Post by Admin on Dec 8, 2013 20:26:38 GMT
"You shouldn't have taken the arrow out," Doctor Saunders said with a concerned tone, walking from her desk. "You could have bled to death. And a broadhead arrow does more damage coming out."
"I'll remember that next time I'm being bow-hunted." Boyd said gruffly. His hands were going numb after an age of holding them up while Saunders inspected his wound.
"But you're healing nicely." she said, somewhat regretfully.
"So I'm certified?"
"I really would recommend you take a few more days, Mr. Langton." she said with a hint of pleading.
"You know you can call me Boyd."
Saunders looked akward. "Is there a reason I'd want to?"
"Look, if you don't certify me, and Echo gets sent out again, she could end up with some stranger as her handler." Boyd pointed out.
"...we're all strangers to them."
Boyd got up from the table and pulled his shirt back on. "She's my responsibility. And we both know there's someone out there. Someone who wants her dead. The word from upstairs is it can't be Alpha."
Saunders sighed. "You're certified."
"Thank you."
"And do keep a close eye. Someone else is watching."
Boyd raised an eyebrow. "Someone always is."
*
"Did you forget your key again--?"
Mellie stopped talking when she realise it wasn't Paul. A man with his hood up was at Paul's door. His back was to her, but she would bet money that he was picking the lock.
The man jumped, pushed his hood down. "Oh, I startle you, you startle me!" he said in a thick accent.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm, uh, a friend of Paul."
Mellie raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"An old friend from, uh ... Navy." Paul wasn't in the navy: the man clearly saw it in her face, because he rushed to correct his mistake. "Friend from Old Navy. I did retail before. He would buy slacks. He told me he would be home."
"He should be back soon."
The man smiled. "You're a friend of Paul, too? Good friend, yeah? You're waiting by the door?"
Mellie shifted uncomfortably. "No, I just happened to... We're not..."
The man leaned to look inside the apartment. "You're making coffee in there?" He indicated himself. "Enough for two--"
"Did you want to leave him a message?"
He smiled again. "Here." He pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. Tell him to meet me Friday night at this place. Not at work. He comes by my work, he bothers me... and my bosses get very mad."
Mellie lifted her eyes from the card to stare at him. "At Old Navy?"
"You give him card--"
"Bye."
She couldn't close the door fast enough."
*
"Hello, Biz." Adelle said warmly, stepping into her office.
Biz, a middle-aged british man who reeked of style, turned away from the window and smiled a dazzling smile at her. As usual, he was wearing sunglasses indoors.
"Aha!" he said, pulling her into an embrace and planting a kiss on her cheek. "I did try to respect your no-sunglasses rule, but what is this, a greenhouse?" he motioned to the large window of the skyscraper office. "I'm photosynthesising here."
"All right." Adelle strode to her desk and hit a button on her controls. Blinds folded, dimming the light.
Biz took of his sunglasses. "Ah. Bless." He made the sign of the cross in Adelle's direction.
"I didn't know you were in town." Adelle said.
"Rayna's at the Henry Fonda."
"Not the Forum?"
Biz walked to the bar and poured himself drink. "It's the pre-release. You know, the intimate evening gigs. Remind everyone that she's an artist. Actually sings the damned songs. We do the stadiums in the summer."
Adelle had heard a great deal about Rayna, a popstar Biz managed. Or at least, tried to. "Sounds exhausting." she said, sinking onto the couch. "I can have the twins freed up in a day or so if you need to unwind."
"Someone's trying to kill Rayna." Biz said in a deadpan voice. "And to my utter amazement, it isn't me."
"Kill her? Are you certain?"
Biz sat down opposite her. "Did you hear about the accident in Kansas City? Flash pot with a double charge. Girl on fire."
"It wasn't an accident?"
"Actually, it was, yes. We changed up the choreography that day. Should have been Rayna standing there."
Adelle was intrigued. "Was that the only time?"
"No, we had a lighting rig come loose in Philly. Got tangled up in the flies."
"How's Rayna dealing with all this?" Adelle asked, picking up a weird diorama-collage of Rayna images that Biz had brought.
"I'm worried about it. She seems erratic, disconnected lately. Even moodier, if that is physically possible. Here. Have a look at this." He handed her a stack of letters written on red paper. "Rayna's had stalkers ever since she was singing for the Mouse, but this guy..."
Adelle scanned the letter, and was not happy with what she found. "And to think, some people don't believe in everlasting love. Meanwhile, Rayna needs to be protected and not by bodyguards."
"Oh, she hates those guys." Biz agreed, shaking his head. "Yes, feels like a prisoner, blah-bliddy blah blah blah. Anyway, this guy can dodge them. No what she needs is someone by her side that she likes, she trusts, and will protect her without even knowing she's supposed to."
"So there's a risk?" Adelle said. After reading the letter, she went to the bar, needing a good drink.
"Absolutely. She's got to be willing to take a bullet for my girl."
Adelle refilled Biz's glass. "I will try to make sure it doesn't come to that. What we do need is a credible reason for our Active to be in Rayna's life."
"Yes, well, as it happened, we do have an opening..."
*
Doctor Saunders strode into Topher's office, file in hand. As usual, he was at his computer. "You sent Echo out on a high-risk engagement?" she asked, outraged.
"Doctor Saunders!" Topher said cheerfully. "So good of you to annoy me!"
"I had her flagged for romantic or altruistic engagements only. Does anybody read these?" she asked, holding up the file.
"Her last romantic engagement turned out to be extremely high-risk." Topher pointed out. "Maybe her engagement with Rayna will turn romantic. Ooh..." Topher zoned out, giggling.
"She's a bodyguard?"
"She's a singer." Topher corrected. "Persona and parameter: two separate elements. Persona: she's a struggling singer who just got her first break. Yay! Parameter: she must protect Rayna, which she will do instinctively and unconsciously at all times."
"So she doesn't even know she's a bodyguard. And this makes what better?"
Topher took a square piece of machinery coated in metal - he dubbed it a Wedge - from his computer and put it into a nearby machine. He walked into the imprint room, forcing Saunders to follow. "Who do you want? Someone who's paid to protect you or someone who wants to protect you? This is the beauty of what we do."
"And what about Boyd? He's not up to any serious physical threat."
Topher froze at one of his machines and turned to look at her curiously. "BOYD? What, are you guys buddies now? Oh, God, of course you are!" he said in some sort of realisation while taking the Wedge in his hand. "You both disapprove of everything! You're gonna get married and have scowly babies!"
"Don't be an idiot." Saunders warned. Topher laughed befote mimicing a baby crying, agitating her further.
"Not to stress," he said, sticking the Wedge into the slot behind the inprint chair. "We're sending in backup anyway."
The door opened. Saunders turned to see Sierra with her handler, Joe, a tall man in his forties and a bad suit, walk in.
"Would you please have a seat?" Topher asked her.
Sierra smiled and obeyed.
*
"All right, stop, stop, stop!" Rayna said. "That's what I was talking about. You guys gotta come in tighter on me on the eight." she told her backup dancers. "You move in any sooner than that and I'm gonna be steppin' all over you like a hot mess, okay? It goes boom, pop, and seven and eight. Hit that. And five, six, seven, and eight."
Jordan watched them dance. Even at this tiny studio, Rayna was wonderful. She was beautiful, tall and skinny with chocolate-coloured and dazzling teeth. It was a shame Jordan and her felloe backup singers - a nice girl called Amy and a slightly bitchy girl called Tanya - were confined to practising by the clothes rack. Jordan was freezing to death in a bra and jeans, working on her harmonies while a stylist hemmed her jeans.
"Okay, you know what, that's fine, but Jordan, softer on your consonants." the coach advised.
Jordan nodded. "Okay, I haven't seen all the lyrics yet, so I'm kinda flying blind here."
"I need a lyric book for the new girl now!" he yelled to no one in particular. A moment later, he went to look for himself.
"They're not very good lyrics." Amy pointed out. "A lot of "ooh"s and "ah"s?"
"Yeah."
"Try not to move, please." the stylist asked.
"Oh, sorry."
"So is this your first big tour?" Amy asked.
"Big one? Yes. I've been working a lot, but nothing like Rayna Russell. I mean, this is the dream gig."
Amy and Tayna shared a knowing look. One that said Jordan would change her views soon.
A group of tall, muscular men in the corner caught Jordan's eye. "What's up with all the muscle?"
"Oh, you heard about that "accident," right?" Amy said.
"Yeah..."
"Well, first there was three bodyguards." Tayna said. "Now there's eight, plus a whole security staff."
"And they don't bring in her fan mail anymore. What I hear, it goes straight to the police."
"Stop, stop!" Rayna said to the dancers. "Let's do it one more time from the top!"
"And what about her?" Jordan asked. "Diva or DIVA?"
"Ugh." Amy groaned. "It depends on the day. I mean, she's the real deal. She's earning it."
The singing coach returned, lyric book on hand. "All right, ladies, here you go." he handed it to Jordan. They began practising again, but only for a moment before Biz walked over. The coach silenced them and turned to him.
"We had to replace the monitor board, so you're gonna have to get there earlier." Biz told the coach. The coach, looking thoroughly annoyed, rushed away. "Thank you. Hello, girls." he said. They all gave him a cheerful 'hi' and a small wave.
The stylist stood up, holding a sparkly tube top. "Bra off, please. Try this on."
Tanya chuckled. She and Amy rushed away.
"Wh-? Should we, uh, go to the bathroom or...?"
The stylist gave her a sympathetic look. "Honey, you've got three quick changes during the show. They're all gonna see your stuff now or later, so you might as well get used to it."
Jordan looked around awkwardly. No one was really looking at her. She stuck a smile on her face, slipped off her bra and hurriedly squeezed into the top. It covered only what Jordan really needed covered. "Is it always this crazy?" she said to herself.
"Okay, stop!" It was Rayna. She was looking at everyone in the room, furious. "Stop! Who's eating a mint? Somebody is eating a mint! Okay, I- I can't breathe!"
