Then, the thought of what would happen to Heather and the rest of the children if she got caught flashed into her mind. Chickowski would not hesitate to torture them or worse. Reluctantly, she looked up at the window where Bridgette was waiting. Climbing back up would be more difficult than coming down, not because the climb itself was harder, but this time she'd be returning to her prison instead of escaping.
"Oh children, I pray I’m making the right decision," she muttered to herself, as she started climbing back up the pole of the overhang.
The cruiser slowed as it took the exit off of 1-85 that led to the Research Triangle Park. Lionel reached over and gently shook Alp from her slumber. "Wake up, Alp. We'll be at Bio-Vita in just a few minutes."
Alp stretched her arms over her head and yawned. She looked around in confusion, then, remembered where she was. "How much longer?" She asked sleepily.
"Only about ten minutes until you'll be with your sisters," Lionel said, hoping to get a smile out of her. Alp's face brightened a little at the news. "I can't wait to meet them. I hope they like me."
"Oh, they'll like you just fine. That's the great thing about family. They love you no matter what you do or who you are."
"Not all family. Mom never liked me. I doubt she liked anyone."
"Well, your sisters are sure going to like you. Cheer up. It'll be okay." Lionel paused for a moment, debating with himself whether to tell her the rest. She had to know some time, he thought. Now was as good a time as any.
"There's someone else at Bio-Vita you might want to see."
"Who's that?"
"Your father, Flip MacDougal."
Alp nodded slowly. "So that's it."
"What's it?" Lionel asked, confused by the lack of emotion.
"Well, I've been feeling a presence for some time, but only one. Mel was the one who was in contact with our sisters, but every time I tried to reach them, all I got was this one identity, and it was pretty weak. I just figured it was the sum total of the Kindred, but that explanation never felt quite right."
Alp paused before asking. "What's he like?"
Lionel didn't know quite what to say so he blurted out the truth. "He's in a coma -- has been since just before you were born."
"Oh," Alp said without much expression.
"Doesn't that bother you?" Lionel said, surprised again by the lack of a reaction.
"Yes, I guess a little, but once we get close enough, I'll be able to communicate with him anyway. So it's not so bad."
Lionel looked at her for a few seconds trying to decide if she was kidding. He decided she was not. Could it be through his daughter they'd be able to re-establish communication with Flip after so long? The thought sent a shiver up Lionel's back.
Alp sat in silence for a few minutes, gazing out the window. "I wish Mel could have met them too," she said. "It won't be the same without him."
"Well, don't let it put a damper on things for you," Lionel replied. Then, deciding it was best to change the subject he added, "See all these buildings? They're all research facilities. This entire area is for research."
"Does that mean that they're going to research me?" Alp asked.
"Well, you are a special girl. It would be valuable if we figured out how you heal people."
"And what made Mel a torch," Alp added. "That's why you want us all together here, so you can experiment on us and find out what makes us different. But we aren't different, not really. We just know how to do a few things other people can't, but it doesn't mean we like to be experimented on."
"But, we won't hurt you, Alp. Really. You must trust me. Nothing will be done to harm any of you."
Alp shook her head. "How about what was done to one of my sisters just a day or two ago. It was so awful it almost killed Mel. I didn't much like it myself."
"What are you talking about?" Lionel asked, bewildered.
Alp told him about the incidence back at the lodge and what she had experienced.
"Are you sure the force came from one of your sisters? That's a long way for it to pass."
"Of course, I'm sure," Alp replied. ''I'm psychic, aren't I?"
Lionel glanced at Chunk through the security glass that separated the back seat from the front. He was busy talking to the driver and hadn't heard Alp's conversation. He needs to know about this, Lionel thought. He started to tap on the glass but then stopped. What if Chunk already knew what was going on? Maybe he and Chickowski were in this together. They had become pretty buddy-buddy of late. No, whatever Chickowski was up to, he'd have to get to the bottom of it himself.
"Let's keep this story between the two of us right now. Is that okay?"
"If you say so. I doubt anyone else will believe it, anyway," Alp replied with a shrug of her shoulders, then added, "Thanks for listening. You're not half bad for an adult."
Lionel laughed. "Thanks, I think." He reached over and tousled her hair. "And, you aren't half bad for a kid."
The cruiser pulled into the long drive leading to Bio-Vita.
"It's family reunion time," Lionel said.
"Yippee!" Alp shouted as she bounced in her seat, her emotions finally breaking through her control. It's the first time she's acted like a kid, Lionel thought. It's about time. The officer pulled the cruiser in tight against the curb and turned off the engine. Since the doors in the back seat had no handles, Lionel and Alp waited for the officer to open one of the doors from the outside. Lionel slid across the seat and followed Alp out. As he did so, he noticed the slight pause and look of recognition appear on her face as she climbed out of the car followed by a broad smile. The smile had lasted only a second then vanished. At first, Lionel figured she had recognized Bio-Vita from her father's mental imaging, but that didn't explain the smile.
What could cause such a change in someone who, only moments before, was near tears over losing her twin brother? Then, it dawned on him what she had recognized. Not the new area, or the building, but a presence. He caught up with Alp and the officer.
