October 22, 1986
General Apparel Industries
Sorrento Valley
San Diego, Ca
It is six-fifteen and Rose Barton is late for work again. She has worked at General Apparel Industries in the mailroom for six months. She lives with her mother and eighteen month old son. It was about eight months ago that Rose’s stepfather passed away. That was when her mother told her that she either had to get a job or get out. Rose did what she had to do but she hates her job but has learned to make the best of it.
When she first began in the mailroom she was at the bottom, delivering mail throughout the building to employees. The building is large and she spent most of the day on her feet. Rose is not a very attractive girl but she thinks she is the most beautiful girl in the world. Her confidence is something she can impress on others, especially weak minded men. It is a talent she perfected in High School. Rose has used her talents of persuasion on her supervisor to give her what she considered a more suitable job for herself.
Like most mornings Rose’s supervisor, Bill Strobe waits in his office eagerly for her to arrive. But this morning is different when she strolls in twenty minutes late. “Rose we have a problem,” Bill tells her stepping behind her to close the door.
“Don’t be a drama queen there is no problem you can’t solve,” Rose tells him as she flops down in a chair to put her feet up on his desk. She gives him a clear view up her short mini skirt.
The sight of her snug pink panties is a distraction to him but reality quickly sets back in. “I think Mr. Holden knows about our arrangement,” Bill says nervously still staring up her skirt.
“Don’t be a fool, no one knows anything!” Rose insists spreading her feet apart on the desk to give him a better look.
“Holden called me to his office last night and threatened to fire me.” Bill explains collapsing into his desk chair. “He thinks I am taking advantage of you sexually.” “Giving you easy work for sexual favors.”
Rose grins standing up from the chair across from him. She strolls around behind him to rub his neck and shoulders. “That is not at all what is happening,” Rose says coolly.
“Isn’t it?” Bill questions nervously as he enjoys the rubbing of his shoulders and neck.
“Not at all, you are not taking advantage of me one bit,” Rose says. “It is I who is taking advantage or you to get what I want.” “There is a difference.” “I don’t give a shit what you want, I only do what I need to get what I want.”
Rose’s cold words don’t even appear to phase Bill Strobe. He doesn’t care why she does what she does, he only likes that she is doing it to him. “You need to explain to him that I am not a predator,” Bill says as he moans slightly. “He wants to see you in his office at eight am sharp!”
Leaning forward to whisper in his ear, she says, “Don’t you worry I will take care of Mr. Holden.”
Eileen McCoy’s Apartment
Southeastern, San Diego, Ca
It is the morning after the first night Eileen and Corey have spent together since he completed his rehab. He has been back to work for two weeks now but it has been hard for Eileen to trust him again until last night. After making love she finally feels it is time to tell him her secret. Dressed in full uniform she sits on the edge of her bed waiting for him to come out from the shower.
Then he walks into her bedroom wearing only a damp towel wrapped around his waist. He has put on a few pounds while getting clean and it shows, but she likes it. Corey is still the sexiest man in the world to her, even more so that he conquered his demons for their marriage. “Wow, dressed already?” he comments to her. “I thought you might be up for a before work tumble.” As he moves to get dressed, she kneels down on the floor next to her bed to retrieve something from under it. “What are you up to now?” he asks.
“I had my session with Dr. Cain yesterday afternoon,” Eileen begins. “You know when Redmayne first insisted I see a therapist after you went out on leave I thought it might be just her trying to get in my head.” “At first I was resistant to the mandated sessions, but in a way the time I have spent with Dr. Cain has helped me,” she tells him lifting the metal box, that she now knows is alien in nature, from the floor under the bed.
“How so?” Corey asked pulling on his underwear. He is concerned that she has rethought their marriage and last night was not a welcome home but a goodbye.
“She has helped me to realize that I need to share more with you and not just pieces of who I am but everything.” “That is why I have something to show you,” “I have a secret too, although it is not as life altering as yours was.” “In comparison it seems almost silly.” “But we can have no secrets now if we are going to make this work.” Corey recognizes the box instantly. It is the one for which Cifredo has been searching for years. But the truly startling thing is Corey has looked under that bed only a few days ago when searching Eileen’s apartment and found nothing.
Corey plays it off as if he knows nothing, “What is that?” he asks pulling on his uniform pants.
