Chapter 5: Revelations (Part 2)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Joe

What are you doing here?

Gabriel

Getting some answers.

Gabriel and Joe are just staring at each other, not blinking. Lionel tries to break the silence.

Lionel

As much as I like standing in awkward silence, does anyone want to explain to me how you know each other?

Joe

Does he know?

Gabriel

I felt I could trust him.

Joe

Well that’s a big mistake; trusting a man you don’t know.

Gabriel

How do you know I don’t know him?

Joe

So is she safe then?

Gabriel

Yes, and a little more hostile than I expected.

Joe laughs.

Joe

I would have imagined so.

Lionel

So, just to be clear here... you’re not calling security?

Joe

I can’t. If they find out... oh no! You can’t be here. We have extra security everywhere today.

Gabriel

I can hide in the shadows well enough on my own.

Lionel

What shadows? This building is filled with light. I don’t know why the designer chose white walls for everything. I swear I’ll go blind in this place...

Gabriel

Well, you didn’t see me on my way in, right? I'm sure I'll be fine.

Joe

You should get out of here.

Gabriel

Maybe you’re right.

Joe

Wait. You wouldn’t happen to be the one who stole the Pods, would you?

Lionel stares at Gabriel, suddenly concerned and waiting for his answer.

Gabriel

What use would I have with one of those?

Joe

Well, you seem to be a prime suspect right now.

Gabriel

Maybe you should ask your friends with the badges the same question.

Joe’s eyes widened with surprise.

Gabriel

Ah, see? That simple facial expression just answered a lot of questions for me. Thank you.

Joe

Lionel, do you know this man? Who is he?

Lionel

Wait, you don’t know?

Gabriel

Lionel here has been gracious enough to keep my identity a secret and I’m pretty sure you won’t have your friends question him about it if you don’t want them to question you.

Joe

Listen you, I... hey, where are you going? Don’t walk away from me!

Gabriel walks out of the room and ignores Joe as he follows him.

Lionel

Joe, trust me. You really shouldn’t follow him.

Joe

Who is he?

Lionel

Believe me, you would love the answer.

---

Mary

Are you kids almost done the movie?

Charlotte

Almost.

Mary

Okay. Ryan I have the fold-out bed ready for you. It’s really late so go to bed right when the movie’s done.

Mason

Alright, Mom. You’re ruining the good part!

Mary leaves the room.

Charlotte

So, Ryan, will you be going to Notre Dame when summer’s over?

Ryan

I think so. My mom is considering going to other schools to compare.

Mason

Hopefully you don’t have ‘The Bird Lady’ as a teacher.

Ryan

Who’s ‘The Bird Lady’?

Charlotte

It’s this mean nickname they give to this teacher.

Mason

Hey, we wouldn’t be so mean if she wasn’t so terrible.

Charlotte

They call her that because her face kind of looks likes a bird.

Mason shoves a handful of popcorn in his mouth and laughs.

Mason

Yeah, it’s funny. She has a nose like a beak and she kind of squawks when she talks.

Charlotte

Well, he won’t get her as a teacher because she only teaches second grade right now – something about the younger kids being nicer.

Mason imitates the teacher by making squawking noises and pretending he has wings. Ryan begins laughing as he is finally beginning to feel more comfortable with the new neighbours; he wonders if his mom is doing as well at her new job as he is with his new friends.

---

Lisa is sitting at her desk bored with the laptop screen in front of her. She wants nothing more than to look up any news on Adam, LifeSource, and herself. She wonders if the police, or the FBI as Gabriel had mentioned, are any closer to finding her and Ryan. She wonders if at any moment they would have to pack up and leave again. But it’s dangerous to look up that information on an office computer. What if the FBI does come into town and gets a hint to search the computers here? It seems like a ridiculous scenario but you could never be too careful; then again, screw it. She is checking. She has to know. The phone begins to ring before she even has a chance to start typing. She picks up the phone.

Lisa

Hello, office of Tom Wilson, Attorney at Law. How may I help you today?

Joe

Hello, ‘Melissa’.

Lisa

Dad?

Joe

How are you?

Lisa

How did you know I was here? Why are you calling?

Joe

I’m sorry; I can’t tell you right now. We’ll be in touch soon.

Joe hangs up the phone, leaving Lisa with nothing but a tone on the line. Bewildered, she holds the phone for a moment before slowly hanging it up.

---

Joe

Thank You.

Joe gives Gabriel back his phone.

Gabriel

Your friends are monitoring your phones. How do you intend to contact Lisa without leaving a trail?

Joe

You’re not the only one who can sneak around unnoticed.

Gabriel

Oh, I know. I’ve heard rumours about you and read all that I could about you. Personally, I don’t trust you and I can’t believe you’re working with the enemy while your daughter is hiding from them.

Joe

Well, to be fair, I don’t entirely trust you either but that’s because I know absolutely nothing about you. And I guess it depends what your take on the matter is, but I don’t consider my allegiance with anyone part of ‘the bad guys’, as you so put it. In my eyes – our eyes, actually – you’re the one who is the ‘bad guy’.

