Steve was tossing and turning into the morning hours as sleep evaded him for 6 hours. He finally got up, showered and shaved even though he had no where to go. His home was this bullet proof safe house with four armed body guards. Steve was beginning to feel smothered even though he was a guest for less than 24 hours. He pulled on some jeans and a denim shirt, not bothering to button it. Who was going to see him anyway? Grabbing something to snack on he plopped in front of the television with hopes of finding a sporting event that would keep his interest.

The front door swinging open got his attention and he smiled at Oscar as he entered. “Come to waste a day with me?”

“Steve I’ve got bad news?” Steve’s smile instantly dropped. “Rudy had a dinner date with Michelle last night and this morning he missed a 7:00 am mandatory budget meeting.” Steve tried to assure his boss. “Maybe they slept in late?”

Oscar nodded negatively. “He’s not at home. They aren’t at her apartment. We found his car still at the restaurant.”

“So you figure they took him?”

Nodding, Oscar’s face darkened even more. “There’s talk at the Defense Department that he may have gone willingly.”

Steve was immediately on his feet and winced as he was reminded of the torn muscle in his abdomen. “Oscar you know he wouldn’t do that!”

“I know that and you know that but higher ups are saying he’s in love with her and he may do anything to be with her. That includes participating in their plan to get you.”

“That’s insane!” Steve grabbed his shoes and began putting them on. Oscar watched and asked. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going with you. I may be the only chance you have of getting him back….alive.”

Oscar could see the logic and nodded in agreement. “Let’s go.”

Michelle and Rudy were separated as soon as they were taken from the restaurant. Rudy paced the locked room anxiously awaiting news of why he was there and where was Michelle. What he didn’t know was his fiancé was in a heated discussion with her partners.

“Dammit Jack, what are you doing? Nothing was supposed to happen to Dr. Wells and I am no longer involved in this insanity!”

The tall, muscular man poured himself another cup of coffee. “The boss changed his mind since Austin has been too slippery to catch. He ordered us to grab Wells.”

“Why, so you can grab Austin when he tries to rescue him?”

The tall man shrugged and replied, “Or just deliver Wells. I don’t know. I’m just following orders.”

Michelle was panicked. Now that the rules were changing she wasn’t sure she could keep Rudy from harm. The two men watched as she considered a plan of her own. They could almost read her thoughts after seeing the ring on her left hand.

“Don’t even consider it Michelle. The boss isn’t one to mess with. You know that.”

She glared at them defiantly, “I won’t let you take him. I won’t.”

“YOU don’t have a choice.”

She knew the situation was dangerous, so dangerous she wanted all the lies out in the open. If she and Rudy were going to get out of this alive they would have to work together.

She looked about the small kitchen as the stocky second man place food on four plates. An idea came to her. “I’ll take that to him.” She stood and took a plate knowing someone had to go.

“Why? So you can set him free. Oh no…Henry can take it.”

“Then I’m going with you.” She followed him out and across the lawn to the aluminum-sided outbuilding. “Henry I want a chance to talk to him...alone.”

“Why?”

“Because he deserves to know why I betrayed him.” She saw the man beside her was determined to avoid trouble. “Come on Henry, you can sit outside and make sure I don’t let him go. Please.” She grabbed his arm and he was forced to face her. “Wouldn’t you want to hear it from your fiancé?”

After a few moments to consider the harmless request he nodded and unlocked the large door. They walked through a large open area with cement flooring and large boxes strewn about the room. It was obviously a storage building at one time. They traveled to a back area that contained a small office and half bath.

Rudy heard the footsteps and sat on the cot away from the door. He stood when it opened and was surprised to see Michelle, unrestrained, enter with one of the kidnappers. His stomach dropped at the realization that Steve and Oscar were right. His fiancé was involved.

Michelle took the tray from her colleague. “I’ll take that.” Her eye contact pleaded with time alone with Rudy. Henry just nodded, unsure how far she would go to save her friend. Henry leaned over but his hushed tone was loud enough for Rudy to hear.

“I’ll be outside.” He stepped to the door and turned with his hand on his sidearm. “Don’t make me use this Michelle.”