“It was my grandfather’s,” Eileen tells him. “I really don’t know why I keep it but I can’t seem to get rid of it.”
“So what is inside it?” Corey asks buttoning his shirt trying to look uninterested but really wanting Eileen to solve the mystery.
She sits running her fingers over the engraving on the box. “I don’t know, I’ve never been able to open it.”
Eileen’s answer is a let down that he can not hide. Knowing what is in that box could be the biggest piece of leverage he could get against Cifredo. “So why don’t we open it now?” he asks sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.
“Honestly, I don’t know how,” Eileen replies sadly. “But it has never mattered to me.” “Until now.”
“Why, what changed?” Corey asks his curiosity peaked.
“When I first got the box I would have dreams about a strange old man,” Eileen begins. “In the dreams the old man would encourage me and tell me I was the one.”
“The one what?” Corey asks.
“I have no idea,” Eileen says, “I never really gave it much thought.” “Until I saw that man in real life, or rather thought I did.”
“What do you mean, when?” Corey exclaims in surprise.
“Remember the first case I told you Redmayne sent me on alone?” Eileen questions.
“You mean when I was first detoxing?” Corey replies. “When Nick Newton died.”
“I didn’t tell you all of the story, I left out a few details,” Eileen explains. “There was this weird guy, Ben that kept showing up at the places I would go to investigate.” “I tried to ditch him several times, but every time I turned around there he was.”
“So he was the old guy from your dreams?” Corey asks in confusion.
“No, no, Ben was far from old, I’d say he was in his twenties,” Eileen tells her husband who gets a jealous look on his face. “Oh please, give me a break it was nothing like that.” “We ended up trailing Newton to a guy on Newton’s list at the Cosgrove Corporate Center.” “Turned out the guy’s name was Antonio Cifredo.” Corey is surprised at the mention of the name. “Antonio Cifredo was my mother’s father, who I thought was dead for years, so you can imagine how eager I was to meet him.”
“Oh, and did you?” Corey says also eager to hear his wife’s answer.
“Turns out my grandfather lived longer than I thought,” Eileen explains telling Corey something he already knows. “He left my grandmother to start a second family of which ‘Tony Cifredo’ was his grandson too.” “Making him my half-cousin.”
“So where is your grandfather now?” Corey asks hoping that his wife has figured out the truth.
“Dead, he finally did die a few years back,” Eileen tells Corey. “The most important thing I learned was that Tony also had a gift for his grandfather like I did from my Dad’s dad.” “Tony had a bracelet that had the same emblem as this one on the box.” Eileen traces the emblem on the box still focused on figuring out what it all means. “The bracelet turned out to be a,” she stops herself from saying it out loud. “A weapon,” she finally says.
“What kind of weapon?” Corey asks. “Do you think that is what is in the box?” He asks taking the metal case for her grasp. He looks at the case for a way to open it, finding none.
“I don’t know what is in that box, but if it is a weapon it is ten times bigger than the one Tony had,” Eileen tells him.
General Apparel Industries
Sorrento Valley
San Diego, Ca
It didn’t take long before the other workers became suspicious of the treatment Rose Barton was getting. One of the men working in the mailroom went to the Plant manager, Martin Holden, about what was happening with Rose. Mr. Holden was angry at what he heard from the worker. Unlike Strobe, Holden was a family man with a wife and three children. He would get to the bottom of this business with Rose Barton.
That is why Rose now sits outside of the Plant manager’s office waiting to see him. “Ms. Barton, you can come in now,” Mr. Holden says opening his office door. Rose enters the office knowing full well why she has been summoned. She has only met Mr. Holden once or twice, but she is confident that she can make him see things her way. “Have a seat Ms. Barton,” Mr. Holden instructs the young woman.
Rose takes a seat in the chair in front of the desk. She crosses her legs seductively, her mini skirt riding high on her thighs as Mr. Holden takes his place behind his desk. “So, what is this all about Mr. Holden?” Rose says bluntly.
Holden glares at the woman disapproving of her attitude. “It has been brought to my attention that you have been receiving unusual treatment, is this true?” Mr. Holden quizzes calming.
“Where might you have heard that, Mr. Holden?” She asks answering his quiz with a question. Rose stands up from the chair strolling around behind it. She leans forward teasing with her cleavage. “I wouldn’t believe everything you hear from silly jealous men.”
