"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. Afraid you'll have to consider this the Allison-Donnie-friendly corner of the OB multiverse. After all, she can't be veering toward insanity and he can't be a rat in every universe…)
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
Part XV…
He also serves who only sits and pretends to be at a couples' retreat with his wife…He also serves who only sits and pretends to be at a couples' retreat with his wife… He also ser-…
Hmmn… Eyeing the ringing phone…
Ok…As expected…
What we're here for…
We can do this…He took the phone…
"Yeah, hello? Hey, Dr. Leekie?"
The Dyad field facility…
Rachel sighing as Dr. Leekie summoned his most congenial manner…
"Donald, my man…How goes the retreat? Really…That's wonderful. Off her meds for two days now? Well, we don't want to push it, Don…That's right, steady goes it."
Simon combing front bangs on Olive…Backing at her sudden glare…
Don't do that…Rachel's face peeking through body suit controller matching Olive's grim look…
"Well, just checkin' in…Anything else you'd care to pass on…?"
"I can't believe that moron doesn't even question Aldous' constant interference in his married life…Is he that much a leming?" Olive hissed to Simon…Moving to view herself in large mirror to Aldous' right as he slipped nimbly out of her way.
"Sorry…This takes a little getting used to…" she noted to Leekie's offhand wave…
"Well, you know I'm here…And Harkness is here…24/7 for you and Ally, Don…Don't ever think anything is too trivial to call about. All we care about is that Allison is well and happy…"
Long as she's yet of some use despite the headaches she's caused us…Rachel thought eyeing Leekie via Olive's cameras…
But as for the lumpen husband…Might well be time to dispense with his rather questionable services…
"Do you have that picture from the airport?" Olive, to Simon.
"Here…" he whispered, handing photo of Sarah in Allison dress, beaming as she walked arm-in-arm with Donnie…
Lord…Olive/Rachel, mutual sigh…Haute bourgeois…
Really? Irish knit sweater from Indonesia via the Gap or, God knows?...Walmart?
Well, at least it's not that ridiculous vest thing she always wears…
"I'll check in later, maybe tomorrow, Don…My best to you both. Have a fine time. Talk to you later…" Leekie, closing phone.
"Is my dearly beloved husband enjoying the lovely mountain air?" Olive, brightly.
"…And maybe walking a little of that lumpen gut off?" frown…
"He says they're doing just fine…Ally's stopped her anxiety meds…"
"She…I'll be climbing the walls in a day…"
"She's been adjusting them downward for some time now, with ups and downs. She was getting nervous about driving with the kids. And this meeting with Cosima and Sarah seems to have actually had a bracing effect on her."
"There's a pity…Cutting the drugs…The one thing that might get me through this." Olive sighed, brushing hair back.
"Watch the bangs, ma'am…" Simon noted. "They're essential to her…"
"Frustrated hairdresser are we?" she glared. "So when do we commence this little field test?"
"Right now, if you feel up to it, dear heart." Leekie beamed.
"What am I doing here? Dr. Leekie?" Olive stared. "Where's Donnie? What are you doing? Help! Police!" she slammed Simon back… "Now, look…I will scream and the police will come…" wagging finger sternly.
"Marvellous…" Leekie beamed. "Oscar-level."
Simon's thumbs' up utterly ignored…
"You can't hold me here…" Olive glared. "I'm going and when I've found my husband and gotten the police…"
She paused, arch look…
"Well?"
"Superb…" Leekie gave a slight bow. "If I didn't know better I'd've reluctantly had you killed."
"So…? When do I resume wedded bliss with the life-sized doughboy?"
"We'll have you flown out immediately…Our people will bring Allison in once you're there…"
"Can't wait…And lets not forget my yearning for the snot-nosed brats…"
"Don't get cocky, dear…Allison is a ferocious mother…Our evaluation indicates she would kill for those children of hers…Not something to be acting flippant about around your friends and family."
"Right…Activate Mother Bear gene…Grrr…" Olive pasted concerned look.
