Determinant: a gene or other factor that determines the character and development of a cell or group of cells in an organism.
Chapter 43: Stakes on a Plane - Flying Blind
The team tries to take out a hybrid on the plane while Mitch fights with his own demons in his head.
Mitch awoke to a sharp lance of pain just over his left eye. He clutched his head and tried to stifle a cry, but his sudden movement woke Jamie next to him.
"Mitch?" He felt her shift, though he couldn't see her. "What's wrong?"
"I...I don't know. It's not good." The pain subsided a bit and he opened his eyes to see Jamie's worried expression.
"Abigail?"
Mitch swallowed thickly and nodded. "I think she's trying to activate the biodrive." Another bolt of agony ripped through him and he curled in on himself tightly. He could feel Jamie's hand on his back, though her voice was now a bit further away.
"Hold on, I'm going for help."
He didn't know how long she was gone; he was too focused on not passing out from the searing pain. When he heard her footsteps returning with a second set, he tried to sit up.
"Mitch?"
Great.
Max sat on the bed opposite him and Mitch was suddenly very aware that he was still naked. Something soft and warm covered his back, and when he could manage to look up he saw the edges of the dark robe he'd first worn when they'd brought him back from Siberia. He pulled it around his shoulders tighter then turned toward Jamie to stand and tie it.
"I'm okay," he breathed. "I think it's passed."
"Was somebody ever going to tell me about my son having a weird mind-controlling device in his brain or was that something I was going to discover for myself?"
"Easy, Max," Jamie warned lightly. "Let's just focus on getting it out of Mitch's brain." They managed two steps toward the door before the entire plane shuddered beneath them. Mitch reached out to steady Jamie as Max leaned against the wall. "What now?"
She lurched over to the bedside table where the plane's tablet was now flashing a very disturbing red warning. Mitch grabbed the edge of the still open door as the plane shook again.
"Jamie?"
"Uh oh."
Mitch frowned. "That is not something I like hear on a plane flying five miles in the air."
"We need to get to the control center in the galley."
Max shook his head adamantly. "We need to get that thing out of Mitch's head. If this Mr. Duncan is as dangerous as you say -"
"He's worse," Jamie put in.
" - then that biodrive needs to go."
"Okay. You two handle that. I'll gather the others and see what's going on with the plane."
Mitch could see she hated leaving him, especially now, but she was needed elsewhere. He grabbed her wrist gently and tugged her to a stop before cupping her cheek.
"It's gonna be fine," he promised her. "Max is...well, he's almost as smart as me. We'll figure it out."
Jamie smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know. I love you." She raised up on her toes to kiss him quickly. He echoed her sentiment quietly before letting her go and turning to Max.
"Well let's get this over with."
Max left him for just a moment to grab his bag and met him in the bar. Despite the early hour, Mitch had already poured two fingers of scotch into a glass and downed it by the time he arrived.
"I gotta tell you, I do not think this is a great idea," he admitted.
Max ignored his protest and unzipped his bag. "What method did you try before?"
"Neural bypass."
"Via?"
"Swine."
Max actually looked impressed. "Wow. You're not a half-bad scientist." It was low praise coming from a cryptozoologist, but Mitch hadn't heard his father compliment him in...well, it had been a while.
"Thanks, Dad." His tone was a dry as the Sahara. "It only took me dying and coming back to life for you to give me a little acknowledgment."
Max, as always, took the hit with aplomb. "Well, say what you will but I know my gadgets." He reached into his bag and pulled out a small silver object that looked like a retro microphone. "This is a summoning rod."
Mitch was having very vivid flashbacks to a summer spent in Ireland hunting the Lochness Monster. "Please, no."
"Stick this in a body of water, it emits electrical pulses. It's designed to summon underwater beasts."
"So you're thinking EMP." It wasn't a terrible idea. Mitch wondered why he hadn't thought of that first.
"Yeah."
"Which could actually work." Max grinned at his praise. "You got a crystal oscillator in there?"
Max pulled out a long cable attached to a small black box. "Of course. Fill this with enough juice, you'll be able to fry that biodrive, no problemo."
