Barely...

Wyatt and Reese exchange anxious glances as they see their team by the building. Would this work? Would they be able to pull it off? What would happen once they were in the building? If they got caught, could Jason and Katie manipulate others enough to get all of them out again?


Jason feels a lurch to his system as Katie releases her own tension in order to draw out the fear in the guards. He gives a slight start forward, not having been quite prepared. Recovering quickly though, he withdraws his gun and makes eye contact with Nate, gesturing around the corner.


The two guards are still trying to figure out what happened with the lights, when they aim their guns, looking around wildly. Their eyes are wide, fear evident on their faces. Though only slightly nervous at first, it grows, neither knowing that it was being done to them intentionally.

"Mark, what's going on?"

"I don't know."

"What's out there?"

"I can't see a thing. I don't like this."

"Me either. Something isn't right."

"This is bad, man, real bad."


Seeing the confusion, Jason would have grinned had he not been concentrating so hard on their mission.
Good job, Katie.
He nods to her and Nate. "Let's take 'em down."

Whipping around the corner with the other two, Jason stands with feet apart, pistol in hand, aimed at the two guards. "Freeze!"

The two men by now are sweating and shaking, hardly able to hold their own guns still. "Wha..who...how..."

"Drop your guns now!" Jason orders sternly. "Or you're dead where you stand."

The men exchange looks of horror, neither understanding why they were so terrified of these three invaders. "Okay, okay, don't shoot." Both lay their rifles down, putting their hands in the air.

Jason keeps his eyes narrow, his glare staying on them as he leads the team closer, cautiously. He and Nate kick the rifles to the side, and Jason turns the guards around. "Sorry guys."

Nodding to Nate, and knowing he'll do the same, Jason takes one from behind and in one swift motion, brings the butt of his gun to the man's head, knocking him out cold. He slumps to the ground in an unconscious heap next to his partner who Nate had just taken out as well.

Reese's voice crackles through the mics. "Way to go guys. That was as smooth as butter. Let's hope the rest of this goes as easy."

Jason holsters his gun.
Yeah, right.
"Just keep an eye on us." He grabs the one man and drags him by the ankles away from the door, motioning for Nate to follow suit with the other one. Then stripping off the guards' jumpsuits, both cover their own clothes and zip up the suits, sporting the nametags of the guards.

Wyatt can't help a chuckle. "Don't you two look sharp."

Jason looks down. The pants were barely at his ankles, while Nate's new duds were pretty tight. "Crack another joke and you'll be wearing this," he threatens Wyatt good-naturedly.

Making sure that he, Katie and Nate were all set, he goes to the door and looks down at the security. "We got a keypad here, folks. Hulk, we need you. Tap into the system and tell me what numbers I'm gonna need. Looks like it might be a six-digit code."
This has got to work... I have no idea what will be inside or what we'll do. We could be met head-on with more guards. And who knows where Scott will even be.
He tries to keep his nervousness in check, knowing that it would just make him feel worse, along with Katie.

Waiting only two minutes, the code is revealed and Jason breathes a sigh of relief. "You're a genius, Hulk." Taking a deep breath, he enters the digits and puts his hand on the door handle. "Okay, folks. Here goes nothing."

The door opens. Glancing in cautiously, Jason sees nothing but a dim hallway. "Katie, right behind me," he whispers. "Nate, behind her, as if we're bringing her in."

Slipping inside, Jason looks both ways. The hall was long and narrow. The direction to go? No one knew. Jason chooses to go right. With his gun ready, he takes the lead, quietly heading down the hall.

Several people are seen passing at the end, and Jason ducks his head to hide his face, but the strangers don't even seem to notice the three newcomers.

Reaching the end, Jason pauses. He makes eye contact with Nate and Katie, knowing that once they turned the corner, they might be in full-view of anyone. Pausing only a moment, he moves.

It was the wrong choice.

As Jason rounds the corner, he's caught completely off guard by a medium-build man who catches Jason's gut with an elbow, spins him around and takes his gun all in one motion, putting the pistol barrel to Jason's head.