"And I think we're done here," Biz said, strolling over. "Rayna, darling, let's get you over to the venue. Yes, indeed..."
Jordan realised she was by the door, and pretended to shift her top around to avoid Rayna's eyes.
"Hey," Rayna said, causing Jordan to look up. "Now that you're done flashing everybody, you want to roll with me to sound check? We can go over your harmonies in the car."
"Cool with me!" Jordan said, beaming. The stylist passed her a jacket, which she hastily put on, and followed Rayna out the door.
She was faintly aware of Tanya saying "Well, looky who's pick of the week!"
*
Cut to a fly over of the city, to an establishing shot of a nice-looking building. Inside, there is a pool where there is a party going on. Pan over to the clothed section. Paul is making his way through the crowd. He spies Lubov looking over the railing at the city. He goes to stand next to him.]
Paul pushed through the crowd until he reached the railing at the edge of the roof. Lubov was leaning on it, looking over the city. A party was raving on the roof just metres behind them.
"Nice view." he said.
Lubov chuckled. "Yeah, look at all the pretty lights, and, uh, the people look like ants and I can see my house from here. You trying to get me killed?"
"I wasn't followed." Paul said, somewhat resentful.
"Yeah, yeah, you cannot be sniffing around the family and talking to me! The Borodins see us together, we both get a death, and I don't get the nice one. Besides, the family's clean on this."
"They traffic girls." Paul pointed out.
Lubov shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not, but they don't brainwash them."
Paul rolled his eyes. "I thought you got something I could use."
"Yeah, yeah, I did what you asked. I start throwing the word "Dollhouse" around, my people, they look at me like I'm tourist. I can't afford that!" Lubov turned on his heel and started to walk away--
"Maybe you're too small-time."
Lubov stopped. He turned around, sheer annoyance on his face. "It's a myth, okay?! It's an urban legend: young people having their personalities replaced so that they could be the perfect date?" he laughed. "It's- it's alligators in the sewers."
"I've heard this song." Paul said, shrugging. "It's not my favourite."
"You got no leads." A couple approached to sit down near them. Lubov screeched and shooed them away before collapsing in a chair. "Anything you think you had led you to me, and I'm a dead end."
"You don't know what I got."
"What you got is the nicest version of "fired" the BI has. See, you don't know me, but I checked you out plenty, Agent Ballard. You don't close. The Van Dynes, Illinois Gun Club; Bureau takes pity, gives you the one job you can't blow because it doesn't exist!"
"The technology exists."
Lubov massaged his forehead and rejoined Paul at the railing. "It... somebody made a monkey tango, right? It doesn't mean it's being used on people."
"It does." Paul said. "It means that."
"How do you know?"
Paul didn't say anything for a moment, just looked down at the cars, before continuing. "We split the atom, we make a bomb. We come up with anything new, the first thing we do is destroy, manipulate, control. It's human nature."
"...Yeah, people are mostly crap. I don't think there's a Dollhouse. I hear different, I'll get word." Lubov pulled away from the railing, began to back up. "Personally, I wish there was."
"How come?"
"So I could sign up! Wipe all of my terrible burdens away."
Paul gave a tiny smile. "Keep you in mind."
Lubov began to get eaten up by the crowd. "I start over, I wanna be Doris friggin' Day."
*
"Right, so, I know this isn't my place," Jordan said. "But I was just walking off my nerves, and I noticed there's no security by the freight elevator. And it seems like somebody could get in there. You know, if you're worried about a homicidal fan or something."
Biz seemed to consider this for a moment. "Good eyes, Jordan."
"Sierra should come into play in a minute." Topher told Boyd in his ear.
"I'm glad they double-tracked this. Who's handling her?"
"Joe Hearn. You won't like him."
On Boyd's computer monitor, a stage hand warned that the curtain would come up in fifteen minutes. He shifted awkwardly in his van's chair. "Echo's on in 15. Okay, okay..."
"Oh my God!" Topher said. "Are you NERVOUS? Opening-night jitters? Your little girl out there on the big stage?"
"On the stage where the last little girl caught fire?" Boyd pointed out.
"...A fair point."
"I mean, her singing's not a problem. It's not, right? I mean, she is a good singer. I think she's good. She wouldn't freeze up?"
Topher chuckled. "She'll be fine, Mama Rose. What's the deal with Rayna? You got the inside edition. Is she cool? What's she like?""
"If you like shallow, vapid, narcissistic girls."
"Really? Shallow? She seemed so earthy and normal with Katie Couric. You just can't trust people anymore." Topher pulled a Wedge out of the machine. "You think you know someone..."
Topher turned back to the Active in the chair. Male, with poufy black hair, well-built, normally handsome but looking worn out at the moment. Victor.
"Hello, Victor. How are you feeling?"
Victor looked around at his surroundings, confused. "Did I fall asleep?"
Topher looked at the Wedge label: Anton Lubov. From the Ballard case.
Topher was just glad the accent was gone.
*
Jordan walked close by Rayna. "Deep breaths help to prevent pre-show barfing." Rayna advised. "Biz taught me that trick when I was 12."
This didn't help Jordan. She had some serious butterflies. Just then, they were joined by Biz and a new woman, with bronze skin, dirty blonde hair and sharp cheekbones, wearing glasses that magnified her eyes to a huge size.
"Rayna, this is Audra, winner of the number one fan contest." Biz said. "She flew all the way in from Australia."
Rayna barely looked at her. "Oh, hey, sweetie, I'd love to hang, but I've got a show to do, you understand, right?" She said all this in about 3 seconds.
"Of course," Audra said in a thick Australian accent, followed by a chorus that included at least twelve "Oh my God"s. She and Biz stopped moving as Ratna and Jordan got closer to stage left.
"That was weird," Jordan said. "Weird adoration."
"No, what's weird is that I don't even notice it..."
*
Jordan stuck close by Rayna's side as they disappeared in a sea of partygoers and bodyguards. "Are you sure this safe?"
"This is my party." Rayna said, waving at a nearby dancing couple.
"You know all these people?"
Rayna rolled her eyew, smiling. "Girl, relax. We're surrounded."
"I know..." Jordan said to herself.
They were both led to the VIP section, which gave them a good view of the rest of the club. The fan girl, Audra, was sitting at their table, sipping from a tall glass. Rayna looked at her with pure fury, but Audra hadn't seen her. "What in the hell is this skank doing at my table?" Rayna said, her voice beginning to rise. "I told you--!"
"Rayna!" Biz said, appearing over her shoulder. "You remember Audra, yes, winner of the online video contest? She's your number one fan."
Audra stood up and beamed. Rayna smiled before turning back to Biz. "Why do you always try to hurt me?" she snarled through gritted teeth.
"Be a saint." Biz whispered, and he bowed out. Rayna looked as if she might explode before she stuck a smile on her face and turned to Audra.
"Hey! You have no idea how much it means to me that you're here tonight."
"Oh. My God." Audra said, dumbstruck.
"Have a seat."
"Oh..."
All three sat on the bright red couch. Someone brought them drinks in a minute.
"Uh, I just have to say you are so beautiful and talented and you saved my life." Audra said at the speed of light. "I had your first CD before any of my friends, and, you know, I- I told them..."
"Okay, okay, slow down." Rayna said, still smiling. "Listen, sweetheart, you can just hang. Okay? Turn off fan mode and turn on, um... What's your name again?
"Audra--"
"Turn on Audra mode!"
Audra looked deep in thought. "Audra mode. Okay..."
What are you drinking?
Audra looked to her glass. "Oh, it's a Shirley Temple. They're delicious. Plus, I'm a lightweight, and I want to be able to remember every single detail of my time with you."
Jordan nearly snorted into her glass. "Oh, geez..."
"Well, you're making us feel like alcoholics over here." Rayna said. "Why don't you have some champagne?"
Audra nodded. "Okay." Rayna raised her hand and a glass was in Audra's hand the next moment.
"Unbelievable." Jordan breathed as the server scurried away. "I mean, is it always like this? People just do whatever you tell them to?" Raymond gave a "what're you gonna do?" look before sipping some more champagne. Jordan leaned across the couch to Audra. "If she wanted you to take off your clothes and run down the street right now, just for kicks, would you do it?"
"Oh. um, with or without my undies?"
Jordan and Rayna burst out laughing. Audra giggled awkwardly, and Jordan had a feeling she didn't mean for it to be funny...
A second later, a huge, intense guy was storming towards them, reaching into his jacket for--
a gun.
Jordan was on him in a second. She shoved him in the chest and he flew backwards over the railing, hitting the floor below hard. As he stirred, Audra and Rayna joined her at the railing, eager to see what was happening.
The man, still glaring at Jordan, reached into his jacket and pulled out the remains of a camera.
A photographer.
"Oh." Jordan muttered awkwardly. "Whoops."
"Damn, girl!" Rayna exclaimed, as security dragged the photographer out the door. "You need to chill."
"That was so cool..." Audra said in awe.
Jordan shrugged. "I'm a Southie..."
*
Paul had rushed over within 20 minutes of getting Lubov's call.
"So, Agent Ballard: maybe I got something for you after all." he had told Paul. "It used to be called the Devonshire Hotel. You know, big noise back when Hollywood still had its dignity."
"If it's abandoned, what am I looking for?" Paul had countered.
"The basement. If people were being held, they probably would have been down there. Hey, I'm getting this third-hand. I still think it goes nowhere."
"Then why call?"
"Because you inspire terrible pity. Watch your back." He had hung up a second after.
Paul kicked his way into a chain-link gate and looked cautiously around with a flashlight. The basement was cold, dusty and damp. There were a few mattresses around, probably from homeless people spending the night...
A noise in the corner caught Paul's attention. Paul whipped his gun from his holster and approached cautiously. After a few seconds of tedious scanning, he lowered his gun. Nothing.
Something slammed into Paul's back, sending him into a concrete column. He went face first, feeling a tooth crack. Though his vision was blurred, Paul could see three men, one holding a two-by-four.
