Maggie gasped when she felt the sharp pain. "Oh no." She put a hand on her extended stomach. "Darien?" She called a little louder. "Darien?"
He came around the corner of the aisle, a box of cereal in his hand. "Mags, did you say something?" He took in the expression on her face and the way she was standing before dropping the box and rushing to her side. "What's wrong?"
"It's time." She leaned against him as a contraction hit her. Darien steered his wife toward the entrance of the grocery store, already calling Claire on his cell phone. "Don't worry Princess. I'm gonna get you to Claire and everything's gonna be okay."
"It hurts Dary. She's scared." Maggie whispered.
Darien placed his hand over her stomach. "It's gonna be okay little one. You're just coming to meet me and your mom." He said. He felt a gentle movement against his hand. "Better?"
"Yeah." Maggie slid into the car seat with Darien's help. He rushed around to the other side and sped out of the parking lot. "Not even born and she's already daddy's girl." She said with a half smile.
Claire and an unfamiliar doctor met them with a gurney at door of the Agency.
"Who's he?" Maggie asked as Claire and Darien helped her onto the stretcher.
"This is Doctor Beyer. He's an ob-gyn. The Official requested he be present during your labor." She explained as they wheeled her down the hall.
"Don't worry Mrs. Fawkes, everything's going to be fine." Dr. Beyer said reassuringly.
Maggie looked up at Darien, unconvinced by the doctor. "Stay with me, Thief." He nodded and followed them down the hall to Lab 3. Hobbes was waiting at the door.
Claire turned as they headed into the lab. She stopped Darien with a hand on his chest. "Just let us get her set up and examined and you can come back in. I promise."
Darien nodded, speechless. He slumped against the wall as the door slid shut.
After a minute he looked up at his partner, seeing him for the first time. "Hobbes, what are you doing here?"
"Claire thought you might need some company. How you holding up buddy?" He sat down on the floor next to Darien.
"Okay. I'm worried about Mags."
"Of course you are. But she's in good hands."
Darien looked over at his partner. "She said she could feel the baby. That Hanna was scared."
"What about you?"
"Terrified." Darien admitted. "I'm going to be a father."
"Don't worry Fawkes. You're gonna be a great one." Hobbes reassured him.
"Darien?" Claire peeked her head out the door. Darien looked up. "You can come in and see her."
He scrambled to his feet and went into the lab. "Princess?" Darien grabbed Maggie's hand and kissed her forehead.
"It hurts Thief." She squeezed his hand as a contraction hit her. "Oh, God. Darien, she's so scared." Maggie's heart monitor began to beep at an alarming rate.
"Claire, can't you do something?" He tried to project calm, loving thoughts to her to block out the fear coming from their child but he wasn't very strong telepathically.
Claire checked the monitors and looked back at Dr. Beyer. "Their heart rates are up."
"She's an empath?" He listened to her heart with a stethoscope.
Claire nodded. "What do you want to do?"
"We can't wait. Her heart won't be able to take the strain. Prep for a c-section."
"Darien, you should wait in the hall." Claire steered him out of the lab.
"Claire, what's going on?" Darien stopped and pulled his arm out of her grasp.
"We need to perform an emergency cesarean section. The baby's fear is putting too mush strain on Maggie's heart." Claire pushed him out into the hall. Hobbes looked up as he came out. "Keep him out here." She told Hobbes and slammed the door shut.
"What's going on?" Hobbes asked.
Darien shook his head. "They're going to cut her open."
"Come on buddy. Let's go get some coffee." Hobbes offered, hoping to take his mind off what was going on in the lab.
Darien looked at the closed lab door. "I don't want to leave."
"I'll bring you something?"
Darien nodded and slumped on the floor across from the door.
The door slid open and both men looked up. Claire stood in the doorway looking tired.
Darien jumped up. "Maggie?"
"She's okay. Still asleep but she made it through okay."
"What about Hanna?"
Claire sighed. "She wasn't breathing when we took her out but Dr. Beyer got her started. I think it was a kind of shock from the separation from Maggie that caused it."
"Can I see them?"
She nodded. "Maggie's still sleeping. And Dr. Beyer is going to take the baby to one of the other labs to do a more thorough exam. Then you can see her too."
