Running Blades, Part 3
Tesla Dynamic - June 9, 2010, 2:00 AM
Erich led Angelalt, Anders, Diana, and Anna through a security checkpoint into the lobby.
“I've got agents stationed throughout the building,” Erich said, “A police security detail has set up a perimeter."
“So what makes you think Thomas would try to recover the shapeshifter?” Angelalt said.
“I'd rather be wrong than sorry, Angie,” Erich said.
Walter exited the elevator and flagged them down.
“Good, I heard you were back,” he said.
“Hold on, Walter, hold on,” Anders said, “According to the files in Makarios’ office, he's been collecting intel on us since at least 2001, which suggests when he was shifted.”
“Besides Thomas, anything about other shape-shifters?” Erich said. "Anything that would tell us who they're working with, how they get their orders?”
“No,” Anna said.
Diana checked her phone.
“My contacts say they’ve done blood tests on everybody in the Diet,” she said, “And the Kaiser and his cabinet. Everybody checks out.”
“What about the Bureau of Defense and Athanatoi?” Anders said. “The shapeshifters could have infiltrated their ranks too.”
“Olga’s calling in favors,” Diana said, “They’re testing everyone with a level four classification or above.”
“No, we've got to go wider,” Anders said, “Makarios can't be the only mole. There's no way…”
“Maybe we should just ask him,” Walter said.
“What?” Erich said.
“That's what I've been trying to say,” Walter said, “If you want to know who the shape-shifter's been working with, I think we should just ask him.”
They took the elevator up to the lab, where Olga watched Makarios’ body.
“Is it even possible there's recoverable data left in Makarios?” Angelalt said.
“Walter thinks so,” Olga said, “We've been trying various techniques to locate it. At first, we did not have very much luck. With everyday objects, the shape-shifters only had a minimal reaction. But then we tried something more personal.”
Walter reached into a box and pointed to a monitor.
“Watch the monitors closely,” he said, “Here's what happens when I show it a toy car.”
He held up his double-decker toy car over Makarios’ face. There was no change registered on the monitor.
“Now here’s a copy of Playboy,” he said, holding a magazine over Makarios’ face.
There was still no activity. He took out a picture of Helmut Kohl, and there was a slight increase in neural activity.
“However, when I show a photograph of the Senator's wife…” he said.
He took out a picture of Patricia, and neural activity spiked.
“So have you found where the data’s being stored?” Erich said.
“Not yet, we haven't, but I believe we can continue to revive the neural pathways by playing upon this emotional tie,” Walter said.
“I'm not following,” Diana said, “It's a machine.”
“But to succeed in its mission, it needed to play the role of a spouse,” Anders said, “And pretending to have an emotional connection caused a real one to form.”
“The ability to process complex emotions is built into the machine's operating system,” Walter said, “We just needed a stronger trigger to find the data. We need to use Makarios’ wife.”
“Oh, I don't think we can ask that of a civilian, Walter,” Angelalt said, “I mean, not to mention the security clearance it would require."
“It's the only way,” Walter said.
“I agree,” Anders said.
“Uncle Erich, I know she's a friend of yours, but if we could get the data…” Anna said.
“I don't think it's a good idea,” Angelalt said, “Imagine if she talks to the press.”
“I’ve known Hermann Makarios and his mother since the war,” Erich said, “Her character's beyond question. If she's willing to help us, I'm willing to trust her.”
“Yeah, but it’s about two in the morning,” Angelalt said.
“Thomas could attack at any time,” Olga said, “If we need her help, we need it soon.”
Ray’s house
Ray prepared for his assignment in his dark, quiet bedroom while his wife slept nearby. He unlocked a wall safe, removed a pistol with a silencer attached, then tucked the weapon in the small of his back under his belt. He also took out his shapeshifting device and checked to see if it was working. He walked down the hallway but notice Nathan was still awake. He walked inside and sat next to him.
“Hey, buddy, what are you still doing up?” Ray asked.“I didn't sound the monster alarm, but I think he's here,” Nathan said.
“Where?” Ray said.
“Under the bed,” Nathan said.
Ray checked under the bed, but there was nothing there.
“You know... sometimes... monsters aren't all that bad,” he said, “Sometimes... if you get to spend some time with them, they can be very surprising. They can be, um, incredibly sweet and pure and capable of great, great love. And then, one of them might actually become your very, very best friend.”
“But you're my best friend,” Nathan said.
“Yeah, that's right,” Ray said.
“Are you going to work?” Nathan said.
“Yeah,” Ray said.
“Come check on me when you get back?” Nathan said.
“I will,” Ray said.
Tesla Dynamic - 3:00 AM
Erich escorted Patricia into the lab, where Angelalt, Anders, Diana, Olga, and Anna waited.
“Frau Makarios, this is Agent Hansen, Humboldt, Frank, and Kirova,” Erich said,
“Hello,” Angelalt said.
“Hey,” Anders said.
“Hi,” Diana said.
“Uh, hi,” Olga said.
“Hey,” Anna said.
“I'm, uh, I'm sorry,” Angelalt said, “I know that what we're asking you to do is difficult.”
