Never forget

Cassandra doesn't turn as her daughter approaches, but she does return a kiss to her cheek. As Victoria sits down beside her, she finally shifts her gaze, meeting the worried and inquisitive stare. Her hand finds Victoria's and gives it a gentle squeeze. 

"We don't get to talk as often as I would like." A tear glistens in her eye. "You've come so far and you've become such a beautiful woman. I know that there is no future for you here. But there is always a future..." She touches over Victoria's heart. "...in here. And I never want you to lose that. I have done all I possibly can do. The rest is up to you... and if there is a God, He would be the only one to save you. I don't know if He exists or not, but I have prayed to Him to deliver you from the terrible things you are forced to do." 

Forcing a smile, her hand rises to her daughter's face. "Oh, Victoria... do not ask me such questions of whether or not I am a traitor. You know I cannot answer. I will not knowingly place you in danger as well." 

Rising slowly, she walks to the balcony railing once more and takes a deep breath of the fresh night air while looking up at the stars. "Whatever happens to me, I do not regret my choices. The right choice, Victoria, can never be regretted, no matter the price. Never forget that. Love is pure. Hope is righteous. Joy is the inner strength that so few find. After this night, when you look at the stars, I want you to remember these things. Promise me, Victoria." Her eyes remain on the sky. "Promise me that you'll never give your heart away to the darkness."

"Okay... good." Seeing Katie smile makes Jason smile as well. He'd missed seeing her happy. Maybe Con was right. Maybe he just needed to spend some extra special time with Katie so she'd know he still cared. 

Sliding his hand across the table, his fingers find hers and he gives them a little squeeze. "We're gonna make it, Hero... I know we are."

Tal chuckles at Ryan and shakes his head a little. "Naw, I'm good for now. Tired but I got a lot to do. I gotta sort through all my mail, I gotta figure out how to get the pups to the vet, I gotta call the buyer before he thinks I've forgotten about him and I have to talk to my landlord about giving me an extension on my rent til I get the money from the pups."

Eli rolls his eyes. "So much for taking it easy. Dude... you just got back from the hospital. How about waiting a day or two to do all that?" 

"I can't. It's gotta be done right away or I'm gonna lose everything." Tal sighs. He hurt, he was tired, and he was trying really really hard not to let all this get him down. "Look, I... I'm glad for all the help you guys have given me and I know you're not gonna let me down. But I still got a life I gotta keep under control." 

Eli wanders closer, folding his arms, and his eyes drift to his sister. "I'm thinking we stay here for the evening, I'll go get some pizza, you help Tal make some phone calls... whatd'ya say?" He wasn't going to let Tal tell him no.

Lying in the grass, now dry for quite a while, Justin had abandoned his fishing after catching enough for supper. Now he was just putting off going home. 

With his hands behind his head, he glances over to where Beth was and Danitza lying next to her. He was glad they'd had today together. It might become a rarity from here on out. 

"So, you um... you wanna come over for a fish supper?" he invites. "Or..." Maybe she wouldn't want to now. He didn't want to make her feel awkward or even guilty with her date with Zach coming up.

Carson leans back against the wall of the building, the night air surrounding him. It didn't hide, however, the odor of beer and cigarette smoke of which he reeked. The socializing inside the Bullseye was far from over, but he knew he needed to aim towards home.

Heading down the sidewalk, he staggers just a little bit and leans on a street light for support before moving on. His car was still at Mom and Pop's. Thursday night. The Bible study might still be at the restaurant, if they'd had a late night of discussion. He was usually there to lock up afterward, but tonight he'd left a note that Axel could close up after the study.

It takes a short while to reach Mom and Pop's, and when he does, there's someone waiting for him outside.

...As the Bible study wraps up, Axel leans back in his seat and listens to Rocky and Phil discuss the verses they'd just read. The two didn't disagree, but were debating anyway about the exact meaning. The three were the only ones left - a couple other guys had called it a night already.

Chewing on some ice leftover from his pop, movement outside catches Axel's attention. He'd wondered why Carson's car was still here earlier but had figured maybe Misty had picked him up or something. Apparently not, though. He squints, seeing that Carson is outside with... a woman? Axel cocks his head a little, more curious than anything. He didn't recognize the woman. Was Carson... staggering? Before Axel can decide if he's going to go outside or not, the woman helps Carson get into her car and they pull away, her driving. Odd.

