[Quentin,Alexander,Jack]
Scene Started: Mon, 24 July
2000
Dateline: 6.45am, Friday, December 25th, 1998
[ CC ]
Quentin looked around, curious in spite of himself. He did his best to know where they were going from this spot, to burn a mental map, just in case.
[ MT ]
Zen watched the scenery passing by, trying to make a guess as to where they were now. For the sun to now be in the sky, they must have either missed some time through blacking out, or have traveled in either space or time. Either way, he was in unfamiliar territory and needed to figure out where they were. Any signs of location, climate, culture or otherwise would be silently noted.
[ PC ]
"Okay," answered Tanberg to the driver. He turned in his seat to take in the other passengers in the back of the mini-van. "I can begin to answer your questions now. First we have lost a couple of hours comming through the transfer point, but not as many as you may think. You may not believe a lot of what I have to tell you, but you will have to trust me."
"We have travelled to a small island in the Mediterranian called Al Amarja. This is where Morelli came from to go see your father. It is also where the thing that killed your father was born."
[ CT ]
Jack glanced at Alan.
[ CC ]
So did Quentin -- neither of the kids had been told so bluntly about any of the events that had happened in the study. When he got a chance to be subtle about it -- with the kids distracted or looking away -- he made a motion with his head toward the kids, making a grimace to Tanberg, cautioning him about graphic announcements.
[ CT ]
As far as Jack knew, nobody actually told Alan that Mom and Dad were dead. Not in those words anyway. He might have figured it out by now anyway, but still...Mom said there was a way to save them both.
[ PC ]
Tanberg saw Jack and Quentin glance over at Alan and the sleeping Andrea, and flinched at Quentin's grimace. "Ahh, sorry. I'd assumed they knew."
"I don't expect you to believe me just yet, but I'm giving you the facts now so we can begin to trust one another as quickly as possible."
"We are heading to a hotel where we will meet a Professor Times, who will conduct the examination."
"We don't have a name for the thing which did this, but we do know that it is powerful. It may have many abilities, but we have only seen proof of one so far. And that was the method used in it's escape. It can inhabit a person's body and takes control over it."
"We believe that that *may* be what has happened to your sister."
[ CC ]
"Possession. You're talking about possession. Do you know how *weird* that sounds?!" Quentin shut up abruptly -- he was already surrounded by weird; he realized just how stupid he sounded right now.
[ PC ]
We know that it was in Morelli at some point, we'll get a more accurate estimate once Professor Times has examined the tissue sample. Somehow it has jumped from Morelli to Amanda."
[ MT ]
Alex was confused by, and doubtful of, the man's story. "Where did this thing come from? Why did it kill my father? Heck, who are you people anyway? The government doesn't do this sort of thing... does it?" Every answer he'd been given seemed to just spawn more questions.
[ PC ]
"Yes, is sounds weird. It is. We suspect your father was one of those responsible for creating it. We don't know yet why it turned on him. And no, we aren't part of the government. We are however much more capable of dealing with this threat than any government."
[ CT ]
Jack peered at Tanberg, "Does that mean you're not really with the Navy? Or you *are* and you're selling your services in the private sector?"
[ PC ]
"You mean a mercenary? Nothing so cavalier."
"I'm begining to recognize what part of the Edge we are in, and your hotel is only a few minutes away. You will want to rest, it is still late evening by your time."
The minivan continued through the narrow streets until it came onto a wider road, but not any better maintained.
[ CC ]
Quentin continued to keep an eye on the route they were taking, while responding "Yeah, it is pretty late. How about we get the kids some food when we arrive, then, after we get them some shuteye, we can continue from there? By the way, how much time will they get before their examinations, and what kinds of personal effects will you be getting for us?"
[ MT ]
Alex nodded at this. "I think I'd have trouble sleeping until I have a better idea what's going on, and why we're here."
[ PC ]
"I understand. My men will most probably collect your luggage and bring that. That would seem most appropriate. Unless there was somthing specific you would like them to bring for you?"
[ CC ]
Quentin thought a bit, then replied, "Well, if this is going to be an extended stay, I'd ask to get all my luggage -- at least I can pretend this is a normal Christmas and give folks the presents I brought for them." A bitter edge had crept in to his words as he continued, "And you may as well have your men scavenge whatever's still good from the dinner table -- why let good food go to waste?"
He turned his face back toward the window, looking dour.
[ PC ]
"Times should arrive within half an hour. But I couldn't say for sure until I've checked in."
"Once you've setteld the children, I'll do my best to answer any other questions you have. I better tell you now, I won't know the answer to all of them, but I'll do my best."