"Will we be disposing of the subject, Doctor…?" Simon asked.
"Not at this time, Simon…Allison still has value for us…We'll simply see how she responds to memory deletion again…"
"That was a bit iffy last time…It triggered her paranoia and induced a minor psychosis, according to our review."
"She's better grounded for the unusual these days, Simon…But should it become a problem, Rachel can replace her on a more permanent basis until our work is done."
Hell you say? Olive eyed him.
"You're not serious, Aldous…" Rachel's voice could be heard, echoing Olive's.
"Sacrifices have to be made sometimes, sweetheart…" he noted, slight grin to her eye roll.
Grounds of St. Sophia Seminary…
From a stand of trees and underbrush, a concealed Helena carefully watching Allison and Art emerging from his car...Frowning…
"Tomas doesn't like being disturbed at home, little sister…"
Still…Be interesting to see him deal on his own for once…After that last session in the cage, I'm hardly eager to fight his battles for him…
"This guy's likely to be a runner, Art…" Allison noted, shrewd tone, shutting door.
"That something you heard on TV once, Childs?" he eyed her.
"Dipshit…" she mock-glared…
LA, FBI special Fringe division laboratory…
"So you can detect the signal Dyad would use to talk to this girl…The one they still have or others…Even though the receiver's pretty much dissolved?" Sarah asked carefully.
"The nature of the quantum signal makes it difficult to locate but yes, given we now know the type of signal they must generate…It should stick out like a sore thumb once you know what to look for…And Howard's dodaded a copy of the receiver, based on my theoretical evaluation and Amy's keen neurological insight..." Sheldon noted.
Sheldon…You'll make me cry with all this sweetly romantic praise for your beloved one you keep slipping in…Raj noted as Amy beamed.
If we hadn't glimmer and PETT- and quanta- scanned every fiber of your being I'd suspect we lost the real Sheldon in the parallel universe…You've grown so much, dude.
Bernadette frowning…Dodaded? Howard eyeing her to let it go…
Heck, in its way, it's a sort of compliment…
"And we can trace it, back to source?" Cosima asked. "Won't that require…?"
"Triangulation, yes…" Howard nodded, adjusting knobs on a receiver now attached to the remains of the receiver implanted in Louise's brain… "We'll need to have separate…Hmmn…"
"We're getting something…?" Leonard, alert…
"Yes, we are…They're definitely transmitting…" Howard, hurriedly adjusting knobs…
"Can we do a triangulation now?" Broyles eyed Howard.
"I've only the one unit so far…But…Leonard, does the Physics department back home still have that photonic receiver for Dr. Isimali's experiment set up?"
"I can call…Sheldon? Is Alex at your office?"
"Leonard…Uh…" Howard, embarrassed…
"I shot her…Alex…Her shapeshifter double, anyway…" Amy noted. "We'd been a little reluctant to tell you, since we didn't know the full extent of your relationship. Sheldon's rather sweet but promiscuous assistant was in extreme lust over Leonard some time ago." she explained to the staring clones…
"You shot Alex…?" Leonard blinked. "No one told me this. Sheldon, Penny said you told her she freaked about something else you said to her and stormed out to become an English major and you nodded at me and mumbled about 'Human resources telling you to say nothing about it.'"
"It was my manta…I'm not good as Penny at lying…She thought it would help." Sheldon, nervously.
"Only the shapeshifter…" Amy stressed… "It killed the real Alex months ago…" Uh… She eyed Leonard's horrified stare… "Poor thing…It was going to kill me so my human double could take my place. More important, while it had the drop on me, it said Sheldon was the worst boss it'd ever had…Even worse than its universe's dictatorial, fanatic Secretary of Defense." Amy noted. "Naturally I had to take action and defend myself and my honey."
