Chapter 27

At full bionic speed, Steve made it to the stairwell and down to the lower (below ground) office level just as the elevator doors opened. He stood directly in front of his boss, blocking his way. ''Taking the long route 'back to the nursery', Oscar?'' he challenged. ''Give me my daughter - or I'll take her from you and knock you into next week!''

''I don't think you'll do that, Colonel Austin,'' Oscar shot back. ''There are charges over your head that could put you away for a very long time. If you lay one hand - one finger - on me, I'll have you arrested and it'll all come crashing down, straight on your head.'' Oscar tried to get past him, to head for the door to the rear parking lot on the far side of the hallway.

''If you think I'll let you walk out of here with Becca,'' Steve said in a low, firm voice (trying not to frighten the child), ''then you've lost your mind. I'll fight to the death for that little girl...and you know it!''

''Get out of the way, Steve,'' Oscar ordered, almost robotically. He lifted his gaze past Steve's shoulder at the door they were slowly inching toward. Too slowly. The door was his goal and he focused on it intently.

''Pull the Security alarm, Oscar - and tell them I threatened you. Go ahead, because I'll use whatever means necessary to keep you from doing...whatever it is you think you're doing! You know what? I'll pull it for you!''

Oscar stepped in front of the small wall box, still holding Becca close to his chest. He had to get past Steve - had to make it to the door. His focus was as singular as it had ever been; one of his greatest strengths had now become his weakness. Nothing mattered except getting out that door with the baby. Nothing...and no one.

In her bed in the ICU, Jaime was tossing restlessly - just about the worst thing she could do immediately following brain surgery. Michael sent a nurse for a dose of diazepam and he wisely let Mark be the one to try and calm her. She was fighting her way out of sedation, murmuring Steve's name...and their daughter's. ''His...eyes...Russ'...Oscar's...'' she whispered hoarsely, not awake but not asleep. ''They were...like Kingsley's...''

The realization hit Mark like a shot. Jaime had been the only one to see Grant Kingsley's eyes up close. She'd equated Russ' eyes with Kingsley's...and Michael's, too, when they'd been up at the cabin. She had also been the one to visit Graham Kingsley, and announced he did not have the eyes, paving the way for him to be cleared of his charges. It all tied in together for him now, making perfect (but horrific) sense. Mark soothed his patient with soft, reassuring words, telling her that everything would be alright and that Becca would be back in her crib when Jaime woke up. (And hoping like hell that he hadn't just lied to her!) Even with the addition of the tranquilizer, Jaime fought sleep every step of the way, still sobbing her daughter's name and mumbling almost incoherently.

''Kingsley's...eyes...they all had them...his...eyes...'' until she was fully out.

On the lower level, the men were in a stand-off. Oscar refused to release his hold on Becca which, although it was gentle enough so as not to frighten or hurt the child, was still firm - and he eyed the door for an opportunity to make a break for it. Steve could take him down with one well-placed kick, but to send his boss sprawling with Becca in his arms could have disastrous consequences. If he dropped (or worse, threw) her...or fell on top of her...

Still, Oscar was not going out that door with Becca! Finally, he made a move, stepping aside just slightly, allowing Oscar to take a few steps toward his goal, then Steve reached around him and pulled the Security alarm. It blared directly in Oscar's ears...and suddenly he looked beyond bewildered. He was in the hallway holding Becca, with Steve looking like he was ready to pound him to pieces. There was an alarm going off. He remembered being in his office with Jack. He blinked a few times, trying to make sense of it all, then handed the baby to Steve.

''The alarm - I have to look into it...'' he mumbled.

''Oscar, you need to stay here,'' Steve told him gently. He was almost as confused as his boss...but at least Becca was safe.

Oscar watched the baby as she cooed at her Daddy, and his heart melted...but his stomach sank. What had he been doing? What was he thinking? For the life of him, he couldn't remember leaving the office during his conversation with Jack. This is how it started with Russ, he realized. When Security began flooding the hallway, Oscar walked forward to meet them. ''I need...some help,'' he said simply. ''Padded cell, Second Floor; I don't want...to hurt anyone. And I need...Mark Conrad.'' One fleeting memory came back to him just before they'd reached the elevator and he called over his shoulder to Steve. ''My Locator belt. I...pressed...the button. Get the readings!''

Steve watched them lead Oscar away and then he had his own realization. With Russ locked up in The Hole and Oscar at least temporarily out of commission, just like he'd done during Grant Kingsley's reign of terror, Steve would have to stand at the helm and be the calm, rational voice of reason...and command. The OSI was in his hands. He returned Becca to the nursery, ensuring there were still guards present to watch her and checked on Jaime who was sleeping soundly with Doctor Corinth and Michael at her bedside. Then he headed down to Oscar's office, the one that had been Rudy's before him and was now by process of elimination...Steve's. He sat down at the desk, called for the readings from Oscar's belt and while he waited he picked up the file Oscar must have last been working with - and started reading about Anna Kingsley...

For Anja, the news wasn't good. Steve Austin had thwarted her new subject's efforts to take the infant! Austin (and his wife, of course) should have already been eliminated! She had the timing down perfectly! Her main subject must have found some way to rebel; he had failed her! She'd find a new subject easily enough so vengeance was merely postponed and not denied but she was annoyed and the cause of her annoyance had to be eliminated. Anja turned her device once again to its highest power and spoke into the Programming unit, instructing him to come to her location. He would pay the price for his failure!

Michael left Jaime in Doctor Corinth's capable hands under the guise of getting them both some coffee - and he headed out to his car and began to drive to somewhere he'd never been...but somehow knew the way.

In what was now his office, Steve scanned the printed readings from Oscar's locator belt. They had an address! He made several phone calls in rapid succession - some inter-hospital and some inter-agency - and then headed outside to join the team he'd just assembled in a race to catch someone who could truly be called an evil genius...before she could strike again.

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