Allegro 18

Rated PG

Characters belong to Lloyd, Moore, and DC, among others.

Dominic sat on the edge of the bed and turned on his laptop. I need two phones and a secretary. While he waited for the screen to light up he picked up his phone. Six AM. Matters not. I'm calling Perry. Dominic pushed the power button then used his thumb to enter more digits into his mobile. He spoke softly so as not to wake Evey and the baby. "Perry? How is the Inspector?"

A sleepy voice answered. "It's bad, Stone. I'm sorry to have to tell you. He is getting the best care we can give him, but there is nothing we can do without those stem cells. His own body must destroy the virus and his body must have the genetic programming to do it. Have you located the placenta?"

"I'm close. Is he...is he...conscious?" Dominic turned away from the bed where Evey and Edmond lay. Even in the dimness of the early morning light he feared his face might be visible.

"He drifts in and out. He's fighting the drugs we are administering to sedate him."

"Then he wants to tell you something, Perry. Has he spoken to you?"

"Just nonsense. Babbling. He is delirious, Detective. I'm sorry."

Dominic leaned forward, "Can you remember anything he has said? Even if it didn't seem to make sense? Has he repeated anything?"

"He goes on about a 'bank'. Nobody is using any money around here lately. He's not asking for his pay."

"That's all? 'Bank'?"

"And someone named 'Paul'."

God. Dominic covered his eyes with his hand even though his back was to Eve. He paused a moment then asked, "What does he say about Paul?"

"Well, Detective, it doesn't make any sense..."

"Please, Perry."

"He says, 'Tell Paul to go to the bank.'"

"Tell Paul?" Dominic frowned, thinking.

"Yes, he says, 'Tell Paul I want him to go to the bank. Paul's in Brussels.'" Perry paused, then his voice came over the mobile's speaker, puzzled. "Aren't you in Brussels, Detective?"

"Oh..." Dominic squeezed his eyes shut. "I will be in touch, Perry." His thumb pressed the 'end' key. He tried to breathe, then he stood up. I have to get out of here. This early in the morning the only place to go would be to a café, or the hotel restaurant. The bathroom? He glanced briefly at Evey's bed to make sure she was still sleeping before slipping onto the small room and locking himself in.

The sound of the clicking lock meant that Evey could open her eyes. She rolled over without disturbing Edmond and checked Dominic's bed. Empty. He must be in the bathroom. She frowned. He had been on the phone to Perry and now I hear him. It sounds as though...oh no. Finch. Mr. Finch must be dead. She slid from beneath the sheets; tucking pillows around Edmond, then crept to the bathroom door. She leaned her head against the wood and spoke into the crack. "Dom?" The sounds inside immediately ceased. A second later she heard the shower come on. She wasn't fooled. "Dominic!" She rapped on the door with her knuckles. "Is it Mr. Finch? Please. Tell me."

"The door's locked for a reason," she heard over the sound of running water.

"Let me in."

"No."

Evey stood back, staring at the door. She took a shuddering breath. Oh no. We are too late. Edmond began to cry. Evey knocked on the door again, tried another tack. "My diapers are in there."

The door clicked open three inches, a diaper was passed through the tiny crack, then the door closed again. Aha. His hand is dry. "Dominic!"

She heard him through the door. "Go change the baby, Eve. Leave me alone."

She stood there, open-mouthed, holding a tiny diaper in her hand. Edmond grew more insistent. I will raise the stakes. "I have to pee!" she pitched her voice higher to make sure he heard her over the water and the baby. The shower shut off, then the door opened. Ah! Victory! Dominic brushed past her in his tee shirt and flannel sweats, his hair and body completely dry. I knew the shower was faked. She stared at his back as he bent over his laptop. Not completely dry. He missed a spot near his eye.

He spoke without turning around. "Bathroom's yours, Eve."

"Dom, please. Is it Mr. Finch?"

"No."

"He's...he's still alive?"

"Yes."

