If Destiny Calls

Chapter One

Rudy stared at Oscar as though he thought the OSI director had lost his mind, which, in fact, is exactly what he accused him of.

"Oscar, no offense intended, but have you gone completely insane?" the doctor gasped. Oscar lit a cigar from the still-burning stub of the last one and sat down at his desk.

"I have no other options," Oscar said firmly. "I don't like it either."

"You're throwing one of them to the wolves, basically saying Here I am, come and get me. If the timing isn't 100 percent on target, we're going to lose Jaime, Steve or both of them."

"Don't you think I know that?" Oscar snapped angrily. "If we do nothing - guaranteed, one of them will be taken - and killed! I could try and send them underground, into hiding, but you know they'd both refuse to go. I'd rather be pro-active and face it head-on; then hopefully they can both stay safe and we can finally get this group behind bars -"

"Oscar, you're risking their lives!"

The office door opened without a knock. "Is this a private fight, or can anyone join in?" Steve asked, trying to distract the two friends from locking horns. "Why yes, I'd love one - thanks!" he said, helping himself to one of Oscar's cigars. He lit it, then immediately stubbed it out when he saw Jaime in the outer office.

"Neutral corners, Gentlemen," she chided. "I could hear you all the way down the hall. Didn't even need a bionic ear." She turned to Steve and smiled with her whole face. "You're innocent, though. Hi, Steve." They shared a quick hug, and Steve pulled a chair closer to his so Jaime could sit down. Jaime looked at the two other men, who were barely containing their anger and worry. "I'm guessing the lives you plan to risk are ours?"

"Sometimes I wish you'd never gotten that ear," Oscar told her. "Actually, you're both in a lot of danger. I'm trying to keep you from being hurt - or worse."

Jaime and Steve looked at each other and, rather than being afraid, they both rolled their eyes. Even so, they took each other's hand and held on tightly.

"New Destiny is back in business," Oscar said grimly. "Instead of trying to go nuclear, this time they're going bionic."

"Excuse me?" Jaime was stunned. "Are you saying they've got -"

"Not yet. What they do have is a group of top scientists they've somehow recruited, and they've managed to replicate the circuitry and the connections to the central nervous system with frightening accuracy."

"Great..." Steve muttered.

"What they don't have yet is the technology of the computer chips or a way to power the system. They plan to -"

"To grab one of us," Steve interrupted, "and make it a case of ' the operation was a success but the patient died'."

"Yes."

"So what do we do?" Jaime asked.

"One of you will be the target. Rudy will implant a tracking device in your leg -"

"And the other will be able to pinpoint a location and bust the ring," Steve guessed correctly.

"Right. After the target is successfully extracted, the two of you will hopefully then be able to secure the area and help bring New Destiny down - for good."

Rudy got up and leaned on the edge of the desk, eyeing Jaime and Steve carefully. "There are potential problems. Best case scenario, the target is extracted before experimentation begins. If they start by going for the computer chips, it could be extremely painful, but not overly dangerous. I can deaden some receptors to help lessen the potential pain. But if they go for the power source first -"

"The target has about 90 minutes to live," Steve said quietly.

"Two hours, tops," Rudy confirmed.

Oscar stood up. "Rudy will also install a microscopic remote monitoring device on the chips and the power source, so we can know exactly what's happening and what kind of time frame we're dealing with."

Jaime leaned forward in her chair. "I'm going in. I wanna be the target."

"Now, hold on -" Steve protested.

"Steve, you've got a lot more experience. If that alarm goes off and we have an hour and a half, I could probably get you out, but I don't want your life hanging on a 'probably'.

"You're a lot better than you think," he told her. "And the thought of those people putting their hands on you...it makes me sick. Plus, there's the pain -"

"Well, I've got plenty of experience with that!" she said. "Rudy, when can we get started?"

Steve shook his head. "You're too stubborn for your own good."

"You might wanna put a tracking device in Steve's leg, too," Jaime suggested. "If something happens to me, you could still find him."

Rudy and Oscar looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement. Apparently, Jaime had made the decision for all of them.