The van passed through more delapidated areas and gradually there started to appear newer, and better maintained buildings. The people on the street, what few were about this early, were rushing of to work. Quentin was surprised to see that a good few of them had a sort of rope tie around their necks, but it was a fleeting glance and he couldn't be sure.
[ CC ]
Quentin, in spite of himself, kept looking for any other instances of such a fashion -- he couldn't stay pissed off forever, and his creative streak was already incorporating this oddness into another possible scene for his show.
[ PC ]
Eventually the van approached a large circular raised plaza with a pile of twisted metal at the centre. Before going onto the road around this the van turned into a covered awning of a hotel and stopped at the door.
Tanberg and his silent assistant climbed out and led the Jameson's to the hotel foyer where an smartly dressed gentleman was waiting. He had the look of a stereotypical english gentleman, with his dark suit and gray hair. All he was missing was a cane, cloak and top hat.
[ CT ]
Jack scanned the hotel interior. He knew there was a lot to learn about the way a place was kept up. Was it richly furnished, or home style, or garish? Even if it had the semblance of refinement, sometimes little clues would reveal themselves like a silver coatrack, polished to a sparkle, with a spot at the base that revealed where the silver paint was chipped and allowed to rust. Such clues reveal a place of false surfaces...of deception. Jack wondered if this was such a place.
[ PC ]
Tanberg shook hands with the man, "Hello, Dimitri. It is good to see you again."
"And I you. If only the circumstances...," his voice was english, but had some middle european tint to it that Jack couldn't quite place. Dimitri handed Tanberg a couple of hotel keys from his pocket.
Tanberg introduced the man "This is Dimitri Hanstecker, an associate of your father's."
[ CC ]
Quentin shook the man's hand.
[ MT ]
Alex smiled and nodded at the man. "I hope you can help make sense of what's going on, Mr. Hanstecker. I'm Alex Jameson, but some people call me Zen." He decided to let questions wait until they were in their rooms, and waited to see if the others introduced themselves.
[ CT ]
"Jack," Jack said as he held out his hand, "Very nice to meet you, Dimitri. I wish our father had told us more about his work with you and Dino. I don't mind telling you, I'm not quite ready to let matters rest as they are, but I'm afraid it might take us a little while to get up to speed. That's an interesting accent...a little bit of Bulgaria?" Jack was pretty sure it wasn't, but he wanted to judge the man's reaction.
[ PC ]
"I'll do what I can," said Hanstecker.
Tanberg turned to his assistant and handed him the keys that Hanstecker had just given him after checking the room numbers. "If you could follow Hudson he will show you to your rooms. Hanstecker and myself will be with you once you've settled in."
Hudson led them through the large foyer, full of dark blue carpeting and wall coverings. Jack was impressed, the place was spotless.
At the otherside of the foyer was a large sweeping staircase that lead up to the rear wall and split left and right before doubling back over the foyer. The fixtures were wooden and brass, all polished and gleaming.
Over to the right was the front desk, unobtrusive, the guests didn't get the impression that their every movement was under the gaze of the hotel reception. It was, but subtley. Large doorways led of to the left and right of the stairs, leading to a restaurant on the right and a lounge bar on the left. At this time of the morning the place was practically deserted. The only other person in sight was a young woman in a blue suit-dress comming down the last of the stairs and heading for the restaurant.
To the left of the revolving doors where they had come in there was a large decorated tree. With decorative parcels arranged underneath. The fairy lights were dancing a pattern amongst the tinsel.
Hudson, a stocky man, in his late twenties led family over to the two elevators in the wall to the left, opposite reception. He pressed the lift call button and waited patiently for a moment before the doors on the right opened to reveal a wood, brass and mirrored box. Light came from faux-gas lamps, flickering overhead.
Tanberg and Henstecker stood together and talked quietly, occasionally nodding their heads sadly.
The elevator rose five floors before stopping. The door opened and Hudson, again led them out into the landing. He took a moment to orient himself with the room number signs and headed right, "This way."
The corridor was similar to the foyer, dark blue carpet and wall covering, wooden dado rail and wood paneled walls. More faux-gas lamps lit the corridors. Paintings of park land and country scenes and mirrors filled the walls in discrete wooden frames.
Hudson stopped and indicated two doors on opposite sides of the corridor, offset by a couple of feet. Rooms 508 and 510. "These are your rooms here. Would you like me to wait here with you until Mr Tanberg and Mr Hanstecker arrive?" He handed over the keys after unlocking the first door.
[Quentin,Alexander,Jack]
Scene Started: Mon, 24 July
2000
Dateline: 7.15am, Friday, December 25th, 1998
[ CT ]
Jack took the keys. "I don't mind if you wait," Jack said. "But I think we'd like a moment to ourselves if you don't mind waiting in the hall." He opened the door and walked in.