"So do you agree?"

Axel snaps back to attention and looks at Phil. "Um..." He gives a wry grin. "I think I agree with both of you."

...It was several more hours before Carson was at his own front door. He fiddles with his keys, seeming to have a very hard time finding the right one. It take several tries with the correct one to actually get it into the lock so he can open the door.

Finally getting inside, he trips over a chair by the closet, causing a loud bang. "Shhh," he chides the chair. Wobbling a little bit he manages to get his shoes off without falling over. He still smelled like the Bullseye, though this time a slight scent of perfume mingled with the odor of beer and smoke.

Slithering into the living room, he spots Misty on the couch. "Psssst." He quirks a silly grin and ambles over, grabbing the back of the couch so he didn't fall over. Flopping down beside her, he ruffles her hair. "G'day, pretty sheila." His accent was thick tonight, coated with a slight slur. "Or g'night." He grins again. "S'ry. I... think I'm late." He nods, then sticks out his lower lip, his eyes furrowed in a most sorrowful way. "Not mad 't me, are ya?"

Time Moves

Watching Garret as he was gone as quickly as he came Victoria lets out a sigh. If her mother was infact guilty there was nothing she could do about it. This was work no matter your connections with someone, no matter if they were family a job was a job and to leak anything...she new what would have to do done no matter how much it hurt inside.

Finally moving from her spot and heading inside Victoria gives a few nods to the guards that were standing watch as she moved through the halls. Coming to her mothers room she lets out a long sigh before holding herself high and giving a knock to the door than entering.

   "Mom..?"

Walking through the bedroom and out to the balcony where she could see her sitting Victoria leans down to give her a hug and a kiss before sitting down along with her. She wanted to ask, to say so much but she didn't know where to start or how to say anything.

   "I just got back a little while ago. I got informed they know who the traders are that were leaking information. They...they think one of them is you! Is it?"

Victoria searches her mothers face. She could tell her the truth, she could not but she new that if she did tell the truth there would be no fear that Victoria would tell anyone. This might be her job but she was still loyal to her mom, and letting on that she new anything was not something she would do.

Giving a smile as Jason flicks the lettuces to her  Katie shakes her head before finding a run away onion and flicking it back. At least they were trying to get along that in itself was a good thing and it made Katie happy. But if the conversation was going to change...would it still be a cheery conversation. Maybe right now she shouldn't even worry about that.

   "Action movie and a tub of popcorn sounds good to me."

Taking another bit of her sub Katie looks up at Jason and gives another smile again. Maybe things would work out. They just had to continue trying and working twords the goal. Most of the time things worked out in the end so there was still hope, and it was that hope Katie would hold onto as she continued to try.

Holding Tal's over night bag Ryan shakes her head as she comes into the house behind them. If Tal wasn't still sore she probley would of whacked him. It was bad enough he wouldn't stay at there place with them but now he thought they would wan't to look over him. He should know better than that already.

   "Weather you like it or not Mr. We are going to be helping you till your back on your feet again and your just going to have to deal with it."

Setting his bag down Ryan takes Tal and walks twords the living room. Stopping to give Tal a kiss Ryan pulls away and shakes her head again at Eli. She always thought it was funny how her brother reacted to her and Tal kissing. 

   "You might wanna keep your eyes closed for a while. I haven't been able to kiss Tal hardly at all while he was recovering. So...now I think we gotta make up for lost time."

Ryan can't help but laugh and help Tal sit down on the couch before sitting down next to him. Looking over her shoulder at Eli she gives a smirk before looking back to Tal.

   "I love it when I can creep him out. Do you want anything to drink or eat?"

Mangled

Garret takes a step back as Victoria withdraws to sit on the swing. He felt terrible, but there was nothing he could do. No matter how they wanted to react, this was business.

"Why would Hans lie? If they spared him and found out your mother was innocent, he'd still die." Garret shakes his head. "I'm sorry... If you want to question your mother, you need to do it quickly and quietly. I don't know when they'll be done with Hans but surely they will move on to your mother immediately after." That could be a week from now. Or it could be an hour.

