Author's note: Weekend off without a hundred things to do means writing! Lucky you!
"Oh come on," Lucas laughed harshly. "I've heard of lunatics running the asylum, but this just ridiculous. You are so full of shit, man."
Kristin gasped, and hurriedly shook her head. "Let the boy finish." Zellar held up a hand before she could protest. He leaned closer, "you were saying?"
He knew it wasn't wise, but Lucas push on, fueled by his pain and anger. "This isn't the age of Neanderthals, and you certainly aren't a caveman."
"Good of you to notice," Zellar growled impatiently.
"You don't just kidnap a chick because you like her. That isn't love. I'm just a boy and I know that much. This is about getting what you want and pulling one over on the UEO. Hell, you're trying to pull one over on the whole world."
Zellar stood abruptly, "perhaps you are correct. But you may be surprised to know that she has returned my advances." He turned swiftly and exited the room, locking the door behind him.
"That was stupid..." Lucas sighed, "sorry, I just couldn't take any more of his posturing."
Kristin surprised him by laughing, "I don't care what happens, that was wonderful. Although," she grinned at him mischievously, "I don't think I've been called 'a chick' for many many long years."
"Oh... um sorry." He smiled ruefully, "I guess that was a little rude."
She shook her head, "no, I loved it."
Lucas fidgeted with the wrapping on his hands, jiggling his leg at the same time. In the last several hours, perhaps because of the adrenaline of the situation, he found himself unable to sit still for long. "So, uh... What did he mean? About returning his advances? You're not, right? Like even just pretending to? Because... Ew."
"Not in so many words," Kristin snorted. "Unless he considered not being kicked every time he touches me as dating. I've swallowed my revulsion, but that is all."
He nodded, chewing his lip. "Well, that's almost sad then. If he thinks not getting kicked in the nu... er, being forcibly rejected, as a good sign, I don't thinks he's had many good relationships."
Kristin raised an eyebrow, "don't tell me you're feeling sorry for him."
"No, not all." Lucas shook his head briskly, chewing on his lip again. "It's just that... Maybe if he had someone in his life... Maybe he wouldn't be so messed up."
"It's a little late for that now." Kristin pointed out wearily.
"Yeah, best he can hope for now is a playboy and some alone time." He muttered thoughtfully.
"Lucas!" Kristin exclaimed in shock.
He turned deep red, and played with the blanket. "I... I mean...So what's the next step?"
Hiding a smile, and choking back a laugh, Kristin glanced at the computer. She stood, and crossed to it. "First, we hide this." She held up the metal piece he had set down while checking the cameras. "The young lady missed it during her clean up, I guess good help is hard to find, even if you medicate them. I don't know if we'll need it, but it's a start."
"That's not going to get us very far." Lucas pointed out, still refusing to look directly at her.
"No, but I know something that might. But I need you to decide something right now." Kristin sat next to him and carefully opened his hand. "Are you going to need this?" She asked, taking the needle.
Lucas stared at it, his embarrassment forgotten, then shook his head. "I don't want any help from him. I just... I didn't want him to take it. I liked having it around, like a safety net, I guess." He paused, weighing his words, "this is my last chance isn't it?"
She nodded, patiently, "if you can't…"
"No, I don't want the option anymore. You can have it, you'll actually put it to some good." Kristin closed her hand around it, blocking his view. Lucas shook himself, as if freeing himself from something holding on tightly.
"But... I won't be much good to you even if I took it." He looked at his hands mournfully. "I can't run, I can't fight, I don't even think I can hack like this."
"We'll worry about that when the time comes. I think I have a better use for this particular item." She picked up the bundle of clothing and stood again. "The next step is for me to get into something warmer and for us to get some sleep."
"What do you have for me, Chief?" Commander Ford asked without greeting, after poking the speaker button. He leaned forward rigidly in the comfortable hotel chair. He knew if he allowed himself to relax he was in danger of falling asleep. If he took the time to think about it, he could probably figure out the last time he closed his eyes, but didn't bother. No one was getting any rest while Dr. Westphalen and Captain Bridger were out there somewhere.
