TKR: Force of Fear

Part 4

By: Deanna Jordon

Back at Sky One, nerves were frazzled and everyone was jumpy. They all thought of Trek as the little brother of the family and usually kept him out of the line of fire. All were painfully aware that Trek might well be dead, and that knowledge frightened them more than anything.

Kyle was in the conference room when a message came through from FLAG. A hologram of a man's white haired-head floated eerily in the middle of the circular table.

"We have received a ransom demand for Trek. His kidnappers say he will be released unharmed if they receive a payment of two million dollars. Trek's jacket was delivered along with the message."

"But you're not going to pay it." Kyle's answer came out as a statement of fact, not a question.

"No. We cannot pay ransom. I know full well that Mr. Sanders is more than capable of paying the ransom, but our decision stands." The hologram winked out.

"Yes sir" Kyle muttered to the empty room. He left to find the others. This was news that needed to be passed on in person.

"I should have gone with him." Kyle heard Erica say as he entered the plane's garage.

"There was no reason to think anything would happen." Kat assured her friend.

"I'm the one to blame." Plato said softly. "Protecting Trek was my first priority and I blew it."

"Nobody's blaming you, Plato. You did all you could." Kyle stated as he walked up to the little group. As matter of factly as he could, he informed them of the message from FLAG. "These people are good. They waited for Trek to be alone and had to plan to get around you. You did all you could. Now we just have to get him back." Kyle stopped talking as his comlink beeped for attention.

"Kyle, this is Duke. Our man Mullins just showed up back at his apartment. The cops have him in custody."

"Good work. You go through his place and see if you can find anything new. Then meet me at police headquarters in an hour. Keep Dante informed of anything you turn up. Kyle out." Kyle turned to Erica "Hold down the fort. We have to assume that some sort of communication or attack is coming. Also get a hold of Jenny and give her the news."

At police headquarters, Mullins had been processed and now waited in a small interrogation room. He was in a folding metal chair leaning back against the wall when the door was violently slammed open by the biggest black man he had ever seen. A white man followed, slim and tall but looking no more friendly than his partner. Mullins fell out of his chair with a yell. He then stood up shakily and started to protest.

Duke grabbed the prisoner by the shirt and lifted him off the ground.

"Put him down Duke. He's no good to us dead. And I really think he's smart enough to help us." Kyle stood relaxed and casual against the wall.

"He knows where Trek is." Duke growled. He really could be ferocious when he wanted to.

"I know. He'll tell us--"

"I ain't telling you nothing man. You got no right to come in here and bust me up. I'll sue you for police brutality." Mullins was shaking as Duke literally dropped him on the floor.

"We're not cops." Kyle's voice was flat and his face was a grim mask. "We're with the Foundation. We work by different rules and right now I'm ready to let Duke there break them all over you if you don't start talking. Where's Trek?" To himself, Kyle admitted he just might do as he had threatened.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just heisted a car for a little joy ride. I don't know anyone named Trek." Mullins avoided Duke's eyes and walked over to stand in front of Kyle hoping for a better audience.

Duke grabbed Mullins by the back of the neck and sat him down. Standing behind him, Duke asked softly, "It'd be a damn shame if I fell on top of you now wouldn't it? There wouldn't be enough left of you to mop up with a paper towel."

Kyle leaned over and put his face just inches from Mullins'.

"You helped kidnap Trek Sanders three days ago in front of a bookstore. I've got witnesses who saw you and Bruce Corbett put him in the van. Your fingerprints were found on the van. You're going up for kidnapping and possibly murder if anything happens to him. Those are federal charges and I will personally make sure you never make it to prison." Kyle kept his voice even and low. He knew the effect he was having on the man.

"If I tell you anything, Corbett will kill me."

"If you don't, I won't kill you." Duke promised the man. He tightened his grip on Mullins' neck. The muscles in his arm stood out rigidly under his short sleeved shirt. "But you'll wish I had." At a nod from Kyle, he let go.

Mullins slumped in his chair and massaged the back of his neck. He was breathing hard and wishing he was in any of the outermost rings of hell than there.

"If I tell you, I want protection. Corbett works for some very dangerous people."

"Who?"

"I don't know. They sell weapons and technology to the highest bidder. They wanted the kid really bad. Said something about using him to get into some plane and sabotage you from the inside. I was just hired to help snatch your friend." Mullins wiped his forehead. "That's all I know."

"Where is Trek being held?" Duke asked.

"There's a house on Cedar Creek drive. They're there till tomorrow. They move pretty often." He reached for the paper and pen on the table in front of him. "Here's the address. Now, I want as far out of town as I can get."

