Twice in a Lifetime – Part 7/9 – Chapter Five

[serene_quill]

Title: Twice in a Lifetime – Part 7/9 – Chapter Five
Pairing: Jack/Nathan
Rating: this segment R, overall NC-17
Word Count: ~4700
Warnings: AU, general insane plot bunny that got out of its cage when it’s highly likely that it shouldn’t have. Warning for violence.
Disclaimer: No, I don’t own them. If anyone who does own them finds me witty enough to give them to me though, I won’t object!
Summary: When you’re messing with quantum mechanics and looping in time, you never can be sure how many times you’ve tried to correct the same mess. Because it is a time loop, because only a select one or two carry the memories, maybe the events of “Once in a Lifetime” were just one loop. This story is one time where Henry got it just right for himself and Jack, Nathan and Allison didn’t manage to stop Henry when they sent someone back, causing the next loop, the events of episode 112, “Once in a Lifetime”. But those events don’t matter now. Because this is the story of the loop before. And while in quantum mechanics, it didn’t actually happen, in the heart it did actually happen.



Chapter the Fifth, In Which There Occurs A Flustered Wakeup Call, Hints of Arguments to Come, and the Unmasking of a Villain

6:45 am, October 6, 2006

Nathan woke slowly, uncertain for one moment why he was waking up curled up with another warm body. His mind slid the pieces into place, and he looked down to where Jack had tucked his head into Nathan’s shoulder. “Not time to get up yet,” Jack muttered into Nathan’s shirt, and Nathan smiled.

“I suppose not,” Nathan agreed, injecting a bit of disappointment into his voice. His ploy worked, and Jack looked up at him, his blue eyes blinking sleepily. Nathan leaned down and kissed Jack softly. “Awake doesn’t mean we have to get out of bed,” Nathan observed, lowering his mouth to steal another kiss.

“Thought we were taking it slow,” Jack commented, but it lacked any conviction.

“I’m just proposing lifting the moratorium for a little while,” Nathan replied mischievously. He shifted so Jack could lie on top of him, keeping the injured ribs out of harm’s way, sucking in a breath of air when Jack nipped at his lower lip. One part of his mind had started cataloguing which spots made Jack react, when Jack kissed his way down to the hollow of Nathan’s throat, one of his weakest points. His hips automatically pressed upward before he melted bonelessly into the sensation, groaning, his mind wiped blank by the pleasant sensations.

“God, Nathan,” Jack grinned, obviously enjoying the other man’s response. Nathan crushed their lips together, his hands tightly gripping the sheriff’s hips and pulling the other man tightly to him.

“Good morning, it is seven a.m.,” S.A.R.A.H. announced, and they broke apart, Jack gasping and resting his forehead against Nathan’s.

“Ten more minutes, S.A.R.A.H.,” he gasped, before lowering his lips to Nathan’s again. Nathan shifted his grip to Jack’s shoulders, cautious of the other man’s injury, but still wanting to explore what he could of the other man.

He skimmed his hands down Jack’s arms, mimicking the movement in the slow slide of his tongue over Jack’s lower lip. “Jack,” S.A.R.A.H. started, and Jack waved a hand behind him at the house.

“Yeah, S.A.R.A.H., just turn off the alarm,” Jack told her, falling into the kiss again.

“But—” the AI started to protest.

“Off,” Jack repeated, between kisses. Nathan brought a hand up to Jack’s face, pulling him back into a kiss, unwilling to stop as well.

“Hey, Dad, I forgot my notebook!”

Jack and Nathan froze, hearing Zoë’s voice and her footsteps on the stairs. “Dad?” she repeated, obviously having reached the master bedroom.

“Oh God,” Jack groaned softly, his face flushing. Nathan tried not to laugh, but his body began to shake holding it in. “It isn’t funny,” he hissed, and Nathan struggled harder to compose himself.

“Yes it is,” Nathan managed to reply, before he had to turn his head to stop from laughing aloud. Jack rolled off of Nathan, going to the open door.

“I’m in here, talking to Nathan,” he told Zoë. Nathan took a moment to appreciate just how terrible a liar Jack was.

Nathan sat up, watching as Zoë walked down the hall. She smirked knowingly, obviously trying not to laugh, which only made Nathan start shaking again. “Okay, Dad,” Zoë agreed, her voice strangled with held in laughter. “I just forgot my notebook for class.”