Darien nodded and followed Claire into the lab. The other doctor was wheeling his daughter out of the room in a bassinette and Darien caught a fleeting glimpse of red hair.
Maggie looked exhausted. Her normally bouncy hair lay limply against her forehead. Her face was pale and coated in a thin sheen of sweat.
Darien pulled a chair over to the bed and found her hand. "I'm here Maggie."
There was no response from Maggie. Claire brought a bowl of water and a cloth to her bedside and washed Maggie's face and arms. Maggie groaned softly and turned her head. Her eyes fluttered open and focused on Darien.
"Hey."
He smiled. "Hey, yourself. How'd you feel?"
"Tired and sore." Her eyes drifted shut for a moment. "Where's our daughter?"
"The other doctor took her to one of the other labs for observation." Claire told her.
Maggie looked at Darien. "Did you see her?"
He nodded. "She's got red hair."
"Darien, do you want me to set up a cot for you?" Claire asked. "I'm keeping Maggie overnight."
"Sure. I'll run home and get some clothes. Okay Mags?" Darien kissed her on the forehead and squeezed her hand.
"'Kay. Love you." She was already half asleep.
"Love you too."
The lights in the lab were turned down when Darien came back. He set the duffle bag on the end of his cot and went in search of his daughter.
He looked in each lab but there was no sign of the doctor or the baby. A panicked feeling began to grow in his chest. He searched each floor, breaking into rooms that were locked. Outside the last room, Darien slumped to the floor. He pulled out his cell phone and called Hobbes.
"'M? Yeah?"
"She's gone, Bobby." Darien was dangerously close to crying.
There was some rustling on the other end. "Who's gone? Maggie?"
"No, the baby. I've looked everywhere. The doctor's gone too."
Hobbes cursed. "I'm coming down there. Have you told Claire yet?"
"No. I'm going to find her now."
"All right. I'll be there as soon as I can." Hobbes hung up and Darien pushed himself up off the floor to look for the Keeper.
"Claire?" Darien found the Keeper curled on the floor of the padded room. He shook her to wake her up. "Claire, come on."
She mumbled something and opened her eyes. "What's wrong Darien?"
"Hanna is missing." Darien told her.
Claire shot to her feet. "Missing?"
"I've searched the entire building. Both her and the doctor are gone. Now since, I don't think she got up and walked away on her own, there's only one logical conclusion." He said sarcastically.
"That bastard." Claire ground out.
Darien nodded. "Exactly." He followed her out of the cell and into the lab.
"Did you tell Maggie yet?"
"Just Hobbes."
"I don't think it would be good for Maggie to know right now. She's still under a lot of stress from the birth." Claire shrugged off her lab coat and hung it on the coat rack. "I'm going to check on Maggie, then we'll figure out where Beyer took your daughter." She told him and left the lab.
Hobbes appeared a few minutes later. "Hey partner. We're gonna track this bastard down and get your kid back." He said to reassure Darien.
'We need to get into the files. Find this doctor." Darien booted up the Keeper's computer but was stalled by the password request.
Claire came back and gratefully accepted a hug from Hobbes. "She's still sleeping. Darien, what are you doing?"
"I was going to find that doctor but you've got a password." He leaned back in the chair.
"We should call Eberts." Claire suggested.
"What?" Darien and Hobbes exclaimed at the same time.
Hobbes protested. "He'll tell the Official."
Darien looked at them both. "Guys, are you thinking the same thing I am?"
"That the Official had something to do with this?" Hobbes growled.
Claire nodded. "He brought in Dr. Beyer. I'd never seen him before."
Darien slammed his hand on the desk. "Damn it! This is the last time he's gonna screw with us."
"First we have to get Hanna back." Hobbes said.
Claire hung up the phone. "Eberts is on his way. Don't worry. He's on our side." She put her hand on Darien's shoulder. "Go get some rest. I'll come get you when Eberts gets here." He reluctantly left the lab.
"You look tired too. Did you get any sleep?" Hobbes cupped the side of Claire's face.
She smiled and leaned into his touch. "I got a little bit. I was sleeping when Darien woke me up."