Well, if it was one thing they weren't lacking it was power. Mitch stood up and walked over to the small control console in the hall. "I can just wire it into the plane's electrical system." He pulled the panel off to reveal a lot of buttons, wires and one very large danger sign.
Max's grin widened. "Now we're talking." He plugged the oscillator into the power port and twisted it in place. The device whirred life and Mitch could hear the hum of electricity in the summoning rod.
"I have a question," Mitch said, though he suspected he already knew the answer. "You've done this before, right?"
"On a living human? No."
The plane tipped hard to the side and Mitch had to brace with both hands to keep from falling. "Are we sure this is a great idea while the plane is doing its best earthquake impression?"
"Mitch, this isn't a great idea on solid ground, but it's the best one we have."
He wasn't wrong, but that didn't help with his nervousness. Mitch weighed his options quickly. If they did nothing, then Abigail could activate Mr. Duncan at any moment and he would have no control. He would likely do anything she asked and feel no remorse. If he let Max zap his brain with his little EMP machine, the biodrive would probably be deactivated for good, maybe even enough that it could be removed without harming him at all. There was a slight possibility - depending on the strength of the EMP - of some of his brain circuitry being temporarily deactivated, but he was fairly sure Max wouldn't expose him something like that.
"Okay," Mitch sighed. "Let's get this over with." He settled on one of the barstools with Max at his back.
"Okay, I'm gonna hit you with three pulses," Max explained. Mitch had guessed it probably wouldn't be a great idea to do it in one big burst. Three sounded reasonable. "The first one is going to hurt something fierce." That would be the nerves being zapped, Mitch's mind supplied. "The second one could have some unintended side effects."
Wait, what?
"Side effects?" Mitch tried to turn around but Max had a firm grip on his shoulder. "What kind of side effects?"
"Very minor." Max didn't sound worried, but that wasn't terribly reassuring.
"Care to be more specific?"
"Doesn't matter because the third pulse is gonna clear it all up and fry the biodrive." He sounded so sure, and though Mitch knew little about EMPs and their effects on living beings, he was fairly certain he should be concerned. "Ready?"
"As one could be." Mitch took a steady breath and reminded himself that he was doing this for his family. He couldn't take the risk that Abigail would activate Mr. Duncan and make him hurt anyone. If this EMP ended up frying his whole brain and killing him, at least he would know they were safe.
He heard the electrical hum of the summoning rod grow into a whine, then even louder until there was a quick burst of energy. A sharp burning sensation slammed into his skull like a hot poker, and he recoiled away from the source. Max's grip on his shoulder kept him upright as he winced.
"That's one."
The whine grew louder again and Mitch braced himself. This time the pulse hit him less like a red hot poker and more like a warm sledgehammer. He screwed his eyes shut against the buzzing in his brain and forced himself to breathe through it.
"Two."
Mitch relaxed for the third one, but as his eyes opened he knew something was very, very, wrong. "Uh, Max? I c-can't see anything." He blinked a few times to make sure his eyes were in fact open, but even as he widened them as far as they could go he was met with nothing but inky blackness. Disoriented, he tried to turn around but with no point of reference he very nearly fell out of his chair.
"Well, like I said," Max answered nonchalantly. "Some minor side effects."
"You could have mentioned blindness!"
"Minor blindness. It all goes away with pulse three." Max gently turned him back around and Mitch waited for the telltale whine just behind his left ear. But it never came. As a matter of fact, the entire plane sounded much quieter than it had before.
"Max! Pulse three?"
"That's not good." Max's voice was quiet, as though he was speaking to himself, but the eerie silence that surrounded them made his words very clear.
"Where's pulse three?" Mitch was growing frantic now, and his sudden blindness wasn't helping matters.
"Minor speed bump." Mitch was beginning to think Max had no idea what the word "minor" meant. He tried to turn, but there was an odd sensation just above his left temple, like his entire brain was sliding sideways. He leaned over to correct the imbalance and he felt Max at his side.
"Mitch?"
