Orphans Beloved: "Beth Rhymes With Death…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

Part XXV…

Dyad Institute…Office of Delphine Cormier…

"What you're suggesting is as insane as your coming here, Detective." Delphine sighed. "And believe me, it was insane to come here. If either Marion Bowles or Ferdinand Chevalier had caught you on the premises."

"For now, lets accept they didn't and I caught you instead." Art noted from the seat he'd taken.

"And if our security footage should happen to be reviewed…? I doubt it would take long to note your presence here and id you."

"I dodged your cameras in the garage. As for being in the building with you, not my problem after I leave…I'd suggest you come up with a plausible explanation for your bosses."

Delphine, shaking head…

"They're far worse than my 'bosses', particularly Ferdinand. Arthur, you have no idea the danger you could be putting the girls in. And for as insane a reason as this? That Beth might somehow be alive again, in Rachel Duncan's body?"

"There's your explanation…I suffered a heart attack and became delusional on the meds. You realized that when I confronted you, heard me out, and for the good of your Ms. Bowles' arrangements with the Ledas, sent me home after I'd recovered a bit, quite sensibly. If there's nothing to what I'm saying, that should satisfy."

"Merde…" Delphine put hand to face. "You're as crazy as my Cosima."

"But afraid not interested." Smile. "Though she still is."

"I wish that were true…" sigh. "What do you hope to learn here? I've never heard the remotest hint of research into something like this…Brain transference? Spirit possession? Even in his wildest flights of fancy Aldous never conceived of something like this."

"But maybe someone else here did." Art noted quietly. "Delphine, I don't say I fully believe the story…But Beth…Or Rachel…Whoever she is, believes what she's saying and knew things only Beth could know."

"Rachel kept good surveillance on all the girls, tighter even than Aldous'. I think you're underestimating her, Arthur."

"Maybe…But could she be that good an actress? And why would she want to make such an effort with me? I'm no one important to Rachel. She'd simply eliminate me."

"Maybe you underestimate yourself…" wry smile. "And Rachel really is powerless now…She needs allies, even unorthodox ones. And frankly, I do believe she's twisted enough to enjoy trying to play with your heart like this…"

"All I want is a look at Rachel's records while she was in care and any research done regards her and her condition after the incident with Sarah…There might be something there…"

"You're grasping at straws, Arthur…Rachel seemed quite…" Delphine paused. "Well, perhaps a bit different before she left…But shaken and impotent for the first time in years…And facing Ferdinand…Could explain whatever slightly odd things."

"Namely?" he eyed her. She shrugged.

"Just in her medical file…She wasn't angry at Sarah or overly concerned about the eye. At first she was deeply depressed, even suicidal…Perhaps understandable. Then, after a day or two, she seemed almost cheerful…The nurses were surprised at her manner, given what they'd known of her. They found her joking, even light-hearted. Dr. Nealon put it down to the drugs…And shock."

"Could I see the file…That's really all I want."

"And access to Dyad's most secret research…" shrewd stare. "Is this really about Beth and Rachel or is Sarah up to something? I know she wants to go public…And within reason, if it can be done with safety…The backing of some powerful group behind it…I support that. But if she thinks she can take classified information and use it against them...Very dangerous, Arthur."

"Is there anything that hot? I mean, national security is what I think you're hinting at."

"Years for treason here or in Britain or the United States is what I'm 'hinting at'."

"The ties go that deep?"

"They may…They likely do. But even I don't know. Arthur, if this is what's really behind all this…"

She paused as the buzzer on her desk phone went off… "Cormier..Yes? What? Put her through…"

"Rachel…" she mouthed to Art…

….

"Yes, Delphine. I'd imagine Arthur took my bait and went straight in to you. It would be wise to give him any assistance he requires, at least seem to. I'll be there shortly." Sarah, calmly cold, in Rachel accent.

She raised voice, with drop of anger in tone as Fee and Beth watched, rather impressed…

"I don't give a damn if I'm persona-non-grata at Dyad right now. I am still working for the Institute and I am still a principle Leda subject. Listen, Dr. Cormier. Leave Detective Bell to me. I've a course to pursue with him that will benefit us."

"Is that really Rachel?" Beth asked Fee as they sat in Duncan's car, parked about five blocks from the Dyad Institute. "I thought I'd got her some from video files I found at Dyad and her place but she sounds like a young Thatcher."

