"Fringey…"
Summary: Sarah and her sisters see there's an even darker side to Dyad's little cloning-fest…
(Not sure about this one but while I await more details for "Nessun Dorma" I'll play round with this darker one and see how it goes.)
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
Part VII…
Art's car, police parking lot…
"Ummn…" Sarah, hesitantly… "That was…Intense."
"Don't kid yourself." Art, rolling eyes at her. "If we don't resolve this…Before it goes on up…"
"I got that…" she nodded. "We've got what? A couple of days?"
"If we're lucky…And given the captain is letting our doctored video slide by, we are…But your mad hatter sister has to be on the platter by then or we will be."
"If that happens, just give me up…I'll come clean as Sarah."
"Noble…" Art nodded. "But if you come clean as Sarah then I'm either helping a murderess or plain stupid and either way I'm dogmeat and so is Angela."
"Speakin' of which she stuck with us…" Sarah nodded. "I guess we can count on her."
"To a point, Beth…But lets not push trust too far…She has a family and a career and no particular reason to sacrifice either, outside a decent desire to help you on this."
"Right…We don't count on her, unless absolutely necessary."
He eyed her a moment then chuckled…
"What?"
"I'm trying to picture you as Helena as Sarah as Beth killing Sarah…"
"Nice image…" she frowned.
"It must be difficult, trying to keep them and yourself straight…" he noted, looking ahead out of the window after a glance back as he pulled out.
"Nah, it's easy…I just tell myself I'm Helena and if I don't get 'em right I can croak the lot of them." Grin.
Corner alley, head hanging low…Helena peering at the car while keeping concealed...
Flashback to Tomas telling her… "The child is yours…"
She pulls a large hat low over her head and as the car pulls away, walks across the street, pausing to cheerily smile at a woman with two children in a stroller.
"Lovely…I have little girl myself." She beams, nodding.
Allison, worried expression mingling with sheer, unadulterated joy…
Cosima, a bit non-plused…A little nerve-wracking to see Ally so happy…It's almost calming to see the good ole worry creepin' back in.
"Are you sure you want to go back? With Delphine there? Cosima, why not stay with us and transfer or something?" she suggested. "We've plenty of room…Donnie can clear out his workshop…"
She gave Donnie a quick glance…A negative response is not an option.
"Sure…" he nodded.
Lord knows, a workshop's a small price to pay to have my A girl so happy again…
"No, I'll be fine. Hey, it's my home." Cosima put up a hand. "Can't let a minion of the Dark Side drive me out."
Worried looks so matching she wanted to hug them both…And finally, did…
"I will be fine, guys. And I'll get Delphine to talk."
"If anything happens…Anything…" Allison, insistent.
"I'll call." Nod.
"Whether you do or you don't we'll be coming back in two weeks…To see you and maybe do a little antiquing…"
"And you'll all be welcome." Cosima nodded. "But don't worry."
"Leroy is very nice…" Allison, sidelong glance… "And he seems to like you…"
"Oh…" Felix, hearing, shaking head. "Leave something for the Fee, people…Cos, no fair…"
"She saw him first, Felix and you have a boyfriend." Allison, firmly.
"I'm very fond of Leroy but…" Cosima waved hands slightly.
"Yes…Follow your heart, love." Felix nodded eagerly. "Don't let all this talk of bi- and spectrums of sexuality divert you from your true feelings. To thine own fem self and all that."
"Of course if he ever asked me…" Cosima grinned.
"Oh…." Pout.
Art's car moved along the city's main thoroughfare, then an intersecting, then a parallel road.
"Any clues for me as to where…?" Sarah began…
"To a friend who might be able to help us with all of this." Art noted.
She stared…
Really…?
"He owes me…And he's dealt with his share of things…" Art shrugged to her stare…Pulling into a parking lot, taking ticket and parking.
"Stay…" he commanded. She eyed him a moment then sat back, waiting.
Slight, firm tap at window. A faint but solid rap of knuckles.
Art lowered his window…Spoke a few whispered words to a face Sarah couldn't properly see. And yet she could sense it was someone both kind and utterly trustworthy.
Though she was soon to feel she couldn't have been more wrong…
"It's ok, get out." He hissed.
She emerged from the car window and opened the door, rising to face the face she sensed had been sizing her up for far longer than she'd been aware of it.
"This is…" Art began… Hard stare from the tall, intense man. A dour grimness that squelched any conceptions of kindness about his person…
And yet…
"Elisabeth Childs, my partner…" he eyed the man…Sarah realizing the man was all too aware of her true identity but unwilling to hear it spoken.
"Phillip Broyles, an old friend…"
Broyles, nodding…Deep, quiet stare at Sarah. A dark, brooding face that has clearly seen it all…
Odd, her thought. Bloke could use some Visine for those red eyes.