"Something doesn't feel right," Mitch told him. He had a sick feeling what it was, but he didn't want to believe it. Mr. Duncan was waking up. "We need to find Jamie." He stood up quickly, grateful when Max's strong grip came around his shoulders and kept him upright. He let Max take his arm and guide him toward the galley. He could hear Jamie and Dariela talking about something regarding the electrical systems when they arrived, but their conversation ended abruptly when Max and Mitch walked in.
"How did it go?" Jamie asked. "What happened?"
"Little snag," Max explained. Mitch felt him stop, then heard the sound of plastic wheels on the metal floor. "Here's a chair, son." Mitch reached one hand out until he found the back of the chair and lowered himself down into it carefully.
"Is he blind!?" Jamie sounded nearly hysterical and he wished he could see her so he could offer her some comfort.
"He'll be fine once we get power back," Max explained. "We were almost done when we lost the juice."
"I'm okay, Jamie." Mitch looked in what he hoped was her direction. He couldn't tell. He also tried to keep his tone even and calm despite the panic and turmoil he felt. "Listen, I need you to do me a favor."
"What is it?" She was closer now, and when he reached out a hand she took it eagerly.
"You said this plane was refurbished by the IADG for Logan and his goons to catch Shepherds, right?"
"Yeah." She drew the word out in her confusion and he felt her grip tighten on his hand.
"That presumably includes holding cells. I need you to put me in one."
"Mitch!"
"What the hell?"
"No!"
The cacophonic chorus from Max, Dariela and Jamie made him wince, but he was adamant. "Something's wrong, Jamie. The biodrive, it's starting to come back online. Abigail could gain control of me at any moment. You have to lock me up."
His admission shocked her, if her silence was any indication. He was suddenly grateful for his temporary blindness; he didn't want to witness fear in her eyes when she looked at him. "No," she said finally. "The plane is losing power. If we end up in a freefall, those holding cells aren't secure enough to protect you. If it comes down to it, we'll figure out how to restrain you in a jumpseat. But for now, you stay with us."
"But -"
"Not now, Mitch. We have a plane to save." She let go of his hand and began explaining what she and Dariela had found when we went to check the problem. "We figured out what's causing the power drain - a new hybrid wrapped around the main battery unit. It secretes some sort of fluid from its tentacles."
Mitch really wished he could see right now. "Tentacles?"
"Yeah, it's some sort of octopus thing that can apparently breathe air."
"Well, that's terrifying," Max added.
Jamie huffed in agreement but didn't comment further. Abe's voice startled Mitch; he hadn't even heard the man come in. Or had he been there the whole time? "Some sea creatures have been known to generate a weak electrical field through the mucus membranes."
"Only in vertebrates," Mitch added shortly. "It's never been observed in nonvertebrates, I mean other than bees, but I'm not entirely sure I want to see a bee-octopus hybrid."
Jamie cut him off. "Well, whatever this is, it's going to drain all of our power in a few hours if we don't do something about it."
Mitch froze. "What about Clem's tank?"
"It should be fine," Jackson answered. "The power core is pulling juice from the plane, but it should be able to sustain itself long enough for us to get power back to it in case the main power fails."
Mitch stood up, wobbled slightly, then steadied enough to point in Jackson's general direction. "Should is not good enough."
"Hey," Jamie laid a hand on his arm gently and pushed him back down into the chair. "I diverted power from another battery just in case. She'll be fine. It's us I'm more worried about. If there are no more major malfunctions - and that's a big if - then we only have enough power for another two hours."
"Shouldn't we land the plane?" Max asked.
"We can't," Jamie answered. "It's gone into some kind of safe mode. I can't access the main controls, so the only way to land it is to do it manually. And since the IADG turned the cockpit into a breakfast nook, I'm not even sure that's a possibility now."
"There may be another option," Abe said. "We create a weak beacon signal, pinpoint the creature and draw it out into the open."
"It's too dangerous," Dariela argued. She sounded ready to kill, and he guessed some of her old Army training was coming back to her. "We can't risk letting it loose on the plane."
Jamie agreed. "Dariela and I can access the service duct in the vehicle bay and come at it from the rear while Jackson and Harren attack from the front. We'll kill the hybrid, you guys reboot the plane."
