Shortly following the telephone conversation, two OSI men drove to the Harris Motel to escort the wanted fugitive to their car. On the drive to their airfield they provided evasive answers to Steve questions regarding the missing days, though satisfactory enough to keep their passenger satiated until his meeting with Oscar in Washington.

Steve was remotely disturbed by the conspicuous increase of security personnel scattered about on the airfield, mainly near the military plane they we about to board. His eyebrows wrinkled in suspicion of the base being in high terrorist attack alert. The two men assisted him out of the car and dutifully ushered him to his seat on the plane.

Steve was itching to get to the bottom of this mystery. He cudgelled his brains to summon the tinniest speck of memory of the last four days but kept drawing a blank. Oscar was apparently as much in the dark as he was about the odd episode and figured the same applied to the others who were at the lodge that weekend.

The two men kept their beady eyes on Steve as they escorted him to Goldman’s office.

“Thank you gentlemen. That will be all,” Oscar dismissed the two with a wave of the hand. Once the door close Oscar invited Steve to take a seat as he stepped over to the bar to fix them both a drink.

“Oscar I don’t need a drink. I need a solid explanation. I can’t help get the feeling that I’m treated like a criminal.”

Oscar thrust one hand in his pocket and with the other he briefly twirled the brandy in his glass before taking a draught. “You are, Pal,” he answered sombrely without so much of a glance in Steve’s direction to gauge his reaction.

“What are you talking about?” he scoffed with a small snigger.

With his eyes downcast he walked over to his desk to toss in front of Steve the report of the bank heist that occurred in Boulder three days ago. Steve flashed him a puzzled look before leaning forward to read the content of the folder. His eyes narrowed in utter confusion at the crime they were pinning on him. “Oscar I…I…I didn’t do this,” Steve stammered defensively, his mind still reeling from the shock. “Bank robbery and murder? Come on! You know that’s not possible.”

“I want to believe you, Steve; really I do. But the evidence is overwhelmingly against you.”

“What evidence?”

“For starters the five witnesses’ account that place you on the scene of the crime. Then the surveillance cameras that caught a man forcing open a thirty-inch solid-steel door. A feat that only a human with Herculean strength or bionic enhanced power can achieve?” Oscar expounded with a crushing cynicism.

“I want to talk to those men and see those videos.”

“You will. But first you will be escorted down to Rudy’s lab for an immediate deactivation.”

Steve shot his head up and bolted upright from his chair.” They can’t do that. I need to be allowed to clear this misunderstanding first.”

“I’m sorry Steve. I have my orders directly from the NSB.”

“I want to talk to Cassie. Is she here?”

“She’s down in the record room.”

“Call her up. I need to speak to her.”

“What for? She already gave us her deposition.”

“Which is?”

Oscar motioned to the folder in Steve’s hand. “It’s all in there. The morning we left you were still sound asleep. Cassandra offered to stayed behind and catch a flight back to Washington with you. She said you told her that you needed some time to yourself and therefore suggest she come back alone.”

“She couldn’t have said because that’s not the truth. Oscar I swear to you I don’t know what happened to me during those four days. All I remember is waking up in that draughty old cabin in the woods. My guess is I must have been drugged because I have absolutely no recollection of what I did during that time gap.”

“Cassandra swears she…”

“She’s lying!” Steve blustered. “I don’t know why but she is.” He clenched his fist to quell the bile rising to his throat. “I can’t believe this is happening,” he exhaled in a single thick shuddering breath.

“They promised to give you leniency if you tell them where you stash the money.”

“What money?” Steve blasted with a scalding look. “I’m telling you I…” he brought his fist of fury to his mouth to dam up the stream of blasphemies about to erupt. He inhaled deeply and heaved out the last of his anger. “Why? Tell me why Oscar? What’s my motive for robbing a bank let alone kill a man?”

“They don’t believe you stole that money for your own use but that you were somehow bought or blackmailed into it.”

“Who’s they?”

“Hanson and Dolman of the Ministry of Defence.”

