing, Jason had also stopped, but for a completely different reason. Convinced he was in the midst of another illusion, he was uncertain which way to go. The long, bright hallway was the last thing he expected to find outside his room. The continuity of his surroundings should have changed the instant he stepped through the door. Looking around in bewilderment, he heard voices coming from behind him and chose to run in the opposite direction, getting as far as the end of the main hall before running into the most unexpected obstacle of all. The Doctor.