Listing to Garret and looking at the blue prints the wheels in Nate's head turned. What Garret had said made sense and now that he was saying it again it really made even more sense. If anyone was to know how the Agency was to move it was Garret. He was the best person they had to plan an attack that the agency wouldn't expect.
"What he's saying really does make a lot of sense Jas."
He new it was hard for everyone else to trust Garret. They had all been though so much he couldn't blame them, He just hoped that the would listen and in the back on his mind he hoped Reese wouldn't be so mad. As soon as he got back he'd fill him in.
"We do pretty good in the way we do things, but I think Garret has a point. If we go in different than normal we might have a chance of saving Grace and if they already have someone else...saving them too. I think we know to little about whats going on this time and we don't have the time to try and find out more. So what do you say?"
Nate looked between Garret and Jason. He wanted to make sure no one got hurt, he wanted to give Garret the chance he needed. This was a good opportunity.
Hearing Lane's story about his wife, and son Angel's heart broke,. She wished she had been there for her brother. It seemed like he had gone though a lot on his own and though she understood why he stayed away, it still hurt.
Continuing to listen Angel couldn't help the look of shock on on her face that quickly turned to hurt hearing that Lane had been so close but not reached out. Again, she understood but it still hurt a lot more than she'd ever tell someone.
"I wish you had contacted us being so close. There are so many things you missed that happened in life...so many wonderful things, and even sad things."
Letting out a long sigh Angel looked around the room, than to her brother again. She hurt, and she hated that she hurt. She didn't like the feeling of being upset with him. It was pass this she new but at the moment it just didn't feel good. But there was Travis and they could not forget him him. Looking to Mick she tried to give the best smile she could.
"So where does that leave us? What is our first step at saving my Nephew?"
6/23/16
6/19/16
Spying on us
Prompted to follow Nate, Garret's eyebrows rose. Really? He pushed off the wall to fall into step. Was there actually a chance he'd get to help after all? The near-collision with Sapphire caused to pause as well. Catching her smile, he lifted his chin in a silent greeting - she was one of the few that actually treated him like a human being around here. And whether she knew it or not, he appreciated it - and when he appreciated someone, he didn't easily forget.
His ears returned to the conversation as he listened intently. Mick Henson? That was interesting. He knew the name well, and wondered if the ranch had been targeted yet again. What else would Medridge possibly want from there right now? There was so much else going on.
His thoughts were interrupted as Nate assumed a new route. Prove himself? He knew he could be an asset if they'd just let him. And since Reese wasn't here right now, it was the perfect time to try...
Jason looked up from his desk as Nate and Garret came in."Hey guys, what's up?"
After getting filled in with the case, he was now standing and looking down at the blueprints on the other side of his desk. "Okay so... we know the call came from somewhere around here, but we're assuming it came from these buildings. And on top of that, we don't even know which one."
"Here." Garret pointed to the warehouse nestled in the southwest corner of the lot.
"And...why do you say that?"
"If you were going to sweep this area, where would you start?"
Jason studied the blueprints a moment longer, then gestured to the northeast corner. "Probably here. It's the easiest access point, and from there you can spread out and cover more ground."
"And also give our guy the most time possible to see you coming."
"But there's no way for him to get out if he's in that corner."
"There's no street - but there's an empty lot. What's separating it? A fence? That won't stop him. He'd be gone before you even got to his building."
Jason quirked an eyebrow and glanced at Nate before looking back at Garret. "What makes you so confident?"
Garret straightened and folded his arms. "Just like I was telling Nate a few minutes ago. This guy is gonna figure you'll do what's predictable. And you just proved that you would. You can bet money that he's set up especially for the Elite's typical tactics. He probably isn't all that smart on his own, but he's been trained on how you guys deal with threats, and you've got a pattern. Just like every other law enforcement agency. You wonder how the Agency has been one step ahead all the time? It's because you all do the same things over and over and over."
Jason tried hard not to take offense. He thought they did a good job around here, and they'd obviously brought in many a criminal. "So what's stopping this guy from thinking like you?"
A grin tugged at the corner of Garret's mouth. "Really?"
Jason sighed and stepped back a moment.
Garret looked to Nate. He'd said all he could earlier about doing things differently and unpredictably. There wasn't much else he could add at this point. But if it were him, he'd do what he already suggested, and go in with just one or two men at night. The Elite never moved that way, so this was a prime case to have a new approach.
Wandering slowly down the hall after showing Jared the bathroom, Justin leaned back against the wall and pulled out his cell phone. His mind was still going a hundred miles an hour, trying to think up anyone who the Agency might attack in connection with him. Then he thought of his clients.
He dialed Carson. "Hey. It's Justin. Yeah, listen.." After giving Carson the short version, he encouraged him to get to Mackenzie and her family's house just to keep an eye on things, but not let anyone panic. After that, he called Eli with the same message for Ryan's sake.
Was that everyone? He had other clients but no one he was close to at this point. He thought of his ex-girlfriend. But she was out of his life, now. His mom was safe, Beth was safe, Reese was taking care of his uncle...that was it, right? His head hurt from thinking so hard.
All they could do now was wait for another call. The Agency thug had said he'd have a choice. They needed to know who the second target was. He'd call, right? He'd call and actually give him the chance to save someone? There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that the operative might just kill someone without actually giving him that chance. The Agency never played nice.
Back in the break room, Jared sat alone. He wasn't sure where Justin had gone, but he really didn't mind right now. Talking to anyone else just made this whole situation more depressing anyway. He looked down at his empty hands. Justin still had his phone. As he should - this maniac wanted to talk to him, not Jared. This whole thing was in Justin's hands. Or was it? It would seem that way, but then, they were dealing with what appeared to be a madman. How could Justin be so sure they'd get Grace back? Jared's heart hurt, and at the moment, it seemed there was nothing he could do about it.
Lane's jaw muscles tried to work out the tension as Angel resumed the questioning where Mick had left off. "It's a long story," he finally managed to whisper.
"We've got time." Trent folded his arms. They were going to have to get answers one way or another, no matter how much they cared about Lane.
Mick sighed at Rosetta's question. "I hope so. Sounds like things are pretty crazy with the Elite right now, and they literally don't have enough hands. But Reese said he might have something so...we wait. I don't want to wait long, though. He implied if we have to act, the Elite's got our back, so at least that's good." He tucked his phone back in his pocket before running a hand over his face. "We're too old for this crap, ya know?"
Slinging his arm around her shoulders, he gave her a squeeze. "Come on." He aimed back for the living room.
Lane remained quiet, but it was obvious he was mentally trying to sort through many things. Too many things. He put his head in his hands.
"We may or may not get any help."
Lane's attention snapped up at Mick's voice. "They don't want to?"
"Can't. They're understaffed. Which means for the time being, we're on our own. Which means it's time for more answers."
Lane hung his head again. "I don't know where to start."
"How about the beginning?"
...It was later. Lane had asked for a short time to collect himself, and everyone had migrated to the dining room where coffee was served. It was about the time now where anyone not wanting to go to bed early would come and enter into a game of cards, or suggest watching a movie, but tonight there was an unspoken understanding that something greater was going on. And everyone outside the small group kept their distance out of respect.
Eventually, Lane was seated with the others, across from Angel to whom most of his attention was directed...
"When I left here for the last time, I fully intended on coming back." His eyes focused on the steaming coffee mug he cupped between his hands. They all wanted to know how he was aware of what was going on at the ranch, but if he didn't start at the very beginning, he'd just have to fill in the gaps later anyway. "But...then I met Amber while I was drifting. And I fell. Hard. Rather than dragging her into a mess of invisible bad guys who were after us for invisible reasons, I decided to bury the past completely." He shrugged. "It seemed like the wisest plan at the time. We got married and settled down in Louisiana. We were both young. She had big dreams, and me...I was just a lovesick kid without the brains to be the man I needed to be." He finally took a sip of coffee and just sat quietly for a few minutes.
Mick, sitting nearby with Rosetta, picked up the sound of the door opening, and glanced that direction, quite surprised to see Jim enter. His brother quietly went to the kitchen for some coffee too, then found an empty seat a ways from the others - keeping his distance, but obviously wanting to listen. Mick gave Rosetta a quick look. Jim had been avoiding everyone. Strange that he would enter into this.
Lane continued his story. "Amber went to school to pursue a career, and I caught part time jobs off and on while trying to be an artist." He scoffed. "I'd spend hours at home in front of a canvas. That's what Amber hated the most. I didn't mean to ignore her - I was just clueless about what really mattered. Then she got pregnant."
A little smile curled his lips as he swirled his coffee around. "Kinda rocked my world, ya know? She was petrified - I was thrilled." His eyes found Angel's. "First thing I wanted to do was call you, but...all I could think about was the danger." It sounded so shallow now. "When Travis was born, I was sure I was the happiest man alive. Amber had to quit school for a while, and I buckled down and found steady work. I did my best, but I just wasn't around as much as she needed, I guess."
His fingernail tapped the outside of the coffee mug as his tension rose. He kept going though. "When Travis was about two years old, we moved back to Texas. I guess a part of me had never really left, and Amber missed it. Then...about a year later...I got home from work one night and found her packing. She said she'd found someone better than me. Someone better suited to meet her and Travis' needs. Someone who paid more attention to her than work or stupid paintings." The pain in Lane's voice proved that his heart had still not fully healed. "Somewhere in the middle of our shouting match, she informed me she'd been having an affair right under my nose almost that whole year." He took another sip of coffee to cover up the fact that he was having trouble saying any of this out loud.
"So that was the end of that. I got served papers the next day, and in very little time, we were divorced and she had full custody of Travis. I moved to a smaller place, picked up a different job, and during the next few years I worked at getting to see my boy whenever I could. Once he was in junior high, Amber let him make up his own mind, so we had quite a few weekends together. And that pretty much brings us to the present. He just graduated and was gonna start a job next week. We'd planned a fishing trip, but obviously that got interrupted."
Mick let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry it's been so hard." But the biggest question of all had not yet been answered. "Where exactly have you been?" he prodded.
Lane ran a hand over his face. "I've been working at the Triple J Ranch."
Mick's eyes widened. That was a cattle ranch only a half hour's drive away. "What?"
Lane glanced again to his sister. He was so sorry. "I know about everything 'cause I've only been about twenty miles from here for the last eight years or so." He bit his lip. "At first, ya'll were still scattered around and I didn't wanna cause a stir by showing up, so I stayed away. Then I found out things were starting to happen again and...I watched as everyone came back. You can learn a lot by asking around." He swallowed hard. "I, um... once I realized the war had never ended, I did some digging and found out all I could about the Agency, then eventually stumbled on the Elite and all that. Wasn't easy but... I'm stubborn like that."
Luke's brow furrowed. "So you've been spying on us for years?"
"Not...not spying. Just... I didn't want to cause you trouble, and I wanted to keep Travis safe. But I couldn't just... I didn't want to..." Lane fished for the right words to express what he felt. New tears surfaced. "Family has... always been important to me. Years ago when I was here, it was my first taste of what family really meant and... and when I left... that was the one thing I was missing." He cleared his throat and took a moment to regain focus. "I was too scared of either causing harm or having harm done to my son that I kept my distance. But I couldn't keep from knowing what was going on here. How everyone was doing. Watching my sister get married, and my niece have kids of her own." He managed a faint smile. "My only regret is not being here. Being too scared to come back. 'Cause in the end, it didn't matter. They found me anyway. And all these years were just...wasted."
"I can't believe you've been this close for this long," Trent commented.
Lane swished around the last bit of his coffee, and didn't feel like he could look at his sister again. He didn't deserve her love and care. He didn't deserve anyone's help. It had taken an Agency attack to bring him here. He was just a coward that had now endangered all of them.
His ears returned to the conversation as he listened intently. Mick Henson? That was interesting. He knew the name well, and wondered if the ranch had been targeted yet again. What else would Medridge possibly want from there right now? There was so much else going on.
His thoughts were interrupted as Nate assumed a new route. Prove himself? He knew he could be an asset if they'd just let him. And since Reese wasn't here right now, it was the perfect time to try...
Jason looked up from his desk as Nate and Garret came in."Hey guys, what's up?"
After getting filled in with the case, he was now standing and looking down at the blueprints on the other side of his desk. "Okay so... we know the call came from somewhere around here, but we're assuming it came from these buildings. And on top of that, we don't even know which one."
"Here." Garret pointed to the warehouse nestled in the southwest corner of the lot.
"And...why do you say that?"
"If you were going to sweep this area, where would you start?"
Jason studied the blueprints a moment longer, then gestured to the northeast corner. "Probably here. It's the easiest access point, and from there you can spread out and cover more ground."
"And also give our guy the most time possible to see you coming."
"But there's no way for him to get out if he's in that corner."
"There's no street - but there's an empty lot. What's separating it? A fence? That won't stop him. He'd be gone before you even got to his building."
Jason quirked an eyebrow and glanced at Nate before looking back at Garret. "What makes you so confident?"
Garret straightened and folded his arms. "Just like I was telling Nate a few minutes ago. This guy is gonna figure you'll do what's predictable. And you just proved that you would. You can bet money that he's set up especially for the Elite's typical tactics. He probably isn't all that smart on his own, but he's been trained on how you guys deal with threats, and you've got a pattern. Just like every other law enforcement agency. You wonder how the Agency has been one step ahead all the time? It's because you all do the same things over and over and over."
Jason tried hard not to take offense. He thought they did a good job around here, and they'd obviously brought in many a criminal. "So what's stopping this guy from thinking like you?"
A grin tugged at the corner of Garret's mouth. "Really?"
Jason sighed and stepped back a moment.
Garret looked to Nate. He'd said all he could earlier about doing things differently and unpredictably. There wasn't much else he could add at this point. But if it were him, he'd do what he already suggested, and go in with just one or two men at night. The Elite never moved that way, so this was a prime case to have a new approach.
Wandering slowly down the hall after showing Jared the bathroom, Justin leaned back against the wall and pulled out his cell phone. His mind was still going a hundred miles an hour, trying to think up anyone who the Agency might attack in connection with him. Then he thought of his clients.
He dialed Carson. "Hey. It's Justin. Yeah, listen.." After giving Carson the short version, he encouraged him to get to Mackenzie and her family's house just to keep an eye on things, but not let anyone panic. After that, he called Eli with the same message for Ryan's sake.
Was that everyone? He had other clients but no one he was close to at this point. He thought of his ex-girlfriend. But she was out of his life, now. His mom was safe, Beth was safe, Reese was taking care of his uncle...that was it, right? His head hurt from thinking so hard.
All they could do now was wait for another call. The Agency thug had said he'd have a choice. They needed to know who the second target was. He'd call, right? He'd call and actually give him the chance to save someone? There was a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that the operative might just kill someone without actually giving him that chance. The Agency never played nice.