“Second question: If I were guilty of that crime why would I come out of hiding knowing full well I’d be prosecuted? I would have vanished from the face of this earth and you’re aware I’m an expert in cat-and-mouse games.”

Before Oscar could ponder on the rationale behind Steve’s explanation, Hanson irrupted into the office flanked by two of his henchmen. “Welcome back Austin!” he greeted with dripping sarcasm.

“Hanson I’d appreciate a knock on the door when you waltz into my office,” Oscar hissed with an aggravation.

“Don’t have time for formalities Goldman,” Hanson sassed back. Paying no heed to the remonstrance he stepped up to Steve and carved him up with his scorching glare. “So, where is it?”

“Where is what?” Steve rebuked on the same crushing tone, his eyes narrowed in contempt.

“Could you allow us a few more minutes?” Oscar chimed in.

“Time’s up! We’re here to escort our bionic criminal down to Dr. Wells’s lab for an immediate deactivation. And I advise you not to throw any fancy move Austin. My men here are armed with tranquilizer guns.”

“I want to talk to agent Miller first.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to clarify a few things on the account she gave you.”

“It’s all in her deposition. You can read it later.”

“I want to talk to her now,” Steve insisted, turning to Oscar for support.

“He’s in his rights, Hanson. I can locate Miller and have her here in less than fifteen minutes.”

“Alright,” Hanson gnarled. “Get her up here.” He watched Oscar pick up the phone then turned his attention back to Steve standing defiantly before him. “Austin I will allow you and Miller ten minutes, no more,” he spat. “Then I’m coming back to personally escort you down to the lab,” he finished caustically with a satanic grin. He motioned for the two men to follow him out the door.

“Miss Carrington, this is Oscar Goldman. Can you tell me if Cassandra Miller is still down in the record room?”

“Yes she is.”

“Could you ask her to come up to my office right away? It’s urgent.”

“Of course Mr. Goldman. I will.”

Oscar hung up the phone and crossed to the door.” I’ll leave you two alone to talk.”

“Thanks.”

He placed his hand on the doorknob but before leaving, he cast once last glance at Steve already striding up and down the floor nervously. “For what it’s worth, Pal. I don’t think you’re guilty.”

“At least I know you’re on my side,” Steve acknowledged with a half smile.

Oscar reciprocated the feeling.

A mere five minutes later, Cassie showed up in the office. “Steve!” she gushed, rushing to his cold arms. “We’ve been so worried about you.”

Steve gripped her shoulders and pulled her back to stare her square in the eyes. “Why did you lie?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You lied about me having told you I wanted to stay up at the lodge alone.”

“But you did.”

“That’s a lie!”

“I don’t lie and you know it,” she countered with indignation.

She cringed at the pain caused by Steve’s forceful grip. “Steve you’re hurting me.”

He released her and resumed his pacing.

“You were a little groggy that morning, perhaps you don’t remember. But you did say that you needed to be alone for a while. So I took a flight back to Washington early Monday afternoon.”

“Do you realize what they are accusing me of? And…and I have absolutely not memory of it. I couldn’t have done this in my right frame of mind, Cassie. You of all people must know that?“ he explained with a voice choked with fear.

She edged up to him and enlaced him in her arms. “I know Blue Eyes. I know,” she soothed while rubbing her hands up and down his back. She could feel his body shuddering with sobs. “I don’t believe you could have done this. That’s definitely not your game. But understand that I couldn’t lie under oath when they asked me what went on that morning of our departure. You were still asleep so I offered to stay behind while the guys drove to the airport.”

Steve closed his bleary eyes and shook his head dejectedly. “I don’t remember. I just don’t remember any of it.”

“You must have taken one two many sleeping pills that night.”

“I don’t recall that either.”

Hanson burst into the office. “Austin, ten minutes are up. Come on.”

Cassie gave Steve a puzzled look. “I’m being deactivated.”

“Oh no!” She cried.

“Come on Austin!” Hanson pressed on.

“I’m coming with you,” Cassie said firmly, taking Steve’s hand. He gave her a half-hearted smile and together they followed Hanson and his dogs down to the lab where Rudy had everything ready for the patient.