Jack turned around as his brothers and Andrea filed in. He said rather frankly, "I'm assuming the room's bugged. So, don't say anything you don't want them to hear."
Jack checked the window to see what kind of stake-out Tanberg had arranged on the street. "That Hanstecker's a private guy. Most people like to talk about themselves. Not these guys, though. That includes Dad, I guess. Unless you guys know something I don't?"
Jack's lithe fingers brushed along the window frame. If someone wanted to slip in unnoticed, would the windows be secure?
[ CC ]
Quentin followed Jack's lead: he shrugged as he helped the kids onto the top of the bed and got them comfortable. "Not me," he said. "This whole matter has been one big weird after another. I know *I'm* in the dark."
[ MT ]
Zen nodded. "I have no idea what's going on, but it isn't the normal Christmas at home I was hoping for." He looked around the room for paper and/or writing utensils, so they could communicate and not be heard by any listening devices.
[ PC ]
The room was part of a suite, which included two bedrooms and a bathroom and a main room. Surprisingly palatial, even by Jack's standards, and Jack *knew* about hotels.
The decoration theme from the corridor carried on into the suite, with highlights in dark red velvet.
[ PC ]
The window over looked the plaza with it's rusted tangle of metal on it's plinth. At this time of the morning the plaza was nearly deserted. A couple of drunks were trying to stop each other falling to the ground as the maneuvered there way slowley across the central area. Here and there Jack could spot a few dirty scruffy figures moving in the shadows, they seemed to be picking old news papers and other trash from the street and putting it in nearly full shopping carts. Battered and rusted with barely one good wheel. Jack's untrained eye couldn't spot anything that seemed to leap out to him as especially suspicious.
Deep mahogany surrounded the window frames which themselves looked heavy and strong and in good repair. A skilled thief could well open this from the outside, but they would be in plain sight of anyone on the plaza as they did so, even up on the fifth floor.
[ CT ]
Jack nodded at his brothers. He had come to a careful decision, and it was time to share it with them. In a measured voice he said, "I like this hotel." He paused to let the full impact sink in. "Very clean. Not just a once over and on to the next room, either. The staff takes care in their work. Honest people. We'll be able to depend on them, I think. I'm not sure about Tanberg and his people, yet."
[ PC ]
On a table by the hotel phone, Alex found a foolscap pad and pen, the pad was letterheaded 'The Bienvenidos Hotel, 200 Plaza of Flowers.'
Alan and Andrea were docile and crawled onto the double bed and fell asleep after only a few minutes.
"They will be upset when they wake...and hungry. We haven't eaten in hours," murmered Marcus settling into a chair where he could watch the sleeping children.
[ CT ]
Jack offered, "I think we should tell Alan and Andrea pretty much the truth about what happened. I don't want to tell them Mom and Dad are dead, if they really aren't. Or that Mom and Dad are okay, when we don't know that either. We don't know how long these questions are going to hang over us, and they're going to have to start coming to terms with what might or might not happen. I don't want them lost in a sea of doubt not knowing *anything*. It's like Mom always used to say...honesty's the best policy."
[ PC ]
"'used to say'?" asked Marcus stressing the first word. Not challenging Jack's wording, simply highlighting it.
[ CT ]
Jack breathed, "Aw, c'mon Marcus. I know we're all feeling..." Jack shook his head. Words were inadequate. But then he looked up, "But I think we'll get her back. I really do."
[ CC ]
"Marcus," Quentin began, "you're probably the best one to let the kids know. You've been around them longer than the rest of us -- even you, Jack -- and you're bound to understand them best and put it in terms that they can grasp and deal with." He stood up and began pacing, nervously scratching his own back, his arm twisted over and around his neck while doing so. "It won't be easy, I know, and the rest of us can help as we can, but I think that *you're* going to be the one with the best rapport." He stopped pacing and looked at Marcus. "Do you think you're up to it? To be perfectly honest, I *know* that *I'm* not."
[ MT ]
Zen handed the paper and pen to Jack, hoping he'd understand to use it for confidential messages.
[ CT ]
"Thanks Zen," Jack replied. He put the pen to paper, and as he wrote he continued, "but so far, I don't mind if they've heard every word." Jack held up the notepad toward his brother's so they could read:
BESIDES...THEY PROBABLY KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAN WE DO.
And he smiled the smile of the just.