Noticeably uncomfortable Mr. Holden says, “Let me get to the point, is Mr. Strobel making you do anything against your will?”`
Rose only smiles and moves around Mr. Holden’s desk behind him to place her hands on his shoulders. “Believe me, I don’t do anything I don’t want to do,” she whispers in his ears. “What is it that I can do for you to assure you there is no problem here?” Rose slides her hand down Mr. Holden’s chest toward his belt.
“Now see here young lady!” Holden exclaims jumping up from his seat pushing the girl away. “I will have none of that, I am a married man!”
Corey Byrnes Apartment
La Jolla, San Diego, Ca
Corey brings Eileen a slice of pizza on a plate as she sits on his sofa sipping a glass of wine. “Thank you, sweetheart” she says taking the plate. All around her packed up boxes are stacked. “I’m glad you are moving out of here.”
“Frankly I can’t afford it now,” Corey replied sitting down next to her with a beer and slice. “I just wish we could move in together.”
“That would be even less wise now that Redmayne is in charge,” Eileen says washing down her pizza with a gulp of wine. “I don’t trust her one bit.”
“Have you managed to contact that guy in Philly?” he asks.
“Tried a couple of times, got no call back,” she tells him. “I think she is somehow stopping me from talking to him.”
“What have you found out about her in the past two months that she has been sending you on these off the books cases?” Corey asks.
“She’s married and her husband works for the commissioner’s office,” Eileen explains. “I think that is how she is getting away with all of this shit.” “I can’t prove any of it but it is the only way I can explain it.”
“I wish you had told me about all of this when it was happening,” Corey says sitting his empty beer bottle on a box.
“You weren’t in the best place then,” Eileen says laying her head on his chest, unbuttoning his shirt. “It has only been three cases, one of them wasn’t even a Zeni-human.” “If you knew what I was doing it would have only made you rehab harder.” She slides her hand inside his shirt to caress his smooth chest. “Enough shop talk, I’ve missed having a husband.” Eileen looks up to his face to kiss him.
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Corey moans as she moves her hand down inside his pants.
The home of Joan and Rose Barton
Mira Mesa,
San Diego, Ca
It is late when Rose arrives home from work and her mother is not happy. “Where the hell have you been?” Joan Barton shouts from the kitchen where she feeds her grandson as Rose comes in the door. “Out slutting around again I assume!”
“Not now mother!” Rose shouts from the living room as she turns on the television.
“Don’t tell me not now, you little whore!” Joan shout getting up from the kitchen table. The baby starts to cry as Joan storms into the living room. “You birthed this bastard and if you think I’m going to take care of him night after night while you are out screwing around, you are crazier than you look!”
“Shut up mother, Just shut up!” Rose shouts at her mother. She looks to her screaming 18 month old son in his high chair. Rose Barton feels nothing at the sight of the distraught child. The child is the product of a rape that her mother believes she encouraged. Rose has no idea who the boy’s father is and she doesn’t care. “That thing is only here because you wouldn’t pay for an abortion!” Rose shouts turns her attention back to surfing the television channels to find a News report.
“You are a worthless piece of shit!” her mother continues to yell and berate her. “I should have aborted you!”
Rose throws the remote to the floor breaking it. “I am so sick of your shit!” she shouts stomping off to her bedroom not giving any care to anything her mother has said or the cries of the child.
University City
San Diego, Ca
It is midday as Officer McCoy rides and Officer Byrnes drives in their patrol car when the call comes in, “Red-421, report to General Apparel Industries, Lusk Blvd, Sorrento Valley, ASAP.”
“That’s us,” Eileen says reaching for the lights and siren. “I had hoped I was done with this when you came back to work.”
“No, it’s not,” Corey replies. “Our car is Tor-124.”
“It is, but Red-421 is the code for one of Redmayne’s special assignments,” Eileen explains as she opens a hidden compartment in the dashboard. “Guess Redmayne has included you with or without your agreement.” Inside the compartment is a switch that she flips that instantly changes the letters and numbers on the car. Next to switch is a small metal device.
“What is that?” Corey asks. “Isn’t that the compartment where the airbag is supposed to be?”
“Yes, that’s what I asked when Redmayne did this ‘upgrade’.” “The button changes the call numbers on our car in case our arrival at the scene is a problem,” Eileen explains.