While a taciturn Steve was being prepped for the surgery, Cassie and Hanson took place in the amphitheatre above the operating room. He caught a whiff of her steaming anger as he ushered her to a chair “What’s the matter Miller?”

“Nothing.”

He took a seat beside her and turned on his charm. “Are you having second thoughts about your deposition?”

She shot him a glare. “Of course not. I told the truth. But so help me God I would have stretched it had I known you’d be doing this to him.”

“He’s dangerous. With his bionic power out we won’t have to worry about him breaking out of jail because there’s where we’re taking him once the deactivation process is done.”

She closed her eyes in utter despair, her heart laden with grief. As she opened them she caught sight of two orderlies wheeling Steve in on a gurney. She stood from her chair and approached the window to place a hand against the glass. Down below he flashed her a smile and a wink that filled her with anguish. She strained a smile and mouthed ‘I love you’. Steve frowned, slightly disturbed by the sensual overtones in her words.

Once the anaesthesia was completed and Rudy readied himself to cut open the arm, Cassie excused herself to get a breath of fresh air. In the hospital parking lot she made her way to a public phone and dialled her boss’s number.

“Yeah, it’s me. The operation is under way. Hanson will be hauling him off to jail once it’s over.”

“Good. Did he believe you?” came the raspy voice on the other end.

“Yes. He can’t remember therefore he can’t refute my allegation. What’s happening at your end?”

“We’ve managed to stash the money in a safe place and cover our tracks. Tomorrow Holbrook will be given his old identity back and a hefty sum of money to fly down to South America to live it up.”

“Do you trust him to keep his mouth shut?”

“What do you take me for? He won’t make it to the airport,” he crowed with malicious glee.

“What about the other? Isn’t it time to get rid of that hostage? I’d feel better knowing we won’t risk running into each other at the office.”

“I don’t see why not if you say you have a handle on everything. But I’d wait a few more days just in case.”

“If you say so.”

“Good work 35.”

“Thanks. Now for phase two. Make sure I have an ample supply coming everyday or the treatment won’t work. And hurry. We don’t want to risk him getting out on bail.”

“That’s not likely to happen with all those charges against him.”

“Nevertheless I don’t want to take any chances.”

“Don’t worry you’ll have it at the agreed upon spot.” His other phone began to ring. “Got to go. The boss is calling me on the other line.”

“Good luck with Goldman.”

In the following week, Cassie offered to bring Steve his meals and was allowed to eat with him inside the cell to keep him company. Unbeknownst to him his food was laced with a powerful hallucinogen that allowed the woman to gradually plant suggestions that he was indeed the author of that heist. She tried to convince him that he was facing the death penalty and therefore his only way of surviving was to attempt an escape.

One morning as the guard unbolted the cell door to let Cassie in, Steve lunged at the man and smacked his head against one of the metal bars, knocking him unconscious.

“Steve! What are you doing?”

“Need…need to get out of here. On…on to me. Coming for me. Electric chair,” he stuttered incoherently.

“Steve you’re not making any sense.”

“You stay here. Don’t want them to think you’re an accessory.” He told her as he yanked the netting off the ventilation shaft.

“Steve, don’t do this. By escaping you’re branding yourself a fugitive. You’re telling them you’re guilty,” she tried to reason as she watched him squeezed himself through the opening.

“Goodbye 35.”

Soon as he disappeared down the hole she cracked a satisfied grin and picked up the phone.

He slithered through the shaft to make his way down to the basement. On the other end, he jumped down and quickly strode up the stairs. To the left was a tiny rectangular window big enough for one person to squeeze through. Outside, he crouched down behind a rock to scour the surroundings with his telephoto lens, the only bionic organ that Rudy had not been ordered to deactivate. He ensured that the coast was clear before he treaded carefully alongside the fence. As he escaladed the wall he felt a prick in the back of his neck. Before he could reach the tranquilizer dart he collapsed onto the ground.

“Now do you believe me Goldman?” Hanson sneered to the man standing dumbfounded by what he just witnessed. He beckoned the two guards to take the insentient prisoner down to the padded cell where he was to be kept under heavy sedation.