No need to mention the immense satisfaction I felt in blowing that man-stealing bitch to Hell when she set her sights on Sheldon…After all, the real one was pursuing Leonard…For whatever bizarre hormonal reason comparable to the one that drives my bestie…
So I didn't do anything bad…Even if I've wanted to kill her the moment I first saw the real one with Sheldon in his office…
Nothing wrong with a little catharsis when done in a good cause…And I did avenge the kid, sorta…
Ok, I was briefly disappointed when it bled mercury instead of blood…But…
Broyles, a hand to his head…Lord. I used to think the Bishops were a handful…
"Yes, mountain of paperwork to make that little mess go away…" Sheldon sighed. "But there must be someone we can reach…Dr. Isimali's away but…"
"Leslie?" Leonard suggested, though still a bit stunned…
Alex?...She was so sweet…
And God, to have her hanging on my every word with Penny around.
That was so…
And Penny was so…
Of course now she's probably like all… "Well, she was a shapeshifter…No wonder she pretended to be interested in you." Casual…
Yeah…I remember now she did kinda grin when I mentioned being a little nervous about Alex that last time… "Nah, I've got no problem with her…" she'd grin…
But she was jealous enough before to use sex to keep me from making any late hours' runs to the university to drop things Alex kept claiming she'd forgotten to take from Sheldon… Wait…
"So everyone but me, including Penny, knew she was a shifter?"
"Dr. Hofstadter?…People?" Broyles, sharply.
"Uh, sorry…" Leonard, sheepishly…
"We'd better not bring anyone else into this we don't have to…" Broyles continued. "I can send people but it may take time…What about your friend back home?"
"Stuart at the comic book store?" Sheldon asked. "I don't think he knows the campus that well…And he's probably more intelligent than Winkle…He might figure out we're trying to trace a quantum signal."
"Mr. Broyles means Penny, Sheldon…" Raj sighed.
Grounds of St. Sophia Seminary…
"Tomas? Certainly, he's just finishing class…" the priest who'd greeted Art and Allison at the main building's entrance indicated a hallway. "That room to…"
The door opened…Several students, some in clerical garb, emerging…Two chatting to a balding, dark-haired man of medium height and firm build…Who quickly eyed the newcomers, staring at Allison…
"Tomas? These people are from…"
Tomas, rushing from them down the corridor, shoving several students and staff out of his way…
Art giving chase at once, Allison racing to keep up…
"Police! Halt!" he called, as Tomas smashed open a door at the rear, emergency exit alarm blaring…
"Childs?! Come on!" quick look behind, then through the door…
Allison reaching the door as a shot was fired…She raced through the doorway, shoving the door back...
Art, on the ground, groaning…
"Arthur! Art!..." she knelt by him…Pulling phone… "911?! This is All…Officer Beth Childs, I have a police officer down!"
"Call for back-up!..." Art groaned… "It's on Beth's speed-dial…"
"St. Sophia's Seminary, just outside the main campus building! Bullet struck…Leg? Art?"
"Yes! I'll be fine. Take this…You know how to use it?" Art handed over his pistol…
"Yeah…Uh…"
"Go! Call back-up as you go…Move!"
She stared at his tense face, then raced off…He pulling off belt, strapping it round the leg…
"Did you see…?" she eyed two stunned seminarians…One pointing… "The kitchen driveway…"
Entering the building's kitchen area, driveway, she slowed as she approached the dumpsters…Ok, they always hide…
"Hello…Sister?" behind her…
"Helena?! Jesus!" Allison jumped forward, twisting around to see…Pulling pistol…As Helena stood calmly smiling…In open leather jacket, reasonably clean white blouse, slacks…
"Careful…Those go off. Bother these nice religious people." Light smile…
"I know…" hasty nod… "And if you come any closer, so will this one…"
"Fine. I stay here…" she eyed Allison. Cock of head…Rub at dirty bandage to right upper forehead… "Tomas, he left…" she pointed, shaking forefinger in the direction past the dumpsters to a side wall…
"I think he has a car back there…Is your friend all right? I like him, he's very duty…Dutiful? Is that word?"