[ PC ]
"And how much do we trust those three?" Marcus hooked a thumb behind him towards the door. "What do we tell Andrea about Panda? What do we *do* about her?..." Marcus shifted uncomfortably. Quentin and the other's recognized his mood. He wanted to pound some heads. Sitting here in a plush hotel room on the otherside of the world from their problems wasn't helping Marcus to relax.
[ MT ]
Alex chose to say nothing, he couldn't find any easy answers for Marcus's questions, or even anything to help his mood.
[ CT ]
Jack stared into nowhere. "I wonder where she went." His eyes drifted over to Andrea. "Tanberg already knows that she's out there somewhere back in Washington. He'll probably have his people trying to track her." He didn't say it, but the thought shot through his head:
...wonder if they'd hurt her to get the creature...
"I guess for now, we let them do their exam. And find out what they want from us after that. Find out what we can do to help Mom and Dad back from...wherever they went."
[ CC ]
"We work on keeping the kids safe. We work on keeping the kids informed. And we work on keeping the kids calm and helping them deal with it. *That's* what we do for now." Quentin looked at his brothers. "And we don't do anything rash until we get more information. Let's see what happens with these....*exams*, and let's see what this Tanberg fellow decides to tell us. And if this place *is* bugged, we already know how much they trust *us*, and that's how much we'll trust *them*, Marcus." He smiled a wolfish smile, made scarier on his ravaged face, and began pacing again, trying to remember all the movies he'd seen about where bugs were placed and what they looked like -- maybe it was immaterial, but he'd actually feel *better* if they *did* find a bug in the room.
[ PC ]
Trying not to disturb the slumbering children Quentin poked and prodded at various fittings around the room. Unscrewing the light bulb in the desk lamp, feeling under the edges of the desk and chairs.
For all his efforts he didn't find anything that he thought was a listening device.
They had been in the room a little over five minutes when there was a knock at the door. It was Tanberg. "Professor Times has just arrived. He is setting up his equipment in a room down the hall. Who would like to be first? And feel free to order room service, or if you want to wait you are welcome to join Hudson and myself in the restaurant later for breakfast."
[ CC ]
Quentin looked at his brothers. "Well, I think I'm up for it," he said, as he stood, stretched, and shook out some lingering stiffness. "Let's get the kids last -- let them get some decent rest, eh?"
[ MT ]
Alex decided to let Quentin go, not really looking forard to the examination, though not really wanting to avoid it either.
[ CC ]
As Quentin walked through the door with Tanberg, he said, "So. What exactly will you need from me, and what will you be looking for?"
[ PC ]
Tanberg had changed out of his Navy uniform and was now wearing slacks and a plain white heavy cotton shirt with button down collars, black buttons like coal in snow.
As Quentin stepped into the corridor he noticed at the end of the hall two large men in suits watching them. Tanberg noticed Quentin's glance, "A precaution against finding what we are looking for."
Tanberg led Quentin toward the two men and stopped about halfway at the door to the next room where he knock on the door. After a moment a third large man in a suit opened the door and let them enter.
[ CT ]
Jack settled into a comfortable chair to relax awhile. He didn't know how long Quentin would be, but he hoped it wouldn't be too much.
Finally, he said "Marcus?"
When Marcus looked up, Jack continued, "Mom looked young, didn't she." Jack was smiling. "I think that's how she sees herself. That's what she is on the inside. I know Quentin thinks we have to do the impossible to get her back, but...she asked us to do it. She flat out asked us to save her and Dad. And when she said it, she *believed* we could do it." Then he shrugged. "That's all *I* need. Don't you think so?"
[ PC ]
Marcus thought for a moment before answering, "How? What are we supposed to do? Mom said to find the Maker, but that doesn't mean anything to me. Jack, I don't know what to do," Jack and Zen could see the frustration behind Marcus's eyes. They both knew he would be much happier beating someone into unconciousness than sitting in here in some glorified doctor's waiting room.
[ CT ]
Jack picked up the pad of paper and scratched out a message. When he was done, he held it up toward Zen for a moment, then tossed the pad to Marcus. On it was written, "maker of the metal strip?"
Jack waited until he was sure Marcus had read it. "Maybe Tanberg knows something about that. Then again," and he shrugged, "...maybe Alan does."
[ MT ]
Zen shrugged. "All I know is that I know nothing."
[ PC ]
"You and me both," muttered Marcus. Marcus got out of his chair and began pacing back and forth across the room. "I'll go next," he said hooking his thumb at the door.
[Quentin,Alexander.Jack]
Scene Started: Mon, 24 July
2000
Dateline: 7.20am, Friday, December 25th, 1998
[ PC ]
In the next suite Quentin walked through into the main room after Tanberg, followed by the third man in the monkey suit. The room was the mirror of the one he had just left, such as the door that was on the left to the bathroom was on the right.