"You wanted to mess with the Borodins?" the one with the board barked.
"Actually," Paul mumbled. "I didn't."
The man swung the board again, but Paul dodged, kneed him and snatched the board from his fingers. He swung the board across the man's face, sending him to the floor. The second man stepped forward, but Paul sent him down in a second.
He was about to start on the third man before he felt the bullet rip through his torso.
The bullet rotated within, ripping something important to ribbons. Paul felt as if his stomach had been torn out. He fell to one knee, gasping.
"Idiot." the third man said. "What an idiot to come here alone. Do you know who we are? We are the last faces you see..."
Paul flung himself forward onto the man's arm, diverting the bullet into the man's leg. As he screamed, one of his fallen comrades staggered to his feet and whipped out his gun. Paul whirled the wounded one around, using him as a human shield as his companion riddled him with bullets. Paul threw the body down as the clip emptied and Paul used the opportunity to beat the crap out of him. Paul abandoned him after hearing a cracking noise before slamming the board into the final man's face. He folded, and Paul flipped him over, straddling him."
"What do you know about the Dollhouse?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
Paul right hooked him, knocking him unconscious, before staggering to his feet. "No one ever does!"
Paul's hand went to his stomach: the adrenaline had made him first about the gunshot wound. He reached into his pocket and fumbled with his phone. He was faintly aware of a woman asking what his emergency was before everything went black.
*
"What?!" Rayna barked through the door.
"It's me!" Jordan said reassuringly.
Rayna swung the door open.
"Hey."
"Get in here." Rayna said, beaming.
Rayna's dressing room was small, but lavishly decorated. A table overflowing with orchids caught Jordan's eye. "Damn, girl!"
“Oh, aren't they gorgeous?” Rayna gushed, breathing their scent in. “You know orchids are the symbol of pure affection.” She took a deep breath. “Yes…”
“Wow. You sure have a lot of them.”
Rayna shrugged. “They help me relax.”
“Nice. I could use some of that.”
Rayna sat at her vanity table. Jordan joined her, perching on the polished wood. “Have you ever felt so unbelievably alive?” Rayna whooped. “This is going to be the best night of my life! I am ready. I am so ready!” She took a sip of from a blue bottle. “Go ahead. Right there.”
“Oh, thanks.” Jordan said getting off the table and heading for the table as Rayna started humming. As she reached for the ice bucket, she noticed a pile of red letters on the table. “Hey, I thought you weren't getting fan mail anymore…” Jordan quickly scanned the top letter. “Whoa. These people think they actually have a relationship with you…”
Rayna tousled her hair in the mirror. “Comes with the territory,” she said, shrugging it off. “My music touches people, so they want to touch me back.”
“Shouldn't the cops be getting all this stuff?”
“Oh, those are old.”
“This one isn't.” Jordan said, flipping through the pile. “It mentions last night's show. These are all from the same guy…” Suddenly, it dawned on her. “It's him. The one they're all afraid of. You're communicating with him?!” She turned to see Rayna standing up, eyes wide and fiery.
“He's my number one fan. Audra's a sweet girl, but... she's got nothing on him.” She daintily.
“Yo, he's not a fan. He's insane!”
In a flash, Rayna was inches from Jordan’s face. If possible, her eyes grew wider. “What do you know? You're a background singer, a wannabe: a nothing!”
There was a knock on the door, a voice warning it was three minutes till curtain.
“Show time.” Rayna said. “The biggest show ever…”
She threw down the letters and exited, Jordan right behind her.
“Don't do this!”
“This is what I do!”
“He's gonna kill you. I think you know that.”
“You have no idea what it's like.” Rayna warned, pushing past a stagehand.
“You can't go out there!”
“You don't tell me what I can and can't do!” Rayna stepped up a ladder and got into a large cage prop.
“You want him to shoot you. On stage. Tonight. You're crazier than he is.”
“I'm not crazy.” Rayna said, as the cage rose through a trapdoor onto the stage. “I just want to be free…”
Jordan looked after her as the cage rose upwards and out of sight.
*
“Biz!” Jordan yelled, running down the hall. “Biz!” She grabbed a stagehand by the arm, whirling him around.” You need to stop the show. Rayna—“
“Jordan, get your ass stage left--!”
“Where's Biz?”
“I'll take you there myself.”
He went to take her by the arm, but Jordan slapped his hand away. “I will smack you.” she snarled.
They wove through the crowd of people. Jordan could hear Rayna, talking to the audience on stage.
I want you to meet somebody special. And this person... reminds me why I do what I do.You know who you are. Come on. Show yourself…!
“Wait!” Jordan said, pausing at stage left. She could see Rayna, looking around eagerly…
Give it up for me number one fan!
Audra appeared on stage, to much cheering and whooping. A stagehand brought her a mic. Rayna had obviously given up.
“This is Audra!”
“W-what’s up, Los Angeles?” Audra said timidly.
Jordan raced backstage, wove through the crowd before finding Biz, watching from stageright.
“He's here.” Jordan panted. “I feel it. I know it.”
“ Stop the show.” Biz said immediately to the nearest bodyguard.
The bodyguard looked shocked. “Because the background singer said so--?”
“Do it!”
“There's no way psycho got through security! You know how many extra guys I hired just for tonight? Huh? Just relax.”
Jordan looked to Biz for support. He looked back regretfully. Jordan turned and started up the stairs onto the stage
“Hey, wait a minute--!” the bodyguard said, trying to stop her. She kneed him in the groin and continued. Another went for her, but Biz stopped him with a word she didn’t hear.
Jordan was nearly blinded by the spotlights and deafened by the cheering. She stayed to the shadows at the front of the stage and tried to scan the rafters, but it was too dark. Something big and bulky caught her eye; a spotlight, right next to her. She grabbed hold of it and shone it in the rafters. Everything was fine until she saw a man, with sallow skin and fiery head, pointing a sniper rifle…
“Rayna, get down!” Jordan screamed as a gunshot rang. There was immediate panic, and Jordan plowed into Rayna, sending them both to the floor as another round was fired. Security was on them in a second, and Jordan was lifted from the stage in a sea of black.
*
Jordan and Rayna were shoved into the latter’s dressing room, the door shut behind them. Jordan had a feeling they were standing outside the door, not that she cared.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Rayna screamed.
“ With me?” Jordan exclaimed apprehensively.
“You shut down my show!”
“I saved your life!”
“You've got no understanding of my life.”
Jordan could feel a migraine coming on. “Okay, are there any drugs you're not on? The guy was about to put a bullet in you, which, PS: also stops the show!”
“You disappointed all those people. I was gonna give 'em a show. Now all they'll say is I didn't give 'em a finish.” Rayna lamented, voice full of disappointment.
“They don't want to see you die.” Jordan said, trying to get her to see sense.
“Did they grow you in a lab? Do you know anything about people? They'd love to see me die. Eighty years old they'd be talking about tonight-they was there when…”
Jordan took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice level.”Rayna... you are not okay, okay? You are having a breakdown. Not a shave-your-head, flash-your-junk whacky phase. You are truly unwell.”
Rayna shrugged. “So he puts me out of my misery.”
“What misery? What have you got to be miserable about?”
Rayna stuck a smile on her face. “No. Right,” she said sarcastically. “Uh... I got to be happy! I got to be grateful. I got to be rebellious-but just enough to give me cred, so people know I'm not a factory girl. But I am.” She looked a little girl when she said that. “I don't exist. I'm not a real person. I'm everybody's fantasy. And God help me if I try not to be. No, you weren't grown in the lab; but I was.” She took a deep swig from her bottle. “Been singing for my supper since when and before when and for everybody else! God put this voice in me and forgot to make it mine. I don't feel it. I don't feel anything. For a long while. But I know he's out there, the reaper, and any minute now... “her voice went soft. “Boom. Freedom. There's your rush. There's your joy. I can hear. I can hear myself.”
“ I think you hear yourself just fine.” Jordan said. “Maybe you want to listen to somebody else, like, say, ever. You don't like your life, change it.”
“They won't let me!”
“You make them let you! You're feeling pain, but all you're doing is spreading it around. God, the last thing I ever thought you'd turn out to be was weak.”
Rayna’s face contorted with that immediate rage she loved so much. “I want you out of here. You say anything to Biz, I'll tell every psycho fan I got right where you live and you won't last a day!”
Jordan gave a small chuckle. “Oh, this gig was supposed to change everything for me. And now I'm thinking it did.”
Rayna grabbed Jordan’s bicep. “Get your scrawny ass out—“
Jordan yanked her arm free and shoved Rayna against the wall. “You can fire me, but, bitch; don't think you can take me. Have fun with your fan.” She snarled.
Jordan stormed out, slamming the door.
*
Jordan walked into the studio, the one where rehearsals had taken place, to see it bustling with activity. Stagehands were packing up and leaving, bodyguards were searching everybody and Rayna and Biz were up on the platform above, both staring intently at something out of view. On her own ground level, Jordan saw Amy was watching them too. She approached her, confused. "I came to get my stuff--"
"I thought something might have happened to you too." Amy said. For a moment, Jordan was afraid she would hug her.
"What do you mean?"
Amy motioned to Rayna and Biz up above. "Seems like it wasn't such a good idea to be seen out with Rayna..." Jordan looked at them both before making her way up the stairs.
They were both standing rigid, looking at a laptop screen. A pale man with red hair was on a video feed - the man from the rafters. The crazed fan. "Look what you've done, Rayna." he was saying. "You messed it all up. And I want to be able to forgive you, but... your actions lately... " He held a gun into view and stepped back, revealing Audra, bruised and snivelling, tied to a chair. Rayna gasped as he planet the gun against her head. "Who is this? Why her? How is she your number one fan? You gave her what was mine. And I know you said we could never meet in person because it... because it would diminish what we have. It would ruin our moment. Now, you will come meet me in person, and I will not shoot this girl in the brains."
"Lunatic..." Biz breathed.
