In his hideaway, Eric was in front of the mirror, disguising himself as a lab assistant, complete with a blond wig, blue contact lenses, small mustache and the white smock. He wanted to resemble the photo on the security pass hanging in the mirror in front of him.

Tied up to a chair, Steve was slowly regaining consciousness. He tried to break his bond.

“Don’t try it, it won’t work,” Eric said, not the least bit distracted.

“What did you do to me?”

“Just decreased the power so you’d be like a normal human being.”

Steve was worried but didn’t feel any pain. He was unable to untie himself.

“Poor Rick. I asked him politely to lend me his pass but he refused. He wrestled me to the floor until I plunged a dagger into his heart.” He turned to Steve. ”He was my best friend, you know.

“Who’s Rick?”

“A very brilliant scientist at the Center. He helped me with my research.”

“What research?”

“Patience, you’ll soon find out. You know, it wouldn’t have gone this far if you and Barney Miller had backed me up in front of Goldman”

Steve was appalled. “You worked for the OSI?”

“Now you remember!” he taunted, putting on his smock. He grabbed a knife and gently stroked it against Steve’s cheek. “Don't be afraid...it will all be over soon.”

In his disguise, Eric drove up to the main security gate. Steve is sitting was the passenger seat, very quiet, and wearing a white smock.

The gate guard came up to them.

“Doctor Sudgen!”

Eric adopted a German accent. “Hello Bill!” He showed him his ID card. “How's it going?”

“Can't complain. I thought you were on stand-off for a week?”

“Yeah, but my brother,” he motioned to Steve, “here, was in town and I wanted to show him where I work.”

“But Doctor Sudgen, the facility is off limits to non authorized personnel.”

“He's military. She knows about "TDIS".”

“Oh...okay then.”

The guard returned to his shack and opened the fence. Eric drove through. Steve was amazed at the lack of tight security around the premises, that or Eric was one major actor, knowing every tiny detail in the compound.

“Now remember... if anyone should ask you're my brother, Charlie Sudgen, Doctor in virology. DON'T make any false move or they'll kill us both. For your own good, better live the part.”

“I seem to be a lot of people’s brother lately, “Steve mumbled under his breath.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing” Steve tried to crush open the locked door but to his amazement, he couldn’t. What did Eric do to him, he thought to himself. He was getting weaker by the hour.

Eric parked the car in Dr. Sudgen's reserved space. They both got out of the car.

“Won't your gun set off the alarm in there?”

“I didn't bring my gun, but something ten thousand times more deadly.”

“Like what?”

Eric smiled malevolently. “I’ll show you. Now move!”

They walked up the alley toward the main entrance. Inside, Lab technicians, Security Guards and other authorized personnel members were teeming about.

Eric stood behind Steve watching his every move. “Go to the right.”

They arrived at the metal detector. A GUARD stopped them.

“Doctor Sudgen...who is your friend?”

“My brother, Doctor Charles Sudgen. A bacteriologist I called upon to verify my research.”

“Has he been authorized to enter the complex?”

“General Murillo, himself, granted him a special pass for a day.” Eric reached into his pocket and took out a visitor's pass with Steve's picture on it and General's Murillo forged signature. He handed it over to the guard who examined the pass and Steve very meticulously.

“Alright...everything seems to be in order.”

Steve is utterly surprised at his answer.

“You both have to go through the detector.”

“He can’t. He’s a cyborg. Right arm, two legs and an eye. He’s number four seven dash seven.”

“If General Murillo authorized it, you can pass. He’ll have to wear a visitor’s pass.”

“Sure.”

Eric took the pass from the guard and pinned it onto Steve’s smock lapel.

Eric and Steve walked down a long corridor and arrived at a huge sealed door. Eric dialled in a code, slid in his security pass and pressed the palm of his right hand against a dark panel. A green light appeared and the door unlocked.

“You don't have Doctor Sudgen's fingerprints. How come your prints cleared?

Eric showed his hands “That? Very easy. False prints.”

“You’ve come prepared.”

“I’m the brainchild of this complex. I know how everything works.”

The entered the chamber. Lab technicians were busy with their research and hardly noticed Eric and Steve walking past.

“Second-hand scientists,” Eric mused to himself. “They were hired mainly for the gallery. They have no conception of why the government is using them for. They are just pawns. Poor souls. »

Eric and Steve continued walking toward the end of the laboratory.