But Abe wasn't giving up. "A spinal draw from a live subject would be the best option."
"Uh," Mitch raised a finger in contention. "If it's some sort of octopus hybrid, it likely doesn't even have a spine."
"Right, so no spine means no spinal fluid," Jamie rushed on. "Which means our only concern is keeping this plane in the air. Someone needs to stay here and prep the plane for reboot."
"Mitch and I can do that," Max offered.
"Great. Abe, final step. You need to throw this master switch. It's in the bar behind the control panel." He agreed solemnly. "Comms are down so everyone needs earpieces." Mitch felt her hand in his again, though this time briefly. When it was gone he held a small device he recognized as one of the tiny earbuds that served as an advanced walkie talkie. He put it in his ear and listened as the others left to their assigned tasks. Once they were gone, he felt the heavy hand of his father on his shoulder.
"Hey, I might have an idea about how to get your eyesight back in the meantime. I'll be right back." Before Mitch could protest, Max was gone. Normally he wouldn't care about being left alone - in fact, in most circumstances he preferred it. But his blindness was causing him to feel helpless, and no matter how many times he told himself it was just temporary he couldn't help but panic at the thought of losing his sight for good. He'd never see Jamie's face again, or Clem's. He'd never get to work as a vet again, or see the serene majesty of the Appalachian Mountains. He would have to completely change his entire lifestyle, and for one brief moment of fear he wondered if Jamie would want to be saddled with a cynical, blind husband for the rest of her life.
"Son?"
Max had returned and obviously Mitch hadn't done a good job at keeping his thoughts off of his face. "I'm alright," he reassured his father quickly. "What do you have?"
"I'm going to use this scanner to check the blood vessels in your brain. Think of it like a real time MRI. Don't worry, it's totally safe. Just try not to move too much."
Mitch did as he was told and held perfectly still. "You're thinking the blood vessels around my eyes are constricted?"
"Yep. If we can get blood flow going, then your vision should return in just a few minutes."
Mitch hated to admit it, but his dad wasn't as bad at actual science as he'd imagined. Max had always been so drawn to the fantastical and mythological that Mitch had forgotten the man had gotten his PhD from Cornell in Animal Science. He remembered Jamie telling him years ago that he and Max had a lot in common, and at the time he'd been angry at the comparison. But the more time he spent with the man, the more he had to concede that they were alike in many ways. They shared the same dry humor, they were both in an animal related field (in Max's case distantly related, but still related) and they both cared deeply for their children. For all of his faults, Mitch had never denied that - while he had difficulty with relationships and commitment - Max cared about his son in his own odd way.
Swallowing his pride, Mitch cleared his throat and mumbled, "Thanks for helping me, Max."
Max grew still for a moment, then continued his scans. "Of course." If his voice was a little thicker with emotion, neither man acknowledged it. When the scanner beeped, Max let it clatter to the table behind him. "Looks like they are, indeed, constricted. Be thankful your father is at risk for angina. I carry blood thinners with me."
"Great." Mitch waited impatiently as Max disappeared again, only to jump when he returned.
"Here." Mitch held out his hand and felt the small pill hit his palm. He popped it into his mouth and swallowed it dry, eager to get his vision back as soon as possible. "That's gonna take a few minutes to kick in, so we can pass the time with a little father son chat."
Mitch winced. "Do we have to?"
"You're a captive audience," Max quipped. "When am I gonna get another chance like this?"
Mitch sighed and leaned back in his seat dejectedly. At least he wouldn't have to look Max in the eye for this. "So?" He lifted his hands from his knees slightly, then let them drop back down. "Chat."
"You know after you...went missing," Max began uneasily, "I did a lot of thinking. I've spent most of my life chasing such fantastical creatures that I let it consume me. I became obsessed. So much that I lost sight of the things that truly mattered. And by the time I realized it, it was too late. I had already missed so much. I thought...I thought it would be easier if I stayed away for good."
