Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 15:42:58 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Mirror - part 30 Message-ID: Quantum Leap Mirror of Deception by Katherine Freymuth and Gary Marsh Copyright 1998, 1999 Part 30 "I seem to recall someone saying that she would make sure that Calavicci wanted to kill Beckett," Thames taunted as Zoe stepped from the Holographic Observatory. Zoe glared at the Security Chief. "Can it, Thames," she warned. "The leap is not over yet." Thames nodded. "You're right. It isn't over. But it should be if Calavicci had done his job. Face it, Zoe. Your little plan for revenge is failing. Calavicci won't kill him. So, instead of wasting precious time, retrieve the bastard and make him a living vegetable." Zoe smiled. "Fear not. It will happen in due time." She started walking from him towards the Control Centre's exit. "Give it a little more time, Thames. He will kill Beckett." "And if he doesn't?" he questioned. She stopped a moment and gave him a wicked smile. "Then, he's all yours." With that, she left the Control Centre. Thames gave a small huff, very unwilling to wait for the inevitable but forced into doing so. He turned to Drescoll, whose presence beside the console intimidated Cathy as she worked at it. "Make arrangements to retrieve Calavicci," he told Drescoll. He smiled. "I'll be back with the Director's approval." Drescoll gave a small nod as Thames left, smiles on both of their faces. The former turned to Cathy. "You heard Thames. Get to work. Or would you prefer to return to your quarters?" Cathy cowered a little at Drescoll's booming voice and threatening tone. "Preparing to retrieve him, sir," she answered in a quiet voice. Drescoll smiled at the cower and the tone of her voice. He liked when people feared him; it insured obedience and respect. "I'll return in a half an hour," he told her firmly. "I expect everything to be ready upon my return." "Yes, sir," Cathy replied, taking the implied threat seriously as Drescoll left the room. *He's probably going to take a nap*, she thought sarcastically. *He sleeps too much.* She started to do exactly as she was told. After years of doing odd jobs for this project, she was quite familiar with the proceedure. As she worked, she thought about Thames' words. *He'll probably get the approval he wants and we'll have to retrieve Al and then...." She cringed at the thought. *Gawd! It's Brian all over again! Only this time they'll keep him alive!* A tear rolled down her cheek. *No! I'm not going to let them do that to him! I'm not going to have him go through a living death!* An idea came to her. She knew these systems well. Perhaps ther was a way to.... *Yes!* she thought, fighting the urge to smile. *That's the answer! They'll probably catch me but I don't care. I can't let it happen again - to Al or to anyone else.* She finished preparing to retrieve Al, certain her actions as being the right thing to do. Neither Sam nor Al slept well that night, both restless from the thoughts that plagued them. They pondered about each other, wondering how to handle the whole situation. Al knew what Zoe wanted him to do but he couldn't see himself doing it. There was something about the whole idea that sent chills down his spine. A thought that was far worse, however, was the torture he would endure if he failed. He awoke extremely early, earlier than he intended. Finding no way to find rest in the next two hours, he showered, dressed, and had breakfast. He knew he should have picked up the package in Hatcher's mailbox but he didn't. Somehow, he wanted Sam to find the document, wanted him to catch Pole in espionage, wanted the proposal to go to Congress. But Zoe didn't and he knew it. "Where is it?" she questioned firmly, not giving him any other kind of warning. Al jumped a bit at her voice interrupting his thoughts. *Now you know how he feels*, he thought, instantly wondering who was the "he" in the thought. "In Hatcher's mailbox," he answered her. "Still?" she leered. "It should have been packing material by now, Albert. You were supposed to have shredded it." Al glared at her. "And I will. You just have to give me time." He started walking towards the door to leave the hotel room. "Time is something you do not have," she replied haughtily. Al closed the hotel room door and walked down the hallway, heading for the elevator and ignoring Zoe. He knew she hadn't bothered him before but now just being around her gave him the creeps. "Where are you going, Albert?" Zoe demanded in a low voice. Al glared at her as he waited for the elevator cab. "To Hatcher's to get the document." Zoe raised her triangular handlink. "Too late. Beckett already has it. And it's very likely he knows what it is and how it got there." Zoe looked at him with intense hatred. "You are worthless, Calavicci." The look in Zoe's eyes terrified him. It brought images of pain to mind, the kind of pain she reserved for her enemies, the kind of pain to which even the strongest person would beg for mercy and not receive it. Al instantly knew that would be his fate if he didn't do something. "I'll get it done," he replied as firmly as he could to hide his fear. "I hope so for your sake, Albert," Zoe said simply as the elevator doors opened. "I'll be watching." The doors closed on Zoe's words, leaving Al alone in the cab, shaking slightly. He winced at the sight of his quivering hands. The nausea and the shaking was getting worse, he knew, but he wasn't sure why. It frightened him. "Withdrawals," a gentle female voice said, making him jump. He looked around quickly but found nothing as the source of the voice. He huffed at himself. "I must be going crazy." "You're not going crazy, Al," the voice replied, sounding sympathetic. Al frowned and looked around again. "Who are you? Where are you?" "You can't see me because our brainwaves are not perfectly aligned, despite our efforts." "Wait a minute!" Al realized. "I know your voice! You're Beckett's Observer! What do you want?" "Only to tell you the truth, Al. I'm not Dr. Beckett's Observer. At least, I shouldn't be. You are and should be." Al laughed. "I am? You've got the wrong, Al, lady. Go pester your own leaper." "You're a good man, Al Calavicci." Al blinked in confusion at her words. "Yes, I mean you. I know you. They're using you, Al. They've made you dependent on a chemical from which you are having withdrawals and they want you to kill your best friend." Part of Al wanted to believe her but a stronger part could only think of the literal pain of failure. He tried to block her voice out by couldn't. "Go away!" he ordered. "Admiral, listen to me." The rank caught his attention. "United States Navy. Serial number B-23-25-26," he said softly, almost as if in a trance. He shook his head. "But it's a lie! You're lying!" he shouted as the doors opened and he marched out. "Leave me alone!" Janet obeyed for the moment, getting a feeling that Zoe was nearby. She could see the fear in Al's eyes. It was going to take a lot more than her words to convince him. It was going to take her and Sam and a little luck. "Is there a problem, Albert?" Zoe questioned, seeing Al's expression. "Nothing," Al lied. "Let's go get this over with."