Back in Boulder, the investigative team was combing the very last inches of the scene of the crime before sending the final report to the FBI. One forensic expert was on site to pick up pieces of puzzle that would normally evade the untrained eye. He frowned at what he believed was a smudge of dried blood near the vault. He bent down and pulled out from his pocket a plastic bag containing a damp cotton swab to take a sample of the blood smear to have analysed.

Not far from the bank, Jake was relaxing in his living room with a beer when his phone rang.

“You can do it now,” ordered the raspy voice on the other end.

“Consider it done boss.”

“Be sure you bury the body deep in the woods. We don’t want anyone to find her.”

“Don’t worry. I already have the perfect burial spot for the little lady. I’ll be glad to get rid of her. She’s grating on my nerves.”

“Once the job is done your money will be deposited in your account.”

“Thanks. I need it to buy myself a nice long trip.” He hung up the phone and took another swig of his beer. A sneer crossed his face at the thought of having fun with the hostage before he did her in. ‘I’ve been waiting a long time for this. Now you and I will have some fun.’ he crowed to himself.

He checked the barrel of his gun for bullets before thrusting it inside his belt. He then grabbed a knife and went down to the basement where the woman was bound hand and foot to a chair with a gag over her mouth. Jake removed the cloth, gabbed a fistful of her hair and planted a wet kiss on her lips. “Now my dear. We’re going to have some fun,”

“Over my dead body,” she spewed out between clenched teeth. The veins throbbed at her temples as the vials of wrath began pouring out at the loathsome man before her.

“That my dear can be arranged.” He thrust the knife underneath her chin and breathed down her face, “Either we do this gently or roughly. You choose.” She grimaced at the foul breath. She quickly weighted her options and decided to play along. She would cajole the man into dropping his guard and then would seize the perfect opportunity to overtake him.

She gave him a lecherous look and ran her tongue over her lips. He returned the lustful grin by claiming her luscious mouth. He then moved his hands down her blouse; his touch making her skin crawl. As he began leaving a trail of soggy kisses along her neck she sweet-talked him into releasing her from her bonds so that she could properly return his affection. He grinned and granted her wish by severing the ropes with his knife. He then placed the gun on the dresser and carried her to the bed where he laid her down and moved on top of her. As he proceeded to remove her clothing, her hand crept down to his pants where she grabbed a hold of his manhood and twisted it. The man froze in pain, his mouth open but no sound would come out. Before he could react she pushed him off her, rolled onto her side to twitch the gun off the dresser and then smacked the butt against his skull.

“You never heard of Listerine,” she mocked, then leapt out of bed and pulled out the sheet from under him. She ripped four straps to use them to tie Jake to the bed.

She made her way up the stairs, heedful to bolt the basement door behind her and then grabbed the phone to call her boss in Washington.

“Oscar, it’s me, Cassandra.”

“Cassandra. Anything to report?” he asked airily while browsing through the report on the DNA analysis of the blood found at the bank.

“You bet I have,” she snorted. “I’ve been kidnapped!”

Oscar’s head jerked up in shock. “What?”

“Haven’t your men been looking for me?”

“Why would they do that? You were in my office no less than an hour ago.”

“Oscar, what are you talking about?” Cassie was somewhat annoyed by her boss’s statement. “I’ve been drugged and held prisoner for the past ten days.”

Oscar bolted upright, twitching his glasses off his nose. “Two weeks? Where are you?”

Cassie’s eyes narrowed in confusion as she surveyed the room around her. “I’m not sure. A remote cabin in the woods. It’s very rural. It’s safe to assume I’m still in Boulder. I could keep the phone off the hook to enable you to pinpoint my location?”

“Good idea. Hold on a second.” Oscar switched lines and dialled Danny’s number down at security. “Danny, Oscar Goldman here. Can you trace the call I have in my office on line one? It’s urgent.”

“Right away Mister Goldman.”

“Cassandra? Danny’s on it. Once he gets the location I’ll hop on a plane and meet you there.”

“Don’t bother. Just send some men to pick up the load and I’ll catch a flight back to Washington.”