Mitch felt his stomach churn as his father laid all of his regrets bare; regrets that sounded suspiciously like the ones he'd once admitted to Clementine all those years ago when he'd finally got up the courage to reconnect with her. In some weird, perverse cosmic joke, he knew exactly what Max was feeling right now - the guilt, the self-hate, and most of all the hope. Hope that it really wasn't too late.
"Max, I -"
"No, let me get this out," Max interrupted. "Because you deserve to hear it. I'm sorry, Mitch. I have made so many mistakes in my life, but you have always been my greatest triumph. I am so proud of you, and I lo-"
"Okay, hey, look at that. Full vision, just came back." Mitch stood up as the dark fog cleared from his eyes and he blinked against the light. "A-plus, bang up job, Max." The churning in his stomach had twisted painfully during his father's confession, but hearing the "L" word from Max's mouth right now was a bit too much for his mind to handle.
Max looked hurt at Mitch's obvious discomfort with the topic, but he accepted it and nodded. "Yeah, okay." He stood as well and glanced at the screen next to him. "Should we check in with the others?"
"Oh, right." Mitch realized he hadn't actually activated his earpiece, and when he tapped it lightly it crackled to life.
"...can you hear me? Mitch?" It was Jamie and she sounded frantic. There was a harsh noise accompanying her voice, like she was in the middle of a hellacious windstorm.
Wind? There wouldn't be wind on the plane unless…
"Max we need to get to the vehicle bay! Jamie!" Mitch listened closely for any sign that she and Dariela were alright and hadn't been sucked out of the bay door at cruising altitude. "Jamie, are you okay?" He heard Abe's worried voice answering with Dariela's name. There was no answer from either of them.
Mitch lurched forward and slammed into the door frame with his shoulder. He winced in pain but bounced off and careened down the hall blindly. Max caught up to him seconds later and kept a pace behind him as they raced through the lower levels to the small corridor that sat between the vehicle bay and the lab. Abe was already there struggling to open the door.
"What's going on?" Max asked as Mitch tried to get through to Jamie or Dariela again.
Abe stopped pulling for a moment and looked back frantically. "The bay door is open a little."
Mitch's heart dropped into his stomach as his comm crackled to life. "Mitch? Abe? Anyone there?" It was Jamie.
"Jamie! We can't get the door open," Abe shouted back.
"Are you okay?" Mitch asked.
"No! We're about to sucked out into the stratosphere. You have to bypass the control panel!"
Abe stopped pulling on the door and moved over to the wall to rip the cover off the panel. There were wires crossing every direction and too many connections to know what was what.
"What do I do?" he asked.
"Cut the blue wire," Jamie ordered. "And then the green wire!"
Mitch absently wondered when she had learned so much about the electrical details of the plane. He watched Abe clip the blue wire first, then a second. There was a low rumble under their feet, and then a faint beeping sound. The wind noise over their comms stopped abruptly, and the outer door released with a hiss. Max slid it open but Mitch was the first one through. Dariela was closest to the stairs, slumped over and clutching her fingers with the opposite hand. Jamie was further down, almost in the center of the bay. She'd obviously managed to grab the guardrail separating the upper gangway from the rest of the space, and when Mitch knelt down she was massaging her hands slowly.
"Let me see." He took her hands and inspected them for damage.
"Hey, you can see," she pointed out.
"Blood vessels were constricted around my eyes," he told her. "Max gave me blood thinners."
Her shoulders slumped. "Oh. I thought maybe you two had managed to…"
"Get rid of my evil alter ego?" he finished. "No, sorry. I'm still a danger to everyone here."
"No you're not," she pushed away from him and stood. "We just need to -"
"Hello, I have an unfortunate announcement."
Everyone stopped at the sound of Logan's voice coming from the speakers. Mitch glanced at Jamie. "Is that an AI? That sounds like Logan?" The others looked just as horrified as Mitch felt. Jamie just shrugged.
"Aircraft systems down to only essentials. Engines and avionics only."
"Engines and avionics?" Abe repeated.
But Mitch was already turning for the door. "Clem's tank. We have to get down there. She could lose power."
"Mitch, wait." Abe tried to grab him as he passed, but he dodged and kept moving.