“No that other thing there?” Corey asks.
“It’s some kind of weapon,” Eileen tells her partner. “I’ve never used it but Redmayne calls it the equalizer.” Eileen closes the compartment saying, “I was only going to use it as a last resort.”
Corey changes their route to head for I-805 to get to Sorrento Valley. “So how does this work?” “I mean what do we do when we get there?”
“Mostly just blend in and observe,” Eileen tells her partner. “We need to look for something out of the ordinary that everyone else is missing.” “We follow any leads that might explain the unexplainable.” “There is a chance this isn’t even Zeni-human related.” “But Redmayne has had a good record so far.” “I would love to know how she chooses these cases.”
Southeastern Police Division Headquarters
San Diego, Ca
Lt. Redmayne sits in her office viewing and listening to the events that take place inside Byrnes and McCoy’s patrol car on her computer through another upgrade she had added, a hidden camera. McCoy’s curiosity intrigues Redmayne but her continued mistrust is a problem. Perhaps if she allowed McCoy to talk to Steve Roberts it would calm the officer’s feelings of mistrust. Or at least allow her to talk to someone she believes is Roberts. Redmayne know full well that the real Roberts would not tell Officer McCoy anything that would help her gain the cop’s trust.
The obstacle is that McCoy is very sharp and becoming sharper every day, tricking her would not be easy. McCoy spent several days with the real Steve Roberts, a phone call might not be enough. It would have to be a personal appearance using someone completely indistinguishable from the real man.
Redmayne looks to a fire-lock box that sits in the corner of her office. Many cops in management have such a case filled with files of cases that they just couldn’t let go. Janet Redmayne’s is different, it is larger than most and contains things other than files. She retrieves the case bringing it to her desk. She keys in the code to open the lockbox. The inside of the box it is more like a medical storage container. There are many strange instruments and vials of weird samples. Redmayne removes one of the vials containing an orange jelly that is labeled, Steve Roberts.
General Apparel Industries
Sorrento Valley
San Diego, Ca
Officer McCoy and Byrnes arrive at the Industrial Center a little after 10 am. The compound is large but finding the crime scene is not as hard. Six police cars parked outside the main entrance makes their destination clear. The partners get out of their car and head into the building. Inside they find a large reception area with a large abstract art piece in the center that sprays water down into a raised basin. The area is filled with many people standing around. Several cops stand at the doors preventing anyone from leaving while others stand at the sides of the room as if on guard. There is a security desk straight ahead on the other side of the fountain. Beyond that an elevator to the right next to it. To the left is a fire stairs access door and in either direction are corridors with directory signs.
Corey and Eileen enter unhindered, they are just two more San Diego cops arriving at the crime scene. “First thing we do is find someone we know to discreetly ask what is going on,” Eileen suggests. As they make their way around the reception area Eileen looks at the face of each uniformed officer. She does not recognize anyone. Eileen and Corey are out of their precinct and not knowing any of the patrolmen makes it clear just how out of their element they really are.
“Reed, Reed is that you?” Eileen hears Corey say as she turns to see her partner walking toward a tall dark patrolman. The man reaches out to shake Corey’s hand. Eileen sometimes forgets how long her partner has been on the force and how many other cops he must know. She also almost forgot that there are more benefits to this partnership than just good loving.
“Byrnes, when did you transfer in?” Officer Reed asks as Eileen approaches.
“Recently,” Corey replies briefly. “What’s going on here?”
“Some guy went all postal in the mailroom killed his supervisor and then the plant manager,” Officer Reed explains. “He’s upstairs hold up with hostages and a gun.” As Eileen listens to Officer Reed and Corey continue to talk as she eyes up the rest of the people in the room. One thing that stands out to her, if the perp is still upstairs than why are there three Detectives interviewing a girl over by the stairs so intently?
“What is the deal with the girl over by the stairs?” Eileen asks Reed.
“You mean that smoking hot chick?” Reed asks. Eileen does not claim to be any judge on beauty but that girl is far from smoking hot in her opinion. In fact she doesn’t see anyone around that would fit that description.
“No, the one with the three suits talking to her,” Eileen adds.
“That’s the one I’m talking about,” Reed replies. “Your partner sure doesn’t know hot when she sees it, does she?” Reed comments to Corey who just chuckles. “She works in the mailroom with the shooter and one of the dead guys is all I know.”