The door closed and Michelle was still standing with her back to Rudy when she spoke. “I guess you’re wondering what my involvement in all this is.” She asked quietly as she placed the tray on a table, unable to look into his big brown eyes.

Rudy stood and stepped behind her. “Yes I have.” She turned and he saw the tears filling her eyes, the sight tearing at his heart. “Michelle whatever it is we can deal with it together.” He placed his hands on her arms.

She took a deep breath to calm her emotions. “Can we sit down?”

“Sure.”

They sat on the cot holding hands. Rudy waited silently for her to explain.

“When I was in France doing my research I accidentally came upon papers on my boss’ desk. I normally wouldn’t read other people’s private papers but when I shifted them I saw the word ‘bionics’ and it got my attention. I read on and quickly came upon your name.”

“What were the papers about?”

“A plan my boss and his partners had to get possession of a cyborg. The information they had hinted that a cyborg existed and that you may have been the scientist who built it.” She paused to stop her body from trembling but was unsuccessful. Rudy removed his hand from hers and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. “Go on.”

“Well, my boss caught me in his office reading his private file and threatened me.” She turned and looked him in the eye. “I’ve recently heard rumors that he can be a very dangerous man. In the past year since hearing these rumors I’ve been slowly distancing myself from him. I don’t want his tainted money for my research. That’s why I began lecturing and selling the specialized equipment for microsurgery.”

“I see.”

“Anyway, part of their plan was to kidnap you, get the information they wanted then…then...”

“Then what?”

“Then kill you. I couldn’t let them do that Rudy. I just couldn’t. I told him I knew you personally and I could verify the existence of a cyborg faster. He jumped at the offer but I stipulated that under no circumstances were you to be hurt in any way. They just wanted the prototype and agreed to leave you alone.”

“That makes sense. So why am I here now?”

“The plan changed with the failure to grab Steve Austin. My boss has become impatient.” She eyed Rudy a moment then added, “Steve Austin is your cyborg isn’t he?” Rudy just nodded affirmatively to the words that were more of a statement then a question.

She turned towards him, “Oh Rudy, can you ever forgive me? I only got involved in this to stop them from hurting you. That’s all I swear. I honestly didn’t think a cyborg existed…I mean if it did the scientific world would have heard of it. I never imagined you succeeded or that you would have done it with a secret government agency.”

The brown haired man pulled her into a tight embrace as she cried. His hand ran over her hair as he whispered soothing words. “We’re going to get out of this. Okay?” She sat back and nodded, wiping the wetness from her face. “Besides we have a wedding to plan.”

She met his smile with a weak one of her own and replied, “I think we need to focus on getting out of this first.

Oscar hung up the phone and looked over at Steve who was resting with his head pillowed on his folded arms at the table. His mind was frantically searching for any piece of information to tell him where to start looking.

“Steve?” The brown head popped up and looked at Oscar. “We have a description of the green sedan. It was seen at a gas station late last night. They have it on video… two men in front, a man and woman in the back.”

“Where?”

“Forty mile south of here.”

Steve was at the door in a second. “I’m on my way. Give me some time to get him out then send your men in.”

Oscar nodded and began collecting his best men to provide backup. Steve drove to the gas station and worked from there. He knew there were several vacant properties in the area. He could easily cover the farmland between them on foot, checking each one without being seen approaching by vehicle.

Michelle and Rudy had quickly pieced together a haphazard but efficient plan. She would return to her partners, somehow get one of there weapons then return to Rudy with the key to his locked room.

“Are you sure there are only two?”

“I’m sure.”

Rudy put his arms around her and held her close, “Be careful okay?” She nodded and looked deep into the eyes of the man to whom she had given her heart, soul and body. He was all she had ever wanted and she was grateful he still wanted her. His lips greedily took hers in a passionate kiss, their tongues dancing together until they were both breathless. They broke apart. “I love you.” She said simply and he smiled, “I love you too.”

She stepped out of the room and locked it behind her. She followed Henry back to the house, her thoughts traveling a mile a minute.