She turned and fled, impressively managing to get her door closed before she started laughing. “Jack, we’re fully clothed and nothing serious has happened,” Nathan pointed out. “She’s a smart girl, I’m sure she understands…”

“I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her about us dating,” Jack replied quietly. “I mean, after Abby and I split… I haven’t seriously dated anyone since then. Not exactly how I wanted her finding out I was seeing someone.”

Nathan sobered, seeing Jack’s very serious concern. “Jack, she already knew,” he said quietly. “She already told me I had her permission, but they’d never find my body if I hurt you.”

“Huh,” Jack sat down on the bed again. “She wasn’t upset?”

Nathan shrugged. “I don’t know her like you do,” he pointed out. “She could have been hiding it. But she seemed okay.”

“Hey,” Zoë stuck her head in the door cautiously. “Nathan, if you’re still here when I get home, can you help me with my chemistry project? I’m getting stuck on some of the free radical equations.”

“Sure,” Nathan agreed easily. “We’ll call it payback for the football lesson.”

“Thanks,” she grinned, turning back to Jack. “See you tonight.”

“Wait, Zo,” he said, standing and giving her a long look. “You okay with this?”

“Well, if you could not make out in front of my friends, that’d be great,” Zoë said with mock seriousness. “I mean, it’s hard enough to get a date when your dad’s the sheriff, but when it gets out that he’s dating the head of GD… oh god, I’m never going to get a date again,” she suddenly realized, aghast.

“Other than the damage to your social life, which I can live with,” Jack said, steering Zoë back on course. “I don’t want you thinking anyone is replacing your Mom or…”

“Dad, please! You’re about give me the exact same speech she gave me when she started seeing what’s his face,” Zoë groaned, grabbing her backpack. “Do I wish you and Mom would get back together? Yeah, what kid doesn’t? Am I okay with you picking Nathan? Yeah, ‘cuz you could have done way worse, and despite his being all… you know, I like him. Can I go now?” Zoë asked, and Jack hugged her.

“What’s ‘you know’ mean?” Nathan couldn’t help asking. Father and daughter exchanged knowing grins.

“I gotta go to school,” Zoë said quickly. “Have fun, Dad!”

Nathan waited until he heard the door close behind Zoë, rising and stalking over to Jack, growling lowly in his ear, “You know?”

“Geez,” Jack turned, his pupils wide. Nathan suddenly remembered the morning before when Jack had looked just as turned on by his voice. “Nathan.”

“Call Jo and tell her you’ll be late,” Nathan suggested, kissing Jack for a long moment. Jack finally broke the kiss, gasping and shaking his head.

“I stay and we end up blowing that whole slow idea,” Jack managed to say.

“Okay,” Nathan agreed, stepping back. He put some space between himself and Jack, taking a moment to try and calm himself. “God, I haven’t felt this out of control since college,” Nathan said.

“Yeah,” Jack agreed, leaning against the doorframe. “I know what you mean.”

They were quiet for a long moment, and S.A.R.A.H. announced into the silence, “Dr. Deacon is at the door.”

“Thanks, S.A.R.A.H.,” Jack replied, giving Nathan a smile. “You grab first shower, and I’ll see what Henry needs.”

When Nathan joined the other two men downstairs after his frigid shower, he was greeted by an unusually agitated Henry and a worried looking Jack. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Section Five security breach was detected early this morning,” Henry reported in a very matter of fact tone. “While security was dealing with it, a false alarm, by the way, someone bypassed infirmary security. They got in and out of the room you’re supposedly in without being detected. And they left that behind.”

Nathan looked down at the evidence bag in Jack’s hand. A nasty looking syringe of a yellowish orange liquid was inside. “It’s a neurotoxin,” Henry told Nathan. “Particularly nasty organophosphate, it would have shut down your entire body by forcing an overproduction of acetylcholine. If you’d really been in a coma, no one would have noticed unless there was a tox screen during the autopsy. It would look like you just slipped away.”

“And now they know he’s alive,” Jack broke in, tossing the bag aside and standing, starting to pace. Henry and Nathan watched, and Nathan waited, knowing one of two things would happen. Jack would either generate some questions and start trying to work on a plan, or he’d stay upset. “Do you think we should move him?” Jack asked. Nathan folded his arms, opening up his mental file on Jack. Jack was pushing him out of the conversation, and it was something he hadn’t witnessed before.

“I honestly can’t think of anywhere safer, can you?” Henry asked. Jack shook his head continuing to pace.