Eileen takes a moment to think and then she pulls Corey away from his old cop buddy. “Something is not right here,” she tells him. “A simple hostage situation is not something Redmayne would send us to check out.” “There is something up with that girl.”
“Why because she is so beautiful,” Corey comments. “I can’t believe after all of this time I get to see your jealous side.”
“Oh no, not you too,” Eileen grumbles. “That girl is not hot or beautiful.” “She obviously has some kind of power over men.” She can tell that Corey isn’t even looking at her but past her to the girl. This is out of control she thinks, why am I seeing something different than all these men? “Here listen to this.” Eileen says taking her partner’s arm to walk over to another female officer standing nearby. “See the girl the Detectives are talking to?” The officer nods. “What do you think of her?”
The other woman gets a sad look on her face to say, “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever been so jealous of someone in my life.” “I wonder what brand of skin care she uses.” Eileen is shocked by her fellow officer’s response.
“See jealous,” Corey grins.
“This is ridiculous!” Eileen exclaims walking away.
Corey follows after her, “Come on babe, don’t be like that.”
“She is our target so try to keep it in you pants,” Eileen accuses. “Once she is alone we are going, no I am going to question her, find out what is really going on here.”
Just then the sound of gunfire echoes into the room. Before all of the people in the open room can scramble for cover several people are shot, civilians and cops alike fall to the floor. Several bodies splash into the fountain basin as McCoy and Byrnes dive for cover behind the raised sides. Both officers scramble for their guns to peak up over the edge of the marble wall.
“Shit!” “He’s got an assault weapon!” Corey absorbs. “Where did he get a freaking assault rifle?”
“Looks like standard issue to me,” Eileen comments sinking back down behind the wall to hide.
“What, you think its one of ours?” Corey shouts over the continued gunfire. Bullets fly all around the room and ricochet off to the sculpture they hide behind. “We need a plan.”
“We are not the only cops here and making our presence know could be a problem for us,” Eileen tells her eager partner.
“So what do you propose?” Corey asks an eyebrow raised.
Looking over at the girl huddled behind a large arm chair she says, “We take that girl and get out of here!” Several other cops begin firing back at the suspect giving McCoy and Byrne the cover they need to act. Eileen makes her move running across the lobby her gun poised for action. “You are coming with us!” Eileen says pointing her gun in the girl’s face.
Corey follows after his secret wife, “Ease up.”
“I am going nowhere with you!” Rose states firmly. “I want to see how this turns out!” she glares at Eileen.
The cop smiles back at her, “Your little trick doesn’t work on me!” “Let’s go!” Eileen grabs Rose’s arm and drags her toward the door.
“You will pay for this!” Rose threatens Officer McCoy as bullets fly all around. Eileen pays the woman’s threats no mind as she drags her from her all too safe hiding place.
“Eileen are you out of your mind?” Corey calls to her as he trails them toward the door. Suddenly Eileen stops in the middle of the room. She and Rose are in the direct line of the gunman’s fire. The gunman looks at Rose and he stops firing.
“I would say I am right on track!” Eileen says turning to drag Rose out of the building. Outside Eileen throws Rose in the back of their car. She jumps into the driver’s seat as Corey hurries to get in the car as she starts it.
“Eileen you are acting irrationally,” Corey says as they roar out of the parking lot.
“You should really listen to your partner,” Rose says from the back seat.
“Shut up!” Eileen says.
“No, Pullover,” Corey says pointing his gun at Eileen.
The Police Commissioner’s office
San Diego, Ca
Janet Redmayne walks into the building as if she owns the place. She struts to the elevator and presses the button for the third floor. The office of Robert Redmayne is her destination. The receptionist greets her, “Good Afternoon, Ms. Redmayne.”
In her hand she carries the fire-box from her office. “Lt. Redmayne,” she corrects as she walks past the woman to her husband’s office.
“Go right in, he is waiting for you,” the embarrassed receptionist tells her.
“Take a long lunch, we do not wish to be disturbed!” Janet Redmayne says storming into her husband’s office. She enters the office locking the door behind. Janet turns to find her husband awaiting her arrival. “Administrative mode,” she announces. Neither speak again as she places her case on the desk. Robert Redmayne begins to remove his suit and tie casting it to the floor. When he stands nude, she takes a large knife from inside the case. Janet moves around behind him slicing into the flesh on the back of his head. She guides the knife down his skull to his neck and spine. She carves several inches in peeling the skin like an avocado from its pit.