“What load?”

“The guy who’s been keeping me company those past two weeks so to speak.”

“Who is he?”

“All I know is that his name is Jake and that he was instructed to keep me alive until today. I took advantage of his consuming lust to subdue him. I have him tied up in the basement.”

“Two weeks. That means…” Oscar’s thoughts were interrupted by the sudden realization of a likely impostor.

“What? Oscar what’s going on?”

The man’s mind was set adrift on a sea of conjectures as it reviewed the events of the past weeks. Danny’s call yanked him back to shore. “Yes Danny.”

“I have your information.” Oscar grabbed a pen and set it down on paper. “It’s 2512 Pine Crescent in Boulder, Montana.”

“Thank you Danny.” He switched lines. “Cassandra we’ve just located you. You stay put. Don’t go anywhere. I should be there in a few hours.”

“Oscar can I ask you to light my lantern as to what is happening at your end?”

“Not on the phone. I’ll fill you in when I get there.” He plonked the phone down and buzzed Callahan’s desk. “Callahan, contact Andrews base and have a plane ready for me on Snow White priority one.”

“Right away.”

Oscar tore the paper off the pad and stuffed it in his shirt pocket. He then closed the confidential report that he stashed under a pile of documents in the top drawer of his desk and bolted it. After which he grabbed his jacket off the coat rack and crossed to the door. In the outer office he stepped up to Callahan’s desk and waited for her to finish the call while he adjusted his collar and sleeves.

“You’re all set Mister Goldman. A plane will be ready and waiting upon your arrival at Andrews.”

“Thank you.”

“Sir, may I enquire as to where you’re going in the event someone should ask?”

“I’m sorry. It’s confidential. I will leave that information with Dr. Wells, though. I’m on my way down to the lab to get the latest on Steve’s condition.”

“I hope he feels better.”

“So do I.” He left her with a heartening smile that she vainly strained to match.

Down at the lab, Rudy was riveted to the monitor screen watching Steve curled up in a corner of his padded cell when Oscar entered.

“How is he?”

“No change. He barely stirs. I’ve subjected him to every conceivable tests possible. Aside from an abnormal level of serotonin in his brain, they reveal no trace of any drug in his system other than the one we’re administering to keep him subdued.

“He looks like a zombie,” Oscar remarked grimly.

“I know. We need to keep him under heavy sedation to muzzle his manic-depression. It’s for his own protection and ours.”

“You mean he just stays there without moving?”

“He occasionally mumbles something about being sick and cold. He sometimes asks for Cassandra.”

“If she should visit him, you keep a watchful eye on her every move.”

“Why?”

“I have reason to believe she’s an impostor.”

“What makes you say that?”

“The fact that I just had the real Cassandra Miller on the phone barely thirty minutes ago. She said she’d been kidnapped, drugged and held prisoner for the past ten days.” He turned to a stunned Rudy with a knowing look. “Sounds familiar?”

“That’s what Steve assumed happened to him.”

“Exactly. Something else disturbing. I just received the report of the analysis of the blood stain found at the bank.” Rudy nodded. “The DNA doesn’t match. It’s not Steve’s blood. They already ran the results in the bank’s mainframe to see if it matches any of the employees’ blood. So far nothing. They’re broadening the scope of their search to the FBI wanted criminals files. In parallel with it, we’re trying to get a match with possible OSI employees old and new.”

“What does this all mean?”

“A vast conspiracy. Whoever the mastermind is behind this brainchild engineered a plan to ensure Steve would be the fall guy. I’m homing in on our three friends up at the lodge. It’s obvious the real Cassie never came back with us to Washington that morning. Either Barney, Clark or Harry was in on it.”

“You can’t know that. They were probably innocent pawns like we both were.”

“One man with Herculean strength broke into that safe. Do you know anyone else beside Steve capable of that feat?” Oscar asked with an edge of sarcasm.

“I have to admit it’s pretty damaging to Barney. But he’s on a mission.”

“He wasn’t last week when the heist was committed.”

“The witnesses swear they saw Steve.”