“Frankly, it seems beyond comprehension,” Patricia said, “Last week was Hermann’s daughter’s first birthday. You should have seen how Reinhard held her in his arms. He was so happy. And now the thought he was really this thing.”
“Frau Makarios, if this is too much for you…” Erich said.
“No,” Patricia said, “I want to be here. I want to know who did this to my husband.”
“Well, that's what we're hoping to find out too,” Anders said.
They walked over to Makarios’ body, where Walter had set up several more monitors.
“You ready?” Erich said.
Patricia nodded. Then she tapped Makarios’ shoulder.
“Hi, Reinhard,” she said, “It's me, Patricia. Can you hear me? Is, is that what you want?”
“Oh, it's perfect,” Walter said, “But if you could please talk to him and not at him.”
“It's quiet in the house without you,” Patricia said, “I finished the curtains. I can't sleep. It's just something to do.”
“No, no, no, this is not good,” Walter said, “Um... maybe if you could touch him again.”
Patricia tapped Makarios’ shoulder again.
“Reinhard... the kids have been asking for you,” Patricia said, “Hermann called yesterday.”
The monitors beeped.
“Neural activity is rising,” Olga said.
“Lucy said her first word,” Patricia said, “Shoes.”
“It's working,” Diana said, “We're close.”
“I've been thinking of all the years we had,” Patricia said, “I know it wasn't always easy. I'm sorry I didn't know... you were gone. I, I don't know how I didn't know. You would have known. I know you would have.”
Anna noticed the sensors for the lower base of Makarios’ spine were reading increased activity.
“Walter, look,” she said.
“No, something's wrong,” Walter said, “It doesn't make any sense.”
“I don't know if you can ever forgive me, but I, I'm so sorry,” Patricia said.
Makarios bolted awake.
“7, 10, Weissfeld,” he muttered, “7, 13, Beaufain.”
“Walter, what's happening?” Anders said.
“I don't know!” Walter said.
“7, 17, Essen,” Makarios said.
“It could be cipher text,” Anna said.
“Doesn’t sound like one to me,” Olga said, “Possibly computer file data?”
“No, he's on a loop,” Diana said.
“7, 13…” Makarios said.
“Stop!” Patricia said.
“Okay, that’s enough!” Erich said.
Anna disconnected Makarios from the computer, and he went limp and quiet again.
“What was that?” Angelalt said.
“I don't know,” Walter said, “Maybe a corrupted file, a mishmash of discarded data.”
“No, I know what that was,” Patricia said, “Next month was our anniversary. Those were all hotels we’d booked. We were leaving July 10. 7/10.”
“We’re done,” Erich said, leading Patricia away, “I’m so sorry, ma’am. Let me take you home.”
“Did it help?” Patricia said. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
“You've done more than enough,” Erich said.
They got in the elevator and went down to the lobby.
“It's no use,” Walter said.
“There has to be a way to salvage more data,” Anders said.
“The shapeshifter's system's too badly damaged,” Walter said, “Any data in there is likely lost.”
“No, we got something,” Olga said, “If we got that data, we could get more.”
Angelalt looked at her phone. Sebastian had sent her a new text: “Get out. ETA 15 minutes.”
“One thing I do know for sure, I am no longer high,” Walter said.
“Walter, why don't we take a break and get something to eat?” Angelalt said.
“I don't have an appetite,” Walter said.
“Well, a change of scenery might clear your head, make you feel better,” Angelalt said.
“I suppose so,” Walter said.
“Anders and I should be going home,” Diana said, “It’s already very late for us.”
“Yeah, sure,” Anders said, “I’m tired.”
They quietly walked out of the lab.
“I’ll stay behind to help keep an eye on Walter,” Anna said, “And you?”
“I should get some sleep too,” Angelalt said, leaving.
With everybody else gone, Anna, Olga, and Walter took the elevator down to the company cafeteria in the lobby. Surprisingly, the cafeteria still had some food in the middle of the night. Walter quickly filled his plate with dinosaur cookies.
“Walter, I thought you said you weren't hungry?” Anna said.
“I'm eating for comfort,” Walter said, “To think what I put that poor old woman through, and the most activity we saw occurred in the shapeshifter's butt.”
“It was his lower spine, Walter,” Olga said.
“Dinosaur cookies,” Anna said, “You loved those.”
“No, Willy loved them,” Walter said, “I occasionally eat them to honor him, that is all. I had the cafeteria stock these 24/7 in his memory.”
“Walter, I'm just trying to cheer you up,” Anna said.
“Thank you,” Walter said, “Willy always thought dinosaur cookies would have been a better idea than whatever they have now. Velociraptor, mm! Dilophosaurus, yum!”
“You know, I was more of a stegosaurus fan myself,” Olga said.
Anna stared at her.
“What?” Olga said. “I watched Dinowelt like everybody else. Let’s not talk about the third one. By the way, the T-Rex is the real hero of the movies.”
“That was Willy’s favorite too,” Walter said, “Stegosauruses, to be clear. You know, the funny thing about stegosaurus…”
He stopped talking and put down his plate. Then he bolted for the elevator.
“Walter?” Anna said. “Walter, what just happened?”
“I'll be right back,” Walter said, “Oh, don't eat my pudding.”
As the doors closed, Ray walked in, wearing a police uniform.
