Four

 

 

Ten followed Morgan back out to his car.  They were both completely silent for the twenty-minute drive to what looked to Ten like an abandoned warehouse complex.  But when they got closer Ten could see the tell-tale signs that this was a secret government facility: the electronic laser fencing, the high-tech motion sensors. 

“I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy,” Ten said quietly.

He looked over to find Morgan smiling slightly even though every other part of his body was tense, “You would be correct scarecrow.”

As he turned into a weed covered parking lot, he slowed by what looked like a large rhododendron. As he rolled his window down, Ten mumbled, “Tin man.”

“What?” Morgan said as he looked back at Ten.

“I would be the Tin man in that scenario.  No heart, remember?”

“Oh,” Morgan said as he leaned out to move a large branch to the side revealing an electronic keypad with a fingerprint scanner below it, “You’re full of shit,” he mumbled as he punched in a code and pressed his thumb to the scanner.  There was a barely imperceptible beep, the circle around the fingerprint turned green and then Morgan let his foot off the brake.

“That’s it?” Ten said as he looked out the windows, “All it does is beep? How do you know you’ve been given clearance?”

“Because nobody is shooting at us.  And you’re still full of shit.”

“What do you mean?”

“About the shooting or the shit?” Morgan said with a smirk. 

Ten rolled his eyes, “The shit, smartass.”

“You have the biggest heart of anyone I know.  You just choose to have it locked down tight.”

Morgan could pretty much hear the silent huff that Ten made as he glared at him.  “Stop trying to fix me, Morg.  It’s not possible.”

“And yet here you are ready to do anything and everything to save Bas.”

“Because you asked me to!”

“Bullshit.  That’s bullshit and you know it.”

Ten opened his mouth to say something else but Morgan interrupted him.  “Tamp it down, Pinkerton.  We’re here,” he said as he put his car in park and shut it off.  He turned in his seat and pinned Ten with a look that said listen very carefully, so Ten did.

“Don’t do or say anything in there unless I tell you to.  Stay with me.  Don’t touch anything, don’t, just don’t….”

“Don’t what?”

“Just fucking behave, okay?”

Ten smirked, “Yes, Dad.  Can we go into the secret clubhouse now?”

“This is not a fucking joke, Ten.  Anyone in this building could kill you between heartbeats and there wouldn’t be a damn thing that I could do to stop it.  Do you hear me?”

Ten dipped his chin, the smirk long-gone from his face, “Yeah, Morg, I get it.”

“Okay, good.”

They both climbed out of the car and Ten frowned when Morgan didn’t lock it, “You’re not locking it?”

“They’re going to search it while we’re inside and when we leave so there’s really no point.”

“They can break into your car that easily?”

Morgan shook his head, “These people can do anything they fucking want to, Ten.  How can I convince you of that?”

“Okay, Morg, okay. I get it.  I promise, I get it,” Ten said as he walked over to Morgan and touched his tense shoulder.

Morgan took a deep breath and sighed it out, “I hope so, Ten.  I really hope so,” he said and then together they began walking to the front door.