Kyle nodded. "If we get Trek back alive, I'll see to it personally you get a one way ticket anywhere in the States you want." Now Kyle put his hands on the table and leaned far forward. "If we don't find him or I find out you lied or you warn anybody, I'll turn my back and put in earplugs while Duke there rips you into tiny pieces." From the look on Kyle's face, Mullins knew the threat was not an idle one. With that Kyle and Duke abruptly left the room.

They went straight to Lt. Wiggins office. "Make sure the other prisoners hear someone tell him off for not cooperating with you. I don't want word of his help getting back to his pals." Kyle instructed the officer. Wiggins agreed to help and the two left.

Outside, Kyle contacted Jenny. "Take Domino and check out that address. Let me know if you see any sign of Corbett or Trek. Kyle out." Kyle got into Dante while Duke headed for Beast.

#

"Welcome back." A woman's voice sounded by Trek's head. He opened his eyes to find himself in a different room with the same woman he had seen earlier. His head felt thick and woozy and his throat was parched. When he tried to speak, she shushed him gently. "Here. Drink this." The liquid she held to his lips was sweet but cold. Greedily, he drank it all down as she helped him sit up. As his thoughts cleared, memory came rushing back and he shrank back from her, curling into a ball.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Trek's voice was quivery.

"I'm Allyson remember. I saved you after . . . after you got lost." She managed to make her voice vague as she turned away to pull up a chair.

"What do you mean lost? Where's Kyle and the others?" Images of violence exploded in his head and he cried out. Allyson rushed over to hold him tightly.

"They attacked you. You wouldn't go along with them and they left you for dead in that burning building. You got the civilians out and I just managed to get to you and bring you here." Allyson gently rocked him to the soft music coming from the tape player beside Trek's cot. "You're safe now."

Trek fell asleep and Allyson left the room. She met Corbett in the hall with another man. The newcomer was dressed all in black and his hands were clad in black gloves. His voice was cold and hard, just like his eyes.

"Does he trust you?" he asked Allyson.

"I think he's coming around. We've planted the seed that he can't trust his teammates anymore, Mr. Inzari." Allyson said with a smile. "The drugs are working and I have subliminals going with the taped music. The next time he wakes up, I'll ask him for his help. You'll be ready to get them off the plane if we're ready to move?"

"It is being arranged now. Corbett's friend, Mullins has been arrested and they are holding him for kidnapping. My sources inside say he has not talked." Inzari straightened his lapel, "But we can't be sure that he has. His kind always talks when the chips are down." Pointing at the closed door, he added, "Let me know when our guest wakes up."

#

The next time Trek awoke, he looked for Allyson. She wasn't in the room so Trek tried to sit up. He managed to get out of bed but fell when he tried to walk. A feeling of fear washed over him and he rubbed his legs frantically trying to pull the feeling back. Allyson came in with a tray of food just as he managed to get to his feet once more.

"Trek? What are you doing? Let me help you." She threw one arm around Trek and helped him sit on the bed. "You were injured. You need your rest. I brought you some food." Allyson turned back to the table and picked up a bowl of soup and a cup of coffee. Trek applied himself to the food and finished it quickly.

"Are you feeling better now?" When Trek nodded yes, she went on. "I hate to ask you, but I need your help now. Team Knight Rider is after me. They found out I rescued you. I think that if I could just get into their computer system, I could erase my file and then disappear. They wouldn't be able to find me then. I don't want them to kill me too." Allyson affected a sob.

"I can't." Trek sat the empty bowl on the floor and huddled on the bed. "I can't do that, I'm afraid. They'll catch me." Trek was literally shaking with fear.

"I have a friend who will help us. He says he can find out when they're all away from the plane. We can sneak on and be gone long before they come back. I'll protect you just like before. Please Trek, help me." Allyson's eyes were full of pleading.

"You're sure they won't be there?'

"Yes. Can you get us on the plane?"

Trek made a decision and sat up straighter. "I can get us on the plane and wipe out the computers. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes." He swallowed hard. "I just don't know if I can go in there."

Allyson covered his hands with hers. "I can get a friend to help. We'll be safe."

"Okay, I'll do it." Trek covered his ears with his hands and hung his head down. "I just can't believe they'd do this to me." Images floated behind his closed eyelids and a knot of fear rose in his throat and threatened to choke him.

"I'll get things arranged. There's a shower through that door and a change of clothes. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Allyson left and met Inzari in the hall. "It's all set. He'll go. Make that call as soon as we leave."

#