Setting his hands on his hips, Garret sighs. He felt helpless. Despite their job and the way their lives had to be, he knew that Victoria had managed to maintain a heart. Most people here lost their hearts after their first case. But she had love... warmth... underneath it all, she was human. And she loved her mother.

Approaching her, Garret leans down and gives her forehead a kiss. "I have to go or I'm gonna be missed. I'll try to see you tomorrow." A pat on her shoulder was all he could give before he was gone.

Jason takes another bite of his sub then cocks his head, just studying Katie. It felt like so much more needed to be said. But what and how seemed to be very far out of reach. 

"Yeah... yeah we could do a movie." He'd already called Sandy and told her he couldn't go to the lake with the gang tonight. "There's that new action movie that might be kinda fun." 

He flicks a piece of lettuce teasingly in her direction. "And a big tub of popcorn so we can accidentally hold hands." 

"...There we go..." Eli holds open the door and stands ready to help if need be.

Tal slowly makes his way into his apartment, leaning heavily on one crutch while his other arm remained in a brace and sling, and his leg was in a boot up to his knee, which, per doctor's orders, was not to touch the ground for at least another three weeks. Hobbling around on one crutch wasn't very easy, but Tal was determined to do it, and succeeded in making it all the way to the couch. Easing down slowly, he lets out a long sigh. "Okay, I'm tired," he announces. Fiddling with his neck brace, he grimaces. "I feel like I'm a mummy wrapped up in all this."

Eli chuckles and shakes his head. "You look like one too. Well... maybe a little worse."

Tal throws him a withering look. "Thanks a lot." Feeling something cold and wet on his bare leg since he was wearing shorts, he jumps before realizing it's Holly. Grinning, he gives her his one working hand. "Hey there, you. Did ya miss me?"

Holly licks his hand and wriggles her stumpy tail, giving a little whine.

"Mmm... yeah. They took good care of you huh? And the kids?" He glances to the kitchen to see the pups behind the gate. They'd grown a lot in the last few weeks. "You mean uncle Eli didn't throw any of you out?"

"Hey now." Eli sets his hands on hi ships. "Ryan and I have bent over backwards just trying not to kill anything."

Tal chuckles. "And I'm forever in your debt. Now you won't have to worry about it anymore."

"Will you listen to him?" Eli looks at Ryan and shake his head. "He thinks he's gonna be able to handle all this on his own now. What part of 'take it easy' from the doctor did he not understand?"

"I'll take it easy," Tal argues. "I can't not. Besides, you don't expect me to lie in bed all day do you? I've been doing that for four weeks."

Eli points Ryan in the direction of the couch. "Go remind him that we're going to be helping him, will you? And remind him he was the one that didn't want to stay at our place instead."

Grinning up at Ryan, Tal then glances over to Eli. "You might wanna turn around. I want to kiss your sister, but it's not a pretty sight when I'm all mangled like this."

"Oh good heavens." Eli covers his eyes. "Tell me when it's over."

Unexspected

As Garret takes both sides of her shoulder Victoria looks up at him. Something about the look in her eye made her worry. They had found the leak that was a good thing...and if it was why did he still have that look on his face? There must be more to the story and she wasn't sure if she really wanted to know or not. 

   "Hans....I can't believe it...why...what..."

Hans was really the leak? He's been a trusted servant in this house hold for as long as Victoria could remember. What would cause him to do this now? Why was the question and she didn't understand. Didn't he know he'd get caught and that would be the end of his life?

Looking back up at Garret again Victoria could see there was more to what he needed to tell her. It wasn't just Hans? There was someone else in the house hold too? It made her heart start beating extremely fast as she thought about it.

Hearing her mother was in on it too Victoria couldn't help the shocked look on her face. Finding the swing in the dark she walks to it before sitting down. How could...not her own mother. It made her angry her mom would do something so careless and it made her sad that she had been found out because the next step was not one she wanted to think about when it came to the fate of her mother. 

   "How do you know Hans wasn't lieing to try and save his own neck? I just....I can't believe it Garret. I am going to have ask mother myself. I....He'll kill her if its true."

Taking a bite of her turkey sub Katie places it back down in the basket. The silence had been quite awkward but she didn't know what to say least it be the wrong thing. The other day had been a glimpse of a bad lunch and she didn't want to go through it again.

