Agent Marks was unconscious and handcuffed to a bed in the basement of the Memory Den. It would make for a good story if there had been a shouting match, some quick thinking, and a syringe of a sedative. But really Allen took two steps after leaving the memory lounger, and promptly fell face first onto the ground.
Fortunately Nick, Piper, and Dr. Amari were still quick thinkers and figured that keeping Allen in a bed would be best for his health. They also figured that he'd be pissed when he woke up, thus, the handcuffs.
"So, what do we do when he wakes up?" Piper asked.
"Pray he isn't strong enough to break handcuffs" Nick answered.
Dr. Amari wondered aloud, "Do you think he can actually do that?"
"I wouldn't put it past him," Piper responded with a shrug.
The trio stood at Allen's bedside, watching for the slightest disturbance in Allen's slumber.
"Something's off about him," Nick commented.
"He's a pre-war relic, his wife has been killed and his son stolen. There's bound to be a few things that don't click," Piper explained.
"There's more to it than that," Nick defended. "There's something wrong with him, I don't like it."
"This is out of character for you, Nick," Dr. Amari observed. "You're not usually so quick to judge."
"Sue me for being suspicious then." Nick growled.
"Then why are you helping him?" Piper asked.
Nick only tipped his hat back and looked away, muttering, "I like being proven wrong."
Allen was asleep for hours; Dr. Amari had theorized that he'd be asleep for days. That level of exhaustion and injury lent itself to a long recovery. As it turned out, Dr. Amari was barely half right. Allen was asleep for thirteen hours before waking up, and when he did, he was pissed.
"Real fucking funny," Allen snarled, "now let me out."
"No," Dr. Amari said firmly, "You need to recover."
"I've been over this with Piper, I can handle it."
"I don't think a broken arm, several gunshot wounds, and laser burns is something you can 'handle'." Nick scolded.
"Nick, let me," Dr. Amari ordered.
Allen, for his part, didn't feel particularly like being dissuaded. "I'm close, I can feel it," he begged, "I just need to find Virgil."
"And then what? Assuming he both has a way into the institute, and that it doesn't require the resources of an army. How do you plan on rescuing your son with a 10MM and a stimpak?"
Despite how far Allen had come since he "woke up," he was still a little light in the pockets, only surviving on what he'd scavenged. He had barely two caps to rub together, hadn't had a proper meal in a week (or two hundred years, depending on one's perspective), and only had enough ammo to last until the next time he killed someone with some he could use.
"I'll improvise!" Allen shouted, starting to pull at his handcuffs.
"Going toe to toe with the Institute isn't something you improvise, Blue," Piper argued.
"Piper, let me -" Dr. Amari urged, her voice still firm.
"I just need my son back," Allen cried out, "I'm close, I can feel it."
"Allen, if you get yourself killed then your son will never know you," the doctor argued.
"What if something happens? What if he stops being useful and the institute decides to get rid of him?" Allen asked, getting hysteric pulling harder and harder on the handcuff. "I can't let that happen, I won't. He's all I got!" he shouted, eyes searching the room for something to use. Then there was a snapping sound as Allen slammed his right hand into the bars he was attached to, breaking the fingers in his hand, allowing him to slip free.
"Allen Marks, you lay back down!" Dr. Amari ordered.
"Fuck you."
"Now!"
Surprisingly, Allen listened, laying back down.
"Now, Mr. Marks," Dr. Amari started as she reached for some bandaging. "There are a million reasons for you to rest and recover, but if you need something more than 'for your health,' here are a few."
Allen was pouting like a child, but he was listening.
"If you find your son in this state, all you'll do is scare him. He didn't seem afraid when he was with Kellogg, he didn't seem distressed. If you show up half dead, insisting you're his father, all you'll do is frighten him." Dr. Amari explained as she wrapped Allen's hand. "You're a good man, Allen, I can tell. But you can only save one life at a time. So save yourself first."
"What do you mean?" Allen mumbled, telling himself he was simply humoring her.
"Rest, recover, mourn your wife. Find the man that she loved and your son would be proud of." Dr. Amari advised gently, "Then, when you're ready, with a sound mind and a healthy body, you can find your son."
"I don't want to wait that long" Allen complained, but this time he lacked the earlier hysteria.
"I know, but it won't take too long, trust me by the new year you'll have your way into the Institute at least, and your son back at best. Now rest, Allen." The order was redundant, as Allen fell asleep before Dr. Amari finished talking
This time Allen slept for nine hours. When he woke up, Dr Amari stuck around long enough to give a few medical instructions, and then rushed off to tend to another patient, leaving Allen alone with Piper.
"So where's Nick?" Allen asked, trying to break the awkward silence.
"He has work to do, he left a few caps over there as 'thanks,'" Piper answered curtly.
Allen nodded, and actively avoided eye contact for a minute before speaking again.
"I should apologize." He blurted.
"You should."
"I'm sorry." Allen started, "I've got all the excuses in the world, but I still feel like crap. I said some things I shouldn't have."
"I forgive you," Piper said simply
"Really?" Allen said, incredulously.
"Like you said, you have all the excuses in the world."
"There has to be more to it than that."
"You're more than a story, Blue, you're my friend."
"You make friends very quickly." Allen pointed out, sounding almost suspicious. Allen had friends sure, but none by choice. He got along with fellow agents, he talked with them, fought with them, stared down death's door with them, killed one of them (long story), but he'd never just have someone walk up to him and go "you're my friend now, deal with it."
"Do you not?" Piper asked, confused.
"Not in my line of work." Allen said, lying back on his bedpost.
"What do you do?" Piper asked.
"Off the record?" Allen joked.
"I'm not just a reporter, Blue," Piper snapped.
"It was a joke" Allen backpedaled. "A bad one sure but a joke."
"So what did you do?" Piper said, moving on.
"I was a soldier."
"What was it like?"
"Look," Allen said with a sigh, "can we talk about this another time?"
"Sure," But Piper had one more, very important, question to ask. "So, what's your plan?"
"Rest, recuperate, do my physical therapy. When I'm operational again, I'm going to find work." Allen said, eyes drooping. "Like Amari said, if I'm going to take down the Institute, I need resources."
"Glad to see you're talking sense." Piper said with a smirk and a nod.
"Me too" Allen said, patting his pillow down. "Excuse me for a second." And he promptly fell asleep, again.