"Helena…Put your hands up and don't move…"
"Cop show…" grin…But raise of hands…"You know me? I don't know you, sister. You are not Sarah, you play Beth…Are you friends, you and Sarah?"
"I'm friends with Sarah…" Allison nodded, carefully...Considering...Do I what? "Frisk" her?
Hmmn…No…I don't think so…
"If you have anything in your pockets, a weapon…Take it out and put it on the ground…"
"I wouldn't bring a weapon here…"frown… "Sister…This is holy ground."
"Ok…Take off the jacket…Put it on the ground…"
"I thought you wanted to speak with Tomas?" she eyed her. "He'll be gone soon…"
"You'll do for now, just fine…"
"Oh? Good, we have talk-fest…"
"Jacket!"
"Sure, sure…" she removed the leather jacket… "Would you hold? It's nice and I don't want to get dirty…"
"On the ground…"
"Fine…" sigh…She laid it on the ground…
"You do cop nice…Very good..." grin. "Sarah, she not so good first day…Drop gun, I nearly get her but she so not good, not good as Beth…I wonder…Then she said…"
"Turn out your pockets…All of them…" Allison commanded. "And turn around, all the way…"
"Sure, sure…" sigh…She pulled out her pockets, turning… "Just my keys…I have scooter and warehouse place…And my money…Ok?" she faced her again…
"Don't move…Stay absolutely still…I'm calling in back-up…"
"Sarah? She come?" beam…
"Police…Hello, this is Officer Childs, I'm calling for back-up…Officer Bell is down, shot in the leg…I have a suspect in custody. St. Sophia's Cemetery, South Brook Bend…The main building, kitchen driveway…Ok…Oh, and another suspect fled in a car…Uh…"
"Black…Old…Not very nice, small…" Helena, helpfully pleasant…
"Black, small sedan I think…An older car, I didn't get a look, just have a witness' description. The suspect is middle-aged, short, medium good build, in black…Clerical black…No, not a priest…He's a professor…Tomas…?"
"Paleogolikis…" Helena, continued pleasant tone. "Sorry, can't be sure about his address…"
"Paleogolikis…He's implicated in several murders. Right, thanks. Yes, medical help's on its way, thanks. I'll be here with the suspect. Hurry, she's very dangerous. Ok…Thanks."
"You should see about your friend…Never know with guns…" Helena noted, shrugging. "You want me go? I go…Quietly…" grin.
"Ok…Just don't make any sudden moves, turn and walk straight across to the main driveway, and turn left…Helena? I will shoot if you try anything."
"Ok, copper." Grin. Walking…
"She shot you…" Allison said suddenly…Helena turned to face her…
"Don't…" Allison leveled the gun…
"Sorry…Just telling…Yeah…Bang." She made a finger gun and put it on her head just below the bandage…Wiggling trigger finger…Grin. "In head…You like Indiana Jones?…Ford guy…So cute?" Helena, pleasantly. "You see Harrison Ford movie about man who gets shot in head?...Safest place not to die if done right." Grin… "And I heal fast…Always have, my blessed state…Like our Kira, little angel." Genuine smile. "You know Kira? She ok? All better?"
"I know her…" nod. "She's much better."
"Good…She is our angel, sister. The good from the abomination…We must keep her safe."
"Sarah's doing that…With our help." Allison nodded. "Now, move…"
"Our help? More? How many?" Helena asked, insistently, ignoring the command. "How many, little sister?"
"Who knows…" Shrug… "I don't have Dyad's records on us. Ask your friend Tomas, he seems to know all about them. Go…" she pointed.
Helena, shrugging, turned and continued…
Clusters of students on the campus turning to eye them…Allison frowning at them… "Police…Keep your distance…" she waved her badge a bit with her free hand, keeping the gun hand pointing…
"Yes, right. He did…He worked for them." Helena calmly. "Then God touched him and led him out of the pit…Him and my friend Maggie. The one Beth killed."
Allison, pondering… "Helena…Look at me…" Helena stopped and turned.
