AN: Sorry about how short this chapter is! Hopefully the next one will be longer! :Connor worries about Abby, and Abby worries about Connor. It's how these things go, for them. Helen's evil, the connor clone is as selfless as the real connor, and plans are made:
The clone gripped the armrest like it was a lifeline, trying not to look out the window of the car. Scenery - trees, houses, people - whipped past much too quickly.
Abby looked outraged, and he could understand. The wrongness of what helen had told him to do had caused him to question her orders in the first place. It was why he'd managed to break free, in his opinion.
"That's horrible." Jess's voice came over the phone, crackly and soft.
"I don't want to, but that is where my plan begins." The clone said slowly, looking at Abby nervously. She didn't glance his way, keeping her focus on driving at the moment.
"You're going to let Helen think you're still following orders, and then sneak Connor out?" Becker guessed, a little more respect in his tone now.
"Yes. Abby will hide, while I talk to Helen, and then we will get Connor out."
"But what if she figures out you're lying?" Abby finally said, voice sounding strained. That hadn't occured to the clone, who frowned in worry. He hadn't thought about all the different possibilities. Thinking freely was hard, the clone mused.
"If she does, you'll have to do whatever you must to stop Helen - and possibly myself - and rescue your Connor."
"I don't want to hurt you, though!" Abby said, distressed.
The clone smiled a little, shaking his head.
"I know you don't want backup, but I'm sending a team anyway. Matt, Emily, Becker and a few Sfs should be enough." Jess said, her voice turning professional - she clearly knew what she was doing. Helen hadn't had much information on the new ARC team, so the clone was learning about these people as they went.
"What do you mean? What about Abby?" Connor demanded, soulful eyes wide, like a deer in headlights. Helen almost snickered at that comparison. He was half-standing still, fists clenched and body tense.
"I'd advise you not to try anything, Connor - I'm sure your wrist will hurt if you try and reach me all the way over here." Helen told him, leaning against the opposite wall with a smug look on her face.
"Tell me what you've done ot Abby." His voice was hard and sharp, anger and fear ovious.
"You know, I would think she'd know the difference between a copy and the real thing, having lived with you for so long, but maybe she doesn't know you as well as she thinks." Helen taunted him, hinting at her plans. Connor paled, tugging at the chain again.
"Let me go!"
Abby hadn't said much, because in her mind's eye she could see it happening.
Her Connor, curled up in some cell somewhere, cold, hungry, and worried for her. And then the door would open, a man looking identically like him would enter.
And there would be her blood on his hands.
Connor would see this, hear a man who was an exact photocopy of him, tell him that he had killed his wife. It would break Connor. The knowledge that, had it happened, abby had died believing he had betrayed her, would hurt her Connor badly. She could imagine Connor's anguished expression at that realization, could imagine that his will would break. He would be lost, and alone.
The thought scared Abby. She made a promise to make sure that never had a chance to happen - for both Connor's, and the clone's, sakes.
...
She didn't want to have to hurt the clone, but he was right.
If Helen ordered him to do something, he might still be succeptible to it, and Abby would have to do what it took, even if that meant using her kickboxing skills on the poor man. Abby remembered the gun she had hidden before, and hoped she wouldn't have to use it. Except possibly on Helen.
TBC
