Chapter Twelve

"Where were you right before you came here, Colonel?" Hansen demanded.

"Oh, come on! Alright...I was at the hospital, checking on my wife and then meeting with Rudy. After that, I stopped up at the office and then came here."

"And what about your wife? Where was Jaime between the time you saw her and when you got here? Hmmm?"

"Now I know you're an idiot!" Steve seethed.

"Just answer the question...or I could always bring Jaime in for questioning."

"Jaime is in a hospital bed – sedated – with a head injury. Anything else?"

"I understand the injury isn't that serious."

"Look, Jack, we can go back to the old way of not trusting each other, withholding information and generally hating each other's guts – or we can find Hiller. But I don't have time for your moronic games!" Steve was livid. "Obviously, Gregory found some way to get Hiller re-activated – tuned back to full strength – and we've got a serious problem on our hands. Whether you're with me or not, I don't really care. So...your choice. Make it now." Steve turned without waiting for a response and headed for the door.

"What do you need me to do?" Hansen asked quietly.

"Get every agency – every person – in on this search. I need to talk to Rudy and find out the best and safest way to handle Hiller when we do find him."

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Jaime was drifting in a not-awake-but-not-asleep fog when she recognized Steve's footsteps – strident and urgent – and they didn't stop in her room. With her eyes still closed, she tuned in as closely as her ear would allow...and listened.

"Rudy, we've got big trouble," she heard Steve saying. "Barney's been reactivated – full strength."

"But that's impossible!"

"Gregory must've used his connections to get into the prison to see Marchetti. I'm guessing Michael gave him the instructions and he found a scientist able to perform the procedure. But Hiller turned on his own benefactor; he killed Gregory."

Jaime's eyes snapped open and she tried to will herself from the bed. If only her body didn't feel like molten lead! For now, all she could do was listen. She'd been drugged too heavily to even raise her head from the pillow.

"We've got every agent and police officer in this part of the country looking for him," Steve continued, "but when they do find him....then what?"

"I see your point. You could try a tranquilizer gun, but if he's on a rampage that might not bring him down quickly enough," Rudy explained. "There may be no choice but to shoot to kill."

Jaime was listening so intently (and her mind was still so hazy) that she barely noticed the orderly walk in – straight to her bedside. When she saw his face, his hand shot out to firmly cover her mouth before she could call out a warning. Jaime kicked at him desperately, but the heavy drugs had weakened her and he scooped her up easily with one arm, pinning her against his upper body so she couldn't move.

He took his other hand away from her mouth but her scream was cut short by the barrel of the gun he drew from his pocket – and pointed straight at her head. "Not one more sound, little lady – or I will shoot anyone who comes to your aid. And that includes Rudy Wells. Understand?"

Jaime's eyes may have been open, but her ability to reason and react were pretty much gone. The sedative meant to protect her instead enabled her captor to carry her quickly out of the hospital and into his car. She stared numbly out the window as the car peeled away into the night.

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