Caught in a chokehold, Jason struggles.
Now's not a good time to make him nervous, Katie. Not unless you want my brains blown out.

The man pushes Jason back into the long hall, his eyes flashing with anger at the three. "Who are you?" he hisses. "And how did you get past the guards? You might have fooled somebody in those outfits, but I know Mark and Harris, and you're not them."

Jason gasps for breath. "They were stupid."

The man shoves Jason forward into Nate, stretching out his gun at the three, his eyes jumping back and forth between them. "I know you." His eyes narrow. "From somewhere..." He cocks the pistol. "You have one chance to tell me before I alert our security, and if I do that, you're never going to leave alive."

Jason's hands are raised slightly.
We've been caught. Should we try to lie our way out or not?

"Tell him where you're from," Reese orders, as if reading his mind. "Check his reaction and if he's scared, you got him. If not, take him down too. You can't risk getting killed."

Jason swallows hard. "Ever heard of the Elite?"

The man cocks his head.

"How about TJY?"

The man's eyes widen, his voice lowering to a whisper. "You're here for Johnson."

Seeing the opportunity, Jason moves quickly, giving a high kick to the man's arm, letting the gun go flying, before he slams the stranger up against the wall, now having the upper hand. "You better talk and talk fast," he orders sternly. "Because we haven't got all night, and we got close to an army out there just waiting for our signal to fire. Unless you show us where Scott is and show us now, we'll give them that signal."

Surprisingly, the man laughs, despite his position. "I'd bet you don't have an army, but I believe in your nerves. I'm glad it was me who found you. I'll show you the way if you promise not to make a scene."

I don't get it. He seems real. What's up with this guy?
"Why are you so willing to help?" Jason questions. "If you have a trap planned, so help me, my partners and I will tear you to shreds."

The man shakes his head. "I'm on your side, kid."

"What?"

"Just...It's a long story. But if you want to get your friend out of here, you better do it now. He may be dead already."

Jason presses him harder against the wall. "What do you mean, dead?"

"What do you think this place is? A candy factory? He's weak, malnourished, dehydrated and sick. Now are you going to trust me or not?"

Jason glances to Katie and Nate.
I don't know about this...but he's the only chance we have right now.
"Reese?"

"Do it. You don't know where to go. If he takes you to a cell, you'll probably be closer to Scott anyway. Go as far as you can."

Jason slowly loosens his grip on the man, then bends down to pick up his gun. "Lead the way then..."

"...Riggs." The man nods. "And that's all you need to know. Come on...if we go the other way, there's less traffic."

Jason hesitates, looking to his partners for confirmation before turning to follow Riggs. This really was their only shot. Maybe it wasn't a trap...maybe it was a lucky break. He could only hope so.

Riggs leads them down the corridor and around the corner to several flights of stairs. Halfway down, voices can be heard from below and Riggs opens a door, ushering everyone inside, while he remains outside, casually leaning in the corner. Only voices can be heard and Jason stands in the small janitor’s room, his gun ready.

“Riggs. You double-check with the Boss about that shipment?”

“Yeah, he said it’s a go.”

“That town won’t know what hit it.”

“You got that right.”

“Say, how’s that lab rat of ours doing?”

“I was just on my way to see.”

“How about us coming with you? Get in one last visit.”

Jason tenses.

Riggs responds coolly. “You’re more than welcome, but I heard Tanya was looking for some company and she gets off work in five minutes.”

“Ooh, now that’s a much better idea!”

Within moments, Riggs is alone again, and he lets the others out. “Come on.”

Once again, the four head down, down, down to the basement, and then an extra level beyond that. There were few lights here, making the atmosphere dim. They were below window level, never to signal the time of day.

Doors lined the hall with no windows to see in, and too thick to hear through. On down the line the small group finally gets to the last door. Riggs fishes a key out of his pocket and opens the door for the others. Keeping his voice low, he gestures inside. “I’ll keep watch. Make it quick.”

