The room was quiet.

6

“What’s wrong with you?” Sarah finally asked, stepping up to stand next to Michael. “Stop talking in riddles and just tell us what’s going on.”

Scott’s eyes snapped back into focus, and he turned to look straight at Sarah. “This is between me and Michael!”

Michael took a half step backward, completely stunned. Even though it was entirely possible that this man had been taken over by the Mortality Doctrine, it shocked him to see the agent act out with such a childish temper.

“That’s enough,” Helga said. She raised her gun and aimed it at Agent Scott. Walter followed Helga’s lead. “We’re taking the girl and we’re leaving.”

“No, you’re not,” Scott replied. “You have three seconds to put those weapons down or you will all die. Right here, right now. All except Michael. Weber needs him.”

“What does that mean?” Michael asked. The situation was rapidly deteriorating, along with Michael’s patience. “Why would she need me? Why does she keep coming back to me? I don’t get it! She set us up!”

“One,” Scott said. He nodded toward Helga. “Two.”

“Put the guns down!” Michael shouted.

“Enough is enough!” his nanny responded.

“Just…just put them down for a sec.” She did as he asked but didn’t look happy about it. Michael returned his full attention to the agent. “Just let us leave. If you really think Kaine is…some villain, then that’s great. We’re on the same side.” His effort to soothe things seemed a complete waste. Scott’s eyes shone with something like madness.

“We thought we could turn things around,” the agent said, looking everywhere and nowhere at once. “But it was too late. It doesn’t matter what Kaine did or does anymore. We have to stay focused and see this through.”

“Fine!” Michael yelled. “Do what you need to, but let us go!”

“Don’t listen to him,” Scott responded, as if he hadn’t heard Michael. “Don’t listen to a word Kaine says. He’s not…he’s not…”

“This is bullcrap,” Sarah said. She marched toward Agent Scott where he stood behind Gabby, shoving past Michael on the way. She reached Gabby and pushed Scott right in the chest, causing him to stumble several steps backward. Then Sarah started working at the ropes that tied Gabby to the rickety wooden chair.

“Stop!” Scott yelled at her. Michael stared, not sure what to do.

“You really shouldn’t mess with him,” Gabby whispered to Sarah as she worked loose some of the tighter knots. One end of a rope fell to the floor with a thump. “He’s unstable. And all those people down below are dangerous.”

Michael recovered his wits and went to help Sarah. He dropped to his knees and began working on a knot around Gabby’s ankles.