"I kill for you, you die for me." the man continued. "That was the deal. I want to fulfill my part, Rayna. You have my number. Call me."
The video froze, leaving a terrified Audra in view.
Biz slowly turned to Rayna. "'Call me'"?" he repeated. "You did this?"
Rayna lifted her previously bowed head to look at him. In a flash, he backhanded her across the face. As Rayna screamed, Jordan shoved Biz into the wall, slamming his head off a pillar. Rayna scurried down the stairs and disappeared.
"Ten years." Biz said regretfully. "Never done that. She wanted this. All of it. Otherwise, I never would have--"
"Getting what you want may not be the best thing for a person." Jordan pointed out.
"You're supposed to be with her."
"She fired me."
Biz seemed concerned. "Does that make a difference?"
Jordan considered it. "No. I don't know why, but... even after everything that's happened, I..." The image of Audra caught her eye. "I have to help her."
She made her way down the steps to the now empty floor. Biz watched her go.
*
"Sierra has been kidnapped." Dominic said.
Adelle was too shocked to enforce the knocking rule. "Echo?"
"On task. Still protecting Rayna."
She nodded and he turned to take his leave--
"Are you a fan, Mr. Dominic?"
He stopped, puzzled. "I'm sorry?"
"Rayna," she explained. "Do you like her music?"
"I... I don't know if being a fan has very much to do with that. Not at the level we're dealing with."
"No." she said. "Get the girl. Close it out."
He left. Adelle poured a drink and sat by the phone.
*
Despite her hatred for her, Jordan couldn't deny Rayna was an excellent dancer.
She was here in the studio, alone, moving gracefully in and out of the shadows. She was almost sad to interrupt.
"What are you doing?"
Rayna jumped, stopped. "You scared me."
"I scared you? After all this, I scared you?"
"Why are you here? I fired you."
Jordan stepped out of the shadows and into the shaft of moonlight. "Look, I'm not here to fight, Rayna. I'm sorry for the things I said. I just want to know how I can help."
"You can leave."
"Then what are you gonna do?"
"The show must go on..." She began practicing again. It wasn't as amusing this time.
"You can't be serious! This isn't just about you anymore, Rayna. Someone else is in danger."
Rayna stopped again. "We called the police. What else do you want from me?"
"You know this guy. You know what he's capable of. You could stop him from hurting Audra."
"I can't stop him."
"You could try. She's your friend."
"She's a fan. She'd want me to continue."
Again with the practicing, but it only lasted a moment.
"Rayna... I know you don't feel anything, or think that you don't, but you will. You will if you do something to save this girl. And you will help this girl." Jordan retreated back into the shadows on the final sentence.
"What makes you think--"
Jordan grabbed the folding chair by the leg and swung it into the back of Rayna's hand. She crumbled to the ground, unconscious.
"Friends help each other out."
*
Dominic burst through the lab door and grabbed Topher by the collar. Despite the chorus of "Whoa!"s, he yanked him from his chair and slammed him against the wall.
"Hey-hey-hey-hey! Ow--!"
"What the hell's the matter with you?" Dominic spat. "Are you doing this on purpose or you just terrible at your job?!"
Topher looked puzzled. "Uh, neither. Doing what?"
"Echo's off-task. Your little brainchild just backfired."
"Okay, okay, first of all; ow. Secondly, Echo's hardwired to protect the client. Now, sometimes these things play out differently than we anticipate."
"You better check your tech! Echo is off task, and Sierra was pretty crappy backup considering she got kidnapped--!"
"That's enough!" Topher said, finally freeing himself from Dominic's grasp. "You're in my house, Lawrence! Of the two people here, one of us is a genius and the other is a security guard in a very lovely suit."
"All right, genius. Tell me why Echo would kidnap the girl you programmed her to protect and bring her to the man who's trying to kill her." He held up a recorder. "This was found on the stalker's machine." He pushed the button, and Echo's voice began playing: 'Hi, fan number one. My name is Jordan. I have Rayna. I want to make an exchange. No funny stuff. I'll meet you where the original plan was supposed to go down. Then you can have her.'
"Wow." Topher laughed in chagrin as Dominic stopped the recorder. "That does sound kind of bad..."
*
The crazed fan led Audra across the catwalk towards Jordan and Rayna, gun in hand. Jordan had Rayna in a headlock, her whimpering stifled by the tape over her mouth.
"Hey." Jordan whispered to her. "You wanted to die. This would be a 'careful what you wish for' moment."
"Let her go!" the fan warned as he and Audra approached.
"And let her fall to her death? But then I'd have nothing to bargain with!"
"You drop her, and this girl will have a big hole right in her head." he put the gun to Audra. "This girl for Rayna... now."
"How 'bout this? You let Audra go, throw the gun down there, and I will hand you Rayna. You can do whatever you want with her. Because, honestly, I don't care if Rayna lives. She wants to die and you want to kill her. So, basically, nobody wants Rayna to make it to tomorrow."
"I do..." Audra said meekly
"It's not about killing her." the man continued. "It's about giving her what she wants."
Jordan nearly grinned. "Then this is a big, magical moment for the two of you--"
"Shut up!" he said. He pushed Audra roughly to the catwalk floor, still pointing the gun at her. "You can't possibly understand what we have together."
"True. Maybe Rayna can explain."
Jordan ripped the tape off. The man flinched as Rayna screamed.
"I'm so sorry." Rayna blubbered. "Please let me go, I don't want to hurt anybody. Please, I'm sorry! I... I don't want to hurt anymore..."
"That's really up to him. He decides your fate, right?"
"No, please, he's crazy!"
The man looked like he had gotten hit by a bus.
Jordan shrugged. "I guess it's not love after all."
"She doesn't mean that..." the man breathed.
"I'm sorry." Rayna offered.
"Rayna, I would never hurt you--"
"God, now you're changing your story, too?" Jordan said, exasperated. "Can we hurry this up, because I am so sick of this little episode we got going on here--"
"Shut up!" the man screamed. "I-I could kill you and have both girls. I could kill everybody!"
"No!" Rayna yelped.
"She doesn't seem to like that idea..."
"SHUT UP! Shut up, I will shoot you!"
Jordan shoved Rayna forward a little so she was leaning over the railing. "And then I'll let her go." she warned calmly.
Rayna screamed again. The crazy fanboy threw his hands up.
Jordan rolled her eyes. "You don't want to die. You don't want her dead. This is way too confusing!"
Jordan shoved Rayna off the platform. Rayna screamed, the man yelled, raced to where she ha been pushed--
Rayna stopped screaming. The rope clasping her hands had been secured to a pipe. She was dangling a few metres below.
Jordan took the opportunity to beat him away. She disarmed him in the process and pointed the pistol at his chest. He stood frozen with fear. Jordan almost pitied him. She pistol whipped him across the face and he went down.
Jordan tucked the gun into the waistband of her jeans before bending down to help Audra to her feet. She stood and toppled a bit. She yelped and Jordan steadied her.
"Is Rayna okay?" Audra asked after a moment.
Jordan peered over the railing. Rayna was still dangling, looking up at them with wide eyes.
"Please don't let me die!" she begged. "I want to live!"
Jordan began pulling the rope up. "I know..."
*
"I will have quite the story to tell when I get back to Brisbane!" Audra said as she and Jordan exited the theater, back to her old sunny ways.
"What do you mean?" Jordan asked. "This is what every day is like in America!"
"Well, part of it was dreadful, but it was by far the most exciting, fulfilling, wonderful day of my life!"
Jordan laughed. "You're the scariest one of all."
"That's all I need: you rubbing off on her."
Jordan turned around. Two men in suits were standing, waiting for them. One was Boyd: she didn't recognise the other. He was the one who had spoken.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Audra," he said. "Time for your treatment."
Audra have Jordan a final smile before leaving with the man.
"What's wrong with him?" Jordan asked Boyd.
"Are you ready for your treatment?" he said simply.
"All right, but can I kick that guy's ass first?"
Boyd smiled. "I will seriously consider it."
*
"She's a risk." Dominic said. "An increasing risk."
"She had control over the situation." Adelle pointed out, growing irritated.
"But we can't control her. I'm recommending that we send Echo to the Attic. Before someone else ends up dead, or worse, she compromises this organisation."
"I believe she acted in our best interest--"
"She went off mission!"
Adelle turned to him, eyebrow raised. "In fact, I believe she did quite the opposite. She stopped the person who wanted Rayna dead. It just happened to be Rayna herself, and by quite literally dangling the threat of death in front of her, she prevented Rayna from ever being a danger to herself in the future. Echo took the mission parameter--"
*
"And did even better." Boyd said. He was gazing at Echo painting a picture on the Dollhouse floor, Saunders at his side. "She seems to have the ability to think outside of the pieces that we give her and then create--"
"Create a new approach to the problem." she finished.
"It's impressive. I don't know what it means, but it's impressive. She really is special."
Saunders' face darkened. "Special isn't always a good thing here, Boyd."
"DeWitt's a businesswoman. Is she really gonna harm her best Active?"
"Echo wasn't always the best."
"You're talking about Alpha.
"I'm just saying; sometimes the best thing to hope for is good enough."
*
Mellie raced down the hospital hall, flowers in hand, ducking between visitors and staff until she reached the room number. An imposing guard was standing outside the door. She could see Paul threw the window, turned away in his bed.
"Excuse me--"
"You can't be here ma'am--"
"No, please, I need to see him."
"Are you family?"
"N-no, we're neighbours--"
"I'm sorry ma'am, but I've been instructed its family members only."
Mellie looked anxiously at her ruined bouquet.
*
Echo stood from the painting area and walked across the Dollhouse, wondering what she would do next today. She saw Sierra walking towards her, smiling. Echo went to walk to her, and two people caught her eye: Boyd and Doctor Saunders were watching her. Echo tried to shake it off. She was nearing Sierra when she saw the handler man, Mr. Hearn, talking with another group of men. He was staring intently at her. Sierra was moments away...
