Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 22:29:28 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Mirror - part 17 Message-ID: Quantum Leap Mirror of Deception by Katherine Freymuth and Gary Marsh Part 17 Al winced at the blaring music, unable to cover his ears. It wasn't that loud but he still hurt from the taser Zoe had put at his neck. The music being played that loud was making it difficult for him to think, to assess what his situation was. "Stop music," a woman ordered in a loud voice. The song ended abruptly, leaving only silence interrupted by the sound of clacking heels on linoleum. "Hello, Admiral. How are you this fine day?" Al was finally able to get some semblance of his position. He could feel metal encircling his wrists and ankles as he laid face-up on a cold floor. He tried to open his eyes but found he couldn't. "Well, Admiral? Have you nothing to say?" Zoe asked. Al took a breath. "You tape my eyes, handcuff me behind my back, and shackle my ankles. I'm surprised you didn't tape my mouth shut." Zoe laughed. "And miss out on the beautiful sound of your screams and pleads?" Al was raised to his feet by two hands on each arm. Al's mouth tensed with hatred. "Whatever it is you want of me, Zoe, you won't get it." Zoe huffed in amusement. "Take him to the Re-Education Room. The doctors and I will join you shortly." Al frowned strongly. "Re-education? I've heard that one before." He struggled against the hands that forced him forward. "I'm sure you have, Admiral," Zoe said with a smile. Al couldn't see where he was going but he knew it wasn't far from wherever he left. He fought furiously as his two escorts picked him up bodily and placed him on a table. The escorts held him down firmly as four hands forced his feet to be still and strapped them down. He felt his arms being laced through a hole in the table and the handcuffs on his wrists being attached to a chain which, Al concluded, was attached to the floor. He struggled against his bonds again, sensing he had been left alone in the room. After a moment, though, he stopped. *No sense wasting my energy trying to break free of chains without having anything to use as a pick.* Besides, the struggle was making his arms hurt immensely. Al estimated a good ten minutes had passed before he heard a door slide open and people enter the room. "Comfortable, Admiral?" Zoe questioned. "Could use a pillow," Al told her sarcastically. Zoe huffed a laugh. "Allow me to make some introductions. With me is Doctors Drescoll and Marshall. They will be tending to you throughout this process." Al hesitated. "What process?" Zoe smiled but didn't respond. Al didn't have to see her face to tell she was very pleased. The room seemed to be filled with her glee. "Let's begin, Doctors," she instructed. "We'll start by breaking down his metal barriers." Al took a deep breath. "You won't break me, Zoe." Zoe bent over so that Al could feel her breath on his face. "Everyone has a breaking point, Admiral," she assured. Al felt cold metal being placed on his head and his head and neck being strapped down so that they wouldn't move. "It's set," a male voice said. "Good," Zoe replied. "Throw the switch." A moment later, Al was struggling against his restraints, feeling as if his mind was being torn into shreds. Sam slept on the couch, waking the next day with a stiff back. He really couldn't blame Renee for throwing him out of the bedroom. Terry did have an affair, after all, and Sam was Terry, at least temporarily. He just hoped that he didn't do anything to ruin Terry's chance of reconciling with his wife. The morning was spent in general silence between Sam and Renee, causing Keith to wonder about his parents. Even though he was seven years old, he could tell there was something very serious happening between the two. "Mom? Dad?" he asked as Renee and Sam cleared off the kitchen table after breakfast. "What's going on?" Both Sam and Renee stopped at Keith's question. Both turned to look at the boy, both unsure of how to explain the situation. Renee was the first to speak. "Dad and I are having some personal problems right now, Keith." Keith looked from Renee to Sam and then back. "You're not going to get a divorce, are you? Sam spoke before Renee had a chance. He looked at Renee as he spoke. "Hopefully, we can find an alternative to divorce." Renee lowered her head from Sam's gaze, indicating that she was seriously considering divorce. Keith stood from the table. "I hope so. I don't want you to get a divorce." He started out of the kitchen but stopped to look at the two. "Does this mean we aren't going Christmas shopping today?" Sam looked at Renee with questioning yet gentle eyes. *Give Terry a chance*, he thought. Renee hesitated before she nodded slightly. "We'll still go shopping," she told her son. ' Keith smiled. "I'm gonna get ready." With that, he disappeared for his bedroom. Sam smiled at Renee with approval. Renee, on the other hand, walked out of the kitchen without much of a response other than a look which told that she was still hurt by Terry's indiscretion. Sam exhaled and followed, concluding correctly that all were going to get ready for a daily excursion. He had a feeling that he was in for a very long day. Cathy winced at the sound of Al's agonizing screams, wishing she were somewhere else - anywhere but outside of the Re-Education Room where she was instructed to wait for Zoe. *They're using that damned machine on him. I just know it. They're taking his mind and turning it into bree.* She took a deep sorrowful breath. *Oh, gawd, Al! Please, forgive me! Please, forgive me!* The door to the Re-Education Room opened as Zoe stepped out, allowing Al's screams to be better heard. She smiled at the expression on Cathy's face, knowing the meaning of it. "I warned you before, dear Catherine. Watch your emotions." She stared walking down a silvery hallway, beckoning Cathy to come along. "You didn't listen and look what happened. You fell in love with your recruit." She gave Cathy a wicked smile. "Again." Cathy took a breath. "Is it so necessary to use that thing on him, to rip up his mind like that?" Zoe stopped her walk and looked at Cathy with surprise. "You know very well it is, darling. We can't have him remembering his real past, can we? This is the most effective way of insuring that he doesn't remember anything we don't want him to remember." She started walking again, leaving Cathy behind her. "Relax, Catherine," she said over her shoulder. "In a couple of weeks, we won't have to use it at all."