Disclaimer: I don't own Dollhouse.
Chapter 2: When the Phone Rings
August and Everything After
(When the Levee Breaks, When the Phone Rings, When Desperate and Dying, TBC)
Taking place a year after Epitaph Two: Return, in the year 2021 the world is beginning to rebuild itself. Echo and Alpha have reached the near end of their mission to destroy all remaining Rossum imprints. Adelle has taken over the Rossum enterprise, Tony and Priyah have found peace in California, and Mag and Kilo have taken over the old L.A. Dollhouse.
August and Everything After
Chapter 2: When the Phone Rings
Los Angeles – Former Rossum Building – 2021
The former and familiar office of Adelle Dewitt was clean and crisp and lit by the daylight through her large windows. A computer at the desk was nothing more than a projector that displayed three holographic screens. One displayed statistics about something neuroscience related, and one of the others had a moving memo with the title Brink Project Progress. A ring went off and the middle screen displayed a picture of Echo followed by her name and the words Incoming Call. Visible through the translucent green screens, the door of the office opened and Kilo entered. She wore a black suit and had her hair pulled back. She had a scar on her face were the portable imprinting machine* had been against her temple. She walked over to the desk, calmly sat down, and spoke.
Kilo: "Answer call."
The screen then changed to waves that reacted as Echo spoke.
Echo: "I'm on my way."
Somewhere in Nevada – Highway – 2021
Along the highway was nothing but desert and a dark minivan sped down far exceeding the speed limit. Echo drove while speaking aloud. The navigation screen on the dash showed a picture of Adelle and read L.A. Office. Echo looked over her shoulder at the back seats of the van and watched Alpha out cold, but trembling.
Echo: "Something was wrong with the print, –or the reader."
Back in the office Kilo smiled with a furrowed brow and rolled back in her chair slightly.
Kilo: "Well, it is a pleasure to hear from you as well."
Echo's voice was clearly irritated.
Echo: "Did you hear me?"
Kilo span around once in her chair and then pressed an orange button on a slate of buttons connected to the computer. A voice responded.
Voice: "Caller code?"
Kilo: "84122August."
There was a click and then Mag answered the phone.
Mag: "What's up?"
Kilo leaned back in her chair and then left the rest to Echo. Back in the van Echo began to explain.
Echo: "Alpha has contracted some kind of virus. The scanner that got us the last imprint was a trap. We were anticipated. I –it is beyond any skills I have."
She turned the wheel and the car quickly followed. There was a sign over the road that they passed that read Los Angeles 820.
Mag's Office (Once Topher's office) – Inside the L.A. Dollhouse – 2021
The office had changed quite a bit, becoming much more typical and plain for a professional setting. Mag rolled over to the computer in her wheelchair.
Mag: "Have you tried wiping him?"
Echo's voice could be heard over the speaker.
Echo: "It only made it worse. The wipe pushed down the barriers and the virus is now moving more quickly. He's out cold."
Mag pulled open a drawer from the desk and reached through some files. She then spoke softly to herself, but loud enough for Echo and Kilo to hear.
Mag: "Harding must have known you would risk imprinting yourself with his last imprint to get at the Rossum originals. He may have had it set to trigger if a composite** activated the trap. He probably thought it would be you."
Kilo scoffed a laugh over the speaker and Echo gave no audible reaction apart from sarcasm.
Echo: "Thanks. That really helps."
Back in Kilo's office, she clicked through the translucent screen with her fingers until she found a scanner.
Kilo: "Send me the signal from your last wipe."
The screen flashed red twice and a noise resembling that of a sonic toothbrush could be heard. Waves appeared and fluctuated on the screen. Kilo examined it carefully and then highlighted a small portion with her fingers.
Kilo: "I found the abnormality, where the trigger originated. It was well hidden. We couldn't have known. It was in both the imprint and the scanner. The two together became the lock and key."
Echo: "So what's the solution? Can you isolate it and get rid of it?"
Back in the van, Alpha's hand reached out and grabbed the side of the passenger seat. Echo looked back at him with a little shock. He pulled himself up into the front passenger seat and buckled up.
Alpha: "She can't."
Echo was not satisfied with his response and waited for Kilo to return with her own answer. After a moment, Kilo spoke.
Kilo: "He's right."
Back in Kilo's office.
Kilo: "I know what it looks like, but I wouldn't even know where to begin. I've only downloaded the basic evil genius tech knowledge. I don't even think we have the proper equipment."
Echo: "There has to be a way."
Back in the van, she looked over to Alpha as if he would have the answer and he put a hand on her shoulder.
Alpha: "I can feel it, eating me alive. It was built for us. I can feel it devouring the pieces, each piece, inside, slowly. I might be able to –"
He held his forehead and leaned back against the seat. Echo was strong, though it was clear she was a little upset.
Echo: "It was built for me. "
There was a long pause over the phone. Finally Mag's voice could be heard.
Mag: "Bring him in. We can try."
To be continued in Chapter 3: When Desperate and Dying
*portable imprinting machine – one of Alpha's many inventions that would allow dolls to imprint themselves with composite abilities to a limit. After reaching a certain capacity of skills, some would have to be removed and exchanged if there was a need of a new skill/personality.
**composite – a composite is a doll that has been imprinted with more than one imprint at one time and manages to maintain both/all without physical confliction.