“Maybe it’s time to pull the plug on the charade,” Nathan suggested. “Draw them to me.”

“No,” Jack snapped, glaring at Nathan. “Did you just listen to what he said? ”

“It’s a risk, yes, but I can’t hide down here forever,” Nathan replied calmly. He could see Jack about to loose his temper and added, “And besides, I’d be counting on you to be around and keep me safe.”

“Nathan, I’m not joking,” Jack replied, his voice sharp. “This makes the third attempt on your life. And unless GD has developed some sort of superman force field for you to wear, then the answer is no.”

“I think they tried,” Henry observed, holding a hand up when Jack’s glare turned on him, asking for patience. “Let’s give it till tomorrow, after we’ve had a chance to do the forensics and detective legwork on this,” he told Nathan.

Nathan considered it for a moment. “Fine,” he agreed at last, sitting on the edge of the kitchen counter. “But only till tomorrow morning.”

“Idiot,” he heard Jack mutter before stomping upstairs. He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.

“Anything else?” he asked Henry.

Henry gave him a thin smile. “You better get used to this, Nathan,” he warned his former student. “He’s going to worry about you.”

“I know,” Nathan replied, looking up the stairs after Jack. He felt his frown ease as he did, and judging by Henry’s sudden grin, he had noticed Nathan softening. “Don’t go there,” he warned Henry.

“Oh, don’t make comments about my two best friends starting to fall for each other?” Henry commented.

“Thought you said it was just lust,” Nathan challenged him.

“You’re looking that way after he just called you an idiot?” Henry grinned, shaking his head. “Didn’t you once punch a kid for that?”

“I was nine!” Nathan protested, sliding off the counter. “Go test something and find some answers,” he told Henry with a scowl. He climbed up the stairs, not waiting for Henry to reply.

Jack was in the shower, so Nathan sat down on his bed to wait. The sheriff’s uniform from the night before was balled up on the floor, the scorched, torn sleeve visible on the top of the bundle. Nathan picked it up, tracing a line around the bloodstains with a finger.

He looked up when Jack entered, wrapped in a towel. His mouth went dry, and he had to scramble to remember what he was about to say and how to get his mouth to form words. “I guess I’ll see a lot of this kind of thing from now on,” he said quietly, turning the bloodstained uniform so Jack could see. “I do understand, Jack, I really do. I want to protect you too. But sometimes we have to take risks.”

“I know,” Jack sighed, sitting on the bed. Nathan handed him his undershirt with a pleading look. “What?” Jack asked, puzzled.

“I’m trying to talk seriously and it’s hard when I want to jump you,” Nathan pointed out. Jack looked down, suddenly flushing as he seemed to realize he was half naked. He tugged on the t-shirt, and some part of Nathan’s mind registered that his bruises looked much better, still dark but not deep purple anymore.

“I just don’t want you to be taking an unnecessary risk,” Jack told Nathan, struggling to focus again. “It’s bad enough you’ve got that world changing artifact that could kill you, but add in an assassin…”

Nathan was nodding when Jack’s words registered. “How did you know about the artifact?” he demanded, sitting up straight. “I’m starting to think there’s no such thing as classified in this town.”

“I listen, I watch, and your Dr. Brock is really upset about the disruption to his research,” Jack replied. “After the whole crazy-making pollen thing, I had to ask some questions, Nathan. And get some answers.”

Jack was silent, and Nathan was hesitant to push. “So I’ve got until tomorrow morning?” Jack asked finally. Nathan looked up, nodding. “I guess I better catch some bad guys today then,” he sighed, starting to stand.

“You still think I’m an idiot?” Nathan asked, tilting his head curiously.

“I’ll upgrade you to moron,” Jack offered. Nathan reached out and grabbed his hand, tugging him close. Jack stood over him, and Nathan just let his head rest against Jack’s stomach. Jack’s fingers slowly began to slide through Nathan’s hair, comforting them both.

“Hey, moron?” Jack asked, and Nathan chuckled, lifting his head.

“Yes, idiot?” he replied sweetly.

“I have Sunday off. Want to go on a real date?” Jack asked hopefully.

“Like an actual dinner and a movie old fashioned date?” Nathan asked, pretending to look skeptical. “I don’t know, shouldn’t we be sharing a living space first?”

“Been there, done that,” Jack replied dryly.

“Then it’s a date,” Nathan agreed. He stood so that he could easily press a lingering kiss to Jack’s lips. “Get dressed, Sheriff, before you’re late.”

