Chapter 9: Mess With The Bull... (Part 1)

Saunders

Look alive, men! There are suits on their way up here.

Thompson

Aren’t we considered ‘suits,’ sir?

Saunders

Shut up, Thompson.

An NSA agent enters the FBI offices.

NSA Agent

Agent Saunders! Would you mind explaining to me why you requested and received a transfer for a patient who had been staying in a hospital in Oakland for nearly a week, burnt and bloody, to be brought here for questioning or how he is involved with the recently missing Regeneration Pods only to disappear upon retrieval or why I am just hearing about this now?

Saunders

Hell of a sentence, sir, maybe try taking a breath next time?

NSA Agent

I’m not in the mood for your smart mouth, Saunders. I’m here for answers. The NSA has been officially assigned to investigate on the issue of the missing Pods. You should have notified us right away if you suspected any leads so that we can take over.

Saunders

I’ll be happy to explain. Please enter my office. I just need a word with agent Bennett.

NSA Agent

Well I hope you don’t mind if I stay here during this conversation.

Saunders

No, I don’t mind. So, Bennett, like I was saying; this girl was smokin’ hot and the things she did, let me tell you...

NSA Agent

Alright, Saunders, I’ve had enough. Let’s talk now!

Saunders

I really don’t care if you’re NSA. This is still my office. You’ll wait for me.

NSA Agent

Fine. Play your games. The way you’re going, you probably won’t be here for long.

The NSA agent walks into Saunders’ office.

Saunders

Well this could be problematic.

Bennett

Sir, I think we’re losing this war with Daniel Fields.

Saunders

I’m afraid so. He certainly seems to find the advantage.

Bennett

So what’s the plan?

Saunders

Give up.

Bennett

Sir?

Saunders

We have no choice. He’s slowly destroying us on everything we’re working hard on toward our end goal when we should really be focusing on one thing; one thing that we really need to help speed along our progress.

Bennett

Lisa Fields?

Saunders

Give the NSA the missing Pods. I think this issue is beyond us, anyways, especially if it’s now an international issue. Joe Tyler is nothing. He’ll show up sooner or later.

Bennett

He may have gone to Lisa’s location. He could still be valuable.

Saunders

Fine, but question him when he decides to show up. As for Daniel Fields, the next time cameras go out...

Saunders looks towards Thompson.

Saunders

I guess Thompson can take care of that.

Thompson

What’s that, sir?

Saunders

You have a new job. You will have no more than two other agents with you but it’s to respond immediately when you think you have a lead on Daniel Fields. General Larken wants this to be a top priority. Since the NSA have taken over our ‘official’ responsibilities, the primary purpose of this team, according to General Larken, is to find Mr. Fields and that’s going to be almost entirely up to you.

Thompson

Almost?

Saunders

We have a plan. Let’s just say, you won’t have all the responsibilities.

Thompson

Still beats looking at security footage.

Saunders

Meanwhile, the rest of the team will be focused on what was the previous objective which, whether General Larken knows it or not, relies heavily on finding Lisa Fields.

Bennett

What about the photo?

Saunders

We’ll take care of that when the time comes. We’re pretty close. We just need our collateral.

NSA Agent
Saunders! I don’t have all day.

Saunders

On my way, sir!

Saunders (to Bennett and Thompson)

Get to work.

---

Lisa is at a music store looking at guitars with Ryan. He’s eyeing a black Gibson Les Paul when an employee walks up to them.

Employee

Anything I can help you out with today?

Lisa

Well, I said I’d buy a guitar for my son for his birthday. I thought I’d have him pick out what he wants.

Employee

Alright. Anything in particular you’re interested in?

Ryan

That depends. Do they typically allow electric guitars for school bands?

Employee

Well, some do. Others I find have teachers that only allow acoustic guitars. What school do you go to?

Lisa

I’m thinking of getting him into Notre Dame. We recently moved here.

Employee

Ah. Well, I know from past customers that the music teacher there sometimes allows electric guitars but you might be better off getting an acoustic just in case. I would also suggest waiting to see what the teacher says but seeing as this is a birthday present you probably don’t want to wait that long.

Lisa

Thank you. I think we’ll just look around for now.

Employee

Alright, let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with.

The employee turns around and walks to the percussion section.

Ryan

We have a price limit, don’t we?

Lisa

Yes but I’m sure you can find one that isn’t expensive that will be good enough.

Ryan

I wish I had my old guitar. Dad bought me that after I finished my guitar lessons

Lisa

Yes, I remember that.

Ryan

...did you ever find out what really happened to him?

Lisa

No. I asked Gabriel and he says he believes he is alive.