Relief. "God, Dom. I thought...you made me think..."

"Do you have to go or not?"

She set her mouth in a firm line, then picked up the baby and took him into the bathroom.

Dominic searched online for banks in Brussels. Maybe he means Evey's bank. Does he mean I need to use her money to pay off Marveaux? No. He said 'Brussels'. Evey's money is in Geneva. Why would a placenta be in a bank? Security? Armored cars? Dominic pointed his mind at "bank" and let it go. Tellers, loans, safe deposit boxes, guards, cash, withdrawals, deposits, investments, savings...savings...save the victims, save the placenta...a bank? What is in banks? Money, jewels, gold... he straightened up. Sperm banks. Liquid nitrogen. That's it. He bent over the keyboard again typed in "fertility" and "Brussels". A moment later he picked up his phone and punched InterPol.

"What is it?" Evey asked when he finished his call. She bounced Edmond on her shoulder.

"We've been searching labs, not offices. I think the placenta is in a sperm bank, a small fertility clinic, not a laboratory."

His mobile chirped and he put it to his ear, continued typing with his left hand. "Stone."

"Detective. It's Perry. Yesterday the Nose took the comlink from Massey and plugged it in."

"And?"

"It stopped the computer and opened a panel that popped out a thumb pad."

"Oh, no."

"Yes."

"Does Massey know?" Dominic glanced at Evey and the baby, then folded the cover down on his laptop and went into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"He does. He was there." Perry sighed. "They all know now that only she can open it."

"And he is gone now?"

"That's why I am calling you."

"Thank you for the warning. The Inspector?"

"Worse."

"How long?"

"Not long."

Dominic opened his mouth to reply. There was a timid knock at the door. He leaned against the towel rack, forced himself to speak. "Thank you, Perry." He folded his phone and looked at the door. "Come in," he said. "It's not locked."

The door opened slowly, she leaned on the knob. "Mr. Finch?"

Dominic stood up; put his phone in his pocket. He meant to say that the Chief was still breathing, meant to say he was still alive. He felt his throat moving but no sounds came out to reassure her.

"Oh, Dominic." She stepped toward him as though she would embrace him. He pushed past her into the room, reaching for his suit coat.

He said to her. "Get dressed, get the baby. I'm not leaving you here."

"We are going somewhere?"

"I'm taking you to the police station, then I am getting that placenta."

Evey sat on a sofa alone in a pleasant office at the police station, Edmond sleeping on her knees. Dominic had given her his mobile before he left. She knew why. She stared at it every now and then, willing it to be silent. Any news from Perry was bound to be bad, so she jumped when it made a sound. Edmond opened his eyes, but did not cry. Evey unfolded it trepidatiously.

"Hello?"

"Miss Ha...Mrs. Abernathy? It's Johnson."

"Mr. Johnson! Did you get my satchel?"

"Yes, I..."

"Oh God! Oh God! Was everything inside? Everything? Nothing missing?"

"I think so. Is the Detective there?"

"No, no, he has gone with InterPol to search for the placenta. Are the letters there? All five? Count them, Mr. Johnson."

There was a pause... too long, too long. Evey had to force herself to hold still, she was shaking so hard Edmond was in danger of bouncing off her knees. Johnson's voice came back. "There are five letters, Mrs. Abernathy. Five." She leaned back against the cushions and took a deep breath. Johnson continued, "I will be there this afternoon. Tell me where you are."

Evey told him. "Hurry," she whispered.

Dominic entered the police station, tired, disheveled. The operation had been executed so well, he almost felt disappointed. InterPol had stormed the little clinic with their weapons and gas, the staff had given up immediately, the placenta located with ease. The placenta was in several sections, perfectly preserved. Perry was on his way to personally escort the precious cells to London. The key had been finding it in time, and Dominic knew the timing was as mysterious as any sleuthing work he had ever done. He thought about his dream as he strode down the sterile halls of the station, showing his badge at every check point. The Chief told me. Somehow. He shook his head, put his hand on the door to the waiting room.