Nathan headed back downstairs, setting up the laptops Henry had brought him and starting to go through the MAP-G specs. A little while later, Jack came down, reading for a moment over Nathan’s shoulder. “Is this the project Henry told me about where you want to bring other people from other universes into ours?”

“No,” Nathan replied. “Just take a look into their universe.”

“You start pulling people out, I charge you with kidnapping,” Jack informed him.

“It wouldn’t be kidnapping,” Nathan objected. “At worst, we’d borrow people then return them.”

“Yeah, but people aren’t library books,” Jack pointed out. “Make windows if you want, but I’m serious about the kidnapping thing. Especially if you pull out another me.”

“If I pull out another you, I’ll have other plans for your handcuffs,” Nathan remarked, enjoying the way Jack turned beet red. He leaned up, kissing Jack softly. “Have fun catching bad guys,” Nathan added wickedly, returning to the plans as Jack grumbled his way out the front door.

“Dr. Stark, I do not understand. Why would you want the sheriff’s handcuffs?” Nathan choked on his coffee, coughing.

“Education Fargo never intended the house to have,” Nathan muttered to himself, trying to come up with an answer. He grinned wickedly, before saying, “You know, you should probably ask Jack.”

“Very well,” S.A.R.A.H. seemed content with the answer, and Nathan settled back in to work. He was surprised to realize how much work he got done, especially without someone interrupting him every ten minutes for a signature or with a crisis. He took a break at lunch, using S.A.R.A.H.’s cpu to pull up some information about GD. He filed away some information, still disbelieving that he’d even considered it, and went back to work.

He was midway through a complex formula that had been giving Henry fits when Zoë came home. He saved his work and shut down the laptop, clearing the table. “If you’ve got work,” Zoë started.

“It’s my last day off, I’d rather help you,” he told her, and Zoë sat down, pulling out her work.

“You don’t have to convince me of anything,” she told him, her pencil doodling a little flower down her paper. “I’m okay with you dating my dad.”

“That’s good to know,” Nathan replied, shrugging. “I’d still like to get to know you. Callister seemed to like you, which is as good a reason as any for me to.”

“He was pretty cool,” Zoë agreed. “Can I ask you something? Maybe that you won’t wanna answer?”

“Of course,” Nathan said, folding his hands patiently.

“Callister mentioned Turing, and the idea of an AI having a soul,” Zoë said, and Nathan felt his heart clench a little. “Do you believe it?”

“Absolutely,” Nathan answered instantly. “When the science team and I created Callister, we created dozens of versions. They all failed. There was nothing different or special about Callister. And he quickly outstripped any programming we built. The reason S.A.R.A.H. and B.R.A.D. were so advanced was because we continued on what we learned from Callister.”

“Amo, ergo vivo,” Zoë said, and Nathan blinked. “Lit class,” she explained. “Someone brought up Callister in relation to Frankenstein a couple weeks back. I guess I got a little defensive. I liked him, and I know you and Jo both loved him.”

“So you argued Turing’s I love therefore I live?” Nathan asked, a smile creeping up on his face. “I’m impressed.”

“Yeah, well, after you mentioned it, I did the reading. A lot of reading, actually. I was debating doing a science fair project on AI, but I figured out pretty quickly I’d be in over my head,” Zoë explained.

“If you want to do it, I’ll be glad to help,” Nathan told her. “Even if I wasn’t dating your dad, Zoë. You’re a bright kid, I wouldn’t mind seeing you take over the school.”

“Are you supporting a hostile takeover from the Heathers?” Zoë asked, pretending to be shocked. Nathan chuckled, taking her textbook from her.

“Ahh, I remember this text,” he said, looking it over. “About a decade out of date now and so obtuse that I voted against using it three years ago.” He pulled out his PDA, making a note to bring Zoë one of his books. “Okay, for now let’s get you through free radical equations, and tomorrow after I’m free to go home, I’ll bring you a better book.”

“Dad caught the person trying to kill you?” Zoë asked, her face lighting up.

“Not yet,” Nathan admitted, wincing when she punched his arm. “Hey!”

“Are you crazy?” she demanded. “I’m surprised Dad didn’t try to kill you himself.”

“I’m pretty sure the thought crossed his mind,” Nathan replied. “But whoever is behind this is already knows I’m not dead. We have a better chance at catching them if I’m visible again.”