"Go lie down." Hobbes ordered gently. Claire let him guide her to the exam chair. "Sleep." He leaned down and kissed her.
"Night Bobby." Claire whispered as she drifted off.
Eberts found Hobbes and Claire asleep in the lab, Hobbes leaning back in a chair by the desk; Claire curled on her side in the exam chair.
He went into Lab 3 and shook Darien. "Fawkes, the Keeper said you need my help."
Darien bolted awake, looking around. "Oh, hey Ebes."
"What do you need me to do?" Eberts asked softly, glancing at Maggie's sleeping form.
Darien stood up and stretched. "Come to the lab."
"So you want me to hack into the Agency database and find Dr. Beyer?" Eberts asked again.
"Yes, if we're right, the Official will want to keep in touch with the doctor." Claire told him.
"I have to notice you're not arguing the Official's innocence, Eberts." Hobbes' voice dripped with sarcasm.
"That's because the Official isn't innocent, Robert." Eberts said, his eyes never leaving the computer screen.
Darien closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you telling us you knew the 'Fish was going to kidnap my daughter?"
"No. I didn't know that specifically but he has been acting strangely since we found out Maggie was pregnant." He typed furiously. "There are some files in his office safe that might help."
Darien looked at Hobbes and they headed for the door.
"Combination is 11-22-63." Eberts called to them as they left. Both turned and looked at him. He shrugged. "The day Kennedy was shot."
"Ahh." Both men said and continued up to the Official's office.
Claire pulled her chair over to the computer. "How's it going?"
"Slow. And I'm going to have to stop soon. The Official will be in to work." Eberts pointed at the clock.
"Oh damn, Maggie's going to be awake and wanting to see the baby." Claire went over to the fridge to prepare the syringe.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting a sedative ready. I think we're going to need it." She told him grimly.
Maggie opened her eyes slowly. The lab lights were dimmed. She tried to push herself up but stopped when she felt pain in her lower abdomen.
The door slid open and Claire sailed in cheerfully, carrying a tray. "Morning Maggie. How are you feeling?"
"I hurt."
Claire helped her raise up the bed. "I thought you might. Here's some Tylenol." She gave Maggie a tiny cup with two pills in it and a cup of water. "Let me take a look at the sutures."
"When can I see Hanna?" She asked as Claire looked over the stitches on her abdomen.
"Soon. We're just doing a few tests."
Maggie was alarmed. "Why? Is something wrong with her?"
Claire shook her head and busied herself at the tray, not looking at Maggie. "No, no. It just some standard tests."
"Where is my daughter Claire?" Maggie's voice was steely, hard.
Claire glanced at the door nervously. "Really, just a few more tests, Maggie. Calm down." She reached toward the IV, a syringe concealed in her hand.
"Don't tell me to calm down. I want to see Hanna." Maggie was watching Claire warily. "Where is she?"
"Why don't you get some sleep and maybe you can see her when you wake up." Claire pushed the sedative into the IV. Maggie grabbed her hand and forced her way into the doctor's mind.
"She's gone?" Maggie dropped her hand, stunned. "How did she just disappear?"
Claire sunk down onto the floor. "It was Dr. Beyer."
"Does Darien know?" Maggie pulled then IV out of her arm and climbed out of bed. The sedative started to kick in and her legs gave out.
"He was the one who discovered she was missing." Claire reached over and helped Maggie up. "Hobbes and Eberts are helping him look for her."
Maggie felt sluggish. She let Claire help her back into bed. "Where's Dary?"
"I'll get him for you."
"'Kay." Maggie let her eyes drift shut.
It seemed like only a moment before she felt a weight on the bed. She forced her eyes open. "Dary." She said before bursting into tears.
Darien put his arms around her, tears falling from his own eyes. "We'll find her. And I'm going to make whoever took her pay."
That afternoon, Hobbes and Darien burst into the Official's office. Darien marched up to the desk and leaned over, looking the fat man in the eyes.
"Where is my daughter?" He asked in a dangerous voice.
The Official looked up nonplussed. "In the lab?"
"Try again." Hobbes joined his partner in front of the desk. "Your doctor took her somewhere."
