My Son, My Son
By Ldynwaitin
Chapter Five
Never give up!
Peter and Olivia hurried down the hallways. Seeing Walternate walking towards them, Peter dropped his head, he covered his nose and sneezed. Olivia approached Walternate. "Secretary Bishop, I wanted to thank you for helping, Peter." She blocked his view as Peter rushed past them.
"Agent Dunham. I have heard that you and Peter are a couple now. I'm sorry that I had to expel Dr. Bishop. But it was for Peter's own good. Believe me when I tell you that I only have his best interests at heart."
"I know, he told me all that you've done for him. He said he understands why you kept him here. He's resting right now, so my brother and I are going to the cafeteria. We'll be back later."
"Very well." He gave her a nod of goodbye.
She quickly left him and joined Peter. They hurried down the hallway that led to the crossing bridge. Walternate went to check on Peter. Entering his room, he saw a man sitting on a chair. He quickly stood up and came to attention.
"Mr. Secretary!" Humphrey briskly said.
"Where is, Peter?" Walternate asked.
"He's in the restroom, sir."
Walternate gently knocked on the door. "Peter, are you all right?"
"Fine," he heard in reply. Frowning he said. "Peter, are you sure?"
"I'm fine," a voice said inside. Walternate immediately knew that was not Peter's voice.
"Open it!" he ordered Humphrey.
Humphrey kicked the door open. They saw Jacobson standing in the room with his hands in the air. Squinting at them he said, "I surrender."
Walternate looked back. Olivia's brother, the man with blonde hair. He now realized it was Peter.
"Call the bridge," he barked at Humphrey. "Tell them I want it closed down. We can't let him get to the other side."
"Yes, sir!" Humphrey said, he sprinted out of the room.
Olivia and Peter hurried down the hallway. They were nearing the bridge. Ahead they saw Broyles on this side of the bridge, he was talking to several people standing guard. The door to the bridge was open. They saw one of the guards going to a desk to answer a phone.
Broyles locked eyes with Olivia. "We need to hurry," she told Peter.
The man on the phone looked their way. "Stop that man," he shouted. On the desk was a panel. Broyles knew that the large red button on the panel would close and lock the doors to the bridge. He grabbed the guard and pulled him away from the desk. Olivia and Peter sprinted to the bridge. Three men ran to Olivia and Peter. One of them approached Olivia first. She ducked a sweeping blow and rabbit punched him in the stomach.
The other two men tried to stop Peter. Peter pulled the wig off and threw it at one of the men's face. Pulling back, he punched the other in the face. Grabbing his nose, the guard stumbled back. The other man grabbed Peter's arm. "I don't want to hurt you," he told Peter.
"That's funny," Peter said. "Because I really want to hurt you." Seeing Olivia behind the guard, Peter pulled the man's arm up, Olivia landed a blow to his side. The man released Peter and clutched his side.
"Go," Broyles shouted, as he fought to keep the man from pushing the button. "Go now before they close the bridge."
They didn't hesitate, they sprinted through the doors. They heard the doors slam shut behind them. Running down the narrow corridor, they saw the doors to the other side was open. Walter was waiting them.
"Peter," Walter urged him. "We need to hurry. We have a car waiting for us on shore."
They rushed through the facility. Coming out they headed to a small cabin cruiser. Boarding the boat, Peter sat down, Olivia and Walter sat on each side.
The small boat quickly sped towards the mainland.
"Peter, how are you feeling?" Walter asked him.
"I'm feeling good, for now, Walter. The shots they give me last six hours. I had one almost five hours ago."
"The shots are just masking your symptoms," Walter said. "The disease is still there. Each time the shots wear off, you'll be feeling worse. We must get you to my lab."
Olivia looked ahead. "Once we reach land, it's going to take us four hours to drive to Boston."
Walter patted Peter's leg. "Don't worry, Peter. We'll find the formula. It's in there somewhere, I know it."
Olivia leaned on him. "We have to find it. I'm not losing you again."
Peter put his arms around the two people he loved the most. "I'm still here, guys. I don't plan on going anywhere."
Because it was the middle of the day, the ride to Boston took longer than they anticipated. Peter sat in the back with Walter, Olivia was driving. They were still half an hour from Boston. Walter saw Peter close his eyes and lay his head back. He rolled Peter's head to lay on his shoulder. He touched his forehead.
"Olivia, can you drive faster, please."
Olivia looked at her rear-view mirror. "Why, Walter?"
"Peter's fever, it's back. We need to get him to my lab as soon as possible."
Peter swallowed. The dryness in his throat was back. His eyes burned. Walter was right, he felt worse than ever. He looked at Walter. "Don't give up on me," he quietly told Walter. "Don't give up on finding the formula."
"Never," Walter said. His arm hugged him tight. "We'll find it, son. I promise, we will find the cure."