She's gone. He turned back to the security checkpoint. "Where is Mrs. Abernathy?"

"She was checked out about fifteen minutes ago, Detective."

"Who checked her out?"

"Your assistant, Detective Johnson."

"Can I see the log?"

The guard pushed a heavy book around so Dominic could see the entry and the signature. It wasn't Johnson.

He dialed his phone knowing there would be no response. There wasn't. He dialed Johnson.

"Johnson."

"Johnson, this is Stone. Do you have Mrs. Abernathy?"

"No, I don't have her. I made arrangements to pick her up at the police headquarters. I am in the train station. Is she gone?"

"Yes. Did you call my mobile and talk to her?"

"Yes. I told her I have her letters...and the bits of costume." Johnson paused. "The baby? Is he gone too?"

Dominic lowered the phone from his face. Johnson repeated himself. "Detective? Is the baby gone too? Detective?" The voice from the little speaker became agitated. "Detective Stone! Are you there, sir?"

Evey felt herself become angrier and angrier with every passing street light. Edmond slept on her shoulder, oblivious to the danger. They were being taken back to London, she figured that out soon enough. The car they traveled in was a government car this time. That was clear as well, and with the quarantine around Britain, Government involvement would be the only way to get back in. We are probably going to the airport. The driver did not speak. Massey sat in the front passenger side leering over the back of his seat, pointing a pistol at her. "I only need your thumb, Miss Hammond."

Evey narrowed her eyes at him. "You said the Nose wanted me alive."

Massey grinned even wider and the barrel of the gun moved ever so lightly until it was pointed at Edmond's head. "The Nose said nothing about the spawn. A small target, yes, but I am a crack shot at close range."

Evey moved Edmond until his head was over her heart and glared back.

Massey shook his head slightly as the barrel followed the target. "That will only protect him until we get there. You are a wanted fugitive, Miss Hammond, and we have papers to prove it."

Evey felt her cheek twitch. When the driver had come into the waiting room, she had not immediately sensed something was wrong. He had showed her his badge and told her that Johnson had sent him in to get her because he didn't want to carry the satchel past security where it might be confiscated. Of course. V's mask...his signature on the letters...the police would take the satchel. Of course they would, even if it were in British custody. They would want to confirm everything. He had told her the satchel was outside in the car. She closed her eyes remembering the flash of euphoria and the eagerness she felt. And my heart has done me in. Again.

She opened her eyes and glared at Massey, her initial shock and fear was pushed out of her body by her fury. Anger at them, at Dominic, and especially at herself. Why didn't I wait for Dom? He told me not to leave with anyone except him. He is the only one I can trust. Where is he now? How long before he discovers I am gone?

Dominic blew through red lights, dodged the pedestrians who jumped back from the curb. He had been to the Brussels airport only once before, and while the street signs were helpful, but he relied on his memory. Any moment now and Brussels police would try to stop him. He would probably end up with an escort to the airfield, but he didn't want to lose the time explaining in French. Johnson will meet me there. His assistant had made the point that if it were Massey who took her, he was taking her to the Nose. Dominic didn't care. Maybe Massey would deliver Evey to the Nose...alive...her thumbprint would not be the same severed from her hand...but Edmond...Massey would not miss such an opportunity for a bit of extortion. Dominic whipped the little car onto the last straightaway and floored the accelerator. They must take her to the airport. The Chunnel is too far and security there too tight. No ship would take them with the patrols offshore. They must be planning to fly. But the nagging doubt tortured him. Massey would know that the airport would be the obvious choice. Would he do something unpredictable to throw me off his tail? He must have government sponsors. Perhaps he doesn't fear me. Perhaps he is truly sanctioned. If so, it will be harder to kill him...but only a wee tiny bit harder. Dominic grit his teeth as he pulled up to the first security checkpoint and waved his badge.