BRAINSTORM

Chapter Twenty-seven - Manic Maxwell.

When Jack finished his run, the pink and orange tones of the sunset undulated peacefully across the sky. A harsh thought cut through the beauty – the other residents were all cowards. Together they could create a strong force against Maxwell, but not one of them had returned his calls, even when he'd explained it was urgent. Elvis hadn't responded either, which was strange. He seemed like someone who cared.

Jack gazed at the fragmented shades of dusk reflected in CIRAS's glass exterior. Sweat dripped down his neck and was immediately chilled by the air, like a hand of ice grabbing him. The creepy feeling matched his growing anxiety. Was nobody was willing to stand up for what was right? Ellen. Ellen was. And that made him so afraid for her.

He closed his eyes, pulling both hands through his damp hair as he approached the building. He remembered his first day here and how beautiful and impressive the building had looked. Now he watched as if in a dream while the blue lasers confirmed his identity. The doors opened so silently, he felt he was being lured into a trap. Brushing aside the warning, he stepped inside. The sudden heat on his skin made his flesh tingle. He headed toward his apartment for a shower.

"Dr. Kerwin, did you have a nice run?"

Jack spun around. Maxwell. Jack hadn't seen him since the day he'd gone to his office.  Deciding to play it cool, he said, "Yeah, it was fine," speeding up.

The Director jogged beside him. Jack didn't look his way. "Ellen's good in the sack, isn't she?"

"Damn you!" Before his head knew what his hand was doing, he punched Maxwell across the jaw. 

Maxwell fell back onto the tile floor with a disturbingly loud crack, his expression a mix of shock and anger. He looked around, bewildered. Had he never been punched before? That would surprise Jack. A lot of people must have wanted to. I highly recommend it, he thought.

The cruel man sat on his ass, fuming. Then he made a big drama over pressing a button on his watch as he glared at Jack. In no less than thirty seconds, CIRAS security guards stepped out of the walls. "Put him in cuffs and take him to my office." 

Jack curled his hands into fists. "What? No!" He scanned the hall for a way to escape, but in every direction was a security guard coming toward him. Jack could run, and he could fight. But he couldn't take down eight security guards at once. He met Maxwell's dark, beady eyes. "You won't get away with this."

"I already have." 

They cuffed him then pushed and pulled Jack through the hallways as Maxwell hurried in front. Jack didn't exactly resist, but he didn't make it easy for them, either. He twisted and kicked liberally, hoping to administer some painful bruises, if nothing else.

CIRAS's Director opened the door to his office, and the guards hauled Jack inside. "You can put him there." He pointed to a chair in front of his desk as he sat in his own. "Wait outside the door until I tell you it's okay to leave." 

"Yes, Dr. Maxwell," they replied in unison, pushing Jack into the chair.

Jack shifted his position so his hands weren't pressing into his back. "What do you want with me?" He tightened his muscles, his body a spring ready to release.

Maxwell ran his tongue along his teeth in an unnerving way. "Why did you punch me, Jack? I only stated the truth."

Jack bit the insides of his cheeks to keep his mouth shut. He wasn't going to give Maxwell an additional excuse to lock him up or send him to the same psychiatric hospital as Jameson.

The man rolled his neck and sighed at the ceiling. "You know I sent her to you to distract you, don't you?" He brought his lazy glance back to Jack. "I own Ellen. She does nothing without my consent." Maxwell settled back in his chair as if the boast made him feel more relaxed and secure.