Crocker's tired voice came over the phone. "Airport security ran one of those image recognizer things on Zellar's picture. After staring at a thousand different people, we found him. He took off on a private jet the night the Cap'n and Kristin got into town."
"Was he alone?"
"No, there were four or five people with him. And... Jonathan, they have footage and report of two bodybags. We might already be too late."
"I refuse to believe that, he wouldn't have gone through all this trouble just to kill them here." Ford snapped, "I'm sorry, but it just isn't him. Didn't security check the bags?"
"They wanted to, but Zellar told him they died from a highly infectious disease and were being flown to high tech faculty. He had all the right credentials, Jonathan. CDC, UEO, NSA, everything. With all the recent epidemic scares in last decade, they flat out believed him. Hell, I would have too."
Ford sighed, and took a moment to rub his dry and sore eyes. "Any flight plan?"
"Oh yeah, they did everything by the books, right until the dropped off the radar and never showed up where they were headed."
"Great, so we're back at square one."
Commander Ford could hear the slight grin in Croker's tone when the reply came through. "No, not quite. Mr. O'Neil is plugged into something here at the airport coffee shop. They found a kid and gave him a little bribe."
"Yet another thing we can't put in a report. What are they doing?"
"They're working on something. He said he can find the plane, he just needs some time."
"I don't know how much time we have, Chief."
Ford heard voices in the background squabbling in the background. It took a few moments before Miguel's voice replaced Crocker. "Sir, we are looking at satellite imagery. We've got the plane taking off and crossing the ocean right now. Give us another hour, possibly two and we'll get you a landing spot."
"No sooner?"
"No, sir, I'm sorry. We don't have a very… uh… reliable source right now. It's pretty jerry-rigged between servers to be honest. This kid is good, but he isn't Lucas, he'd be done in half the time."
"Would these be military satellites?"
"Yes, sir."
"And did you follow the proper lines of command to get to them?"
Miguel hesitated, "we aren't taking them off any assignments, we're just following what they are already seeing and looking at what they saw days ago… sir."
"I can live with that." Ford sighed, "Noyce did say we had carte blanche. I hope that applies to other military branches."
"Ortiz," Ben interrupted, standing from his seat on one of the beds and taking the phone. He turned his back, ignoring Ford's annoyed glare. "You said it was crossing the ocean, can you get a general area?"
"Currently straight east from New York State. These pictures are almost week behind, but they are showing them about an hour from Spain. They'll have had to put down somewhere for fuel somewhere around there. Since they ditched the flight plan, they need a place that doesn't care."
"Enough money could take care of that," Ben snorted.
"Or any country that doesn't care for the UEO." Ford added, "once they get past Europe that could be a number of places. Keep working, guys. Let us know as soon as you have something."
"Yes, sir," was the triple voiced response.
Ben handed the phone back, and pulled out his own. "We're gonna need some stuff no matter where we end up. I just need to find the right people."
"Why do I feel like I'll be making a few deals with the devil before this is over?" Ford asked, shaking his head.
Ben shrugged, "you worry too much, Jonathan, the only thing you have to think about is; if it's the devil you do know, or one you don't."
The ringing phone startled Ford out of the light doze his body had managed, without his express permission. "Yes, I'm here. What do you have?"
Ben similarly jerked himself awake, but with far less elegance, earning an eye rolling from Katie as she worked on a laptop. "Where did you come from?" He whispered, "you weren't here a minute ago. Where were you?"
"I've been here for an hour, Ben, you just didn't move when I came in." She motioned for him to keep quiet before he could respond sarcastically.
They both turned to Commander Ford, who was nodding and looking relieved. "We can work with that, they don't have extradition, but they are friendly. I'll call Noyce. And Tim, good job."
"Well?" Ben rubbed his eyes, "where to next?"
"Nepal." Ford answered shortly, "still have a connection on those self-heating underwear?"
Katie went back to typing on her computer, "and we'll need to rent a cargo plane."
"What for?" Ben blinked at her. "I mean, I can get one, but why?"
"To carry what I was working on. I'll tell them to hurry it." She returned smugly.