Gabriel

Well I guess we’ll let God be judge of that.

Joe

What was that?

Gabriel

Take care, Joe. I hope you know what you’re doing.

Joe

Err... yeah. Take care, whoever you are.

Gabriel

Gabriel.

Gabriel walks away.

Joe

Gabriel... Gabriel?

Joe is trying to figure out if the name sounds familiar, but it doesn’t. Still, he can’t shake a feeling of familiarity from this person. Something doesn’t add up.

---

It’s the next morning. Ryan and Lisa are back at home.

Lisa

How was it sleeping over the neighbour’s house?

Ryan

It was okay.

Lisa

Well, what do you say to me and you going out to eat for breakfast?

Ryan

Is it okay for us to be going out to eat?

Lisa

Sure. We look different enough; we’re far enough away from home. I think we’ll be fine for some bacon and eggs. It is Sunday after all and it’s a tradition.

Ryan

Okay, that sounds good.

Lisa

Alright. How about you get changed while I set up this answering machine I just bought for our phone.

Ryan

Answering machine? Who’s going to be calling us?

Lisa

It’s just for emergency for when we’re out. Like if someone is trying to warn us about something, like Gabriel or grandpa...

Ryan

Grandpa has our number? Is he going to call us? Are we allowed to call him?

Lisa

Settle down. I said in case he calls. There’s a very good chance we won’t hear from him for a long time but I’m pretty sure he knows the number here and will call only if necessary.

Ryan

I already miss Grandpa Joe.

Lisa

I know, so do I and I’m sure he misses you, too. Go get changed and we’ll go find a nice restaurant for breakfast.

---

Agent Saunders and much of his team are reviewing security videos from areas near where they found the blood sample of Daniel Fields and anything they could find from videos from within and around LifeSource. There were two cameras still on but not near where the theft occurred. Joe Tyler walks in the room.

Chang

I’m telling you, that’s him right there!

Saunders

How can that be him? How could he have gained thirty pounds in seconds?

Joe

Jason, may I have a word with you?

Saunders

No. We got an Xbox in the next room over, go entertain yourself.

Joe

It’s important.

Agent Saunders looks at Joe and sighs.

Saunders

Fine. You have two minutes.

Joe and Saunders walk into an empty room and close the doors and blinds.

Saunders

This better be important and to the point.

Joe

Tell me honestly, do you have any indication that you and Bennett’s special ‘arrangement’ has been discovered by anyone else?

Saunders is now speaking seriously.

Saunders

What are you getting at?

Joe

I know you two got away with acquiring your own Pod. Now, I know you didn’t take it straight from LifeSource like the recent thefts, but I’m starting to wonder if you somehow inadvertently or purposely let loose a “how to” guide for those wishing to follow your example.

Saunders

Tell me; is this suspicion purely on a coincidence that two Pods have gone missing recently? Are you telling me there’s no other reason for you to believe that what you’re accusing may be right?

Joe

I cannot say.

Saunders

Well until you’re willing to cooperate for once, keep your mouth shut, stay out of our way, and don’t bother me with outrageous accusations! You’re going to have to offer me what you know without covering up any information and it had better be damn good proof before you start questioning our motives!

Joe

So your answer is ‘no’, then?

Saunders

Is that all?

Joe

Yes.

Saunders

Good. Now get the hell out of here.

---

Lisa and Ryan are enjoying breakfast at a restaurant they found while driving.

Ryan

I think these eggs are better than the old restaurant.

Lisa

I think so, too.

Lisa and Ryan stop eating when they hear people talking in the background above the sounds of forks and plates clattering. It is the news on a TV in the restaurant which has brought up the topic of LifeSource.

Reporter

Some people have noticed traffic redirecting and a lot of security yesterday and today near the LifeSource building. At first the authorities and LifeSource representatives refused to comment. We are now getting word of what’s going on. Sir you work for the FBI, correct?

Thompson

Yes. Admittedly at first we were trying to keep this as secret as possible but since we haven’t been getting any answers the National Security Agency has stepped in and asked us to reveal what’s happened. It seems a Regeneration Pod scheduled to be delivered to an out-of state hospital has gone missing. We’re trying our best to find the culprit but the fact that this was done seemingly easily past security and that GPS tracking and other security measures have been bypassed by the individual or group of culprits we’re assuming this is an inside job. We’re going to do all we can by increasing security along borders and searching for more clues. The CEO of LifeSource has requested we not share this information because of the company reputation but this is now a National Security issue and we are required to release this information despite Mr. Sabatelli’s wishes. As such, we are stopping the production of future Regeneration Pods and any shipments that were to be made have been cancelled. If anyone has any information they wish to share you may contact LifeSource or...

Lisa starts to think about what Gabriel said about this entire situation going deeper than what they originally thought. Out of the corner of her eye she sees a man who looks very familiar in the booth across the room. Gabriel is sitting there starring right at her and nods her way. She returns the gesture and Gabriel gets up to walk to their table.

Lisa

Ryan, don’t panic but Gabriel is walking to our table.

To be continued...