Back in the break room, Jared sat alone. He wasn't sure where Justin had gone, but he really didn't mind right now. Talking to anyone else just made this whole situation more depressing anyway. He looked down at his empty hands. Justin still had his phone. As he should - this maniac wanted to talk to him, not Jared. This whole thing was in Justin's hands. Or was it? It would seem that way, but then, they were dealing with what appeared to be a madman. How could Justin be so sure they'd get Grace back? Jared's heart hurt, and at the moment, it seemed there was nothing he could do about it.
Lane's jaw muscles tried to work out the tension as Angel resumed the questioning where Mick had left off. "It's a long story," he finally managed to whisper.
"We've got time." Trent folded his arms. They were going to have to get answers one way or another, no matter how much they cared about Lane.
Mick sighed at Rosetta's question. "I hope so. Sounds like things are pretty crazy with the Elite right now, and they literally don't have enough hands. But Reese said he might have something so...we wait. I don't want to wait long, though. He implied if we have to act, the Elite's got our back, so at least that's good." He tucked his phone back in his pocket before running a hand over his face. "We're too old for this crap, ya know?"
Slinging his arm around her shoulders, he gave her a squeeze. "Come on." He aimed back for the living room.
Lane remained quiet, but it was obvious he was mentally trying to sort through many things. Too many things. He put his head in his hands.
"We may or may not get any help."
Lane's attention snapped up at Mick's voice. "They don't want to?"
"Can't. They're understaffed. Which means for the time being, we're on our own. Which means it's time for more answers."
Lane hung his head again. "I don't know where to start."
"How about the beginning?"
...It was later. Lane had asked for a short time to collect himself, and everyone had migrated to the dining room where coffee was served. It was about the time now where anyone not wanting to go to bed early would come and enter into a game of cards, or suggest watching a movie, but tonight there was an unspoken understanding that something greater was going on. And everyone outside the small group kept their distance out of respect.
Eventually, Lane was seated with the others, across from Angel to whom most of his attention was directed...
"When I left here for the last time, I fully intended on coming back." His eyes focused on the steaming coffee mug he cupped between his hands. They all wanted to know how he was aware of what was going on at the ranch, but if he didn't start at the very beginning, he'd just have to fill in the gaps later anyway. "But...then I met Amber while I was drifting. And I fell. Hard. Rather than dragging her into a mess of invisible bad guys who were after us for invisible reasons, I decided to bury the past completely." He shrugged. "It seemed like the wisest plan at the time. We got married and settled down in Louisiana. We were both young. She had big dreams, and me...I was just a lovesick kid without the brains to be the man I needed to be." He finally took a sip of coffee and just sat quietly for a few minutes.
Mick, sitting nearby with Rosetta, picked up the sound of the door opening, and glanced that direction, quite surprised to see Jim enter. His brother quietly went to the kitchen for some coffee too, then found an empty seat a ways from the others - keeping his distance, but obviously wanting to listen. Mick gave Rosetta a quick look. Jim had been avoiding everyone. Strange that he would enter into this.
Lane continued his story. "Amber went to school to pursue a career, and I caught part time jobs off and on while trying to be an artist." He scoffed. "I'd spend hours at home in front of a canvas. That's what Amber hated the most. I didn't mean to ignore her - I was just clueless about what really mattered. Then she got pregnant."
A little smile curled his lips as he swirled his coffee around. "Kinda rocked my world, ya know? She was petrified - I was thrilled." His eyes found Angel's. "First thing I wanted to do was call you, but...all I could think about was the danger." It sounded so shallow now. "When Travis was born, I was sure I was the happiest man alive. Amber had to quit school for a while, and I buckled down and found steady work. I did my best, but I just wasn't around as much as she needed, I guess."
His fingernail tapped the outside of the coffee mug as his tension rose. He kept going though. "When Travis was about two years old, we moved back to Texas. I guess a part of me had never really left, and Amber missed it. Then...about a year later...I got home from work one night and found her packing. She said she'd found someone better than me. Someone better suited to meet her and Travis' needs. Someone who paid more attention to her than work or stupid paintings." The pain in Lane's voice proved that his heart had still not fully healed. "Somewhere in the middle of our shouting match, she informed me she'd been having an affair right under my nose almost that whole year." He took another sip of coffee to cover up the fact that he was having trouble saying any of this out loud.
"So that was the end of that. I got served papers the next day, and in very little time, we were divorced and she had full custody of Travis. I moved to a smaller place, picked up a different job, and during the next few years I worked at getting to see my boy whenever I could. Once he was in junior high, Amber let him make up his own mind, so we had quite a few weekends together. And that pretty much brings us to the present. He just graduated and was gonna start a job next week. We'd planned a fishing trip, but obviously that got interrupted."
Mick let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry it's been so hard." But the biggest question of all had not yet been answered. "Where exactly have you been?" he prodded.
Lane ran a hand over his face. "I've been working at the Triple J Ranch."
Mick's eyes widened. That was a cattle ranch only a half hour's drive away. "What?"
Lane glanced again to his sister. He was so sorry. "I know about everything 'cause I've only been about twenty miles from here for the last eight years or so." He bit his lip. "At first, ya'll were still scattered around and I didn't wanna cause a stir by showing up, so I stayed away. Then I found out things were starting to happen again and...I watched as everyone came back. You can learn a lot by asking around." He swallowed hard. "I, um... once I realized the war had never ended, I did some digging and found out all I could about the Agency, then eventually stumbled on the Elite and all that. Wasn't easy but... I'm stubborn like that."
Luke's brow furrowed. "So you've been spying on us for years?"
"Not...not spying. Just... I didn't want to cause you trouble, and I wanted to keep Travis safe. But I couldn't just... I didn't want to..." Lane fished for the right words to express what he felt. New tears surfaced. "Family has... always been important to me. Years ago when I was here, it was my first taste of what family really meant and... and when I left... that was the one thing I was missing." He cleared his throat and took a moment to regain focus. "I was too scared of either causing harm or having harm done to my son that I kept my distance. But I couldn't keep from knowing what was going on here. How everyone was doing. Watching my sister get married, and my niece have kids of her own." He managed a faint smile. "My only regret is not being here. Being too scared to come back. 'Cause in the end, it didn't matter. They found me anyway. And all these years were just...wasted."
"I can't believe you've been this close for this long," Trent commented.
Lane swished around the last bit of his coffee, and didn't feel like he could look at his sister again. He didn't deserve her love and care. He didn't deserve anyone's help. It had taken an Agency attack to bring him here. He was just a coward that had now endangered all of them.
6/18/16
Prove yourself....
Looking to Garret Nate studied him for a long moment. If anyone was going to help them it really should be Garret. He new better than anyone how the Agency thought and what to expect and what not to. He also new though that tough shell he just wanted to help and prove himself. Sooner or later they would have to let him or they would never know whos said he was on.
"Actually to me your job is more than that, so if I was you I wouldn't assume we all feel that way. Come on follow me."
Heading twords Reese office Nate just assumed that Garret was following him. Stopping as he saw Reese coming twords him he went to speak but feel silent as Reese went by. He seemed in a hurry but now that he was gone he couldn't even ask if it was ok if Garret helped him. He was on his own though and when Reese got back he'd tell him.
Turning again it was Sapphire he almost ran into this time.
"Oph...sorry I guess I should watch where I am going better. Any idea where Reese was going?"
Giving a small smile at Nate Sapphire was happy she wouldn't have to go hunt him. Looking down at the papers and than up again she takes note to Garret behind him and gives a small smile to him as well.
"I'm not sure. He got a call from Mick at the R/M ranch and than took off. He said to get these blue prints to you so you and the guys could look them over."
Nate thats the blueprints and nods, before rerouting himself and heading for Jason's office. They better get to it so they can figure out what to do. Calling over his shoulder he hoped Garret was still following.
"Well come on, its time to prove yourself."
Still sitting with her brother Angel let out a small sigh. She new the others were right. There was more to this story than what was said. It was hard to think about but she couldn't ignore the signs or the red flags.
"Lane, how come you know so much about us when you haven't been around that much?"
Angel looks at her brother with much question in her eyes. She hoped he wouldn't feel hounded but it really was important to know everything he had to offer. Had he been watching them? Had someone else been watching them? While no one thought they were safe from the Agency it raised concern of how, they had so much more info on them.
"I know you want to find Travis and we will, but for our safty its important you are telling us everything."
As Mick was on the phone Rosetta stood close by. She hoped someone would be able to help them. It would be nice to have the Elite backing them up.
Once Mick was off the phone she looked at him hopefully.
"Are they going to send someone?"
"Actually to me your job is more than that, so if I was you I wouldn't assume we all feel that way. Come on follow me."
Heading twords Reese office Nate just assumed that Garret was following him. Stopping as he saw Reese coming twords him he went to speak but feel silent as Reese went by. He seemed in a hurry but now that he was gone he couldn't even ask if it was ok if Garret helped him. He was on his own though and when Reese got back he'd tell him.
Turning again it was Sapphire he almost ran into this time.
"Oph...sorry I guess I should watch where I am going better. Any idea where Reese was going?"
Giving a small smile at Nate Sapphire was happy she wouldn't have to go hunt him. Looking down at the papers and than up again she takes note to Garret behind him and gives a small smile to him as well.
"I'm not sure. He got a call from Mick at the R/M ranch and than took off. He said to get these blue prints to you so you and the guys could look them over."
Nate thats the blueprints and nods, before rerouting himself and heading for Jason's office. They better get to it so they can figure out what to do. Calling over his shoulder he hoped Garret was still following.
"Well come on, its time to prove yourself."
Still sitting with her brother Angel let out a small sigh. She new the others were right. There was more to this story than what was said. It was hard to think about but she couldn't ignore the signs or the red flags.
"Lane, how come you know so much about us when you haven't been around that much?"
Angel looks at her brother with much question in her eyes. She hoped he wouldn't feel hounded but it really was important to know everything he had to offer. Had he been watching them? Had someone else been watching them? While no one thought they were safe from the Agency it raised concern of how, they had so much more info on them.
"I know you want to find Travis and we will, but for our safty its important you are telling us everything."
Once Mick was off the phone she looked at him hopefully.
"Are they going to send someone?"
6/11/16
Unpredictable
With the others scattering to go about their work, Garret's face
remained with half a scowl. Why did everything he say fall on deaf ears?
Reese was a fool for not listening to him.
He leaned back against the cubicle wall and folded his arms, looking over the main floor. Every day he asked himself if he'd been an idiot to come here, and every day that answer seemed to grow just a bit more vague. Now that there were several active cases, he was left to his own devices most days, and most days that meant he was either cooped up in his cell or taking it out on a punching bag. But that routine was growing pretty old. He continued to steer clear of the infirmary. Aaron had been allowed to get up and walk the room - or at least the best he could - as long as Hal was there, but Garret knew better than to show his face in there again just yet. The only thing he knew about that end of things though, was that Justin was to work with Aaron on a regular basis, at least until he calmed down. Otherwise... everyone pretty much ignored Garret's presence, making it even harder to care about anything.
"You might try to get it through Reese's thick skull that this Agency operative isn't going to do anything predictable." He tossed Nate a glance over his shoulder. "The only way to make any headway is to be just as unpredictable." His stubborn side wanted to say the heck with it. But he was so bored, and...deep down, he still wanted to prove his new allegiance.
"Whoever this is, he's going to expect the logical thing. He's going to predict that Reese will find the warehouse and locate the girl. Then he'll assume Reese will send in a team in broad daylight. That would be the safe way to go. But he'll be expecting that, and will probably take down more than one of your own agents, not to mention he'll end up killing the girl - probably in front of somebody just for shock value. If I were Reese, I'd send in the best man he's got - two at most - after dark for an extraction. Most of the guys sent in on these types of Agency missions are trained on surface methods of psychological torture, but in all reality, they lack brains to think on their feet. He's got a plan, and if he said there's a second victim, you can be sure it's true. But react differently than he expects, and you'll have a split moment to get the upper hand and hopefully save at least one of the victims."
He paused, still just looking over his shoulder. "But then...my job is to just sit down and shut up."
"Want anything to eat?" Justin gestured to the vending machine in the break room.
Jared shook his head and simply remained seated, slouched in his wheelchair.
Justin studied him a moment before sliding into a chair at the table. "You alright?"
"Really?" Jared rolled his eyes. "That's the best you can come up with?"
Justin shrugged. "Seems you're more than just worried about Grace." He cocked his head, still studying his brother's body language. "You're blaming yourself for something. What is it?"
Was it that obvious? Or was Justin just that good? Jared wasn't sure. Either way, it was too hard keeping this bottled up inside. He couldn't take it. "We had a fight," he admitted, then shook his head. "Not really. It was all me. I said some pretty mean things and...then this."
Justin pursed his lips before sighing. That was the worst feeling, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for his brother. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"
Jared swallowed hard and picked at a loose thread on his jeans. "I don't know. Maybe. Probably. I just...don't think she knows that after the things I said."
"She does," Justin assured. "And she's going to be alright. We're going to find her, and she's going to be alright."
Jared gave him a look of disbelief. "You think I didn't hear that guy out there? I don't know who he is, but he was awfully confident that this was not going to end well."
"Yeah, well he's got a big mouth."
Jared frowned. "What do you do here anyway? Why would someone come after you like this?"
"I'm really not sure." Justin would rather keep the focus on his brother, but he couldn't ignore his own part in all this, no matter how much it made his stomach churn. Not to mention, what Garret said did bother him - he knew the ex-Agency member knew all too well how these things worked. "I'm just contract labor - I don't even have a badge. Reese calls me to make evaluations on tough cases they bring in. I get to figure out if someone is trustworthy or not, decide if they need counseling, maybe work with the myself - that sort of thing."
"Oh."
Justin quirked an eyebrow. "What did you think I did here?"
"I dunno. I just... I guess I didn't realize you were so close to working with such dangerous people."
"Maybe I didn't realize it either. I'm sorry...about Grace. If I would have known-"
"Pete said they'd want me to blame you," Jared interrupted.
"Do you?"
Jared shrugged as his eyes lowered. "I just want her to be okay."
"Me too..." Justin stood up again to pace the room. Who else did the kidnapper have in mind? Who else was Justin supposed to think of? How could he choose who to save when he didn't even know who else would be involved? Was Garret right? Were there no rules to play by? Was the kidnapper just stringing him along for the fun of it? Was there even really a second person? And what on earth could Justin do to prevent any of this? Why him? He hadn't thought he'd ever be a target. He wasn't involved enough. Or was he?
"Yo. Justin." Jared snapped his finger. "You listening?"
"Huh?" Justin turned around, not having heard a word.
"I was asking you where the bathroom was."
"Oh. Sorry. Follow me."
"I don't know!" Travis tugged at the ropes that held his wrists tightly behind the metal chair in which he sat. A backhanded slap made his head spin, and split his bottom lip open for the third time. Licking the blood and spitting it out on the floor, he glared up at his captor. "I have told you all I know," he hissed. "My dad told me he grew up in Texas and worked at a couple ranches. That's it! How many times do I have to tell you that?"