Sitting at the desk writing in a journal sat a young woman in her mid to late twenties. She was slim with a boyish face and short copper dyed hair. Standing by the window was Hudson. The woman blanched momentarily when she looked up.
[ CC ]
Quentin smiled at her wolfishly. It made him feel a bit better to have the evidence that, despite the strange goings-on of late, these new people were still People, and his visage would still garner the usual shocked reactions.
Which made him wonder about Tanberg -- he seemed awfully cool. Either he was excellently trained at hiding his personal thoughts and feelings, or else he was a bit "off".
[ PC ]
Standing on a tripod was a video camera connected to a laptop computer next to the journal on the desk.
"Professer Times this is...?" Tanberg looked questioningly at Quentin. Quentin realised that Tanberg didn't even know his name.
[ CC ]
"The name's Quentin. Jameson, not Crisp or Tarantino." What the hell, he thought; stave off the usual jokes about his name.
[ PC ]
"Hi," was all she replied with an almost disinterested tone. "If you could stand over there by the wall facing the camera."
Quentin seemed to hesitate, looking suspiciously across the room at the camera.
A voice sounded behind Quentin. "Sir?" it asked, but it carried more threat than question. Quentin realised that Tanberg and Hudson had both tensed almost imperceptibly. The Professor had turned back to her Journal and seemed oblivious.
[ CC ]
"Sorry about that," Quentin said. "Just getting my bearings. All this is taking a while to get used to." He turned to get a good look at the voice's owner; if it could get a visible reaction from Tanberg, it was bound to be a person with more authority....and probably more answers. He did a little dance-step while moving toward the wall with the camera -- might as well lighten the mood a little, for his own sake as well as everyone else's.
[ PC ]
The owner of the voice was the man who had opened the door. And as he skipped over to the left he realised that Tanberg and Hudson were looking at him, not the man behind him.
[ CC ]
"Hmmmm," he thought. "That's strange. They're *threatened* by me? Well, there's one of me and umpteen of them, and I'm unarmed and doubtless they're not. It wouldn't do well to antagonize them needlessly." He made sure he'd taken off the wolfish grin, got himself into position, and made ready to endure whatever test they were going to throw at him.
[ PC ]
Professor Times wrote something in her journal then hit a few keys on the keyboard. And image of Quentin standing in the room appeared on the screen.
"Just relax and look at the light," murmured Times watching the screen. She hit a another key and a green light appeared from the camera. It seemed to stab into Quentin's eyes and his reflex was to close his eyes, but they wouldn't close.
[ CC ]
"Euw," He thought. "This ain't comfortable."
[ PC ]
Quentin felt the oddest sensation that something, the light, was scraping the insides of his skull. He felt a jolt in his mouth as if his teeth had just arced a shot of electricity. He felt his toung press up against the roof of his mouth as if it were trying to burrow it's way through his pallet.
Then suddenly the light disappeared and Quentin was in blackness. He felt deaf. Then after a moment he could feel his eyes blinking repeatedly as his vision swam back through a dark green fog.
He could see Times peering at her laptop screen as Tanberg edged towards her, "Doc?"
[ CC ]
"Hey!" Quentin tried to yell. "What's going on? What kind of crazy test *is* this?!"
[ PC ]
Quentin's words only came out as a week croak, he could feel his knees start to buckle and reached for the back of the chair in front of him for support.
"He's clear," said Times, answering Tanberg's question.
Hudson immediatly stepped over from the windows and helped Quentin round to sit in the seat. "It feels like shit, but it passes," he said with a hint that he knew too well what Quentin had just been through.
Times looked up at Tanberg, "Could you bring the next subject?"
"Right," he replied turning and heading back out the door.
There was a knock on the door a couple of minutes after Quentin left. It was Tanberg again. "Quentin has been given the all clear. Who's next?"
[ CT ]
"What?" Jack called out from across the room. "Where's Quentin?" he asked as he stood up and walked over to Marcus. "If he's all right...?" he let the question hang, and picked up the stationary pad. He tore off the message he had written earlier. Cool as a cucumber, he folded it and stuffed it into his pants pocket.
[ PC ]
"We are trying to ... isolate ... an infection of sorts. You will all be gathered in the next room by the time we have finished. My I suggest that whoever is coming next bring one of the children, rather than leave them alone till last." Tanberg was trying his best to be sincere, but there seemed a slight nervous edge to his voice. They hadn't noticed it before but he seemed to glance around the room nervously.
[ CT ]
Jack looked about to ask Tanberg a question. He opened his mouth but missed his chance, because a moment later...
