Chapter Ten

When he was done 'helping' Rudy with the agents' exams, Steve needed to find out from Jaime exactly what she might've seen and heard in the building or even while she was still outside.

"What've you got so far?" Jaime asked, sounding less like a sedated patient and more like an agent working the case. "Any leads? And who was that guy?"

"His name's Barney Hiller," Steve told her.

"When the bullet hit his foot....he didn't bleed."

"That's because he's bionic – or at least, he was. He's still got the limbs, but not the power."

"Why?"

"He couldn't handle it," Steve said simply. "I'll tell you all about him – another time. But right now -"

"Right now, we've gotta get down to business," Jaime finished for him.

"We? Uh-uh – you need to stay in that bed and rest. Rudy wanted 48 hours after he tuned you up for observation, and now you've got a concussion as the cherry on the sundae." Steve leaned in to kiss her gently. "By the way," he said, still bent in close to her, "why didn't your husband know you were getting tuned back up until after the fact?"

"That's down to business?" Jaime teased. "I didn't tell you because you would've tried to stop me."

"Tried – no. Stopped you – yes." Steve sat back in the chair. "Sweetheart, did you see or hear anything unusual last night before you went into the building?"

"I'm not sure....I don't think so."

"With what Rudy said he gave you, I don't know how you were even on your feet." Steve paused a moment. "Why were you on your feet, anyway? What made you decide to jump out of the window -"

"It was only the second floor!"

"In that condition, you could've broken your neck. But what exactly were you there for?"

Jaime shrugged. "I wanted to help."

"Alright," Steve sighed. "What about when you went inside?"

"Well...the receptionist was gone and....the elevator didn't work."

"Yeah, I noticed that, too. I'm guessing Hiller disabled it and was waiting for me to take the stairs."

"Or else he was on his way up to get you..." Jaime suggested.

"No, I don't think so," Steve told her. "Because when I left the office to go and look for you, he was already in the stairwell, waiting. I didn't interrupt him on his way to the office...it seemed like planned to ambush me there, on the stairs. Can you tell me what you saw and heard? It might help me piece things together."

"I heard you call my name – not like you were in trouble, just like you were looking for me – and then I heard him ask where you were going...and you hit the floor."

"Knockout gas. What happened next, Jaime?"

"I ran up the stairs and....he had a gun on you. You...weren't moving." She fell silent, stuck on a part of the memory. "Steve...this might sound weird, but..."

"Try me," he told her. She was obviously getting tired, and he wanted to let her rest but it seemed like she was on the verge of something. "What is it?"

Jaime concentrated harder, pulling up the picture in her mind through the hazy, drugged-up fog. "It was too slow. I mean, he had plenty of time to shoot you – but he didn't. He just stood there with the gun, like he was waiting for something."

"Or someone?" Steve concluded. (Maybe quite a lot of someones, he thought to himself.)

"Yeah – exactly."

Steve got up from the chair, newly energized. "Sweetheart, you just gave me the missing piece." He kissed Jaime and fluffed her pillow for her. "You rest now, okay?"

----

Oscar could tell that Christine was feeling cooped up and possibly trapped. She was finding little things to do to keep busy – dusting the furniture, re-arranging the bookshelves and cleaning out the kitchen cabinets, and all of that just since lunchtime. He walked up behind her and slowly enveloped her with his arms. "Take it easy," he whispered in her ear. "There are people who'll do all of that after we're gone."

Christine turned around to face him...and melted into his arms. "I just feel better if I'm doing something," she explained. "I can't sit and wait for....whatever it is we're waiting for."

Oscar kissed her, long and hard. "I think I can keep you busy...."

----

Steve walked straight into Jack Hansen's office without knocking or waiting to be announced. "Austin, what are you doing here?" Jack demanded.

"Keeping my promise. Call your Inspector Gregory in here; I want you to witness what I'm about to do to him."

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