Daniel Coleman, a twenty-ish scientist, came up to them. “Hey, Richard! How are you? I thought you were off this week?”

Eric tried to remain calm. He had absolutely no idea who this man was. He spoke with his German accent. “I came to show the facility to my brother.”

“Oh, hello I'm Daniel Coleman,” he greeted Steve by extending his hand.

“Hello.”

“Richard, about that book I borrowed...”

“You can return it to me when you're finished,” Eric answered before Daniel finished his sentence.

“To you?” A confused Daniel answered. “I borrowed the book from the Center's library.”

Eric quickly played the game. “Oh...you're talking about...?”

“’Mechanisms of Viruses’.”

“Right. So?”

“I'm sorry, I couldn't find what you asked.”

“That's okay.”

“You sure?”

Eric started to twitch. “Yes. I'll do the research myself. Now, if you'll excuse us?”

“Sure. Oh, before I forget!” Daniel reached for a document. “Could you sign this?”

“What is it?”

“The authorization slip for the bacteriological test we talked about.”

“Oh yes.” He signed the slip unaware of what it was. A chink in is otherwise perfect plan. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

Eric and Steve walked away.

Daniel was puzzled. He looked down at the signature which bore a striking resemblance to the real John Hancock. But something was amiss in Daniel's mind. He then realized that Eric signed the paper with his right hand and Richard Sugden was left handed. He sounded the alarm.

“Finally!” Steve exclaimed, relieved that someone had finally seen through Eric’s game.

Quickly, Eric dragged Steve to the end of the lab where another ironclad door was locked. Eric dialled in the code, slid in the security pass, applied the palm of his hand against the dark panel.

Security was dashing to the lab.

Eric grabbed Steve by the neck and took out a vial with the yellowish solution that he waved in front of everybody.

“DON'T make a move or we'll all regret it!”

Dawn, the real Richard Sugden’s assistant, stepped forward. “Richard...for God's sake! Have you lost your mind?”

“I'll see you all in hell!”

Eric dragged Steve behind the ironclad door and locked it behind him.

The guards hurried to the door but too late. As soon as it was close, it automatically sealed.

“The code is known to only three people, Doctors Sudgen and Anderson and General Murillo,” Dawn informed the Security Chief.

The Chief got on his radio. “We require the proper security clearance code for C- 46945 facility chamber.”

“I'm notifying General Murillo. Stand by,” the dispatcher answered.

“Who sounded the alarm?”

“I did, “Daniel stepped forward. “That's not Doctor Sudgen.”

“Are you positively certain of that?”

“Richard Sudgen is left-handed. This man signed a release form with his right hand. Plus which, the man accompanying him appeared out of place. Quite disinterested. Acting as if she'd been forced to come.”

“Very perceptive. Any idea as to his true identity?” The Chief asked.

“I've only been here a month.”

“I don't have a clue either,” Dawn shrugged. “But whoever he is was able to tap into the main computer to program his fingerprints as Doctor Sudgen's otherwise he would never have gained access to the chamber, let alone pass through the security gate upstairs.”

“He might have found another way to beat the system. Any idea on the whereabouts of the so-called Doctor Sudgen?”

“He mentioned he was going to Texas this week to visit with his relatives.”

“Alright, we'll check it out.”

The dispatcher’s voice came on. “I have General Murillo on the line.”

“General, sir. This Security Chief Cochran.”

Murillo and Barney were riding in a Cryder’s car. Murillo answered the call “I was just notified about a security breach.”

“Yeah, some nut has locked himself in facility chamber C-46945.”

“C-46945? Oh, God! Who is it?”

“We don't have an I.D. on the man, yet. But he has a man hostage with him.”

Barney reacted.

“Light brown curl hair, about six feet tall?”

“Roughly described, yeah.”

“I believe we have our man,” Murillo addressed Barney and Cryder. “I'm on my way to the Center. Don't let him out of your sight.”

“Sir, don't you want us to go in after him?”

“Negative. It may be too risky. Get every available man to seal the complex. No one is to enter or exit without my authorization, is that understood?”

“Yes Sir, General.”

Steve and Eric were locked inside an isolated laboratory with large windows overlooking a sizable silo where a colossal rocket that stood majestically in the center.

Top scientist Peter Anderson, a man in his early fifties, was surprised to see them.

“Richard? What are you....”

Eric removed his Richard Sugden disguise. “Surprised to see me, old chum?”

“Eric, what are you doing here?”