Echo gave the slightest shake of her head. Sierra bowed her head and walked on. They passed each other.
Not now. Not while everyone was watching.
Not yet.
"I'll remember that next time I'm being bow-hunted." Boyd said gruffly. His hands were going numb after an age of holding them up while Saunders inspected his wound.
"But you're healing nicely." she said, somewhat regretfully.
"So I'm certified?"
"I really would recommend you take a few more days, Mr. Langton." she said with a hint of pleading.
"You know you can call me Boyd."
Saunders looked akward. "Is there a reason I'd want to?"
"Look, if you don't certify me, and Echo gets sent out again, she could end up with some stranger as her handler." Boyd pointed out.
"...we're all strangers to them."
Boyd got up from the table and pulled his shirt back on. "She's my responsibility. And we both know there's someone out there. Someone who wants her dead. The word from upstairs is it can't be Alpha."
Saunders sighed. "You're certified."
"Thank you."
"And do keep a close eye. Someone else is watching."
Boyd raised an eyebrow. "Someone always is."
*
"Did you forget your key again--?"
Mellie stopped talking when she realise it wasn't Paul. A man with his hood up was at Paul's door. His back was to her, but she would bet money that he was picking the lock.
The man jumped, pushed his hood down. "Oh, I startle you, you startle me!" he said in a thick accent.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm, uh, a friend of Paul."
Mellie raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"An old friend from, uh ... Navy." Paul wasn't in the navy: the man clearly saw it in her face, because he rushed to correct his mistake. "Friend from Old Navy. I did retail before. He would buy slacks. He told me he would be home."
"He should be back soon."
The man smiled. "You're a friend of Paul, too? Good friend, yeah? You're waiting by the door?"
Mellie shifted uncomfortably. "No, I just happened to... We're not..."
The man leaned to look inside the apartment. "You're making coffee in there?" He indicated himself. "Enough for two--"
"Did you want to leave him a message?"
He smiled again. "Here." He pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. Tell him to meet me Friday night at this place. Not at work. He comes by my work, he bothers me... and my bosses get very mad."
Mellie lifted her eyes from the card to stare at him. "At Old Navy?"
"You give him card--"
"Bye."
She couldn't close the door fast enough."
*
"Hello, Biz." Adelle said warmly, stepping into her office.
Biz, a middle-aged british man who reeked of style, turned away from the window and smiled a dazzling smile at her. As usual, he was wearing sunglasses indoors.
"Aha!" he said, pulling her into an embrace and planting a kiss on her cheek. "I did try to respect your no-sunglasses rule, but what is this, a greenhouse?" he motioned to the large window of the skyscraper office. "I'm photosynthesising here."
"All right." Adelle strode to her desk and hit a button on her controls. Blinds folded, dimming the light.
Biz took of his sunglasses. "Ah. Bless." He made the sign of the cross in Adelle's direction.
"I didn't know you were in town." Adelle said.
"Rayna's at the Henry Fonda."
"Not the Forum?"
Biz walked to the bar and poured himself drink. "It's the pre-release. You know, the intimate evening gigs. Remind everyone that she's an artist. Actually sings the damned songs. We do the stadiums in the summer."
Adelle had heard a great deal about Rayna, a popstar Biz managed. Or at least, tried to. "Sounds exhausting." she said, sinking onto the couch. "I can have the twins freed up in a day or so if you need to unwind."
"Someone's trying to kill Rayna." Biz said in a deadpan voice. "And to my utter amazement, it isn't me."
"Kill her? Are you certain?"
Biz sat down opposite her. "Did you hear about the accident in Kansas City? Flash pot with a double charge. Girl on fire."
"It wasn't an accident?"
"Actually, it was, yes. We changed up the choreography that day. Should have been Rayna standing there."
Adelle was intrigued. "Was that the only time?"
"No, we had a lighting rig come loose in Philly. Got tangled up in the flies."
"How's Rayna dealing with all this?" Adelle asked, picking up a weird diorama-collage of Rayna images that Biz had brought.
"I'm worried about it. She seems erratic, disconnected lately. Even moodier, if that is physically possible. Here. Have a look at this." He handed her a stack of letters written on red paper. "Rayna's had stalkers ever since she was singing for the Mouse, but this guy..."
Adelle scanned the letter, and was not happy with what she found. "And to think, some people don't believe in everlasting love. Meanwhile, Rayna needs to be protected and not by bodyguards."
"Oh, she hates those guys." Biz agreed, shaking his head. "Yes, feels like a prisoner, blah-bliddy blah blah blah. Anyway, this guy can dodge them. No what she needs is someone by her side that she likes, she trusts, and will protect her without even knowing she's supposed to."
"So there's a risk?" Adelle said. After reading the letter, she went to the bar, needing a good drink.
"Absolutely. She's got to be willing to take a bullet for my girl."
Adelle refilled Biz's glass. "I will try to make sure it doesn't come to that. What we do need is a credible reason for our Active to be in Rayna's life."
"Yes, well, as it happened, we do have an opening..."
*
Doctor Saunders strode into Topher's office, file in hand. As usual, he was at his computer. "You sent Echo out on a high-risk engagement?" she asked, outraged.
"Doctor Saunders!" Topher said cheerfully. "So good of you to annoy me!"
"I had her flagged for romantic or altruistic engagements only. Does anybody read these?" she asked, holding up the file.
"Her last romantic engagement turned out to be extremely high-risk." Topher pointed out. "Maybe her engagement with Rayna will turn romantic. Ooh..." Topher zoned out, giggling.
"She's a bodyguard?"
"She's a singer." Topher corrected. "Persona and parameter: two separate elements. Persona: she's a struggling singer who just got her first break. Yay! Parameter: she must protect Rayna, which she will do instinctively and unconsciously at all times."
"So she doesn't even know she's a bodyguard. And this makes what better?"
Topher took a square piece of machinery coated in metal - he dubbed it a Wedge - from his computer and put it into a nearby machine. He walked into the imprint room, forcing Saunders to follow. "Who do you want? Someone who's paid to protect you or someone who wants to protect you? This is the beauty of what we do."
"And what about Boyd? He's not up to any serious physical threat."
Topher froze at one of his machines and turned to look at her curiously. "BOYD? What, are you guys buddies now? Oh, God, of course you are!" he said in some sort of realisation while taking the Wedge in his hand. "You both disapprove of everything! You're gonna get married and have scowly babies!"
"Don't be an idiot." Saunders warned. Topher laughed befote mimicing a baby crying, agitating her further.
"Not to stress," he said, sticking the Wedge into the slot behind the inprint chair. "We're sending in backup anyway."
The door opened. Saunders turned to see Sierra with her handler, Joe, a tall man in his forties and a bad suit, walk in.
"Would you please have a seat?" Topher asked her.
Sierra smiled and obeyed.
*
"All right, stop, stop, stop!" Rayna said. "That's what I was talking about. You guys gotta come in tighter on me on the eight." she told her backup dancers. "You move in any sooner than that and I'm gonna be steppin' all over you like a hot mess, okay? It goes boom, pop, and seven and eight. Hit that. And five, six, seven, and eight."
Jordan watched them dance. Even at this tiny studio, Rayna was wonderful. She was beautiful, tall and skinny with chocolate-coloured and dazzling teeth. It was a shame Jordan and her felloe backup singers - a nice girl called Amy and a slightly bitchy girl called Tanya - were confined to practising by the clothes rack. Jordan was freezing to death in a bra and jeans, working on her harmonies while a stylist hemmed her jeans.
"Okay, you know what, that's fine, but Jordan, softer on your consonants." the coach advised.
Jordan nodded. "Okay, I haven't seen all the lyrics yet, so I'm kinda flying blind here."
"I need a lyric book for the new girl now!" he yelled to no one in particular. A moment later, he went to look for himself.
"They're not very good lyrics." Amy pointed out. "A lot of "ooh"s and "ah"s?"
"Yeah."
"Try not to move, please." the stylist asked.
"Oh, sorry."
"So is this your first big tour?" Amy asked.
"Big one? Yes. I've been working a lot, but nothing like Rayna Russell. I mean, this is the dream gig."
Amy and Tayna shared a knowing look. One that said Jordan would change her views soon.
A group of tall, muscular men in the corner caught Jordan's eye. "What's up with all the muscle?"
"Oh, you heard about that "accident," right?" Amy said.
"Yeah..."
"Well, first there was three bodyguards." Tayna said. "Now there's eight, plus a whole security staff."
"And they don't bring in her fan mail anymore. What I hear, it goes straight to the police."
"Stop, stop!" Rayna said to the dancers. "Let's do it one more time from the top!"
"And what about her?" Jordan asked. "Diva or DIVA?"
"Ugh." Amy groaned. "It depends on the day. I mean, she's the real deal. She's earning it."
The singing coach returned, lyric book on hand. "All right, ladies, here you go." he handed it to Jordan. They began practising again, but only for a moment before Biz walked over. The coach silenced them and turned to him.
"We had to replace the monitor board, so you're gonna have to get there earlier." Biz told the coach. The coach, looking thoroughly annoyed, rushed away. "Thank you. Hello, girls." he said. They all gave him a cheerful 'hi' and a small wave.
The stylist stood up, holding a sparkly tube top. "Bra off, please. Try this on."
Tanya chuckled. She and Amy rushed away.
"Wh-? Should we, uh, go to the bathroom or...?"
The stylist gave her a sympathetic look. "Honey, you've got three quick changes during the show. They're all gonna see your stuff now or later, so you might as well get used to it."
Jordan looked around awkwardly. No one was really looking at her. She stuck a smile on her face, slipped off her bra and hurriedly squeezed into the top. It covered only what Jordan really needed covered. "Is it always this crazy?" she said to herself.
"Okay, stop!" It was Rayna. She was looking at everyone in the room, furious. "Stop! Who's eating a mint? Somebody is eating a mint! Okay, I- I can't breathe!"
"And I think we're done here," Biz said, strolling over. "Rayna, darling, let's get you over to the venue. Yes, indeed..."