The tall man sneered and rubbed his knuckles. "You can't tell me he never talked about the R/M ranch and how valuable the folks there are."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Travis leaned his head back and closed his eyes out of frustration. What had his dad been involved in? He'd never told Travis anything, other than he'd been raised in an orphanage, got out when he could, job-hopped, and hadn't settled down til he met Travis' mom. Travis wouldn't have guessed in a million years that his dad had crossed paths with such ruthless people. And what was this ranch they kept talking about? Nothing was making sense.
"If you don't know nothin' about it, then why are you here? Why are you so close to the ranch, huh? There's no such thing as a secret - you know more than you're saying."
Travis growled and looked at the guy again. "Seriously? You're here too and you don't have any answers. Look, I said it before, I'll say it again. I was born in Louisiana and when I was about two years old, my family moved to Texas. Don't ask why - I was too young to be in on that particular family discussion. As to why we're so close to this freakin' ranch you keep talking about, you'll have to ask my dad himself because last I knew, he didn't want to be far from where he works, just like any sane individual - of which you are obviously not." His smart remark earned him a fresh punch to the face, this time to his right eye. Swallowing hard and taking a moment to ignore the pain, his glare returned. "Must be nice. Picking on a kid. Make ya feel good, does it?" He lurched in his chair, which helped him gain all of half an inch forward. "How about you let me loose and then see who gets the upper hand?"
"Ahh, so your daddy did teach you a thing or two about fighting."
Actually, no. Travis hadn't ever seen his dad hit anything other than to kill flies, and the only time he'd seen any kind of temper at all was when his mother tried to get her own way. Travis had a friend who showed him a thing or two every so often, but for the most part, he was clueless when it came to self-defense, let alone offense. But it didn't stop him from lurching again. If he had to move that half inch at a time, he was going to make it to the door if it was the last thing he did.
Lane wasn't so sure everyone else would forgive him as readily as Angel, for having almost betrayed them all. He wanted to believe they'd save Travis, but how? What could any of them really do? Scanning the faces, he couldn't tell if they felt more sorry for him, more scared, or more upset.
Mick caught Angel's eyes and sighed, but gave her a short nod. He wouldn't let Lane be left on his own in this. They were a family - including Lane. Feeling Rosetta's hand, he took it in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. This was hard on all of them. But they'd all accepted that this was their life - sometimes they were left alone, and sometimes they went to war. And right now, it was war.
"She's right." He spoke to Lane. "We'll do all we can. Thank you for coming clean. It's the only way we're gonna get your boy back."
"But how can you help?" Lane wiped his eyes and took a deep breath, finally back in control of his emotions. "We don't even know where they're holding Travis."
"Luke?" Mick turned. "Go fire up the coffee pots. It's gonna be a long night." He pulled out his cell phone. "I'm calling Reese."
"Wait, no." Lane stood. "If you involve the Elite, the Agency will know."
Mick's thumb hovered over his phone's screen and he cocked his head. "Funny. I don't think I mentioned the name Reese being connected to the Elite." Suspicion laced his tone. "You got anything else to tell us?"
Lane swallowed hard and glanced at his sister, then back again. "N...no. Why? I mean, I heard you guys talking about Reese before and I just assumed..."
"You didn't assume anything." Mick dialed. He'd counted at least ten instances where Lane had either not been surprised by something he should have been, or he knew something he couldn't possibly know after being gone all these years. It wasn't adding up. "We're going to find Travis. But in the meantime, you better start thinking how you're gonna explain how you know so much about us and this place." Hearing the phone ring on the other end, he left the room.
Lane's eyes traveled the room to find a new wave of distrust. "I haven't been with the Agency," he insisted quietly. "I swear."
Sparky's eyes narrowed. Mick had reservations - that much was clear. And he had plenty of his own. "I hope helping you out isn't going to get the rest of us in trouble. But if it does...it's on your head." He turned to stalk out and cool off.
Lane's shoulders dropped, and he decided not to look at his sister again. It was pretty clear he hadn't yet told them everything. He didn't deserve to be helped. But he couldn't refuse. Not when Travis' life was on the line.
Reese sat behind his desk and gave Sapphire a grin as he was handed the papers. "I feel lucky every day to have you here, and even luckier that you actually stick around." He scanned the layout of the buildings and nodded. "You're probably right. This is great. You..." His voice trailed off as his private line rang and he held up a finger to keep her there as he answered the phone. "Yeah? Mick? What's up?" He leaned back in his chair and scrunched his eyes shut. "I hate to say this, but the timing couldn't be worse... Yes, I understand... But we're in the middle of our own crisis here. We're in the middle of a life or death situation that we just found out is Agency-related as well.... Uh-huh... Really? Do you know how much time he's got? .... I just really don't know what to do, Mick, I'm sorry. I've got an ex-Agency guy here who I can't trust, Nate's his handler and I can't let him go, Rick and Hal are both taking care of a hothead prisoner, Misty's in no shape to travel, Scott can't handle it, I need Dalton here, Pete and Jamie are both on the case, Gunner and Wyatt are my only stable operatives at the moment, and Jason's got a hit out on him, with Katie as his bodyguard and if I send them to you, it's just going to endanger you all even more." Just listing that all made his head swim. "You sure you can't go to local authorities? ... Yeah, I know. .... No, no, you're right. You can't trust anybody else when it comes to the Agency. Look, all I can do is.... What's that? .... No, everything's being disbanded. We've got the FBI looking over our shoulders on top of everything else and my hands are starting to get tied a whole lot more than I'd like, I..." He paused as an idea struck him. "Tell you what, you do whatever you need to do. As far as the law is concerned, the Elite has your back. Don't be stupid, but if you need to act, act. In the meantime, let me follow up on a lead and I may still be able to get you some help. Sit tight as long as you can. .... Okay... you too."
Hanging up, he groaned and looked back up to Sapphire. "Sorry. This thing is getting out of control. Thank you for the blueprints. You're amazing and I owe you. I'll owe you even more if you take these out to Nate and have him think through this with Gunner and... Jason. Yeah. Thank you." He stood up and grabbed his keys. "I need to run an errand. I will be right back." Leaving without any more explanation, he hollered over his shoulder as he jogged. "Susanne, call me as soon as any other calls come in!" He didn't slow as he headed across the main floor and out the door.
Levi couldn't have been happier with Karla's response. She seemed bright, willing, polite and kind. At the very least, he was anxious to see if this worked out. If not, he didn't feel this had been a waste. But he hoped she'd be just what they needed around the office. "Then Monday it is!"
Finishing up lunch, there was just a bit more small talk, but Levi did need to get back to work. There was still a lot to do before the weekend...
"...You offered her what?" Keith stared at his son across the dining room table, his fork halfway to his mouth as the family ate supper together.
Levi inwardly cringed, but held a neutral expression. "Uh-huh." He nodded and glanced at his mother, who held up her hands.
"This is between you two," she reminded. "You're on your own."
Keith set down his fork and folded his hands. "Son...you know our budget. Why would you do that?"
"I'll take a cut in pay. I already figured it out."
"But...why?" Keith's eyebrows couldn't get any more contorted if he'd tried. "You usually think with your head, not with a smitten heart. What's with you?"
Levi's smile finally faded and he set his fork down as well. "I'm far from smitten, so you can drop that theory. She's pretty and nice, but there's more to her and I simply felt convicted to give her a helping hand. She's had it rough and..." He shrugged lamely. "It just felt like the right thing to do."
Keith sighed and shook his head. "I don't know whether you're displaying a stroke of genius or if I ought to have you committed. But I guess if you're willing to take a cut in pay, then there's no reason not to give it a try. You really are sure?"
"I am." Levi was certain. He couldn't explain why. He didn't know why Karla had struck him like she had. But he knew without a doubt she hadn't tripped over that silly bucket for no reason.
He leaned back against the cubicle wall and folded his arms, looking over the main floor. Every day he asked himself if he'd been an idiot to come here, and every day that answer seemed to grow just a bit more vague. Now that there were several active cases, he was left to his own devices most days, and most days that meant he was either cooped up in his cell or taking it out on a punching bag. But that routine was growing pretty old. He continued to steer clear of the infirmary. Aaron had been allowed to get up and walk the room - or at least the best he could - as long as Hal was there, but Garret knew better than to show his face in there again just yet. The only thing he knew about that end of things though, was that Justin was to work with Aaron on a regular basis, at least until he calmed down. Otherwise... everyone pretty much ignored Garret's presence, making it even harder to care about anything.
"You might try to get it through Reese's thick skull that this Agency operative isn't going to do anything predictable." He tossed Nate a glance over his shoulder. "The only way to make any headway is to be just as unpredictable." His stubborn side wanted to say the heck with it. But he was so bored, and...deep down, he still wanted to prove his new allegiance.
"Whoever this is, he's going to expect the logical thing. He's going to predict that Reese will find the warehouse and locate the girl. Then he'll assume Reese will send in a team in broad daylight. That would be the safe way to go. But he'll be expecting that, and will probably take down more than one of your own agents, not to mention he'll end up killing the girl - probably in front of somebody just for shock value. If I were Reese, I'd send in the best man he's got - two at most - after dark for an extraction. Most of the guys sent in on these types of Agency missions are trained on surface methods of psychological torture, but in all reality, they lack brains to think on their feet. He's got a plan, and if he said there's a second victim, you can be sure it's true. But react differently than he expects, and you'll have a split moment to get the upper hand and hopefully save at least one of the victims."
He paused, still just looking over his shoulder. "But then...my job is to just sit down and shut up."
"Want anything to eat?" Justin gestured to the vending machine in the break room.
Jared shook his head and simply remained seated, slouched in his wheelchair.
Justin studied him a moment before sliding into a chair at the table. "You alright?"
"Really?" Jared rolled his eyes. "That's the best you can come up with?"
Justin shrugged. "Seems you're more than just worried about Grace." He cocked his head, still studying his brother's body language. "You're blaming yourself for something. What is it?"
Was it that obvious? Or was Justin just that good? Jared wasn't sure. Either way, it was too hard keeping this bottled up inside. He couldn't take it. "We had a fight," he admitted, then shook his head. "Not really. It was all me. I said some pretty mean things and...then this."
Justin pursed his lips before sighing. That was the worst feeling, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for his brother. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"
Jared swallowed hard and picked at a loose thread on his jeans. "I don't know. Maybe. Probably. I just...don't think she knows that after the things I said."
"She does," Justin assured. "And she's going to be alright. We're going to find her, and she's going to be alright."
Jared gave him a look of disbelief. "You think I didn't hear that guy out there? I don't know who he is, but he was awfully confident that this was not going to end well."
"Yeah, well he's got a big mouth."
Jared frowned. "What do you do here anyway? Why would someone come after you like this?"
"I'm really not sure." Justin would rather keep the focus on his brother, but he couldn't ignore his own part in all this, no matter how much it made his stomach churn. Not to mention, what Garret said did bother him - he knew the ex-Agency member knew all too well how these things worked. "I'm just contract labor - I don't even have a badge. Reese calls me to make evaluations on tough cases they bring in. I get to figure out if someone is trustworthy or not, decide if they need counseling, maybe work with the myself - that sort of thing."
"Oh."
Justin quirked an eyebrow. "What did you think I did here?"
"I dunno. I just... I guess I didn't realize you were so close to working with such dangerous people."
"Maybe I didn't realize it either. I'm sorry...about Grace. If I would have known-"
"Pete said they'd want me to blame you," Jared interrupted.
"Do you?"
Jared shrugged as his eyes lowered. "I just want her to be okay."
"Me too..." Justin stood up again to pace the room. Who else did the kidnapper have in mind? Who else was Justin supposed to think of? How could he choose who to save when he didn't even know who else would be involved? Was Garret right? Were there no rules to play by? Was the kidnapper just stringing him along for the fun of it? Was there even really a second person? And what on earth could Justin do to prevent any of this? Why him? He hadn't thought he'd ever be a target. He wasn't involved enough. Or was he?
"Yo. Justin." Jared snapped his finger. "You listening?"
"Huh?" Justin turned around, not having heard a word.
"I was asking you where the bathroom was."
"Oh. Sorry. Follow me."
"I don't know!" Travis tugged at the ropes that held his wrists tightly behind the metal chair in which he sat. A backhanded slap made his head spin, and split his bottom lip open for the third time. Licking the blood and spitting it out on the floor, he glared up at his captor. "I have told you all I know," he hissed. "My dad told me he grew up in Texas and worked at a couple ranches. That's it! How many times do I have to tell you that?"
The tall man sneered and rubbed his knuckles. "You can't tell me he never talked about the R/M ranch and how valuable the folks there are."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Travis leaned his head back and closed his eyes out of frustration. What had his dad been involved in? He'd never told Travis anything, other than he'd been raised in an orphanage, got out when he could, job-hopped, and hadn't settled down til he met Travis' mom. Travis wouldn't have guessed in a million years that his dad had crossed paths with such ruthless people. And what was this ranch they kept talking about? Nothing was making sense.
"If you don't know nothin' about it, then why are you here? Why are you so close to the ranch, huh? There's no such thing as a secret - you know more than you're saying."
Travis growled and looked at the guy again. "Seriously? You're here too and you don't have any answers. Look, I said it before, I'll say it again. I was born in Louisiana and when I was about two years old, my family moved to Texas. Don't ask why - I was too young to be in on that particular family discussion. As to why we're so close to this freakin' ranch you keep talking about, you'll have to ask my dad himself because last I knew, he didn't want to be far from where he works, just like any sane individual - of which you are obviously not." His smart remark earned him a fresh punch to the face, this time to his right eye. Swallowing hard and taking a moment to ignore the pain, his glare returned. "Must be nice. Picking on a kid. Make ya feel good, does it?" He lurched in his chair, which helped him gain all of half an inch forward. "How about you let me loose and then see who gets the upper hand?"
"Ahh, so your daddy did teach you a thing or two about fighting."
Actually, no. Travis hadn't ever seen his dad hit anything other than to kill flies, and the only time he'd seen any kind of temper at all was when his mother tried to get her own way. Travis had a friend who showed him a thing or two every so often, but for the most part, he was clueless when it came to self-defense, let alone offense. But it didn't stop him from lurching again. If he had to move that half inch at a time, he was going to make it to the door if it was the last thing he did.
Lane wasn't so sure everyone else would forgive him as readily as Angel, for having almost betrayed them all. He wanted to believe they'd save Travis, but how? What could any of them really do? Scanning the faces, he couldn't tell if they felt more sorry for him, more scared, or more upset.
Mick caught Angel's eyes and sighed, but gave her a short nod. He wouldn't let Lane be left on his own in this. They were a family - including Lane. Feeling Rosetta's hand, he took it in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. This was hard on all of them. But they'd all accepted that this was their life - sometimes they were left alone, and sometimes they went to war. And right now, it was war.
"She's right." He spoke to Lane. "We'll do all we can. Thank you for coming clean. It's the only way we're gonna get your boy back."
"But how can you help?" Lane wiped his eyes and took a deep breath, finally back in control of his emotions. "We don't even know where they're holding Travis."
"Luke?" Mick turned. "Go fire up the coffee pots. It's gonna be a long night." He pulled out his cell phone. "I'm calling Reese."