"I don't know what you're talking about but if the child is missing, I will put all our available resources into finding her." He said and motioned for Eberts to dial the phone. "We'll get our best men out working on finding her." The Official said as the door opened.
"That's funny. Looks to me like your best men are sitting right here." Maggie said as Claire wheeled her over to the desk.
"Should you be out of bed, Magdalena?" The Official looked up when she came in.
"Bite me Charlie. Where's my daughter?" Maggie glared at the Official.
"I'm afraid I don't know. But we're looking."
Maggie shot to her feet. "Bullshit." She yelled. The lights in the office flickered ominously. "Where is my daughter?"
The Official shrugged. "I don't know."
Maggie's eyes grew bright for a moment before they heard a strange popping noise and the room was plunged into darkness. Darien moved toward his wife just in time to catch her as she passed out.
Claire pulled the door shut behind her. Darien was waiting for her at the top of the stairs. "She's going to be okay. The stress was too much after having surgery and the baby disappearing. All she needs is some real rest and to take it easy."
"You sure home is the best place for her?" Darien asked as they walked down the stairs.
Claire nodded. "Just being in the same building as the Official is bad for her right now. Here she can rest and get better."
Eberts and Hobbes moved around the kitchen making coffee and keeping themselves busy.
"She blacked out the entire building." Eberts placed the teakettle on the burner.
Hobbes nodded. "The entire block. She got so mad she blew the transformers on the line outside."
"Impressive."
"That's putting it mildly." He pulled some mugs out of the cupboard and set them on the table. "Claire's worried that she's going to do some real damage to herself if she keeps up this level of stress on her body." Darien and Claire entered the kitchen and slumped down at the table. Hobbes reached out and rubbed the back of Claire's neck. "The kitten okay?"
She nodded. "As well as can be expected. You have to find Hanna. Another episode like this morning and she might not survive."
"I found something on the Official's computer while he was out a lunch today." Eberts told them as he sat down.
All heads turned toward him. "What?" Darien asked.
"Where Dr. Beyer is."
The house was a non-descript ranch style. Hobbes parked the van down the street and the four agents moved quietly toward the house. He gestured for Darien and Eberts to go around the back of the house as he and Claire headed for the front door.
Without a word, Hobbes kicked the front door in. They rushed inside, guns drawn. They could hear a baby crying somewhere in the back of the house. Claire pointed to a hallway leading to the back of the house. Hobbes nodded and slid along the wall toward the sound of the crying. Claire swept the living room before following Hobbes down the hall.
In the back of the house, Darien and Eberts slipped silently through the sliding doors in the kitchen. The baby's cries drew them through a side door and into an office area. Dr. Beyer was frantically typing on a computer, shoving disks into the hard drive. There was a baby bag sitting next to the door with a packed duffle bag. Darien leveled his gun at the man's head.
"Don't move." He said in a steely voice.
Eberts saw a small bassinet tucked away in the corner of the room. The crying was coming from within. He crossed the room and peered into the bassinet. A tiny baby with a head full of red hair and a very red face was trying to make herself heard. He quickly scooped her up into his arms and she quieted. "Hello Hanna." He whispered as he turned around.
Hobbes and Claire stood in the doorway. Claire quickly moved to where Eberts was standing to look over the baby.
"It was your boss who told me to take her." Dr. Beyer said when Claire turned to glare at him.
"And you were just following orders." Hobbes joined his partner at Dr. Beyer's side. He looked at Claire. "Why don't you and Ebes take the baby out to the van? Fawkes and I'll be there as soon as we're finished with the good doctor here."
Claire nodded and followed Eberts out of the office. She could hear Hobbes say something in a low voice before the door swung shut behind her.
Claire and Eberts hovered over the baby, who was now in a clean diaper and resting comfortably in a car seat in the van. Five minutes later, Darien and Hobbes walked calmly toward the van. Darien climbed in the back with the baby and Eberts and Hobbes got into the driver's seat.
"Is she okay?" Darien asked, touching his daughter's face gently.
'I think she's going to be fine. Especially once she's home with mom and dad." Claire reassured him.
"We have to go see the Official first." Darien said.