Jordan realised she was by the door, and pretended to shift her top around to avoid Rayna's eyes.
"Hey," Rayna said, causing Jordan to look up. "Now that you're done flashing everybody, you want to roll with me to sound check? We can go over your harmonies in the car."
"Cool with me!" Jordan said, beaming. The stylist passed her a jacket, which she hastily put on, and followed Rayna out the door.
She was faintly aware of Tanya saying "Well, looky who's pick of the week!"
*
Cut to a fly over of the city, to an establishing shot of a nice-looking building. Inside, there is a pool where there is a party going on. Pan over to the clothed section. Paul is making his way through the crowd. He spies Lubov looking over the railing at the city. He goes to stand next to him.]
Paul pushed through the crowd until he reached the railing at the edge of the roof. Lubov was leaning on it, looking over the city. A party was raving on the roof just metres behind them.
"Nice view." he said.
Lubov chuckled. "Yeah, look at all the pretty lights, and, uh, the people look like ants and I can see my house from here. You trying to get me killed?"
"I wasn't followed." Paul said, somewhat resentful.
"Yeah, yeah, you cannot be sniffing around the family and talking to me! The Borodins see us together, we both get a death, and I don't get the nice one. Besides, the family's clean on this."
"They traffic girls." Paul pointed out.
Lubov shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not, but they don't brainwash them."
Paul rolled his eyes. "I thought you got something I could use."
"Yeah, yeah, I did what you asked. I start throwing the word "Dollhouse" around, my people, they look at me like I'm tourist. I can't afford that!" Lubov turned on his heel and started to walk away--
"Maybe you're too small-time."
Lubov stopped. He turned around, sheer annoyance on his face. "It's a myth, okay?! It's an urban legend: young people having their personalities replaced so that they could be the perfect date?" he laughed. "It's- it's alligators in the sewers."
"I've heard this song." Paul said, shrugging. "It's not my favourite."
"You got no leads." A couple approached to sit down near them. Lubov screeched and shooed them away before collapsing in a chair. "Anything you think you had led you to me, and I'm a dead end."
"You don't know what I got."
"What you got is the nicest version of "fired" the BI has. See, you don't know me, but I checked you out plenty, Agent Ballard. You don't close. The Van Dynes, Illinois Gun Club; Bureau takes pity, gives you the one job you can't blow because it doesn't exist!"
"The technology exists."
Lubov massaged his forehead and rejoined Paul at the railing. "It... somebody made a monkey tango, right? It doesn't mean it's being used on people."
"It does." Paul said. "It means that."
"How do you know?"
Paul didn't say anything for a moment, just looked down at the cars, before continuing. "We split the atom, we make a bomb. We come up with anything new, the first thing we do is destroy, manipulate, control. It's human nature."
"...Yeah, people are mostly crap. I don't think there's a Dollhouse. I hear different, I'll get word." Lubov pulled away from the railing, began to back up. "Personally, I wish there was."
"How come?"
"So I could sign up! Wipe all of my terrible burdens away."
Paul gave a tiny smile. "Keep you in mind."
Lubov began to get eaten up by the crowd. "I start over, I wanna be Doris friggin' Day."
*
"Right, so, I know this isn't my place," Jordan said. "But I was just walking off my nerves, and I noticed there's no security by the freight elevator. And it seems like somebody could get in there. You know, if you're worried about a homicidal fan or something."
Biz seemed to consider this for a moment. "Good eyes, Jordan."
"Sierra should come into play in a minute." Topher told Boyd in his ear.
"I'm glad they double-tracked this. Who's handling her?"
"Joe Hearn. You won't like him."
On Boyd's computer monitor, a stage hand warned that the curtain would come up in fifteen minutes. He shifted awkwardly in his van's chair. "Echo's on in 15. Okay, okay..."
"Oh my God!" Topher said. "Are you NERVOUS? Opening-night jitters? Your little girl out there on the big stage?"
"On the stage where the last little girl caught fire?" Boyd pointed out.
"...A fair point."
"I mean, her singing's not a problem. It's not, right? I mean, she is a good singer. I think she's good. She wouldn't freeze up?"
Topher chuckled. "She'll be fine, Mama Rose. What's the deal with Rayna? You got the inside edition. Is she cool? What's she like?""
"If you like shallow, vapid, narcissistic girls."
"Really? Shallow? She seemed so earthy and normal with Katie Couric. You just can't trust people anymore." Topher pulled a Wedge out of the machine. "You think you know someone..."
Topher turned back to the Active in the chair. Male, with poufy black hair, well-built, normally handsome but looking worn out at the moment. Victor.
"Hello, Victor. How are you feeling?"
Victor looked around at his surroundings, confused. "Did I fall asleep?"
Topher looked at the Wedge label: Anton Lubov. From the Ballard case.
Topher was just glad the accent was gone.
*
Jordan walked close by Rayna. "Deep breaths help to prevent pre-show barfing." Rayna advised. "Biz taught me that trick when I was 12."
This didn't help Jordan. She had some serious butterflies. Just then, they were joined by Biz and a new woman, with bronze skin, dirty blonde hair and sharp cheekbones, wearing glasses that magnified her eyes to a huge size.
"Rayna, this is Audra, winner of the number one fan contest." Biz said. "She flew all the way in from Australia."
Rayna barely looked at her. "Oh, hey, sweetie, I'd love to hang, but I've got a show to do, you understand, right?" She said all this in about 3 seconds.
"Of course," Audra said in a thick Australian accent, followed by a chorus that included at least twelve "Oh my God"s. She and Biz stopped moving as Ratna and Jordan got closer to stage left.
"That was weird," Jordan said. "Weird adoration."
"No, what's weird is that I don't even notice it..."
*
Jordan stuck close by Rayna's side as they disappeared in a sea of partygoers and bodyguards. "Are you sure this safe?"
"This is my party." Rayna said, waving at a nearby dancing couple.
"You know all these people?"
Rayna rolled her eyew, smiling. "Girl, relax. We're surrounded."
"I know..." Jordan said to herself.
They were both led to the VIP section, which gave them a good view of the rest of the club. The fan girl, Audra, was sitting at their table, sipping from a tall glass. Rayna looked at her with pure fury, but Audra hadn't seen her. "What in the hell is this skank doing at my table?" Rayna said, her voice beginning to rise. "I told you--!"
"Rayna!" Biz said, appearing over her shoulder. "You remember Audra, yes, winner of the online video contest? She's your number one fan."
Audra stood up and beamed. Rayna smiled before turning back to Biz. "Why do you always try to hurt me?" she snarled through gritted teeth.
"Be a saint." Biz whispered, and he bowed out. Rayna looked as if she might explode before she stuck a smile on her face and turned to Audra.
"Hey! You have no idea how much it means to me that you're here tonight."
"Oh. My God." Audra said, dumbstruck.
"Have a seat."
"Oh..."
All three sat on the bright red couch. Someone brought them drinks in a minute.
"Uh, I just have to say you are so beautiful and talented and you saved my life." Audra said at the speed of light. "I had your first CD before any of my friends, and, you know, I- I told them..."
"Okay, okay, slow down." Rayna said, still smiling. "Listen, sweetheart, you can just hang. Okay? Turn off fan mode and turn on, um... What's your name again?
"Audra--"
"Turn on Audra mode!"
Audra looked deep in thought. "Audra mode. Okay..."
What are you drinking?
Audra looked to her glass. "Oh, it's a Shirley Temple. They're delicious. Plus, I'm a lightweight, and I want to be able to remember every single detail of my time with you."
Jordan nearly snorted into her glass. "Oh, geez..."
"Well, you're making us feel like alcoholics over here." Rayna said. "Why don't you have some champagne?"
Audra nodded. "Okay." Rayna raised her hand and a glass was in Audra's hand the next moment.
"Unbelievable." Jordan breathed as the server scurried away. "I mean, is it always like this? People just do whatever you tell them to?" Raymond gave a "what're you gonna do?" look before sipping some more champagne. Jordan leaned across the couch to Audra. "If she wanted you to take off your clothes and run down the street right now, just for kicks, would you do it?"
"Oh. um, with or without my undies?"
Jordan and Rayna burst out laughing. Audra giggled awkwardly, and Jordan had a feeling she didn't mean for it to be funny...
A second later, a huge, intense guy was storming towards them, reaching into his jacket for--
a gun.
Jordan was on him in a second. She shoved him in the chest and he flew backwards over the railing, hitting the floor below hard. As he stirred, Audra and Rayna joined her at the railing, eager to see what was happening.
The man, still glaring at Jordan, reached into his jacket and pulled out the remains of a camera.
A photographer.
"Oh." Jordan muttered awkwardly. "Whoops."
"Damn, girl!" Rayna exclaimed, as security dragged the photographer out the door. "You need to chill."
"That was so cool..." Audra said in awe.
Jordan shrugged. "I'm a Southie..."
*
Paul had rushed over within 20 minutes of getting Lubov's call.
"So, Agent Ballard: maybe I got something for you after all." he had told Paul. "It used to be called the Devonshire Hotel. You know, big noise back when Hollywood still had its dignity."
"If it's abandoned, what am I looking for?" Paul had countered.
"The basement. If people were being held, they probably would have been down there. Hey, I'm getting this third-hand. I still think it goes nowhere."
"Then why call?"
"Because you inspire terrible pity. Watch your back." He had hung up a second after.
Paul kicked his way into a chain-link gate and looked cautiously around with a flashlight. The basement was cold, dusty and damp. There were a few mattresses around, probably from homeless people spending the night...
A noise in the corner caught Paul's attention. Paul whipped his gun from his holster and approached cautiously. After a few seconds of tedious scanning, he lowered his gun. Nothing.
Something slammed into Paul's back, sending him into a concrete column. He went face first, feeling a tooth crack. Though his vision was blurred, Paul could see three men, one holding a two-by-four.
"You wanted to mess with the Borodins?" the one with the board barked.