"Wait, no." Lane stood. "If you involve the Elite, the Agency will know."
Mick's thumb hovered over his phone's screen and he cocked his head. "Funny. I don't think I mentioned the name Reese being connected to the Elite." Suspicion laced his tone. "You got anything else to tell us?"
Lane swallowed hard and glanced at his sister, then back again. "N...no. Why? I mean, I heard you guys talking about Reese before and I just assumed..."
"You didn't assume anything." Mick dialed. He'd counted at least ten instances where Lane had either not been surprised by something he should have been, or he knew something he couldn't possibly know after being gone all these years. It wasn't adding up. "We're going to find Travis. But in the meantime, you better start thinking how you're gonna explain how you know so much about us and this place." Hearing the phone ring on the other end, he left the room.
Lane's eyes traveled the room to find a new wave of distrust. "I haven't been with the Agency," he insisted quietly. "I swear."
Sparky's eyes narrowed. Mick had reservations - that much was clear. And he had plenty of his own. "I hope helping you out isn't going to get the rest of us in trouble. But if it does...it's on your head." He turned to stalk out and cool off.
Lane's shoulders dropped, and he decided not to look at his sister again. It was pretty clear he hadn't yet told them everything. He didn't deserve to be helped. But he couldn't refuse. Not when Travis' life was on the line.
Reese sat behind his desk and gave Sapphire a grin as he was handed the papers. "I feel lucky every day to have you here, and even luckier that you actually stick around." He scanned the layout of the buildings and nodded. "You're probably right. This is great. You..." His voice trailed off as his private line rang and he held up a finger to keep her there as he answered the phone. "Yeah? Mick? What's up?" He leaned back in his chair and scrunched his eyes shut. "I hate to say this, but the timing couldn't be worse... Yes, I understand... But we're in the middle of our own crisis here. We're in the middle of a life or death situation that we just found out is Agency-related as well.... Uh-huh... Really? Do you know how much time he's got? .... I just really don't know what to do, Mick, I'm sorry. I've got an ex-Agency guy here who I can't trust, Nate's his handler and I can't let him go, Rick and Hal are both taking care of a hothead prisoner, Misty's in no shape to travel, Scott can't handle it, I need Dalton here, Pete and Jamie are both on the case, Gunner and Wyatt are my only stable operatives at the moment, and Jason's got a hit out on him, with Katie as his bodyguard and if I send them to you, it's just going to endanger you all even more." Just listing that all made his head swim. "You sure you can't go to local authorities? ... Yeah, I know. .... No, no, you're right. You can't trust anybody else when it comes to the Agency. Look, all I can do is.... What's that? .... No, everything's being disbanded. We've got the FBI looking over our shoulders on top of everything else and my hands are starting to get tied a whole lot more than I'd like, I..." He paused as an idea struck him. "Tell you what, you do whatever you need to do. As far as the law is concerned, the Elite has your back. Don't be stupid, but if you need to act, act. In the meantime, let me follow up on a lead and I may still be able to get you some help. Sit tight as long as you can. .... Okay... you too."
Hanging up, he groaned and looked back up to Sapphire. "Sorry. This thing is getting out of control. Thank you for the blueprints. You're amazing and I owe you. I'll owe you even more if you take these out to Nate and have him think through this with Gunner and... Jason. Yeah. Thank you." He stood up and grabbed his keys. "I need to run an errand. I will be right back." Leaving without any more explanation, he hollered over his shoulder as he jogged. "Susanne, call me as soon as any other calls come in!" He didn't slow as he headed across the main floor and out the door.
Levi couldn't have been happier with Karla's response. She seemed bright, willing, polite and kind. At the very least, he was anxious to see if this worked out. If not, he didn't feel this had been a waste. But he hoped she'd be just what they needed around the office. "Then Monday it is!"
Finishing up lunch, there was just a bit more small talk, but Levi did need to get back to work. There was still a lot to do before the weekend...
"...You offered her what?" Keith stared at his son across the dining room table, his fork halfway to his mouth as the family ate supper together.
Levi inwardly cringed, but held a neutral expression. "Uh-huh." He nodded and glanced at his mother, who held up her hands.
"This is between you two," she reminded. "You're on your own."
Keith set down his fork and folded his hands. "Son...you know our budget. Why would you do that?"
"I'll take a cut in pay. I already figured it out."
"But...why?" Keith's eyebrows couldn't get any more contorted if he'd tried. "You usually think with your head, not with a smitten heart. What's with you?"
Levi's smile finally faded and he set his fork down as well. "I'm far from smitten, so you can drop that theory. She's pretty and nice, but there's more to her and I simply felt convicted to give her a helping hand. She's had it rough and..." He shrugged lamely. "It just felt like the right thing to do."
Keith sighed and shook his head. "I don't know whether you're displaying a stroke of genius or if I ought to have you committed. But I guess if you're willing to take a cut in pay, then there's no reason not to give it a try. You really are sure?"
"I am." Levi was certain. He couldn't explain why. He didn't know why Karla had struck him like she had. But he knew without a doubt she hadn't tripped over that silly bucket for no reason.
Old Memories
Nate looked to Reese and than to Garret. If anything new the moves of the Agency it would be Garret. He himself thought it would be a good to keep him in the loop on this one. He hoped Reese would let him since he would be the best person to know every angle.
Hanging up with Reese Sapphire quickly got to work pull up some different blue prints. It wasn't an easy task since those building had been abandoned for a long time, but at the same time he'd hacked into harder places.
Finally getting in and printing them Sapphire heads to Reese office as she looks them over there were several papers, several doors, places to hide...it was going to be tricky.
"You are lucky I am good at my job. Here are the blue prints. There is one hall way that connects all the buildings. It's kind of like a sky bridge. I think that might be a good place to start if you are going to scout something."
Karla couldn't help but laugh and she took a sip of her water. She new she was going to like working for Levi and his dad already.
"Monday sounds great. I'll be there."
Just watching her brother Angel'e heart broke into a million pieces. There were still so many unanswered questions but all she cared about was how much pain her bother was in and it was so clear to see. She loved him so much, more than anyone would ever know and to see him like this...she hated it, and she hated the Agency.
"I have a nephew."
Angel's words hung in the air as it sunk in. She was an Aunt...a small smile passed her lips before it was gone again, more anger and sadness replacing that small bit of joy.
"Well help get him back Lane, I promise we will. No one is angry with you because honestly if it had been us...I bet we would have done the same thing. We know people who can help."
Looking at Mick Angel had hope in her eyes. The Elite could help, they all could help. Lane hadn't done anything wrong yet, so it wasn't to late. She only hoped the others agreed too.
Hearing everything Lane said Rosetta places her hand on Mick's arm. She was happy he had come clean, they could now try and help him and still a wave of fear washed over her. It had been a long time since they had been targeted by the Agency and it brought back a whole load of old memories.
Hanging up with Reese Sapphire quickly got to work pull up some different blue prints. It wasn't an easy task since those building had been abandoned for a long time, but at the same time he'd hacked into harder places.
Finally getting in and printing them Sapphire heads to Reese office as she looks them over there were several papers, several doors, places to hide...it was going to be tricky.
"You are lucky I am good at my job. Here are the blue prints. There is one hall way that connects all the buildings. It's kind of like a sky bridge. I think that might be a good place to start if you are going to scout something."
Karla couldn't help but laugh and she took a sip of her water. She new she was going to like working for Levi and his dad already.
"Monday sounds great. I'll be there."
Just watching her brother Angel'e heart broke into a million pieces. There were still so many unanswered questions but all she cared about was how much pain her bother was in and it was so clear to see. She loved him so much, more than anyone would ever know and to see him like this...she hated it, and she hated the Agency.
"I have a nephew."
Angel's words hung in the air as it sunk in. She was an Aunt...a small smile passed her lips before it was gone again, more anger and sadness replacing that small bit of joy.
"Well help get him back Lane, I promise we will. No one is angry with you because honestly if it had been us...I bet we would have done the same thing. We know people who can help."
Looking at Mick Angel had hope in her eyes. The Elite could help, they all could help. Lane hadn't done anything wrong yet, so it wasn't to late. She only hoped the others agreed too.
Hearing everything Lane said Rosetta places her hand on Mick's arm. She was happy he had come clean, they could now try and help him and still a wave of fear washed over her. It had been a long time since they had been targeted by the Agency and it brought back a whole load of old memories.
6/5/16
Truth
Jared jumped as his phone rang, and answered it quickly. Hearing they wanted Justin again, he handed his brother the phone. Justin glanced at Reese to receive a nod and put it on speaker. "Yeah, this is Justin..."
The message made his blood run cold. He'd hoped this whole thing was something else. But now there was no doubt it was the Agency. Which made the situation all the more dire. With the end of the call, Justin started to try and keep the man on the line, but it no good. He was gone.
Jared looked at Nate and Dalton. He had no idea who these people were or what their roles were. They were on top of this case, which was a comfort, but they spoke with an urgency that scared him. "Warehouses? Well can you go? I mean is it a good bet the guy is still with Grace? Can you check it out?"
Reese nodded and picked up the phone. "Sapphire, get me a layout of the warehouse complex across town, would you please?" He hung up and looked to Dalton. "Nice work - we've at least got a start. Nate, I want you to-"
"Who's the other victim?"
Garret's interruption halted Reese's thoughts. "What?"
"The other victim." Garret looked at Justin. "You can bet he's not bluffing. They have someone else to use against you."
Justin's stomach turned. "I don't know."
"Who are you close to? Who could you lose that would hurt the most?"
Justin shook his head. "I don't have anybody but Beth, my mom and brother."
"Well who are your friends?"
"I don't have any close friends!" Justin thew up his hands, exasperated. "I don't know who that guy is talking about!"
Looking up at his brother, Jared felt a new sense or confusion. He'd assumed Justin was surrounded by close friends. He was so good with people, and was just...the popular type. Seeing him so adamant about this was like seeing through a newly opened door into his brother's life.
Reese held up his hand to stop Garret from continuing. "Justin, are you sure?" he asked calmly. "Can you think of anyone?"
Justin set his hands on his hips and took a deep breath as he wracked his brain. "My uncle." His eyes widened. "He's the only other person who I'm close to."
"He's at Brookshire right?"
"Yeah but he might be at home too. I need to call him."
"We'll take care of it," Reese assured. "Is there anyone else at all?"
"No!" Justin's exasperation returned. "How can I even choose who to save if I dont know who the other person is?!"
Reese remained calm. "We have a little play time. He's going to call you back."
"Don't bet on too much," Garret warned. "This isn't some cop show where the bad guy makes mistakes and lines things up so the genius on the team can figure it out and save the day. He's playing a game where there are no rules, so don't expect him to play by any."
Reese set his hands on his hips and frowned. "Thanks for that word of encouragement."
"Theres nothing to be encouraged about," Garret retorted. "Somebody is going to die, and you better accept that."
Reese's irritated eyes turned to Nate. "Short leash," he reminded firmly, then nodded to Jared and Justin. "Why don't you go to the break room? If you think of any other names, let me know. In the meantime, we'll check out the warehouses and wait for another call."
Levi smiled as Karla accepted his offer. He'd have some explaining to do once he told his dad but... it was worth it. This young woman seemed genuinely happy and even humbled - and he was going to take it as a sign that hed made the right call.
"Don't thank me yet," he teased. "You might be pulling out your hair after working with us for just a week." He tucked the papers back into his folder. "So... how about Monday morning, eight o'clock?"
Wounds on Lane's back? The others exchanged glances and Sparky opened his mouth to ask about it, but Mick waved him down. Now wasn't the time. Feeling out of the loop, Sparky scowled at his brother, but kept quiet.
Lane refused to look at Angel, even when she came around in front of him. As she pulled him into a hug though, his walls started to crack. When he'd first arrived yesterday, he hadn't given her much of a greeting. But right now...he didn't care about his pain, and he couldn't withhold his feelings any longer. She was his sister, and he loved her.
Wrapping his arms around her too, he hugged her tight. And for a few moments, the room stood in silence. Trent sank down in a chair and sighed. Would this type of pain ever end for them? Eric, standing next to Stacy, slipped his hand into hers. Families had been torn apart...and he didn't want that to happen to them. Mick caught Rosetta's eye, his gaze one of sorrow. Lane was being so stubborn, but it was obvious he was carrying around a great burden.
Eventually, Lane pried himself loose and took a couple steps away from Angel before he stopped and stared at the wall. A painting hung there - a beautiful portrait of a landscape at sunset. Reaching out, he gently touched the paint strokes, then ran his fingertip over Wendy's signature. "I always wanted to tell her it runs in the family," he mentioned softly.
The reference to "always" didn't escape Mick's ears. How had Lane known about Wendy's hobby? He'd never even met her before yesterday.
Lane dropped his hand. "Amber never did like it that I spent so much time with my paintbrushes. 'Get a real job,' she'd say." His voice was still so quiet it was almost a whisper. "Maybe she was right. I just couldn't give it up, though."
Finally turning around, he faced the others. But all that did was bring on a new wave of emotions. As new tears filled his eyes, he had to take a moment, and he set his hands on his hips as he swallowed hard and stared at the floor. "You all have families now." His voice quivered. "And mine's not any more important than yours." A tear finally escaped to trickle down his cheek. "I can't do it. I can't. I thought I could...but I can't. It's my mess, not yours and I shouldn't have ever come."
He reached for his hat that was sitting on the edge of the couch, but Trent stepped forward to stop him. "You're wrong. You're exactly where you need to be, and you know it."
Lane retreated and dropped his eyes again. And again he fell quiet, taking several minutes to gain enough control to speak once more. "I have an eighteen-year-old son. His name is Travis."
Shock hung in the air.
Sinking down into the couch, he leaned forward to rest his head in his hands. "And you're right. I've been in contact with the Agency."
It was quiet again until Mick prompted him. "Go on."
Lane took a deep breath and lifted his face to look up at Angel. His hands were trembling and his eyes were so scared. "Travis was with me for the weekend and we were jumped. Next thing I knew, I was in some dark basement tied to a pole. They tore my back to shreds. I think I passed out a couple times. When it was over, they said if I didn't cooperate, Travis would get the same treatment before they'd kill him." New tears spilled over, and he shook his head. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I didn't want to come, and that's the truth."
Mick pursed his lips grimly. Dylan was eighteen - this hit too close to home. "What did they want you to do?"
"Gain information." Lane drew in a shaky breath and sniffed. His gaze had plummeted to the floor. "They wanted to know about some computer chips or something... and they wanted to know how much contact you guys had with the Elite. Like how often you were in touch and all that. Security stuff mostly."
"Did they give you a time frame?"
Lane shook his head. "Not really. I was just supposed to get them information and then they'd tell me when they were satisfied. They said they'd dump Travis somewhere and tell me where he was so I could get him and go on my way."
Mick ran a hand over his face and tried to think. A boy's life was on the line and they had to help, somehow. At the same time, now there were so many more unanswered questions. Allowed to continue taking the lead in the group, he went on. "And Travis' mother?"
