Vol. 2, Chapter 15: Isaac (Part 3)

Joe knocks on the door to his daughter Susan’s house. She answers the door.

Susan
Dad, what are you doing here?

Ryan
Hi, Aunt Susan.

Susan
Ryan? Oh my goodness, I’m so happy you’re alright. Please, come in.

Joe
Sorry to bother you, Sue. I just want to talk to you for a moment.

Susan
Sure. Cody and Samantha are watching TV if you want to go say hi, Ryan.

Ryan walks into the other room.

Susan
I assume you’re not just here to visit.

Joe
I don’t want to impose, but I think Ryan will be happier here with you and the kids.

Susan
Was he getting bored being all alone in that big house of yours? I know the feeling.

Joe
Please, Sue. I thought we put all this behind us. It’s complicated right now. I just want to make sure he’s happy and I don’t think I can be with him all the time right now.

Susan
There’s never a right time for you, is there? Why don’t you just retire already? Forget about all this and focus on family for once?

Joe
This is important. This is about changing the world.

Susan
Oh please! This has always been about your empire. I’m happy having Ryan stay here; I just hope you realize that he cares about you a lot. He just lost his parents and it would be nice if you were there for him.

Joe
Lisa’s fine. I have eyes on her.

Susan
Wait, you’ve been helping her escape?

Joe
That’s right. I care for the both of you and would do anything to protect you. I’ve been looking out for Lisa ever since the crash and she’s safe because of it but this is no life for Ryan. He needs to be here away from all of this.

Susan
Of course.

Joe
Thank you, Susan. I’m sure Lisa would be happy about this.

---

Agent Bennett and Chang are in the hospital where the Protesters were gathered around yesterday. The place is filled with injured Protesters and hospital staff running around trying to tend to all their new patients.

Chang
You know what Saunders would ask right about now?

Bennett
Yes.

Chang
He’d ask you what the definition of ‘irony’ is.

Bennett
Shut up. You, nurse! Can you tell me what happened here?

Nurse
Sure. The Incredible Hulk appeared from the sky and ripped apart every one of these hypocrites. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go throw up while I treat one of these idiots.

Bennett
Agent Chang, I think we’re going to be stuck in L.A. for a while.

Chang
Great.

---

Joe Tyler is at the secret FBI headquarters, walking up to agent Saunders and General Larken.

Joe
Jason, we need to talk.

Larken
Not now, Tyler.

Saunders
No, it’s good he’s here. Listen, I’m sure you know about the incident in L.A. I’m sure you’ll agree that we’ll need a lot more brain power here. Luckily, Nurse Walsh provided us a list of possible candidates we can recruit and…

Joe
That’s exactly why I came here, Jason. You’re not taking any more LifeSource employees.

Saunders and Larken
What?

Joe
I just had a talk with Lionel and between him and this incident it is opening my eyes. My future is with LifeSource and its technologies. And that can only happen while their staff remains intact. That demonstration today was proof that your ideas are already obsolete and I won’t be able to make a dime off of it. So I’m increasing security in LifeSource and I’m making sure everyone’s job there is secure. In fact, with some of the questionable ways you’ve obtained some of your workers here, I suggest letting some of them return so that you will avoid some legal troubles in the future. You know which ones I’m talking about. Carrie Walsh should be one of them. From now on, you’re on your own with this.

Saunders
Are you kidding me? After all you’ve been doing screwing us over and now you’re completely pulling the plug on all this after we’re so close?

Joe
Don’t start putting blame on me, Jason! Don’t think I haven’t realized what you’ve been up to! You think I don’t know you’ve had something to do with that car crash that my daughter was in just to get Adam here? You think I’m blind to not notice you’ve been completely focused on locating my daughter just so you could likely use her as leverage against Adam? You think I haven’t realized you’re much more focused on this military operation than the General here or myself, even though I specialize in military funding? I know you have some ulterior motive, Jason. So don’t go blaming me for your troubles because you brought them on yourself. And unless you want to make them worse you’ll do as I say and stay out of LifeSource and away from my family.

General
Is what he’s saying true?

Saunders
I’m not going to acknowledge him with an answer. He has no proof either way.

Joe
I don’t care. You know what’s true and if you’re smart you’ll back off because you know I can take you down in a heartbeat.

Saunders
If you think we’re just going to release Adam, you’re wrong.

Joe
I know my limits, too, Jason. Adam is supposed to be dead, I understand that. Sooner or later you’ll realize this is a dead end. When that happens I want you to call me to discuss Adam’s future. Until then, there’s nothing I can do to release him. His brother also doesn’t concern me.

Saunder
Wow. You are one cold, old man.

Joe
Just promise me you’ll give me that call.

Larken
Mr. Tyler, I don’t know what issues are between you and agent Saunders, but I hope you reconsider joining us and I hope he’s not the whole reason you’re leaving us. But I promise you for all you’ve done for the U.S. government that you will get that phone call.

Joe
Thank you. And Jason isn’t the reason. I just realize where my future lies from here on and it’s what my son-in-law originally envisioned.

Larken
I just hope you don’t forget how that vision originally began. It was because of us, remember?

Joe
I know, but the war is over and a new one is beginning. You may be focusing on the next battle, but LifeSource is focusing on peace and compromise. To do that, we need to convince our own people to stop fighting. You can deal with your international troubles. I’ll deal with the Protesters and try to save lives.

Joe Tyler walks away.

Saunders
Yeah, good luck with that, puss–

Larken
Saunders! Do you mind telling me about what Mr. Tyler was going on about before?

Saunders
He’s a crazy old man, General. Don’t worry about it.

Larken
Well I have nothing but respect for that crazy old man and you will honour his wishes. I want all of the “questionably” obtained workers back home and in LifeSource’s employ after you’ve reached an agreement with them. I want your focus to be on working on this machine with whatever resources you have now. I want Daniel Fields caught and I want you to forget about Mr. Tyler’s family.

Saunders
How are we supposed to do all that when we’re losing staff?

Larken
That man Isaac made this a real national security threat, which means this operation no longer needs to be as secret as we intended. I will be locating scientists, engineers, and medical professionals from all over the nation; the best ones I can find. Just because Mr. Tyler is out doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten our goals. We will have this machine built.

Saunders
What about that Isaac guy?

Larken
He’s not your problem anymore. We’ll take care of him.

To be continued...