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…
Sorry for delays…Projects, new life, holidays. Will try to continue to finis.
Part XXIX…
Dyad Institute, conference room just beyond the holographic chamber home of Virtual Leekie as on screen in the room the image of Aldous jokingly referred to himself as Sarah, Beth, and Felix stared up at him, Art and Delphine across from them.
"A freaky holo-Leekie?" Felix shook head.
"Very good, can I keep that, Felix?" Virtual Aldous grinned at him. "By the way, while I understand your feelings about me, it's nice to finally meet you, face to face, more or less, if not in the actual flesh."
"Doctor…" nod. "I will say I preferred you to Rachel as head of Dyad." Fee noted.
"Thanks. And may I say, Sarah, Possible Beth…Though we agree the book's not written on that yet…I will do all I can to help here. For you girls and because it's a rather intriguing notion…" smile.
"Yeah, well no one is volunteering to host you in the flesh if you're hopin' for it, Leekie." Sarah frowned.
"I understand. Actually I rather like being a part of the Dyad AI system…Global data and complete knowledge base of Mankind at my fingertips and all that." Shrug on screen, smile. "I get quite physical enough in the holo chamber, I promise you."
"More than I need to know, thanks." Sarah winced.
"Dr. Leekie." Beth nodded. "I suppose you know we've met."
Art, Felix, Beth, Delphine staring…
"Oh, yes, fortunately Aldous did weekly downloads with me." The image nodded head. "I am so sorry, Beth. It wasn't my or rather, his, decision. I'd hoped you'd seen the light and backed off from further probing until I learned the truth."
"You've met, the two of you?" Sarah asked, startled.
"At Dyad. Beth was even pushier than you, dear, in her quest." Virtual Aldous smiled.
"I'd hoped to get to the bottom of things…" Beth sighed. "But instead…I got to the bottom of a train track…"
Art, raging now, rising… "You son of a…!" ready to shoot out the screen…
"No, Art!" Beth grabbed at him. "Art…!" Sarah echoed.
Felix regarding both…
Hmmn…
Glad dear Cal isn't here to see this… Might allow for some disturbing thoughts to start growing…
"We need him, Art." Beth, pulling gently at his arm. "And honestly, it wasn't him…"
Art calming at her touch…
"Dipshit, don't lose it now." She smiled at him.
Mon dieu…Delphine stared. It's true. That is Beth in there.
Virtual Aldous regarding her with similar expression…
"Detective, it's true. Whatever you think of me, of Aldous Leekie, I would never allow the Ledas to come to harm, if I could do anything to prevent it. And I do believe I may be able to help you understand what's going on here, provided we can gather enough data."
"She stays. I don't care what happens to Rachel Duncan." Art noted firmly, lowering gun. "Beth stays. With me."
"If she wants to…?" Beth teased gently. "I'm still a feminist, Art. And even though I love you and would kill to stay with you, no one decides this for me…Right?"
He eyed her…Then nodded, sighing. "Right, your call, partner. But, please, Beth…" he eyed her now joyful, tearing face. "Don't leave me again."
Sarah, a bit misty-eyed, watching…
Felix, nervous glance to Delphine who was now on her phone, open to conference with Cosima and the group in the Far North, whom he'd labeled Ice Team Helena to her pleased cooing a few moments ago…
I think I may need to have a heart to heart wid me sis, soon…
"I can't say if that's possible…" Virtual Aldous sighed. "It's Rachel's body and Rachel seems likely to be very much alive in Alison Hendrix. Not knowing anything as to what's happened here, we can only guess that her anchor to her own physical body remains strong."
Beth turning to face the screen, anxious… "You're saying Rachel could come back? And me?"
"Darling, I can't say anything. But logically we have to presume Rachel would have the stronger hold." Virtual Aldous noted.
"Aldous V agrees with you, Cosima." Delphine noted to the phone. "Mr. Hendrix, are you still…? Yes, are there any further signs of Rachel securing more control over Alison's body?"
"But if Ally and Rachel are coexisting, in Ally's body?" Art asked.
"Not as yet…" Delphine told Virtual Leekie. "At least it seems so…" His face nodding…
"That's good. But tell him to keep observing."
"Alison's a fighter, she won't let Rachel win." Sarah insisted.
"Yeah, but it means Beth could potentially continue, in Rachel's body, even if Rachel came back." Art pointed out.
"If you want to…" he grinned at Beth, who mock-frowned back.
"Livin' Hell condoing with Rachel?…I wouldn't wish that on anyone." Sarah shook head. "But if Rachel really did vacate, for whatever reason…?"
"One moment, ma chere….We can't say, Sarah…" Delphine noted, looking from her phone. "Aldous is right, we've no idea how this occurred and can't be sure of anything until we learn more. In fact, it's still far too early to accept this crazy notion…I don't believe Beth here is faking…" careful smile to Beth… "…but this could be other things, even some sort of subliminal hypnosis, on both Rachel and Alison. We have to continue to be cautious. And I agree with Cosima, we need to get Alison here as soon as possible."
"Oh, Lord. Arthur?!" Fee sighed as the group jointly stared at Art and Beth embracing and kissing deeply. "Is that being cautious, Detective?"
"If I am still Rachel, I must really have a kinky desire for Art, Felix." Beth grinned as she emerged from the embrace, Art smiling. "But we probably all do, eh, Sarah?" chuckle.
Must we go that way, Sarah thought, a bit nervous.
"Well, to be honest, I am a bit more disturbed by the devastating attraction of Donnie Hendrix for you all." Fee, pondering.
….
"Are we actually heading anywhere?" Rachel, drily as the car moved along, somewhat more tentatively, snow now falling fairly steadily. "This snow could be…Donnie's not an idiot, he's aware of the snow, Rachel!" Alison hissed.
"It's fine, honey. She's not getting to me." Donnie, hastily. "I prefer not to say anything about our plans to you, Rachel."
"Fine, but as I presume you're heading for Toronto, I should tell you you're heading northwest." She noted.
"I know." He nodded. "Hopefully it's the least likely direction they expect, though on these roads…" he concentrated.
"How clever…Shut up!" Rachel/Alison. "Well, you do realize the Castors and British military with Paul are sure to cover 'the least likely' direction as the obvious alternate…?" Slap of face… "Stop that! No one touches me!" cry. "Then you stop, bitch!"
"For Heaven's sake, I'm trying to offer a little…"
"Sestras, please…!" Helena…
"Not if it means driving into Paint Lake…" Donnie smiled. All three looking at him…