58
The black Escalade pulled up in front of the plain little house. Sheldon and the agents got out and approached the front door.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Fowlers.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Fowlers.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Fowlers.
Amy Farrah Fowler opened the door.
"Hello Sheldon. I knew it was only a matter of time until you returned to me. Why are these men with you?"
"Amy. We need to talk. These men can provide pertinent information to which you must pay attention."
"I have heard what they have to say. I find their statements are without basis and are not relevant to my needs and purposes."
"Be that as it may, you have involved me in your rationale for not taking heed of their advice and I cannot allow you to do that. May we come in and sit?"
"Alright. But I am expecting a call at any moment asking me to return to my lab and continue my work."
Sheldon looked at the two agents. They nodded negatively.
"Would you gentlemen like some Strawberry Quick? From the powder."
"No thank you."
"Dr. Fowler, we can assure you that the phone call you are waiting for will never come. Are you aware of what has transpired at the lab since you were asked to leave?"
"I am certain they have had to explain to a great many people why they stopped working with such an eminent neurobiologist as myself."
"Dr. Fowler, they have had to explain to a great many people why they accepted funding from someone who also supported terrorists. The administrator who brought you in has resigned. Much of the funding for other scientists working there has been curtailed. It is quite likely the lab will go out of business in a matter of weeks."
"I don't understand."
"Dr. Fowler, you aided and abetted very dangerous people."
"I was doing Faisal a favor. A series of favors."
"Those favors may have cost people their lives."
"I am not responsible for that. I'm a neurobiologist, not a politician. Science does not recognize borders or politics. It is about knowledge."
"Excuse me, Amy, but even I know that's poppycock. The sciences, especially at universities, are rife with political implications. Much of the funding for the research done at CalTech comes from the Defense Department. Do you actually believe we work with rocket fuels to develop mass transit? That our laser research is about improving CD and DVD players? Though my own work is theoretical I am well aware that it could be adapted for use in weapons development. I'd prefer that it not be but I will not sit by ignorant of the possibilities. Though your own research may be benign, the behavioral sciences have been used to positive and negative effect in managing various populations and groups."
"I work with monkeys, Sheldon."
"Why?"
"Because they are primates, like humans."
"And you truly can't see your research being extrapolated to include human beings and forcing them to behave in certain ways. Amy, you've done it to me."
"That was only to help you overcome behaviors that are not helpful to you."
"In your opinion."
"Well, I am the neurobiologist after all."
"Be that as it may, you cannot divorce science from the world about us. To do so would show either great naïveté or an ignorance of reality."
"I disagree. Knowledge can be pure."
"In any case, our philosophical discourse aside, you have angered some very dangerous people."
"Why?"
"Dr. Fowler, you were the source of their funding. Through tracking the funds you distributed we were able to arrest a great many people."
"So you have eliminated the problem. Leave me alone."
"We have not arrested everyone. We have no idea how far this network stretches."
"Why don't you ask Faisal?"
"He has not exactly been communicative since we froze his accounts."
"I for one can understand that. I'd prefer not speaking to you myself."
"Dr. Fowler, your fiancé is a murderer. He has financially supported the killing of children and women and men all over the world. We can prove it."
"I don't believe you. I know Faisal."
"Dr. Cooper, do you understand now what we've been contending with?"
"I believe that I do. Amy, you are endangering yourself, your mother and your friends by not taking the advice these men have given to you and going into the Witness Protection Program."
"Sheldon, if I enter that program I will no longer be permitted to be a scientist."
"Dr. Fowler, at this moment the only person who would probably be willing to hire you is your fiancé, Faisal. And, to be honest, if you even attempt to go to work for him we will arrest you for treason."
"Sheldon, I will consider entering the program if you come with me."
"No. Categorically no."
"So you are unwilling to give up your work but you believe that I should."
"Amy Farrah Fowler, I do not have blood on my hands. You do whether or not you believe it. These men are offering you an opportunity to live out your life in safety. Please do not use this as yet another method to extend a relationship that I now believe should have ended long ago. I do not love you, Amy. I will never love you. And your recent conspiring with Leonard Hofstadter has proven to me that I cannot trust you. You need to make a decision for yourself alone. But please know this, because of the danger you represent, if you do not enter the program I will take legal measures to ensure that you cannot come anywhere near me or my friends."