"She was protecting us…Maggie wasn't your friend, Helena. She was working for Leekie still…She lied to you. Helena…The people making you kill our sisters…They're the evil ones. They're just doing what Leekie tells them. Killing us off because they're done with us or we're bothering them." Allison tried.
Thoughtful stare, careful nod… "I think you may be right, sister…Not my Maggie, though, she was trying to warn me when she died, I think…I think she loved me and wanted to help me…But Leekie and others, they are the Devil's followers…"
"No argument there…" Allison eyed her. "I can't say as to Dr. Chen. But I wouldn't trust any of them."
"My sister…Twin…Sarah…Shot me, left me for dead. But I trust her…"
"You killed her mother…Your mother…"
"Yes. Poor Mama, she made bad choice and had to pay. So now, you play Beth cop girl, eh? Where is my sister?"
"She had to go, to be Beth somewhere else. Helena, there are people willing to help us, they'll help you…Not like Tomas and his crazies…"
"What are you, really…?" Helena, waving off her plea. "You help Sarah? Why?"
"She's my sister…She's helped me. And I'm protecting my family." Allison noted. "Please, Helena…We can still help you."
"I am not the One…I am Cain, now…Blood on my hands…" Helena looked at her hands…Calmly staring as she extended them…
"Will all ocean wash blood from these hands? No, they make all ocean red. I love Shakespeare, you like Shakespeare…Macbeth?"
"Yes. Helena…"
"Best in Ukrainian…Tell me about yourself, sister…What is your name?"
"I've got to be Beth for now…I can't tell you…But I have two children and…"
"Children?..." Helena stared. "You have children?"
"Adopted but they need me…So does Donnie, my husband…"
"Children, not yours…Not like Sarah? Husband? Is he nice? Good to you?" stare…
"I love him…He's risking his life for me…"
"Nice…You are lucky."
"Yes." Nod.
"And brave…Playing Beth…You could get hurt, sister." Careful stare…
"Helena, I can help you. Sarah will forgive you if you let us help you."
"No…Sister will not forgive." Helena shook her head. "Sister will kill the abomination. It's what God wills."
"Helena, stop that." Allison said, firmly. "What was done to you was the abomination…We won't blame you, so long as you let us help you. Redemption is possible, Helena…My husband failed me for a while, well…Sort of… He didn't understand what Leekie was up to and he let me down a little but he's made up for it and I forgave him. I did…Terrible things…Because I was afraid and didn't understand what was going on. You were afraid and angry, like me. But I know I can be forgiven…You can too…If you'll just let us help you."
"What did you do, sister?" languid stare… "You kill them, the Leekie people? That's ok, they should die."
"I nearly killed someone I thought was…" Allison blanched. "Well…I didn't exactly…Yes, I did…I did, God forgive me…I almost killed someone who'd been my friend, my best friend for years…I was so…"
"It is in our nature, we abominations…" Helena noted. "We kill because the Devil lives in us…We must kill the Devil to save our souls or we will be dragged to Hell."
"I'm not a killer…" Allison stared… "That wasn't me, I was frightened, I was crazy…"
"Person is dead…You kill…You killer, sister." Helena, shrugging, waving of hands. "We are abominations, all of us."
"You get used to it…" she smiled, wanly.
"I'm not!" Allison raged…Waving pistol.
"You want to kill me right now." Helena noted calmly. "Truth hurts."
"I'm not a killer…I'm a loving wife, a mother…Terrible things have been done to me. But I'm still Allison Hendrix…" Allison, a bit frantic. Lowering pistol. "I don't want to kill anyone, not even you…Don't make me."
"We are killers, sister…It will out, in all. The abomination…It's in us…Our legacy."
"No!" Allison raged. But calming, eyed her twin…
"Wait…You're telling me something, aren't you?"
"You are nearly as smart as my twin sister…" grin.
"Is this? Tomas told you this? Dyad did something to us?" gulp. "Helena, what do you know about us?"
