Hey, everyone. First of all let me say thank you to everyone who reviewed this story so far! You've really helped me move this story along…
This chapter is a little longer then usual - I thought about cutting it short and putting the final scene in the next chapter but for some reason I just thought these scenes should all be together and couldn't bring myself to split them apart…
My last comment is for "wahinetoa" - thanks for your reviews and don't worry - I'm having tons of fun writing grown-up Isabelle and even though she's not really in this chapter she's going to be in the next one for sure - so just keep reading and sending reviews….
Same for everyone - keep reading and sending reviews…
Part 5
Shawn was trying to concentrate on the financial report he was holding in his hand, trying to make sense of the endless lines of numbers that indicated the center's income and expenses. He rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly and sighed. The problem wasn't the complexity of the report - the problem was Matthew, sitting in front of him, talking endlessly about something Shawn had lost interest in about half an hours ago.
"Shawn? Are you listening to me?" Matthew suddenly asked him, realizing the young man was loosing concentration "Listen, I know this is all very boring…"
"No, no, it's fine…I'm just pretty tiered, had a late night last night…" Shawn apologized and tried focusing back on what Matthew was saying.
"I was talking about the center's image. I think we need to do another round of interviews, try to get you on a few magazine covers"
"Why do we need to keep putting ourselves out there for the media? I mean, people already know who we are and what we're trying to do… What's more to say?" Shawn sighed in annoyance. He hated interviews, he hated being asked questions about his ability and about the people from the future, he cringed every time he saw his face plastered on the tabloids or on the cover of some magazine.
"We had a small grace period after the quarantine incident" Matthew explained and Shawn had to try hard to keep from laughing incident? Is that what you call the murder of 23 people? Is that what you call the thing that almost killed me? "But we have two trials coming up - the trial of the people who designed the firewall program and the trial of the murderer of Jordan Collier. The attention is going to be on us again and I want to make sure that public opinion is on our side"
"Shawn?" Lilly appeared in the doorway, knocking softly on the open door
"Yes Lilly, come in" Shawn was so glad for the interruption he felt like hugging Lilly for her timing.
"I just got your note" she told him "Something about going to visit a 4400 at St. Josephine?"
Shawn almost forgot about what he promised his uncle last night. He was trying so hard to push the news of Jordan's return out of his mind, to not get his hopes up, that he completely forgot about the young woman Tom told him about.
"Yeah, you know what?" he suddenly got an idea "Forget about it. I'm going to do it myself"
"You're sure?" she frowned "I don't mind doing it…"
"No, it's fine. I'll go there now" Anything to get out of the office and away from Matthew's constant nagging> he thought to himself.
"So this is where the homeless man got jumped?" Diana asked the uniformed cop and looked around her at the ally.
The day was sunny and bright, but the ally they were standing in was dank and dirty - there were large dumpsters and carton boxes on the pavement and the whole area seemed dangerous and uninviting. When they first got here they were met by the two police officers who filed the report from last night's incident, both of them seemed to dislike the fact that they were called in to show the "hot shots" from NTAC their way around.
"Some kids thought it would be funny to kick him around a bit" the cop nodded "we got the call and got here, they took off, the guy had to be sent to the hospital. If you don't mind me asking - why is NTAC so interested in this? This kind of thing happens all the time around here - I've never seen you guys step in like this before?"
"It involves a case we're working on" Diana dodged the question and moved away from the cop when she saw Tom heading her way carrying something in his hands.
"I found this behind one of the dumpsters" he explained when he saw her questioning look, showing her a torn blue jacket that has seen far better days "looks like someone has been sleeping there for a while"
"There're a lot of homeless people around here - it could belong to anyone"
He unfolded the jacket and showed her the label "How many homeless people you know walk around in Max Brothers custom made suites?" he folded the jacket and stuffed it into an evidence bag "Maybe forensic can pick something from it and figure out who is this guy and where he's been?"
"You know, if Collier really is back from the dead" Diana started saying as the two of them headed back to the car "He may not be too happy about everything that happened"
"Are you worried about Maia? Because she predicted his death and it came true?" Thinking about his son Kyle. He was so excited about the possibility of Collier being back, about how it could make all of Kyle's legal problems go away, that he hadn't considered for a moment that Collier might be looking for revenge on Kyle for shooting him in the first place.
"I was actually thinking about Isabelle"
Tom snorted dismissively and shrugged his shoulders.
""Look Tom, I know the girl makes you feel uncomfortable" Diana protested "God knows I'm having trouble adjusting to her too but…"
"It's not what I meant" Tom cut her off "Look, The girl has the power of suggestion, telekinesis, precognition, mind control and about a dozen other abilities we don't even have a name for. All I'm saying is that if Collier is planning some kind of vendetta against her - I'd be more worried about his survival then hers"
Shawn hesitated for a moment as he stood in the empty hallway of St. Josephine Mental institute. The hall was deserted and eerily quiet, the walls painted in that shade of puke green that was supposed to be calming. He found himself reaching up and loosening the top button of his dress shirt - feeling suddenly suffocated. Not ling ago he thought he was going to end up in a place exactly like this - locked up, in a straight jacket, stuck in a room with padded walls and no windows where he can't hurt anyone.