At that moment Amy's mother entered the room.
"Amy, who are these gentlemen?"
"Of course you remember Sheldon. And these other men are from the government."
"Sheldon, how nice to see you again. Amy tells me that we can expect a big event very soon."
"Excuse me?"
"Amy tells me that you two expect to be married within the year."
"Mother, I told you that in confidence."
"I don't understand. Are you implying that you are keeping your upcoming wedding secret from your fiancé?"
"I am not Amy's fiancé."
"Well, I haven't really kept up with what young people call things these days but I assume that since you and my daughter have been having intimate relations for several years now that a marriage and children can be expected."
"Excuse me. A few years ago, in order to curtail your request that Amy date regularly, as a favor I conspired with her to convince you that we were having sexual relations. It embarrasses me to admit that was a lie. Amy Farrah Fowler and I have never done anything more than occasionally kiss and hold hands. And, to be quite honest, I found both terribly uncomfortable but you must realize that your daughter can be quite demanding."
"I must admit to being alarmed by the falsehood you told me but I am happy that your relationship has progressed in such a wholesome way. I assume you prefer to have relations after you are married."
"Ma'am, once again, I apologize. Amy and I will not be getting married. We are no longer involved in a relationship though she seems quite hesitant to accept that reality. For the time being I am devoted to my work and my family. As time passes I hope to once more bond with another person but I am sorry to say that person will not be your daughter."
"Then why are you here if not to pursue your relationship with my daughter?"
"I am here at the request of the FBI to attempt to convince Amy and yourself to enter the Witness Protection Program for your own safety and that of everyone you know. Amy's relationship with a man from Saudi Arabia, Faisal, a sponsor of terrorism to whom she is engaged to be married, has placed us all in danger and Amy refuses to accept that."
"Amy, is this true?"
"In order to guarantee the funding for my research I agreed to become engaged to Faisal. It was merely a business agreement and I had no intention of following through. The government has claimed that Faisal has done horrible things. I am unwilling to believe them. If Faisal were dangerous I would know. We have met and spoken on many occasions."
"Amy, is it possible that you are mistaken about this Faisal person and that these gentlemen are correct?"
"Mother, I am much smarter than these gentlemen. I see no reason to listen to anything they say."
"And how much do you know about this terrorism business?"
"I am aware that it exists. I have nothing to do with it."
"Dr. Fowler, we have been very patient with you. Kind, in fact. We realize that you were an unwitting accomplice…"
"Excuse me! How dare you accuse me of being unwitting? I have been called brilliant."
"Amy, dear…"
"Yes, mother."
"Shut up and let the man finish."
"Thank you, ma'am. Dr. Fowler, you were an unwitting accomplice and because of that we have allowed you certain latitude. However, as we have told you previously, we are legally able to arrest you and put you away for a very long time. And, believe me, not being able to play with your monkeys will be the least of your worries should that happen."
"Are you threatening me?"
"We are promising you. You have two options. Enter the program or go to jail. Sitting here waiting for a phone call that will never come is not an option available to you. We can assure you that you will be receiving no legitimate offers of employment. You can either enter the program by yourself and never see or contact anyone you now know ever again or your mother may enter the program with you. Your options are quite limited and you have until tomorrow morning to make a choice. And, trust me, while hiring an attorney may aid you in crafting a slightly more beneficial agreement with us it will not prevent anything from happening. We will return tomorrow morning for your answer. Until then a car will remain outside. Flight is not an option. And we strongly suggest you not contact the media. We have a great deal of evidence showing the results of Faisal's sponsorship. If the public is able to associate you with that evidence we cannot guarantee your safety."
"Sheldon, you will let them do this?"
"I will, Amy. I cherish the time we had together and will remember you fondly. But I absolutely accept the likelihood that I will never see you again and am quite prepared to move on. I advise you do the same. And now, I will take my leave. Gentlemen, I will wait outside while you complete your business. Goodbye, Amy Farrah Fowler. Mrs. Fowler. Fare well."
Amy attempted to approach Sheldon for a more intimate farewell, hoping it could change his mind, but he just turned, went to the front door, opened it and left without even looking back.