Steve made the drive to the gas station in record time. Glancing at his watch he was confident Oscar and his men were already en-route also. Trying to remain calm his mind ran through possible scenarios he might find when he arrived at Rudy’s location but he had limited information to go on. After parking his car behind the station and talking briefly to the owner he set out on foot.

When Michelle arrived back at the house she was informed a call had come in. The trio was to wait 24 hours to see if Austin made an appearance to rescue Dr. Wells. Michelle sighed quietly relieved that there was still a chance her boss wouldn’t take Rudy away. It certainly made more sense, getting a reluctant scientist to create another cyborg would be difficult and time consuming.

She looked into the living room to see Henry dozing on a chair, having guarded Rudy all night the sandman had finally caught up with him. Michelle moved silently and removed his weapon from its holster then covered the empty leather case with his suit coat.

After placing it the handgun in her pocket, she casually wandered out onto the back porch but not before noticing Jack had left the keys to Rudy’s room on the counter when he made coffee. Ambling to the corner of the large wrap-around porch she stared at the building that held her fiancé. She was lost in thought when an arm swiftly came around her waist and another across her mouth. She heard words that were whispered into her ear.

“Don’t make a sound. It’s Steve, I came to get Rudy. If you care anything about him you’ll help me.” He felt her tense body relax against him and slowly lowered his hand. When she didn’t make a sound he stepped back and she face him.

“Where is he?” He asked softly. Michelle thought a moment and felt she knew the situation better then Steve. “In there.” She stated with a finger pointed to the large aluminum sided building. Steve took one step to start his bionic rum across the open lawn to the building when he heard her cry out.

“JACK! COME QUICK! HE’S HERE!” Steve kept running as Jack fired several shots before running after him. Henry headed to the building in a run as Michelle leaned in the door and grabbed the keys she would need. She felt sacrificing Steve for Rudy was the right thing to do at this point.

Jack and Henry split up when they entered the large storage building. Steve was silently wandering about trying to find where they had stashed the doctor. He saw Henry pass by some boxes he was concealed behind. The operative moved fast and got in front of the man. Before the weapon could be raised Steve knocked him to the ground, unconscious. He bent over the fallen man to retrieve the weapon when he heard a gun being cocked behind him. Steve slowly turned his head while still squatting on the ground.

Jack had his quarry and was tired of being made a fool of. He was alone with his prey and no one would know how it happened. It would be much easier to transport this cyborg dead then alive. He smiled as his finger squeezed the trigger sending a flash from the gun’s muzzle and a slug into Steve.

Michelle had gotten the door open quickly. “Come on Rudy, we need to get out of here.”

“I heard you scream. Who’s here?” He asked as he grabbed her arm and took the gun from her, his gut telling him who may have arrived uninvited.

She looked at him. “It’s Steve. But Rudy it’s him they want not you. We can escape while they look for him… come on!” She saw him stand frozen unsure of what to do. “Rudy he can take care of himself, come on!”

The moment they stepped from the room the gunshot echoed through the hollow building. Rudy’s heart froze. “Oh god,” Michelle gasped.

The bionic agent saw the flash and felt the impact that sent him backwards. There was no pain only the sensation of falling in slow motion. Time seemed to stop then his world went black. The limp body crashed onto the floor landing face up and still.

The smile on the shooter’s face only lasted a second when the shouts from just the outside door shocked him. “YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY GOVERNEMENT AGENTS! EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!”

Jack immediately headed out through a hidden door in the floor. It led to a series of tunnels that ended at the road. ‘I don’t care anymore. I want my freedom more then a big payday.’ He thought as he scrambled down the hole, closing the trap door behind him.

The two doctors came to the doorway of the open space and saw Jack’s retreating back. Their eyes then fell upon the still form on the floor, the slow trickle of blood exiting the wound on his right temple.

“Oh god, no!” Rudy mumbled and moved toward the body. Just as he knelt down, reaching out to check for a pulse, his actions were stopped. “FREEZE! HANDS IN THE AIR…BOTH OF YOU!” Michelle lifted her hands out at her sides to show she was unarmed. Rudy did the same but stayed at Steve side, forgetting he was holding a weapon.