Shrug… "What I was told…Tomas and Maggie, they tell me…The abominations are cursed…But I am one, I know that now, so I am cursed too. It's not your fault, little sister." Kind stare. "But you are killer stock…Born to kill…Like others."
"You're saying they…Dyad? They made us violent? Predisposed us to violence? That's not true." Insistent. "I'm a good person, with a few flaws, maybe…Beth was a good person…Sarah's a bit of a rough diamond but she's sweet…We're not killers, Helena…"
"It has come out…It will come out again…" Helena, calmly. "I saved the others, they never knew…Never tasted the blood of the innocent."
"You murdered them!"
"They didn't kill…I saved them from killing. Beth knew…She kill herself before it rose in her, after Maggie…"
"She had to kill Maggie…Maggie was going to kill us."
"Why?" calm stare.
"Dyad…They told her to…."
"Did she have gun? No…Cell phone, calling…Me she called. Beth shot her before she could beg for mercy, ask her to listen."
"No…Beth wouldn't do that…She's a fine person…She was the finest person I ever knew."
"Maggie was no threat to you, sister…She wanted to warn Beth, told me not to kill her. Beth shot her…And kill herself. Why?"
"Maggie Chen told you not to kill Beth?" Allison stared.
"Surprise…" wan grin… "Yes…Tomas say kill the next, German girl…I go…Beth was protecting her. But Maggie comes and says, no…No, Helena, Tomas is not telling truth…Don't kill your sister Beth. Let me speak to her. So, I listen to Maggie…I love her, I know she never lies to me…But Beth hears and shoots her. She didn't want to, the abomination rose in her." Stare.
"I go back to Tomas. He sends me for German…Beth after…But, Beth knows now and kills herself before I can. She knows she is of the abomination. No soul…"
"Her boyfriend worked for Dyad…He was lying to her…She was depressed, sad."
"Yes…Because she knew…She learned." Helena, simply. "And you are learning…"
"I have a soul!" Allison glared. "I'm not a monster! We all have souls…! We're human…!"
"They will make you kill, just as Beth did. For them…" Helena shrugged. "It's our nature. But they couldn't reach me…Until Tomas, he helped me…Then I killed. And you will…Sister."
"Dyad made Beth kill Maggie Chen?!" Allison stared. "That's not possible, they don't control us…Sarah and…We…Didn't harm anyone, except to protect ourselves. You're the killer, Helena!"
"Catch Tomas, ask him…He tell you…We make him tell…" shrewd look.
"You are abomination, sister. Like me." Helena smiled, a bit wanly…
"Shut up! Get moving!..." Allison waved the pistol.
"Not what you want hear…Ok…" shrug…She resumed walking…
"Tell me…" Helena, soothingly… "How many sisters left?"
"I don't know…Only Dyad would know." Allison frowned. "And I wouldn't tell you if I could."
"But you want me to trust you…Sister, bad start."
"I want you to let me help you. Come with me back to Art, we'll try to help you."
"How?" Helena eyed her calmly.
Hmmn…Actually…
"Put in jail? Not good, how you explain me to police? And not very good to me." smile. "Take me home, let me play Auntie to your notyour children? I don't think you want to."
"I'll talk to Sarah and some others…We'll work something out."
"I think…No…I like going my way better." Shrug… "But thanks…I will speak to Tomas for you, let you know what he says. We be partners, ok, sister cop?" Smile. "Nice meeting you, sister. We have lunch sometime. Tell nice cop I hope he's better soon."
She turned her back to Allison, pausing. "Either shoot now or let go…" she said quietly, from behind.
"Helena…I want to help you." Allison, urgently.
"Maybe we talk again later…I like to see pictures of your children. You seem like good mama."
Pause…
"Tell Sarah…Sorry about Mama…I was angry. Issues. She was right to shoot, it's ok." She moved off, walking nonchalantly, Allison pointing the gun…
"Helena!..." Allison yelled. "Helena!"