Jason hesitates. “No. You leave the door unlocked and come in with us.”

“I’m not going to lock you in.”

“I don’t believe you.” Jason takes Riggs’ shoulder and pushes him in first.

The room is dark, small, cold, and stinks of rodents.

Oh, this is lovely. I don’t know why anyone would want to get out of here.
Jason puts a lid on his sarcasm for now, squinting into the dark. It takes a moment for his eyes adjust, and then he spots the heap in the corner. His heart skips a beat. “Scott?”

Throwing caution aside, he holsters his gun and goes quickly to the corner, sliding down next to the still form on the floor. “Scott?”

Scott is barely conscious, his eyes fluttering open slightly at the sound of Jason’s voice. But seeing a form above him, he shudders, balling up tighter, and giving something close to a whimper.

It is him...it's true...he really is alive. But he's in bad shape.
“Scott…” Jason lays a hand on his shoulder.

But instead of recognizing his friend, Scott lashes out with his hand. Catching Jason off guard, his knuckles meet Jason’s face, making him jump backward.

“Be careful with him,” Riggs orders. “They’ve had him doped up. He probably doesn’t even know who you are.”

How could they do this to him?
Jason grits his teeth and leans back over Scott, seeing one wrist chained to the wall. “I need a key.”

Riggs approaches and hands him one. “Hurry up. We only have so much time before security makes their rounds.”

Working quickly, Jason manages to unlock the shackle. “Just take it easy, Scott.”

Scott fights against the help, hardly lucid enough to know he was being talked to, and too weak to move around too much. The only one who tried to ever move him was Donovan. “No,” he mumbles. “No.”

Jason’s hand brushes against Scott’s face, and he grits his teeth.
He’s burning up.
“Come on…it’s us.”

Feeling his writs free, Scott manages to sit up, but instead of accepting Jason’s hand, he scoots back in the corner, shaking from terror and from cold.

Jason sucks in his breath, the dim light from the hall, catching Scott’s face. He was so beaten and gaunt, Jason wasn’t sure he would ever have recognized him. Scott’s hair had been cut extremely short, taking away pride with it. His face was so thin it was almost scary, full of bruises and old cuts that had not been tended to. And as he stares back at Jason, only one eye seems to register in focus. His left is dim and gray, a sign that no doubt sight had been completely lost.

Apart from his physical appearance, his clothes were tattered and grimy - what was left of a t-shirt and jeans. Nothing had been provided for his bare feet that were now scuffed and bleeding from lack of protection. His hands that were held up in defense were rough and thin reminders of the soft strength they’d once had.

Jason’s stomach lurches. “Oh, Scott…”
We’ve got to get him out of here.

“What’s going on, guys?”

Jason is suddenly brought back to the present as Reese’s voice interrupts them. He puts a hand to his earpiece. “We found him.”

“Is he alive?”

“Barely.”

“Can you get him out?”

“Hope so. Hang tight.”

“You got it.”

Jason takes a deep breath and moves to take Scott’s arms, but is met with dead weight, pulling back into the corner. “Come on, Scott, a little cooperation here.”

Still out of it, Scott, refuses, putting up his hands in weak defense.

“Scott, come on,” Jason begs. “It’s us…Jason…Katie…Nate.”

Scott’s mind tries to understand. He knew that voice. But that voice belonged to someone who was supposed to be dead. He shivers as another wave of cold chills hits him, the sweat running down the side of his face.

Jason tries again, reaching out and trying to simply pull Scott up. But Scott struggles, winding up just falling back against the corner again, crying out as he hits the concrete.

“Katie, Nate, we need to do this together,” Jason orders. “He doesn’t know it’s us.”

As the struggle continues, the radios crackle. “Katie…Katie, it’s Rick. Reese said you’re having trouble with Scott. Don’t forget you can calm him down. You can stir someone up by dragging out the negative, I know you can drag out the positive too. Somewhere, Scott knows it’s you… somewhere there’s as calming element there. Talk to him so it surfaces, then use it. I know you can, Katie.”