Chapter 19
Michael didn't know how much time Oscar would allow him, but if the distraction hadn't been too much, it shouldn't take long to finish. ''Anna, do you know where you are?'' he asked in a quiet, firm voice, taking full control.
''Yes,'' she answered, glued to his unwavering gaze.
''And do you know why?''
''Yes.''
''Very good. Now...do you know who I am?'' Michael continued.
''Of course.''
''I'm your primary target, the one you first set out to destroy. But you know what? I'm still here. And now I'm also the one who's going to make this right. Are you hearing me, Anna?''
''Yes.''
Michael was going to have to take a giant leap of faith in assuming that Oscar would allow what he had planned. For now, with his overabundance of self-confidence, he simply kept going. ''This is what you're going to do...'' he began.
- - -
Steve only reluctantly let Jaime out of his sight so she could enjoy a well-earned bubble bath. For the first time since she'd come home from the hospital, there was suddenly no need for him to supervise for safety's sake - although he wouldn't have minded watching her get undressed and slip into the tub. Her bath gave him a few quiet minutes alone to think...and to wonder. How long would it be before Oscar and Rudy would decide the time had come to begin tuning up Jaime's bionics, now that she was apparently well on the road to recovery? And more importantly, how would Jaime react? She'd made her feelings toward Oscar abundantly clear. As one of only a handful of bionic people in the government's pocket, it was almost inevitable that Jaime would be tuned up and 'called' into service again. Would she be able to accept orders from a man she didn't trust...or even like? One day, in the field, her life might depend on it...
- - -
Oscar stared at his watch and bit back the urge to have the thoroughly chastened guard open the cell door early. Only three minutes had passed (it felt like hours) when the rap on the door sound, the cell was opened and Michael emerged. He appeared not the least bit intimidated by the look of disbelief and anger on Oscar's face.
''I need you to get Jack Hansen and bring him here,'' Michael instructed. ''Within the hour. Now.''
Oscar raised an eyebrow at the young doctor's brazenness in daring to try and give him orders. ''That just isn't possible,'' he replied. Hansen was in the locked ward at Clayton Memorial, once again refusing (or unable) to say a word.
''It needs to become possible - and as fast as you can get him here -''
Oscar had heard enough. ''Now just a minute, Doctor Marchetti! You are down here with prior authorization. And unless you are the President or the Secretary, you are in no position to be giving me orders!''
Michael knew he couldn't afford to back down. Not now. ''Do you want this matter with Anna, her devices and mind control resolved, once and for all?'' he persisted. ''Or would you rather see it dragged through the courts from now 'til forever with no answers and no end in sight?'' Without waiting for a response, Michael continued. ''Get me Jack Hansen!'' He turned before a stunned Oscar could even open his mouth to reply and returned to Anna, leaving Oscar in the doorway.
Scarcely believing the words as they came out of his own mouth, Oscar stepped further down the hallway and keyed up his datacom, tuning in a specific frequency and taking a deep breath before he spoke. ''Clayton Memorial? This is Oscar Goldman speaking...''
Oscar may have disagreed with the young surgeon's methods - and bristled at his brashness - but he was, as always, a man who could make things happen. Within the requested hour (in less than 30 minutes, actually), Jack Hansen was being led down that lowest, darkest hallway at OSI-Los Angeles.
On Michael's instruction, Anna was turned to face the other direction (where there was more room) and re-shackled securely. Hansen was led in and also shackled to the bed, directly facing her but just out of each other's reach. As he had for many days now, Hansen remained mute throughout.
Oscar stood in the doorway and watched while Michael removed the box with the conical wires from his lab coat again. The metallic whine filled the tiny cell as Michael held the device for just a split-second to the shackled man's neck. Jack stiffened...and then went limp, his head falling forward.
''Raise your head and open your eyes, Jack,'' Michael said with authority in his voice. ''Very good. Now I want you to look at each other - really look. Anna, do whatever you need to do in order to get your pawn here to call back the troops. I want everyone you caused him to force into your control 'de-activated'. There is to be no one left in your little 'army'. Do you understand?''
Anna looked straight ahead at Jack, as instructed, and gave a single nod. ''Yes.''
''I'm not interested in how you need to follow my directions,'' Michael told her in a strong voice, directly in her ear, ''but everything you've done, that you forced this man to help you with, you're going to un-do - and NOW. Are you hearing me?''
Anna gave a single nod. ''Yes.''
''Jack,'' Michael went on, ''you will follow every one of her instructions - and more importantly, you will follow mine. Do you understand?
The NSB Director, who hadn't spoken at all in too many days to count, looked straight ahead at the woman who had so grievously manipulated him.
''I understand,'' Hansen agreed.
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