"I'm going down there right now, and I'm taking Clem out of that tank."
"You must not! The baby still needs a blood transfusion. He could die if you take her out now."
Mitch stopped, but he was only a few feet from the open door. He understood the reasoning behind Abe's words, but his instinct to protect Clem was overriding his ability to think rationally. "If we do nothing, they both die."
"We all love Clem," Abe continued, "but that baby is the key to humanity's future."
"We talking about my daughter here, Abe!"
"My son is on this plane, too! But this is bigger than all of us."
Jamie stepped between them before either man became more agitated. "Calm down. We just need to figure out what to do."
"May I suggest using one of the auxiliary generators?"
Despite the decent suggestion, Mitch's lip curled at the sound of the disembodied voice. "Are we taking suggestions from DJ Logan now?"
Jamie held up a hand. "Hang on. What auxiliary generator?"
"The IADG planned on installing back up generators in the event of a full systems failure. They were never fully integrated into the aircraft systems, but the generators are still in the substorage level of the cargo bay. Based on calculations, one generator would be enough to power the tank even if the plane lost all power."
Mitch raised a finger. "Let's do that."
"The tank will lose power in five minutes."
They all scrambled from the vehicle bay toward the aft cargo space where they'd put the tank. Just as AI Logan had said, there were several unused generators sitting beneath the removable floor plates in the corner. Abe and Dariela pulled one out as Max and Jamie went in search of cables. Mitch tried not to stare at the his daughter inside the tank, but every now and then he'd catch her blank expression and suppress a shudder.
"Here," Jamie handed two large cables to him and two more to Max. "Alright, Abe, Dariela, when I say, cut the cables directly in front of you. At the exact same moment, Mitch and Max will connect their cables together."
"30 seconds until the tank loses power."
"Can we shut him off please?" Mitch snarled.
"Everybody ready?" Jamie asked. "Okay, on three. One, two, three." Abe and Dariela snapped the two cables that connected the tank to the main battery as Mitch plugged his two together. The blue-white light of the tank flickered for a moment, then steadied.
"Power successfully rerouted. Critical power loss imminent. Avionics failure imminent. Engine failure imminent. Critical altitude loss imminent."
"We need to kill that hybrid now," Jamie said.
Abe was still fighting for a live capture. "Jamie, let me modify the beacon signal, draw the hybrid off the battery so you can reboot the system. I know the risks, but we're out of time."
"Full engine failure in ten minutes."
"Okay, you have five," Jamie told Abe. "Once the hybrid is off the battery, I'll reboot the system. Mitch, Max, go the bar and be ready to throw that switch when I tell you."
"You had me at 'go the bar.'" Mitch quipped.
She went with them as far as the galley. "Hey," she tugged his sleeve and pulled him around to face her. "Once the reboot is complete, I'll give you the signal to throw the master switch." Mitch nodded silently and Jamie lifted her hand to place it against his cheek. "I know you're worried about Duncan making an appearance, but it's going to be okay. I promise." She said it with such confidence that Mitch almost believed her. She sealed it with a kiss, and for a moment Mitch forgot they were in a life and death situation. He returned the kiss greedily, as though by just her touch he could drive the demon from his head.
Then Max cleared his throat and the moment was over. "Guys, I hate to break up the love fest but…"
"Full engine failure in seven minutes."
"Right." Jamie gave him a little shove toward the door. "Go. Everything will be fine."
Mitch replayed her words over and over as he followed his father through the door. He could feel the biodrive in his head, its presence now a dull throb just above his left eye. He just hoped whatever Abigail was planning, it would wait until after they were out of danger and he'd convinced the others to lock him up downstairs.
"You alright, son?"
"Never better. Just trying to keep the psychopath in my head at bay. You?"
"It'll be okay," Max said as they rounded the corner and started up the stairs. "Jamie's one smart cookie."
Mitch had to agree with him. He'd always known she was brilliant, but it seemed in his absence she'd expanded her knowledge base to include a plethora of modern technology. He couldn't help but feel proud of her for taking charge and handling the crisis calmly.