A new pain flashed through Lane's eyes. "She doesn't know. She, um...she thinks Travis decided to spend a whole week with me instead of just the weekend."
The picture was starting to become more clear. "So you two are...?"
Lane nodded numbly. "Yeah. We're divorced." His eyes bounced to Angel, then back to the floor. Shame and bitterness were two new elements in his gaze. "It was a long time ago." The details of his failed marriage could wait. "Now that Travis is eighteen though, I was gonna get to spend more time with him..." His voice started to crack. "I was...gonna do what the Agency wanted. But after coming here and seeing you all and...seeing your families... Wendy with her own kids now too... I... I realized I didn't have a right to destroy your lives just to preserve mine." His emotion-filled eyes glanced up at the others. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I just wanted to save my boy. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. I just...panicked."
The message made his blood run cold. He'd hoped this whole thing was something else. But now there was no doubt it was the Agency. Which made the situation all the more dire. With the end of the call, Justin started to try and keep the man on the line, but it no good. He was gone.
Jared looked at Nate and Dalton. He had no idea who these people were or what their roles were. They were on top of this case, which was a comfort, but they spoke with an urgency that scared him. "Warehouses? Well can you go? I mean is it a good bet the guy is still with Grace? Can you check it out?"
Reese nodded and picked up the phone. "Sapphire, get me a layout of the warehouse complex across town, would you please?" He hung up and looked to Dalton. "Nice work - we've at least got a start. Nate, I want you to-"
"Who's the other victim?"
Garret's interruption halted Reese's thoughts. "What?"
"The other victim." Garret looked at Justin. "You can bet he's not bluffing. They have someone else to use against you."
Justin's stomach turned. "I don't know."
"Who are you close to? Who could you lose that would hurt the most?"
Justin shook his head. "I don't have anybody but Beth, my mom and brother."
"Well who are your friends?"
"I don't have any close friends!" Justin thew up his hands, exasperated. "I don't know who that guy is talking about!"
Looking up at his brother, Jared felt a new sense or confusion. He'd assumed Justin was surrounded by close friends. He was so good with people, and was just...the popular type. Seeing him so adamant about this was like seeing through a newly opened door into his brother's life.
Reese held up his hand to stop Garret from continuing. "Justin, are you sure?" he asked calmly. "Can you think of anyone?"
Justin set his hands on his hips and took a deep breath as he wracked his brain. "My uncle." His eyes widened. "He's the only other person who I'm close to."
"He's at Brookshire right?"
"Yeah but he might be at home too. I need to call him."
"We'll take care of it," Reese assured. "Is there anyone else at all?"
"No!" Justin's exasperation returned. "How can I even choose who to save if I dont know who the other person is?!"
Reese remained calm. "We have a little play time. He's going to call you back."
"Don't bet on too much," Garret warned. "This isn't some cop show where the bad guy makes mistakes and lines things up so the genius on the team can figure it out and save the day. He's playing a game where there are no rules, so don't expect him to play by any."
Reese set his hands on his hips and frowned. "Thanks for that word of encouragement."
"Theres nothing to be encouraged about," Garret retorted. "Somebody is going to die, and you better accept that."
Reese's irritated eyes turned to Nate. "Short leash," he reminded firmly, then nodded to Jared and Justin. "Why don't you go to the break room? If you think of any other names, let me know. In the meantime, we'll check out the warehouses and wait for another call."
Levi smiled as Karla accepted his offer. He'd have some explaining to do once he told his dad but... it was worth it. This young woman seemed genuinely happy and even humbled - and he was going to take it as a sign that hed made the right call.
"Don't thank me yet," he teased. "You might be pulling out your hair after working with us for just a week." He tucked the papers back into his folder. "So... how about Monday morning, eight o'clock?"
Wounds on Lane's back? The others exchanged glances and Sparky opened his mouth to ask about it, but Mick waved him down. Now wasn't the time. Feeling out of the loop, Sparky scowled at his brother, but kept quiet.
Lane refused to look at Angel, even when she came around in front of him. As she pulled him into a hug though, his walls started to crack. When he'd first arrived yesterday, he hadn't given her much of a greeting. But right now...he didn't care about his pain, and he couldn't withhold his feelings any longer. She was his sister, and he loved her.
Wrapping his arms around her too, he hugged her tight. And for a few moments, the room stood in silence. Trent sank down in a chair and sighed. Would this type of pain ever end for them? Eric, standing next to Stacy, slipped his hand into hers. Families had been torn apart...and he didn't want that to happen to them. Mick caught Rosetta's eye, his gaze one of sorrow. Lane was being so stubborn, but it was obvious he was carrying around a great burden.
Eventually, Lane pried himself loose and took a couple steps away from Angel before he stopped and stared at the wall. A painting hung there - a beautiful portrait of a landscape at sunset. Reaching out, he gently touched the paint strokes, then ran his fingertip over Wendy's signature. "I always wanted to tell her it runs in the family," he mentioned softly.
The reference to "always" didn't escape Mick's ears. How had Lane known about Wendy's hobby? He'd never even met her before yesterday.
Lane dropped his hand. "Amber never did like it that I spent so much time with my paintbrushes. 'Get a real job,' she'd say." His voice was still so quiet it was almost a whisper. "Maybe she was right. I just couldn't give it up, though."
Finally turning around, he faced the others. But all that did was bring on a new wave of emotions. As new tears filled his eyes, he had to take a moment, and he set his hands on his hips as he swallowed hard and stared at the floor. "You all have families now." His voice quivered. "And mine's not any more important than yours." A tear finally escaped to trickle down his cheek. "I can't do it. I can't. I thought I could...but I can't. It's my mess, not yours and I shouldn't have ever come."
He reached for his hat that was sitting on the edge of the couch, but Trent stepped forward to stop him. "You're wrong. You're exactly where you need to be, and you know it."
Lane retreated and dropped his eyes again. And again he fell quiet, taking several minutes to gain enough control to speak once more. "I have an eighteen-year-old son. His name is Travis."
Shock hung in the air.
Sinking down into the couch, he leaned forward to rest his head in his hands. "And you're right. I've been in contact with the Agency."
It was quiet again until Mick prompted him. "Go on."
Lane took a deep breath and lifted his face to look up at Angel. His hands were trembling and his eyes were so scared. "Travis was with me for the weekend and we were jumped. Next thing I knew, I was in some dark basement tied to a pole. They tore my back to shreds. I think I passed out a couple times. When it was over, they said if I didn't cooperate, Travis would get the same treatment before they'd kill him." New tears spilled over, and he shook his head. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I didn't want to come, and that's the truth."
Mick pursed his lips grimly. Dylan was eighteen - this hit too close to home. "What did they want you to do?"
"Gain information." Lane drew in a shaky breath and sniffed. His gaze had plummeted to the floor. "They wanted to know about some computer chips or something... and they wanted to know how much contact you guys had with the Elite. Like how often you were in touch and all that. Security stuff mostly."
"Did they give you a time frame?"
Lane shook his head. "Not really. I was just supposed to get them information and then they'd tell me when they were satisfied. They said they'd dump Travis somewhere and tell me where he was so I could get him and go on my way."
Mick ran a hand over his face and tried to think. A boy's life was on the line and they had to help, somehow. At the same time, now there were so many more unanswered questions. Allowed to continue taking the lead in the group, he went on. "And Travis' mother?"
A new pain flashed through Lane's eyes. "She doesn't know. She, um...she thinks Travis decided to spend a whole week with me instead of just the weekend."
The picture was starting to become more clear. "So you two are...?"
Lane nodded numbly. "Yeah. We're divorced." His eyes bounced to Angel, then back to the floor. Shame and bitterness were two new elements in his gaze. "It was a long time ago." The details of his failed marriage could wait. "Now that Travis is eighteen though, I was gonna get to spend more time with him..." His voice started to crack. "I was...gonna do what the Agency wanted. But after coming here and seeing you all and...seeing your families... Wendy with her own kids now too... I... I realized I didn't have a right to destroy your lives just to preserve mine." His emotion-filled eyes glanced up at the others. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I just wanted to save my boy. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. I just...panicked."
6/4/16
Please...
Angel sat in shock for several moments. Lane had a son? She was an Aunt? So many more questions popped into her head, thoesugh she new right now none of them would be answered. There was more going on than finding that out. They had to figure out what was going on, get down deeper so they could help.
"Lane...who has your son? Is that where the wounds on your back came from?"
Her heart broke for her bother in a million peaces. He wasn't a bad guy and they new that. Whatever was going on was because he had no other options. Sanding Angel goes over to Lane at the window and slips in front of him. Seeing his tears she couldn't help the few that escaped her own eye. Not even asking she wrapped her around around her bother and pulled him into a big hug.
"Please Lane....please....we all want to help you, but we cant if you wont talk to us. "
Looking down at the paper that Levi slid over to her Karla couldn't help the bit of surprise that flashed on her face. Any amount would have been fine with her and would of helped a great deal but this was more than she expected. She was thankful but hoped Levi wouldn't get in trouble either.
"Twenty hours a week is more than I could ever ask for. You are beyond generous. If you set me up in a closet I think I would still be thankful."
Taking the pen and signing the paper Karla couldn't help the bit of excitement she felt. She was really going to be starting something new. Even if it wasn't full time it was stable, and it would be a new adventure.
"I can't think you enough, you have no idea how much this means to me. I wasn't expecting this at all but I am happy I tripped over that bucket your dad left out. Also, I'll never turned down a home cooked meal. I miss my mom's cooking so much so it will definitely be nice. Thank you."
Beth looked around the house. This was all crazy, and she was nervous. Even if Jamie and Pete were there to keep them safe she felt like if she didn't move she'd jump out of her own skin. The dogs were ok for now laying down so she didn't need to worry about them.
Wondering into the kitchen Beth watched Lydia for a moment before coming in more. She just wanted to do something other than sit there.
"Lydia....do you need help with anything? I can't just sit her and do nothing. The more I sit the more nervous I get."
Hearing Jared's phone ring Nate stiffens and looks to Reese and than back to Jared giving a nod. They had to have something to go on and the only way to do that was to take the call.
As Jared answers the voice on the other end can't help the cocky grin that forms on his lips. He new he would answer. Actually he was counting on it.
"I'm hoping by now Jared you've talked to your brother. Now let me talk to him."
The voice waited till hearing Justin's voice. Pacing back and forth the voice talked.
"Ahh...Justin...good....Did you think you were immune to The Agency? Untouchable? No one is untouchable. Someone will die....Grace or someone else. The choose will be yours. Time is ticking...your going to need to deiced soon. I'll be in touch."
As the line goes dead Nate looks over his shoulder at Dalton who had worked quickly to try and locate where the call was coming from. Looking back to Nate his sighs a little.
"Good and bad news. There wasn't enough time to get an exact location, but the good news is I got a general range. Across town where there are a bunch of abandon buildings. He could be in one of them."
"Lane...who has your son? Is that where the wounds on your back came from?"
Her heart broke for her bother in a million peaces. He wasn't a bad guy and they new that. Whatever was going on was because he had no other options. Sanding Angel goes over to Lane at the window and slips in front of him. Seeing his tears she couldn't help the few that escaped her own eye. Not even asking she wrapped her around around her bother and pulled him into a big hug.
"Please Lane....please....we all want to help you, but we cant if you wont talk to us. "
Looking down at the paper that Levi slid over to her Karla couldn't help the bit of surprise that flashed on her face. Any amount would have been fine with her and would of helped a great deal but this was more than she expected. She was thankful but hoped Levi wouldn't get in trouble either.
"Twenty hours a week is more than I could ever ask for. You are beyond generous. If you set me up in a closet I think I would still be thankful."
Taking the pen and signing the paper Karla couldn't help the bit of excitement she felt. She was really going to be starting something new. Even if it wasn't full time it was stable, and it would be a new adventure.
"I can't think you enough, you have no idea how much this means to me. I wasn't expecting this at all but I am happy I tripped over that bucket your dad left out. Also, I'll never turned down a home cooked meal. I miss my mom's cooking so much so it will definitely be nice. Thank you."
Beth looked around the house. This was all crazy, and she was nervous. Even if Jamie and Pete were there to keep them safe she felt like if she didn't move she'd jump out of her own skin. The dogs were ok for now laying down so she didn't need to worry about them.
Wondering into the kitchen Beth watched Lydia for a moment before coming in more. She just wanted to do something other than sit there.
"Lydia....do you need help with anything? I can't just sit her and do nothing. The more I sit the more nervous I get."
Hearing Jared's phone ring Nate stiffens and looks to Reese and than back to Jared giving a nod. They had to have something to go on and the only way to do that was to take the call.
As Jared answers the voice on the other end can't help the cocky grin that forms on his lips. He new he would answer. Actually he was counting on it.
"I'm hoping by now Jared you've talked to your brother. Now let me talk to him."
The voice waited till hearing Justin's voice. Pacing back and forth the voice talked.
"Ahh...Justin...good....Did you think you were immune to The Agency? Untouchable? No one is untouchable. Someone will die....Grace or someone else. The choose will be yours. Time is ticking...your going to need to deiced soon. I'll be in touch."
As the line goes dead Nate looks over his shoulder at Dalton who had worked quickly to try and locate where the call was coming from. Looking back to Nate his sighs a little.
"Good and bad news. There wasn't enough time to get an exact location, but the good news is I got a general range. Across town where there are a bunch of abandon buildings. He could be in one of them."
5/29/16
Silence
Levi's eyes never left Karla's face as she spoke. Unassuming. Shy. Cautious. Low self esteem. Those were the words that flitted through his mind. But also strength. Hope. Intelligence. Potential. His head cocked to one side as he briefly forgot about his food. Was that embarrassment he saw flicker on her face? Everybody struggled at some point, and it was a pity if she felt ashamed of that.
As the table fell quiet again, his eyes dropped to some of the papers he'd brought. Flipping to one in particular, he looked at the near-minimum wage that was typed up as part of an offer. His fingers fiddled with his pen for a moment before he scribbled it out and wrote a new number above the line, several dollars higher than the original.
"Well...everybody deserves a chance." He looked up again and slid the paper over to her to see the hourly wage. "I'm afraid it won't be full-time. I'm not sure what you need for income as far as your current situation goes. But I can guarantee no less than twenty hours a week, and no more than thirty. It would be Monday through Friday, and we'd set up a place for you at the office. We have limited ability to provide health benefits, but we most definitely would provide paid sick days and paid vacation days."
He let the information sink in and as their waiter came by, he took the ticket to pay for both their meals. Clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to Karla. He hoped upping the wage would be enough. He wished he could offer her a full-time job with full benefits right on the spot, but their small company just couldn't afford that yet. Would she be able to live off what they were offering?
"My mom likes to send leftovers to work for lunches," he added with a crooked grin. "So that could possibly mean some free meals, too. And she does make a mean lasagna..." Was he begging her to take the job? Seriously? Where was his head? His father was going to kill him.