It was after twelve when they reached Harvard University. The lunch crowd was milling about. Olivia pulled up close to the door leading into the University. Leaving the car, she opened the door where Peter was sitting. She was shocked to see how fast his condition had deteriorated. His skin was pale and waxen. His eyes half lidded.
Peter struggled to smile, "From that look I guess I look as bad as I feel."
Bustling students stared at them as they walked by the car.
Olivia took Peter's hand. Exiting from the other side, Walter helped Peter get out. They both had to help him walk into the University. The hallways were filled with students. It took them time to reach Walter's lab.
Opening the doors to the lab, they saw Astrid waiting for them. She ran to help them.
"You made it!" she excitedly said. She was shocked how bad Peter looked.
"Is everything ready?" Walter asked Astrid.
"Yes, Walter. I have the drugs mixed, and the leads to the monitor and equipment are ready."
Walter saw a gurney sitting in the center of his lab. Hearing her phone ring, Olivia let Astrid and Walter help Peter walk to the gurney.
"Dunham," she said.
"Olivia, this is Broyles," she heard. "Where are you?"
"We just arrived at Walter's lab."
"I wanted to give you a warning, Walternate sent out an order of extradition to bring Peter back to the other side. I'm trying to delay it as much as possible. Be advised that you may have company from the local sheriff's office."
"Noted, sir. Thank you for telling me. And thank you for stopping them at the bridge. I hope you're not in trouble."
"When am I not? I pray that Walter is able to get the information he needs to save Peter. I have to go, good luck."
"Thank you, Sir." Closing her phone, she went to Peter.
Peter was sitting on the gurney, his head was hanging down. Walter was pulling Peter's coat off. Peter's head felt so heavy he had a hard time keeping it up. After Walter pulled his shirt off, he and Astrid helped Peter lay down.
"Peter," Walter said. "I'm afraid because of your weakened state, I don't exactly know the dosage to use. I'm going to have to guess. Now just relax."
Peter nodded his head. Astrid put a small pillow under his head. He saw Olivia standing next to him. A concerned look crossed her face. "That was Broyles, he said we may have company."
"Excellent!" Walter said. "We can see if it works, Peter."
Peter lay his head back. "He was just waiting for a chance to use it."
"To use what?" Olivia asked him.
"You'll see," Peter said with a grin.
Olivia saw Walter walk to a column that stood in front of the landing. He pulled the handle of an old-fashioned knife switch on the column down. She jumped when two solid metal doors fell in front of the wooden doors. She heard banging and each window was covered in a metal plate.
"Peter," Walter shouted. "It worked."
"Yes, Walter," Peter said. It was more of a sigh.
"That should keep them away," Walter said. He rushed back to Peter.
Olivia stepped back to stay out of Walter and Astrid's way. She felt useless. All she could do was helplessly watch as Walter attempted to save Peter's life.
"We have to access your hippocampus, Peter," Walter told him as he began placing sensors on the sides of his head. Peter flinched as he felt the sensors dig under his skin.
"I'm sorry, Son. The hippocampus is deep within your brain. That is where childhood memories are stored. That is where we'll find your memory of what happened that day."
He put sensors on his arm that monitored his vitals. Astrid handed Walter a syringe filled with a yellow liquid. "This will help to open the block in your mind of your childhood, Peter. You must reach deep into your old memories. Relax and allow the medicine to work."
Nodding his head, Peter stared at the ceiling. Feeling a pinch from the needle, he relaxed. Taking in slow deep breaths, he waited for the drug to work. Using an ear thermometer, Astrid took his temperature. "It's one hundred and four, Walter."
Walter checked his other vitals. He noticed that his blood pressure was rising. "Apple keep an eye on his blood pressure. If it goes to high, I'll use a beta blocker to bring it down."
"Yes, Walter. I'll keep an eye on him." Astrid gently smiled at him.
Peter whispered, "Thank you."
She patted Peter on the arm. "Don't worry, Peter. You're going to be okay."
Walter looked at the monitor that was connected to Peter. "I pray that this will work."
He carefully watched Peter for a sign that the medication was taking effect. He saw his eyes starting to glass over. His electroencephalogram showed a spike in its readings, he was ready. Leaning over Walter calmly said, "Peter, you need to remember a time from long ago. A time when you were a child, and you were very sick. A time I visited you and took you someplace. Do you remember?"
"Visited me?" Peter mumbled. He struggled to remember that day. The day Walter saved his life. Closing his eyes, he started shaking.
Seeing him shaking, Astrid covered him with a blanket.
Peter was cold, so very cold. Opening his eyes, he saw that he was walking over snow covered ice.
"Walter," Astrid said. "I see something on the monitor. Is that ice?"
Walter stared at the monitor. He adjusted the settings. "Yes, Astrid. We are seeing his memories. We are looking through his eyes. He's remembering the day he was taken from another universe to save his life."
~~~~~ Smokey woman, Left dot ~~~~~