Eberts spoke up. "I can take care of Hanna while you and Maggie go to the office. Just drop me at home."
Darien looked at Hobbes, who nodded. "Okay."
Darien, Hobbes and Claire entered the house and found Maggie sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket.
"What are you doing up?" Claire admonished gently. She laid a hand on Maggie's forehead to check her temperature.
Maggie shrugged. "Didn't feel like being in bed anymore."
Hobbes sat down next to Maggie and took her hand. "We found Dr. Beyer."
"Where is he? Is Hanna alright?" She demanded. Darien put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from rising from the couch.
"Hanna's fine. She's with Eberts." Darien said softly.
Hobbes spoke up. "Beyer's is dead. Mags, kitten, the doctor, he was working for the Official."
Maggie couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Charlie would never, he wouldn't hurt me."
"Maggie, we don't really know him." Darien started but Maggie cut him off.
"NO! He may be a bastard but he'd never do something like this. I've known him all my life." Maggie pushed him away and stood up.
Hobbes blocked her way out of the room. "Where do you think you're going Maggie?"
"Get out of my way Bobby. I have to go to work. I have to speak to Charlie." Maggie held up her hand and Hobbes shifted out of her path. Darien caught up with her as she slowly made her way up the stairs.
"Baby, we're not trying to stop you. You just need to take it easy. We'll go with you. We will." He said, wrapping his arm around her waist.
When she looked at him, there were tears in her eyes. "Is it true Dary?"
He nodded. "I'm sorry Mags. I'm so sorry."
Maggie collapsed into tears, leaning against Darien. He carefully picked her up and carried her to their bedroom.
The security guard looked up in surprise when the determined group of agents strode across the lobby. He nodded hello but didn't say anything as they headed for the Official's office.
The door flew open with a bang. The Official looked up as they came in, Maggie leading the group.
"Why did you take my daughter?" Maggie asked, her voice was deceptively calm.
"She is the property of the Agency. Just like the gland and just like you." The Official looked unconcerned about the four very angry agents standing in front of him.
"My daughter is not property." Darien growled. Maggie placed her hand on his wrist in warning.
"Where is she? I know Dr. Beyer is dead. Where did you take the child?" The Official was deceptively blasé about the doctor. Hobbes watched him carefully. "I can find out by other means. Why don't you just tell me and save all of you a lot of pain?"
The door behind them opened and Eberts stepped inside, Hanna in a baby carrier strapped across his chest. A thin, well-dressed older man followed him into the office, flanked on either side by an exotic looking blond woman and a handsome brown haired man.
Eberts looked apologetically at Darien and Maggie. "I thought you might need more help and I couldn't leave her alone."
Claire noticed the Official blanched when he saw the man behind Eberts. He was starting to sweat and was fidgeting uncomfortably.
"Hello, Charlie." The older man had a light accent of undeterminable origin. "I've heard some very disturbing things about you lately. Please tell me they're not true."
"Who are you?" Maggie watched him through narrowed eyes.
He turned his attention to the agents in front of the desk. "My most sincere apologies, Mrs. Fawkes. My name is Mr. Jones. I'm your boss."
They all looked stunned. Claire spoke up. "I'm sorry, did you say our boss? I thought the Official was our boss."
"Yes, well, he has to report to someone. Although it seems like he's made the decision to take matters into his own hands." Mr. Jones looked pointedly at the Official. "I'm afraid you've forced me to relieve you of duty Charlie. Your actions were out of line."
"I just thought-" The Official started.
Mr. Jones waved him silent. "You thought that you could branch out on your own. That if you had control of a child who was both psychic and could become invisible, you would finally have control of the Agency. Completely unacceptable." He gestured the two agents forward. "Put him in the van."
The man stepped forward. "Mr. Borden, come with us please."
"Please, Mr. Borden, come quietly. We don't want to make a scene." The woman said. The Official's gaze darted from person to person in the room, looking for any glint of loyalty from his agents but there was none to be found. Maggie and Darien stepped closer to Hobbes and Claire, effectively clearing a path out of the office. The Official stood up, standing tall and walked around the desk. He preceded the man and woman out of the office, past his former agents.