Lane didn't move as Angel came and sat down next to him. Nor did he respond as she took his hand. His eyes remained glued to the coffee table as if his mind wasn't really there. One would think he didn't even hear Angel speaking, but he did. Nothing broke his silence though. Slipping his hand from hers, he leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees, creating distance. After several long moments of silence, he slowly shook his head. His jaw muscles tightened with the effort to keep a lid on his emotions, but even then, his eyes started to turn red.
He could have walked away when Mick had caught him in the middle of another incriminating phone conversation. He should have. He should have left right then and there. He still should. He still had time.
His feet shifted. But he didn't rise. As much as everything inside of him screamed to leave - to get out now - something just as invisible, but twice as strong, kept him here. Though still not looking at his sister, he could feel her eyes on him. She cared about him. She loved him. She'd do anything to figure this out and help him. But how could she? How could anyone here? Especially now. Yet he still found it impossible to move. And even so, he still refused to speak at all.
Without any response to Angel, verbal or otherwise, it was inevitable that shortly after, they weren't the only two in the living room anymore. While everyone else went their separate ways or cleaned up in the kitchen from dinner, there were those Mick asked to join them. Rosetta, Sparky, Wes, Luke, Eric, Trent and Stacy.
Lane remained seated on the couch, his eyes never leaving the coffee table. Anyone could see the tension building on his face, though.
Mick looked to Angel with apology. He knew she didn't want to hurt her brother, but something had to be done. "Come on, Lane," he prompted sternly as he stood on the other side of the low table. "Come clean. Whatever it is, you can trust us." The others all waited quietly.
Eventually, Lane finally moved. He glanced up at Angel and swallowed hard as sudden tears sprang into his eyes and he looked back down. He shook his head as he tried to control his emotions.
Mick sighed. "Don't make us do this the hard way."
Silence.
"Lane!" Mick's hand came down hard on the table, making Lane jump. He leaned down low to be at his eye-level. "If you don't start talking, we're gonna have to call in the Elite, and you know you don't want to deal with them."
Silence.
Mick straightened and threw up his hands, trying not to blow his top. Taking a deep breath, he caught Rosetta's eye, relying on her to help keep his temper in check.
Lane's folded hands had become so tight that his knuckles were turning white.
It was Trent's turn. "Man...Whatever you're involved in - if anyone gets it, it's me. I shouldn't be here at all, and there are days I still wish I was rotting in prison for all I've done. But if there's any place to come clean, it's here. Angel's not your only family. We all are. Whatever it is, you can trust us."
"He's right," Luke prompted. "Just talk to us."
Lane shook his head stubbornly and remained silent.
"Dang it!" Mick didn't want to use force. To harm Angel's brother. Their old friend. But something had to be done. "I'm calling the Elite." He took out his cell phone.
"They have my son!" Lane shouted angrily. His outburst was so sudden, that the room went dead quiet. With just as little warning, he got to his feet so quickly that he hit the coffee table, jolting it from its position on the carpeted floor. Walking to one of the windows, he kept his back to the others and folded his arms tightly, tears still lingering in his eyes.
The room stood in stunned silence and several looks were exchanged. Lane had a son? He hadn't said a word about a family, so everyone had assumed he didn't have one. Why hadn't he at least mentioned it? Mick slowly put his phone back in his pocket. "Lane?" he asked more cautiously. "What's going on?"
Lane swiped at his eyes but didn't answer.
Mick sighed again and looked to Angel for help. Maybe she could still get him to talk. Somebody had to. Something very serious was going on, and they had to know. If Angel couldn't get it out of him, he'd have no choice but to call the Elite. This smelled too much like the Agency to let it go.
"Good." Justin smiled again before opening the truck door. "Come on."
Getting inside, Justin immediately made the dogs lie down in the corner, and they did so obediently, despite there being nervous activity around them. Quick introductions to Pete and Jamie were made for Beth's sake, and Lydia, of course, took advantage of more company and went to make some coffee in the kitchen to keep herself busy.
Jared was no more at ease though. "Know anything?" was his only greeting.
Justin shook his head. "Sorry. No. I'm on my way over to headquarters though, to see if we can figure anything out."
Jared turned his wheelchair. "I'm coming, too."
"I think it's best if you stay here. There's-"
"I said I'm coming, too." Jared's eyes narrowed. "If it were Beth, you wouldn't wanna be left out of the loop, so you better take me with you or I'll find my own ride."
Justin sighed before looking to Pete. Pete gave him a little nod. "Jamie and I both will stay here. You want an escort?"
"No. As far as we know, we don't have anything to worry about other than finding Grace. We'll be fine." Justin nodded Jared to the door. "C'mon then." Before leaving, he gave Beth a quick but strong hug and a warm kiss on the lips, promising he'd be back shortly.
Once at Justin's pickup, a new problem arose. Jared stared at the passenger door and gritted his teeth. Justin reached for the handle, but Jared stopped him. "I can do it myself."
"I believe you," Justin responded calmly. "But we don't have time for that. So shove your pride back down or I'm gonna leave you here." He opened the door, and without taking any griping, he lifted his brother into the passenger seat.
Jared had underestimated Justin's strength, and blinked his surprise at how easily it had been done. He watched in the side mirror as Justin folded and set the wheelchair in the bed of the truck as well. He was so matter-of-fact that Jared really couldn't argue with him, so the ride to the Elite was a silent one....
..."You sure you don't know anything?"
"How could I?" Garret threw up his hands at Reese's questions as they stood outside Nate's cubicle. "I'm in here, remember? This is something new."
Reese sighed. "But could it be the Agency?"
"Well of course it could. Anything could be them. But you got a lot of if's going on here. Just because some kidnapper calls a girl's boyfriend's brother doesn't mean it's Agency. It's weird, but that's all."
Reese knew he was right. But there was just something about all this that set him on edge. Maybe it was just his gut instinct. Movement caught his eye and he turned to see Justin come onto the main floor, followed by a man maneuvering his own wheelchair - that must be Jared. "Speaking of which..."
Garret's eyebrows shot up. "Wait. You didn't tell me it was Justin. Is he the boyfriend or the brother?"
"Brother. That's Jared - it's his girlfriend that's been nabbed."
Garret glanced at Nate. Justin was part of the Elite, part-time and fairly new or not. And he was someone who got close to any Agency thugs brought in. Which made him a pretty dangerous player, really. It would be Medridge's style to torture him through other people getting hurt, especially considering Justin's field of expertise - delving into people's psyches. Maybe Reese wasn't so far off after all.
"Justin." Reese shook his hand as he approached, then also offered a hand to Jared. "Hi, I'm Mike Reese, Chief of the Elite. I'm sorry we're meeting under such stressful circumstances."
Jared just nodded.
"Any more calls?"
"No." Jared shook his head before holding up his cell phone. "Still waiting."
As the table fell quiet again, his eyes dropped to some of the papers he'd brought. Flipping to one in particular, he looked at the near-minimum wage that was typed up as part of an offer. His fingers fiddled with his pen for a moment before he scribbled it out and wrote a new number above the line, several dollars higher than the original.
"Well...everybody deserves a chance." He looked up again and slid the paper over to her to see the hourly wage. "I'm afraid it won't be full-time. I'm not sure what you need for income as far as your current situation goes. But I can guarantee no less than twenty hours a week, and no more than thirty. It would be Monday through Friday, and we'd set up a place for you at the office. We have limited ability to provide health benefits, but we most definitely would provide paid sick days and paid vacation days."
He let the information sink in and as their waiter came by, he took the ticket to pay for both their meals. Clearing his throat, he turned his attention back to Karla. He hoped upping the wage would be enough. He wished he could offer her a full-time job with full benefits right on the spot, but their small company just couldn't afford that yet. Would she be able to live off what they were offering?
"My mom likes to send leftovers to work for lunches," he added with a crooked grin. "So that could possibly mean some free meals, too. And she does make a mean lasagna..." Was he begging her to take the job? Seriously? Where was his head? His father was going to kill him.
Lane didn't move as Angel came and sat down next to him. Nor did he respond as she took his hand. His eyes remained glued to the coffee table as if his mind wasn't really there. One would think he didn't even hear Angel speaking, but he did. Nothing broke his silence though. Slipping his hand from hers, he leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees, creating distance. After several long moments of silence, he slowly shook his head. His jaw muscles tightened with the effort to keep a lid on his emotions, but even then, his eyes started to turn red.
He could have walked away when Mick had caught him in the middle of another incriminating phone conversation. He should have. He should have left right then and there. He still should. He still had time.
His feet shifted. But he didn't rise. As much as everything inside of him screamed to leave - to get out now - something just as invisible, but twice as strong, kept him here. Though still not looking at his sister, he could feel her eyes on him. She cared about him. She loved him. She'd do anything to figure this out and help him. But how could she? How could anyone here? Especially now. Yet he still found it impossible to move. And even so, he still refused to speak at all.
Without any response to Angel, verbal or otherwise, it was inevitable that shortly after, they weren't the only two in the living room anymore. While everyone else went their separate ways or cleaned up in the kitchen from dinner, there were those Mick asked to join them. Rosetta, Sparky, Wes, Luke, Eric, Trent and Stacy.
Lane remained seated on the couch, his eyes never leaving the coffee table. Anyone could see the tension building on his face, though.
Mick looked to Angel with apology. He knew she didn't want to hurt her brother, but something had to be done. "Come on, Lane," he prompted sternly as he stood on the other side of the low table. "Come clean. Whatever it is, you can trust us." The others all waited quietly.
Eventually, Lane finally moved. He glanced up at Angel and swallowed hard as sudden tears sprang into his eyes and he looked back down. He shook his head as he tried to control his emotions.
Mick sighed. "Don't make us do this the hard way."
Silence.
"Lane!" Mick's hand came down hard on the table, making Lane jump. He leaned down low to be at his eye-level. "If you don't start talking, we're gonna have to call in the Elite, and you know you don't want to deal with them."
Silence.
Mick straightened and threw up his hands, trying not to blow his top. Taking a deep breath, he caught Rosetta's eye, relying on her to help keep his temper in check.
Lane's folded hands had become so tight that his knuckles were turning white.
It was Trent's turn. "Man...Whatever you're involved in - if anyone gets it, it's me. I shouldn't be here at all, and there are days I still wish I was rotting in prison for all I've done. But if there's any place to come clean, it's here. Angel's not your only family. We all are. Whatever it is, you can trust us."
"He's right," Luke prompted. "Just talk to us."
Lane shook his head stubbornly and remained silent.
"Dang it!" Mick didn't want to use force. To harm Angel's brother. Their old friend. But something had to be done. "I'm calling the Elite." He took out his cell phone.
"They have my son!" Lane shouted angrily. His outburst was so sudden, that the room went dead quiet. With just as little warning, he got to his feet so quickly that he hit the coffee table, jolting it from its position on the carpeted floor. Walking to one of the windows, he kept his back to the others and folded his arms tightly, tears still lingering in his eyes.
The room stood in stunned silence and several looks were exchanged. Lane had a son? He hadn't said a word about a family, so everyone had assumed he didn't have one. Why hadn't he at least mentioned it? Mick slowly put his phone back in his pocket. "Lane?" he asked more cautiously. "What's going on?"
Lane swiped at his eyes but didn't answer.
Mick sighed again and looked to Angel for help. Maybe she could still get him to talk. Somebody had to. Something very serious was going on, and they had to know. If Angel couldn't get it out of him, he'd have no choice but to call the Elite. This smelled too much like the Agency to let it go.
"Good." Justin smiled again before opening the truck door. "Come on."
Getting inside, Justin immediately made the dogs lie down in the corner, and they did so obediently, despite there being nervous activity around them. Quick introductions to Pete and Jamie were made for Beth's sake, and Lydia, of course, took advantage of more company and went to make some coffee in the kitchen to keep herself busy.
Jared was no more at ease though. "Know anything?" was his only greeting.
Justin shook his head. "Sorry. No. I'm on my way over to headquarters though, to see if we can figure anything out."
Jared turned his wheelchair. "I'm coming, too."
"I think it's best if you stay here. There's-"
"I said I'm coming, too." Jared's eyes narrowed. "If it were Beth, you wouldn't wanna be left out of the loop, so you better take me with you or I'll find my own ride."
Justin sighed before looking to Pete. Pete gave him a little nod. "Jamie and I both will stay here. You want an escort?"
"No. As far as we know, we don't have anything to worry about other than finding Grace. We'll be fine." Justin nodded Jared to the door. "C'mon then." Before leaving, he gave Beth a quick but strong hug and a warm kiss on the lips, promising he'd be back shortly.
Once at Justin's pickup, a new problem arose. Jared stared at the passenger door and gritted his teeth. Justin reached for the handle, but Jared stopped him. "I can do it myself."
"I believe you," Justin responded calmly. "But we don't have time for that. So shove your pride back down or I'm gonna leave you here." He opened the door, and without taking any griping, he lifted his brother into the passenger seat.
Jared had underestimated Justin's strength, and blinked his surprise at how easily it had been done. He watched in the side mirror as Justin folded and set the wheelchair in the bed of the truck as well. He was so matter-of-fact that Jared really couldn't argue with him, so the ride to the Elite was a silent one....
..."You sure you don't know anything?"
"How could I?" Garret threw up his hands at Reese's questions as they stood outside Nate's cubicle. "I'm in here, remember? This is something new."
Reese sighed. "But could it be the Agency?"
"Well of course it could. Anything could be them. But you got a lot of if's going on here. Just because some kidnapper calls a girl's boyfriend's brother doesn't mean it's Agency. It's weird, but that's all."
Reese knew he was right. But there was just something about all this that set him on edge. Maybe it was just his gut instinct. Movement caught his eye and he turned to see Justin come onto the main floor, followed by a man maneuvering his own wheelchair - that must be Jared. "Speaking of which..."
Garret's eyebrows shot up. "Wait. You didn't tell me it was Justin. Is he the boyfriend or the brother?"
"Brother. That's Jared - it's his girlfriend that's been nabbed."
Garret glanced at Nate. Justin was part of the Elite, part-time and fairly new or not. And he was someone who got close to any Agency thugs brought in. Which made him a pretty dangerous player, really. It would be Medridge's style to torture him through other people getting hurt, especially considering Justin's field of expertise - delving into people's psyches. Maybe Reese wasn't so far off after all.
"Justin." Reese shook his hand as he approached, then also offered a hand to Jared. "Hi, I'm Mike Reese, Chief of the Elite. I'm sorry we're meeting under such stressful circumstances."
Jared just nodded.
"Any more calls?"
"No." Jared shook his head before holding up his cell phone. "Still waiting."
Take a Chance
Smiling Karla enjoyed listening to Levi talk about himself. He thought he had a boring life, but Karla didn't think so. She found what he said interesting. His life was normal, he seemed happy, he had his family. Karla admired that and she thought it gave him great character.
"I'm not in to politics myself. I do however like a baseball or football game if I am actually there. I think its boring to watch it on tv though."
Taking another bit of her food Karla listened to Levi's next question. She really didnt have any experience to speak of. She did odd jobs here and there but it was nothing amazing. She could only hope that maybe he could see past that.