Robert Redmayne shows no sign of pain as he reaches back to grasp the bloodless edges of his flesh cleaved by his wife. He pulls away the shell of flesh that conceals his true form underneath. As the shell is shed to the floor a fluoric cyborg is revealed. The Guardian as Steve Roberts called him was created on Themyscira as a failsafe protector of the island. Janet Redmayne’s alien Nanotech invaded the cyborg seizing control of it making it her slave. Having been rendered unconscious, Steve had no idea what she had done making it all the easier to use the cyborg to pose as her husband. It was pure ego that made her retain the name Redmayne for both false identities.
Janet almost smiles as the fleshy husk falls to the floor. Without contact to the cyborg the flesh quickly turns to ash on the carpeted floor. The albino skinned automaton stands revealed in front of his master. His strange appearance is out of place in the municipal office. He turns to silently face his devious controlling wife.
Next Janet takes the vial of jelly labeled Steve Roberts from the fire-safe to hold it up. “This is the remnants of the parasite that was in Steve Roberts.” “You need to extract Roberts’ DNA from it and use that to create a new skin. She hands the vial to the fluoric cyborg, who drinks it down in one gulp.
Carroll Canyon Rd
Sorrento Valley
San Diego, Ca
Officer McCoy leads the way as the three people walk away from the side of the road into a wooded area. “You have quite a gift don’t you, young lady,” Officer McCoy says to Rose Barton who walks along holding Officer Byrnes’ arm.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about,” Rose replies smiling.
“I can see you for what you are, small, weak and unattractive,” Officer McCoy tells Rose. “I seem to be the only one who can, everyone else sees something totally different when they look at you.”
“That is why this handsome Officer is going to make it so you can tell no one else what it is you see,” Rose tells Officer McCoy.
“Do you really believe that you are that strong?” Officer McCoy asks as she stops walking and turns to look at the troll of a girl. Corey has a look of complete infatuation in his eyes. Eileen wonders if he has even heard the conversation she has been having with the girl that clings to his arm. “So you are admitting that you are responsible for that man killing those men at General Apparel.”
“I admit nothing, Jim Ritter did that all on his own,” Rose responds confidently. “Funny how fine the line is between love and hate,” Rose ponders. “I guess passion is passion, be it love or hate.” “Jim Ritter hated me, tried to make trouble for me with the bosses.”
“You couldn’t have that could you,” Officer McCoy comments.
“I think I have heard enough from you!” Rose says angrily. “Officer Byrnes is it?” “Make her be quiet, permanently!”
Eileen stands there silent as her partner and secret husband aims his service revolver at her face. She can’t even bring herself to draw her gun against the man she loves with all of her heart. The thought that he would murder her in cold blood is more than she comprehend. She has to believe that he loves her enough to resist this bitch’s power.
“Maybe I wasn’t clear enough for you I said shoot her!” Rose demands.
Corey’s hand trembles as he holds the gun on Eileen. Tears stream down Eileen’s face as she says, “Corey you can’t do this I love you!”
“And he loves you!” Corey spins to hold his gun on a man in his late sixties with a bushy mustache and mutton chop sideburns. He wears cowboy boots, ragged old jeans and a flannel shirt. Dirty blonde hair sprouts from under an old baseball cap as he speaks again, “If he were to kill you my dear he would not know that love again for the rest of his life.” “More importantly her death would cause a turn of events that would bring a war that will create hell on Earth.”
The four people stand silent in the woods for several minutes before Rose’s anger boils over. “Get out of here old man or I will have him kill you next!”
“Oh I know, in fact once he kills the woman he loves, he will never be able to escape you,” the older man says as if he knows the future.
“Perhaps then I can find a better use for you Daddy?” Rose smiles turning on her charms.
The old guy smiles at the seductress, “Your talents don’t work on me any better than Officer McCoy here.”
“Then kill them both,” Rose shouts, “Starting with the Bitch!”
Corey turns his gun back to Eileen whose face is wet with tears now. “Corey you can’t do this you have to fight her!” “See her for the ugly troll she is!”
