Moral Code
Part Three
By Aeris Jade Orion
aerisjade@worldnet.att.net

Rating: PG-13
Pairing: KW/KL, ensemble
Spoilers: Do I really need to answer that? Come on, now.



Romano slammed the receiver down into the cradle. Randi, on the other line, didn't look like she was having any more luck. Oh, someone was going to pay for this.

He spotted a resident darting by, trying to drop off a chart at the desk while avoiding any contact with the Chief of Staff. "Carter!"

The young man stopped short and slowly turned to face him. "Yes, Dr. Roma--"

Romano handed him a list. "You've got five minutes to pack a box with these supplies, or you're fired. Go."

Carter blinked in surprise. "Sure, but what's the big..."

Randi swiveled in her chair and snapped, "You heard him, GO!"

Romano watched with grim pleasure as the resident glanced from him, to Randi, to the list and back, then take off. Carter obviously didn't understand what was going on, but at least he knew when to shut up and follow orders. If Robert wanted Carter's opinion, he'd give it to him.

The agent would be here in a few minutes to pick it up. If those morons let anything happen to Weaver, then they were going to pay a high price, a very high price.



Kim carefully folded the wet napkin around the stem of the rose and stepped off the elevator. She was supposed to have met Kerry for lunch five minutes ago, and was running late. She just hoped that the romantic in Kerry would see the rose and forgive her. They'd only been dating for three days, and she didn't want to get in trouble so soon.

She scanned the ER for the short redhead, and seeing she wasn't there, she entered the lounge. The desk clerk was talking very softly with Romano next to the table, while struggling to get a coffee machine working, but no redhead was there to be found. "Randi, have you seen Kerry?"

The desk clerk paled noticeably, looking up from the useless machine and looked at Romano. "Ummm..."

He leaned against the nearby counter and smiled, but she could see that it was forced. "May I ask what's so important?"

"We're supposed to meet for lunch." She raised the rose so he could see it. She had the feeling that something was wrong.

His smile faded as he took in the single rose. "Randi. Go see if the agent is here yet."

She nodded gratefully, gave the coffee machine one more spiteful thump, and exited. Outside, Kim could hear her talking to Malucci, but her attention was on Romano. He was considering her, as if debating whether to tell her something important. "What is it?" she asked.

"You're, ah, pretty close to Kerry Weaver, aren't you, Dr. Legaspi?"

Kim had put up with Romano's insinuations about her social life before, but this sounded different. He was honestly concerned. "Yes. Has something happened...?"

Robert stared at the psychiatrist with a maturity that made her stomach flip. "Yes," he said at last. "This is strictly between us, but I guess you deserve to know."

She had seen this man in all kinds of situations, and she had never seen him react like this. Normally, some sign of compassion in him would have been an improvement, but now it just made her heart freeze...



Carter eyed Randi suspiciously as he handed her the heavy box of supplies. "Here you go," he said with a forced smile. "Man, Romano's really in a mood today, huh? What's set him off this time?"

"None of your business, Carter," she snapped. "You ever think maybe he's just trying to do his job?"

"Uh, I..."

"So why don't you just shut up and go do yours?" She gave him a frosty glare, then turned and carried the box into the lounge, leaving the young resident completely baffled.

This was weird. Randi hated Romano. No, that wasn't quiet right. She truly and totally despised him. She had even drawn out with shocking detail what she would do to him if given half the chance. And yet, suddenly, she had been like his right arm. Being incredibly cooperative, serious, and...KIND to him. Loyal to the point of being protective. Which only meant one thing: Hell had frozen over.

That, or...she wasn't Randi. She was really some sort of alien body snatcher planning on taking over the world. The only question was, which one was it?

"Hey, Carter. Have you noticed something unusual about Randi and Romano today?"

Carter turned to Dave Malucci. "You noticed it too, huh?"

"Yeah! All of a sudden she's, like, his Girl Friday or something. Think maybe they did it, and now she's in love or somethin'?"

"Nah, she wouldn't so much as let him lick her shoes. I figure, it's either demonic possession or some kind of mind control. You know, brainwashing?"

Malucci looked up and down the hallway, making sure no one else was close enough to overhear - and looking very suspicious in the process - and then leaned closer. "Got a pretty light patient load right now," he muttered. "Whattaya say we snoop around, look into it a little?"

"What, like the Hardy Boys?"

"Who?"

"Never mind."

(** On reflection, I could see Carter going along with this bit, but I think the idea would be more likely to originate with Dave. I switched dialogue accordingly, but switch it back if you disagree. **)

Dave slapped Carter on the back, and pulled him close to him. "Our objective is to penetrate their defenses and find out what they're planning. Now it could be risky, and one or both of us may not come out of this alive. We may have to sacrifice ourselves to beautiful women, and endure hours of physically stressful...activity. We may have to kill the evil Dr. Bald... Are you with me?"

Carter stared at him intently and held out his hand. He didn't participate in Dave's shenanigans often, but this one was in a worthy cause. Plus, it sounded like fun. "I'm with you."

Malucci smiled at the other man, and took his hand. "Welcome to the team, Agent Carter."

"Agent Malucci."



"Agent Barrows." The federal negotiator held up his identification and smiled patiently at Erin. "Do you need any food or drink while we wait?"

Erin smiled back. "What kind of food?"

Barrows, an older man, took a step forward with his hands held up. "Anything you want."

Erin brushed a single strand of strawberry blond hair back into place. "Lot of cops out there," she mused. "Got any doughnuts?"

"Sure. We can bring in some doughnuts."

Erin puckered her lips, said, "I hate doughnuts," and then fired.