“Better chance at getting killed,” Zoë muttered. “I’ll resurrect you to kill you if you hurt my dad this way.”

“I’ll be careful,” Nathan promised, and then her tapped her text. “Free radicals.”

“Fine,” Zoë grumbled. She settled in, and Nathan started explaining how the equations worked. She caught on quickly, even managing to extrapolate further ideas that would carry her into the next set of problems assigned. Nathan double-checked her finished work, finding only one small error, which she corrected as soon as he pointed to the problem.

“You catch on much better than Fargo,” Nathan remarked dryly. “Want his job?”

“No way,” Zoë replied, wrinkling her nose. “I think I’m going to pick psychiatry and heuristic programming for my Tesla studies.”

Nathan knew his eyebrows had hit a new height. “You plan to work in AI, then?” he asked.

Zoë shrugged. “This week anyway. Next week I’ll want to study biology and marine science.”

“As long as it’s not ballroom dance,” Nathan decided. Zoë scowled, gathering up her books.

“I’m going to a movie with Pilar tonight,” Zoë informed Nathan. “But I’ll be back, so if Dad plans on staying in your room again, you should warn him.”

“He really did just fall asleep there,” Nathan informed her, and Zoë grinned impishly.

“I know,” she said. “He’s a horrible liar.”

She headed upstairs to change, and Nathan pulled his work back out, preparing to wait for Jack to come home. He had just started jotting down notes when Zoë came back down, handing him a thin leather book. “What’s this?” Nathan asked.

“The complete collection of bedtime stories by Jack Carter,” she told him, grinning. “Mom made him write them down. Thought since you’re trying to figure him out…”

“Interesting piece of the puzzle,” Nathan agreed, flipping open the cover to reveal Jack’s loopy, wide handwriting. “Thanks.”

He settled into reading the first few pages, absent-mindedly waving to Zoë as she headed out the door. He saw her cell, still sitting on the table, and smiled, knowing she’d be back in a few moments. He didn’t look up when the door swung open just a few moments later. “Forget something?” he asked Zoë, turning the page in his book before he heard the click of a safety being released on a gun. He dropped the book to the table, looking warily down the barrel of the gun at Beverly.

“You’re a hard man to locate, Dr Stark,” she informed him, adjusting her grip on the gun.

“S.A.R.A.H.,” Nathan called out, and Beverly shook her head.

“Don’t bother,” she informed him, her grin a little frightening. “It took so much work to figure out how to override all of her systems, get her stuck in a system diagnostic. But I had already done so much of the legwork after we got shut in here. Then I finished a handful of scans and hacks because I was so sure the sheriff had some evidence against me stored down here.”

Nathan stared at her, carefully calculating what it would take to get the gun out of her hand. “Imagine my surprise when I arrived in the infirmary to find a hologram. Seems Carter had something a little more valuable stashed down here.”

“Well, you’d better hurry up and shoot me,” Nathan informed her darkly. “Jack will be home in a few minutes.”

“Yes, that would be true, unless someone recorded and rigged a call into the station and to send him on a wild goose chase in about five minutes, to catch him right before he leaves,” Beverly gloated, tightening her grip on the gun. “And I’m in no rush to shoot you just yet. I plan on getting away with this. So you’re going to tell me everything Carter knows about me, and where any evidence against me is.”

“Carter has a list of suspects, your name is on it,” Nathan replied, eying the kitchen knife rack out of the corner of his eye. Too far away to reach in time. “And S.A.R.A.H. recorded footage of you apparently sabotaging her.”

“Sabotage is a harsh word,” Beverly said archly. “She’ll be fine, and any logs she has about me will be gone by the time her diagnostic finishes. What other evidence?”

“Not much,” Nathan replied easily, folding his arms. “Some specs on that chip you stuck in my head, and what’s left of the note your partner sent us to warn us. What were you hoping to get out of this, Beverly?”

“What are you talking about, partner?” Beverly demanded, taking a step closer. Nathan needed her just a foot or two closer now, and he could make a play for the gun.

“Well, you certainly didn’t warn us that you were about to sabotage the artifact test,” Nathan snarked at her, shifting forward a little on his chair as he did. “Who were you working with, Fargo?”

Beverly laughed, looking astonished. “You think I’d be working with that little weasel? The people I work with are all embedded in the highest levels of government, interested in controlling the power that artifact is a path to. I’m the only member of the Consortium here.”

“No back up, then?” Nathan asked, shifting again. Beverly drew back, snapping the gun tightly into place.