"Actually," Paul mumbled. "I didn't."
The man swung the board again, but Paul dodged, kneed him and snatched the board from his fingers. He swung the board across the man's face, sending him to the floor. The second man stepped forward, but Paul sent him down in a second.
He was about to start on the third man before he felt the bullet rip through his torso.
The bullet rotated within, ripping something important to ribbons. Paul felt as if his stomach had been torn out. He fell to one knee, gasping.
"Idiot." the third man said. "What an idiot to come here alone. Do you know who we are? We are the last faces you see..."
Paul flung himself forward onto the man's arm, diverting the bullet into the man's leg. As he screamed, one of his fallen comrades staggered to his feet and whipped out his gun. Paul whirled the wounded one around, using him as a human shield as his companion riddled him with bullets. Paul threw the body down as the clip emptied and Paul used the opportunity to beat the crap out of him. Paul abandoned him after hearing a cracking noise before slamming the board into the final man's face. He folded, and Paul flipped him over, straddling him."
"What do you know about the Dollhouse?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
Paul right hooked him, knocking him unconscious, before staggering to his feet. "No one ever does!"
Paul's hand went to his stomach: the adrenaline had made him first about the gunshot wound. He reached into his pocket and fumbled with his phone. He was faintly aware of a woman asking what his emergency was before everything went black.
*
"What?!" Rayna barked through the door.
"It's me!" Jordan said reassuringly.
Rayna swung the door open.
"Hey."
"Get in here." Rayna said, beaming.
Rayna's dressing room was small, but lavishly decorated. A table overflowing with orchids caught Jordan's eye. "Damn, girl!"
“Oh, aren't they gorgeous?” Rayna gushed, breathing their scent in. “You know orchids are the symbol of pure affection.” She took a deep breath. “Yes…”
“Wow. You sure have a lot of them.”
Rayna shrugged. “They help me relax.”
“Nice. I could use some of that.”
Rayna sat at her vanity table. Jordan joined her, perching on the polished wood. “Have you ever felt so unbelievably alive?” Rayna whooped. “This is going to be the best night of my life! I am ready. I am so ready!” She took a sip of from a blue bottle. “Go ahead. Right there.”
“Oh, thanks.” Jordan said getting off the table and heading for the table as Rayna started humming. As she reached for the ice bucket, she noticed a pile of red letters on the table. “Hey, I thought you weren't getting fan mail anymore…” Jordan quickly scanned the top letter. “Whoa. These people think they actually have a relationship with you…”
Rayna tousled her hair in the mirror. “Comes with the territory,” she said, shrugging it off. “My music touches people, so they want to touch me back.”
“Shouldn't the cops be getting all this stuff?”
“Oh, those are old.”
“This one isn't.” Jordan said, flipping through the pile. “It mentions last night's show. These are all from the same guy…” Suddenly, it dawned on her. “It's him. The one they're all afraid of. You're communicating with him?!” She turned to see Rayna standing up, eyes wide and fiery.
“He's my number one fan. Audra's a sweet girl, but... she's got nothing on him.” She daintily.
“Yo, he's not a fan. He's insane!”
In a flash, Rayna was inches from Jordan’s face. If possible, her eyes grew wider. “What do you know? You're a background singer, a wannabe: a nothing!”
There was a knock on the door, a voice warning it was three minutes till curtain.
“Show time.” Rayna said. “The biggest show ever…”
She threw down the letters and exited, Jordan right behind her.
“Don't do this!”
“This is what I do!”
“He's gonna kill you. I think you know that.”
“You have no idea what it's like.” Rayna warned, pushing past a stagehand.
“You can't go out there!”
“You don't tell me what I can and can't do!” Rayna stepped up a ladder and got into a large cage prop.
“You want him to shoot you. On stage. Tonight. You're crazier than he is.”
“I'm not crazy.” Rayna said, as the cage rose through a trapdoor onto the stage. “I just want to be free…”
Jordan looked after her as the cage rose upwards and out of sight.
*
“Biz!” Jordan yelled, running down the hall. “Biz!” She grabbed a stagehand by the arm, whirling him around.” You need to stop the show. Rayna—“
“Jordan, get your ass stage left--!”
“Where's Biz?”
“I'll take you there myself.”
He went to take her by the arm, but Jordan slapped his hand away. “I will smack you.” she snarled.
They wove through the crowd of people. Jordan could hear Rayna, talking to the audience on stage.
I want you to meet somebody special. And this person... reminds me why I do what I do.You know who you are. Come on. Show yourself…!
“Wait!” Jordan said, pausing at stage left. She could see Rayna, looking around eagerly…
Give it up for me number one fan!
Audra appeared on stage, to much cheering and whooping. A stagehand brought her a mic. Rayna had obviously given up.
“This is Audra!”
“W-what’s up, Los Angeles?” Audra said timidly.
Jordan raced backstage, wove through the crowd before finding Biz, watching from stageright.
“He's here.” Jordan panted. “I feel it. I know it.”
“ Stop the show.” Biz said immediately to the nearest bodyguard.
The bodyguard looked shocked. “Because the background singer said so--?”
“Do it!”
“There's no way psycho got through security! You know how many extra guys I hired just for tonight? Huh? Just relax.”
Jordan looked to Biz for support. He looked back regretfully. Jordan turned and started up the stairs onto the stage
“Hey, wait a minute--!” the bodyguard said, trying to stop her. She kneed him in the groin and continued. Another went for her, but Biz stopped him with a word she didn’t hear.
Jordan was nearly blinded by the spotlights and deafened by the cheering. She stayed to the shadows at the front of the stage and tried to scan the rafters, but it was too dark. Something big and bulky caught her eye; a spotlight, right next to her. She grabbed hold of it and shone it in the rafters. Everything was fine until she saw a man, with sallow skin and fiery head, pointing a sniper rifle…
“Rayna, get down!” Jordan screamed as a gunshot rang. There was immediate panic, and Jordan plowed into Rayna, sending them both to the floor as another round was fired. Security was on them in a second, and Jordan was lifted from the stage in a sea of black.
*
Jordan and Rayna were shoved into the latter’s dressing room, the door shut behind them. Jordan had a feeling they were standing outside the door, not that she cared.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Rayna screamed.
“ With me?” Jordan exclaimed apprehensively.
“You shut down my show!”
“I saved your life!”
“You've got no understanding of my life.”
Jordan could feel a migraine coming on. “Okay, are there any drugs you're not on? The guy was about to put a bullet in you, which, PS: also stops the show!”
“You disappointed all those people. I was gonna give 'em a show. Now all they'll say is I didn't give 'em a finish.” Rayna lamented, voice full of disappointment.
“They don't want to see you die.” Jordan said, trying to get her to see sense.
“Did they grow you in a lab? Do you know anything about people? They'd love to see me die. Eighty years old they'd be talking about tonight-they was there when…”
Jordan took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice level.”Rayna... you are not okay, okay? You are having a breakdown. Not a shave-your-head, flash-your-junk whacky phase. You are truly unwell.”
Rayna shrugged. “So he puts me out of my misery.”
“What misery? What have you got to be miserable about?”
Rayna stuck a smile on her face. “No. Right,” she said sarcastically. “Uh... I got to be happy! I got to be grateful. I got to be rebellious-but just enough to give me cred, so people know I'm not a factory girl. But I am.” She looked a little girl when she said that. “I don't exist. I'm not a real person. I'm everybody's fantasy. And God help me if I try not to be. No, you weren't grown in the lab; but I was.” She took a deep swig from her bottle. “Been singing for my supper since when and before when and for everybody else! God put this voice in me and forgot to make it mine. I don't feel it. I don't feel anything. For a long while. But I know he's out there, the reaper, and any minute now... “her voice went soft. “Boom. Freedom. There's your rush. There's your joy. I can hear. I can hear myself.”
“ I think you hear yourself just fine.” Jordan said. “Maybe you want to listen to somebody else, like, say, ever. You don't like your life, change it.”
“They won't let me!”
“You make them let you! You're feeling pain, but all you're doing is spreading it around. God, the last thing I ever thought you'd turn out to be was weak.”
Rayna’s face contorted with that immediate rage she loved so much. “I want you out of here. You say anything to Biz, I'll tell every psycho fan I got right where you live and you won't last a day!”
Jordan gave a small chuckle. “Oh, this gig was supposed to change everything for me. And now I'm thinking it did.”
Rayna grabbed Jordan’s bicep. “Get your scrawny ass out—“
Jordan yanked her arm free and shoved Rayna against the wall. “You can fire me, but, bitch; don't think you can take me. Have fun with your fan.” She snarled.
Jordan stormed out, slamming the door.
*
Jordan walked into the studio, the one where rehearsals had taken place, to see it bustling with activity. Stagehands were packing up and leaving, bodyguards were searching everybody and Rayna and Biz were up on the platform above, both staring intently at something out of view. On her own ground level, Jordan saw Amy was watching them too. She approached her, confused. "I came to get my stuff--"
"I thought something might have happened to you too." Amy said. For a moment, Jordan was afraid she would hug her.
"What do you mean?"
Amy motioned to Rayna and Biz up above. "Seems like it wasn't such a good idea to be seen out with Rayna..." Jordan looked at them both before making her way up the stairs.
They were both standing rigid, looking at a laptop screen. A pale man with red hair was on a video feed - the man from the rafters. The crazed fan. "Look what you've done, Rayna." he was saying. "You messed it all up. And I want to be able to forgive you, but... your actions lately... " He held a gun into view and stepped back, revealing Audra, bruised and snivelling, tied to a chair. Rayna gasped as he planet the gun against her head. "Who is this? Why her? How is she your number one fan? You gave her what was mine. And I know you said we could never meet in person because it... because it would diminish what we have. It would ruin our moment. Now, you will come meet me in person, and I will not shoot this girl in the brains."
"Lunatic..." Biz breathed.
"I kill for you, you die for me." the man continued. "That was the deal. I want to fulfill my part, Rayna. You have my number. Call me."