Kerry flinched at the sound of the gunshot, unable to take her eyes off the negotiator as he fell to the ground, dead. She'd warned Agent Hall about Erin's temperament, and he'd shrugged it off, claiming that she would never attack a government agent. For once she wished that she had been wrong. "Was that really necessary?" she snarled at Erin, forgetting her own danger.

Erin glared down at her, her hand clenching the gun a little too tightly for comfort. "I didn't ask your opinion. Now shut up and do your job."

Kerry went back to checking her patient's vitals as best as she could. David Truman was only semiconscious, drifting in and out of shock. The gunshot may not have been that bad, and his earlier wound was only a cut on his arm, like he might have gotten breaking through a windowpane, but it would kill him if he didn't get some sort of treatment soon.

The sound of a cell phone ringing broke the tense silence. Kerry glanced up none intrusively as Erin answered it and started talking softly. "...it's set for five o'clock. No, no one knows... I will..." Erin's face turned red with anger. "Don't you dare tell me how to do my job...!" She cut the phone off and replaced it in her pocket. Obviously having forgotten about her audience.

The hostages stared intently at her, catching her eye. "What the hell are you staring at?" Erin asked, and fired twice into a salesman's chest. The other hostages screamed and cowered as she emptied the clip into the sales counter above their heads. Shards of glass rained down, mixing with the salesman's blood.

Kerry found herself on her feet without willing it. "STOP IT!!" she screamed.

Erin was on her in a flash, the dead detective's gun appearing in her other hand, aimed right between Kerry's eyes. "You have a problem with me, now, Doc?"

Terror knifed through Kerry, but she pushed it aside. "No more killing," she grated, "or I won't help David."

For a moment, she was afraid she might have pushed Erin too far with that ultimatum, as Erin stepped right up to her, the cold metal of the gun jabbing into her forehead...

The cell phone rang again. Erin whipped it out with her free hand, but didn't lower the gun. "I TOLD YOU...!!"

Kerry held her breath and waited for the bullet.

"Oh," Erin said, suddenly calmer. She took the gun away and held up the phone. "It's your fed friend," she said conversationally. "Your supplies are here. Bring 'em back in, or I'll kneecap one of your friends over here."

Kerry dropped her eyes and nodded, relinquishing the argument over David. The last thing she needed was to be killed in a fit of rage. Under her breath she began to pray, to whatever god was listening.



Kim sat at the table, trying to get her thoughts together. Romano had given her a few minutes alone, saying he would have a trauma room prepared, just in case. He tactfully didn't say why. Romano had assured her, she smiled slightly, he'd actually assured her that as long as Erin Truman's husband David was alive that Kerry would stay that way, too. But Kim had figured out that the woman holding Kerry hostage had no intention of letting anyone go.

The news report had said that she'd taken a number of hostages, including Kerry. Some had been killed already, including a cop. She'd even killed the police negotiator, a harmless older man. The lives of the others seemed to be measured in the health of her husband. The problem was no one was sure how badly hurt he was. For all they knew he could be dying right now, which meant Kerry would follow.

Kim turned to pour a cup of coffee, then remembered that the machine wasn't working. She bowed her head. Why did things like this always happen when she was happy?



"She said something about five o'clock."

Agent Hall pounded his fist into the hood of his car lightly. "Did she say where?"

"No." Kerry checked her watch once more. Damn, she was almost out of time. "I've got to get back inside."

The agent glanced at the store, judging Erin's line of sight. Making sure his hands were hidden behind the supply box perched on the hood of his car, he whispered urgently, "All right, Dr. Weaver, you may be our last resort."

"What are you talking about?"

Hall reached under the cuff of his suit trousers and unsnapped an ankle holster, drawing a small automatic pistol. "This is loaded, with a round in the chamber," he explained, showing it to Kerry behind the box. "Just flip down the thumb safety, there, and fire."

Her eyes widened.

He put the safety back on, then reversed the pistol and held it out to her, grip-first. "Try to find out where, and then..."

"I won't take a life," Kerry cut in sharply.

"Dr. Weaver..."

"No. I'm a doctor, I save lives, not take them." Kerry turned away from him and tried to pick up the box. It was too bulky for her to manage. "I won't kill. Not now, not ever."

Hall grabbed her arm and turned her back to face her. "Dammit, Dr. Weaver, we may not have another option!"

She glared up at the agent, refusing to compromise. "I'll get you your location, but if you want them executed, then do it yourself!"

He exhaled angrily, then released her and picked up the box himself. She let him carry it to the doorway, then took it carefully from him.

As she took it, she felt his hand slide under her jacket in back and slip the gun into her waistband. She threw a look of protest at him, but didn't speak; if she said anything now, Erin would hear.

Hall stepped back away from the store's doorway, showing empty hands, and walked backward to the safety of the police cordon. His eyes remained on Kerry's, telling her what she had to do.

Kerry stared hard at him. Damn him, he'd forced the issue upon her.

Erin let her in, but stood back, giving her no help with the box as she wrestled it over to where David lay. Kerry dumped it on the floor and took in the sight of the bodies laying against the left wall. They'd only been dead for two hours but there was still a stench starting to come from them.

She felt the gun pressed at the base of her spine. She'd never used one, but at close range it would hardly matter. And it might be the only way to save her own life and those of the others. But it would mean crossing a line, giving up a piece of herself.

Erin's icy blue eyes meet hers sharply. There was no compassion there, no love, nothing but dry, cold death.

'Would it really be that hard? '



Aeris Jade Orion
AIM: Aeris Jade
ICQ: 51496263
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Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/aeris3996

 " This act hasn't been seen in 20 years, and if i'm any judge of talent it will never be seen again."
- Theres no business, like show business