“I missed you, old buddy. I thought I'd pay you a little visit,” Eric answered sarcastically. “By the way, this is famous astronaut Steve Austin. The first prototype.

Eric went to the windows and admired what is to be the biggest and deadliest biological bomb the world ever created.

“Would you look at that…my baby.” He turned to Peter. “Which you and Richard helped created, of course. I can’t take all the credit.” He turned back to the window. “She's a beauty, isn't she.

Steve tried to make a move on him but Eric swiftly turned round and shot him in the left shoulder.

Steve hurled back against the wall and slid to the floor. Peter rushed to him.

“Bet you’re sorry both your arms aren’t bionics like Barney’s?”

“Are you alright?” Peter asked Steve who was holding his bleeding shoulder.

“I’m okay. Just a graze.”

“Let me see.” Peter looked closer and noticed that the bullet was clearly inside the shoulder. No exit wound in the back

“It’s more serious, son. The bullet is lodged in your shoulder.”

“I feel so weak.”

“You’re in shock.”

“No, no. I’ve felt like this before we came in. I could have so easily pounced on this man and yet I couldn’t.”

Peter was worried. He took Steve’s right hand into his own. “Squeeze by hand.”

Steve tried but could only bent his fingers slightly around Peter’s hand.

“Squeeze as hard as you can.”

“I am.”

Peter checked Steve’s right shoulder and both ankles. As he suspected, there were thumb-size chips embedded in the skin.

“Eric remove those chips or you’ll kill him.”

“We’re all going to die anyway.”

“What chips?” Steve asked muddled.

“They were designed to deplete the atomic power in the nuclear cells and at the same time they slowly dampen the neural impulsions in your entire body.”

Steve closed his eyes in despair. He had no strength left to fight. Peter laid his lab coat on him while he attended to his shoulder wound.

General Murillo, Barney and Cryder hurried onto the scene. Security guards were everywhere. The entire complex was on high alert.

“Is he still in there?” Murillo asked to the Security Chief.

“Yes sir. We were told that Doctor Anderson was also in there.”

“The President has been notified of the situation.”

“What's in there?” Barney asked.

“The biological warhead. One push of a button and it's all over.”

“We are still in the dark as to the true identity of the man.”

“He's Eric Lambert.”

Dawn was positively flabbergasted. “Eric Lambert? One of the original three scientists who developed the bomb?”

“Precisely.”

“I was under the impression that the FBI apprehended him?”

“Came close once but he managed to slip away.”

“He has knowledge of the launching code.”

“We tried to override it but we were unsuccessful. It was already locked in.” Dawn went to a computer. “Let me see if I can unlock it.”

She tapped in a few keys.

The computer flashed "Password incorrect". Dawn tapped in a few more computer keys. The screen flashed " Access denied". “Dammit! It doesn't look good.”

Peter was kneeling down, Steve’s head resting on his lap. He tried his best to stopthe blood flow but it was obvious the man needed medical attention.

“It’s very important that you stay awake, lad. Keep your brain active,”

“I’ll try, “Steve answered listlessly.

“I guess we should let our friend in on our little well-kept secret,” Eric suggested to Peter.

“Why?”

“Why? Because it's time, Peter. That's why.”

“Time for what?”

“Doomsday. It wouldn't be fair for Steve to die without letting him know why.”

“No one has to die, Eric.”

Eric started to fly off the handle. “I am not Eric!!! My name is Allan Marshall.”

“Was Allan Marshall. He ceased to exist when you were recruited by the Army on this project.”

“He is still alive!!!”

“If he is, than what is he doing here? Only Eric is privy to this facility.”

“You're trying to confuse me, Peter.”

“I lost my identity too. You, me and Richard are all in this together.”

“It's just you and me, now. Richard is dead.”

Peter was flabbergasted.

Eric continued, “Tell him, Peter!!! Tell her how we created that monster. Tell him how it infected me and how our government plans to use it. Tell him!!!”

“You were not infected.”

“The hell I wasn't!!! You're infected too.”

“No. You just flew off the handle, Eric. And you laid the blame on the "TDIS" project. We took all necessary precautions to insure our safety. You just need help dealing with your feelings.”

“Boy, did they brainwash you good!”

Steve’s breathing became extremely shallow and his eyelids were drooping.

Eric kicked Steve in the legs. “Don’t you die on me now! Not before I launch this baby.”

“The code has been changed.”

“No it hasn't. I had it locked into the computer. Nobody can override it, not even you.”

...Continued