“DROP THE GUN!” The agents ordered and Rudy slowly dropped the weapon on the ground, standing slowly with his hands raised. Oscar and Russ came running into the building, halting their quick pace at the sight of Steve.

“Please let me check him out.” The doctor pleaded.

“STEP BACK AND FACE THE WALL BOTH OF YOU!” The tense agents moved closer, their guns still drawn. Rudy’s eyes fell once more on his unmoving friend on the ground still unsure if he was dead or alive. The two scientists did as they were told. Oscar and Russ knelt on each side of the Steve, Oscar on the right, Russ on the left.

The director was numbed by the sight, unable to summon the courage to see if his friend was gone. Russ saw the hesitation and gently touched Steve’s neck.

Rudy and Michelle were both handcuffed and turned around. Rudy was in shock as he watched Oscar and Russ share words he couldn’t hear. He only saw their heads bowed and shoulders slump. The doctor swallowed hard and watched as Oscar removed his jacket and placed it on Steve. He let out a breath seeing the jacket placed on the chest of the injured man. If Steve were dead they would have covered his face.

“Please let me help him?” He begged as they escorted him towards the door.

“I think you’ve done enough doctor. Besides there’s not much you can do.”

Rudy and Michelle were hauled out to the waiting vehicles. Rudy was placed in the back of the tan sedan while Michelle was placed in the rear seat of a light blue Chevy. The agents wanted them separated to prevent any communication between them.

It wasn’t long before an ambulance screeched to a halt next to the tan sedan. Rudy watched the paramedics jump out, open the rear door, grab the gurney and needed equipment and run into the building.

A few moments later he watched with a large lump in his throat as deathly pale Steve was brought out on the gurney. His head, with a blood stained gauze pad covering the wound, was elevated and an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose. Rudy figured Oscar had directed the medics seeing the IV in Steve’s neck and the blood pressure cuff on his upper left arm. The injured man’s shirt was open, the leads to the heart monitor on his chest and the portable EKG monitor was placed at his ankles.

Rudy swallowed hard, the guilt choking him and the tears stinging his eyes, as Steve was pushed into the ambulance.

Oscar was at Steve’s side as they wheeled him into the Medical Center. The director had called ahead and requested Dr. Marchetti’s presence in the Emergency room. The young physician was there as the doors swished opened. He made a quick visual assessment as they pushed the injured man into a private examination room.

”Where’s Rudy?” Michael asked, shining his pen light into Steve’s right eye.

Oscar answered quietly, “He’s … he’s not available at the moment.”

The doctor gingerly removed the bandage to view the wound. “Did you see him get shot?”

“No, why?”

“I was just curious at what angle he was shot at.” The brown eyes looked up from his patient. “It could make a huge difference in his prognosis.” A brain scan was ordered and Michael monitored Steve’s vital signs.

“Well?” Oscar inquired impatiently.

“He’s stable at the moment. We won’t know much more until the films are back.”

Oscar, looking sullen, just nodded. “I’d better call Jaime. She’ll want to be here.” The tall man exited the room with his shoulders slumped.

Rudy was put into a windowless room with a table and two chairs. He sat waiting for the other shoe to drop. A man came in and introduced himself as Jeff McCarthy, an agent with the NSB. He began questioning Dr. Wells on his role in the conspiracy to kidnap and murder Steve Austin. The doctor answered the questions truthfully and during a lull in the interrogation Rudy rubbed a hand over his tired face then glanced at his watch. By now Steve would be at the medical center and possibly in surgery or he may be… No, he could even consider the last possibility.

“Dr. Wells, we cannot charge you with the attempted murder of Colonel Austin only because the gun which you were holding when taken into custody was never fired and therefore not the gun that wounded him. However, you are being held on charges of conspiracy to kidnap a federal agent and to steal a top secret military weapon with intent to sell.” He eyed his suspect carefully. “That is treason doctor. Do realize the trouble you are in at this point?”

Rudy just stared at the man, already feeling defeated. If Steve was dead he wanted to be punished. He deserved to be punished. “Yes.” He replied curtly.

The blonde agent collected his file and stood. Rudy inquired about his rights, “Don’t I get a phone call?”

