* *
*
Rated: EVERYONE
Now it was my turn to be surprised. I had never heard Susan speak in that manner before.
"Are you afraid ?" I asked her.
She stirred in my hands, "No no ... I'm not afraid - not for me anyways - but I am for you."
"Me ? But - I'm safe here, aren't I ?"
"I don't think so." She then curled her head back to look up. "I think you know as well as I that these -sprinklers- are not that at all."
"What are they then ?"
"Take a single wild guess David and I bet you are right. We have to get out of here - tonight."
"What about my stuff ?"
"The hell with it. I never felt safe the moment we arrived here. And don't you think for a minute this building was constructed by workers."
I laughed slightly, "It's just as well they didn't discover you can talk, Susan - or you might have a lot of explaining to do."
Susan stirred, tilting her head to face me, "Don't you believe it's entirely possible that the conversations we have had and the one we are having now are all just a figment of your overactive imagination ? A Teddy Bear that can talk - really ? You don't believe that, do you ?"
I didn't have anything to say to that. After a moment's silence she continued, "But the danger here is real - as is the threat, we leave - tonight."
Susan had often given me advice in the past. She had never steered me wrong or had been incorrect about anything. Despite the comfort I was feeling here - she was always right, and if she said I was in danger, then there could be no doubt about it.
"Okay. Umm - let me pack a bag if that's alright ?"
But Susan didn't say anything. Her eyes had lost their vacancy and now reflected back a cheap plastic. She was done speaking to me for now.
I hurriedly pulled out a backpack from my belongings and quickly stuffed into it the 3 & 1/2 inch disks from my BBS work. Then I put Susan on top and prepared to leave.
If I had expected an alarm to sound or someone to appear and stop me, it did not happen. Perhaps this was a good time to leave when they were not expecting it.
I crept out of my room and looked all around. There was no-one in sight. I skulked over to the elevator and hit the button.
Suddenly I heard voices echoing in the halls around the corner. I ducked into the first doorway I could find walking backwards into it not even watching my step when I suddenly tripped and nearly fell into - a toilet ?
Without thinking I had walked into the girl's restroom ! Just then the entrance to the bathroom opened.
I quickly closed the door in front of me and stood squatting on the seat so my feet wouldn't show.
Sure enough two teen girls entered giggling to themselves over some joke. Watching from the crack of the door I could see that one went to look into the wide mirror to put on some makeup. The other girl stood in a corner bending at the waist and adjusted her pantyhose.
Minutes passed and they continued to chat amongst themselves. As for me I was sweating bullets. What if more people came in ?
* * *
But luck was on my side, fortunately after they did their business, they left and continued their conversation out in the hallway again.
I waited and waited until I could no longer hear them and carefully crept out.
I pushed open the door to exit when right there was Tricia ! There was no way she could've accidentally been there. And she was holding a pistol aimed right at me !
"Always sticking your nose down in someone else's business, aren't you David ?" she said with a wicked smile. But she grinned only for an instant.
She then continued but in a harsh and serious tone of voice I hadn't heard from her before. "I guess the honeymoon is over, sweetie. So stand over there, please," and she motioned me to step out, which I did and I placed my back against the wall. Then I raised my hands and she pointed the gun up away from me for complying.
"This could've been so much simpler if you had just accepted the world I presented before you. But now I guess the cat and mouse game is over and I can speed up my timetables."
"What do you mean ?" I asked, hopefully biding for time if in fact she did plan to shoot me anyways.
She spoke in a mocking apologetic voice, "Poor simple David. What did you believe ? Let me bring you up to speed. We're not married, there was no lawsuit, and you never received 1.2 million dollars by being injured at work."
In my shock to this revelation she leaned close to rub my face with the flat of her pistol. "You are worth far more than that. Others may think it was just a freak accident that happened to you years ago, that there was no way you could be responsible."
She continued, "but I believe differently. Somehow you - and that cursed teddy bear of yours - can accomplish miracles - deadly that they might be. And as explorers of science and the unknown, me and my team will find out what makes you and -it- tick."
Now it was my turn to speak, "It's just - she's in my mind, it's only a comfort of mine. She's not real !"
She took my chin in her hand, "No David. Other doctors might've believed you were hallucinating and pumped you full of medications to cloud your reasoning, but I don't think so, and I've invested far too much money to believe otherwise." She pulled back to face the gun at me again.
"You've got a choice. You can either come with me quietly, or I empty the contents of this pistol into you. Now which will it be ?"
I didn't want any more conflict and I imagine being shot with a metal bullet hurt like hell and - she had now piqued my interested about Susan being - well - more than just a Teddy Bear.
"I give up, don't shoot. I'll go with you."
"Good boy." she said and lowered the gun - but only for an instance. Then she pulled it back up and said, "I'm glad you decided to take it the easy way." and then fired - straight at me !
Quick as a flash a crystalline dart launched out and slammed into my neck. I reached up and pulled it out, a dot of blood staining my fingers. Suddenly I felt very dizzy and sleepy. As if my brain were filling up with cotton candy.
"Pink." I said quietly, and then collapsed right into Tricia's waiting arms. After that I knew no more ...
END
OF CHAPTER 26
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