Ryan

Wouldn’t the news say what happened to him? It’s been a while now.

Lisa

I haven’t seen anything. Maybe if I see Gabriel again I’ll ask him.

The two of them are silent for a moment.

Lisa

Come on, let’s go home.

Ryan

But we haven’t picked a guitar, yet.

Lisa

Your birthday is in a couple of days. We’ll ask Charlotte if she knows about what type of guitar the music teacher allows and then we’ll come back.

Ryan

Okay.

---

Saunders

So, where do we begin?

NSA Agent
Do you know why the NSA has taken over the investigation of the missing Pods?

Saunders

I assume it’s because we’re incompetent.

NSA Agent
Just stop, Saunders. You have no idea what game you’re playing. The United States is on the brink of war over this technology.

Saunders

War?

NSA Agent
Don’t play dumb. You know perfectly well the anger other nations have towards us keeping the technology to ourselves and the limitations we have.

Saunders

I thought we were starting to negotiate terms for international use?

NSA Agent
This isn’t about our closest allies. We’re talking about our enemies, and others who are starting to get ticked off and losing their trust in us.

Saunders

...and you’re looking to see if these Pods have reached the hands of these enemies.

NSA Agent
Want to tell me how you know about all this?

Saunders

Well, since you’re here...

Saunders takes out his phone, selects a picture and tosses it on the table. A projection appears and shows the picture of the injured man from the warehouse.

NSA Agent
What the hell is this?

Saunders

This is what we were looking into.

NSA Agent
This is the man you were trying to obtain?

Saunders

Precisely. This picture was sent to us from this phone we found in Nurse Carrie Walsh’s apartment.

Saunders tosses another phone on the table, the one that belonged to Daniel Fields.

NSA Agent
Carrie Walsh is in prison.

Saunders

Yes, but the man who sent this picture isn’t.

NSA Agent
You know who sent it?

Saunders

Next slide.

The projection changes to an old photograph of Gabriel.

Saunders
We believe it was this man. His name is Daniel Fields, Adam’s supposedly dead brother. He’s been giving us a lot of trouble lately.

NSA Agent
What kind of trouble?

Saunders

I’m sure you’re aware of a funeral my team was at recently.

NSA Agent
I see. So, what does this man have to do with Mr. Fields? Where is this picture taken?

Saunders

It’s at an abandoned warehouse in Oakland. It was burned down when we got there. We assumed there were no survivors.

NSA Agent
What happened?

Saunders

My guess is Daniel Fields happened. We found out the place was a hideout operation for Nico, a notorious gangster in that city. We didn’t see his body there so he could still be alive. Everyone else, other than this man, is dead.

NSA Agent
Why would Daniel Fields kill an entire criminal organization?

Saunders

My guess is because they had one of the Pods.

NSA Agent
What!? Why didn’t you tell me this?

Saunders

Calm down! I’m not done here!

NSA Agent
Oh, you’ll be done here! This is beyond breaking the rules! You have no idea–

Saunders

Hey!

The NSA agent stops yelling.

Saunders

Are you ready to listen, now?

NSA Agent
You’re on very thin ice, Saunders.

Saunders

Very well, then. Now, where was I?

NSA Agent
The part where the criminals out of your jurisdiction have illegally obtained technology belonging to the U.S. government.

Saunders

Ah, yes; great story. I don’t know how they got it, but we found it there when we went there.

NSA Agent
And you believe that’s the reason why Daniel Fields killed every man in the warehouse and burned everything to the ground?

Saunders

That’s the best I got right now.

Saunders waits in silence to see if the NSA agent buys the story.

NSA Agent
Makes sense.

Saunders

It does? ...er, I mean, of course it does.

NSA Agent
I know a little bit about this man. He is very dangerous and doesn’t take too kindly to the idea of this technology.

Saunders

So he’s a terrorist, then?

NSA Agent
I guess you could call him that.

Saunders

Then let the public know.

NSA Agent
It’s not that easy with this situation, you know that.

Saunders

You’re missing my point. The warehouse, the dead criminals, the Regeneration Pod, and all that stuff needs to be secret. I know that. I’m saying this man killed my agents and possibly aided Lisa Fields in her escape and hiding. I don’t want my men to die in vain. Bring this murderer to justice!

The NSA agent is silent. He finally gets up and starts speaking calmly.

NSA Agent

I’ll have to continue this conversation later. I’ll be in touch with you soon about this situation.

Saunders

That’s it? I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of other stuff to discuss here.

NSA Agent

I can’t make this decision on my own. You understand.

Saunders nods in agreement to the NSA agent.

To be continued...