"Much worse." Fee shook head. "Young Stalin is more like it. No, he was probably more human then…"

"Delphine, it's my business but if you must know…" Sarah, slight grin to the others. "What I am 'up to' will even help your little friend. Unless she's gone and died, how tragic…"

Hmmn…Sarah blinked at phone…The others looking at her.

"Killing me would hardly benefit any of us, Doctor." She continued.

Fee giving Beth a thumb's up. "Delphine's still with us, sort of." Fee hissed.

"Sort of…" Beth agreed, in low tone. "But she's not telling you…Us…" faint smile to Fee's grin. "Everything she knows…Ferdinand for one…"

"I'll take him off your hands, Delphine. Surely you don't want the man wandering about, causing Ferdinand to take a greater interest in him? And reach inevitable conclusions about us? About Cosima?" arch tone.

"Where'd she learn to act like that?" Beth asked Fee who shrugged.

"Years of training…But not with the Royal Shakespeare, I'm afraid."

"I'd seen her record…" Beth smiled. "When I found Ally and Cos through facial rec software, she came up too. But I didn't think it'd be wise to include her in our club then. Figured she'd take us blind or sell us out to Dyad."

"Possible on both counts back then…" Fee noted, thoughtful nod.

Sarah, slight frown at hearing… "Be sensible, Delphine…Tell him I'm coming to meet with him. I'll get him out of your hair and …No, I won't kill him."

Art grinning at Delphine as he listened on her speakerphone… Sarah…He mouthed…

"I might be willing to let you take him away from here. But only if he comes to no harm, Rachel." Delphine told the phone. "Just a moment, he's coming back." She muted phone.

"Why would Sarah…?"

"She's coming to rescue me. I knew she might catch on." Art smiled. "And I'd bet anything Beth…Or whomever…Is with her."

"What? Are they insane, too?"

"Just tell her you gave me the medical files, I looked them over and I seemed satisfied and left. And I will be…" he noted.

"That won't satisfy Sarah…"

"Tell her I'm going out the main door…You're taking me, in twenty minutes and she can intercept me on my way to my car in the city lot."

"What if you're wrong and this is Rachel?" Delphine, nervously. "She may plan to kill you."

"She could have earlier, more easily. And I know my other partner…She's good but she overplays it. Look, you want me out and you need that 'plausible explanation' for Ferdinand. Give me the twenty with your files and I'll go. As for Sarah's performance, if you keep her out of Dyad all the better, right?"

"Now I'm the one who's insane…" Delphine sighed, pressing button on phone. "Rachel?"

Bloody about time…Sarah frowned.

"How quickly they forget the also rans and former ice princesses…" Fee hissed to Beth.

"Yes, Delphine…Still here."

"I'll be bringing Detective Bell out the main door in about twenty minutes. I'm letting him have some access to convince him he's wrong. You can meet him, if you wish, in the city parking lot down the street, out of surveillance, more or less."

"Good. Excellent. Naturally I'll continue to play 'Beth'." Sarah noted.

"What is the purpose of that, Rachel?" Delphine frowned at her phone. "I won't let you torment this poor man…"

"You'll see soon enough, Doctor. It's for Cosima's benefit, thought not I assure you, intentionally. Just follow my instructions." Firm tone.

She's getting much too good at this…Fee whispered to Beth.

"All right, he'll be back any moment. Rachel? If anything happens to him, I will see the police are informed. And Rachel, I'm doing this for his sake, to convince him you are lying. What he may do to you as a result is his own business, far as I'm concerned."

"Naturally…And he'll be perfectly safe in our…My…hands, Delphine. Thank you for your cooperation." Sarah closed her phone with strong click.

"Sarah or not…Rachel still irkes me." Delphine glared at phone.

"Now as to what I want…" Art eyed her.

Another buzz…

"Merde…" Delphine frowned. "Here…On my laptop, the files are open." She shoved the computer over to him, taking the phone to ear.

"Cosima? Oh, ma petite…What? Oh…" clearly depressed… "What? Rachel, what? What did Donnie say?" she clutched the phone.

"Ma chere…That's…Im…"

"Impossible…" Art finished to her stunned look as he looked over a file. "So we've found Rachel, I'm guessing?"

….