“Oh no you don’t,” she said, shaking her head. “Nice try, Nathan. You don’t have any evidence, but the story about the note was a nice touch. What really shut down the project?”

“Food poisoning,” he quipped, his sarcasm kicking in before he remembered that pissing her off wasn’t such a good idea.

“Stand up,” she hissed, waving the gun at him and gesturing him toward the door.

“Not going to get blood on the sheriff’s carpet?” Nathan continued, sarcasm in full force. “Probably a good thing if you’re still intent on seducing him, which I have to say, from the stories he tells, you really suck at.”

He wasn’t sure how he missed the punch, but it packed more force than he would have expected from Beverly. He rushed forward, thinking he saw an opening, only to end up on his knees, one of Beverly’s heels gouging into the back of his knee and dropping him fast, the gun swinging up to rest against his temple. His knee cracked heavily against the coffee table as he crashed to the floor.

“That was a bad plan,” Beverly told him, and he nearly smiled to see her shake her hand a little, even as he tasted blood from his split lip. “You ready to cooperate yet?”

“Not seeing any benefit in it for me,” Nathan remarked. There ought to be an off switch for his sarcasm, he decided, as her fist connected again with his jaw. “Fine,” he growled, rising to his feet, his knee screaming in pain as he did. He said a quick mental prayer that she hadn’t broken anything, as he limped to the door.

The stairs stabbed at the twisted knee, and Beverly prodded him with the gun. “I don’t have all day,” she informed him.

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you shoved your heel into my knee,” Nathan gritted his teeth as he managed the last few stairs before hitting the surface. He collapsed, sitting on one of the concrete slabs for a moment, ignoring Beverly’s glare. In the bright daylight, he caught a glimpse of sunlight shining off blonde hair just before it ducked out of sight behind the spare junker car Henry had left near the gate in case he’d needed to make a quick get away. It looked like it was falling apart, but Nathan knew that was part of the camouflage. “How far are you going to make me walk anyway?” he asked, carefully sliding a hand into his pocket for the key.

“Just to the car,” she told him. “Then I’ll have you drive us out to a nice little grave I’ve got all ready for you out by Strawberry Knoll. Behave and I won’t bury you alive. Let’s go.”

Nathan took a deep breath, knowing what he was planning would hurt. He stood, the key nestled in his palm. He lunged toward Beverly, giving her plenty of opening for what he was about to do. She swung the gun up, knocking it into his jaw and dropping him to the gravel. He groaned, letting the key drop to the gravel under his hand.

“Try it again, and I’ll start shooting,” Beverly told him, pressing the gun to his shoulder. “Not fatal shots, just one here or there. Maybe your hands. I know how much you value having those to work with. And you’re still holding onto enough hope of escaping that the idea of loosing a hand terrifies you still, doesn’t it?”

Nathan said nothing, unwilling to admit that she was right. “Right,” she continued. “Just in case, you’re getting ideas,” she added, lifting the gun higher and firing a shot that grazed across the top of Nathan’s shoulder, making him cry out. He fervently hoped Zoë was still hidden and not seeing this. “Now get up,” she demanded, digging her nails into the wound as she yanked him to his feet.

Nathan bit his lip, struggling to stay on his feet. Beverly ran a GD bio-contaminant cleanup unit over the blood, fortunately not noticing the key. “Why bother cleaning up?” he asked.

“Want to make sure it takes a long time for people to start looking for you,” Beverly informed him. “I’ll have a solid alibi and have removed all the evidence against me by the time Carter even bothers to think you didn’t leave on your own. And frankly I’m shocked you stayed here this long,” she noted, shoving him toward her car. “Move, Stark.”

He shuffled over to the car, making certain to let his shoulder wound drip into the upholstery. Henry would be able to find that, even if she used the bio-contaminant cleaner on it, he thought with some grim satisfaction. He reached for the seatbelt and she shook her head. “No, leave it off,” she told him. “Don’t want you risking crashing the car and hoping to survive.” The car locks clicked into place, and Nathan mentally cursed, knowing his best plan rested on the shoulders of a 15 year old girl.

“Strawberry Knoll?” he asked putting the car into gear.

“Yes,” Beverly agreed, keeping the gun tightly pressed against Nathan’s good shoulder.

Nathan discreetly checked the rearview mirror, spotting a blonde head bending down in the gravel, and he smiled internally, a little hope planted in the back of his mind.


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