''I'll escort her to the nursery, officer," Lionel said.
The officer glanced at Chunk, who nodded. Lionel held the door open for Alp. As she walked past him, he asked, "He's here, isn't he?" Lionel studied her face closely for her reaction. It was almost imperceptible, easily missed if one wasn't watching for it, but it was there -- a hint of recognition coupled with fear. And then, it was gone just as quickly.
"What are you talking about?" Alp asked in her most innocent, childlike voice.
Lionel decided to press the point. "Where is he, Alp? Where is your brother?"
"Oh, you're a horrid man -- horrid. My brother is dead in some sewer in Danville. And it's awfully mean of you to remind me of that just as I'm about to meet my sisters for the first time."
Lionel smiled. "You're good, little girl. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were telling the truth. But you aren't, are you? Mel isn't dead, and he isn't in Danville. He's alive and here at Bio-Vita, isn't he?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Alp replied stubbornly.
"Oh, it's okay, Alp, for the time being. It'll be our little secret, at least until you figure out who you can and can't trust around here. But remember, Mel isn't on your side -- not really. He's on his side and only his. He'll do whatever is necessary to get his way. And he won't hesitate to hurt anyone who gets in his way, including you and your sisters. Keep that in mind."
Lionel watched Alp as the words sunk in. She opened her mouth as though to say something, but then, decided against it. Instead, she simply shook her head and said, "You have a vivid imagination. You should consider writing science fiction books."
Fred burst through the door leading to Chickowski's office, looking like a small boy who'd been caught smoking in the bathroom at school. "They're here!" he screamed with winded breath.
"Who's here?" Chickowski asked as he rose from his desk.
"Chunk and Lionel. They just pulled up out front," Fred replied between gasps.
"Okay, okay. F
ine, just calm down." Chickowski began to pace in front of his desk. "There's another van on the way. It should be here any minute. Get down to the nursery and be sure no one gets to the children. Shoot them if you have to. Stick to the epidemic story and have them report to me. I'll handle it from there. Is that clear?'"
"Yeah, I understand."
"Then, why are you standing there? Get going."
After Fred left, Chickowski continued to pace. It was getting tight, he thought. Where the hell was Brown? If Brown didn't show up, his alternative plan was to get the Kindred to the airport and somehow get them to some place where they could lay low, at least until Brown could help them. The chances of doing that weren't good, but it was his only chance. If he did manage it, would Chunk be able to track him down before Brown could get them out of the country? And if Brown did get him out of the country, would he really be safe? Where could he go that Chunk couldn't find him?
One of the Arab countries might be a good choice. Surely, they wouldn't send him back, not if he brought them the Kindred. Once they found out what his little clan could do, they'd make him a national hero. The Middle East had not been his first choice for a place to live, but it looked pretty appealing right now. At least they'd let him get on with his experiments without getting all humanistic on him. Anywhere else, he'd be in danger of being sent back to America or would suffer under the same restrictions.
But first, he had to get them out of Bio-Vita and out of the country. He opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a revolver. He was glad now that he’d taken the precaution to purchase it in the last year. Even though he abhorred violence as a general rule, his life had changed since meeting Mr. Brown. He checked each chamber to be sure it was loaded and placed it in his lab coat pocket. It felt pleasantly heavy against his leg.
As he turned to leave, the phone rang. He snatched the receiver off the cradle before the end of the first ring. He never imagined Brown's voice could sound so comforting. The loud whirling sound of the copter's engine in the background made it difficult to hear. It was as welcome a sound as Brown's voice.
"We're coming in, Doctor. We'll be there within a matter of minutes. Have the Kindred outside at the rear parking lot. What is the status there?"
Should he tell Brown about Chunk's and Lionel's arrival? Would he decide it was too risky to come in? Chickowski decided not to chance it.
"Everything is on go here. I'm moving the Kindred out now," he replied with only a slight waver in his voice.
"Good work. Hang in there. We'll get you out." Brown broke the connection.
Chickowski dropped the receiver back into the cradle and patted the warm lump of metal in his pocket. Maybe the odds weren't so bad after all.
Control
As they stepped into the reception area of the large building, Alp felt the hackles on her neck grow erect. The psychic energy in the building was all wrong. She couldn't decipher what it meant, but intense danger hung in the air. It seemed the rest of her party also noticed it, or they at least noticed something was not as they had left it.
"What the hell is going on around here?" Chunk asked no one in particular. "What are all these guards doing here?" Before anyone could answer, a tall man in a white lab coat hurried down the hall to meet them.
"Good Lord, it's about time you got back. I thought you'd never get here."
"What's going on here, Chickowski?"
The man ignored the question, instead turning his attention to Alp. "Is this the other Kindred? Of course, it is. What a silly question. It's been a madhouse here. I'm at my wits' end. Don't ever leave me alone like this again. I'm a researcher, not an administrator."
"Where's Franklin?" Chunk asked.
"Lord knows. I haven't seen him since you left. I would imagine off on one of his fishing escapades. You know how he is when it gets harried around here."