Officer Byrnes stands motionless his finger on the trigger of his gun and sweat pouring down his forehead, He looks in her sad, red rimmed eyes. Then he looks to the Sam Elliot want to be. There is a glimmer in the old man’s eyes. Corey doesn’t know if it is a reflection of the sun or something much more important. Then he looks to Rose as if he is seeing her for the first time.
Feeling as if she is losing control of the situation Rose roars again, “Kill them you stupid man!”
Corey’s whole body begins to tremble, his knees buckle as he crumbles to the ground weeping. Eileen’s first instinct is to run to her husband but her sense of duty takes over. Officer McCoy draws her gun on Rose. “Don’t make a move troll!” Eileen says with a grin.
Southeastern Police Division Headquarters
Lt. Redmayne’s office
San Diego, Ca
“Redmayne,” the Lt. answers the phone with her usual irritated tone. “Very well send the ZH vehicle.” “Take her directly to the bunker, give her standard sudation on departure from the scene.” “Tell McCoy to report to my office on her return to the precinct.” The police Lt. hangs up the phone and leans back in her chair. She grins at the man sitting across the desk. “Everything goes as planned, she is on her way back.”
“Do you think she will believe this?” the man asks.
“Of course, in her current state she will believe almost anything,” Redmayne answers. “These Zeni-humans she has encountered so far are so low level she has no reason to doubt her own eyes.”
“Should we reveal what Steve Roberts is to her?” the man asks.
“No, not now, that could lead her to want to contact him again,” Redmayne scolds. “We need for her to lose interest in that man, not become enamored with him.” “She must be convinced that Steve Roberts completely trust me if I am ever going to get her to do the same.”
“And these Zeni-humans you have been collecting?” he asks.
“Won’t be missed,” Redmayne replied coldly.
Carroll Canyon Rd
Sorrento Valley
San Diego, Ca
Rose Barton in custody Officer McCoy finally gets the chance to ask the mysterious stranger, “Who are you, sir,”
“Chuck Hart, I’m just an old trucker looking to help out when I can,” the older man says.
“What you did to help my partner get free of that troll’s spell, thank you,” Eileen says modestly.
“Oh I didn’t do anything, he did that all by himself,” Chuck says looking over at Officer Byrnes sitting on the hood of the police car holding a bottle of cold water to his hand. “In the end his love for you was too strong for her to overcome.”
“You speak as if you know things,” Eileen queries.
“Just lucky guesses, I read people well,” Chuck replies modestly.
“You spoke of what would happen if my partner shot me, with a confidence I’ve heard only a few times in my life,” Eileen says. “You said something about a war that would bring hell on Earth.”
“Turn of phrase, just making it sound dramatic is all,” Chuck tells the Officer. “There is nothing special about me, I just want to help.” “It’s my curse you might say.” McCoy stares the man down. “If there is nothing else, I do still have a load to deliver,” Chuck says gesturing to his semi parked at the side of the road.
The trucker hasn’t committed any crime, in truth he saved her life. She would like to know more about this mysterious man, but she has no grounds to detain him here any longer. “If there are any further questions can I contact you through your trucking company?” Officer McCoy asks.
“Of course dear, Mikulski Trucking, just ask for Chuck Hart, they will know how to find me,” the trucker tell her.
“Very well then, on your way,” McCoy tells him. Chuck heads for his truck and Eileen walks back to the road to see Rose Barton taken away in a specially designed car sent by Redmayne to bring her in. As an extra precaution Rose’s mouth is gagged in hopes of preventing her from influencing anyone else to do things against their own will. As well as the sedation that Eileen knows nothing about.
“Redmayne wants you in her office,” Officer Byrnes tells his partner as she approaches the car.
“No surprise there,” Eileen says tossing him the keys. “Why don’t you drive.”
“You’re not afraid of me driving?” he asks.
“Don’t be ridiculous, of course not,” Eileen says. “I know you weren’t in control, it was her.” “Besides I am in no condition to drive right now.” She gets in the passenger side of the car as Corey slowly walks to the driver’s side his head hung low.
“I am so sorry, I don’t know how you can ever forgive me,” Corey says as they pull away from the side of the road. “I don’t know how I can ever forgive myself.”
“I guess I don’t have to ask if you believe in Zeni-humans now?” Eileen asks.