“The culprit could have been wearing a mask.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Nothing for now. You and I are the only ones who know. Let’s keep it that way. I’m going to meet with Cassandra in Boulder in a few hours where hopefully I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“Oscar one more thing. What makes you so certain that she is the real Cassandra Miller.”

“Call it a strong hunch.” He cast one last grim glance at the monitor before leaving the room.

Rudy summoned two orderlies to accompany him into the padded cell. He beckoned them to stand by the door while he edged up to Steve and hunched down in front of him. “Steve, it’s me Rudy.” Steve’s vacant stare didn’t bother acknowledging the doctor’s presence. Rudy’s hand on his shoulder received a stinging slap, prompting the two men to inch forward.

“It’s okay fellows.” Rudy waved them back without unfastening his eyes off his patient. “Steve, talk to me.”

“Leave me alone,” Steve droned out as he shifted position and shut his eyes.

Rudy hung in head in defeat and hoisted himself up. As he turned to leave he heard Steve wailed Cassie’s name. Rudy silently hoped Oscar would bring the woman back home to help with the despondent man before he sank deeper into the dark abyss.

Oscar’s private jet landed in Montana in late afternoon. A car was standing by ready to drive him to his hotel in downtown Boulder. After settling in, he and his men followed directions to the remote cabin where Cassie waited patiently for their arrival.

“Hey! Anybody up there!” Jake shouted at the top of his lungs.

Upstairs, Cassie was lounging on the couch in front of the television. She heaved a sigh thick of aggravation, flung the blanket aside and rose to her feet. “What is it again?” she muttered peevishly under her breath, shuffling her feet heavily to the basement door. She grabbed the gun sitting on the hallway cupboard and tucked it inside her belt before heading down the wooden flight of stairs to check on her captive.

“What do you want again?” Cassie hissed with annoyance.

“Can I have some water, please? I’m thirsty,” Jake spoke in a monotone, an inflection that instantly sounded her inner alarm. She eyed him warily as she made her way to the dresser to pour a glass. She followed the dictates of her conscience warning her to approach the man with extreme caution. Despite Jake’s best efforts to conceal it, her trained eye was quick to spot the loose bond on the right wrist. She slid the gun halfway up her belt to have it at the ready in the likely event Jake should spring on her. She then perched herself on the edge of the bed to assist him in taking a draught of water while keeping her hawk eye on his wrists. “Had enough?” she said curtly.

He responded with a leer that made her skin crawl. He ran his tongue over his moist lips as he continued to undress her with his eyes. “That Austin is one lucky fella.”

“How do you figure that?”

“You’re his filly, ain’t ya?”

Cassie rolled her eyes in disgust. “Not that it’s any of your business, I’m no man’s filly; Austin isn’t getting any; I don’t give the milk for free.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“I don’t give a damn what you believe.” She sassed, standing from the bed and taking the gun to aim it at Jake’s head. “How about I wait with you for the cavalry to arrive?” she sneered, pulling the hammer back. . “It’ll save me from having to tighten those loose bonds.“ She motioned to his wrists with a slight toss of the head. She basked in the stunned expression etched on the man’s face.

“How did you know?”

“I’m more than just a pretty face,” she scoffed with a click of the tongue and a come-hither wink.

The sands of time trickled down in the hourglass as Cassie tried to collect helpful hints on the identity of the mastermind behind this elaborate operation. However Jake would remain tight-lipped, flashing occasional smirks to raise her ire. She finally relented and sat in restrained silence for the remainder of the afternoon.

A loud knock on the front door upstairs caught Jake’s attention. He shot his eyes open and glanced at Cassie seated leisurely on a chair. “Ain’t ya gotta answer it?”

“And leave you here alone to break loose? I’m a lot smarter than you give me credit for, pally,” she said with a crushing cynicism. “Besides my boss knows about the spare key. If no one answers he will let himself in. Don’t fret. He’ll find his way down here.” With her gun trained on Jake, she rose from the chair and sidled her way to the bottom of the stairs at the sound of footsteps above. “Down here, Oscar!” she shouted up, her hawk eye still glued onto Jake.

“Cassandra, you alright?” Oscar asked, concerned by the gun in her hand.