He took a deep breath and chased that thought out of his mind. He knocked on the door but no one answered so he simply let himself in. At first the room looked empty, but then he saw a small figure curled up in the corner.
She lifted her head from her knees and looked at him and for a moment he was taken back by the sight of those big blue eyes, looking at him through the tangle of long black hair that fell on her face.
"Go away" she mumbled "You shouldn't be here"
"Tom and Diana sent me" he decided not to try and hide anything from her "My name is…"
"I know who you are Mr. Farrell. I saw you on the news, you're the miracle worker, the one who can cure everyone" She leaned her head back on the wall, looking straight at him "So, did you come here to cure me? Make these things I see go away?"
She was trying to sound challenging and disdainful but he could hear an undertone to her voice that was almost pleading, begging him.
Immediately he started feeling bad. Maybe coming here myself wasn't such a good idea>
"It doesn't work like that, I'm sorry" he came over and sat down on the floor a few feet away from her her, leaning against the same wall but still keeping some space between them, sensing she was not ready for any kind of human proximity right now " The things you're seeing, they're part of your ability, your new power - it's not a disease that I can cure"
She nodded sadly and he noticed her biting her lips, trying to fight back a fresh wave of tears.
"Look Lexa, I know what it's like to have this power that you can't control. When I first started getting my power, I felt like a freak, I thought I was loosing it. I almost killed my own brother by accident! But these powers, they're part of a bigger plan! Us 4400, we're here to save humanity…"
"Part of a bigger plan?" She snorted in contempt "Next you're going to tell me that these powers are a gift? A good thing?" She rose to her feet in anger and looked at him harshly "Do you have any secrets Mr. Farrell? Anything you're ashamed of?"
Immediately Shawn's mind flashed back to images of Danny and the expression on his face when he found out about him and Nikki, to images of Nikki and their afternoon by the lake.
"I hope you don't" Lexa continued "For both our sakes, because in a few seconds I just might find myself taking a tour of your brain and learning all about it! Or maybe I'll be visiting the other guy again today, the guy who enjoys raping and killing women! You're really gonna sit there and tell me that this is a good thing?"
Shawn sighed and looked at her again, choosing his words carefully "I'm not gonna tell you this is a good thing, Some days, I wish I was never given this ability, that I wouldn't be able to heal anyone, that I could just go back to being a normal person, But I have to believe that people who gave us these abilities knew what they were doing. They chose us - they chose you! They knew you could handle it! And I refuse to believe that you keeping yourself drugged and locked up in a mental institute for the rest of your life is what they had in mind for you…"
Tom and Diana made their way down the hall towards Lexa's room with Agent Stevens following close behind. Just as they reached the room the door opened and Shawn stepped out, looking sad and tiered.
"Special Agent Stevens" Tom quickly jumped to make the introductions before the Agent could start asking any questions "I'd like you to meet Shawn Farrell, head of the 4400 center" he hoped his tome of voice indicated to Shawn that he should watch his words in front of the man.
Shawn smiled weakly and shook the Agent's hand "Nice to meet you"
"You too" Stevens smiled back "I didn't know you were a friend of Miss Morgan"
"Miss Morgan is a 4400, I represent the 4400 center. It's my job to make contact and offer assistance to every 4400 who might need it" Shawn said calmly, keeping his expression innocent and neutral, and Tom almost sighed in relief realizing his young nephew noticed the warning in his tone. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really must get back to the center"
"Hang on Shawn" Tom made a move to follow Shawn down the hall and Agent Stevens quickly made a move to follow him, causing Tom to turn to him - irritation and surprise evident on his face.
"I was told I would be included in all discussions involving the case" Stevens explained
"Well, Shawn also happens to be my nephew. I wanted to ask him a few things about out Friday family dinner this week! Do you think you need to be part of that discussion too?"
Stevens nodded and backed away. From the expression on the man's face Tom could tell he wasn't buying the lame excuse he was just given but he didn't really care as long an the guy left and gave them a chance to talk privately.
"You came yourself" Tom started as soon as they were out of the man's ear shot "I appreciate it!"
"I just needed to do something, get out of the office for a while" Shawn shrugged "I've been here for a few hours now - we talked quite a lot. I think she might be more willing to help you now"
"Shawn, man, that's great! Thank you!" Tom clapped him on the back "What did you talk about that made her change her mind?"
"You know, I think I'd rather keep that between me and her for now" For some reason, he didn't want to give Tom the details of his conversation with Lexa Morgan. It was so nice to be able to talk to someone, someone who was going through the same things, someone about his age, someone who had nothing to do with the center. He knew the information might help Tom reach Lexa, but for his own selfish reasons he suddenly felt the need to keep it private.
"Fair enough" Tom didn't try to push "Listen, there's one more thing - do you think you can take her to the center with you? It's just that I happen to remember you guys being quite good at keeping government agencies out of the premises and I'd like to keep her away from these FBI types as much as I can"
"Why uncle Tommy? Are you actually suggesting that we help obstruct a federal investigation?" Shawn smiled at him with amusement in his eyes. He was liking this - working with his uncle for once instead of going up against him all the time - the two of them finally on the same team "I offered it to her - moving to the center - she didn't want to, and I didn't want to push"
"It's ok" Tom shrugged "At least you got her to cooperate"