He bent down to Alp and extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Dr. Chickowski. What's your name?"
Alp didn't answer. Instead, she stood there like a dog on point, as though sniffing the air for the source of the tension. She suddenly broke her stance, and shaking herself, stared at Chickowski.
"I want to see my sisters," she said with such intensity Chickowski stepped back for a moment.
"Why, I'm sure you do, and you will, you will. Unfortunately, not quite yet."
"Why can't she see them?" Lionel asked. "What's going on here?"
Chickowski smiled at him, as he dug his hands into the lab coat pocket. As he did so, Alp felt the negative energy intensify. This man is evil, she thought. He's the source of my sisters' suffering.
"It's rather a long story, actually. I would suggest we all step into my office so I can explain. Everything is under control — now. But it was nip and tuck for a while."
They started down the hall towards Chickowski’s office, Alp following behind Lionel. She didn't know why, but she felt safer when she was close to him. As she walked, she began to shift through the psychic powers that emanated through the building. It was scattered and very confusing. She thought she could sense the presence of many like herself but could not be certain. She tried to send out her own web to establish the long-awaited link of communication with her sisters. They did not respond. She was about to give up, when a strong, warm voice took up the connection. She instantly recognized it as her father.
Come to me, little one. Come at once. That was the entire message.
Alp stopped dead in her path, the guard behind her almost tripping over her.
"I want to see my father. I need to see him right now." She fairly screamed the demand.
Chickowski turned, an annoyed look on his face. "Well dear, you can't see your father..."
Lionel interrupted. "Why the hell can't she see him? Listen, Chickowski, I insist you tell us what is going on here."
Chickowski hesitated for a moment, a look of confusion on his face. Finally, he gave in. "All right. She can go see him if she wants. I was just thinking about her welfare. He is rather a shock to look at for someone so young."
He turned to the guard standing beside Alp. "Take our little sweetie down to visit with her daddy, Mr. MacDougal." He smiled at Alp; a smile that sent chills down her spine and reminded her of Mel's demonic streak. He leaned in closer to the guard and said under his breath. "Be sure she goes nowhere else."
The command was meant only for the guard. No one else even noticed it, except Alp. Looking straight at his lips helped her to pick it up. Yes, this doctor definitely would need to be dealt with, but not now. Right now, it was important for her to see her father.
Alp considered warning Lionel but didn't know how she could do it without arousing suspicion from the doctor. He'd have to look out for himself, least for now. She turned and followed the guard down the hall, glancing back a couple of times to watch the rest of them continue off in the other direction. She hoped she'd made the right choice, and that Lionel would be all right. She found, despite herself, a strong bond developing between them.
The climb to the top of the Dupont Chemical Building had exhausted Mel, but from its roof he had a clear view of the rear of Bio-Vita Tech. His leg ached from the hundreds of steps up the fire escape. It pounded with each beat of his heart so badly that Mel worried it might start bleeding again. He limped painfully across the roof to the small cubicle that contained the only door that led into the building. His luck was holding: the door was unlocked. Not needing to melt the lock would save his psychic energy for more useful purposes, like frying that big black dude's butt, he thought with a slight twist to his smile.
He leaned against the door and gently slid the makeshift bandage down his leg. The sight of his leg made him sick to his stomach. The black charred flesh blended with his jeans making it impossible to tell where one began, and the other left off. But there was no bleeding. He'd seared it well. It had been the only way to stop the bleeding. So while lying in the drain, he'd given himself a dose of his own medicine. Now, he had a clear sense of what Sarrah had go
ne through. He smiled again. Good for her, he thought. She had deserved every bit of the pain.
His smile turned to a frown, as he remembered the bullet lying under the burned and scarred tissue. It would have to come out and soon. It wouldn't be long before the infection spread and erupted through the self-cautery, but it would have to do for now. He had more important matters to deal with, like getting all his sisters out of Bio-Vita. He limped back to the edge of the building. He gazed down at the almost deserted parking lot where a few cars were scattered through it and a lone van sitting suspiciously close to the building. Yes, he'd save his psychic powers as much as possible. He had an idea he'd soon need them. He eased himself down to the floor. A little rest would do him good. He'd know when it was time. A distant glow to the east suggested it wouldn't be long until dawn. That's when he'd move. Until then, it would be good to rest for a while.
Flip floated suspended in the black void that had become his home. He hadn't realized how resigned he had become to his condition, not realized it until he had tasted the sensory world he had left behind. Lying there, the memory of those brief seconds back in the physical world still fresh in his mind, he knew he'd never allow himself to become resigned again. Now, for the first time he knew it was possible to somehow return to the other world; the world with sights and sounds, with feelings and emotions, with Denise and his children. Not just have vague memories or thoughts about that world, but to actually return to it in the flesh. He had to have his life back.
Somehow, he must find the way back. He decided there was no better time than the present to start the search and decided his children might be the key. They had given him energy before when he'd needed it to sustain himself. Perhaps they could, once again, give of themselves not only for his survival, but also for his resurrection.
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