They made it to the bar and stepped around Max's equipment. If this worked, they would need to administer that third pulse to end the biodrive nightmare once and for all. Luckily, the master switch was in the same panel as the power supply they'd used for the oscillator. As soon as Jamie gave the word, they could throw it and get everything back on track toward normal - or at least what passed for normal on the plane.
The call came through moments later, and Mitch threw the master switch. The entire plane shuddered once, but then the lights came back on and stayed on.
"Power restored. Emergency landing procedures activated. Please fasten your safety belts."
Max was trying to power up the oscillator already, but the entire aircraft tilted for a sharp turn and they barely stayed on their feet.
"We're not gonna make it to the jumpseats." Mitch pushed Max toward the two small chairs at the back of the room. At least the seatbelts that had been installed on nearly every seat on the plane hadn't been removed by the IADG. Mitch buckled in just as the plane angled down in a controlled nosedive.
Max gripped the sides of his chair and leaned back. "Emergency landing is right."
Through the comms Mitch heard the others chattering from the safety of their own seats. He heard Dariela comforting Isaac and hoped that Clem's tank would hold up under the strain of the sudden landing. Jackson and Abe had secured it pretty well to the bulkhead, but if they landed too hard it might detach. He almost unbuckled to go check, but the AI Logan's voice warned them of their impending landing.
"Twenty seconds to landing. Please remain seated and buckled. It will be bumpy."
Bumpy was an understatement. Mitch felt his head slam back into the cushion behind him and he winced in pain. He heard Max let out a grunt of surprise as they bounced once, then twice on the runway. Both men fell forward hard against their restraints as the plane decelerated.
"Emergency landing successful. Powering down."
Mitch unbuckled and stood quickly. He made it two steps before the dull ache in his head suddenly exploded, causing Mitch to double over and grip the door frame just to stay on his feet. Max was at his side immediately.
"Mitch? Mitch, what is it?"
Mitch clenched his teeth and sucked in a breath. "The...biodrive," he grunted, fighting against the pain. "I think it's back on." He could feel the icy fingers of Duncan stretching out over his brain, insinuating himself into each tiny crevice in preparation for his takeover. Mitch shook his head sharply as if he could dislodge him physically. Faintly, he could hear his father pleading for him to hang on.
"Alright, I got you. I'm right here for you, son. You have to fight through this."
It was a fight Mitch was losing. A cry of frustration and agony passed his lips as he clutched at his father's hands desperately. "I can't," he breathed. "I can't fight through it, Dad." Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered the shock on Max's face at the use of the moniker, but just as quickly as the thought passed through it was gone, wiped clean by the program slowly taking over his mind. The last thing Mitch saw was his father's face so full of worry and love, and he felt regret.
Someone was holding onto him, gripping his arms like a vice. Duncan blinked twice and straightened, using the motion to lash out with a wicked backhand that sent his assailant crumpling to the floor. It was an older man with graying curly hair and prominent features. Max Morgan, Mitch's father. Not anyone who should have been a threat. Taking stock of his surroundings, Duncan realized fairly quickly that he was on an airplane. They were obviously on the ground, but other than that he had no idea where he was.
Something was wrong in his mind, like there was too much pressure building up inside. As far as he knew he'd suffered no head injury, so it had to be Abigail's little device. Shoving an entire consciousness into a tiny biodrive was a daunting task, but they'd figured it out. But something was definitely wrong and the suppression protocols weren't working correctly. Mitch was fighting back.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, so he slid it out and glanced at the screen. The number displayed was one he knew fairly well, and he answered it on the second ring.
"Hello."
"Hello old friend." It was Abigail, and she sounded happy. That was usually a bad sign, in his experience. "It's good to finally hear your voice."
"Abigail. I seem to be on a plane."
"A mistake we will soon be rectifying. Do you remember me telling you about my brother?" Duncan grunted in response; it was almost all she could ever talk about. It made Duncan glad he - or Mitch, at least - was an only child. "He's on that plane with you. I need you to bring him to me."
"How?"