“Fine boss. Just peachy.” She secured the hammer on the shiny six-shooter and handed it over to Oscar while his three men handcuffed Jake and yanked him off the bed.

“Wait for me upstairs. I won’t be a minute.”

“Sure boss.” He turned to Jake and gave him a light shove up the stairs. “Come on!”

Once the four men disappeared from view, Cassie heaved a shuddering breath and plonked herself down on the bed. Oscar came to sit by her. “Care to tell me what happened?”

“It’s too long a story. Right now I want to know what’s happening with Steve.”

“I suspect that story stretches as far as yours. Come on,” he slipped his arm around her waist to assist her to her feet,” let’s go back to the hotel and freshen up. I’ll fill you in on the way.”

“What about my Joe?”

“My men will escort him back to Washington tonight and begin the interrogation.”

“I couldn’t fish anything out of him. He steadfastly refused to reveal his sources.”

“Don’t concern yourself. We’ll make him talk eventually. Right now it’s imperative we return to base in order to solve the conundrum of the two Cassandra Miller.”

“What do you mean conundrum? I’m the real deal,” she spoke bitterly.

“There’s no doubt in my mind you are but the boys back home don’t know that, including Steve. He thinks you betrayed him.”

“No!” He knows I would never do that.” She cringed at the thought of that impostor sewing the seed of doubt in her Blue Eyes’s mind.

“We’re noticeably dealing with a professional. Her plastic surgery is remarkable and her portrayal is flawless. She fooled everyone, even Steve.”

“We’ve got to go back, now.”

“Tomorrow.”

“It’s too late.”

“You can’t expect to charge in there and set thing straight. The wheels are in motion. We must tread very carefully and not risk wreaking havoc in their operation; otherwise we might lose our only chance at smoking out the head honcho who’s pulling the strings. We must first try to figure how to get you to see Steve without arousing suspicion.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Cassie conceded, bobbing her head forward in agreement. “Let’s go formulate that plan.”

They rose with the lark the next morning to catch their flight to Washington. Oscar arranged it with Rudy for the pseudo Agent Miller to be out of the building by their expected time of arrival.

Cassie’s nightmarish weeks paled in comparison to Steve’s. She was appalled at the decision to deactivate his bionic parts, though not surprised to learn the order came from Hanson. She fought to curb the consuming anger directed at her double for taking pleasure in destroying an abiding friendship she and Steve had forged in the last three years. She didn’t doubt her success at convincing Steve of her true identity, though she worried of her own reaction at seeing him in the pitiful condition Oscar described.

Following a smooth landing at Edwards Base, they were driven to the Pentagon and escorted up to the OSI offices under guard. They ensured that the coast was clear before heading down to Rudy’s lab where they found they good doctor reviewing the latest test results on his patient’s condition.

Rudy lifted his eyes from the chart to focus on the two visitors entering the room. “Cassandra?” Is that really you?”

“In the flesh. Is it so hard to tell?”

“It is actually. Obviously you haven’t met your look-alike.”

“I’m anxious to. I hear she’s a tough contender for the Cassandra Miller image award,” she scoffed with bitter sarcasm.

“She’s not around, is she?” Oscar enquired.

“Don’t worry. She isn’t.”

Inquisitive eyes roved around the room to catch sight of the black-and-white monitor showing Steve hunched against a corner of his padded cell. Her brow creased with growing concern as she edged up to the screen to get a closer look. “My God! Is that him?”

“Yeah,” Rudy replied sombrely.

“He looks like a zombie.”

“We’ve been keeping him heavily sedated for the past few days to get his depressive psychosis under control.”

“Depressive psychosis?”

“He’s prone to frequent bouts of aggression. He snubs his visitors and refuses to speak to anyone.”

“He’ll speak to me.” Cassie was resolute in her efforts to get through to Steve.

“The good news is that the latest test results show a decrease in the level of serotonin in his brain. We’re still keeping him sedated to avoid any sudden outburst.”

“Has she been in to see him today?” Cassie asked.