The young man nodded. “Come with me. I hope you know a good lawyer.” He escorted the distraught doctor to a phone. Rudy hesitated then dialed the number.

Oscar was pacing the waiting room when he was paged to the phone. “Oscar Goldman speaking.”

“Oscar, its Rudy.”

“Rudy? Where are you? Are you alright?”

“I’m at the NSB office. Oscar listen I only get this one phone call and I need to know…is Steve….is he…”

“No, Rudy, he’s still fighting. Michael’s with him now. I don’t have any details expect he’s stable and the bullet is still in his brain.” The director couldn’t see Rudy’s head drop at the devastating news but picked up on the long pause at the other end of the line. “Rudy, I’m going to do everything in my power to get you free.” The silence continued. “Rudy, do you hear me.”

“Yeah, I hear you.” The voice was so hollow it didn’t even sound like the man Oscar knew so well.

“I’ll come by to see you as soon as I get word okay?”

“Sure.”

“Rudy?”

”Yeah?”

“If this was your only call do you need me to get you a lawyer?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Okay don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can.”

“Thanks Oscar.” The connection was broken and Oscar hung up the receiver.

Michael checked Steve’s vital signs and was recording them in the medical chart when the door quietly swung open.

“Hi Oscar.” Michael greeted in a soft voice.

Oscar’s eyes immediately went to Steve who was still unconscious, lying with his head slightly elevated, to prevent any increased intracranial pressure. The beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room until Oscar spoke.

“How is he?”

Michael closed the metal covered chart and placed it purposely on the bedside table. He took a deep breath as he looked at the taller man. “He’s stable but hasn’t shown any signs of regaining consciousness yet.” He glanced at his gold watch. “We should be getting the results of the brain scan soon.” Oscar just nodded and returned his attention to the still form in the bed.

A nurse entered and handed the doctor a folder. “These just came down.” She stated then turned and left. Dr. Marchetti removed the films from the folder and flipped on the lighted box on the far wall. Oscar stepped to his side, not sure what he was looking at.

There were a few moments of silence as the experienced physician scanned the pictures. “Well”? Oscar asked.

“According to these the bullet is lodged very close to his brain stem.” Michael announced without taking his eyes from the films.

“When are you going to take it out?”

Michael took a deep breath and looked down before raising his eyes to take in Oscar’s concerned expression. “I’m afraid we can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” The older man blurted out in frustration.

“Oscar, our surgical science is not far enough along to be able to go that deep into a person’s brain without doing major damage or killing the patient.”

“So it will stay there for the rest of his life?”

Michael’s eyes returned to the pictures and a feeling of hopelessness came over him. “Yes.” He replied softly. He then turned his head to lock eyes with the director before giving him the rest. “I’m afraid that’s not all.” After seeing he had Oscar’s full attention he finished with a nod to the visual display before them. “The bullet is only a little over a millimeter from his brain stem. The brain stem controls our heartbeat, breathing, …and all the functions that sustain life. It’s being held securely in place right now because of the swelling but in a few days or weeks when that’s completely gone it will no doubt move. When it does…. it will be fatal.”

The look of horror on Oscar’s face forced Michael to turn away and look down. “How long?” Oscar forced out from his tight throat.

Viewing the films again Michael replied, “A week, two at the outside. It’s hard to say.”

“What if he took it easy?” Oscar asked, grasping at straws.

Michael looked at the desperate man before him, his heart feeling the same helplessness. “It won’t matter. Any movement of his head, a sneeze or a cough, tilting his head back in the shower, even rolling over in his sleep could cause it to move.”

Oscar turned away, fighting the tears building up in his eyes. He fought them back and looked down at his young friend lying unresponsive. ‘Two weeks’ he thought, ‘only two weeks.’ He was pulled from his sad thoughts by the doctor’s low tone of voice.

“It is ironic.”

“What?”

“The one surgeon most skilled in the area of neurological microsurgery is none other then Dr. Michelle Peirot. She has published the most research and performed the most successful surgeries.”

Oscar eyed the dark-haired man for a moment letting the information sink in. He turned abruptly and left the room.

...Continued