"Well I dont really have much experience. I worked for the band, I have done some art work, I worked in a grocery store for a while. Other than that I have been pretty down on my luck over the years and money has been hard."
Looking down Karla couldn't help be embarrassed just a little. Life had been hard for her, but it had made her stronger too, and yet talking with someone new she couldn't help but wonder what they would think of her.
"However I am organized, I can talk on the phone, and I do know how to type. I know I dont have much to go on, but I'm a fast learner and I can put in a lot of hard work, if you can just take a chance."
Looking up at Mick Angel's face showed her concern, She had no idea what was going on and the longer it went on the worse it was getting. She new Mick was right and something needed to be done about this and soon.
"I think even after I talk to him a powwow would be good. I'll see what I can do and you can get it together."
Excusing herself from the table Angel made her way to the other room where Lane was. Sitting down next to him Angel took his hand in her own and was just quiet for a long moment. She really didn't know what to say. There was so much and her heart went out to him so bad.
"Lane....whats been going on? I have to ask, and I have to know. I cant just brush it off. Its killing you inside and I can see it. Everyone is being so pashent here with you but its gone to far. We love you so much, I love you so much Lane and even if its been a long time I love you and would do anything for you. Please, I am begging you talk to me, talk to us."
Beth thinks for a long moment just looking at Justin's house. She believed him and new he would never put her in a situation that was dangerous, or with people he didn't think would keep her safe. It just all seemed so scary and very expected.
"Ok I'm ready."
At mention of both dogs Beth glances into the back seat and gives a small smile. She loved Justin's dogs. They where never a handful, always calm and sweet. They would make a good detraction and at least.
"Ok I'll take care of them while you are away."
"I'm not in to politics myself. I do however like a baseball or football game if I am actually there. I think its boring to watch it on tv though."
Taking another bit of her food Karla listened to Levi's next question. She really didnt have any experience to speak of. She did odd jobs here and there but it was nothing amazing. She could only hope that maybe he could see past that.
"Well I dont really have much experience. I worked for the band, I have done some art work, I worked in a grocery store for a while. Other than that I have been pretty down on my luck over the years and money has been hard."
Looking down Karla couldn't help be embarrassed just a little. Life had been hard for her, but it had made her stronger too, and yet talking with someone new she couldn't help but wonder what they would think of her.
"However I am organized, I can talk on the phone, and I do know how to type. I know I dont have much to go on, but I'm a fast learner and I can put in a lot of hard work, if you can just take a chance."
Looking up at Mick Angel's face showed her concern, She had no idea what was going on and the longer it went on the worse it was getting. She new Mick was right and something needed to be done about this and soon.
"I think even after I talk to him a powwow would be good. I'll see what I can do and you can get it together."
Excusing herself from the table Angel made her way to the other room where Lane was. Sitting down next to him Angel took his hand in her own and was just quiet for a long moment. She really didn't know what to say. There was so much and her heart went out to him so bad.
"Lane....whats been going on? I have to ask, and I have to know. I cant just brush it off. Its killing you inside and I can see it. Everyone is being so pashent here with you but its gone to far. We love you so much, I love you so much Lane and even if its been a long time I love you and would do anything for you. Please, I am begging you talk to me, talk to us."
Beth thinks for a long moment just looking at Justin's house. She believed him and new he would never put her in a situation that was dangerous, or with people he didn't think would keep her safe. It just all seemed so scary and very expected.
"Ok I'm ready."
At mention of both dogs Beth glances into the back seat and gives a small smile. She loved Justin's dogs. They where never a handful, always calm and sweet. They would make a good detraction and at least.
"Ok I'll take care of them while you are away."
5/25/16
Powow
With elbows resting on each side of his plate, fork hanging in midair, Levi listened to Karla's every word. His eyes traveled her face as she spoke, catching brief glimpses of what might lay between the lines of dialogue. His smile emerged again and he shook his head before letting his eyes drop and taking a bite of broccoli. "I like to keep things uncomplicated, especially myself, so if you want boring..." He pointed at himself with his fork. He'd play along though. After all, Karla still intrigued him, and something told him she could use a friend right now. Her life sounded lonely, and he couldn't help that it tugged at his heart.
"Nah, really though, I like... Chinese food." He laughed. "Obviously. Um... I'm as single as you can get, I've got my folks here in town so I work with my dad - another obvious fact there. I went into business with him after I graduated college," he explained. "I work...a lot. And when I'm not working, I've usually got my nose in a book, learning how to work better." Truth be told, his social life was almost nonexistent as he preferred studying over going out. No wonder he didn't have a girlfriend.
"Every once in a while I like to sketch, although I'm not all that good." He chuckled. "I have an older sister - she lives a few hours away with her husband. My favorite color is green, I'm left-handed, and I pretty much avoid politics or sports." He paused to take a sip of tea.
"Oh, and I totally agree that God's got everything under control." His eyes twinkled. As much as he'd like to continue the smalltalk though, he knew they had to get down to business sometime and he cleared his throat. "Other than your reference to a band, what kinds of jobs have you had? We need somebody who knows how to be organized, who can talk to clients on the phone, keep schedules, do some typing... that sort of thing." He cocked his head. "Lay it on me. Whatcha got that we can use?"
Lane kept his eyes closed as Angel worked, and ceased any more complaining. It hadn't been so bad at first, but after several days, the pain had gotten to him. If Sparky hadn't been so rough, he wouldn't now be under scrutiny, and it was maddening. He expressed none of that though. He couldn't.
As Angel finished and assured him they were all there for him, he had a hard time holding in his emotions. He sat up gingerly and just stared at the floor for a few minutes before he finally stood and carefully donned his shirt. He wished his sister wasn't so nice. He wished everybody here was just a little harsher. It would make his task easier.
"Thanks," he mumbled softly, and grabbed his hat. He did glance Angels direction, but it only lasted a moment. His mouth opened to give more excuses for his silence. To assure her things were just fine. To make up a reason for all this. But instead, he just sighed. "I'll see you later."
Exiting the office, he started one direction, but when he saw Mick, he turned to go the other way. This did not escape Mick's eyes, so after he was finished with what he was doing, he went to see Angel and check on what had gone on. Learning about Lane's injuries brought on more concern, to say the least, but Mick decided not to tell the other guys just yet. He still wanted to give Lane a chance, even after he told Angel what had happened in the barn. Something wasn't right...but Mick agreed to letting Lane come to them...
...Lane kept himself scarce the rest of the day. He ended up helping a little more around the barns, but retreated to his bunkhouse for most of the afternoon, avoiding especially Mick and Sparky. By dinnertime though, he had to make an appearance, lest anyone get even more suspicious. So, coming to the main house, he once again interacted with smiles just as he had the evening before. If one looked closely though, they might notice how Lane seemed to be avoiding Angel's gaze, or distancing himself from some of the guys. Nothing appeared too out of place though, but it did seem a little strange when he left to take a phone call outside, then was taking quite a while to return.
Feeling the urge to check on things, it was Mick who quietly rose and followed Lane's route onto the front porch. No one really noticed until raised voices could be heard. Eyes looked up from tables to see who was missing, and it was quickly assumed that the argument outside was between Mick and Lane. But what on earth could it be about?
Then the eyes shifted to Angel. Was she going to go see what was happening? Did anyone need to?
No one had to act, though, as the door opened again. Lane walked in first, but instead of going back to his table, he went to the living room alone where he sat on the couch and stared at the floor. Mick waved off several wary looks, and aimed for Angel's table, leaning down over her shoulder to speak quietly in her ear. "Strange phone call number two, and I can't let it go any further. Unless you can get Lane to talk, we're gonna have to have a family powow after dinner."
Though Lydia's face was rather pale, she shook her head at Jamie, and forced a smile. "I think you would need to stay here a whole week to answer all of my questions. I don't think I realized what Justin was really involved with. But that is okay. I am just worried about Grace. Such a sweet girl." She squeezed Jamie's hand back, grateful for the young woman's assurance.
Jared, on the other hand, was not assured at all, as his anxiety rose to greater heights. This whole thing was just stupid. He didn't understand any of it. He didn't understand why this would have happened. Why it would be Grace anyone would go after. It just didn't make sense.
Justin reached over and set a gentle hand on Beth's shoulder. "Don't worry - you'll be safe here. I'll take you inside and introduce you to Pete and Jamie. They're both very nice and they'll take good care of you. You won't have to worry about anything with them around, okay?"
He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Then I'm going to go to the Elite office for a little while, then I'll be back and I'm going to stay here too. I only have one problem." He crinkled his nose. "While I'm over at the Elite, somebody's gotta watch after my two girls." He thumbed to the backseat where Danitza an Zora had been the perfect passengers the whole day. "They like the backyard but they need somebody to keep an eye on them. Think you could help me out there?"
"Nah, really though, I like... Chinese food." He laughed. "Obviously. Um... I'm as single as you can get, I've got my folks here in town so I work with my dad - another obvious fact there. I went into business with him after I graduated college," he explained. "I work...a lot. And when I'm not working, I've usually got my nose in a book, learning how to work better." Truth be told, his social life was almost nonexistent as he preferred studying over going out. No wonder he didn't have a girlfriend.
"Every once in a while I like to sketch, although I'm not all that good." He chuckled. "I have an older sister - she lives a few hours away with her husband. My favorite color is green, I'm left-handed, and I pretty much avoid politics or sports." He paused to take a sip of tea.
"Oh, and I totally agree that God's got everything under control." His eyes twinkled. As much as he'd like to continue the smalltalk though, he knew they had to get down to business sometime and he cleared his throat. "Other than your reference to a band, what kinds of jobs have you had? We need somebody who knows how to be organized, who can talk to clients on the phone, keep schedules, do some typing... that sort of thing." He cocked his head. "Lay it on me. Whatcha got that we can use?"
Lane kept his eyes closed as Angel worked, and ceased any more complaining. It hadn't been so bad at first, but after several days, the pain had gotten to him. If Sparky hadn't been so rough, he wouldn't now be under scrutiny, and it was maddening. He expressed none of that though. He couldn't.
As Angel finished and assured him they were all there for him, he had a hard time holding in his emotions. He sat up gingerly and just stared at the floor for a few minutes before he finally stood and carefully donned his shirt. He wished his sister wasn't so nice. He wished everybody here was just a little harsher. It would make his task easier.
"Thanks," he mumbled softly, and grabbed his hat. He did glance Angels direction, but it only lasted a moment. His mouth opened to give more excuses for his silence. To assure her things were just fine. To make up a reason for all this. But instead, he just sighed. "I'll see you later."
Exiting the office, he started one direction, but when he saw Mick, he turned to go the other way. This did not escape Mick's eyes, so after he was finished with what he was doing, he went to see Angel and check on what had gone on. Learning about Lane's injuries brought on more concern, to say the least, but Mick decided not to tell the other guys just yet. He still wanted to give Lane a chance, even after he told Angel what had happened in the barn. Something wasn't right...but Mick agreed to letting Lane come to them...
...Lane kept himself scarce the rest of the day. He ended up helping a little more around the barns, but retreated to his bunkhouse for most of the afternoon, avoiding especially Mick and Sparky. By dinnertime though, he had to make an appearance, lest anyone get even more suspicious. So, coming to the main house, he once again interacted with smiles just as he had the evening before. If one looked closely though, they might notice how Lane seemed to be avoiding Angel's gaze, or distancing himself from some of the guys. Nothing appeared too out of place though, but it did seem a little strange when he left to take a phone call outside, then was taking quite a while to return.
Feeling the urge to check on things, it was Mick who quietly rose and followed Lane's route onto the front porch. No one really noticed until raised voices could be heard. Eyes looked up from tables to see who was missing, and it was quickly assumed that the argument outside was between Mick and Lane. But what on earth could it be about?
Then the eyes shifted to Angel. Was she going to go see what was happening? Did anyone need to?
No one had to act, though, as the door opened again. Lane walked in first, but instead of going back to his table, he went to the living room alone where he sat on the couch and stared at the floor. Mick waved off several wary looks, and aimed for Angel's table, leaning down over her shoulder to speak quietly in her ear. "Strange phone call number two, and I can't let it go any further. Unless you can get Lane to talk, we're gonna have to have a family powow after dinner."
Though Lydia's face was rather pale, she shook her head at Jamie, and forced a smile. "I think you would need to stay here a whole week to answer all of my questions. I don't think I realized what Justin was really involved with. But that is okay. I am just worried about Grace. Such a sweet girl." She squeezed Jamie's hand back, grateful for the young woman's assurance.
Jared, on the other hand, was not assured at all, as his anxiety rose to greater heights. This whole thing was just stupid. He didn't understand any of it. He didn't understand why this would have happened. Why it would be Grace anyone would go after. It just didn't make sense.
Justin reached over and set a gentle hand on Beth's shoulder. "Don't worry - you'll be safe here. I'll take you inside and introduce you to Pete and Jamie. They're both very nice and they'll take good care of you. You won't have to worry about anything with them around, okay?"
He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Then I'm going to go to the Elite office for a little while, then I'll be back and I'm going to stay here too. I only have one problem." He crinkled his nose. "While I'm over at the Elite, somebody's gotta watch after my two girls." He thumbed to the backseat where Danitza an Zora had been the perfect passengers the whole day. "They like the backyard but they need somebody to keep an eye on them. Think you could help me out there?"
5/24/16
No Judgment
"Oh it is important how it happened, but there is no point in bothering you about it if you are not ready to talk."
Working quietly Angle cleaned and dressed many of the wounds. Cutting a few other open to let the infection out, putting antiseptic on more. Lane's back was a mess and Angel hated seeing it without knowing what or why it was like this. She was happy though that he at least was letting her help him.
"It's hard to be gentile sometimes when things get so bad. Your back is in pretty rough shape, and gentile is not something you can afford from me if you want it to heal."
Finishing up and placing dressing over everything Angel gives Lane's arm a gentile pat. Waiting for him to sit up she sits down next to him silent for a long moment. She new Lane didn't want to talk about anything that was going on and it hurt. Not because he didn't trust her but because she couldn't help him.
"You know we are all here to help. No matter what, no judgment. We are always willing to help anyone, just always remember that for me ok? I love you bro, no matter what time has passed."
Standing Angel drops the subject for now as she starts to clean things up. If Lane wanted to talk to her more he would. If not maybe later they could bring it up again and try to get to the bottom of this.
Seeing Lydia was upset Jamie came out and sat down next to her. Giving a warm smile she did her best to comfort her.
"It's going to be ok. You guys will be alright and we will get Grace back too. I know this is scary, but you are doing great and holding it together."
Jamie laid her hand on top on Lydia's and gave it a small squeeze.
"Did you have any questions we might be able to asnwer?"
Getting to Justin's house Beth tried her best to give a smile. On the inside she was scared to death of everything going on. It was all going so fast it was hard to process. She tired to hide it the best she could but she new Justin would see she was scared.
"I hope everything will be ok. Can't I stay with you? I'd feel safer."