“Who? The other Cassandra? No she hasn’t. She usually brings him his lunch but not today. She and Steve had a fall out yesterday”

“That explains why he’s doing better. She must be the one doping his food.”

Rudy glanced at Oscar. “ That’s her theory.”

“It’s plausible,” Rudy agreed. “He seems more tense after his meals.”

“When can I see him?”

“Right now if you’re ready?”

She gave an affirmative nod of the head. “Let’s go.”

Rudy ushered Cassie out of the lab and into the adjacent padded cell. “Oscar and I will be watching you on the monitor. At first sign of trouble we’re coming in.”

“Thanks Rudy. We’ll be fine,” she assured with a smile. She waited for him to shut the door behind her before edging her way towards her catatonic friend curled up on the floor. “Steve,” she uttered in a soft tone, cocking her head to the side to gauge a reaction that never came. She crouched down inches from him and risked a hand on his shoulder. He twitched at her touch and pulled away. “Steve,” she insisted.

“Leave me alooooooooooone,” he droned out, cringing further in his corner.

“Steve, look at me.” She allowed a short beat before she barked the order, “ Steve, look at me!”

Her shout jarred him out of his torpor long enough for him to shoot her a glare. “I said leave me alone!” he muttered sullenly. “I told you I don’t want to see you anymore.”

“You told her; not me.”

“What? What are you talking about?” he hissed with a bemused expression.

“Look at me, Steve. Straight in the eyes.” She cupped his left cheek to level his dull blue to her seething dark brown. “What do you see?”

“Betrayal.”

“That’s not true.”

“Go away!” He slapped her hand sluggishly. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me, Blue Eyes.”

“I told you never to call me that again!” he spat.

“Listen to me. That Agent 35, the one you believe betrayed you? Well you’re right. She did.“ Cassie leaned forward to will his eyes to hers. “Steve, she’s a fake. An impostor. And a good one I’ve been told.”

Steve knitted his brow in utter confusion. “What?”

Cassie untucked the edge of her shirt from her trousers to show him the visible scar on her left thigh. “Remember that scar? The wound you stitched up yourself while we were on mission in Madagascar? We joked about this being the first time you saw me naked,” she chuckled at the vivid recollection. “And how you came to call me 35 after you mother died? That 1 to 35 scale on stubbornness?” Cassie could see Steve’s eyes clouding up with tears and his bottom lip quiver. “I was taken from my room at the lodge. I never made it back to Washington that Monday morning. It was a look-alike. She’s part of a conspiracy to make you the fall guy for the bank robbery in Montana. I’ve been held captive in a remoter cabin just like you have,” she expounded on a solemn quavering voice. “I managed to cut loose and contacted Oscar.”

“Cas…Cassie it’s…it’s really you?” he sobbed, his face crumpling. “It’s really you?”

She smiled her answer and fell into his awaiting arms. Their shuddering bodies melted into one, as they held onto each other in a soul-stirring embrace.

“I didn’t do what they are accusing me of.”

“We know you didn’t. Evidence of your innocence is trickling in.” She broke away from the clench and stoked his cheek. “I’m so sorry for what they put you through,” she deplored with a choked voice. She cupped his head in both her hands and gazed into his dewy eyes. “Blue Eyes believe me when I say that I would never intentionally hurt you emotionally or otherwise. I value our friendship more than anything I’ve ever treasured in my life.

He squished his eyelids together to squeeze out the tears. “I felt so alone.”

“We’re going to catch whoever did this?”

“How will you do that?”

“You want to help?” she asked with a mischievous grin.

“You bet. What do I have to do?”

“We already have my captor in custody but I doubt he’s ready to spill the beans just yet. We thought perhaps we’d have a better chance with our impersonator.”

“She’s a tough cookie.”

“Apparently she’s done her homework. I hear you two had a fall out yesterday.”

“Yeah.”

“We’ve got to move fast before she gets word of my escape.” Cassie churned an idea into mind.

“You get her down here on the pretence that I want to apologize for my rude behaviour.” Staring deadly ahead with a scorching predatory look and nostrils flaring, Steve ended on a leer, “She’s mine.”

...Continued