Chapter Three

Rudy's main office and lab were never very noisy, but when the Austins walked in, it seemed deathly quiet. A door opened and closed to shatter the silence, and Sam joined them in the outer office.

"I should've known you -" Upon receiving an icy glare from his wife, Steve decided to shut his mouth, for now.

"I can save you the trouble of going in there," Sam told them. "Place is ransacked, worse than my uncle's office. The ambulance just left with the nurse. Head wound, just like Peggy's: not too serious, but enough to render her unconscious."

"Rudy...?" Jaime asked.

"Gone."

"And the files?" Steve had decided to cooperate, once again, for now.

"Well, I'm not as familiar with his filing system, but one file is noticably absent." He turned to Jaime. "Yours."

Jaime's face paled. "Ok. I'm next, then," she said, trying not to let the two men see that she was petrified.

Steve wrapped both of his arms protectively around his wife. "I don't know what they're after," he told her. "Could be bionics, could be someother project entirely. But you are not gonna be another victim." He turned to Sam. "We'll take her to the War Room at the Pentagon. Virtually impenetrable. She -"

"No." Jaime's voice was firm, in spite of her fear. "I won't leave Rudy and Oscar twisting in the wind. Who knows what'll happen to them if we thwart the rest of the plan?"

Sam shook his head. "Have to say I'm with your husband on this one. I can't stand to think about what they'd do if they got their hands on you."

"Neither can I," Steve told her.

"Careful, guys," Jaime said with a slight smile. "That's twice you've agreed in less than a minute. Might start a trend."

Both men allowed themselves a small chuckle. Jaime smiled at them and then turned serious. "Before you both go all gung-ho about hiding me, and blowing probably our only chance to find Oscar and Rudy, I have an idea."

"Uh-oh," Steve interrupted.

"Hush. Listen, please? Sam, when you were looking through Rudy's office just now, did you see a file labeled either 'Prototype' or 'GPS'?"

"I know I saw 'GPS'."

"Perfect. I need you to get it, please."

Sam looked at Steve, who gave him a slightly bemused grin. "I've learned the hard way, Sam, that when she gets like this, it's best to just nod, smile and go along for the ride."

Jaime made a face at him. "Steve, we're gonna break into the 'secret' hidden lock box under Rudy's desk." Sam retrieved the file while Steve and Jaime ripped up floorboards (rather than hunt for the remote and the keys) and then Jaime grabbed the smallest of a half dozen metal boxes and carefully pushed a hole in the top to open the box.

"What's that?" Steve asked her.

"It's the prototype for a GPS tracking device Rudy was gonna put in my ear for special assignments."

"How come I don't get one?"

"Where's he gonna put it - in your eyeball?"

"Good point." Steve looked at Sam and shrugged. "Sweetheart," he said to Jaime, "I see where you're going with this, and it's a good idea, except for one minor detail. Rudy is one of the people missing. Having Michael implant it is out of the question, so how -"

"Sam's a doctor."

"Jaime - he's a psychiatrist."

"He still has a medical background. Right, Sam?"

"Well, yes, but I know zilch about bionics."

Jaime was on a roll. "That's where Steve comes in. The two of you, working together, combining what you know, can get this done. When they come for me - and we know they will - you'll be able to find all three of us. Bang - happily ever after."

Steve looked grim. "Unless the NSB gets there first."