[ PC ]
Marcus climbed out of his chair and turned to face the door, his face had clouded over like thunder. "I've had ENOUGH!! WHERE'S QUENTIN! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!"
Marcus was reaching out towards Tanberg to grab him but Tanberg started stepping back into the hall, the sudden fight-or-flight clear of his face.
[ CT ]
"MARCUS!" Jack let it explode like the familar bark he'd always gotten from his father.
[ PC ]
Marcus stopped in his tracks for a moment and turned towards the sudden voice.
[ CT ]
Jack slipped himself between his hulking brother and the ersatz military man and jutted a finger in front of Marcus's face. "Mom always said, you can attract more flies with honey than vinegar."
[ PC ]
The glower on Marcus' face was directed over Jack's head but he didn't advance any further.
[ CT ]
Jack spun on Tanberg, "Which does not let YOU off the hook. You're at what we call a," Jack made quotes with his fingers, "Moment-Of-Crisis wherein your next decision must not be taken lightly. We'd like to see our brother, if he's as healthy as you say."
[ MT ]
Alex stepped back from what could shortly turn into a brawl, preferring to avoid worsening the situation. "You know, Jack, he does have a point. If the possessing entity can jump from one body to another, it's best to keep the clean bodies away from those that might still have it. If he brought Quentin back here, then it could be hiding in you or me or one of the kids, and then jump into him, who's been declared clean. If we aren't careful and let it keep going free, then any more trouble's our own fault."
[ PC ]
"Yes, then if you'll come with me. We can test you next." Jack could see from the doorway two men in suits a couple of yards down the hall watching with professional anticipation.
Tanberg took another step back across the hall to lead Jack to the next room.
[ CT ]
Jack turned back to Marcus. He put his hand on the big man's shoulders. "Okay, Marcus. I'm sure everything's okay. Here's what we're going to do. By all rights, Quentin should be in a room just down the hall. I'm going to take Andrea with me, and we're going to go with Captain Tanberg. I want you to watch us from here. When I get to the next room, I'll take a look inside. If I see Quentin, and get an 'okay' from him, I'll give you a thumbs up." And he did, just to demonstate. "And you'll know we're alright." Jack raised his voice so Tanberg could hear him, "If you see anything rough happen, come on running. Other than that, hold down the fort. Try to relax." Jack gave him a pat and clasped him around the shoulders. "Love ya, bro."
[ MT ]
Alex nodded at this. "That's a good idea, that way we have some idea everything's okay. I pray to Buddha that you'll both be okay and the test won't find anything wrong." He watched expectantly as Jack took Andrea down the hall, hoping for the thumbs up. Once they were outside his vision, he returned to the room and did his best to keep Marcus calm during the exam. "If it makes you feel any better, you can go next and then you'll be able to see the others. Or would you prefer I go first?"
[ CT ]
"I'll be right with you, Captain Tanberg." Jack picked up Andrea, still sleeping. He returned to the hall and followed Tanberg to the exam room, hoping to see Quentin safe and sound.
[ PC ]
Alan stirred as Jack took their niece from the bed, but didn't wake.
The two other men, standing gaurd in the corridor watched Jack with suspicion as he passed them to the next suite. Tanberg knocked on the door and it was opened. Inside Jack could see Quentin sitting with his back to him. Quentin turned in the chair as the door as opened.
[ CT ]
"Hey Quentin," Jack called out. "Is everything all right?"
[ PC ]
Quentin looked a little bleary eyed, but okay.
[ CC ]
"Oh, man, this was a nasty-feeling examination," Quentin mumbled. He rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand. "We better only have to go through this *once*."
[ CT ]
Jack turned to face Marcus down the hall. He showed him his thumb and nodded and hoped that would be enough to prevent Marcus from killing somebody. He carried Andrea into the exam room.
[ PC ]
Hudson was standing next to him and a woman was by the desk to the right. "Ah, we better do the child first. Quentin, if you could take her *after* the exam," she said. She was working on a laptop sitting on the desk.
[ CC ]
"Sure thing, doc," Quentin said, as he scooted the chain along the floor out of the way -- he wasn't sure if he could walk straight without support.
[ PC ]
"You'll need to wake her, and stand her by the wall there tooking at the camera," Times indicated the camera linked to the laptop.
[ CT ]
Jack carried Andrea to the wall Times indicated. He jostled her a bit, and whispered into her ear, "Hey Andrea...time to get up." Jack put her down in front of the camera.
[ PC ]
Andrea was a little bit groggy, but managed to stand, "Where are we?"
[ CT ]
"We're gonna get our pictures taken. Just stand right here and look at the camera." Jack pointed at it, and smiled at Andrea. "It'll be quick."
