Vol. 2, Chapter 19: New Perspectives (Part 1)

Lisa
HELP!

Lisa is tied up to a chair in a dark room. After a few hours of screaming she now tries to struggle free. The ropes are tied very tight and she doesn’t think she can wriggle loose. Finally, she tries to just pull her arms apart. She feels the rope start to break on her wrists. She tries one more time and with one big pull she snaps the rope. She starts running to the door not thinking about her freakishly new strength when she bumps into Isaac who just walks in.

Isaac
We need to have a little talk.

---

Back at the farm, Gabriel, Felicia, Sean, and Sandra are watching the news for any updates on Lisa’s kidnapping.

TV reporter
Between the Protester emergence, this “Isaac” man, and Lionel Sabatelli’s interview, it seems this country is torn between the debate on life.

Gabriel smashes the TV with a chair.

Sean
What the hell? I don’t go to your place and start breaking your stuff!

Gabriel
This isn’t helping. They’re not going to talk about Lisa’s kidnapping on the news; not with all this other stuff on top of the fact that she’s wanted. So being kidnapped is probably a plus as far as the FBI is concerned…

Felicia
Don’t worry, we’ll find her.

Gabriel
We better, because if we don’t Adam is going to kill me.

---

In the R&D room at the secret FBI headquarters, Adam shifts his way from his work station towards Carlie to talk with her.

Adam
So, Carlie…

Adam tries his best to use his quietest whisper to talk to his old friend.

Adam
Since you’ve, you know, been in contact with people outside, what can you tell me?

Carlie
You mean about your wife? She’s with the people I talked to. She’s fine.

Adam
What about my brother?

Carlie
He escaped after I talked to them and I don’t keep regular contact. We just have to assume he has friends out there who are looking out for him.

Adam
Well that’s good.

Carlie
Can I ask what you’re doing, Adam? You know your family is safe. Why do you continue to work on this thing?

Adam
I’m not exactly sure, but it just feels like something I should be doing. I keep thinking back and wondering if I had accepted their offer when they first came to me like you did; my family would be fine and wouldn’t be running.

Carlie
I don’t think that’s true, Adam. To be honest, I signed up because I thought they intrigued me with a promise of a new Pod that the government would fully back but after I started to piece together what was going on I was completely against it. The thing was I was too far in at this point and I couldn’t let on that I disagreed with them. I was fortunate enough to discover this group of people who support the Pods and see a future where there isn’t this ridiculous debate over who deserves to live. So I started to feed them information with what’s going on here to help them with whatever they need.

Adam
And Lisa is with these people?

Carlie
Yes.

Adam
I think maybe I should be, too.

---

At the FBI secret headquarters, Thompson walks up to Saunders who is sitting down watching TV.

Thompson
Sir, I have great news.

Saunders
Keep it short. Commercial’s almost over and I want to see who the judges choose to go on to the next round.

Thompson
You know, if you were anyone else I’d be the one judging right now. But more importantly, we found Lisa and Daniel Fields.

Saunders pauses the TV and gets off his seat.

Saunders
Where?

Thompson
Some kid captured video on his phone and put it online. It’s from a park in L.A. That Isaac guy was running through that park and stopped when he got to the two of them. He knocked out Daniel and kidnapped Lisa.

Saunders
Bennett and Chang are already in L.A. I could pass this along to them unless you want to head there yourself.

Thompson
Well you did assign me the task of locating Mr. Fields.

Saunders
Yes I did. This might actually be better for everyone now that we have all this free time. You can handle Daniel, I told Bobby to look out for Lisa, and Bennett and Chang can figure out this Isaac guy’s situation. If anyone can take him on, it will be Bennett and a little extra help won’t hurt him. Meanwhile I can stay here and hold down this fort.

Thompson
Before I leave, you should know that the two of them seemed to have changed their look.

Saunders
Great. Send the photos to L.A. news stations and tell them to be on the lookout. I’ll let the NSA know to give Bennett backup. By tomorrow we should have everything wrapped up. Don’t let me down, Thompson.

---

Lisa is slowly walking backwards, afraid for her life. She is trembling and hesitating.

Lisa
Look, whatever you heard it’s all just a big misunderstanding. I can explain.

Isaac
Your phone has been ringing non-stop.

Lisa
What?

Isaac
It says the calls are from Joe Tyler. He’s that billionaire, right? Why is he calling you?

Lisa
It could just be he’s calling the wrong number…

Isaac
Don’t take me for an idiot, Lisa. Who are you to him?

Lisa pauses for a moment feeling defeat.

Lisa
He’s my father. Look, if it’s a ransom you want…

Isaac
I like the way you think, but I haven’t decided yet. I haven’t calculated the risks.

Lisa
What?

Isaac
Taking into consideration all the different scenarios that are highly probable from asking for a ransom. I should also factor the amount of money to ask as that would affect decisions. Too little would seem like nothing but what would be the point if I am not exactly sure I need the money? Too much might spawn high government action because Joe Tyler is a powerful man. I should also be putting into consideration that you are wanted by the FBI. I could just say I have captured you and wish to turn you in for compensation and that might make me the hero. Accounting all possibilities it is likely I could receive anywhere between one hundred thousand and two million dollars depending on what action I take and how well I can pull this off. Then again, I need to ask myself if I absolutely need this money.

Lisa is a little taken aback by the effort and thought Isaac has put into his plans.

Lisa
…did you also analyze probabilities when trying to kidnap me?

Isaac pauses and looks Lisa in the eyes.

Isaac
You used to wear glasses.

Lisa
How do you know?

Isaac
They showed an old picture of you on the news. Are you wearing contacts?

Lisa
I was, but my eyes have adjusted and I no longer need them.

Isaac
And this was after you died?

Lisa
Did your physique happen after you died?

Isaac
Yes, but I also work out.

Isaac walks up to the rope Lisa broke free of. He had a point he wanted to make.

Isaac
I tied this tight. How did you break free?

Lisa
I don’t know.

Isaac
You’re stronger.

Lisa waits in silence as Isaac just stares at the rope. She is very confused and worried by what Isaac was saying and demonstrating to her.

Lisa
What are you going to do with me?

Isaac snaps back to reality and looks towards Lisa.

Isaac
They said on the news that you hired me to attack those Protesters. I’m being associated with a fugitive. That does not make me happy. I want to know why.

Lisa
You and me both.

Isaac
But you know something about this, don’t you?

Lisa
If I tell you everything I know, will you let me go?

Isaac
I never make promises, and you will tell me everything you know.

Lisa
The man who said those things is Bobby… or I guess he sometimes goes by the name Roberto. He is friends with the FBI and I think they told him to say those things so that more people will be on the lookout for me.

Isaac
What do they want with me?

Lisa
As far as I know, they don’t want anything to do with you.

Isaac
So they are using me to get to you?

Lisa
It seems that way.

Isaac
Alright then. I guess there’s only one thing to do.

Lisa
Let me go?

Isaac
No. I have to give you up.

To be continued...