The video froze, leaving a terrified Audra in view.
Biz slowly turned to Rayna. "'Call me'"?" he repeated. "You did this?"
Rayna lifted her previously bowed head to look at him. In a flash, he backhanded her across the face. As Rayna screamed, Jordan shoved Biz into the wall, slamming his head off a pillar. Rayna scurried down the stairs and disappeared.
"Ten years." Biz said regretfully. "Never done that. She wanted this. All of it. Otherwise, I never would have--"
"Getting what you want may not be the best thing for a person." Jordan pointed out.
"You're supposed to be with her."
"She fired me."
Biz seemed concerned. "Does that make a difference?"
Jordan considered it. "No. I don't know why, but... even after everything that's happened, I..." The image of Audra caught her eye. "I have to help her."
She made her way down the steps to the now empty floor. Biz watched her go.
*
"Sierra has been kidnapped." Dominic said.
Adelle was too shocked to enforce the knocking rule. "Echo?"
"On task. Still protecting Rayna."
She nodded and he turned to take his leave--
"Are you a fan, Mr. Dominic?"
He stopped, puzzled. "I'm sorry?"
"Rayna," she explained. "Do you like her music?"
"I... I don't know if being a fan has very much to do with that. Not at the level we're dealing with."
"No." she said. "Get the girl. Close it out."
He left. Adelle poured a drink and sat by the phone.
*
Despite her hatred for her, Jordan couldn't deny Rayna was an excellent dancer.
She was here in the studio, alone, moving gracefully in and out of the shadows. She was almost sad to interrupt.
"What are you doing?"
Rayna jumped, stopped. "You scared me."
"I scared you? After all this, I scared you?"
"Why are you here? I fired you."
Jordan stepped out of the shadows and into the shaft of moonlight. "Look, I'm not here to fight, Rayna. I'm sorry for the things I said. I just want to know how I can help."
"You can leave."
"Then what are you gonna do?"
"The show must go on..." She began practicing again. It wasn't as amusing this time.
"You can't be serious! This isn't just about you anymore, Rayna. Someone else is in danger."
Rayna stopped again. "We called the police. What else do you want from me?"
"You know this guy. You know what he's capable of. You could stop him from hurting Audra."
"I can't stop him."
"You could try. She's your friend."
"She's a fan. She'd want me to continue."
Again with the practicing, but it only lasted a moment.
"Rayna... I know you don't feel anything, or think that you don't, but you will. You will if you do something to save this girl. And you will help this girl." Jordan retreated back into the shadows on the final sentence.
"What makes you think--"
Jordan grabbed the folding chair by the leg and swung it into the back of Rayna's hand. She crumbled to the ground, unconscious.
"Friends help each other out."
*
Dominic burst through the lab door and grabbed Topher by the collar. Despite the chorus of "Whoa!"s, he yanked him from his chair and slammed him against the wall.
"Hey-hey-hey-hey! Ow--!"
"What the hell's the matter with you?" Dominic spat. "Are you doing this on purpose or you just terrible at your job?!"
Topher looked puzzled. "Uh, neither. Doing what?"
"Echo's off-task. Your little brainchild just backfired."
"Okay, okay, first of all; ow. Secondly, Echo's hardwired to protect the client. Now, sometimes these things play out differently than we anticipate."
"You better check your tech! Echo is off task, and Sierra was pretty crappy backup considering she got kidnapped--!"
"That's enough!" Topher said, finally freeing himself from Dominic's grasp. "You're in my house, Lawrence! Of the two people here, one of us is a genius and the other is a security guard in a very lovely suit."
"All right, genius. Tell me why Echo would kidnap the girl you programmed her to protect and bring her to the man who's trying to kill her." He held up a recorder. "This was found on the stalker's machine." He pushed the button, and Echo's voice began playing: 'Hi, fan number one. My name is Jordan. I have Rayna. I want to make an exchange. No funny stuff. I'll meet you where the original plan was supposed to go down. Then you can have her.'
"Wow." Topher laughed in chagrin as Dominic stopped the recorder. "That does sound kind of bad..."
*
The crazed fan led Audra across the catwalk towards Jordan and Rayna, gun in hand. Jordan had Rayna in a headlock, her whimpering stifled by the tape over her mouth.
"Hey." Jordan whispered to her. "You wanted to die. This would be a 'careful what you wish for' moment."
"Let her go!" the fan warned as he and Audra approached.
"And let her fall to her death? But then I'd have nothing to bargain with!"
"You drop her, and this girl will have a big hole right in her head." he put the gun to Audra. "This girl for Rayna... now."
"How 'bout this? You let Audra go, throw the gun down there, and I will hand you Rayna. You can do whatever you want with her. Because, honestly, I don't care if Rayna lives. She wants to die and you want to kill her. So, basically, nobody wants Rayna to make it to tomorrow."
"I do..." Audra said meekly
"It's not about killing her." the man continued. "It's about giving her what she wants."
Jordan nearly grinned. "Then this is a big, magical moment for the two of you--"
"Shut up!" he said. He pushed Audra roughly to the catwalk floor, still pointing the gun at her. "You can't possibly understand what we have together."
"True. Maybe Rayna can explain."
Jordan ripped the tape off. The man flinched as Rayna screamed.
"I'm so sorry." Rayna blubbered. "Please let me go, I don't want to hurt anybody. Please, I'm sorry! I... I don't want to hurt anymore..."
"That's really up to him. He decides your fate, right?"
"No, please, he's crazy!"
The man looked like he had gotten hit by a bus.
Jordan shrugged. "I guess it's not love after all."
"She doesn't mean that..." the man breathed.
"I'm sorry." Rayna offered.
"Rayna, I would never hurt you--"
"God, now you're changing your story, too?" Jordan said, exasperated. "Can we hurry this up, because I am so sick of this little episode we got going on here--"
"Shut up!" the man screamed. "I-I could kill you and have both girls. I could kill everybody!"
"No!" Rayna yelped.
"She doesn't seem to like that idea..."
"SHUT UP! Shut up, I will shoot you!"
Jordan shoved Rayna forward a little so she was leaning over the railing. "And then I'll let her go." she warned calmly.
Rayna screamed again. The crazy fanboy threw his hands up.
Jordan rolled her eyes. "You don't want to die. You don't want her dead. This is way too confusing!"
Jordan shoved Rayna off the platform. Rayna screamed, the man yelled, raced to where she ha been pushed--
Rayna stopped screaming. The rope clasping her hands had been secured to a pipe. She was dangling a few metres below.
Jordan took the opportunity to beat him away. She disarmed him in the process and pointed the pistol at his chest. He stood frozen with fear. Jordan almost pitied him. She pistol whipped him across the face and he went down.
Jordan tucked the gun into the waistband of her jeans before bending down to help Audra to her feet. She stood and toppled a bit. She yelped and Jordan steadied her.
"Is Rayna okay?" Audra asked after a moment.
Jordan peered over the railing. Rayna was still dangling, looking up at them with wide eyes.
"Please don't let me die!" she begged. "I want to live!"
Jordan began pulling the rope up. "I know..."
*
"I will have quite the story to tell when I get back to Brisbane!" Audra said as she and Jordan exited the theater, back to her old sunny ways.
"What do you mean?" Jordan asked. "This is what every day is like in America!"
"Well, part of it was dreadful, but it was by far the most exciting, fulfilling, wonderful day of my life!"
Jordan laughed. "You're the scariest one of all."
"That's all I need: you rubbing off on her."
Jordan turned around. Two men in suits were standing, waiting for them. One was Boyd: she didn't recognise the other. He was the one who had spoken.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Audra," he said. "Time for your treatment."
Audra have Jordan a final smile before leaving with the man.
"What's wrong with him?" Jordan asked Boyd.
"Are you ready for your treatment?" he said simply.
"All right, but can I kick that guy's ass first?"
Boyd smiled. "I will seriously consider it."
*
"She's a risk." Dominic said. "An increasing risk."
"She had control over the situation." Adelle pointed out, growing irritated.
"But we can't control her. I'm recommending that we send Echo to the Attic. Before someone else ends up dead, or worse, she compromises this organisation."
"I believe she acted in our best interest--"
"She went off mission!"
Adelle turned to him, eyebrow raised. "In fact, I believe she did quite the opposite. She stopped the person who wanted Rayna dead. It just happened to be Rayna herself, and by quite literally dangling the threat of death in front of her, she prevented Rayna from ever being a danger to herself in the future. Echo took the mission parameter--"
*
"And did even better." Boyd said. He was gazing at Echo painting a picture on the Dollhouse floor, Saunders at his side. "She seems to have the ability to think outside of the pieces that we give her and then create--"
"Create a new approach to the problem." she finished.
"It's impressive. I don't know what it means, but it's impressive. She really is special."
Saunders' face darkened. "Special isn't always a good thing here, Boyd."
"DeWitt's a businesswoman. Is she really gonna harm her best Active?"
"Echo wasn't always the best."
"You're talking about Alpha.
"I'm just saying; sometimes the best thing to hope for is good enough."
*
Mellie raced down the hospital hall, flowers in hand, ducking between visitors and staff until she reached the room number. An imposing guard was standing outside the door. She could see Paul threw the window, turned away in his bed.
"Excuse me--"
"You can't be here ma'am--"
"No, please, I need to see him."
"Are you family?"
"N-no, we're neighbours--"
"I'm sorry ma'am, but I've been instructed its family members only."
Mellie looked anxiously at her ruined bouquet.
*
Echo stood from the painting area and walked across the Dollhouse, wondering what she would do next today. She saw Sierra walking towards her, smiling. Echo went to walk to her, and two people caught her eye: Boyd and Doctor Saunders were watching her. Echo tried to shake it off. She was nearing Sierra when she saw the handler man, Mr. Hearn, talking with another group of men. He was staring intently at her. Sierra was moments away...
Echo gave the slightest shake of her head. Sierra bowed her head and walked on. They passed each other.
Not now. Not while everyone was watching.
Not yet.