   "Yeah, I should be there still I think."

Katie might be mad at Jason but she wouldn't miss a concert. It had been a while since they had one and she always enjoyed them. Keeping everyone safe, including Jason was important too and she would never turn that away no matter how made she was. 

Running a french fry through some ketchup Katie munches on it for a moment before going back for a little more and finishing the fry off. Looking across the table at Jason Katie gives a small smile. She wanted things to be ok again but she wasn't sure how. Everything seemed so confusing now.

   "What are you doing tonight? Want to go catch a movie or something after work?"

Discovered

Garret relaxes under Victoria's touch and he manages a small smile for her as well. Leaning down, he gives her lips a tender kiss. He knew she'd been with Mr. Harkins. He knew what all of that meant. But each time she returned, he wiped it from her record in his mind, knowing that no matter her jobs, her heart was his. 

"Yeah, they took good care of me." He purses his lips grimly. "But a lot has happened." 

He places his hands on her shoulders and looks her in the eye. His own gaze was a mix of confusion, anger and sorrow. He had to tell her now - it couldn't wait. "While you were gone they... they discovered the leak. Someone was giving intel to the Underground and that's where that shooter at the party was from. He'd come to kill Harkins so he wouldn't give away their own intel." This should be good news. Garret shouldn't have this horrible look in his eye. But he did.

Swallowing hard, he shakes his head. "It was Hans. He's been feeding the Underground for the last ten months. That's how we've been one step behind them this whole time." But there was more. "Medridge has had him in the interrogation room since noon." Everyone knew it was more than an interrogation room - it was more like a torture chamber. "And he talked."

Garret searches Victoria's eyes. Did she know? He'd been clueless. Was it even true? "Hans said your mother has been involved... that she's been in on it with him this whole time, in contact with the Underground. Medridge hasn't acted yet though, too busy with Hans. But... but he's bound to."

 
Cassandra sits on her balcony bench that overlooked the back of the estate. The moonlight caressed her face and hair that blew gently in the wind. Her eyes roamed the yard below then slowly rose to the stars in the sky. She'd never been too sure if God existed or not, and if He did, if He even heard prayers. But if there was a night she would try, it was surely tonight.

She had yet to be questioned. But she knew it was coming. Her personal maid, Sarah, had very discretely informed her that Hans had been caught and that he had given away Cassandra's name.

Cassandra was grateful. And yet the waiting was so very difficult. Medridge, father-in-law or not, would have her killed for betrayal if it was proven, and she knew it. If her husband were still alive, perhaps it might make a difference, but she doubted it. He would have turned her in himself probably, if he'd had the chance. It wasn't until after he'd been killed by his own stupidity that she'd dared even toy with the idea of helping someone outside the Agency. She'd hated it here since the beginning, being pulled in against her will. Then raising her own daughter while watching her be turned into one of the most skilled murderers and seductress. She'd done her best to instill a moral base into her daughter's heart, and could only hope that it would stick. Cassandra knew that Victoria was forced to do many terrible things - as everyone was here. Every once in a while she caught a glimpse in her daughter's eye that gave her hope Victoria was hanging on to her mother's teachings. And Cassandra had seen a change in Garret as well, even if no one else had. Through it all, her loathing of the Agency only increased. And when the opportunity to go against them had shown itself, she'd taken it.

Now her life was on the line. No one had approached her yet. They were probably waiting to be done with Hans first. He would be tortured and questioned until rung dry, then he would be killed. And then it would be her turn.

A shooting star streaks across the sky and a tear emerges to roll down the side of Cassandra's face.

"Um... I dunno... noon?" Jason knew things still weren't good between him and Katie. The tension was still here and he still hated it. But at least they were speaking and willing to each lunch together. That said something, right? 

"You pick the place and it's my treat today." It was the least he could do to show he was trying...

...Once noon rolled around and they had gone out to lunch, the silence was more than Jason preferred. But at least they weren't arguing. He didn't want to argue, so he didn't bring up anything about his friends or Hunter. 

"So..." He fiddles with a straw wrapper. "You still gonna come to the concert?" He couldn't remember the last time he hadn't been sure of the answer to that. The concert was in just a couple days now and he really didn't know if Katie would still want to come - bodyguard or not.