Mr. Jones waited until they were out of the office before he closed the door. "Now that we have that unpleasantness behind us, we can move on with business." He sat down in the Official's chair, his hands tented as his elbows rested on the arms of the chair. "Please, take your seats. Mr. Eberts." He gestured for Eberts to sit as well.
Eberts realized he was still carrying Hanna and passed her to her parents. Maggie gratefully took her, cradling her daughter for the first time. When she looked back up at him, there were tears shining in her eyes.
"Thank you Eberts."
"It was the least I could do." He turned the Mr. Jones who was lounging comfortably behind the desk. "What happens now sir?"
Mr. Jones looked them over. "Dr. Morgan, I want you to begin the gene therapy program on Mr. Fawkes. I trust he is already aware of this solution?"
Claire looked at him in shock. "Yes, sir, of course but the Official made it clear-"
"You must understand that Mr. Borden was out of my control for quite some time. Had I been completely aware of the," he paused to choose his words carefully, "situation in this Agency I would have stepped in much sooner."
"I'm sorry but if you're in charge of the Agency why didn't you know what was going on here? And why didn't we know about you?" Hobbes demanded.
"I am in charge of more than one agency. For the past several years there have been some major problems at one of the other agencies that have taken up a great deal of my time. I believed I had put this agency in the charge of a capable man. But as they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely. You didn't know about me because you-"
"Didn't need to know. We've heard that one before." Darien interrupted.
"Yes, now that we know all we need to know, may I continue?" He looked around at the agents. "As I was saying, Dr. Morgan will be solving our little counteragent problem. Mrs. Fawkes, you are to take some well-deserved maternity leave. I don't want to see you working for at least four months, possibly longer."
Maggie was stunned. "Thank you sir."
"What about me?" Hobbes spoke up.
"Ah, Mr. Hobbes. I have plans for you." Mr. Jones smiled. "First of all, you will be getting a raise. All of you. We've been moved to a new department, one with considerably better funding. While Mr. Fawkes is receiving his therapy, you will be helping me with some research. I need to discover just how far out my control Charlie got."
Finally, he turned to Eberts. Mr. Jones stood and came to stand in front of him. "Last but not least, Mr. Eberts. This will be your chair now." He held his hand out in the direction of the Official's chair. "From this point on, we'll be calling you the Official."
Eberts's face broke out in an ear-to-ear grin. "Mr. Jones, sir, I'm honored. Thank you."
"I trust you'll make me proud."
"Of course sir." He was beaming as he moved slowly to the chair behind the desk. Eberts sat down gingerly, as if he expected the chair to disappear as soon as he sat.
Mr. Jones nodded approvingly. "Let me know when you'd like to choose your assistant and I'll forward some appropriate candidates. The rest of you take the day off. I'll see you on Monday." The woman reappeared in the doorway and Mr. Jones followed her out of the office.
Maggie looked back at Eberts, who was still gazing wonderingly at the big desk in front of him. "Eberts's gonna get his own Eberts."
"Does anyone else wonder what the hell just happened?" Darien spoke up. He and Hobbes both had a dazed look on his face.
"I think we're no longer the skid row of agencies." Claire said with a smile. "Come on Darien. It won't take me very long to synthesize the gene and start the treatment. Then you can go home and spend some time with your daughter." She stood up. "Congratulations Albert."
Darien looked Maggie who was holding their daughter, murmuring softly to her. He reached out and tipped her chin up so she was looking at him. "Let Bobby take you home. I'll be there later." Leaning over, he kissed her and then their daughter.
"Okay." She reached up and touched his face. "I love you."
"I love both of you. Now go home and get some rest." He grinned and left for the lab.
"Ready to go home Maggie?" Hobbes offered Maggie a hand up.
"Her car seat is in the back of my car." Eberts offered. "Its unlocked."
Maggie nodded. "Thank you Eberts. Congratulations." She waved and followed Hobbes out of the office.
Eberts slowly got up and walked to the door. He peeked out and saw there was no one in the hallway. Closing the door behind him, he walked to the center of the office and looked around, a huge grin plastered on his face. He pumped his fist in the air and shouted, "Yes!"