"Simple, my friend. Just ask him." There was an edge to Abigail's voice that Duncan didn't like. She'd always been far too emotional for his liking, but she was smart and she appreciated his talents. Best of all, she didn't bug him while he was working. Still, she was prone to bouts of anger or mania that disturbed him.
"Ask him?"
"He wants to see me," Abigail explained. "He won't be able to resist."
"Fine. How do I find him?"
Finding Jackson was actually a bit easier than he'd initially thought. He was apparently wearing an earpiece, and when he tapped it and called the man's name he answered.
"What is it, Mitch?"
He winced at the name but recovered quickly. "Uh, yeah. Jackson. Can you meet me in the...uh…"
"The bar?"
"Yes. The bar. Meet me in the bar." He tapped the comm again to disconnect before Jackson could ask any more questions. A few moments later he heard the sound of footsteps and belatedly realized the man who had attacked him earlier was still lying unconscious on the floor.
"What the hell happened?" Jackson knelt down immediately and tried to rouse the older man. "Mitch, help me."
It felt wrong, like someone was turning the key to a door he knew shouldn't be opened. "Stop calling me that."
Jackson glanced up sharply, and Duncan saw his jaw twitch. "Mitch, what the hell is going on?"
"Guys, is everything -" A woman with red hair and fair skin came through the other door. Jamie, his mind supplied automatically. "- alright? Oh my God, Max!" She rushed by Duncan and crouched down. "Max, can you hear me?" She turned her head slightly to talk over her shoulder. "Mitch, get a glass of water."
"Jamie." Jackson's tone had a note of warning, and when she glanced at him he shook his head. "Something's wrong," he whispered.
Jamie stood up and turned, every muscle in her body tensed as if ready for a fight. Duncan took a moment to appreciate her figure as she took a tentative step toward him. "Mitch?"
Duncan clenched his teeth together and sneered. The key had turned much more quickly this time and there was a roar from deep within his mind that deafened him for a moment. "I said, stop calling me that."
"Oh my God." Her expression was a mixture of shock and horror, and Duncan saw the hint of tears welling in her eyes. "It's you."
"Who else would it be?" he drawled. "I have a message from Abigail."
Jackson jumped up and stepped over the prone man, using his own body to physically block his line of sight to Jamie. "What the hell is going on, Mitch?"
"That's not Mitch," Jamie breathed behind him. She was very nearly crying now and her words came out quiet and shaky. "It's Duncan."
Based on his reaction Jackson seemed to be at least somewhat familiar with him. Duncan just smiled. "That's right."
Jackson straightened slightly and lifted his chin in defiance. "What does Abigail want?"
"She wants you. Plain and simple." Duncan glanced out the window at the darkness beyond and wondered about his next words. "She wants me to take you to her."
Jamie grabbed Jackson's shoulder and pulled him back. "No, Jackson you can't. You have no idea what she wants with you."
But there was already a glint in Jackson's eye, that same determined expression he'd seen on Abigail's face many times, and Duncan knew he had him.
"If I go with you, will you leave my friends alone?"
Duncan had no plans to do anything other than get the hell out of here, so it was an easy enough promise to make. "Sure."
"No!" Jamie surged forward as though she was trying to get to Duncan, but Jackson held her back.
"Jamie, hey," he turned toward her and gathered her in his arms. Duncan felt sick at the display. Jackson spoke in a muted tone so Duncan couldn't really make out what he was saying, but when he pulled away Jamie wiped her tears and nodded.
"It's gonna be okay," Jackson continued. "I promise. Look after Max."
Before she turned away she glanced up at Duncan and they locked eyes. Something slammed into his mental block hard and he winced as he fought a wave of nausea. He needed to get back to Abigail fast and get her to reset that damn biodrive before it failed completely.
"Let's go." Jackson led him through the corridors of the plane to the vehicle bay. He went to get into the SUV parked there but Duncan shook his head.
"We're not using your vehicle," he said. "How dumb do you think I am? They have tracking devices."
Jackson held out his hands imploringly. "Then what do you suggest?"
Duncan reached up and slapped the button that lowered the bay door. A cold wind whipped through the space as the plane opened to the night air. "We'll figure something out. Let's go."