“I can’t even describe how she made me feel,” Corey says. “It was horrible, you there with tears in your eyes, me pointing my gun at you.” “You pleading for your life.” “I didn’t want to do it but I couldn’t resist her.”
“But in the end you did,” Eileen confirms. “You broke her control of you.”
“Did I, or was it that trucker that broke her control?” Corey questions.
“I can’t believe that it was our love that saved us,” Eileen insists. “She had no idea of the truth and no way to know how strong our love is!” “But I do know how strong it is.” “This past year has been full of struggle for us, but we have persevered and we will continue!”
The police car comes to a stop at a red light. Corey turned to his partner, “I love you with all of my heart and I am more grateful than I can ever say that you feel the same.”
Southeastern Police Division Headquarters
San Diego, Ca
Lt. Redmayne’s office
The secret Zeni-human team returns to the squad room. “I’ll wait here, start the paperwork,” Corey tells Eileen.
“Not on your life.” “You are as much a part of this as I am now!” Eileen informs him. She takes her partner by the arm and led him across the room to the Lt.’s office. Eileen has no idea what to expect for Lt. Redmayne. This day has been a nightmare and the last thing she needs or wants is to hear more shit from Redmayne. Officer McCoy enters her commander’s office to find a man in a suit with full head of brown hair sitting in a chair in front of her desk. “Oh excuses us we can come back later,” Eileen says relieved that she is getting out of this meeting.
The man with his back to the door stands up and greets Eileen, “That won’t be necessary, I’m here to see you.”
“Steve, oh my god, I’ve been trying to call you for months,” Eileen says reaching out to shake the man’s hand.
“I know, I figured I could kill two birds with one stone.” Steve Roberts replies shaking Eileen’s hand. “I’d come see Janet in her new job and catch up with you.”
“Wow, you don’t need to go to all that trouble,” Eileen tells the Philadelphia cop.
Corey clears his throat letting Eileen know he is still there. “Oh, Steve this is my partner, Officer Corey Byrnes,” she says introducing him. “Corey this is Steve Roberts the cop from Philadelphia that I met in Boston.”
“Good to meet you,” Corey says shaking Steve’s hand.
“So, Eileen what’s been on your mind?” Steve asks. Eileen looks to Lt. Redmayne, she doesn’t want to talk in front of her commander because it is she that Eileen wants to ask about.
“So how long are you in town” Eileen asks.
“Until tomorrow,” Steve tells the San Diego cops.
“No need to get into it here, why don’t the three of us meet for dinner tonight?” Eileen suggests.
“Sounds good, Janet are you free tonight?” Steve asks the Lt.
“Actually I was talking about you, Corey and I,” Eileen says panics slightly.
“That is fine, I have another engagement tonight anyway,” Lt. Redmayne says to Eileen’s relief.
Marco’s Restaurant
San Diego, Ca
Steve Roberts is already seated at a table when Corey and Eileen arrive. They greet and take seats at the table with the visiting cop. The three have some small talk before ordering the Steve asks, “What was so urgent that you need to speak to me?”
“It’s Redmayne, I can’t figure her out,” Eileen tell Roberts. “She has us doing these Zeni-human cases under the table.” “I don’t know if we should be trusting her.” “She is putting us in danger and if we get caught, I’m pretty sure she is going to deny everything.”
“I think you are underestimating Janet,” Steve tells them. “She is a good cop, one of the best.” “Janet know exactly what she is doing.” “The problem is that the Governor is not willing to fund the Zeni-human task force but the Police Commissioner wants it anyway.” “Janet’s husband works for the Commissioner’s office and he is overseeing everything you do.”
“So that is how she is getting the funding for the upgrades to our car and equipment,” Corey asks.
Steve smiles, “Yes, the money to ship the Zeni-humans out of state to be safely contained too.” “I can understand your suspicious but she is only trying to do the right thing.”
By the time their food arrives Eileen has plenty to think over. In truth she really doesn’t know Steve Roberts that well, but he seemed to be an honestly good guy when the met in Boston. If he tells her that Redmayne is trying to do the right thing she has no reason not to trust him.
“You too make a good team too, from what I hear,” Steve comments as he finishes up his meal.
“The best,” Eileen comments. Corey smiles trying to put his betrayals behind him. His conscience tells him that she deserves better than him.