[ PC ]
Tanberg motioned to Jack, "Let Quentin go to her after the test, okay?"
[ CT ]
Jack grimaced at Tanberg's implication, but he backed up and stood away from Quentin just to make the whole thing go as smoothly as possible.
[ PC ]
Jack and Quentin watched as Times started the test again, hitting a few keys on the laptop. Andrea suddenly stared straight at the camera, transfixed. Her teeth clenched and her eyes glowed a bright luminecent green and started to water slightly.
[ CT ]
Jack's eyes widened. He glanced at Quentin for a sign that this was expected.
[ CC ]
Quentin winced in sympathy. "Told you it was nasty-feeling," he mumbled to Jack. His heart went out to the kid.
[ PC ]
Suddenly she relaxed and a croaked whimper escaped her lips.
"This doesn't look good," murmered Times.
[Quentin,Alexander,Jack]
Scene Started: Mon, 24 July 2000
Dateline: 7.30am, Friday, December 25th, 1998
[ CC ]
Quentin's head whipped sharply her direction. "What do you mean?" he asked worriedly.
[ CT ]
Jack's teeth clenched as he said, "Amanda ran out of the house taking whatever it was *with* her."
[ PC ]
"There are residual signs if the parasite, but it seems to have been gone for an hour or two," continued Times.
Tanberg nodded, "That would be around the time of the incident."
"Her own neural structures haven't stabilised. She needs medical treatment, or she could lapse into a coma. Now, and don't let her fall asleep," urged Times to Tanberg.
[ CT ]
Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. "Don't let her out of your sight, Quent," he said. "Marcus is about ready to strangle somebody."
[ CC ]
"Not to worry, Jack", Quentin said. "I'm not about to let anybody hurt her, or cause Marcus to jump any guns." He gave him a quick grin. "Just be prepared -- it's gonna hurt a bit." He cocked his fist as if to give him a playful jab in the shoulder, then stopped and put his hand down, making no physical contact. He smiled ruefully: "gotta stay 'clean'", he joked half-heartedly.
[ CC ]
Quentin swallowed his own worry and walked as steadily as he could to where Andrea waited, doubtless frightened herself. He took her hand gently and soothed "It's OK, honey. I know exactly how you feel; I got the same treatment. You'll feel better soon, I pro- mise. Here, come with me, and I'll show you a bit of what I do for a living."
He walked her over to the sidelines and tried to amuse her with some small finger contortions.
[ PC ]
Andrea stumbled at first as Quentin started to urge her to the side. But she gripped his arm tightly as a sob escaped. "I want my mommy!"
[ CC ]
Quentin swept her to him in a firm bearhug. "I know, sweetie," he whispered. "We all want to see your mommy again. She'll be back, though," he said, craning back to look her in the face. With an earnest rasp in his voice, he continued, "Your uncles are always going to be here for you, sweetie, in the meantime, and we'll have a big party when your mommy comes back, OK?"
[ PC ]
Professor Times wasn't looking round at Andrea, or anyone else in the room. She seemed transfixed on the data on her computer.
Tanberg nodded to Hudson and indicated the door. "I'll have a Doctor Boothby meet you at admissions," added Times.
The Professor looked up at Jack, he could just make out that her eyes were watering slightly, "If you could stand infront of the camera, please."
[ CT ]
Jack held her gaze for a moment. Almost of its own volition, his hand went into his pocket and came out with a handkerchief. He glided toward the camera, but diverted himself just enough to offer it silently to Times. He caught her eyes as he did. What was he looking for? He wasn't sure himself.
[ PC ]
Hudson stepped over to Quentin and Andrea. "We should go now," he said softly.
[ CC ]
Quentin gave Jack a quick, reassuring look, then followed Hudson out of the room.
[ CT ]
Jack glanced away and took his place in front of the camera. He looked into the lens and realized that Times, through her computer, was seeing him with eyes that looked deep beyond the flesh. Could she see into his soul?
[ PC ]
Jack's test is equally as painfull as it had seemed for Andrea. His knees did buckle as he struggled to see through the hazy green blur that had filled the room. He managed to grab ahold of the back of the chair Quentin had pushed to the side.
"He's clear."
[ CT ]
Jack staggered to the part of the room where Quentin had waited earlier. He wiped his eyes until he could see clearly again. "What *WAS* that?" he croaked.
Before Tanberg could leave again, Jack warned him, "Don't tell Marcus about Andrea. I'll tell him myself. Just tell him...Jack said thumbs up."
The mist cleared and Jack could see Times standing by her computer and camera, writing notes in her journal. The man in the monkey suite stood imposingly by the door watching Professor Times as much as Jack.