"We served in the Marines together…" Art noted. "But since then Phil has moved on to the FBI…"
"Oh." Sarah, non-commital. Cautiously regarding Broyles' careful look.
"He now heads up a pretty unique special unit that investigates strange things."
"Strange is relative…" Broyles said, quietly. "I prefer to think of them as unique events."
"That affect people…The national interest?..." Sarah, questioningly…
"The range can be from the individual to affecting the whole course of human development." Broyles nodded. "Art? Could Detective Childs and myself speak alone a moment?"
"Nice to hear that again. 'Detective'…" Sarah smiled. The smile a bit uncomfortable at Broyles' unblinking, hard stare.
Beginning to wonder about that 'trust' feeling as well…I get the strong sense he is not finding my little impersonation very amusing.
"Sure…I'll stay by the car." Art nodded.
"Officer Childs…" Broyles eyed her. She following, quick glance to Art.
God, I hope he really can trust this one…Now he's looking at me like he'd like to put me away, maybe for dissection purposes.
"Officially, Officer…You will use that name in all communication with me." Broyles had led her to an alleyway.
"Unoffically…I know who you are."
"I got that, sir." Sarah noted.
"Understand that I am not happy in participating in such a deception…But Art believes in you and your story and I know Art Bell to be a man who doesn't give his trust easily. Nor would he abandon his partner or her memory without good cause."
"Yeah…Sir." She nodded.
"Art told you I head up a special unit. We call it the Fringe division. It is a secret but authorized FBI unit that investigates cases of an unusual nature, particularly those involving very high or unknown scientific technology or phenomena." He regarded her.
"I'd say you and your sisters classify…"
"He's told you…"
"Everything you've told him. Including the matter I just referred to which we will never speak of again…For his career's sake. You understand me, Officer Childs?"
"Yes, sir." Sarah nodded.
"If you have any memory lapses regarding your identity or family history, I'd work to correct them. Because from now on, you are Elisabeth Childs. And I would be forced to take action were that ever revealed not to be the case."
"Yes, sir."
"Let me express my condolences over the loss of your sisters…And these reports that you and some of them may have suffered abuse. If that is proven, I assure you we will seek to bring the perpetrators to justice. I understand you have a relative who is well versed in genetics and molecular biology, including molecular evolution."
"Cosima…Uh, yes, sir…" quick nod. "She's a grad student at UMinnesota…"
"Expert enough that the Dyad Institute is interested her, apart from the obvious reason."
"Yes…So Art told you about that?"
"He did. But in fact, Detective Childs, I already knew. We've learned a bit about Dyad and its projects, nothing substantial yet, but enough to flag them for further investigation. You also know about the two young women committing a series of violent crimes, including murder and a potentially dangerous terrorist attack on a resource facility…But given your limited resources you've not have much chance to learn about the nature of these women, apart from the fact that they resemble you and your sisters…And that at least the one killed had severe brain impairment, of a congenital nature?" he eyed her face. "Would your sister like a chance to properly examine the woman who was taken?"
"Uh…Yes…Sure…" Sarah nodded.
"I'd like to request you be loaned to our team…I've already made the initial request to your captain and explained that it concerns the matter of the killings of your sisters…And, at least obliquely, your other sister, Ms. Helena. I'm aware this is outside your experience, but generally our activities are outside even FBI experience…And Detective Bell assures me you have a fine learning curve. Are you willing?"
"Uh…Yeah…Yes, sir." Nod.
"Good. If you could contact your sister and see if she'd be willing to come to LA with you, I'd appreciate it. Here's the address there, be there by 4 pm tomorrow." He handed a card.
She blinked…LA?
"Our scientific team will meet us there, it's more convenient for them. Oh, and Detective…Our team may be a bit unorthodox, even eccentric in themselves as well as their methods but I assure you that they are the very best. See you in LA."
"Oh, uh, sir?" she eyed him.
"Yes, Detective?"
"My sister…Cosima…She's ill, sir."
"I'm aware of that. Will that be a problem for her traveling?"
"I don't think so, sir but she may not be up to staying in LA for long…She's trying to get treatment, though as yet."
"Our team may be able to help there as well. But whatever she needs in terms of care will be provided."
"Thanks, sir." She nodded.
"I suppose you've considered that condition or others like it may affect you as well." He regarded her.
"I've had no symptoms as yet. My other sister, Allison…The other I've had close contact with…Seems ok, mostly."
"Good…All the better to be proactive on this then. Agreed?"
"Yes, sir. Uh, Thanks."
"We'll try and get to the bottom of this, Detective. Meanwhile Detective Bell and his team will, with our help, try to capture your sister Helena."
"They'd better be careful, sir." Sarah, sighing. "She's lots tougher than she looks."
"They usually are, Detective…" ghost of a smile…