Munching on some chicken and rice Karla was quiet for a moment after Levi asked his question. It was always hard to talk about herself. Talking about herself just always felt strange. She new she had to reply though.
"Me...well lets see...I recently broke up with my boyfriend, I have a few friends here, no family, and I live alone. I do like to paint and read though."
After saying that all out loud she realized how sad her life really sounded. She never thought much of it before though. She was content, and at least this was another step in her path. Having a new job.
"I'm...a pretty boring person but I get buy and I enjoy what God has given me even if its not much. He knows exactly what I need and when I need it."
Taking a sip of her water Karla looks down again before looking up and cocking her head at Levi. She new he had a great personality and he had a good father, but really thats all she new."
"So what about you? What are thinks you like?"
Working quietly Angle cleaned and dressed many of the wounds. Cutting a few other open to let the infection out, putting antiseptic on more. Lane's back was a mess and Angel hated seeing it without knowing what or why it was like this. She was happy though that he at least was letting her help him.
"It's hard to be gentile sometimes when things get so bad. Your back is in pretty rough shape, and gentile is not something you can afford from me if you want it to heal."
Finishing up and placing dressing over everything Angel gives Lane's arm a gentile pat. Waiting for him to sit up she sits down next to him silent for a long moment. She new Lane didn't want to talk about anything that was going on and it hurt. Not because he didn't trust her but because she couldn't help him.
"You know we are all here to help. No matter what, no judgment. We are always willing to help anyone, just always remember that for me ok? I love you bro, no matter what time has passed."
Standing Angel drops the subject for now as she starts to clean things up. If Lane wanted to talk to her more he would. If not maybe later they could bring it up again and try to get to the bottom of this.
Seeing Lydia was upset Jamie came out and sat down next to her. Giving a warm smile she did her best to comfort her.
"It's going to be ok. You guys will be alright and we will get Grace back too. I know this is scary, but you are doing great and holding it together."
Jamie laid her hand on top on Lydia's and gave it a small squeeze.
"Did you have any questions we might be able to asnwer?"
Getting to Justin's house Beth tried her best to give a smile. On the inside she was scared to death of everything going on. It was all going so fast it was hard to process. She tired to hide it the best she could but she new Justin would see she was scared.
"I hope everything will be ok. Can't I stay with you? I'd feel safer."
Munching on some chicken and rice Karla was quiet for a moment after Levi asked his question. It was always hard to talk about herself. Talking about herself just always felt strange. She new she had to reply though.
"Me...well lets see...I recently broke up with my boyfriend, I have a few friends here, no family, and I live alone. I do like to paint and read though."
After saying that all out loud she realized how sad her life really sounded. She never thought much of it before though. She was content, and at least this was another step in her path. Having a new job.
"I'm...a pretty boring person but I get buy and I enjoy what God has given me even if its not much. He knows exactly what I need and when I need it."
Taking a sip of her water Karla looks down again before looking up and cocking her head at Levi. She new he had a great personality and he had a good father, but really thats all she new."
"So what about you? What are thinks you like?"
5/20/16
Balance
Lane hesitated - but what did he expect? This was still better than Mick asking more questions. If he let Angel help him, then there would be less reason for suspicion...right?
Silently obeying his sister's direction, he took off his hat then carefully removed his shirt before lying down on his stomach on the table. Actually, it was a relief, not having anything rubbing against his wounds like they had been.
He still said nothing as she started to work on his back, but simply closed his eyes to try and work through the pain. Eventually though, he did speak.
"It's not important how it happened," he mentioned quietly. "It's over, so I'd rather just move on." He winced as she moved to a more infected wound. He hadn't been able to do a very good job of taking care of this himself. The question was, what would happen now? If he really did think he could just move on, someone's life would be over, and it would be on his head. No matter what he chose, he would condemn someone.
He winced again. "You haven't gotten any gentler over the years, have you?" he tried to tease. Maybe Angel would let the whole thing drop if she saw he didn't want to talk about it.
Justin smiled, trying to be as reassuring as possible. Beth was taking this strange and stressful event in stride, and he was proud of her. "I'm ready. Let's go."
The two-hour drive was torture. Justin wanted to figure this out and figure it out now. He had so many unanswered questions, and it was driving him crazy. Several more phone calls were exchanged on the way, though, with Reese. Pete and Jamie had been sent to the house to watch Lydia and Jared. No more calls had come in though, so they still knew very little - other than the fact that Grace had not shown up for work today. But she wasn't home, even though her car was, making foul play an even stronger assumption. Justin didn't even stop at his own house for anything - if someone was after him, being outside town at his property was the worst place to be alone. He had enough clothes at his mom's that he'd be fine for now, and at least he already had the dogs with him...
"...So what are you guys doing to find her? And why can't I call the cops? Shouldn't they be in on this?" Jared sat in his wheelchair in the living room, his voice matching his expression of irritation.
Pete sighed and eased down to sit on the armrest of the couch. He gave Jamie a sidelong glance. He was glad she was along to care for Lydia - who seemed pretty shook up at this point - but having to deal with Jared was not a pleasant task. "We are the cops. We may not be from the police department, but trust me - this case is in the right hands. There is very little we can do at this point, though, until you get another call."
Jared gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the wheels of his chair. He wanted to scream, but didn't know who to scream at. "Why did they want me to call Justin? What's he involved with?"
"Us." Pete pursed his lips grimly. "Any connection with the Elite is cause for the Agency's attention."
"The Agency?"
"Your brother tell you anything?"
"No!" Jared threw up his arms. "He never tells me anything, okay?! I don't have a clue what's going on!"
"Just cam down," Pete directed gently but firmly. "The Agency is a crime organization."
"What, you mean like the mob or something?"
"Worse. They like to play games. Torture games. Now this whole thing with your girlfriend - it might be a simple prank. It might be an enemy of hers and they think Justin is their way to gain whatever it is they want. It might be an old client of Justin's who didn't like the way he counseled him. Or, it could be the Agency because he's been involved in the Elite recently."
Jared sighed, finally calming down a little. "But if it's the Agency, why Grace? What's the point? She's my girlfriend, not his."
"And how will you feel if she's hurt?"
"Are you kidding me? I'm already sick with worry."
"And if it's the Agency because of Justin, you gonna blame him?"
"Probably."
"Then there you go." Pete shrugged. "If it's the Agency, they'll use Grace to get to you in order to torture your brother. That's the way they work - they take the long way around just for the fun of it."
Jared paused a moment, just studying Pete and Jamie both. "So why are you guys here?"
"We don't expect anything to happen, but just in case anyone shows up here, we're ready. That's all. Nothing to worry about."
Despite his confidence, Lydia, from her seat in her own chair, gave Jamie a worried glance. This whole thing was quite scary for her, and she wasn't really sure what to say or how to act.
Pulling into the driveway, Justin was glad to see the Elite vehicle here. He hadn't gotten word that there had been any more calls though, and that bothered him. They needed to talk to whoever it was that took Jamie in order to form a plan or get any kind of lead. But at least for now, here, everyone was safe.
He glanced to the side and took Beth's hand, giving it a squeeze. "Let's go inside and find out what's going on. Then you'll probably stay here for a little while, okay?"
Levi automatically smiled as he spotted Karla, glad that she'd actually shown up. He grimaced a little though as she sat down. "Doh...yeah giving you my number would have been a good idea, huh? Sheesh. Not thinking, sorry. But no, I haven't been waiting long at all." He spoke almost as fast as his brain was moving - which was probably too fast. He grabbed a menu. "Let's order, then...we'll talk."
It didn't take long to get their food, but Levi didn't start into the work-related questions just yet. "So..." He took a bite of his beef and chewed it thoughtfully. "You've seen me make a fool out of myself, and you've met my father, so I'm feeling a bit intimidated." He grinned. "Tell me a few things about yourself so we can restore balance to the universe."
Silently obeying his sister's direction, he took off his hat then carefully removed his shirt before lying down on his stomach on the table. Actually, it was a relief, not having anything rubbing against his wounds like they had been.
He still said nothing as she started to work on his back, but simply closed his eyes to try and work through the pain. Eventually though, he did speak.
"It's not important how it happened," he mentioned quietly. "It's over, so I'd rather just move on." He winced as she moved to a more infected wound. He hadn't been able to do a very good job of taking care of this himself. The question was, what would happen now? If he really did think he could just move on, someone's life would be over, and it would be on his head. No matter what he chose, he would condemn someone.
He winced again. "You haven't gotten any gentler over the years, have you?" he tried to tease. Maybe Angel would let the whole thing drop if she saw he didn't want to talk about it.
Justin smiled, trying to be as reassuring as possible. Beth was taking this strange and stressful event in stride, and he was proud of her. "I'm ready. Let's go."
The two-hour drive was torture. Justin wanted to figure this out and figure it out now. He had so many unanswered questions, and it was driving him crazy. Several more phone calls were exchanged on the way, though, with Reese. Pete and Jamie had been sent to the house to watch Lydia and Jared. No more calls had come in though, so they still knew very little - other than the fact that Grace had not shown up for work today. But she wasn't home, even though her car was, making foul play an even stronger assumption. Justin didn't even stop at his own house for anything - if someone was after him, being outside town at his property was the worst place to be alone. He had enough clothes at his mom's that he'd be fine for now, and at least he already had the dogs with him...
"...So what are you guys doing to find her? And why can't I call the cops? Shouldn't they be in on this?" Jared sat in his wheelchair in the living room, his voice matching his expression of irritation.
Pete sighed and eased down to sit on the armrest of the couch. He gave Jamie a sidelong glance. He was glad she was along to care for Lydia - who seemed pretty shook up at this point - but having to deal with Jared was not a pleasant task. "We are the cops. We may not be from the police department, but trust me - this case is in the right hands. There is very little we can do at this point, though, until you get another call."
Jared gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into the wheels of his chair. He wanted to scream, but didn't know who to scream at. "Why did they want me to call Justin? What's he involved with?"
"Us." Pete pursed his lips grimly. "Any connection with the Elite is cause for the Agency's attention."
"The Agency?"
"Your brother tell you anything?"
"No!" Jared threw up his arms. "He never tells me anything, okay?! I don't have a clue what's going on!"
"Just cam down," Pete directed gently but firmly. "The Agency is a crime organization."
"What, you mean like the mob or something?"
"Worse. They like to play games. Torture games. Now this whole thing with your girlfriend - it might be a simple prank. It might be an enemy of hers and they think Justin is their way to gain whatever it is they want. It might be an old client of Justin's who didn't like the way he counseled him. Or, it could be the Agency because he's been involved in the Elite recently."
Jared sighed, finally calming down a little. "But if it's the Agency, why Grace? What's the point? She's my girlfriend, not his."
"And how will you feel if she's hurt?"
"Are you kidding me? I'm already sick with worry."
"And if it's the Agency because of Justin, you gonna blame him?"
"Probably."
"Then there you go." Pete shrugged. "If it's the Agency, they'll use Grace to get to you in order to torture your brother. That's the way they work - they take the long way around just for the fun of it."
Jared paused a moment, just studying Pete and Jamie both. "So why are you guys here?"
"We don't expect anything to happen, but just in case anyone shows up here, we're ready. That's all. Nothing to worry about."
Despite his confidence, Lydia, from her seat in her own chair, gave Jamie a worried glance. This whole thing was quite scary for her, and she wasn't really sure what to say or how to act.
Pulling into the driveway, Justin was glad to see the Elite vehicle here. He hadn't gotten word that there had been any more calls though, and that bothered him. They needed to talk to whoever it was that took Jamie in order to form a plan or get any kind of lead. But at least for now, here, everyone was safe.
He glanced to the side and took Beth's hand, giving it a squeeze. "Let's go inside and find out what's going on. Then you'll probably stay here for a little while, okay?"
Levi automatically smiled as he spotted Karla, glad that she'd actually shown up. He grimaced a little though as she sat down. "Doh...yeah giving you my number would have been a good idea, huh? Sheesh. Not thinking, sorry. But no, I haven't been waiting long at all." He spoke almost as fast as his brain was moving - which was probably too fast. He grabbed a menu. "Let's order, then...we'll talk."
It didn't take long to get their food, but Levi didn't start into the work-related questions just yet. "So..." He took a bite of his beef and chewed it thoughtfully. "You've seen me make a fool out of myself, and you've met my father, so I'm feeling a bit intimidated." He grinned. "Tell me a few things about yourself so we can restore balance to the universe."
5/19/16
Taxi
Getting out of the taxi and paying Karla looks up at the Tou Hans sign for a long moment. It was still hard to believe one chapter of her life had ended yet again and now another one was starting so far. She feared free time, down time, to much time to think but God had provided her a new door to open. Among all the sadness there was a little bit of excitement now too. Maybe a new job, something she'd never thought of before, a real job.
Finally going inside Karla gives a smile and nod to the hostess before making her way over to the table that Levi was at. Sliding in actoss from him she gives a smile before setting her purse next to her. Ordering and Iced tea she finally turns her attachen to Levi.
"Hi, I hope I'm not late. I didn't have your number to call and let you know that my taxi was taking forever to get to me. You haven't been waiting long have you?"
Feeling Justin's hand on her face Beth leaned into it a bit. Just feeling his touch and his soft words made her feel safe. He'd always been so kind with her, so slow and caring. She never thought he'd ever do anything to hurt her. His words of concern and protecting her only proved that even more.
"Ok, let me get a few things together I wont take to long."
Disappearing down he hall Beth grabs her bag and starts putting some stuff in it she might need her mind racing. She hoped everything would be ok, and Justin's brothers girlfriend would be fine. She couldn't imagen all the emotions that must be involved.
Coming back out with her bag she was ready. Looking at Justin she tried to give the best smile she could consider the circumstances.
"I'm ready when you are."
Seeing her brother come into the office a smile spread across her face. It hadn't been all a dream and he really had come back. Looking closer though and seeing a strange look on his face she smile slowly faded. Something was wrong and she didn't like it one bit. What could of happened? Her heart raced as she stood to come closer question written on her face.
As Lane turns and lifts his shirt though Angel stops dead just looking at his back. What on earth had happened? Those didn't look fresh like he'd tumbled off a horse this morning and it sent a cold chill through her.
"Lane....what...."
Pointing to the table Angel wanted him to lift his shirt again and lay down. He didn't just need something to take the edge of he needed those cleaned, and something put on them. He really didn't want her to ask what happened? How could she not this was her brother.
"You might not want me to ask what happened, but I do want to know. Also you are not leaving this office till I clean you up and put some ointment on those they look terrible."
As Lane turns and lifts his shirt though Angel stops dead just looking at his back. What on earth had happened? Those didn't look fresh like he'd tumbled off a horse this morning and it sent a cold chill through her.
"Lane....what...."
Pointing to the table Angel wanted him to lift his shirt again and lay down. He didn't just need something to take the edge of he needed those cleaned, and something put on them. He really didn't want her to ask what happened? How could she not this was her brother.
"You might not want me to ask what happened, but I do want to know. Also you are not leaving this office till I clean you up and put some ointment on those they look terrible."
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