Tanberg came to the door again, "Jack said 'Thumbs up'. If one of you would like to bring the other child, Alan?"
"No!"
Marcus. "Enough! We're all going through this time." Marcus was standing in the doorway glaring at Tanberg. "Right Alex? Get Alan. Nobody's staying behind this time. Isn't that right Mr Tanberg?"
[ MT ]
Alex was a little surprised at Marcus's question. "Well, I guess that would be okay, if we can all fit in the room with whatever equipment the test uses. I'll get Alan, and we can all see what's really going on around here."
Zen headed over to the bed where Alan was sleeping. "Alan," he whispered, nudging the child as to wake him up, "you need to come with us and take some tests. Everyone else is already waiting for us there."
[ PC ]
Alan stirred, "'kay," and got up. He looked around as he came through to the main room, "Where's everybody else?"
[ MT ]
"They've already taken the test and will be waiting for us there... I hope."
[ PC ]
Marcus led Tanberg, Zen and Alan down the hall to the other room. Where he 'graciously' indicated to Tanberg to proceed.
Tanberg sighed and knock on the door, again it was opened and they entered.
Marcus looked around at Jack, Times and the other man, "Where's Quentin and Andrea?! Jack?" Marcus turned on Tanberg without waiting for a response and grabbed him by the lapels and nearly lifted him of the ground, "WHERE ARE THEY!"
Tanberg was too startled to get any words out while the other man reached into his suit pocket.
[ CT ]
Jack lunged across the room. He wrapped his arms around Marcus's shoulders in a vain attempt to pry him away from Tanberg. "Marcus! I swear to GOD I am going to kick your ass!"
[ MT ]
Alex tried to remain calm, although it had long ago became severely difficult to do so. "Marcus, I'm sure... I hope, anyway, that Tanberg or the others have a reasonable explanation for all this."
[ CT ]
Jack yelled at Marcus again, "Let...him...GO!"
[ PC ]
Marcus's shoulders were wider than Jack remembered and he could only just feel some purchase as he tried to pull them back.
The other man in the room pulled a device from his pocket, with two prongs at on the end. He pointed it at the three men grapling but didn't do anything else.
[ MT ]
Alex turned to Tanberg. "Listen, this evening has been extremely difficult for me and my brothers, and all these games of splitting up our family is making it a lot worse. If we can't at least see for ourselves that they're okay, the least I'll have to do is refuse to participate in your test, whatever it may be, and take what's left of my family elsewhere." He glared at Tanberg, making clear as possible that this as not an idle threat.
[ PC ]
Marcus eventully let Tanberg go and stepped back glaring at him. "I ain't taking the test till they tell us where Andrea and Quentin are."
[ CT ]
Jack spoke through gritted teeth, "*EVERYONE* is taking the test."
"YOU'RE next Marcus. Get in front of the camera." Jack jabbed his thumb at the wall where he and Andrea stood for their exams. "It's gonna make you dizzy and sick," he didn't sugar coat it, "but maybe it'll do some good to take the juice out of you for a minute or two."
[ PC ]
Professor Times threw her pen down on her Journal with exasperation, "Great! Now we have to test Jack again. You go last, to give a better chance to recover from your last test." She was less than impressed. "How hard can this be? Just do what your told and this can be over quickly. You, Marcus, stand over there and look into the camera."
Marcus looked over at her, "Who are you?"
"Linda. Now *please* stand over there. I still have to go to work this morning and I don't want to be late."
Stepping around Jack, Marcus took up position infront of the camera. "Now this is going to hurt, but only briefly. And please nobody touch him afterwards, Jack."
Times tapped a few keys on her computer and Marcus gave a grunt as he suddenly stood bolt upright, with the green light shining from his eyes. He slumped forward and caught himself. "No...kidding."
"Your clear. The boy next."
"My name's Alan, lady."
"Alan, don't be cheeky," admonished Marcus.
The rest of the tests all came up clean, including Jack's second turn around. After Jack Tanberg took his place infront of the camera.
"Right gentlemen. Everyone is in the clear." Professor Times began packing her camera away. "I'll check in on Andrea later this morning. Check everything is okay. Good morning."
Times finished packing her computer away and her journal and headed out the door.
"I believe I own you some answers now," said Tanberg. "If you would care to join me in the resturant for 'breakfast' we can get started."
[ MT ]
"You've owed us questions for a while now."
[ CT ]
Jack made sure his brothers were coralled and issued into the hall after Tanberg.
[ MT ]
Zen followed Tanberg, eager to learn more about what's going on.
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This Page Last Modified: Sun, 19 Nov 2000
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